NEWPORT NEWS

Go...

• BINNS OF WILLIAMSBURG read more ›
  (435 Duke of Gloucester St, Williamsburg. Tel. 757-229-3391)
  binnsonline.com
  European elegance meets modern style at this exclusive fashion store. You’ll find international designs (Ferragamo, Burberry), trunk shows, special events and personal service.
• ACT II read more ›
  (10253 Warwick Blvd, Newport News. Tel. 757-595-0507)
  Top fashions from Anne Klein, Liz Claiborne and Coach are offered for low prices at this consignment shop. In addition to gently used items, the store also offers new jewelry.
• LIGHTFOOT MANOR SHOPPE read more ›
  (3044 Richmond Road, Williamsburg. Tel. 757-220-1805)
  www.lightfootmanor.com
  The handmade baubles, metal plaques and reproductions from Colonial Williamsburg here make excellent gifts for anniversaries and birthdays. You can also add personalized engravings to pewter, brass and crystal items.

• RESTLESS PLANET read more ›
  (717 Gen. Booth Blvd, Virginia Beach. Tel. 757-385-3474)
  virginiaaquarium.com
  This spectacular new expansion showcases four immersive habitats that mimic peat swamps, deserts, volcanic landscapes and the Red Sea. Close to 6,000 new animals and 367 new species will be on display.
• TURNED UPSIDE DOWN read more ›
  (9285 Warwick Blvd, Newport News. Tel. 757-247-8523)
  warmuseum.org
  This exhibit celebrates the 20th anniversary of the collapse of the Berlin Wall and features such objects as a Cold War timeline, old passbooks and a 10-foot-by-10-foot slab of the wall itself.
• PORTSMOUTH INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT read more ›
  (4301 Cedar Ln, Portsmouth. Tel. 757-686-2500)
  portsmouthinvitational.com
  This annual basketball tournament, which immediately follows the NCAA championships, hosts NBA scouts searching for hot picks from the 64 top college seniors before the June draft. April 7-10.

• AZZURRI ITALIAN RESTAURANT read more ›
  (7 Hidenwood Shopping Center, Newport News. Tel. 757-926-4890)
  azzurriitalianrestaurantva.com
  Come hungry for the hearty plates at this locally renowned Italian joint. Specials, like allyou- can-eat spaghetti and meatballs or meat sauce from 11am to 4pm on weekdays, can sate the most famished of travelers. $
• BLUE TALON BISTRO read more ›
  (420 Prince George St, Williamsburg. Tel. 757-476-2583)
  bluetalonbistro.com
  Stop by this cozy College of William and Mary hangout for serious comfort food. Choucroute (sausages and pork loin with sauerkraut and mustard) is one of the more popular items. $$$
• THE YORKSHIRE STEAK & SEAFOOD RESTAURANT read more ›
  (700 York St, Williamsburg. Tel. 757-229-9790)
  theyorkshirerestaurant.com
  This fine-dining destination serves white tablecloth classics, like jumbo Australian lobster tail, whole or stuffed rainbow trout and Delmonico and New York strip steaks. $$$

• THE NORVA read more ›
  (317 Monticello Ave, Norfolk. Tel. 757-627-4547)
  www.thenorva.com
  This venue in the Newport News/Williamsburg area is known for bringing top-notch national acts; it’s hosted everyone from Timbaland to Owl City. Don’t miss the special St. Patrick’s Day concert from Carbon Leaf (Mar. 17).

• THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE read more ›
  (3100 Desert Rd, Suffolk. Tel. 757-986-3705)
  fws.gov/northeast/greatdismalswamp
  This 112,000-acre wildlife refuge is really not so dismal. The scenic area, which is a haven for bears, bobcats, deer and minks, straddles the eastern Virginia and North Carolina border and features miles of trails.

This month...

Fun Fact!
John Lennon and Yoko Ono once owned the 31-acre Auburn Plantation on the nearby Gloucester County riverfront.