Memorial Day weekend was quickly approaching when I realized that I had not seen my friend from college since summer 2019 and I had not traveled anywhere in over 8 months! Being the chill friend that she is, she said "Sure! Come on down! I will probably have to work a few days though." I quickly assured her that I can occupy myself. I even got more time off of work than expected and got to come down a day early!
I was woefully underprepared for an unexpectedly chilly Memorial Day weekend in Beaufort (pronounced boh-fert, unlike the town in South Carolina). After all, who expects the temperature to be 70°F in late May? Figure in the breeze coming off the ocean and the misty, cloudy weather and it felt like I was in Seattle, not on the North Carolina coast. My suitcase full of tank tops and shorts were rendered all but completely moot. In order to not freeze, I had to pop in to Kitty Hawk Kite Co. and Life is Good and purchase a long-sleeved shirt. These days, I have been doing a lot of reading, so I always have either a book or my Kindle with me. While my friend was working, I sat on a bench and worked on my current read. However, I couldn't stop getting distracted by my surroundings. After all, that was part of the reason I was in town: to enjoy being somewhere else for a little while. Boats were coming into marina, young families were walking to dinner, and some people were just out for a stroll. The best part though were the smells coming from one of my go-to restaurants.
Each time I visit, I have to hit up Black Sheep for all of my gastronomic needs. We started off with a Marcona Almond Crostini, described on the menu as "toasted crostini topped with Marcona almond- roasted pepper pesto, shaved Serrano ham, Manchego and honey." Anybody who knows me knows that I am quite the picky eater and am reluctant to try new things. But, my friend insisted that I give this a chance.
Let me tell you...I didn't realize so many flavors could be packed on to one slice of baguette! I would try to describe the taste to you, but food blogging is not my forte. Just trust me when I say you need to try this! What I really go there for is the Cuban Sandwich with Mac and Cheese. Cuban Sandwiches are not a very common menu item around where I live. So, anytime I get the chance to have one, I take it. It wasn't until I was an adult that I even tried homemade Mac and Cheese. Up until then, boxed, fake cheese Kraft was the only kind that I would eat. Let's just say I can never go back now.
While waiting for my friend to get off of work one day, I took time to explore downtown Beaufort. To keep warm, I wanted to get a latte from CRU Coffee Shop, Wine Store, & Bar. but it seemed like everyone else had the same idea. Anytime there is bad weather during the summer, everyone decides "I guess this is a good day to stay in town." So, alas, my quest for coffee was delayed, but I always make it a point to stop by there while I am in town. I eventually got my latte and it was well worth the wait. From there, I took a stroll by some of the historic homes with some dating back to the 1700s. After all, it is said Blackbeard himself had visited town some time before he managed to run the Queen Anne's Revenge aground in Beaufort Inlet.
After visiting some of the quaint privately owned shops along Front Street, I decided to venture over to Morehead City and Atlantic Beach. Along with my recent increase in reading is a desire to visit every used bookstore I come across. Recently, I had to buy another bookshelf, so you can see that this is starting to get out of hand! I wandered over to the aptly named store, The Bookshop. I picked up a few books and drove over to Atlantic Beach. I was not about to let the dreary weather keep me from visiting the beach while I was at the Crystal Coast, even if I had to sit there huddled up with a towel over my lap for warmth. I lasted about an hour before I threw in the towel. (No pun intended.)
Fortunately, my friend had Memorial Day off of work, so we spent it with her boyfriend and his family at their house on the Bogue Sound. By then, the weather had mellowed out and made it bearable to sit on the porch hammock in shorts. As the guest, I was given Bluetooth speaker privileges. With some tunes playing, a hard cider in one hand, that view, and good company, I was set. Some of us had gone inside to eat, while a couple ate on the porch. It wasn't until after we were done eating that I realized I had left my phone outside with my full Spotify playlist on shuffle. Immediately, I was hit with that panic of "I don't even know what kind of music has been playing! It could have been anything from Disney to country to Cardi B!" My friend's boyfriend's teenaged sister was like "Oh it just played some old stuff from the 2000s." I was simultaneously hit with a sense of relief, as well as incredulity that 2000s could be considered old.
With our stomachs satisfied for the moment, me, my friend, her boyfriend, and his brother finally set out in the kayaks. Kayaking is an interest I have only discovered in the last 5 years or so. When my dad retired, he was looking for a hobby and decided it up recreationally. He asked me if I would be interested in it in order to assess whether or not he should buy a second kayak. I said "Sure. I'll give it a whirl." I have been hooked ever since. I love getting the chance to try out new locations, both for enjoying different views as well as varying difficulty. I haven't quite gotten the nerve to try whitewater kayaking, but I am working my way up. Some day I would like to somewhere with crystal clear water and a glass bottom boat. This paddle on the Bogue sound was the first time I had been on something other than a small, relatively flat lake. So, dealing with paddling against the wind and wakes left behind by boats was more of a physical challenge. I just had to mentally check out and let muscle memory take over. Even though my friends and I kept a pretty chill pace, there was the occasional unspoken dare of "Let's paddle as hard as we can and see who gives up first" with one of the guys. (Spoiler: It was me. I gave up first.)
On Tuesday, after having a quick lunch at Ruddy Duck Tavern and probably spending too much money at my new favorite jewelry store, Silver Line Jewelry, it was time to admit that I needed to start my nearly three hour drive home. I had to say goodbye to my friends and one of my favorite dogs. I mean look at that face! "His bark is worse than his bite" was definitely written with him in mind. Once you get past his extremely loud bark, he is the sweetest and definitely a case of a large dog who thinks he is a lap dog. Having to work the next day, I needed to get on the road before dinner.
As always, it was great to see my friends (and their dog) again. I am hoping to go to the North Carolina mountains with them some time this fall. Stay tuned for another post about that trip!
Note: Note: Apologies that it has been SO long since posting a blog entry. I haven't really gone anywhere of note. When I did, I hit a writing slump. Which is why I am only now writing about my trip over Memorial Day weekend. To get an email when there is a new blog post, fill out the quick form at the bottom of this page.
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