A few nights ago I awoke with a chill and tried to reclaim some blanket while turning over onto my side, a seemingly simple act complicated by the presence of my two gravitationally enhanced felines, Sassy and Sophie. As many people suspect, cats are actually magical aristocratic beings from another dimension. This explains their ability to regally laze about for 18 hours a day and yet retain the physical prowess to routinely manipulate gravity, effortlessly leaping from the floor to anyplace you don't want them to be or instantly acquiring the mass of a small planet as soon as you try to remove them from the one good chair in the room. The same regal heritage also accounts for their propensity for being bed hogs (in their view, they are graciously sharing their queen-sized bed with you).
Anyway, as I pushed up on one arm to begin turning over I heard and felt a pop in my right ring finger and suddenly the finger went numb. I pondered this development for a moment but, in my groggy state and in the absence of serious pain, I was soon asleep again. When I awoke in the morning the finger was stiff, unresponsive and bent down at the last joint. A short time later I discovered that the letters "o" and "p" were no longer part of my typing repertoire. And so it goes. I have apparently reached that rarified stage of life where merely sleeping is a risk-taking behavior.
In light of this newfound capacity for suffering injury without even getting out of bed, I am seriously considering attending the free Love Yourself! event at Ducks Cottage Downtown Books in Manteo this Saturday, March 1 from 12 to 3 p.m. Jaime and Paige invite you to show yourself the love and achieve a better, healthier life as they bring together the expertise to show you the way! Information stations will feature high intensity interval training with Momentum Fitness, chiropractic health, diet & nutrition, massage by the minute with Grace Bodyworks, B12 shots ($15) with Rikki Schuster and yoga and pilates options available on Roanoke Island. Fortunately for me, Downtown Books is just across the street from my apartment, increasing the odds that I might arrive there without injury. I'd cross my fingers for luck but....
Here's a quick recap of several upcoming Saturday, March 1 events I covered in advance last week (because of the need to pre-register, opportunities to buy advance tickets or other planning-related issues):
The 2nd Annual OBX Women's Winter Expo takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ramada Plaza Nags Head Oceanfront in Kill Devil Hills. More than 50 entrepreneurial female vendors will exhibit and demonstrate their products, with door prizes given away every 10 minutes.
Oyster Shellebration, an oyster roast fundraiser to support the North Carolina Coastal Federation, will be held rain or shine from 2 to 5 p.m. at Oden's Dock in Hatteras Village. Tickets are $15/person and can be purchased at Oden's Dock, Dancing Turtle Coffee Shop and Hatteras Sol Deli on Hatteras Island, at the Coastal Federation office in Manteo or online at the North Carolina Coastal Federation website. Hatteras Village Fire Station is the inclement weather site. For more information contact the Coastal Federation's Sara Hallas at (252) 473-1607.
Diamonds and Denim, a fundraising dance for The Elizabethan Gardens, kicks off at 6 p.m. at 108 Budleigh in downtown Manteo. Tickets for this evening of music, food, door prizes, silent and live auctions are $45/person. For more information call (252) 473-3234 or visit The Gardens website.
Also taking place Saturday, March 1 is Children at Play Museum's 3rd Annual Mardi Gras Gala, a fundraiser for the hands-on learning museum held at Jennette's Pier at 7 p.m. Featuring live jazz music, New Orleans-style cuisine and a silent auction, tickets are $50/person.
Other Happenings
The reception for An Eye for Art, a Heart for History, the Outer Banks History Center's joint exhibit with the Dare County Arts Council, is set for this Friday, Feb. 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Outer Banks History Center gallery at Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo. The exhibit is part of the History Center's 25th anniversary celebration.
Theatre of Dare's production of the popular musical OLIVER! begins its two-week run at the College of the Albemarle's Roanoke Island Campus Auditorium in Manteo this Friday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. First week performances continue Saturday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. with a Sunday matinee March 2 at 2 p.m. Second week performances are scheduled for Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8/students and $15/adults and can be purchased at the door or through the Theatre of Dare website.
John "Dr. Jazz" Sanchez and his Chez Says Band offer an Evening of Jazz to support the Community Care Clinic of Dare County on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Kelly's Outer Banks Restaurant and Tavern in Nags Head. The Community Care Clinic is a free health clinic for low-income, uninsured adults. Tickets are $10/person and are available at Birthday Suits, Gateway Bank and Outer Banks Urgent Care or can be purchased at the door. Call (252) 261-3041 for more information.
Uptight and awkward guy that I am, dancing - any kind of dancing - is something best done in private. And even that has its risks. The last time I busted a move at home, Sassy and Sophie were so terrified it was three hours before they emerged from hiding! Days later, apparently convinced their Bearded Guy had been taken over by some malevolent, twitching, rhythm-impaired alien, they were still viewing me with suspicion. The Outer Banks, however, is home to a long dancing tradition, and acolytes of the official state dance, The Shag, can commune with kindred spirits at the Outer Banks Shag Club held at Kelly's Outer Banks Restaurant and Tavern on Monday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. Enjoy a special tapas menu, learn a new move or two and then dance the evening away as DJs Harvey Taylor and Jack Fertal spin the tunes! The next meeting is Monday, March 3; a $3 cover charge compensates the DJs.
Dream of living more creatively? Have undeveloped ideas or unfinished projects sitting on the "back burner?" In the midst of a life transition? If so, you might find much-needed guidance and support in the 12-week Artist's Way Workshop Series led by Rosie Rankin and Shirley Parker of Outer Banks Inner Journey. Based on The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, the best-selling book by Julie Cameron, this workshop series for artists and non-artists is designed to spark or rekindle your creative fire! The $240 workshop will meet weekly from 7 to 9 p.m. and is divided into 12 sessions running from Tuesday, March 4 through Tuesday, May 20. Call (252) 473-5558 or visit the Arts Council website for a complete workshop description.
Looking Ahead
The Dare County Arts Council is once again sponsoring a juried exhibit in conjunction with International Women's Day, an annual celebration of women and their accomplishments. Works that highlight women, from classical to contemporary, homemaker to business executive, peacekeeper to revolutionary, or any interpretation therein are welcome. Artists who are members of the Arts Council or residents of Dare County may submit up to three works that represent the theme. All artwork must be for sale (factor a 40% DCAC commission into the price of all artwork). Artwork drop-off is scheduled for March 3 and 4 at the DCAC gallery in Manteo. Entry fees are $10/DCAC members (for up to three entries); $15/non-members. The show opens at the DCAC gallery on Friday, March 7 at 6 p.m. and runs through March 31. As part of International Women's Day celebrations, a dinner and lecture will be held Saturday, March 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Avenue Grille in Manteo. For more information visit the OBX International Women's Day website or call (252) 473-5558.
This week you have a chance to win a $35 gift certificate to Lone Cedar Cafe & a $35 gift certificate Duck's Cottage Downtown Book!
For more information about Lone Cedar Cafe, check out their website.
For more information about Duck's Cottage Downtown Book check out their website.
Last Week's Winner
Congratulations to Sara Guest!!!
You won a two-night stay to Outer Banks Inn & $35 gift certificate to Trio Wine, Beer, and Cheese!
For more information about Outer Banks Inn, check out their website.
For more information about Trio Wine, Beer, and Cheese check out their website.
About the Author Michael Lay
Michael Lay is a local graphic designer, artist, photographer and writer. He lives in picturesque downtown Manteo, NC, and is the manservant of two beautiful and willful feline princesses, Sophie and Sassy. You can contact Michael at mike.lay@oneboat.com.
