According to Raleigh Mag's Instagram, South of the Border's days may be numbered.
I distinctly remember as a kid getting so excited as we would drive I-95 and get closer to the amusement park/shopping center/truck stop/outlet mall. I was BUMMED when my parents told me it was in SOUTH Carolina, not North. (I'm since come to terms with that.)
Conflicted on this .... always hate seeing anything go out of business - especially something that has been so iconic for so many years. But at the same time, I personally haven't stopped there in probably 20 years. (So that probably makes me part of the problem!)
Best of luck, Pedro. You are right: I never "sausage" a place.
Recently, while attending my daughter’s high school cross country meet (Go Caps!), I was struck by the name of one of the competing schools. It’s a school I’ve heard of many times before, but never really thought about the name:
First Flight.
How badass is that?
In case you don’t know, First Flight High School is based in Kill Devil Hills, the site of the Wright Brothers’ first successful manned flight. (Do our friends in Ohio have a First Flight High?)
That got me wondering about other “cool” high school names throughout North Carolina.
(Full disclosure: I went to Triton High in Harnett County, named for the three “towns” that came together to the school. Were we the Kraken, or the Tridents or even the Titans? Nope. Hawks. Go figure. But I digress.)
So here is a very short and incomplete list of cool high school names. Now, unless it’s a super cool person, I’m not gonna include schools named for old white guys. (That may be a list for another day.)
So, in no particular order, are some of the cooler-sounding high school names in the Old North State. Which ones did I miss?
For those of us who live here, it's really no surprise that North Carolina is a wonderful spot for summer road trips. But now others are taking notice.
According to WalletHub (don't ask), North Carolina is in the top 10 best states for summer road trips. The study calculated its findings based on three key factors:
N.C. makes it into WalletHub's top 10 states for summer road trips at No. 9. The state receives an overall ranking of 57.41, ranking No. 15 in the country for costs, 35 for safety and 6 for best activities.
The Old North State can thank 62 scenic byways and favorable gas prices as a couple of reasons for the high ranking.
Here are the top 10 states for road trips, according to WalletHub:
One of our favorite pastimes here is to gloat about the importance of North Carolina agriculture and "exports" during the holidays. It's hard to argue, after all.
Think of your Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, and there's a very good chance a large part of it hails from our state.
To wit:
And though you can't eat them, Christmas tree production continues to be a major economic engine here, particularly in the western part of the state. North Carolina traditionally is among the top 2 states for trees.
Speaking of ... if you can, by all means support WNC tree farmers this year and buy a real tree.
Image courtesy of FeedtheDialogue.com
We are big fans of the spooky and the creepy that North Carolina has to offer. (We've documented that many times through the years.) So you can imagine our excitement when we got an alert that there's a new resource from the good folks at Visit North Carolina called "First in Fright." And just in time for Halloween, too!
"From historic hauntings to unexplained mysteries, find out why these North Carolina destinations will haunt you in the best way."
The site offers spooky trails for the coast, piedmont and mountains -- and haunted places where you can spend the night -- IF YOU DARE!
Oh, and there's a podcast.
Check it out. Even though it's fright-tastic, the site also offers a list of family-friendly events available all over the state.
The folks over at WUNC very recently published a really well-done piece about the history of Beach Music -- and how it helped teach us Southerners "how to dance sexy."
(They also somewhat concur with the Beach Music Origin Story that I, personally, subscribe to -- and professed on a recent episode of the Finest Worksongs podcast, which you can listen to here.)
Charlie Shelton-Ormond: It actually started in the mid to late 1940s, kind of, uh, like post World War II on the Carolina coast. So John Hook told me about a guy who was white and had a club at Carolina Beach in the mid 40s, and he started playing this kind of soul music off of a jukebox, followed by getting out there on the dance floor and showcasing the kind of dancing he'd seen in the Black community, which eventually came to be known as shag dancing.
So one thing to keep in mind is while most people tend to think of Beach Music as a VERY WHITE attempt at enjoying Black R&B, it is -- at its essence -- a very integrated genre of music -- and should be celebrated as such.
HOWEVER, one of the most interesting parts of the WUNC piece is the "difference" that they point out between the shag dance and "swing" dance -- though they are essentially the same -- or at least VERY similar if embraced by different races.
Anisa Khalifa: So at this festival that Curtis Platt puts on, is he showcasing the same kind of dance that you can find at the Spring Safari? How does it compare?
Charlie Shelton-Ormond: It's similar, but it's not the same. So Curtis said white folks call it shag, and the Black community has always called it swing.
Anisa Khalifa: Oh.
Curtis Platt: What you call the shag, but we call it swing dancing. The art of the dance doesn't really change. It all derived from the lindy hop and the jitterbug. And of course the beach music, they call it the beach music, the shag, but. That's in the history books, but in the Black community, it's the swing.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond: As Curtis is saying, shag dancing and swing dancing, it's all kind of coming from the same starting point, um, but there are distinctly different labels that people put on this different type of dancing.
No matter what you call it, it's such an important piece of our heritage here in the Carolinas. Thanks to WUNC for honoring it.
According to a YouGov survey, 17% of North Carolinians would very much like to secede from the Union. This wouldn't be the state's first (or even second) taste of secession -- neither tended to end well, if we're being honest.
But it should be noted that N.C.'s percentage is below the national average from this survey.
The idea of states leaving the American union has attracted substantial attention in recent months amid near unprecedented tensions between Democrats and Republicans, which surged following the 2020 presidential election. In February 2023, House Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia sparked controversy and debate by calling for a "national divorce" between "red states and blue states."
The YouGov survey found that 23 percent of adults want their state to become independent, with 51 percent opposed and 27 percent unsure. The poll was conducted between February 2 and 5.
The Old North State falls squarely in the middle of the pack. Alaska, Texas and California are the most prone to want to secede at 36, 31 and 29 percent, respectively. The most "pro-union" states are Minnesota, Ohio, Massachussets and Rhode Island at 13% (MN) and 14%.
Pepsi.
Texas Pete.
Krispy Kreme.
Those are some of the most well-known brands in America, and they were born in North Carolina. But they are not alone. The Old North State has also given birth to some other high-profile brands like Cheerwine, Mount Olive pickles, Bojangles, Hardee's and Goodys powders.
We can also add to the list Cook-Out and Biscuitville, though they are both more regionally-bound brands and Biscuitville, admittedly, started in Danville, VA. Also, don't sleep on Lance crackers:
In 1913 Phillip Lott a food broker from Charlotte got stuck with 500 pounds of peanuts. He sold them and was then inspired to create the now popular snack company.
(Also: What is the deal with all this food?!)
But what is the most iconic "brand" of all to come from North Carolina?
One could argue sports/college brands like the ACC, UNC, Duke, NC State would make the list. Or perhaps NASCAR (which got its start in the hills of the state).
Or, perhaps, the most famous brand is just "barbecue." I think we may all agree on that ... though WHICH kind may still lead to some PASSIONATE discussions.
Image courtesy of NCTripping.com
I don't recall what it was that spurred this thought, but the other day I wondered, "What are the quintessential things that every North Carolinian MUST do at least once?"
It may have been an article about the dunes at Jockeys Ridge that had me thinking about it. Or it may have been a discussion about Sliding Rock. Regardless, what do you think are the things that should be givens if you are to call North Carolina home?
Here are a few off the top of my head, in addition to the aforementioned ones:
What else would you include on this list? Please share in the comments.
Sliding Rock image from Blue Ridge Mountain Life
On Friday, May 12, on the North Carolina island of Ocracoke, a ceremony will be held once again to honor British seaman who were lost off the coast more than 80 years ago. And while the event itself is special, it is worth noting that the soldiers are buried -- technically -- on British soil.
This year marks the 81st anniversary of the sinking of H.M.T. Bedfordshire off the North Carolina coast on May 11, 1942, writes the Island Press. ... Representatives from the British Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy will be in attendance, as well as members of the United States Coast Guard, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and students from Ocracoke School.
When the ship went down due to a German torpedo, all 37 sailors on board died. Most of the bodies were never recovered, save for the four that washed ashore on Ocracoke.
From Atlas Obscura:
The people of Ocracoke wanted to honor the four men, and a small plot of land was donated to create a British Cemetery alongside the village cemetery. Initially it was unofficially cared for by the townspeople, simply thankful for the sacrifice of the sailors. Eventually the grounds were leased in perpetuity to the British Commonwealth for as long as the sailors are buried there, so technically the four men are buried on home soil.
... Plaques near the graves tell the story of Bedfordshire and list all the names of those who died, and a few lines from poet Rupert Brooke:
“If I should die think only this of me
That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England.”
If you'd like to show support, you can make donations at ocracokepreservationsociety.org/donations or make checks payable to Ocracoke Preservation Society with “British Cemetery” in the memo line and mail to: OPS, Box 1240, Ocracoke, NC 27960.
Easily one of our favorite (and most popular) Tar Heel State ghost stories is the Devil's Tramping Ground near Siler City. It's the place where Satan reportedly does his nightly planning by walking in a circle -- and thus ruining the ability for anything to grow.
Now, the "Devil's Stomping Ground" is being immortalized in film, writes WRAL's "Out and About." (In fact, kudos to WRAL for an extensive look at the history of the spot.)
In the movie, a group of college film students visit the place in rural NC known as "The Devil's Stomping Ground" to shoot their senior short project. Their footage is recovered the next day, but the students are nowhere to be found.
...
It seems like the mystery of the Devil's Tramping Ground has always been part of North Carolina's mythology. However, all stories must have a beginning, and many would be surprised to discover written accounts of the tramping ground dating back into the 1700s – and oral accounts dating back to before the founding of the United States itself.
In fact, the Chatham County Deed Book has a 1784 deed referring to the Devil's Tramping Ground as 'the Poison Field tract,' meaning the unusually barren spot was well known enough to have a name even then.
The movie sounds an awful lot like "The Blair Witch Project." But who are we to judge -- especially when it's about one of our own special spots. According to IMDB.com, the filming has taken place/will take place in Wilmington and the actual spot itself.
As mentioned yesterday, we are all about producing holiday foods here in N.C. this time of year. And while the Old North State may not be a top-producing potato state (as compared to, say, sweetpotatoes), that doesn't mean we don't love taters here anyway.
According to this survey*, North Carolina ranks No. 29 in our love of potatoes.
For this study (or spudy, if you will), our team asked Americans across the country about their potato preferences. To accomplish this task, we surveyed 2,208 participants throughout August of 2022 about what types of tater temptations they craved and what starchy setbacks to avoid. We also analyzed Google Trends search interest data by state for the most popular potato dishes, like french fries, potato salad, and potato casserole.How do we prefer to eat them? In chip form, apparently.
These results shouldn’t come as a surprise, as potato chips are a tasty snack that can be enjoyed on their own or as a side to a sub or sandwich.
Mashed potatoes came in second place, claiming 13 states across the U.S. Many would argue that no Thanksgiving spread is complete without mountainous mounds of mashed potatoes on the table. Mashed potatoes are also convenient and easy to make for any other day of the year, especially if you choose to use a mix or a similarly prepared version of the popular potato dish. While less glamorous, many mashed potato mixes made from dehydrated potatoes only require a pot of boiling water to cook.
And, finally, North Carolinians are one of three states that prefer mayonnaise vs. ketchup, ranch or other sauces for dipping french fries. The other two states? Louisiana and our neighbors to the north, Virginia.
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*Full disclosure: the company that conducted the survey, Verdesian Life Sciences, is my employer.
North Carolina is one of the leading states when it comes to holiday-related foods and agricultural outputs. In fact, NC State updated those talking points recently.
Our state takes production bragging rights for at least three of the top holiday dishes. North Carolina ranks 1, 2 and 3 throughout the U.S. in sweetpotatoes, turkey and ham, respectively.
“I can just about guarantee that someone can make an entire holiday meal just on what is produced in North Carolina. Turkey, goose, duck, quail, chicken… sweetpotatoes, squash, sweet corn, beans, carrots, onions, broccoli, well I guess some people even eat cauliflower,” says Jesse Grimes, turkey management Extension specialist.
It's also easy to forget a few of those other non-A list crops as well, according to NC State.
Don’t forget that the state grows a variety of fruits great for incorporating into desserts, including strawberry and blueberry crumble, peach cobbler, apple or pumpkin pie. And last but not least, there are nearly 200 wineries and over 300 breweries to add festive libations to any celebration.
And that's not all. As referenced at the beginning of this post, Christmas trees are also a point of pride as NC tends to rank in the top 2 of all Christmas tree sales.
Image courtesy of NC State
Five years or so ago we asked the question: "Are we losing beach music?" This genre of music is so quintessential North (and South) Carolina; for it to fade away is to lose a significant part of our cultural history.
Thankfully, for years we had the pleasure of "Charlie Brown" bringing us his beach music radio show. Sadly, Ed Weiss (his real name) passed away recently at the age of 80. From the News & Observer:
His radio show, “On The Beach,” was syndicated on about 40 stations across the Southeast, making him one of the most well-known voices in Beach music radio.
Beach music, R&B music largely recorded by Black artists, started gaining traction among young, white North Carolinians in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Because the music industry was still heavily segregated at that point, teenage Carolinians could only hear the music on jukeboxes in beach towns like Atlantic Beach and Myrtle Beach. ...
As Beach music spread, it popularized “shag dancing”— essentially a slowed-down version of the jitterbug — which is now the official popular dance of North Carolina. Weiss was inducted into the Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame in 1996 for his contributions to the movement.
Listen, I am not someone who hangs on to the past just for the history's sake. North Carolina has changed dramatically, and the folks who have moved here have brought tremendous cultural positives from points beyond. That's a good thing. However, as a native North Carolinian, Beach music is and was a major part of my upbringing -- and for many people before and after me. Heck, my wife and I shagged at our wedding. But I do worry that more and more people do not know about Beach music and how great it is. In fact, I heard a comment recently that a local lifestyle magazine editor was given the suggestion to include something about the genre, and the response was "what the hell is Beach music?' That makes me sad. And I don't necessarily blame that person; we have clearly not kept it pertinent enough.
R.I.P. to Ed Weiss. But hopefully beach music will live for decades to come.
A couple of years ago we (excitedly) posted about learning about "The Mutilator," a horror movie filmed in Atlantic Beach back in the mid-1980s. (Yes, it has it's own IMDB entry.) As we noted then:
This movie was very much an Atlantic Beach creation. According to IMDB, the cast and crew stayed at a nearby motel, "which was owned by writer/director Buddy Cooper's family. Buddy now owns the motel. Much of the film's crew still work there" In fact, the Cooper family has a long history of town involvement. To wit, the current mayor of AB is A.B. "Trace" Cooper III.
The original cast included Matt Mitler, Frances Raines, Bill
Hitchcock, Ruth Martinez, Connie Rogers, Jack Chatham, Ben Moore, Pam
Cooper and Cooper, according to the Carteret County News-Times. "Filming occurred at various locations in
Atlantic Beach and Morehead City. The working title of "Fall Break" was
scrapped when distributor Marvin Friedlander saw the initial ad campaign
and found it lacking."
"Wanting to make 'a gore movie for gore fans,' Cooper changed the title to "The Mutilator" and had to superimpose that over the pre-printed Fall Break promo materials."
Well, Chuck Waters at the Carteret County News-Times recently did a
feature on Cooper that revealed that he (and others) are making "Mutilator 2" or "M2," as the early logos called it. Oh, and it already has its own IMDB entry.
According the article, the second installment in the Mutilator series boasts a working budget of about $1 million. Cooper is "optimistic that M2 will get a better shake from the MPAA — and the box office — than its predecessor did."
"I think the environment for horror movies is more accepting of the genre now than it was in 1985. Certainly, the gore that the MPAA demanded that we remove from The Mutilator for us to get an R is tame, by today's standards. There are many new ways to distribute a movie today. In addition to theatrical release, there is DVD distribution and a host of streaming sites. Plenty of ways to get a picture out there today, especially if it has something going for it — in which case it will be in demand," Cooper said.
Good luck to another NC cinematic classic!
"Dr. Beach," also known as Stephen Leatherman (the name his mama gave him), recently released his Top 10 U.S. beaches list. At the top? Ocracoke Island's Lifeguard Beach tops the list this year, with Buxton's Lighthouse Beach ranking No. 6.
Leatherman -- an NC State grad -- uses 50 criteria in evaluating 650 public beaches. He examines sand softness, water temperature and clarity, beach width, and even wildlife.
Leatherman has been compiling his annual list of top 10 beaches every
year since 1991.
Leatherman's list has its origins in a class he taught at the University of Maryland. A student was writing an article for a travel magazine and asked him to come up with a list of the 10 best beaches based on his expertise as a coastal scientist. He began producing his official annual list in 1991 using his 50 criteria and his vast knowledge of U.S. ocean beaches. "I had visited every (ocean) beach in the U.S. for a Department of Interior study ... so that gave me the background data set to work from," he said.
Congrats to Ocracoke and Buxton!
Back in November, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland formally declared the term “squaw” – denoting an American Indian woman – as derogatory. Not surprising, there are a number of geographic place names in the country -- more than 600, to be exact -- with that term in it. That list includes 37 states - including one spot in North Carolina. (A high concentration of sites names using the term can be found in the American West, especially in Arizona, California and Idaho, according to Statista.)
The spot ID'd here in North Carolina? A stream called Chesquaw Branch in Graham and Swain counties, up in the mountains.
N.C. is not alone (clearly) in having some, uh, unfortunate place names, as we have discussed in the past. After all, who could forget Bloodrun Creek in Chatham County? Or Maggot Spring Gap up in the mountains? Surry County boasts Pinch Gut Branch, while Kill'em Swamp bubbles over in Hertford County.
From Statista:
Jeremy Markovich is one of the best modern North Carolina archivists. He truly captures the weird, fun and peculiar about the Old North State over at his "North Carolina Rabbit Hole." (If you haven't subscribed yet, you are truly missing out.)
In his latest, Markovich makes the case for the 5 most "batsh*t" NC-based movies. And honestly it's hard to argue with this list:
They all are insane in their own ways. Of course, we have a sweet spot for the, uh, interesting Atlantic Beach-based film "The Mutilator."
But if we are talking the most "authentic" North Carolina film? In our book, that goes to "Junebug."
One of our family holiday traditions is to watch "Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas" (and also "Twice Upon," the not-as-good follow-up). One of the stories is the Disney take on "The Gift of the Magi." The kiddos asked the other night about the original story, which reminded me that Greensboro native O. Henry's tale is one that speaks to the heart of Christmas perhaps better than any other -- well, with the exception of THE Christmas story, that is.
We reflected back in 2009 about "The Gift of the Magi." Be sure to click on that if you'd like to read the full tale again.
Happy Holidays!
