There's just about a month left to see the Washed Ashore exhibit at the Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach and it's one that definitely needs to be seen. The giant sculptures that make up the exhibit -- a friendly seal, giant jellyfish, massive coral reefs -- are, at a distance, beautiful and whimsical. But as you look closer and start to pick out familiar objects -- bottle caps, fishing bobbers, soda bottles -- you realize that they are all made out of trash washed up on the beach. And the scope of how polluted are oceans have become is even more striking.



We appreciated how interactive the exhibit was -- you can touch and play with most of the pieces, including a set of drums made of huge blocks of styrofoam (which was fun, but imagining these littering the shore of our favorite beaches is just mind-boggling). There were also stations scattered around the room where visitors could see the effect of all of the trash on the animals and plants that live in the ocean, and a table showing off some of the stranger things that have been pulled out of the waves (shoe skeletons, what?)

The volunteers who assembled the Washed Ashore exhibit did a great job in creating something beautiful and powerful out of something ugly and pretty awful, and in fostering awareness through art. It's definitely worth a look.

The Washed Ashore exhibit will be at the Virginia Aquarium through September 28 and is free with admission.

My amazingly talented photographer friend George told me a while ago that he was starting work on a super-exciting project and now it's done! And it's awesome, AND for a good cause, so even though it is not exactly standard WTWG fare, I really wanted to share. The Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service has recently released their 2015 Sons of Summer calendar calendar, featuring Virginia Beach lifeguards off duty and looking pretty amazing themselves.

A portion of the proceeds of each calendar go to benefit the Virginia Beach Lifeguard Association, a nonprofit that works to prevent drownings and promote beach safety, a mission I think all parents can support. Now that I have Anne, I find myself even more grateful for the lifeguards who watch over us when we're at the beach, and glad they're trained to help us if we need it. Besides the lifeguards, the calendar features water safety tips, history of the VBLS, and beautiful Virginia Beach scenery, some of the best.


The Sons of Summer calendar is a great souvenir to take home if you're visiting the area or a fun gift for local friends. You can buy your copy at the Old Coast Guard Station (they have a fab story time, btw) or online here.

Read more about VBLS here, and see more of George's work here. He was also on the news talking about the project last week. You did great, George!

Thanks to the giant duck, you probably know by now that the Chrysler Museum has reopened. We were really missing it in the year and a half that it was closed -- it's such a great free place to go with kids and their programs are really top notch. A few weeks ago, our playgroup met up to revisit this old favorite and see the changes that were made. The Chrysler has such a nicely curated collection of things to see, it's really a treasure box of a place.

The main thing that impressed us was that the museum is a lot more interactive for kids and adults alike, now. There are plenty of places to sit and reflect and some special ways to share your thoughts and some of your own art, if you are so inclined. We also liked the community gallery, which allowed locals to vote on and assemble their favorite pieces of art all in one place. The kids were extremely taken in by some of the exhibits, namely the modern art wing and the exhibit on mummies including, strangely, the kind of gross video that plays on a loop there. Sadly, they didn't seem to want to spend much time in the photography exhibit, which I was looking forward to, so we'll have to plan an adults-only visit soon. We all loved the new courtyard, with the fountains and trees and gravel paths, it was a great place to hang out for a while and run off some steam (depending which age group you belong to).




There were a few kinks -- some of the display cases in the artifact rooms are too far above the kids' heads which meant there was a lot of hefting them up to see, over and over again, and the children's art room (drawing supplies, giant beanbags!) is situated in probably the most echo-y spot in the whole place which was awkward at times. But overall we are really loving the new and improved Chrysler and looking forward to our next trip.

Have you been inside the Chrysler since it reopened?

As you might have seen if you follow @watermelonsgrow on Instagram, James, Anne and I visited Colonial Williamsburg this weekend to take advantage of the GREAT opportunity they currently have going on. Through August 15, #HRVA locals can receive free passes to Colonial Williamsburg. All you have to do is show your ID with your local address on it, and boom! You're in. 

We've done the CW thing several times (click here for our other Williamsburg posts), but because A. is so young and the passes are so expensive, we'd never done the full tour until now. It definitely was a better experience, being able to pop in to visit the places that are usually for pass-holders only -- the printing office, the jewelers, etc. We really enjoyed visiting the shoemakers and watching them at their craft and J. of course was fascinated by the guns and ammo at the town magazine.



Local residents can also upgrade to an annual pass during their visit for only $21 for adults and $10.50 for children -- a fabulous deal considering that the passes usual go for three times that amount. If you think you might want to visit this fall or throughout the holiday season (one of the best times to visit the CW), now is definitely the time to act.

I'm not a huge fan of going to the movies (I'd rather curl up at home), but I LOVE going to the theater. I got the theater bug as a really little kid (my parents and sister can attest to that -- I think they still remember those Broadway soundtracks by heart). There's just something about the plush theater seats, the playbill, the curtain, the energy coming from the performers. I'm convinced Anne is going to be a theater fan, too, or else I'm going to do my best to take her to as many shows as possible in the hopes that it will stick.

Luckily we have so many chances to catch live performances in the HRVA area. Here are a few kid-friendly shows coming up around town in the next few months. Buy your tickets now and take the whole family!

1. The Witch of Pungo at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront: The Witch of Pungo is an musical production based on the life of Grace Sherwood, who was tried and convicted of being a witch back in the 1660s (she survived). Older kids will enjoy this (30-minute) outdoor performance on the VB Oceanfront that's become a summertime tradition. It's free, and runs through the end of August.

2. Jungle Book by Hurrah Players: The Hurrah Players always put on a great, professional show. This production has been adapted from the Disney movie (my favorite!), and runs August 22, 23, and 24.

3. Robin Hood by the Childrens Theater of Hampton Roads: We've been to a couple of shows put on by the Childrens Theater of Hampton Roads and enjoyed them so much! The actors do their best to keep the show entertaining for all ages (jokes parents will get, staging simple enough for the youngest showgoers) and to involve the audience as much as they can. Robin Hood will run in September in Suffolk and Virginia Beach.

4. The Sound of Music at Peninsula Theatre: This is a great show for beginner musical fans -- the score is familiar, the story is heart-warming, and the songs are amazingly catchy. The Sound of Music will run every weekend in August. For littler ones, don't miss The Reluctant Dragon in September.

5. Peter Pan at Smithfield Little Theatre: Is there any more magical theatre moment than watching Peter alight on the windowsill of the Darling children's nursery for the first time? Peter Pan was the first musical I ever went to, and I would love it if it's Anne's, too. Peter Pan will go on stage in October.

Are your kids little theater buffs? What was the first play that you remember seeing as a kid?

Have a great weekend!

With our renovations and home stuff going on, I've been too busy to blog much lately, on one hand -- but on the other, we've been having so much fun that it's hard not to share a little of it (even if it is with blurry iPhone photos, apologies). So here's the quick and dirty, three new-to-us places that we're glad we discovered. We think you might like them, too -- so if you're in the HRVA area, stop by!


East Beach Sandwich Company: Located right by our favorite beach, the East Beach Sandwich Company is the perfect place to stop for lunch on a beach day (or any other). Not only do they have some of the best sandwiches and salads in the area, but they have a great selection of baked goods, craft beer, and handmade ice cream. AND they'll even deliver to the beach if you get hungry while you're there but don't want to give up your spot. Our picks: the Front Porch (curried chicken salad) and the Windjammer (turkey with onion jam!) Anouk loves their PB&honey.



Paradise Ocean Club: A private beach club on the grounds of decommissioned Fort Monroe -- it used to be the officers beach. Admission is $10 per adult ($5 per child) but it's worth it for the amenities -- beach and pool and cabana boys to bring your food and drinks out to the sand. There's almost always some music going on, and the waves can be pretty active for a bay beach, which is nice. Crowded on weekends, so if you're going on Saturday or Sunday, plan to get there early.

Paradise Donuts: My dad, who works in downtown Norfolk, has been telling us about Paradise Donuts for a while, so we decided to check it out last weekend. The verdict: YUM! Paradise offers both yeast and cake donuts in some creative combinations (Creamsicle and Blue Raspberry were two of the ones we tried). They also have old classics done well.


Have you discovered any new-to-you places around town lately?