Delectable Ritual ~ Savouring the Sunset

December 21, 2014 by Candi Licence 2 Comments

A beautiful sunset, viewed from our deck.

A beautiful Outer Banks sunset, viewed from our deck in Duck, North Carolina.

My favorite thing about our house in Duck was that the main deck faced west and had an extraordinary sunset view. Jessica’s Dune is on a hill, one lot from the Currituck Sound and that lot is undeveloped because it acts as the community access to the sound. This means there is nothing built on that lot and it provides an unparalleled sunset view.

Just another day in paradise.

We used to have a house on Cape Cod, Massachusetts in Truro that had a similar, extraordinary view and it was there that I first realized that there are beautiful sunsets many nights, we just weren’t normally in a place where we could see them. It seems silly now, but I was amazed that you could see fabulous sunsets, night after night after night. When we saw our first sunset at Jessica’s Dune, I knew we were going to re-establish the sunset ritual of being on the deck every night possible and watching the sun sink slowly and brilliantly under the horizon.

A gorgeous sun getting ready to sink under the horizon.

Sunset watching is at its best starting around 15 minutes before the sun slips below the horizon and can last just a few minutes after it sets or can last up to 45 minutes depending on the clouds and the clarity of the sky. Some nights there were no clouds at all and the show was in the rich colors of the sky as it changed from orange, to red and then to purple. Watching the changes reflected on the water was also fabulous and it was often difficult to decide if the sky or the water was the prettiest.

I love that it is always a mystery what you will see and how, on some nights, the colors seem to last forever.

We often had dramatic cloud formations.

The ritual begins with one of us calling to the other that “It’s time!”. Then with some wine and maybe some cheese we’d head out to the deck. Sometimes we’d sit in great Adirondack chairs to watch and other times we’d stand at the railing. Inevitably, we’d think this is the best sunset yet, and I’d run downstairs to get Michael’s camera – hoping we didn’t miss the magic and Michael could take a few great shots. The best part was that we didn’t need to go anywhere. We just had to look out the window and walk out to the deck to see these extraordinary light shows.

We caught this sunset on the way home from Okracoke. We were driving like mad to get to an open spot on the road so Michael could capture this scene. Breathtaking!

It was really hard to pick just a few shots to include in this post because we really had many, many, MANY beautiful sunsets that could fill an album of wonderful evenings spent together. This delectable ritual will always be one of my favorite memories of the Outer Banks.

This was one of the nights with no clouds. The color of the water was enchanting.

This was one of the nights with very few clouds. The color of the water was mesmerizing.

Dinner on a Sandbar ~ Blue Moon Beach Grill

November 26, 2014 by Candi Licence Leave a Comment

Insider tip: Eat at the Blue Moon Beach Grill in Nags Head. A couple of locals told us we had to eat at the Blue Moon Beach Grill so one Friday night we headed south for dinner. Like so many places here, they don’t take reservations but we thought we wouldn’t have too long a wait since it was off-season. We arrived around 7:30 and all the tables were filled but the hostess thought it would only be about a 15 minute wait. There was room at the bar so we ordered some wine and started taking in the sights.

As expected from the name, this is a beachy bar and grill. Lots of beach art on the walls, an open kitchen and inviting bar for drinking, eating dinner or waiting for a table. We didn’t have to wait for long for a table to open up.

The bar area

The open kitchen and beach art

I love the concept that all of the Outer Banks are essentially sandbars

We really liked our server who was friendly and efficient. Michael started off with a Caesar Salad that was nothing like we’ve ever had before. It was Chopped Romaine tossed in a homemade Caesar dressing with applewood smoked bacon, fresh tomatoes, caramelized Vidalia onion, grilled lemon, and shaved parmesan. Very different, OK, but I wouldn’t get it again. We prefer a traditional Caesar salad.

For entrees, Michael got their “Angel’s Delight” which was Shrimp and Blue Crab, sautéed in a light white wine sauce, with tomatoes, green onion, roasted red peppers, garlic, and basil and served over angel hair pasta. His dish was fabulous. I had their Ahi Tuna Special with Asparagus and a thick Tamari sauce. I love rare tuna and really enjoyed this entrée. Michael and I split a lovely cheesecake that was light and tasty.

I LOVED my Ahi Tuna special

a light, heavenly cheesecake

Michael's Angel's Delight - a perfect name for this wonderful entree

Michael’s Angel’s Delight – a perfect name for this wonderful entrée

The surprising Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and caramelized Onion

Blue Moon Beach Grill is an unpretentious restaurant that has a good atmosphere, great wait staff and wonderful food ~ AND you get to eat on a Sandbar. YUM!

Best Beach Getaway ~ Ocracoke Island

November 10, 2014 by Candi Licence

An island that can only be accessed by ferry ,,,,, 14 miles of National Seashore … a single, charming, quaint village surrounding a beautiful harbor …. very few tourists because high season is over …. This is a recipe for a fabulous beachy getaway. A few people encouraged us to go and to stay overnight.

We left right after the lunar eclipse in early October and had a perfect 2 day excursion. By 8:45 AM, we were packed and headed towards Hatteras Village which is at the southern end of Hatteras Island and the ferry port for Ocracoke Island. We had one stop on the way to try an “Ugly” at the Orange Blossom Bakery and Cafe in Buxton. An ugly is an apple fritter that is HUGE and is a favorite in this area of the world. We pulled in around 10:15 AM which was a perfect time to pick up a sweet to eat on the ferry ride. Confession: We didn’t really like them that much even though everyone raves about them – off day?

There is a lot of beach driving on the Outer Banks. This Bumper sticker captures the carefree feeling!

One of the Hattersa Village "cottages" right by the ferry dock.

One of the Hatteras Village “cottages” right by the ferry dock. Reunion, anyone?

Got to the ferry dock and lined up for the free 40 minute ride to the island. Free! Unbelievable. The ferry carries any vehicle that can travel on a road – cars, BIG trucks, RVs, etc. It is first come, first served unless you are a resident or service person – these folks get priority boarding. As you sit in lines you try to determine if you’ll make the cutoff for the next ferry or have to wait for another one. It’s a mystery until the last-minute before boarding because all of a sudden a few huge trucks can arrive in the priority lane and totally change the dynamics. This was the case with the first ferry. A lot of trucks trumped regular cars, but it was a beautiful day and we were sitting in a lovely harbor with our Kindles so no problem. We squeaked onto the second ferry and were on our way. It was a perfect day – sunny, about 75 degrees with a gentle breeze blowing. We got out of the car and went upstairs to an observation deck to soak in the sights and sounds. The ferry ride was part of the fun.

The ferry ride was part of the fun. Here we are heading out of Hatteras towards Ocracoke Island.

When we arrived on the island, we decided we would drive into town first to briefly check it out, find the lighthouse that Michael wanted to shoot at either sunset or sunrise, grab a bite to eat and then head for the beach. We discovered that the lighthouse would have the best light at sunset so we planned to return just after 6PM to set up. We had lunch at a cute restaurant that had shaded patio seating so Mick could join us while we ate. This was great because it was hot out and we don’t really like leaving him in the car even with the air conditioning running. Mick loves being in vacation places because everyone misses their dog and he gets all their love and pets.

Mick and I getting ready to stake out our perfect spot. Notice the off-season “crowds”.

We then headed for the beach and chose the first parking lot outside of town because it had outdoor showers and we could rinse Mick off at the end of the day. The beach was absolutely stunning and there were less than 10 cars in the parking lot. The beach was wide and had a shallow entrance into the ocean. There were medium waves and a great breeze. We frolicked in the water with Mick for a bit and then settled in for some serious sun time. This was the prettiest beach we’ve seen at the Outer Banks and mostly they are all stunning beauties.

Late in the afternoon, we rinsed off and then headed towards the lighthouse. Mick and I strolled the grounds while Michael set up and waited for the light to turn soft. The brochures said this lighthouse was a photographer’s dream but I think the Bodie lighthouse with the grasses and marsh made a more idyllic shot. However, the Ocracoke lighthouse is no slouch either. This shot, with the fencing drawing your eye in, was wonderful.

After shooting the lighthouse, we headed to the hotel to check in. Pretty much all the hotels on the island are older motels but all well-kept. Ours, The Inn on Silver Lake, had lots of pet friendly rooms on the first floor, all with lovely sitting areas in front and facing the harbor – complete with rocking chairs. It was a lovely early evening so we sat outside rocking and reading while Mick enjoyed his dinner. Later, we headed over to The Flying Melon for dinner. Funky name but we liked the looks of the restaurant. I checked the internet and they didn’t have a website but they did have great reviews on Trip Advisor and Yelp.

The Flying Melon Cafe on Ocracoke Island

The funky and fabulous Flying Melon Cafe on Ocracoke Island

The rooster is a sign of hospitality. I really liked this one.

The rooster is a sign of hospitality. I loved this one, several were displayed throughout in the cafe.

The fabulous Mushroom Cheesecake. I need to learn how to make this.

We had a fabulous server and dinner at The Flying Melon Cafe. Michael had a scallop, mushroom and cheese appetizer and I had a Mushroom Cheesecake which was really like a cheesy, mushroomy mousse – both were delicious. For entrée’s, Michael had a house smoked, bone-in Pork Chop with a Cherry Citrus glaze and I had a seafood platter that had Bluefish, Shrimp, Scallops and a Crabcake – what a delectable feast! We split a crème brulee and headed back to the Inn. It was a balmy evening and we sat outside on our deck rocking and reading books for about an hour before turning in.

The next morning I gathered up a respectable continental breakfast from the front desk, we sat on our porch and had a lovely meal and then headed off to the beach. The wind changed direction overnight so the waves were very gentle and rolling. The water was warm and Mick had a great time running into the water after Michael and then back to me. We had a few more hours of luxurious sun time.

It was one of those perfect beach days you dream about. Soft, east waves, lovely breezes, warm sun and I could feel myself melting into the chair with happiness. We’re at the time of year when each day is especially cherished because you know it’s going to turn cooler any day – early fall was already overdue. We finally dragged ourselves off the beach and reluctantly headed towards the ferry. We had one moment of indecision, maybe we should just stay over another day? … but decided to stick with our plan and potentially come back the next week.

Day 2 - Another perfect day. Waves were calmer because wind was coming out of the west.

Day 2 – Another perfect day. The waves were calmer because wind was coming out of the west.

The ferry ride was, once again, a treat all by itself and as we drove off the ferry and back onto Hatteras Island, I was on the lookout for a place to eat. It was 3:30, that weird time where places were finished serving lunch and not open yet for an early dinner. As we were driving through Buxton, I saw a sign for Buxton Munch with a sign that said they had 5 stars on Trip Advisor so we did a quick U-turn and drove in. What a find! As Michael gave Mick a quick walk, I approached the door. There was a sign saying they closed at 4:00. My phone said 3:57 so as I pulled open the door I wondered if we would be able to eat. The young woman behind the counter could not have been nicer. She said sure but we’d have to order for take-out. No problem there as there were picnic tables right outside.

The feeling good groove at Buxton Munch

One of Buxton Munch’s delicious wraps

I didn’t want to delay the gracious staff any longer so I ordered for both Michael and me – a Crabcake wrap with Avocado and Black Beans and a grilled Rockfish wrap. Both came with great corn chips and cole slaw. I ordered drinks and as the server was waiting on our order she started cleaning up – including the soda machine but she said no worries, she’d leave Michael’s selection for last in case he wanted a refill!

The interior was adorable and had lots of 60’s memorabilia and Far Side comic books around. They even had a Woodstock poster. How fun! Their tag line is – ‘A groovy little place with a whole lotta taste’ and this sums it up perfectly. I wish this special place was closer to Duck – I’d eat here often. The food was super fresh, spiced well and really great.

We headed home satisfied and happy. This was a perfect trip – so much so, we returned the following week. Michael had loved sitting outside of our hotel room so much that I rebooked there again and we pretty much did a repeat visit – beach, Inn on Silver Lake and Flying Melon again. YUM!

It was hard to pick the “best” picture to show Ocracoke’s majestic beauty

The first time we went, the dunes were covered in small yellow flowers that were incredibly vibrant and beautiful. When we returned with the intention of taking pictures of the flowers, we were disappointed that they were somewhat gone by. This was a gentle reminder to seize every moment and never wait! This getaway will be a highlight of an already wonderful segment of our travels and a not to miss recommendation for anyone coming to the Outer Banks.

The dunes covered with yellow flowers. This is the “gone by” picture. Imagine what it looked like the week before!

Whirlwind Tour ~ Showcasing the Essence of the Outer Banks

November 5, 2014 by Candi Licence 6 Comments

How to experience the magic, fun and specialness of the Outer Banks in 2.25 days without going into serious overload was the challenge.

Michael’s Aunt, Anne, was planning a short visit from the Washington D.C area. Anne has done a good bit of traveling but has never been to the Outer Banks. Because the Outer Banks is only about 5-6 hours from DC, she has heard tons about it from friends and we wanted to give her a feel for its specialness without spending hours in a car.

Anne planned to arrive around 5 PM on Friday and stay though the weekend, leaving Monday morning. We made reservations to go to The Paper Canoe for dinner for 7:30, thinking this would give us time to catch up and watch the sunset before heading out for a leisurely dinner. The Paper Canoe is our favorite OBX restaurant and was closing for the season on Saturday. We wanted to be sure to have one more dinner there and thought Saturday night might be a madhouse, or even worse, they might run out of favorite dishes.

Anne called about 5:15 and said she was 12 miles away – however, she was still on the other side of the bridge and traffic was completely stopped due to an accident. Two+ HOURS later, she pulled into our driveway at 7:25. UGH! I had already called the restaurant and moved our reservation to 8:00, the latest they would serve us at this time of the year (off-season). So, Michael and I watched the spectacular sunset while Anne sat in traffic (and missed it), we all had a quick drink to give Anne a car break and then we headed 10 minutes down the road to dinner.

This was the sunset we wanted Anne to see ….

The Paper Canoe always has exceptional food and thankfully, they were at their best so Anne’s weekend got off to a fabulous start. We shared two appetizers – Mussels in Garlic sauce and fried Wontons in a Tamari sauce. Both were excellent. For entrées, Michael and I shared grilled Shrimp with Gouda grits and spinach in a delightful sauce and Scallops with Crabmeat and Carrots in a different, yummy sauce. Anne also had the Grilled Shrimp. The entrées were outstanding and made you want to lick the plates clean! It was a perfect last meal at this wonderful restaurant and we were so happy to share this special place with Anne.

This is one of two beautiful tea cups that Anne handmade for Michael and me

On Saturday morning, Michael set up an informal photography shoot. Anne is a Potter and she submits her creations to competitions and shows via photographs. She wasn’t thrilled with the quality of her photos and was asking for some pointers. Michael showed her ways to make great looking pictures using indirect light which would reduce the potential glare off the glaze and eliminate harsh shadows while highlighting the beautiful details in her work. Anna had brought us two of her hand thrown tea cups as a gift. We love pottery so they were a perfect present and will be a great reminder of a fun weekend with Anne.

Later on Saturday, we headed over to Corolla to a place called Whalehead which is a restored hunting estate that is on the Currituck Sound and has a mansion/hunting lodge, a romantic wooden bridge and is next to the Currituck lighthouse. The park like grounds are made for strolling and the bridge, boathouse and harbor area are delightful. After that, we headed over to the Atlantic Ocean to see the Corolla beaches which are wide and have a gradual slope into the sea. We laughed, watching some poor workmen trying to get a huge garden arch onto the beach for a late afternoon wedding. They were triumphant when the finally got their vehicle over the sand dune leading to the beach and could off-load the arch.

The majestic Whalehead Mansion/ Hunting Lodge

Michael then dropped Anne and me off in downtown Duck and we headed out for a little retail therapy, browsing our way through the delightful shops. Anne is an excellent Potter so we started with Greenleaf Gallery, a fabulous gallery that specializes in Pottery, Glass and Jewelry. Anne and I spent so much time examining their collection that the owner came over and asked which one of us was the Potter!

We continued on and I showed Anne that Duck had constructed a boardwalk that extends the length of the downtown area along the Sound which gets people off the road and into nature between clusters of shops. The boardwalk views are breathtaking. We strolled along, popping into a few more shops and then came to the end just before sunset. I called Michael and invited him for a drink on the deck of the Blue Point Bar and Grill. Anne and I grabbed a waterside table, we ordered drinks and the toasted a great day and a beautiful sunset with Michael. The sky was crystal clear, the setting sun was golden and then the sky turned from purple to deep red with a sliver moon above. It was so lovely. We headed home and Michael made a delicious dinner of steak, rice and veggies. It was a great meal with lots of great conversation.

On Sunday, Michael made a breakfast feast of bacon and cornmeal waffles with fresh berries, whipped cream plus a delicious syrup which was a combination of maple syrup and Grenadian Nutmeg syrup. What a way to start the day. We headed down to Hatteras island and on the way I pointed out Kitty Hawk, the Wright Brothers memorial, Kill Devil Hills (rumored to be named that because of the deadly Rum that was distilled there), and Nags Head. We drove to Bodie Island so Anne could see the lighthouse and the beautiful marshes that surround it. Then we drove over to the Atlantic side to see Coquina Beach, the first Hatteras beach. There are beautiful dunes, a spectacular beach and the surf was calm with small rolling waves. It was a perfect day and there was hardly anyone on the beach. Michael and Mick explored and took pictures while Anne and I walked the shoreline looking for unusual shell pieces that had been weathered by the water and sand. Anne headed back with heavy pockets of treasures that may show up as decorations on future pottery.

I tried to be very clever and take Anne to the Silver Bonsai Gallery in Manteo since we were only 10 minutes away, but it’s off-season and they were closed which was too bad because they also have wonderful pottery, jewelry and spectacular inlaid wood framed mirrors. I was really disappointed because I know she would have loved it and it would be too far out of her way to detour for a visit on her way home.

The beautiful dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Jockey’s Ridge butts up against the gorgeous Currituck Sound

We still had some lovely afternoon sun so we stopped by Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the way home. Jockey’s Ridge has the highest sand dunes on the east coast, some towering 120 feet high. This is a large park that looks like a small desert in places and also has lovely wooded trails that lead to the Currituck Sound. This is also a very popular area for people to hang glide, catching the prevailing winds that rush over the dunes. We took Anne to the sound beach which, like so many places here, is incredibly beautiful. It has a submerged sandbar peninsula that juts out into the sound. At low tide, you can walk way out into the sound and be surrounded by water which is really cool.

The in-progress necklace creation I'm making for Anne

The in-progress necklace creation that I am making for Anne

We finally headed back home with the plan for drinks on the deck and sunset watching. I showed Anne some of the jewelry I’ve made and we went through my bead stock. We picked out some cool shell pieces, pearls and silver beads so I could make her a custom necklace. I tried to complete it before she left but because of the unusual and dissimilar shapes of the shells it’s like an intricate puzzle and putting the right shapes together so they hang nicely is time-consuming. We got the general idea right and the necklace was about half way finished when we realized we were missing the sunset! Horrors! Drinks in hand we watched the sun just sink below the horizon and then the beautiful evening colors in the water and sky emerged and entertained us for another 30 minutes or so.

Michael cooked a feast of Salmon and vegetables with vermicelli noodles in a chicken stock with all kinds of spices plus lemon grass, ginger, scallions and peppers. It was a take-off on the fish in a clay pot recipe he’s perfected and was great. We had more good conversation and a lively discussion of all the wonderful snippets of fun that we had over the weekend. I think we did a good job showing Anne the good food and good shopping that can be had here as well as the variety of beaches and the ‘in your face’ extraordinary nature that surrounds everything. What fun we had, sharing this special place.

Wild Mustangs ~ An Outer Banks Adventure

October 18, 2014 by Candi Licence Leave a Comment

A Wild Horse Adventure chariot, courtesy their website

Tooling along a pristine beach in a modified Hummer, looking for wild Spanish Mustangs is fabulous fun. The Outer Banks has a herd of about 100 of these wild Spanish Mustangs that have graced these beaches since the early explorers brought them to America by ship in colonial times. It is thought that the horses swam to the Outer Banks after coastal ship wrecks and they have called this beach area home since that time. These Mustangs are now protected and roam freely in the northernmost part of the Outer Banks, in the area just north of Corolla, North Carolina up to the Virginia border.

North Carolina “Route 12”, courtesy Wild Horse Adventure Tours website

The herd’s territory begins where RT 12 becomes a sand road along the beach. This is four-wheel drive territory and is popular with fisherman, home owners who really want to get away from it all and, of course, horse lovers. There are a number of thriving businesses who will drive you into the sand, tell you local history & horse lore and try to locate horses. It’s an adventure for the drivers as well as the riders because the horses travel throughout the area, grazing all day long, so everyone is on the lookout for the next group of horses. They can never predict where they will be on any given day, at any particular time – and that’s part of the fun.

This is the only tour that has Hummers

When I started researching the different companies, I was pleasantly surprised to see that all the companies had consistently great reviews. That was a great starting point and a testament to the companies that organize these tours – it didn’t look like I could make a bad choice. That being said, I then tried to see how the companies differentiated themselves and found 2 basic differences – the type of vehicle/seating and where they looked for horses. Every tour has access to most of the area and a couple of touring companies have access to private areas. I was intrigued by the ability to drive in the private areas because I thought less “traffic” might yield better horse viewing but I ended up deciding based on the vehicle type and seating. Most of the companies that could enter the private area were reported as having a very bumpy ride and they had bench seats on each side that faced inward so you’d always be craning your neck to see out of the vehicle. I chose Wild Horse Adventure Tours because they had Hummers (the biggest vehicles), had individual seats so you wouldn’t be bounced into each other and “stadium” seating so everyone had a clear view.

What a motley crew! …waiting to get loaded into the Hummer.

We planned our trip when our great friends, Mary Ellen and Lee, were visiting. We’ve been friends for ages, ever since Mary Ellen moved in across the street from us in Willington, Connecticut. They are the best kind of friends – fun, willing to be spontaneous and easy to be with – nothing is a problem and we laugh all the time. I love Mary Ellen like a precious sister and special friend. And Lee is wonderful as well. They moved to Vermont a number of years ago and on some weekends, we helped them build their beautiful house high up on a mountain with spectacular views of the White Mountains. Most weekends, they’d drive up to Vermont by themselves, work like crazy people and drive back lateish on Sunday night. We’d call them about 30 minutes out and tell them we’d have dinner for them when they got home. They’d pull in, we’d unload their truck and while they fed animals, Michael would grill steaks, I’d pull the rest of dinner together and then we’d sit on the deck, have a lovely dinner and hear all the adventures. Those were great times and I’m thrilled that we have been able to keep the friendship alive by trying to see each other at least once a year, hopefully twice. Anyway, Mary Ellen and Lee are “horse people” so we knew they would love this adventure.

We got to the site and I immediately determined that the best place in the Hummer would be Lee in the front seat riding shotgun to the driver and us in the second seat with Mary Ellen at the window and Michael and me in the middle so Michael could stretch his leg out in the extra leg room. The person loading the Hummer was very accommodating and we got to sit exactly where we wanted – YEAH! Off to a great start. Our driver, Maggie, was a cowgirl from Colorado who was working the beach circuit for the summer. She was fun, upbeat and very knowledgeable. Maggie drove us all over and told us a lot of interesting facts about the area, the horses themselves and how they are taken care of. The horses stay in small groups and graze throughout the day all across their territory. This day, they were mostly in people’s yards eating the good grasses and soaking up the sun and the good vibes. Because they are protected and you aren’t supposed to be within 50 feet of them, they are very relaxed and don’t move as you approach them. The people renting the houses looked thrilled to have these special guests in their yards munching away – the kids, as you can imagine, were over the moon. Lee is a Ferrier so he was looking at the horse’s feet to see how they were doing and got into a conversation with Maggie about natural hoof shaping which she also believes in.

Just another day, lounging in the sun, in paradise for these Mustangs

We had a great tour and had lots of fun. I wish that we could have seen the horses on the beach or in the forest but, alas, this day they were content hanging out on people’s lawns. We may need to go again to try to get some more pictures in a more “wild” environment. Enjoy the Wild Horse Adventure Tours website pictures below. We’ll post more pictures if we take another tour.

Horsing around on the beautiful Outer Banks beach

It's great having a friend to give you a ride.

It’s great having a friend who will give you a ride.

Misty morning munch. This is such a tranquil sight.

Momma and her Baby, how sweet is this?

Afternoon swim

Marvelous Moondance ~ Full Lunar Eclipse

October 15, 2014 by Candi Licence 1 Comment

[Wednesday, October 8th.] The alarm goes off at 5:10 AM. We both jump up and rush to the window. YES! There is a beautiful full moon in the western sky and no clouds on the horizon. BINGO. We are going to be able to shoot the full lunar eclipse.

The moon lighting up the water at the very start of the eclipse

As we look closely, we can see the eclipse has just started. The upper left side of the brilliantly white moon has a dark smudge. At this point, I don’t think you’d even notice the eclipse had started if you weren’t looking for it. We scramble to get dressed and hurry across the street towards the dock with camera equipment and Mick, of course. Michael sets up behind the dock so he can frame the shot with the dock jutting out into the sound. And we wait. Or really, I wait. Michael is already taking shots, checking his exposure, the angle and doing whatever magic he does to create beautiful pictures.

As the moon continues to sink slowly towards the horizon, the shadow marches across the moon and more and more of it becomes obscured. This is going to be a dance between dark, light and the horizon. In a perfect world, we’d be shooting this in the Central time zone so the eclipse would be completed before the moon slips below the horizon, the sun would be coming up 1 hour later and it would be still be dark at the end of the eclipse. Or, the eclipse could have happened yesterday when the moon was higher in the sky – but yesterday, clouds covered the entire horizon so the moon would have sunk below the clouds before we saw the eclipse. So, for us, for this event; this is the perfect world.

Headlights from a car behind us, perfectly illuminates the dock

As the eclipse continues to conceal the moon’s light, everything gets darker and it becomes much harder to see anything other than the moon. The water turns into moving darkness, we can no longer see our house outlined on the horizon. It’s hard to believe that 25 minutes earlier it felt almost like daylight because the moon was so bright. The moon turns more orange and then red as the eclipse progresses.

A Heron lands on the dock to my delight.

To my delight, a Heron lands on the dock.

As Michael continues to shoot pictures, a couple of interesting things happen. Since the dock is directly across from a side street, lights from a car coming up to the stop sign shine out towards the sound. The headlights perfectly light up the dock, exposing the dock in the darkness and creates a beautiful contrast to the dark sky. Later, behind us, the eastern sky starts to light up with the early dawn and a heron flies from a nearby tree and perches on the dock. This gives Michael an interesting, additional subject in his view finder.

At this special time – when the moon is getting darker as the full eclipse approaches and the sky is getting lighter with dawn, the moon actually seems to disappear. Although if you stare hard, in the exact place you know the moon must be, you can still see … something. And then it is gone – not below the horizon yet, but the sky is too light and the moon is too dark to even pretend we can see it.

Time to pack up and go get some breakfast. We were so lucky that the sky was clear and we were able to witness this beautiful eclipse.

The moon turns redder and the sky slowly begins to lighten with the dawn

An Unexpected Gourmet Delight ~ Mike Dianna’s Grillroom

October 12, 2014 by Candi Licence 1 Comment

Mike Dianna’s Grillroom in Corolla

As part of the process of lightening our load, Michael has placed a number of ad’s on Craig’s List to sell off items have been traveling with us. These are in good condition and have value but we’ve decided they are too heavy or too much to continue to lug from place to place (for example, Panini maker, pasta maker, blender, juicer, fishing poles, extra luggage bags, etc..) One person who responded to the ad, Amy, happened to be a server at Mike Dianna’s Grillroom and said it was unpretentious but had great food, so we decided to check it out.

The bar area at Mike Dianna’s Grill Room

Based on her comment about it being unpretentious, I misinterpreted that to mean a beachy place maybe with picnic tables so I was pleasantly surprised that it was a lovely, nicely decorated restaurant. We were hoping to have Amy as our server, but it was a slow evening for the restaurant and she had left early.

The entranceway to the restaurant

The menu looked great. Michael ordered a salad that was absolutely fabulous. Restaurants seem to be doing a much better job now making fabulous salads as opposed to just a few years ago. I had a she crab chowder that was excellent. Everywhere we have eaten, here and in the Keys, has had different but consistently excellent chowder. I couldn’t be more pleased as I love chowder, but I think I’m going to be very spoiled by the time we leave here.

She crab chowder – YUM!

Michael’s fabulous salad

Michael’s wonderful pasta special

Both the seafood and the steak entrees sounded delicious. Our server spoke extensively about the quality and excellence of their steaks. I had been planning on getting grilled tuna but was really swayed by his steak descriptions so when he said the tuna had sold out, I ordered the “measly” 6 ounce filet mignon. Lots of their steaks were huge portions, from 12 ounces all the way up to 30 ounces! Michael ordered the pasta special which had shrimp and clams. His sauce was so good it make you want to lick the plate.

My "measly" 6 oz. Filet Mignon was out of this world good

My “measly” 6 oz. Filet Mignon was the best!

I can’t even begin to describe how good the steak was. I’ve eaten at a lot of steak houses – Capital Grille, Ruth’s Chris, Peter Luger’s, and Morton’s as examples and only Peter Luger’s compares with Mike Dianna’s steakhouse. My filet didn’t look extraordinary (I think it was because it had a dry rub on it) so I wasn’t expecting the incredible burst of flavor that I experienced. After I stopped moaning in pleasure, I gave Michael a bite and he agreed that the taste was exceptional. I immediately regretted ordering the 6 oz. steak and wished that I had ordered the 8 oz. portion.

We passed on dessert but will definitely be back to eat here again. I’m hoping they sell the rub they put on the steak, I’d love to buy some for home. And I’m not planning on even looking at the fish entrees – No way, it will be steak again. I’m crossing my fingers that it will live up to my memories of my first dinner.

The Outer Banks has an amazing display of Mustang horses throughout the towns. This one is in front of Mike Dianna's

The Outer Banks has an amazing display of decorated Mustang horses throughout the towns. This beauty is in front of Mike Dianna’s

Personal Chef on Call ~ Chez Michael

October 8, 2014 by Candi Licence 4 Comments

Michael’s Shrimp burgers with Remoulade sauce

Shrimp burgers with remoulade sauce, Zucchini Fritters, Scallops with Shiitake Mushrooms and Tortellinis, Shrimp in Clay Pot, grilled Salmon over tossed salad … I could go on and on about the fabulous gourmet meals that I have had the complete pleasure to savor recently. You might think that I’m talking about the great restaurants we’ve been going to and the fabulous meals they serve, but you’d be wrong. These are all meals Chez Michael has created and served in the last month.

Scallops with a garlic, Skitake mushroom sauce, served over tortellinis

Scallops with a garlic, Shiitake mushroom sauce, served over tortellinis

Michael has always been a fabulous chef, but retirement has really brought out his skill and creativity. Even though he has often worked 70+ hours a week he could always pull together a tremendous meal. Now, with the pressure of everyday work gone, Michael has more time to think about meals, what he would like to cook and has more time for preparation if he wants to try something time-consuming and/or complex.

And I am the lucky recipient of his gourmet mastery.

Michael rarely, if ever, follows a recipe. If he is thinking about a dish he hasn’t made before, he might check the web and read three or four different versions of something new and then he creates his own masterpiece. I have to admit though, it makes it tough to eat a better meal when we go out – we almost always eat better at home (unless we are eating at The Paper Canoe, a Duck restaurant that I will write about in another post – And then it’s a tie for quality and eating there just expands Michael’s ideas for interesting, flavorful meals.)

I joyfully take on the assistant role – chopping, organizing, cleaning, making salad and setting the table, plus manning the kitchen stove if part of the meal entails grilling. Michael is a master griller and everything comes off the grill perfectly – every time; something I’ve never mastered. The two things that just blow me away are steaks and seafood. How can they be perfect EVERY time? It’s gotten to the point that it is very hard for me to order grilled seafood in a restaurant because I know I’ll be disappointed.

Michael’s magical Salmon. His secret is to cook it with the skin down on foil and if he flips it, he separates the skin so the fish is essentially poached. It is out of this world.

When we got to the Outer Banks, there was no outdoor gas grill. This was a major issue for us as Michael grills probably 4 to 5 times per week. We made an agreement to split the cost to buy one with the owner and we need to remove it when we leave. It’s too much of a liability for him here – where the wind is so strong and renters could be negligent. A previous renter had the former grill in an enclosed space under the house and didn’t turn off the gas. One spark and the whole house could have gone up in flames, YIKES! No wonder there wasn’t a grill here when we arrived.

Michael’s Shrimp in a clay pot had the most delicious sauce seasoned with lemon grass and fresh ginger over rice vermicelli noodles

Michael’s most recent creation was Shrimp in clay pot. It was so good, we bought more ingredients so he can make it again in the near future. After each meal, we talk about what could have been improved. Often, this is a very tough conversation. Michael is so good at making wonderful meals it’s hard to think of any improvements. Often it’s a case of a slight change in seasoning, or in this case, all the recipes he researched said to leave the Shrimp shells on and we decided we’d like the dish better if they were taken off before serving.

If you want a gourmet meal, stop by where ever we are living and Michael will demonstrate his magic and we’ll have a wonderful meal together. Mangia! Salut! Cheers! – YUM!

sunday night - Salmon Salad, candles, a good bottle of wine and the BEST Chef as fabulous company.

Sunday night dinner – Salmon Salad, candles, a good bottle of wine and the BEST Chef as fabulous company. Lucky me!

An Enchanted Sanctuary ~ Elizabethan Gardens

October 5, 2014 by Candi Licence 4 Comments

Enrapt I sat in the quiet hour and found my soul in the heart of a flower.

A pathway enticing you to walk deeper into the garden

There is so much treasure and serenity to be found in a beautiful garden. Walking along formal walkways or informal foot paths, there are beautiful discoveries to be had – left and right, up and down. A well planned garden conceals and then reveals its delights around every corner and The Elizabethan Gardens is a stellar example of lush, quiet beauty. Because Michael loves flowers and photography, I always look for special gardens as we travel.

These beautiful 15 foot gates originally hung at the French Embassy in Washington DC

The Elizabethan Gardens were originally planned to be a two acre garden site created to memorialize Sir Walter Raleigh’s English colonists of Roanoke Island whose settlement mysteriously disappeared and became known as the “Lost Colony”, 20 years before the permanent settlements of Jamestown and Plymouth Rock were established. The North Carolina Garden Club began designing the garden in the early 1950’s and they planned to represent a colonial garden typical of the 1850’s. With the help of the renowned landscape architectural firm, Innocenti & Webel, they were able to secure a fantastic gift of statuary including an ancient Italian fountain and pool with balustrade, wellhead, sundial, birdbaths, stone steps and benches, dating back beyond the time of Queen Elizabeth I. As a result of this gift, the original colonial garden concept was expanded to become a more elaborate design and to incorporate a much larger parcel of land.

One of many beautiful fountains that grace the gardens

The designer, Richard Webel, used the statuary to “create a garden Elizabethan in spirit and style but adapted to the present. Built on ten acres of indigenous growth, the gardens are the imaginative concept of an Elizabethan pleasure garden. Construction actually began on the historic date of June 2, 1953, the date Queen Elizabeth II was crowned Queen of England. The Gardens were formally opened August 18, 1960, on the 373rd anniversary of the birth of Virginia Dare, the first child born in America of English parentage. ”

The lovely gatehouse serves as the entranceway to the gardens

The gorgeous grounds begin at the beautiful gatehouse that has a flagstone floor and hand-hewn beams. It was constructed to resemble a 16th century orangery, a building designed to protect orange trees during the harsh European winters. Just outside the gatehouse is a large courtyard with a formal Shakespearean herb garden.

Another view of the gatehouse that was designed to resemble an Orangerie

Another view of the gatehouse that was designed to resemble an Orangery

From here you can take a number of paths, some bricked or paved and others covered in soft pine needles, to see a magnificent statue of Queen Elizabeth the First who reined during this time; a 16th century historically accurate gazebo overlooking the sound; a statue of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the new world; and an exquisite sunken garden with a fountain, formal plantings and many beautiful Crepe Myrtle trees. The sunken garden is framed by hollies that are trained to form beautiful arches that provide delightful glimpses of the garden’s interior and draw you into the garden with its large fountain.

This sculpture depicts what Virginia Dare might have looked like if she had grown to adulthood

Queen Elizabeth the first, holding a rose which was the symbol of the House of Tudor

Close up detail of Queen Elizabeth’s skirt

There is also a natural woodland garden, a formal rose garden and an extensive camellia collection that has 125 different species. There are HUGE Magnolia trees and a majestic Live Oak tree that is over 430 years old and was alive when the first colonists landed in Roanoke. There is also a very large, “great lawn” surrounded by trees and shrubs. During Elizabethan times, having a great lawn was a measure of wealth – only the truly rich could have land lie idle. All these gardens are connected by beautiful tree covered, canopied walkways that draw you further and further into the garden’s delights.

The gazebo, with a Norfolk reed thatch roof, overlooks the Roanoke Sound

One very special building is an authentic reproduction of a 16th century gazebo that was built using period tools and techniques. The hand-hewn oak posts and beams were locked together – no modern nails we used in this structure. The gazebo is topped with an authentic thatch roof. The Norfolk reed, brought over from Norfolk England, is considered by many thatchers as the finest roofing material and when an expert constructs with these materials, roofs are expected to last 60 to 70 years (!) as long as the ridge is replaced every 10-15 years. The gazebo is delightful to look at and is nestled into lovely woods that open up to overlook the Roanoke Sound.

We spoke to one of the garden’s caretakers who has worked at the garden for over 12 years. Her love of the garden was clearly evident in her conversation about the types of plants grown in the gardens and their bloom cycles. The gardens are designed to have color all year round. Spring and Summer have the most variety of blooms and are probably the showiest times. Fall is beautiful because it is so mild in North Carolina and the annuals are still blooming nicely while the grasses turn lovely shades of brown.

Camellias beginning to bud

Winter is special because all the Camellias, also called the Rose of Winter, are in bloom. The staff was starting to prep for a fall harvest festival with lots of activities for kids on the Great Lawn. This will be followed by Nights of Lights in December when the garden will be draped in twinkle lights which should be stunning.

Here is a sample of some of the plants that are in bloom now:

If you are ever in this area and like gardens and plants, the Elizabethan Gardens is a must visit excursion. (It is also located near the sweet town of Manteo – lots of lovely shops and restaurants on the Roanoke Sound.)

NOTES:

1. Information about this garden came from the Elizabethan Gardens website. Italicized text in quotes was pasted verbatim from the site.

2. Unfortunately, I could not find an author reference to the quote I saw at the garden on a plaque dedicated to Marie Perry Odom, Chairman of the Garden from 1974-1997 – Enrapt I sat in the quiet hour and found my soul in the heart of a flower. If anyone has any information, please let me know so I can update this post. Thank you.

Fun Music and good food too! ~ Cravings

September 30, 2014 by Candi Licence Leave a Comment

Rick acted as the band’s MC. Here he is serenading the crowd

Rick, the manager at the gym where we work out, is a musician and encouraged us to come hear one of the bands he plays with at a local restaurant, Cravings. On season, they play two nights a week, out on the patio, to keep people entertained while they wait for tables to eat dinner. He was so enthusiastic about the ability of the musicians, we just had to go and I’m really glad we did.

Cravings is a local’s favorite restaurant that is attached to a gas station – I’ve heard of other really good restaurants also in gas stations so this must be some kind of a trend down here. Anyway, Rick said the food was great and they have a good rating on Trip Advisor so we decided to try them out on a night when we could also listen to some great music. Cravings has also been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Greg could make his guitar sound like steel drums and a fiddle and he could morph his voice into everyone from Willie Nelson to Johnny Cash. Fantastic!

Greg could make his guitar sound like steel drums or a fiddle and he could morph his voice to sound like everyone from Willie Nelson to Johnny Cash. Fantastic!

We arrived around 7:00 PM and were able to get one of the last outside tables right away which was wonderful. Rick was acting as MC for the band and welcomed us – I LOVE feeling like a local and ‘in the know’! The band, Ali & The Katz, play a fun mixture of music with songs from Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffett, Johnny Winter, Buffalo Springfield, and others. Each musician was good in their own right and they really played well together. It was a wide variety of easy listening, good tunes.

The fabulous Scallops in Lobster sauce, YUM!

Michael’s delightful Mediterranean Shrimp with Sausage, feta and great veggies

The food was also excellent. I had a really nice tossed salad as an appetizer, Michael had a Caesar salad – no appetizer pictures so you could see more musician pictures. For an entrée I had fabulous scallops which were seared and had a yummy lobster sauce – excellent. It was served with a great zucchini and roasted peppers side. Michael had the Mediterranean Shrimp with Jumbo Shrimp, Sausage, Feta, Spinach, Garlic, Tomatoes, Artichokes and Olives with Saffron Potatoes that was also really, really good.

The outrageously great bass player and vocalist was having a terrific time. What a smile!

Ali, playing the drums, keeping the rhythm and singing beautifully

It was a slightly cool evening (we’re just starting to get into lovely fall weather) and it was delightful sitting outside enjoying the music and food. Because there were only about 10 tables outside, it felt like a very intimate venue to experience the music and the band really liked that Michael was taking pictures. I’m guessing we will be back before we leave to hear another great evening of music and great food.

Ali and the Katz, ‘making music’, at Cravings Restaurant

Candi and Michael ~ On The Move

Tales from Grenada and Beyond