Get to know Me
Hi. I’m Melissa.
I took a leap of faith
After a decade working for the State Department, I wanted a change. For over a year I prayed about it, planned, saved my pennies and prayed some more. I left the federal sector and began a sabbatical of discovery.
It was time to reignite creativity, work with inspired, passionate people and invest in something meaningful. I didn’t know what lay ahead, but I was willing to find out.
I knew one thing – I had a guest room.
My spare bedroom was the first step on my journey. Airbnb was supposed to be a temporary adventure during my break from “real” work.
Three years and hundreds of guests later, I am still enjoying my sabbatical.
I rediscovered my passion for hospitality.
An art to practice
Growing up, my mother always welcomed company into our home. Hospitality, she said, was a dying art. We were far from wealthy, but she taught me that hospitality was not shaped by extravagance, it was practiced through kindness and a gracious welcome.
Each spring as the daffodils open and my dogwood tree blooms, I am reminded of growng up around my mother’s love for the art of hospitality. The dogwood was her favorite!
When I purchased a home on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC with 2 friends from church we had one foundational agreement - our home would be a refuge of hospitality to our community.
We hosted out of town guests, baby showers, and book groups. It meant always having an extra meal on hand, the teakettle full, and clean linens in the closet.
It’s not just a way to make extra income - it is a life philosophy. This is how I live.
Providing a warm welcome, a shared meal, and a space to rejuvenate generated an experience of sanctuary for myself as well.
I wasn’t just providing a clean room and a comfy bed, I was creating a place to call home.
Melissa