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This summer Duck's Cottage celebrates six years in business. With that in mind, we've been busy this Spring making minor and major changes in order to keep things fresh for you, the coolest customers on the planet. We finally have a permanent sign (above), new mugs, hats and tees (lots of new designs) are in the store and up on the website. We've tweaked some of our teas, pastries, accessories and more all to ensure that Duck's Cottage continues to be your favorite spot in Duck and the best place in the world to watch the world go by! |
| Between the Lines
Reading Recommendations from the Cottage shelves |
 May was a month of to-do lists of things to-do before Summer. Now summer's here and with it all kinds of new lists. Our Staff Picks wall is currently featuring summer reading lists. Here's mine: For One More Day (Mitch Albom), The Omnivore's Dilemma (Michael Pollan), World Without End (Ken Follett), Three Cups of Tea (Greg Mortenson), I Feel Bad About My Neck (Nora Ephron), Phantom Prey (John Sanford), Maximum Ride: Final Warning (James Pattterson). If I found an extra hundred dollars, cookbooks I'd buy: Top Chef: The Cookbook, Real Simple: Meals Made Easy, How To Eat Supper and The Carb Conscious Vegetarian. The Duck's Cottage Reading Group list- just read (and highly recommend) A Thread of Grace (Mary Doria Russell); now reading The Canning Season (Polly Horvath) and will soon be working on Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert). What other people are liking- Marcus Zusak's The Book Thief (Shane), The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (Elizabeth), J. Maarten Troost's latest missive Lost on Planet China (Lisa), Ron Carlson's Five Skies (JP), and Cormac McCarthy's The Road (Mary). A few other books I've blown through lately- the parable novel Life's Golden Ticket (Brendon Burchard), The Battle of the Labyrinth (Rick Riordan)- LOVED it, The Devil in Dover: An Insider's Story of Dogma vs. Darwin in Small Town America (Lauri Lebo)- this was a really good look at the issue of intelligent design and education. A few highlights from the First Flight Middle & High School summer reading lists: The Other Side of Truth (Beverly Naidoo), The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd), Cold Mountain (Charles Frazier), Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Mark Haddon) and How To Read Literature Like A Professor (Thomas Foster). Fresh in paperback- New England White (Stephen L. Carter), In The Woods (Tana French), The Diana Chronicles (Tina Brown), Clapton (Eric Clapton), and Second Chance (Jane Green).
My last and final to-do list before the official first day of Summer, June 20- coincidentally the same date as Richard LaMotte's appearance (see below):
1- make sure the store is bursting with good books for great customers.
2- Take a moment to sit on our porch and get a glimpse of Duck from our visitors' perspective.
3- Dust off my flip-flops.
4- Relax... summer's here! |
2008 Summer Signings Series |
 I'm very excited about our 2008 author line-up! We've got some new faces coming to the store with terrific books I think everyone will want!
First up is Richard Lamotte (the Sea Glass guy) who will be giving his presentation Unlocking the Secrets of Sea Glass on Friday, June 21, 7pm at All Saints Episcopal Church. Richard will be signing books after his talk and cards, journals and guest books will also be available. See the link below for directions to All Saints.
Our regular Friday signings (9am - 12pm) will feature the following authors:
July 11 brings Jessica James with her book Shades of Gray, a novel of the Civil War in Virginia.
On July 18, we welcome local author John Amrhein, Jr, who wrote The Hidden Galleon- the true story of a lost Spanish ship and the legendary wild horses of Assateague Island.
Get cooking on July 25 when Beth Wiegand hits the beach with her just released The Outer Banks Cookbook. (Already selling briskly!)
August 15 wraps things up with a visit from John Hairr signing both his new book, Great Hurricanes of North Carolina, and his Images of America books- North Carolina Lighthouses & Lifesaving Stations and Outer Banks. Two great collections of historical photographs.
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| Flotsam & Jetsam
Footnotes from life at a coffee shop |
 Six years in business and we have a permanent sign! Mike Frasca (Frasca Signs) did a fantastic job matching an old Powder Ridge Hunt Club sign that hangs inside our building... this design is also featured on our new mugs, long sleeved tee's and one of our new ladies cut t-shirts... for our short sleeved tee's, we turned to a picture from the 1950's which shows the building as it sat in its original location, about 300 yards West of where we are now located... our popular caffeine molecule hat is also back and in fresh new colors... we've updated our Staff Picks wall to reflect our staff summer reading lists- there is SOMEthing for EVERYone... another friendly new face for you to meet- Danielle- welcome to the Duck's Cottage team and Jeanne- welcome back! And yes, that 'other place that serves coffee and has locations worldwide' is now open but as Allen likes to say "If you want a really good cheeseburger, do you go to McDonalds?" Same goes for coffee, my friends... the First Flight High School Girl's Soccer team- State Champs! Way to go Lady Nighthawks! our hometown Coastal Plain League team, the OBX Daredevils are back at bat- if you've never been to a game, try to fit one in this year, it's a really fun night for the whole family! Is your pooch out on the porch? Duck's Cottage now offers free puppy biscotti (milkbones) for all our four -legged friends. Just ask! Speaking of pooches, a big Duck welcome to cock-a-poo Bella Yarbrough, the cutest new puppy in town... if we had a nickel for every person who's come in to find out what that 'beautiful flowering vine is out on the porch' Allen could retire... it's a bumper year for our Confederate Jasmine... If only we could bottle its heavenly scent. A Duck's Cottage hat, gift certificate or tee would put a big smile on Dad's face! Think Father's Day and hit our website where all (well, most) of our new items are now on sale!
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| Foie Gras
Madame Du Canard's musings from the North Beach Sun |
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It's the most wonderful time of the year- and it's here! Summer- at last! Madame has been tres fortunate to have gotten a little taste of what the summer holds for north beach aficionados and this will be a summer cela est magnifique!!
Let's begin with what Madame will be doing without ever leaving Duck or, to be more precise, the Duck Town Park. The Park's Summer Schedule starts with a bang on July 4th- the Independence Day of les Etats-Unis will be celebrated at 9am when the Annual Town of Duck Fourth of July Parade gets underway! A celebration most incroyable! The Parade Route begins at Scarborough Lane, travels east to the Ocean Atlantique and runs back to NC 12 on Christopher Drive. The best viewing is not on Duck Road so please give yourself enough time to walk down either Christopher Drive or Scarborough Lane to secure a premium parade watching spot. An after-party at the Park features live music, the presentation of awards and watermelon! (And, mon dieu, please remember it is illegal in North Carolina to discharge explosives and within the Town of Duck all fireworks and sparklers are a no-no.)
On Tuesday mornings (7:30am) Madame will be finding inner peace while practicing Tai Chi on the Town Green. Thursday mornings, it's time for inner strength with Pilates (same time/same place). Tuesday and Thursday evenings from July 8 through August 14 will find moi enjoying the Summer Concert Series (6pm) featuring a wide range of music- from jazz to funk to le rhythm et blues! Wednesday mornings at 10am brings the Theatre and Music Series featuring the cast of the Lost Colony and Thursday mornings (also 10am) is a perfect time to bring les enfants to the Children's Storytime (Madame herself will be reading on 7/17, 7/31 and 8/14.). There are two special Wednesday night concerts (6 pm)- July 16 with the Wells Family Band and August 13 sees the return of The Fuzz Band, a favorite from the 2007 Jazz Festival
Whilst Madame always likes to do a bit of cooking incorporating good seasonal veggies from Green Acres and fresh seafood from Dockside N' Duck, she has had a sampling of what awaits at Aqua S and is pleased to report it is not only officially open, but shall now be considered Madame's home away from home. Succulent oysters, lovely plates of carpaccio, pork belly and foie gras await as does many a nice crisp glass of well chosen wine. Madame foresees lots of Mommy's Time-Outs on the deck enjoyed there with friends Avery, Clai and other Mother Duckers. Another bright summer spot is Angelo's at Osprey Landing. Chris Thibodeau has added a whole new dimension to the best pizza place in Duck with the additions of healthy salads and wraps. Madame has exclusive inside information that Angelo's will be offering live music and tapas three nights a week!
To all our new businesses, residents and visitors- Madame Du Canard extends to you a very, warm welcome to Duck! Please enjoy all the wonderful facets of our Town- the shopping, dining, culture and beauty. Please remember to obey the speed limits, honor our pedestrian crosswalks, respect the ocean and, le plus important, relax! You're either on vacation or living on the Riviera of North Carolina! To a fabuleux l'ete! | |
Vacation rental home for a week $ 2,000.00
Gas for SUV to get to the beach
$ 150.00
A week's worth of groceries
$ 500.00 Cup of coffee
$ 2.00
The Coastland Times
$ .50
Sitting on the porch of Duck's Cottage with a great cup of coffee, the paper and nowhere else to be: Priceless
We look forward to seeing you this summer!
Jamie Layton
Duck's Cottage
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