River View

It’s a beautiful sunny summer afternoon on the back deck of Smoke on the Water the new restaurant in the RiverLights development on the banks of the Cape Fear. The bright azure sky is reflected in the river making the typically tannic water look almost blue. “This is the only restaurant with a river view…

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Goin’ Whole Hog

True North Carolina barbecue fanatics know there’s only one real way to enjoy barbecued pork: pulled right off the bone served with coleslaw and baked beans

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Designers Choice

Known for their iconic coastal style North Carolina beach towns boast some of the most intriguing combinations of old and new in their homes. But who are the masterminds behind the careful juxtapositions of driftwood and copper or of blue and white accents alongside modern steel appliances? We speak with some of the area’s top…

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Artful Evolution

As a visual artist writer and teacher Betty Brown’s creative practice and daily life are inextricably connected. Her work tells the story of a curious observant and discerning mind. “I never forget a thing ” says Brown who emanates a compelling creative energy. The artist’s attention to the world around her is reflected in the…

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The Flavor of North Carolina

They have provided mottled green arbors of shade for hundreds of years and marked the shifting of the seasons. They have caused a feud between fourth- and fifth-graders. They’ve risen up to become a new superfood. And they’ve motivated chefs to redefine their use. They’re scuppernongs and they are firmly rooted in Southern heritage and…

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Lifeguards of Tomorrow

The Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue Junior Lifeguard Program trains the next generation of guards at two highly popular summer camps held on the strand.

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Short Shorts

35 Years of Sterling Service By Annie Stevens A sense of community spirit prompted Sterling Powell to begin volunteering with the Wrightsville Beach Fire Department in 1982 when he was 21 years old. He grew up in the town and wanted to help after the Doak Apartments fire that claimed the life of Lt. Robert…

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Sowing Seeds

At first glance it looks like a typical farm — chickens lay eggs carrots sprout from the ground and blackberries hang from elongated branches. But there is something different about this small plot located near the Wilmington International Airport. It is operated in part by an unlikely group of people: lawbreakers. The men and women…

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