Category archive for: Home & Garden

Cooking Workshop with Herbs at Elizabethan Gardens

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February 26, 2011

TASTE OF THE BEACH WEEKEND

Saturday, March 19th, 2011 from noon until 2 p.m.

Elizbethan Gardens on Roanoke Island presents: Green for Herbs - Learn how to grow, harvest and cook with fresh herbs presented by special guest Chef Jason Smith from the Black Pelican Restaurant, Kitty Hawk.

The class will concentrate mainly on appetizers. Appetizers include: rosemary skewered bacon wrapped scallops with caramelized onion and sweet thyme sauce, smoked salmon bundles wrapped in chive with lemon caper dill sauce, herb poached mussels and clams with toasted baguette. Chef Jason will be using herbs grown at The Elizabethan Gardens. Assistant Greenhouse Manager, Kathy Crawford will be on hand to give you hints on selecting, growing and purchasing herbs from The Gardens. Workshop includes a visit to the greenhouses and admission to The Gardens.

ONE FREE ADMISSION TO THE FIRST PERSON TO EMAIL lee@marsheslight.com and put HERBS in the subject line. 

Plants and Herbs will be on sale 10% off in the plant sales area. Members/Friends:  $25 Non Members: $30 (Visa , MasterCard & Discover accepted)

UPCOMING EVENTS:

4/16/2011 Photographing Nature with Jeff Lewis

Visit www.elizabethangardens.org.

Categories: Arts, Dining, Home & Garden, People of Interest, Recipes, Roanoke Island, Things to do, travel, Uncategorized.

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Winter Wednesdays & Wine

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February 24, 2011

This is a percolating time of year along the Outer Banks; it’s not coffee yet, but it’s brewing. We are on the threshold of Spring and up and down the beach businesses are getting ready for the season. It’s also a great time of year to enjoy specials hosted by local shops, such as the wine tasting I visited last night at The Wine Specialist  (Milepost 4.5 on the Bypass in Kitty Hawk).

Wine specialist Stacey Walters of Tryon Distributing, showcased wines from La Posta Vineyards in Argentina. We enjoyed sampling a white wine, Blanco de Blancos, 2009, which was a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Torrontes. It was crisp and light and will be delicious on a warm summer evening. I also tried a smooth Malbec, 2008, a dark ruby colored wine that is full bodied, balanced, and very fruit forward which I purchased (about $15.00). A reviewer of Malbec wines from the New York Times states: “They were consistent, generally unchallenging and crowd-pleasing. In short, what’s not to like?”

Categories: Arts, Dining, Home & Garden, outer banks, Things to do, travel, Uncategorized.

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Taste of the Beach and more on the Outer Banks

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February 17, 2011

Sunny skies and warm weather are in the forecast for the next couple of days and into the weekend. Early signs of Spring are in the air. It’s time to dust off your flip flops, check your calendar and discover some very compelling reasons to visit the Outer Banks right now.

Marshes Light Marina

I’ll be at the Greater DC Live South Show on February 25-27 at the McLean Hilton with Marshes Light. Admission is free and if you’re  in the area, please come by our booth, see what is new at Marshes Light, and register for a chance to win a 2 night stay here in a lovely three bedroom waterfront villa. Our new Sales and Welcome Center is now open at 301 Dartmoor Lane at the Marina.

Coming up: 3rd Annual Jockey’s Ridge Oyster Roast on March 5, from 10 am until 2 pm. This is a great community effort to plant and create new environments for oysters in the Sound behind Jockey’s Ridge in Nags Head. Oyster roast is free for participants. For more information call 252-441-7132.

Did you know that on February 8th, 1862, Roanoke Island was captured by the Union Army after more than 24 hours of conflict? Island Farm is hosting a Living History Weekend with all sorts of activities and demonstrations for you history and civil war buffs. March 5 & 6.  

One of the more popular annual events is the OBX Taste of The Beach, March 17-20. The Outer Banks Restaurant Association has been hosting the Taste of The Beach for over 25 years. This grand food festival event will feature wine tastings, cooking classes, special menu presentations, celebrity guest chef appearances, brewery tours, tapas crawls and many more events with exciting array of creative combinations of culinary delights and fun activities on the Outer Banks.

The Outer Banks are quickly becoming a running destination. Kelly’s 3rd Annual Running of the Leprechauns 8K jumps into the season on March 19. For more information on this event and other activities, visit www.outerbanksrunningclub.org.

Kelly’s 22nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held March 20 on the Beach Road between Milepost 10.5 and 11.5, beginning at 1 pm, rain or shine.

Live music and theater round out the month of March:

  • The Freedmen’s Colony Blues Jam on March 25 at Roanoke Island Festival Park. 7:30 pm. www.roanokeisland.com for more information.
  • Theatre of Dare presents “Diamond Studs” on March 25 – 27 at 7:30 pm Friday & Saturday and 2 pm on Sunday at the COA Roanoke Island Campus (formerly Manteo Middle School).  Tickets are $13 in advance, $15 at the door, and $8 for students with valid school/college identification.  www.theatreofdare.org or 252-261-4064.
  • The London Quartet on March 26 at First Flight High School Auditorium. 7:30 pm. Sophisticated humor and harmony a cappella style by one of the world’s top vocal groups. Visit www.outerbanksforum.org.
  • The Vagina Monologues on March 30 – 31 and April 1 at the Film Theatre at Roanoke Island Festival Park. 7:30 p.m. The production is a part of the V-Day 2011 Worldwide Campaign to stop violence against women and girls. Tickets are $15, for more information contact: Gail Hutchison hutchisongail@hotmail.com.

Categories: Arts, Dining, Home & Garden, outer banks, Roanoke Island, Things to do, travel, Uncategorized.

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Outer Banks Photos of the Season

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December 20, 2010

Christmas bouys on fence
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Xmas Decor Manteo
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Cactus Christmas Tree
Cactus Christmas Tree


Categories: Holiday Happenings, Home & Garden, Roanoke Island, Uncategorized.

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Decking the Halls on the Outer Banks

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November 28, 2010

Early December
22nd Annual Hotlines Festival of Trees
The Pearl Restaurant at the Sea Ranch Hotel, Kill Devil Hills. Noon to 9 p.m. Fundraiser of donated Christmas Trees, holiday items, with seasonal musical performances, a visit from Santa, including an auction to benefit crisis intervention programs of the Outer Banks. (252) 473-5121 or obhotline.org.

December 1
Christmas Sights and Sounds
Fort Raleigh, Roanoke Island. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Enjoy holiday sights and sounds with The Lost Colony. This seasonal celebration is complete with horse and carriage rides, Santa Claus, holiday music performances, hot chocolate and other Christmas-tide events.  Visit the upside down Christmas tree at the Lost Colony Office Building for hors d’oeuvres and more fun. (252) 473-3414 or thelostcolony.org.

December 3
First Friday
Downtown Manteo Waterfront. 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. First Friday is a fun-filled, family-oriented street festival. firstfriday-roanokeisland.com.

December 3
Santa at the Roanoke Island Maritime Museum
5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Come visit with Santa! Free. (252) 475-1750 or roanokeisland.com.

December 3 – 4
Town of Manteo Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade
Tree Lighting will be December 3rd at 6 p.m. with Santa visiting with the children afterwards at the Maritime Museum at the Creef Davis Boathouse. The parade will be December 4th at 11 a.m. in downtown Manteo. manteo.govoffice.com.

December 3-4
Marshes Light Marina Open House
Visit our new Welcome & Sales Center and future Ship’s Store. Located on the waterfront, off of Uppowoc Street, in front of the College of the Albemarle’s Professional Arts Building.  2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

December 4
Manteo Preservation Trust Holiday Tour of Homes9th Annual Manteo Preservation Trust Holiday Tour of Homes. 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.10-12 houses, Inns and/or historic structures  (some properties not handicap accessible). Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased the day of the tour at the Dare County Courthouse (located in downtown Manteo) which is also the first stop on the tour.  For more information contact Grizelle Fearing 252-473-7336.

December 4
The Jazz before Christmas
Comfort Inn North Oceanfront, Kill Devil Hills. Mix, mingle and celebrate the holidays with jazz! A Semi-Formal Affair Hosted by Gwendolyn Meekins. Performance by Chante Moore. Live Jazz Band. Catering by Basnight’s Lone Cedar. Heavy hors d’oeuvres. One specialty beverage. Full cash bar. Admission: Advance Purchase – $50, Door – $65. For additional information, call 252-573-1014 or email GM.Events@live.com. Ticket and Semi-Formal Attire Required for Admission.

December 4 – 5
Nights in Rodanthe Holiday Open House
December 4 from 10am – 6pm and December 5 from 1pm – 6pm. The Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation and the new owners Ben and Debbie Huss of Newton, NC, will host a Holiday Open House at Serendipity. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $15 from HICF board members or at the Midgett Realty office in Hatteras village, Buxton Village Books in Buxton, Vacation Traditions and Island Convenience in Rodanthe and the Dunes Restaurant in Nags Head. They can also be purchased through PayPal on the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation web-site at  http://www.hicf.org/events.html.

December 3 – 31
Holiday Art Show
Dare County Arts Council Gallery, Manteo. Over 500 works of art to fit every budget, including original paintings, pottery, glass, jewelry, fiber, metal, mixed media and wood. darearts.org.

December 4
RIFP Performance Series Christmas at the Park with Elizabeth City State University
7 p.m. Indoor Theatre The performances are free and open to the public. (252) 475-1500, roanokeisland.com.

December 5 – 29
Kitty Dough Botanical Drawings and Nature Art, Jim Fineman- Clay Vases and Basketry
Art Gallery at Roanoke Island Festival Park. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Mon-Fri) 10 a.m. 4 p.m. (Sat). Enjoy botanical drawings and nature art by this certified botanical illustrator, Kitty Dough and stoneware vases and basketry by Jim Fineman. Reception: Dec. 5, 2-4 p.m. (252) 475-1500 or roanokeisland.com,

December 7
Hatteras Connection Seafood Dinner
Hatteras Village Civic Center. 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Local fish, chowder, sides and dessert. $10 plus one non-perishable food item. Benefits Hatteras Island Food Pantry and Hatters Meals. (252) 995-4131.

December 8
Grand Illumination
Join The Elizabethan Gardens as we kick off ten nights of lights and floral displays at The Elizabethan Gardens, featuring holiday foods and festive drink in the Embellished Hall. Also featured are fire pits on the Great Lawn, where guests can roast marshmallows, drink hot cocoa and be entertained by Dockside Theatre Company and others. Special holiday promotion is planned with many gifts under $15.00 and plant sales will feature winter annuals; ornamental vegetables; forced bulbs; rosemary Christmas Trees; and conifers with bows. Please call The Elizabethan Gardens at 252-473-3234 for more information or visit elizabethangardens.org.

December 11
Home and Gardens Workshop ~ The Art of Wreath Making
Wreath making workshop by Kim and Wes Stetson of Holiday House Weddings will be held in The Embellished Hall at The Elizabethan Gardens. Class is limited to 25 participants. The Elizabethan Gardens will provide the wreath base, greening pins and cuttings from The Gardens. Participants may bring in ribbon, ornaments or anything from home to make it uniquely you. This workshop is open to Friends for $20 and to Non-members for $25. Light refreshments will be served. Call 252-473-1554 to register for class.

December 17
Dinner with Santa
Celebrate the holidays with your child by dining with Santa in the magically decorated Embellished Hall at The Elizabethan Gardens. Culinary delights will be provided by Ortega’z, and Santa will be available throughout the evening. Traditional holiday decorations. Ticket includes dinner, Santa and WinterLights. Dinner seating is at 6 pm, 7 pm, or 8 pm.. Call 252-473-1554 to register.

December 17
107th Annual Celebration of the Wright Brothers First Flight
Wright Brothers National Memorial. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The daylong anniversary tribute will be held at the site of Wright’s first flight. Visitors to the site experience a replica of the Wright Brothers’ 1903 encampment and majestic, 60-foot tall granite monument perched atop a 90-foot hill that serves a striking and lasting reminder of the important historical achievement that happened on this site a century ago.

December 21
Kid’s Craft Day
Elizabethan Gardens. Let Mom and Dad go shopping, while we entertain the children! This is a special day for children 5 and up. We will have an arts and crafts activity, healthy snacks, lunch, story time and a special stroll through The Gardens. Space limited to 30 children. Friends’ $15; Non-members $20 call 252-473-1554 to register.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Categories: Holiday Happenings, Home & Garden, Marshes Light Marina, outer banks, Roanoke Island, Things to do, Uncategorized.

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UNC Albemarle Ecological Field Site Students Visit Marshes Light

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September 9, 2010

Professor Robert Perry and students of the Albemarle Ecological Field Site of the University of North Carolina visited the Marshes Light community in Manteo to learn about our wetlands and how to protect them.

We hosted an informal gathering with Warren Eadus and Andy Deel of Quible Associates P.C., a local Engineering and Environmental Science Firm. The students were then given a guided field review of the stormwater systems at the Marshes Light.

Identifying wetlands plants at Marshes Light

Andy identified sedimentation as the number one threat to North Carolina’s waterways and went on explain how the sand filters, wet pond, and bioretention basins at Marshes Light reduce the TSS (Total Suspended Solids) below State requirements, while also providing nutrient reductions for stormwater runoff.

Warren provided a tour of wetlands on site, which are being enhanced to encourage a healthy and diverse growth of native wetland species. Marshes Light is proud to be a part of Historic Manteo and provide state-of-the-art stormwater treatment to protect and promote healthy water quality throughout beautiful Shallowbag Bay.

Categories: Home & Garden, People of Interest, Roanoke Island, Uncategorized.

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New Home Under Construction Sparks Interest/Sale in Marshes Light

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August 8, 2010

On the corner of Up & Fer, this charming 1,800 square foot bungalow is taking shape in the heart of Manteo’s historic neighborhood.

This home is located on lot #1 in Marshes Light, and is owned by Bob & Norma of  Lorton, Virginia. The street’s been abuzz with interest and lot #3 recently went under contract.

The Marshes Light Marina Ship’s Store is in the works with construction to start in the next few days.

Construction on both projects is provided by local builder, Steve Daniels and Renaissance Construction.

Categories: Historic Architecture, Home & Garden, Uncategorized.

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Outer Banks Clams with Linguine

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July 11, 2010

After a day of work or play, this dish spotlights the fresh flavor of local clams (small cherrystones are best) on a tangle of pasta. If you”re on the northern beaches, I recommend Carawan’s Seafood in Kitty Hawk – they are a family owned business and always have the freshest selection of fish and shellfish, local veggies, beer and wine.

This dish has become a weekly favorite! The recipe has been adapted from Mario Batali. 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons kosher or coarse sea salt
1 pound linguine
12 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
24 fresh cherrystone or small clams in shell, scrubbed
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup dry white wine
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes in juice, juice reserved and tomatoes coarsely chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped (optional)

In large pot over moderately high heat, combine 8 quarts of water to boil and salt. Bring to boil, then add linguine and cook to 1 minute short of al dente according to package directions (pasta should still be quite firm).

Meanwhile, in large sauté pan over moderately high heat, heat 6 tablespoons extra- olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add garlic and sauté until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add clams and 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes and sauté 1 minute. Add wine, tomatoes and juice, and 1/2 cup parsley and simmer, uncovered, just until clams open, 7 to 8 minutes.

Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain linguine and add to pan. Simmer, tossing occasionally, until linguine is just tender, about 1 minute. If necessary, add some of reserved cooking water to keep moist. Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and extra-virgin olive oil, tossing to coat. Transfer to serving dish and serve immediately.  Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the delicious juices.

  

 

Categories: Home & Garden, Things to do, Uncategorized.

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Manteo’s Farmers Market

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June 13, 2010

Saturday is the day to visit Roanoke Island. Starting at 8 a.m. in downtown Manteo, the Farmer’s Market, fresh produce, flowers, plants, sweets, pottery and more, until noon every Saturday through October.

Categories: Home & Garden, Things to do.

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Manteo’s First Friday Festivities

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June 1, 2010

June 4. Downtown Manteo.

We’ll kick off the evening with a small reception at the Coors Cottage at 326 Fernando Street. Stop by on your way to First Friday and visit Marshes Light showcase model home. Light refreshments will be served and you can register for a chance to win a two night stay in one of our upscale waterfront Marina Villas. Friday 4-6 p.m.

Coors Cottage

Categories: Home & Garden, Things to do, Uncategorized.

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Romancing the Home

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May 18, 2010

Rafters, pilings, sheetrock, plywood, flashing. Sounds about as romantic as a root canal.

All these things individually don’t become a home without a designer, a builder, craftsmen and an owner with vision. The sum of its parts begins to grow as flooring is selected, cabinets are installed, lights are hung, and the sun shines through an open window for the first time.

The quality of the homes at Marshes Light is evident at every turn, from the welcoming foyers of the Marina Villas to the warm, reclaimed floors in the Coors Cottage. The charm of the neighborhood is evident at every turn, from the soundside boardwalk along Shallowbag Bay to the unique historical cottages nearby.

The homes at Marshes Light were built by Steve Daniels and Renaissance Construction, whose reputation is based on consistently producing superior quality custom homes for satisfied customers on the Outer Banks.

Only a few three bedroom Marina Villas are available, all have exceptional views of Shallowbag Bay with quiet and well thought-out floor plans.  New home packages are also available on a selection of Marshes Light homesites. Prices start in the mid $400,000s. www.marsheslight.com.

Categories: Home & Garden.

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Purple Petunias

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April 24, 2010

 I found these at Home Depot and love the mix with the little white flowers. Shorty likes them too.

She likes to take time to smell the flowers when she’s not on squirrel watch.

Categories: Home & Garden.

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