Forty Fishy Years

Four decades since they first opened the three
North Carolina aquariums are continuing their
mission of educating the public about the state’s
marine life while also providing a fun often hands-on experience for families and tourists.

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Who will help you revive the heart of your home

There is not just one avenue to turn to go for a new kitchen or kitchen redesign anymore. A kitchen is a reflection of a homeowner’s lifestyle and when a change in life — or simply a desire for something new — calls for a change in kitchen design or a whole home there are…

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Hot trends in kitchen design

Farm Sinks Farm sinks and single-basin sinks are popping up in kitchens far from the farm these days. These trendy sinks range in price from $650-$3 000. Kitchen and Island Lighting The elegance of the formal dining room is being carried into the kitchen spaces with drama statement lighting and chandeliers. A quality pendant can…

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Art Treatise: Paintings That Pop

The colorful floral art of Nancy Noel May After 12 years Baltimore had become too monochromatic. “I could not take another winter of that ice and snow and those big mountains of slush in the parking lots ” Nancy Noel May says. “Everything was gray. I can’t even stand to watch movies that are gray…

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Stuffed

A Tasty Tour through Pocket Foods Hand over the crisping sleeve and close the microwave. Hot Pockets are not the topic. Stuffed meals come in many forms. From cheese-filled ravioli to herbed dumplings to pork-stuffed pot stickers there’s something whimsical about a petite packet of food. The legendary roots of ravioli date back to the…

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Riders on the Beach: Sand Peddlers

The beautiful deep sand of Wrightsville Beach is loved by tourists and locals alike. It’s perfect for relaxing on a lazy day watching the crashing waves and walking past the rustic piers. But riding a bike on the soft often-sloping stuff? That’s a different proposition. “Sand is tricky to ride on; it kind of has…

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Elementary Explorers: Discovering Masonboro Island

Cherished memories and maybe even future careers in marine science are formed on the sands and estuaries of Masonboro Island thanks to field trips organized by Masonboro.org. The nonprofit founded by Richard Johnson has an admirable goal of taking every fifth-grader in New Hanover County to explore and learn on Masonboro Island. Field trips for…

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Difference Maker

The first few words are spoken softly and slowly almost matter of fact. But as Vance Williams warms to the subject the intensity increases. He adopts a cadence that is almost rhythmic rising to a crescendo as he passionately makes a point before dropping back a notch. Williams once thought he’d be a preacher and…

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