Currituck BBQ Company North Carolina BBQ- Road Trip Part II

To read Part I of our road trip click here: Antique Road Trip Post.

Now as my cousin would tell you, "You simply can not come down South and not have some good old Fashioned North Carolina Bar-B-Que."  I love that road trips allow you to get a taste for local culture, instead of just a view of the tourist hot spots.  So when my cousins told us we would be stopping at the Currituck BBQ Company for lunch I was one happy camper.  Its right off of the main strip heading down to the Outer Banks so it makes a great stop for family's traveling to and from the beach. 

The menu has a nice selection of BBQ favorites along with southern sides like green beans, potato salad, and fried okra.  The prices were very reasonable for the serving sizes too. After much debate I ordered a regular sized pulled pork platter with baked beans and mac and cheese. Once you decide on what you want you can either grab a table in their dinning room or a bench right outside.  Since it was raining when we stopped we opted for the dinning room with the great cozy country kitchen feel.  There are booths as well so don't worry about coming with a large group.      

Despite the constant flow of people the staff was very polite and managed to keep up well with the rush.  We received our food quickly and it was everything my cousins promised it would be.  The pulled pork sandwich comes without BBQ sauce so you can choose one of the six they provide you with on the table and customize the sandwich to your liking.  There were too many good options to just pick one so I decided to split my sandwich up and give a few of them a shot.  Of the four I tired (North Carolina, Brisket, Sweet Brisket, and Larry's Original) I thought the Larry's Original was the best.  The mac and cheese was creamy and flavorful and the baked beans were the perfect combination of smokey and sweet.  I loved everything I ordered but I think my favorite part of the meal was the fresh hush puppies.  I didn't order them because in the past I found most places serve mushy oily corn balls.  I decided to take the word of a local when they said these were the best hush puppies around and give them one more try.  Wow were they right! These tiny little snacks were perfectly crisp on the outside and bursting with moist rich flavor on the inside.  They were so good you don't even need the butter they give you.






















This BBQ joint will be a definite stop on any future North Carolina road trips.  I may not be an expert on down south BBQ but I do know that this food tasted great, there was a constant line of locals looking for their regular BBQ fix, and the large map by the door shows that people have traveled from all over the US just to get a taste of this North Carolina BBQ. What to do if you fall in love with the food but don't think you will be back anytime soon? Not to worry they have a shelf just for you filled with their BBQ sauces and other goodies.  Just because you don't live in the south doesn't mean you can't take a taste of North Carolina home with you!

Antique Road Trip

O'Neil's Antiques

I know when I set out to write this blog I wanted to focus on crafts, family, and life in NYC. Well I can't help it is my love of crafts and family are also tied into my love of travel. This Thursday (yes during the blizzard) my family and I started out on a road trip from New York to North Carolina to visit some family. Since the weather was bad we decided to drive about half way and spend the night near some of our favorite antique stores around the Delaware/Maryland border on Rt. 13. If you haven't figured it out already I am infinitely interested in tradition. I am a firm believer in understanding your roots before you can grow and spread your branches. So I guess it is no surprise that antique store amuse me. Walking through an antique store is like walking through a mini time capsule.

Loving all the books I found

One of our family's favorite antique stops is O'Neil's which is a few miles before you hit Maryand.  We have been coming here for years and absolutely love the big collections of estate jewelry, antique furniture, and treasures spanning a few centuries worth of nostalgia.  We were saddened to see that within the next few weeks the store will be closing.  The lovely couple who owns O'Neil's have decided after over 25 years they will be retiring.  On the bright side appointments can still be made to view their jewelry at their home.  Since everything was pretty much on clearance I went to work digging through each section looking for treasures. (Yes that is me sitting on the floor exploring craft books... the owners did say to make myself at home :)

Maybe I'm addicted, but at least its a healthy addiction

While there are so many beautiful things I would love to buy I decided I would focus this expedition on finding craft books, patterns, tools, and supplies.  I love looking through books to get ideas.  Many of the crafts I grew up with in my family seem to have faded as video games and computers have become the way to entertain so its pretty difficult sometimes to find resources.  Antique stores are a great place though to find these lost treasures.  Usually I feel lucky if I find a book or two but this trip I guess I was rewarded for braving the winter weather.  I  found so many craft resources that I actually had a hard time picking which books to buy and which I had to leave behind. With just two antique store stops I had literally piles of new craft goodies.  If you are looking for a cost effective place to load up on supplies antique stores, thrift shops, and yard sales are a good place to start.

Holding some of the new craft stash!

As for our followers, you can look forward to many new items in our Etsy Shop within the next few months.  The hardest part is going to be deciding where to start!  There are so many good ideas that inspire new items for my personal collection as well as the shop.  I even found some patterns I remember my Nannie working on when I was a little girl.  I love when we find little trinkets that remind us of our past.  Nannie was such an important part of why I am the crafter I am today so those things that remind me of her are extra special.  Antiquing turned out to be a successful part of the trip but we still had a few hours drive until we could begin our weekend getaway with some of our Southern relatives so we once again hit the road.  While flying is definitely a faster way to travel I wouldn't give up our road adventures for the world.  There is nothing like meeting new people, discovering hidden sight seeing gems, and spending time with your family.

We continued driving down south and decided to take a route that would bring us over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  For those of you who have never traveled this strip it is a combination of tunnels and bridges with a beautiful view of the water.  We were lucky enough to hit it just as the sun was setting.  The view was so colorful that we decided we couldn't just quickly pass it by.  Instead we stopped at their rest area.  There is a restaurant there with water views as well as a gift shop and convenience area. It is also a great place to stop and take a few family photos or just enjoy the spectacular view.

After all the snow we have had in New York this year it was incredibly refreshing to stand by the ocean on a warm day, listen to the seagulls and the churning of the water, and watch the sunset.  On that note, I will update our readers next post on the rest of the trip!

A sunset so perfect it almost doesn't seem real

For Part II of our road trip adventures click here!

 

Marshall's Farm Market

This past weekend I had the pleasure of selling some of my crafts at a yard sale in East Stroudsburg, PA.  Even though it was incredibly hot, the time flew by and I met some very interesting people.  I had so much fun at the PA sale that I can't wait for my next one in the Catskills this weekend.  Anyway, after a long weekend my family and I began our trip back from PA to NYC.  The traffic on I-80 was bumper to bumper so we decided to take Route 46.  It has been years since we have taken this back route home and we were pleasantly surprised when we came across Marshall's Farm Market.  

There is something special about out fashion farm markets and stands, a magic that is lost in the big city.  We pulled over at first to take a look at some of the beautiful wood yard decorations and furniture but once we saw the wide selection of fresh produce, we had to explore further.  The fresh harvest colors welcome guests to the farm stand.  Everything was ripe and it is clear that these farmers know their produce.  While the outside is  quaint the smell of just picked fruits, vegetables, and herb mixed with the homemade pies and baked goods draw you into the traditional market.

Inside the market, customers are taken back to a time when homemade, made by hand was valued.  The wood floors, shelves and barrels at a cozy feel.  It is easy to forget that you are so close to a modern interstate filled with trucks delivering mass produced goods.  If even for just a moment it is nice to feel a connection with your roots.  I loved the large selection of canned goods dips, jams, jellies, vegetables etc.  Not only was there a nice selection but there was a table filled with free samples, encouraging guests to be a little adventurous.

While exploring the store I came across a few shelves filled with items from the Irondale "Whistle Stop" Cafe.  For those of you that are unfamiliar, this cafe inspired a book which later was translated in the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes."  This movie about friendship and the families we make has been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager.  I thrilled to see that I could now take home the Whistle Stop's famous fried green tomato recipe and taste the signature dish.  I grabbed a box right away and headed back out for tomatoes (buying green tomatoes from my local supermarket just wasn't going to cut it if I wanted that true country taste).  My family had never had green tomatoes before and we had no idea how to pick them.  After debating back and forth for a while one of the employees explained to us what we were looking for a why.  (For those who are as clueless as I was: firm with an even green color- no spotting of white or pink because this means they are beginning to ripe and the colors represent growing sugars in the tomatoes.  Green tomatoes are not suppose to be sweet).

In case you bought as much as we did and needed some help carrying all of our farm market treats home there is a lovely room to the side filled with baskets of all shapes and sizes.  Along with the baskets is a selection of some other country favorites (soaps etc).  And don't forget before you leave to wave goodbye to the adorable puppy that "guards" the back door.  While I was not happy about the traffic on I-80 and the resulting added time to my travel time home, I am happy that I found this family owned farm market.  If you are ever in the area, stop by and get yourself a taste of the country. And yes, we made the fried green tomatoes last night and they were perfect, every bit as delicious as the book/movie says they are :)

For more information about the Marshall's Farm Market visit their website at:

http://marshallsfarmmarket.com/

Refinishing Lawn Ornaments

On my last trip to the country I was upset to see my aunt's familiar lawn ornament had taken quite a beating over the past few years.  For as long as I can remember the happy little boy had stood guard a the corner of my aunt's house, right below the humming bird feeder.  When I asked my aunt she said the cement boy was passed down to her and had been in the family for around 100 years.  With his chipping paint and cracked cement he was beginning to show his age.  I decided it was my turn, like my aunts before me, to give our little boy a makeover.  I'm sure man of you have family heirlooms that need a little work, but the history they bring is well worth the effort.

I went the next day to Home Depot and bought my make over kit.  First things first I needed sand paper.  I was also going to need something to repair the deep cracks and missing pieces of cements.  Last but not least I was going to need paint and brushed to complete the refurbishing of our cement lawn ornament.  Once I got everything I needed I set to work.

I had chosen a fine grained sand paper to remove all of the paint chips fro years of layered repairs.  The paper could not be too course or it might remove some of the details of the statue.  After sanding away the chips I took the outdoor cork I had purchased at Home Depot and began to fill in the deep crack around his neck, as well as using it to resculpt the missing cement pieces.  It is important that the cork you use says it is paintable.  Once applied it will need a few hours to dry well before you can begin to paint over the cork.  While the finish will not be as perfect as actual cement it will diminish the look of wear and it is easy to use.

A few hours later I was ready to begin the repainting portion of the project.  I had purchased the Baer indoor-outdoor paint samples with paint and primer in one.  They were inexpensive, provided for great coverage, and left plenty of paint for future touch ups.  I started with the larger portions first and then returned with a smaller detailing brush to finish the fine lines and details.

A few hours of painting later and our little boy was ready to retake his rightful place on my aunt's country lawn.  I'm happy a little money and a little hard work has helped preserve this little guys for years to come.  Helping keep a family treasure alive is priceless :) 

Starry Night Blanket

A few weeks ago I wrote about my first country escape of the summer.  While I was there I was touched by the beauty of all the blue ripples created by the light of the moon and stars reflecting off the clouds.  It inspired a new baby blanket idea and on my most recent trip to the country last weekend I took advantage of the beautiful nights to start and complete my project.  We were lucky enough to have beautiful weather the entire weekend so sitting in my rocking chair on the porch until all hours of the morning crocheting this blanket was the perfect way to pass the evenings.

I had found a soft variegated blue yarn that captured all the hues of blue from the night of the picture (I apologize again since this picture does not do the sight justice).  Once I had the yarn the next thing I had to decide on was a stick.  I tried a few samples and found a shell stitch was best at mimicking the puffs of different blues.  As a finishing touch I added two bright white stars to highlight my favorite part of the country sky.

  Take a look at the blanket in my etsy shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/HandcraftedHolidays

Reader Input

I am lucky enough to have a long weekend this week and I have decided after work to head back to my aunt's country home for the weekend.  As you read in my post A Weekend to Recharge, last time I was there I was inspired to start a new crochet project.  I found the perfect yarn for my idea and it is already packed and ready for the trip into the mountains.  I'm looking forward to relaxing for a few days.  Not to mention it will be nice to work on the crochet project in the place that inspired the idea.

Since I will most likely be disconnected from phones/internet I will not be posting for the next few days.  I have received the most interest so far regarding my "how to" and explanation blogs.  I figured we can still make this a productive blogging weekend.  Please leave a comment below with any questions, how to topics, or helpful tip areas you would like me to discuss in the future.  I will take these comments into consideration when choosing future blog posts.

A weekend to recharge

Most of last week I had one of the worst head colds of my life.  I woke up Friday feeling a world better and decided it was a sign I should do something with my weekend.  As soon as I got out of work I hit the road and headed for my aunt's country getaway.  I had been resting all week, but I needed a different kind of rest.  Don't get me wrong, I love modern technology but there is something so alluring about disconnecting for a few days every now and again.  It takes a little getting use to but having no cell service isn't always a bad thing.  Not to mention the wide open space is a nice reprieve from my family's small NYC (yard lacking) apartment.  I try to get to the country as much as possible and spring with all the flowers and baby animals is a great time to visit.

The ride up was great and I even got to see a few little critters by the road.  I am a huge animal lover so even a little rabbit hopping along puts a huge smile on my face.  After the long drive I finally arrived and  every second in the car well worth it.  I am always amazed by how many stars twinkle in the country sky.  In New York City with all the lights we are lucky to see a handful on a clear night.  What a difference a few hours up north can make.      

Saturday morning I slept in, woke up to a great breakfast and then moved to my favorite spot, the porch.  I love sitting there drinking my coffee watching the birds, rabbits, fox, chipmunks, and even the occasional deer grazing on the lawn; all against the backdrop of the mountains.  This trip brought another beautiful surprise.  We have a new little visitor, Rush (as I named him) the hummingbird.  I have never seen one in person and to watch how these tiny little birds seemingly float, and then zip away is incredible.  He just kept buzzing past us all day long running for a quick snack before rushing off again.  If it wasn't for the buzz he made I wouldn't have known he was there half the time.

We ran into "town" to get a few things later in the day.  I discovered a few new antique stores that were already closed, but they are a must for my next trip up.  While I love the small organized commercial antique stores, there is something about the random "antique barn" you come across in the small country towns.  I love exploring the rooms upon rooms of random, unorganized, seemingly forgotten stuff.  When you find something you want, its like you personally discovered a treasure waiting to be taken home and brought back to life.

When we pulled up back at the house it had gotten much colder.  A group of clouds had rolled in and with the help of a beautiful big full moon they created ripples in different shades of blue across the sky. The picture does not do it justice but I thought I'd give you a glimpse.  The way the blues blended together inspired a new blanket idea.  I have a bunch of projects lined up but I'll let you know when the project is complete.  As for the rest of my trip, since Sunday meant a return to the city I tried my hardest to soak in enough country to hold me over until my next trip. I spent the rest of the night rocking on the porch wrapped in a blanket, enjoying some quality time with some people I love, and admiring the simple joys in life we so often are too busy to notice.