Mar/Apr 2007
Best of Hampton Roads 2006
Feast your eyes on the ultimate guide to where it's at.
Compiled and Written By: Bill Burnham, Mary Burnham, Jessica Carlson, Betsy DiJulio, Patrick Evans-Hylton, Montague Gammon III, Meredith Hemenway, Michael Jon Khandelwal, Melissa Morgan, Barbara Spigel, Ben Swenson and Shelley Rafferty
We know the “Best Of Hampton Roads” feature is something our readers look forward to each and every year, and we do, too. But we also feared that the “same old standbys” that seemed to make the list time and time again might have been getting a bit stale. So this year, we’re giving you something new—and improved. We turned over the selection process to our discriminating group of editors and writers and asked them to pick their favorites in everything from burgers to bar bathrooms. Our food editor weighed in on top dining choices; our travel writers picked the best getaway spots; and our theater expert contributed to the arts and entertainment section—you get the idea. Make sense? It did to us, as well. Since our staff members pride themselves on being Hampton Roads know-it-alls, we hope this gives you a much fresher and more accurate list of Best Of options to try. Of course, it wouldn’t have been fair to take away all the fun from our dear readers; we asked them to participate in an online Best Of survey. You will find those reader results, along with all of the staff picks, beginning on the next page. Enjoy. We feel this is our very best, Best Of effort yet.
NEWS AND NEWSMAKERS
Most surprising local scandal
Andy Fox’s DUI
The headline that broke late last April—“Andy Fox Arrested on Drunken Driving Charge”—left us slack-jawed. Turns out the fearless reporter-turned-traffic enforcer, the stop sign vigilante willing to brave busy intersections, well, has a bit of a rebellious streak himself. Fox’s guilty plea to DUI ended his award-winning “Road Rebels” segment, but a humble on-air apology saved face—and possibly his career. Nevertheless, the irony of the whole affair was delicious.
SHOPPING AND BEAUTY
Best antique shop
Futures Antiques, Collectibles and Cultural Artifacts
3824 Granby St., Norfolk
757-624-2050
www.futuresantiques.com
Whether or not you know Russell Wright from Wilbur Wright, Futures proprietor and self-described “art and design enthusiast” Ronn Ives will graciously meet you where you are. Specializing in affordable modernist furniture and other 20th-century objects for the home, Futures is a customer service-focused retail experience unique on the Eastern seaboard. You can leave empty-handed and still feel satisfied. But don’t. We want this phenomenon to exist far into the future.
TRAVEL AND LEISURE
Best beach for locals
Little Island Park, Sandbridge, Virginia Beach
3820 South Sandpiper Rd.
757-385-4461
Don’t get us wrong, we like tourists. We just don’t enjoy towel-to-towel traffic while we’re trying to relax seaside. That’s why Sandbridge is our pick for the best place for locals to escape the crowds for some serious sun and sand. We’ll admit—on a warm, summer Saturday afternoon, Sandbridge isn’t exactly barren. But a short stroll away from Little Island Fishing Pier is all it takes to get to your own little piece of paradise. Sandbridge has all the elements that make a beach fun, safe and convenient—including ample parking—plus a laid-back atmosphere.
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Best hands-on museum
Virginia Air & Space Center
600 Settlers Landing Rd., Hampton
757-727-0900
www.vasc.org
If you’re perplexed by the suitcases that disappear from the airline luggage carousel, “A Day in the Life of A Suitcase” at Virginia Air & Space Center offers a glimpse into one of life’s deeper mysteries. It’s part of the Adventures in Flight permanent exhibit, hands down the most hands-on exhibit in Hampton Roads. You can land a Boeing 717 on a simulator, but we prefer making fancy-dancing airplanes and slinging them around the room. That’s allowed too.
HOME AND GARDEN
Best holiday decorations
Wharf Hill
216 Main St., Smithfield, VA 23430
757-357-9524
www.wharfhill.com
If you shudder at the thought of a “Country Christmas,” you’ve not been to Wharf Hill. We’re talking “country” the way Martha Stewart does country. Or Ralph Lauren ... in the Hamptons. Rustic, but refined. Earthy, but elegant. Located in a handsomely renovated vintage storefront, this 15-year-old business specializes year-round in upscale antiques and specialty items for the home. Come the first weekend in November, the shop is transformed into a tasteful and sophisticated but warm and homey holiday retail retreat.
DINING
Best ice cream shop
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt
2400 Elson Green Ave., Virginia Beach
757-430-0020
www.handelsicecream.com
When something is named by National Geographic as the best in the world, you know it’s on to something; Handel’s received that honor in recognition of its rich and dreamy selections of ice creams and yogurts. The homemade flavor and premium products are positively addictive. A lineup of permanent selections augment occasional treats playing off the season, like strawberry and peach made from local produce in the spring and champagne sorbet around New Year’s Eve.
For the rest of our picks for the Best of Hampton Roads 2006 in each of these categories, plus our Readers’ Choice Awards, see the March/April issue of Hampton Roads Magazine, currently available on newsstands.
