Hatteras Village/Ocracoke Island- OBX Day 2

The common misconception is that the Hatteras Lighthouse is in Hatteras when in fact it resides in Buxton.

Quick story, when I came down to the Outer Banks in 1999 they were in the process of moving the lighthouse because of significant beach erosion. It's a fascinating story, read about it here. I didn't get a chance to climb the stairs or take in it's history. In fact, it was raining and we stayed for 10 minutes, a rushed glimpse! 

This time was different (see images as proof). It was a clear sunny day, no rain in sight, and the lighthouse was solidified in it's permanent position. The lighthouse now sits about 2900 feet from its a original position and about 1600 feet from the shore. No beach erosion to worry about for the foreseeable future.

I won't go into too many lighthouse statistics and facts, but at 210 feet, it is the tallest lighthouse in America. And yes, I did climb all 12 stories. 

It's highly recommended that you take the walk to the top!

We also decided to drive further south. We caught the ferry from Hatteras Village to Ocracoke Island. The intriguing part of the 40 minute ferry ride was seeing various sandbars throughout the waters (this part of the Atlantic off the OBX coastline is aptly named the "graveyard of the Atlantic" because of the sandbars and the unusual amount of wrecked and sunken ships). There were people fishing on some of these sandbars (freaky). Without a boat you cannot gain access to some of these sandbars.

The ferry drivers deftly navigated the sandbars with expert precision! Slowing down and speeding up staying inside the buoy markers for a smooth ride. It was like the sea version of an obstacle course! Nice work fellas! Shout to the NCDOT!

Images from the ferry ride!

Then we made our way back to Buxton for a few brews and a beautiful beach sunset.

Day 2 in the books! There's some laptop wallpapers in here! Day 3 coming up next! 

Pattern Recognition @ MoCADA

On a hot ass Thursday evening when your apt is way too hot, what do you do? Go to a cultural event!

Plenty of AC and cold drinks! So my cousin and I decided to check out the opening reception of Pattern Recognition @ MoCADA for some free Brooklyn Brewery Ale, but turns out the art was really cool!

Many of the works used mixed media with mixed results, but overall there are some solid pieces of art work on display here (by the way I'm not Jerry Saltz)! And as always that BK bohemian swag was in full effect! How can you deny BK's place right now on this planet! There's nothing like it even on a hot summer evening.

This was a cool stop over before we hit the final destination, Red Hook.

Check out the MoDADA website here.

I have to admit, I didn't know about this place until I saw a twitter message from Brooklyn Exposed. Another trusted source I'll be adding to my favorite site list.

MoDADA is worth the visit! The gallery space is near a plethora of restaurants or bars a short walk away on Fulton Street. It's also near the Barclays Center so no excuses!

Take the C to Lafayette or the G to Fulton. The gallery is a block away on 80 Hanson Place. They have some interesting exhibitions coming up and MoDADA is affiliated with the Soul of Brooklyn Week coming August 17th. A quick post on that coming real soon!   

Check out the images of some of my favorite pieces and the vibe of the opening reception. The exhibit runs through October 6.

Buxton- OBX Day 1

Upon arriving we checked in with the usual boring arrival details.

I won't bore you with the play-by-play, but I will tell you the Tower Circle Motel is a rough gem. Rooms are being renovated. Our room was clean and tidy (did not take photos, damnit!) It's in close proximity to numerous dining options. The co-owner Merrill was cool and attentive. The motel is about a 3 minute walk or 110 yards from a secluded section of Buxton beachfront. 

So that covers all of the pertinent information you need right now.  

But this is what we came for (see image above and the images below)!

...to the OBX

The trip to the Outer Banks (OBX) was planned before the Wilmington trip, well in conjunction with.

I was really excited to have a chance to visit the Outer Banks again. The last time I was there, 1999, there was no iPhone, no Twitter, no Instagram, no Facebook! 

My visit seems ions ago! Digital cameras were still in its infancy of development. I documented that trip with a crappy Vivitar pocket camera (do you remember those?). 

And on top of the underdeveloped digital tools and primitive Internet- on the drive to OBX I got a ticket (I had to come back to a small cul de sac of a town to face a judge who threatened to take my license). That freakin' ticket cost me $380 bucks, plus lodging, car rental, and food! Way more than the wages of one days pay! Fumes are rising from my head as I write this! 

And if that didn't beat all- once we arrived in OBX a freak summer Nor'easter had just arrived. Out of the five days I was there not one of them were sunny (when we were leaving the sun came out)!

The Noreaster threatened to negate beach time for the duration of the trip (in fact it did because of riptides). I did get in the water and body surf the next day. Not a wise decision giving my swimming ability, but it was exhilaratingly fun! However, I DO NOT recommend you try that EVER! 

This time people it will be different. I have a fully charged iPhone with the requisite apps to fully document this excursion properly! And the weather forecast is sunny and hot! 

As I pass small town after small town on my way to the magical beaches of the OBX, I promise to keep you updated via Blogger! 

The Beach- Day 3

Simply put, this was a wonderful beach day! A memorable day not just for me, but especially for my son! My daughter, too young to catch the vibe, but I'm sure she had a good time as well.

As they say, "pictures can say a thousand words."

The video post to come!

Lula's a Pub!

Lula's is without a doubt one of my top 5 favorite bars of all time!

If you ever take a trip to Wilmington, North Carolina, and I highly recommend you take that trip, stop by Lulas- a subterranean pub located on Orange and Front Streets! There are over 50 bars that span the downtown area, most located on Front Street, but none of those bars approach the vibe, the hospitality and the price of Lula's! 

Back in the day you had to become a member to patronize the pub, which extracted five dollars from your wallet. Now they're a bit more relaxed, but if membership is requested, pay it!

$5 premium mixed drinks and a carefully curated draft selection is spot on, which makes Lula's one of the most affordable pubs I've ever been to!

I had an Old Speckled Hen and a shot of Powers (they ran out of Powers, Tullamore Dew, held me down the next round) all for $9 dollars. I challenge you to submit a pub with more affordable prices for premium liquor not that well crap!

And they're usually cool about letting you stay past a bit past 2 AM (normal closing time for area bars/clubs). After Lula's closes take a half a block walk to the pier that sits on the venerable Cape Fear River. 

If you meet someone in the pub,  take em for a post bar walk. That majestic walk could set your night on a different course!

Lula's is the SPOT! My family knows where I'm going as soon as I hit town! Oh, and sign the mailing list, they will send you a postcard for a special birthday surprise.  

Day 2 in the books! Going to the beach tomorrow... 

*Bare with me, the posts have been delayed because of on-going issues with the internet. Stay tuned!

On The Road, Literally

Time for a Summer road trip! I was coaxed into taking a long drive down south (Wilmington, NC, then the Outer Banks, NC) for some real R&R. Well the coaxing was initiated because of my disdain for the 10+ hour drive, but needless to say if I wanted R&R, I literally had to hit the road!

Even though this blog will feature NYC based social and cultural events, from time to time, I will have out of state and out of country (hopefully) excursions I would like to share.

With that said, I've decided to document this trip with blog posts, photos and videos. It'll be as if you're traveling with me.

My destination has been determined, welcome aboard!

Day One photos below.

5:30 AM

Win A Prize in Virginia 

In it to win it

Yeah, Right!

NC or Virginia 

Kenly Giftshop

Kenly 95

Days two and three coming!