By Ryan Miller
Academics in a Box
Kids dig Groovy Lab in a Box, subscription-service STEM kits from Chesapeake-based Academics in a Box. Groovy Lab encourages children to think outside of the box with their lesson plans designed by educators, which include materials for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experiments for ages 8 and up. These excellent exercises ensure students think critically and creatively to solve problems while they apply their education and keep them curious to learn more. Groovy Lab in a Box can be delivered to your doorstep for a one-time interactive activity or for a fun recurring project each month.
Academics in a Box is located at 1508 Sams Circle, Suite 102–536, Chesapeake. 888-938-3848. GroovyLabInABox.com
Barrel-Art
Craft beer, cocktails and wine go hand-in-hand with handcrafted tasting flights, French-imported riddling racks and wooden bottle displays from Barrel-Art. The family-owned woodworking workshop and retail showroom in Hampton, with an online shop, repurposes European wine barrels, redesigning their hoops and staves in new ways for their creations. You’ll find everything from barreled bars, benches, stools, lazy Susans and firepits to bottle displays, pens, wall art and Adirondack chairs. Refined and refurbished, Barrel-Art creations can be custom-designed and are commercially available, as they supply local eateries and breweries as well as restaurant chains across the nation.
Barrel-Art is located at 332 Rip Rap Road, Hampton. 757-639-5771. Barrel-Art.com
O My! Goat Milk Bath and Body
One could contend that O My! Goat Milk Bath and Body products are the GOAT (greatest of all in time) for their fine line of goat milk soaps, balms, beard care, lotions and foaming hand wash. As a bath and body brand of Omniio, a manufacturer in Virginia Beach, O My! products are all natural, high quality and devoid of palm oil, parabens and similar dubious ingredients. They make use of a homegrown recipe from their family-run goat farm in Knott’s Island, N.C., where their tribe of goats Opie, Olive, Domino, Olivia and Matilda make creamy, fresh milk that is beneficial for skincare. Available in over 1,500 retail locations throughout the U.S. and Canada and online, with their soaps you’ll stay clean with a shine and exclaim O My!
O My! Goat Milk Bath and Body is located at 2744 Sonic Drive, Suite 101, Virginia Beach. 877-842-5478. OMyBathAndBody.com
