|
| |
Norfolk
Written by: 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! It has different exhibits of various ship and aquatic related artifacts, where you could practice making rope knots or just look at the different parts of a ship.
But by far, the coolest thing for me was the shark touch exhibit. Yes, you read that correctly! They have a tank with LIVE nurse sharks, about 4 feet in length, and you can touch them, if you dare! OK, I'll admit I have had an obsession with sharks ever since I saw "Jaws," but this was just awesome! Nurse sharks are nocturnal animals so they sleep during the day, allowing us to touch the skin on the back of their heads and up towards that legendary dorsal fin. It did take me a few tries to muster up the nerve to reach into a tank with sleeping, but still very much alive sharks, and pet their head similar to a housecat, but I couldn't resist the opportunity! It felt like coarse and slimy sandpaper, and Yes, I came home with all of my fingers!
Still buzzing off the adrenaline rush, we toured the USS Wisconsin, one of the last and largest battleships at nearly three football fields long and boasting a crew of more than 2,900 at her peak. She served during World War II, the Korean War, and during Operation Desert Storm, and should she be needed, could be operational once again in 6 months to a year.
As the day faded into evening, we were still only halfway through our stay in Norfolk, and we checked into the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel to freshen up for our night on the town.
One of my other passions is sports, and we had an invitation to a Club Owner's Reception for the Norfolk Nighthawks Arena 2 Football team, and then seats to their game against the New Haven Ninjas. We met the owners, former NFL stars Ken Easley, Jr. and Bruce Smith, prior to the game.
Arena Football is a little different from the regular kind. The major one is the field is only 50 yards -- half of an NFL regulation one. With the size constraints, the game looked like football, but it moved closer to the pace of a lacrosse game. In the NFL, a player's 40-yard dash is a valuable element in evaluating talent, but here it's crucial. There isn't enough room to build up speed -- you'll run off the field!
In a fast-paced, high-scoring slugfest, the Nighthawks defeated the Ninjas, 42-41. Nighthawks WR/LB Travis Burns caught two touchdown passes and ran for an eventual game-winner to earn MVP honors for the game.
All this football excitement had worked up an appetite for the group, and we went to Todd Jurich's Bistro, a nationally recognized and chef-owned restaurant, for a few delicacies with wine selections to match.
Most of the courses were seafood, which I was thrilled about. We started with a frothy watermelon-flavored cocktail. Our first course was a thinly-sliced cold salmon wrapped around a mixed salad greens center and topped with caviar. Next was a lightly battered and fried soft-shell crab, which was prepared to perfection, in a similar mixed greens base. This was my favorite course! A crispy fried portion of flounder was next, and this was also great. It had a light, delicate taste with sauteed vegetables and mashed potatoes on the side. For the main course, we had a thinly sliced prime rib over sushi rice, which was an interesting twist on an old favorite. To top it all off, a mission fig streudel -- an old family recipe of the chef's -- with blackberry sorbet ended the meal with a nice touch.
During the evening, wine selections to complement the flavors accompanied every course, so needless to say, we got a little giddy by the end of dinner! In addition, our group had bonded so well, we were in stitches from laughing at our tales over the past few days.
Not ready to call it a night just yet, some of us ventured to "The Strip," a bunch of clubs in the area for a nightcap. I guess we all came out of our shells, so to speak, including our tour guide, Sam, who I learned is the "unofficial mayor of Norfolk." The man knows everyone and every nightlife hot spot! We had a blast at Club Soda for cocktails, and at Empire, a martini bar. With their fashionable flair and contemporary upbeat style, both clubs could easily be picked up and placed in Manhattan.
Still another jam-packed day ahead of us, we ventured back to the hotel and bid farewell to Sam, who could be considered one of Norfolk's highlights just on his own energy. If you want to see Norfolk in the non-conventional way, just talk to him.
My 8:30am wake-up call Sunday morning came way too early, as I wondered who installed wall-to-wall carpeting in my mouth while I slept. Needing that jolt of caffeine only espresso can provide, we checked out of the hotel and walked across the street to my own personal heaven, Starbucks Coffee. The usual Iced Caramel Machiatto was just what the doctor ordered to get me going. The The "blender tour" was rapidly coming to a close, but we had one more stop before heading to the airport.
Quite apparent in our short stay, Norfolk is an exciting, lively, thriving city with a pulse all its own. Complete with a spicy nightlife, top-quality cuisine, waterside attractions and more, it has an addicting flavor and style, similar to the Big Apple itself, which is the best compliment in my book.
Part 1 - Richmond
Part 2 - Hampton and Phoebus
Part 3 - Newport News
Part 4 - Norfolk
Part 5 - Colonial Willilamsburg
|
|
|
|
|
|
