Searching for God in the 7 Cities: Transcending Religion
The maze at A.R.E. is designed for walking meditation and contemplation. The foregoing generations beheld God and nature face to face, we through their eyes. Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe? ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson. When I was in my early 20s, I often spent my free time [...]
The Beauty and Design of the Outer Banks Boatbuilding Industry
There is a lean, graceful look to the custom-built boat. When the Carolina Flare slices through the water the sharp point of its bow arcs gracefully to the deck, which is a distinctive feature of the boats built on the Outer Banks. It’s no accident that these custom watercrafts have become known for high quality [...]
North End Run Club Creates Community Through Fitness
Having spent many late nights as a disc jockey in some of the most celebrated bars and nightclubs between the Oceanfront and Downtown Norfolk, Barry Clark craved a community separate from the party scene, one that would encourage him to explore the cities beyond their popular nightlife attractions and engage in physical activities. Unable to [...]
Going Back to School is Becoming a Trend for the Elderly
There are a number of reasons to go back to school after you’ve passed what is typically considered “college age.” For some people, going back to school is a way to finish the education that may have been started years ago but had to be put aside for one reason or another such as children, [...]
Hip Innovative Studio Boutique Offers a Creative Space for Local Artists
Anna Hubbard is no stranger to entrepreneurship. She and her husband have owned several businesses, including a sales distribution company they currently operate. But Hip Innovative Studio Boutique is a fresh, new endeavor for Hubbard, as it pulls together her passion for art with her love of community and skills as a businesswoman. Hubbard is [...]
CoVa Battle of the Burgers
Photos by David Uhrin; additional photos of Repeal Bourbon and Burgers courtesy of Paige Mangus. On April 28, Coastal Virginia Magazine hosted the inaugural Battle of the Burgers at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, and crowned Coastal Virginia’s best burger. Local restaurants battled it out as they served slider-sized versions of burgers paired with [...]
13News Now’s Crystal Harper Inspires the Community While Defeating Cancer
Photo by David Uhrin Viewers tuning in to 13News Now know Meteorologist Crystal Harper for delivering the forecast for Coastal Virginia on Saturday and Sunday mornings, as she gives them a better idea on whether brooding storms or blue skies are on the way. For those who have followed Harper online through social media channels [...]
New Procedure for Knee Replacement Leads to Better Range of Motion
The problem with many of the total knee replacement surgeries performed today is that they usually involve the cutting of one or both of the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) or PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament)—two of the four ligaments responsible for the way a “natural” knee flexes and rolls when it comes to walking, running, climbing [...]
2018 CoVa Idea House Preview
LOL. Laugh Out Loud? Oh, heck no. Luxury Outdoor Living. According to Stephen Quick IV, of Stephen Alexander Homes, the stunning deep water setting of the 2018 Coastal Virginia Magazine Idea House inspired the design of this home and informed every subsequent decision. Currently under construction and located on York Lane in the highly desirable [...]
Ammon Tharp of the Rhondels to be Remembered at Beach Music Cruise-In
When “Fat” Ammon Tharp died last September, he left behind a huge vacancy in beach music. Even those who never knew Tharp’s name instantly recognize his distinct vocal style and steadfast drumming that made everyone’s feet move. Tharp started playing drums in the first grade, while living in East Ocean View. A student at Princess [...]
Hiking Williamsburg’s Bassett Trace Nature Trail
Is there more to do in Williamsburg than the Colonial Cotillion? You bet. Warm weather on a weekend getaway to Virginia’s second Colonial capital found my partner, Bob, and I weaving endless leisurely circuits by bike throughout the historic area and across the campus of William & Mary. But I was itching for a substantial [...]
Busch Gardens’ Food & Wine Festival Offers Edible and Drinkable Fun
For decades, Busch Gardens Williamsburg has been a regional staple for family fun, thrilling rides, top-notch entertainment and the chance to visit many different countries inside one beautifully lush theme park. Since 2013, the park has given people from all over another enticing excuse to visit: the Food & Wine Festival. If you haven’t yet [...]
Keeping Your Skin Safe from the Sun While Enjoying the Outdoors
Almost everyone enjoys the look of a nice, dark tan. For decades, adding a warm glow to your skin has been synonymous with health, probably based on the fact that you receive some benefit from the sun’s synthesis of Vitamin D. However, once your skin cells have released the melanin that provides the browning coloration [...]
A Tranquil Weekend Trip for Couples at Duck’s Sanderling Resort
My frizzy hair blew from underneath a baseball cap moistened by a steady morning mist as I pedaled a tangerine-hued two-wheeler. I followed my husband down Duck Road for a leisurely Saturday morning bike ride accompanied by plenty of drizzle that dampened everything but our spirits. You see, Duck, N.C. is a beach town, but [...]
Keep Beaches Beautiful with these Easy, Eco-Friendly Tips
Residents and visitors alike flock to Coastal Virginia’s beaches each year to enjoy the ocean spray and feel the sand between their toes. But did you know that what we do at home and at play can have an impact on whether our coastal resources remain open for swimming, boating and fun on the water? [...]
Celebrating a Dangerous History at Hampton’s Blackbeard Pirate Festival
Blackbeard Festival fireworks. "What people know about pirates is what they've seen in the movies, and that's as far from reality as you can get," says Randy Gnatowsky. "Like walking the plank. That wasn't done until the movies came out." Gnatowsky, a retired 30-year veteran of the Hampton Police Department, is better known under his [...]
Pucker Up for these Local Sour Beers
They’re tart and fruity, bright yellow, plum purple and ruby red. Sour beers have spontaneously come on to the beer scene here in Coastal Virginia, with their mouth-puckering popularity and even offering a quirky way to quench a thirst on a hot summer’s day. Made with some pretty strange alchemy, some sours are barrel-aged in oak [...]
Right Side: Developing Alternative Energy Sources
The standard Anti-Green argument against alternative energies goes something like, “We do not need them because climate change is a hoax propagated by left-wing college researchers. And socialists in Europe. Any changes to our climate are not caused by human actions. That’s what Sean Hannity said." Since I’ve already written here about climate change, we [...]
Left Side: Developing Alternative Energy Sources
If there is a single slogan that resonates more than any other with Trump’s loyal base it is, “America first.” The sentiment is understandable, given that the United States is no longer the industrial powerhouse that it was throughout much of the 20th century. Nevertheless, it is alarmingly short-sighted. For one thing, his actions don’t [...]
Top 10 Things to Do this Summer
Summer is a favorite season in Coastal Virginia, and it's no wonder. The region offers tons of fantastic activities, whether you like to get adventurous out on the water, hike or bike the area's many trails, dance the night away at an evening concert or simply soak in the sun and sand. No matter what [...]
Bourbon and Bivalves at The Tides Inn in Irvington
Just over a year has passed since our Editor-in-Chief, Angela Blue, and her husband were whisked away for a weekend at The Tides Inn. She showered the Irvington resort with compliments, holding the culinary mastery of Executive Chef, TV Flynn, in particularly high esteem, and chronicled a blissful experience along Carter’s Creek. Finally seizing the opportunity [...]
Garden to Table: Local Restaurants that Grow
‘Farm to table’ and ‘eat local’ are admittedly buzzwords for cuisine nowadays, but for what could be considered a culinary trend should be viewed in the bigger picture as part of a growing food movement. Local restaurants are taking the idea a step further by sourcing from their own onsite gardens and making horticulture a [...]
World’s Largest Swimming Lesson
Swimming is a summer pastime that many look forward to each year, but it’s also an activity that should be treated with caution. According to the Center for Disease Control, drowning is the leading cause of unintended, injury-related death for U.S. children ages 1–4 and the second leading cause for children under 14. Additionally, a [...]
The Legacy of Virginia’s Maritime Music
Virginia is music’s home, in the mountains, yes, but also along the Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay and river banks. There are other musical hotbeds: Nashville and Asheville, Austin, Muscle Shoals, Memphis and more. And, in Virginia nestles the heart of American song in the Blue Ridge Mountains, known widely through the famed 1930s Bristol recordings and the music of A.P. Carter, his African American collaborator, Lesley Riddle and the Carter Family. The music is [...]
Captain Barry’s Chincoteague Aquatic Adventures
Captain Barry Frishman makes a landing on a marsh isle—a sliver of sand off the bulk-headed banks of Chincoteague Island. Looking around, he says, “I don’t want to lose the boat. That would be so embarrassing to lose the boat.” So he hands a couple of anchors to my 11-year-old son, John, who becomes Captain [...]
Helpful Hints for Home Chefs
Being a home chef means something different to everyone, and the definition often varies by how much time we can commit to spending in the kitchen. Some days it may entail planning and executing an elaborate, four-course meal (with wine pairings) for a group of fascinated friends. Other days it may mean successfully preparing a [...]
Warm Corn Chowder Salad with Bacon and Cider Vinegar Recipe
Photo by Susan Rowell-Bundy Recipe provided by Chef Robert Patton, CEC, CCA, Campus Director for the Culinary Institute of Virginia Whether you’re heading to a summer picnic or entertaining guests on the patio, this warm summer salad will bring out the best flavors of the season. In this take on corn chowder, we use fresh, local [...]
5 Reasons to Try BodyPump
Group fitness is an ever-growing fad, and for a good reason. Research shows that those who attend group fitness classes lose more weight, are more likely to stick to a workout routine and demonstrate higher levels of performance. Group classes range from cardio-centered courses such as spin and Zumba to yoga, Pilates, barre and other [...]
Virginia Sports Hall of Fame’s New Concept at Virginia Beach Town Center
Thousands of local Virginia Tech fans and alumni had plenty to be proud of when two more of their own were inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in April. The state Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony was held for the first time this year at the Sandler Center for Performing Arts in [...]
Renaissance Man Lenis Guess Kept the Norfolk Sound Alive
Lenis Guess. Singer Lenis Guess remembers that, in the 1950s, Coastal Virginia was a vibrant place for music, and it wasn't always fully appreciated. "Norfolk was a Rhythm and Blues town," he says. "Ruth Brown, blues singers ... The Five Keys, from Newport News, they might have gotten some status. But the area has always [...]
