Boardwalk: Virginia Beach

It took us 3 months and 10 days, but we finally made it to the...

and by Oceanfront we really mean ocean and Virginia Beach's world famous boardwalk! Temps soared up to 73 degrees and we hit the ground running!

I was shocked to discover that Virginia Beach has the world's longest boardwalk! Three miles of concrete stretch alongside the ocean ,busy with walkers, runners, bicyclists and people watchers. In the summer, when the beach and boardwalk is packed with tourists they set up 3 different stages playing music nightly.

And then there is Poseidon. The cornerstone of this Boardwalk. Named King Neptune in honor of Virginia Beach's annual Neptune festival. He was constructed 34 feet high and watches over Neptune Park and the boardwalk.

Rocking chairs behind the Hilton looking out at the beach and boardwalk. Great place to sit and relax.

You can take the boy out of the aquarium store....do I really need to finish this sentence!

Coco's Cupcakery

Move over Sprinkles, there is a new sugary ball of yummy deliciousness in town. Well not exactly "in town," but you get the idea. While reading my new obsession, Hampton Roads Magazine, I discovered a new gourmet cupcake store, or cupcakery, if you will. The magazine gave them an amazing write up. So the first chance we got to test them out, off we went! Coco's Cupcakery is a small mom & pop store that uses all natural whole foods and personal home recipes to make their delicous cupcakes. They only make 5 signature flavors: "Not So Plain Jane Vanilla, Red Velevet, Carrot Cake, Chocolate and Coconut. On weekends or seasonally they make different flavors. For example, when we visited them they had a key lime poundcake cupcake!! Which, for those of you who know my husband, about made him jump over the counter to eat every last one of them.

Here is my Not So Plain Jane Vanilla Cupcake on the left and Steve's Key Lime Poundcake on the right. Now, I have a serious (yes bold worthy) sweet tooth. And even I could not finish the entire cupcake.

Lastly, I will leave you with the ever so attractive "action" shot of me eating my heavenly decodant dessert.

Spring Is In The Air

..and on the trees

Being a Florida gal, I've never seen white trees unless they are covered by snow. I assume these white buds are the beginning of developing green leaves. Whatever they are, I can't get enough of them. I think they are absolutely beautiful. So much so, that I brought my camera to work with me and photographed them. My co-workers must think I'm insane walking around our parking lot taking pictures of trees! I wish it could stay like this year round. Every time I turn into work I feel like I'm driving in a painting. Pretty nice way to start the day.
Welcome spring! We have been waiting for you.

Colonial Williamsburg, VA

Continuing with the rest of our "Dog Day Afternoon" (see post below). We headed to the downtown area of Williamsburg to check it out and grab some lunch. We only stayed a short while since we were with Emma. But we did manage to find a cute little place to eat called The Cheese Shop and stroll around a bit. I can't wait to go back and make a whole day or weekend here!

Things you don't see in Florida...

A helicopter getting ready to land on a navy ship.

Dog Day Afternoon

So today Steve surprised me with a secret trip he planned for us. All he told me was to dress casual and that Emma was invited too. Hmm? I thought. Where could we be going that was ok to bring Emma too? It had to be something outside or going to someones house. About 15 mins into our 1 hour drive I started guessing places where I thought we were going. Then it hit me...Steve had brushed Emma's hair before we left the house, then he found her rhinestone pink dog bone charm that clips onto her collar, and now we are heading somewhere with her....we must be getting ready to show her off!!!! A dog show perhaps? Knowing that we are not really "dog show" kind of people, it would have to be something more special to make the 1 hour drive worth it. Sure was, we pulled into Williamsburg to read the marque that said:

A dog show all about Cavaliers!! Since we are completely obsessed with our Cavalier, Emma...what better place to spend the afternoon. Emma had a blast and so did we!

Cavaliers come in all colors and sizes (and so do their owners). Here are some things we did and saw:

Meet and greet

The judging contest.

Bathroom break time...

Rest time...

So FYI...as erie as this is, a dog show is just as creepy as a beauty pageant for kids. There were 2 huge rooms in the hotel devoted to the contestants (dogs) dressing areas. Proud Cavalier owners were rushing around sprucing their dogs up. There were blow dryers roaring, and straightening irons heating up, and dogs that were too well behaved sitting still letting their owners make them over. All kinds of things that a poor dog shouldn't have to go through. Meanwhile, there is Emma who just wants to roll around in the grass, lick dirt, chase leaves and sleep. She may not be a beauty pageant kind of dog...but we wouldn't want her any other way!!

Halelujah! There is a god...

...and he appeared in the form of a hot cornbeef on rye sandwhich.

Confused? Let me explain.

We have been desperately searching for an authentic New York style deli since we got here. And I'm not talkin Schlotzsky's Deli people! Coming from the Boca/Miami area with the world famous Woflie's Rascal House at our finger tips and other smaller, local hidden gems like 3G's, Poppies, and Toojays we were a bit spoiled when it came to good "Jewish delis."

Now that we are living in Virginia it is a very different story! If we were craving sweet tea, there would be a million places to go, but a hot pastrami on rye...not so much!

So we put ourselves on a mission to find a great deli....and we did! This place was amazing! We're talking bolded text worthy. Oh yeah--it's that good. So what's this place called you ask?

Hark! The (great, amazing, outrageous, superior, awe inspiring) Route 58 Delicatessen. It is even in a shopping center named Loehman's Plaza!! How's that for feelings of nostalgia. (However, the Loehmans there closed about 10 years ago. We can't have everything I guess).

Anywhoo, back to the Route 58. We heard about this place from a girl who is a local here. We we talking to her about our mission to find a great deli and she suggested Router 58. She said they bring the desserts in from Carnegie Deli and make the most amazing deli sandwiches, and Jewish style food. Little did she know, she completely sold me after saying the words: 'desserts from Carnegie Deli'. Sign me up! We went in a little skeptical of such a place, however the moment we walked into this place we new we found something special.

Amongst the menu of Matzo Bries, Latkes, Chopped Liver, Knishes & White Fish Salad, my eyes started to water in excitement and I knew we were home. (A little dramatic you think?) You try ordering a Reuben at Cracker Barrel and see how people look at you. Now I understand why they call certain foods comfort foods....we felt soo comfortable there. They even serve authentic Brookyln Egg Creams!

Steve decided to order a hot pastrami on rye and I ordered the classic, Reuben. When our sandwiches came out, in true New York Deli style, they were bigger than our faces! Now I know why their slogan is, "If you finish, we made a mistake." Even Steve couldn't finish his...now you have to understand how big these monsters were if Steve couldn't finish his.

Apparently the owner of this place, Jeff Goldberg, grew up in Jersey and studied around the famous Carnegie Deli, Katz Deli and also the Rascal House and decided to emulate all of these delis and create his very own here in Virginia Beach. And boy am I glad that he did! Thank you Jeff Goldberg for making these two Jews feel a little more at home in a sea of sweet tea. This place will defenitly become a staple in our life here in the 757.

It's March Baby!

We have officially made it through the brunt of winter...bring on Spring.












Oh...and Happy Monday!

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

Our trip across the famous 17.6 mile landmark, the....














This modern engineering wonder and important travel convenience was for lack of a better word, SO COOL! Crossing over and under open waters where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, the Bridge-Tunnel provides a direct link between Southeastern Virginia and the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware plus the Eastern Shore counties in Maryland and Virginia), and cuts 95 miles from the journey between Virginia Beach and points north of Wilmington, Delaware. Following its opening on April 15, 1964, the Bridge-Tunnel was selected "One of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World" Ok so enough with the history lesson, onto the photos....

















Driving on the bridge getting ready to go into one of the tunnels.


















Ok, so I didn't actually take this photo. I found it online. But I thought it was so cool how it shows this huge freight liner cross the water where the bridge turns into a tunnel and goes under water.


Photo Op!


















Stopping for a lunch break at the Seagull Restaurant on the pier. For what you ask? Crab cakes!









Sorry, I forgot to get a "real" picture of the
restaurant.













For those of you who have stopped at the Seagull Restaurant on the pier, what is up with these creepy statues in there!!