Good Morning, everybody!  I hope that you’re sleeping in today, and enjoying some quality time with your family and friends this holiday weekend!

 I had a wonderful experience last week that I wanted to share.  On Thursday, I attended a free concert at the newly renovated amphitheatre at William & Mary.  The Virginia Symphony played for 2 hours, including medleys of Beatles and Billy Joel tunes, a tribute to Ray Charles, and lots of Big Band and Patriotic music (including a tribute to our Armed Forces where they invited veterans of each branch to stand and be recognized as they played their song).  It was a fabulous venue, overlooking Lake Matoaka, and under the stars…in the 70’s, with – miraculously – no mosquitoes.  Many people picnic’d, or they sold wine, beer, and bottled water to benefit the symphony.  We took Grayson and my parents, and it was a remarkably enjoyable evening.

 My parents marveled at the fact that in a small community like Williamsburg, you could attend the symphony (for free!) in an unparalleled setting…with no traffic, no parking issues, etc.  I’ve been thinking a lot about that.  We are *so* blessed to live in such a wonderful place – with so many different things to do.

 When was the last time you were a “tourist in your own town?”  Go to the resources section of the Liz Moore intranet, and pull up one of our “51 Reasons to Love Living in…” series, and pick out something you’ve never done before (there are over 300 choices…I’ve attached just a few!).  Maybe an air show at Langley, or a Ghost Walk in Williamsburg, a trip to Jamestown or to a tavern in Gloucester.  Ride the new Williamsburg Trolley to the Farmers’  Market, or attend a living history event at Lee Hall.  Take a drive down the Colonial Parkway, and enjoy a crab cake sandwich at the Yorktown Pub. Enjoy the experience with your family or friends.

 And then share your experiences, first hand, with prospective buyers.  Our role as REALTOR is not only to help people buy homes, but to connect them to their new communities.  Enthusiasm about living here is contagious, and it can be the factor that causes a prospective buyer to choose you over another agent.

 Have a great week!  Liz (ps, thank you, John, for blogging about the Symphony concert…that’s how I discovered it!)