suffolklivingmag.com
Say Yes The Season For Love & The Dress
january/february 2015 • vol. 6, no. 1
“HOLY COW” Are You Ready To “MOOOVE”?
26.2
Suffolk, Fran
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FEATURE
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If you enjoy fresh basil at a restaurant in Hampton Roads, there’s a very good chance that it comes from SmartBasil Farms, a small but growing (pardon the pun) operation on Turlington Road. Watch these guys: You’ll love what they’ve got in store.
contents jan.-feb. | 2015 15 36
through the lens | We love Suzanne Pruitt’s view of Suffolk. WHERE AM I? | Guess the location correctly and you could win a $25 gift certificate.
Advertising rates and information available upon request. Subscriptions are $18 annually in-state; $22 annually out-of-state; $30 for international subscriptions. Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439
Love Stories
20 We asked readers to share their stories with us, and we picked a few of our favorites, including one about a couple preparing to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
On the cover suffolklivingmag.com
Say Yes The SeaSon For Love & The DreSS
28 Maya Holihan brings a big-city fashion sensibility to the Suffolk.
12 Suffolk shows big support every year for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
january/february 2015 • vol. 6, no. 1
Photograph by R.E. Spears III
editor's note jan.-feb.
2015
Spotlight on SL staff Tracy Agnew News Editor Tracy is the longest-serving member of our newsroom. She's the newsroom scholar and loves her aquarium.
EDITORIAL R.E. Spears III Editor Tracy Agnew News Editor Matthew A. Ward Staff Writer news@suffolklivingmag.com
ADVERTISING Lindsay Richardson Sales Manager Earl Jones Marketing Consultant Nathan Richardson Marketing Consultant sales@suffolklivingmag.com
PRODUCTION
Make some time for love Spring might be the time of year when a young man’s thoughts turn to love, but if he’s got a significant other in mid-February and he’s not thinking about love then, there’s probably a good chance he won’t have a reason to be thinking about it in the spring. I may not have been a young man for a while, but there are some lessons one never forgets. So in the spirit of goodwill, consider this edition of Suffolk Living magazine, with its “Love” theme, to be a gentle reminder that you should be planning something nice for your significant other for Valentine’s Day. Everybody likes a nice card, but you can pick up your game a bit this year by following the example set by those who responded to our social-network callout for love stories. Take a few minutes and jot down your own story, then give it to your dearest, and be ready for the right kind of Valentine’s waterworks. For a bit of inspiration, take a look at some of our favorite love stories on Page 20. A surprising number of love stories involve a Christmas or New Year’s marriage proposal, which means this is the time of year when brides-to-be are starting to think about wedding plans. Maya Holihan (Page 28) knows a thing or two about that, having worked for Vera Wang on Madison Avenue. She now operates a couple of bridal boutiques in Hampton Roads, including one on North Main Street, and she’s helping to revitalize an industry in Suffolk. Another industry that’s benefiting from a fresh face in town is local-food agriculture, which got a boost with the establishment of SmartBasil Farms (Page 24), a small business that does big things with herbs and micro-greens out on Turlington Road. Their organic, hydroponically grown lettuces and other greens are the kinds of things discriminating chefs love to put on their restaurants’ tables. In fact, if you get fresh basil at a restaurant in Hampton Roads, there’s a pretty good chance it came from SmartBasil Farms. And on the topic of good health, Relay for Life honors those who are fighting or have fought cancer and the people who love them. It’s a big deal in Suffolk every year, and it’s coming soon. Find more details on Page 12. The weather’s cold and the skies are gray right now, but there’s a lot to love about Suffolk. I hope you’ll find something new in this month’s edition of Suffolk Living.
Troy Cooper Designer
ADMINISTRATION Steve Stewart Publisher
Sincerely, Res Spears, Editor
Suffolk Living is published six times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.suffolklivingmag.com • (757) 539-3437
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what to do Send us your news To submit your calendar or news item, simply email it to: news@suffolklivingmag.com
Restaurant Week March 14-21 Suffolk Restaurant Week is the city’s premier culinary celebration, sponsored by Suffolk Tourism to showcase the array of exceptional dishes prepared by the best chefs in the city. The spring showcase features some of the best restaurants in the city offering fixed-price, three-course meals. There are no passes to buy, coupons to carry or cards to punch. Visit www.Suffolk-Fun.com for more information.
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what to do 110 W. Finney Ave. Attendees can expect an evening of jazz and big band music from the Golden Age. Tickets are $25. For more information, visit www.SuffolkCenter.org.
Ongoing
The exhibition “Timothy Giles: A Salute to Life” continues through March 14 at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts through March 14. Giles grew up in Suffolk and illustrates his life experiences through his art. He has no formal training but was “given a gift from God as a self-taught artist,” according to his biography. Also on display is an exhibit celebrating the folk art of the shore, and “Danny Doughty and Mama Girl: A Shared Legacy.” Doughty has been painting for more than 35 years. Doughty’s work reflects life on the shore in a simpler time and place. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Saturday February 21
Antiques Show and Sale
Saturday January 17
The Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads will present “Davy Crockett’s Tremendously Tall Tales” at 11 a.m. at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Join Davy Crockett on a trip through folklore and tall tales from the American frontier in this presentation by a professional theatre troupe of adult actors devoted to creating and presenting original works for all ages. Be prepared for a lot of noisy, physical fun and a lot of laughing. Great fun for the whole family. Tickets are $5. For more information, visit www.SuffolkCenter.org. Saturday January 24
Bria Kelly and The Bria Kelly Band will perform a show at 8 p.m. at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Kelly was a semi-finalist on Season 7 of America’s Got Talent and Season 6 of The Voice! The band consists of Kelly on lead vocals and guitar, Logan Flurry on vocals and piano, Taylor Gomer on percussion and Andrew Ballard on bass. Musical influences range from Bonnie Raitt and John Mayer to Josh Turner and Carrie Underwood. For more information, visit www.SuffolkCenter.org. February 3-27
The Suffolk Art Gallery, located at 118 Bosley Ave., will host “Exhibit of Excellence: Suffolk Student Art 2015,” a juried exhibit of artwork by the city’s 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. The exhibition is free. For more information, visit www.suffolkartleague.org. Thursday February 5
The Suffolk Art Gallery will host “Poetry, Prose and Pizza,” an open-mic night during which participants can share their written-
The Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads presents “Let My People Go: A Journey on the Underground Railroad” at 11 a.m. at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Be transported to a time of struggle, resistance and perseverance. Travel along with Caroline, a young runaway slave, and the courageous passengers and conductors of the Underground Railroad. Tickets are $5. For more information, visit www.SuffolkCenter.org. February 21-22
or spoken-word pieces with others. It’s free to participate or to present. Suffolk poet Nathan Richardson will be the emcee. Register for time at the microphone starting at 5:30 p.m. The show begins at 6 p.m. Saturday February 7
The Suffolk Humane Society hosts its second annual Paws for the Arts Gala at the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront, 100 E. Constance Road. This semi-formal event will entertain both the art lover and the animal lover and will feature works by various arts, as well as items from local theatres, art studios, dance studios and more. There will be live entertainment, live and silent auctions and chances to win prizes. The Suffolk Humane Society is dedicated to promoting the welfare of companion animals through spay/neuter programs, placing homeless animals in loving permanent homes and providing humane education with an emphasis on responsible pet ownership. Visit www. SuffolkHumaneSociety.com for more information. Saturday February 14
The Virginia Symphony will present “I’ll Take Romance: A Musical Valentine’s Treat” at 8 p.m. at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts,
The Suffolk Art League brings back its popular annual Antiques Show and Sale for a big weekend at King’s Fork Middle School. The event will feature 40 antiques and collectible dealers, including crystal and clock repair, frame and photograph restoration and more. Admission is $6, and the show runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit www. suffolkartleague.org. Saturday, February 28
Don’t miss your chance to step back in time and feel the magic when Masters of Soul (formerly Masters of Motown) returns to the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave., at 8 p.m. Masters of Soul is a celebration of the legendary songs and performers that defined Motown and soul music.The 90-minute show features stylishly costumed fully choreographed performances of both male and female groups backed by a live band. Tickets are $25. For more information, visit www. SuffolkCenter.org. Saturday March 7
The World Famous Popovic Comedy Pet Theater brings its popular act to the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave., at 7 p.m. The show is a family-oriented blend of the comedy and juggling skills of Gregory Popovic and the talents of his performing pets. Each of the show’s cats and dogs were once strays, rescued from animal shelters. Now they perform a variety of stunts and skits. Tickets are $25 for adults, $12.50 for youth. For more information, visit www. SuffolkCenter.org.
10 suffolk living
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No place like hope story by Tracy Agnew file photography
S
uffolk’s Relay For Life strolls down the yellow brick road into 2015 with some major changes planned, but the event still will be the Relay folks know and love. The event still will raise money for the American Cancer Society, honor survivors and caregivers, memorialize those who have lost their battle with cancer and, despite the serious cause, promises a lot of fun for its participants. This year’s See RELAY page 13
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Relay For Life is held every May at Bennetts Creek Park. The survivors' lap, shown here, is an emotional show of victory over the dreaded disease of cancer.
Relay continued from page 12
theme evokes “The Wizard of Oz” with a play on words: “There’s no place like hope.” And hope is the biggest thing that Relay offers: a chance to raise money for research for better treatments, more effective prevention and eventually a cure. Relay offers hope for people like Lauren McGhee, one of last year’s chairs, who lost both of her parents to cancer, a month apart, when she was only 13 years old. “They are the reason that I relay, because they’re no longer here to fight this battle,” she said. While the hope it offers is staying the same, there are a couple of major changes to the Relay this year. For starters, the 12-hour, overnight event begins on Saturday, May 16, rather than on a Friday.
Chelsea Peoples with Relay For Life hopes more people will be willing to participate as a result of the new schedule, because they don’t have to rush to the event from work. This year’s relay will begin at 4 p.m. and last until 4 a.m. Previous events have begun a little later in the afternoon and ended later in the morning. And since the event is set to end on a Sunday, a special religious service will take place near the end of the relay for those people who want to participate but might not be able to make it to their regular church services after staying up all night. Another change this year is that registration is free, although teams still have fundraising goals. “They can come out and support Relay For
Life, even if they don’t have a team signed up,” Peoples said. Other familiar components of the relay, however, will stay the same. It still will begin with a survivor’s lap and caregiver’s lap, followed by a survivor’s reception, and it will be held at Bennett’s Creek Park, 3000 Bennetts Creek Park Road, which has been its venue since 2011. The luminaria ceremony will be held around 9 p.m., and the Ms. Relay pageant — featuring men only — will take place around midnight. Team meetings will be held the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at King’s Fork High School. The exception is April, when the meeting has been moved to the second Monday so as not to be the day after Easter. For more information or to sign up for the event, visit www.relayforlife.org/suffolkva. ←
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through the lens: Suzanne Pruitt
S
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uffolk native Suzanne Pruitt is an amateur photographer with an interest spanning more than 20 years of "experiments" with film and digital formats. A graduate of UNC Wilmington, she studied literature, art and photography. Constantly striving to capture the diverse beauty in nature, she also has an appreciation for elements of architectural detail and candid moments of people in her immediate surroundings. She lives in Suffolk with her husband and two sons. Through the lens is a monthly feature that highlights a single photographer's vision of Suffolk. Participation is open to both amateurs and professionals. To have your work considered for publication, email editor Res Spears at news@suffolklivingmag.com.
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Suffolk Selfies
This page, clockwise from above: LaToya Shine Mason, Trenton Conner, Kimberly Farmer (with baby born Jan. 1) and Lakeland High School sophomore Grace Pierce.
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You look marvelous, and everyone needs to know about it! Show us your smiling face and your artistic expression in your best selfie pose, and you could be in the next edition of Suffolk Living magazine. Email your photos to news@suffolklivingmag.com, and don’t forget to smile!
This page, clockwise from below: Siblings Michael and Megan Mansfield and their "Most Awesome Tree"; Lou and Bill Pollard and daughter, Betsy; and the Ranay family was "Tooqued for Tuck" this Christmas in support of Tuck's Tooques, a microbusiness supporting autism awareness and acceptance.
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Love Stories story by R.E. Spears III submitted photos
EDITOR’S NOTE: We asked our followers on social media to weigh in with their love stories for this edition of Suffolk Living magazine, and then we picked one of the most heartwarming — that of Mollie and Billy Moore — for our feature treatment here. Two runners-up tell their own tales on the following pages.
Moores: Fifty years in sickness and in health Billy and Mollie Moore have been through quite a lot together in their nearly 50 years of marriage. Of course, one could say that about any couple that stays together for half a century. There’s no way to do matrimony for that long without buckling in for a true roller-coaster ride of emotions and experiences. But lately things have been especially challenging for the couple, who have made their home a piece of his family’s old Manning Road farm since 1969. “(It’s) ‘til death do us part,” Mollie Moore, 69, said recently. “In sickness and in health.” On June 13 — “That’s always been our lucky number,” she said — the Moores will celebrate their 50th anniversary. Getting this far, they say, is a result of a strong faith in God, prayer and the help of others. “I really don’t know how people survive without the help of family and friends and a strong faith in God that will help you when you get down,” Mollie Moore said. She and her husband know a thing or two about being down. Through the years, they have kept their marriage strong even as they nursed both their aging mothers, even as they watched their 2-year-old daughter fight Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (she came home from the hospital on her parents’ 13th wedding anniversary), even as Billy Moore suffered a stroke two days after they ar-
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Mollie and Billy Moore have supported each other through 50 years of ups and downs, including separate bouts with cancer.
rived in Texas a few summers ago to take a six-month posting as campground workers, even as he was treated a few years ago for prostate cancer, and even as she has been treated for breast cancer. In fact, while Mollie was receiving treatment at Duke Cancer Center during 2013 — with Billy there to support her — she found herself providing support for him when a doctor there told Billy he needed to have a mass removed from behind his ear. They’re ordinary people who have faced a set of problems that may or may not be ordinary in a 50-year marriage, and yet they demonstrate an extraordinary resilience, an enduring affection for each other and a comfortable and comforting habit of leaning on each other in times of trouble. “He’s my rock,” Mollie Moore, 69, said, while smiling at her husband. “There are a lot of days I could hardly get up, and he’s right here.” “I don’t get too far away,” Billy Moore, a 77-year-old retired Suffolk firefighter, added. “And if I was outside doing something, I wouldn’t let it go too long before I came in and checked on her.” They’re too humble to offer it without being asked, but the Moores do have some advice for those who would like to see their marriages last 50 years: “You need to know each other really well before you get married,” Mollie said. “And don’t live together (first).” People, she said, get married too quickly today. They should have longer courtships. Do things together to learn about each other. Spend time with each other’s families to learn more about them. And don’t forget that there will be hard times and sickness along the way. “Nobody ever thinks about sickness,” Mollie said. “I’m sure … that never crossed our minds either.”
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Second chance in life Marion Grigg and I met 25 years ago via a blind date arranged by mutual friends. On our second date, he invited me to his home on Lake Meade in Suffolk to go for a run with him, and afterwards he cooked dinner for me! I knew then that this was the guy I would marry next (both of us had been divorced for more than 10 years). Our wedding took place about 24 years ago at Sandy Point, our next door neighbor’s home. Even though we were getting a late second start in life, we had a daughter together, who joined my daughter, now making her the big sister, in making a wonderful life together. We still live at his house, where we had our second date, after renovating it about a year after we got married. The moral of the story is never pass up taking a second chance in life! — Diane Grieder
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It started with a wink Ours is a truly great story that started in 1973 with me going next door to see how the final construction touches were coming along on my friend’s house. A good-looking young man was painting — the son of the master builder — and he caught my eye. Marty and I began to date some — my first dating experience — but we dated only a few months, then on to date other people. Later, in 1975, he came home from college and took me to the Foreign Language Ball. I saved the invitation and a photo my mom took of us that night, but we didn’t date any more after that. Time marched on. I went to college and to teaching, with two unsuccessful marriages between 1985 and 1995. He went through the apprentice school at Newport News Shipyard and a 32-year marriage. We saw each other at Windsor’s Dairy Queen about 15 years ago and chatted a little but had no other contact until he saw my Match.com profile in March 2012. He sent me a message about a week after I had asked Match.com to stop my membership, but since I was already paid up through the next month, I could keep browsing for another month. I hadn’t had much luck with Match.com, so I was tickled to get Marty’s message. He was separated and trying Match.com and wished me luck in my search. I wrote him back and said we should get together some time and talk about the past, present and future. He responded back, and I sent him my phone number. He called, we met at Starbucks the next day, and we started dating that week. We were smitten! We married on Dec. 12, 2012. Match.com sent us T-shirts that read: It started with a wink. — Laura West Carter
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Fresh love
SmartBasil takes ‘green’ to a new level
story by Tracy Agnew photography by R.E. Spears III
T
he greenhouse effect in Suffolk has more to do with fresh herbs and greens than it does with global warming. SmartBasil Farms, the 2-year-old venture of three College of William and Mary business school graduates, is situated on 1.5 acres on Turlington Road. It grew out of an assignment for an entrepreneurship program that focused on restaurant sustainability, and the three friends — Eric Coble, John Stein and Thomas Vandiver — decided to take it from paper to plants. “We thought, ‘This is too big to pass up,’” Vandiver said. “’We’ve got to give it a crack.’” Growing its namesake basil as well as spring mix, spinach, kale, mesclun greens, heirloom lettuces and more, the outfit operates year-round, thanks to greenhouse and hydroponic growing technology. The company is in the midst of an expansion that will triple its greenhouse space to support a new See BASIL page 25
Thomas Vandiver shows the range of color in the leaves of a tiny head of oak leaf lettuce, one of the plants SmartBasil Farms specializes in growing.
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BASIL continued from page 24
home-delivery concept. The company trades on the growing demand for food that is fresh, locally grown and, perhaps most importantly, “real.” “We’re definitely capitalizing on that energy,” Vandiver said. “Nobody in Virginia is doing this unless it’s this kind of operation.” Vandiver said basil, especially during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter, is typically grown in Central or South America and flown here. “Do we want to ship them in on jet fuel or use a little bit of propane (used to heat the greenhouses)?” Vandiver asked. “You could end up eating pesticides that are banned in the U.S. Even if it was grown in California, it’s still been trucked 2,000 miles.” Plus, he added, “It’s just a better product.” The greenhouse operation uses well water that is constantly being recycled. Very little — only what evaporates or drips — doesn’t eventually go to nurture a plant. The plants begin life as seeds in a cocoon made of lava rock teased into a sponge-like state called rock wool. The seedlings sprout in an incubator and then move to trays with holes that are progressively farther apart, allowing more room for the plants to spread their leaves and soak up the See BASIL page 25
A handful of China Rose radish sprouts makes for a peppery addition to sandwiches, salads and lots of other healthy treats.
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BASIL continued from page 25
light and heat. Water is pumped into the angled trays and flows downhill, then drains into an angled canal that brings the water back to its starting point. Nutrients are replenished, and the cycle starts over again. “The plants only take what they want,” Vandiver said. The growing method, and the fact that the produce arrives in stores, in restaurants or on customers’ doorsteps within a day of being harvested, gives SmartBasil produce the advantage over plants that were likely cut at least a week or two before they show up in the store or on a plate at an eatery. “That’s why so many of your plants rot before you get a chance to enjoy them,” Vandiver said. “If you eat basil in Hampton Roads, there’s a very good chance that it’s ours, if you’re eating at a restaurant.” The home delivery service, Neighborhood Harvest, gives folks recipe ideas for its offerings. “A lot of people have had collards before, but that’s their only experience with cooked greens,” Vandiver said. His favorite use for basil is pesto. “You just need oil, sea salt, garlic and pine nuts,” he said, adding that the flavor of SmartBasil’s basil is so strong, “You don’t need any sort of additives.” He also enjoys the lettuce on salads and “microgreens” — mustard, basil and radish seedlings cut at less than two inches high — on eggs. “There’s so many ways to use our product,” he said. “You’ll never find anything fresher.” ←
Thomas Vandiver demonstrates how water flows through the basil trays constantly; Vandiver and friends started SmartBasil Farms two years ago; a new aspect of the business is a direct-to-consumer package marketed as "The Neighborhood Harvest"; and rows of micro-greens grow in long hydroponic trays inside a greenhouse on Turlington Road.
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From Madison Avenue to Main Street story by Tracy Agnew photography by R.E. Spears III
When other girls were dreaming of being princesses, Maya Holihan was spending her childhood dreaming of helping others feel like princesses. While most children were cycling through a seemingly endless list of careers they wanted to have when they grew up, Holihan was growing up in Massachusetts with a singular focus: becoming a wedding planner. She was fascinated with weddings. She loved looking at pictures and envisioning herself helping others plan their special day. But then: “You grow up, you graduate from college, you have bills to pay,” Holihan said recently. Despite the circuitous route she took, Holihan still is achieving her dream of helping others feel like princesses. “It’s wonderful to be just a small part of the dream and the vision that so many people have for themselves,” she said. Holihan now owns her own bridal studio with two different locations. To her, the best evidence that she’s doing a good job is when a bride picks a gown she never would have tried on if it weren’t for Holihan and her consultants. “I would never have picked this one,” Holihan recalled many a bride saying. “I’m so glad I have you.” Holihan started her fashion career with Gianni Versace and worked there for 10 years. But she never lost the dream that had replaced wedding planner in her adult years: owning her own bridal store. She moved into that realm after 10 years with Versace by See COUTURE page 30
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COUTURE continued from page 28
landing a job with renowned bridal designer Vera Wang at her Madison Avenue store in New York. “I had five interviews,” Holihan said. The Vera Wang staff eventually decided they didn’t have a position for Holihan, so they created one instead. She was a selling and services manager briefly — “Basically, my job was to police the sales staff,” she said — before the bridesmaids director designed and Holihan got that job. “I was actually in a few appointments with her,” Holihan said of Wang. After two years at Vera Wang, she relocated to Norfolk and started working at Tiffany’s Bridal. At that point, the owners had 10 stores and lived in Richmond and were looking to sell their Norfolk store. “I had told them what my desires were,” Holihan said. The owners made an offer six months into her employment, and the store was hers an additional six months later. She changed the name of the store to Tiffany’s by Maya and later Maya Couture. In 2014, she opened a bridal boutique in Suffolk, Maya on Main, to sell off-the-rack dresses in discontinued styles from the Norfolk store. She also now stocks the Allure label. With so much experience in bridal fashion, it’s unsurprising that Holihan wore three different outfits during her 2012 marriage to Navy helicopter pilot Bobby Holihan at the Water Table in Virginia Beach’s Rudee Inlet, despite keeping the remainder of the ceremony small and casual. She wore a Pronovias gown for the ceremony, changed into a cocktail dress she designed for the reception and left in a pant outfit. “I wanted it to be casual elegance, and I do think we achieved that,” she said. “We wanted to keep things really small and elegant.” Holihan gets goosebumps when she talks about the privilege her job affords her. “It’s extremely rewarding,” Holihan said. “Every bride has a different story. They come from different places, and they have different visions for what they want for their special day.” ←
At top, Maya Holihan shows off a dress on an employee. Above, one of the dresses at Maya on Main makes a great complement to Holihan's dress.
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on vacation
SL hits the road So you're heading for somewhere warm and sunny this winter. We can hardly blame you. In fact, we'd like to go along — and we don't even have to worry about sunscreen. Next time you're traveling, carry a copy of Suffolk Living magazine, snap a photo of you holding it near some awesome scenery and email it to us at news@suffolklivingmagazine.com. You could be featured in our next edition.
Bob and Kathy Marchant took a copy of Suffolk Living magazine on safari in Botswana, Africa, in October. We're pretty sure this is legit, since we haven't been able to find a field with elephants in Suffolk.
Historic
ST. LUKE’S CHURCH
Visit Us During These Hours: Mon - Sat: 9:30 am - 3:45 pm | Sun: 1 pm - 3:45 pm WWW.HISTORICSTLUKES.ORG 14477 BENN’S CHURCH BLVD. | SMITHFIELD, VIRGINIA 23430
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suffolk scene
Oyster Roast Hundreds turned out on the grounds of Eclipse’s Ruritan Hall on Nov. 8 for the Annual CE&H Ruritan Club Oyster Roast. The air thick with the smell of roasting oysters, folks enjoyed catching up over good food and cold beer. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW A. WARD
From left, Sheri Jett, Kelli McGlynn, Amy Branch and Carla Martin
Willie Lineberger and Faye Lineberger
David Griffin, 17 months, and Lindsay Shelton From left, Mike Haywood, Justin Haywood and Brandon Ross
From left, Jenny Burgess, Elizabeth Malone and Kerry Runyon
Peggy Shannon and Chuck Forest
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Sugarplum Tea The Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts’ Sugarplum Tea before the Ballet Virginia performance of “The Nutcracker” has become as much an annual favorite as the ballet itself. Children at the tea can taste sweets, get autographs from performers and princesses and take home goodies. PHOTOS BY TRACY AGNEW
suffolk scene
“The Nutcracker” dancers, from left, Margaret Eure, Lexie Hennellly, Paisleigh Price, Danielle Foster and Alexandra Hastings, with, from left, Harmoni Epps, Jasmine Lawrence, Asia Barcliff, Takiya Beck and Makalya Garvin.
Emersyn Koonce, 6, with Sugarplum Fairy Christina Hayden
“The Nutcracker” dancers, from left, Margaret Eure, Lexie Hennellly, Paisleigh Price, Danielle Foster and Alexandra Hastings, with Carly Cowper, 7
Emma Poole, 5, with ballerinas Alexandra Hastings
“The Nutcracker” ballerina Emily Kodolitsch, 11, with Emory Young, 3
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suffolk scene
Grand Illumination Hundreds of people got together to officially kick off the Christmas season at Market Park in December, when the city held its Grand Illumination party. The tree was lit, Santa sat with kids and folks enjoyed hot holiday beverages. PHOTOS BY R.E. Spears III
Serenity Mabry, Taliah Kitchen,Teri Rahming, Michelle Williams, Faith Monroe, and Charlene Kitchen
Andre Stevenson, Adria Powell and Andrea Powell
A children's choir serenades those attending the event.
Festive lights were the big draw.
Jen and Lance Ligon and children, Mali and London
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Turkey Trot The Riverfront Swim Club in North Suffolk held its Turkey Trot 5K Run and Walk on Nov. 15. Organizers reported 170 registered runners and walkers, with $4,400 raised for Suffolk Humane Society. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW A. WARD
Alissa Brooks, left, and Vanessa Brooks, 8
Nell Page, left, and Carlton Page
Margaret Turner, left, and Matthew Eberwine, with “Taaka�
suffolk scene
Sara Mitchell
From left, Anna Lobusta, with Claudia Lobusta, 3; Mikaylann Lobusta, 6, and Mike Lobusta
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where am I?
I
n each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.
If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!
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index of advertisers Air Conditioning Specialists...3 Airfield Conference.............27 Autumn Care....................11 Bayport Credit Union.........10 Blair Brothers.....................14 Bradshaw Dentistry............11 Coastal RV.........................14 Chorey & Associates.........40 Christian & Pugh..............37 Davis Lakes.......................14 Dr. Hogg............................27 Duke Automotive..............18 Ellen Drames.......................2 Farmers Bank.....................19 Harbour Veterinary Office ...19 Harbour View Self Storage ... 14 Home Instead.....................14 Isle of Wight Academy.....18 Jani-King....................18 Keller Williams...................10 Lions Bridge Financial Advisors...11 L.W.’s Lawn Service...........11
Last edition’s Where Am I?
Margie Wiley.....................37 Mega ‘Dors and Windows .. 37 Nansemond Exterior........19 Nansemond Veterinary Hospital...14 Rawlings Mechanical.........14 R.L. Howell, DDS...............27 St. Luke's Church...............31 Steve A. Gwaltney, DDS.......7 Suffolk Animal Hospital.....31 Suffolk Christian Academy ...10 Suffolk Eye........................27 Suffolk Public Schools.......14 The Village at Woods Edge ..39 Have your business listed here! Call 539-3437 to advertise in Suffolk Living.
The sign says "Texaco," but folks who travel North Main Street know the old gas station badge at the top of an exterior wall of the little building at the corner of North Main and Mahan is a remnant of an earlier time. Today, the site is a car where am I? wash. Suffolk's Carol I A. Johanningsmeier wins $25 for having her name drawn from among the correct answers in the last installment Where Am I contest. For your chance to win, see Page 35.
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n each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is. If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!
Network with us See what we’re up to on Facebook. Need more information 757-539-3437 • suffolklivingmag.com
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Mega ʻDors & Windows
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scrapbook
postcard: The Virginia Theater, seen on a vintage postcard courtesy of the Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society, was located on West Washington Street. It offered traveling shows and silent movies. D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" was shown there. By the 1920s, more modern theaters had been built. — Photo courtesy of the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society
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This relaxed and easygoing place called
Franklin is a community where people readily get to know one another. You go many of the same places and do many of the same things. That doesn’t change when you decide to live at The Village. There’s a level of friendliness and comfort you’ll find very familiar. At the same time, you get to enjoy a more carefree and secure lifestyle that includes modern,
The Village at Woods Edge
Small town charm. Engaging senior living.
renovated apartments, new amenities, and new services. Get better acquainted with us by calling and planning a visit.
Find us on Facebook.
1401 North High Street ‧ Franklin, VA 23851 ‧ 757-562-3100 ‧ VillageatWoodsEdge.com
NEW CONSTRUCTION Custom built 4 BR 2.5 bath home with quality throughout on quiet street in convenient location!
HERONS POINT Absolutely gorgeous 4 BR 2.5 bath with spotless interior and exterior and numerous amenities!
RIVERVIEW Quality built and immaculate 3 BR 2 bath 1900 SF brick ranch on quiet street!
INCREDIBLE PRICE Move-in ready 3 BR 2.5 bath brick ranch with attached garage, office area, and corner lot!
$299,700!
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HIDDEN ACRES Spacious 3 BR 2 bath ranch with 1754 SF, attached garage and large .56 acre corner lot!
COUNTRY SETTING Lovely and private 4 BR 2.5 bath on 2.4 acres near Rt. 58 By-Pass for easy commuting!
KINGS POINT Spotless 4 BR 3 bath 2443 SF all brick home with screened porch and huge yard!
OAKLAKE Beautiful 4 BR 2.5 bath 2696 SF home with deck overlooking large backyard!
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Robert Askew 288-7126