Outer Banks, Part 2: Hatteras Island

After our stint on Bodie Island last week, James had to go home to work, but Anouk and I headed south to Hatteras Island to meet up with family. We stayed in Buxton -- about midway down the island, a good middle point right smack dab between Pea Island and Hatteras Village. It was only a little over an hour away from where we'd been staying in Kitty Hawk, but the feel of the place was totally different. The further south we drove, the more of a laid-back small country town vibe we encountered. But there were still tons of things to do and see.

We started each day of our trip with breakfast at the Orange Blossom Bakery & Cafe. I feel like this is notable, because when I'm on vacation, there's not a lot that can get me out of my PJs and on the road before 10 or so. However, if you want to get one of the Orange Blossom's apple uglies (giant, delicious apple fritters), you need to get there before they sell out. So we got up bright and early, and off we went.

^^ They call them apple uglies for a reason. And that reason is deception.

Another must-see is the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which has the distinction of being the tallest lighthouse in the United States. In fact, it was so much fun that our group visited twice. The view from the top is supposed to be fantastic (the my cousins swore they could see for miles), but the climb is arduous, especially in hot weather -- akin to climbing a 12-story building with no air conditioning. Kids under 42" can't go to the top, children under 12 have to be accompanied by an adult, and during the height of the season, wait times to climb can be 30-60 minutes. Unfortunately, Anouk and I had to wait down below, but luckily there was enough to see around the grounds and in the museum that we didn't feel cheated (the exhibit on how the lighthouse was moved over a half-mile from its original location was truly fascinating.)

And of course, there was the beach. The beach! Just a few short steps from our front door -- we could hear the waves all night, even with the windows closed. It almost seems inaccurate to say that we went to the beach while we were in town because it didn't seem like we were ever very far away from it. Wherever we looked, there was golden sand and deep blue water. Anouk was still a little afraid of the water, but the big girls and I jumped right in. And we taught cousin D. to body surf -- her first time ever in the ocean. She took to it like a pro (and those aren't beginner-type waves).

A few more notes about places to go in the Buxton (and surrounding) area: Conner's Supermarket, which looks like a standard grocery store but actually has a great selection of organic and local foods; The Captain's Table, which has the best Hatteras-style clam chowder I've ever tasted; Uglie Mugs Coffee Shop and Haoles Sushi a few miles north in Avon; Buxton Village Books, which offers a great selection of books about the Outer Banks; Buxton Cemetery (make sure you have four-wheel drive). And I also highly suggest just turning down one of the many roads off of the sound side of Highway 12 around about sunset. Because you might just get a view like this:

And that's something definitely worth seeing.

Ocean View Fishing Pier

Anne and I spent three days at the beach last week -- in April! Tuesday, we went for a beautiful walk at East Beach, Wednesday we met up with friends at the Community Beach Park for a bracing swim, and on Thursday, we hit Willoughby Spit with our Auntie C. for a stroll along the Ocean View Fishing Pier.

The pier used to be known as Harrison's Pier, an iconic Norfolk landmark until it was swept away in Hurricane Isabel in 2003. I remembered crabbing from Harrison's Pier as a kid, but hadn't been back since the new pier was built. The new pier looked flashy and bright and swell, with the double-decker restaurant on top, but it just wasn't the same as the old pier I knew and loved. So I didn't even bother getting to know the new one. As you might have realized by now, I am not the biggest fan of change.

But on this 90-degree day, we were in search of some sun and sand and bright blue water and the pier is where we found it. We took our time walking out, pausing to peer down between the rails at the waves, turning back to wave at the sunbathers scattered along the shore of the Sarah Constant Beach. By the time we'd reached the building smack dab in the middle of the pier that houses the restaurant and tackle shop, the sea air had given us an appetite, so we decided to stop for lunch, and climbed the stairs to the rooftop level restaurant.

The rooftop deck of the pier restaurant is a wonderful place to be on a hot day. Even when it's stifling on the ground, there is sure to be a breeze ruffling around up top. There are also giant table/bench gliders to rock on while you enjoy it. And the view! We could see for miles, to the bridge-tunnel and to Point Comfort, all the way out to the Thimble Shoal light, which seemed a lot closer than you think it can be when you're looking for it from the shore.

(And the food wasn't bad either. We shared the steamer basket of clams and mussels, Aunt C. and A. and I. Two of our party of three had Bloody Marys that were just fantastic -- I'll let you guess which two! They don't skimp on olives at the OV Pier restaurant, no sir. Keep that in mind.)

For a fee, we could have gone through the tackle shop to the far side of the pier but we were content to stay up top and watch the fishermen there go about their business. The pier seemed to stretch for a long, long way out -- the same way it did when I was a kid. Some things don't change.

(What? Don't you wear galoshes and a tutu to the beach??)

Happy weekend!

Bennett's Creek Farm Market

I love food, and as such, I am always on the lookout for new and interesting places to eat, which is why, sometimes, in the middle of a conversation, someone will mention something about a sandwich they got at a roadside stand on the way to a wedding out of state and I will holler out, "WAIT. Go back to this sandwich."

This is exactly what happened with Bennett's Creek Farm Market and Deli. Aunt C. called to tell me about her doctor's appointment out in Suffolk, and oh yeah, on the way home she'd stopped and gotten she-crab soup at a little hole-in-the-wall deli. "WAIT," I hollered before she could move on to something else. "I need to know more about this soup."

She made it sound so good that I immediately made plans to find this place, with J. and A. And the minute we set food inside Bennett's Creek, I knew it wouldn't disappoint, just based on how amazing everything smelled. The food there is the kind of flavorful, down-home, retro-style basics: pimento cheese dip, macaroni salad, ham salad, collard greens. You get the idea stepping in the store that very little has changed in the 30 years since the market opened off of Route 17 in Suffolk. The front of the store is features homemade candy (pumpkin fudge!) and ice cream, and fresh veggies grown right outside the door (I mean that literally, they come from a field just outside the shop). 

We got sandwiches (pork bbq and reubens) and sides (ham salad and potato salad). The only drawback to Bennett's is that there's no seating area to eat inside, so we ended up having an impromptu car picnic. (But that was fun, too, even if I ended up having to scrub mashed up pickle off the backseat. Thanks, A.!) It ended up being a fun Saturday afternoon mini-road trip, and I picked up a few good recipes, too You know a place is good when they don't mind sharing their secrets on their website. 

We also got a pint of the famous she-crab soup, btw. It was just as good as everybody said it would be. I wish we'd gotten two. Next time!

Sunday Brunch at the Beach Pub

From the moment I stepped foot in the Beach Pub, I could tell that it was going to be a great kid-friendly dining experience. A nice chatty atmosphere, crayon art all over the walls, babies everywhere, and nobody giving their parents the stink eye.

From the moment I had the first sip of my Bloody Mary, I could tell I had found a new favorite brunch location to add to the list.

Jackpot.

J. and I discovered the Beach Pub halfway through an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives airing late one night on the Food Network. We watch so much Food Network that we've become a little desensitized to it, but as we watched the Beach Pub footage we found ourselves starting to perk up our ears. "Where is this place?" James asked. "Oh, please, oh please," I said, and Googled, and yes! Laskin Road, baby. Right down at the Oceanfront.

The food was just as delicious as it looked on the small screen. It did not disappoint. James had the crab omelet (with fresh, hot blueberry muffins), I shared a plate of broiled crab with butter with Anne (with a pasta salad that I honestly did not expect to be as good as it was), and for an appetizer, we ordered the famous Oysters Rockafeller that were featured on the DDD episode. Next time I go, I am skipping everything else and ordering them as my entree. (With a Bloody Mary, of course).

As we ate, we people watched a little -- the Beach Pub is a great place for people watching. Seersucker suits, Redskins Hawaiian shirts, folks in their Sunday best, folks in beach cover ups. The works. We were seated by the hostess station and of course Baby A. waved to each and every person who walked by, including the staff, who very good-naturedly waved back every single time. (I told you it was baby friendly).

Don't just take my word for it, though:

 I rest my case.