After four consecutive days of loungin’ at the beach and basking in the sun, we all decided that today would be a good day to take a break. I’m sure my skin is already thanking me.
So with a day free from the beach, everyone decided to head their separate ways and do some exploring on their own. I already knew that I wanted to go back to Timbuck II, so Jay and I headed down the road to check out some of their shops.
Right in front of Timbuck II is the Seaside Farm Market, so we decided to go check out their goods.
The stand had tons of local, in-season produce, baked goods, locally made jams and sauces, farm fresh cheeses, seafood, and plenty of beer and wine, including this monster of a bottle.
I tried to convince Jay that we absolutely needed it, but he wasn’t buyin’ it…literally.
While walking around, I happened to notice a reduced produce table, which had some slightly over-ripe goods for a steal.
I really wanted to get a bunch of stuff, but since we’re leaving late tomorrow night, it didn’t quite seem feasible to stock up. So I decided to just choose one and picked up a container of cherries for 99 cents.
You’d never know that they needed to be reduced in price because they tasted delicious.
As soon as I get back home, I’m planning on doing some baking with cherries. Most definitely.
Another purchase I was *this close* to making at the Farm Stand was this bag of Kettle Corn (because you all know I love my kettle corn!), but I didn’t feel like coughing up $5.99 for the bag.
It must have been fate, and I am actually really glad that I didn’t because a few minutes later, we ended up coming across this new store.
Apparently, the Outer Banks Popcorn Factory just opened last week, and I was immediately drawn in by their “Free Samples” signs posted outside. Yes, please!
Jay and I ended up sampling eight different flavors (I would have tried all of them…I have no shame…but Jay cut me off) and left with the store with two small bags.
Jay chose the savory flavor of Parmesan Garlic, which is really good.
But I chose the S’mores flavor, which absolutely knocked my socks off.
Not only is the popcorn coated in some sort of chocolate and caramel, but it’s also mixed with marshmallows and chocolate-coated graham cracker pieces.
Gimme, gimme, gimme!
Now I’m not going to lie to you all. My main motivation for coming back to Timbuck II today was not really to peruse through the various shops, which all offer the same OBX apparel and shot glasses as the next place.
No no.
My real reason for coming back to Timbuck II was so I could get more ice cream from Big Buck’s. And seeing as though it was already lunch time and I had eaten my way through a good portion of my popcorn bag, I figured I’d just go all out with an ice cream lunch…in a waffle cone.
Today’s flavors of choice were Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (ohmygod) and Caramel Cups (caramel ice cream with caramel swirls and chocolate covered caramel cups). It was ahhhhhmazing!
So while my popcorn & ice cream lunch may not be the healthiest choice, remember…sometimes it’s healthy to be unhealthy. No worries.
Plus, it’s not to say that all of my lunches have looked like that this week. Most of them haven’t made the blog just because they aren’t that exciting. But I have been enjoying a lot of sampler plates,
and various beach snacks, too.
It’s all good.
*********
Did You Pick the Correct Fake?
I almost forgot…I still need to let you guys in on which of my scenarios is the fake! Many of you were actually right on target because the fake was………
#3!!
Thankfully, I’ve never been that badly burned, nor have I ever mistook tanning bed lotion for my regular SPF. Yikes!
So that means:
- Yes…I did travel all the way home by plane, for one day, all for an unsuccessful interview. Boooo.
- Yes…we nearly missed a tornado. We actually have part of it recorded on our camera as a video, but there’s a bunch of people using some not-so-nice curse words while shouting and running for our lives…
- Yes…the beach gets absolutely FILLED with thousands of crabs. It’s so incredibly freaky!
**********
It sounds like tonight it going to be a chill night at the house with some delivery pizza and a few adult beverages. Sounds perfect to me!
Question for the Afternoon:
What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you on vacation?
Courtney @ The Granola Chronicles says
I’ve had that wine! Evan’s family had it at one of their Easter dinners – don’t judge! ;)
Nicole @sugarcoatedsisters says
That’s such a good deal on the cherries! I’ve been snacking on frozen cherries and they are SO delicious. Even better than frozen grapes, and that is saying something ;)
Melissa says
You are having the best time! Jealous over here. I would have dominated that smores popcorn–it reminds me a little bit of Harry & David’s Moose Munch. Have you ever had that? Incredible.
When I was in high school, my family took a trip to Florida to do Disney & the beach. I had a tooth that I had broken on the side of a swimming pool when I was 8 decide to abscess, which basically means I had a horribly painful blister on my gums and had to get a root canal. :( Booooo indeed.
What a bummer about that teaching interview! Sometimes I hate the hoops you have to jump through for teaching since a lot of them don’t seem to pay off. :/
Blog is the New Black says
DROOLING over that ice cream, lady!
Liv @ The Salty n' Sweet says
OMG My sweet tooth is so jealous right now… That s’mores popcorn looks to DIE for :)
I think the real fake was the most low key. I loved this game!
Bethany says
Wow, seriously that s’mores popcorn looks AHHH-MAAZZZINNG. I need it :)
Jamie aka "Sometimes Healthy" Girl says
ohhhh man I can’t believe the crab story is true! How scary!! I’ve never had that many interesting/crazy things happen to me on a vacation. But, I did study abroad in Mexico City. I would need an entire post to share all of the crazy stories that happened when I lived there :-)
That popcorn looks so good. Reminds me of this popcorn from Chicago, garretts. If you’re ever there, you should definitely try it!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
Smores popcorn? I could get on board with that ;) Looks like an awesome day even without the beach!
Erica says
about 3 years ago i went on my first snowboarding trip…first time ever seeing snow!
i didn’t dress TOO warmly for the plane ride and shuttle ride to hotel.
1. snow storm made our bus ride twice as long.
2. our hotel was the last stop. at the first hotel, the bus hits the side of a building!!! and has to stop and wait for proper authorities to come. we had to walk several blocks, in the snow (with all the wrong clothes), with all our luggage! SERIOUSLY?!?!?
3. on our first trip down the mountain we (the 2 girls with zero experience or lessons) were supposed to go to the bunny hill…only our bfs accidentally took us to the regular runs. OMG. it took us FOREVER to get down.
Darcy says
I don’t have a crazy vacation story, but I have other comments…….
Oh my gosh, that popcorn looks sooooooooo good and I wish that place was open when we were down there! The smores popcorn looks so good. Yum! And Ian would have liked the garlic too!
And I should have mentioned this earlier……but have you ever been to Jockey Ridge state park down there? It’s this amazing park with HUGE sand dunes…….bring a kite and go an hour before sunset……….it’s so great!
Have fun!
Karen says
That popcorn looks delicious!! I don’t know if this is the craziest thing to happen to me on vacation but it just happened so it’s fresh in my head. A few weeks ago when we went to the beach for the weekend, I forgot to pack underwear! Who does that? I don’t know how I could forget something so basic?!?! I was able to get some at a store but still….
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
I’d be a kid in a candy store around all those popcorn flavors! I’ve been expirementing with different flavors ever since learning how to stove top pop it.
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
Hmm the crazeist thing that happened to me on vacation? When we were in DC when I was in high school, our hotel caught on fire and we were roused from our beds at 5 AM!!! Nothing was lost, thank goodness!
I’m all for an ice cream lunch! :)
tina @ vanillandspice says
Oh my god, that s’more popcorn would have been my choice in a second. It looks so good!
Jordan P @ food, sweat, and beers says
S’mores + popcorn = unbeatable combination!!
I’d have to say the craziest thing that ever happened to me on a vacation was on a trip to NOLA with my beau and we met Jason Segel (from Freaks and Geeks, How I Met Your Mother, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall!) I loved every second, it was the most exciting celebrity meet up of my life.
Sarah says
I love love love the OBX!! Everything is just better there :) And pizza and beverages sounds like the perfect last night to a great vacation
Khushboo says
I love your approach to food on holidays! I can’t think of a more legit reason to have ice cream for lunch and popcorn as appetisers :D
Caroline says
OHMYGOD. That bagel looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I want one asap! And the popcorn and ice cream looks just as good! I think its safe to say you’ve had some GREAT eats while on vacay! :)
Jessica @ The Process of Healing says
Oh WOW that popcorn sounds amazing!!!
alyssa - fashion fitness foodie says
S’mores popcorn sounds AMAZING!
I’m down for the occassional ice cream lunch :)
ellalinea says
On vacation: something usually goes wrong with my dear boyfriend ;)
In Turkey, he stepped into an urchin, and we had to spend a few hours in the hospital taking al the poison out.. The next few days he needed to take some medicine, so no more alcohol for him! ( it was a party vacay with a group of friends, kinda spring break like)
In Egypt, he got a severe case of food poisining.. He coudn’t hold anything in for about 3-4 days and lost about 10 lbs ( super metabolism yikes) Because of this we missed visiting the pyramids of Cairo..
But I’m just glad he turned out ok :))
Jen says
When I was 6 we were camping in North Carolina and I got the chicken pox. It was horrible!!!!!
kristen says
ok, your vacation pictures are REALLY starting to make me jealous haha
Especially with the ice cream!!
Today it is clummy in stl…..:-(