There's magic in the act of storytelling.

Forget about slowing down for summer. Things have really been heating up at Maria Luisa Boutique and ML Gifts with exhibitions, sales and all kinds of special events. Next up is a special evening devoted to storytelling. We're really looking forward to it, so mark your calendar for 7 p.m. July 31. Here are the details, as provided by event organizer Jayme Cooper, who shares that published novelists Emmy Laybourne and Kim Purcell will be among the participants: "Live your life from your heart, share from your heart, and your story will heal other people's souls." -Melody Beattie

Magic, in the sense that it transforms right on the spot. A plot, a concept, sometimes even a word spoken out into the atmosphere has the power to reach down deep into our souls and ignite that often elusive spark that lives in all of us. To experience that magic, however, someone has to stand up and speak-to offer up a piece of themselves, to tell their story. And, on July 31st at 7 pm at ML Gifts & Accessories, a group of women will do just that. In the spirit of living and sharing from the heart, we offer a night filled with what we know will be magic. The intention for this beautiful evening is that we gather under the balmy, star-filled summer sky to ignite that spark in one another and honor the transformational act of storytelling." We're really looking forward to the artistry that this event will surely spotlight. And when you come, be sure to catch the closing days of our current exhibition, a series of collaborative art works inspired by the life of Frederick Douglass. The work, which teamed up students from the Blue Rock School and St. Thomas Aquinas College, has proven memorable. As always, the evening will offer a chance to catch up with friends, perhaps do a bit of shopping and of course, have some refreshments. We hope to see you there, and please RSVP via the link below. ML RSVP Link ALSO, this Saturday, July 20 Walk to the Beat NYACK. Read details HERE.