Lifestyle

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.

 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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Summer in Alexandria is all about waterfront sunsets, patio dining, outdoor festivals, and exploring the charm of Old Town's historic streets. Whether you're looking for family-friendly activities, unique events, outdoor adventures, or easy day trips, there's no shortage of ways to make the most of the season.

See some of the most asked questions Lisa and her team at Wine Gallery 108 are asked, and get their answers. From flavors to favorites, see what Alexandrians are wanting to know from some of the best in the wine business.