May 24th, 2013 by Katherine Jackson
 Adjacent to the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, yet seemingly a world apart, is the West Neck Creek Natural Area. Even on a busy afternoon, it’s easy to leave the traffic noise behind by exploring the 217-acre preserve, which features a short, paved path plus two and a half miles of unpaved trails that loop through the woods and crisscross the creek. Although I didn’t see a soul while I was there, I did see hoof prints, footprints, and bicycle treads. For more than an hour, I walked under a canopy of startlingly-green spring leaves, letting go of everyday worries and focusing instead on the symphony of birdsong, and the play of light and shadow among the evergreen and hardwood trees. “Natural Areas,” according to the City of Virginia Beach website, are city-owned tracts of land intended to preserve indigenous vegetation and wildlife, and provide a scenic environment.
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Tags: Buffington-Whitehurst house, free things to do in Virginia Beach, walking in Virginia Beach, West Neck Creek Natural Area
Posted in Living the Life, The Beach Report, The Great Outdoors
May 20th, 2013 by Patrick Evans-Hylton
 The abundance of seafood has been a culinary hallmark of Virginia since people began cooking here. From the Atlantic Ocean to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, folks have long noted the variety and quality of local marine life. Captain Christopher Newport wrote in 1607:
“The main river [James] abounds with sturgeon, very large and excellent good, having also at the mouth of every brook and in every creek both store and exceedingly good fish of divers kinds. in the large sounds near the sea are multitudes of fish, banks of oysters, and many great crabs rather better, in fact, than ours and able to suffice four men.”
To help keep Virginia seafood sustainable, the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach coordinates the Sensible Seafood program. Affiliated with the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, the program offers guidelines for best choices of seafood based on a number of factors such as whether the catch is fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways, if it contains contaminants, and so on. That program is celebrated annually with The Sensible Seafood Fest. This year’s fest takes place this Thursday, May 23 from 7 until 10 p.m.
The event showcases foods prepared with regionally-sourced, sustainable ingredients from around two dozen of the museum’s Sensible Seafood partner restaurants; a full list of participants can be found on the Aquarium’s website.
It’s a delicious time for foodies with the abundant of fresh, seasonal – and sustainable – dishes to sample. There is also beer and wine. Ticket prices are $40 for members and $45 for non-members, which include samples from all restaurants plus beverage tickets for beer and wine.
Educational components focus on restoration, sustainability and environmental stewardship of the Bay and environs. Look for a wide assortment of sustainable foods, from crab and oysters to fresh catch according to Karen Burns, an event organizer and educator at the aquarium.
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is located within walking distance of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront at 717 General Booth Blvd. To speak to someone at the Aquarium about this event or for more information on the Aquarium’s summer programs, call 757-385-3474.
 Patrick Evans-Hylton, a Johnson & Wales-trained chef, is a food authority on Chesapeake Bay regional cuisine and author of the book, “Dishing Up Virginia” which celebrates the food and foodways of the Old Dominion. His work appears in print, television and radio. Read more of his adventures of food at www.PatrickEvansHylton.com
Tags: Chesapeake Bay watershed, Coastal Cuisine, Sensible Seafood Fest, sustainable seafood, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Posted in Culinary / Dining, Events, Living the Life
May 17th, 2013 by Guest Blogger
Editor’s Note: This week in The Beach Report, one of my colleagues takes the keyboard as a guest blogger on ShoreLines.
Jamie Mitchell, CMP, a Convention Sales Manager with the Virgina Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, works in Virginia Beach and lives with her family across the river in Portsmouth. The Mitchell Family enjoyed a fun “Mother’s Day staycation” last week at the Oceanfront. They had a ball! So much so, that I convinced Jamie to share the details so we could use her post as a refreshing reminder for those of us lucky enough to live in Hampton Roads – your best time this summer awaits you right here in Virginia Beach. Thanks for sharing, Jamie!
Note to those traveling to see us this weekend or are already here: You chose a FANTASTIC TIME TO VISIT!!!!!! Why, you ask? Where do we begin! How about………….AIRBIRDS! PIRATE PARTY! CLASSIC CARS! BEACH MUSIC! DOLPHINS! SUN! SAND! SURF!
Get the picture???!!
Have Fun!
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Meeting Planner by Day, Fun Loving Mom Always!
 The Mitchell's enjoy the VB Boardwalk by surrey Last weekend my family and I decided it was time for a little getaway. Luckily, we didn’t have to go far! We spent the weekend at the Virginia Beach oceanfront and had a blast! We did as much as we could do in less than 48 hours. We started off with a wonderful dinner at Waterman’s. Afterward we strolled the boardwalk to take in “Monsters on the Beach” (monster truck show). My 8 year-old son was fascinated and my 19 month-old loved all of the excitement. We settled in to our hotel, the newly renovated Sheraton, and my oldest insisted on pool time immediately. He made several new friends and had a great time before swiftly falling off to sleep once we returned to our room.
On Saturday morning we enjoyed the breakfast buffet at the hotel and then had more pool time as the day warmed up. We then hit the beach for some fun in the sun followed by a dip in the outdoor pool. Next we cruised the boardwalk on a family bike ride where we listened to the PANorama Caribbean Music Fest. After a delicious lunch at Dough Boys Pizza it was off to the Virginia Aquarium. The kids loved the exhibits and my husband (an avid fisherman) did too! We took a brief rest and then headed out to Rockafellers to enjoy a delicious meal on the deck. The weather was perfect for outside dining and the “local flavor” offerings were amazing. Back to the hotel for more swimming (my son LOVES to swim) before we all fell into a restful night’s sleep.
We ended our getaway with a delicious breakfast at local’s spot, Doc Taylor’s. Ray and the crew were in outstanding form even though both the house and the seaside lounge were near capacity. We had many more things on our “to do” list but unfortunately not enough time. Guess we’ll have to plan another staycation soon!
Tags: BeachEvents, free family fun, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach fun
Posted in Living the Life, The Beach Report, With The Kids
May 16th, 2013 by Mike Halperin
 Bluefish by Duane Raver Whether it’s a vacation or “staycation,” Virginia Beach is THE place to be for exciting spring fishing.
Inshore success has already come to anglers testing spring species of red and black drum, speckled trout, flounder, croaker, and bluefish.
Bluefish up to 8 pounds have startled anglers inside Rudee Inlet with drag pulling runs. Blues have also been hitting in the Chesapeake Bay and at offshore wrecks. Cut bait on brightly colored float rigs should get you in the game. Keeper flounder and speckled trout are providing action in Rudee Inlet while puppy drum are available inside Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets.
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Tags: black drum, bluefish, blueline tilefish, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, fishing citation, Fishing Tournaments, Flounder, grouper, puppy drum, Sea Bass, Tautog, Virginia Beach, world-class saltwater fishing
Posted in Fishing, Living the Life
May 16th, 2013 by Sherry Friel
Strawberries, strawberries, strawberries! It’s peak strawberry picking season in Virginia Beach, and the beautiful weather we’ve had recently has ensured the yield is indeed a bountiful and tasty one.
I just checked out the 2013 Virginia Beach Strawberry Guide to see which farms were ready to be harvested, and the selection was outstanding! A recent update on the Brookdale Farm Facebook page even offers quite a deal for Facebook fans, so it’s a good idea to check out the pages for all local strawberry producers before heading out. Wherever you end up, especially if you head out before the weekend, it’s likely you’ll encounter the following scenario mentioned on Brookdale’s page:
“We are now at the PEAK of the strawberry season and to say that our plants are hanging heavy with ripe berries that need picking NOW is a bit of an understatement, especially at our Pungo farm! Warmer weather the rest of this week means the berries will ripen faster.”
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Tags: buy fresh, buy local, fresh strawberries, strawberrry recipes
Posted in Culinary / Dining, Living the Life, With The Kids
May 16th, 2013 by Mike Halperin
Virginia Beach Angler’s Club
17th Annual Cobia Classic Tournament
June 14 – 15, 2013
Contact – 757.472-7183 or L3LT@aol.com
Pier Summer Fishing Tournament
June 9, July 14, August 11, and September 8
Sponsors: Virginia Beach Angler’s Club + Lynnhaven Fishing Pier
Fish must be caught on the pier
Info at
http://lynnhavenpier.blogspot.com/
www.virginiabeachanglersclub.org
Tags: Fishing, fishing events in Virginia Beach, Fishing Tournaments, fun things to do in Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach
Posted in Events, Fishing, Living the Life
May 14th, 2013 by Sherry Friel
 Nathaniel eating green beans straight from garden by Sherry Friel True story: When I was10 years old I learned to cook mashed potatoes-practically a staple on Virginia Beach supper tables for decades now. Whether white, gold, or red, through the years I have learned many variables affect the taste. Ideally, the consistency should be airy and fluffy with just a hint of butter, salt, cream, and pepper. Garlic, in my opinion, should never be added as it can overwhelm the taste of perfectly prepared spuds. Timing is important, as you can’t put them in pot before the water has reached a full boil, and you can’t leave them in too long or they’ll become a mushy mess the consistency of white glue.
See, it’s all about trial and error. And failing. And learning from missteps. Believe me, I served plenty of potatoes to my family that did not measure up. The absolute worst potatoes I ever prepared involved a last minute stroke of genius on my part. In my 10-year-old mind, I decided a dish so creamy, so white and fluffy ought to include pure vanilla extract. So I threw a dash or two into the mix. I’ve never seen the delight of so many people at the table turn sour as one by one, they each took a bite of my potatoes.
Yesterday my 9-year-old son Nathaniel told me if he were to choose a wise saying that summed up his way of thinking, it would be this: “You should cherish your failures because those are the times when you learn.” He’s right. I do cherish the memory of those famous vanilla potatoes, even if at the moment I felt embarrassed that my cooking experiment failed.
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Tags: 2013 Virginia Beach Strawberry Guide, Katherine Jackson, local produce, Pungo, vegetable gardening in Virginia Beach
Posted in Culinary / Dining, Living the Life
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