Celebrate Good Times…come on!
Hoola hoops
Last Monday night marked the official kick-off to the summer season with Riverside Adventure’s Courtyard Sunset Celebration. DJ Fray was killin’ it – spinning great tunes – that had my hips swaying enthusiastically from 5:30 pm on into the night. Oh, the smell of sweet summer sweat. The entertainment also included Hoola Hoop contests, Corn Hole Competition, a Piñata, and a bon fire with s’mores across the street at Beach Access #5. Adults walked around and sipped on cool cocktails from Delphina’s Cantina while vendors, including Adam and me, set up tables to promote various activities. I met some fine folks and chatted up my upcoming boutique bakery (more on that soon!), sampling some goodies from the menu – milk chocolate chip cookies – the old-fashioned kind that are thin and crispy with just the right amount of chew. And, a citrus-glazed pound cake brimming with orange and lemon zest – incredibly moist and delicious, if I do say so myself.
Once word got out that I was giving away free samples, it spread like wildfire and kids beat a path to my door and the cookie jar was emptied in record time. From a marketing standpoint, might have …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head
Things That Make You Go Hmmm…
Living on an island without cars and with only golf carts to get from place to place affords one more of an – shall we say…observant? – perspective on your surroundings. Well, at least I think so since your vehicle’s doors are always open and basically, it’s easier to “see” stuff as you roll around the streets.
And, lately, I’ve seen some crazy things. Like a pink garden gnome. Now that’s something you don’t see every day…anywhere. Adam and I did a U-y to get the scoop on what the heck it was doing in the median by Timbercreek. So, Adam got up close and personal with this decorative fuchsia statue and found the following written on the back of it:
“Help! If lost, please return to (something, something) Cape Fear Trail.”
Really?
We kind of hemmed and hawed about whether or not we should obey the plea stamped on his wee forehead (honestly, we thought it might be a “punked” kind of situation, so we shamefully took a quick photo before leaving the poor thing alone in unfamiliar territory – this is us hanging our heads – ), but something or someone else obliged the directive since he disappeared the next day. One …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head
May Days
Whew! What a week. I’ve been helping out my “girls” at the art galleries after our sweet Sue took a nasty tumble walking her dogs and broke her ankle in two places (not to mention injuring her other shoulder. Ouch!). Since they’ve opened their second location – All About Art…2 – a very chic, adorable boutique shop with lots and lots of pretties that are awfully dangerous for me to be around on a daily basis, they needed an extra hand since obviously Sue needs to rest up, so they gave me a call and I am more than happy to step up. It’s a fun gig for me, at any rate. They let me merchandise and style at whim, which takes me back to my retail roots. I forgot how much I enjoy doing that. Plus, I meet lots of new people, talk about my cooking classes and cooking parties (which are booking up fast!), promote Adam’s portrait photography and even sell my gourmet dog treats to boot.
It’s called “The Bald Head Island Barkery.” You know, “because life is ruff.”
I’ll get the t-shirts made.
Stop by and say hi and check out their new digs by the spa (across from …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head
Friends of Music
Mark Daffer & Mike O’Donnell
Adam and I read about the Friends of Music Gala River Cruise in Claude’s e-mail last week and thought that might be a fun thing to do, but we got a little distracted with “stuff” and forgot to make reservations. Fast-forward to Friday afternoon – we’re parked outside of the market promoting the cooking classes and cooking parties, as well as Adam’s portrait photography (and even though I might be a wee bit biased, he takes the most amazing photos), and guess who showed up? Jeff – as in Friends of Music Jeff. Even though the event was “sold out,” he coyly put it out there that he might be able to squeeze in one or two more (wink, wink. nudge, nudge). So, we were in like Flynn. We polished up, bought a bottle of red and a bottle of white for our fare (those were the instructions – bring wine to share) and headed to the marina a few minutes before five. We shuffled in the line, presented our printed ticket to Captain Stubbing) okay, fine…to Jeff, but I am a big fan of the cheesy 80’s show, so I was having a little moment. …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head
A Dog’s Life on Bald Head
Today, please meet Ollie!
Name: “Hi. My name is Ollie. But I have all kinds of other names, too. Like Ollie-Lollie. Lollipop – I like that one a lot. Lols. Mister Lols. There’s also Mister Man. Um…Mister-Mister. L’il Man. Little Buddy. Bud…and Ollie…NO! But they only say that one when I’m having fun. Oh, and then there’s Mister Mayor of Poopville. I ‘m not sure what that one means, though.”
Age: “Oh, I’m still a baby – my first birthday was in November. I’m a Scorpio.”
Who is your mom?: “You are, silly!” [Cue big sloppy kiss.]
Breed: “I’m a Border Collie! And my sister is a white fluff ball Terrier. I think she’s a sheep, so I herd her all the time.”
Favorite BHI activities: “TENNIS BALL. THROW ME THE TENNIS BALL…and I’ll chase it and I’ll chase it and I’ll chase it. I like riding in the golf cart, too. But I don’t particularly like it when you take me to go see that big white dog that lives in the harbor after we play at the pavilion and give him my treats and pat him on the head. Naw. I don’t like that much at all.”
Any tricks you can do? …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head
Over the Rainbow
Rainbow after the storm
Speaking of more island “firsts,” Adam and I just rode out our first tropical storm – Tropical Storm Ana.
Overall, she wasn’t a huge deal – just rather windy and lots and lots of rain over the last couple of days. Ana is on her way out now – with good riddance, if you ask me – leaving in her wake limbs and leaves and sticks and stones all over the place and deep puddles lining the roads. She huffed and puffed, but didn’t blow the house down – just a smallish tree that came over in the driveway. I dragged it to the curb yesterday in between bouts of the deluge while letting the dogs out. Lo and behold, it was already swept up by the hard working folks from BHI while we were having our first cup of coffee. They are a well-oiled machine, my friends, when it comes to after storm clean-up.
Thanks to everyone who checked in to make sure we were okay. We had water and wine, you know…the essentials for any self-respecting storm party – we played some cards and watched a movie or two. And, as we were sitting on the deck, …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head
Firsts and Lasts
Casey & Shannon
Adam and I are experiencing a lot of “firsts” on the island – and this past weekend was a doozie. For the past eight years (I’m pretty sure that’s right), the island plays host to five Wounded Warriors and their caretakers and welcomes these brave men and women with open arms, giving them the run of the island. So many businesses donate their time, goods and services and as residents of this wonderful community, Adam and I wanted to contribute in some small way to show our appreciation and deepest gratitude for their service and sacrifice. We dropped off some signed cookbooks for their welcome baskets, along with a flyer that offered a complimentary family portrait on Friday afternoon before the Pot Luck Supper at the BHI Club. We headed over to Beacons Watch where they were all staying and met the families. Honestly, it was all I could do to hold it together, hearing their stories and meeting these amazing people and their adorable children. We only wished the weather on Friday afternoon would have been a little more cooperative (thunderstorms, rain and lots of wind, which caused the cancellation of Sgt. Dana Bowman dropping in …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head
Badwater Ultramarathon Returns to Bald Head Island
The BADWATER® ultra running experience returns to the East Coast when the second BADWATER CAPE FEAR race takes place on Bald Head Island, North Carolina on March 21, 2015. Registration is now open at www.badwater.com.
With 50km and 51-mile options, the race features a twelve-mile warm-up on the car-free, one-lane-wide roads of Bald Head Island, followed by either 19 or 39 miles of running on the wild and secluded sandy beach between Cape Fear and Fort Fisher. The race is held along the Atlantic Seaboard with spectacular views of the Frying Pan Shoals to the east and wild and undeveloped marshlands to the west. It is and dramatic, invigorating, and inspiring manner in which to experience Cape Fear in all its grandeur!
This exquisite natural setting is the perfect antidote to the “real world” and a wonderful counterpart to the desert sands of the Mojave Desert and Anza-Borrego Desert featured in the two West Coast BADWATER® races.
Bald Head Island and nearby Southport, NC (featured in the film “Safe Haven”) are ideal vacation get-away spots for the entire family, located less than one hour from Wilmington, NC and its major airport with Delta and US Airways service (flying into Myrtle Beach, SC …read more
Source: BHI Chamber of Commerce
Badwater Ultramarathon Event Held on Bald Head Island in March
AdventureCORPS, Inc., the masterminds behind the world-famous 135-mile Badwater® 135 Ultramarathon running race held every July between Death Valley and Mt. Whitney, have announced a three-race Badwater Ultra Cup for 2014. The series kicks off with the first ever East Coast Badwater event, Badwater Cape Fear on Bald Head Island, NC on March 22, 2014.
The BADWATER® ultra running experience comes to the East Coast for the first time when the inaugural BADWATER CAPE FEAR race takes place on Bald Head Island, North Carolina on March 22, 2014. Registration is now open and an image of the 51-mile race finisher’s buckle is attached, along with other images from the race route.
With 50km and 51-mile options, the race features a twelve-mile warm-up on the car-free, one-lane-wide roads of Bald Head Island, followed by either 19 or 39 miles of running on the wild and secluded sandy beach between Cape Fear and Fort Fisher. The race is held along the Atlantic Seaboard with spectacular views of the Frying Pan Shoals to the east and wild and undeveloped marshlands to the west. It is a dramatic, invigorating, inspiring setting to experience Cape Fear in all its grandeur!
This exquisite natural setting is the perfect antidote …read more
Source: BHI Chamber of Commerce