historic corolla village

As I'm rapidly approaching the end of my time here, I thought I'd take a moment to talk about the little slice of heaven I've lived and worked in for the past 2 months. The Historic Corolla Village is just what it sounds like; the original village up here. Until 1987, there wasn't even a paved road connecting it with the southern towns, so it's only in the last 20 years that the village has become "historic." Now, however, there's a good deal more to Corolla (pronounced co-RAWL-a, not like the car) than there was, and many people who come to visit don't even know the village is there. Located to the north and practically in the shadow of the Currituck Light, the village is small, but has plenty to offer.

To eat:

• Corolla Village BBQ - simply put, this is the best North Carolina BBQ I have ever had. Even if you're staying as far away as Nags Head, it is worth the drive. No indoor seating--still worth it. The potato salad is fantastic, too.
• Lovie's Kitchen Table - Lovie's is a new addition this year. It's not a sit-down place, but between their gourmet sandwiches and salads, wines, cheeses, and to-die-for sweets, this place is a must. My favs? The turkey and brie sandwich, the olive oil (SO GOOD), and the chocolate chip cookies.

To buy:

• Island Bookstore - why, books of course! The bookstore isn't in an historic building, but it's modeled after the general store/post office which stood in its location for many, many years. It's a full-service shop, open year-round, with a large selection outside of the requisite local interest and beach reads.
• A Greener Shade of You - sharing the building with the bookstore, this is an organic clothing store with a great selection of beautiful, comfy designer pieces (trust me, I've got a full bag of them in the car). They're not open year-round, so visit sometime between April-December.
• Old Corolla Trading Company - my favourite thing about this place is the local artwork you can find there. Seriously great stuff, much of it made with found objects.
• The Lighthouse Garden - Another shop with a varied collection. I love their furniture, plus the owner is the artist of one of the whales I bought this summer.

See? Told you it wasn't very big. Granted, there are a handful of other shops, these are just the places I've had personal interaction with this summer. If you've got other suggestions, feel free to leave your two cents in the comments!