Why I started The Capital Companion

I started The Capital Companion because I’ve spent my life moving through different parts of the DMV. From Virginia to Maryland, each community has its own character, history, and stories worth telling. I wanted to create a publication that explores the places, neighborhoods, businesses, and experiences that make this region feel like home.

While there are plenty of resources that tell you where to eat, what to do, or where to move, I wanted to create something more personal. A publication that explores the DMV through the eyes of someone who has lived throughout the region and continues to discover new things about it every day.

To understand why this project matters to me, it helps to start where my story began.

Growing Up In Manassas

My journey started in a small town by the name of Manassas, Virginia. A town located roughly 39 miles from the White House. On a quiet Sunday morning, you can make the drive to Washington, D.C. in under an hour. During rush hour, however, that’s a completely different story.

Growing up in a town that is only ten square miles was comforting, but at the same time, limiting. I moved to Manassas during the second grade and made my way through the entire school system, eventually graduating with the Class of 2013. It was the kind of place where everything felt familiar. You knew the roads, the neighborhoods, and the local landmarks. There was comfort in that consistency, but as I got older, I started craving something more.

Some of my favorite memories were made right here in town. The annual Christmas Parade was always a highlight, and no childhood in Manassas feels complete without a stop at Kline’s Ice Cream. Later, when Kline’s was sold, Nathan’s Dairy Bar became part of that tradition. These places weren’t just businesses; they were small pieces of the community that helped shape what growing up here felt like.

After high school, I enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College while working my first jobs. For the first time, the world started to feel bigger than the city limits I had always known. The restlessness I had felt before graduation began to grow stronger. I loved my hometown, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to discover beyond it.

As much as I appreciated the familiarity of small-town life, I was ready to explore what existed outside of it. The DMV felt enormous compared to my ten square miles, and I couldn’t help wondering what I had been missing all those years.

Discovering the DMV Beyond My Hometown

Although I had fond memories of the annual Christmas Parade, trips to Kline’s Ice Cream, and later Nathan’s Dairy Bar when Kline’s was sold, I was ready for something different. Those small-town staples that I once loved were starting to feel repetitive, and I was looking for more excitement.

After long days of working and studying, one night my friends and I decided it would be a great idea to drive into Washington, D.C. for a night out on the town. Looking back now in my thirties, driving forty-five minutes just to go to a club sounds absolutely insane, but I’m grateful for the memories.

After making those weekly trips, the idea of commuting a little farther for a better opportunity didn’t seem so bad anymore. I was already doing it for free just to have fun, so why not do it to make more money?

As I moved through different jobs over the years, I found myself spending more time outside of Manassas. Some opportunities took me to Tysons, others took me to Alexandria, and each new experience introduced me to another part of the region. What started as a desire to leave my hometown slowly turned into an appreciation for the DMV as a whole.

One of the things I fell in love with most was the diversity. Growing up in Manassas exposed me to different cultures, but exploring the wider region opened my eyes even more. It seemed like every job, every commute, and every new destination introduced me to people from different backgrounds and walks of life.

The more I explored, the more I realized that every community had its own personality. Some places felt fast-paced and energetic. Others felt quiet and familiar. Each one offered something different, and I found myself wanting to learn more about all of them.

Finding Home in Different Communities

As my career continued to evolve, so did my relationship with the DMV. I wasn’t just commuting through different communities anymore. I was living in them.

During my time as a listing coordinator, I purchased my first home in Maryland. Baltimore City, to be exact. ZIP code 21217 became my new home away from home. I purchased a three-level townhome in the city, and I was incredibly proud because that home represented years of hard work, consistency, and sacrifice.

One of my favorite parts about living there was my neighbors. They looked out for me, checked in on me, and made me feel welcome. Baltimore challenged some of the assumptions I had growing up and gave me a deeper appreciation for the people and communities that make a place feel like home.

Baltimore was my home from 2019 until 2021. It wasn’t a long chapter, but it was certainly a memorable one.

When I became pregnant with my daughter, I decided I wanted to be closer to family. Although I was leaving Baltimore, I wasn’t ready to leave Maryland. I had grown to love the state and wanted to stay nearby.

That decision led me to Prince George’s County. My new home was in New Carrollton, just outside the Washington, D.C. border. It felt like the perfect combination. I had easy access to the city, a shorter drive back to Manassas, and countless opportunities to explore everything the area had to offer.

After a fire in the building next to mine prompted an earlier-than-expected move, I found myself settling into Montgomery County, specifically the Wheaton area. In many ways, Wheaton reminded me of parts of my upbringing in Virginia. It felt familiar while still offering something different.

Although that chapter ended up being shorter than expected, it gave me another perspective on life in the DMV. By that point, I had lived in Northern Virginia, Baltimore City, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County. Each place had its own personality, its own rhythm, and its own stories waiting to be discovered.

The more places I called home, the more I realized that no two communities are exactly alike. That’s part of what makes this region so fascinating. You can drive twenty minutes in one direction and feel like you’ve entered a completely different world.

Coming Home With New Eyes

Fast forward to the present, and I found myself back in Virginia.

Originally, coming home was meant to be a chance to reset and rebuild my life. What I didn’t expect was how much my perspective would change in the process.

After spending years living throughout different parts of Virginia and Maryland, I returned to the place where my journey started. The streets were familiar. The landmarks were familiar. Even some of the routines were familiar. But something felt different.

The difference was me.

This time around, I have a different set of eyes. Adult eyes. Mother’s eyes. Eyes that allow me to see beauty in simplicity.

Sometimes we lose sight of the beauty that surrounds us because we are always surrounded by it. What once felt ordinary now feels meaningful. Places I couldn’t wait to leave behind have become places I genuinely appreciate. The coffee shops, the parks, the local businesses, the neighborhoods, and even the familiar roads all tell a story that I wasn’t paying attention to before.

Growing up, I was always focused on what was next. What was outside of Manassas? What existed beyond the city limits? Now, after spending years exploring different communities throughout the DMV, I’ve come to appreciate the value of what’s been here all along.

Returning home reminded me that you don’t always have to travel far to discover something worth experiencing. Sometimes the places we overlook the most are the ones that have been quietly shaping us all along.

That realization became the foundation for what would eventually become The Capital Companion.

What You Can Expect From The Capital Companion

With me now considering a return to my real estate roots, I wanted to create a publication that showcases this incredible region through my own lens.

Throughout my career, my travels, and my everyday life, I’ve had the opportunity to experience different corners of Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. What I’ve learned is that there is always something new to discover, whether it’s a neighborhood you’ve never explored, a local business tucked away on a side street, a piece of history hiding in plain sight, or a community that deserves more attention than it receives.

My intention is to capture this region through the lens of both a native and an explorer.

Washington, D.C., has always had a special pull on me. Part of that connection comes from family roots, with my paternal grandmother having lived in the city. Another part is harder to explain. No matter where I’ve lived throughout the DMV, I’ve always found myself drawn back toward the nation’s capital.

As I continue building my life, one of my long-term goals is to eventually call Washington, D.C., home. In many ways, this publication will document that journey as well. While The Capital Companion will explore communities throughout Virginia, Maryland, and D.C., the city itself remains the central point that connects the entire region.

I think that’s part of what makes the DMV so fascinating. Each community has its own identity, but they are all connected by the gravitational pull of Washington. Whether you’re forty miles away in Manassas or just outside the city limits in Maryland, the capital influences the culture, opportunities, and stories that shape the region.

The journey begins with my home state of Virginia, but it won’t stop there. As The Capital Companion grows, I’ll continue exploring Washington, D.C., Maryland, and the communities in between. Some places will be well-known. Others will be places that rarely make the spotlight but deserve to be discovered.

You can expect neighborhood highlights, moving resources, local business features, hidden gems, day trips, community stories, and plenty of opportunities to experience the DMV in a new way.

My goal is simple: to help readers leave with more than they came with.

Whether you’re a lifelong resident, someone considering a move, or simply looking for your next local adventure, I hope The Capital Companion becomes something you can keep in your back pocket whenever you’re searching for a little bit of that magic.

Thank you for supporting this project, and I hope to see you along the way.