Location Reports Central and Coastal Virginia
tunity to dine in the picturesque water- front setting of Benjamin's at the Point. THINGS TO DO
Black Dog Architectural Salvage, which specializes in the reclamation, repurpos- ing and resale of architectural, commer- cial, and industrial elements and fixtures, also offers its unique space after hours for events.
Taubman Museum of Art features rare collections of fine art and celebrated interactive programs, while the Virginia Museum of Transportation is home to massive steam locomotives, a lunar rock- et and other rare transportation artifacts.
Two new exhibits were recently added at Mill Mountain Zoo: prairie dogs and a new Asian Otters exhibit. A red panda was born in June at the zoo and has since become a web sensation.
Visitors can enjoy an exhilarating day of golf by the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains that surround sites like Ashley Plantation and Hanging Rock Golf Club.
Local cultural attractions include Opera Roanoke, the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, plus nightlife and live music in downtown Roanoke at hotspots such as 202 Market, Blue 5 Restaurant and the Jefferson Center.
Valley View Mall is located in the region's largest shopping district, where one can enjoy "retail therapy" at the mall or at a myriad of surrounding small specialty shops, national retailers, along with fine dining.
www.visitroanokeva.com NEWPORT NEWS, VA WHAT'S NEW
Country music singer Toby Keith is scheduled to open a new restaurant in Newport News in early 2012, Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar and Grill,” which will be located in City Center at Oyster Point. The 17,000-square-foot restaurant will have two private rooms and a dance
54 January February 2012
floor. Perfect for private parties or corpo- rate events, each room accommodates up to 40 people and comes with a private server.
atmosphere, Toby's will also offer a glass- enclosed VIP room with a great view of the stage and a private bartender. Even though the VIP room is enclosed in sound- proof glass, the music can still be heard but at a lower level, making con- versations easier,
The past several years have seen exten- sive growth in Newport News, including the opening of a new 62,000-square foot exhibit building at the Virginia Living Museum, and a new performing arts complex, the Ferguson Center for the Arts, at Christopher Newport University. The Virginia Living Museum's exhibits bring visitors in contact with more habi- tats, wildlife and plant species than would be encountered in a lifetime of outdoor adventures in Virginia.
The Mariners' Museum's new USS Monitor Center is a 63,500-square foot conservation center and exhibit building, and is the only place in the world where visitors can walk the deck of a full-scale replica of the iconic Civil War vessel.
Two new urban villages, Port Warwick and City Center at Oyster Point, have opened in recent years and both feature upscale homes, apartments and condo- miniums, as well as dozens of shopping and dining choices. Port Warwick will be offering a summer concert series in 2012 on Wednesday evenings, which can include tented and catered party pack- ages. The series will run every Wednesday from 6-8 pm, May 23 - August 29, 2012. The concerts are free and open to the public.
The United States Army Transportation Museum has converted its auditorium to a Regimental Room, circa early 1920s. The room seats 80 but has space for 100, and is home to small exhibits and pictures that show different periods of Army transportation history. Also, the museum recently enclosed a porch to create more than 2,000-square feet of new exhibit space, with a plan to fill that space with updated exhibits representing
For an even more exclusive
the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Finally, the museum is currently con- structing a roof over its rail yard, with expected completion in spring 2012.
Behind-the-scenes tours are available to meeting attendees at two Newport News attractions: the Ferguson Center for the Arts and the Virginia Living Museum. These tours allow participants to tour areas that are not normally available to the individual visitor, such as the hidden treasures of a major museum, the back- stage areas of a performing arts complex and the animal care and feeding areas of a natural history museum.
PLACES TO MEET
After-hours events at the Virginia Living Museum can include corporate parties, banquets and celebrations of all kinds for up to 500 people. Rent the indoor exhib- it area where live animals inhabit an Appalachian Cove and a Cypress Swamp. Enjoy the underwater world of the Chesapeake Bay and the under- ground world of a limestone cave. Have a cocktail party on the rooftop patio and look at the stars through the 16-inch tel- escope. Additional spaces include an outdoor deck and a conservation garden that houses a scenic amphitheater and a beautiful waterfall.
The Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, originally built as a school in Newport News, has been restored and was reopened in October 2008. Now, the 52,000-square foot historic building houses a 276-seat theater, called the Ella Fitzgerald Theater; an entire floor dedi- cated to youth programming; two gal- leries; a banquet room; a multipurpose room; and an executive boardroom. In addition, it provides rentable space avail- able for a variety of functions.
The Peninsula Fine Arts Center offers space that is ideal for intimate gatherings or receptions for up to 250, and can offer spousal and family activities, as well. From January 21-March 25, 2012, the center will showcase "The 51st Annual Art and the Animal Exhibition of The Society of Animal Artists.” The Society of Animal Artists is an association of animal
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