Tina Fries
A Live the Life Blogger
The mild winters, warm, sun-drenched beaches and a job as public information officer for the City of Virginia Beach ultimately lured this Erie, Pa. native to the area nearly 16 years ago. Now, Living the Life is second nature. Tina enjoys power walking along the oceanfront boardwalk or grooving to tunes at the American Music Festival with her family. She and her husband, Rob, have a nine-year-old daughter, Jennifer, whom she devotes significant time to. Whether it’s helping out with activities for Jennifer's Girl Scout troop or volunteering at her school, family is number one.
Tina is a seasoned writer with 22 years of diverse experience working with print, web and video. She holds a Master’s Degree in English/Professional Writing from Old Dominion University and also freelances on a part-time basis.
Author Entries
Tuesday, June 7th, 2011 by Tina Fries
 Do you remember creating chalk drawings on the sidewalk when you were a kid?
Well, Chalk the Walk Artsplosion this past weekend on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk took the primitive art of sidewalk chalking to a whole new level.
While my 10-year-old artist, Jennifer, has been known to cover our entire driveway with chalk images of flowers, peace signs, kitty cats, Hopscotch boards and greetings of various kinds, I wasn’t successful at getting her to put her mark on the Boardwalk! (Apparently some chalk artists are private folk – who knew?).
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Tags: 2011 Chalk the Walk Artsplosion, free things to do in Virginia Beach, fun with the kids, Virginia Beach boardwalk
Posted in Events, Living the Life, With The Kids
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011 by Tina Fries
 Every May since my daughter, Jennifer, was a pre-schooler we have looked forward to taking a drive out to Pungo to go strawberry picking. We usually go to Cullipher Farm Market because we know the owner, Louis Cullipher, who used to be director of the city’s agriculture department. But signs are posted along Princess Anne Road to direct you to a number of U-pick farms “out in the county” as locals refer to this area of Virginia Beach.
If you have kids, Cullipher’s has a big sand mound with dump trucks and front loaders for the little ones to play with, and a few white Adirondack chairs so parents can “sit a spell” and rest after picking. You can either bring your own containers or use theirs. For those who prefer organic, Cullipher’s is the farm for you.
By now, my 10-year-old is quite the pro at lifting up the leaves of the plant and gently picking only the large, ripe berries underneath. You want to be careful not to disturb berries that are only partially ripened or the flowers of the plant because each flower will eventually turn into several strawberries.
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Tags: fun with the kids, Pungo Strawberry Festival, strawberry picking in Virginia Beach
Posted in Living the Life, With The Kids
Thursday, April 28th, 2011 by Tina Fries
 Google the word “palooza” and you’ll find no one can agree on what it actually means. It’s a slang term for party. One entry defines it as a “party where smaller activities happen within larger activities.”
Kids Arts Palooza at the Sandler Center, held Saturday, April 23rd, is well-named, not to mention FREE and fun for kids of all ages! The event celebrates young local talent and encourages youngsters to try their hand at all things artistic.
There was live music to enjoy — like the band Zig Zag, a group of talented Virginia Beach middle schoolers who were jammin’ on the outdoor plaza stage as we arrived. There were also theatrical performances to take in, like High School Musical Revue by Theatrix Productions in the Sandler Center Performance Hall. And activities on all three levels of the Sandler Center. My daughter, Jennifer, and I weren’t sure where to head first!
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Tags: family fun in Virginia Beach, free events, fun with the kids, Kids Art Palooza, The Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Town Center of Virginia Beach
Posted in Events, Living the Life, With The Kids
Thursday, April 14th, 2011 by Tina Fries
 What is it with kids and climbing? From the time they’re old enough to get one foot up on the furniture they just seem to have a “thing” about it.
At Mount Trashmore Park’s new Kids Cove playground, kids who love to climb can reach new heights. There are ladders of all sizes and types, colorful rock walls of varying dimensions and brown faux boulders stacked higher than some moms might be comfortable with – all there for the climbing.
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Tags: fun with the kids, Mount Trashmore, Virginia Beach parks, Virginia Beach playgrounds
Posted in Living the Life, With The Kids
Monday, March 28th, 2011 by Tina Fries
 Shipwrecks, disasters, rescues, heroes…even a ghost story? What’s not to like!
Soon after my daughter, Jennifer, and I walked through the doors of the Old Coast Guard Station Museum and Gift Shopat the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, we realized we were visiting a special time and place in Virginia’s history. A time when surfmen, as these brave men were called, patrolled the beaches and stood watch day and night over Virginia’s coast. They were ready to spring to action and battle the sea to save lives should a ship and its crew get into trouble.
On a recent Sunday visit we caught up with volunteer docent, Miss Ann, a wealth of knowledge, already leading a young couple on a tour. She pointed out how communication devices, navigational aids and weather forecasting methods have come a long way since the early days (1874-1915) of the U.S. Life Saving Service, later renamed the U.S. Coast Guard.
Jennifer and I were captivated by the early lifesaving equipment, the surfboat and especially a small scale model demonstrating what was called the Breeches Buoy.
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Tags: fun with the kids, Historic landmarks, maritime history, Old Coast Guard Station, Virginia Beach history
Posted in History and Museums, Living the Life, With The Kids
Friday, February 11th, 2011 by Tina Fries
This week’s Beach Report is courtesy of Beach Mom ShoreLines Blogger Tina Fries.
Ice Skating is Great Family Fun!
 Looking for something different to do with your kids to get them off the couch and out of the house during the winter months? While there’s lots to do in Virginia Beach during the cool season, why not think outside the box and take the family ice skating?
If you’re hesitant, believe me, I understand. I grew up in a family that went roller skating every Sunday. My three older sisters and I had our own skates and skate cases and I am very confident in my roller skating ability. Ice skating? Not so much.
While I love to watch professional ice skaters on TV effortlessly glide across the ice and balance on those thin blades, for me, that’s pretty much where the love affair ends.
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Tags: cool season fun, fun in Virginia Beach, ice skating, roller skating
Posted in Living the Life, The Beach Report, With The Kids
Friday, January 21st, 2011 by Tina Fries
This week’s Beach Report features Live the Life blogger Tina Fries, and her daughter, Jennifer, as they explore one Virginia Beach’s unique historical treasures, the deWitt Cottage.
deWitt Cottage Offers Something for Everyone
 Whether you’re into birding, duck hunting, wood carving, surfing, Virginia Beach history or you’re just looking for something unique and FREE to do with your family, you really need to visit the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum / deWitt Cottage at Thirteenth Street and Atlantic Avenue at the Oceanfront.
Chances are you’ve seen this cool-looking, green and white house from the Victorian era overlooking the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. How old? The cottage was built in 1895 and was the first cottage at the Oceanfront when it was being developed.
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Tags: Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum, DeWitt Cottage, free things to do in Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach history, Virginia Beach museums
Posted in History and Museums, Living the Life, The Beach Report
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