Tips, Tricks, and Gear at Point 2 Running Company

The Vacation Channel team was looking for some expert advice for running in Coastal Virginia when we found Point 2 Running Company. It is a unique locally owned business in Newport News that offers more than just products and a knowledgeable staff, they offer a community for runners.

We sat down with Andrea Lehmkuhler to get some tips for running and see what makes her store so special.

 

How did your store come to be?

"Point 2 Running Company came to be out of the need to have a locally run, friendly, specialty running store within the community.

There was one open in the area before us that had recently shut down at the time. My father, a recreational runner, saw the opportunity and decided to move forward with it. Six months after opening, I left my job of 10 years in the real estate and rental industry to pursue a new dream by managing the store. I was already spending so much time there on nights and weekends with my husband that it seemed like a natural progression. I’d enjoyed running recreationally for a few years prior to this and so I easily began to absorb all that there was to know. Fast forward to now, the store has been open almost 2 years and has been well received by the community that we serve. It has been a fun adventure"!

 
What does a new runner need to know before buying gear?
"The most important tool a runner needs to have in terms of gear is the proper footwear. This is what we specialize in! We offer a detailed 3 part process to determine your arch type and pressure points; length, width, and arch length of your foot; as well as video gait analysis to understand your running style and determine the right shoe for you. You want to make sure that you are in the right footwear so that when you start running you aren’t exasperating an issue that is there (such as having weak ankles and over pronating, wearing the wrong size shoe and experiencing blisters, lost toenails, etc) and then getting frustrated from the complications that follow".

What are some tips to stay motivated?
"There are so many and for everyone it’s different. I think a huge one is to remember that you are a runner no matter how fast or slow you go and that you are lapping everyone sitting on the couch! Practically, regularly signing up for races is a great way to stay motivated because you are investing in something that you know you have to train for to be successful. Additionally, buying proper footwear and running technical clothing is another investment that further encourages you to stick with your goals. Having a runner partner, being a part of a running group and logging your miles all help as well".

What are some things every runner should do to avoid injury?
"Progress in your mileage gradually! You really don’t want to be increasing your mileage by more than 10% a week. Also, changing the terrain you are running on is good because it allows your body to grow and strengthen in different ways-repetition is often what can cause injury in the first place. Also, pay attention to how you are feeling and don’t try to run through severe pain. Doing so may lead you to having to take off much longer than you would want to".

What can Point 2 Running Company do to help runners of all ability levels?
"My staff is educated, trained, avid runners that love to help people. So the first way we help is by offering our knowledge to help you meet your goals whether that is through finding the right shoe, trying a new energy gel, or discussing a new place to go on a run. We also offer weekly Saturday runs at one of 4 rotating locations. We bring complimentary Gatorade and water and meet with a large group of runners every week. Currently, we are offering a 5K and Half marathon training program. We like to think of it as offering light accountability because people really get to know each other and enjoy running together".
 
"At the front of our store, we have a table and rotating stand dedicated to holding local race flyers. We have lots of people that come in to pick up flyers and decide what their next race will be".

"Finally, we offer a Runner’s Injury Clinic once a month. Dr. Mike Satterley of Tidewater Physical Therapy offers a free 10 minute consultation to any runner that is experiencing any type of lingering problems. This has really helped some of our runners who have had varying sorts of frustrating problems".

This store is more than just a place to buy gear, it’s a place to grow and learn in a community of other runners. Take a minute to stop in and see all that Point 2 Running Company has to offer. To take a look at their full fitting process here: http://www.runpoint2.com/fittingpolicy

Enter to Win!

We have a great contest running right now! If you haven't signed up, you are missing a great chance for one of three gift certificates from Quirks of Art in Williamsburg. Here's the deal...

In March, we implement a social media presence for the Vacation Channel. With about a hundred fans on Facebook, we started working on reaching our great fan base in a number of new ways. We have since created a Google+ and Pinterest presence, this blog, and vamped up our Facebook and Twitter presence.

Now, as the summer winds down, we have more than a 400% increase in fans on Facebook and are nearing the 500 mark. Overall, we are pretty excited with the progress and we want to celebrate.

So in honor of our nearing the 500 fan mark, we are giving a great opportunity. Go to our Facebook page, like it and share our photo. Spread the word and as soon as we get to 500, we will select three people who liked and shared and give out Quirks of Art photos. So go to our page and win!

New Town Dining

In our weekend adventures through New Town in Williamsburg, one of the things that we loved about the area was that there was no lack of good food. So many options! Although we couldn't hit all the amazing restaurants in New Town, we managed a culinary experience at quite a few spots...

If you are looking for an easy, familiar and low-priced meal, there is a Panera Bread at the end of the main street. Want something high class? Opus 9 came highly recommended by several people we encountered along the way. Ichiban, right next to the theatre has an amazing atmosphere, great food, and all you can eat sushi during lunch. Z Pizza is right across the way, if that is what you are craving.

Cogan's Sports Pub came highly recommended as well. We opted for a stop at Buffalo Wild Wings so we could catch up on the Olympics while we were there... Later on, we discovered the Green Leafe - a friendly, local watering hole. Great service, great drinks.

Our favorite part of the culinary experience were the dessert portions! The fro-yo at Sweet Frog was incredible. The do-it-yourself set up was fun and the flavors and toppings were delicious. One of there newer shops was Williamsburg Cupcake. Best cupcake ever.


And that, friends, isn't even all of the places there. That means that there is a trip back to New Town Williamsburg in our future to finish exploring... Until then, check it out for yourself and let us know what we missed!

New Town: Shopping Edition

So now we move on to the important stuff: shopping. It's an essential for every vacation. Or everyday really, but that may be an opinion. And if you had to pick the most prominent feature of Williamsburg, you would probably say... well, history, but after history, you would definitely say shopping! A lot of awesome shopping venues around town, but we submit to you New Town as our top pick. There is literally something for everyone in that vein too.

If you want to find unique shops, be sure to check them out. Paisley, The Nautical Dog and The Mole Hole were some of the specialty shops we wandered in, but we also found a music shop, jewelry store, stationery shop, candy store and a cigar shop - all of which were delightful!

We also had the chance to pop in a great variety of old favorites including Ann Taylor, White House, Black Market, Victoria's Secret, and Joanne Fabrics. We even popped in Barnes and Noble to browse, borrow the wi-fi, and grab a cup of coffee.

One of our absolute favorites was a store that just opened called Charming Charlie's. If you need accessories, they are the store for you. It was absolutely amazing. And apparently you can hold private events there too!

After exploring, we checked out the movie theatre in the center of town. It was the perfect addition to our visit. And we definitely enjoyed The Dark Knight Rises for a second time. All this to say and we haven't even gotten to the dining experiences yet! So stay tune for more adventures in New Town...

Painting the New Town Red!

This weekend's adventure took us to New Town in Williamsburg. If you haven't had a chance to explore New Town, you are missing an adventure! We definitely didn't get to make it to all the stores, but we managed to take in quite a few. There was way more to do than we could discuss in a single blog post, so let us start with the basics of what New Town has to offer.

New Town is Williamsburg's premiere living, dining, and shopping central location. It is conveniently located in the middle of Williamsburg, just a few miles from the historic Colonial Williamsburg area of town, as well as near a great number of hotels, resorts, and other vacation rentals. One of the best parts about New Town is that you can stop in for a few hours to do some shopping or take in some of their other entertainments, or spend a whole day there and take in some of their dining options.





If you are a local to the area, you have the opportunity to live in this delightful neighborhood. The shopping and dining options are interspersed with lovely townhouses, condos, and house that make a charming little village. With New Town being so, well, new, there are still some houses being built, but also availability in some of their completed dwellings as well, so be sure to check it out if you are in the market. Also, they have a post office, banks, medical offices and daycare right there to make it even more convenient!

All that to say, New Town literally has it all and whether you have a few minutes, hours, days or a life time, there is plenty there for you to do, so be sure to stop by. And stay tuned for more blog posts about some of our favorite shops and dining experiences!

Beat the Heat: Water Park Edition

In previous postings, we have discussed some great ways to handle the Virginia summer weather including the heat! Well, as we battle another bout of it, we are checking out a few other ways to manage to have the best vacation ever while keeping cool.

So if you have been here on certain days you will ask yourself if it is possible to keep cool by staying in the water all day. We assure you it is... Try one of our fabulous water parks! While you might be heading to our area with dreams of historical discoveries, epic roller coaster rides, and lounging on the beach, don't forget to make a trip to one of local water parks. If you are headed to Busch Gardens during your stay, you may want to look at adding Water Country when you purchase your passes.

Want to make it easier? How about sleeping at the water park? You read that right. Reserve your room at Great Wolf Lodge and enjoy their onsite water park. Best part: you don't even have to step outside in that heat to enjoy it. Great Wolf Lodge features a spectacular selection of rides and water adventures with the luxury of being indoors. Check out GWL's other amenities on their website.

If you already have a place to stay, but still want to enjoy a water park, one of our favorite options is Ocean Breeze in Virginia Beach. Ocean Breeze offers 16 different water slides and well as pools, playgrounds and other attractions. They have some great events too! Our favorite is Dive-In Movies on Fridays during the summer. Be sure to explore season pass options and look at purchasing corporate discount tickets online. And make sure your check out their birthday options if you are having a party this summer. Go to their website for deals on tickets and other opportunities.

So plan your water park trip today!  And no matter where you end up making a splash, just make sure you stay cool and safe!

Squeaky Clean

One of the best parts about being located in the middle of the East Coast is the easy accessibility by car. So let's say you hop in your car, load in the friends, kids, dogs, whatever and hit the open road to Tidewater Virginia...

You have arrived! Now you can unpack your car and find the remnants of four or five fast food meals' worth of wrappers, cups and lost french fries... And let's not even mention the outside of the car. The bugs get bigger the further south you go. If you are coming from the South, well, the bugs are still big and plentiful. So you arrive, unpack, and survey the disaster area. But don't spend another moment of your vacation thinking about it...

Head on over to Mega Auto Spa in Williamsburg! State of the art equipment, a great selection of services and other options make it a perfect spot to pamper your car for its hard work. You will be guaranteed an easy process and top notch service - two things you should have whether you are on vacation or not.

And to our locals, enjoy the same quality and easy luxury at Mega Auto Spa, but with the added option of monthly passes that will save you money the more you visit! Also, be sure to ask about fundraising opportunities.

Hurry over to Mega Auto Spa today and in no time at all, you will be on your way with a clean and comfy car once more... For more information check out their website!

The High Life at High Street

Happy Monday, all! We hope you had a wonderful weekend. We definitely did! This weekend, we took some time in Williamsburg to visit a favorite area, High Street. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, you really should! If you are coming into the area for a visit, be sure to plan to spend an afternoon or evening checking the place out.

We popped into Quirks of Art first for look through the delightful collections. The name is quite appropriate for the stock they carry. The art work, jewelry and other specialty items has selections that are lovely, unique and some great conversation starters! Whether you need a something festive to add to your own decor or a quirky gift for someone else, we can assure you that it is currently waiting for you at Quirks of Art.

After that, we made a stop at the always fabulous Plaza Azteca. The menu is a selection of the most delicious and authentic Mexican dishes. Plaza Azteca also has a phenomenal atmosphere both with their indoor and outdoor seating. We enjoyed their patio where live music was playing and can't even begin to describe how amazing the fresh guacamole was!

After our amazing dining experience, we headed over to Movie Tavern to take in a showing. We opted for drinks and dessert, but their food selection was impressive and incredibly reasonable in price. We definitely want to check out the King Kong burger on our next visit. Our order items were great and staff and atmosphere were wonderful. And we are pleased to say the new Spiderman movie was worth a view!

High Street is conveniently located off Richmond Rd. just a short trip from the Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area and the College of William and Mary Campus. Whether visiting or an area local, there is a good time to be had by all. Stop by today!

Fun for the 4th!

In this area of the country, Independence Day is especially exciting. We are in the epicenter of some major American history and it's definitely a passion around here. And a true celebration of the 4th of July isn't complete without a spectacular firework display. So in honor of the upcoming celebration, here is your round up of the great places in the area that you can visit for some firework festivity...

Chesapeake

July 3rd. Celebrate Freedom. Grassfield High School. 7:30 PM. http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/Calendar/Celebrate-Freedom---Concert-FIREWORKS_s_p4902.htm?EventMode=View&EventOccurrence=0

New Kent

Racing to the Stars and Stripes. Colonial Downs. 5 PM. http://www.colonialdowns.com/promos/viewpromo?fid=344 

Newport News

4th of July Stars in the Sky. Victory Park Landing. 6PM. http://www.newport-news.org/things-to-do/events.php

Norfolk

The 30th Annual AT&T Fourth of July Great American Picnic & Fireworks. Town Point Park. 5 PM. http://www.festevents.org/mini-site/30th-annual-atandt-fourth-of-july-great-american-picnic-and-fireworks 

Portsmouth
Independence Day Fireworks. Seawall or along Crawford Parkway. 9:30 PM. http://www.portsvaevents.com/july_2012.html

Suffolk
Stars and Stripes Spectacular. Constant's Wharf Park. 6 PM. http://www.suffolk-fun.com/calendar.html

Virginia Beach

July 4th Celebration. Mount Trashmore Park. Activities begin at 4 PM. Fireworks at 9:30 PM. 

http://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/parks-recreation/special-events/Pages/default.aspx

4th of July Celebration. First Landing State Park. Activities begin at 10 AM. http://dcrintra.dcr.virginia.gov/dcr_public/events/ViewEvent.cfm?585D0E707D080106010D0A1B0109

4th of July Fireworks. Sandbridge Beach. 6:30 PM. http://sandbridgelife.com/archives/1226

Stars and Stripes Explosion. Virginia Beach Oceanfront. 7:30 PM. http://www.beachstreetusa.com/events/StarsAndStripesExplosion

Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg Independence Day Celebration. Events starting at 10 AM. Fireworks begin at 9:30 PM. http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/do/special-events/12-4-july/

Busch Gardens Illuminights. 9:30 PM. http://seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-williamsburg/Events/IllumiNights

Yorktown

Yorktown Independence Day Celebration. Riverwalk Landing. 7 PM. 

http://www.yorkcounty.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=7108&vw=3&ItemID=2530&d=20120704

All events are on the 4th unless otherwise stated. We hope you enjoy... Have a safe and happy holiday!

Beat the Heat: The Essentials

In our previous blog post we talked about ways to beat the heat by scheduling your itinerary around the hottest times of day, but no matter what activity you are participating in, you should plan on being out in some intense weather.

No matter what sites you are planning on visiting, seeing the sites is exhausting, so be sure to bring some necessities with you to eliminate a lot of unnecessary stress. Whether you are out in the heat or not, you should plan to have some bottles of water with you. It's easy to get, but it is also easy to forget and really not that hard to become dehydrated. So be sure you take the time and grab some water before you head out for the day. 

SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN, SUNCREEN. If you haven't already discovered how easy it is to acquire a sunburn, you will when you get to this area. Do yourself a favor and keep the sunscreen handy and apply at regular intervals. We promise you will not regret it. 

If you get too hot, do what the locals do... Go to Rita's. It always makes us feel better. Not only a nice, cool options, but delicious. Check out their Facebook page for frequent coupons and other savings and events. 

Beat the Heat

We have had some pretty extreme weather in our area lately! And if you are not used to the heat of a Tidewater Virginia area summer, it can be pretty tough to handle. Who are we kidding - we live here all year and it can be tough for us! Either way, heat can be brutal and if you are going to be out and about in the area this summer, we want to make sure you are being cautious of your time in the heat, so we are beginning a series of blog posts about how to beat the heat.

We want to, of course, stress how dangerous the heat can be. No matter where you are in the world, extreme hot weather requires precautions. Here in the Tidewater Virginia area, we definitely have our share of hot days. The first recommendation is to save the indoor visits (museums, shopping, etc) for the really hot hours of the day.  


All of the places you will love around the area can be visited at a variety of times, not just middle of the day. Consider your time on the sand. Get up early to hit the beach. Not only is it much cooler, but also less crowded.


 Also, with many of our awesome local attractions, summer brings longer hours so places like Busch Gardens you can go to until 9 or 10 pm. Also, there are a lot of evening programs available. Colonial Williamsburg offers a variety to choose from and don't forget our current favorite Swingtime Salute at Nauticus. 

Stay tuned for our next post on how to beat the heat and post your tips in the comments below!

For the Love of the Game

In preparation for Father's Day this weekend, we though it only appropriate we talk about one of our dad's favorite things... golf. He sure loves it! But as much as he does, he could definitely use some work on his game... don't tell him we said that. He's an AWESOME dad, so his less than stellar golf skills aren't that big of a deal. Again, don't tell. So, in honor of him, we have a few pointers that will help improve your game.


For his bunker shot, check this out:

Here's one for a driver...

One for a chip:

And how about his putt...

Hopefully, this will help your game. Thank you to Colonial Heritage for helping us out with this series. Be sure to check out their awesome courses. And Happy Father's Day to all the great dads out there, even if you aren't golf pros... 

Aye Aye, Captain!

So many visitors travel from all over the world to the Tidewater Virginia area in search of some of the most inspiring tales of history ever told. With a location so rich in history, it is not surprising that not only is the ground we walk on full of rich history, but our food as well. And if you are looking for an historic American tale of the most inspiring, Captain George's Seafood Restaurant is just that. For over forty years, the restaurant has been a true show of American dreams and has done so with absolute perfection.

Beyond the strong history, the popularity has grown impressively. The restaurant itself has been visited by thousands of patrons from all over the world and they have helped spread the word of the phenomenal menu that Captain George's offers. Now Captain George's boasts an incredible sales average of one million pounds of crab legs per year.

If you haven't had a chance to visit this phenomenal local landmark and culinary delight, please be sure to stop into one of their four locations. Our location in the Tidewater Virginia area is home to two of those great locations - Virginia Beach and Williamsburg. Find out the great story of Captain George and try the amazing seafood items offered. Also, if you are going to be trying some of those famous crab legs, check out our video before you go!

Swinging Into Some Summer Fun

If you are in the area or are local and looking for some fun, Thursday marks the opening of a great new opportunity  for entertainment! Swingtime Salute: An On-Deck Revue opens at Nauticus! Nauticus is a wonderful, contemporary museum set right in the harbor of Norfolk that provides engaging and interactive experiences to showcase maritime history and education to all who visit. They have outdone themselves this time with a phenomenal display of engaging experience via their new production.


Premiering this week, get a new historical perspective on Navy life by experiencing a 40's era variety show created to be reminiscent of the show that our military members would have experienced during deployments from a time now gone. There will be retro-inspired numbers complete with glamorous performers accompanied by a live, on-stage band. A great experience for the whole family.


For more information including on ticketing, check out the Nauticus website. You can start by planning your visit the phenomenal museum including the Battleship Wisconsin, one of the largest battleships ever built by the U.S. Navy,  that is docked at the museum and which you are welcome to explore. Then, starting on Thursday, come on down and experience a little vintage fun with the Nauticus presentation of Swingtime Salute: An On-Deck Revue. 

We Heart Dinosaurs!

Fact: there are few things in the world cooler than dinosaurs. And technically they don't even exist, which makes their awesomeness downright mind-blowing. But the creatures from the past have yet to lose popularity with society, so The Virginia Living Museum is giving us exactly what we want and we want dinosaurs! 

On May 26th, The Virginia Living Museum will open its summer exhibit displaying an impressively high-tech collection of dinosaurs. With these robotic replicas of the former residents of our planet, you get mind-blowing experience as you see these creatures up close stomping and roaring about the museum. What could be cooler than that?! 

As if the dinosaurs weren't cool enough, we get to check out the current resident of our planet that is most akin to dinosaurs in the form of a rare and exotic albino alligator. After that, you can dig deeper into the history of dinosaurs by participating in some special programming including about the dinosaur dig in the program featured in the Planetarium, Dinosaur Prophecy. Also, check the museum for daily schedule of shows to learn more about other animals that are possibly related to dinosaurs.

There are also some special, limited time programs taking place. So mark your calendar for the weekends from May 26th to June 24th when there will be a dino puppet show at the museum. On Saturdays June 30th through August 4th, come back and join in on some special fossil themed fun. And the event we are most excited about is June 1st through the 2nd when you have the chance for a dinosaur-themed sleep over IN the museum. Doesn't get much cooler than that... 

For all this fun and more, be sure you head on down for the Donisaur exhibit opening at The Virginia Living Museum on May 26th. For more information, check out their website. 

Weekend Round Up!

It's almost the weekend! And we have a lot going on in the area this weekend! Here are a few of the major events going on. Let us know which ones you are attending or if we have missed anything in the comments section!

Colonial Williamsburg: .Run for the Dream and Drummers Call.
http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/visit/eventsAndExhibits/specialEvents/runForTheDream.cfm

Muscle Cars for Missions Car, Truck, and Bike Show: Show, lunch, and bake sale.
http://www.northamptonpres.com/calendar/muscle-cars-for-missions-car-show/ 

Busch Gardens: Verbolten, the newest coaster, officially opens!
http://seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-williamsburg/Verbolten

Water Country: Park opens this weekend!
https://www.facebook.com/events/287329331360441/?context=create

Merchants Square: Semi-Annual Sidewalk Sale.
http://www.merchantssquare.org/calendar.html

Langley Speedway: Military Appreciation Night.
http://www.virginiapeninsulachamber.com/index.php?mod=Pages&LiveEdit=true&page_id=150

Ripley's Believe It or Not: Millennium Falcon Arrival.
https://www.facebook.com/events/300699523346056/

Virginia Beer Festival
http://www.festevents.org/mini-site/11th-annual-virginia-beer-festival-in-partnership-with-virginia-arts-festival

International Spring Wine Festival

http://www.neptunefestival.com/events/9th-annual-intl-spring-wine-festival/1

To Market, To Market...

It's one of our favorite times of year! Farmers Markets! The Farmers' Markets are out in abundance and just as great as summer itself. Fresh produce, delicious baked goods, and other wonderful specialty items... Yum! Whether you are visiting from out of town, new to the area, or a long time resident, we hope you take some time to check out some of our local markets. We have compile a list for you of the area Farmers' Markets. Also, if we missed any, please let us know and we will gladly add them to the list!

Chesapeake

Chesapeake Farmers Market, http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/Government/City-Departments/Departments/Agriculture-Department---Virginia-Cooperative-Extension/farmers-market.htm

Hampton

TBD

Newport News

Game's Farmers Market, http://www.gamesfarmersmarket.com/

Hilton Village Farmers Market, https://www.facebook.com/HiltonVillageFarmersMarket
Port Warwick Foundation, http://pwfarmersmarket.org/

Norfolk

Five Points Community Farm Market, http://www.5ptsfarmmarket.org/

Portsmouth
Portsmouth Olde Towne Farmers Market, http://www.portsmoutholdetownefarmersmarket.com/index.html

Suffolk
Suffolk Farmers Market, http://www.suffolk-fun.com/farmers-market.html

Virginia Beach
Brookdale Farm, http://www.brookdale-farm.com/summer-market-page
Old Beach Farmers Market, http://www.oldbeachfarmersmarket.com/
Virginia Beach Farmers Market, http://www.vbgov.com/farmersmarket

Williamsburg

Williamsburg Farmers' Market in Merchant Square, http://www.williamsburgfarmersmarket.com/

Yorktown

Riverwalk Landing Market, http://www.riverwalklanding.com/

Off to the Races!

Happy Derby Day! For those of you not celebrating Cinco de Mayo or looking for something to celebrate in addition to it, you are in luck! For some, Derby Day is just a day that a horse race occurs on. But for a good chunk of the country, it is a major holiday! 

So what makes it so special? Well, there is more to the race than just "the greatest two minutes in sports." The Kentucky Derby is the kick off and first of three races composing what is known as the Triple Crown. For horse racing fans, it's a pretty big deal. For the city of Louisville, Kentucky, Derby Day is the close of a nearly month long celebration that kicks includes the largest annual firework show in North America. Overall, its a huge event for sports fans, horse lovers, Kentuckians, and just fun loving citizens... 

Viewers of the race know that horse racing isn't the only draw. A substantial number of followers tune in just to see the hats worn by the attendees. For decades, wearing a Derby hat has been a huge part of the fun in attending the Derby. High fashion, giant hats, small fascinators, fun, traditional, and some just plain bizarre - these can all be found at Churchill Downs on race day. 

Enjoying the Derby isn't just for locals either. On Derby Day, towns and cities all across the country are home to hundreds of Derby parties. Whether restaurants or homes or other fun locations, Derby is a reason to celebrate and host a traditional Derby party. Although the degrees of formality vary from party to party, there are some things that are staples to celebrating. There are dozens of other specialty foods, games and other things that have been created over the years that chosen to be included in the Derby party agenda. But you will find that every party done right includes hats, mint juleps, and Derby Pie.

Sports, fashion, food and drink, and general festivities... How could anyone not love Derby! There is something for everyone! Feeling inspired to get in on the fun? Our very own, local Colonial Downs has a variety of activities going on today to participate in. Or you can throw your own Derby Party. For other upcoming race events and activities, check the Colonial Downs facebook page and website. There is plenty of fun still to be had this summer! 

The Two Men We Love the Most

Now that the weather in the area has finally warmed up, it's time to increase our visits with our two favorite people - Ben and Jerry. What can we say, they are always there for us. And now that it is more of the season, we can stop relying on their convenient location in the grocery store ice cream aisle and head into one of their charming shops. To get you into the spirit too, here are some facts about one of our favorite foods...

About 50 licks are required to finish off a cone with a single scope of ice cream.

The U.S. enjoys an average of 48 pints of ice cream per person, per year, more than any other country.

In the USA, Portland, St. Louis and Seattle lead the country in per capita ice cream consumption

Of all the days of the week, most ice cream is bought on Sunday.

The ice cream cone's invention is linked to the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. An ice cream vendor reportedly didn't have enough dishes to keep up with the demand, so he teamed up with a waffle vendor who rolled his waffles into cones!

"The world's largest ice cream sundae" in St. Albans, Vermont; the sundae weighs 27,102 pounds. Guess which brand of ice cream was used...

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield established there beloved company in 1978 with the first location being in an old gas station in their home state of Vermont.

Be sure to check out our favorite Ben and Jerry's location in the beautiful Yorktown Riverwalk. And tell us what your favorite flavor is in the comments section! 

Rainy Day Fun

Well, it's been a rather rainy week here in the Tidewater Virginia area... But that doesn't mean our status as greatest vacation destination changes any! Although it is not ideal to have rainy weather while you are on vacation, that doesn't mean you can't be prepared for it and have just as much fun.

So as you plan your agenda for your vacation, here is a tip: add a floating rainy day plan. Figure out which activities are best during bad weather and put them all on the same day and prepare to utilize that day as needed. That way if you wake up and discover that the clouds have rolled in, you won't have to worry about it at all.

Our area has a great selection of rainy day opportunities. Of course our museums are high on the list of opportunities - Mariner's Museum, Virginia Living Museum, Children's Museum to name a few. Although they are all wonderful choices, the list isn't exclusively museums. Be sure to add the Peninsula Fine Arts Center to the list. Just outside of the historic area, you have Ripley's Believe it or Not and just up the street from that Yankee Candle offers shopping as well as some great activities onsite.

There are a lot of great options! So pick your favorites, add them to the schedule and you are all set for vacation! If you have any great suggestions for fun around the area, be sure to add them on in the comments.