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Say It Forward
Today's blog is the second in the series of "Say It Forward"........where we thank one of our co-workers for the work and effort they put forward on behalf of Village Realty or First Colony Inn.
When I think of this next person here are words that come to mind:
"quietly efficient"
"unflappable"
"always pleasant and professional"
"a team player"
as well as someone I would immediately hire if I was starting my own company.
She works at the front desk in our Nags Head office and is one of those people that just "gets it done". If you ask her to help with something there is never a reason to check behind her.........she will do all you ask and more.
Christine is one of those rare individuals who gets along with everyone, is respected and trusted and can be counted on to help with whatever is needed. Working at the front desk means you (a) take reservations all day long (b) answer questions from guests and owners who either call or walk in (c) check guests in and out on the weekends (d) and a thousand other things on a daily basis.
I have heard her supervisors say on more than one occassion how valuable she is to the company and how much they enjoy working with her. That pretty much says it all.
So, Christine........this one's for you! Thank you for your dedication, customer service skills and your caring attitude towards both guests, owers and your fellow employees.
You are appreciated and we want you to know that.
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
J
BK The RM
*(The Corolla office of Village Realty is comprised of a group of people who are very close and who work well together. The Rental Manager is Bill Koebernick and his team sent the following comments to me this morning. This is part of the "Pay It Forward" philosophy that was mentioned in a recent company newsletter. When you admire someone for who they are or what they do, or even for a specific act of kindness or courage that they have performed, never hesitate to let them know this. Your kind words or kind gesture could make a big difference in someone's life at any given time. Bill has no idea, I am sure, that the people he supervises/work with feel this way about him and knowing Bill --he used to be MY rental manager when we both worked somewhere else---I am sure he will be a little embarrassed but also quite touched by the sentiments expressed here. )
From Krista Templeton; The Owner Liasion and also the official Corolla cheerleader and one of my dear friends:
It is our pleasure to work with Bill Koebernick! Bill is a great friend, person and manager to us all! Bill is often one of the first people in the office daily. He is often one of the last in the office daily as well. And, I say 'daily' because he is here often on his days off attending to business that could not be addressed during the regular work week. Now, I know this can often be expected of upper management especially in the summer. But, Bill recently came in on his day off to have a cook out for us…now come on…how cool is that? And, I was actually put in charge of it but simply could not manage to find the time. Bill did all the shopping and Andrew Darling had the helm at the grill! TEAMWORK at its finest!
I just don't know where to begin and end because Bill does it all! Where is he when a package needs to be picked up or delivered? There he is…backing his truck up to help. He is off right now picking up our Corolla Light packets for the upcoming weekend. He recently helped guests relocate from a Currituck Club house due to unforeseen damages into a new home that was vacant that particular week. And, he has physically moved guests on many occasions. He is a very caring person and manager. He offers excellent customer service daily. He tries very hard to find a win/win solution so that owners stay and guests return. He can often be found disposing of trash for guests, owners and the office. He also helps haul off our recyclables. He is a great communicator. He keeps our office 'in the loop' with area events and information from our local Currituck Chamber and/or Board of Tourism. He keeps us posted on marketing committee decisions and web team highlights. He delegates well but jumps right in with the front line to do whatever it takes to run a smooth office. He is much appreciated for this as he is one of the team more so than the team leader but he wears well both 'hats.' He too is greatly appreciative of his staff and values deeply their input and opinions on the daily operations of the office. He is well respected and is respectful of others. He always has a quick answer when anyone is in a pinch; he trusts well his instincts and is often right in doing so. It is best to make a wrong decision that one can make amends of later than to make no decision at all. He takes full responsibility when something goes wrong in our office and is accepting to be made accountable if the 'goof' is ours. He is flexible with our schedules as long as our work is done and the front line is covered. I can always count on him for anything! He does not ask for or require a pat on the back to do all the things he does but he is well deserving of one!
Who can say it best but the staff that works alongside him........
From Sami…....I've only recently started working for Rentals...but I think Bill is an Awesome Boss. He stands up for his staff as well as the whole Corolla Staff, be it rentals, sales, maint. or housekeeping. He has a wonderful, fun way about him…
From Karen.....…I have lots of good stuff to say about Bill. I think he is a highly effective manager, who truly understands the meaning of customer service. Rarely does a guest not feel satisfied once Bill has intervened on their behalf. I feel as though Bill has a wonderful way with his staff - he gives guidance and then encourages his staff to handle situations to the best of their ability. This makes a staff member feel like a valued contributor to the mission of Village Realty. I admire Bill's athleticism; he runs, he dives, he plays volleyball, and all with the same commitment that he has to his professional life. And he probably qualifies as the Outer Banks Most Eligible Bachelor!! (*Personal note here from writer--Bill is quite handsome!)
From Bernie…....Bill is hard working and is always willing to try to resolve problems he is always available for us. I have never worked for a better Rental Manager. His dedication and loyalty should be recognized.
From Dianna…Bill is one of the best bosses I've ever had.
From Holli....…Bill, I just wanted to 'Thank you' for the flowers (he gave all of us girls flowers the other day for no reason) and as well 'Thank you' for all you have done for me. But, I will tell you that that is what makes you who you are as a great manager. I am very happy to have you and Krista as my managers and I couldn't ask for better because you both are the best. You are a great person and I am honored to work in Corolla.
This post gave me an idea and I will be featuring different Village Realty employees once a week. We have so many dedicated, talented, loyal and innovative people who all work together........that is part of what makes this company what it is. So, my wonderful co-workers........start thinking about what you want to say about who!
And Bill........I hope this gets your weekend off to a great start!
""We are not put on this earth for ourselves, but are placed here for each other. If you are always there for others, then in time of need, someone will be there for you." -- Jeff Warner"
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
JM
From Krista Templeton; The Owner Liasion and also the official Corolla cheerleader and one of my dear friends:
It is our pleasure to work with Bill Koebernick! Bill is a great friend, person and manager to us all! Bill is often one of the first people in the office daily. He is often one of the last in the office daily as well. And, I say 'daily' because he is here often on his days off attending to business that could not be addressed during the regular work week. Now, I know this can often be expected of upper management especially in the summer. But, Bill recently came in on his day off to have a cook out for us…now come on…how cool is that? And, I was actually put in charge of it but simply could not manage to find the time. Bill did all the shopping and Andrew Darling had the helm at the grill! TEAMWORK at its finest!
I just don't know where to begin and end because Bill does it all! Where is he when a package needs to be picked up or delivered? There he is…backing his truck up to help. He is off right now picking up our Corolla Light packets for the upcoming weekend. He recently helped guests relocate from a Currituck Club house due to unforeseen damages into a new home that was vacant that particular week. And, he has physically moved guests on many occasions. He is a very caring person and manager. He offers excellent customer service daily. He tries very hard to find a win/win solution so that owners stay and guests return. He can often be found disposing of trash for guests, owners and the office. He also helps haul off our recyclables. He is a great communicator. He keeps our office 'in the loop' with area events and information from our local Currituck Chamber and/or Board of Tourism. He keeps us posted on marketing committee decisions and web team highlights. He delegates well but jumps right in with the front line to do whatever it takes to run a smooth office. He is much appreciated for this as he is one of the team more so than the team leader but he wears well both 'hats.' He too is greatly appreciative of his staff and values deeply their input and opinions on the daily operations of the office. He is well respected and is respectful of others. He always has a quick answer when anyone is in a pinch; he trusts well his instincts and is often right in doing so. It is best to make a wrong decision that one can make amends of later than to make no decision at all. He takes full responsibility when something goes wrong in our office and is accepting to be made accountable if the 'goof' is ours. He is flexible with our schedules as long as our work is done and the front line is covered. I can always count on him for anything! He does not ask for or require a pat on the back to do all the things he does but he is well deserving of one!
Who can say it best but the staff that works alongside him........
From Sami…....I've only recently started working for Rentals...but I think Bill is an Awesome Boss. He stands up for his staff as well as the whole Corolla Staff, be it rentals, sales, maint. or housekeeping. He has a wonderful, fun way about him…
From Karen.....…I have lots of good stuff to say about Bill. I think he is a highly effective manager, who truly understands the meaning of customer service. Rarely does a guest not feel satisfied once Bill has intervened on their behalf. I feel as though Bill has a wonderful way with his staff - he gives guidance and then encourages his staff to handle situations to the best of their ability. This makes a staff member feel like a valued contributor to the mission of Village Realty. I admire Bill's athleticism; he runs, he dives, he plays volleyball, and all with the same commitment that he has to his professional life. And he probably qualifies as the Outer Banks Most Eligible Bachelor!! (*Personal note here from writer--Bill is quite handsome!)
From Bernie…....Bill is hard working and is always willing to try to resolve problems he is always available for us. I have never worked for a better Rental Manager. His dedication and loyalty should be recognized.
From Dianna…Bill is one of the best bosses I've ever had.
From Holli....…Bill, I just wanted to 'Thank you' for the flowers (he gave all of us girls flowers the other day for no reason) and as well 'Thank you' for all you have done for me. But, I will tell you that that is what makes you who you are as a great manager. I am very happy to have you and Krista as my managers and I couldn't ask for better because you both are the best. You are a great person and I am honored to work in Corolla.
This post gave me an idea and I will be featuring different Village Realty employees once a week. We have so many dedicated, talented, loyal and innovative people who all work together........that is part of what makes this company what it is. So, my wonderful co-workers........start thinking about what you want to say about who!
And Bill........I hope this gets your weekend off to a great start!
""We are not put on this earth for ourselves, but are placed here for each other. If you are always there for others, then in time of need, someone will be there for you." -- Jeff Warner"
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
JM
And the Winner Is............Mike from Indiana
For the second year, Village Realty was happy to co-sponsor the Great Vacation Giveaway in conjunction with the Outer Banks Connection (www.obxconnection.com). There are no strings, nothing to buy to qualify. Just enter on the OBX Connection website. The winner's name was drawn on July 4th and will be staying in one of our beautiful homes in The Currituck Club.
Village Realty pays the owners for the week and we take care of the cleaning, make sure the towels and linens are at the house, make the beds and do all we can to help the winner have a wonderful week. The lucky family will be staying in a soundfront home, one of my personal favorites. The name of the home is 'Panache' and you can Click Here for more information.
Good kharma gets paid forward and the owners of this home discounted the rent by half which helped us, since again, we pay for the week. Kharma is working because the winner, Mike S from Indiana, posted a great story on the OBX Connection Board that he said I could share with you all. Here are his comments:
"Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
First, I have to say Thank You to Will, to Village Realty and to all of you for your kind words. You have no idea how timely is was to win this vacation at this time, so I have to tell you all a little story. (this will be long, sorry)
Some of you may remember me posting about how long it’s been since our oldest son, Andy, has been to the beach with us. The last time was in June of 2001. That was just weeks before his going into basic training and then air borne school down at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He signed up for the Army National Guard earlier in the year. Ever since then if it wasn’t one thing it was another. If it wasn’t his two week annual training with his guard unit (which always falls in the summer months and never with enough notice) it was his year long deployment in Afghanistan. (which covered up the summers of 04 and 05. This year he couldn’t go because he was signed up for the Army Ranger School down at Ft Benning. He has been there since April 18. If any of you have ever heard anything about ranger training then you know this is absolutely hell on earth. You may even hear soldiers talk about actually preferring to be in combat then going through this school. If any of you are interested, go to youtube and do a search for “Army Ranger Training”. You will find a nine part TV documentary about it.
The training starts with two weeks of “Pre-Ranger”. This is where guys find out real quick if they really have what it takes to be a Ranger. Some drop out on the first day. After that comes the three phases of the school itself, The Benning Phase, The Mountain Phase, and The Florida Phase (or swamp phase). Soldiers get a short leave in between each phase so they can call home. We heard from Andy after pre-ranger. He was doing fine but was already starting to get lean, “ripped” as he called it. We heard from him again at the end of The Benning Phase”. He was still doing Okay and was moving onto The Mountain Phase. He told me that 430 guys started The Benning Phase but only about 230 finished successfully.
During this time his wife, Julie, was planning a short surprise vacation for the three of them. That is, Andy, Julie, and little George. Since it has been so long since he has been to the beach, any beach, she had made arrangements to go from Ranger graduation on July 3 to somewhere down on the gulf coast for about three days.
Well…the end of The Mountain Phase happened to fall on the Friday of our week in Duck. We did not get to hear from Andy but Julie did and the news was not good. He was not successful in The Mountain Phase and was being “recycled”. That is, he had to do that phase over again. (along with many other soldiers) Julie tells us he was really down and especially disappointed because he may have ruined her surprise. (he knew of it but not what it was) Remaining positive, Julie moved the reservations for the condo on the gulf to the end of the next possible graduation, July 25.
So now, another three weeks of silence pass while we hope to hear good news at the end of the phase. The call came on July 4 and once again the news was not good. He was not successful in that phase…again. And neither were 40 of the 45 other guys in Bravo Company. And since you can’t be recycled twice in the same phase he would have to do a “day one restart”. That is, go back and start over at the Benning Phase. They offered that he could stay down there and wait for the next Benning Phase in two weeks during which time he might recover physically. But by this time he was down to 160#s from 190#s on a six foot frame, both knees swollen, and tingling sensations in the fingers on both hands, likely from carrying very heavy ruck sacks for days and miles on end. Obviously two weeks would not be enough time to heal up enough to go through all of this again. So, he elected to come home. (perhaps another time)
To say that he is very depressed and disappointed would be the understatement of the year. To go this far and have to leave without having that Ranger tab on his uniform must be heart breaking. Especially, with two of his best buddies in his guard unit already having their’s. At this point he just wants to get home, get back to a normal life and more importantly to be re-united with his wife and reacquainted with his son, who is nine months old today. Not so fast! The fourth is a four day government holiday so there’s no one down there to “out process” these guys until Tuesday. This is probably just as well. This way Andy could get some food and rest before making the ten hour drive home.
If you know our daughter-in-law then you will never know a kinder, more caring, and more importantly, a more determined individual. Now she had to cancel the condo on the gulf but was already scheming on new vacation ideas for the three of them.
Well….now comes Saturday morning. It’s about ten o’clock or so and I’m still in bed, awake and thinking about getting up. (I’m a night owl) In walks my wife with the cordless phone, “Here, it’s someone from…ah…the obxconnection???” All I could do was stare at her and I think my mouth probably hung open for a few seconds before I said “No Way”. And I think that’s pretty much all I could say for the first few seconds of my conversation with Will. In fact, I’m still not sure I believe it.
I think my wife ran down stairs to get her cell phone to tell Julie who immediately proclaimed it as “Devine Intervention”. We have since talked to Andy several times and this news has really helped to pick up his spirits. We may see him again late Tuesday night but more likely on Wednesday.
So, again, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
And George Thanks You!"
It is always nice when good things happen to nice people, and to deserving people and this certainly qualifies. Last year's winner was Maureen and she couldn't have been any nicer or more appreciative and Mike sounds like a genuine person with a caring family who I am positive will enjoy their time here.
It was a nice way to start the week!
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
J
Some of you may remember me posting about how long it’s been since our oldest son, Andy, has been to the beach with us. The last time was in June of 2001. That was just weeks before his going into basic training and then air borne school down at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He signed up for the Army National Guard earlier in the year. Ever since then if it wasn’t one thing it was another. If it wasn’t his two week annual training with his guard unit (which always falls in the summer months and never with enough notice) it was his year long deployment in Afghanistan. (which covered up the summers of 04 and 05. This year he couldn’t go because he was signed up for the Army Ranger School down at Ft Benning. He has been there since April 18. If any of you have ever heard anything about ranger training then you know this is absolutely hell on earth. You may even hear soldiers talk about actually preferring to be in combat then going through this school. If any of you are interested, go to youtube and do a search for “Army Ranger Training”. You will find a nine part TV documentary about it.
The training starts with two weeks of “Pre-Ranger”. This is where guys find out real quick if they really have what it takes to be a Ranger. Some drop out on the first day. After that comes the three phases of the school itself, The Benning Phase, The Mountain Phase, and The Florida Phase (or swamp phase). Soldiers get a short leave in between each phase so they can call home. We heard from Andy after pre-ranger. He was doing fine but was already starting to get lean, “ripped” as he called it. We heard from him again at the end of The Benning Phase”. He was still doing Okay and was moving onto The Mountain Phase. He told me that 430 guys started The Benning Phase but only about 230 finished successfully.
During this time his wife, Julie, was planning a short surprise vacation for the three of them. That is, Andy, Julie, and little George. Since it has been so long since he has been to the beach, any beach, she had made arrangements to go from Ranger graduation on July 3 to somewhere down on the gulf coast for about three days.
Well…the end of The Mountain Phase happened to fall on the Friday of our week in Duck. We did not get to hear from Andy but Julie did and the news was not good. He was not successful in The Mountain Phase and was being “recycled”. That is, he had to do that phase over again. (along with many other soldiers) Julie tells us he was really down and especially disappointed because he may have ruined her surprise. (he knew of it but not what it was) Remaining positive, Julie moved the reservations for the condo on the gulf to the end of the next possible graduation, July 25.
So now, another three weeks of silence pass while we hope to hear good news at the end of the phase. The call came on July 4 and once again the news was not good. He was not successful in that phase…again. And neither were 40 of the 45 other guys in Bravo Company. And since you can’t be recycled twice in the same phase he would have to do a “day one restart”. That is, go back and start over at the Benning Phase. They offered that he could stay down there and wait for the next Benning Phase in two weeks during which time he might recover physically. But by this time he was down to 160#s from 190#s on a six foot frame, both knees swollen, and tingling sensations in the fingers on both hands, likely from carrying very heavy ruck sacks for days and miles on end. Obviously two weeks would not be enough time to heal up enough to go through all of this again. So, he elected to come home. (perhaps another time)
To say that he is very depressed and disappointed would be the understatement of the year. To go this far and have to leave without having that Ranger tab on his uniform must be heart breaking. Especially, with two of his best buddies in his guard unit already having their’s. At this point he just wants to get home, get back to a normal life and more importantly to be re-united with his wife and reacquainted with his son, who is nine months old today. Not so fast! The fourth is a four day government holiday so there’s no one down there to “out process” these guys until Tuesday. This is probably just as well. This way Andy could get some food and rest before making the ten hour drive home.
If you know our daughter-in-law then you will never know a kinder, more caring, and more importantly, a more determined individual. Now she had to cancel the condo on the gulf but was already scheming on new vacation ideas for the three of them.
Well….now comes Saturday morning. It’s about ten o’clock or so and I’m still in bed, awake and thinking about getting up. (I’m a night owl) In walks my wife with the cordless phone, “Here, it’s someone from…ah…the obxconnection???” All I could do was stare at her and I think my mouth probably hung open for a few seconds before I said “No Way”. And I think that’s pretty much all I could say for the first few seconds of my conversation with Will. In fact, I’m still not sure I believe it.
I think my wife ran down stairs to get her cell phone to tell Julie who immediately proclaimed it as “Devine Intervention”. We have since talked to Andy several times and this news has really helped to pick up his spirits. We may see him again late Tuesday night but more likely on Wednesday.
So, again, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
And George Thanks You!"
It is always nice when good things happen to nice people, and to deserving people and this certainly qualifies. Last year's winner was Maureen and she couldn't have been any nicer or more appreciative and Mike sounds like a genuine person with a caring family who I am positive will enjoy their time here.
It was a nice way to start the week!
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
J
Outer Banks FairWeather Fest
From the desk of Matt Myatt, Sales Agent Extraordinaire..........and all around good guy:
"FISHING ENTHUSIASTS from all over the country participated in the First Annual Outer Banks FairWeather Fest on June 5 through June 8, to help raise money for the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD). More than 50 participants raised $2,000 for the organization, which is focused on providing the best pediatric care in southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina.
Pictured are (from left) Chris Smyers, Matt Myatt, Lea Ternes (CHKD), and Dave Wigginton. Plans for next year's event already are underway. For more information, please visit www.theburningreel.com."
"FISHING ENTHUSIASTS from all over the country participated in the First Annual Outer Banks FairWeather Fest on June 5 through June 8, to help raise money for the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD). More than 50 participants raised $2,000 for the organization, which is focused on providing the best pediatric care in southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina.
Pictured are (from left) Chris Smyers, Matt Myatt, Lea Ternes (CHKD), and Dave Wigginton. Plans for next year's event already are underway. For more information, please visit www.theburningreel.com."
Going for Broker
Kudos to one of our own today; the adorable, hard working and most efficient Jenny M. Jenny has been taking the mandatory classes needed in order to be eligible for the state exam to obtain her NC Real Estate Broker's License.
This is a big deal. The classes were held 3 nights a week for 5 weeks and from past experience (many years ago), I can tell you it is not easy to go and sit and even harder, learn new things after you have been working hard all day. There are laws, rules, regulations, real estate math and more to learn.
Jenny was a little nervous about taking her final exam but the rest of us, her co-workers, were very confident she would pass and she did. Now she goes on to take the state exam which, for me anyway, was not nearly as difficult as the class test was.
Being a licensed broker means Jenny will be able to answer specific questions from guests and owners about a variety of topics including rates, discounts, and much more. Jenny is our Reservations Supervisor and this was a logical step for her. She is also one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She is a huge help, along with Kara, to our Nags Head Rental Manager and I know both Maggie and Kara are very happy for Jenny too.
Now, she gets to attend the always uplifting, exhilarating and informative 8 hour continuing education classes each year.
And the best part..........those nightly classes are over! Congratulations Jenny!
Summer Time
As a high school student and full time resident of the Outer Banks, I have summer different than most. School let out only two weeks ago, so I have been spending lots of time at the beach, enjoying not having any school related work. After about a week and a half, I decided that I needed to get a job. Since I am a heavy computer user, I looked for a job in which I could further this interest. I needed to look no farther than Village Realty, where both my father and grandfather work. I feel quite lucky that I enjoy my job as much as I do, and after my 3 or 4 hours of work I take off for the beach to relax. Sometimes I can't believe how amazing it is to be here on the Outer Banks.
Your guest blogger from Village Realty in Nags Head,
R2
Your guest blogger from Village Realty in Nags Head,
R2
Seashells and Sandspurs
Seashells........the nice, unbroken, beautiful seashells you find after a storm.........go to:
People who stop and let pedestrians cross on the Beach Road (it is the law)
Men who still hold doors for women
Kids who says "Yes Ma'am" to their elders
Emergency Personnel
Teachers
Good waiters and waitresses
Village Realty reservation agents, housekeepers, maintenance staff and sales agents
Sandspurs................for
Profanity in public
T-shirts with inappropriate sayings or pictures
People who throw cigarettes out the car window
People who dig big holes while at the beach and do not fill back in before they leave
Talking on cell phone while driving
Being rude to your waiter in any restaurant
Disrepect of any kind
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
JM
OK.....Summer is Here
Well I have just realized that the summer is here. I am not ready for it but it came anyway. On the way to work this morning I must have passed 30 joggers, 20 people walking and countless bikers; both the casual bikers and the Lance Armstrong in training types. So keep that in mind when you are driving around....be careful. And speaking of being careful remember that on the Beach Road there are now clearly marked crosswalks for pedestrians. You cannot miss the big yellow signs. If you see people waiting to cross the street...........STOP. It is the law and is it also the nice thing to do.
There is always so much going on in the summer. The Lost Colony has reopened with all new costumes this year, due to the fire last Fall. They have an excellent website containing lots of information not only about the outdoor drama but about the other performances and productions that run throughout the summer. Ever had tea with the Queen? Now is your chance. There is also a performance of Sleeping Beauty, which the kids will love and you can even stay for brunch. Sounds like a good family day plan to me.
OK, back to work!
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
JM
Off Island On Island
I had the pleasure of spending a few days on Ocracoke Island last week. My oldest daughter and I had a getaway and stayed in a beautiful condo right on the harbor. The condo was immaculate and very comfortable and decorated with some unique artwork including pottery and some original oil paintings. Even the dishes were hand painted.
The views were both peaceful, relaxing and interesting. We could see the Ocracoke Lighthouse and watched the Portsmouth Island Ferry leave each morning and return at night. Watching the pelicans and seagulls dive for fish was fascinating. I got up early the first morning and went upstairs and just sat by myself for an hour or so...just enjoying the quiet beauty of this small island.
Breakfast was decadent Eggs Benedict with crab meat at the The Pelican Restaurant.....along with a Mimosa. Then it was time for shopping and walking, along with some stops for more liquid refreshments.
Ocracoke is just far enough away that you do feel like you are on vacation but not too far away that you dread the drive to or from the island.
There are definitely some characters who live there, just as there are those who live on our island. Local color is the politically correct term I believe. This includes people who truly want to get away from it all and those who have been born and raised on the island. Then you have all the transplants.......from all over. It makes it interesting for sure.
Time for work..........
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
JM
North Beach Outfitters
I had a great opportunity this past Friday night to attend along with my husband and a few co-workers a local event at North Beach Outfitters. North Beach Outfitters is located at 1240 Duck Road in The Waterfront Shops in Duck. The owners are past owners in the Village Realty rental program but were finally able to realize their dream of moving here after owning and renting for many years. Good for them!
Their store was celebrating its 21st birthday and they invited many friends, neighbors and area business owners to enjoy an evening of food, drinks and live music on their tab! It was a great social event as I was able to connect with some friends and acquaintances that I had not seen in a while. As a matter of fact, I saw our Nags Head Sales Coordinator, Adrienne, with her grandparents who live in Ocean Sands. I had heard great things about them but had never had the pleasure of meeting them. We soon realized that they were good friends with Bernie, one of our Corolla Reservationists, who lives in Monteray Shores in Corolla…what a small world…I mean beach…upon which we live!
Good times were had by all…but we were also able to hob-knob with a few area business owners in order to stay connected in that respect as well. It's always nice to make new business connections…pass around a few business cards…but have fun while doing it. We tried a few new beers as they had 8 different kinds available. We did have a designated driver as always…it's a must on this beach! We had some delicious appetizers provided by Coastal Provisions; their second location is just down the boardwalk from North Beach Outfitters. Their first location is located in Southern Shores Crossing right at the end of Rt.12 before approaching Rt. 158 or the Bypass (The Big Road) in Kitty Hawk/Southern Shores. They provided finger sandwiches of all kinds, a beautiful vegetable display with dips, an Asian tuna ceviche atop thinly sliced cucumbers and miniature crab cakes with a delicate remoulade sauce. I am certain I could have eaten the entire chafing dish of these…perfectly prepared! All meat…nice and crispy!
In addition, there was a raffle to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. There were 8-10 incredible prizes that were being given away. I bought three tickets and I had no idea of what my chances were as there was quite a crowd. Well, I just found out today that I WON one of the great prizes…a sweet watch valued at $135! I can't believe it! I was so excited! So, I may have to scoot out a bit early to 'collect' my prize today before the shop closes for the day…shhh…don't tell anyone! Please do check out these two websites for additional information. These guys know how to throw a party…
www.northbeachoutfitters.com
www.coastalprovisionsmarket.com
Your Guest Blogger from the Corolla office,
KT
Their store was celebrating its 21st birthday and they invited many friends, neighbors and area business owners to enjoy an evening of food, drinks and live music on their tab! It was a great social event as I was able to connect with some friends and acquaintances that I had not seen in a while. As a matter of fact, I saw our Nags Head Sales Coordinator, Adrienne, with her grandparents who live in Ocean Sands. I had heard great things about them but had never had the pleasure of meeting them. We soon realized that they were good friends with Bernie, one of our Corolla Reservationists, who lives in Monteray Shores in Corolla…what a small world…I mean beach…upon which we live!
Good times were had by all…but we were also able to hob-knob with a few area business owners in order to stay connected in that respect as well. It's always nice to make new business connections…pass around a few business cards…but have fun while doing it. We tried a few new beers as they had 8 different kinds available. We did have a designated driver as always…it's a must on this beach! We had some delicious appetizers provided by Coastal Provisions; their second location is just down the boardwalk from North Beach Outfitters. Their first location is located in Southern Shores Crossing right at the end of Rt.12 before approaching Rt. 158 or the Bypass (The Big Road) in Kitty Hawk/Southern Shores. They provided finger sandwiches of all kinds, a beautiful vegetable display with dips, an Asian tuna ceviche atop thinly sliced cucumbers and miniature crab cakes with a delicate remoulade sauce. I am certain I could have eaten the entire chafing dish of these…perfectly prepared! All meat…nice and crispy!
In addition, there was a raffle to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. There were 8-10 incredible prizes that were being given away. I bought three tickets and I had no idea of what my chances were as there was quite a crowd. Well, I just found out today that I WON one of the great prizes…a sweet watch valued at $135! I can't believe it! I was so excited! So, I may have to scoot out a bit early to 'collect' my prize today before the shop closes for the day…shhh…don't tell anyone! Please do check out these two websites for additional information. These guys know how to throw a party…
www.northbeachoutfitters.com
www.coastalprovisionsmarket.com
Your Guest Blogger from the Corolla office,
KT