VISITING THE CRYSTAL COAST IN CARTERET COUNTY, NC

10 PLACES I PERSONALLY RECOMMEND YOU SEE OR DO WHILE YOU VISIT IN CARTERET COUNTY ON THE CRYSTAL COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA! 1. FORT MACON STATE PARK - An attraction for young and old! Beach access, bath houses, picnic areas, civil war fort and more! 2. PINE KNOLL SHORES AQUARIUM - Live sand tiger sharks, otters, hundreds of exhibits of marine life and wild life inside and out! Hunt for shark's teeth! 3. BOARDWALK AT THE CIRCLE on ATLANTIC BEACH - Take a walk back in history on the same strand of beach your parents and grandparents on which your parents or grandparents may have walked! 4. THE CRYSTAL COAST JAMBOREE - Live entertainment located in Morehead City! 5. CORE SOUND WATERFOWL MUSEUM - Beautiful exhibits of waterfowl and more on Harker's Island in 'DownEast' Carteret County! 6. Cape Lookout National Seashore! If I didn't know better I would think I was in the Bahamas! Be sure to visit the lighthouse also! 7. The History Place in Morehead City - Learn about the history of Carteret County and lots more! 8. Ruddy Duck's on the Morehead City waterfront. You have got to try their Greek Salad and Calamari! 9. Clawson's Restaurant in Beaufort on Front Street. Wonderful food and a great place to leave from and walk around Beaufort. 10. ? BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE NEXT BLOG AND SEE WHAT NUMBER 10 WILL BE!

LIVING ON THE CRYSTAL COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA

Personal Guide Through The Crystal Coast of NC

JOIN ME AND SHARE MEMORIES FROM YEARS OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES HERE AT THE CRYSTAL COAST OF NC When you crossed over the bridge from Morehead City to Atlantic Beach there used to be a place full of rides, a ferris wheel, cotton candy and a dance pavillion at 'THE CIRCLE' in Atlantic Beach. All of those things are gone now BUT 'THE CIRCLE' with all of its memories is still there right on the beach where it has always been. 'THE CIRCLE' is still open to the public. A bath house, swings and the 'boardwalk' are there now. Best of all the beautiful, pristine, sand and beach are still there to enjoy! They could not take that away, nor could they take away the fun of jumping the waves or the gorgeous sunrises or the sunsets over the ocean. There is also plenty of parking spaces and there are rumors (and lots of hope) the rides might return and the cotton candy. That would be a dream come true! MOVING EAST let's visit FT. MACON! Follow the beach highway east all the way to the end. Don't worry; you have not passed the fort or the park just because you can't see it. That's the way they built it! Ft. Macon was built between 1826 and 1834 and replaced Ft. Dobbs, a wooden structure built on the same site in 1756. There was another earlier fort named Ft. Hampton. Both forts eventually washed away. Ft. Macon, however, was built out of brick and mortar to stay! Kids of all ages love visiting and revisiting the fort. Climb the stairs and watch for the British ships just like the soldiers did in the Civil War! Robert E. Lee was stationed at Ft. Macon as a young soldier. For additional information click on Photo Tour of Fort Macon. WELCOME BLUE ANGELS AIR SHOW! The Blue Angels will be in Havelock and in the skies over Craven and Carteret County NC tomorrow! We will hear the 'Sound of Freedom' loud and clear and rejoice as locals do every day knowing our armed forces are closeby. PINE KNOLL SHORES AQUARIUM is definitely on the list of 'MUST SEE'! The Ocean Gallery at the PKS Aquarium proudly exhibits fearsome sand tiger sharks, endangered sea turtles which they frequently rescue, nurse them back to a healthy life they deserve and deliver them back to their ocean home, a huge array of color and species all in one gigantic tank! Plan to spend at least an hour or more to enjoy the exhibits inside and out! Follow future Blogs to learn more and more about The Crystal Coast of North Carolina!

1st Time Home Buyers Tax Extended to a LIMITED FEW UNTIL APRIL 30, 2011

UNDER $200,000 IN MOREHEAD CITY, NC CLOSE TO ALL CRYSTAL COAST BEACHES! ARE YOU IN THE KNOW? ARE YOU IN THE MILITARY? Finally, a well deserved bonus for those who protect and serve our country abroad! Do you fit the governments definition of 'qualified service member'? 1. Are you a member of the uniformed services of the U.S. Military? 2. Are you a member of the Foreign Service of the U.S.? 3. Are you an Employee of the Intelligence Community? If you have answered 'Yes' to any of these questions visit www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com to find out additional information. "WHY" you may ask? Congress knows that many service members have been posted overseas and either unaware or unable to take advange of this $8,000 1st Time Home Owners Tax Credit or the $6,500 repeat buyer tax credit. If you qualify call Gena or Harold Gilbert, BROKERS/REALTORS(R) Toll-Free at 1-877-240-0259 and ask for either Gena or Harold. Let us help you find your dream 1st or 2nd home on the Crystal Coast of NC in Atlantic Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Morehead City, Havelock or Newport. GREAT SOUTHERN RECIPE! "LOVE THAT MEATLOAF" 1 cup finely chopped onions (about 1 large) 1\4 cup of Zesty Italian Dressing 2 pds of meatloaf mix meat (or lean ground beef) 3\4 cup ketchup 1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing mix for Chicken 3\4 cup water 2 eggs 1\2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese Preheat over 375. Cook onions in large nonstick pan until golden brown stirring frequently - remove from heat Combine meat, 1\4 cup ketchup, stuffing mix, water, eggs and onions - mix well. Place meat mixture in 13 by 9 baking dish - shape into 10 by 5 oval loaf. Spread the remaining ketchup on top. Bake for 55 min to 1 hour or until cooked thru - Sprinkle with cheese, bake a few minutes more until cheese is melted. Makes 8 servings FRESH VEGGIE TIME AGAIN ON THE CRYSTAL COAST OF NC! How much better can it get that to taste that FIRST home-grown tomatoe sandwich of the year with fresh bread, a little "Dukes" mayo, salt and pepper? YUM!!! Be sure to keep those 'Better Boys', 'Bigger Boys', 'Cherry' and 'Roma' tomatoes watered good with lots of sun and fertilizer. The peppers are all growing also including the "Hot Banana Peppers", the "Cayenne" and the "Jalapeños". They make awesome Chow Chow to use on beans, hotdogs, hamburgers and greens like collards and turnips. If you are not a true Southerner or have not tried greens with home-made Chow Chow you just dont't know what you are missing! The Morehead City Marlins Baseball's first game is May 28th! Fun for all, young and old alike! For details visit www.MHCMarlins.com. There are so many unbelievable sites to vist and enjoy on the warm, clean, sunny beaches and waterways that abound on the NC Crystal Coast. The primary focus here is to offer a wonderful and safe place for all to enjoy everything that nature and her bounties proudly display to family and friends. Did you know that Bogue Island here has one of the few 'Maritime' Forest, the Roosevelt Reserve and one of North Carolina's three Aquariums which is newly renovated and now has 93,000 square feet full of interesting, colorful marine and fresh water life. Did you know it is situated in a lovely new building at Pine Knoll Shores? Did you know that Carteret County has one of the largest 'Open Ground Farms' in the United States? Don't know about 'Open Ground Farms'? Go to http://www.manta.com/c/mm2lb3h/open-grounds-farm-inc . It is fascinating information! Come visit our BEAUTIFUL, FASCINATING Crystal Coast area and beaches of Carteret County, NC SOON! FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE INFORMATION CONTACT US at www.GenaGilbertRealEstate.com Bye For Now Ya'll! Gena