Noel McDevitt

Southern Pines NC has a lot of holiday events that are fun for the whole family. Three biggest events are:

1. The Southern Pines Christmas Parade. The Parade takes place on the first weekend in December. Broad Street is blocked off and the sidewalks fill up quickly before floats, antique cars bands and civic groups make the annual march through town. Santa is there for the kids. The shops and restaurants in town are of course open all day, so you can get a lot of shopping done.

2. The Carriage Parade. This unique event takes place on the second Saturday in December. The carriages are all drawn by horses, and the event is organized by the Moore County Driving Club. This event is one of the highlights of the year here in the heart of North Carolina Horse Country.

3. First Eve. On New Year's Eve, the town once again blocks off the streets for a variety of entertainers to spend a few hours celebrating the New Year. The great thing about this event is that it's designed for families, so the hours are 6 - 9 pm. This gives children the chance to celebrate with their parents and grandparents. There's even a ball - drop at around 8. And the adults still have time to do some late night celebrating if they still have the energy.

Visit us on the web for more info about these and other events in Southern Pines and Pinehurst during the Holidays. Pinehurst and Southern Pines NC events

The dining room at Whispering Pines Country Club is now being managed by the Ironwood Cafe and it's owner, Vince Continenza. The restaurant is now called Woody's and they are doing a great job. The menu is similar to Ironwood, except for the fact that there is a lot more "comfort food" available at Woody's - and it's excellent. We ate there tonight and the service was just as good as the food. They had a pretty good sized crowd. Whispering Pines finally has a fine dining restaurant after all these years. I highly recommend the trip out to WPCC to have dinner at Woody's. Call 910-949-3000 for reservations and to make sure they are open. I am not sure about their hours, although I know that they are open on Friday and Saturday nights in addition to some other nights of the week. Ironwood is also handling lunch, which I am sure is equally impressive. If you go over the holidays, and go by way of Ray's Bridge Rd so you can enter Whispering Pines along the Pine Lake dam. Lakefront homes have their Christmas Trees lighted on their docks and that alone is worth the trip - it looks great. If you need directions, don't hesitate to give us a call or visit our website: http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com. We can be reached at 800.788.8814 toll free or 910.693.7901 locally.

There's a great opportunity to get membership privileges at 4 different golf clubs in the Pinehurst area at a very good price. Avestra golf management is offering a program called Sandhills Originals, which includes Southern Pines CC, Whispering Pines CC, Foxfire CC and Hyland Hills Golf Club. There is a $500 activation fee, and then rates begin at $150 per month. This entitles members to full golf privileges and all you pay is the cart fee, which is either $16 or $20 depending on which course you play. (SPCC is $20). In all there are 6 great courses. You can add a $145 to your monthly bill and you never pay a cart fee. It's a great deal and all of the courses are in very good shape and getting better. Visit our website at http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com or Avestra Pinehurst Golf Deals for more info.

Looking for new place to go for a gourmet dinner. Try Wolcott's in Southern Pines NC. The restaurant is not exactly brand new - it has been around for well over a year now. It is located on Pennsylvania Avenue right between Broad Street and Bennett Street and across the street from The Pilot Newspaper Office. It is a small place that packs a big punch. All of the food is great and they have a good wine selection. Wolcott's is convenient to Pinehurst as well, and last night, there were a number of people eating dinner who are associated in some way with the US Amateur Golf Tournament which is being held at the Pinehurst Country Club in Pinehurst NC this week. Wolcott's is just in the phase of being discovered, and I highly recommend that you try it if you have not done so already. If you a visiting the area to search for Pinehurst NC property or if you are just visiting on vacation, Wolcott's has an intimate atmosphere that is sure to make you feel at home. Give them a call at 910-695-1551, as reservations are recommended. If you want to find out more about Pinehurst or Southern Pines NC, please give us a call at 800-788-8814. We have helped hundreds of families relocate to the area, and we love showing off this wonderful part of the world. You can also visit us in the web: http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com . If you are planning a visit, be sure and call our office to request an Area Guide, which we have compiled based on years of experience in the area.

Legacy Golf links is a very good course located near Pinehurst NC in Aberdeen. It is also the location of Legacy Lakes, a new real estate development with golf front homes and golffront property. It is a Nicklaus Jr course that is a great alternative to the courses that are right in Pinehurst. It is one of the courses that golfers liek to play when they come to town to play all of the Pinehurst CC courses. Often, they throw Legacy into the mix. There are some nice long holes if you play from the Pro or Mens tees. The course plays just over 7,000 yards (73.2/132) from the Pro tees and about 6,500 (70.8/124)from the Mens. My favorite holes are the 1st (Par 4) , the 12th (par 4) and the 16th (Par 5). The Pro Shop is OK and the grille is very good. Legacy has a great practice range. Legacy Lakes offers new homes beginning in the $300K's, and it also has a very nice Clubhouse with a great tennis facility. Legacy Lakes in convenient to Pinehurst and Southern Pines, and it is also very close to Fort Bragg, NC. For more info on Legacy Golf Course or real estate at Legacy Lakes, please give us a call at 800-788-8814 or visit http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com