Love and Oysters

By Molly Harrison | Monday, February 8, 2010
Local oysters will put you in a Valentine's mood.

It's all about the LOVE on the Outer Banks this week ...

Oysters are the food of love, right? Why is that? Now I love oysters, but I can't say they make me feel particularly amorous. They taste good, but after I eat them I'm too busy trying not to think about what I just ate - they are the filters of the sea, after all...

That said, there are two pre-Valentines oyster events going on this weekend to get you in the mood * The Friends of Jockey's Ridge is hosting an Oyster Roast and oyster-shell bag-a-thon on Saturday in the main parking lot at the park. They need help bagging oyster shells to use to encourage oyster reef growth in the sound behind the park. If you help out, you'll get free oysters to eat at the roast. It's from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 441-7132 for info * Stumpy Point's 25th Annual Oyster Feast is also Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. All you can eat fried or steamed oysters, fried fish and all the trimmings plus a bake sale. Yum. Guess I'll be running extra far on Sunday. Call 473-5869 for info * Just remember what the old-timers on Roanoke Island say: Never mix oysters and that other Valentine favorite - chocolate.

Speaking of eating ... Just about every restaurant on the Outer Banks (the ones that are open, that is) is having a Valentine's special this weekend. I've got my eye on Ocean Boulevard's four-course dinner special with Champagne on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Bonus: Mojo Collins is play Friday night) * Basnight's Lone Cedar is hosting a Valentine's dinner/dance on Sunday night with Old Enough to Know Better playing the tunes * Poor Richards in Manteo is celebrating with live music all weekend - Friday, Saturday and Sunday * On the nightlife front, I've just gotta say this: Went to Hellzapoppin Circus/Freak Side Show at the Brewing Station this past Saturday and I was disturbed, very disturbed...

The Vagina Monologues is always held sometime around Valentine's Day, and it's coming up this week in Kill Devil Hills. The show runs Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and I'll be there on Tuesday. * People ask me why I go see the show every year - you've seen it once, you've seen it all, right? Wrong! * For one thing the cast of locals changes every year, so you get to see new interpretations of the monologues every year. But most importantly, the show sends an empowering message about celebrating women's sexuality and strength. Every time I see it I pick up on something new and leave with a renewed respect for the beauty and strength of women * Get your tickets at Outer Banks Brewing Station, The Sun Shack, Morning View Coffee and The Urban Cottage ...

Better get your tickets early in the week for My Sweet Valentine Dance sponsored by the Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA). It's going to be on Saturday at 108 Budleigh in Manteo. RIHA, in case you didn't know, is the supporting organization of The Lost Colony, which ALWAYS puts on a great event * Dinner, dancing to live entertainment, good food, silent auction, flowers and you'll help benefit The Lost Colony * Call 473-2127 for info...

The Elizabethan Gardens is having two-for-one admission on Sunday. What a great romantic spot to spend time with someone you love...

That's it for now. Keep checking the site all week as businesses and organizations on the Outer Banks are adding new stuff every day. I'll be back with a new blog of Outer Banks snippets and events next Monday. And if you've got a business or organization that wants to get the word out about something - a sale, a special, an event or a fund-raiser - click on Get Involved just on the right column of this page ...

Or put your 2 cents in. If you'd like to contribute or add your voice to this blog, you can do that below. Keep in mind that the blog comments are moderated so that this site is only putting positive vibes into cyberspace * I'd really love to hear from you...

Show that love this week - and every day...

About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.