Archive for February, 2012
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 by Katherine Jackson
On a sunny Saturday  in February, I took a walk on Cape Henry Beach, which is adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay. It’s not a beach I often walk on, and it turned out to be a treat. The sun had coaxed the temperature into the upper fifties, the sky was a cloudless blue, and the air was so clear, I felt as if I could wave to my friends who live across the bay on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. I started my walk via the beach access at the end of West Great Neck Road, and I headed east toward Cape Henry, where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Initially, houses and condos line the beach, but farther along, I passed into First Landing State Park where only sand dunes abut the beach. The warm weather brought out lots of beachwalkers, photographers, dog walkers and a few bird watchers with binoculars. I saw one toddler in a pink sunhat who might have been taking her first beach walk. One man was digging for treasure with a metal detector, and a few people carried buckets for shells. Out on the water, fishing boats skimmed the surface and large cargo ships awaited their turn in port. Flocks of seabirds landed on the beach to look for lunch. All told, I covered 3.92 miles. I know this because I carried my iPod, which has a built-in pedometer and an FM radio. The local public radio station was playing lots of new music, and the reception was outstanding on this clear day. Cape Henry Beach is relatively flat, but it’s a good idea to check a tide chart when planning a walk. Parking is available on some residential streets in this area, including West Great Neck Road. You also can start and finish a walk on this beach via the parking lot at the First Landing State Park Bay Center, where you will pay a small parking fee. I recommend that you take this beach walk in the late afternoon while the sun sets over the bay and turns the sky a hundred shades of yellow, orange, purple and red.
Tags: Beach walks, Cape Henry Beach, First Landing State Park, free things to do in Virginia Beach, walking in Virginia Beach
Posted in Beaches, Living the Life, The Great Outdoors
Friday, February 24th, 2012 by Sherry Friel
Update 2/25 @ 9 a.m.
Always wanted to learn how to attract amazing butterflies to your garden? Catch a free lecture at the AREC tomorrow (Sunday, 2/26) featuring “The Butterfly Lady.”
 It’s the last Friday in February and it’s hovering right about 76 degrees in Virginia Beach! Amazing weather for what is usually considered the dead of winter almost everywhere in the US. It’s perfect timing for a spring-centric read, so sit back and enjoy this post, accompanied by some fabulous photography, courtesy of ShoreLines blogger Sherry Friel.
Off the Beaten Beach Track
 Shhhh! I’m about to share one of my favorite secret photography spots in Virginia Beach, a destination local horticulture and agriculture experts are very familiar with, but is often off the radar of visitors and some long-time city residents. It’s called the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC).
Now, I love all the regional botanical gardens and try to visit them throughout the year to see the very best each season brings, but when I need a “garden fix” in Virginia Beach, I head out to AREC. It’s conveniently located at 1444 Diamond Springs Road and is open seven days a week from dawn until dusk. Look carefully for the sign, as it is easy to drive right past it.
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Tags: great photography spots in Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Beach in spring, Virginia Beach Master Gardeners
Posted in Living the Life, The Beach Report, The Great Outdoors, With The Kids
Friday, February 17th, 2012 by Teresa Diaz
Congratulations! You got engaged on Valentine’s Day and now you’re in “wedding planning mode.” The details are endless….which designer will you wear? Will you have a beach wedding or book our fabulous convention center and reduce your carbon footprint by having a green wedding (hint, hint!)?? What about the reception: fish, fowl, or beef, or just champagne and cake? DJ, live band or orchestra? Colors? Flowers? Honeymoon destination? Photographer? UGH!!!!! Now you’re thinking of eloping, right?! Hey, not so fast! You deserve your big day and the excitement that goes with planning it to be just the way you’ve always dreamed of. So, where to start? Wouldn’t it be great if all the answers could be found under one beautiful roof? Wish, no longer, bridal princesses……..you’re in luck! One of THE premiere bridal events of the year is happening this Sunday, February 19, at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
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Tags: beach weddings, bridal shows, green weddings, Virginia Beach Convention Center, VOW Bridal Event
Posted in Events, Living the Life, The Beach Report
Friday, February 10th, 2012 by jsloggiepierce
This week’s Beach Report features the newest member of the ShoreLines blogging team, Jenn Sloggie-Pierce.
 A Warm Winter’s Day on the Bay
I’ve lived in Hampton Roads all my life, and while I do remember snow days and sledding on the battlefields in nearby Yorktown, I also remember many Christmas afternoons enjoying my new toys out in a sunny backyard, and there have been more than a couple New Year’s Days in which I donned flip flops. (To be fair, I am known to keep the flip flops near the front door year-round, and I’m not likely to put on socks, unless I’m going for a run, until the mercury dips below 40.)
We’ve had a particularly mild winter in Virginia Beach so far this year, and it’s given me many opportunities to remember why I settled in this city thirteen years ago. When you live here, you have a unique opportunity to soak up the sun and feel the sand between your toes at a moment’s notice, and on a random 65 degree day in late January, it’s really nice to live in Virginia Beach.
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Tags: Chesapeake Bay, Chick's Beach, running on the shore in Virginia Beach, things to do in Virginia Beach, winter in Virginia Beach
Posted in Beaches, Living the Life, The Beach Report, The Great Outdoors
Monday, February 6th, 2012 by jsloggiepierce
The ShoreLines Blogging Team is stoked to introduce our newest member, Jenn Sloggie-Pierce. Jenn is a local who loves to Live the Life getting physical in the outdoors. From trail running with a stroller in First Landing to making the climb up and down Mt. Trashmore, she’s not one to shy away from outdoor adventures and activities. As an Instructor of English at ODU and a fitness instructor and run coach for VBFitMoms.com and J&A Racing, Jenn is just the person to get your rear ends, and pronouns, in shape. Welcome to the team, Jenn!
Stand-Up Paddleboarding – Share the Stoke
 There are so many reasons to love Virginia Beach, and this past summer, I found a new one – stand-up paddling (or SUPping). If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to walk on water, you should give this growing sport a try.
Stand-up paddlers stand on what looks like an oversized surfboard, paddle in hand, and glide through the water at whatever speed they choose. Sometimes they race, sometimes they surf the ocean waves, and sometimes they just stand on a calmer body of water and take in the beauty that surrounds them.
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Tags: Atlantic Paddle Source, Babes Only On Board, Beach Eco Tours, outdoor adventures, Paddle VB, sharing the stoke, stand-up paddleboarding, Surf & Adventure, Tula Adventure Sports
Posted in Living the Life, The Great Outdoors
Friday, February 3rd, 2012 by Katherine Jackson
 This week’s Beach Report is courtesy of ShoreLines blogger and Virginia Beach Walking Tour Guide Katherine Jackson, author of Walking Virginia Beach.
A Whale of a Walk
I can’t make any promises, but I’ve heard that beach walkers at the North End of Virginia Beach have been spotting humpback whales offshore. That’s right, whales off the coast of Virginia! According to a recent newspaper article, Winter Wildlife Boat Trips, sponsored by the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, are reporting record numbers of whale sightings, especially in the waters off Ft. Story. You can see a portion of the ocean at Ft. Story from the beach at Eighty-ninth Street. Humpback whales are described as graceful acrobats that perform dazzling acts such as slapping their flippers and tail on the water; “spy hopping,” which means raising a third of their body above the water to look around like a periscope; and “breaching,” which means launching their entire body out of the water.
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Tags: humpback whales, walking in Virginia Beach, whale watching in Virginia Beach, Winter Wildlife Boat Trips
Posted in Living the Life, The Beach Report, The Great Outdoors
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 by Sherry Friel
“Sometimes we have to walk from the past and sometimes we have to embrace it. Heaven help us know the difference.” ~Adaleen Henrickson, character in the HBO Series Big Love.
 Awhile back my Dad and I visited my childhood home with my son, Nathaniel. Having grown up locally, this only entailed a short 30-minute trip and lots of courage. Why courage? I’m not really sure. I guess I’ve never been one to look back so much, and the idea of seeing the home where awkward childhood and pre-teen years unfolded held about as much appeal as middle school gym class (and I hated gym class!).
But with my son approaching 8 years old, I naturally found myself reminiscing more and more about the places and activities I enjoyed when I was his age. I also kept wondering if my favorite climbing trees were still standing, so I called Dad to see if he’d like to photograph them with us. Of course he wanted to! My parents planted three small pine trees well before their children were born, and to them they would always symbolize the three lives they brought into the world. By the time we were in elementary school, those trees were as tall as the house and perfect for climbing and hiding out.
To my surprise and delight, what were once small pine trees now tower enormously over the tiny house my parents lived in as a young couple. It was pure joy to take my son back to my humble childhood home. He took to the trees in that yard as we had as children: climbing, playing, and fearlessly stretching further to see how high he could go before I’d stop him. The house is currently vacant, which gave us a rare opportunity to explore the yard, peek in the windows, and warmly embrace the lights of the past. We also got a treasure trove of photographs.
 My son, Nathaniel, enjoyed the trees just as much as I did as a kid
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Tags: growing up in Virginia Beach, Playgrounds in Virginia Beach, Top City to Raise a Family
Posted in Living the Life, With The Kids
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