Community Notebook: Restaurants Join Healthy Habits Cause, Cherokee Delegation Visits

By Amber Lester Kennedy Saturday, June 04, 2011

Restaurants in the Triangle are working to add healthy items to menus and adapt portion sizes. In Williamsburg, a group of Cherokee will reenact an 18th century visit to the capitol city. An award competition honors resilient businesses, and the Chamber is hosting a trip to Ireland. Read on for details of community happenings.

LHT Aims to Add Healthy Options

The 2011 Leadership Historic Triangle Class (LHT) has partnered with local restaurants to create a guide to healthy menu items.

The Healthy Habits Restaurant Program assists restaurants in identifying healthy menu items and portion sizes. Restaurants meeting criteria developed by a registered dietician are now recognized as “Historic Triangle Healthy Habits Participating” restaurants. The criteria include offering items lower in carbohydrates, fats and salt, and higher in fiber; alternative side dishes, such as steamed or raw vegetables and fresh fruit; reduced portions; and a children’s menu with healthy options. The dietician will also work with restaurants looking for guidance on including healthier items on their menus. Participating restaurants received a window decal, are featured on various websites and received printed materials to inform customers. There is no cost to participate.

Participating restaurants include: Applebee’s; Berret’s Seafood Restaurant & Taphouse Grill; Carrot Tree Kitchens Williamsburg; Carrot Tree Kitchens Yorktown; Dudley’s Farmhouse Grille; Food for Thought; Francesco’s; Great Wolf Lodge: Loose Moose Grill; Green Leafe New Town; Green Leafe Williamsburg; Green Mountain Coffee Cafe; Kingsmill Resort: Eagles; Kingsmill Resort: Marina Bar & Grille; Kingsmill Resort: Regattas Cafe; Qdoba; Riverwalk Restaurant/High Tide Bar and Grill; Sal’s by Victor; Second Street; Wasabi; Williamsburg Inn Regency Room; Williamsburg Lodge Restaurant.

To learn more about the program, click here.

Cherokee Delegation Visit to be Reenacted This Weekend

Visitors to Colonial Williamsburg will have a chance to witness a recreated state visit by a delegation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee on Saturday and Sunday.

The program will show how temporary camps were set up to house parties of Indians on the grounds of the Magazine. Guests can visit the camps at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday as part of their Historic Area admission passes.

On Sunday, the Warriors of Ani Kituwha will recreate traditional dances that were seen in Williamsburg in 1777 at 11 a.m. behind the Courthouse. No admission ticket will be required.

Businesses Can Enter Award Competition

Williamsburg businesses qualify to enter the Tayloe Murphy Center Resilience Awards Competition sponsored by the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

The statewide competition targets strong, resilient businesses located in communities facing tough economic conditions. The competition seeks to salute and support winning businesses with statewide publicity; introductions to lenders, investors and others in Virginia’s business community; and immersion in a free week-long Darden School of Business Executive Education program.

Applications for the 2011 competition will be accepted until June 30, and winners will be announced on Sept. 7. To enter or to nominate a business, click here.

Tourism Alliance Offers Tour of Ireland

The Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance is offering a tour of Ireland from Nov. 3-10.

The trip costs $2,429 for double; $2,729 for single; or $2,409 for triple, with reservations made on a first come, first serve basis. Final payment is due by Sept. 4. The price includes round-trip air fair from Richmond International Airport, Hotel transfers, air taxes and fees/surcharges of $230. It does not include a cancellation waiver and insurance of $175.

To learn more about the trip, attend a presentation from LaDonna Allen of Warwick Travel at 6 p.m. on June 13 in the Chamber Conference Room. RSVP to l_allen@warwicktravel.com if you plan to attend the meeting.