Sunday PM - A Walk Around Downtown Wilmington

This afternoon was gorgeous! After our morning on the beach with surfers (and a few bikers), we were ready for some laid back strolling. Marge, Pepper, and I ambled along the Riverwalk for a bit but decided that, as beautiful as the Cape Fear River was today, we wanted to explore the downtown shops a bit. So we turned up from the river at Market Street and went to Kilwins for chocolate-covered pretzels to fuel our exploration. While Pepper and I were waiting outside the totally awesome chocolate and ice cream store for Marge to buy the pretzels, she and I decided to check out the horse trolley parked in the center island. I tried to take a photo of the horses alone but, as you can see, Pepper moved into the center of the shot - just can't take the ham out of the dog.

Anyway, with chocolate pretzels in hand (only very temporarily, they were gone by the time we reached Front Street - all of maybe 80 feet away), we headed east. We took a right on S. Front Street and almost immediately found a cool little shop we'd not noticed before. The Italian Gourmet Market as 22 S. Front Street has been open for nine years, and we've been here for five years, but we just didn't notice it before. I'll tell ya we will for sure be back often. Proprietor Frank Delia and Sunday helper extraordinaire Anita were friendly, knowledgeable, gracious, and, this is the best part for me, totally passionate about their store and their wares. We bought some roasted fava beans and a nifty Italian spice to try tonight when we cook some fresh shrimp - can't wait. This store stocks Italian appetizers and snacks, desserts, pastas (they have a pasta club we will check out), wines, and ceramics. Frank just got back from a trip to Italy and has a selection of great-smelling handmade soap bars if you're into bath items that look, feel, and smell good.

It was a full, beautiful day today in Wilmington. We're truly blessed with a splendid variety of quality places, activities, and people. The weather helps, too.

Countdown to the HoeDown - 7 Days to Go!

OK, folks, get yer costume ready, slap on some monster makeup, and party on the river on Halloween Eve. October 31st, Riverfront Wilmington, North Carolina. It's called the Halloween HoeDown and part of the Downtown Sundown Concert Series. Featured groups include The BarnRaisers with Woodwork Roadshow. Special guest appearances by the Cape Fear River, lots of cool folks, and you! So you've got to be there, we're counting on you.

Produced and sponsored by the Downtown Business Alliance with a lot of help from a bunch of other folks. Here's the official list:

Sponsors of the 2008 Downtown Sundown Concert Series: Part 2 include Coors Beer, Waterford of the Carolinas, Dish Network, MADD, 106.7 The Penguin, encore, 103.7 The Bone, The Star News, Slice of Life, Loose Lucy's, Wilmington Downtown, Inc., and Blu Zeus Interactive Marketing. Support services provided by the City of Wilmington.

Costume prizes, door prizes (which since there's no door might be hard to win), and the chance to be silly and have fun in public.

The usual rules apply: no outside booze or beverages, no coolers, no pets, no pets in coolers, like that. You can bet everything but coolers and pets will be available for purchase, so don't let that stop you.

Questions? Call Katie Lucas of DBA Wilmington at 910-343-4114 or e-mail
katie@dbawilmington.com .

Pepper Loves Downtown Wilmington

Sunday was such a glorious day! Marge, Pepper and I took advantage of the great weather to hang out in downtown Wilmington for a few hours. As usual Pepper made lots of friends. Marge and I pretty much gravitate toward Kilwins at 16 Market Street whenever we're in downtown Wilmington. Yesterday I had an excellent (and generous-portioned) single scoop cup of Turtle ice cream - my only complaint was the plastic spoon was kinda flimsy which slowed my progress. We also bought some of their nifty chocolate-covered stick pretzels to fuel our progress around town. Spent some time in Native Soul Indigena at 25 Market Street and Marge bought some very pretty pink shell earrings.

Pepper loves to pose for the camera. Ever since she was a puppy she learned to sit and stay when I would take her picture, and she still is great about that. Even though there were a lot of people around the river front river walk I put Pepper on the walkway and told her to stay while I took her picture with the river in the background and she was great about it. Pepper is a strong people magnet.