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 Fish Out of Water - Core Sound Seafood & Earp's Seafood Market Are Back

There's Something Fishy Going On: This spring, fresh blue crabs, shrimp, bluefish, triggerfish, and more are being harvested daily and Core Sound Seafood has started deliveries for their spring season (weekly deliveries through June 7th). This small business offers community supported fishery "CSF" shares of fresh, local seafood.  They sell weekly and bi-weekly CSF delivery packages (pick-up sites: Raleigh, Durham, Carrboro).  New for this year are deliveries to Raleigh's Big Boss Brewery! ... So you can get your fish and beer all in one place.

Fresh, Locally Caught Seafood on Your Table: Fresh and local translates into delicious.  Imagine including crispy fried flounder, clams cooked in a white wine butter sauce, pan seared scallops and grilled triggerfish drenched with lemon to your weekly menu repertoire. Interested?  Core Sound Seafood offers two size options (half - 2lbs or full - 4 lbs) and two delivery options (weekly or bi-weekly).  They also take custom orders for large parties, special occasions, and for freezing.  All fish comes cleaned, filleted, and ready to cook unless otherwise specified.  Pricing is only $11.50/lb. Pricing and Delivery Details

Fan Mail from some Flounder?  Each customer receives a weekly e-newsletter profiling who caught this week's catch and how, suggested recipes for how to cook the seafood, and tales from the coast.  You can also click here to see the best and easiest ways to prepare the seafood that they provide.  Also, one dollar of every share of seafood sold is donated to Core Sound Seafood's Assistance Fund for the Down East community.  What better way to test the waters!  Core Sound Seafood: Website

Damn the Tornados ... Earp's Seafood Returns - Brighter, Bigger, and Beautiful:  This fish tale has a happy ending.  A year after the tornado, Earp's Seafood Market has rebounded.  On April 16, 2011, a tornado tore through Raleigh and in seconds gutted the 42 year-old building on South Saunders Street, leaving only three walls intact.  This landmark reopened in January with a new interior that is white, bright, and clean. Meaty grouper, whole tilapia, pecks of oysters and piles of fresh shrimp are displayed for easy pickings.  Ninety percent (90%) of their products come from the North Carolina coast and are delivered four times a week.

Fresh, (Not Frozen except Louisiana Alligator Meat): At Earp's Seafood the fish is filleted or cleaned to order, then suited up in a plastic bag, wrapped the old-fashioned way-with newsprint-and fastened with a smile. Fat bags of seasoning, breading and hush puppy mixes line the shelves. North Carolina brands Moss, Sweet Betsy and Atkinson's round out the selection, sharing the space with slim bottles of tartar and cocktail sauces.

Seafood Pros - In Business for 43 Years:  What keeps customers coming back to Earp's Seafood year after year?  Family values, a wonderful staff, and personal service.  Since reopening, business has boomed.  The tornado is history but the heritage of this family business is still proudly displayed on one wall.  It only proves that fish tales do come true!  Earp's Seafood Market: 1414 South Saunders Street, Raleigh; 919.834.7969;

So, get hooked on fresh seafood this season!

To Bee or Not to Bee     

Bookmarked! 2012: Lucy's Book Club Book Fair  (April 27 - 29)  -  Shop at Quail Ridge Books & Donate to the Lucy Daniels Center at the Same Time!

Kid Friendly:  Bookmarked! 2012 will feature more than 20 children's book readings at preschools, day cares, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, public libraries, and other venues across Wake County.  As a longtime partner with Lucy's Book Club ("LBC") and Bookmarked!, independent bookseller ("QRB") in Raleigh has stocked LBC titles, hosted celebrity-hero readings, and helped raise awareness of Center programs for a number of years. They have also contributed generously to Bookmarked! fundraising efforts, and this year is no exception. They are once again hosting the Lucy's Book Club Book Fair Friday, April 27, thru Sunday, April 29.  This book fair offers the opportunity to significantly increase support of the Lucy Daniels Center (a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting the healthy emotional development of young children) and the Center's Family Support Fund, which helps close the gap between what families can afford to pay for their child's mental health services and the actual cost to provide them.

Get Your Penn Ready:  During this time, patrons can dedicate any purchase they make at QRB to Lucy Daniels Center, and it will receive 20% of the sales proceeds. This includes signed books by Bookmarked! 2012 featured author Audrey Penn and other LBC titles as well as all other items in the store.  All purchases, whether made in-store, online, email, or by phone (919.828.1588) are eligible as long as the purchase is explicitly dedicated to the Lucy Daniels Center.  On Friday, April 28 Audrey Penn will be there at 10 a.m. to read from her Chester Raccoon books (The Kissing Hand, A Pocket Full of Kisses) and answer a questions from audience members.  Ms. Penn will make several other appearances during Bookmarked! (see below), including two readings for older children on Wednesday, May 2, and a workshop for parents at the Lucy Daniels Center on Thursday, May 3.  LDC will also be selling signed copies of Ms. Penn's bestselling books in conjunction with her appearances at the N.C. Museum of History and the Family Fun Concert.

Bookmark Your Calendar:  View the entire schedule of Bookmarked! on their website.  The festival's finale, the Family Fun Concert, will take place at The Green at North Hills on Saturday, May 5, from 9 a.m. - 12 noon.  Ms. Penn will be joined by Carolina Ballet's Elice McKinley and Theatre in the Park's Ira David Wood III for more readings.  Musical entertainment will be provided by children's band Sandbox.  Fun activities will include face-painting by Paint Savvy.  This event is free and open to the public.

Chinqua Penn Plantation Estate Auction - April 25 & 26, Greensboro Coliseum Complex: Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. of Hillsborough and Iron Horse Auction Company, Inc. of Rockingham, proudly announce the public auction of the personal property assets of the Chinqua Penn Plantation. This catalogue auction will begin at 10am at the Greensboro Coliseum, Special Events Center, West Wing, 1921 West Lee Street.

Previews will be held April 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, at the Chinqua Penn Plantation in Reidsville, N.C. Those wishing to attend the previews or auction are required to purchase a color catalogue, which grants admittance to two individuals ($50 at-the-door). The auction will be conducted by live public auction, with the options of bidding in-person, by telephone, or by absentee bid form, and by bidding online with a live video and audio feed, using www.liveauctioneers.com.  Visit the Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. Website for more information.

Hunt & Gather on Bernard Street holds a Save After Six Shopping Night once a month!  On the third Thursday of each month you will find great markdowns, refreshments, and friendly faces at Hunt & Gather, 1910 Bernard Street, Raleigh 27608.  

Kenna Custom Painting, Inc.  is available to tackle your residential painting needs.  With their great crews that perform very professional jobs on residential homes, you won't believe how quiet and unobtrusive they are.  So if you have that "itch" to freshen up your home, interior or exterior before springtime, contact them now.  Call 919-855-0082 or Email: kennapaint@bellsouth.net.  Website. 

Join My Blog Simply-Refined:  I am an Interior Designer that can inspire and help you with your designs and decorating needs.  Call  Zaytoun Interiors if you're finally ready to decorate or re-decorate your home or office.  What's your style?  If you're not sure, I can help you tap into your inner self and find what makes you want to come home.  Website, Email, Phone: 305-793-8510. 

Price Reduced $599,000: 2748 St. Mary's St. Raleigh, 27609. Ideal Location! Walk to great schools, greenway and North Hills! Renovated in 1995. New paint/ refinished floors. DR w/FP, LR/Sunroom & large FR. Large White Kitchen w/granite & subway tile backsplash. 5 bedrooms. Private quaint backyard -wooden play equip, greenhouse, climbing trees, Covered Carport, & 1car garage, 2 decks, fully landscaped.  Contact: Jill Rekuc, Olde Raleigh Real Estate at 919-389-0555.  Website. 

Sugarland, the bakery, is celebrating the opening of its Cameron Village store by giving away tickets to see Sugarland (the Country Music duo) at Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek on April 28th.  Stop in the store to fill out an entry form or come on by on Friday the 27th while the folks at WQDR-FM give away tickets live on the air.

Mia Francesca Trattoria, which opened its doors in North Hills this past October, is introducing 'Eat and Earn', a unique program established to support local non-profit organizations. Through this initiative, participating non-profits looking to raise funds can organize pre-set nights for their respective groups to dine at the restaurant, and Mia Francesca will, in turn, donate 15 percent of the dinner bill to the organization.  For more info call 919-278-1525. Website.

Did You Know?  For every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $68 stays in the local economy compared to only $43 if spent at a national chain. Please support our local business!  This is what The Beltline Buzz is all about.   

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