One of Hampton Roads’ brightest minds, Thom White of Work Program Architects, has donated his time to envisioning The Plot, a ‘community gathering place’ featuring an entertainment amphitheater, outdoor basketball court, a place for vendors, and very cool shipping container public art.

Norfolk/Virginia Beach is changing, both in real-life-livability, and perception. This is a step in the right direction, and I’m going to be happy to support this pilot program first hand on my next trip out of ORF in mid-February.

Last Friday night was my second time taking advantage of Norfolk’s now-friendly busking laws by performing as ‘the first acquisition of Norfolk’s Human Statuary.’ Here’s what happened.

Norfolk is more bike-oriented than ever. Downtown Granby Street is reverting to its centuries-old, humanistic roots: A fifteen mile per hour speed limit encourages drivers to take parallel streets to their on-ramps, leaving plenty of space for pedestrians and cyclists. T

Norfolk is home to me now. When I leave for business or pleasure, I get that comforting tingle when I see the downtown skyline on the horizon. The kind of feeling you get when you think of your favorite blanket as a kid or your first real kiss. In that moment things just feel right.

Ours is a tough city, a military town with an enlightened soul, a town that knows violence and yet clings to its cultural assets with fierce pride, knowing, as a city of veterans, that the alternative to civilization is unthinkable.

Something odd about the ODU quality of life survey; One city’s broken law is another’s innovation; For-profit colleges getting rich off the G.I. Bill, and more in Addy’s If You Read the Paper.

I know, I know, it’s not an independent, locally-owned business. Sometimes you have to put reality over ideals.

I thought it was a little icky to kayak in The Hague, but then I challenged myself as to why I thought that. I came to the conclusion that beyond anything sordid, it’s because I don’t see many people doing it.

Proposals are being solicited for projects, hands-on activities, performances, multimedia art works, sidewalk/store-front installations, written word and any other creative temporary art project ideas.

Josh is creating a bar flow chart, a guide for local bars to fit everyone’s preferences. He needs your input on the Norfolk version.

He’ll be performing on Colley tonight before Back to the Future @ The Naro. Look for a full feature on him next week.

Plain and simple, downtown’s residential population is the linchpin to Norfolk reaching the next level of urban greatness.

Howard Tarpey’s pictures of Charlie Restless’ of Heart of NFK at Art l Everywhere closing night.

Among downtown’s largest open spaces, Scope Plaza is perfect for bikes. And dogs.

$500 grants offered to make Art | Everywhere closing night a Spectacle of Awesome for Downtown Norfolk.

In a world where people sit in their homes all evening watching crappy shows on TV, one website is fighting to save street life in Norfolk…

Any cynic can ridicule Sarah Palin’s War on English, but let’s give the doll some credit: Below the surface, it actually looks like she’s trying to harness The Elements of Style. Plus yard sailing, cardboard boat racing, and collaborative consumption – oh my!

We talk to the president of the nationally renowned design firm Grow Interactive about their just-announced plan to move to Granby Street.

Grilled Meat. Unadorned. Delicious.

Skye Zentz previews the new and improved Town Point Park as it finally re-opens, just in time for this weekend’s 4th of July Harbor Fest.

Today and every Tuesday in downtown Norfolk, restaurants and retailers get you more bang for your buck. Plus, get ready for Restaurant Week.

Before: It could have been worse; we’re lucky the plaster was able to protect the delicate, original wood and stone features it obscured for decades.

A couple nights ago, Allison and I had one of those “seriously, how did we not think of that?” moments. We were walking down Granby on the opposite side of the street of our future offices, 427-429 Granby.

It’s been around for just over 25 years, and now Waterside is going through (what we at that age like to call) a quarter-life crisis of identity.