Travel & Vacation Guide, North Carolina

By Caitlin Moore

Kure Beach, located along North Carolina’s southern shore, may not be the attention hog of the beach vacation family, but it is certainly deserving of a little attention. If you seek a getaway that will satisfy you and your companions in a pleasant, quiet, steady way, then think about focusing your energy on this heavenly stretch of sand and surf for your next trip.

Coastal North Carolina is peaceful and inviting; just ask the many travelers who make their way here every year. There’s something about a place that forbids the structure of tall buildings and sometimes requires the use of off-road vehicles to get to your desired destination. You’re out in the middle of nowhere, but it’s not really nowhere. It’s beachy, breezy, and beautiful; perfect for distracting your mind from its usual worries and conducive to talking and bonding with the ones that are closest to you. Life can move pretty fast sometimes, so it is important to steal a few days a year and devote them to enjoyment and frivolity.

The landscape, almost stark in the way that the houses line the shore and flat lands stretch far into the distance, is also calmly inviting. Kure Beach (pronounced cure-ee, by the way) is largely residential and fits into the category of tranquil, yet it has a few touristy qualities that will show visitors a good time. These include a pier that is perfect for fishing and people watching, several restaurants where you’re sure to find fresh seafood on the menu, and a boardwalk that is made extra friendly thanks to night lights and benches. Taste the life of a beach dweller as you wander the town that is adequately equipped for visitors and charming, yet somehow avoids feeling like a tourist trap.

South of the bustling-in-its-own-way center is the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and Historic Site, which provides a natural expanse for all the outdoorsy activities you’ve been daydreaming about as you sit in your office or survey the concrete parking lots and strip malls that seem to dominate your hometown. Anywhere along the beach, really, you’ll be able to swim, scuba dive, windsurf, sail, or water ski. Even going for a walk or jog along the shore or renting a bike and hitting the trail will seem like unearthly delights, as it really has been a while since you’ve spent some quality time with Mother Nature.

The ocean is the star of the show when it comes to visiting Kure Beach, so set yourself up in a way that will allow you to truly get what you came for. Do this by renting a vacation home along the beach, a place that will let you sleep, eat, and dream closer to the sea than you ever have before. Let the tides determine your schedule and your body’s rhythms, and don’t go too long without dipping your toes in the salty surf. Let the sounds lull you to sleep at night, and rise knowing that each day will be as beautifully simple as the last.

Also part of your vacation rental experience will be the chance to pretend that you really do live in an uncomplicated world filled with minor adventures, constant leisure time, and hopefully a bit of family togetherness. Raid the game closet and challenge your kids to an old-fashioned favorite, or buy a few groceries and prepare a meal. The barbecue grill and patio will give dinner an extra punch that your usual fare doesn’t always attain, so it’ll still feel like something special even though you’re cooking for yourselves.

The pleasant scenarios are endless, so whatever you’ve been craving that has yet to be discussed has an equal chance of being fulfilled during your Kure Beach holiday. Plan out this deserved trip to ensure that all goes well, and start by perusing the Kure Beach NC Vacation Rentals.

Visit CyberRentals.com for an idea of all that vacation rentals can add to your next vacation.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caitlin_Moore

by McKinney, Wanda

This North Carolina landmark shines brightest at Christmas. See how it all comes together.

A magnificent Victorian picture-postcard come to life, Biltmore House opens its doors, and a gracious hostess beckons me in from the cold night air. As I step into the entry, I hear carols being sung and smell fresh greenery. Candles bathe the 1895 home of George and Edith Vanderbilt in a warm glow, and at a distance I see a tree so large and bright, I’ve only imagined it in my dreams. “Welcome to Biltmore,” says the smiling hostess.

I wondered what it takes to create this fairy-tale Christmas each year, so the kind staff invited me back for one heck of a sleigh ride to find out. Join us as we peek behind the velvet ropes to see what goes into the massive planning and execution of dressing up this Asheville, North Carolina, mansion for the holiday season.

O Christmas Tree-Prologue

The floral staff, headed by Cathy Barnhardt, begins the planning process in January. The search for the perfect tree for the Banquet Hall is no walk in the park. “The really big ones-more than 30 feet in height-are hard to find,” she says. “We always use a Fraser fir. They hold their needles. We have a Fraser finder, George Andrews, who has spent the past 29 years searching for our trees.”

Another daunting task for the staff is to find two trees, because the first one is replaced in early December. “We start at 4 a.m.,” says Cathy.”We have the first one down and the second one decorated by that evening.”

Deck the Halls

Eleven floral staffers oversee two large warehouses that hold 500 boxes of ornaments, decorations, and other holiday items used each year at Biltmore Estate. But every year the employees search out more.

In August the floral staff fans out along the property, seeking greenery and flowers that become garlands and arrangements for the upcoming holiday decorations-three months away. After the cutting is done, the flower ladies negotiate with one another for the five rooms each chooses to decorate for Christmas.

“Then we go through the boxes of ornaments and pick out what we want for trees that will be in the rooms we decorate,” says Jennifer Small, a floral staffer.

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Activity picks up noticeably in September all across the 8,000 acres of Biltmore Estate. A caravan of boxed decorations begins to make its way into the four-story manor.

Poinsettias that came as rooted slips in July continue to grow in the Conservatory. More than 700 plants receive 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness, readying them for their coming-out party in November.

Bernard Delille, the French wine master, begins overseeing the harvest of grapes that will become Biltmore’s Christmas wine. “We do a special bottle each year with a holiday label,” says Bernard. At $10.99, it makes a wonderful gift. Ten people work in the winery, and seven more tend to the vineyard.

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Biltmore Estate’s four restaurants serve fabulous food all year, but during the holidays, the chefs pull out the big pots and the Victorian-era recipes; then they cook up treats fit for, well, a Vanderbilt.

Pastry chefs Heather Gatesman and Heather Gonzalez work hard to put the finishing touches on the Biltmore gingerbread house, a small-scale version of the mansion. “We assemble the house and decorate it here in the Deerpark Restaurant,” says Heather Gatesman. “Then we transport it to the Main Kitchen, where it’s on display through Christmas.”

Formed over a wooden base, the gingerbread house features a rolled fondant roof. The quantities of the ingredients boggle the mind: 72 pounds of powdered sugar, 6 pounds of butter, 4 ½ pounds of brown sugar, 6 pounds of molasses, 21 pounds of flour, and 1 pint of red food coloring.

Meanwhile, right next door, the Stable Café-located in what used to be the Vanderbilts’ horse stables-presides over dinners during Candlelight Christmas Evenings, which take place in November and December and bring in many guests.

“We start planning menus during Candlelight the year before so we can see what works best,” says Stable Café chef Don Spear of his seasonal offerings. “We found a chef’s journal for the house from Victorian times and have been using that as an outline.”

Winter Wonderland

October seems to be the month when Biltmore Estate’s planning for the holidays begins the final push. The season officially opens this year on November 6, complete with luminarias, candlelight tours, and dinners, so the pace quickens on the property.

Christmas decorations begin adorning Biltmore House in early October, and midmonth, the Stable Café and courtyard start their metamorphoses. By late October, the floral staff members have created their magic with miles of garlands and ribbon. The big tree arrives in early November, and that means all hands on deck.

O Christmas Tree-Epilogue

It’s here. The day that Biltmore staffers wait for all year-the raising of the tree. And this Fraser fir is a beauty. The freshly cut giant lies out front, wrapped in vinyl and waiting for the Engineering Services staff to don gloves and walk the 35-foot-long bundle into the Banquet Hall.

With military precision, the crew hoists the tree and marches it into the house, watching out for priceless furnishings and chandeliers. Walkietalkies crackle as the green-shirted staff members deliver their prize into the Banquet Hall. Wade Ledford, who has overseen tree-raisings for 29 years, shouts out orders, and ropes are attached. Fifteen staff members pull from the organ loft while 12 pull from the floor as the tree slowly rises to its full height. After a couple of collective gasps and a close call with a swaying chandelier, it’s up, and the onlookers break into applause.

Proud of the work they do in placing and adorning the tree, the Engineering Services crew has its own special ornament for the arboreal behemoth. “We hang a burned-out lightbulb on it,” says Wade. “We began doing it as a joke. Because we are maintenance, it’s our ornament. Now people look for it.”

Currently all eyes are on the gigantic Fraser fir, but there are still many nooks and crannies to decorate. Granite lions out front will sport bright red bows around their necks. Luminarias will line the long drive leading to the house. Hundreds of poinsettias will snake their way into the Winter Garden, where choirs will sing and entertain guests who tour this holiday masterpiece of a house.

But right now, the massive tree is in place. A year’s worth of planning has paid off in a beautifully decorated Victorian showplace that thousands of guests will enjoy. Somewhere, the first Vanderbilts must be pleased at their legacy of hospitality at Biltmore.

For more information on Biltmore Estate, call 1-800-543-2961 or visit www.biltmore.com.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Dec 2004
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

McKinney, Wanda “BEHIND THE SCENES AT Biltmore Estate“. Southern Living. Dec 2004. FindArticles.com. 28 Sep. 2006.