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THE WASHINGTON POST • FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2010
16
Escapes NORFOLK
A Navy town turns the tide
by Cindy Loose Having lunch at Rowena’s Tea Shop in Norfolk
is like dining inside a nursery rhyme. One wall features a garden mural with larger-than-life im- ages of Mr. Jellyford Jam III and other whimsical characters that owner Rowena Fullinwider has created. Quiche, sandwiches and the desserts that have been featured in Gourmet and Bon Ap- petit are delivered on tiered silver platters. Fullinwider began mak-
D.C. 95
0 MILES 301 MD.
Fredericksburg 301
VA. 17
Richmond James R.
64 95
Norfolk N.C.
Getting There Norfolk is 194 miles from Washington. Take Interstate 95 south to I-295 south to I-64 east to Exit 284A.
25
ing cakes from her home to raise money for the Nor- folk opera. Today, her shop ships tons of gourmet food across the country. Her progress is emblem-
atic of what has been hap- pening in Norfolk the past decade or two, as govern- ment and private entrepre- neurs have worked to transform a deteriorating Navy town into a thriving, attractive, fun city for resi- dents and tourists alike. A recent visit proved
that the effort has paid off. Norfolk is ready for prime time. A long weekend pro- vided art, history, gorging and an outdoor adventure. It started with a Segway tour that begins and ends along the waterfront,
where tall ships and tugboats, sailboats and barges traverse the Elizabeth River near the Chesapeake Bay. Until the city completes a tram- way that will eventually run all the way to Vir- ginia Beach, Segways and bikes can ride along the tracks through town. The city has invested millions in its water- front, including a recent renovation of Town Point Park, where kids run through water foun- tains and play on grassy fields in front of an out- door concert stage. Norfolk is a city of waterfront festivals: One of
the biggest, the wine festival, coms to town Oct. 16-17. Vintners from 30 wineries will join restau- rateurs and musicians and sailors who parade and race on the river. The waterfront is dotted with outdoor sculp- tures. During the Segway tour, we stop to read the collection of bronzed letters sculpted to look as if they’re blowing in the wind. Each letter is the last written by an American serviceman or servicewoman killed in war. The dates range
VISITNORFOLK A Segway tour stops beside the Elizabeth River, where the battleship USS Wisconsin is berthed. ROWENA’S TEA SHOP
Entrepreneurs such as tea shop owner Rowena Fullinwider have helped liven up Norfolk.
I’ve been looking forward to renting a bike and riding a miles-long path along the water, through a park and a wildlife sanctuary. The heat of a late July afternoon, however, drives us inside. No sweat: The Chrysler Museum of Art is a gem, the building itself a monument to beauty. That evening, after a fabulous dinner in the historic neighborhood of Ghent, we stroll the lively streets. Night life is centered on Brandy Street and Colley Avenue. The Granby Theater, opened in 1915 as a vaudeville theater, now oper- ates on weekends as a nightclub and concert venue. Live music is playing at Fahrenheit, fa- mous for its exotic martini mixes. Night life of a more cultured variety begins in the fall. Highlights: the Harrison Opera House, which opens its season Oct. 2 with Verdi’s “Rigo- letto.” The Attucks Theatre, once known as the “Apollo of the South,” has hosted most of the great African American performers — musicians including Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole — since opening in 1919. Among upcoming events: a Black Film Festival in October. The grandest theater in town is the Wells, a beaux-arts National Historic Landmark restored not long ago to its original 1913 splendor. Its sea- son begins Sept. 21 with “The Diary of Anne Frank” and ends April 17 with August Wilson’s “Radio Golf.” The rest of our trip is devoted to history, in- cluding a stop at the Black Soldiers Memorial in Elmwood Cemetery. It stands, in the heart of Dixie, honoring African Americans who fought for the Union in the Civil War. After a tour of the USS Wisconsin, one of the
VISITNORFOLK
The Chrysler Museum of Art offers a respite from the heat — and a healthy dose of culture.
from 1777 to 1991. On Aug. 29, 1862, Robert Henry Miller wrote to his mother: “War looks a great deal better in the newspapers than anywhere else.” On Oct. 21, 1944, a nurse named Frances Slager wrote: “They are brought in bloody, dirty, and most of them so tired. Somebody’s brothers. Somebody’s fathers. Somebody’s sons.”
largest battleships ever built, we board the tour boat Victory Rover for a narrated trip to the huge Norfolk naval base. One fact stands out: A single nuclear-powered ship we saw cost $8 bil- lion. Mostly I remember the cool breezes and the
views of a city that takes full pride in and advan- tage of its beautiful waterfront location.
travel@washpost.com
Loose, a former Travel writer for The Post, works in public relations.
Sunday in Travel: The Impulsive Traveler goes gently down the stream to Newburyport, Mass. STAYING THERE
Sheraton Norfolk Waterside 777 Waterside Dr. 757-622-6664
www.sheratonnorfolk
waterside.com Waterfront, with a pool. Rooms from $139.
Tazewell Hotel and Suites 245 Granby St. 757-623-6200
www.ascendcollection. com
A 1906 property that recently underwent a $9 million renovation. Rooms from $99.
The Freemason Inn 411 W. York St. 757-963-7000 B&B in a Victorian mansion. From $125.
EATING THERE
The Green Onion 603 Colley Ave. 757-963-1200 Gourmet fare. Entrees $16-$30.
The Boot 123 W. 21st St. 757-627-2668
www.insidetheboot.com Local foods emphasized. Entrees $17-$26.
Rowena’s Tea Room and Gift Shop 758 W. 22nd St. 800-980-2253
www.rowenas.com Tea with food ranges from $7.95 to $20.95.
PLAYING THERE
Segway of Hampton Roads
2800 Shore Dr. 757-412-9734
www.segwayof
hamptonroads.us
90-minute tours $75 per person.
Chrysler Museum 245 W. Olney Rd. 757-664-6200
www.chrysler.org Open Wednesday- Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Free.
Victory Rover 757-627-7406
www.navalbasecruises. com Two-hour tours are $18, $10 age 12 and younger.
INFORMATION
www.visitnorfolktoday.com
IF YOU GO
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