Archive for May, 2010
Friday, May 28th, 2010 by Amy & Jerry Frostick
 My favorite place to run in the world (yes, world!) is First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. If you have not run through this park then tie up your running shoes and get it on your list. The Civilian Conservation Corps built First Landing State Park in the 1930’s. It can be accessed by the main entrance off Shore Drive or by 64 th Street and Atlantic Avenue. There are many other amenities this park has to offer: boat ramp, camping, hiking, etc., but running is by far my favorite.
I make dates with my friends to hit the trails of First Landing at least four times per week. The park features a main trail called Cape Henry Trail, which is 5 miles long and marked every ½ mile with a marker. This trail is the only trail that is also open to mountain bikers. Cape Henry is well groomed and marked, and is a safe bet if you are traveling alone or visiting for the first time. If you prefer to venture off into the woods, there are several other trails to explore.
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Tags: camping, First Landing State Park, hiking, Long Creek, natural parks, nature trails
Posted in Living the Life, The Great Outdoors
Thursday, May 27th, 2010 by tstevenson
 Virginia Beach is home to a number of great golf courses designed by the likes of Arnold Palmer, Pete Dye, Rees Jones, Fred Couples and Jack Nicklaus. When reading that sentence, even most non-golfers know instinctively that each will consist of 18 holes. But why are golf courses 18 holes in length?
Like many developments throughout golf history, the standardization of 18 holes did not happen as the result of a momentous and well thought out decision. And like many developments in golf, the standardization of 18 holes can be credited to the Old Course in St. Andrews, site of this year’s British Open. Prior to the mid-1760’s, and right up until the early 1900’s, it was common to find golf courses that were comprised of 19 holes, or 12, or 15, or 23, or any other number depending on the size of the parcel of land dedicated to golf.
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Tags: Bay Creek Golf Course, Golf, Heron Ridge Golf Club, Red Wing Lakes, Stumpy Lake Golf Course, The Signature at West Neck, VB National, Virginia Beach golf, Virginia Beach golf vacations
Posted in Golf, Living the Life
Monday, May 24th, 2010 by Ron Kuhlman
 Everyone loves a great vacation, and this year, give the family two vacations in one – Virginia Beach and Busch Gardens. In Virginia Beach, relax with your toes in the sand, hop in a kayak and explore the outdoors, discover the history of America’s first settlers and tempt your taste buds with scrumptious coastal cuisine. Then visit Busch Gardens Williamsburg, only a short one-hour drive from the resort city, which is a perfect trip for a family of any size. Break away from the ocean waves to experience amazing thrill rides, unique culinary delights, shows and much more.
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Tags: Busch Gardens, Family Summer Fun, Travel Deals, Virginia Beach
Posted in Accommodations, Living the Life, Travel Deals, With The Kids
Friday, May 21st, 2010 by Tina Fries
 I grew up on Lake Erie and was a teenager before I ever stepped foot in the Atlantic Ocean. So I have this secret hope that one day my 9-year-old daughter, Jennifer, will volunteer at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. It’s such a cool place. We’ve been members for years and she has attended a number of their summer camps. We visit often, sometimes on our way down General Booth we’ll just stop off for a few minutes to watch the Harbor Seals play in the tank out front of the main building.
Recently we spent the day there, in anticipation of visiting the new Restless Planet exhibit. We started at the Owls  Creek Pavilion because it was less crowded and because we love those silly Otters. We passed through the exhibit that replicates the tall marsh grass, saw crabs, snakes, mud slugs (or whatever you call them) and sniffed the marsh grasses before heading out to one of my favorites, the aviary, to see owls, woodpeckers, herons, ducks, even a wild turkey. It was a great day to hike the trail. So off we went to the main building.
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Tags: fun with kids, Restless Planet, Virginia Aquarium, volunteering
Posted in Living the Life, With The Kids
Thursday, May 20th, 2010 by Amy & Jerry Frostick
 If you are new to running or walking, PR means Personal Record. Runners use this term often as they seem to always be on the search of a new PR. I thought this blog would be a great way to share the runs and races I participate in, and write about my experiences. So why not start with sharing my Personal Record and the upcoming races in Virginia Beach? But wait a minute, my PR’s were before I owned a business, before my daughter became a teenager, before I turned 40, before I gained 5 pounds…how could I possibly face a race knowing that my PR’s were so fast ten years ago. Well, I decided to have a new philosophy on the PR terminology. PR can be after any large or small event that changes your life, even if just a little. For example, my PR after I had a baby, my PR after I turned 40, my PR after I got my dream job…
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Tags: Elizabeth River Run, Run with the Hounds, running, spring races, The Great Outdoors
Posted in Living the Life, The Great Outdoors
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010 by Mike Halperin
Early season flounder fans have been rewarded with fish up to 24 inches at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets. The flounder will only get bigger as they continue to feed. They cannot turn down a lively saltwater minnow if it is paired with a strip of squid or fresh cut bait. Small live spot are also top baits for the largest flatfish. An inshore run of feisty medium-size bluefish has continued, particularly inside Rudee Inlet. Some blues have reached 36 inches and weights up to 5 pounds. Bluefish are also patrolling just inside the mouth of the bay while speckled trout and puppy drum are available inside Rudee Inlet. Blues are not discerning diners and will readily attack lures or cut bait. Try curly-tail artificials for trout and fresh fish for juvenile (puppy) drum.
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Tags: black drum, bluefish, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, citations, Fishing Tournaments, Flounder, Norfolk spot, panfish, puppy drum, Sea Bass, sea mullet, speckled trout, spot, striped bass, Virginia Beach vacations
Posted in Fishing, Living the Life
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010 by Tina Fries
Just down General Booth Blvd. a short drive from the Oceanfront is the City-owned Red Wing Park, complete with three playground areas, covered pavilions, tennis courts, a dog park, wooded trails and numerous open fields for picnicking.
But one really cool feature sets it apart from other Virginia Beach parks: The Japanese Garden. Sitting on the left as you drive in, you can’t miss it. It’s surrounded by bamboo fencing with a pagoda-like entrance way and a bright orange bridge visible from a small parking lot.
Visitors are geeted by a sign explaining that the garden was dedicated in 1997 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the sister city relationship between Virginia Beach and Miyazaki, Japan. Also a resort city on a coast, Miyazaki and Virginia Beach have a lot in common.
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Tags: dog park, fun with the kids, Japan, Japanese garden, Koi pond, Miyazaki, parks, picnicking, playgrounds, Red Wing park, Sister City, The Great Outdoors, wooded trails
Posted in Living the Life, The Great Outdoors, With The Kids
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