March/April 2008
What We Love
Our annual guide to the best of Hampton Roads.
Compiled and Written By: Bill Burnham, Mary Burnham, Jessica Carlson, Howard Carson, Betsy DiJulio, Patrick Evans-Hylton, Bill Glose, Montague Gammon III, Carmine Greico, Meredith Hemenway, Beth Hester, Michael Jon Khandelwal, Melissa Morgan, Pam Majumdar and Ben Swenson
It drives us crazy when we hear people complain about Hampton Roads. Yes, sometimes we suffer from a bit of an inferiority complex. (How many people did you hear question whether we were “upscale” enough for Nordstrom?), but the good qualities of “America’s First Region” soundly outweigh the bad. That’s why we decided to dedicate our annual Best Of feature to all the things we, HRM’s writers and editors, absolutely love about Hampton Roads. From our favorite recreational pursuits to the store with the hippest duds, we’ve got plenty of reasons to fall in love with our sprawling region by the sea all over again. If you don’t want to take our word for it, we’ve also asked some experts to weigh in on the people, places and things in Hampton Roads that they are enamored with. And of course, we wouldn’t leave you, the readers, out of the love triangle. We’re always curious about what you’re up to, so look for our annual Readers’ Choice survey on the following pages as well. Let’s all share the love, shall we?
READERS’ CHOICE
–NEWS AND NEWSMAKERS–
Presidential election issue that is most important to HR: War in Iraq
Best radio station: 97.3 The Eagle
Best morning drive show: Chuck, Jenna and WooWoo, 94.9 The Point
Best voice in radio: Dick Lamb, 92.9 The Wave
Best male T.V. news anchor: Lasalle Blanks, WVEC 13News Daybreak and 13News at Noon
Best female T.V. news anchor: Nicole Livas, WAVY-TV 10 News at 5 and 5:30 p.m., and Fox43 News at 10 p.m.
Best T.V. news reporter: Wayne Carter, WVEC 13News
–SHOPPING AND BEAUTY–
Best men’s haircut: Supercuts, multiple locations
Best women’s haircut: Changes Hairstyling and City Spa, Norfolk
Best bookstore: Barnes & Noble, multiple locations
Best place for women’s clothing: Nordstrom, Norfolk
Best place for men’s clothing: Beecroft & Bull, Newport News and Virginia Beach
Best gym: YMCA, multiple locations
–TRAVEL AND LEISURE–
Best outdoor festival: Town Point Virginia Wine Festival, Norfolk
Best golf course: Cypress Point Golf Club, Virginia Beach
Best place for kids: The Children’s Museum of Virginia, Portsmouth
–ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT–
Best performing arts theater: Ferguson Center for Arts, Newport News
Best movie theater: Harbor View Grande 16, Suffolk
Best local band: Butter
Best large music venue: Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
Best small music venue: The NorVa, Norfolk
Best small museum: Hampton Roads Naval Museum, Norfolk
Best large museum: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk
–HOME AND GARDEN–
Best real estate agency: William E. Wood and Associates
Best cleaning service: Zoots, multiple locations
Best florist: Norfolk Florist, multiple locations
Best home furnishings Store: Decorum, Norfolk and Virginia Beach
–DINING–
Best restaurant period: Swan Terrace at The Founders Inn and Spa, Virginia Beach
Best farmer’s market: Old Towne Curb Market, Smithfield
Best seafood restaurant: Smithfield Station, Smithfield
Best pizza: Cogan’s, Norfolk
Best upscale dining: Vintage Kitchen, Norfolk
Best barbecue: Pierce’s Pitt Bar-B-Que, Williamsburg
Best on-tap beers: Taphouse Bar & Grill, Norfolk
For our editors’ and writers’ picks for What We Love in Hampton Roads in each of these categories, plus opinions from a few experts in their fields, see the March/April issue of Hampton Roads Magazine, currently available on newsstands.
