Lake Norman Real Estate and NC Homes for Sale

When I first moved to Mooresville I thought I had to drive all the way to South Park to find upscale stores.  I was so wrong! 

One of the unfortunate truths about the Lake residents is that we tend to stay West of the I-77 with the exception of an occasional trip to the DMV or to some of the big box stores like WalMart along HWY 150.   I urge everyone to take the time to visit Main Street; explore, take advantage of, and support the fine shops, restaurants and public services.  Here are 27 reasons why:

THE GARDEN PARTY

1.  The Garden Party (www.the-garden-party.com):  The Garden Party is one of those stores that you need to allow lots of time to explore.  Walking through the front doors you will feel like you are entering an elegant home and garden.  Don't rush!  Every time I visit I discover something new and wonderful.  From the renowned Vietri Italian dinnerware (Vietri is hard to find;  I bought my original pieces from Neiman Marcus but now I have The Garden Party who not only has a better selection but also sells their beautiful new flatware and Festival Glassware...a must see!),  Aurher Court polished aluminum serving and decorative pieces, Oprah's favorite candles by Seda France, Caspari dining paper products, wonderful baby shower gifts like Robeez Shoes for babies (Dr. recommended, and absolutely adorable!),  Thymes bath and body products, Tracy Porter playful pottery, decorative accessories, pillows, lamps, original art, garden statuary and custom brass address plaques.  As of May, 2007, The Garden Party has become a nationally recognized specialty home décor, garden and gift boutique as a "Home Accents Today Retail Star for 2007".  This is THE place in town to shop for housewarming gifts, hostess gifts and more!  They also offer a bridal registry.

LANDMARK GALLERIES 

2.  Landmark Galleries (www.landmark-galleries.com) is the  home of  world renowned artist "Cotton" Ketchie whose beautiful watercolors and photographs are dedicated to preserving the heritage of Mooresville, North Carolina and special landmarks throughout the country.  Just up Main Street from The Garden Party,  Landmark Galleries, run by Cotton's talented wife Vickie, (As Cotton claims he is "retired" yet he starts work in the wee hours of the morning and doesn't stop!) has a wonderful selection of Cotton's original watercolors, limited edition prints, giclée, photography as well as greeting cards, music boxes, puzzles, North Carolina pottery, hand-carved decoys and even screen-savers featuring Cotton's photography.  His work's subjects include Lake Norman,  lighthouses of North Carolina and Maine, country landscapes and landmarks like grist mills and old barns, the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Mountains as well as newer works like Shelton Vineyards and Davidson College.  If you EVER need custom framing, I can not tell you what an incredible job they do.  I have had numerous prints framed by them and am always overwhelmed when I see them!  One last thing, you simply can't leave without getting an autographed copy of Cotton's latest book "Memories of a County Boy".  To truly understand and appreciate the history of Mooresville and laugh as you do so, it is a must read!

 LA PATISSERIE

3.  La Patisserie Bakery (www.mooresvillebakery.com):  There simply are none better than La Patisserie; whether you want to relax at a sidewalk table with an espresso and one of their incredible pastries or scones, order a cake or dessert tray for a special occasion or enjoy a delicious crepe for lunch.  Family-owned and operated, their expert pastry chef and cake decorators are known for their authentic ingredients that are used to create exceptional wedding and specialty cakes. 

Thanks to their Cuban heritage they offer a truly unique lunch menu:

This past year La Patisserie out-grew their quaint coffee shop on Main Street and opened a second location further up on Main Street  where they now have a sit-down breakfast and lunch restaurant/bakery.  Their crepes and empanadas are simply divine!  (I can't believe I just wrote that:). This is now where you would go to order or buy a cake or meet with their catering expert as well. 

However,  you can still get coffee and pastries at their original downtown location which is between The Garden Party and Landmark Galleries.  A perfect place to stop and relax while shopping.  If you haven't yet discovered La Patisserie you are truly missing out!  

Soirée

4.  Soirée:  www.soireeonmain.com  The first thing that impressed me about Soirée was the care and detail that went in to the preservation of the historic building where they now reside, kitty-corner to the original train depot on the corner of Main and Center Street.  If you are looking for a more serene ambiance and casual but upscale dining, Soirée offers lunch Tuesday - Friday from  11a.m. - 2p.m., Dinner Tuesday - Saturday and Sunday Brunch 11a.m. - 2p.m..    I am going to leave the description of the menu and food to my new food critic Kathy K. but do check out their website for more details of this fine restaurant!

5.  Alexander Zachary JEWELERS:  www.alexanderzacharyjewelers.com  I had gone to the same, third-generation family-owned jewelry store for 25 years before I moved here.  Luckily, I found Alexander Zachary Jewelers.  They have a gold smith in the store who provides jewelry repair service, stone setting, design and casting,  3 Gemological Institute of America trained appraisers who will work directly with your insurance companies, and, their watch services include battery replacement while you wait, repair and servicing and restoration of vintage watches and pocket watches.  I can't recommend them more highly! 

I was surprised the first time I visited the store to discover a nice selection of quality jewelry and watches for sale!   They carry such brands as Tissot Swiss watches,  Galatea's "Diamond in a pearl", Auro Design's Rio collection of vibrantly colored stones set in trendy styles, as well as custom set diamonds. 

One extra that I hadn't counted on as well was that the owner, Bill Thunberg, our current Mooresville Town Mayor, will mostly likely be there to help you and even to chat about the town.  They definitely live up to their slogan:  Real People Helping Real People. 

Okay, so I'm only done with 5 of the 27 but it is clear this would be simply too long if I tried to write about all 27 in one post.  So, stay-tuned for Part 2!