Carolina Beach’s 14th Annual Chowder Cook-Off

The much anticipated Chowder Cook-off will be held on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at the Lake Park. This event is always a big hit both with the local residents and the many visitors that come to eat chowder and vote on their favorite recipe. Some of the local restaurants competing for the top honors this year are: Fish Bites Restaurant, Harbor Masters Restaurant, the Lazy Pirate Bar & Grill, Rucker Johns, Surf House, Tangerines Caribbean Grill, and the Treehouse Bistro.
This daylong event includes live music and the Kidz Zone which will have face painting, balloon art, and a giant inflatable slide. There will also be hotdogs, funnel cakes, soft drinks and beer and wine for sale.
Bring your appetite to sample chowder, vote for the recipe you like best and have a wonderful day on the Island.
If you would like more information about the Chowder Cook-Off contact the Pleasure Island Chamber.

The 63rd Annual North Carolina Azalea Festival will be held April 7-11, 2010 in the greater Wilmington area.

The Festival is a celebration of Wilmington’s exceptional artwork, gardens, rich history and culture during its five days of entertainment that includes: a parade, street fair, circus, concerts, pageantry, and all that is Southern.
For more than 50 years, the folks of Southeastern North Carolina have been throwing the best party in the South and you're invited! There's something for everyone among our community's rich array of artwork, gardens, history and culture. Come join us!
For the full Azalea Festival schedule of events, please visit their website at  http://www.ncazaleafestival.org

Britt’s Donuts on the Boardwalk in Carolina Beach, NC

In the Spring the question of the days is “When does Britt’s Donuts open?”. Well I Am happy to report that starting tomorrow at 4 pm they will be open for the weekends. So if you have been hungering for those hot sweet treats, now is the time to come on down to Carolina Beach and get your fill.

Ohio motorists voted Carolina Beach, NC top vacation choice.

Carolina Beach, N.C. was named the top vacation choice for motorists from Ohio, according to the results of a readers' poll that appeared in Home & Away magazine's July/August 2009 issue. Home & Away, an AAA publication distributed to over 580,000 drivers in Ohio, placed Carolina Beach atop a list of five favorite beach destinations including Poipu, Hawaii; Sanibel Island, Florida; Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Seabrook Island, South Carolina.
Read the whole article at http://bigislandvisitoryellowpages.com/a643462-carolina-beach-is-the-top-beach.cfm
Kayaking on the Cape Fear river on the west side and miles of Atlantic beaches on the east side of the Island, bicycle riding, Amusement rides, free events and the Boardwalk were all among the reasons Carolina Beach, NC was voted the top choice.
Events scheduled for 2010 on Pleasure Island

The Little Dipper, Fondue Restaurant

Wilmington area restaurants are  close to Carolina Beach so we decided to try something different for my birthday dinner. I chose the Little Dipper fondue restaurant in Wilmington, it sounded like a fun place to eat. We had their full dinner which came with the special nightly cheese fondue (Fontina, white wine and fresh basil) with breads for dipping, salad, surf and turf entrée with the vegetable broth pot. For dessert we had the “Turtle” dipping pot with fruit and treats like marshmallows with graham cracker crumbs, rice crispy treats, cookies and pound cake. Plus I received a slice of Cheesecake for my birthday. It was a feast.
The staff couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly our server Henry really helped us pick just the right meal for my special dinner. We will definitely go back.
You must check out their nightly specials you won't want to miss out on this really nice change of pace restaurant.
Just look at all the goodies that came with the dessert!

  I am still learning to use my camera phone so the picture isn't perfect but you can see the caramel, nuts and chocolate fondue pot and all the sweet treats that we happily dove into.

Update on the lost buoy at Carolina Beach...

The buoy on the sand in Carolina Beach, NC was recovered this week by the US Coast Guard. The crew brought the large boat very close to the shore then they launched two smaller power boats to carry the pull rope across the water to the crew on the beach. Once the buoy was tied up securely the large vessel slowly backed up and tipped the buoy over to face in the right direction so that it could be towed back to its spot in line on the intercoastal waterway crossing over to the Cape Fear River.
The Coast Guard couldn’t have picked a better day to recover the buoy; with the light misty fog hanging in the air the ocean was like glass with tiny waves softly lapping the shore. All of these conditions made for a very successful recovery.
Watching the buoy being towed away from the beach made me a little sad. We have been listening to the horn blow almost everyday for the last month and a half; I will miss that mournful sound.