Monarchs Ready to Roar
(Head Coach Ricky Rahne stands ready to reestablish ODU’s football program as a winner. Photo by Jeff Maisey) By Jeff Maisey Faster, stronger, now. When the Old Dominion University Monarchs return to the football playing field in September, they’ll do so with a new...
Beach Vacation v. Climate Vocation
(An elevated view of the Intercoastal Waterway with Holden Beach barrier island sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean. Writer Skip Stiles and family vacationed here during the summer. Photo credit: NC’s Brunswick Islands) By Skip Stiles Bursting at the seams, back...
ESSAY: Musical Riches Await
(Virginia Symphony Orchestra's new music director Eric Jacobsen) By Tom Robotham Recently, for another publication, I wrote a piece about the dawn of a new era for the now 100-year-old Virginia Symphony. As of July, the orchestra has a new music director—cellist and...
ESSAY: Remembrance and Renewal
Words & Photo by Tom Robotham Late last month, I spent a week in New York City. It was my first visit to my hometown since 2018, and in the days leading up to the trip, I had a lot of mixed emotions. On the plus side, I was looking forward to spending time...
Contemporary Art Museum Rebrands
By Jeff Maisey Let’s spell this out so there’s no confusion: Virginia Museum Of Contemporary Art. After more than a decade, the colorful MOCA logo with a splash of gray paint serving as the letter “o” has been replaced by a more slender design stacking the...
The Magic of the Market
(A handy, fashionable bag is what every market-goer needs.) Old Dominion’s University Village comes alive every Saturday By Jim Roberts Opening a brick-and-mortar business in the middle of a global pandemic might not seem like a wise move, but Ty and Christine Harrell...
ESSAY: SIMONE BILES: A PHENOMENAL (GOAT) REALITY
By John L. Horton We have just witnessed Simone Biles winning her spot on the United States Gymnastics Team, June 25-26, in St. Louis, Missouri. Biles’ two-day total score of 118.098 was more than two points ahead of runner-up, Sunisa Lee. What an...
ESSAY: Competition
(If the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games proceed, Virginia Beach’s Simon Biles, pictured on the cover of Vogue, plans to take her newly developed vault to heights unseen.) By Dr. Jerry Gaines & Sue Rowdon “You can’t claim to be good if you have never been tempted to be...
ESSAY: A More Perfect Union
By Tom Robotham Of all the holidays we celebrate in this country, the Fourth of July is my least favorite. One reason is that it brings back unpleasant memories from childhood. Back then, in my neck of the woods, at least, it was dominated by one thing: illegal...
Summer Music Series Return
(North Mississippi Allstars will perform at free show on July 7 on the 17th Street Stage at the Oceanfront.) By Jeff Maisey Summertime in Hampton Roads traditionally means outdoor concerts galore, and now that restrictions have been lifted organizers have been...
Relatable to the Future: Khalia Campbell and Patrick Coker Discuss Alvin Ailey’s Legacy
By Kate Mattingly In a recently posted video that’s part of Katie Couric’s “Thank You Notes” series, Judith Jamison, director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) from 1989 to 2011, listens to AAADT dancer Khalia Campbell thank her for her support....
Let’s Boogie with Little Feat
By Jeff Maisey Thank Frank Zappa for Little Feat. If you search Wikipedia for how Little Feat hit the pavement as a band back in 1969, you’ll read of three wild stories. But which is true? “It was the summer of 1969 and we were in Los Angeles,” said co-founding...
England’s Star Shines in Henry V at Virginia Stage
(Christopher Marquis Lindsay as Henry V. Photo by Matthew Omilianowski of TOC Creative.) By Montague Gammon III The greatest coach-to-underdogs pre-game speech the world has ever heard, or can ever expect to hear, is part of what makes Shakespeare’s c. 1599 history...
Three Women Make Swan Lake Shine: Nayara Lopes, Oksana Maslova, and Dayesi Torriente
By Kate Mattingly One of the most famous tales of devoted fans is the story of ballet aficionados eating the pointe shoes of dancer Marie Taglioni in 1842. Taglioni attracted acclaim for her superhuman performances that merged strength and delicacy, and...
Kara Walker: Provocative, Impactful Art
Kara Walker (American, b. 1969). Boo-hoo (for Parkett no. 59), edition PP 5/6, 2000. Linocut, 40 x 20 1/2 in. (101.6 x 52.1 cm). Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, 2003.13. © Kara Walker By Betsy DiJulio Kara Walker’s reputation as...
STAGE PREVIEW: Hamilton’s Triumphant Return
(Hamilton cast on stage. Photo by Joan Marcus) By Jerome Langston “It’s been going really well. The audiences are really fantastic. They’re just as energized and excited as they’ve ever been, which is a testament to Hamilton,” says actor/singer Blaine Alden Krauss,...
Goosby Opens the Doors of Classical Music to All
By Jerome Langston Chatting with violinist Randall Goosby while he is navigating the streets of Memphis, Tennessee, a city that he spent most of his formative years growing up in, is rather interesting—even including the initial, slightly awkward portion... because...
REVIEW:William Walton: The Complete Façades
Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Orchestra “William Walton: The Complete Façades” (Naxos) “Façade” is the original title of quirky, witty poetry of Edith Sitwell read to the music of William Walton. This Naxos label CD, recorded at Virginia Wesleyan in 2021, features...
Historically Black College Connection Boosts Marsalis Performance
By Jerome Langston The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis consists of some of the best arrangers, soloists and ensemble musicians working in jazz music today. Led by Wynton Marsalis, a nine-time Grammy winner and recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for...
Dancing Power: Healing Hearts and Minds
(Tianna Reed will present three pieces of choreography, all performed by ODU classmates, in the winter showcase. Photo by Lauren Sinclair.) By Kate Mattingly Being an artist requires a ton of hard work, and few artists work harder than dancers. It’s the only art form...
Carlyle Bland: Hampton’s Pioneering Restauranteur
By Michael Curry The restaurant business is notoriously a tough one requiring major investments, long hours and sometimes a fickle clientele. "Until you own one, you never know what it is all about" says Carlyle Bland with knowledge and a quiet authority that he has...
Seize the Mo at MoMac Brewing Company, Portsmouth’s New Craft Brewery
By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones Scott Krick and his friend Rob Hess used to always talk about beer. When their work in Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, Maryview Hospital, and the health care industry brought them together the conversation usually managed to wind...
The Vanguard Announces the Hiring of Head Brewer and Distiller!
Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones You heard it here first….breaking news about the Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery, the venue and music hall that will occupy the former Armory in Hampton. They have just hired a Head Brewer and Distiller, Todd Emr. Todd has brewed for...
Dead Reckoning: Norfolk distillery aims to make waves in the craft rum market
By Jim Roberts Dead Reckoning Distillery draws its name from the method of navigation sailors use as a last resort. “It can be said that this method is about trusting your instincts,” the distillery’s website explains. “About trusting your gut.” It has probably...
If You’ve Gone Vegan, Go to Yorgo’s
By Betsy DiJulio For years, when my schedule allowed, I would head to Norfolk from VA Beach on Saturdays after exercising to slip into a favorite shop to two and then into Yorgo’s Bageldashery to snag lunch for the drive home. My to-go order was perennially the same...
Tyme to Party Ye Beer Buccaneers at the Mariners’ Craft Beer Festival
By Chris Jones & Diane Catanzaro It will be “ale hands on deck” Sunday May 7 at the Mariners’ Museum Beer Festival. YES it is on a Sunday, from 12 – 5. While there are lots of beer festivals that beckon like a bevy of suds-soaked sirens, there are some very good...
Cross The Pond IPA: NATO Chief of Staff and Bold Mariner collaborate on symbolic craft beer
By Jeff Maisey Norfolk’s Bold Mariner Brewing Company recently joined forces with NATO Allied Command Transformation Chief of Staff Air Marshall Sir Graham Stacey of the United Kingdom to collaborate on a craft beer full of as much symbolism as tasty ingredients in...
An Evening of Rare Beers
By Jeff Maisey Craft beer festivals and events are all the rage these days, but with everyone and his brother producing such festivities offering an experience that is unique and enticing is harder to pull off. Greg White knows a thing or two about this. White is the...
Sunnyside Up as d’Egg Diner Reopens
By Jeff Maisey First there was the gas-line explosion in Selden Arcade that zapped the historic building’s electrical system and created structural damage. Then came the delayed construction of the adjoining hotel/conference center project of The Main and...
New Beer from Coastal Virginia Breweries
Compiled by Staff Looking for something new to try from your favorite Coastal Virginia Breweries? Here’s a healthy sampling to get you started. Alewerks: Bitter Valentine Release Date: Early February Double IPA. 8.3% Alc by Vol Our Double IPA starts with strong...
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