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Category Archives: Dining

“Thinking Outside the Boat” Spoon River Artworks and Market, Belhaven, NC

21 Tuesday Aug 2018

Posted by “Oh Captain My Captain” in Dining

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AGLCA, Ambiance, Art, Belhaven NC, Blog, BoatUS, CruisingTheICW, Delicious, Farm to Fork, Farm to Table, Food, Foodie, Friends, Great food, History, Hospitality, Life, Mainship 34T, Memories, North Carolina, Pork chop, Reflections, Shrimp salad, Slow Dance, Spoon River Artworks and Market, Tarheel, Thinking Ouside the Boat, Truth

Tuesday, August 21, 2018.  What’s in a name?  When it comes to Spoon River Artworks and Market, in the small coastal town of Belhaven, NC, I am not sure.  And I failed to ask the owner the origin of the name.  More importantly, the meal was unforgetable.

Spoon River sign

A word of warning to my readers.  I am not a food critic, restaurant reviewer, or whatever title is adopted by pros paid to review restaurants.  I simply love food, and there are certain establishments I cannot wait to visit again.  Those establishments, I will write about, and those I have “learned my lesson from,” will not be written about. As the old saying goes, “There’s no education in the second kick of the mule!” 

Spoon River Artworks and Market promotes itself as a “farm to fork” restaurant serving artful food. I will not argue that, except to say that based on my personal experience, and their reviews on Facebook, TripAdviser, Yelp, and Google, they are serving much more than “artful food.” It could have something to do with the fact that it is owned and operated by a farmer and his wife.  The food, ambiance, and hospitality would be considered outstanding in any restaurant in the world, but it is located in a small, Eastern North Carolina town.

Spoon River interior

That comment is in no way mean to demean Belhaven, it is a wonderful, picturesque community of about 2000 residents.  It has a town dock, plus the Belhaven Marina a half block from downtown, and two other marinas, the River Forest Manor & Marina, and Dowry Creek Marina, a short distance away.  The fact that a restaurant like Spoon River Artworks and Market is located in such a small community is part of what makes it so unique.  “Farm to Fork” restaurants are just catching on in most communities across America, yet in November 2018, Spoon River will celebrate six years of operation.

Six years of operation in a community of 2000 residents, and still packing in customers on a weekday night? Most restaurant operators would tell you that is remarkable. Great food. Ambiance. Hospitality.  Plus, at Spoon River Artworks and Market, you may pick your adult wine beverage by the glass, bottle, or flight, or visit their wine market and personally choose your bottle(s) from their outstanding selection!  AND, let us not forget their outstanding Executive Chef Julio Andre!  At Spoon River Artworks and Market, they know all the secrets – and more – to a successful restaurant.

The evening that we ate at Spoon River, “the Admiral” had the most interesting and delicious shrimp salad that she has ever been served.

Spoon River Shrimp Salad

I had the thickest, incredibly tender, cooked to perfection pork chop, and “farm to fork” sides that I have ever been served.

Spoon River Pork Chop

We both left the restaurant with “To Go” containers!  And besides our dinners being delicious, abundant portions, the plates looked as if they were staged for competition.

To learn more about Belhaven, and Spoon River Artworks and Market, read Josh Shaffer’s “An Eclectic Mix in Belhaven,” that appeared in the May 2013 issue of Our State – North Carolina Magazine.  Better yet, put Belhaven, NC and Spoon River Artworks and Market on you next itinerary when CruisingTheICW north or south through North Carolina.

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Georgetown, SC…a day later than planned!

29 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by “Oh Captain My Captain” in Destinations, Dining, Marinas

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Beaufort NC, Beautiful yachts, Belhaven, BIG TUNA, Charleston, Coastal destinations, Corona, Cruising, Georgetown SC, Harborwatch Marina, ICW, M/Y Chanticleer M/V Shear Water, M/Y Integrity, Maine Boats, Mainship, Mount Pleasant SC, Slow Dance, Soundings, Trawler, Waterfront dining

When you mention Georgetown, folks immediately think of the “trendy” Washington, DC suburb – for better or worse.  THAT Georgetown is a little too “whatever” for me.  It may be an okay place to have lunch or dinner, and ‘people watch,” but it doesn’t have Harborwalk Marina or the BIG TUNA!  Georgetown (SC), home of Harborwalk AND BIG TUNA, we love you, and we’re not alone!  Harborwalk and Georgetown (SC) are our weekend get away destination and our first overnight destination on every northbound cruise.img_4690

img_6168Yesterday’s travel up the ICW to Georgetown was our first chance to see the new Garmin electronics at work.  Beautiful and user-friendly best describes the touchscreen units at the upper and lower helms.  Now I have to learn all they are capable of!

Yesterday as we cruised by McClellanville, I asked CT to take the helm while I made a quick trip to the “facilities.” In an unusual turn of events, I didn’t get the helm back until we got to the Georgetown Harbor.  So much for being the captain!  I think maybe she was identifying with Saudi women finally getting the right to drive.img_6158

Harborwalk’s new docks are still under construction, but one new face dock and a beautiful new dockside office are complete and fully operational.  Dock Master, Chris Carroll and his crew are a credit to the town — warm and friendly service that let you know you’re welcome and appreciated.  By the same token, it’s hard to go anywhere in this Georgetown without getting into a conversation with locals that seem genuinely glad you “dropped by” their little Southern town.

As always, dinner was again at the BIG TUNA.  On a side note, eat your heart out, Steve Swanson!  THAT’S why I sent you the pic.  Kate said to tell Dock that he missed a great evening of treats galore, and a beautiful sunset. Kate wants Bucky to give her a job cleaning up the French fries that customers drop. Needless to say that customers that didn’t bring their dogs on vacation sure gave Kate a lot of love.img_6167

When we docked yesterday afternoon, we were tied up across the dock from the beautiful, 114’ Westport, “Integrity.”  When we returned from dinner, we saw the 110’, 1973 Burger, “Chanticleer,” and “Shear Water,” a beautiful sport fishing boat had docked for the night.  The Hinkley launch for the “Integrity” was bigger than “Slow Dance!”  Humbling, very humbling for our little Mainship!

img_6174

img_6166Today, thanks to CT again having taken over the helm, I can finally complete this post that kept putting me to sleep last night.  Sure hope you can stay awake long enough to read it!

Fair winds and following seas.

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“Follow In My Wake”

An early sunset casts a warm light on the "Next Chapter," a beautiful 130 ft Westport, at the popular Southport (NC) Marina.
An early sunset casts a warm light on the “Next Chapter,” a beautiful 130 ft Westport, at the popular Southport (NC) Marina.
Southport Marina
Southport Marina
Big Tuna, Georgetown, SC
Big Tuna, Georgetown, SC
Sullivans Island skyJPG
Bridge Tender Marina
Bridge Tender Marina
Myrtle Beach Yacht Club
Myrtle Beach Yacht Club
Captain Buck's Port Chef James Kohler
Captain Buck’s Port Chef James Kohler
Lanes Ferry Dock and Grill features the best hot dog on the planet!
Lanes Ferry Dock and Grill features the best hot dog on the planet!
Starboard sunset
The Admiral enjoys reading, while Kate the Mate stands by the captain.
The Admiral enjoys reading, while Kate the Mate stands by the captain.
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Boatyards

  • Atlantic Yacht Basin

Destinations Along the ICW

  • Beaufort, NC
  • Beaufort, SC
  • Belhaven, NC
  • Chesapeake, VA
  • Elizabeth City, NC
  • Georgetown, SC
  • Golden Isles, GA
  • Hampton, VA
  • Little River, SC
  • Morehead City, NC
  • Southport, NC
  • Swansboro, NC
  • Wilmington, NC
  • Wrightsville Beach, NC

Great Boating Magazines

  • BoatUS Magazine
  • Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors
  • MarinaLife Magazine
  • PassageMaker Magazine
  • Power & Motoryacht Magazine
  • Soundings Magazine – Real Boats, Real Boaters
  • Southern Boating & Yachting

Marinas

  • Atlantic Yacht Basin
  • Belhaven Marina
  • Harborwalk Marina
  • Isle of Palms Marina

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