Shore Lines a Virginia Beach Blog

Nathaniel scaling the VB Rock Gym wall Photo credit: Jim Martin

I can sit and watch the rain for hours relishing unexpected time to think and daydream. I like board games too-especially Scrabble-and my 9-year-old son Nathaniel and I have put many puzzles together when the weather didn’t cooperate with outdoor plans.

My husband Skip and I note that we rarely-if ever-use the word “bored” in our home. There is always something to do! And if our son utters that dreaded word, we quickly remind him of the many projects he has in the works and he gets busy. But some days, puzzles, board games and Lego projects just don’t fit the bill. Especially vacation days when we had eagerly anticipated warm sandy beaches, blue skies and sunshine. Those are the days when a backup plan is in order, and fortunately, Virginia Beach has much to offer all ages.

But it can be tricky planning rainy day activities for everyone, especially when families are vacationing together. Living the life in Virginia Beach means we frequently have family from New Jersey, New York or North Carolina visiting. Of course they love gathering at the beach, as it’s the perfect destination for children who want to play and adults who enjoy relaxing at the shore. But when it rains, we simply shift gears and turn to indoor fun. Here a just a few of the many indoor activities in Virginia Beach my family has enjoyed over the years. In fact, I can recall having so much fun that we barely noticed the temporary absence of the sun.

Virginia Beach Rock Gym- My son is a cub scout, and we are fortunate to be part of such an active local organization. Virginia Beach offers a wealth of outdoor activities for scouts, and some of our most precious memories include camping, fishing and hiking with our pack. Local indoor destinations are abundant as well, but there is one my son begs to visit over and over. It’s the Virginia Beach Rock Gym and we spent a recent rainy Sunday there with fellow cub scouts. Located on Southern Boulevard, it’s a fantastic workout for active kids and guaranteed fun!

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Pop Life:  the name of a magazine, a song made famous by Prince and the title of a David Guetta album.  And this summer, another way to “Live the Life” in Virginia Beach.  The most comprehensive exhibition of portraiture by the world’s most famous pop artist, Andy Warhol, opens tomorrow* at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).  Andy Warhol: Portraits featuring original works from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh includes screen prints, drawings, paintings, Polaroids, and vintage Warhol family photos.  Considered the founder of the pop art movement, Warhol was notoriously private; this exhibition explores the phenomenon that is Warhol’s work on a deeply personal level.

Andy Warhol: Portraits includes more than 130 portraits produced by Warhol from the 1940’s to the 1980’s. This exhibition contains portraits of Warhol in his youth, a reproduction of Warhol’s first celebrity autograph (from Shirley Temple in 1941), early portrait drawings from the 1940’s, samples of Warhol’s commercial work from the 1950’s, movie star portraits from the 1960’s, and more than 100 portrait paintings from the 1970’s and 1980’s. The most comprehensive exhibition of portraiture by Warhol, the show debuted at the Warhol Museum in Spring 2010 and is exhibiting at MOCA for the first time in the US since then.  (more…)

It’s springtime in Virginia Beach, and that means it’s time to get fit for summer. But it’s not just our bikini bodies we’re working on. This time of year many people are working on getting in shape for a variety of fun summer races. There’s a reason Forbes, Shape, and Men’s Fitness magazines have all ranked Virginia Beach as one of the top 10 fittest cities in America!

Last  month, more than 5,500 people registered for Color Me Rad, a 5K fun run/walk at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex  that included color-bombing stations where participants got covered with bursts of colored cornstarch. The family-friendly events take place all over the country, and the Virginia Beach stop put smiles on thousands of rainbow-colored faces, encouraged families to get moving, and raised funds for The YMCA of South Hampton Roads.

If you missed Color Me Rad, don’t worry. From obstacle courses to triathlons and mud runs to half marathons, you can find a fun spring or summer fitness-inspired event – and plenty of places to train for it – here in Virginia Beach.

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The crab is the king of the Chesapeake Bay, resplendent in a brilliant blue color and, in the case of females, bright red tips on the end of pincers.

Crabmeat is sweet and succulent and found in many forms on menus in Hampton Roads; it has a mild, sweet flavor and compliments many other ingredients.

The crustacean can turn up in the form of crab cakes or in dishes like Crab Imperial, Crab Norfolk and She Crab Soup. Many folks also enjoy crab boils, where the crab is steamed in large pots of water peppered with spices and seasonings, then cracked open and the sweet, delicate meat picked, dipped in melted butter, and eaten. Soft shell crabs are also favorites in season, typically prepared fried or pan-sautéed.

Soft crabs occur when crabs shed their modesty – and their shell – during molting, traditionally after the first full moon in May and until late summer and early autumn.

Old shells are shed so the crab can grow, and the new one starts to harden right away if the crab stays in water; soft crabs are the result of the crustaceans being plucked out of water before this happens.

Soft crabs are cooked, and eaten, whole. Soft crabs are usually served dressed and pan-ready.

Here is some soft shell terminology to be aware of:

Jimmies – male crabs, identified by the long, narrow shape of the apron on their underside.

Sallies – immature female crabs.

Sizes – for soft crabs: whale (also known as slab or counter – 5.5 inches or more); jumbo ( 5 to 5.5 inches); prime (4.5 to 5 inches); hotel (4 to 4.5 inches); medium (3.5 to 4 inches.)

Sooks, she-crabs – mature female crabs, identified by the wide, round shape of the apron on their underside.

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach publishes a pocket guide outlining recommendations from their Sensible Seafood program; blue crab is on the “good alternatives” list.

Regional seafood will also be celebrated at the Virginia Aquarium’s annual Sensible Seafood Fest, held at the museum on May 24, 2012.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH TARRAGON DIJON-CREAM SAUCE

Crab Ingredients

8 soft-shell crabs, dressed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups flour

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

Sauce Ingredients

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup course grain mustard

2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Garnish

2 green onion leaves, chopped

1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

Crab Method

Prick legs and claws of crab with tines of a fork. Season crabs with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and butter and, once butter melts, place crabs, a few at a time as not to crowd, back-side down. Cook about 2-3 minutes, or until golden, turn, and cook the other side another 2-3 minutes, or until golden.

Sauce Method

In a medium saucepan, combine cream and mustard and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until warmed. Add salt, pepper and tarragon and stir to incorporate. Drizzle over crabs. Garnish with chopped green onion and parsley.

Yields 4 servings

Patrick Evans-Hylton, a Johnson & Wales-trained chef, is a food authority on Chesapeake Bay regional cuisine and author of the upcoming book, “Dishing Up Virginia.” His work appears in print, television and radio. Read more of his adventures at food at www.PatrickEvansHylton.com

Welcome Back to ShoreLines, a Virginia Beach blog.  Did you miss us?  Well, it’s good to be missed but we’re back.

ShoreLines was off-line for a bit undergoing a website migration but we are back in full swing and ready to share some fabulous content from our cast of bloggers.  Thanks for sticking with us! 

First up, a fantastic recipe for softshells from Patrick Evans-Hylton and a reminder about the Virginia Aquarium’s Sensible Seafood Fest this Thursday night………..