SOCIALLY SPEAKING
Welcome to Edenton Social Light
I’ve been enamored with Edenton from the first time I spoke with Cindy Twiddy and she offered an overview of town’s shining jewels and hidden gems.
Leaving 27 years of coastal California behind, we found Cindy to be right, which brought my husband and me to Edenton three years ago.
We found ‘the south’s prettiest small town’ to be more than anticipated. While proud of its 250 year history and historic buildings standing firm on the banks of its sweeping, waterfront. It’s the town’s people that weave its foundational fabric.
On our first morning in town before making the decision to move, we walked into the Edenton Coffee Shop at 7:30. My husband approached the early morning group of regulars and jokingly asked “would you happen to be the group running the town?”
“No sir” was the reply, “They don’t arrive until 8:00 a.m. but feel free to join us”. That friendliness is a town trademark. The interaction helped us make the decision to forward our mail.
Residents still take the time to greet others, chat and catch up on neighborly news. I was amazed at the amount of sidewalk greetings when walking through town as I was creating this first edition of Edenton Social Light.
Numerous efforts are underway to promote Edenton’s history and natural beauty as a visitor destination. It’s the perfect time to launch a periodical highlighting the events, activities and organizations within the community supporting the town’s notoriety.
Destination Downtown Edenton Director Ches Chesson, Edenton’s Director of Tourism Development Erienne Mizell were both extremely supportive, insightful and helpful in helping me with this first issue.
In this issue the light shines on the 250 Year Edenton Tea Party celebration and the historic women of its past and future. A variety of events are being held beginning October 25. It’s the perfect time to experience the Edenton’s friendliness. Our pages emphasize “where locals go to visit and visitors go to feel local.” That’s our identifying trademark. Quarterly printed publications are available throughout Edenton and updated online regularly at edentonsociallight.com. Please join us.
Karen
KAREN FOLEY
SOCIALLY SPEAKING
Table Setting Season is Upon Us
With the holiday season days ahead many of us will bring out seldom used table clothes along with passed down family china and lay a holiday table for relatives and guests to enjoy. Those fortunate enough to purchase a Candlelight tour ticket will have the opportunity to see tables set in elegant fashion.
Edenton could well be home to some of the nation’s first table settings.
“Table-setting became a Western craze in the late 1700s, when the aristocracy used the practice as a self-expression form and to display wealth. Themed table scapes have since then provided an "escape from daily life to a fantasy world", according to Wikipedia.
Walking Broad St. I always admire the windows of the shops and how often they change. Recently A Still Life, Edenton’s eclectic-high-style store redesigned their massive Broad St. window. The beautiful table setting caught my eye and brought back memories and appears on today’s Home page.
Having owned restaurants in Minneapolis, Carmel and San Francisco I learned the importance of place settings early on. Each of our restaurants had different styles and the dinnerware, silverware and napkin fold actually became a signature in each of those eateries.
In one of our restaurants, Chez Foley, antique bread and butter plates accompanied other stylish dinnerware in the place setting. Whenever the dishwasher dropped one of my antique plates my husband knew we would soon be antiquing.
Since becoming the dishwasher at home, my husband recently dropped one of my favorite plates which brought me to Broad Street Bazar where I found charming, vintage glass plates, now part of my holiday tabletop collection. Those not aware of the selections in Byrum’s Gift Shop may be surprised at the assortment of tabletop accessory pieces, you may want to include on your holiday wish list.
For those culinarians with a tight schedule, a trip to North No. 4 boutique may be the answer. The unique store offers an assortment of ready-prepared foods, a variety of sauces, aromatic savory salts and pesto’s, along with olive oil crackers, and other Bella Cucina products.
Edenton is rapidly preparing for the upcoming festivities for the Holiday Season. Residents are stringing the new trend of holiday lights throughout town. Yes, the holidays are upon us. Bring out the china, salt the vegetables and shop locally, enjoying all Edenton has to offer.
Believe me, if little Johny drops a plate, not to worry…
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Karen Foley
KAREN FOLEY
SOCIALLY SPEAKING
Thank you for the kind words
When I came up with the idea to publish a small guide for the 250 celebration my original idea for a four page newsletter grew. There was more ‘good news’ than I expected.
I can’t express how thankful I am to everyone who has stopped me on the street or in a store and offered kind words about the printed issue of The Edenton Social Light.
As we can tell from the amount of cars downtown and the people enjoying the town’s retailers that Thanksgiving will once again bring many Edenton families together. It’s the beginning of the Holiday Season. Speaking from experience, the Christmas Season in Edenton ranks high among those in other charming renowned communities.
Edenton’s Community calendar is full. Make sure to take a look and download ours, it has a list of events that will warm your heart and bring good cheer to your soul.
If you on a tour of town over the weekend, stop by Surf, Wind and Fire and see if you can catch the large fish on the retailers wall. On Sunday, December 1, Surf, Wind and Fire is hosting another Downtown Sunday event. Stop by, listen to tunes, enjoy some food from the variety of trucks and catch a fish for two.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Karen Foley
KAREN FOLEY