Wilmington, NC-My First REAL Southern Experience

The truth of the matter is Myrtle Beach is not living up to my southern experience expectations. It's too touristy. Sure I can get shrimp and grits, fried okra (or fried anything), and sweet tea but where are the southern-style plantation homes? The homes with big columns? The cute downtowns? The history????? 

My Aunt Leslie is on a business trip to Wilmington and invited me to join her. She's awesome and I was absolutely delighted to accept her invitation and to spend time with her. Plus, I critically needed this, an outing, some time with family. 

I arrived around 9:30am and we headed straight for the ocean. We walked along the beach, chatted, laughed, swapped stories, picked up shells, touched the water. It was great. Then we cruised around the residentials/vacation spots near the ocean. They are pretty nice. Not trashy or anything and the inlets are really pretty. 

Next we headed to downtown Wilmington and spent the majority of our day walking around, shopping, wandering in and out of shops, exploring. It was grand. I was nervous about downtown Wilmington because I've never been there and was expecting a large downtown. Negative. It's beautiful, quaint, and not intimidating at all. We wandered through the farmer's market where I saw some legit Venus Flytraps. I want one!!!! We saw this (of many) cool restaurant where the customers can sit on their own private balcony and enjoy an intimate meal. So cool. 

A little bit of the tree-lined downtown. I think this is Market Street. 

Cobblestone streets included!

 I saw my first river boat. Definitely in the south. 

My darling, fabulous, wicked fun Aunt Leslie! 

(That's the USS North Carolina in the background)

There are some shops in a series of buildings that make up "The Cotton Exchange." I learned this place is allegedly haunted. Huh. I did not see or feel any haunted beings but, the shops were neat!

Quaint southern, historic architecture 

We had ice cream at the famous Kilwins. 

They make fresh waffle cones right in the store. KILLER selling technique and boy oh boy are they gooooood! I got the sea salted caramel ice cream (A+) and Aunt Leslie got the Pecan Praline, which she gave the nod of approval to. I will be coming back here. The line was out the door!!!

Picture from here

After our jaunt downtown, we set out to explore the intercoastal waterway. As my mom likes to say, we were "cruising the residentials." This happens to be one of my favorite things to do and it is perfect that my Aunt Leslie likes it too! Must run in the family. So we saw a few stunning neighborhoods and then stumbled upon a boating area and got out to see the marshes and the inlet. 

It smelled like home.

I could have cried but I was too excited!

It smelled like the ocean! That briny smell, you know? Oh I loved it! Myrtle Beach doesn't smell like the ocean. It smells like fast food and cigarettes...LAME. 

Needless to say, this was one of my favorite parts of the day. 

 Not to mention it even resembles New England. 

Now. Let's back up to our downtown jaunt. As we were popping in and out of shops, we went into this neat antique store. I was sooo excited because I have yet to find a legit antique store in the Myrtle Beach area. Bummer. So, as my Aunt Leslie and I were wondering around oooohing and aaaaahing at several things, we came upon the dishware aisle. I saw this plate and instantly, before I even processed what it was, recognized that boathouse. 

Picture from here

My first thought: HOME. My second thought: Rockport.

Rockport, Massachusetts. The boathouse.

Fun Fact: Apparently, this is one of the most photographed and painted things in America. I was tickled. Thrilled. Blissful. In disbelief. I gingerly (ha-no pun intended!) picked it up and was relieved to find it was indeed a real, glass, authentic plate (no cheapo knock-offs or plasticware!) and had to have it. 

So now it's hanging in my room and it brings out the reds in my pillows and the throw at the end of my bed. And it makes me really, really, really, really, really, really, really happy.

Wilmington, NC was fabulous. It's southern and classy. It has bits and pieces that remind me of home, and so naturally I feel connected to this town. I will be returning, probably several times as it is a quick zip up 17N and only takes about an hour and a half. It's the southern experience I have been waiting for and had expected when I moved south, with a dash of New England. Gabe-Approved. 

Freckles the Nerd and Marshmallows

So remember that post I made oh, last January? If you have no idea what I'm talking about you should read it because then this post will make a whole lot more sense. I did not keep my resolution but that's ok! Someone recommended marshmallows, and since I'm drinking my first cup of hot chocolate of the season (Ghirardelli no less, delish!) and marshmallows go well with chocolate, off we go! (This is where I wish I were Ms. Frizzle and had a magic school bus)..................Marshmallow candy dates all the way back to 2000 B.C. to Egypt (Egypt had it going on, cool pyramids, marshmallow candy, dang!)
Marshmallows actually, although not surprisingly, come from....plants! And boy they are pretty too.
The marsh mallow plants (althea officinalis) are grow in salty marshes so they can, I liked this, "bask in salt sun." The Egyptians discovered (how? I have no idea. Who thinks of these things? This is probably one of the reasons I'm alive now, when all of this sweet stuff is around. I'm in awe) they could extract the sweet substances and made a confection that was only reserved for the pharaohs and gods. Probably another reason I'm alive now because I would have had to either be royalty or a marshmallow-stealing thief and probably would have gotten killed. I digress (but in all seriousness). The Egyptians would boil the pieces of marsh mallow root pulp with sugar until it thickened and then it was strained, cooled, and mixed with honey, grain, and baked into cakes.

The Healing Powers
Marsh mallow roots and leaves were used for medicinal purposes to treat chest pains, to soothe coughs and sore throats, and as an ointment. It was also used as a laxative and to treat inflammation. Common people only tasted marsh mallows when they took pills; in fact doctors sometimes hid the medicine inside the candy to cover the pill's undesirable taste. BRILLIANT. Applesauce vs. marshmallows, yes I'll take marshmallows please.

Faaaaaaaaaaaast Forward to the 19th century, France
J'adore le Francais! Candy makers in France decided to combine the sap (a binding agent) with egg whites and corn syrup, whip them, heat them and poured into molds. Thus, a yummy confection. However it was expensive and slow because it required casting and molding of each marshmallow. Perhaps the most fascinating part of this is the French candy makers made them by hand. I would have loved to have seen that! But as demand grew for this delectable treat, they had to come up with a quicker method: the starch mogul system. Here's how this beauty works: a machine automatically fills trays with starch about 2 inches thick, then it's evened off and compressed. Next, a printing board, made of plaster, wood, or metal trays shaped to mold marshmallows is pressed into the starch and retracted. Then the space created is filled with hot creme. Delish....

1900
By this time, marshmallows were sold as penny candy. Gelatin and other whipping agents replaced mallow root. In 1948, Mr. Alex Doumak (founder of Campfire Marshmallows) was looking for ways to to speed up production and discovered the "extrusion process," which, of course revolutionized marshmallow production. In the extrusion process, marshmallows are made by piping the fluffy mixture through long tubes and cutting its tubular shape into equal pieces. And today it takes a whoppin' 60 minutes to make one marshmallow.

Now, let's briefly talk about....

PEEPS!!!!!

1953- Just Born candy company bought Rodda Candy Company, which produced a marshmallow chick. Just Born loved it so much so they...
1954- Mass-produced chicks and voila! Peeps are born
1960s- Just Born starts to manufacture seasonally shaped Peeps
1980s- Just Born releases Marshmallow Peeps Bunny
1995- Peeps were only produced in pink, white, and yellow BUT this year they added the lavender Peep
1998- Blue Peeps
1999- Vanilla-flavored Peeps produced
2000- Strawberry-flavored Peeps
2002- Chocolate-flavored Peeps introduced (it took this long!??!)
1987-present: Gabe still does not like Peeps

FUN FACTS
*Sacramento, CA is home to an annual Peep Off, a 30-min Peep-eating contest
*All Peeps are created equal....EXCEPT for Peeps Hearts and Peeps Eggs, all bunnies, chicklets, and Peeps animals under the sun are made with a distinct recipe and signature flavor. Peeps hearts have a hint of strawberry added to them, and can only (obviously) be found during Valentine's season. Peeps Eggs are the only vanilla-flavored phenomenon.

And so ends my adventure. Thank you for joining Freckles the Nerd. Please, do come again.

Many thanks to...
http://inventors.about.com/od/foodrelatedinventions/a/marshmallows.htm
http://www.twisted-candy.com/marshmallows.html
http://www.campfiremarshmallows.com/history-of-marshmallows.asp
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/194855/valuable_marshmallow_peeps_facts_you.html
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Marshmallow.html
http://www.google.com

Suggestions for my next adventure?

Sunday scribbling: adventure

Since I'm waiting for my laundry to finish up (at midnight...I need to wear a specific shirt tomorrow), I decided to finish this blog that I started a few days ago....

So tell us about adventure: have you been on one lately? Are you planning one? Do you see adventure as something you can have daily or do you save it up for a rainy day? What are your thoughts on adventure?

As a matter of fact I have had quite a splendid adventure! It's called Halloween and it's probably one of my favorite holidays. My costume this year was probably my favorite ever though. Three of my friends and I decided to originally dress up as the Planeteers from Captain Planet. If you remember the show there are actually five planeteers and since we were missing a fifth, we decided to stick with the idea but dress up as the elements rather than the Planeteers. I think it was FAAAAABULOUS!

Earth, Water, Wind, Fire

So that was one adventure. It was positively blissful! I had so much fun!

Now on to my real thoughts on adventure:
I'm about to embark on a real adventure. I'm graduating in April from college and I'm scared. For the first time, my life isn't planned. I mean, it is. I know what I want to do, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen (which is usually the case, except I'm usually fairly confident in what will happen. For example, I wanted to get into BYU, got in. I wanted to be a dietetics major, I got in, you what I mean?). I may or may not get the internship of my absolute dreams. I may or may not do an internship. I may or may not have to change my life's course. It's frightening and scary and sad. And yet it's also exciting. I mean I can do whatever I want!!!! I can go anywhere! That is so cool!I'm almost overwhelmed with the freedom. But there are so many "what ifs." I just don't like that. So part of this adventure will indeed be a trial of faith and patience and will include prayer and deep breathing. Lots of deep breathing. And stress balls. Good thing I only have about 5 stress balls (one is a peanut...I love it!). Eh hem...I digress....
But seriously, I'm excited. Life after college consumes my thoughts daily [which might I add, I cannot wait until this process is over. The whole consuming my thoughts and causing me to cry, panic, freak out, and cry more is really quite tiring]. Where will I go? Who will my new friends be? Where will my new favorite hang outs be? I know one thing for sure. I need to be around people. I go OUT OF MY MIND being by myself for extended periods of time. Humans were definitely made to interact. I dislike being alone. It's the extrovert in me...

I think adventures are fabulous. And I also think we have small adventures daily and, obviously, larger ones (graduating, marriage, kids, etc.) too. I'm having an adventure growing up. It's hard. I'm not always a fan. Sometimes I just want to call my mom and have her tell me everything will be ok and to give me a hug. Except there is a 2 hour difference and she's 2500 miles away. Sad day. But that's life right?

Speaking of life, I bought a book today. This one:
It's great. I highly recommend it. It's just filled with little tidbits and pieces of advice Brown originally wrote to his son when he started college. I love it. I may start a blogging adventure and blog about some of the treasures in this book!

Laundry's done!

Once Upon a May day....

.....a girl went on an adventure. Not just any ordinary adventure, but a beach adventure, taking her along the New England coastline.

This red-haired girl with freckles carried with her some essentials for a perfect beach adventure: her orange beach bag, beach towel, sunscreen, and books. These books weren't just any beach books either; they were the Betsy-Tacy books, a favorite series of hers as a child. She had decided to reread them just for fun...and because she could.
Her first stop was Rye Harbor, a favorite niche of hers. There is a land bridge here that she likes to walk on. It's quite serene.

{please note the difference of the water to the left and right....beautiful}

It was here that she couldn't quite stop smiling ear to ear. The waves rolled in, crashing against the rocks....
....and the water in the harbor was crystal clear. Of all the times she's visited this special place, she's never seen this!
It was marvelous and the red-headed girl was very happy. She paused for a few moments and breathed in the salty, briny smell of the Atlantic. Mmmmmm. She watched the boats cruise out of the harbor and bob in the ocean, the seagulls cruise in the sapphire sky, and listened to the waves crash.
Then she decided to continue on her adventure. Along her way she spotted the beach roses in bloom. My how good they smelled!

"The perfume of roses are like exquisite chords of music composed of many odor notes harmoniously blended. " -N F Miller

Her next stop was her most favorite spot along the coast. It is here that she always spends her beach days. It's not a sandy beach, although one of those is nearby, rather she prefers to freckle (as opposed to tan) upon great, big boulders and rigid rocks, where pools of ocean water collect and tiny creatures live. It was here that she set up her blue striped beach chair and beach towel and began to delve into her childhood with Betsy, Tacy, and Tib. As she devoured the adventures of the young girls, the red-head with freckles (which were quickly growing in number as the sun lured them to POP! onto her skin) realized she had a visitor....
...a ladybug! This ladybug was very dark though, a cherry chocolate color, no doubt from tanning in the sun. Her name became Betsy, after the heroine in the books the red-head was reading. Betsy flew away after a few minutes of exploring human fingers.
After reading for a few hours, the red-headed girl with lots more freckles decided to engage in one of her most favorite beach activities: hunting for sea glass. Her favorite spot with all the rocks also has a pebble beach hidden away a short walk from where the red-head was reading. She put on her shoes and hopped rocks to the spot.
When hunting for sea glass, one typically finds a great deal of brown and green pieces. Occasionally a white piece will manifest itself. The rarest pieces are the dark blue and red ones (red is the rarest of them all supposedly from the old, old lobster traps when they were partially made of glass). The red-headed girl had only once found a red piece and this was after hours of digging and searching. Today, only after a minute of searching, her eye caught something blue...a piece of sea glass and a large piece at that! Hoooray! She continued digging around the beach and found lots of pieces of green, brown, a few white, some neat rocks, even some sea-foam green pieces, and a green marble! Quite content (and sun-burned), she decided her day had come to an end. She set off to her yellow house to pour over her new-found beach treasures....

"Today is a smooth white seashell, hold it close and listen to the beauty of the hours." -Unknown

What a wonderful day!


“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”-Jacques Coustea