Hello readers! It's been much longer than intended since my last post. My summer job has seen me traveling quite a bit over the past month. Locations include Saint Michaels, MD, Assateague Island, as well as Washington, DC. Now, you might be thinking that each of those trips should be getting its own post with all of the pictures I probably took. Unfortunately, my old phone got fried by torrential rain while I was in DC, resulting in me losing years worth of pictures and contacts. So alas, there will be no Saint Michaels or DC post as initially planned. However, I was able to replace my phone the very first day of our annual Outer Banks trip, so I am thankfully able to bring you yet another post from the great state of North Carolina.
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Our Outer Banks trip is a tradition, and like most traditions, it is seldom to change. So if you want info on where I ate, shopped, and lived, check out last year's OBX post. However, we received several surprises during this year's trip. The majority of the sand dune that separated the Blanchard from the beach had vanished, giving us more beach than dune in all.
Our new view from the "crow's nest" of the Blanchard. No longer adorned with sea oats.
Another change was the heavy rain that lasted the first two and a half days of our stay. While it usually rains at least one day during our trip, that day is typically the last or close to the last day of the week. Still paranoid from losing my phone in DC the day before leaving for Nags Head, I carried my new phone in a plastic bag whenever there was even the slightest chance of rain. However, we still got a few good beach days in, even on days it did rain.
Unflattering candids come with the territory.
Whale Hat (Vineyard Vines)
Wayfarer Sunglasses (Ray Ban)
Aloha Shirt (Pacific Legend Apparel) USA
* Baggies Shorts (Patagonia)
Vineyard Vines Whale Hat- See other posts.
Ray Ban Wayfarer Sunglasses- See other posts.
Pacific Legend Aloha Shirt- There is no way around it. The Aloha/Camp/Floral shirt is a summer staple. While some might avoid them for being too loud, ugly, or dad-like, that's kinda the point. Its all about relaxation and having a little fun, so why not do it while dressed for the islands? But don't blow your money on one from Tommy Bahama or some other premium maker. Go with Pacific Legend, which actually makes its shirts in Hawaii. I got mine from Ben Franklin, a beach store in Nags Head, for under $30 about six years ago when tropic shirts were the only item in my summer wardrobe (PacSun unfortunately). While I have put most of my other aloha shirts out to pasture, I have kept this one due to its domestic manufacture. If you want one too, just google the brand and you'll likely find a shirt you like on Amazon for no more than $40. Just try to keep the shirt in beachy settings. Not everywhere can be Margaritaville.
*drapes sweat shirt over shoulders after he gets too hot --> almost immediately gets called "Brad" by waiter*
J. Crew Crewneck Sweatshirt- With the breeze coming off the ocean accompanied by the already cooler temperatures, this sweatshirt came to use several times during the week. The caption is a true story, so be warned. #DontBeABrad
Vineyard Vines Whale Shirt- See other posts.
Leatherman Ltd. Crab Motif Belt- Freshly bought from The Cotton Gin boutique in Nags Head. As a Marylander, I am way overdue for this belt.
L.L. Bean Chino Shorts- Photo was taken just before a wave kissed their tips. Another case for Chubbies. See other posts for more.
Fossil Chronograph Watch- My main summer watch for everyday wear. The Bulova is only broken out with dress clothes or Ivy inspired outfits. For more, see other posts.
Aside from the beach, I also spent quite a bit of time in the town of Manteo. While I briefly touched a bit on Manteo in my previous OBX, I will be going into more depth today. Manteo is located on Roanoke Island, about ten miles from Nags Head via causeway and bridge. The island was home to the first English colony, which vanished without a trace during the late 16th century. Manteo is now a popular tourist town full of bed and breakfasts and shopping opportunities. It also was the home of the late entertainment legend and Chapel Hill grad Andy Griffith, who got his acting career started acting in Manteo's long running outdoor play The Lost Colony.
One of Manteo's many BnBs, the Roanoke Island Inn.
The Lost Colony Brewery & Cafe sits in the center of the downtown.
Manteo is also home to the Roanoke Maritime Museum, which hosts weekly Saturday regattas on the nearby Roanoke Sound.
One of the Maritime Museum's exhibits. While much smaller than the ones in Saint Michaels and Newport News, one can still appreciate what the Manteo museum has to offer.
The aftermath of this past Saturday's regatta.
Across from downtown Manteo is the Roanoke Island Festival Park, which features a reconstructed Indian village and Elizabethan era ship for ticket-holders to tour.
In addition to a marketplace in the park and regatta on the sound, Manteo hosts bluegrass performances on Saturdays at its bandstand.
One of the most famous sites in downtown Manteo is the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse.
J. Crew Chino Shorts- Bought from Uptown Cheapskate. Probably my most frequently wore pair of shorts this summer. Yellow can be paired with more than one might think.
Sperry Topsider Boat Shoes- Go-to shoe for the week. As I discovered in DC, Alden loafers don't hold up in the rain, but Sperrys do. See other posts for more.
