Get out of town in search of Blackbeard's ghost, including a stay-over in Ocracoke.
Truth is, we all fall into ruts from time to time — and when it’s 98 degrees and your grey matter’s a melted glob of goo, it’s impossible to get inspired. This year, throw out the same tired summertime traditions in lieu of our fun to-do list, below. Or, go back to flipping that hamburger and checking your tan line. You decide.
 1) Go on a weekend treasure hunt. We suggest hitting the North Carolina coast in search of Blackbeard’s Pirate Trail (check out the three-day itinerary found at visitnc.com, matey). Start in modern-day Raleigh at the NC Museum of History, and follow the trail to the state’s first town, Historic Bath, which Blackbeard called home. (Rumor has it that citizens treated the pardoned pirate like a celebrity.) From there, drive to Swan Quarter and catch the NC State Ferry for your journey to Ocracoke, the site of Blackbeard’s last battle. Take a break from your pirate trail to enjoy Ocracoke’s charming village and pristine beaches. From there, head to Beaufort and the North Carolina Maritime Museum to learn about Blackbeard’s flagship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge. Dip your toes in the salty waters under which lies his trusty ship. Don’t forget to say ARRGH.
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2) Forgo the Internet (yes, we realize this is a Web site; irony, anyone?) and forge a pen-pal relationship with a person in a culture or country other than your own. Student Letter Exchange, which dates back to 1936, is based in Farmingdale, N.Y., and is the world’s largest pen-pal organization. For less than a nickel a name, you can accrue pen pals from all over the world. Become educated about other cultures, practice your communication skills, learn a foreign language, start a stamp collection, or simply make a friend in a faraway place. For information, visit pen-pal.com; to order the Adult Pen Pal Directory (for persons over the age of 22), send $9.95 (plus $1 shipping and handling) to SLE Adult Directory, 211 Broadway, Suite 201, Lynbrook, NY 11563.
 3) Make a mud pie … sort of. Allot five weeks out of the summer (or eight this fall) to learn the art of pottery making at Carolina Clay Connection, located in South End. There, master potter Leon Nichols or one of his co-workers can teach you to “throw” on the potter’s wheel. All levels are accepted, from beginner through advanced, and there are a variety of times and days/nights available. The class includes the firing of pottery created in class and house glazes, but beware: Dress for mess! And hurry; the first session starts July 13, and the second session (an eight-weeker) begins Aug. 17. To register, call 704/376-7221, come in to the South End area studio, or visit Carolinaclay.com for information.
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4) Prepare a dish from a culture other than your own. We suggest the cookbook Cooking From The Heart: The Hmong Kitchen in America, by Sami Scripter and Sheng Yang. Hmong food is a little-known South Asian cuisine in which dishes are created not by exact measurements but by taste and experimentation. (What could be more exciting than that?) The book is a collection of over 100 recipes from Hmong-American kitchens, and seeks to explain the traditions of the Hmong people and their culture, as well as the immigrant experience. For information on the cookbook, click here.
 5) If you are looking for a splashy way to make your next summer soiree sing, Borrow An Artist from Green Rice Gallery. For $45 an hour, the Gallery will send an artist to create a work of art right in the midst of your own personal par-tay. Of course, the fee doesn’t include the price of the finished, amazing product, but $15 of it does go to the final price. Artists will draft several quick pencil and charcoal drawings (these you get to keep!), and from those, you can choose one image to be recreated into an original painting. Or commission an artist to create one large piece of art with your guests and the party’s theme at the heart. If you are interested, call 704/344-0300 and ask for Carla; for more info, go to http://www.green-rice.com.
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 6) Host a Mixing party for the gals! Have everyone bring their favorite beverage and a music CD to share. Make sure your computer is capable of burning CDs, and invest in good blank CDs — the ones that are specifically made to hold music. Then get to mixing! While you sample different drinks, have each guest pick two of their favorite songs from the CD they brought along. After each song, have a vote; the chosen song goes on the playlist and helps commemorate your girls’ night out. Once your playlist is set, experiment with the dichotomy of tunes; it’s OK (even better, sometimes) to put that strange techno track right alongside that Cowboy Junkies tune. Label the CD with the date, and have each person write her name on the CD with a Sharpie. Keep forever! TCW
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