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Life in the DayngrZone

Serving up real-life adventures along North Carolina’s Crystal Coast one adventure at a time.

Date Night at Nu Asian Bistro in Jacksonville, NC

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We all have these restaurants we never notice until we’re on our way to somewhere else, right? Well, Nu Asian Bistro in Jacksonville, North Carolina, has been that place for me for quite a while now. From what I can tell, they’ve been open for almost 2 years now, but for some reason, they never come to mind when the hubby and I are fighting discussing where to go for dinner.

The stars finally aligned for me to try out Nu Asian Bistro when a good friend of mine invited us to a sushi dinner date. Turns out she had been there many times before, and it’s one of her go-to places! It was fate. Fate for a sushi date. Fate for a sushi date with some of my mates. Feel free to stop me anytime here.

Nu Asian Bistro in Jacksonville NC

Great Food and Deals

Now on to the good stuff –  We happened to go on a Thursday night which also happens to be one of their BOGO sushi nights! Finally, I could try different kinds of sushi without it costing me an arm and a leg. I’m usually a Shrimp Tempura Roll kinda gal (which, of course, I got because it’s my favorite), but I also got their Volcano Roll, which I was very excited to try. Both were AMAZING, and I almost couldn’t finish them both (I said almost).

Shrimp Tempura at Nu Asian Bistro

© Nu Asian Bistro

My Volcano Roll even looked like a volcano which I loved. I admired it for a total of 5 seconds before I destroyed it. Our friends got an undeniably large platter of sushi rolls that put my little plate to shame, and they loved their choices as well. If you don’t like sushi, they also offer many other dishes, including a special Thai menu that is out of this world. I’ll definitely be sampling that one soon. The hubs isn’t a fan of sushi, but he was super pleased with his Teriyaki Beef. I almost regretted not getting it, but we’re married so of course, I stole a bite or two or three.

As if the night wasn’t perfect enough with our BOGO sushi rolls, the dinner gods continued to shine down on us with $5 martinis… need I say more? There were four of us in our group, so we asked the waitress to surprise us with four different martinis. We spent the evening sampling almost their entire menu of martinis – Death by Chocolate, Sour Apple, Washington Apple – you name it, we probably tried it.

My Favorite Picks at Nu Asian Bistro

My personal favorite was the Lemon Drop Martini complete with sugar on the rim. The Sour Apple was a close second. This chocolate lover was sure the Death by Chocolate martini would rock my world, but I suppose I’m just not a big fan of chocolate with my alcohol. Martinis and sushi; this is my heaven, I’m sure of it! The service was great as was the atmosphere of this cute little restaurant. It’s complete with some nice, low lighting to really set the mood before you chow down on some delicious food.

Martini, Martinis at Nu Asian Bistro

Perfect Date Night at Nu Asian Bistro in Jacksonville, NC

We had a great time for our first trip to Nu Asian Bistro! Yummy food, great friends, good atmosphere – it was the perfect date night. I may or may not have had one too many martinis… But hey, who I am kidding, it was totally worth it. Word on the street is they have BOGO sushi rolls Monday through Thursday, and different drink specials pretty often! We’ll definitely be returning to NU Asian Bistro for my sushi fix, but also to try some of my other Asian favorites like Mongolian Beef or a Thai Stir Fry. YUM.

If you’re new to the area or a local and haven’t tried this spot yet, Nu Asian Bistro should be on your list of places to have lunch or dinner. You can find them the next time you visit Jacksonville, NC at:

Nu Asian Bistro
2100 N Marine Blvd, Jacksonville, NC 28546

Loved this post? See more great finds along my Crystal Coast.

This guest post was contributed by Ragan Chambless. What are your favorite local restaurants in North Carolina? Do you have any places you love or haven’t gotten around to trying yet? I’d love to know what tickles your fancy so I can add some new places to my slew of places to visit. Help a sister out.

Experience a Wild Horse and Dolphin Scenic Tour

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Wild Horse and Dolphin Scenic Tour

One of the best parts of coastal living and life along the Crystal Coast is getting to experience a wild horse and dolphin scenic tour anytime we want.  My kids and I are big nature lovers, so any chance to see wildlife in a natural setting is just magical.

Shackleford-Banks, NCPS, Wild-Ponies, Crystal-Coast-Lady, Island-Express-Ferry Service, Wild Pony and Dolphin Scenic Tour

One stallion challenging another – often used to intimidate an opponent to prevent a fight. © NCPS

Why See Less, When You Can See It All!

My friend, Captain George, owns and operates Beaufort’s largest, most comfortable cruise vessel, the Crystal Coast Lady. He offers regularly scheduled opportunities for locals and visitors to experience their Wild Pony and Dolphin Scenic Tour. If you’ve never sailed with Captain George or you’ve never seen the wild horses and dolphins, add this to your list of things to do while you’re in Beaufort.  
 
If you’ve never been aboard, the Crystal Coast Lady has a fully enclosed top deck (so you can enjoy your cruise without worrying about the weather), plenty of outside seating, a fully stocked galley on each deck, bathrooms on each level and a climate controlled cab on the main salon. I’ve had some tasty treats when I’ve been on board. 
 
Finger food aboard Crystal Coast Lady, Crystal Coast Lady Food, Wild Horse Tour Food, Dolphin Cruise Food

Experience a Wild Horse and Dolphin Scenic Tour

The wild horse and dolphin scenic tour is a 15 mile, fully narrated tour. On it you’ll cruise by Carrot Island and the Rachel Carson Reserve, you’ll see the NC State Port, Blackbeard’s House, Beaufort’s historical homes, high-rise and drawbridges, Duke Marine Lab, Fort Macon, USCG Station, Radio Island, the Morehead City Waterfront, as well as big beautiful yachts from all over the world with a good chance of seeing the Wild Banker Ponies and Atlantic Bottle-Nose Dolphins. Pony and dolphin sightings are typical but obviously not guaranteed, but either way, you’ll have such a good time.

wild-dolphin, Island-Ferry-Express, Crystal-Coast-Lady, Wild Pony and Dolphin Scenic Tour

Atlantic Bottle-nose Dolphins frequently swim beside the Crystal Coast Lady as you cruise.© NCPS

 
I’d highly recommend you make reservations rather than trying to pay at the pier. This cruise fills up. Also, you can book just a dolphin scenic tour or just a wild horse tour but why not have it all?
 

Pick Your Own Tour with The Crystal Coast Lady

Crystal Coast Lady Cruises
600 Front St
Beaufort, NC. 28516

Phone: (252) 728-8687
 

Red Bull Chooses NC to Launch New Organics Line

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I love organic food and drink. It’s true! I strive to go buy organic whenever I can. It’s so important to me as a mom that my kids get the healthiest options whenever possible. So I was really pleased to get a box of Red Bull’s Organics, their new sodas. What a treat! 

The kids couldn’t wait to try them and were debating over how we were going to split them up. In the end, we all had a little bit of each. For me, my favorites were the Lemon and the Ginger. The kids like Cola the best. 

Red Bull Chooses NC to Launch New Organics Line

I’m thrilled to share that Red Bull has chosen North Carolinians to be some of the first to try their new line of organic beverages. North Carolina, with its bustling food scene and appreciation for craft beverages, has proven to be the perfect place to launch Red Bull’s new organic sodas.

The new line, ORGANICS by Red Bull, is a range of premium organic refreshment beverages made with ingredients from natural sources. They’ll be available as of April 2, 2018, where Red Bull is sold in North Carolina, from Raleigh to Winston-Salem to Wilmington as well as through Amazon.com.

The Official Red Bull Organics Launch Party

Some of my local blogging friends also got a preview and, like me, are sharing the invitation to the launch party. It’s going to be fun!  

The Organics By Red Bull Flavors Are:

  • Simply Cola – Not your average cola, this not-so-sweet caffeinated soda is derived from multiple plant extracts like kola nut, ginger, and cinnamon. It’s 32 mg of caffeine that comes from organic coffee beans harvested on plantations from all over the world.
  • Bitter Lemon – The refreshingly tart flavor of this caffeine-free soda comes from citrus extracts and organic lemon juice concentrate complemented by an herbal bitterness derived from plant extracts.
  • Ginger Ale – Thanks to ingredients from ginger extracts and zesty organic lemon juice concentrate this caffeine-free is as aromatic as it is tasty.
  • Tonic Water – The distinctive, light taste of this caffeine-free Tonic Water comes from a thoughtfully balanced blend of lemon and lime notes and a little herbal bitterness from plant extracts. The well-balanced sweet and sour taste is tart and dry.

You’re Invited! Save the Date –

If you missed the first event, there’s still time to get in on the fun. Save the date! On April 10th from 6-9, Organics by Red Bull will host Sam Jones for a free whole hog BBQ event. In addition to delicious BBQ, you’ll be sipping on cocktails from the Cocktail Bandits featuring the Organics by Red Bull sodas – and tasty sides by PoshNosh Catering. The event will be open to all, at Whitaker and Atlantic but you must RSVP to attend.

RSVP if you’re interested in attending this upcoming sure-to-be-fun event with your fellow NC Bloggers.

To see more of the types of events we partner with brands on, check out all our campaigns, and events.

Help Carolina Locals During the One Warm Coat Drive

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One Warm Coat Drive for Carteret County, Coats for Carteret County Locals

One Warm Coat Drive

Hey friends! I’m a big fan of getting involved at a local level so this year, one of the non-profit organizations I’m on the board for is encouraging everyone who can to donate a new or gently used coat this Winter. 

Why Coats? 

Health experts report that even a 2-degree drop in body temperature results in reduced heart rate, loss of coordination, and confusion. Adults cannot work effectively and children find it difficult to learn. For most, a warm coat solves the problem. But, for the nearly 15% of Americans living in poverty, a warm winter coat is a budget “extra.”

Did you know?

  • 15% of seniors live in poverty
  • 3.5 million people experience homelessness each year
  • One in five children is living in poverty

You Can Help Carolina Locals During the One Warm Coat Drive

Gateway Western Carteret Community Alliance and the Crystal Coast Christmas Festival have teamed up with One Warm Coat this holiday season to help our local community members in need. This is such a sweet way to help someone in need, right here in our community, this holiday season. 

You can donate a new or gently used coat during the Festival (Dec 2 – 11) and your contributions will go to a local domestic violence center and a local homeless shelter.

You can also bring in canned goods as well, contributions will also go to our local shelters.

Cans and One Warm Coat Drive and Drop Off Location: 

The Market At Cedar Point
1046 Cedar Point Blvd
Cedar Point, North Carolina

For more info call (910) 330-7937 or (252) 285-6606

About One Warm Coat

holiday charity event, one-warm-coat-drive

One Warm Coat works to provide a free, warm coat to any person in need. We encourage people to keep others warm by donating a new or gently used coat.

One Warm Coat is a national non-profit organization that assists in the donation of coats. We help individuals, groups, companies and organizations across the country collect coats and deliver them to local agencies that distribute them free, to people in need.

Key Facts and Figures

WHAT THEY DO ANNUALLY

Support over 3,000 Coat Drive Ambassadors by:

  • Providing free instructions, materials, tools and resources
  • Hosting and maintain a searchable database of coat drive events across North America

Assist community nonprofit agencies by:

  • Listing them on their searchable database
  • Assisting them in receiving needed coats

Work with business and brands to:

  • Engage employees and customers in giving warmth
  • Develop and support marketing goals and initiatives

WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED

They have focused on one specific need for 22 years allowing us to:

  • Support more than 20,000 coat drives to date
  • Expand to support coat drives held in all 50 states & 10 countries
  • Collect over four million coats providing over four million people with warmth

Keep their expenses low (with an average cost of .50 per coat) allowing them to:

  • Use our funds efficiently with 95% of every $1 supporting our programs
  • Provided over 300,000 children with new coats of their own

If you have gently used coats and jackets you’re no longer using or no longer need, please pass them on to someone who desperately needs them this Christmas. You can drop them off now through December 11th. 

Thanks in advance! 

A Cardinal on the Crystal Coast

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Cardinal, Winter Cardinal, Cardinal with snow

Moving to North Carolina’s Crystal Coast has given the kids and I so many more opportunities to see a wide variety of wildlife, especially birds like the Cardinal. All along the Crystal Coast, there are great places for bird watching and if you have a bird feeder like we do, you already know this!

cardinal, winter cardinal, cardinal in snow

Gorgeous Cardinal perched on a black metal bar during Winter. © Chris Chow

The Cardinal is One of Our Favorites

One of our local favorites is the Cardinal. It also happens to be North Carolina’s state bird. Did you know they’re also known as cardinal-grosbeaks and cardinal-buntings? The sexes usually have distinctive appearances with males being bright red, like the one above, and females being a rusty brown.

Swansboro Cardinal, Cardinal, Crystal Coast Birds

Beautiful Cardinal enjoying a little Winter weather in Swansboro, NC.

The kids’ dad snapped the photo above on his phone from the window while he was in Swansboro. It was a brisk Winter morning but the birds don’t seem to mind at all. Of course, we do notice a whole lot of activity at the feeders during the Winter, most likely because it’s harder to find seeds and berries.

Have you ever wondered what a Cardinal sounds like? You can listen to a Cardinal’s song right here. Enjoy!

Inviting Cardinals to Your Yard

cardinals feeding, female cardinal, cardinals and bird feeder

The perfect moment when a female Cardinal takes flight. © Elvis Bueno

If you’d like to encourage Cardinals to visit your backyard, you can help by supplying some of their favorites like seeds, insects (you can buy mealworms), and berries. That’s what we do. Their diet is quite varied. Most home and garden stores will have a wide variety of seed selections perfect for Cardinals. 

Bird in snow, Female Cardinal, cardinal in a snowy tree

Female Cardinal perched on a tree branch. © Ryan Tasto

Our favorite place to shop for all things bird-related, including seed, is a sweet little shop in Atlantic Beach that acts as a dual purpose store. It’s Kites Unlimited and Bird Stuff, etc. That’s literally the name!

I love that store so much and so do my kids. We’ve been popping in there since we moved here in 2012 and we still enjoy stopping in whenever we’re in Atlantic Beach. It’s one of those stores where there’s always something new to see and they’re so knowledgable about birds. 

Kites Unlimited and Bird Stuff, Etc.
1010 W Fort Macon Rd
Atlantic Beach, North Carolina 28512

(252) 247-7011

What’s your favorite bird? Is it one that’s local to you? Kick off the conversation in the comments. 

Social Media for Your Small Business

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Dayngrzone-Make-Social-Media-Work-for-Your-Business

Hey, friends! If you’ve been wanting to learn how to use social media for your small business I’ve got a great schedule of FREE workshops and classes for you. You’re going to learn how you can use social networks to your advantage! These workshops are must-have resources if you’re interested in getting started, or have the desire to learn more about Social Media Marketing and content creation.

The Social Media and Digital Marketing Course Line Up

LinkedIn Workshop

  • LinkedIn For Your Business (Feb 3)
    • LinkedIn is the social networking resource for professionals and an instrumental tool in developing your personal brand and creating an online identity for your organization. Use LinkedIn to promote your business, share employment opportunities, identify new employees, increase sales and more. In this workshop, you will learn the basics of LinkedIn: how to sign up, build your profile and connect with other professionals, reach out to new contacts, make introductions, contribute to ongoing discussion groups and get advice on how to use recommendations to showcase your skills and build your reputation.

Facebook Workshops

dayngrzone-small-business-social-media-facebook-creatives

  • Facebook For Business – Intro (Mar 09)
    • This workshop is aimed at small business owners interested in creating a Facebook page. We’ll cover why a Facebook page is important vs. using a personal Facebook profile for business, how your page works, and all the settings to get your page up and running by the end of the workshop. Taking the Social Media Marketing Workshop is highly recommended prior to attending this workshop. Attendees must have a personal Facebook profile already created and in use prior to taking this course, and understanding of your industry category (retail, non-profit, etc.) and what you’d like to name your business page. Additionally, you’ll need to bring a digital copy of your business logo, 5 large digital photos (bright and colorful pictures work best).
  • Facebook For Business – Intermediate (Mar 30)
    • This workshop is aimed at small business owners that have a Facebook page in place and could use a deeper understanding of how to use their page. We’ll review set-up best practices, dive into posting do’s and don’ts, how to use hashtags, social media policies and terms of use, as well as content creation. Taking the Social Media Marketing Workshop is highly recommended prior to attending this workshop. Attendees must have a personal Facebook profile already created and in use prior to taking this course, and understanding of your industry. Additionally, you’ll need to bring a digital copy of your business logo and 5 large digital photos (bright and colorful pictures work best).
  • Facebook For Business – Advanced (Apr 13) 
    • This workshop is aimed at small business owners that have a Facebook page in place and could use a deeper understanding of how to market more effectively. We’ll cover the basics of Facebook Ads, insights, demographics and data mining, content scheduling, and creation, along with scheduling features and monitoring tools. Learn how to effectively and efficiently manage your Facebook page and community. Taking the Social Media Marketing Workshop and Facebook Intermediate Workshop is highly recommended prior to attending this workshop. Attendees will need to have a Business Facebook page already fully set up with 35 or more fans, 5 bright and colorful digital pictures to use for posts, and knowledge of Facebook page management basics.

Blogging Workshop

dayngrzone-make-social-media-work-business-blogging

  • Blogging For Business (May 4)
    • Learn why your business should have a blog as part of your website, how to find content to blog about, and how to promote your blog.

Website Optimization and SEO Workshop

  • Website Optimization (May 11)
    • This workshop is aimed at small business owners interested in learning more about Website Optimization and SEO, keywords, optimizing your site, and your pages.

All workshops and courses take place in the Wayne West Building at:

Carteret Community College
3615 Arendell Street
Morehead City, NC 28557
  

How to Register for Social Media for Small Business Workshops

To register for upcoming digital marketing and social media classes, click the links in the descriptions above, or visit the Carteret Community College Small Business Center, or call Amber Buster at (252) 222-6361 Wanda W. Bennett at (252) 222-6127.

Missed the Class or Prefer One on One Training?

If you’re reading this post after my workshops are over. No worries, I’d still love to help you. YGive me a call (252) 226-0885, and we’ll schedule some time together based on your needs. 

Read more about Social Media.

Crystal Coast Geek Breakfast – June Recap

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Breakfast for techies

We had another great Geek Breakfast this morning with lively conversation and great participation.

Who Joined Us

GeekBreakfast LogoThis week the following great folks, representing the following great businesses, joined me for a lively discussion on tech, digital marketing, blogging, social media and more –

  • Christoph Hintze – Cristoph Hintze Drafting
  • Fran Pigott-Harding – MainSail Marketing
  • Martha Vaughn – The Fruit Bowl and Breakfast Bar
  • Mike Parsons – MyNetWiz.com
  • Nathan Forant – SOBX Tech
  • Sherry Hintze – Aspiring Novelist

What We Discussed

As always, we covered a variety of topics from building membership and interest around Crystal Coast Social Media Club, social media best practices, photo editing platforms, online security, tech support, free resources for businesses, and shared case studies and more. We don’t want to give it all away, we want you to come out and join us!

What’s Next?

RSVP and join us for the next breakfast: Crystal Coast Geek Breakfast – July MeetUp

Questions?

For more information, call us at (252) 226-0885 or post your questions below or on our Facebook page. We’re looking forward to meeting you, July 31st and getting some great conversations started!