Holidays

Shamrocks, Leprechauns, and Parades: St. Patrick’s Day!

As children we learned that on St. Patrick’s Day we wear green to avoid getting pinched. There were also tales of leprechauns, and pots of gold at the ends of rainbows. As we got older, we carried on the age old tradition of wearing green, but might have added a pint (or two) of Guinness to the mix. Though this holiday began as a religious fest day for the Patron Saint of Ireland, it has since turned into an international celebration of Irish culture.

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to be abroad and in Dublin, Ireland, for St. Patrick’s Day. Starting the day with the parade of peculiar floats, a tour of the Guinness Factory (where you got a free pint of the beer when you reached the top of the 8-story factory, complete with a shamrock drawn in the foam), and hopping around Dublin for the rest of the day and in to the night, it was a celebration like no other. (And I’m sure that no other celebration will ever top it, though there are many amazing festivities throughout the United States.) New York and Boston are said to have some of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the country, New York City being the site of the first ever parade on March, 17, 1762. In the South, Savannah, Georgia, also has a buzzworthy celebration. From March 14-17, Savannah’s River Street is host to the biggest party of the year. Multiple stages are set up for continuous live entertainment. Interactive games and copious amounts of food and beverage are available as well. Though they don’t actually dye the river green, the fountain in Forsyth Park is greened for the festivities. This year, the Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2019. The parade begins promptly at 10:15 a.m., but road closures could start as early as 6:30 a.m. It’s free and open to the public! If you happen to be in the area (or feel up to making a trip), this is one event you don’t want to miss.

While parades are a traditional part of this holiday, there are also other traditions and symbols that are associated with it, like eating corned beef and cabbage. Here are a few other fun facts about St. Patrick’s Day!

• Green wasn’t always the color associated with the holiday. In fact, it was actually blue. But over the years, green started to take its place, people wearing green ribbons and shamrocks at celebrations as early as the 17^th century.
• In ancient Ireland, the shamrock was a sacred plant, serving as the symbol of the rebirth of spring. It’s also been the symbol of the country since the 18^th century.
• Leprechauns probably stemmed from the Celtic belief in fairies. They were known as cranky souls tasked with the job of repairing the shoes of other fairies. They were only minor characters in Celtic folklore, and were infamous for their trickery, which they used to protect their much-fabled treasure—the pot of gold.

No matter where you are, there is bound to be a St. Patrick’s Day celebration near you. So suite up in green, and enjoy a day of Irish culture.

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The Fourth of July Festival in Southport, North Carolina

By Bethany Tap

For over two hundred years, the small maritime community of Southport, North Carolina has gone all out to celebrate our nation’s day of independence from Great Britain. The North Carolina Fourth of July Festival in Southport is more than just fireworks and a parade (although both events are highlights of the festival). Set against the backdrop of the Cape Fear River, the festival runs the entire week before July 4th as well, with concerts, art shows, and a reading from the Declaration of Independence.

But, the celebration feels official with a pancake breakfast at the Trinity Methodist Church in Southport the morning of the 3rd. And, the celebration rolls on from there with music, dancing, street festivals and parades. Throughout the day, festival attendees can attend the Summer Regional Art Show, buy arts and crafts, and enjoy a variety of food concessions. At 10:30am, a flag raising ceremony will take place, followed by the epic festival parade, during which the newly crowned Miss North Carolina will make one of her first appearances. After the parade, there will be a car show, old jail tours, and a freedom vault—a pole-vaulting tournament. Click here for a full schedule of events.

What to Expect

Throughout the afternoon, visitors can check out the NC Maritime Museum or rock out at the Waterfront Stage. Costumed interpreters will act as living voices from the past at the Old Smithville Burying Grounds. On the Garrison Lawn, attendees can watch Live Free Pro Wrestling from 3pm to 5pm.

Finally, at 9pm along the Waterfront, the Fireworks will take place. You won’t want to miss this spectacular part of the festival, which will be followed by an encore performance. Since 1792, the men of Smithville (Southport’s founding name) have celebrated our nation’s independence. In the past, ships anchored in the harbor fired their cannons. Today, ships anchor only to watch the spectacular fireworks, but the sentiment and pride in our nation remain.

If you live in the Southport area, whether at St. James Plantation or another nearby community, or if you are interested in exploring communities in the Southport area, the Fourth of July Festival is a great time to check them out.

St. James Plantation is located in Southport proper, but there are also nearby communities, such as The Cottages at Ocean Isle Beach, and Brunswick Forest in nearby Leland, NC. Both communities are less than an hour from Southport, making for a short, scenic drive and lovely day trip. Other nearby communities include Bald Head Island, Bill Clark Homes in Wilmington, and Compass Pointe in Leland. While you’re in the area, you might as well check out all that coastal NC has to offer.

But no matter where you live, you won’t want to miss the Fourth of July Festival in Southport. People throughout North Carolina and beyond flock to enjoy the celebration, and you’ll want to be a part of it, too. Enjoy the food, art, and camaraderie and bask in the glow of fireworks, their reflections playing off of the Cape Fear River. Remember our ancestors and honor our troops. Celebrate the United States of America for all that it is, a wonderful experiment in democracy.

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The Bluffs on the Cape Fear

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Mouth-Watering Memorial Day Recipes

Memorial Day is right around the corner! While many celebrate the big day with family, friends, and a barbecue or two, it’s important to remember on Memorial Day. Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day is a holiday meant to remember those who have died while in service. Lyndon B. Johnson declared it an official holiday in 1966. Since then, we’ve celebrated on the last Monday of May every year. Many communities have their own traditions and ways of honoring those who died in service. For example, for those living at The Cottages at Ocean Isle Beach, nearby La Belle Amie Vineyards celebrates with live music, food, and, you guessed it, wine!

Many towns host festivals and parades the weekend before Memorial Day, so be sure to check your local event calendar for dates and times. One way to remember and honor those who have gone before us would be to join in on local veterans’ clubs events.

Another way to keep meaning top-of-mind is to invite veteran neighbors, friends or those you find through local groups to celebrate with you and your loved ones.

And, yes, this means cooking. Because not all of us want to be slaving in the kitchen or over the grill, we’ve pulled together a couple of recipes sure to make any celebration easy and delicious.

Everday is a Good Day For Bacon

Bacon does a body and a party good. So, we found a super-simple party pleaser takes less than 15 minutes to make, and about as long to disappear.

Taste of Home’s BLT Dip

Ingredients:

• sour cream – 2 cups
• mayonnaise – 2 cups
• sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled – 2 pounds
• 6 plum tomatoes, diced
• 3 green onions, chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, bacon tomatoes, and onions. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish bacon and green onions. Best served with crackers.

Fire up the Grill

Brush and go!

Food & Wine’s Butter-Basted Rib Eye Steaks

Ingredients:
-Bone-in rib eye steaks (number depends on party crowd)
-Kosher salt
-Freshly ground pepper
-2 tablespoons canola oil
-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
-4 thyme springs
-3 garlic cloves
-1 rosemary sprig

Directions:

1. Season steaks with salt and freshly ground pepper. Let the meat stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Add the steaks and cook over high heat until crusty on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn the steaks and add the butter, thyme, garlic and rosemary to the skillet. Cook over high heat, basting the steaks with the melted butter, garlic and herbs, until the steaks are medium-rare, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut the steaks off the bone, then slice the meat across the grain and serve.

While this recipe might seem simple, it’s destined to deliver. Serve alongside a fresh green salad, add in some smashed red potatoes, and add a fruit platter or some homemade ice cream to top it all off. With a menu like this, you may find yourself hosting Memorial Day cookouts for years to come.

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The Cottages at Ocean Isle Beach

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Easter Egg Hunts and Embracing Peeps

Easter Fun with the Grandkids

Easter is fast approaching. As you’re planning for your time with the kids and grandkids, you may be wondering what you can do to make the Easter holiday extra special for the children in your life. We’ve got a few Easter activities in mind that you may want to try.

1. The Thrill of the Hunt – There’s always the classic Easter Egg hunt. Plastic eggs filled with candy or coins and hidden, preferably outside (!), the house is always a huge hit. Not exited about sugaring everyone up? Add a step of fun and craft with boiled eggs. Dying and decorating can be as much fun as hunting for them.
2. Scavenger Hunt – Shake things up a bit this year by hosting a scavenger hunt, where the kids have to read clues hidden in plastic eggs to find the treat at the end.
3. Bunny Breakfast – If you’re grandkids are going to be around for Easter morning, consider having them help you make a special Easter breakfast of eggs and bacon, made into the shape of an Easter bunny face with the bacon as the ears. You can use blueberries for eyes and the yoke of the egg for the nose and then cut strips of cheese for whiskers.
4. Easter Deco – Decorating Easter eggs is a long-standing tradition that can be as simple as dipping eggs in dye to as complex as hours of intricate design and preparation. For the sake of the children, you might want to stick
   to something close to the former. To help the littles dye their eggs, you can put the egg in a metal whisk. That will hold it in place as you dip it in the dye.
5. P’mores – Trying to think of some fun Easter snacks to make with your grandchildren? What about P’mores, stolen from the camping classic, S’mores? Swap the marsh mellows for Peeps and you’re done!
6. For the Big Kids – Speaking of Peeps, have you heard of the Washington Post’s annual Peeps Show? It’s a Diorama building contest featuring, you guessed it: Peeps! You can go to the website and check out all the contest details at the washingtonpost.com. Some past dioramas have featured Sesame Street Peeps, Super Mario Peeps, Goodnight, Peeps (based on the book Goodnight, Moon). This project is probably best suited for your older grandkids, although the little ones would probably enjoy helping.
7. Crafts for the Littles – If you only have little ones, you may want to try some other, simpler crafts. Bunny-nose straws are a fun starter. You’ve probably seen some home-made mustache straws (straws with silly mustaches attached to them so that when you drink, you get a mustache). Instead, cut out a paper nose and whiskers and attach them to a straw to make bunny-nose. Then, take lots of pictures ;).
8. Spring into Easter – You can help your young ones craft a spring chicken using yellow paper cut in the shape of an oval for the body and two cut out handprints for the wings. Make it come alive with an orange paper beak and feet. Easter sheep can also be made this way – use a paper handprint and cotton balls and voilá.

Keep your grandkids busy and happy this Easter, and make lots of great memories in the meantime.

Wishing you and yours the happiest of Easter holidays!

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