March 2023

Beauty in the lens contest aims to encourage storytelling Why have an annual photography contest in Wrightsville Beach and its surrounding area? As always, this year’s photo submissions give the spectacular answer. Having such beautiful landscapes, wildlife and rich citizenry as a palette makes judging both a delight and a challenge. The challenge not only…

We as a staff always enjoy judging our annual photo competition. Once again, we are amazed by the amateur and professional photographers in our community. In our fifth year, I believe this is the best ever. Join us in celebrating the winners in each category. Growing up with National Geographic issues as a treasured source…

Patriotism soared after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The United States was now in the fight, and it seemed everyone wanted to do their part. Male pilots were in short supply. So about 25,000 ambitious women applied to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) program. Only 1,074 completed training and earned their…

The Rolling Stones may have said “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” but they would certainly find it in a rock star of a home overlooking Banks Channel at Wrightsville Beach. Kersting Peridot Interiors used a thoughtful combination of contemporary furnishings and fixtures sourced worldwide in a design plan inspired by the homeowners’ love of the…

Margaret Lippitt Rorison, known to all as Peg, was born in Wilmington during the roaring ’20s, the time of Jazz Age flappers, when Lumina lit the night sky at Wrightsville Beach, the nation’s economy surged, and Prohibition reigned.  The eldest daughter of Harmon Chadbourn Rorison and Margaret Devereux (MarDev) Lippitt Rorison, she enjoyed adventures with…

The art scene in Wilmington is thriving, with a profusion of talented artists producing compelling works in every imaginable medium. “The abundance of originality is unique to Wilmington,” says Amy Grant, owner of Art in Bloom, a gallery in Mayfaire that exhibits local art. Wilmington has become an arts destination, with much of the work…

Some of the biggest names in music have passed through the Wilmington area throughout the years. In the 1920s and ’30s, the big bands of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman played at Wrightsville Beach’s iconic Lumina Ballroom. In 1948, the Azalea Festival was born, bringing in such legends as Frank Sinatra, Al Green,…

Originating in Southeast Asia, Egypt and West Africa, okra has been nourishing New Hanover County communities for centuries. Considered a symbol of abundance in many cultures, there are several varieties of okra. Rise Up Community Farm, a local nonprofit fighting food insecurity through community gardening, includes red and green okra varieties in its weekly food…