As I walk downhill along a familiar winding path through the woods toward the water's edge, the canopy slowly opens, and the weight of the forest gives way to the enveloping blue of the night. It is a blue that defies description, a color beyond language, and one that has always been a tonic for my soul.

There's a piece of jewelry in almost everyone's collection that's been waiting a little too long for some attention — a loose stone, a clasp that's seen better days, a ring that no longer fits quite right. At Mystique Jewelers, we believe those pieces deserve to be worn, not tucked away in a drawer. That's why our Master Goldsmith is here in Old Town Alexandria, ready to bring your favorites back to life.

 If you’ve ever noticed your blonde becoming brassy, your brunette looking dull, or your vibrant color fading faster than expected, you’re not imagining it. Summer creates the perfect storm of UV rays, chlorine, saltwater, heat, humidity, hard water minerals, and frequent washing, all of which can strip away the richness and shine you left the salon with. The good news? With a few simple habits and the right products, you can keep your color looking vibrant all season long.

 Luxury real estate has always operated by a different set of rules. While headlines over the past year have focused on inflation, interest rates, political change, and global uncertainty, the world's premier property markets have continued to demonstrate remarkable resilience.

Jeff Erickson isn't entirely sure what a painting will become when he starts it. He spreads color across the canvas, builds up layers, then scrapes them away to expose vibrant reds and yellows that once disappeared beneath muted blues. The process isn't about control; it's about discovery.

For many people, the kitchen is the most popular room in the home and it can quickly become cluttered with appliances, tools and condiments. At Neat Method we love to keep countertops as clear as possible, so here are our tips to make that happen.

What is that line? “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Okay, so this post isn’t about an invention; this item existed, but not in the way I had wanted it to. I had actually been thinking about this or trying to find the right version for a decade. Well, over a decade - ever since I started wearing reading glasses when I turned 40.

Knowing Krista has made my daily life full of smiles and creativity! We immediately connected when we first met waiting outside of school for our little ones. So many wonderful common threads including being military spouses, artists and loving our community. This made for an instant new friendship that I am eternally grateful for!

I mentioned in last week's earlier post that all people want to wear in the DC summer heat is a bathing suit or a dress. It really is a horrible time of the year to have to confront your closet. Sometimes you don’t want to put on an expensive dress because you know it will take on sweat, sunscreen or maybe even sand and salt if you are at the beach.

Located on a quiet street in the highly desirable Wellington neighborhood, this charming storybook Colonial is truly one of a kind. Situated on a rare, flat 0.56-acre lot, the home offers over 3,600 square feet of thoughtfully renovated living space while preserving its timeless character and architectural charm.

There’s a strange thing that happens when you spend years building things. In the beginning, you are everything. You are the ideas. The creative. The storyteller. The one writing captions at midnight while simultaneously deciding what the walls should look like, what the menu should say... and somehow convincing the world to care.

Angkor Wat at sunrise defeats language a little. The sky went from black to bruised purple to a breathtaking pink, and the silhouette of the temple emerged from the darkness like something being slowly remembered. I sat on the sidewalk with several hundred other people and thought: this is why you leave home. For the feeling of standing inside something so much older and larger than your own life that your particular problems become, briefly and usefully, very small.

Summer is in full swing and we are all busy with family dinners, sports (think World Cup!), and spending time with friends. This year, everything takes on a greater significance as our country celebrates an important milestone. Visit Patina to check out all of the festive and patriotic wreaths, outdoor entertaining collection, and lots more.

Sale time means we have to try and keep up with what other brands are doing for markdowns. Just so you know, we will always price match our competitors during our sale time. So if you see something marked down lower than what we have it priced at, let us know and we will match it.

When the temperatures rise as they seem to be doing there are only two options for getting dressed. One is putting on a bathing suit and going to the pool; the second is throwing on a dress. It is really the only way. We always try and make sure we are stocked with all different options, from casual to event dressing.

I know. It seems really odd–How can I be happy my twin teens are LEAVING for college? Especially when the “empty nesting” industry aims to help the 21 million of us in the U.S. whose children have “flown the coop”, when we are inundated with books, coaches, travel packages, home remodeling, etc., all targeted or “help” those of us in this stage of our lives. But a wise mentor once taught me: Every parenting decision should be made with two goals in mind – independence and resilience.

The world's wealthiest homebuyers are getting older, and they are changing the way luxury homes are designed, purchased, and lived in. As global populations continue to live longer, luxury real estate is undergoing a transformation. Increasing life expectancy, combined with a growing desire among affluent homeowners to age in place, is influencing everything from home design and community planning to buyer preferences and inventory trends.

Dan Murray once thought his career would be made under the hood of a car, but today he can be found under the beam of stage lights, microphone in hand, crooning Jazz classics to adoring crowds across the DMV. In less than three years, the Northern Virginia native has gone from singing in the shower to performing at some of the region’s biggest venues and becoming one of its most recognizable musical talents.

I have to give credit to finding this next line to my algorithm. A tank dress from Sold Out NYC popped up as Vogue’s must-have summer dress. It really was such a great cut, and as I clicked through to find out more information, it was also at a great price. I really felt like this was the t-shirt line I had been trying to find for so many years.

Three years ago, a friend in Alexandria and her husband moved to Athens, Greece for a three-year job rotation. Almost immediately, another friend and I declared that we'd be visiting before they came home.Three years sounds like plenty of time to plan a trip. In reality, life has a way of filling every available space with work deadlines, family commitments, home projects, and all the other things competing for our attention—and our budgets. But this June, after years of talking about it, researching it, and saving for it, we're finally on our way.