ESSAY: American Studies
By Tom Robotham Thirty-five years ago—10 years after I graduated from college—I decided to go back to school to pursue a master’s degree in American Studies. At the time I had no plans to become a teacher. My decision was motivated purely by a desire to gain a deeper...
ESSAY: The Sins of Our Fathers
By Tom Robotham I know a lot of people who’ve ordered ancestry test kits like 23andMe, but I’ve never felt compelled to do so, since I already know a great deal about my family history. My mother, especially, was interested in genealogy, and when I was still very...
OPINION: ONE MAN’S EXPERIENCE WITH CRITICAL RACE THEORY
By John L. Horton As the saying goes: “You learn something ‘new’ everyday…” Just imagine all that. In just the past several days, I have watched the SHOWTIME documentary series: “everything’s gonna be all white…” Basically, this is a provocative new three-part...
VA Arts Fest Readies 25th Anniversary
(American Ballet Theatre opens the 25th anniversary season of the Virginia Arts Festival) By Jeff Maisey For its silver anniversary season, the Virginia Arts Festival (VAF) has unveiled some returning fan favorites, first-time performers, and an impressive roster of...
ESSAY: My Life in Nine Songs
By Tom Robotham Music…is not simply a distraction or a pastime, but a core element of our identity. – Daniel Levitin, The World in Six Songs The other day, I pulled from one of my bookshelves a volume that I’ve revisited often over the last few years: Daniel...
ESSAY: Achieving the Dream
By John L. Horton The most dangerous person in the world is a person who is sincerely ignorant and conscientiously stupid. You have a moral obligation to be intelligent. — Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. If Dr. King were alive, he would have been 93 years old on...
Why is a Norfolk community development entity investing everywhere but Norfolk?
Hampton Roads Ventures, created by the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, is headquartered in this office building in Norfolk. (Jim Morrison/ For the Virginia Mercury) BY JIM MORRISON, Correspondent, Virginia Mercury NORFOLK — When they posed for a picture...
ESSAY: A Christmas Meditation
By Tom Robotham So this is Christmas, and what have you done? – John Lennon When I was a kid, the Christmas season was the most exciting time of the year. Ushering it in, shortly after Thanksgiving, was the arrival of the Sears Christmas catalogue—or “Wish...
Norfolk’s Ronald McDonald House Marks 40 Years
(Ronald McDonald House provides families relief in challenging moments. Courtesy photo.) By Jeff Maisey To mark its 40th Anniversary, Ronald McDonald House Norfolk has set a goal to raise $40,000 in 40 hours. The campaign starts at 8:00 am December 8 and ends at...
BREAKING: NRHA Settles St. Paul’s Lawsuit
(A copy of the agreement) BY JIM MORRISON, Correspondent The Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the city have settled a lawsuit brought by residents of three public housing projects in the St. Paul's area near downtown who said demolishing their homes...
That Latin Jazz Groove Lives On
By Jerome Langston “Besides being influenced by his artistry, the thing I inherited from my father, and what I think my sons have inherited from me, is dissatisfaction,” says Arturo O’Farrill, acclaimed leader of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, about his father, the...
From Ballads to Rockers, Chicago Brings a Buffet of Styles
By Jeff Maisey Talk to anyone about the music of Chicago and you’ll hear reeled-off the song title of hit after hit — “Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?,” “Saturday in the Park,” “”Call on Me,” “If You Leave Me Now,” “Wishing You were Here,” “Baby, What a Big...
An Album of Covers from Cowboys Junkies
By Jeff Maisey Cowboy Junkies have long been appreciated by fans for their version of cover songs they bring to the live concert stage. This spring, the alt-country band delivered a studio album of some of their and fans’ favorites. The record is titled “Songs of the...
Hamilton Star Celebrates Love and Dreams Come True
By Montague Gammon III She’s won awards, or been nominated for them, for Shakespeare and soap opera and songwriting and Off-Broadway, she’s been a Latina junkie stripper in the late 20th Century and the rapping socialite sister-in-law (and maybe secret love) of...
CLASSICAL: Sterling Elliott Takes Center Stage
(Cellist Sterling Elliott is from Newport News) By Montague Gammon III Hampton Roads natives who have gone on to excellence in some of the greatest musical venues of the world bring the achievements of two and a half centuries of musical innovators, rendered by the...
JAZZ: Stepping Out with Diana Krall
By Jim Morrison Diana Krall may be a marquee jazz singer today, but she grew up as a piano player, listening to her father's collection of 78s, never imagining more. “Oscar Peterson, Monty Alexander, and Bill Evans were the really important artists for me as a young...
Lucy Negro Redux: A Groundbreaking Ballet
By Jerome Langston The February 2019 world premiere at TPAC’s Polk Theater of Nashville Ballet’s Lucy Negro Redux, a provocative and illuminating work of contemporary ballet that embraces spoken word poetry, narration and a range of acoustic music, garnered...
ART REVIEW: Four Friends Shine Soul Finger Project
(“Sade,” Anthony Burks, Sr) By Betsy DiJulio Delayed for two years due to the global pandemic, Soul Finger Project was worth the wait. Conceived by Ramel Jasir, (FL) the show brings together for the first time his work and that of three friends: Anthony Burks, Sr....
A Different Type Of Richmond Ballet
By Jim Roberts Jennifer Chapman lives in Virginia Beach but works for Richmond Ballet. Her job—even before the rest of the world embraced telecommuting—is to help the dance company build an audience beyond Richmond and specifically in Hampton Roads. In the...
Jack White Supplies the Rock
By Jim Morrison Jack White recently released one album, "Fear of the Dawn," with another, "Entering Heaven Alive," arriving July 22. He's also rehearsing about 100 songs for his Supply Chain Issues Tour that stops in Portsmouth on April 23. What's the secret to the...
Fountain Flows into 757
By Jeff Maisey There’s a new hard seltzer in town — Fountain. Made in New York City, this new, upstart brand is fun — from the well-carbonated bubbles, zesty citrus and berry flavors to the eye-catching packaging — screams fun. After enjoying a few cans over a recent...
Driving You to Drink: Beer Touring in Hampton and Newport News
(Members of the Hampton Roads Brewing & Tasting Society gather for a pre-beer photo. Photo courtesy of Diane Catanzaro.) By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones Who is ready to get out of the house and visit a bunch of breweries? We’ve put together a little beer tour...
RESTAURANTS: Local Brands Expand
(Owner Bob Roberts has Redwood Smoke Shack expanding with a new Virginia Beach location. Photo courtesy of Redwood Smoke Shack.) By Marisa Marsey Some of our favorite homegrown eateries are expanding – opening a new location, introducing a new concept – making us...
A Coterie of Charcuterie
(Katie Huger, owner of Long Board Charcuterie, curates exquisite, customized boards to celebrate special events as well as every day.) By Marisa Marsey There’s a joke circulating at fromageries: “How do you irritate a cheesemonger? Ask for a charcuterie board with no...
NATO Festival Beer Brings People Together
(Brew Day at The Bold Mariner Brewing Company in Norfolk) By Jeff Maisey In what has now become a Norfolk NATO Festival tradition — born five years ago — a collaboration beer pairing The Bold Mariner Brewing Company and NATO Headquarters will be featured at the...
Fox Tail Wine Bar Adds Flavor to New Phoebus
(Interior view of Fox Tail Wine Bar. Photo by Michael Fernando.) By Jeff Maisey “I felt like the type of experience we’re offering did not exist in this neighborhood and there was an opportunity to bring something new, fresh and exciting to a community that was...
COASTAL FERMENTORY: New Brews in the ‘News
(L-R) Coastal Fermentory’s Mike Reppert and Brandon Samuels. Photo by Diane Catanzaro. By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones “I’m goin’ to Newport News, mama, gonna catch a battleship across the doggone sea.” The Memphis Jug Band immortalized the ‘News in their...
Foodie Destinations: Fuller’s, El Diablo, Deadrise, and Kismet are making a statement
(Joe Illes, Gary McIntyre and John Ledbetter) By Jeff Maisey Phoebus is going to be the next Ghent. That’s what local businessman/real estate tycoon Richard Levin has been saying for a few years now. He put his money where his mouth is by purchasing numerous buildings...
Celebrating Irish Beer
By Jeff Maisey Once upon a time in America — think 2010 and before — there were basically two choices of beer to consume in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day at local restaurants and bars: Guinness Extra Stout (draft or bottle) and mass produced lagers infused...
The Baker’s Wife Bistro + Bar: A Cinderella Story
(Phillip and Dana Epstein opened The Baker's Wife, a casually-upscale, French-inspired bistro and bar in Phoebus, in January. Photo courtesy of The Baker's Wife) By Marisa Marsey Once upon a time there were two chefs... Ugh! Sorry for that saccharine start. But in my...
