When Dr. Rina Bansal, President of Inova Alexandria Hospital and SVP of Inova Health Systems, joins us, she’s a vision in blue. She exudes confidence and rocks thick, high heels with ease – but I do notice the comfy pair of Rothy’s loafers nearby. “Burnout in healthcare is a huge problem,” she shares. “We want our people working in an environment focused on their wellbeing, as well as the patients.”

How much time, energy, and money are you willing or able to invest in expressing yourself through your hair—whether that’s color, cuts, or styling? For clients returning to office life or needing more streamlined appointments, we now have options like 10-minute permanent color processing to cover silver strands. You can have your hair cut and colored in about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Did you even know that was possible?

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been on a tariff international press tour. Toys have been the biggest topic, but I get to speak about how it affects all our local businesses. I have been interviewed twice and those stories appeared on ABC World News and Good Morning America and NBC Washington and NBC Nightly News. This is clearly a complicated global issue that is getting a lot of attention. I want to bring it to the local level and give it a bit of context.

What’s that old axiom – if you want something done, do it yourself? The retailers in Old Town started Plaid Friday, The Alexandria Sidewalk Sale, The Alexandria Warehouse Sale and Alexandria Stylebook, and now we are adding a new spring event to the mix: The Old Town Spring Fling. There are 30 stores that are participating and each one has a special event or trunk show they’re hosting.

This basement renovation is part of a full-home project with a dynamic family that lives, hosts, and celebrates with intention. Their home is a revolving door of energy—kids, neighbors, colleagues, and book club friends—and this lower level was designed to keep up with it all while reflecting their fearless love of color and thoughtful design.

Situated along the most prestigious street in Old Town Alexandria—within one of the nation's most historic and desirable neighborhoods—River Row comprises six newly constructed, LEED Silver-certified residences. Each four-level home offers a rare combination of timeless architecture, innovative engineering, and a premier location—with no HOA or condominium fees.

In art, as in life, the idea of starting over often feels like failure. A false line. A bad decision. A misstep. Something to be hidden or corrected, preferably without anyone noticing. But what if we reframe erasure, not as a sign of weakness or regret, but as a deliberate, even powerful creative act? What if starting over is not the undoing of progress but an essential part of the process itself?

In the world of interior design and retail curation, finding truly one-of-a-kind pieces is like striking gold. For many designers and store owners, like Patina Polished Living, the challenge lies not in spotting what’s beautiful—but in finding what no one else has. Sourcing unique pieces isn’t as easy as it once was. Markets are saturated with reproductions and look-alikes. What our clients and customers crave are those unexpected gems.