Local Attractions

'Daughter' a delight, and it's all in the details

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:04:05 -0500

By Lee Teply Correspondent The Virginia Opera's new production of Gaetano Donizetti's "The Daughter of the Regiment" is a fast-paced delight. The busy stage action that drives the production is balanced with calmer moments in which the sincere sentiments of lovely melodies can be fully appreciated.

Blackstone to buy Busch Gardens' parks in $2.7 billion deal

Chris.Dinsmore — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:00:18 -0400

The Bud will still flow, but the Clydesdales must go.

Busch Gardens is being sold by Anheuser-Busch InBev to the private equity firm Blackstone Group along with the company's other theme parks, including Water Country USA.

Mermaids have celebrated Norfolk life for 10 years

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

When Norfolk's mermaid logo swam onto the scene 10 years ago, her job was to polish the perception of a city with a revitalized downtown for both residents and tourists alike. The image of the half-woman, half-sea dweller was plastered on posters, city station-ery and banners to represent Norfolk's nautical heritage.

'Vulture Awareness Day' at aquarium defends defamed bird

Kathy.Adams — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:05:03 -0400

VIRGINIA BEACH Carol Ann Curran thinks vultures are awesome, and she wants other people to think they are too. So to educate folks about the birds and their role in the ecosystem, the conservation education specialist helped host Vulture Awareness Day at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center on Saturday.

Busch Gardens will close Big Bad Wolf coaster

Mark.Edelen — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:32:26 -0400

Say bye to the Big Bad Wolf.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced today that, after 25 years zipping through an artificial Bavarian village, the theme park’s suspended roller coaster will be closed Sept. 7.

Man’s passion grows into a depository of regional history

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:19:17 -0500

MANTEO, N.C. Back in the mid-20th century, David Stick used to wake up early, pile into his $750 surplus Marine Corps jeep with his wife and head from the Outer Banks to Newport News, Va., to research shipwrecks. He dreaded the trips.

Exhibit looks at a time when steamer was the way to go

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 20:09:32 -0500

By Frank Roberts Correspondent ELIZABETH CITY Depending on where you live, a trip from the Inner Banks to the Outer Banks takes between 30 and 90 minutes - today. At the start of the last century, when there were no bridges to speed the trip, it took about four hours.

Museum hosting exhibit on battleship North Carolina

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:58:02 -0500

By Frank Roberts Correspondent ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. Six times during World War II, Japanese radio announced the sinking of the battleship North Carolina. Six pieces of false propaganda. The ship, considered the world's greatest sea weapon at the time, survived the war with relatively few casualties - 10 dead and 67 wounded, according to the Battleship North Carolina Web site.

If Spamalot doesn't tickle your funnybone, call a doctor

Chinelo.Onwualu — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:50:59 -0500

It’s not true that what happens in Camelot stays in Camelot. In the case of the touring musical mirth that has moved noisily into Chrysler Hall it gets the Monty Python treatment and becomes Spam.

VIDEO: Restored horses gallop again on Hampton Carousel

Cindy.Clayton — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:42:19 -0400

HAMPTON Ten carousel horses are galloping again after being returned to their home outside the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton. Their coats, dulled by nearly two decades of sun and weather, were fully restored by William Finkenstein and his son, Gabe, of Connecticut. They started reinstalling the horses Tuesday.