I always think it's funny when people refer to my area as "the south." I suppose if you're from NYC, my area will seem a little slower (everywhere seems slower relative to NYC), but I'd like to think of northern Virginia as a state unto its self. It's like if I drive in any in-state direction for about 90 minutes, I'm in the south. Not deep south, but still the south. It makes sense, though, since this is a metropolitan area where most people seem to live outside the city.

I spent 4 years in Williamsburg, VA, and that was sufficiently southern for me (and I realize that's not very southern). I like my in-between area