Ok, ok — by now, if you have been reading along, you might know, the mornings are filled with trip to Food Lion for ice (hear me roar!) — so, after icing down the main cooler and the day cooler for the beach, I am ready for morning errand #2 — caffeine —

Today was an Ice Heath Bar Latte — pretty good for a bazillion calories — it is at a place at the end of the road – the Front Porch Cafe - place is very nice, people are very nice too — I actually hit here tonight as well, when I needed a little pick me up -

I then decided to take an hour ride out to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse/Seashore, to get to one of those beautiful beaches (not that ALL of them here seem to be that way) — I just like the ones where the wildlife are a little more involved…

So, I headed for Hatteras -

A nice hour’s jaunt out to the Lighthouse — which was MOBBED — I had contemplated climbing it — I guess it is what people do when they visit it — but too many people — so I just went to the next parking lot, a quarter mile away, and found myself on a practically empty beach — just great relaxation, within view of the Lighthouse…

Only wildlife today were pelicans — (I think they are pelicans)…

Before I left — I finally decided to see if I could have the self timer work for me — so I set it up on the back of the truck and this is how we did…

Boston Foodie, Clayton, gave into temptation and had a late lunch — the Philly Cheese steak at the Blue Moon — it was very good — about an 8 — but…..having fallen in love with the Mahi Mahi BLT, it was hard to match that! Still – a successful late lunch -

Did some driving around – to kill some of the afternoon — sun was hot today — low to mid 90′s — which is very hot for this coastal spot –

Before I came back, I decided to check something off the Outer Banks Bucket List — they have these Drive Thru Beer Stores….called Brew Thru — so, I had to fake like I needed a 6 pack and I pulled into this Beer Shack –

The young lady that helped me was very nice and handed me my 6 pack through the driver’s side window — as I was about to pull away — I saw THE BUCKET – which read “Tipping is Sexy” — so I reached for a buck — and rolled down the window and (kind of) yelled over….”Hey, I just saw that tipping is sexy” — she laughed and said thanks, taking the dollar into her hard working hands….and then, before I pulled away, she said “…You, Sir, are very sexy!” —

I laughed for about 4 blocks….

Clayton is bringing sexy back…..have you heard?

Last night – I debated skipping dinner — it was getting later and later as I enjoyed a Skinny Dip or two with the Innkeeper….hey — before you go THERE — it is a beer by New Belgium — the people who make my all time fave — Fat Tire — – it is their summer seasonal –

We probably had a couple — before I asked Kenny, the Inn keeper to take a picture of me enjoying the rocking chair at the Nags Head Beach Inn

It was soon after that photo that he reminded me that many of the kitchens of some of the good places close between 9:30 and 10:00 — and then he said — “I mean, Kevin, you’re like a Foodie…”. and he encouraged me to bail on my plan to skip dinner (or drink my dinner).

I decided to spring up the street (carefully) to the place I had checked out – the Blue Moon Beach Grill - I was the last person they sat — they were still busy — but they stop serving at 9 (ish) —

They recognized the “Boston guy” from the afternoon scouting mission and were eager to see what I would get —- I already knew what I would get — one of their favorites that they told me about in the afternoon — the Mahi Mahi BLT — which was “off the hook” (whatever that means…). They chatted me up and asked me where else I had been — and they thought I had hit all the good places, except of their favorites — Tortuga’s Lie – which may be the last OBX meal tomorrow for lunch…

The bartender, noting my dining experiences, asked me to come back sometime for their Philly Cheesesteak — which two waitresses also jumped in with their approval — so….that is a possibility — he talked briefly about how great the chef/owner is — and then he said — just wait, before you leave — try this — and he got me a half a cup of this Crab and Bleu Cheese Bisque — wow — I mean — AWESOME! I then told the guy they should make it, freeze it and ship it to folks….

I passed on dessert, as has been my practice so far — but I have been tempted by ice cream —

One place I DID not try for ice cream is a place next door — it’s an ice cream place, with that ever-popular name – “Booty Treats” — I guess it just opened….and I guess, that means, until they close, you can go there for Booty Calls…

So….the “Boston Foodie”, “Clayton”, has been enjoying the chow very much!