For this event to be the first ever, they hit a major league homerun!…read more We arrived about 645pm and the event kicked off at 7 p.m. Free parking was offered right next to the Courtyard...within walking distance so this was a plus! We walked in the building and immediately was greeted by the PTA President of W.H. Taylor. She seemed very excited about the event and stressed to us that it's their first event as they are trying to work out kinks in order to make this night successful. Of course it was no issue to us and we understood and waited patiently to be checked in. They ran out of owl paddles to be used for bidding. But one of the helpers quickly transformed one for me. Downstairs featured a live auction as well as their setup for the mystery cooking competition that was taking place later on that evening. It was setup like something that you would see on TV. There were 3 stations for the chefs to do their thing and seating for the live audience. There was also a photographer downstairs that was available to take your still shots behind a beautiful gold backdrop. But the main attractions were upstairs...the tastings!! The room not even larger than a standard hotel conference room featured at least 10 vendors. Vendors included: Jessy's Taco Bistro, La Bella Ghent, Pendulum, Supper and others. Beer tasting samples from O'Connor were in the lobby alongside cash bars. In another conference room of some sort was the silent bid auction. The second floor were the action was taking place was pretty much standing room only. The temperature was super hot and borderline uncomfortable. But luckily someone saw a need to open all the Windows on the floor...what a relief! Overall, everyone seemed super excited for the night. We even met some of the parents, administrators and employees of W.H. Taylor. And we were well received and complimented by them all. It seemed as though they didn't expect "outsiders" of the school to attend. When I mentioned we were apart of the Yelp community they were in total shock like in a great way. Not only was this event sold out but the vendors featured some great eats. My favs Pendulum and Jessy's! I'd say this event was a huge success!! It started off with 100% in attendance and then the live auction...insane bids all for a great cause!! I don't know if a 100% percent of the proceeds go back to the school but if so I'm sure this fundraiser will return next year and years to come. I'm glad I was a part of their first event and so looking forward to next year. I'm looking forward to more of a variety of tastings and perhaps a larger room/venue. Have fun | enjoy life

Loved visiting this location! Borjo coffee was so good! I got a hot hazelnut latte…read moreIt was very clean and people were so nice, kind, and super friendly! Wish I live close to here!

Let me start off by saying that the Mariners Museum knows how to pull of an event. I stopped in…read morelast night for the Battle of the Beers / North vs South. The idea behind this was to have 10 breweries, 5 from the North & 5 from the South pit their recipes against one another in 5 different categories Winters, IPA's Stouts, Pale Ales & Lagers. Once you've sampled both beers in a specific category, you vote for which one is best. I arrived about 20 minutes before the event started and everyone was mingling in the lobby. I stopped by the Yelp table and said hello to Xerxes and Yajaida, and also helped a new Yelper get signed up on his Windows phone. From there I ran into Matt & Cherry. At 7pm the doors opened into the main area. The closest brewers were the Winter beers so we started off with St. George's Winter Scotch. This was an awesome beer. We grabbed a table right after that as the place was really filling up and it's a good thing we did because shortly after that it was standing room only. From our vantage in dining area there were 3 more categories close by, the Stouts, Lagers & IPA's. We took turns leaving the table and visiting each and voting. In addition there was a band playing mostly more traditional southern music. I was thinking it was a home field advantage trying to sway the votes, but maybe that's just me. There was also a ton of food at 2 different serving areas. I just got in line and didn't know what I was going to get until I actually got to the servers. Ultimately I received a plate with a mini chili hot dog with some baked beans, 2 chicken wings and a cup cake. The meal hit the spot and the portion was perfect, not to much, not to little. I noticed the other table was serving mini BBQ sandwiches which also looked delicious. After eating we finished sampling the rest of the beers. I sampled 7 of the 10 completely bypassing the IPA's which I just don't like. They're to hoppy for my taste. All in all my favorite beer of the night was the very first one we sampled, the St George Winter Scotch which had a wonderful taste with a lingering smokey flavor. It was just outstanding and I'm going to have to find a 6 pack of it somewhere. I had an awesome time and can't wait to come back. The next event here will be the return of Craft Beer Festival in May of 2014. If you like beer and would enjoy spending the afternoon sampling a bunch of different kinds the Mariners Museum is the place do it. You'll be happy you did.

I really, really wanted to like this event. First off, let it be known that I enjoy a good…read morebeer...German, Belgian, Belgian, and Dutch are some of my faves...don't mess with centuries of tried and true ingredients and methods to brew! But out of the 10 beers, I could only manage to down one of them, the Devil's Backbone. The location was great, and the people were friendly, but the "atmosphere" wasn't really my thing, I guess. The "southern" band they had sounded like they came straight out of Appalachia, which is probably the intent, but I'm not a fan of banjos and people who sing like they're dying. And I'm from the South! If the Mariner's Museum can do a wine event in the same fashion with a little more upbeat music, I'm there. The highlight of my night was meeting Yelp's Xerxes. It was like meeting a celebrity :) If one phrase can some up my night, it would have to be "I see white people" Saw someone with a baby at the event...who brings a baby to a drinking event?!?!

Have a taste of the India flair at the India Fest! Here are a few key things to know:…read more * Most of the clothing + jewelry are for girls/women little choice for men it was very hard to find stuff. Clothing areas were piles of attire on tables that were grab and buy. Some were more organized. * Get at least $10 in tickets for 1 person $20 was bit much better for 2 people. The prices of food ranged from $2- $7 with a fair blend of appetizers, meals, & drinks. * Food was good and flavorful but one dish I had discovered a long hair...apart from that a great discovery into Indian cuisine. Would've been nice to know what places locally serve food besides Nawab. * Seating is terrible, people kept stealing chairs from neighboring tables. Some hawked tables for 20 minutes and after an hour still sitting in the same spot! People were careless just pulling chairs without asking and at one point someone had their food knocked out of their hand without apology. * Go to watch the dancing and entertainment that was very good to see * Also go to check out the beautiful clothing of the people that were lavishly adorned. Some articles of clothing I had no idea what they were called...a difference between the names of clothes and what we the traditional male V female dress.

Definitely a good festival to attend each year. They've had them in the past in Norfolk but after…read moreexplosive growth with vendors and attendees they held their last event at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. It's all things about India and some. If you decide to check them out in 2015, expect the event to be in the October/November time frame. They have everything from Bollywood performances, fashion shows, vendors representing various businesses and of course, food. You do have to pay for food when you're at the event but the best part is that this event is free to attend. If you like to learn about other cultures this is something that you'll enjoy. Good job to the Asian Indians of Hampton Roads for putting this event on each year.

I was originally super excited to check out this coffee shop that so many of my yelp friends…read moreenjoyed. The parking situation is a gravel road with a good bit of parking spots. In the backyard of the house, there's a playground and picnic tables, making this a cute spot to bring the little ones while you enjoy a treat outside too. Of course, I ordered a Lavender Honey Latte because that's just my go to. It was beautifully and perfectly crafted! It was so delicious. At the end of the cup, I was debating ordering another because it was that good! I also order the breakfast bowl, but wish I hadn't. I knocked off one star due to the poor food experience. I waited maybe 15 mins or so for my food to be ready (no biggy as I wasn't in a rush). But when I bit into my food, it was cold. The eggs were inedible. The bacon was chilled and I guess served in syrup. The avocado was perfectly ripe. Overall, I wouldn't recommend the breakfast bowl, especially not this for $15+ dollars. If I visit again, I'll stick with the lattes and skip the food!

I haven't been here since it changed from Sawdust Road. I absolutely love the drive out to Pungo,…read moreso decided on Sunday morning to take the drive out and give Corduroy a try! For a Sunday at 9AM, it was not busy which was great since I was on a time crunch. It's an old, rustic farmhouse that when you walk in, truly feels like you're walking into someone's home. I ordered an iced latte with their homemade strawberry syrup and almond milk, and my friend got a black cold brew. The strawberry syrup was incredible. Not too sweet, and it was the PERFECT addition to my usual coffee order. 10/10 recommend for you strawberry fans. The food menu looked fantastic, but I was not hungry so we settled for the liquid diet this morning. But, the burrito and the pimento BLT definitely caught my eye for next time. The inside is super cute, with such a cool vibe. It would be a great place to come back with my laptop to get work done! We sat outside before it started to get too hot, and it truly felt like we were at someones house, drinking coffee on their porch. Such a cozy vibe. I loved this spot.

I think I heard about this attraction before, but never really knew it was super close to me…read more Well, visiting friends Saturday night, and this attraction was a topic of discussion. I looked up the address and saw it was only 15 minutes away. Usually evvvverything is located in VAB and that's a 25 - 30 min ride easily and a toll cost. But this Wonderland was worth the visit. I checked out their FB page before visiting. Well it was about 9pm when my husbae and I decided to visit. Santa was there on Saturday from 5pm to 8pm... we just missed him... awwwe! It would have been nice to see him, but it's all good. We approached the street from the main road (Dock Landing) and cars were double parked leading up the house. Well we found a space and walked about five minutes to the house. Yes! The house! The Wonderland is a home transformed into a miniature Christmas Town or a miniature Coleman's Nursey (if you are from the area, you should remember this throwback). The weather was a beauty on Saturday night and as we approached the walk up, others took advantage of this beauty of a night as well. The land is massive. About 50 people or more were visiting at the same time and not one time did the Wonderland become over crowded. We were able to move around with ease. This is a nice attraction for yourself, a date, family or with friends. You cannot be the cost... FREE! They do however accept donations. Tis the season... Have fun and enjoy life :)

Just walk That's all the advice I have…read more Next time you visit anywhere near the oceanfront just take a walk You will find some of the most beautiful artwork on almost every block Whether it's a giant mural on the side of a building or the painted parking spots near the convention center or even the whole wooded walkway of art on the fences or something as simple as the electric boxes being decorated You will find art and love everywhere I just adore it and I tend to find something new every visit

Fun area to explore! Check it out while in town! Parking was a little difficult.. pay attention…read moreto where you park.

This is an in-depth museum on General MacArthur and the wars of his time. For a history buff,…read moreit's a great visit with lots of text exhibits and a few artifacts. The final resting place of him and his wife is solemn and appropriate. A lot of this museum is paid for by Norfolk taxpayers, so you can decide if that's appropriate. It's in need of an update to be a more modern museum. It's also odd that the exhibits in the two buildings seem to be different versions of the same thing.

General Douglas MacArthur was America's war hero for over 52 years and a Norfork, Va hometown…read morefavorite. This memorial is a stunning lifetime tribute as well as a final resting place to an individual (and his 2nd wife) who fought and succeeded in four(4) major wars. A 5-star rating for one of our own 5-star generals well-earned especially since the entire site has FREE Admission for 1. The history/tribute museum 2. A 34 minute biographical movie 3. Memorial/crypts 4. The research library Don't miss this site and it is a worthwhile side trip if ever visiting Virginia Beach too. Plan to spend at least 2 hours which includes the 34 minute movie.......However, be aware: 1. Its closed Sunday and Monday 2. You will need to pay for parking which runs around $4 per hour.

In 2002, local artist Sam Welty painted a very popular mural titled "Great America Number 1: A…read moreTribute to American Heroes" on the wall of the of the former Flagship Inn, which now a Howard Johnson Hotel. In 2016, after deteriorating, the hotel painted over the mural, to the dismay of Welty. Welty wanted to repaint the mural but the hotel would not allow him to do so. Welty ended up finding a new location for his mural. It covers two buildings spanning from 19th to 20th Streets on Pacific Avenue. The new mural, which was completed in the summer of 2017, is very impressive and is dedicated to fallen military heroes. Unlike the original mural, which only showed the Navy. This one has all 5 branches of the military represented along with some public servants. During the mural's dedication, Welty invited families of fallen heroes to written the names of their loved ones that paid the ultimate sacrifice on the mural. He said "This mural belongs to all of us. I invite everyone who has lost someone in the line of duty to come and claim it as their own." If you want to get out and take a closer look, there is metered street parking and a few commercial lots and garages within walking distance that you can park at to visit here. The meters cost about $2/ hour and the lots vary in price depending on what is going on and the season. I parked on the street adjacent to the mural and just walked over. The mural depicts a Marine, a firefighter, a police officer, an Army solider, a rescue swimmer, an Air Force senior officer, a pilot, and a canine handler with his dog. The colors used and the detail of this mural is astonishing. It is something that you really have to see to believe. This is one of my new favorite murals and you will see the names of some real heroes on it, by their family members, as Welty requested. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other boardwalk attractions, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. I would start with the King Neptune Statue and the Naval Aviation Memorial to name just a few.