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No you can not buy beer,or wine in 7-11 or any where else that is not a liquor store or bar.
Buying beer in gas stations seems to be mostly a city/county thing. Here in Frederick and Brunswick, we can buy beer at gas stations, though most gas stations don't get licenses to sell. Usually Sheetz does carry beer. At least it does in Brunswick and Frederick stores. Very cheap, too.
Maryland also has liquor stores and not ABC stores (Virginia has ABC).
Buying beer in gas stations seems to be mostly a city/county thing. Here in Frederick and Brunswick, we can buy beer at gas stations, though most gas stations don't get licenses to sell. Usually Sheetz does carry beer. At least it does in Brunswick and Frederick stores. Very cheap, too.
Maryland also has liquor stores and not ABC stores (Virginia has ABC).
Sorry, I think I stated ABC. It is actually the Department of Liquor Control in Montgomery County. I also lived in Virginia and ABC popped in my head when I thought of government run stores.
I've lived in Rockville, MD, Arlington, VA, and now live in McLean, VA. Although in most things, the two states' suburbs are pretty similar, there are a number of reasons I prefer living in VA:
Lower crime rates: unless you're living in Potomac or Bethesda MD, there is quite a bit of crime in the rest of MD (especially PG county) and the northern parts of DC closer to MD. I can't remember the last time I heard of a murder or robbery anywhere in NoVa, but there were probably about 5 in MD last night!
Faster commute to DC/Traffic: at least in the places I've lived, getting to most offices, the historical landmarks, and nightly venues is much easier from the VA side despite the problems with the bridges. True getting into DC might be quicker from MD, but only to the parts no one really wants to go to. True, parts of VA i.e. Tyson's Corner may have worse traffic than parts of MD, I would consider both of them pretty equal and not very good. Also, your husband is EXACTLY correct. Drivers in MD are absolutely HORRIBLE and dangerous.
Better schools: Maryland's public schools in some spots are good, but almost all schools public and private are much better in VA (this is coming from someone who attended school in both states). By the way TJ is now the best public high school in the country. Also the state colleges in VA (UVa and VTech) are much better than in MD.
Not Southern at all: I am someone who personally loves the south, and as someone said eariler, parts of MD are more "southern" than Arlington and Alexandria. In Arlington at least there are about 4 Democrats for 1 Republican. If you're worried about politics and don't want to live in a Republican state, don't worry, the NoVA area, which is so much bigger than any other part of VA, is turning the state blue (unfortunately for me)!
Friendlier People: I can remember one time when I went to the grocery store in MD, I was disgusted with how some people talked and acted. They were crass, disrespectful, and ignorant.
Access to airports and transportation: I would consider access to the Metro much easier in VA and find the Orange line to be the least crowded of all. Also, Washington Dulles and Reagan National airports are both located in VA. Marylanders often complain about having to travel a great distance to either Dulles or the extremely crowded, poorly-run, and dirty Baltimore airport.
I don't think any are rednecky...sadly that culture has been overtaken by cookie cutters.
My question is...once you leave the BAL/WAS area...and get into rural MD be W by the mountains or east by the bay...how does that compare to areas that are rural VA?
I agree wholeheartedly. I think that in order to live in MD and even come close to comparing to any of Fairfax County, you would have to live in Bethesda or Chevy Chase and spend lots of dough. Of course Fairfax County is not cheap, but there are the areas of town like Mclean/Great Falls that can be ultra pricey and parts of Fairfax and Chantilly that are a little more reasonable, but still with great schools and LITTLE crime! I don't think either state can drive for crap though! I am from ATL and everyone hauls it there, and traffic is awful there but it is not b/c of bad drivers, just lots of people!
Overall, VA seems to be the best. BTW, I have noticed that NOVA has no billboards and I think that really adds beauty to the area, you do not realize how tacky it can be to have them until you move some place that does not. Lastly, shopping is Fab in NOVA. Most towns have really cute downtown areas and pretty nice malls, i.e. Tysons 1 and 2, Dulles Town Center, Fair Oaks Mall, Reston Town Center, Fairfax Corner. Springfield is the only eyesore in the whole NOVA bunch!
I moved to the area from Phila. for a DC-based job 14 years ago. I picked MD because:
1 - I go home to PA 6-8 times a year and knew -- plain and simple -- it's just a MUCH easier, and much shorter trip from this side of DC.
2 - VA just seemed 'too southern' not that I thought it was red-neck exactly, just why go farther south if I don't have to.
3 - I picked my apartment complex in Silver Spring montgomery county based on an easy - and SHORT - commute to downtown DC. Seven miles. And never regretted a minute of it.
4- Bought a house in Bowie, Prince George's County and love it. Again never regretted it. I lengthened my commute by 15 mins. But the house -- and caliber of neighbors -- I got for the money are worth it.
5 - The commute in from the VA side to DC is just plain he11ish. Co-workers who come in along Rte. 66 are cursing every day. I think the commute from the MD side - no matter how, when and where you come -- is easier than from VA.
I agree wholeheartedly. I think that in order to live in MD and even come close to comparing to any of Fairfax County, you would have to live in Bethesda or Chevy Chase and spend lots of dough.
I like NoVA to but the above is very inaccurate. Sounds to me like you do not know much about MD.
I've lived in Rockville, MD, Arlington, VA, and now live in McLean, VA. Although in most things, the two states' suburbs are pretty similar, there are a number of reasons I prefer living in VA:
Lower crime rates: unless you're living in Potomac or Bethesda MD, there is quite a bit of crime in the rest of MD (especially PG county) and the northern parts of DC closer to MD. I can't remember the last time I heard of a murder or robbery anywhere in NoVa, but there were probably about 5 in MD last night!
Why are people so misinformed about crime in MD? The majority of crime in MD is localized to East/West Baltimore and a small section of Prince George's County near the SE DC border. You are just flat out wrong about the "Northern parts of DC" located near the Maryland border. There's probably never, ever been a murder in Chevy Chase. Practically everywhere else in the state has acceptable to excellent crime rates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonS626
Faster commute to DC/Traffic: at least in the places I've lived, getting to most offices, the historical landmarks, and nightly venues is much easier from the VA side despite the problems with the bridges. True getting into DC might be quicker from MD, but only to the parts no one really wants to go to. True, parts of VA i.e. Tyson's Corner may have worse traffic than parts of MD, I would consider both of them pretty equal and not very good. Drivers in MD are absolutely HORRIBLE and dangerous.
I guess no one wants to go to 90% of DC then huh? The only nice part of DC that isn't directly accessible from MD is the SW Waterfront. Northern Virginia traffic is 5x worse than MD traffic (it's a well-known fact). I-66 and I-95 are worse, by far, than any road in Maryland at rush hour.
Drivers in Maryland are aggressive, but that's true for any urban/suburban state, especially in the Northeast. I gurantee you that New York and North Jersey drivers are worse. Also, to me drivers in Virginia are "horrible," because they drive so slow, and do it in the far left lane.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonS626
Better schools: Maryland's public schools in some spots are good, but almost all schools public and private are much better in VA (this is coming from someone who attended school in both states). By the way TJ is now the best public high school in the country. Also the state colleges in VA (UVa and VTech) are much better than in MD.
No offense, but again you seem to be getting a lot of misinformation. Maryland has the best public schools in the country according to two different education journals. Not only that, but many of the schools in the DC Area are ranked in Newsweek's Challenge Index (more than NoVa IIRC). Howard and Montgomery County have two of the top educational systems in the country. PG County also has a few top schools (Flowers, Eleanor Roosevelt).
Virginia's college are definitely not "much better" than those in Maryland. UVA is better (in purely objective terms) than UMD, but VT probably only bests UMD in football. Towson and UMBC are also great schools on the same level as GMU. In terms of private schools, Maryland blows Virginia out of the water. The jugernaut that is Johns Hopkins (one of the top 5 schools in the country) is better than any school in VA, and other schools such as Loyola are also at the top in their categories.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonS626
Not Southern at all: I am someone who personally loves the south, and as someone said eariler, parts of MD are more "southern" than Arlington and Alexandria. In Arlington at least there are about 4 Democrats for 1 Republican. If you're worried about politics and don't want to live in a Republican state, don't worry, the NoVA area, which is so much bigger than any other part of VA, is turning the state blue (unfortunately for me)!
I partially agree with you on this one, but Arlington (which is probably the one place in NoVa I would consider living) and Alexandria don't make up the entire state. Maryland is a solidly blue state in just about every measure (state legislature, congressional delegation, presidential voting record, governor, etc.). Virginia is still Red (the last presidential election notwithstanding, despite the transplants so you can still be happy. Even Northern Virginia was won by Mcdonnell in the last gubernatorial election; Arlington/Alexandria voted Democrat (Fairfax was split).
Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonS626
Friendlier People: I can remember one time when I went to the grocery store in MD, I was disgusted with how some people talked and acted. They were crass, disrespectful, and ignorant.
yeah, yeah, yeah....this is subjective, but I won't disagree.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonS626
Access to airports and transportation: I would consider access to the Metro much easier in VA and find the Orange line to be the least crowded of all. Also, Washington Dulles and Reagan National airports are both located in VA. Marylanders often complain about having to travel a great distance to either Dulles or the extremely crowded, poorly-run, and dirty Baltimore airport.
The Orange Line not crowded? Have you actually ridden in it rush hour? Access to Metro much easier in Virginia? lol You're not serious right? Metro is underused in Virginia with a much lower ridership than in MD or DC, and there are major areas not served with any kind of transit.
Your last sentence is blatantly wrong. DC and it's MD suburbs are almost perfectly equidistant between Dulles and BWI, and BWI is far better run, far more attractive, far cleaner, and far more hassle-free than Dulles Airport. It's very obvious you've never actually been there. The only way Dulles is better than BWI is the much greater number of international flights (which admittedly is a huge plus). Other than that BWI trumps Dulles in nearly all categories (much shorter security lines, no waiting for shuttles to go to the terminal, more domestic destinations and more flights to those destinations).
I prefer Maryland and DC over Northern Virginia, and I don't have a problem with those who don't, but it's slightly annoying (for this or any other topic) when people have invalid reasons for their preferences and rely on assumptions, hearsay, or stereotypes to draw conclusions.
Overall, VA seems to be the best. BTW, I have noticed that NOVA has no billboards and I think that really adds beauty to the area, you do not realize how tacky it can be to have them until you move some place that does not. Lastly, shopping is Fab in NOVA. Most towns have really cute downtown areas and pretty nice malls, i.e. Tysons 1 and 2, Dulles Town Center, Fair Oaks Mall, Reston Town Center, Fairfax Corner. Springfield is the only eyesore in the whole NOVA bunch!
There aren't any billboards in Montgomery County or Prince George's County either. Also, I don't think a single one of those centers you mentioned has a nearby Metro station. Outside of Arlington/Alexandria, Virginia is sorely lacking in transit oriented development.
I'm pretty sure that someone with one post (from March 2008, no less) isn't going to come back from the City-Data dead and debate MD vs. VA for the umpteenth time.
How do all these threads get resurrected, anyhow?
Edited to add: That said, I think UVA and William & Mary are consistently higher ranked than UMD by far, and Hopkins is neither #5 nor a reflection of Maryland higher education (which isn't bad, but just like MD outperforms VA in areas like access to health care, VA outperforms MD in others, like higher ed).
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