When is an Idea House not an Idea House? When it is a compound. Imagine a Southern cousin of the Kennedy estate in Hyannis Port, but with an appealing twang that is more Tidewater than Boston Brahmin: understated but with…
Photos by Jim Pile The name “Tench Phillips” is synonymous with the Naro Expanded Cinema in Norfolk. But there’s more to the man than the cinema. Or perhaps the world of cinema—at least as Phillips and his partner, Thom Vourlas,…
Today’s restaurant owners spend thousands of dollars creating unique, enticing establishments that reflect their food philosophies. Everyone knows that we “eat with our eyes,” so that means that the food needs to look appetizing, if not artful, on the plate.…
The artistic vibrancy of Coastal Virginia will be celebrated in the form of MEGACAKE, a 50-foot-tall wooden birthday cake, at Burning Man 2019 from Aug. 25 to Sept. 2, 2019. This long-running festival, which transforms Nevada’s Black Rock Desert into Black…
Things are heating up at the 2018 Coastal Virginia Magazine Idea House. The York Lane Cottage, situated on a spectacular deep water setting in Virginia Beach’s Bay Colony neighborhood, features 4,500 square feet of living space and more than 6,000…
Meers with his dish featured on the cover of Coastal Virginia Dish Magazine in 2013. Photo by Jim Pile Sydney Meers, talented chef-owner of Stove Restaurant in Port Norfolk, hung up his apron on May 11. “I’ve done this for 45 years,” says Meers.…
People are making the gluten-free choice for many reasons: Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and intolerance, IBS and a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions with presumed or known associations with the consumption of gluten. Others believe eliminating gluten, a family…
Is there more to do in Williamsburg than the Colonial Cotillion? You bet. Warm weather on a weekend getaway to Virginia’s second Colonial capital found my partner, Bob, and I weaving endless leisurely circuits by bike throughout the historic area…
LOL. Laugh Out Loud? Oh, heck no. Luxury Outdoor Living. According to Stephen Quick IV, of Stephen Alexander Homes, the stunning deep water setting of the 2018 Coastal Virginia Magazine Idea House inspired the design of this home and informed…
As three Virginia Beach women prove, with a little female ingenuity, you can have your own “Mom cave” or “she shed” regardless of your budget, space and style. Though “man cave” entered the lexicon c. 1993, courtesy of Men are…
Photos by David Uhrin On Valentine’s Day, 2018, a new chapter in Coastal Virginia’s love story with Virginia Beach’s famed, historic hotel-on-the-hill officially began. To mark the grand unveiling of this 90-year-old grande dame, 75 couples with a love connection…
Photos by David Uhrin It wasn’t because he greeted me on a fall Sunday morning dressed in a “Lettuce Turnip the Beet” T-shirt that I felt so comfortable at the home of one of Coastal Virginia’s premier chefs. It wasn’t…
Photos by Jim Pile and David Uhrin In Global Eats Part I, Part II and Part III, we explore 101 enticing international restaurants that put Coastal Virginia's culinary scene on the map. Japanese Zushi Japanese Bistro If CoVa…
Photos by Jim Pile, David Uhrin and Ryan Miller We’re exploring Global Eats in Part I, Part II and Part III with 101 enticing international restaurants that put Coastal Virginia’s culinary culture on the map. English and Irish …
Photos by Jim Pile, David Uhrin and Ryan Miller At a time when cultural diversity sets us apart, there’s one thing that brings us all together: food. Our food scene is rich with flavors representing a variety of experiences and…
We all know someone who collects something. Maybe you’re that person. It starts innocently enough—a couple ornate teacups here; several vintage cameras there. Soon enough, friends start to hear about the collection and want to contribute. And yes, sometimes it…
Here in Coastal Virginia, we’re fortunate to have a plethora of restaurant options, from succulent seafood to Southern favorites to international eateries. But, even with the variety of choices available, it’s still undeniably exciting when a new restaurant opens its…
Barbara Densley and Sloane Solanto refer to themselves as “makers.” These artists met on the show circuit and eventually found themselves in business together. Since 2013, their Hilltop shop, The Creative Wedge: An Artisan Market, has celebrated the handmade from…
Photo by David Uhrin The first thing most people notice about Susanna “Susie” Davis (that is, after her beautiful skin and eyes) is her wit. Her legendary “what-do-you-mean-show-restraint-I-am-showing-restraint” exuberance is matched only by her intelligent humor. “I look for the…
Olde Towne Portsmouth appeared to have all that a then-meets-now small city could want: historic architecture, arts and culture, popular music venues, an appealing riverfront and inviting shops and eateries. But there was nowhere for residents to buy wine by…
You might think of eggless brunch options being limited to smoothies and salads. While we can’t get enough of either, sometimes we just need a little savory substance to go along with our mimosas and Bloody Marys. If you’re dining…
If you’re a meat-lover or even an egg-eating vegetarian, the brunch world is your oyster, so to speak. However, when you’re vegan, your dine-out brunch choices contract considerably. Thankfully, some Coastal Virginia proprietors and chefs are working to change that.…
There’s something about rising temperatures that lures us to our favorite Mexican restaurant for a round of fish tacos. But when we set out in pursuit of five fish tacos that we could recommend to our readers, one thing became…
It’s no secret that Brussels sprouts get a bad rep. Kids often push them to the edge of their plates, and some adults even turn their noses up with merely a mention of the miniature cabbages. All that changes, though,…
