101 Reasons to Love Living in The Historic Triangle A Local’s Guide to Exploring Williamsburg, Yorktown, and the Virginia Peninsula __________ Liz Moore 101 REASONS TO LOVE LIVING IN THE HISTORIC TRIANGLE Copyright © 2012 by Liz Moore All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author. Printed in USA Dedication This book is dedicated to Roger and Grayson, for being my favorite reasons to love living here. And, also to the amazing team at Liz Moore & Associates, for sharing my commitment to be enthusiastic disciples for this very special region we call home! Introduction As you might imagine, I am an enthusiastic advocate of living in Williamsburg and its surrounding communities. We have the best of all worlds: Four distinct seasons with just enough snow in the winter to have fun; long, lazy summers, and SPECTACULAR springs and falls. We have great schools, plenty of culture within a day’s drive, and are convenient to just about everything…the beach, the mountains, Washington D.C, and much more. Years ago, as a history major at the University of California at Berkeley, it was an essential part of my education to “experience” life in the Historic Triangle. I was fortunate to be selected for a study program that brought me to William & Mary for a semester. That was my first introduction to the East Coast, to Virginia, and to Williamsburg. I lived in a motel with several dozen college students, and we walked through the historic area of Colonial Williamsburg to classes. What an incredible way to learn about American history! Weekend pilgrimages to Philadelphia and Washington DC were led by our Professor, Dr. Edwin Gaustad, who was a renowned thought leader on religion in Colonial America. I fell in love with Williamsburg, and I fell in love with Roger. We met at a now defunct local bar called Adam’s (that was back in the days of happy hours, where a struggling college student could feast on a buffet for the price of a beer). I returned to Berkeley to finish my degree after my semester at William & Mary was complete, and we dated long distance for 2 years. I visited in the summers, working at the Scotland House on Merchant’s Square by day, and exploring the area with Roger on the weekends. We married just a few weeks after my graduation, and I enthusiastically moved to Williamsburg. The area has changed a lot in the 30 years I’ve been here. I miss taking Grayson to see Santa at Casey’s department store, and getting a limeade at the lunch counter in the back of the Williamsburg Drug Store, but it is still without a doubt the greatest place to live, play, and work. And, mixed with the “new urbanism” that has grown up all around us over the past 20 years (New Town and High Street in Williamsburg, Port Warwick and City Center in Newport News, Peninsula Towne Center in Hampton), every one of our towns still draws a crowd for the Christmas Parade. After earning my degree from UC Berkeley in American History, I had hoped for a public relations position with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Unfortunately, the folks at CW were skeptical of a 21 year old from Berkeley without a PhD, and so that sent me to the “classifieds” section of the Daily Press looking for a desperately needed job. A “career night” ad for real estate sales caught my eye, and shortly thereafter I joined Atlantic Homes Realty as a sales associate, and spent the summer studying for my real estate exam. I loved my new job, but success was slow to come for me – I worked for 6 months before selling my first house. Interest rates were 14% in those days, and times were tough in the real estate business. As a “come here” who didn’t really know anybody (no “sphere of influence” as we call it in the business), and with no sales experience, I definitely had my work cut out for me to make a go of it. But, I was determined, and I had a great sales manager who saw my potential and was willing to patiently coach me in those early years. Roger and I bought our first place – a townhome in Newport News – the following year, and moved about 15 miles east of Williamsburg. We traded up in 1987 to a single family home in Yorktown, where we lived for 8 years, and where our son, Grayson, was born in 1992. We loved living in Yorktown, and it holds many special memories for us. But, we always shared a longing to move back to Williamsburg. We built our home in Holly Hills in the summer of 1995, and have lived here happily ever after. We love living in the City, within walking distance of the College of William & Mary and Colonial Williamsburg. Taxes are low, we’re centrally located between Richmond and the Peninsula (as well as just a 2 hour drive to the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the summer), and Holly Hills is a small, close knit community of neighbors, many of whom have been here almost as long as we have. When I opened my own real estate brokerage in 2003, it was very important to me that our role as agents be about considerably more than helping people buy and sell houses. One of my agents uses a tagline, “selling homes, not houses, and understanding the difference”…that pretty much sums up what we’re all about. Our mission from the beginning at Liz Moore & Associates has been to deliver an exceptional client experience. We recognize that for our buyer clients, that goes far beyond helping them find the perfect house. It’s about helping them decide on a community, and then a neighborhood, that matches the lifestyle they’re looking for. It means being a resource, whether someone is relocating with their job or seeking the best place to retire. Then, after they move in, being a resource for the best handymen, painters, and plumbers! Everyone’s needs and wants are different, which means there is not a “one size fits all” approach to real estate. Our job is to understand what’s important to our clients, and to make that our mission in finding their dream home. One of the perks of being a REALTOR is that over the years, we are able to build an incredible repertoire of shared experiences about the communities in which we live. The hard part of writing this book was to narrow it down to 101 reasons to love living here. It would be impossible to include everything, and so I tried to stick to my favorite things. If I’ve missed something, please don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected], and we’ll consider adding it to the next edition. Thank you for choosing this book, and entrusting me to be your guide through the myriad of wonderful things to do here. Now, grab a highlighter, and pick out some fun things to do this weekend! Williamsburg 1. The Williamsburg Farmer’s Market On Saturday mornings from March through October, you’ll find a bounty of fresh vegetables, berries and peaches, fresh fish, beautiful flowers and special vendors at Merchant’s Square. Locals love to parade their dogs, wander, and chat. Quite often local top chefs will offer cooking demonstrations. The market has been part of our Saturday morning routine for years, and is not only about the goods, but the experience and socializing. Roger loves to hunt the best tomatoes as soon as the bell rings at 8, while I line up for butter peas and corn at the College Farms stand. In the winter, markets feature holiday greenery and centerpieces, as well as some unique gifts. http://www.williamsburgfarmersmarket.com 2. Fife and Drums It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, it’s still a thrill. Like the Pied Piper, the Fife and Drums Corps is able to quickly amass a following wherever they play. Whether it’s in a parade or just an afternoon march, the experience will magically transport you back to the 18th century. With the popular, authentic instruments, and amazing history-true costumes, these fellows really put an effort 1 into giving you a taste of history. The Fifers and Drummers appear in over 700 performances each year. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is rightly proud of every one of these truly amazing young Americans, both in the brave past and honorable present. http://www.history.org/history/fife&drum 3. Busch Gardens Having Busch Gardens in our backyard, with over 50 rides, roller coasters, and attractions, is a kid’s dream come true (that includes Big Kids, too!). Listed as the “most beautiful theme park in the world” for 22 years running by the National Amusement Park Historical Association (beating out Walt Disney World, I might add), many locals have season passes (which can be upgraded to include Water Country as well), and enjoy the live shows and concerts all summer long in addition to the amusement park. Our family finds the off season events the best: Howl-o-Scream in the fall, and especially Christmas Town during the holidays. http://seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-williamsburg 4. Bruton Parish Church Regardless of your faith, how cool is it to sit in the same pew where Thomas Jefferson or George Washington worshipped? The first Anglican church in the country dating to 1660, Bruton Parish remains a dynamic and active parish today.