OPINION: America Needs Leadership
BY JOHN L. HORTON An army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep. — Alexander the Great To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and...
Living with Books
By Tom Robotham As my friends and family members know, I own a lot of books—somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000, by my estimate. Many people have a lot more than that, of course. Years ago I did a feature story on a retired Norfolk librarian who had about...
OPINION: Time Is Now for Granby St Pedestrian Zone
(Charlottesville's Mall, a pedestrian-only corridor in downtown. Photo courtesy of Visit Charlottesville) BY JEFF MAISEY There has never been a better time than now for the city of Norfolk to revisit the idea of closing Granby Street in the downtown corridor and...
FOREVER STAMP: Norfolk Botanical Garden
BY JEFF MAISEY Beginning May 13, Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG) will be featured on a United States Postage Forever stamp as part of the upcoming "American Gardens” series. The image from the NBG features the beautiful Bicentennial Rose Garden. “The honor of being on...
What’s Next for Virginia Restaurants, Brewpubs, and Tasting Rooms?
By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones The balance between public health and the economy has important implications for how and when Virginia re-opens restaurants and brewery, distillery, and winery tasting rooms to the public. Since mid-March most of these...
Vanguard Offers Sanitizer, Masks & More
By Jeff Maisey In the following video interview, Amelia Emr, general manager of The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery, tells Veer Magazine how the Hampton business has converted part of its operation to producing hand sanitizers. The Vanguard is also offering...
Norfolk Purchases Military Circle Mall
The Norfolk Economic Development Authority (EDA) voted unanimously to move forward with the purchase of the Military Circle Shopping Mall, located on North Military Highway. The deal was closed on Thursday, April 30. In 2014, the EDA purchased the former JC Penney’s...
VIDEO INTERVIEW: National Recognition for Lynne Seagle
By Jeff Maisey Longtime Hope House Foundation Executive Director Lynne Seagle has been honored by the National Historic Recognition Project for her work from 2000 to 2020 contributing to the transformation of the Developmental Disability field. Here is our interview...
Boardwalk Art Show Moves to October 23-25
By Brad Tuggle The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Boardwalk Art Show presented by PNC Bank is being rescheduled from the weekend of June 19-21 to October 23-25 given the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. This signature Virginia Beach event, now in its 65th...
ViBe Story Exchange: Open Call for Artists & Writers
By Kate Pittman The ViBe Creative District nonprofit announced a reenvisioned partnership for programming with ViBe Story Exchange for 2020. The partnership pairs selected visual and performing artists with the written word—a true arts & humanities collaboration....
TBT: Remembering Norfolk’s Boathouse Music Venue
(A crowd lines up to enter The Boathouse in the 1990s. Photo courtesy of Jeff Moore) BY JEFF MAISEY "We were backstage and there was a buffet spread out with chicken, roast beef and all kinds of good stuff," recalled singer David Middleton, whose local band, the...
ART CONVERSATION with Virginia MOCA
(Pictured: MOCA's Director of Audience Development Brad Tuggle and Executive Director Gary Ryan) By Jeff Maisey For this video interview we are joined by Virginia MOCA's Director of Audience Development Brad Tuggle and Executive Director Gary Ryan for a conversation...
VIDEO: Artists Gallery Debuts New Director & Virtual Exhibition
BY JEFF MAISEY The Virginia Beach Art Center, home to The Artists Gallery, has a new executive director and a virtual exhibition debuting on Facebook Live on May 1 at 7:00 PM. In the following video interview, resident artist and gallery manager Vinnie Bumatay shares...
VIDEO INTERVIEW: 20th Anniversary of The NorVa
By Jeff Maisey Twenty years ago today -- April 28, 2000 -- The NorVa opened its doors with the venue's inaugural concert headlined by the legendary Godfather of Soul James Brown. The building which houses The NorVa was constructed nearly 100 years ago as a vaudeville...
VIDEO: Interview with Muralist Adam Stanton
VIDEO: Interview with Muralist Adam Stanton Veer Magazine caught up with muralist Adam Stanton as he was putting the final touches on the Virginia Maritime Association's 100th Anniversary Mural in downtown Norfolk on Plume Street. Stanton is a resident of Chesapeake...
Museums & Galleries Offer Virtual Exhibitions
(Kristin Skees’ “The Musgraves” digital photograph is part of Virginia MOCA’s “New Waves 2020” exhibition) By Jeff Maisey Several local visual arts museums and galleries are now offering virtual views of their current spring exhibitions. Virginia MOCA and The Artists...
JAZZ: Joel Futterman and Creative Music
(Virginia Beach jazz pianist/composer Joel Futterman) By Al Markowitz I wish I could live in that place of ecstasy between the notes in that malleable moment where time stands still These are the times that try our sanity for reasons I usually write about and that I...
Glen McClure: Capturing the Light of Ireland’s West Country
(Light at Loughros Bay, County Donegal, by Glen McClure) By Jeff Maisey Some 50 captivating images from Norfolk-based photographer Glen McClure were to be exhibited through May 21 at the Sandler Center Art Gallery in a show titled “Apprentice to Light: The West of...
ART PREVIEW: Unknown Outcomes
(Sheila Giolitti: Sketch for Atlantis Project #1) By Betsy DiJulio By December 15, 2019, more than 50 artist’s proposals had landed in education and contemporary art exhibitions curator Carrie Spencer’s inbox. Via the release of a call for proposals and the hosting...
K’Bana Blaq: Death to Mindless Music
By Jeff Maisey K’Bana Blaq is perhaps one of the most prolific songwriters and creative music video artists in the 757. Known to many as one of the three dynamic upfront singers in the award-winning R&B group The Fuzz Band, K’Bana has also indulged fans...
PREVIEW: Syd’s Fish Pig Cafe
BY JEFF MAISEY In June, Chef Sydney Meers is set to open his seventh restaurant in a storied culinary career spanning 46 years. In this video interview, with most of the twisted folk art paintings hung on the walls and kitchy, Americana-cool figurines strategically...
Catching Up with Wasserhund’s Aaron Holley
(Bee-Thoven Honey Hefeweizen is one of Wasserhund's springtime special releases) BY JEFF MAISEY In this video interview Wasserhund Brewing Company owner/brewer Aaron Holley shares his viewpoints regarding operating a brewpub under state government mandated...
St George Unveils Rare Beers
By Jeff Maisey St. George brewmaster Andy Rathmann unearthed several bottle-aged Imperial stouts stored as far back as 2005. A limited number of these are available at the brewery and packaged as the St George Vertical Sampler Series. Watch our video interview below...
VIDEO INTERVIEW: Jennifer Eichert of Mermaid Winery
(Mermaid Winery's new "to-go" wine tasting glasses with plastic lids are a fun and clever way to take the winery experience home to share) By Jeff Maisey Like many Virginia restaurants and breweries, Norfolk's Mermaid Winery is getting creative to keep loyal customers...
Audacious Bold Mariner Unveils NATO Fest Beer
By Jeff Maisey The COVID-19 global pandemic has sunk many plans this spring, but it was unable to divert The Bold Mariner from completing its charted mission for this year’s Norfolk NATO Festival beer collaboration celebrating Italy. The beer is called Audace,...
Mead: The Drink of Ancient Kings & Warriors
(Glenn Lavender says everyone needs mead. Photo by Sarah Harris) By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones When you think of mead, what picture do you see in your mind’s eye? Some Thor-ish fellow downing a skull-chalice of mead after an epic battle? Beowulf, wolfing down...
Takeaways from VA Beer Co’s 4th Anniversary
(The crew from Virginia Beer Company celebrate curbside. Photo courtesy of the brewery) By Jeff Maisey Virginia Beer Company co-founders Robbie Willey and Chris Smith could never have imagined celebrating the fourth anniversary of their successful Williamsburg brewery...
The O’Connor Decade
(Penny & Kevin O’Connor in February 2020. Photo by Jeff Maisey) By Jeff Maisey A little luck of the Irish and a determined can-do attitude on St Patrick’s Day 2010 got O’Connor Brewing Company up and running with its first batch of beer. In our mid-March 2010...
Baladi Mediterranean Café: A Playground for the Taste Buds
By Betsy DiJulio With some 35 plant-based dishes (and still more that are vegetarian)—mezze, soups, salads, wraps, entrees, sides, and desserts—Baladi Mediterranean Café is a vegan’s veritable playground. They even offer vegan wine. In fact, Wednesdays...
Tour de ’Burg: A drinking tour of Williamsburg
(Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones treat their out-of-town guests to a tour of Williamsburg, including this scenic stop on the deck of Billsburg Brewery.) By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones When you think of Williamsburg, VA, what pops into your mind? A bonny burg...
