North Carolina Archives - Page 2 of 4

20 June

Everything Really Does Come Together Here – Part Three

Jackie B2020-06-20T17:01:52-04:00June 20th, 2020|Blog, Uncategorized|

In the last two blog posts, I have spotlighted how New Bern has adapted during coronavirus. From the Craven County schools to our favorite restaurants to helping out charitable organizations, New Bern residents truly come together. Here are three “normal for now” activities to enjoy: The Grass is Green Tryon Palace's gardens are a must-see anytime you visit New Bern. Every season brings a different collection of blooms. While the Governor’s Palace remains closed, the Tryon Palace Gardens are open and seem even more majestic than before. I had previously heard the gardens were the plan of a

23 April

Everything Really Does Come Together Here

Jackie B2020-04-23T14:04:15-04:00April 23rd, 2020|Blog, Uncategorized|

While I typically write about all the really cool things to do in New Bern and surrounding places, it seems appropriate this month with the Coronavirus pandemic to write about the really cool residents of our town. The people of this fine small city always seem to meet, actually exceed, the challenge. Our Schools During this remote learning phase, it's not always going to be smiling faces. Everyone deserves a little slack these days! While our parents had to learn “new math,” we have all had to adapt to a new way of learning. Teachers, administrators, staff, parents and

25 March

Road Trip to Raleigh – Part Three: Making History

Jackie B2020-03-25T17:09:31-04:00March 25th, 2020|Blog, Uncategorized|

I had just a few hours left in Raleigh, and I had a couple of stops left on my agenda. Having spent the morning touring the Capitol Building and the Museum of Natural Sciences, I had worked up quite an appetite. Just Add Gravy Oh my gosh! How can such a simple dish taste so decadent? A New Bern friend provided a top recommendation for lunch, a restaurant named Gravy. Was this to be a homestyle cooking café? Once I came upon the restaurant, I realized gravy referred to homemade pasta sauce. Gravy is everything you desire in

28 February

Road Trip to Raleigh – Part Two: Science “Fare”

Jackie B2020-02-28T18:32:51-05:00February 28th, 2020|Blog, Uncategorized|

In last month’s post, I wrote about my visit to the North Carolina Capitol Building in Raleigh. That was just the beginning of amazing places to explore in this beautiful city. For the next part of my journey, I did not have to go very far. Around the corner to be exact, to tackle the subject I struggled with in school--science. A Stone to Pick With the museum's worldly exterior, I had to see what was inside. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is the Southeast’s largest natural history museum. It has exhibits on four floors that are,

27 January

Road Trip to Raleigh – Part One

Jackie B2020-01-27T12:42:34-05:00January 27th, 2020|Blog, Uncategorized|

Many of you know that New Bern served as the first state capital and home to the first capitol building, Tryon Palace. On my most recent excursion to New Bern, I had a business side trip to Raleigh. Finally, the opportunity to experience the “other” North Carolina capitol building. For those of you who follow this blog, you likely realize it will be my number-one stop during free time. Pre-Visit Refresher First, a brief history lesson as to why Raleigh was favored over our beloved town. As the latter part of the 18th Century progressed, so did the population growth moving

23 December

Rocky Mount, Oh My! – Part Two

Jackie B2019-12-23T14:37:51-05:00December 23rd, 2019|Blog, Uncategorized|

You may recall from last month’s post that I stayed an extra day in Rocky Mount because there was so much to experience. That decision was a good one, and it began with my nighttime accommodations. Oh My! #3 – A Tiny Night A minimum of space affords a maximum of enjoyment at the River and Twine, a tiny house hotel! How excited I was to read about River and Twine, a tiny house hotel in Rocky Mount Mills. I had never been in a tiny house before, and here before me were over a dozen of them! How

13 November

Rocky Mount, Oh My! – Part One

Jackie B2019-12-23T13:21:14-05:00November 13th, 2019|Blog, Uncategorized|

Of all my childhood travels to Eastern Carolina, along with my frequent visits to New Bern, I had yet to head northwest up the road to Rocky Mount. As with the other cities and towns visited in North Carolina, this one had quite a few surprises up its sleeve. Oh My #1 – Beer! I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Rocky Mount, population of about 55,000, is home to several breweries. I also learned that Rocky Mount Mills houses many of them. Actually, it is a brew incubator program with Nash Community College, where students learn the brewing business while

14 October

A Whirlwind Day in Wilson

Jackie B2019-10-14T14:51:07-04:00October 14th, 2019|Blog, Uncategorized|

I have fond memories of visiting Great-Aunt Ruby for my mom's family reunion. I vividly recall the tobacco fields and rich farmland on the way to her home. Since Wilson is only 75 miles from New Bern, it was definitely time to go reminisce about my childhood summers. The good news: Wilson is still a wonderfully charming town. A Whirlwind of Creativity The Whirligig Park in Wilson is one of the coolest outdoor places I have ever seen! "You must go experience the Whirligig Park." The whirly what? Everywhere I stopped, a friendly local told me it was on

12 September

A Red, Bites and Blue Day

Jackie B2019-09-12T17:27:12-04:00September 12th, 2019|Blog, Uncategorized|

About 37 miles right down U.S. 17 from New Bern, you will discover another charming town, Jacksonville. While I had often visited the city in Florida, the North Carolina version was refreshingly different. It all started with my visit to an actual distillery. Walton's Distillery includes a fantastic gift shop for unique finds. Red in the Face Walton's Distillery makes moonshine, whiskey and bourbon. It is a working, small-batch facility with mashing, fermentation, distillation and bottling of spirits. Daily tours (except Sunday) showcase the process and experience of seeing a functioning moonshine still. Better yet, the owners have incorporated

15 August

I Like the Original, Little Version of Washington

Jackie B2019-08-18T17:05:00-04:00August 15th, 2019|Blog, Uncategorized|

On one of my recent trips to New Bern, I blocked out extra time to visit Washington. The town in eastern North Carolina, and yes, it is named after the first president. Where’s Opie? I remember visiting Washington many years ago to see my Great-Aunt Ruth. I recalled the quaintness as if I was were in Mayberry from The Andy Griffith Show. On this visit, I half-expected to see the likes of Andy Taylor or Barney Fife. The drive to Washington is an easy one, about 36 miles up north on U.S. 17. The town boasts a scenic waterfront along the