One of the things I have found as a Realtor is we have to sometime convince people that we are human. I was trying to ask a question the other day in my condo community while wearing my real estate name tag and it was tough going. The person kept asking me if my client was a tenant or an owner, and it took me about five minutes to make them understand I was talking about my personal dwelling.
At times I am the bad guy. I am the person that overhears your conversation in a restaurant and walks up to you, I am the solicitor hanging market info on your door, and I am the person who cold calls you when all you want to do is relax. I am a person too though and have been on the other side of the equation.
This post isn't just to explain some of the benefits of living in Northern Virginia but also to remind people reading this that I am still a person. I like the same things as a lot of people and chief among those are baseball, burgers, and beer. Now keep in mind Virginia is the largest state in the country that lacks its own professional team, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of sports close by.
There is the obvious Washington, DC connection and for baseball fans this upcoming season stands to be the most exciting in Washington Nationals history. Now if someone doesn't want to venture into the district to get their baseball fix they can head out and watch the single A franchise the Potomac Nationals play in Prince William County. Depending on where a person recedes in Northern Virginia will decide how much of a possibility that is versus heading into DC to watch the big club.
Now if someone does like to travel around and see some of what is out there in the world there are plenty of other options within a few hours. As soon as 2013 the Loudoun Hounds will be in existence and that will give another baseball option to the western Northern Virginia folks, but for right now there is a bit of driving that might have to happen. It isn't much driving though and will take you to some interesting parts of the country that aren't too far away.
The entire list of the 13 baseball franchises major, minor, and independent within two hours of Northern Virginia are as follows; Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, Richmond Flying Squirrels, Harrisburg Senators, Bowie Bay Sox, Frederick Keys, Potomac Nationals, Wilmington Blue Rocks, Hagerstown Suns, Aberdeen Iron Birds, Lancaster Barnstormers, York Revolution, and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
That is a lot of choice of teams to watch and a lot of different places the Northern Virginian can visit on a day trip, and that isn't even the end of the baseball choice as far as the Northern Virginia region goes. If a person wants to stick closer to home and doesn't want to spend major league prices they can watch the Valley Baseball League or the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League depending on what part of Northern Virginia they are in.
What goes better on a warm summer day while kicking back and watching a ball game than a cold beer and a juicy burger. Northern Virginia has plenty of that to offer as well. For those interested in a place to get a burger and beer and watch a baseball game Northern Virginia has two of the three locations of Dogfish Head Ale House. I have to personally say that Dogfish Head beer is some of the best around, and their burgers aren't too bad either.
For real good burgers a couple Northern Virginia originals should be the destination of choice though. Five Guys Burgers and Fries wasn't always a giant national company. There was a time when they were a small locally owned and operated business. The one thing that hasn't changed about Five Guys is their quality and with even more locations and an ever expanding business gone are the days when one had to drive out to Springfield, Woodbridge, or Alexandria to enjoy one of the best burgers on this planet.
If Five Guys isn't to your taste don't worry there is also Elevation Burger. With less locations they can be harder to find but are well worth the effort. Their burgers are all made from grass fed cattle and they have the advantage of having milkshakes. I have never been able to pick a favorite between the two and simply think of Five Guys and Elevation as a 1 and 1A.
If you aren't like me and the amount of toppings you can get makes the burger for you then I suggest Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington. They have many fine choices and it is hard to beat a burger coated in peppercorns and then topped with blue cheese and bacon. There burgers are also thicker than both Five Guys and Elevation but the quality of the meat is slightly lagging.
To wash down all these delicious burgers you are going to want to have some beer, and while Dogfish Head can be bought at a store it is much better enjoyed straight from the tap. Northern Virginia is a bit lacking when it comes to microbreweries but that doesn't mean there is a lack of good beer in the area. New Belgium Beer out of Fort Collins, CO just moved into the area and I have to say they make a fine tasting brew.
There is of course the Old Dominion Brewing Company that was founded by a person that worked in DC, but like Dogfish Head their headquarters is in Delaware. There are plenty of local brewers in Maryland and Southern Virginia who are more than happy to send their beer our way and we are more than happy to keep drinking it. There is Flying Dog out of Frederick, MD that is easy to find, Heavy Seas out of Baltimore, and Williamsburg AleWerks out of Williamsburg, VA.
There are plenty of places to find all of these beers. Wegmans, Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, and Total Wine are all well stocked with many varieties of beer. And if you are in the sampling mood then I suggest checking out the Northern Virginia Summer Brewfest when it comes around. Virginia is for lovers and it is also for lovers of baseball, burgers, and beer.
As always if anything you saw here today interested you please contact me through www.SuperNoVaRealty.com and we can take a tour to see where you might find a new home near any of these amenities.
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