OUTER BANKS MILEPOST: ISSUE 12.1

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“My custom order came faster than anyone else could deliver. The people at Nags Head Hammocks were on top of it every step of the way” FASTER DELIVERY • BETTER SERVICE ASK ABOUT OUR LOCALS DISCOUNT

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startingpoint roadmap THE ORIGINAL

SOME milepost FOLKS ARE FLUENT IN graphiccontent LANGUAGES. gokite

Since the 60’s

Just a little taste of Lewis Carroll — with a hint of Bart Simpson.

Photo: C. Dodgson

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Big game to play? You can either “feast” on the adrenaline — or “choke” under pressure.

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A point to make? “Pot meet kettle.”

Others, music and arts. Maybe even sports. I speak food.

Now, that don’t mean I have the kind of refined palate that can dissect the most complex culinary intricacies — or even plainly discuss the fundamentals of flavor profiles. (What the hell is umami, anyway?)

But when it comes to communicating the day-to-day, apparently I survive on a steady diet of eating metaphors — even if I only fully realized it this issue.

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It all started with the “Dream Cuisine” feature. As I phoned our first contributor for input, I informed them we’d be “digesting” a bunch of restaurant dishes, then “serving them up” in “bite-sized nuggets.” The series of bad puns barely slipped my lips before I groaned and apologized.

In school, kids “devour books” and “consume information,” while educators “nourish young minds.” (And, occasionally, vomit “word salad.”)

In business, “big enchiladas” size up “tasty opportunities” while accountants “cook the books” and negotiators “sweeten deals.” And nobody wants to “end up on the chopping block.”

“

It’s not just me. Our whole culture is stuffed to the gills with gastronomical wordplay.

Even our relationships read like a menu.

Romances start out “sweet” — maybe even “spicy.” But they also “go sour” — or “curdle” — at which point things can “end bitterly.” (Then it’s off to find the next “hunk of beef cake” or “hot tamale.”)

Got a decision to make? You can “chew on it,” “stew over it,” or “put it on ice.”

It’s as if food is the most important thing in our lives — which it basically is. (Or, at least

But rather than stop, I just kept spitting out more corny phrases with every call, asking stringers to “marinate” on the concept and “feed me” ideas — while warning that we didn’t want to “bite off too much.”

one of the big three.) That goes double for the Outer Banks, where restaurants remain a societal pillar, and we’re surrounded by “seasoned chefs.”

And yet, ironically, hop in a commercial kitchen and suddenly the food metaphors disappear. There, a dishwasher might speak like a landscaper. (“I’m in the weeds!”). The line cook’s a carpenter. (“Safety meeting in ten!”). And everyone talks like a sailor — insert colorful string of epithets here — or just a plain old porn star (“F$%k me!”).

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Maybe it’s because saying “sweet” only leads to confusion when you’re actively baking. Or maybe it’s because phrases like “I’m cooked” and “super fresh” lose their flavor when you use them non-stop.

EVEN OUR RELATIONSHIPS READ LIKE A And language — like food — simply tastes MENU. better when you kick things up a notch.

The good news? After this, we’ll be shelving the meal mags for at least a couple years.

All my calls for “tasty tidbits” and “meaty stories” will cease being bad puns — and go back to being tired clichés.

Hey, everything has its expiration date.

— Matt Walker

The Waterfront Shops • Duck

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Thank you for reading Outer Banks Milepost. We hope you enjoy it. If not — before chucking this issue into the nearest dumpster — please consider one of the following satisfying ways of expressing your disgust: roll it and chop it like newsprint sushi; make a charcuterie board out of the meatier features. Or just run the whole damn thing through a sausage grinder. Or simply toss it on that six-month stack of newspapers you’ve yet to recycle. (Trust us, you’ll feel better.) Then, send any and all feedback — positive, negative or just plain confused — to: editor@outerbanksmilepost.com. We promise to find some way to re-purpose them. milepost 3

“Come for the freak, stay for the food.” — Captain Horatio McCallister “I’m absolutely stuffed. Bugger off.” — Mr. Creosote

Issue 12.1 Spring ’23 Cover: Chalkdust Tempter Art: Shane Thomas

Reader You Brushes & Ink Carnell Boyle, John Butler, George Cheeseman, Marcia Cline, Carolina Coto, Kim Cowen, Cloey Davis, Michael J. Davis, Fay Davis Edwards, Mary Edwards, Laine Edwards, Marc Felton, Travis Fowler, Adriana Gomez-Nichols, Amelia Kasten, Chris Kemp, Nathan Lawrenson, Dave Lekens, Alex Lex, Tim Lusk, Elisa McVearry, Ben Miller, Dawn Moraga, Ben Morris, Holly Nettles, Stella Nettles, Rick Nilson, Barbara Noel, Holly Overton, Stuart Parks II, Charlotte Quinn, Willow Rea, Meg Rubino, Shirley Ruff, Noah Snyder, Rob Snyder, Janet Stapelman, Alyse Stewart, Kenneth Templeton, Stephen Templeton, Shane Thomas, George Tsonev, CW, Christina Weisner, Chris Wheeler, John Wilson, Mark Wiseman, Bri Young, Mike Zafra Lensfolk Nate Appel, Matt Artz, Chris Bickford, Russell Blackwood, Mike Booher, Don Bower, Aycock Brown, Mark Buckler, Jon Carter, Garnette Coleman, Rich Coleman, Marc Corbett, Kim Cowen, Chris Creighton, Mere Crockett, Jason Denson, Amy Dixon, Susan Dotterer Dixon, Lori Douglas, Julie Dreelin, Tom Dugan/ESM, Roy Edlund, Bryan Elkus, Ben Gallop, Cory Godwin, Chris Hannant, Katie Harms, Bryan Harvey, David Alan Harvey, Ginger Harvey, Bob Hovey, Biff Jennings, Jenni Koontz, Daryl Law, Mike Leech, Anthony Leone, Jeff Lewis, Jared Lloyd, Matt Lusk, Ray Matthews, Brooke Mayo, Mickey McCarthy, Nic McLean, Roger Meekins, D. Victor Meekins, Richard L. Miller, Dick Meseroll/ESM, David Molnar, Rachel Moser, Ryan Moser, Elizabeth Neal, Rob Nelson, Candace Owens, Anne Snape Parsons, Crystal Polston, Daniel Pullen, Ryan Rhodes, Terry Rowell, Cyndi Goetcheus Sarfan, Katie Slater, Tom Sloate, Wes Snyder, Aimee Thibodeau, David Thomas, Ed Tupper, Eve Turek, Chris Updegrave, Dan Waters, Kati Wilkins, Cyrus Welch, Jay Wickens

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Penfolk Ashley Bahen, Madeline Bailey, Sarah Downing, Laura Gomez-Nichols, Jim Gould, Steve Hanf, Dave Holton, Sarah Hyde, Catherine Kozak, Katrina Leuzinger Owens, Dan Lewis, Michelle Lewis, Terri Mackleberry, Fran Marler, Amanda McDanel, Matt Pruett, Mary Ellen Riddle, Peter Graves Roberts, Arabella Saunders, Corinne Saunders, Sandy Semans, Shannon Sutton, Kip Tabb, Kathleen Wasniewski, Hannah West, Clumpy White, Sharon Whitehurst, Natalie Wolfe, Michele Young-Stone Pointing/Clicking Jesse Davis Sales Force Laurin Walker Big Mouth In Chief Matt Walker Blame It All On Suite P Inc. PO Box 7100 • KDH, NC 27948 Office: 252-441-6203 • Sales: 949-275-5115 editor@outerbanksmilepost.com • sales@outerbanksmilepost.com Outer Banks Milepost is published quarterly (sorterly) by Suite P Inc. All contents are the property of Suite P Inc. and do not reflect the opinion of advertisers or distributors. Nor do their contents reflect that of the creative types (who would never, ever sell out). Comments, letters and submissions are usually welcome. Please include SASE for return delivery of all snail mail, however, Milepost and Suite P Inc. still aren’t responsible for any unsolicited materials. And don’t expect much else to move much faster than IST (Island Standard Time). Oh yeah: if you reprint a lick of this content you’re ripping us off. (Shame on you.) To discuss editorial ideas, find out about advertising or tell us we blew it – or just find out what the waves are doing – call 252-441-6203 or email: editor@ outerbanksmilepost.com; sales@outerbanksmilepost.com. www.outerbanksmilepost.com

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roadmap gokite “Guyute”

By Shane Thomas @shizzie_tizzle

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03 StartingPoint Food for thoughts.

06 UpFront Snow crab gets 86’d, KDH gets tanked, and the general public gets steamed.

19 GetActive Extra helpings for hurting people.

20 QuestionAuthority Making the grade with Dare Co.’s food inspectors.

23 Gluttons For Punishment Four athletes who eat pain for breakfast.

32 GraphicContent Heard of “kitchen hands”?

Wait ’til you see this…

34 D ream Cuisine Our fantasy buffet’s got all you can imagine. (Almost.)

“This is definitely not my typical pet portrait.

[Laughs] Those are a whole different animal, so to speak.

They’re usually pencil and take me about four or five hours of detailed study. This is basically just an old school, pen-and-ink, one-shot. I drew it for a friend of mine who’s also a big Phish fan.

The lyrics start out, “Guyute was the ugly pig who walked on me and danced a jig.”

So, I thought of staring this ugly pig straight in the face, and this is what I saw staring back. Just a sloppy, fat, gluttonous swine, with boogers and warts — all the blemishes. I even left the pencil marks. Because, in a digital world, it’s the sketch marks and thumbprints, the smudges and smears, that show a work’s organic. It’s real. And that’s the beauty of art in my opinion.”

— Shane Thomas

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COMMEMORATIVE PET TILES An everlasting tribute imprinted with a beloved pet's color photo and name, tiles are permanently installed on the walls in our Dare County Animal Shelter.

49 GoCustom “Surf City” here we come.

50 ArtisticLicense Meet the Bob Ross of chalk dust.

53 SoundCheck Good shows come in small packages.

55 OutThere Biting words, bitter truths.

56 EndNotes All You Can Event.

HONOR YOUR PET & SUPPORT

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upfront

ALL YOU CAN’T EAT? soundcheck

From snow crab to softies, future seafood buffets may have getactive fewer — or different — choices.

“All you can eat” fans must be starving.

Last fall, for the first time in history, Alaska closed the snow crab fishery due to a 90% drop in the population. Alaskan king crab’s off-limits this year, as well. In both cases, the cause is most likely increasing water temperatures caused by climate change, as fish and shellfish, whether predator or prey, are changing their patterns of migration, feeding and habitat.

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Meanwhile, in 2018, a Reuters report found that 85 percent of nearly 70 species tracked in the U.S. North Atlantic had shifted north, or to deeper water, or both — most of them within the last 10 to 15 years. One can only wonder: are softies and shrimp the next empty trays in the buffet line?

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“You got a better chance of calling a psychic hotline for that stuff,” Wanchesebased fisherman Dewey Hemilright deadpans.

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He’s right. Between the continued disruptions from COVID-19, ongoing worker shortages, remaining supply chain issues, and less predictable weather patterns, it’s nearly impossible to guess what the availability will be of certain fish species in 2023. Much less 2033.

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coast have warmed as much as 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit over the last century — with the highest temperatures occurring in the Northeast to Mid-Atlantic waters.

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And we know that when rising temperatures make the water too hot for comfort, some fish relocate north — or go

But we do know a few things. We know ocean temperatures along the Atlantic

further and deeper offshore — where the water is cooler.

We also know that three historically lucrative Outer Banks fisheries — blue crab, shrimp and flounder — have seen notable population changes as coastal waters have gotten warmer. Some good; some bad.

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Annual landings of blue crab in North Carolina have been declining for more than 25 years, according to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. In 1996, for instance, commercial landings totaled 67.1 million pounds. But, in 2020, there were only 13.5 million pounds landed. In 2021, there were just 12.8 million pounds landed.

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The division’s stock assessment in 2018 — it will be updated this year — indicated that blue crab was overfished, and subsequent surveys have found low abundance of both juveniles and adults.

Fisheries agency staff, responding to questions via email, say that numerous factors, including severe weather, landings from other states, and supply and demand make it difficult to predict the future economic value of blue crab. But the lack of local product alone would likely mean price increases. (Soft shells and crab cakes, two signature Outer Banks dishes, got so expensive last year that some eateries had to take them off the menu.)

Recent research has also shown that warmer waters result in more male flounder, which has obvious impacts on the population.

There is not only less flounder to catch; the fishing season is shorter.

On the other hand, warmer waters appear to be great for Outer Banks shrimpers, who have seen longer seasons and bigger hauls the past few seasons.

Since the population size of brown shrimp is largely controlled by salinity and temperature, the fisheries agency said it’s difficult to anticipate what this year’s shrimp landings will be until new surveys are taken in the spring. But if winters continue to see warmer waters, it’s likely that white shrimp will remain abundant along the Atlantic coast.

The agency also noted that many other factors affected by climate change can impact fisheries’ ecosystems: water

Find it all in

column, shell bottoms, submerged aquatic vegetation, wetlands, and soft and hard bottoms.

“Any drastic change to any of these habitats could severely impact species that utilize those habitats,” they say.

It’s safe to say that simply by its nature, fishing is going to change. The ballyhooed “blues blitz” phenomenon — when hundreds of bluefish chase bait fish onto the beach — seems like mid-20th century history, yet there was one recently on Ocracoke Island.

“A lot of fish run in cycles,” says Kyle Berry, a Kill Devil Hills angler who is a supervisor at TW’s Tackle and Bait in Nags Head. “Even fishermen say that, 50-60 years ago, they’d go through stretches of 15 years with no catches of certain fish, and then they’d be back.”

Or maybe they find new homes.

Stripers have been declining on the Outer Banks for the last 20 years or so, but they’re reportedly thriving in Canada.

And Berry says that he’s heard that other traditional Outer Banks catch, like red drum and cobia, are now being caught as far north as Massachusetts. At the same time, more tarpon and bonefish, game fish associated with waters off South Florida, have been showing up in Outer Banks waters.

“I’ve always learned you fish for what’s here,” Berry says. “What worked last year doesn’t mean it’s going to work this year.”

Year after year, visitors have enjoyed our walkable village, top-notch restaurants and remarkable shops. Discover community events, walking trails, a kayak launch, and the boardwalk at the Town Park in the heart of Duck.

That’s especially true in our coastal waters, according to Sara Mirabilio, a fisheries extension specialist for N.C. Sea Grant who is based at the program’s Wanchese office.

Mirabilio says that, because of the way icy water from the Labrador Current mixes with toasty water from the Gulf Stream off The Point in Cape Hatteras, we are blessed with both cold water and warm water species off our barrier islands.

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FORTY PERCENT OF SPECIES ARE MOVING IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING SEA TEMPS.

So, some fish that were here may be heading north, but other species that used to hang out in Wilmington but never got beyond Cape Lookout, are now showing up here, such as stone crab.

As a result, Mirabilio says, climate change presents “an interesting conundrum” for the Outer Banks.

Since we are “literally at the boundary,” she says that “we can really see the wiggle as waters warm.”

But the conundrum goes beyond mere species behavior. Mirabilio says that climate change also makes the complex science of fisheries management even more complicated, as current regulations are not nimble enough to address the churn that is happening in the fish world.

For instance, she says that the recent closure of Maine lobster was not based on the sustainability of the species. Instead, it was based strictly on lobster fishing gear, and the concern over it entangling the severely endangered Northern Right Whale, a protected species under the Endangered Species Act. Mirabilio says that the fishers did everything within the regulations, yet the fishery was shut down.

Even with robust numbers of sea turtles and sandbar sharks in recent years — in large part because of successful adaptive management rules — compliant fishers are being shut down because higher numbers of species leads to more interactions.

Instead of managing for single species, she says that effective fisheries management in a changing climate needs to be updated to ecosystem management.

Reforms of at least some fisheries regulations appear to be in the works, with an update to the state Coastal Habitat Protection Plan. The plan identifies threats and recommends actions to protect and restore fishery habitats.

“Climate change certainly has played a significant role in numerous fisheries conducted (on) the Outer Banks,” the state fisheries staff say. “However, it is only one of many other contributing factors that relate to a species population.”

Whatever the reason, expect your fish buffet to look different from now on.

— Catherine Kozak

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upfront One of the greatest challenges faced by local governments is providing services for businesses, residents, and guests.

As early as 1950, town leaders created the Dare Beaches Sanitary District with the goal of establishing a means to provide potable water for the burgeoning area, spurred by the post-war spike in travel.

However, growth 25 years later strained the water supply and caused far-reaching consequences that ushered Dare County into a new era.

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WATER, WATER milepost EVERYWHERE?

How a 1980s building boom nearly sucked the Outer Banks dry.

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BEERS•BURGERS•BEATS

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According to a 1984 report, between 1970 and 1980, Dare County’s population almost doubled — soaring from 6,995 to 13,377.

But while the beaches saw a 102% increase in population, Roanoke Island experienced only a third as much.

Adding to that, Dare’s reputation as a vacation and recreation destination helped fuel development. In 1970, the county recorded just over 5,000 “housing units”;

within 10 years, that number increased twofold, to 11,000.

Bear in mind that most of the new construction was for second homes or vacation rentals; only 1,000 homes were for permanent residents. Adding to this “land grab” was the opening of Hwy 12 north of Duck. Suddenly, new tracts were accessible, and contractors, carpenters, roofers, electricians, and plumbers had steady work.

Basically, Dare was booming. So much so, that beach municipalities and Dare County were forced to enact water moratoriums to check the rampant development.

In July 1983, the Cape Hatteras Water Authority, which served Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras, issued a six-month water moratorium on hookups in new subdivisions and large commercial structures. That moratorium was extended at six-month intervals until January 1985, when it was

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“Tanks a lot.” KDH’s new RO plant arrived in 1989.

Photo: Drew Wilson/Virginian-Pilot/OBHC

expanded to include all new applications.

Then, that April, Dare Commissioners placed a six-month moratorium on building and an unlimited ban on hookups to the county water system.

To address the ever-increasing need for water, officials began investigating an emerging technology: desalinization through reverse osmosis, or RO. The process involves forcing brackish water — either from deep wells or surface water — through special membranes. Salt, minerals and impurities are filtered out and clean, fresh water passes through.

A special “water workshop” was arranged on September 15, 1985, to give Dare Commissioners a chance to focus solely on the water problem and possible solutions.

Out of that meeting came plans for a booster station at Whalebone Junction; the drilling of test wells that could support a reverse osmosis plant; the construction

of an elevated storage tank in Duck; and additional planning for a RO facility. The cost of the three-year strategy was $2.15 million. If the test wells proved suitable, an additional $5 million would be needed for construction of the RO plant itself.

County Commissioners also traveled to Florida to tour a RO plant on Sanibel Island.

At the time, Bob Oreskovich was managing the facility. He can still recall the lifechanging meeting.

“After about a two-hour tour with a million questions — good questions — the commissioners said, ‘Well, how would you like to come up to the Outer Banks and work for us?’”

They were serious. In addition to receiving a 30% salary increase — plus a 10% raise after one year — Oreskovich also got the use of a county vehicle, and was put up in a 4-bedroom home on Colington Island.

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BETWEEN 1970 AND 1980, DARE’S POPULATION ALMOST DOUBLED.

Oreskovich arrived ready for duty in July 1988 to oversee the construction of North Carolina’s first RO plant, which would have the capacity to produce a million gallons of water per day.

(Ocracoke Island had a smaller plant that could produce 300,000 gallons a day.)

The following year, on September 18, 1989, more than 100 people gathered to witness the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new RO plant in Kill Devil Hills.

Leaders were giddy about the fact that the $10 million facility was free of debt. All funds used to build it were raised through water impact fees. The Secretary of NC’s Department of Environmental and Natural

Resources, Bill Cobey, Jr., gave the keynote address, proclaiming RO to be “the newest, cheapest, and best way to convert brackish water into drinking water.”

Oreskovich stayed on for 16 years, helping bring new water plants to Rodanthe, Frisco, Hatteras and Stumpy Point. With the construction of the facilities on Hatteras Island, the Cape Hatteras Water Authority handed the reins over to the county.

“It was a busy 16 years for me on the Outer Banks,” Oreskovich says. “We built the elevated water storage tank in Duck. We did a lot of expansions in the Kitty Hawk area. I was more of a project director than a utilities manager.” — Sarah Downing Sources: Comprehensive Engineering Report on Water Systems Improvements for County of Dare, Moore, Gardner and Associates, March 1984; Dare Beaches Water Supply: From Fresh Pond to Reverse Osmosis, Joseph P. Hardee, 1989; “R.O. Plant Offers Solutions, Problems,” The Coastland Times, July 10, 1997.

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upfront soundcheck getactive startingpoint roadmap gokite A cheering, jeering look at recent events and their potential milepost impacts.

FUTURISTIC FLASHBACK Paging Dr. Emmett Brown!

Dare County went “Back to the Seafare!” — and the Carolinian, and the Atlantis, and the Casino — as they celebrated Nov.’s Geographic Information Systems Day by posting an “OBX Days Gone By” GIS map. Best known for offering things like tax data — or trash collection details — this digital voyage down memory lane revisits iconic locales, from historic lodgings (1838’s Nags Head Hotel, Tana-Rama) to favorite watering holes (The Green Dolphin, Mexeconos) to old-school amusements (Dowdy’s, Surf Slide). Slip backwards through time at https:/gis. darecountync.gov.

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ESSENTIAL HORSING Longtime locals aren’t the only native species with a habitat issue. Corolla’s wild horses are losing places to roam, forage and frolic as development runs amok on northern beaches. That’s why the Corolla Wild Horse Fund established a new fund where every donation goes toward purchasing and maintaining property that “will be held in conservation into perpetuity.” Giddyup over to www. corollawildhorses.com to donate. (If it works, maybe we can corral some cash for a Weird Human Fund.)

THAT’S A WRAP Horror shows. Chick flicks. Rom-coms.

Animated classics. Manteo’s Pioneer Theatre carried them all, covering the earliest talkies to Wakanda Forever. Then, in Dec., the 105-year-old family-run biz shared the ultimate tearjerker on Facebook, posting that — due to “decreasing attendance, increasing expenses, and

changes in the theater industry” — they were dimming the lights forever, ending a century of silver screenings and golden memories.

HOLY MOGLI! Animal lovers howled with glee in Dec., as the Columbia Red Wolf Center added a pair of four-year-old “little brothers” to the world’s only wild red wolf population.

Born and raised in a Durham enclosure, the siblings will now run free. Even better, they bring the total number of Eastern NC specimens to roughly 20. And as Baloo, Mogli and every Jungle Book fan knows, “The strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.”

WAY-UP FIX’ER UPPER The Outer Banks’ tallest structure is set to get one hell of a makeover in 2023. In Nov., the NPS announced plans to restore, rehabilitate and improve the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, including replacing the First

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Order Fresnel lens with an LED-style replica; swapping out the plastic fencing for an OG granite-and metal octagon design; adding educational panels and other ways to provide a more immersive experience; and exploring options for reducing the impacts of visitor traffic on the surrounding landscape. Sounds like a lot of work, but that’s what happens when you own a 20-story, historic home.

ONE FLU EAST? It was a cuckoo winter for bird populations. Sick cormorants and pelicans languished on beaches. Seagull corpses lined both sides of bridges. If it felt like a plague of epic proportions, it’s because it was — or it just might be — as several specimens tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPA), a virus that’s caused mass casualties across the US, Canada and Europe. Scientists were quick to say that they were waiting for secondary tests to confirm results. But,

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in the meantime, they ask folks to report sick birds and die-offs of five or more by calling 866-318-2401.

BRIDGING THE GAP We’re not sure what we’re more stoked about: the fact that the Alligator Bridge will finally get replaced, or that nearly half the funding came from a rare moment of bipartisanship. Either way, we’ll give Sen. Thom Tillis kudos for co-sponsoring 2021’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act bill — and Pres. Joe Biden for signing it — because NC now has $1.4 billion more to spend on roads and bridges, including $110 million to help build a new $270 million span beginning in 2024.

Even better, the 65-foot structure won’t need a drawbridge, so no more pileups waiting for the roughly 4,000 boats that pass beneath each year — or the mechanical issues that seem to halt traffic for eons.

Y E A R S

SOUR PATCH KIDS Willy Wonka may want to vacation elsewhere. When news broke that Kitty Hawk was getting a 7500 square-foot Sugar Kingdom — and an even larger Sugar Planet in Corolla — our sweettalking public put down the PixyStix and picked up the pitchforks. Of course, both mega projects are perfectly legal — they’re also ugly AF. Maybe if these whoppers didn’t look like some Myrtle Beach monster puked neon pink taffy, they’d be easier for folks to swallow.

Because, it’s not that Outer Bankers hate lollipops and Gobstoppers — we just don’t want to suck like every other tacky beach town.

For detailed reports on these stories and breaking local news on a daily basis — plus plenty of local discussion — visit www.outerbanksvoice.com, www. islandfreepress.org, www.obxtoday.com, and www.thecoastlandtimes.com.

SMART-ASS COMMENT OF THE MONTH “If we could only get those birds to wear their masks, we could flatten the curve.”

— The Other Mike “Large Numbers of Sick and Dead Birds Appearing on Outer Banks and Sound Islands,” OuterBanksVoice.com, Dec. 26, 2022

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Joey Hogshire, 55 Fisherman Hatteras Village “All of the above! But I prefer my shrimp steamed, my flounder fried, and my scallops broiled.”

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Duane Drake, 48 Caterer Manteo “Fried. You can’t have shrimp without frying ’em.”

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Gene Overton, 20 Alcoholic Beverage Controller Manteo “Any of it is good, but I prefer broiled.”

outthere gohunt

rearview Jorden Ahlen, 18 Resupply Specialist Nags Head “Fried. I love the texture and crispiness, and the flavor it brings.”

What’s better?

Broiled?... Steamed?... Or Fried?

Cheyenne Creamer, 23 Tea Trader Barco “Broiled. It holds on to the seasoning better.”

Jeff O’Neal, 39 Maintenance Man Harbinger “Oysters raw, scallops broiled, and shrimp steamed — if we’re hanging out drinking a few beers.

For something like a surf and turf, I like them fried.”

Discover What’s New at The Cotton Gin

Anne Evans, 61 Soccer Ref Grandy “Steamed. You can actually taste what you are eating instead of the breading or the seasoning.”

Penny Ashby, 59 Retail Manager Manteo “Fried. All seafood tastes good fried.”

Interviews and images by Tony Leone

Cotton Gin - TimBuck II, Corolla 789 Sunset Blvd., Corolla, NC 252-453-4446

Cotton Gin - Duck 1185 Duck Rd., Duck, NC 252-261-2387

Cotton Gin - Nags Head 5151 S. Croatan Hwy. (MP 14.5) Nags Head, NC • 252-449-2387

Pop-Up Shop - Jarvisburg 7005 Caratoke Hwy., Jarvisburg, NC 252-491-2387 milepost 13

The Outer Banks Hospital and Medical Group is now Outer Banks Health.

Our new name reflects two decades of growth and innovation in meeting the changing health needs of everyone on the Outer Banks. As your needs evolve, we will continue to innovate, we will continue to expand our services, and we will continue to attract the best and brightest medical professionals. In fact, that work is already underway with our new state-of-the-art cancer center, an expanded hospital laboratory, and our reinvestment in programs focused on community wellness. Because with each new day, your health is our highest priority.

Together, our future is bright. OuterBanksHealth.org

Reaching new horizons in health.

milepost 14

upfront soundcheck

Let the colors wash over you.

Photo: Stan LeSteele

getactive startingpoint roadmap gokite milepost graphiccontent gosurf outthere gohunt rearview

MADE YOU LOOK! Identify this trippy experience — win two VIP tickets to a VUSIC OBX summer concert.

Don’t worry. This chemical wash won’t melt any faces — but it might scratch your body.

Sure, the ingredients may be mildly acidic — but they’re in no way hallucinogenic. (In fact, they remove all traces of trails.)

And yet, we promise you’ll get blasted for several minutes — including some serious visuals and physical vibrations — provided you’re willing to push the accelerator and plunge into darkness.

Think you’ve tripped across the correct answer? Submit your best guess — along with name and contact info — to editor@outerbanksmilepost.com.

We’ll drop the most enlightened ones into a Kool-Aid bowl, swish it around, and spit out one lucky winner to win two VIP tix to the VUSIC OBX Summer Concert of their choosing, featuring a VIP entrance, premium viewing, and a lounge area with a VIP Bar and dedicated bathrooms. (Find a list of shows at www.vusicfest.com.)

PS: Congrats to Chris Clark for correctly guessing last issue’s puzzler: a restaurant/bar floor mat.

milepost 15

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milepost 17

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getactive “It’s just like when someone gets sick and you make a casserole for them,” says Lashley.

“I feel like food removes that stigma [of asking for help].”

Still, Tice warns that disaster relief is not a cushy undertaking. While Mercy Chefs has six modern mobile kitchens, you’re still working a disaster zone.

roadmap

And in times of natural catastrophes, a little “comfort food” can literally save — and change — lives. Just ask John Tice.

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For years, the founder and former owner of John’s Drive-In has volunteered with Mercy Chefs, traveling to help communities recover from natural disasters — including three California wildfires. So, when Hurricane Dorian struck Ocracoke in 2019, Tice made sure the Virginia-based nonprofit was among the groups onsite to feed local families that November. Meanwhile, he assisted another volunteer crew to help provide a Thanksgiving feast of donated “oysters, turkey, all the traditional stuff.”

“Sometimes you’re sleeping in a church, sometimes you stay in a hotel if you want to,” Tice explains. “Some places, there’s nothing; you’re sleeping in a truck or trailer.”

startingpoint

Mobile kitchens helped foil hunger on Ocracoke after Dorian.

Photo: Daniel Pullen

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MADE WITH LOVE gosurf

From home cooks to pro chefs, helping neighbors in need outthere starts with a hot meal.

Every two weeks, Kara Lashley bakes three lasagnas. One for her family — and two more for two others.

gohunt

“It’s just such an easy way to give back,” says the Southern Shores resident and Lasagna Love volunteer. “I love it because I love to cook. If I’m going to make lasagna, it’s no harder to make it for more people than for my family.”

rearview

Lasagna Love began as a DIY way for neighbors to support each other at the start of the pandemic. Since then, it’s grown into a global nonprofit, where individuals sign up online to help nearby residents who may be facing any number of challenges, from a financial shortfall to just a sheer lack of time.

Lashley got involved in August 2022, when she saw a social media post asking folks to help local teachers get through the hectic start of the school year. Since then, she’s delivered to families with multiple young children; to parents working long shifts, including a policeman and a nurse; to one woman who wanted a delicious meal on her

birthday but couldn’t afford to go out to eat (and didn’t have time to cook because she was juggling four jobs); and another woman who already had “a bun in the oven.”

“She was scheduled to have the baby two days later,” Lashley says. “I made her two lasagnas so she could put one in the freezer for after the baby arrived.”

The digital operation is designed to be flexible. People can sign up online to receive meals for any number of reasons — or sign up another family they know needs help — then the organization matches the address with cooks, who then set their own delivery radius and number of times they’re willing to cook.

Recipients can also list dietary concerns, such as vegan, vegetarian and low carb; and volunteers can let recipients know if they’ll be making enchiladas, shepherd’s pie or another dish.

All that makes it user-friendly for both sides.

“We fed over 600 people,” Tice says.

“Everyone got two really good meals on the island.”

Among those people were Ashley and Red Harrell. As the owners of Gaffer’s Restaurant, they’d often helped neighbors in times of need. Suddenly, they were on the receiving end of such generosity. Furthermore, Mercy Chefs’ quality of food and the camaraderie between team members impressed them.

“A fresh, hot, healthy meal when you’ve just been devasted by a fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, whatever…is so uplifting,” Ashley recalls. “We said right there, as soon as we were able to get back on our feet, we want to do something like this.”

Unfortunately for Ocracoke, Dorian forced the Harrells to relocate Gaffer’s to Emerald Isle — but the couple lived up to their word.

So far, they’ve worked three weeklong disaster-relief deployments with Mercy Chefs. They responded to Hurricane Ida in New Orleans and to a tornado in Mayfield, Kentucky in 2021. And last summer, they brought along their 11-year-old daughter to assist flooding victims in Whitesburg, Kentucky.

“She’s a baker,” Ashley says. “One day, we baked over 120 cakes, and she was pretty much in charge of that.”

Also, cooks have to be creative, as the menu varies based on whatever donations arrive at that location.

“

“Once, a farmer brought a load of collards,” says Tice, recalling thinking, “Looks like we’re making collards today.” Another time, a large turkey donation meant dishing out a whole lot of turkey tacos.

A LITTLE “COMFORT FOOD” CAN LITERALLY SAVE — AND CHANGE — LIVES.

Today, with Tice retired to Florida — and the Harrells in southern NC — there’s room for local cooks to help with Mercy Chefs. But even if you can’t scramble an egg, the nonprofit can find you a job.

Anything from inventory control to product procurement.

“You don’t have to be a professional chef or cook,” Tice says. “All you have to have is the spirit to help people.”

Which is exactly what keeps Lashley layering out pasta, sauce and cheese for four families each month. And whether it’s a foodinsecure family or a frazzled mom, she gets a warm feeling each time. Because, with four boys of her own, she can think of many days when they were young when she would have welcomed such a special delivery.

“To have someone drop a meal off,” Lashley says, “would have been the best present ever.” — Corinne Saunders To receive or give some Lasagna Love, simply go to www.lasagnalove.org. And to help Mercy Chefs handle their next disaster, go to www.mercychefs.com. milepost 19

questionauthority

MAKING soundcheck THE GRADE getactive upfront

Dishwasher thermometers are some of the hot tech keeping folks safe.

We grilled Dare Co.’s Environmental Health Supervisor on the ABCs of startingpoint inspecting kitchens.

Think you have a big job? As the Environmental Health Supervisor for Dare County, Josh Coltrain leads a team of sanitation sleuths who are responsible for monitoring every tattoo parlor, school, and commercial pool. But the most high-profile gig of all is food safety, where three Environmental Health Specialists must inspect every commercial kitchen and hang a sign in plain view.

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“That includes restaurants, food stands, push carts, mobile food units, institutional

food, school lunch cafeterias, and meat markets,” says Coltrain, who started out in the field back in 2007. “Last fiscal year, we performed 1,531 inspections.”

Sometimes, they even have to go back and check again. Add up the phone calls with the questions — and the occasional

then an additional 529 office or phone graphiccontent visits were performed, which include

MILEPOST: Can you start by telling us your basic mission statement?

JOSH COLTRAIN: Well, in a nut shell, the food protection program’s mission is to reduce the risk of food-borne illness and other communicable diseases and ensure protection by providing leadership resources, education, promotion of public health and safety, so people have confidence when they go out to eat.

And to protect public health through the development of standards, review of plans, and enforcement activities of food and lodging establishments, including the inspections.

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outthere gohunt

rearview

How many kitchens total do you inspect each year?

There are 478 total food service establishments. Last fiscal year we performed 1,531 inspections and 209 visits.

Visits may include complaint investigations or verification of equipment, et cetera. And milepost 20

general questions from facilities owners and operators.

And I assume every kitchen has to go through an inspection process before they ever open?

Yes. So, let’s say you wanted to open a facility, you would first apply to us. We review your plans to make sure that the kitchen is laid out according to the food code. You’ve got your hand sinks set up accordingly, you’ve got adequate refrigeration, freezer space, cooking space, cleaning/sanitizing space, et cetera.

Then we go in and do a preopening inspection to make sure that everything is up to code. And then we issue you a state food service permit, either for a restaurant or food stand, mobile food unit — whatever you applied for.

complaint investigation — you get roughly 2300 interactions with local kitchens per year. We asked Coltrain to walk us through the process of keeping every plate safe, from the moment a restaurant applies to open its doors — to the second it receives a big fat A. (We hope.) — Matt Walker Then, after that, depending on the permit, you’re gonna go back in, what, every three months?

It’s broken up into different categories based on how much reheating, cooling and serving you’re doing. So, let’s just take the average, large restaurant. They have to be done four times a year. A typical fast-food restaurant is twice a year, because they don’t do as much cooling and reheating the next day; most of that is food heated to order. Some are only annual inspections — like the hospital — because they’re also inspected by other state and federal agencies.

And how do those inspections work?

Does everyone have a “beat”?

Each inspector has a list they’re assigned. We change those up periodically, so the same person doesn’t get into the same routine of inspecting the same establishment, year after year. But as far as the inspection itself goes, they just randomly show up that day.

It’s unannounced. We want to go in there and see how you run your facility on a dayto-day basis.

What happens next? Can you walk us through it?

Sure. Basically, they’ll go in and say, “I’m so and so with the health department, here to do a routine inspection.” They’ll ask for the manager on duty. And they’ll go through the entire facility. If they’re cooling anything, they go back to the walk-in and make sure they’re using proper cooling methods. If they’re reheating anything, they make sure they reheat it to 165 degrees. If they’re actively cooking anything at the time — a chicken breast, let’s say — they’ll get a temperature and make sure it’s reaching 165. There are 56 items that we have to check. Everything goes on the grade sheet and is marked either “in compliance,” or “out of compliance.” Or it could be “not observed.” So, let’s say they do oysters in the wintertime, but they don’t have any in the summertime — that would be “not observed.”

But if it’s marked out of compliance, they document what food code violation it is, put it on the inspection sheet, and, at the end, they’ll review it with the manager on duty and say, “This is what you need to address.” Then, if it happens again, you get docked more for the second violation.

So, let’s just say that you get 1.5 points for your first violation — if we see it again then it becomes a 3-point violation moving forward.

And all that determines your grade.

Yes. You start with a score of a 100, and then you obviously work down from there.

So, the lower the score, the more critical or repeat violations you have.

How far down the scale can you get?

Well, 90 to 100 is an A. 80 to 90 is a B. And 70 to 79 is a C. Anything less than 70 is an automatic revocation of your permit. You have to shut down, reapply and start from scratch, just like you were a brand new facility. And let’s say it’s a cold-holding violation, where your walk-in isn’t maintaining 41 degrees or less — that requires a verification. So, we have to come back within seven days and do a follow-up to make sure you got the temperature down on that walk-in. But all that is documented.

Is there like 3 a strikes rule or anything?

No. Not necessarily. If an issue with equipment became a habitual thing, we could issue an intent to suspend — meaning we would suspend your food service permit if you don’t get this item addressed.

And let’s say it’s summer and you have no refrigeration — nothing’s working and you can’t maintain temp. That would be an immediate suspension. You can’t operate if you don’t have refrigeration.

Whoa. This is all one place?

All one place.

How high tech has it gotten?

It’s changed over the years. We used to have the old pen and pad.

Now we’re on to iPads. And the inspectors have different types of thermometers — probe thermometers, infrared thermometers. We have certain thermometers that are like a plate that we can run through the dish machine, so we know it’s reaching the proper temp…

So, what’s the lowest score you’ve handed out?

That immediate revocation I mentioned was a 54. And when it’s an immediate revocation, your permit is pulled. You can’t operate anymore. You have to start over like it’s a brand-new facility.

Sounds like James Bond!

I wouldn’t say James Bond level, but it’s all digitized. And people can find the inspections and previous grade sheets online. It’s all public record. Google “Dare County restaurant inspections,” a link pops up. Type in the restaurant name, or food stand, or whatever, and it will bring up past inspection reports.

Anyone ever get straight 100s?

I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head. But, in general, our places do a pretty good job. I think the average score is like 97 or 98 — which is something we’re proud of.

And all of the school lunch rooms do well — they typically get 99 to 100.

“

“IT’S ALL DIGITIZED. AND IT’S ALL PUBLIC RECORD.”

So, what’s the craziest or worst thing you’ve seen or heard of?

Personally, my worst example was all at one facility. They were doing some construction, and, out back, they were using a salt-treated two-by-twelve as a cutting board. Inside, they were prepping some raw pork that was dripping down into their sugar bin underneath the table — I saw somebody come by and scoop up the sugar to make a sweet tea. Another guy was prepping some fish and cut his finger; he put a Band-Aid on it, but it was still bleeding, and he still continued to prep the fish. Then the guy doing the dishes decided he wanted to rinse his mouth out, he scooped up some water, rinsed his mouth out — and spit it back in with the clean dishes…

FAMILY SIZED! PIZZA - SUBS - BURGERS - WINGS - SALADS

Did you think you were being punked?

No. But it was an immediate revocation of their permit. We had to shut them down and ask people to leave. Another crazy one, the inspector went in and found a live box turtle in the prep sink. The people running the facility said they were going to cook it for themselves. We took the turtle and released it back into the woods.

What about the paper score itself. Have you ever caught someone trying to change the number after the fact. Like that 54 is suddenly an 89?

I’ve never run into that. But that’s actually an offense. It is against the general statutes for anyone to alter the cardstock. The only one who’s allowed to touch that is the Environmental Health Specialist.

GardenDeliPizza.com to view menu & order online

252-473-6888

From my experience, most restaurants are their own worst critics. They might even spot a violation before you do.

Oh yeah, a lot of times it’s like, “Oh man, the new guy just put that in the walk-in, I’ll take care of it right now.” They do want to do the right thing.

Have you ever seen a floor so clean you would eat off it?

No. My old kitchen manager is going to be disappointed.

[Laughs] I wouldn’t eat anything off of any floor. Ever.

This interview was edited for length, flow and clarity. To read a complete transcript — including what it takes to become an Environmental Health Specialist — go to www.outerbanksmilepost.com. milepost 21

252.261.7800 | ShipwrecksOBX.com | 4020 N. Croatan Hwy. MP 3.5

Just Over the Bridge in Harbinger

HA

RBINGER, NC

Traditional Southern Fare

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LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD TAVERN WITH

southern hospitality (252) 261-2243 | 300 W. ECKNER ST., MP 2.5 | KITTY HAWK | SANDTRAPTAVERN.COM milepost 22

GLUTTONS Words by Terri Mackleberry Photos by Chris Bickford & Daniel Pullen

PUNISHMENT for

PHYSICAL PAIN. ENDLESS DISCOMFORT. EXTREME WEATHER. PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE.

For most normal humans, these ingredients sound like pure hell. But for endurance athletes driven to push personal limits, they’re the recipe for a fulfilling lifestyle built on meeting — and beating — the next brutal challenge. Meet four local athletes who chew through miles of miserable obstacles, spit ‘em all out — and then ask for seconds. milepost 23

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ABBY BERQUIS

Small Batch & Indie Wines

20 Beers on Tap | Prosecco | Wine Tastings & Kegerator Rentals & To-Go Crowlers Bartending Services

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Tuesday

Ceviche (Different ceviche every week)

Wednesday

The Havana Is Back!

(Our take on a Cuban - pork barbacoa, sliced ham, house made pickles, melted cheeses & mustard sauce on a cuban roll)

LATIN INSPIRED CUISINE

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Thursday

Empanada (Different empanada every week)

Fry-Day

Loaded Fries ( Different each week)

ULTRAMARATHO

Saturday

“Tray” Nachos Photo: Daniel Pullen

milepost 24

ST

ABBY BERQUIST HAD NEVER RUN MORE THAN 26.2 MILES.

But with a few marathons under her feet — and a daily jogging habit to boot — she was ready for the next level.

Bolstered by the confidence and endorphins from completing a trail marathon a few weeks prior, the 40-year-old Kitty Hawk resident impulsively signed up for her first ultramarathon — the 100k portion of the 2022 Blackbeard’s Revenge 100 — a 62-mile race that would have her pounding the pavement from Jennette’s Pier to the Hatteras ferry docks.

After college, she started jogging for exercise — almost always by herself — and came to enjoy its mental benefits.

“It’s like my meditation,” she says.

“So much of life you focus on what’s happened or what’s happening next.

Running forces you to be present. It’s my grounding, my sanity.”

When she and her husband, John, opened Pizza Stop in Southern Shores in 2011, the demands of the restaurant meant Berquist only had time to fit in a few miles a day. But after selling the restaurant in 2018, she began to run longer distances.

There’s no better example than Georgia’s Sky to Summit 50k. Berquist’s first “mountain ultra” required summiting the second highest mountain in Georgia — twice — for a total of 7,500 feet in vertical gain in 31 miles. In the rain for eight hours. Two-thirds of it on a twisted ankle. She could’ve tapped out at any point; instead she pushed on.

“I’ve never had physical pain like some of these events,” she says. “It’s just so hard and so demanding. You’re surprised your body lets you do it. But you get to a point where you push past the limits of pain, and you know you’re going to finish. The happy juices are flowing even when you’re hurting.”

Still, Berquist admits the fatigue and exhaustion are real. When a concerned water station aid in Georgia asked her to state her name and where she was from, it was a bit of a wakeup call.

Halfway through, Never mind that the race was in a you kind of lose your week, and Berquist was seriously undertrained. On March 26, 2022, faculties.

“Halfway through, you get tired she showed up at Jennette’s Pier and started running south.

Twelve hours later, she crossed the finish line well before every other woman in her division. The next closest time was an hour and a half behind.

That November, after an exhilarating 10mile dash down Bay Drive, she signed up for her first 26-mile Outer Banks Marathon — totally on a whim.

“I won!!!!” she posted on Instagram, along with a video of her limping to the finish line in the darkness. “First 100k in the books (and last) #nowimgoingtodie”

“I registered the week before,” she says.

“And I couldn’t walk for a week after.

But I did really well, even without proper training.”

Not entirely true.

That first marathon was intended as a one-and-done. Something to “get off of her checklist.”

Four months later, Berquist tackled South Carolina’s 50k Carolina Reaper Challenge in 100-degree July heat. By November of 2022 she was clamoring up a muddy mountaintop in North Georgia, soaked to the bone by rain in 30-degree temperatures and 30 mph winds. Just a month after that, she was in Charlotte running a 30k, drenched yet again in the rain and still nursing a few ailments from the Georgia challenge.

“At the finish I always say, ‘I’ll never do that again!’” Berquist says, laughing.

“But then I’m looking for a new race in the car on the way home.”

ONING

It hasn’t always been that way.

While Berquist grew up playing soccer and basketball, she says she hated the running aspects of both sports.

But when friends asked her to join a relay team for a 200-miler in Michigan, their enthusiasm for distance was contagious. And while she appreciated the camaraderie of her surrounding crew, it was the personal achievement that proved most addictive.

“Only you can push yourself — it comes from within,” she says. “You set out to achieve something and the adrenaline and the feeling of finishing is just so rewarding.”

Shortly after the Michigan relay, the thoughts of running ultra-marathons entered Berquist’s mind. One year and four races later, now they’re all she thinks about. Not just because she says these challenges are the hardest things she’s ever done in her life, but each one teaches her something new about herself.

and kind of lose your faculties,” she says. “You lose your dexterity, and your words may not come out as easily.

But the fact that I wasn’t concerned about that speaks to me being new to this and learning as I go.”

That means no more last-minute races without training. (In fact, that stopped prior to Georgia, when she researched and implemented a plan to push her mileage up to 60 miles, as opposed to the usual 40 miles a week.)

Now, Berquist’s focusing on learning more about nutrition, looking for new places to run, and making sure she’s fully prepared to get the job done.

“To be honest, my biggest fear is starting and not finishing,” she says with a laugh. “Not what could happen to me during the race. Which is probably why I don’t hesitate to sign up for these things.”

For her next event, Berquist is considering a 100-mile race. Beyond that, she says competitive events get into the realm of consecutive ultramarathons or competitions in extreme conditions, such as across a desert.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be in that category,” Berquist laughs. “I’m just thankful my body has held up and seems to get better from doing these things — not worse.”

LIQUID DIET

BERQUIST MAKES SURE TO DRINK AWAY THE MILES.

“EACH RACE, I BURN THOUSANDS OF CALORIES. For the Blackbeard 100k, I think it was 7000 calories. Georgia was 4000, maybe? So, I try to consume calories the whole time I’m running, but nothing that has to work too hard to break down. I have these little gel packs — they’re like a starch complex, essentially. It’s not heavy, and it has some sustained energy to it. Larabars are good, too; they’re these protein/energy bars made from fruits and nuts. Then I aim for 200-300 calories per hour.

Which is still a deficit. But I’ve found that it keeps me energized.

“OTHERWISE, I TRY NOT TO EAT MUCH STARTING ABOUT 12 HOURS BEFORE A RACE. Instead, two days before, I’ll start eating a whole lot more complex carbohydrates — like chickpea pastas. Then, the day before, I eat something in the pasta sector every half-hour from about 4pm until about 7pm. Actually, the night before that 100k in March, we had a charity bowling tournament for the Outer Banks Association of Realtors.

I had a slice of pizza every halfhour until I ate a whole pie. [Laughs] Then, the morning of a race, I’ll pretty much only have a banana and a bunch of water and some coffee.

Nothing heavy.

“IT’S THE PART RIGHT AFTER A RACE THAT I NEED TO WORK ON. Because all I want to do is party.

[Laughs] I’m like, ‘Give me some beers!’ I think it’s because I’m such a junkie for the adrenaline. But the next day, my husband, John, usually makes me a big meal, something protein heavy — like steak and potatoes. Because by then, I can eat the whole house.” milepost 25

J E S S E D AV I S BIKEPACKING

Photo: Chris Bickford milepost 26

TAKE A MINUTE TO REMEMBER WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO RIDE A BICYCLE UP A STEEP HILL.

Legs burning. Lungs searing.

Focusing on reaching the summit — but not wanting to look up for fear of knowing just how much farther there is to go.

provide everything they need to survive, either carrying it on their cycle — or sourcing it enroute.

hours without sleeping — and only stopped and rested a total of three hours.

“The number one difference is that they’re 100 percent self-supported,” Davis says. “Anything that is available to you has to be available to all the others.

So, your wife can’t meet you at mile 250 with a picnic basket — but you can get a hotel room or stop at a convenience store because anyone else can, too.”

“It went surprisingly well,” he says. “It seemed impossible, but it’s possible.”

That’s what Jesse Davis does for fun. Or — more aptly — for thrills.

In 2022, Davis competed in the Huracan 300 in Florida, the AML 400 in Virginia, and the Cross Florida 300. The most difficult, he says, was the TransNorth Georgia Adventure (TNGA) — a 357-mile ride across mountainous territory from the South Carolina/Georgia border to the Georgia/Alabama border.

“You’re a little scared and a little uncertain,” says the 55-year-old Manteo resident. “I think that’s the definition of adventure.”

“The TNGA is infamous,” he says. “It’s in August. It’s hot and humid and it feels like you’re always going uphill. The attrition rate is about 50 percent.”

Now imagine doing it for three days straight. Hauling extra water, food and supplies on your bike — all while being sleep deprived and semi-lost in a rural outback with limited cell service.

Growing up in Virginia, Davis was an avid skateboarder as well as a competitive road and mountain bike racer. In fact, at age 26, he won the Virginia state mountain bike championship. Eight years living in Colorado added backcountry snowboarding to his list of hairraising habits.

When he moved to Manteo in 2004, Davis found his rugged terrain fix by “gravel-grinding” around Alligator River — or pedaling over the Blue Ridge Mountains, both of which require carrying a fair amount of gear.

Ten years ago, he discovered “bikepacking,” in which cyclists explore the outdoors while lugging every necessity, from packaged tuna to tents.

Davis immediately fell in love with the discipline’s DIY spirit. Each blind turn brought some fresh challenge — maybe a fallen limb or hidden stream — and the easier rides were still full of “stinky, raw energy.”

Not that it’s easy. Some trails are so dense with foliage and downed trees, you’re carrying the bike for up to a mile.

Some courses are so mountainous, they can take riders uphill both ways.

And then there’s just the collective punishment of constant pedaling.

“You get tired, dehydrated, have mechanical issues,” Davis says. “And there’s the weather — heat, cold. Even a little bit of rain can make it a bad time.”

Ironically, Davis finds the first four or five hours are usually hardest. From there, innate survival instincts take over.

“At about 40-to-50 miles, I’ll think, ‘Man, I’m getting tired,’” he says. “But then, at 140 miles, you get these superpowers.

It’s like tapping into some primitive thing.

Like everyone has it built within them, but we just don’t turn it on anymore.”

Now, I’ll just lay down where I am or sleep in some bushes.

Still, while the physical Davis didn’t just finish, he placed 11th out of 100 riders. It still took him three days, 15 hours and 20 minutes. And as he crossed the finish line at 11:30pm a crowd erupted with cheers and Champagne… just kidding. These races don’t come with afterparties. Or even awards. The only guy waiting was the shuttle driver he paid to carry him the 2.5 hours back to his van.

“You’re definitely not doing this for public glory,” Davis laughs. “The full extent of the payback for me is when I’m driving home, and I’m like ‘Yeah!’”

“Bikepacking is kind of a combination of what I learned in biking and skateboarding in terms of lifestyle,” he says. “That dirt-baggy, ‘don’t worry about it too much,’ attitude.”

It’s hard to picture a more personal victory. In addition to designing the bike and outfitting it with supplies, riders have to research where to find water and food, figure out what time those stores and restaurants are open and figure out where to sleep. Davis says he used to look for a campground or hotel.

Even the organized events are ridiculously ragtag. No marked courses or water stations. Just a GPS route and a Garmin to get you from beginning to end. From there, competitors must

Often, he only naps a couple of hours.

Or less. For a 300-mile race across Florida last December, Davis rode 29

“Now, I’ll just lay down where I am or sleep in some bushes,” he says.

challenges may be the most obvious, Davis has learned that the real key to success is conquering your mind.

“It’s almost 100 percent mental,” he says. “Being able to just deal with the fact that you can’t stop and go home.

You can’t let anything get to you. I don’t even try to get happy because if you feel happy one minute then, right around the corner, you’ll be down in the dumps.”

Once it’s over, Davis finally relaxes and cracks a smile. But the real “runner’s high” builds in the days to come as he tends to his wounds. Sure, his feet may be bloody. His body sore. We won’t even talk about what’s happening in the saddle area. But, for him, each ache, pain and lost toenail is also a trophy. Which is why he’s signed up for four more slogs in 2023.

“I do this specifically because it’s hard,” he says. “You can’t pretend to be tough.

You can’t fake confidence. You have to earn it. And when I come back from these events, I feel like I’m a badass again — even though no one else cares or knows what I’ve just been through.”

GOOD TO-GO DAVIS’ DIET IS ABOUT STAYING FAST AND HAPPY

“I DON’T CARRY MUCH FOOD. Maybe some envelopes of tuna, tortillas, energy bars — because I’m trying to stay as light as possible.

It’s more about filling up at the next convenience store. But if you don’t eat meat, those can be difficult. My go-tos are Combos — which are greasy and stick to the ribs. Honeybuns — which I never eat otherwise. And, if I’m lucky, maybe a gas station tuna sandwich.

Hey, what could go wrong? [Laughs] “PEOPLE CAN’T BELIEVE I DON’T USE ENDURANCE POWDERS. One guy was like, ‘You need salt, potassium, all these things.’ I’m kind of a caveman about it: I just eat food and drink drinks. But, you get to a point where you just want calories; you’re not really concerned with nutrients. So, I basically turn into a crazy sugar fiend. And caffeine. I usually go straight for a big, sugary coffee, then buy a can of Coca-Cola.

Something about a Coca-Cola is the ultimate comfort for me. It adds life!

“BUT HALF OF WHAT I EAT IS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL PURPOSES. Because what you’re doing is just so difficult. A tiny Snickers bar can be the difference between quitting or finishing. It might not bring a smile to your face, but it’ll cheer you up enough to keep you going. During the Huracan, I was at mile 200-andsomething, and I still had to ride 80 more miles through the night. I knew there was this little Italian restaurant about a quarter-mile off-route. So, I went and got an eggplant parm sandwich, a basket of fries, and two Cokes. Twenty minutes later, I rode out of there like a new man. I felt like I just started.” milepost 27

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milepost 28

Photo: Daniel Pullen

EN

KATE PULLEN GOT USED TO GETTING WEIRD LOOKS.

Every day last summer, she ran around Buxton, always at high noon. Sweating for miles in the most grueling hours.

Because, when your goal is to finish a multi-day race at elevations up to 12,600 feet — but your training grounds are at dead sea level on Hatteras Island — that’s how you prepare to push your limits.

Today, Pullen credits that practice for getting her across Colorado’s Rocky Mountains — and through her very first stage race — without any altitude sickness.

“I read that if you can’t train for altitude, you should train in high humidity,” explains the 43-year-old. “It is a very similar process in the body to adapting to altitude.”

In the running world, stage races are multi-day endurance runs through a range of different terrains. August’s TransRockies Run is a supported trail run from Buena Vista to Vail, Colorado, with solo divisions for either three days (60 miles) or six days (120 miles). Despite being a stage race and altitude rookie, Pullen didn’t hesitate to solo the 120-mile version.

“I was raised to never think there’s anything I can’t do,” she says. “And the harder it is, the better.”

While Pullen’s always been a runner, she hasn’t always been a racer. But, in January 2016, when her kids were 12 and 14, she suddenly wanted to tackle her first marathon. She decided she would work toward qualifying for the Boston Marathon that year as a personal challenge. And maybe a refuge.

“You get to this point as a mom, as a woman, where you’ve got your job and your family, but you need something else that’s totally yours,” she says. “I think marathoning was a way for me to say that nobody can mess with my running time.”

CING

By September, Pullen ran her first marathon in Erie, Pennsylvania. By December, she’d qualified for Boston.

She has now run another 10— including three Boston Marathons. Pullen says she loved the experience, but still wanted more. So, when a friend told her about the stage race in Colorado, she was intrigued.

“You run a half-to-full marathon distance on difficult terrain, so it’s a mix of hiking and running,” she says. “The average person goes for four-to-eight hours a day.

Then you sleep in a tent, and the next morning you get up and do it again.”

Pullen signed up and started training on the trails and roads around Buxton. From March through July, she ran at least 90 minutes every day in the heat and went for three-hour runs a couple of times a week. By August, she was feeling the best she’s ever felt. With that, she went out to Colorado with no real idea of what lay ahead.

On day five she felt sick. It was more of an emotional decay than a physical illness — but it was still her body playing tricks.

“I just started crying completely out of the blue,” Pullen says. “I’d just gone to this emotional, really dark place. As I came up to an aid station, this woman took one look and gave me a Coke and salt pills. She said, ‘Girl, you’ll be okay,’ and, within five minutes, I was right as rain by just putting salt in my system.”

On day six, she forgot the race started an hour earlier. She bolted out of the tent and accidentally left her shoe insoles.

Each step was blistering torture. Still, Pullen says whenever she wanted to stop, she would remember two things: “I remember the Kate who started the race and the Kate who’s going to finish the race. I always tell myself I owe it to her to keep going. Because who I am at that moment is not rational. It’s not me.”

The last leg of the race was especially cruel — a straight mile of vertical incline up a dusty fire road. And yet, when she finished the race, Pullen says she was almost sad. Not just because it was over, but because she had finally gotten the hang of it.

Can you endure a 40-minute mile?

It sucks.

“The first and second day, we went from 8,000 feet to 12,500 feet — straight up,” she says. “I had my first 40-minute mile, and I was proud of that. A lot of people brag about a six-minute mile, but can you endure a 40-minute mile? It sucks.”

Even the descents were painfully difficult.

At one point on day two, Pullen’s legs locked up on the way downhill — “Guys with canes were passing me” — so she became a student, watching others for the best ways to handle the terrain.

Day three featured two 5-mile sections of relative flatness. Just being able to open up into a full run improved her attitude.

Still, she says that every stage brought some new challenge.

“It’s one thing to run one race,” Pullen says. “But to get up the next day and do it again — and then again? You feel like there’s no way you can do it. And your body starts to say there’s no way you can. And then you get over the hump and you do it.”

“I was totally blown away and fell in love with it,” she says.

Back home and running on flat land once again, Pullen credits distance racing for adding so much to her life. When she trains, her husband, Daniel, is often alongside her on his bike. (“The time together makes our marriage better,” she says.) She also believes it’s important to model a solid work ethic for her kids.

Ironically, she recently had to back out of this summer’s TransRockies after discovering there’s a baby coming to the family in July. Still, she plans to run through the pregnancy as much as possible in hopes of heading back to Colorado in 2024 — with the ultimate dream of entering the East Africa Stage Race in 2025.

Because, for Pullen, it’s not about the suffering that keeps her engaged. It’s the endurance and hard work that conquers a goal.

“I always want to push for something out of reach,” she says. “Because I always come out better on the other side.”

POTATO CANNON

PULLEN RUNS ON SALTY CHIPS AND SWEET SODA. “IT’S ALL ABOUT AVAILABLE CALORIES. Most people who run marathons are taking gels. And then 100-milers, when they’re running all at once, that’s when you see people eating full-on cheeseburgers — whatever they can, really — just to get calories in. But you can’t take gels when you’re running six-plus hours for days. So instead of packing gels, I’m packing peanut butter sandwiches.

“I DON’T CARB UP THE DAY BEFORE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. But traveling, you’re always worried about eating something that might upset your stomach.

So, if we’re driving, I might make sweet potatoes to bring with me.

Otherwise, I just start drinking a lot of water a few days before. Then, another thing I do is wean myself off coffee about a week ahead, so when I have a cup the first morning, it really kicks in. And then, afterward, I just eat lots of carbs and lots of sweets — cheesecake, tiramisu brownies. I love it all. And I’m not even a sweets person.

“MY REAL VICE FOR STAGE RACING IS RUFFLES AND COKE. I call them ‘dirty chips.’ I can eat whole bags because of the salt.

And, in Colorado, I actually had two water bladders — one on my back, one on my front — and one of them was filled with Coke. It’s so funny, because I have books and books about nutrition and endurance running and what you need to do.

But then on race day, it all goes out the window. You just need to get the calories. So, I may not have gel packs, but I have my Cokes — and my dirty chips.” [Laughs] milepost 29

M AT T Y H I T C H C O & M AT T M I L L E R

ROCK CLIMBING

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Woocasakitchen.com milepost 30

Photo: Chris Bickford

OCK R

G

WHEN DOES SOMETHING EXCITING BECOME SOMETHING DANGEROUS?

Is it the moment you first dig your toes and fingers into the vertical rock tower they call El Capitan? The nights curled up in “the portaledge”— with nothing between you and the valley floor but some nylon straps and a metal anchor? Or is it when you finally reach the top after five cruel days, only to find three feet of snow forcing you to begin a risky, seven-hour descent in the dark?

This is the situation Matt Hitchcock and Matt Miller encountered in November 2022.

“Reaching the summit is exciting,” says Hitchcock. “But getting down was probably one of the most challenging things in my life.”

Then, on November 12, 2022, they began their ascent. One Matt would lead on a series of pitches, carefully setting metal cams and hooks into tight crevices, fixing ladders and lines to the wall. The other Matt would climb behind, removing all the gear and stowing it. Whenever one leader got tired, they’d switch. Inch by careful inch, they made slow, steady progress.

“Our first day took us 14 hours,” Hitchcock laughs. “The next morning, two women passed us. So, what took us 14 hours — they did in 45 minutes. But we wanted to take our time and enjoy the process.”

“Enjoy” is clearly a relative term. For three more days, they climbed — fingers bleeding, toes cramping, abs burning — as they clung for their lives. At one point, during a 100-foot swing, Hitchcock slipped and cracked a rib. Then, near the top, they got a harrowing message.

gloves, they started their final ascent at 7am, fueled by a couple power bars and a surge of adrenaline.

“We were so pumped that we just kept pushing to the top,” Hitchcock says. “But those last hours were brutal.”

At 4:30 pm, they finally reached the summit of El Cap — and the pinnacle of their climbing careers. But they barely had time to enjoy the moment. Near hypothermic and surrounded by snow, they knew they had to get down — fast.

Luckily, there’s a 3/4-mile descent trail, with five fixed lines to rappel nearly 700 feet down. Only they couldn’t find them in the fluffy white drifts.

“It was not a good feeling,” Miller remembers. “I’d never been that cold or exhausted before. But when Matt finally found those fixed lines, I had a new burst of energy and hope. I knew we’d get off.”

Seven slippery hours later, they reached the bottom, where a buddy met them with two cold beers.

We just kept the “It was a glorious moment,” Miller says. at their truck, light-headed and mindset of, ‘Only Back giddy, they immediately began stuffing their faces and basked in the ultimate go up.’ sense of accomplishment.

It’s amazing he even got there.

Six years ago, Hitchcock was still practicing on a plywood climbing wall. Inspired by the story of free solo legend, Alex Honnold, he started the Outer Banks Climbing Club in his garage. Soon, he was crawling all over the Blue Ridge Mountains — and later out West — learning the ropes from more experienced hands.

In 2020, a climber named Matt Miller came to the Outer Banks to see his parents. On a visit to Hitchcock’s makeshift gym, the two began dreaming of conquering the ultimate challenge — Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan— America’s tallest rock face: 3,000 feet of vertical sheer, two and a half times taller than the Empire State Building.

It has numerous routes, some of which Hitchcock and Miller had already fully or partially completed. This time they were after the pinnacle: The Nose.

“It’s a really hard wall,” says Hitchcock.

“Super intimidating.”

They first tried in April 2022 but got shut down by storms. This time, they were determined not to fail. They studied beforehand. Stocked up on necessary gear. (Anchors, belays, lines, ladders.)

Eliminated as much food and water as possible.

“The girls who had blown past us let us know there was a running waterfall on the ledge at Camp Six,” Hitchcock says.

“That’s the last camp site before the summit. She highly suggested that we rappel down.”

She also warned them of snow at the top. Still, Hitchcock says the two never considered turning back. “‘I am not going to come down off this wall,’” Hitchcock remembers saying. “We just kept the mindset of ‘Only go up.’”

So up they went. By the time they got settled at Camp Six, the ice-cold cascade soaked everything — except for two pairs of insulated puffy pants.

“It’s the best $250 I ever spent, I swear,” Hitchcock says. “Those things saved our lives.”

Inside the Portaledge, the partners then divvied up dinner — gummy worms, granola bars and a couple sips of whiskey — then curled up for the night, barely sleeping for maybe 20 minutes each.

The next day, freezing wet and wearing no

“It’s one of those things you do to push past those limits of feeling uncomfortable,” says Hitchcock, “and learn to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations.”

Not just uncomfortable, but potentially lethal. As Hitchcock charged his dead phone, messages began rolling in — including a worried check-in from the woman who had told them to turn back.

He quickly told her they were safe at the bottom. Her reply?

“So happy you guys are alive.”

Even now, going through their gear bag, both Matts can document the key moments that went their way. The third rope that came in extra handy; a cam hook that fit when they needed it most.

Rather than recoil at each potential mishap, they revel in them, as every hardship overcome offers a valuable lesson for the next challenging ascent.

“It was scary,” says Hitchcock. “And what we were doing was in no way fashionable as far as professional climbing goes — but it worked. Soon enough, we will back on it.

WEIGHT WATCHERS

IT HELPS TO DROP POUNDS BEFORE CLIMBING EL CAP. “OUR MAIN MINDSET WAS TO GO SUPER LIGHT.

Because, the last time, our haul bag was almost 200 pounds. We brought two ramen noodle meals per day — with some bell peppers and spinach. Two protein bars per person per day — plus two more each just each in case. Then we brought two special dinners — some chicken fried rice adventure meal packs — plus a bottle of whiskey and a little thing of sweet tea. The best thing we packed were these sour gummy worms. Only one pack. But any little boost cuts the suffering a bit.

“WE ALSO CUT WATER IN HALF. The rule of thumb for water is one gallon per person per day. Since it was winter, we took only two liters.

Then we each drank twice as much.

[Laughs] Luckily, people left water on the first two ledges. But, by the end of our fourth night, we were almost out. Our final climb, Matt was filling up from a little trickle between the cracks. And once we topped out, we found a little stream. It looked like dirt water, but it was so good at that moment.

“LUCKILY, THE TRUCK WAS FULL OF FOOD. So as soon as we got back, we pigged out. I had at least six or seven peanut butter and jellies, a bagel and a half, and a lot of chips. Then, the next day, we found a killer place and we feasted on pizza, wings, burgers. Because, the whole time, we swore that’s what we’d do. But everyone goes up to get the mission done. Nobody’s bringing up eggs for a nice breakfast each morning. You wake up, you climb, you suffer. And when you’re done, you can eat.” milepost 31

KITCHEN’S INK Working in restaurants does more than just “get under your skin.”

plates in the dish pit.

Art by @blvcksvndayart

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rearview

gohunt

outthere

Photo: Ryan Moser

gosurf

graphiccontent

It leaves a permanent mark that lasts forever. (Or, in this case, semi-permanent marker that lasts for days.) Either way, we dreamed up a few jailhouse tatts that should get a chuckle out of anyone who’s done time in a kitchen, whether you’re an OG lifer locked up on the line — or a fresh-faced fish pumping

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Envisioning the ultimate “All You Can Eat” buffet. milepost 34

SOME RESTAURANTS, “ALL YOU CAN EAT.” FOR IT’S A MISSION STATEMENT. A way to give the greatest number of consumers the widest number of options.

For some diners, it’s a challenge, a way to “beat the house” and get the most bang-bang shrimp for their buck. For us, it’s a question. Or, really, a quandary.

In a community chock-full of top-notch dining experiences — from tasty-yetaffordable to five-dollar-sign-fancy — why would anyone choose to fill their own plates with prefab food? Who are these people? And where do they come from?

Surely, not here. Outer Bankers are way too savvy. In fact, we’d sooner strategically plan a whole evening — a whole week! — around enjoying a particular four-scallop app before wasting 10 minutes waiting for unlimited clusters of imported crab. (Free lobster tail, be damned.) Because not only do we recognize this place is brimming with better options, we know exactly which kitchens are legendary for just the right items.

And that’s when it hit us: what if there was a magical fantasy buffet? One that featured a signature meal from each distinct eatery? Where you got more than just a smorgasbord of favorite flavors — you got the creators and cooks who brought them to life? Every meal started fresh. It all came out hot. And you still got as much as you wanted to boot? What would such a place look like? And which meals would make the cut?

We decided to find out.

S U R F

•

SUP

•

K A Y A K

•

S K I M

COROLLA • DUCK • NAGS HEAD • RODANTHE • HATTERAS

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WHICH MODEL IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

DEMOS AVAILABLE AT NAGS HEAD LOCATION

First, we called up a range of longtime contributors and asked them pointed questions, things like, “What entrees do you consistently chase?” “What apps can you not help but order?” “Which desserts would you keep on devouring till they rolled you out the backdoor?” Then we rang up the restaurants to see what makes each imaginative idea taste so damn dreamy.

Of course, we still had to put a few boundaries on this culinary Shangri-La. First, all items had to fit the buffet theme: food had to be able to be grabbed, scooped and consumed with no personal input. No burgers, or tacos or other meals where what’s “best” often comes down to pure, personal preference.

(After all, one man’s “well done” is another woman’s worst nightmare; and who’s to say mahi always beats plain, old ground meat?) Also, no breakfast foods. (We got limited space, and the biscuit tray alone would stretch for miles.)

Most importantly, no establishment could appear more than once.

After that, we took all the answers in-house, narrowed them down based on a range of parameters — from regional distribution to dietary preferences, flavor profiles to sheer number of votes — then organized 28 dishes into six distinct stations, from soup to desserts.

Still — with nearly 500 kitchens in Dare County alone — this feature is far from complete. In fact, you’re guaranteed to gasp at any number of gaps. (How could not one Duck restaurant make the cut? What? No open bar?! And where’s the damn potato salad?)

But, as you read on, keep in mind, unlike other AYCE buffets, our vision was never about trying to please every palate by serving up whatever’s familiar and risk-free. It’s about choosing quality over quantity. Individual ingenuity over mass consumption. Mostly, it’s about celebrating all the dishes, big and small, that make Outer Banks dining so quintessentially varied — and encouraging habitual consumers to test drive a new kind of delicious.

With that, grab a tray and start digging in. Just don’t dawdle. (The folks lining up look pretty hungry.)

CHALKBOARD ART BY SHANE THOMAS

KHSURF.COM • (252) KHSURF.COM (252)441-6800 441-6800 milepost 35

Ready To Explore Corolla, NC

Treasure Legends in Corolla.

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse A beacon helping guide travelers for well over a century, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse towers over the Outer Banks landscape. For a small fee, visitors can climb the winding staircase for a wide-open view of the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.

Whalehead in Historic Corolla In the heart of Historic Corolla Park you will find the Whalehead Museum, a restored 1920s era Art Nouveau architectural masterpiece with a storied history.

Whalehead is host to several seasonal events, and offers tours Monday through Friday.

The Currituck Maritime Museum Located just across the park from Whalehead, the new Currituck Maritime Museum tells the integral story of the history of wooden boats on the northern Outer Banks and their craftsmen through exhibits and artifacts. Open Monday through Friday.

OBX Center for Wildlife Education The Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education houses exhibits on the area’s natural wildlife history, and includes an impressive decoy collection and a theater for viewing an educational film, and offers educational programs on the Currituck Sound.

With the arrival of spring, many families are simply looking to relax and get out in nature. There’s never been a better time to find the perfect place for your spring or summer getaway.

It is nice to know that awe-inspiring remote beaches, legendary wild horses and iconic historical sites are here for you to treasure on the Corolla Outer Banks.

Find shopping, dining and entertainment with the new

Corolla OBX Mobile App, available on the App Store and Google Play.

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877.287.7488

CorollaNC.com

LADLES’ GREEK LEMON CHICKEN SOUP WHEN IT COMES TO SOUP, THEY SAY YOU CAN’T BEAT THE CLASSICS. But don’t tell our panel, whose opinions ranged from “way better than any chicken noodle” to “this shit puts all chicken soups to shame.” But rather than cruel the competition, allow us to suggest that Ladles’ Greek Lemon Chicken Soup elevates the standard to new heights. Not by incorporating a bunch of fancy ingredients and snooty methods, but by reducing their approach to the most heart-felt methods. “It’s really quite simple,” says owner Laurie Harvin. “I’m not a classically trained chef. I just love soup.” In this case, that means tenderly cooking and picking a whole bird, then simmering it in chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, and feta cheese. But Harvin says the secret to this poultry-based crowd pleaser is a tiny piece of pasta: “We use acini de pepe noodles which are shaped like orzo — but smaller.”

That little extra “pop” must be a major draw. Harvin makes a 24-quart pot each day. And sells every drop.

BAD BEAN BAJA GRILL’S CRAB AND CORN CHOWDER DID WE SAY CRAB AND CORN CHOWDER? It could also be a shrimp bisque.

Or a sweet potato chowder. Maybe gazpacho? Hard to say when Bad Bean’s soups rotate daily on the whims of owner and chef Matt Payne’s self-described “culinary ADHD.” But no matter what’s on the menu, soup fans take note, because our panelists say “the flavors are always perfectly layered with textures that really bring the bowl together.” One constant factor? They all start with fresh, homemade stocks and broths, and local ingredients whenever possible. “I also enjoy substituting healthy options like coconut milk and olive oil,” says Payne. “Which rounds out some of the vegan and vegetarian options.” No matter the base, folks say the real clincher is the garnish — like the corn chowder’s crispy bacon, cilantro and lime. Or chicken tortilla soup with spicy jalapeños and crispy tortilla strips. As Matt says, “There really is nothing as satisfying as the contrast you get from a fresh garnish paired with hearty stews and soups; that’s what it’s really all about.”

RUNDOWN CAFE’S TSUNAMI SALAD

LIMITED SPACE WIPED OUT ROOM FOR A SALAD BAR. But we still wanted to go big on greens, so we summoned a tidal wave of Asian flavors for your taste buds. “It’s got so many vegetables,” says one rabbit-food lover. “It’s got greens, snow peas, shaved carrots. It’s also got those little, crunchy wonton things that come with Chinese food.” According to chef Brian Yager, they cut and fry the crispy strips by hand. But it’s not the most important topper. “The Journey’s End ginger dressing is the real kicker,” says Yager. “Working here is the first occasion that I’ve had something so unique.

It’s not a typical vinaigrette. It has some body to it.” They still use fresh ginger, oil and white vinegar — plus some other secret ingredients. But, while most ginger dressings are on the chunky side, they thin theirs so “it gets that nice creamy consistency that will stick to the leaf of the salad — and just tastes good going down.” So good, you can buy it by the bottle. But then it won’t come with tuna, chicken, beef tenderloin, coconut shrimp — or any number of possible proteins. Our panelist loves the mahi fish bites, which are “nice and tangy.” Yager can’t help but agree. “We marinate those in our hot sauce, then bread them to order,” he says. “But all those flavors marry very well with that dressing — that’s why it’s been a hit for 30-plus years.”

AVENUE GRILLE’S SHRIMP AVOCADO DIPPING SALAD

WHAT’S RED AND GREEN AND DROOLED ALL OVER? Apparently, it’s this healthy blend of diced seafood, avocado and Latin spices, served in a simple dish with handcrafted care.

“It’s basically bite-sized pieces of shrimp and avocado, mixed with pico de gallo,” says one Manteo fan. “But it’s all spiced and perfectly seasoned. And it comes with warm chips, so it’s a really good combo of tastes and textures.” Almost sounds like ceviche and table-side guac made a baby. Except this shrimp ain’t cooked in citrus — it’s steamed in house. And it’s not from Ecuador, either. “We only use North Carolina shrimp,” says GM/co-owner Maria Williamson. “We also make the pico every day. And we slice the avocado to order. So, it’s super fresh. I think that’s why people crave it.” Once they scoop out the soft innards and add the pico, they stir in squeezed lime, salt, pepper, cumin, and some EVOO for a final step that’s not just tasty — but transformative. “Once you mix all those ingredients together,” says chef/co-owner Thomas Williams, “it gives the whole thing a creamier profile.” Add some tortilla triangles fried in-house, and you get a flavor fiesta that just won’t stop. “It’s one of those things where you could eat the whole thing and then order another one,” says our panelist. “You just want to keep dipping and dipping and dipping.”

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TWO ROADS TAVERN’S HAND-CUT FRIES YOU CAN KEEP THE SLOPPY, SQUISHY MASHED POTATOES. Our panel prefers their spuds spliced, deep fried and reliably tasty. And when it comes to kicking out carbon-copy carb sticks, Two Roads’ are “thin, crispy and consistently good” with “the perfect amount of salt.” So how come these uniformly seasoned soldiers always hold up? “We brine and hand cut our fries every single day,” says bartender and creative fry collaborator Stacy Wright. Like your starch to be less of a starched shirt? You can always hit ’em with a mess of greasy goodness. “We also offer Bacon Gravy fries,” Stacy suggests. “They have sausage gravy, chopped bacon, cheese curds, and green onion. And we also do fun variations, like Poutine fries with pulled pork or Mexican style with carne asada and queso fresca.” It doesn’t just add up to tons of taters going out the door each day, it’s what keeps customers coming in. As one contributor noted, “Lots of times I go in there really wanting a salad — but end up ordering a burger just for the fries.”

STEAMERS’ JUMBO LUMP CRAB CAKE MAC-N-CHEESE YES, WE ADDED A CRAB CAKE TO EVERYONE’S FAVORITE CHILDHOOD COMFORT FOOD. (This is a make-believe affair, after all.) But what got this upgraded pasta classic on our premium list was the liquid treasure that lies beneath — a “rich, melty and delicious” cheese sauce that trades traditional gold for molten platinum. “We use black diamond white cheddar,” says Steamers co-founder and chef, Chris Braswell. “Then we fold in some truffle oil to give it that kind of earthiness.” Plus, the white cheddar doesn’t separate as easily, creating a “lighter, creamier flavor to complement the crab cake — which was the goal.” No easy feat, considering their three-decade approach uses all jumbo lump crab “sautéd in 100 percent clarified butter.” Add a citrusy, zesty remoulade, and you get a dish that delivers magic on multiple levels. Still, our panelist says only one component can stand all by itself: “I always save some mac-and-cheese to take home. It’s just too yummy to eat all at once.”

KELLY’S CATERING’S SWEET POTATO BISCUITS

CALL US TRADITIONALISTS. Or just say we’re old-fashioned. (We prefer old school.) But for anyone who got a batch of sweet potato biscuits during Kelly’s Tavern’s 30-year run, these hushpuppy replacements aren’t just nostalgic — they’re iconic. (“As kids, we used to literally fight over them,” notes one lifetime fan.) Makes sense for a food item that started between gun shots. “The real credit goes to Martha Kay Helms,” explains Mike Kelly. “I tasted hers on a duck hunting trip in the early 80s. I said, ‘Miss Martha, can I please use this recipe if I ever open a restaurant?’ Because sweet potatoes grow in Eastern North Carolina, and I knew customers like food that’s unique to region.”

So much so, they became as popular — and more particular — than any seafood entrée. “We were making 400 to 800 biscuits a day,” laughs Kelly.

“And when you make them from scratch, they’re almost like children — they don’t behave the exact same way every time.” And like kids, he knew he had to bring them over to his catering biz in 2017. Today, he continues to raise them by the hundreds — often adding a slice of country ham — which has only made them more popular: “Last Thanksgiving, we made 4500 — most of ’em were ordered by the dozen.”

BOARDWOK SOUTH’S FRIED RICE

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS? Scrambled? Poached? We like ’em fried and chopped into itsy-bitsy pieces — then smattered and scattered with cabbage, onion, minced veggies, and a seasoned pile of grainy goodness. “Boardwok’s fried rice just has so many little tasty tidbits,” says our man in Salvo. “But I really think it’s those bits of egg that make all the difference.” Founder and chef Gia Brown would agree. In fact, she’s perpetually perplexed when someone orders theirs sans embryos. But she’ll still cook it that way. “Some people want no egg,” she shrugs. “Some no onion. Or no cabbage. What are you gonna do? Say ‘no’? But that’s why I make every batch to order.” She also uses no canned or frozen ingredients. In fact, every item is as fresh as possible — except for one key element: “It’s actually better to let the rice sit a few hours — otherwise, it’s too moist.” Once all those elements hit the sizzling pan, they fuse together, so every forkload overflows with flavors. And while Brown’s just as willing to serve you a side dish, you might as well get the entrée, where the choice of shrimp, chicken or pork, just means you get to have eggs again in the morning: “It’s a massive quantity,” says our panelist. “I eat as much as I can, and still have enough leftovers for a breakfast burrito.”

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BLUE WATER GRILL’S OYSTER SHOOTERS SWEET, SALTY, A LITTLE SLURPY. Nothing does an oyster justice like eating it straight out of the shell. Except for maybe one straight out of a shot glass. Which would also explain why more than a few panelists put this drinkable delicacy first on their app list, saying: “Every single time we go to Blue Water, we have the oyster shooter.” As a raw bar, you know they’ll be fresh and delicious. But what sets this cocktail apart is the mixing process. “The shot gets built from the bottom up,” says shot architect, Evan Hayes. “It starts with a chef’s choice oyster, then add a lemon-honey sauce and a cucumber-lime puree, and finish with bloody mix and an Old Bay rim.”

Don’t forget the vodka to get the party started. (Or just convince a squeamish eater to go for the gusto.) Today, what began as an approachable means for getting customers to try raw oysters has now evolved into something that’s a little bit food, a little bit alcohol, and a whole lot of camaraderie. “It’s the highest selling food item on the menu,” Evan says. “During the fishing tournament season, they’ll sell 1000 per day.”

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MYSTERY MEAT. In the high school cafeteria, it’s the ultimate insult. In this case, it’s high praise. Especially considering the source. “I rarely eat anything but fish,” says one nearly vegetarian voter. “But my family raves so much about these meatballs, I had to try one. And I’m glad I did. Because whatever meat they’re using is super tender and the sauce is outstanding.” According to chef Sonny Caggese, the secret to Josephine’s succulent spheres reaches back at least eighty years. “The recipe is my grandfather’s,” he says. “They’re mostly beef, but we add a bit of pork which is what makes it so tender.” He’ll mix in some breadcrumbs to hold them together, bake them in an oven, then simmer them in a Bolognese that’s full of garlic and even more meaty goodness.

It’s a process that takes most of a day to complete — and diners mere seconds to dig into — where yet another delicious curveball awaits. “There’s a hunk of melted mozzarella cheese at the center,” says our recently converted, semi-carnivore. “It’s like one more little, tasty surprise.”

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NO, THE MUSSELS AREN’T LOCAL. But neither are the snow crabs that cause most buffet feeding frenzies. So, if you’re gonna eat a non-indigenous critter, forget the Alaskan legs — and import some Canadian mollusks. “Prince Edward Island must be the best source for mussels, because several local menus offer them,” says our resident mussel fiend. “They’re always tender and sweet. But Blue Moon’s broth goes way beyond in terms of flavor.” You might say they give their princes royal treatment by adding several unique elements to the traditional blend of white wine, garlic, lemon, and butter, such as spinach, applewood bacon and — most notably — bleu cheese. “That really adds more depth and a subtle nuttiness,” says manager and co-creator Heather Cronin Miller. “In fact, all folks have to do is smell it and then they want to know what dish it is.” As a toasty bonus, each bowl comes with parmesan cheese bread made from Amoroso rolls to add some crunchy texture — or to just sop up every last drop of liquid gold. “It’s simple,” Miller says. but it seems to work well.” So well that what began as an occasional specialty app is now king of the starter menu.

KILL DEVIL THIS WAS A STICKY, SAVORY, TANGY, AND DOWNRIGHT DELICIOUS ONE TO NAIL DOWN. GRILL’S Seemed like everyone had a different favorite BACKYARD sauce for their yardbird arms — be it red hot, teriyaki or Thai peanut. So why’d Kill Devil Grill WINGS win this chicken fight? Because all agreed they’d never tasted a flavor like it anywhere. A profile so unique, nobody could pin it down: “It’s not traditional BBQ or Texas Pete, or anything tomato; the flavor’s almost mustard based…?” Sounds amazing — if it weren’t totally wrong.

“Mustard?!,” laughs owner Bill Tucker. “There’s no mustard. It’s really just a middle of the road, homemade buffalo style sauce.” A road that, in this case, runs right back to this Buffalo native’s tailgating roots, where a little prep work went a long way. “We start by marinating the wings for 48 hours,” Tucker says. “Then we cold smoke them, oven roast to cook them and render the fat, then they are grilled to order.” Once they hit the grill, trained specialists apply the perfect level of char without ever drying them out. Douse ’em in that secret weapon of liquid sizzle, and they’re a mess made in heaven.

ORTEGA’Z SOUTHWESTERN GRILL’S MOJO NACHOS IT’S EASY TO GET A CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER ABOUT NACHOS. After all, there’s nothing worse than getting to the bottom of a piled-up plate of festive flavors and finding a soggy mess of mushy corn. But that’s never an issue at Oretga’z, where word is “every bite is packed with toppings and perfectly crunchy.” How do they make sure each dish is a snappy fiesta from start to finish? “The chips are flour and are a mixture of spinach, tomato and cheese flavor,” says owner Lisa Ortega. “And we fry them every day.”

And that’s only the foundation because from there they stack on story-afterstory of pork and cheese, “alternating layers so you get goodies in every bite all the way to the bottom.” Bake ’em hot, add a cool crown of salsa, pico, lettuce, and sour cream, then watch as the mountain disappears in minutes.

Don’t dig swine? They’ll do black beans. But you’ll miss out on the most magical part, as each succulent morsel of Mojo pork begins “as a Boston butt that we sear, season and braise in beer, veggies and herbs for three hours” to create what our panel calls “the most crave-able carnitas.”

GREENTAIL’S SEAFOOD KITCHEN’S TUNA POKE BOWL RAW FISH RULES. And when it comes to Hawaii’s take on “bite-sized pieces,” this poke tastes like a first-class flight to Hawaii. “We tried a bunch of poke on Maui,” noted one panelist, “and Greentail’s tuna is right there.” That’s because chef Bryan Whitehurst spent years on that very island, tasting every type and bringing home a classic blend of soy sesame oil, sesame seeds, scallions, and avocado — plus some Sriracha mayo if you order it spicy. But the secret here is the freshness, as Whitehurst doesn’t wait for the fish at the dock — he sources loins while they’re still swimming. “I have an app that lets me know when the boats are coming in,” he laughs. He also knows how to select perfect-sized fish — “Smaller yellow fins don’t have that big tendon near the tails” — so every morsel is tender, sweet and gristle free.

Each morning at dawn, he slices up two batches of perfect little cubes — one spicy, one regular — then lets them marinate ‘til lunchtime, when a devoted crowd lines up for a super-quick, protein-rich meal with none of the fast food hangover. “It’s like the opposite of a Big Mac,” quips one stead-fast fan. “No weird burps. No heartburn. You actually feel better after you eat it.”

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URBAN KITCHEN’S APPLE BLUE CHEESE SLAW ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU FIND THAT SPECIAL SIDEKICK. That so-called “secondary menu item” that steals the spotlight. While cabbage may not be the first crisper item that comes to mind, there are those that can make the most blah of veggies do a flavor breakdance. “I don’t even like slaw,” noted one picky panelist, “but Urban Kitchen’s just hits different.

It’s savory, sweet, crunchy, and funky.” So how do they do it? By eliminating that most played of picnic cliches: no moat of watery mayo; no limp carrot shavings.

Every bite is firm, fresh and solidly unique. “We start with a creamy buttermilk dressing,” says owner/chef Joe Panaras, “then add in Hook’s blue cheese from Wisconsin, salt the cabbage, then add the thinly sliced apples and cider vinegar.” It’s a formula that subverts a centuries-old paradigm, one that pleases pioneering palates without frightening the diehard traditionalists. In fact, the only time things got scary was when they decided to swap it out for something new. “That was a huge mistake,” Panaras laughs. “We got so much feedback from customers that we quickly brought it back.”

JK’S RESTAURANT’S COLLARDS IT TAKES A HELLUVA GREEN TO CAUSE A STEAKHOUSE STAMPEDE. But this ain’t your average collard. It’s one that mixes healthy Pasquotank soil and some salty pork to create a spicy, mouthwatering experience, where — according to our panel — “the smoke from the bacon and the bite from the vinegar all complement the earthiness of the greens.” Clearly, they ain’t vegetarian — but they all start that way. Grown and handpicked in Weeksville, NC’s Bulman Farms, leafy truckloads head to JK’s where the real magic begins in the bottom of a stockpot. “We start by sweating some onions with bacon grease and chicken base,” says collard meister Dylan Luks. “From there, we throw in some ham hocks, really good applewood smoked bacon, Tabasco, vinegar, and, of course, the greens.” All told, the cooking process takes roughly two-to-three hours — and goes through 30 bushels per week — as Luks and company crank out new batches each day just to meet winter’s demand for limited edition collard egg rolls and the occasional special request. “We have folks that will stockpile the collards for the holidays,” Luks says. “It might look like a collard assembly line in this place, but it’s worth it.”

THE SALTBOX CAFE’S CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS STINKY, SMUSHY, OCCASIONALLY SLIMY. Few veggies get a bad rap like Brussels sprouts. But apparently, the Saltbox Café cracked the code of these oftmaligned mini-cabbages, transforming flavors and texture from God-awful to sublime. “They’re cooked absolutely perfectly,” promises one convert. “The outside leaves are crispy, and the insides are soft. And they don’t smell like boys’ socks.” So how’d they do it? It all boils down to — well — not boiling them down. “We deep fry fresh sprouts from raw,” says co-founder Amanda Sprinkle. “We don’t even blanch them.” Of course, as a diehard vegetarian, Sprinkle’s helped keep the kitchen on the cutting-edge of vegetarian and vegan cuisine, which is why her sprouts also come bathed in an ever-revolving and evolving litany of scratchmade sauces — from buffalo to teriyaki, offering a little something original. (“Right now, a sweet-and-spicy Szechuan glaze with sesame seeds and little Peruvian pickled peppers.”) But just ’cause they’re lean, green, munching machines, doesn’t mean this dish is 100 percent healthy. In fact, ask Sprinkle why she thinks her sprouts can silence all haters, she’ll point right to the fry basket. “Everything tastes good deep fried, right?” she laughs. “That’s the real trick.”

TORTUGA’S LIE’S STEAMED VEGGIES YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONE VEGETABLE OPTION THAT RINGS PURE AND TRUE. This blend of broccoli, carrots, zucchini and squash, always comes out steamed so perfectly that, in the words of one panelist, “This ain’t no average vegetable medley — it’s a friggin’ symphony. And it’s super healthy.” They don’t even add salt, just grated parmesan. But just because it’s simple and light don’t mean it’s an easy lift, as every tray must be perfectly orchestrated so all the individual flavors and textures come out at the exact same time. “Broccoli and carrots take longer, squash not so much,” says co-founder Richard Welch. “So, we hand cut the vegetables to the right size each day. Because in our steamer, even 30 extra seconds can ruin a dinner.” That’s what happens when you have a commercial grade, double-decker that costs $28,000. (We looked it up.) But it also holds six trays. So, as long as we got the top-end machine firing on all cylinders, we might as well slide in some of Tortuga’s Carolina shrimp to boot. Coat ’em with a special seasoning Welch says “is a little coarser, and not quite as salty as Old Bay.” Add some drawn butter, a one-of-a-kind cocktail blended in house — plus those veggies on the side — and you’ve got the purest combo of fresh and flavorful, served in less time than your average minuet. “I think that’s the other reason people love our shrimp and veggie platter,” says Welch.

“The immediacy. It goes from the steamer to your mouth in just a few minutes.” milepost 43

FOOD-O-RAMA’S FRIED CHICKEN SURPRISE! Bet you’d expect our fried chicken pick to come from a BBQ shack. (Or a gas station.)

But what got Food-a-Rama’s bird on this list is the fact that we had zero idea it existed. And neither did our panel — except for one pool shark, who admits he, too, got bitten by surprise: “They used to serve it at the Dare Center billiard tournaments.

It’s the juiciest chicken I’ve ever had.

It’s never weirdly soggy like other grocery stores. In fact, it tastes like someone’s family cooked it.” That’s because they did. “My grandfather, Chelsey Midgett Jr., started frying chicken in the deli about 35 years ago,” says Brandon Leavel. “My mom, Jackie Parker, took over after him and now my brother Dylan and I run it.” All that generational knowledge now carries on in a self-made batter mix that uses a little flour, paprika and cayenne for extra kick. But the real secret to this recipe is cooking each batch to order. (“Sometimes we literally cannot fry fast enough.”) The downside? They occasionally run out. But for those who can beat the rush? “It’s textbook fried chicken. Crunchy on the outside, juicy inside. What else do you want?” Except maybe more.

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AIN’T EASY BEING GREEN ON THE MAMA KWAN’S GARBAGE PLATE ITOUTER BANKS. At least it didn’t used to be.

“I became a vegetarian in California, where eating out was always a breeze,” explains a long-term contributor. “When I moved here in ’95, all I could find was pasta primavera. So, when I saw Mama Kwan’s garbage plate, it was like, ‘Finally!’” But, according to co-founder Kevin Cherry, this Asian-inspired blend of veggies and rice wasn’t about catering to any particular dietary needs — unless you mean the dudes in the kitchen. “We had a couple cooks our first year who were trying to grab lunch in-between shifts,” he explains. “They threw together whatever they could pillage and started calling it a ‘garbage plate.’” It quickly moved from back-of-the-house to the heart of the menu. And 23 years later, that slapdash concoction is a consistent combo of sautéed veggies, field greens, Asian cucumber salad, fresh sliced pineapple, jasmine rice, and a top-secret house teriyaki sauce — plus a protein, if you want it. “But only if you ask for it,” our panelist points out. “And that’s my other favorite part: you won’t get meat showing up on your plate accidentally.”

MIKE DIANNA’S GRILL ROOM’S CARVING STATION

WE’LL CUT TO THE CHASE: Mike Dianna’s doesn’t do carving stations on the regular. But for anyone who got VIP tix to their infamous Mustang music festivals, the nightly buffet was a major draw, as every meal featured some hunk of perfectly cooked meat, be it tuna, turkey, or pork loin.

The headliner was always a prime rib that one contributor says was “beyond compare — perfectly seasoned, super rare, and flavorful AF.” Because while the crowd was getting bathed in a light show, the kitchen was coating roasts in salt and pepper, then running them through the world’s tastiest smoke machine. “All our meats are woodfired,” says chef/owner Meghann Justine, who sources a blend of oak, hickory and maple from nearby Bell’s Island. “And the prime rib’s never over direct heat; the smoke just kind of rolls around it for hours, so it comes off super rare.” During COVID, prime rib nights kept to-go customers happy. Today, it’s the occasional shoulder season showstopper. But they still woodfire every steak, chop and filet on the daily. But no matter the performance, Justine says the key is simply good timing: “Don’t rush things and don’t mess with it too much. Just smoke it, pull it off, let it rest, and slice it up.”

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DIAMOND SHOALS’ SUSHI WHO KNEW THIS HUSHPUPPY HAVEN ALSO SERVES ONE HELL OF A HANDROLL? The whole beach, apparently, as contributors from Nags Head to Buxton made Diamond Shoals their top sushi pick for “being really particular with their rolls, and real strict with ingredients.” Best known for traditional broiled/fried/grilled seafood, owner Keith Gray is also a lifelong fan of raw fish.

So much so that he asked a VB friend/restaurateur to be his sushi sensei 12 years ago. “The guy who taught me is probably the most anal guy I’ve ever known,” laughs Gray. “Everything has to be different and from scratch.” Today, he’s got a full-on sushi bar serving nightly — plus an in-house seafood market and full kitchen. That symbiosis allows Gray to roll out fresh ideas every night, from simpler fried oyster rolls to “the Incredible Hulk.” Gray explains: “It’s got Carolina soft crab with cream cheese and avocado, topped with seaweed salad and a spicy sauce made in-house.” Still, while the fusion flavors are always huge, patrons insist it’s always a “proper one-bite piece of sushi that’s all perfectly proportioned.” And lest you think Gray’s forgotten his Hatteras roots?

“When you sit down, our waiters ask if you want hushpuppies, too.”

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BLACK PELICAN’S SEAFOOD PIZZA

PIZZA PURISTS MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THIS LINE. Because if you think pineapple is forbidden fruit, wait till you hear about these personal-sized pies’ many potential trespasses. “People come up with the weirdest stuff,” says Black Pelican General Manager, Summer Copeland. “Like scallops and pineapples? Who does that?” Apparently, lots of folks, as no fewer than four stringers swore by some bechamel-and-Old-Bay-based blasphemy, be it the White Seafood Pizza’s blend of scallops, shrimp and oregano, or the Chesapeake Bay’s mix of lump crab, sweet corn and bacon. Or something totally new. “I usually get the Greek pizza,” noted one fan, “then I add scallops and take away the tomatoes.” But don’t worry, purists can always find a more orthodox flavor, from the simple pleasures of a margherita to the Landlover’s carnivore orgy of steak, bacon, pepperoni, and andouille sausage. No matter how simple or originally sinful, each one shares the same woodfired crust, plus a fivecheese blend. But as far as what crazy creator first mixed a mammal with a crustacean? “That’s been going longer than my 17 years,” says Copeland. “I think someone just wanted to make something unique with seafood. So, they just started creating.” And, lo, it was good.

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O’NEAL’S SEA QUALITY FISH BOAT AND SHRIMP FLOATING ABOUT. HARVEST’S FRIED BASKETS So why does this Wanchese wheelhouse get to steer the deep SEAFOOD fryer? For the same reason top local kitchens rely on their fish house. “The seafood comes in right there,” was the panel’s consensus. “So, it’s always gonna be at least a few minutes fresher. Plus, it’s always cooked perfectly tender; none of that chew-chewchew stuff.” Besides having caught-that-day specials in easy reach, Kitchen Manager Jesus Tobar says the secret is a scratch-made breader that blends cracker meal and secret spices — and an easy touch. “We use egg wash and dust the seafood so it’s just a light fry,” Tobar says. “And we keep a real careful eye on the temperature and basket size.” Even frying small batches, Tobar estimates they go through 25-to-30 pounds of shrimp per day — and two five-gallons of breader each week. And while he may give his crew most of the credit, you can’t discount this seasoned captain’s time at the helm.

“After 12 years, you get to know what tastes good,” Tobar says. “And once you know what tastes good for you, you make it that way for everyone.”

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JACK BROWN’S FRIED OREO “MELTY, GOOEY, CHOCOLATEY GOODNESS.” Hard to make a dessert sound any more delicious. But transforming America’s favorite cookie into a pint-sized lava cake requires more than just dropping a bagful into the frier at the start of each shift. Instead, they all get cooked to order after being wrapped in a blanket of perfectly blended pancake batter. “Think of anytime you put a blueberry or chocolate chip into a pancake or waffle,” says Jack Brown’s manager, Brent Hill.

“It gets all heated up and melty but still keeps its integrity.” Hill also says it’s important to keep the peanut oil at the perfect temp. But the real skill is getting it in there. “You don’t want any tong or finger marks,” Hill says. “So, there’s a weird art to rolling them into the fry basket. Because presentation is key.” Hill notes they’ll occasionally dunk a range of sweets, from Girl Scout cookies to Snickers. (“Fig Newton’s are f#$ing amazing.”) But mostly they stick to the classics.

Plate ’em up, dust ’em with powdered sugar, and they’re ready to go. And at $1.50 a pop, they’re as good as gone. As one panelist noted, “Every time you eat there, you say ‘I’m not gonna order one.’ And then you do.”

SURFIN’ SPOON’S LEMON LAVBERRY ICE CREAM SANDWICH IT MIGHT BE THE MOST WIDELY DISTRIBUTED DESSERT ON THE WHOLE DAMN BEACH. But just ’cause it’s found in freezers and restaurants from Hatteras to Corolla, this ain’t no cookie cutter ice cream sandwich. Depending on the season, you can score any number of flavors, from summer’s strawberry to a holiday eggnog. But it’s a year-round classic called Lemon Lavberry that made our panel swoon: “Imagine smelling a flower garden and tasting vanilla and lemon and blueberry.” Sound like overkill? You’re dead wrong. “I’m not a big fan of fruit flavors, normally,” says co-owner Jesse Hines. “But the combination of the lemon zest and lavender and blueberry balances perfectly.” It helps to use flash-frozen blueberries and fresh lavender from a Virginia farm. But this flavor bouquet feels petal-light not for what it includes — but what it lacks. “It’s 100 percent vegan,” says Hines. “The ice cream is made with coconut milk and there’s no eggs or butter in the lemon cookie, which makes it really easy to eat.” With each passing second, it only gets softer — and better — so instead of feeling overwhelmed, you only want more.

ORANGE BLOSSOM BAKERY’S APPLE UGLY OCRACOKE HAS BLACKBEARD. Manteo, the Lost Colony. But few legends are as huge as this Buxton behemoth, so famous that, “Anyone who’s lived on Hatteras, vacationed on Hatteras, or shook hands with someone who’s vacationed on Hatteras, knows about apple uglies.” Their fabled tale runs back to the 70s, when OG owners Doris and Allen Oakham didn’t want to waste any leftover donut dough, so they added apples, cinnamon, fried it all and then dipped it in donut glaze.

When Charley Pereira bought the Orange Blossom in 2006, he was smart enough to leave the legend alone. And no wonder, as any summer morning, the porch overflows with fritter fiends. In fact, they’ve sold as many as 480 uglies in a single day. (That’s nearly 400 pounds of dough.) But Pereira says it’s the night hours that fuel this sweet addiction. “We start making them at 10pm, up until we open.” If it’s busy, they’ll keep cranking throughout the day. But despite the demand, Pereira says they’re committed to cooking to order. “We don’t use preservatives and make everything fresh, and use organic when possible.” But don’t worry if there’s only one left. A single ugly can feed a family of fiends — assuming it makes it out of the parking lot.

OUTER BANKS BREWING STATION’S CARROT CAKE “IT JUST TASTES LIKE IT’S MADE WITH LOVE.” Sure, sounds cliché. But there’s nothing played about this treasured dessert, widely hailed as the best cake on the beach. One that’s both “super moist” and “where the frosting is perfect.” So, what’s the big secret? “I wish I knew,” says co-owner and pastry powerhouse Tina Mackenzie. “But I do find cakes made with oil instead of butter tend to be moister. And adding cream cheese to the frosting gives it a little more depth and tanginess that pairs up with a carrot component.” Of course, like any longterm romance, it’s the little extras that show the real passion — like never using nuts, so it’s allergen safe. (You can still get candied pecans as a garnish.) There’s also a healthy mix of cinnamon and raisins, and a perfect plating of caramel and whipped cream. But while this crowd pleaser only grows more legendary with each passing season, Mackenzie insists she hasn’t changed a teaspoon — proof that the magic ingredient may just be time. “I feel bad that there’s no insider scoop,” she says. “Other than being steadfast for 20 years.” Sure sounds like the definition of love to us.

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gocustom Maybe Radford should change his name to “Rad-Plymouth.” Photo: Cory Godwin

1946 to 1948, just 41 are listed in the 2019 National Woodie Club directory. Thanks to Radford, there’s now 42. Of course, there are surely some non-registered examples rolling about — or, more likely, tucked away in some city backstreet. That’s how Radford found his in the mid-90s.

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“A buddy saw it in Norfolk sticking out of a garage,” he says.

His friend even offered to store it ’til Radford had time to work on it.

STOKE-MOBILE

Jeff Radford’s restored ’48 Woodie is a rolling labor of love.

Summer sun. Surf. And a classic Woodie with a couple of longboards poking out the back. Sounds like an image from a Beach Boys song — but it just as easily could be Avalon Pier circa 1967. Wait — make that 2023.

“I restored a lot of hot rods over the years,” says former mechanic Jeff Radford, who finished his ’48 Plymouth Woodie last fall. “But I always wanted to do a Woodie, because we live at the beach, both my boys surfing, all that.”

Henry Ford first began mass-producing wood-paneled cars in the 20s. (He was so sure they were the future, he purchased 400,000 acres of Michigan forest to feed his assembly line.) By the 30s and 40s, other makers followed suit to make Woodies the original luxury ride, synonymous with movie execs and other big wigs.

But, after World War II, technology for stamping steel became more efficient than hand-assembling roughly 150 separate

wooden strips. By 1953, Buick’s Estate Wagon became the last of its kind to roll off the line, relegating Woodies to the junkyard of history.

Almost. Because, within a decade, the country was in the crosshairs of a baby boom — and a 60s surfing craze. Thousands of coastal teens needed rides that could hold a Hobie noserider — and oversized station wagons with rotting sides were selling for cheap. Put “Surf City” at the top of the music charts, some Frankie and Annette movies on the big screen, and 60 years later, these one-time beaters remain synonymous with American beach culture.

In fact, even now, you can find classic models cruising the Pacific Coast Highway.

“They’re all over California,” Radford says.

“There just aren’t that many on the East Coast.”

Even fewer are like Radford’s. Of the 12,913 Plymouth Woodies manufactured from

(“It’s a 350 Chevrolet with 350 horsepower — and it’s fuel injected.”) He also added conveniences, like power steering.

But other elements he kept pure. The canvas top is true to form. And the side-mirrors aren’t just historically accurate, they’re 100 percent original.

buddy of mine found them — still in the “YOU CAN’T “A box — at a car show in California,” he recalls.

EVEN TELL “He said, ‘I’ll ship them to you, and you can THAT IT’S pay me back.’” spent years working in fits and GOT A NEW Radford starts. Rewiring this, retrofitting that.

FRONT END.” Spending a couple hours every few days

His buddy would be waiting a while. Once Radford moved to the Outer Banks in ’99, he opened his own garage, where he stayed busy servicing customers’ vehicles — or customizing other vintage rides for fun.

Except, he’d never quite fully finish those jobs.

“I’d be about ninety percent done,” Radford explains, “and someone would see it in the shop, offer me more money than I had in it — and away it went.”

Finally, around 2005, Radford decided it was time to fetch the ’48. He drove up to Chesapeake, cleared off the piles of newspapers collected on top, and towed it home.

polishing the chrome back to life — or devoting a whole weekend to replacing the front-end frame.

“It’s actually got four layers of weld on it,” he says. “So, by the time you grind it smooth, you can’t even tell that it’s got a new front end.”

Then, in 2019, Radford hit the biggest roadblock of his life: his son, Shawn, a beloved local surfer and restaurateur, died at the all-too-early age of 45.

“I didn’t even touch the thing for like six months,” Radford recalls.

Finally, his wife Betsy nudged him back into the garage, where he poured all that emotion into a series of loving touches.

“When my boys saw it, they said ‘You gotta finish this one, Dad,’” Radford says.

“I made sun visors out of wood, then did the armrests to match. Little things like that.”

Radford knew the National Woodie Club accepted members in one of two categories: original and modified. Taking the modified approach freed him to customize to his own preference. So, first, he sent the Plymouth to Florida, where Redding Woodworks replaced every grain of rotten wood — with one big difference.

The final addition was ordering a custom longboard for the top, complete with a fauxbalsa airbrush, and Shawn’s name glassed into the deck.

“They used to do ash with mahogany panels in the middle,” he explains. “I made mine all ash so it’s all the same color.”

Today, the once-rusty clunker is a rolling work of art. (Head to May’s OBX Rod & Custom Festival, you might see it firsthand.)

But whether he’s polishing fenders or peering over the steering wheel, every time Radford sees the royal blue hood, gleaming engine, and rubbed ash body, he beams.

From there, Radford did the rest of the work, like replacing the engine with something more powerful than the old flathead six.

“It’s finished,” he says. “I feel really good because I’ve been working on it forever.”

— Kip Tabb milepost 49

artisticlicense fooddrink endnotes questionauthority upfront FUN • FRESH • LOCAL

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Thomas’ smile is no happy accident.

Photo: Ryan Moser

startingpoint THE TAO OF SHANE For Shane Thomas, good art flows from the inside out.

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Six minutes. That’s how long it took for Shane Thomas to illustrate each individual category for this issue’s “Dream Cuisine” feature. The opening spread? About 80 minutes. Add the cover, you get eight eyepopping pieces of chalk art in under four hours. Pretty sick for a guy who ain’t waited tables in years.

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“The last time was college,” laughs the 50-year-old Salvo artist. “But I know the color wheel. And I know chalk. So once the hand starts moving, it just...goes.”

caricaturist taught him to bust out big-eared ballerinas and basketballers in seconds flat.

But the real roots of Thomas’ artistic journey reach back to elementary school — when he contracted juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and ended up in a wheelchair.

“By age seven, I really couldn’t do anything mobile,” recalls the Delaware native.

“My parents wanted me to find a way to entertain myself that was a skill. My grandmother was an accomplished painter, so I took art lessons.”

graphiccontent Weekly oil-painting classes taught him the

Thomas credits his breezy turnround time to several critical phases. As a teenage sign shop apprentice, he learned “oneshot” lettering, cursive, calligraphy, and pin-striping. His stint as a Busch Gardens

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intricacies of composition and mixing colors.

Regular one-on-ones with TV’s Bob Ross inspired him to have fun — and be bold.

Meanwhile, mom and dad introduced him to the joys of chalk — and the importance of keeping clients happy.

“They painted an entire wall in chalkboard paint,” he says. “Then I did a big sunset with reeds that’s still there.”

“They’d roll me outside and say, ‘Make me something colorful,’” Thomas says. “And I’d decorate their entire sidewalk with plants and flowers and butterflies and birds.”

No matter the size, he starts with a fair bit of concentration. He’ll ruler-out straight lines when necessary. From there, he relies on his understanding of hues — and his own personal vision.

By age 10, Thomas was back on his feet.

Soon he was skating half-pipes and chasing waves — including trips to the Outer Banks. But the art bug stuck. With the help of high school mentors like Eddy Seger — who designed Broadway sets and the state’s official quarter — he graduated as Delaware’s “Outstanding Artist of The Year,” earning a full ride to the Savannah College of Art and Design. But he ultimately turned it down.

“My parents said, ‘There’s no money, you’ll starve,” Thomas recalls. “I thought, ‘Maybe they’re right.’ So, I got a degree in criminal justice.”

Ironically, he never used that, either. Instead, he spent 15 years working as a “data geek” crunching algorithms around Hampton Roads. Then, in 2015, Thomas decided that life’s too short to stay chained up in a suit.

He jumped the corpo ship, moved onto a sailboat — and became the marketing and brand guy for an upstart VB Brewery called Commonwealth.

“One day the owner put up a chalkboard to list monthly events and asked if I knew anyone who could draw. I said, ‘Yeah. Me!’” Thomas grabbed a ladder. A bubble level. A 64-pack of Crayola chalks. And got to work.

Ninety minutes later, he’d covered 17.5 square feet with IPAs and yoga classes — all in big, bold letters, full of brilliant gradients and crazy fonts. He’s been customizing their calendar ever since.

“I joke it’s my longest-running exhibit,” he laughs.

In 2016, he took his next big leap to the Outer Banks. He took a job at Duck’s Growlers To Go and added a chalkboard menu. Since then, he’s scrawled logos and food items for all sorts of eateries, from Uncle Ike’s to Ten-O-Six to Red Sky Café.

“Chalks really let you control the blending of color,’’ Thomas says. “Smudge here, wipe there, then hit it with a hard edge to pull out the dimension. That’s why chalk’s still my favorite medium: everything is wide open in terms of what you can do.”

It’s more than an artistic vision. It’s basically Thomas’ whole mantra.

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“ONCE THE HAND STARTS MOVING, IT JUST...GOES.”

“In Taosim, there’s a concept called Wu-Wei,” he explains. “It basically says that, if I just keep doing what I’m supposed to be doing, that will produce — with zero expectations — things beyond my wildest imagination.”

Seems to work. Four years ago, he moved to Salvo, killed his TV, and tuned into nature and anything else that brings him joy. Today, not only is the lifelong musician back playing live gigs — both solo and drumming for the Carolina Sweaters — he’s got a bustling social media and website biz. And more than enough art projects to keep busy.

Some days he’ll crank out 10-inch custom chalkboards at art shows. Others, he’ll painstakingly pencil the most awwwwwinspiring pet portraits. (“I drew 18 dogs over the holidays.”) Occasionally, he even busts out dreamy buffet items for a hungry, humble publication.

“I’m a bit all over the place,” Thomas admits.

“I’ll get calls like, ‘You want to do a wall? A sticker? Build a website?’ But it’s always fun, because, when everything coming out of you is authentic and genuine — and you constantly produce with that in mind — these things find you. And God only knows what tomorrow will bring.” — Cal Seitz milepost 51

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craftsman Garrett White to help build one-of-a-kind sound absorbers, diffusers and bass traps to keep songs from bouncing off the walls — then added top-end audio and lighting gear.

Emily and Greg make beautiful music together. (With a little help from their friends.)

Photo: Chris Bickford

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“As a musician, I created the room I wanted to perform in from a sound perspective,” says Greg. ”Just a mic and your voice distilled down to a single note.”

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The result is an atmosphere that’s both state-of-the-art and casually cozy. One where every song rings true, both for the performer who’s pouring their guts out — and the listener who truly cares to hear.

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Not that you can’t enjoy a tasty drink and a good time. The same fans that shut up during songs gab gleefully between sets, enjoying crazy-good mocktails handcrafted from the apothecary’s botanical shrubs. It all adds up to a heady vibe — without any hangovers, age-limits or other hang-ups.

Hi-Vibe Listening Room emphasizes musical intimacy over crowded insanity.

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It felt like a live performance of “VH1 Storytellers.”

On stage, a legendary songwriter picked songs and told tales for nearly three hours, as rows of fans sat rapt in reverent silence. No loud requests or hoots between songs. Every listener hung on each note and word, savoring every precious second with a living icon. And nobody was enjoying it more than the people who made the experience possible.

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“I want to fill this room with the vibrations of legends,” explains Emily Howell, who opened Hi-Vibe Listening Room last fall with her husband, Greg. “And Peter Rowan was my ultimate bucket list performer.”

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That’s right: Peter Rowan. Bluegrass hall-of-famer. Former bandmate of Bill Monroe and Jerry Garcia. Founding member of New Riders of the Purple Sage. “Panama Red” himself, 80 years old and still killing it. All for a tiny, attentive — and mostly teetotaling — audience of 70.

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It was quite a different experience from the late 90s and early 2000s. Back then, as the Pit’s bottom floor stage, this same room drew rocking regional and national acts — everything from punk to reggae — and raucous crowds chasing a raging party as much as a powerful performance.

But then, Emily knows a thing or two about transformation.

“Six years ago, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis,” says the clinical herbalist. “I turned to herbal teas and tinctures to help manage my symptoms and sobriety.”

As her symptoms improved, Emily began sharing her skills

with friends, dropping off custom blends to soothe seasonal allergies, joint pain, anxiety, or inflammation. Demand gradually grew beyond her KDH neighborhood, and, in 2019, Howell’s Herbal Apothecary was born.

Right about then, Greg was facing a different kind of change.

The lifelong musician had spent years playing upright bass with popular bluegrass acts like Sassagrass, Mark Schimick, and The Grass is Dead. As COVID brought tour life to an end, the Howells began hosting “driveway concerts” where neighbors and friends socially distanced in lawn chairs, sipping herbal shrubs and drinking in the live music like parched prisoners.

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“We have a responsibility to honor the Pit’s legacy,” says Greg. “But we also want to create an accessible healing environment where everyone feels welcome.”

Including the artists. Shortly after Rowan, Hi-Vibe hosted a traditional “song in the round,” where Matt McGuire, Craig Honeycutt, Ruth Wyand, and Ben Saltzman took turns sharing originals and talking story. All have played the gamut, from empty bars to backyards to big clubs. And all agreed this was a first-of-its-kind experience — not only was the crowd at capacity, but the room was quiet, with every eye and ear tuned to the stage.

“IT’S LIKE HEARING Between songs, they even joked about feeling more nervous than ever. But after the fact?

THE MUSIC a blessing to play songs with no distractions,” says THE WAY “What McGuire. “It’s like hearing the music the way it was written.”

IT WAS No wonder this new-to-the-beach concept is already filling WRITTEN.” their spring calendar with more bluegrass and festival

Recognizing the demand for smaller shows — and inspired by classic “listening rooms,” like Nashville’s Station Inn and The Bluebird Café — the Howells dreamed of starting their own small space to channel their string music connections, creating a welcoming place to provide healing on all levels — through herbs, sound and community. So, when Emily turned the Pit’s former basement into a brick-and-mortar for her apothecary biz, the next step was obvious.

favorites. (Look for the legendary Larry Keel Experience in March, followed by the John Stickley Trio in May.)

And, apparently, Peter Rowan is still basking in the afterglow of his October show. Around 11:30pm, New Year’s Eve, Emily got a ping on her phone. The midnight-moonlighter was between sets, sipping on one of her herbal concoctions, and wanted to send well-wishes for 2023.

“There are certain rooms that are made to have music, down to the grains of wood on the walls,” says Greg. “That place was calling to be filled with music again.”

“I love that little stage,” he wrote. “It’s a great vibe, run by wonderful people. Hard to find a more intimate showcase for songs and fine picking!”

So, while Emily rearranged her organic herbs and custom tea blends, Greg got to work on the acoustics. He tapped local

Ditto, Peter. Now bring on the encore.

— Amanda McDanel milepost 53

SPRING 2023 EXHIBITS + EVENTS M a nt e o F ir st F r ida y The First Friday of each month from 6pm to 8pm- Live music, new art exhibition openings + more.

2 6 t h A nnua l Mo llie F ea r ing M e m or i a l Ar t Sho w Sunday, May 7 The show will open in the Courtroom Gallery on May 7 and remain on display through May 27.

3 4 t h A nnua l Ar t r a geo us Ki d s Ar t F e st iva l Saturday, May 13 A day of free, family-friendly fun at Dowdy Park in Nags Head.

1 1 t h A nnua l R o ck The Ca pe Thursday, June 1 An art show + concert at Kitty Hawk Kites' Waves Village Watersports Resort in Rodanthe.

Art is e ssent ia l .

D areArts.org

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The trees are fig trees and pear trees, and pomegranate and apple.

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All these are still bearing fruit, and so are we.

Our trees still bear strange fruit, there’s still blood on the leaves and at the roots.

THE TREES STILL BEAR STRANGE FRUIT

It’s toxic, causing flesh and muscle to pull away from bone, and our bellies to swell.

It’s not just southern trees.

Only the rain can wash it away; the funk of the rotten fruit that seems to have gotten on all of our hands and is smeared on all our faces, like the juices from an overripe mango.

It’s the trees in our homes and our yards and our hearts.

The blood long ago left the tree, and started pooling in the street, and on the gurney, on the floor of the hospital.

Pooling in our homes like a tub overflowing and filling the house, water bursting through the windows and doors.

It is the rain of recalling truths: of black folks contributing to the building of a nation.

It’s the strange fruit of lies and hypocrisy and hate.

Art by Chris Wheeler

It’s the strange fruit that allows us to kill both the body and the soul.

It’s the strange fruit that gives us permission to tell someone their life doesn’t matter while seeking to make our lives matter more.

It’s opening a bag of apples, finding one that is rotten, and then putting the apple back into the bag expecting the rotten apple won’t spoil the bunch.

It’s the strange fruit that celebrates one type of violence while crying foul on another.

Our bodies swinging in limbo hanging as if waiting for the violence of Sandy Hook, or Uvalde or Chicago, or Buffalo

It’s the strange fruit of trauma encoded on DNA and passed down through generations causing the magnolias that once smelled sweet to now smell like death.

“Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck, for the rain to gather, for the wind to suck.

For the sun to rot. For the leaves to drop. Here is a strange and bitter crop.”

— Abel Meeropol, “Strange Fruit”

or Chesapeake to land on our doorstep.

The mouth of anyone who eats it will twist.

It’s the strange fruit of the broken promises of 40 acres and a mule and stimulus checks with no real economic opportunity.

Out of twisted mouths come twisted stories and alternative facts.

As the strange fruit blooms it hangs in the sun without being picked.

It’s the strange fruit of Jim Crow, and Black Codes, and Mass Incarceration and the prison industrial complex.

It ripens and spoils.

Lies.

Of black folks fighting in every war since the revolutionary war.

Of black folks triumphing over pain and death and destruction of families and homes and communities.

Only the rain can wash away the sticky sour of desperation and lies of inferiority heaped upon the heads of kings and queens.

The rain cleanses us as we refuse to eat the strange fruit; wiring our jaws shut and clenching our teeth.

It is joy raining down in the midst of sorrow.

It is hope in the midst of pain.

It is light shining in the darkness.

It is celebration as protest.

— Michelle Lewis milepost 55

THE ROANOKE ISLAND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION PRESENTS

endnotes Better get cooking, 50-plus athletes! Registration for spring’s Outer Banks Senior Games ends Mar. 10. If you’re “of a certain age” but still actively kick-ass in sports like swimming, pickleball, bowling, billiards, and more, sign up at www.ncseniorgames.com. Then bring your A-game to KDH, Apr. 17-29. • Dare Arts serves up two hot new exhibits, starting Mar. 3. In The Vault, you’ll find color pencil drawings and graphite studies by Mark Russell through Apr. 1. And the Courtroom Gallery delivers an eclectic selection of Contrary and Remote Things — curated by mixed media expert Susan Fecho — all the way through Apr. 29. Both share the same opening-night reception from 6-8pm. Find all the colorful details at www.darearts.org. • Swells’a Brewing is tapping fresh artists to line the walls each month through 2023. Come Mar. 4, it’s the opening party for graphics wizard Matt Smithson’s intoxicating installation, complete with musical sorcery by DJ Magic Cabana. Get the latest at www.swellsabrewing.com. • It’s still not too late to commit to Mar. 4-5’s Outer Banks Wedding Weekend & Expo. On Sat., The Sanderling matches couples with top vendors, while Sun. sets up a self-guided tour of various venues. Deets and tix at www.obxwa.com. • Looking to find the right life partners for your landscaping? Try Dare County Libraries and Dare County Master Gardeners’ Winter Garden Workshop Series. On Mar. 8, OBX’Scaping discusses plants that pair well with our sandy soil and windy climate. On Mar. 16, discover which Drought Tolerant Plants thrive on less water.

And, on Apr. 12, Firescaping for Your Home suggests growing tips that keep wildfires at bay. All start at 11am. Learn more and pre-register at www.DareNC.gov/enrichment. Or call KDH Library at 252-441-4331; the Hatteras Library at 252-986-2385; or the Manteo Library at 252-473-2372. • Inspire your preschooler to play dirty — and appreciate nature — when Elizabethan Gardens’ Little Diggers program provides hands-on activities every Thurs., from Mar. 2-May 4. (10-11am). Or just let the little rascals run amok during Cottage Play Days, which offer a mix of self-guided activities, free play, stories, and games, every Fri., Mar. 3-May 5. (10am-12pm). Both are free for members or with the purchase of regular admission. More at www.elizabethangardens.org. • Down some fine beverages, discuss lofty goals — and hear from a TBD speaker about environmental issues — when Outer Banks Green Drinks gathers at Waverider’s Deli, Mar. 9 & Apr. 13. And stay tuned for the latest on May 11’s purely social affair at a TBD venue, where the only pressing concern will be deciding what beverage to order. 6:30-8pm. Follow the OBX Green Drinks Facebook Page for updates. • Ever wonder what the climate’s like for community help on the Outer Banks? On Mar. 10, come out to Manteo’s Dare County Department of Health and Human Services HQ for the Community Services Collaborative, where reps from a range of local agencies and nonprofits discuss current issues. 9-10:30am. Interested parties can contact patty@obrf.org to learn more and confirm the schedule. • Or just look out for number one when Theatre of Dare Presents Urinetown: The Musical. In this dystopian

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Wanna kick-it at April’s Senior Games? Better register by Mar. 10.

Photo: Daryl Law

presents future, a terrible water shortage forces citizens to use pay-to-pee toilets — until the masses rise up in revolt and burst into song! Mar. 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 & 18 at 7:30pm; Mar. 12 & 19 at 2pm. Deets and tix at www.theatreofdareobx.com. • Beat feet to the Outer Banks Brewing Station, Mar. 11, when the 7th Annual Outer Banks Beer Mile mixes 10oz. beers with 1/4-mile chugs — plus prizes for wacky St. Paddy’s Day attire. Check-in from 1-1:45pm for a 2pm start. Dash over to www.obxrunning.com for more. • Strike pins, not partners. That’s the message behind Mar. 12’s Fraternal Order of Eagles Bowling Tournament to Benefit Outer Banks Hotline. Sign up your team to support the cause at OBX Bowling — or just chuck some spare dough at the silent auction and raffle. 6-9pm. Learn more at www. obhotline.org. • Get an update on charitable giving — and get an agenda for the next 40 years — when the Outer Banks Community Foundation’s 2023 Annual Meeting posts up at Jennette’s Pier, Mar. 14. Starting at 11:30am, they’ll recap 2022’s grant and scholarship awards, elect new board members, celebrate special recognitions, and share what’s next for the OBCF. Get the latest at www.obcf.org/40-years-strong. • A happy community starts with healthy people. Luckily, Outer Banks Health is offering a range of ways to stay well, including two Free Skin Checks, Mar. 15 & May 17, from 2-4:30pm. (Checks examine one spot of concern, not the full body.)

To reserve an appointment, call 252-449-4529.

Folks battling “The Big C” can find empathetic ears via a Cancer Support Group (every 2nd Wed.); a Breast Cancer Support Group (every 3rd Wed.); and Caring for the Caregiver Support Group (every 4th Wed.). All gather from 11am-12pm. (For more info or to reserve a spot, call 252-449-2314.) And individuals, ages 50-75, can score a free FIT Colon Cancer Screening just by picking up a fecal immunochemical test kit at the Baum Center on Mar. 24, from 1-3pm, then returning it on Mar. 27 during those same hours.

(What you do with it in between is your business.) Appointments are not required. For questions, call 252-449-4529. And check www.theobh.com for updated free classes and events every month. • Got a prom night fashion emergency? Head to Manteo Faith Baptist Church on Mar. 16 & 17 (3:30-8pm) and Mar. 18 (9am-4pm), as Project Glam Girls offers fancy dresses, flash tuxes and style advice — all free of charge. Follow their Facebook page for updates. • And if you think live music is the ultimate cure-all, be at the Hi-Vibe Listening Room on Mar. 16, where the flat-picking sounds of the Larry Keel Experience — and an intimate setting of just 60 souls — makes for a legendary feel-good performance. 6:30pm; $50. Score tix and details via their Facebook page. • On, Mar. 17, Sanctuary Vineyards’ Leprechaun uncorks St. Paddy’s Day with a low-key mix of Celtic music, local wine and freshly delivered pizzas. And come back Mar. 25 for a full day of shenanigans, starting with the GUSTO 5K Food and Wine Run, where a morning race through the vineyard ends with brunch and a band. That evening, the winery transforms into Vino Casino, where different games of chance offer shots at cool prizes, while the house guarantees a killer buffet and live tunes. Feel lucky? Learn more at www. sanctuaryvineyards.com. • Everyone’s a winner at Mar. 18’s Currituck Beach Lighthouse Free Climb Day. From 9am-5pm, folks can step to the top without spending a thing.

(Except maybe some calories.) After that, it’s $12 for ages 4 and up, every day from now ’til Nov. 30. Deets at www.obcinc.org. • That night, chill out with groovy pianist, Barron Ryan, when Mar. 17’s Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts concert presents Classic Meets Cool — a mix of jazz, pop, classical, and original works. 7:30pm. Find tix and info at www. outerbanksforum.org. • Secotan Market’s Cool-Season Hours continue every other Sat. through Apr. That means you’ll have to time your Wanchese produce runs to between 9am12pm for Mar. 18, Apr. 1 & Apr. 15. But come May 6, the Main Season Hours switch to 8am-12pm, every Sat. through Sept. Get the freshest word on organic products and homemade goods at www.secotanmarket.com. • Don’t believe in green beings? Head to Nags Head Woods, Mar. 18, as the Outer Banks Running of the Leprechauns gathers hundreds of emerald-clad fitness freaks, chasing golden medals and a free t-shirt. More at www.obxse.com. • That can only mean one thing: it’s time for the biggest street party of the year — Mar. 19’s 32nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade — where a miles-long procession

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Folk music’s renaissance man master instrumentalist, powerful singer-songwriter, storyteller, activist, and author.

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Tickets $15

Tickets $15

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endnotes of marching bands, speeding Shriners, and crazy floats floods the Beach Road from Bladen St. to Driftwood St., and crowds of boozy bystanders cheer and chug with every step. 1pm start. For a route and updates, follow the Kelly’s St. Patrick’s Day Facebook page. • Three days. Infinite flavors. That’s the whole concept behind Mar. 24-26’s annual Outer Banks Taste of the Beach, as restaurants serve up their most creative ideas — from tapas crawls to wine tastings to brewery tours to jazz brunches — and consumers indulge as much as humanly possible. Find full details and tix at www.obxtasteofthebeach.com. • Come Sat., endurance athletes get a serious case of the runs when Mar. 25’s Blackbeard’s Revenge 100 pushes ultra-marathoners to their physical limits over two distances — either 100k or 100 miles — covering pavement from Corolla to Hatteras. Get the straight poop at www.runsignup.com. • Wild and woolly times return to Roanoke Island, Mar. 25, when Island Farm’s Opening Day sees Kevin Ford — America’s renowned professional ‘blade’ sheep-shearer — give the resident herd new hairdos, while historical interpreters recreate 1850s life.

9am-3pm. $10 for ages 4 and up. More at www.obcinc.org. • Drop the blades and grab a broom — figuratively speaking — when Apr. 1’s NC Beach Buggy Association Operation Beach Respect/Adopt A Highway event cleans roadsides and beach accesses along Hatteras and Ocracoke. 8am-12pm. Get the real dirt at www.ncbba.org. • Don’t bother plunging into The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum just yet — construction on an all-new exhibit is expected to continue through the end of spring.

(Keep tabs on progress at www.graveyardoftheatlantic.com.) • But as long as you’re down south, get a sense of how pristine this place used to be prior to European influence by popping by the Frisco Native American Museum, which is officially open Tues.-Sat., 10:30am-5pm, as of Apr. 1. Learn more at www.nativeamericanmuseum.org. • Apr. 1 sees the start of Jennette’s Pier’s Spring Hours, meaning folks can come fish — or just fool around — from 7am-9pm. And it’s all serious business, Apr. 10, when an American Red

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Cross Blood Drive asks the public to open a vein to save a life. 10am-3pm. All the gory details are at www.jennettespier.net. • Local artists act a fool, Apr. 1, when Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery’s 28th Annual Artist Self-Portrait Exhibition encourages creative types to depict themselves using a variety of media, from visual art to prose and poetry.

Deadline to enter is Mar. 18. (Learn more — and submit written works— by emailing glenneure@centurylink.net.) And come see the rib-tickling results any Tues.-Sat., through May 11, from 10am-4pm. More at www.glenneureart.com. • Look to the outdoors for insights — with the help of a NC Aquarium biologist — when the Town of Duck’s Nature on the Boardwalk Series offers an assortment of morning and evening educational strolls: Apr. 4 (7-8:30pm) Apr. 18 & May 10 (9:30-11am), and May 24 (7:30-9pm.) Walks are free but space is limited, so register early at www. townofduck.com. And be sure to stop by Town Hall before Apr. 26 to see eyepopping mixed media and pottery by Fred Vallade. Mon.-Fri; 9am-4:30pm.

(Holidays excluded.) • Fired up on ceramics? Head to Manteo’s Dare Arts gallery, where Carolyn Sleeper’s wares fill The Vault from Apr. 7-29 — with an opening night reception from at 6-8pm. (Learn more at www.darearts.org.)

Meanwhile, Downtown Manteo’s First Friday serves a melting pot of later shopping, live music, and cool people. Follow the Town of Manteo Facebook page for updates. • Come Sat., Apr. 8, Swells’a Brewing gets another stylish makeover, as Tehra Burton adorns the walls with a mad selection of mixed media for the whole month — and DJ Magic Cabana overhauls partygoers’ ears. Details at www.swellsabrewing.com. • The sky’s awash in floating dyed fabric, Apr. 7-8, when Kitty Hawk Kites’ Fly Into Spring fills the air over Jockey’s Ridge with massive 30-to-100-foot kites in dazzling forms, from scuba divers to octopi. (10am-4pm.) Come Sat., hop across the street for an Easter Eggstravaganza, where the egg hunts happen every 15 minutes from 10:30am-2pm, and the Easter Bunny takes selfies from 11am-2pm. (Registration is required for would-be egg

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hunters; call 252-305-5561.) More at www.kittyhawk.com. • Meanwhile, Elizabethan Gardens’ is awash in holiday activities, Apr. 8, when Easter Tide in the Gardens floods the Great Lawn with contests, games and vendors — and more than a few hidden eggs. 10am2pm. (Members and not-yet-members are highly encouraged to reserve/purchase online tix in advance.)

And help prepare a former larva for its very first liftoff — while learning about local species and lifecycles — when Butterfly Releases return every Tues. (1pm) and Thurs. (10am & 1pm), from Apr. 4-Sept. 28. Program includes a keepsake certificate and handheld butterfly feeder. 7-day advance tickets required. Find pricing and details at www.elizabethangardens.org. • Got a footrace fetish — but still bicycle-curious? Head to Corolla, Apr. 9, for the 10th Annual OBXDUO, a USAT-sanctioned “Run Bike Run” event, where flatter roads guarantee an introductory challenge for all skill levels. Learn more at www.obxrunning.com. • Eat, drink, eat, drink… That’s the time-tested appeal to Apr. 15’s annual Lost Colony Wine, Beer & Culinary Festival/ Grand Tasting, which mixes an international selection of tasty libations with top local cuisine — adds a delicious smattering of live music combos — then serves it all against the breathtaking backdrop of the Waterside Theatre. 2-5pm. Tix fly fast so land yours at www.tlcwinefest. com. • Wanna stay on the cutting edge of duck-hunting culture? Fly south for Apr. 15’s Ocracoke Island Waterfowl Festival, where decoy carvers and collectors celebrate the time-honored art of faking out our flocking friends. Deets at www.visitocracokenc.com. •

“ SPRINGBREAK MOOD

Make the Jockey’s Ridge Soundside Beach shine a bit brighter by joining Kitty Hawk Kites and Outer Banks Surfrider for a special Beach Clean-Up, Apr. 16, starting at 4pm.

(PS: due to limited parking, please park at the visitor center; they’ll have bags and gloves waiting.) More at www.kittyhawk.com. • Got a coopedup in-house learner driving you bonkers? Take ’em to Multi-instrumentalist, Island Farm on Apr. 19 for Homeschool History Day, John McCutcheon, fills where 19th century re-enactors, learning stations, live St. Andrews with great cooking demos, and a resident blacksmith keep active folk’n music, Apr. 22. minds busy. 9am-3pm. $10 for ages 4 and up; $8 for Photo: Irene Young homeschool children. Educate yourself further at www. obcinc.org. • Eye patches and ruffled shirts are all the rage, Apr. 21-23, when the Flying Pirate Half Marathon, 5k & Fun Run invites costumed runners of all ages to dash, jog or hobble from KDH to Kitty Hawk and back. Sign up to race — or see how to volunteer — at www.obxse.com. • On Apr. 22, you can literally run free around Wright Bros. Memorial, as they wave the entry fee to kick off National Park Week. And, as of Apr. 7, all of Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s campgrounds are finally wide open — Cape Point, Frisco, Oregon Inlet, and Ocracoke — with the proper payment and reservation, of course. Do both online at www.recreation.gov. • Hear some great folk’n music at St. Andrew’s in Nags Head, when the Bryan Cultural Series presents master instrumentalist and storyteller, John McCutcheon on Apr. 22. And come back, May 3, when James Hill lets his ukulele do the talkin’ in styles from hula to Hendrix. Both shows are $15. Times and tix at www.bryanculturalseries.org. • Enjoy some real quality time with

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endnotes Ma Nature Apr. 22, when Elizabethan Gardens’ Earth Day Celebration puts together a day of activities, games and guest speakers — all with special attention paid to our Outer Banks flora and fauna. Regular admission required. More at www.elizabethangardens.org. • Hogs rule the world, Apr. 22-30, when Outer Banks Bike Week rumbles through town.

Across the bridge, Harbinger’s Harley Davidson hosts a week of bone rattling TBD events.

(Find a full sched at www.outerbankshd.com.) Meanwhile, from Apr. 26-29, Dare County Motorsports Charity Group’s Bike Week Celebration delivers four raucous days of live bands, food trucks, bikini car washes, and more at Soundside Event Site. Follow their Facebook page for updates. • The howling good times continue, Apr. 23, when the OBX SPCA’s Bark in the Park turns Jockey’s Ridge Welcome Center into a tail wagging fundraiser featuring music, beer and other treats for both dogs and people. Plus, the Great American Bark Off sees which human can do the best canine impression. 1-5pm. Visit www.obxspca.org for more hairy details. • Amateur surf dogs of all ages are off the chain, Apr. 28-30, when Jennette’s Pier hosts the Eastern Surfing Association’s Mid-Atlantic Regionals. (See www.surfesa.org for a sched. and live feed.) And it’s the fishing community’s turn to hoot, Apr. 29, when the pier’s summer hours officially start, stretching from 6am-10pm. Learn more at www.jennettespier.net. • Take a real walk on the wild side, Apr. 28-May 1, when the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island’s Bioblitz encourages folks to document local animals and plants as part of this year’s City Nature Challenge. Show up between 9am-5pm, a staffer will show you the steps behind shooting and uploading images — then set you loose to go produce the type of research-grade photo data that can help save future populations.

Standard admission fees apply. Get the latest at www.ncaquariums.com. • What happens when you mix the Cowardly Lion with a White Rabbit? Find out when Theatre of Dare’s Wizard of Wonderland crossbreeds two children’s classics into a curiouser and curiouser

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bark in the park April 23

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new adventure. Shows run 7:30pm, Apr. 28 & 29 and May 5 & 6; Apr. 30 & May 7 at 2pm.

Full deets at www.theatreofdareobx.com. • Wanna see more Damn Tall Buildings on the Outer Banks? Head to First Flight High, Apr. 29, as the Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts hosts the Brooklyn bluegrass trio for some awe-inspiring string jams that’ll leave you slack-jawed. $50 for adults and $25 for students. (Plus taxes and service fees.) Tix and info at www.outerbanksforum.org. • But first, clean up the ground floor of Roanoke Island by participating in Apr. 29’s Manteo Spring Litter Pick-up. They hand out free gloves and bags — you provide the elbow grease to make your neighborhood sparkle. 9-11am. Watch the Town of Manteo Facebook page for updates. • Or just spend the weekend legally littering at Ocracoke Island’s 12th Annual Scallywag 5K/10K & 8th Annual Blackbeard’s Half Marathon, Apr. 29-30, where tossing empty cups in your wake is totally acceptable. Dash to www.runocracoke.com for deets. • Hearts of steel take the gold, Apr. 29, when the Special Olympics Spring Games head to First Flight High. Wanna know how to compete? Or just volunteer? Email dare@sonc. net to learn about weekly practices for swimming, tennis, cheer, basketball, track, and bowling. More at www.sonc.net. • Did you know April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month? On Apr. 29, make sure the whole beach remembers by attending Outer Banks’ Hotline’s A Hundred For Hope, where citizens lay ribbons atop Jockey’s Ridge — and silent auctions, food and music raise funds for future efforts. (11am start.) Then help strategize the next awareness campaign, when May 1’s breakfast meeting plans Men for Safe Relationships — a month-long effort to put fellas of all ages on the frontlines in the fight against domestic abuse. 8-9am. Learn more at www.obhotline.org. • Hook-up culture is on the comeback, May 3-5, when the Ocracoke Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament entices longtime anglers to swing on down to an exotic island for three days of fishing and fooling around. Find their Facebook page for the freshest take. •

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Barracudas? Stingrays? Maybe even a Mako? Who knows what sort of shimmering vehicles will swim into town for May 5-6’s OBX Rod and Custom Festival? But we can guarantee there will be at least a couple tailfins parked at Soundside Event Site — plus a few other hotrod loving honey holes about town. Cruise over to www.obxrodandcustomfestival.com for all the shiny details. • Wade through a sea of brilliant watercolors, May 5-26, when Duck Town Hall’s Rotating Art Show features the work of Tansy O’Bryant. Open Mon.-Fri., 9am-4:30pm. (Excluding holidays.) Even better, meet the artist herself during May 6’s opening reception, from 3-5pm. More at www. townofduck.com. • Then head to Swells’a Brewing the evening of May 6, where an opening reception for beloved local painter “Red Dawn” Moraga reveals which of her fine works will adorn the walls — while her beloved local band, Cor De Lux, rocks the house. More at www.swellsabrewing.com. • Dare Arts’ Courtroom Gallery becomes a visual symphony, May 7-27, as dozens of local creators band together for the 26th Annual Mollie Fearing Memorial Art Show. Come out Sun., May 7, for an opening reception from 2-4pm.

Then keep your ears peeled to hear which talents go home with a range of awards. Or learn how to submit works at www.darearts.org. • What’s the Jon Stickley Trio? They’re a fiddle/ drum/guitar combo out of Asheville that blends bluegrass, Gypsy jazz and folk-punk that can channel the styles of either Del McCroury or the Dixie-Dregs. And they’re not to be missed, especially on May 11, when they play the intimate confines of the Hi-Vibe

Listening Room. $35. 6:30pm. See their Facebook page for tix. • Come May 12, kids 5 and under yell “TGIF!” as the 14th Annual KidsFest returns to Roanoke Island Festival Park. From 9:30am-12:30pm, the Children & Youth Partnership for Dare County delivers three hours of arts and crafts, bubbles, characters, snowballs, music, plus at least one screaming red firetruck. Visit www.darekids.org for “Va-va-vroom…” Vintage vehicles sexthe latest. • Then it’s the adults’ turn to play with lifeup Soundside Event Site, May 5-6. sized Stompers, May 12-14, as the OBX Jeep Charities Photo: Cory Godwin and Cat 5 Jeepers’ 3rd Annual OBX Jeep Invasion fills Soundside Event Site with poker runs, raffles, live bands, food trucks, and a Show-n-Shine for all sorts of ORV fans. More at www.obxjeepinvasion.com. • Be sure to make a pit stop at Dowdy Park, May 13, as the Artrageous Kids Art Festival gathers a full range of family fun, including art activities, live music, dance performances, an artisan market, food vendors, and more. 10am-3pm. Proceeds support Dare Arts’ cultural programming and the Artrageous Youth Scholarship Fund, which helps local high school seniors continue their creative education. For more information, visit www.darearts.org. • Enjoy a morning jog — and support Interfaith Community Outreach — by signing up for May 13’s 37th Annual Nags Head Woods 5k. After a couple of virtual years, this family favorite is running in real time, with three distances starting at 7am. Email questions to obxrunning@gmail.com or text 252-4898239. More at www.obxrunning.com. • Then spend the day raising funds for more local causes — while getting an eyeful of colorful fashions — when Duck Woods Country Club

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endnotes hosts Couture By the Shore on May 13. Enjoy a fast-paced spring fashion show from ten veterans. Plus, food, bevvies, an artisan village, family fun zone, and the OBX Community Outer Banks boutiques — such as Birthday Suits, Gray’s, Untucked, Whalebone, and Corner showcasing our area NPO’s. See www.obxshredfest.com for the latest. • Rather have Zen & Zip — all under this year’s theme: Palm Springs...It’s A Mid Mod World. Plus, food fun on your own two feet? Roll up to Corolla as The Lighthouse 5k/1-Mile Race Series and drink, live and silent auctions, with proceeds benefitting the Outer Banks Relief kicks off May 24. This weekly race loops around the Historic Village every Wed. through Foundation. 11am-3pm. Visit www.obrf.org for the latest. • Ocracoke remembers fallen Sept. 6. Starts at 8am; pre-register from 6:50-7:50am at the Whalehead Club. For all event WWII heroes, May 13, when the annual British Cemetery Ceremony & Reception details visit www.obxrunning.com. • Then bounce south and bust big moves on the sound commemorates the sinking of the H.M.T. when Kitty Hawk Kites’ Kiteboarding Kickoff Bedfordshire off the coast in 1942. From 11amWeekend fills Rodanthe’s Waves Village 2pm, representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, Watersports Resort with demos and tech talks May U.S. Navy, British Royal Navy, Canadian Royal 26-28. (Find rad deets at www.kittyhawk.com.) And Navy, and local high schools gather at the gravesite stick around, ’cause on June 1 the 11th Annual Rock of four buried sailors to honor those who made the The Cape floods the parking lot with a full day of ultimate sacrifice with bagpipes and a 21-gun salute. local arts and rockin’ bands. Get an updated sched. at The event is open to all who wish to pay their www.darearts.org. • Live music saves lives, May 27, respects. More at www.visitocracokenc.com. • Fill when the 16th Annual Ocracoke Volunteer Fire your pantry with healthy vegetables — or your closet Department Fireman’s Ball raises funds with a full with handmade items — when Manteo’s Downtown day of bands, silent auctions, BBQ, and beers by Market returns May 13. From 9am-1pm, find 1718 Brewery. 8am-5pm. (Find the hottest news at wonderful fresh produce, yummy baked goods, local www.ocracokefiremensball.com.) And come back arts and crafts — and come back and do it again June 2-4, as the Ocrafolk Festival delivers three full every Sat. through Sept. 16. More at www. days of killer strings, rad stories, and top artisans from townofmanteo.com. • Come May 15-20, it’s local across the state. More at www.ocracokealive.org. • shedders’ turn to shine when the first-ever Outer Need a reason to rock your rainbow attire? Head Banks Soft Shell Week sees area restaurants bust over to Downtown Manteo where Dare Arts’ Pride out their best recipes for molted blue crabs. Scuttle Month Exhibit fills the gallery with LGBTQ+ artists over to www.softshellweek.com for the latest news. • from June 2-July 1. And the opening night’s reception Talk about a soar for psyched eyes. Last year, more features a spectrum of creative contributors than 100 pilots from across the country attended — perfectly timed with the town’s First Friday Kitty Hawk Kites’ Hang-Gliding Spectacular & festivities. Visit www.darearts.org for updated deets.

Air Games. This May 18-21, come out to see which • Don’t be so darn dramatic. That’s The Lost Colony’s job, as they bring America’s longestflying aces swarm the air over two locations: Nags running outdoor production to Roanoke Island’s Head’s Jockey’s Ridge and Jarvisburg’s Cotton Gin. Soundside Theater, every Mon.-Sat., June 2- Aug. Find a full agenda at www.kittyhawk.com. • Then 26. But just ’cause this Tony Award-winning favorite’s head back to Dowdy Park, May 20, for a more been running for 86 years don’t mean it’s played, as grounded affair, as the Outer Banks Hospital’s modern updates include new effects, fresh dances, Stroke Awareness Walk remembers loved ones and a more enlightened take on native cultures’ who’ve been affected — and reminds healthy folks of perspective, as they continue to interpret America’s ways to avoid falling ill. 9-11am. March over to www. oldest mystery. More hidden secrets await at www. theobh.com for more. • Safety concerns don’t stop at thelostcolony.org. • The fitness community takes the shoreline. On May 20, the OBX U.S. Coast center stage, June 2-3, when the Outer Banks Guard Auxiliary’s Boat America Boating Safety Triathlon draws top swim, bike and run performers Class shows would-be captains the ropes, covering in various combos to keep things interesting. Find every potential hazard — from navigation to nautical courses and schedules at www.obxse.com. And dash laws — to satisfy all NC boat operator education to Swells’a Brewing, June 3, as homegrown artist/ requirements in just six hours. 8:30am-4:30pm. Call Can’t help but smile when the 28th Annual “Art of the Self-Portrait” returns to Glenn musician Holly Overton covers the walls with rad 252-573-0599 to register. • Spend May 20 learning Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery, Apr. 1-May 11. Oil pastel by 2022 winner, Stella Nettles. new paintings — and rocks the party with a live the secrets behind raising healthy plants — or just performance. Hop over to www.swellsabrewing.com stockpiling sweet flowers — when the Dare County for more. • What’s up with Dare Days 2023? At press time the deets were still TBD, but Master Gardener’s Coastal Gardening Festival returns to KDH’s Baum Center with a you can bet it’ll happen the first weekend in June. (Follow Town of Manteo’s Facebook blooming bouquet of sales, activities and educational demos. 9am-2:30pm. Free admission. page for updates.) • We also can’t say all the bands that will be playing this year’s VUSIC (But bring some green to buy items.) For details, call the Dare County Extension office at OBX Summer Concert Series. But we can tell you that at least eight high-energy shows will 252-473-4290. • Thrash-up your Sat. at May 20’s Dare2Care OBX Shred Fest, as come to Roanoke Island Festival Park — including June 22’s Rebelution Good Vibes skateboarders, roller skaters, bladers, and cyclists rip-up the half-pipe — including the Summer Tour, with special guests Iration, The Expendables, Passafire, and DJ Mackle.

Chain Reaction Action Sports BMX Stunt Show. Meanwhile, live bands shake the And we can virtually guarantee at least one concert will sell out. Luckily, single-day tix, timbers of two stages, including The OBX Shredders — NC’s first and only inclusive rock season tix and special VIP passes are waiting for purchase at www.vusicobx.com. band — and The Resilient, a high-octane sound squad composed of wounded US combat

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