Remember when we went without a microwave for three days less than a month ago? Yeah, well, about that… As of Tuesday night, it seems we’re in the market for one again. My lovely husband offered to heat up dinner. Very gratefully, I accepted because, to us, microwaved food counts as “cooking.” It was his first time using the new microwave.

Near the end of our meal, he uttered, “The microwave smelled funny at the end. Electrical. And the door wouldn’t shut all the way.” I’m the one known for accidentally setting microwaves (yes, multiple) on fire, so the slow turn I gave in his direction was nearly cinematic. 

We both went into the kitchen to inspect. Sure enough, the door to the brand new microwave had bowed out near the hinges, and a tiny piece of plastic was on the ground. It had been such a day already, my immediate reaction was a laugh. Like, a laugh-laugh, which got him laughing too—and confessing he thought I’d be mad. “This is the highlight of my day,” I said. “But the bar wasn’t very high to begin with.”

All’s well that ends well. Amazon chalked it up to a manufacturer’s defect and gave a full refund. But is the microwave saga over? Absolutely not. In fact, it’s just beginning. Come back tomorrow to read part two—and in the meantime, if you’re looking for something a little more fun than appliance troubleshooting, we’ve rounded up some of Virginia’s best summer festivals below. I’m so glad you’re here.

By Michael O’Connor

Gov. Abigail Spanberger plans to veto legislation to expand collective bargaining rights to hundreds of thousands of public employees in Virginia. 

Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell and a sponsor of the legislation said Spanberger told him Wednesday that she planned to veto the legislation. He said Spanberger said she supported collective bargaining, but not the way it would be implemented in the legislation before her. 

Surovell called Spanberger’s decision to block the expansion of collective bargaining “disappointing” and “perplexing.” 

Spanberger’s office did not respond immediately to a request for comment. 

Can I make a confession? I’m not really a “beach” person—I’m much more of a “mountain” girl. But when in Rome, you enjoy it while you’re there, right? Well, I wasn’t in Rome, but I was in Wilmington, North Carolina, for my sister-in-law Lindsey’s college graduation recently, and that’s right by the ocean.

Colton, age 8, and I had a little time to ourselves for one part of the celebratory weekend. Lo and behold, my sister-in-law Nicole accidentally stumbled upon a Pokémon card show at Independence Mall. Of course, C and I immediately scrapped every plan we had for the day and hit the road. 

When we arrived, the mall was a lot bigger than we expected. Colton saw a Pokémon poster in the Hebrews 13 storefront and confidently walked inside to ask the owner for directions to the show. The guy was super nice, talked to Colton for a few minutes about cards and games, and pointed us in the right direction.

The show itself was amazing. Colton was one of the only kids in a sea of young adults, and they treated him like a king. Folks enjoyed his passion and knowledge and gave him things left and right. It was really cool to stand back and see those connections form. After he finished with the show, Colton insisted we go back to Hebrews 13 and thank the owner for the directions.

When we went, the owner talked to Colton even longer about Pokémon. He complimented C on his card selection and showed him some neat things about the items he’d procured. Colton bought a couple of packs from the guy, and the man offered to do a “pack battle” right there in the store (where they both open a pack and see who gets the better card). Ironically, they both pulled hits—which almost never happens—and the man gave Colton all of them. 

So what am I trying to say? I’m trying to remember that sometimes, not everything needs a to-the-minute plan. Sometimes, the best plans are the ones that aren’t planned at all. 

By Dorothy Scott

Located in the Power Plant Hampton Roads entertainment district, Guy Fieri’s Pizza Parlor is exactly what it sounds like: a joint that serves sizzlin’ slices of ’za with recipes riffing on the “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” host’s Italian heritage. This is a casual restaurant, one where folks gather for beers and greasy grub—and that’s not a bad thing. Celebrity chefs don’t always have to specialize in upscale fare.

However, prospective diners should note that Guy Fieri’s Pizza Parlor has polarizing reviews. Some seem to like the dive vibes, while others expected more because of the namesake chef’s Food Network legacy. On Yelp, the restaurant has 2.9 stars out of 5. 

With reviews being fairly 50-50, this is one restaurant you might have to test for yourself—if you’re willing to gamble.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Amie Knowles. Amie is a lifelong Virginia resident and mom to a fantastic 8-year-old who loves Pokémon. This edition includes stories from Aila Boyd,  Michael O’Connor, and Dorothy Scott. It was edited by Brook Bolen.

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