Five Fish Tacos to Try
There’s something about rising temperatures that lures us to our favorite Mexican restaurant for a round of fish tacos. But when we set out in pursuit of five fish tacos that we could recommend to our readers, one thing became very apparent—the words “fish taco” mean something different to just about everyone. Our search turned [...]
Summer Events at Waterside
Photo by Jim Pile Here's a look at some upcoming summer events at Norfolk's Waterside District: MAY May 26: Freedom Friday at PBR Norfolk All military and first responders will receive a discount with proper proof of identification at PBR Norfolk at Waterside District. JUNE June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Yacht Rock Fridays at Waterside [...]
Inside and Outside at Waterside
The question on many minds for years, “What are they doing to do with Waterside?” has since been changed to, “When can we do something at Waterside?” and the answer will soon be, “Right now.” The long-awaited, much-anticipated Waterside District is scheduled to open officially on May 4, with Grand Opening celebrations planned for May [...]
A Bite of Maine Food Truck
A crowd of local folks, young and old, gathers at Marina Shores Shoppes off North Great Neck in Virginia Beach on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in April. Each person gets in line, patiently awaiting the item in which they’ve been steadily yearning. For me, that item is lobster rolls. Admittedly, I have never tried a [...]
Prime Places For Picking Strawberries
Juicy, sweet, tart and red, strawberries are a pleasant sign of the season springing into summertime. What better way to enjoy the added warmth and lingering daylight than visiting a local strawberry patch? The experience is long-lasting, but the post-picking recipes are the sweetest part of the deal. From strawberry shortcakes (or short crepes) to [...]
Celebrating 70 Years of Misty of Chincoteague
Captain Dan Davis motors along the marshy banks of Assateague Island, looking for ponies in the wilds of Accomack County. "Last night, we had a lot of ponies coming out, right at the water's edge," says Davis, 39. "We can see ponies, dolphins and bald eagles all in the same trip; it doesn't get much [...]
Best Ways To Protect Your Skin From The Sun
While Daylight Saving Time was originally established to save energy and make better use of daylight, it also means we’re spending more time outdoors, potentially exposing our skin to harmful ultraviolet light. Dr. Michelle Walters from Associates in Dermatology, located in Hampton, has some advice to help protect yourself and make the best of your [...]
CoVa BeerFest and Food Truck Rodeo 2017
The local food truck and craft beer scenes of Coastal Virginia collided on Saturday, May 6 at Hunt Club Farm in Virginia Beach for the annual CoVa BeerFest and Food Truck Rodeo, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The Noblemen, who also poured the brews at the fun filled event. Guests enjoyed beer from 10 local breweries in a commemorative [...]
Tips For Planning or Enhancing Your Pool House or Cabana
You may already have a pool and are considering adding to your outdoor oasis. Or perhaps you are in the planning stages and beginning to create your dream exterior space. In either case, experts recommend considering a pool house or cabana. They are worth the investment when it comes to enhancing your family's outdoor enjoyment [...]
H2OBX Waterpark on The Outer Banks
Water is a major part of what makes the Outer Banks such a great vacation destination. The ocean side provides plenty of opportunities for surfing, swimming and some of the best sport fishing in the world, while the sound sides’ calmer waters are a perfect haven for windsurfing, kiteboarding and boating. However, now there is [...]
CoVa Cocktail Party
The CoVa Cocktail Party was held on May 7 at Hilton Norfolk The Main's rooftop beer garden and bar Grain, where guests mixed and mingled while trying different cocktails prepared by some of the best mixologists in the area. The party also included a cocktail competition, where judges evaluated drinks crafted by mixologists from Saint Germain, Harper's [...]
Peninsula Fine Arts Center’s Artini
Peninsula Fine Arts Center held their 6th Annual Artini on Feb. 10 at Ella’s Place, a pop-up jazz club located at the former Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill in City Center, Newport News. The event serves as a fundraiser for PFAC, and this year’s theme commemorated the 100th birthday of the First [...]
Diamonds & Denim Gala and Auction
Ability Center of Virginia (ACVA) hosted a Diamonds & Denim Gala and Auction on March 11 at the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel. For 20 years, ACVA had organized a “Run for the Roses” theme for their gala, and this year’s Diamonds & Denim theme encouraged attendees to shine brightly for ACVA. Shine brightly they [...]
The Open Mic Poet: Ann Shalaski
It’s the second Tuesday of the month at Aromas Café in Newport News. Outside the storefront’s wraparound window, the sun has just set over the City Center fountain, limning the “LOVE NN” sign with the day’s last light. Inside the coffee shop, a microphone and a music stand set against the glass wall let patrons [...]
The Spiritual Poet: Luisa Igloria
Framed by a nimbus of light filtered through the curtained window, Luisa Igloria relaxes in her Norfolk home on the living room sofa. She is the author of 13 books of poetry and one chapbook, but none are exhibited here. Instead, novels pile up on the wooden coffee table along with compilations of IQ puzzles [...]
The Performance Poet: Nathan Richardson
Nathan Richardson strides up to the microphone at the Hampton Performing & Creative Arts Center with the confidence of a king. Unlike everyone else at today’s open mic, he carries no papers to read from. He is a “spoken word” artist, meaning he memorizes and recites his poems with flair, their essence conveyed by more [...]
The Biographical Poet: Henry Hart
Cast your eyes about Henry Hart’s office in William & Mary’s Tucker Hall, and everything you see screams English professor. Stacks of papers awaiting grading. Wall-to-wall bookshelves crammed full of dense texts. And the professor himself, thin, bespectacled, with a slight amount of gray creeping into his closely cropped dark hair. But then he rolls [...]
The Local Poets and Masters of Rhythm
Coastal Virginia is rich with as vibrant and diverse a poetry scene as you could hope to find anywhere in the country. There are “slams” and poetry salons and open mics galore. Virginia’s Poet Laureate, Tim Seibles, teaches at Old Dominion University. The president of the Poetry Society of Virginia, Virginia Beach resident Robert Arthur, [...]
Wrightsville Beach Offers Summertime Fun for the Entire Family
With Memorial Day approaching and the school year coming to a close, I feel the urge to jumpstart our summer with a perfect little weekend jaunt—to get away (but not too far away) to somewhere with an attractive mix of kid-friendly activities and oceanfront relaxation. I unearth our bathing suits and unexpired sunscreen and pack [...]
The Art of Burning Man at the Hermitage Museum & Gardens
A little bit of Black Rock City is coming to Norfolk in quite the unique way. In case you’re not familiar with Burning Man, it’s an annual gathering that takes place in a temporary metropolis called Black Rock City that culminates in a massive art structure of some sort being burned. The week-long experiment in [...]
Tips For Handling Adjustments at Home When Your Kids Head to College
Going off to college is a big adjustment for any young person. It’s their first true taste of freedom from “my house, my rules.” It’s a time when they must leave people behind who they’ve probably known for decades to form new friendships and relationships. And they quickly come to realize that there is an [...]
Pizza Chapel Restaurant Review
There is a love affair going on between pizza and myself, and Pizza Chapel in Virginia Beach may just be the perfect venue to take this serious affection to the next level. Pizza Chapel is located in the former location of Virginia Beach Wedding Chapel, which relocated down the road off Birdneck. This neighborhood pizza [...]
The Little Red Mailbox in Sandbridge
Beyond the children’s playground, past the big, blue beach chair and down the wooden plank walkway by the fishing pier in Sandbridge’s Little Island State Park is The Little Red Mailbox, where anyone can “Leave a Note of Hope.” The mailbox, painted red by Outer Banks artist Vicki Horning, was established on March 5 by [...]
Weekend Warrior Program at Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter
In an effort to give their canine inhabitants a break from shelter life, the Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter in Newport News has developed the Weekend Warrior program, where volunteers can take a pound puppy for a lunchtime walk, an overnight sleepover or an entire weekend. In addition to giving the dogs some “parole” time, the [...]
Foodbank’s Summer Feeding Initiative
While many families fill their summers with camp, vacation or other fun activities, a lot of families in Coastal Virginia are trying to fill a void of hunger. “It can be too easy to forget that there are hungry kids right here in our backyard,” says Ruth Jones, CEO of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia [...]
Three Ways You Can Give Back This Summer
Summer in Coastal Virginia can mean vacationing, relaxing by the pool or at the beach and experiencing some well-deserved downtime from work and school. It can also be the perfect opportunity to get involved with the community and help those that are in need. Here are a few inspiring ways you can make the next [...]
Right Side: Women’s Rights and Sexism
Here we go again—another middle-aged man pontificating on something that supposedly should only be considered by women. Apparently I am not qualified to discuss, much less write, about the seedy pervasiveness of sexism in American culture due to my chromosome, which created an appendage, which therefore skews all manner of my thought and perspective. But [...]
Left Side: Women’s Rights and Sexism
It’s no secret that this country is sharply divided. But the polarization is perhaps starkest on the issue of women’s rights. Consider this: Last year, as Hillary Clinton was campaigning to become the first woman president in our nation’s history, the Pew Research Center asked a sampling of Americans whether women still face obstacles as [...]
Why Students Should Consider Careers in the Medical Field
"The doctor will be with you shortly." With a looming shortage of physicians to take care of a growing number of senior baby boomers, those words may not be so common in the future. Part of the prescription is more care by physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Demand is also growing for other workers in [...]
The New American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
Many lifelong Coastal Virginia residents have memories of visiting one of the region’s many history museums, if not recently, then perhaps on the obligatory grade school field trip. But if the caricatured version of the history museum was ever accurate—fusty corridors jammed with obscure artifacts, wordy signs and poorly-fitted mannequins—that’s no longer the case. Exhibit [...]
Four Ways For Teens to Make the Most of Summer Vacation
Teens and preteens in Coastal Virginia looking for fun ways to spend their summer break have plenty of options. From making some extra cash to making the world a better place, here are four ways kids can beat the summertime blues. 1. Start a Business: Summer is the perfect time for kids to make a [...]
How Students Can Increase Their SAT Scores
The first question that comes to mind in regard to taking a Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) has to be, “Is it worth it to prep?” The short answer is, unequivocally, “Yes.” Even though there are a number of schools that have opted out of mandatory test score submission, SAT scores remain the best way for [...]
The Village Blacksmith
I’ve always admired people who work with their hands—those who can look at any given medium and visualize its potential, then expertly go from raw to finished with an unmatched skill that seems so effortless. So, as a person who sits at a desk all day, it was a big thrill to be invited to [...]
Sustainable, Turf-Free Lawns are Catching On
“Slowly we’re learning about the environmental damage done in the name of the Great American Lawn—the wasted water, the fertilizers running off into waterways, the lawn pesticides harming everything they touch—we’re seeing connections between disappearing wildlife and the vast acreage we’ve devoted to a single plant that provides virtually nothing for wildlife.” —Susan Harris, Founder, [...]
Melo Lion Mead
Zeb Johnston is minding his own beeswax. Literally. The Yorktown beekeeper began his beekeeping business, Zeb’s Bees, both as a new hobby and a means to help with his own pollen allergies growing up. He learned the way of the bees through the Tidewater Beekeepers Association before going on to selling the honey produced from [...]
Camp Kesem in Williamsburg
Children dealing with a parent’s cancer treatment bear burdens and worries well beyond their years. They worry about their parent, are sometimes teased or bullied at school for being different and often feel like they must put on a brave face and deal with all their emotions alone. Camp Kesem, a summer camp exclusively for [...]
NASCAR Driver Macy Causey
Photo by Brian Freer Macy Causey, a 16-year-old York County native knew from her earliest years spent at the track that she wanted to be a professional driver. Ever since, she’s been off to the races. Macy is a third-generation driver in her family’s line of racing. Her grandmother, Diane Teel was the first woman [...]
