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Hello!
Winter’s almost finished here in the Carolinas, and with Spring around the corner, it’s time for you and your family to make plans for adventure.
We’ve got 33 recommended restaurants, inns, shops, festivals and special events to amuse and intrigue you, from a fantastic international film festival in Winston-Salem, to a rock-all-night venue in Black Mountain.
You’ll have a mountain of ideas for fresh new adventures, whether you live here year-round, are considering a move, or want to visit and see why the Carolinas rate so high on the radar of desirable destinations. Now's the perfect time to make plans, because we’ll soon be wearing shorts and planting tomatoes for early summer harvesting. The festivals will get rolling and the glorious Carolina weather will entice us all to spend more time outdoors.
Of course, more tax incentives as well as real estate bonanzas sweeten the idea that maybe, just maybe, it's your time to relocate, retire or acquire that Carolina vacation investment deal. Click here for links to Retirement Living & Real Estate Tips, but don't leave without checking out Insider Tips on spending 36 hours in Black Mountain.
Use the 310+ pages at CarolinaLiving.com as your resource. Celebrating 24 years as an enterprise, our goal is to inform and enhance your Carolina fun quotient! Leyla and Patrick Mason
Co-Founders, Center For Carolina Living
P.S. Share vacation questions, favorite restaurants and super venues with our editor, Kathy Pettit. Our team is happy to share what we’ve learned firsthand!
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The {early} Colbert Report
 Although born in the nation's capital, political satirist, writer, comedian and television host Stephen Colbert grew up in Charleston, SC, first on James Island, and later in town on well-known East Bay Street. Since his early days in the Holy City's Episcopal Porter-Gaud School, he has gone on to many accomplishments, and even attempted a 2008 presidential bid in his home state (through which he raised thousands of dollars for South Carolina schools). Read more about the allure of his hometown: Charleston, SC |
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The Aiken-Dubai Connection
 Excerpted from
the Palmetto Scoop –
When you’re one of the most powerful rulers in the most wealthy Middle
Eastern country, you can pretty much have anything you want. And for
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the sheik of Dubai, that apparently
includes a horse training facility in South Carolina.
Multiple sources report that the sheik has purchased 360 acres of land
in Aiken County to expand his thoroughbred racing empire.
“This is one of the biggest racing operations in the world, so it can
only help Aiken,” said Tim Jones, a trainer for the Aiken Division of
Darley of America, the sheik’s US racing company. “It’s definitely
going to bring more employment to the area.”
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 We’re in the
Mood for Love
One of the ten most romantic restaurants in the Southeast is in Summerville, SC
Restored from a 1906 Charleston estate, the Woodlands Inn offers classic elegance and luxury. The dining room transports visitors to a romantic era of Southern history. Read more about Summerville.
Also, you’ll find romance in the Queen City of Charlotte, NC at the Fig Tree Restaurant,
where the Continental cuisine is matched by the surroundings – a restored landmark home in the charming Elizabeth neighborhood. |
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Photo courtesy of The Settings of Black Mountain
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DAY TRIPPIN'
In Black Mountain, NC
If you only have 36
hours to spend in the North Carolina mountain village of Black
Mountain, you must choose among lots of ways to enjoy yourself.
Luckily, it’s all good.
Plan to arrive early and plot your strategy to get the most out of this
small town, which is only a few short miles from Asheville’s splendors,
but has a panache all its own. Read more ...
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4,000 Newcomers Choose
Best of the Best in 2009
Your peers know
their favorite Carolina towns and shared the information in a recent
Carolina Lifestyle Survey™ from CarolinaLiving.com.
Have you visited them all?
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Check ‘em out, with more info in CarolinaLiving.com.
Look for rankings 6-10 in the March issue of Compass eNews!
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78 Million Boomers, Listen Up!
A recent survey
commissioned by Pulte Homes finds that boomers still want to move after
reaching traditional retirement age, but may need to wait a bit longer,
perhaps until age 67 or so. Of those planning to move, about 50% say
they’re changing states, and 25% are moving to a different city. If
you fit that profile, keep the Carolinas on your short list.
Read more about retirement. |
FIRST CLASS DESTINATIONS
| Beaufort, SC
 Listed by many sources as one of the most distinctive small towns in the US in several categories, Beaufort exudes charm. Often referred to as a smaller version of Savannah, GA (40 miles to the south) or Charleston, SC (70 miles to the north), this town of 14,000 is known for its outstanding historic district, the location for a number of well known movies such as The Big Chill, The Prince of Tides and Forest Gump, and Lowcountry cuisine. Read more ...
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RiverRun International Film Festival will give movie lovers even more reasons to visit Winston-Salem, NC, April 15-25, with its expanded 11-day festival.
Patrons will experience a broad range of independent film screenings, a spotlight on Mexican films, interactive film discussions and parties galore! Read more ...
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 Fayetteville, NC,
has been selected as the only city in the Southeast to host the “Art of
the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980-2000” exhibit,
from Jan. 22 - March 6.
The exhibit
features 36 national and international artists whose works showcase
different media including pottery, oil, watercolor, mixed media,
collage and more. Pieces in the show offer a glimpse of daily life,
much of which is included in the African American Heritage Trail in the
Fayetteville area. The driving trail includes churches, cemeteries,
museums and more. Discover more ...
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 The Grass Can
Always Be Greener
No offense to Punxsutawney Phil, but our local groundhogs – Queen Charlotte in Charlotte, NC, and Sir Walter Wally in Raleigh, NC – both predicted an early spring this year, much to the delight of Carolinians across our two great states. And truth be told, it’s never too early to begin planning your spring plantings, especially when you desire a healthy, green landscape, which requires a little extra research and thoughtful planning.
Fortunately, the benefits to both you and the environment are vast, making the effort well worth your time. Before you get started, be sure to check out all our tips from the pros: Healthy & Sustainable Landscaping
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Pop Quiz!
Test your GREEN living knowledge …
2012 is quickly approaching. Do you know about the Kyoto Protocol? And is your mayor on board? Find the answer here.
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CAROLINA CUISINE
 On a cozy February evening at home, cuddling fireside with your valentine, share heaping bowls of steamy Hand Torn Pasta with a Fiery Tomato Tapenade. Kneaded by hand, it’s the perfect way to show you care, and the tomato tapenade adds a little kick to a quiet month. Adorn with shaves of Parmesan cheese to complete this perfect comfort food recipe, courtesy of Kim Byer, local foodie blogger of The Paper Apron. |
OFF OUR BOOKSHELF
 Prefabulous + Sustainable:
Building and Customizing an Affordable, Energy-Efficient Home
By Sheri Koones, Forward By Robert Redford
It’s MythBusters in book form – with a tour of 25 prefabulous homes, author Sheri Koones easily dispels long-standing misconceptions about prefabricated homes. In this detailed guide, factory-built homes are revealed to be efficient, sustainable, cost-effective, green and very beautiful, custom homes. This gem hits bookstores this spring and is destined to be a hit, so be sure to pre-order your copy today! |
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And more about Beaufort in …
phone 803.782.7466