I celebrated my birthday this past week in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, with my boyfriend and a few of our closest friends. I hesitated about going for a few days, but who am I kidding? It was a much-needed break from the monotony this year has brought us — plus, the driving practice was great!

Photo courtesy IG @simpleviewcsc

Photo courtesy IG @simpleviewcsc

We headed out last Tuesday around 5 p.m. and got in just shy of 1 a.m., giving us four full days there. In those days, we packed in quite a bit of activity! We took some beautiful walks on the beach where we had the first pick of seashells, watched dolphins and simply enjoyed the remoteness of an East Coast beach in winter. I can’t stress enough how nice it was to walk in jeans and a super-light jacket in December by the ocean. One day we felt adventurous and ventured out for some COVID-safe fun and wound up at a gun range where I shot a gun for the first (and, hopefully, last) time — turns out it’s not quite my cup of tea. Axe throwing, on the other hand, is! Yes, after the less-than-successful trip shooting, my friends and I decided, “Why not throw some axes as well?” OBX Axe Throwing was a great stop. Everything was clean and felt safe,. and I was proud to beat my boyfriend, who did not do so well, much to his dissatisfaction! Located just over the bridge in Manteo, OBX Axe Throwing also houses a giant trampoline park and a small arcade — a great place to bring the kids on a rainy day.

Photo courtesy IG @simpleviewcsc

Photo courtesy IG @simpleviewcsc

The rest of the trip was spent much the same as the past year, with us primarily staying inside and enjoying each other’s company. We grilled delicious dinners, played lots of board games and soaked in the feeling of simply being somewhere different (it didn’t hurt that that somewhere different happened to have ocean views!). Even though the trip was still overshadowed by COVID-19 (we all took tests before leaving and upon returning, and took the obvious safety precautions while in North Carolina), it was worth the extra work to make it happen, and I’m glad we went.

Photo courtesy IG @simpleviewcsc

Photo courtesy IG @simpleviewcsc

Have you braved any trips recently?

— Yasser Ogando, production & advertising coordinator