Lifestyle

Few residences embody New York City's Gilded Age quite like 4 East 79th Street. Located just steps from Central Park and Fifth Avenue's renowned Museum Mile, this extraordinary limestone mansion is more than a luxury home. It is a remarkable piece of Manhattan history, meticulously restored to meet the expectations of modern living while honoring the craftsmanship of a bygone era.

I have sat across from hundreds of people at the worst moments of their lives. I have watched marriages end, families restructure, and adults who once shared a bed become strangers who communicate only through lawyers. I have been the person holding the door open to whatever comes next. Getting through it and processing it are not the same thing. And the gap between those two things is exactly where the next relationship goes to die.

My routine lately is simple: Get a fountain Diet Coke from 7-Eleven. Park in front of 7940 Fort Hunt Road. Stare at the storefront for over an hour. What am I doing, exactly? Because by next year, 7940 Fort Hunt Road will be home to Fabled Ice Cream, a small-batch ice cream shop inspired by stories and made right here in our community.

There’s a new kid on the block when it comes to financial planning: the Trump Account, or more technically – the 530A account. These ‘starter retirement accounts’ went live last month and there’s plenty of misunderstanding out there about how they’re most effectively used. Let’s dig into it!

Celebrity real estate continues to make headlines, and this summer has brought a new collection of notable properties to the market through Sotheby’s International Realty. From a music legend’s former California residence to an NFL star’s home that found a buyer in just days, these properties offer a glimpse into the homes, lifestyles, and stories behind some of the most recognizable names in entertainment and sports.

Last year my husband had his 5-year scan after a bout with an exceptionally rare sinus cancer in 2020. As most people know, especially those who have had cancer, this scan is a big marker. You are supposed to breathe a sigh of relief once it is done, and we did, but we found out last week that my husband's cancer has returned, almost exactly 6 years later - outside the realm of what is likely, but cancer does not keep calendars.

Who can believe school is already around the corner? With parents and kids gearing up for a new year, it's time to share what helps get us through the back-to-school season. If you’ve been looking for some inspiration (or motivation) to embrace the start of a new year, check out the recommendations from our Contributors below.

When most people think about custom framing, they picture the classics: black, white, natural wood, or perhaps a brushed gold or silver frame. Those timeless choices have earned their place, and they’ll never go out of style. But sometimes the perfect frame isn’t the one that blends in.

Perfectly positioned in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, this beautifully appointed three-level townhome offers timeless design, sophisticated finishes, and an exceptional floor plan just moments from the city's most beloved shops, restaurants, and waterfront.

As the buyer for Wine Gallery 108, staying abreast of consumer trends and current events surrounding wine is a significant part of the job. There have been enormous shifts in consumers' buying habits, consumption patterns, and entertainment practices in the past few years that, some days, I feel dizzy from these movements in all directions.

My house is, by any objective measure, a good place to be. It’s super cute, the throw pillows are comfy, the blankets are fluffy and weighted. The orchids bloom often, provided I remember to water them. There is wine. There is quiet, technically. And I am incapable of simply sitting in it.

Idle tidying is all about maximizing your time to tend to tasks while you're waiting for something else to get done. It can promote tidiness, give you more time to rest and create a sense of calm within your home.

If you've ever bought flowers from a grocery store or florist, you've probably found yourself staring at that tiny packet of flower food, wondering: Does this stuff actually do anything? Or is it just marketing? The short answer is yes—it absolutely works. But perhaps not for the reasons most people think.

While summer may still be in full swing, late August is the perfect time to start preparing your home for the changing seasons. Tackling a few simple maintenance projects now can help prevent costly repairs, improve your home's efficiency, and ensure it's ready for cooler temperatures in the months ahead.

Fabled Ice Cream is a passion project rooted in the belief that good food can tell a story, and good stories make for great experiences. Every pint is handpacked with a premium, locally made ice cream inspired by books and storytelling. Our first two flavors? Jane Eyre Grey (tea with lavender and lemon), and Cliff Hanger (peanut butter with craggy chocolate covered pretzels).

As our family prepares to leave Alexandria after many meaningful years, I've found myself reflecting on how much this city has shaped me. Like many people, I came to the Washington region as a college student expecting to stay only briefly. One opportunity led to another, and before I knew it, years had passed as I built a career, friendships, and eventually a family in this remarkable place.

The Patterson Group sat down with local author Christine Gunderson to talk through her latest novel, Behind White Picket Fences, and the real conversations with Alexandria moms that inspired it. Discover the surprising question at the heart of her book — and why she thinks it's one every modern parent is quietly asking.

Summer is officially here, and we asked our Alexandria Stylebook contributors to share the books they can't put down this season — from poolside thrillers to memoirs worth texting your friends about, here's what's on their reading lists right now.

Bangkok is the right city to end a long trip on, and I say that having arrived there at the tail end of two weeks through Vietnam and Cambodia, slightly sun-worn and carrying more silk than I had planned to purchase. The city absorbed me immediately. It is large and loud and relentlessly interesting, and it has good hotels and a food scene that does not require any particular effort to find—that it is restorative in a way that more demanding cities are not.

Built in 2018 and thoughtfully customized well beyond the builder's original plans, this exceptional six-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bath residence seamlessly blends timeless craftsmanship with today's most sought-after amenities.

Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted and maligned white varietals on the planet. It stems from a cross between Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc, and the name comes from the hamlet of Chardonnay in the Mâconnais region of France. France and other regions in Europe traditionally name their wines for the region they come from, not the exact grape or varietal.

The little-known condition called sarcopenia may be one of the biggest threats to healthy aging. Fortunately, it is also one of the most preventable. Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function. While it may be common, it doesn't have to define the second half of your life.

One of the things I love most about Patina is helping people discover pieces they didn't even know they were looking for. Sometimes it's the perfect lamp, an antique table, or a candle that reminds them of a favorite vacation. Kim and I spend time selecting the pieces for our store, and each one is chosen intentionally.

Steeped in history yet thoughtfully reimagined for modern living, this exceptional detached residence, originally built in the 1880s, seamlessly blends timeless architecture with sophisticated luxury. Following an extensive renovation and expansion completed between 2022 and 2025, every detail has been meticulously curated to honor the home's historic character while introducing today's finest finishes and amenities.

Somewhere in the last two years, “trad girlfriend” became an aesthetic — the linen aprons, the sourdough, the soft-spoken devotion to running someone else’s household before there’s a ring involved. As a family law attorney, I keep meeting women on the other side of this arrangement — some who chose it deliberately, some who just slowly stopped working and never quite noticed the ground shift under them. The law has the same answer for both. It doesn’t care whether you posted about it: you have no rights.

Some trends come and go. Others have a way of making a space feel timeless. One of our favorite design elements right now is the return of the table lamp. There's something undeniably inviting about the soft glow of a lamp nestled among flowers, linens, and fine china. It instantly makes a tablescape feel layered and intentional, adding depth in a way that overhead lighting simply can't.

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.