Virginia

Virginia Beach

12/28/2004
Janet Pope

My grown daughter and I were looking for a place to visit, for a mother/daughter getaway weekend. We decided upon a few critical criteria-- not too far away, not too crowded, and something there for both of us to enjoy. We settled upon Virginia Beach. First of all, it is a convenient 75 minute plane ride from New York City. Virginia Beach is predominantly a drive-to destination, but currently there are over 200 flights a day into Norfolk International Airport, increasing their air travel visitors. Second, it was the off season, so it wouldn't be packed with tourists.

Fairfax

4/17/2004
Dominick A. Miserandino
Guns, Chocolate and American History

There is an old joke that my friend Angela, loves to forward via email. She's the type of person who forwards such things if she is too busy to say hello since she's always studying or working. Anyway, the joke involves the solutions to dealing with one's wife when they're not feeling well. The wrong method is to ask your wife what the hell is wrong. The good solution is something along the lines of "telling her she's pretty." The best solution involves giving her chocolate. No matter what the situation in each of the jokes, chocolate seems to be the solution.

Alexandria, Virginia

3/29/2003
Janet Pope
Stuck in a blizzard, in the middle of a Alexandria, Janet sees the culinary and historic delights of the town.


Our latest trip to Alexandria, Virginia began on a very positive note. I dreaded a long car ride from New York City, and I was pleasantly surprised that it took a smooth four and a half hours with the time flying by. In retrospect, I discovered that this was literally the calm before the storm.

We checked into our hotel, the Comfort Inn, and headed off to dinner at the Stardust, in the heart of Old Town Alexandria. Walking into the Stardust was like being transported to a time and place where creativity and a positive attitude ran rampant.

Richmond

6/27/2002
Jenni Mennella
Richmond has a rich history with efforts in place to preserve its legends and remind us of our heritage.

In a whirlwind 5-city excursion over 4 days, I had the pleasure of seeing many historical sites revolving around the African-American culture in Virginia and witnessing a small taste of true southern hospitality. By the end, a subtle drawl had even crept its way into my Nu Yawk accent, and I even caught myself saying, "Ya'll!"

Norfolk

6/27/2002
Jenni Mennella
Complete with a spicy nightlife, top-quality cuisine, waterside attractions and more, Norfolk is an exciting, lively, thriving city with a pulse all its own and an addicting flavor and style, similar to the Big Apple itself, which is the best compliment in my book.

After spending the first half of the day in Newport News, we piled into the "wonder van of fun" and headed to Norfolk.

P.S. Remember the "blender" concept? Well, here we go again!

At the Downtown Norfolk Waterfront, we met Sam Martinette of the Norfolk Convention & Visitors Center for a tour of Nauticus, the national maritime center, and the USS Wisconsin. Not only was this exciting, but it was an interactive museum as well!

Newport News

6/27/2002
Jenni Mennella
Any history fanatic would be in seventh heaven in Newport News, and even those who slept through history classes would be entertained and excited to see this wonderful town.

A little groggy, but still glowing from last night's events in Hampton, we began our day as we did the previous one -- by piling into a mini van and heading off to another fun-filled day in a new location. We went to Newport News for the first half of the day, and then on to Norfolk for the remainder.

I must admit, for the rest of the trip, the group of us kept doing our Patti imitations from the Hampton Jazz Festival the night before at any and every opportunity.

Hampton and Phoebus, Virginia

6/27/2002
Jenni Mennella
Recently named an All America city, Hampton (and the little town of Phoebus within it) is easily one of the best cities around with a culture and flair all its own.

After an exciting and informative tour of Richmond, we drove to Hampton, just about an hour away. We arrived at Hampton University and met Mary Fugere and Ryan Downey of the Hampton Conventions & Tourism Bureau, and Sarita Scott, director of University Relations. Our itinerary in Hampton for the day started with a meeting with the university's president, Dr. William R. Harvey.

Already a successful business owner of the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company, Dr.

Colonial Williamsburg

6/27/2002
Jenni Mennella
Take a step back into the 1700s in Colonial Williamsburg for a living history lesson on how our ancestors lived during this era.

Still feeling the aftershocks of a night on the town in Norfolk, coffee and a quick nap cured me, and I was ready for our last stop on the "blender" tour of Virginia.

We headed to Colonial Williamsburg for brunch and a lightning fast tour since we were flying back in the afternoon from Richmond, and were about an hour away. Our guide was Linda McElroy of Colonial Williamsburg.

Brunch at Christiana Campbells tavern in a restored area was an interesting experience.

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