Writing this blog actually takes a lot of planning -- and it sometimes happens that we just stumble upon something great without being prepared to blog about it, no camera, no advance prep work. It's been happening a lot lately, so right now I have a ton of new experiences to write about but sadly not enough for a full blog post. It seemed a shame to not share, though, so I thought I'd stitch a few of our latest greatest experiences and discoveries together in one post here. Here goes -- a few snippets of stuff we've been up to around town lately.



Brunch at the Cyprus Grille (Hampton): We meet up with friends regularly for brunch; this month we decided to try out the Cyprus Grille, located inside the Embassy Suites hotel in Hampton. Cyprus Grille's been getting a lot of press lately because it  recently placed in a state cooking competition! Chef Kyle Fowlkes's recipe for Nana's Buttermilk Fried Chicken came in second in the contest and after tasting it, we're wondering what could have possibly topped it. I highly recommend their chicken and waffles -- the waffles are crisp, the orange-black pepper syrup is unlike anything I've ever had before, and the cheesy grits it's served with are great, too.



Rose Garden at the Virginia Zoo (Norfolk): Recently, we went to the Virginia Zoo with our playgroup and discovered a previously undiscovered corner of the zoo (at least, to us).  Beyond the kangaroo exhibit, all the way at the south end of the zoo, you'll find the Victorian gazebo situated among a host of rosebushes, all in full bloom this time of year! Bonus points: you can see the zoo's beehives  (which I didn't even know existed) and stone steps nearby are a nice place to put on a show with friends. Read more about what to see in the rose garden here.



Atumpan African Dance (Norfolk; various locations): Speaking of the Virginia Zoo, we saw the Atumpan dance group at the Virginia Zoo's Arts Are Wild celebration last weekend and they were fabulous. Such a sense of humor, passion, and vibrancy from all the dancers and musicians. They know how to work a crowd, and how to deliver information in a way that's fun for all age groups. Anouk got up and did her best to follow the steps while the rest of us played along with the traditional West African instruments the dancers passed around. Atumpan offers regular lessons (drop in or recurring, ages 2 to adult) at the Attucks Theatre in Norfolk or you can catch them at one of their local events.

 What have you been up to lately? Any new discoveries (here in HRVA, or in your neck of the woods?)

One evening a few weeks ago, we went for an after-dinner walk in the Miyazaki Japanese Garden at Red Wing Park in Virginia Beach. Red Wing Park has several beautiful gardens, but the Miyazaki Garden is our favorite. No matter how hot the day has been, it's always cool there, and no matter how gloomy the skies might be, there are always a few sun-dappled spots to explore.

The garden was planted in honor of Miyazaki, Japan, which is Virginia Beach's sister city. (Side note: I love the concept of sister cities -- Norfolk has several, which you can read about here.) The Miyazaki Garden is a wonderful mix of Japanese plants that fit perfectly with the native Virginia foliage in a way that encapsulates the spirit of both places and feels both familiar and unfamiliar at once. In the spring, they feature the area's best show of cherry blossoms, which we appreciate, since we were big fans of the ones in DC when we lived there.  




Anne had a great time running out some pre-bedtime energy on the garden's shady paths and setting up elaborate Barbie doll panoramas in the azumaya (Japanese-inspired outbuilding). She also tried to take home several of the smooth white rocks from the rock garden to add to her collections. Is there anything more attractive to toddlers than a pile of rocks? If there is, I don't think I've found it.


Happy 4th of July! Hope that everyone has a safe and festive holiday. See you back here on Monday.