Posh Wholesale Surf Shop recently opened on 17 1/2 Street behind Get Lost Shave Ice.

Customers can enter the quaint, 600-square-foot surf boutique through the oversized garage door. The bright pink and blue walls are decorated with oversized pool floats, surfboards and three large TV screens playing surfing videos.

Owner Tim Paasch said his store carries different products than the other area surf shops.

“We try and source local inventory and try to stick with USA made products,” he said. “We have sourced products on a wholesale basis, so we can save locals money on their purchases.”

The shop carries surfboards, skimboards, body boards and paddle boards. Other surf shop products include beach cruisers, skateboards, coolers, trendy clothing, floppy sun hats, beach apparel, snorkel gear and children’s beach items.

Local artist Ally Washington said she was happy to have her handmade beaded jewelry included in the new surf shop.

Her brand, Hangin’ Around, features a collection of bracelets, necklaces and earrings.

“I love that Posh Surf Shop is supporting local artists like me,” Washington said. “It’s a win-win relationship because the shop gives me exposure, and I’m bringing my large customer base to the store.”

Paasch, born and raised in Virginia Beach, grew up riding his bike to the beach. He said he shopped at all the local surf shops and always wanted to open one himself. His passion wasn’t just for the sport of surfing, but for the lifestyle it represented.

The local entrepreneur also opened Moke America Virginia Beach, which rents and sells street-legal golf carts, on 17th Street. Additionally, he operates the rental company RentBeachBuggies.com.

Paasch said Posh Surf isn’t just about selling products. It’s about sharing a lifestyle. “The surf shop is for locals to buy at local prices.”

Dance moves such as the head spin, windmill, worm or the moonwalk will be on display at downtown Norfolk’s Selden Market, which is hosting a breakdancing competition on Friday during its “Summer Games” themed event.

The market wanted to mark the inauguration of breakdancing in the Olympics during an after-hours game night and vendor market, said Careyann Weinberg, director of economic vitality of Downtown Norfolk Council, which operates Selden Market.

The best breakdancer will receive a cash prize, and the winner will be chosen based on audience reaction. The dance-off starts at 7 p.m.

“The Selden Market shops have created a fun summer series around social gaming and healthy competition,” said Sarah Spence Ting, Selden Market manager. “It’s a nod to the ultimate competition — the international Olympic Games.”

Selden Market shops will host games such as ax-throwing and cornhole. Cooking with Greens, a store selling healthy spice blends and kitchen ware, plans to host an archery competition.

Derak Green, owner of Cooking with Greens, said the “Summer Games” event is all about showcasing Selden Market while giving customers something fun to do.

Many of the shops have planned creative games that won’t be found in the Olympics such as a coffee cup race by S’mores Amore, a “guess the tea” game by Potted and a “Golden Girls” trivia game hosted by Norfolk Candle.

All the storefronts will participate in a market-wide scavenger hunt, and pop-up vendors will join in on the games and offer themed products and crafts. A Summer Games photo booth, music by DJs and themed food and beverages will be available at the free event from 6-9 p.m. Friday.

In Town Center of Virginia Beach, Keagan’s Irish Pub and Three Notch’d Brewery & Craft Kitchen will co-host a “Summer Bar Olympics” at noon Sunday. The free event invites teams to compete in bar-themed games such as a tic-tac-toe flip cup game, oversized Jenga, yard pong, hopscotch and relay races. Customers can enjoy free beer tastings and swag, too.

Smartmouth Brewing is getting in the Olympic spirit by releasing a special beer named Screaming Eagle Pale Ale that features an Olympic-themed label designed by local artist Dwight Easter. The release party is 7 p.m. Friday at Smartmouth’s Norfolk location. Easter will sign copies of the label and sell art that reflects Olympic athletes.

Also, Smartmouth will be hosting an Olympics-themed competition Tuesdays through Aug. 6 that includes games such as beer pong, cornhole and Kan Jam. A $10 entry fee per team goes toward a donation to the Elizabeth River Trail.

The Old Beach Farmers Market in the ViBe Creative District is celebrating the Summer Games with a French-American market day. Bakers and vendors have created Olympic-themed items such as tartes aux abricots (glazed French apricot tarts) by Lexi Berlin, French-inspired sourdough baguettes and brioche breads by Krid’s Crumbs and gougères (cheese puffs) by the Virginia Pie Shop. Shop the market 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at 620 19th St.

“Dogtopia Games,” hosted by doggy daycare Dogtopia in Town Center, featured four-legged athletes for its Olympic-style activities this week. The week started with opening ceremonies featuring bubble torches and activities including agility exercises and water sports in a kiddie pool. The weeklong event for clients wraps up Friday with a closing ceremony for the pups. Just like the real Olympics, dogs will pose with medals and trophies that will be captured during a photo shoot.

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net

The 34-year-old certified personal trainer incorporates biblical principles into his coaching. He specializes in corrective exercise, nutrition, weight loss, behavior change and solutions for healthy living.

“My faith plays a major role in my life,” Gay said. “It’s something that moves people to take action despite obstacles. It moves beyond logic and fear to grab hold of what potentially lies before us.”

Gay, whose his faith is rooted in Jesus, said he wants to point people toward more than just a smaller waistline. Tying faith and fitness together is how he’s managed to help so many clients create a healthy lifestyle.

“I help people connect their health habits to their deepest convictions and cares,” he said. “It makes the fitness journey more meaningful and longer lasting.”

When Gay first became a health coach in 2013, he spent lots of money on supplements, read many bodybuilding magazines and followed other fitness influencers on YouTube. He even dabbled in testosterone.

Eventually, he stopped following everyone’s advice and looked to the Scriptures for answers. Once he started making biblical connections with his health practices, Gay said his life changed.

In 2020, he started Fit Church United and began integrating biblical principals into his coaching program. He’s hosted numerous free workouts around Hampton Roads in partnership with local churches to offer fitness, fellowship and encouragement.

His program uses an approach called the Kingdom Fit Blueprint. While rooted in the teachings of the Bible, the strategies are also backed by science. The program is broken down into five pillars: biblical nutrition, cardio and steps, resistance training, sleep and recovery and commitment to God.

“Matthew’s Fit Church workouts have been great for our congregation and furnish a vital part of Christian ministry that is often overlooked — holistic care,” said Steven Roby, pastor of Water’s Edge Church in Virginia Beach. “In a day where more and more people are living with unnecessary chronic illnesses due to poor health habits, Matthew has a critical message with practical solutions regarding things needed for the body.”

Gay recently released a book called “FIT Church: Destroying the Division between Following Christ and Living a Healthy Life” that presents the case for a Christ-centered approach to health and fitness. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, the book is a comprehensive guide on how to balance physical and spiritual health. Readers can find the book at Amazon.com, the Apple iTunes store or Barnes and Noble.

“The pillars in my program support the lifestyle and goals of every client,” Gay said. “They look different from person to person. They are fundamental to the success of everyone I work with.”

For more information, visit fitchurchunited.com.

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net

Welch shared how her entrepreneurial journey grew from doodling patterns on a sketchbook to owning her first T-shirt business at age 16 that featured her hand-painted mandala designs, or geometric patterns.

Eventually, she opened Empowered Plant Cakes in 2018 and now serves her cakes in 150 locations.

Speaking from her heart and even shedding some tears during the presentation, Welch spoke of numerous hardships and personal struggles that seemed to be a regular pattern in her life. Other patterns included artistic examples, like the colorful ones she paints on her canvases. She also talked of the recent frustrations in her job role and how she’s restructuring her duties to find more creative projects.

“My intention at Creative Mornings simply was to be as authentic as possible. This is what people relate to,” she said. “My hopes in sharing my story was to reiterate to other creatives and business owners that it’s OK to feel frustrated and a little lost sometimes.”

Welch was the June speaker for Creative Mornings, a speaker series that’s held every third Friday at The Garage in the ViBe Creative District in Virginia Beach. The series started in 2023 and is part of a global network that has 268 chapters worldwide in 69 countries.

An annual list of themes is supplied by Creative Mornings, and each chapter chooses their own local speakers within their city. Speakers are given 25-30 minutes to speak in an open format and are encouraged to bring pictures, a slideshow or other props. A committee meets and shares ideas on speakers. At the end of the presentation, guest speakers are given a photo album of images and a video of their talk that documents their success in the community.

Kate Pittman, executive director of the ViBe, said the Creative Mornings platform fosters a network for entrepreneurs, artists, writers and musicians. She said the value is in documenting the creative community and showcasing the “creative capital” in Virginia Beach.

“It fosters cross-pollination between traditional business professionals and creatives,” she said. “I think creativity breeds creativity and entrepreneurs need spaces like this to come together.”

Past Creative Mornings themes have included endurance, rhythm, treasure, simplicity and pride. July’s theme was trust with well-known local musician BJ Griffin as speaker. The owner of Big Juicy Entertainment shared how deep-sea diving and trusting himself influenced his life.

Other upcoming speakers are:

• August: North End Run Club entrepreneur Barry Clark on ritual
• September: Surf photographer Ed Obermeyer on reflection
• November: Local artist Nikki Leone on thread

Email virginiabeach@creativemornings.com if you’re interested in becoming a speaker.

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net

___

If you go

What: Creative Mornings

When: 8:30-10 a.m., third Friday of every month

Where: The Garage, 1703 Mediterranean Ave., Virginia Beach

Cost: Free, open to public

RSVP: Creativemornings.com/cities/VB 

After having a successful fashion career in New York City for 10 years, Brinkley returned to his Norfolk home where he learned to make candles from his husband in their West Ghent kitchen. He started crafting them for a friend who owned the Velvet Witch gift shop, which grew as a tenant in Selden Market to a storefront in Ghent.

“During the 2020 shutdown, making candles gave me the opportunity to do something creative and meaningful for our community,” Brinkley said. “This is when my transition occurred, and I became a full-time candlemaker.”

Shortly after, Norfolk Candle was born from Brinkley’s successful inventory at the Velvet Witch. His first candle, named Cool Aunt, included the scents juniper, vanilla, amber and patchouli. He said the scents and name were inspired by his sister-in law’s cabin: “She’s such a cool aunt.”

Soon, Brinkley began participating in markets and pop-ups. He signed on for a full year when the Ghent Farmers Market started in 2021. He’s now in his fourth season there.

“The farmers market is so unique and beautiful. We’ve been able to test our new scents and expand our offerings,” Brinkley said. “It is here where we grew. We connect with the customers and receive feedback.”

In 2021, Brinkley started to make candles in unique vessels such as vintage tea cups, mugs, fruit bowls, teapots and glasses. The business offers refills in the vintage pieces, and customers often bring family heirlooms. He said the candles are meant to express joy and remember others with their scents or special heirloom pieces.

Over the years, Norfolk Candle expanded to a full line of gift items that includes totes, apparel, flags, books and art prints. It gained visibility operating a pop-up shop on Granby Street.

In July, Norfolk Candle opened a brick-and-mortar location inside Selden Market downtown. Brinkley said he chose the location because of the “dynamic” space that continually supports local artists and small businesses.

Norfolk Candle became a known name quickly in the pop-up circuit, and its candles are in many homes across Hampton Roads, said Careyann Weinberg, director of economic vitality for Downtown Norfolk Council, which operates Selden Market.

“They bring a lot of joy and charisma to all that they do,” Weinberg said. “That paired with a high quality product and business knowledge has produced quick growth.”

The business has created candles and signature scents for local shops, special occasions, yoga studios and organizations such as Virginia Stage Co., LGBT Life Center, Eastern Virginia Medical School and others.

“Everything I do, I’m passionate about,” Brinkley said. “I could see the potential from the conversations I had with people when they received the candles. That encouraged me to continue with this path.”

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net

If you go

What: Norfolk Candle

Where: 208 E. Main St., Selden Market

Visit: NorfolkCandle.com, @norfolkcandle on Instagram and Facebook

When Gerald Einhorn was asked to participate in the artistic partnership, he already had the perfect French connection to pair with Claude Monet, a French impressionist painter.

Einhorn, owner of Gerald’s Ice Cream in Hilltop, serves fresh baked croissants at his shop. He recently created a new menu item that uses croissant dough to make a waffle cone. The process involves making fresh croissant dough, refrigerating it and then proofing (warming the dough so it rises). Lastly, the dough is placed on the waffle iron and then rolled around a wooden cone to form the shape.

Einhorn named his French-inspired creation the “Croffle” and plans to keep the specialty cone on the menu even after the “Beyond Monet” exhibit is gone.

“It’s an amazing combination. It’s like eating a croissant with ice cream,” Einhorn said. “The cone has a buttery flavor, which is an absolute natural combination with ice cream.”

The “Beyond Monet” exhibit features projection technology to illustrate over 400 Claude Monet artworks. The immersive exhibit encompasses 50,000 square feet and highlights high-resolution images of Monet’s masterpieces. The visual exploration of impressionism is in collaboration with the Virginia Arts Festival and Paquin Entertainment.

“The large scale immersive exhibitions at the Virginia Beach Convention Center are a gift to our arts district community,” said Kate Pittman, executive director of ViBe District. “They’re fun to do and a major draw to the small businesses that benefit from the extra foot traffic.”

The following businesses are partnering with the “Beyond Monet” exhibit. Go to vafest.org for more information.

ViBe Creative District: Social media scavenger hunt July 8-12. One clue per day is posted to Facebook and Instagram. First one to find a clue wins two tickets to the “Monet” exhibition. An August scavenger hunt is planned, too.

Prosperity Kitchen: A blueberry sourdough croissant with Monet inspired glazes.

Mermaid Factory: A Monet themed paint night.

Get Lost VB Shave Ice: Monet-inspired shave ice featuring homemade blueberry lavender syrup.

Stockpot: Signature drinks, menu items and trivia nights.

Lolly’s Creamery and Sundae Scoop: Special ice cream flavor.

Peace, Love and Little Donuts and O’s Donut: A signature donut.

Wasserhund Brewing Company: Signature beer “Painter’s Pint” with a creative label designed by local artist Kendall Snyder.

IKEA: Local artists Abby Pawley and Darcey Whitlow will be painting furniture displayed in IKEA in July and at the exhibit in August.

Hampton Roads Transit: Offering free one-way rides on the VB Wave Trolley to visit the exhibit through July 12. Free rides are available on select routes. Download the Journey mobile app at gohrt.com/mobile and enter the promo code Beyond24. Mobile ticketing is only available for the VB Wave trolley, not other HRT services.

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net

___

If you go

What: “Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience”

When: Through Sept. 5

Where: Virginia Beach Convention Center

Info: MonetVirginiaBeach.com for tickets

So, when I heard that there was a doughnut food truck named Glazed and Infuzed parked only a few miles away, I had to investigate. I’m a dedicated reporter that can sniff a good story out, especially when it’s sweet.

Because I had many errands to run, I had to shorten my workout to fit this possible breaking news story into my busy schedule. Bicep curls or a hot and fresh article on doughnuts? That was an easy decision as my car quickly followed the sugary scent to the colorful truck parked in front of Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital.

I was relieved to see a short line. Last year, I wrote about the legendary long lines at the Klassic Donuts food truck. I had to wait an hour to get one of its scrumptious, gigantic yeast creations.

My taste buds were curious to see if Glazed and Infuzed was a fierce competitor in the local doughnut scene.

Admittedly, I had low expectations when I saw the short line and the name implied something was stuffed inside the doughnut. I’m not a fan of fillings injected into my doughnuts.

To my sweet surprise, the short line was due to being the new kid on the block.

Owner Barbara Marts said they just opened in December 2023. The tasty vanilla cake doughnuts are smaller than the average doughnut but are a deal at three for $5. The combination of a light cake doughnut and a delicately fried outside dusted in flavored sugar is pure doughnut bliss.

The name “Infuzed” comes from the infused sugar that coats the doughnut.

“I researched and tested sugars for months before landing on the Spice and Tea Exchange of Williamsburg,” Marts said. “Their sugars are aromatic, flavorful and pair so well with our doughnuts. I knew I just wanted sugar doughnuts and nothing else.”

Mart rotates the sugars weekly and said mango habanero is her favorite.

I ordered the strawberry, banana and lavender lemon sugar flavors. I liked that each flavor was subtle. My favorite was the lavender lemon. The truck also sells nitrogen infused cold brew, lotus-plant based energy drinks and lemonade.

Follow these tasty creations on Facebook and Instagram to find the weekly schedule and featured flavors.

So, I was dazed and confused because of my sugar high from these doughnut gems. Following doughnut trucks is really cutting into my gym time. I’ll have to add an extra workout, so I can indulge in these confections on a regular basis.

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net

Local businessman Hussain Surani wants to turn the former Farm Fresh location at 2058 S. Independence Blvd. near the Tidewater Community College campus into Safari Fun Park. He hopes to get the green light July 9 from City Council. The Planning Commission voted 11-0 to recommend approval of the project in June.

Surani used to own American Indoor Karting LLC, which was next to Lynnhaven Mall before closing permanently during the pandemic. Since then, Surani opened a trampoline park in North Dakota.

“I really wanted to bring another entertainment concept to Virginia Beach,” he said. “I wanted to offer something for toddlers to age 70. I want to entertain the entire family.”

His plans include a 60,000-square-foot facility with electric go-karts, which he said are less noisy. The fun park will feature a full arcade, laser tag, a ropes course, full restaurant, indoor playground for toddlers and a nonalcoholic drink bar serving coffee and boba tea.

“The entire age factor has been served with Safari Fun Park,” Surani said. “I want a grandpa to take his grandson here.”

Surani said the only opposition he’s heard was from a nearby neighborhood concerned about the late hours. He said the park would close at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. He doesn’t think there will be a late crowd because it would be an alcohol- and tobacco-free facility.

If approved, Surani said he hopes for a December opening.

The two-bladed, G-11 wind turbine with a 40-foot rotor diameter needs a wind speed of 7 mph to continuously spin. The massive sculpture was manufactured by Ryse Energy in the United Kingdom.

The 11 kilowatt energy output is approximately equivalent to providing nine months of electricity in a home, Centura College spokesperson Nicole Gleaton said.

“Centura College’s Norfolk campus has become our hub for green energy job training,” Centura College President and CEO Joel English said.

The school has provided wind turbine technician training at its Norfolk campus since 2020. The curriculum is tailored to prepare technicians for the budding wind energy industry in Hampton Roads.

The school’s labs include smaller wind turbines, outside climbing towers and energy production trainers, which are needed for students to earn their Global Wind Organization certifications. Now, the school has added a functioning wind turbine on the campus to serve as an additional training aid.

The turbine will provide energy for the campus while reducing the carbon footprint of the school, English said.

“We will rely on our students to keep the turbine functioning productively,” he said, “just like we will rely on them to keep the offshore wind turbines producing energy after they graduate.”

The wind turbine technician program is a 48-week course. Areas of study include electrical circuits, alternating current and three-phase systems, circuit breakers, climbing wind towers, wind turbine safety and other fundamentals associated with wind turbines. The program provides students the opportunity to complete maritime, construction, turbine maintenance and CPR/basic life support certifications.

The campus has added a solar technician program as well, the president said. Solar panels will be going up soon as part of the college’s full green energy curriculum.

“We are teaching electricians and renewable energy technicians to be thoughtful, responsible and at the front of the technologies that produce energy in the future of Hampton Roads,” English said.

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net

Rising 125 feet toward the sky, the new Nautilus Observation Tower at Owl Creek Landing will be built on the 38 wooded acres located behind the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and deliver 360-degree panoramic views of Virginia Beach.

The soaring tower will be the first of its kind in the United States. Modeled after similar structures in Europe, the 80-foot diameter steel structure will have a 7-foot wide circular path that leads to the top with education stations located at several points along the ramp. Each station features information about wildlife and native trees. Thrill seekers can descend from the tower on the longest stainless steel slide in the United States.

The tall tower will include the Canopy Walk, a collection of treetop trails suspended 40 feet in the air. On the ground, a half-mile, wooden-decked path will connect four themed tree houses that were constructed in Austria using wood from the Alps. A mile of complimentary walking trails will surround the attraction with seating areas. The tower design is fully ADA-accessible.

Outdoor Venture Group, which also owns the Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium, is privately funding the new attraction. Owner Bahman Azarm said the idea of the tower came from Europe, where there are about 20 similar towers. He said they’re very popular.

Azarm’s design was inspired by the spiral ramp at the Guggenheim Museum.

“I wanted our tower to be fully accessible to anyone at any age,” he said.

He added that the construction of the tower is one of the most interesting aspects of the project. Due to the environmental constraints of the site, the tower has been designed so all the materials can be carried piecemeal across the Owl Creek pedestrian bridge. A special crane was designed and an innovative low impact foundation system was used that mimics the  roots of a tree. The environmentally friendly foundation requires no concrete footings or digging of holes.

Azarm said he’s excited to bring this new outdoor concept to Virginia Beach. It’s been four years in the making. “People ask what do you do at 125 feet,” Azarm said. “It’s all about the views.”

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net