BEACH SCENE DECOR

Beach Scene - 3 Panel Decorative Fireplace Screen

Fireplace screens are the focal point of any room and the beautiful colors will enhance the look of the area . Both functional and decorative, these unique decorative screens will keep your fireplace out of sight when not in use. This piece is handcrafted from original artwork by English muralist Julie Perren. Lithograph is laminated to sturdy 3/8-inch mdf and folds up when not in use . Item is already assembled in box and ready to be put in front of the fireplace . Made in USA. 31-inch H by 44-inch W by 3/8-inch L

We landed a bit before noon on Saturday and rented a car to drive from the Norfolk airport to our hotel in Virginia Beach. Our first stop was to be brunch at Big Sam's, which is known for shrimp and grits. Unfortunately, we arrived at Big Sam's around 11:09am and they stopped serving breakfast at 11:00am. So we drove over to a place called Surf Rider Grill and had a seafood lunch. I had a great grilled tuna sandwich and Maura had a crab cake sandwich. The crab cakes were very impressive, just real crab not a bunch of filler and junk. Following lunch we crashed at our hotel for an afternoon siesta. We woke around 6pm to darkening skies (photo above) and rain. Within an hour or two it was full on thunder, lightening, and tornado warning. We ventured out to Waterman's Surfside Grille around 8pm. Had another great seafood meal. This time I had parmesan and peppercorn flounder. Waterman's is famous for their Orange Crush cocktails so we had to try one of those. Fresh squeezed OJ, orange vodka, triple sec, and sprite. I only had one but I'm a fan!

Sunday morning we woke to an amazing sunny day. The storm the prior night seemed to have cleared everything out, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. So we kicked off the day with a 4-mile run along the beach followed by a great meal at Charlie's Seafood Restaurant. Charlie’s has been in business for 62 years and has clearly perfected the recipe for hush puppies and She Crab soup -- delicious! Following lunch we opted for a hike in the First Landing State Park. The plan was to hike/walk the 6.1 mile Cape Henry Trail. Oddly enough we thought this was a loop and discovered at the end of the 6.1 miles we had another 6 miles return trip -- so a very long hike! Fortunately, it was pretty much flat and many parts had boardwalks. Still it took most of Sunday afternoon and left us pretty beat. We dragged ourselves back to the hotel and in search of dinner. It seems by Sunday night Virginia Beach was in full Spring Break mode. There was a massive mob at Waterman's for the annual "Crush Festival". People were literally falling down drunk and riding their beach cruisers into light poles. Very hilarious if not a bit frightening. Our favorite line was listening to a girl trying to talk on her cell phone while riding her bike, "What?! Where am I? I'm drunk!". Fortunately, we were able to find a restaurant off the beach that was not overrun by the hordes of alcohol-infused zombie college kids. It was an old school steak place, Black Angus, that has been in business for 58 years. Solid steak and cocktails with requisite red decor and comfy cushioned seats that swiveled. And that was it for Sunday. I'd hoped to hit a few bars or clubs, but the scene really seemed out of hand.

Since our flight didn't leave until late Monday night we were able to pack in another day of activity. I skipped the morning jog and tried to get some color sitting on our balcony. We checked out around noon and headed for Cape Charles, VA. Cape Charles sits on the Virginia side of the Delmarva Peninsula near the southern tip. It was a little freaky driving across the very long Chesapeake Bay Tunnel/Bridge, but we eventually made it over. Cape Charles was a great little day trip. According to Wikipedia, Cape Charles was founded in 1884 as a planned community by railroad and ferry interests. Cape Charles was, for many years, the terminal for passenger and car ferry service across the bay to Norfolk and Hampton. The last ferry left Cape Charles in 1953. I’m guessing that perhaps that was the start of its decline. There are some beautiful old houses and interesting storefronts, but it seemed very quiet. We ended up having lunch at Kelly’s Gingernut Pub, which was surprisingly good for place so far off the beaten path. Perhaps Monday is just a slow day for Cape Charles. Well whatever the case we had a fun afternoon exploring the town and soaking in our last few hours of warm weather before heading back to NYC. All-in-all it was a good trip. If the price was right I would recommend it.

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted the 99th Year of this spectacular Holiday Tradition when I took this photograph in December, 2008.

Over a million viewers watched beautifully decorated yachts, boats, kayaks and canoes sail along the harbor in the 99th Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. Hosted by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, the theme “'Twas the Lights Before Christmas.”

Beautiful multi-million dollar yachts, kayaks, canoes and other small boats will light up the harbor as a dazzling array of holiday lights and music fill the air at the Christmas Boat Parade. Many of the boats will be richly decorated with animated Christmas scenes accompanied by music and costumed carolers. Some boat owners in the past have spent over $50,000 to decorate their vessels for the event. The Christmas floats will wind their way some 14 miles around the harbor to give viewers in restaurants, yacht clubs, on public beaches, and in private homes a incredible sight that has delighted millions of people for 98 years.

The Christmas Boat Parade, which has been hailed as “one of the top ten holiday happenings in the nation” by the New York Times, is truly a magical holiday tradition for all ages. The parade continues to be a premier event during the holiday season in Southern California that brings joy and happiness to all that view it.

Ring of Lights

Serving as the backdrop for the hundreds of lighted boats in the parade is the annual “Ring of Lights” contest, hosted by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. Beautifully decorated bayside homes and businesses surrounding the harbor go “all out” with their own holiday spirit, featuring everything from roof-top animated scenes to dancing Christmas trees. With its own judged categories and prizes awarded, the “Ring of Lights” has become as celebrated as the boat parade itself.