Located in the heart of Del Ray at 2016 Mount Vernon Avenue, Mulberry Lane Play Café is redefining family spaces by blending imaginative play for kids with opportunities for parents to relax, connect, or work—all under one roof. Described as “Balanced Family Fun, Your New BFF,” this innovative café is quickly becoming a favorite for local families.

I asked her about the business she was opening in Old Town. Her confidence and calm was something that instantly put me at ease. As she shared her journey, she felt like one of my girlfriends – and we had just met. This was going to be her third location, she was already a seasoned entrepreneur. Even a slight delay here or there wasn’t going to stop her momentum.

Since Alexandria is what I consider the best collection of independent retailers around, this Small Business Saturday, a group of over a dozen stores have collaborated to do a day of gifts with purchase. Stop in, shop and get a little gift from us. Just a thank you for shopping small this holiday season and helping us keep the doors to our shops open another year!

If traveling and being with family fills you with joy and is what you need this year, then here are a few tips to make it easy. You don’t have to do it alone. If you’re traveling with a partner, they should share the load. I’m talking to you, Moms. It is not your job to manage everything and make everyone happy. A partnership means they fully participate.

Every now and then, life brings you a “full circle moment” – a chance to reconnect with the people who helped shape your journey. Recently, I experienced one of those moments when I welcomed Ruth Roche, one of my biggest influences from my early years in cosmetology, to Salon deZEN. Ruth, a seven-time NAHA winner (basically the Oscars of hair), made a massive impact on me back in cosmetology school.

Since merging stores it seems like we have a ton of bags in stock. We kept all the purse lines from The Shoe Hive and moved them into 315 Cameron. As a result, it’s hard to miss our bag selection when you walk in the door. Since we’re hosting our Think Rolyn Trunk Show this week, I thought it might be nice to share all the great bags we carry.

This holiday season, Rachel of Helen Olivia and Kristin of Kristin Try Interiors teamed up to create a couple of festive tablescape ideas for you at Kristin’s home. Together, they’re sharing their tips and tricks to help you craft a stunning holiday table that’s as warm and inviting as the season itself.

Thanksgiving arrives next week, officially kicking off the holiday season. We all hold dear our traditions and ways of sharing our gratitude. It may be a turkey trot in the morning, Friendsgiving, dinner out at a local restaurant, hosting family from out-of-town or traveling to visit loved ones. We asked our contributors to share their Thanksgiving traditions and a few also shared their favorite dish.

Thanksgiving is all about family, gratitude, and, of course, food! But who says the menu has to be traditional? If you're ready to break away from turkey and stuffing, here’s a list of unique, mouth-watering dishes that will make this Thanksgiving unforgettable.

My new nose piercing. (Two, actually - septum and nostril, ouch.) I went to Creative Chaos on the suggestion of our booksellers and highly recommend it. I’ve been heartbroken about the recent disregard shown for a woman’s bodily autonomy, so I felt like making a choice about my own was fitting. We’re thinking of having a tattoo and piercing popup in the bookstore in the New Year, because why not? Books + body art, let’s make it a thing. 

It’s an election year, so it felt like a good time to talk about “craftivisim,” a term that was coined in 2014 but describes something that has existed for centuries. In 2014, Betsy Greer coined the term “Craftivism.” In her book, Greer gave a name to the intersection of craft and activism, looking at places where crafters and artists want their work to contribute to the greater good, spark conversation, and signal their activism to the wider world. 

We all live with little necessary home repairs. Whether it’s a leaky faucet, broken fence, missing trim, holes in drywall – well you get the picture. Most of the time we let these things go until we decide it’s time to sell our house. We get everything repaired, replaced, painted and then wonder why we didn’t do it sooner!

November is the perfect time to do two things when it comes to your finances, especially if you own a business – catch up on your bookkeeping and file your Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report! We are nearing the end of the year and many people find themselves lost in a whirlwind of backlogged bookkeeping. Now is a great time to either get it up to date yourself or hire a bookkeeper to get you caught up for the year so you aren’t stressed out come tax time.

I wandered into AIP when it first reopened. Alex greeted me and sold me one of the best swimsuits I’ve ever owned. I’d never seen anything like it and I’ve  never seen anyone with it. That’s the kind of boutique American in Paris is. She finds all sorts of cool unique pieces for the store while traveling the world. This women’s boutique is more than just a shop—it’s a vibe.

Think Rolyn’s crossbody bags and sling bags are a favorite – especially for travel. They are the perfect size, they are weather resistant and the zippers and pockets are in all the right places. I use the wingman all the time when I go to NYC for work or away for a weekend. You can throw so much stuff in it and after owning it for five years, it looks like new!

Watching Love is Blind DC as a family law attorney made me cringe over and over again. The thing that bothered me most in terms of legal misconceptions was everyone referring to a “sperm baby” as if it was someone’s legal child. I also personally found the term incredibly offensive. So, let’s go over some basics.

My Libby’s List this past week featured the Ann Mashburn Funnel Neck sweater. It’s a favorite of mine and my top pick for the trunk show. If I had to suggest a second item that is a must-buy buy, it would be a pull on pant. Pull-on pants are definitely having a moment right now, and Ann was in early on the trend. I asked Madeline to style each version to show their versatility.

The holiday season is almost here and while it’s often a time of celebration and giving, for women in perimenopause and menopause, it can also be a time of hormonal fluctuations, mood swings, and physical discomfort. This year, give yourself and your loved ones the gift of wellness. Here are some ideas that will stretch your pocketbook.

With December on the horizon, we’d like to show you the Advent calendars we have this year! So many creative, fun, and tasty ways to countdown to Christmas. We have several options that all double as darling decorations and a few that have extra special surprises inside, some edible and some that will last for years to come.

"I wanted a name that captured the charm of a romance bookstore. There are so many cute bookstore names out there—Meet Cute could have been an option, but it was taken in San Diego. I wanted something that invites the idea of friendship, like going to a book club with your friends. When you think of love and friendship, that's the vibe I wanted to create for this space."