Lakewood Park

I've been meaning to post about Lakewood Park for a long time now, but haven't because until recently, I never had the opportunity to take photos to go along with it -- every time I would whip my camera out, Anouk would try to strangle herself on the monkey bars or eat a handful of mulch. But with the challenges of Two also come a few added benefits, one being that she is now much more confident and sensible about appropriate park behavior, and I don't have to hover like a hawk like I used to.

So, finally, here is Lakewood Park. It's across the street from a nice library and also around the corner from Naa's Bakery, hooray! After our trip there a few weeks ago, Anne and I met up with our friends for a playdate under the twisted live oaks, to give the kids a chance to run off some sugar. There are some seriously old trees at Lakewood, gnarled and twisted and providing copious amounts of shade, which means that there is always a cool spot to sit, even on hot and humid summer days. Add in a picnic area and some age-appropriate playground equipment and you've got yourself a practically perfect park.

Did you know that Lakewood Park is also home to Norfolk's Dance and Music Center? Anouk has been asking for dance lessons a lot lately, so we're going to look into the Creative Movement classes for toddlers this winter and spring. If you've ever taken a class at Lakewood I would love to know -- or if you have a recommendation for elsewhere in the #HRVA area that offers toddler tap or ballet.

Hope you had a good weekend. Now get out there and enjoy this gorgeous weather before it's gone!

Pokey Smokey II at Portsmouth City Park

Last year, around Christmas, I posted that Anne was going through a phase in which she was excessively fond of trains. Update, this phase shows no signs of being over anytime soon. At this point, I don't ever expect it to be, I fully believe that one day I'll be driving in the car with 45-year-old Anouk and she will flip out when she hears a train whistle. Mom, a train! Can you see it, Mom? Can you?

Norfolk is a good city for trains (we were stopped by three while we were out driving last week), but sometimes you just have to get a little more up close and personal with one, and when that happens, you visit Portsmouth City Park, to ride the Pokey Smokey II, a miniature red train that chugs around the park on a 3/4-mile loop. The original Pokey Smokey began operating in 1964, but closed in 2005 due to safety concerns. The track was fixed, a new train was commissioned, and the second Pokey Smokey was put back in service in 2011 (and parents everywhere rejoiced).


Anouk loved riding on the train, especially the little stretch of the track that creeps along by the Elizabeth River and waving like crazy at the kids playing on the playground, adjacent. And there were a lot of them this sunny Saturday afternoon. The Portsmouth City Park is really a stellar park, with incredibly well-kept playground equipment, lots of shady trees to relax under, a snack bar, a friendship garden, and even a golf course with a driving range and putting green.

Did you know there's a word for love of trains and rail travel? There is: siderodromophilia. I am raising a siderodromophiliac child, how about you?

Miyazaki Japanese Garden

One evening a few weeks ago, we went for an after-dinner walk in the Miyazaki Japanese Garden at Red Wing Park in Virginia Beach. Red Wing Park has several beautiful gardens, but the Miyazaki Garden is our favorite. No matter how hot the day has been, it's always cool there, and no matter how gloomy the skies might be, there are always a few sun-dappled spots to explore.

The garden was planted in honor of Miyazaki, Japan, which is Virginia Beach's sister city. (Side note: I love the concept of sister cities -- Norfolk has several, which you can read about here.) The Miyazaki Garden is a wonderful mix of Japanese plants that fit perfectly with the native Virginia foliage in a way that encapsulates the spirit of both places and feels both familiar and unfamiliar at once. In the spring, they feature the area's best show of cherry blossoms, which we appreciate, since we were big fans of the ones in DC when we lived there.  




Anne had a great time running out some pre-bedtime energy on the garden's shady paths and setting up elaborate Barbie doll panoramas in the azumaya (Japanese-inspired outbuilding). She also tried to take home several of the smooth white rocks from the rock garden to add to her collections. Is there anything more attractive to toddlers than a pile of rocks? If there is, I don't think I've found it.

Happy 4th of July! Hope that everyone has a safe and festive holiday. See you back here on Monday. 

TowneBank Park

I can't say enough good things about TowneBank Park as a place to play in Downtown Norfolk. Tucked away between Waterside and Nauticus on the Elizabeth River waterfront, the park offers pretty much everything you need to appreciate warm summer weather and while away a sunny afternoon. Being at Towne Bank Park is something akin to chilling on an enormous backyard patio. There are comfy lawn chairs and squashy couches spread out over the grass under shady beach umbrellas, and games (corn hole, badminton) and baskets of toys (hula hoops, Skip-its, frisbees) scattered in between for the more energetic kids (and honestly, adults, too).




Closer to the riverfront is a bank of fountains that serves as a very serviceable sprayground -- it's nowhere near as awesome or expansive as the one at Norfolk Botanical Garden but it's more than adequate to cool off and thus serves its purpose. The American Rover tall ships and the Spirit of Norfolk are docked in the harbor nearby, which is a big deal for boat-loving little ones, and the ferry, with its big paddlewheel, comes chugging by every half hour or so to deliver a load of passengers. There's even an outdoor cafe (open 10-2) if you find yourself in need of something to eat or drink.

The vibe of the park gets more boisterous and grown-uppish as happy hour approaches, but in the morning and early afternoon it's a sunny, quiet place to play. A. and I went after lunchtime last Wednesday with a group of friends and it was the most fun she had all week (even including a busted-up knee -- whoever's bright idea it was to set the fountains in a floor of cement obviously never had a toddler). When the kids were adequately soaked and starting to get pink and done-looking, we loaded them into strollers and wagons and wheeled them across Waterside Drive to enjoy the art and air-conditioning of the Selden Arcade (and the refreshments in the Starbucks adjacent).

Bring towels. Bring water shoes and snacks. Bring enough change for the parking meter (this is something I always forget. The diligent downtown meter maids say: you don't want to forget).

Sarah Constant Beach Park

Last night after dinner, we went for a walk at the Sarah Constant Beach Park in Willoughby. When I was growing up, the park had kind of a dicey reputation and was really overgrown and scrubby, and I guess that impression stuck, because the thought of writing about it for the blog didn't even cross my mind. I didn't even bring my camera, which is something I almost always do, no matter where we go. Ergo, these photos are all brought to you courtesy of Henry the Doomed iPhone (I promise that would make sense if you knew me and my iPhone habits in real life).

Anyway, the park ended up being much nicer than I remembered it and as we were walking, I decided it was definitely worth the visit. Sarah Constant Park is situated right at the base of the Ocean View Fishing Pier, and offers one of the best vistas in the area. On a clear day -- like last night -- you can see over to Hampton's Old Point Comfort and over to the Bay Bridge at the same time. At sunset, the sun passes right over Willoughby Spit, and everything is pink and purple and gorgeous.

I wish I had thought to take pictures of the park's other great features: the cool grove of wind-stunted pine-trees and twisted live oaks that houses the picnic shelter, and the Susan Constant Shrine, which marks the landing of the ship that would eventually take the first English settlers up the river to Jamestown. (Why the shrine is called Susan and the beach Sarah is a mystery left to the ages, I guess).

My piece of advice (besides to take more pictures) would be to wear shoes when you visit! The beach at Willoughby collects a lot of debris and the remains of the old wood jetties stick up out of the sand in places. Which of course you don't know until you bang your foot against one. Ow.

Happy Mothers Day to you mamas reading this! Hope you have a wonderful weekend with lots of recognition for all you do.

Weyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary

A few Saturdays ago, Anne and I took a trip to the Weyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary in Norfolk for the first time and loved it. You can click over to My Active Child to read more about our visit.

Happy Wednesday!

The Fred Heutte Center

In celebration of the first day of spring, I thought I'd post about one of our favorite outside spaces, which is the Fred Heutte Center in Ghent. The Heutte Center is located deep in a residential area, which means that unless you're a neighborhood resident, you probably haven't come across it before. I first discovered the center and its gardens as a student at Maury High School (it's a few blocks away) years ago, and was surprised that I hadn't ever heard of it before. It's relative isolation means that the Heutte Center one of those hidden gems and well-kept secrets you're always hearing about: peaceful, unspoiled, but also underappreciated.

The FHC takes up a just small plot of land in the middle of Ghent Square, but it's absolutely jam-packed with goodies. The center itself (which offers horticultural and fitness classes) is surrounded by perennial gardens lovingly tended by volunteer gardeners, and dotted with flowering trees, fountains and statuary. On one side of the main building, there's a camellia bower and on the other, an heirloom vegetable garden (the produce is donated to local food banks). And connecting everything together are paths that wind through stands of daffodils and hyacinths and magnolias.

There are so many things to do in the downtown area that the Heutte Center is often overlooked, but it shouldn't be. It's convenient to everything downtown, a great place to stop in the middle of running errands for a quiet moment or quick romp. As the weather has gotten nicer, A. and I have taken to packing a snack or small lunch in the picnic hamper and spending an hour there, looking at every tree and plant, and soaking in all of the gorgeousness. It's a nice way to recharge our batteries and to celebrate the season.

You can read more about the interesting history of the Heutte Center here.

HAPPY SPRING, EVERYBODY!

Springing forward at Deer Park

At long last, spring is beginning to spring in earnest, and Anouk and I are saying a temporary goodbye to some of our favorite indoor play spaces in favor of some old -- and new -- outdoor ones. Our goal for the warmer months this year is to try to hit up a new park at least once a week (hopefully we can make this happen). We started our new project with Deer Park, in Newport News, over the weekend.

Deer Park is special for a few reasons. It's located adjacent to the Peninsula museum complex, which makes it a nice place to have lunch/run off a little steam after a morning of museum-going. There are walking trails that wind throughout wetlands and flower gardens (the azalea garden was just beginning to bud the day we went), a picnic area large enough to accomodate big groups, and plenty of waterfront access to Deer Park Lake. A. had a blast poking around in the mossy water with a big stick, and waving to a few ducks and to one beautiful blue heron who was sunning himself (herself?) on the opposite shore. It's the same view you'll get from the Virginia Living Museum, on the other side of the lake, only at 0% of the cost.

But the truly exceptional thing about Deer Park is the playground, which is a Boundless playground, meaning it was specially designed so that children with and without disabilities can play together. Many of the swings feature harnesses and neck supports, the rubber-and-mulch surfacing allows wheelchairs to roll easily over the ground, and each of the large play structures has ramps and wide openings to allow children who might need help getting around to access them. It reminded me a lot of Clemyjontri Park, which we visited frequently when we lived in the DC area, and loved.

We didn't have very long to spend at the park the day we visited, but in the short time we were there, A. did manage to tire herself out enough for an extended nap time, and we both got a ton of much-needed sun and fresh air.

Look at all that light! Have I mentioned that we love Daylight Savings Time?

The Virginia Legends Walk

A few weeks ago, Anouk and I explored the Virginia Legends Walk in Virginia Beach -- one of those little kid-friendly gems off of the Oceanfront boardwalk. There are so many of them and we have such fun discovering them all. Click over to My Active Child to read more about our visit! 

Air Power Park

We were big fans of the Air and Space museum when we lived in DC, and we're big fans of the Virginia Air and Space Museum, as well. But they just don't compare to Hampton's Air Power Park in terms of accessibility and pure magic -- because there is something magical about being able to get up close and personal with the fighter jets and rockets, to have so many in one place, and to even be able to reach out and touch them.

Anouk's love of airplanes seems to grow and grow, and so we made a special trip to Air Power Park last weekend. The park, located on fifteen acres off of Mercury Boulevard is hard to miss. You're driving along and then bam: rockets against the trees. The park features vintage aircraft and space exploration vehicles from the 1950s and '60s as well as an indoor museum filled with model planes and nautical vessels in exhibits dedicated to each of the armed services. There's a small playground behind the museum building, too.

A time capsule, interred at the park in 1965, to be opened in 2065. 

We followed the map around the rocket garden and saw the sights: a Thunderchief fighter jet, a massive Polaris missile, and best of all, a Mercury capsule used in the first manned spaceflight (along with the Little Joe rocket that launched it). The capsule was way smaller than either J. or I thought it would be...here's a photo of A. standing next to it, to give you some idea of how little it was. Because of it's cramped size, the astronauts used to say that it was "worn" rather than flown in!

Inside the museum, we had fun looking up at all of the vintage model planes made by a local donor starting in the 1940s. The NASA room also features small-scale models of the Challenger shuttle and the Mars rover, and of course we had to spend some time checking them out. The Cold War Era Room gave J. and me a weird kind of nostalgia -- it's strange to think how big and scary the Cold War stuff seemed to us back when we were kids, and how long ago and far away it all seems now.

Best of all, Air Power Park (because it's a public city park) is free -- a great bargain, considering that admission at the VA Air and Space museum can cost up to $20 per person! And considering that Anouk learned a new word while she was there -- she's still toddling around talking about "wockets." Priceless, you know?

To the moon! Let's go!