Our last update in the saga of the Hawaii Superferry wasn’t a positive one. The company had filed for bankruptcy, and the once mighty catamarans were in the process of heading out of Hawaii’s warm water paradise. As of this week, it looks like the ships are planning to call Norfolk, Virginia their home while they await their final fate.

The Alakai, one of two high speed ferries, arrived in Virginia this week. The other is on its way and should arrive before the end of the month. They were in Alabama for a little bit, but the US Maritime Administration feels that a home in Virginia is better for insurance reasons. They were also a little bit worried about hurricane season—good thinking.

At this point, it’s pretty much a guarantee that these vessels will never find their way back to the islands. However, they may have a busy schedule ahead of them. Rumors suggest that the Navy is looking into leasing both of them. For now, if you’re looking for a used high-speed ferry, and have some cash, you could get a hell of a deal on these two.

Related Stories:
· Ferries From Bankrupt Hawaii Company Land in Norfolk [Virginian-Pilot]
· Hawaii Superferry Is Grounded and Lonely [Jaunted]
· Ferry Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: hawaii] ]]> kjb 2009-07-24T09:27:40-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/19/114227/373

Potential First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama visited Paula Deen's studio in Norfolk, Virginia this week to tape an appearance on the Southern cooking show. Deen is originally from Savannah, but Virginia is still very much a swing state, which makes it already one of the most traveled states by both campaigns.

If you're in town on (political?) business, do a little grassroots outreach at one of our hot spots:]]> egw 2008-09-19T13:30:30-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/17/17233/6223

Michelle Obama has been noticeably missing from the headlines over the past few weeks while her hubby deals with the rise of that other lady.

But at least part of Michelle's absence can be attributed to a secret meeting with one of the country's prominent, er, tastemakers.]]> BS 2008-09-18T10:00:30-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/3/26/85856/0725
It was damn hot in the Virginia Beach area this Friday. While the roast-a-thon was short lived, it's never too early to start building your directory of local indoor activities (so long as they don't include the Tropicana Resort, that is). Music fans, sun haters, and FlyerTalk types alike should look no further than Relative Theory Records, a Norfolk store you could pretty much live in. Those who get the shakes when not actively engaged in some sort of loyalty program will be happy about the Relative Theory card: $10 gets you the opportunity to accrue store credit (5% of every purchase you make) AND demand a free small coffee every time you enter the shop.

Speaking of the coffee, this place doesn't just shill records, though that's its primary purpose. There's a cafe in the corner, and WiFi to boot, though the seating is extremely limited--most counter spots are set up with turntables and intended for customers previewing records. The vibe and impression one gets of the store's taste leans towards the McIndie, but the selection is pretty damn good. The vinyl and used CD sections are well stocked, and staff recommendations abound, as partly evidenced by the input scrawled on the above vinyl divider. Elsewhere, stickers on merchandise proclaim "Your new boner!" and "That guy from the Kinks!", etc. Indeed, the clerks are not yet jaded, and whoever's in charge is clearly still in their "Holy crap! I own a record store!" phase. Let's hope the feeling last, because this is actually a very, very fun place to hang out.

Relative Theory also holds shows at night, and shoppers are welcome to come in and browse as usual while bands are playing. Don't trust the opening hours on the Relative Theory website, though. The place is open from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday-Saturday, and 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. on Sundays.

Related Stories:
· Relative Theory Records [Official Site]
· The Boot [Official Site]]]> djk 2007-03-26T13:39:20-05:00 36.849591 -76.290680 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/