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 weâre 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 âcooking.â It was his first time using the new microwave.
Near the end of our meal, he uttered, âThe microwave smelled funny at the end. Electrical. And the door wouldnât shut all the way.â Iâm 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 tooâand confessing he thought Iâd be mad. âThis is the highlight of my day,â I said. âBut the bar wasnât very high to begin with.â
Allâs well that ends well. Amazon chalked it up to a manufacturerâs defect and gave a full refund. But is the microwave saga over? Absolutely not. In fact, itâs just beginning. Come back tomorrow to read part twoâand in the meantime, if youâre looking for something a little more fun than appliance troubleshooting, weâve rounded up some of Virginiaâs best summer festivals below. Iâm so glad youâre here.
|
|
|
From unforgettable performances to meaningful celebrations, Virginiaâs festivals foster memorable moments. (Nikola Äuza/Unsplash)
|
By Aila Boyd
Hereâs what you need to know: Across the commonwealth, from coastal waterfronts to mountain resorts to small-town parks, Virginiaâs festivals offer live entertainment, cultural celebrations, and outdoor adventure.
Out top picks:
-
Learn more about tall ships and military vessels on the York River by attending the Sail Yorktown Festival on June 12. The event will include a parade of sail, free tall ship deck tours, live entertainment, living history demonstrations, reenactments and military drills, live firings, and maritime storytelling.
- The Newport News Juneteenth Freedom Festival will return to Victory Landing Park in Newport News for the 20th time this year. The free festival on June 20 will include activities, as well as food, wine, and beer for purchase.
-
Occurring June 20 through July 26 in Charlottesville, the Virginia Theatre Festival aims to expose local and regional audiences to world-renowned plays and musicals, alongside work from new playwrights and composers. This yearâs season will feature productions of âKen Ludwigâs Moriarty,â âDisneyâs Newsies,â and âFridaâŚA Self Portrait.â
Ready for summer fun? Weâve got more ideasâand detailsâat the link below.
|
|
|
King Charles III speaks with Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger during a parade and block party event on the final day of their state visit on Thursday, April 30, 2026 in Front Royal, Va. (AP Photo/Matt Rouke)
|
By Michael OâConnor
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 Spanbergerâs decision to block the expansion of collective bargaining âdisappointingâ and âperplexing.â
Spanbergerâs office did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
|
|
|
Colton Knowles attends a card show while traveling to Wilmington, North Carolina. (Amie Knowles/Dogwood)
|
Can I make a confession? Iâm not really a âbeachâ personâIâm much more of a âmountainâ girl. But when in Rome, you enjoy it while youâre there, right? Well, I wasnât in Rome, but I was in Wilmington, North Carolina, for my sister-in-law Lindseyâs college graduation recently, and thatâs 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 PokĂŠmon 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 PokĂŠmon 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 PokĂŠmon. He complimented C on his card selection and showed him some neat things about the items heâd procured. Colton bought a couple of packs from the guy, and the man offered to do a âpack battleâ right there in the store (where they both open a pack and see who gets the better card). Ironically, they both pulled hitsâwhich almost never happensâand the man gave Colton all of them.
So what am I trying to say? Iâm trying to remember that sometimes, not everything needs a to-the-minute plan. Sometimes, the best plans are the ones that arenât planned at all.
|
|
|
Celebrity chef Guy Fieri smiles before Game 2 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, May 21, 2015. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
|
By Dorothy Scott
Located in the Power Plant Hampton Roads entertainment district, Guy Fieriâs Pizza Parlor is exactly what it sounds like: a joint that serves sizzlinâ slices of âza with recipes riffing on the âDiners, Drive-Ins, and Divesâ hostâs Italian heritage. This is a casual restaurant, one where folks gather for beers and greasy grubâand thatâs not a bad thing. Celebrity chefs donât always have to specialize in upscale fare.
However, prospective diners should note that Guy Fieriâs Pizza Parlor has polarizing reviews. Some seem to like the dive vibes, while others expected more because of the namesake chefâs 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 yourselfâif youâre willing to gamble.
|
|
|
Would you forward this newsletter to a friend?
|
|
|
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 PokĂŠmon. This edition includes stories from Aila Boyd, Michael OâConnor, and Dorothy Scott. It was edited by Brook Bolen.
Dogwood is free for everyone. Your support makes our work possible.
|
|
|
You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website.
Our mailing address is: Dogwood / COURIER Newsroom 3229 Greenpoint Ave., PMB 532 Long Island City, New York 11101
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or from this list.
|
|
|
|