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What if the most beautiful chapter of a woman’s life begins after 40?

16 Oct

One of the benefits I’ve found from attending the Webster Chamber of Commerce meetings every month is meeting a lot of new people — especially business owners who are doing really interesting things.

Not long ago I connected with Elena Dilai, a portrait artist whose studio is on Ridge Rd. in Webster. She recently completed part two of her ambitious project called”40+ and Fabulous!” in which she photographed women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond, to share with others the gifts of mature beauty and confidence.

Her finished works are on display now through Oct. 26 at Image City Photography Gallery. The press release I received describes the experience:

Sixteen extraordinary women – from entrepreneurs and grandmothers to cancer survivors and community leaders – have stepped in front of Dilai’s lens, revealing not just polished portraits, but profound transformations.

“Most women stop being photographed once they’re out of their twenties or thirties,” Dilai explains. “But our confidence, resilience, and beauty don’t fade – they grow. This project is about rewriting the narrative of what it means to be a woman over 40.”

Each portrait is paired with the participant’s story, capturing the vulnerability, strength, and vibrant individuality that so often get overlooked in a youth-obsessed culture. Part 2 of the exhibit brings new faces and fresh perspectives into the spotlight, featuring women from 42 to 79 and making it a must-see for anyone who has ever doubted the power of aging with grace and fire.

Elena added, “More than an art show, 40+ and Fabulous! is a movement. It’s about visibility. It’s about women reclaiming their place in front of the camera, and rediscovering themselves in the process.”

After the exhibit closes on Oct. 26, Elena will have an exclusive showing of all 16 portraits at her studio on Sunday, Nov. 9 from 4 to 8 p.m. Her studio is located in a restored church building at 1864 Ridge Rd., Webster (just west of County Line Rd.).

For more information, contact Elena Dilai at 585-967-4398 or elenadilaiphotography@gmail.com. You can also read the stories in advance on her website.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/16/2025)

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Lovely You Aesthetics opening soon

14 Oct

A warm Webster welcome to Lovely You Aesthetics, one of the village’s newest businesses.

Owned and operated by Carla Ann Scheiber, FNP-BC, Lovely You is located at 82 North Ave. She’ll be offering a wide variety of services including bio repeels, chemical peels, micro needling, Botox, fillers, personal skin care evaluations, weight management and more.

The location is a beautiful old house built in 1914 which still holds much of its original charm including leaded glass, stained glass windows, and coffered ceilings. And despite the fact it hasn’t been strictly a private residence for a long time, every room still exudes that at-home feeling.

The final touches are still being completed on making every room perfectly suited for the new business. Eventually, the there will be two treatment rooms downstairs, four treatment rooms upstairs, and two bathrooms.

“It’s a nice big space,” Carla said, “and we’re going to grow into it.”

Carla’s been offering beauty-care services for a while, working out of the house and rented space. But this is her first brick-and mortar location, and she’s very excited to have found it. But it almost didn’t happen.

“When I started this,” Carla said, “I really saw myself in Webster or Penfield. I live in Ontario and have a lot of roots in Webster but I couldn’t find anything. So I started to widen my search. I found a space to lease in Pittsford, but after months and months of trying to get the zoning approved, they rejected me.”

But it was fate, because it turned out “it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Literally the next day my realtor sent me this (listing), and it was for sale.” She’d found the perfect place, a beautiful house, in a village which has welcomed her with open arms.

For now, Carla will only be joined by two other injectors as she builds her business. But in the future she’d love to add a massage therapist and aesthetician to her team, to build it into a “real medical spa.”

Her approach is already very people-focused.

“You’re not going to come here and get a sales pitch,” she said. “You’re gonna know us, we’re going to educate you, we’re going to actually care about you, building that trust and that education component so that people can make informed decisions.”  

Carla will be hosting a grand opening celebration on Friday, Oct. 17, so that’s a great opportunity to check out Lovely You Aesthetics for yourself. It all starts with a ribbon cutting at 3 p.m., followed by a “happy-hour-style” open house from 3 to 7 with signature cocktails, finger foods, vendors, raffles, giveaways and merch bags. She’ll officially open for business the next day, Saturday Oct. 18.

In the meantime, you can find out more about her new business on her website and Facebook page. You can also connect with her on Instagram (lovely.you.aesthetics).

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/11/2025)

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Their Light Shines at Webster Comfort Care honored the memories of loved ones

10 Oct

I wasn’t able to attend this year’s Their Light Shines memorial luminaria gathering at the Webster Comfort Care Home (WCCH) on Thursday night, but I understand it was as poignant as always, and very well attended.

WCCH executive director Julianne Groff estimated that more than 100 people attended and said they’d sold around 220 luminaria, the most ever. When they were all artfully arranged on the grounds, the illuminated bags made a beautiful and deeply moving sight. The event also featured a slide show with the name of everyone who has ever been a resident at the home, a fire in the home’s new fire pit (built by Eagle Scout Connor Madison), and homemade baked goods.

The evening’s speakers included Jessica Orchard, whose grandfather, Webster Volunteer firefighter Ron Orchard, was a resident in the summer of 2022, who spoke on behalf of her family. Following Jessica’s remarks, Julianne welcomed the attendees, thanking the volunteers and especially thanking the residents’ families for trusting the Webster Comfort Care Home for allowing them to help with their loved ones’ journeys.

In her remarks, Julianne said,

Here at the Home, we are given the profound privilege of walking alongside individuals and families during one of life’s most sacred chapters. We see love in its purest form: in quiet bedside moments, in the clasp of a hand, in a whispered goodbye, in the resilience of families who show up day after day, heart wide open.

Each person we remember today brought something unique into the world — a laugh, a story, a strength, a lesson. And although they are no longer with us in body, their spirit lingers in all the ways they shaped the lives around them. We carry their legacies forward — not only through memories, but through the love they gave and the lessons they taught us.

To the families and loved ones gathered here: we see your grief. We honor it. We also see your courage. The care, the time, the tenderness you gave in their final days — that was love in action. You did your best. And that mattered. To our staff and volunteers: thank you. You do sacred work. And even when it feels invisible, it is never forgotten. What you give at the end of life echoes far beyond it.

Tonight, as we remember those we’ve lost, let us also reflect on what they taught us — about grace, about dignity, and about how precious each moment truly is. Let us remember them not with just sadness, but with deep gratitude for having known them.

In closing, I invite each of you to hold a memory in your heart — a smile, a story, a moment of love — and let it be a light that stays with you.

Here’s a full slideshow of photos from the evening. Many thanks to “Jet” Thomas for all of these photos.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/9/2025)

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Village Quilt Shoppe hosts silent auction to benefit One Common Thread

8 Oct

I’ve written here many times about The Village Quilt Shoppe, at 21 East Main St., ’cause it’s one of my favorite shops in town, run by two wonderful people, Vanetta Parshall and Monique Liberti. And more than once in those blogs, I focused on how this little shop is spreading love around the world, through their support of One Common Thread.

One Common Thread’s mission is to empower women in Central America — specifically Honduras — by giving them the opportunity to work and and earn an income, which helps set a new standard for their children.

How Vanetta and Monique do this is simple:

  • First, their customers generously donate fabric and 3” squares.
  • Volunteers meet regularly at the shop to create kits from those donations and send them to One Common Thread in Honduras.
  • The women there learn the art of English Paper Piecing (EPP), hand-basting hexagons that they are paid for individually.
  • Once enough hexagons are made, they’re sewn into kits or quilts, then returned to the U.S. to be sold.

The income these women earn allows them to provide essentials such as food, diapers, formula, stoves, beds, tin roofs, cement floors, and tuition for their children’s education. In some cases, it even helps them attend trade school themselves. For many, this is their first chance to gain financial independence and self-confidence.

The Village Quilt Shoppe has proudly sent fabric, kits, needles, and thread for more than four years. But they’d really like to do more.

Recently, the shop received some of the women’s finished products, which inspired them to host a Silent Auction to continue supporting this incredible organization. The auction will be held from Oct. 14 through 28. Auction items will be on display at the shop, 21 East Main St., for in-person viewing and bidding. Items will also be listed on the Village Quilt Shoppe website, and bids can be placed by calling the shop at 585-626-6916.

Proceeds from the auction will help Vanetta and Monique cover packaging and shipping costs, and any left over funds will be donated directly back to One Common Thread.

Here are just two images of some of the items available for auction. Check the website to see more.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/9/2025)

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So what’s up with Roc City Empanadas?

6 Oct

There’s been some chatter on social media in recent weeks about the new Roc City Empanadas restaurant on South Ave. in the village. Luis Carrasquillo — better known as “Munchie” — opened the restaurant in early July and for a while did some brisk business. But then the open hours became sporadic, and more recently, it almost seems like it’s closed permanently.

Well, the sporadic summer hours were due to the fact that Luis was juggling his new restaurant responsibilities with a very busy food truck schedule. When that started to slow down, he started to focus more on the restaurant. But when the restaurant went dark again in early September, people started to question whether Luis was really committed to the village.

But here’s the real story, which I tell with Luis’ blessing, because he really wants people to know what happened.

About a month ago, Luis was involved in a frightening accident. He was on the shoulder of Five Mile Line Rd., helping a friend secure a fence to her trailer, when another driver struck him. The impact sent him flying ten feet.

Luis suffered a compound fracture to his leg and was losing blood rapidly. A veteran who happened on the scene applied a tourniquet, most definitely saving his life.

Last I spoke with Luis (about two weeks ago) he’d already had six operations to try to save the leg. I don’t know where things stand now (I’m trying to get in touch with him again), but I do know one thing: Luis Carrasquillo feels blessed.

Not angry, not depressed, not despondent. Blessed.

Luis’ religious faith is rock-solid, and he’s certain that God was with him that evening, not only because he survived the accident, but because so many other things went RIGHT. Like how he was thrown clear of the traffic and not into the roadway. Like how the tourniquet (which belonged to his friend) just appeared on the ground next to her crushed vehicle. How the veteran showed up and knew how and where to apply it. The ambulance got there in record time. And most important of all, how one of the MRIs revealed a growth in his forehead which was causing him headaches.

Luis still has a long road ahead, but he wants everyone to know that his commitment to the Village of Webster — his home — is unwavering.

“I want the people to know, don’t give up on me,” he said. “”I don’t want people to be sad. I am so happy with my lord and my community and I love all of you guys. … and I want to find the veteran and give him a hug.”

As Luis recuperates, he hopes that friends and family will be able to keep the restaurant open three or four days a week, mostly on the weekends, offering pretty much his entire menu. Those same friends and family are also working with the United Way to create a GoFundMe. So keep an eye out for the OPEN sign, and stay tuned for more information about that fund-raising effort.

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Update!

One of my readers (“Pooch”) posted a comment last night (which you can read below) saying the restaurant happened to be open last Friday, and he spoke to Luis’ son Angel. The GREAT news is that Luis was scheduled to be released last weekend. Let’s hope that happened.

Pooch continued,

Store hours will continue to be sporadic until Luis recovers. Please hang in there! Try to get there when they are open. Luis’s faith is really strong and he wants everyone to know that he apologizes for the delay in getting the store open with regular hours, but it will happen! Luis is a strong strong man, and a man of his word…

Thanks Pooch!

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/6/2025)


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Join me for BINGO and help benefit a great organization

4 Oct

“B-14!”
“N-32!”
“G-60!”

You’ll have to excuse me. I’m practicing my bingo-calling skills, because they’re somewhat lacking.

OK, to be totally honest, they’re entirely lacking, because I’ve never before been a bingo caller. So I have to practice up, because just a short while ago, my friend Jamie Buss asked me to be one of two guest bingo callers at a brand-new bingo fundraising event a few weeks from now to benefit Making Spirits Bright.

Jamie Buss and Tracy Nappi are the driving force behind Making Spirits Bright, a nonprofit organization established in 2014 with one simple mission: to provide smiles for families in need during the holiday season. Over the last 11 years, Making Spirits Bright has helped nearly 600 families, mostly through generous donations from community members, who sign up to fill families’ wish lists.

But sometimes some of those wish lists go unfilled, and many include big-ticket items. That’s where this family-friendly afternoon of BINGO will come into play (pun intended).

The fun happens on Sunday, Oct. 19 from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. (Don’t worry, it’s a bye week for the Bills.) Participants will each get 10 games with three boards each game, a BINGO dabber, light refreshments and drinks. Winners will receive gift cards and gift baskets donated by local businesses and Making Spirits Bright supporters. You can buy tickets for some fabulous raffle prizes, and if you bring a new toiletry item, unopened cleaning supply, or gift-wrapping item (wrapping paper, ribbon, etc.) you’ll get a free raffle ticket.

Admission is $15 for kids and $25 for adults, capped at $75 per family. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

And business owners, Making Spirits Bright is still looking for event sponsors. For as little as $100 you can get some great visibility for your business, a ticket to the event, have a lot of fun and feel good about supporting a terrific organization. Click here for more details.

By the way, my bingo-calling partner in this fun adventure will be Mike Petzing. You know him as the owner of Shamrock Jack’s Irish Pub where he showcases his BINGO-calling prowess once a month.

(Great … so HE has experience. I’d better get back to practicing.)

“O-63! N-35! I-30! BINGO!” (Wait. I’m not supposed to be yelling that …..)

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/4/2025)

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Their light shines at Webster Comfort Care

29 Sep

Webster Comfort Care Home will be hosting a very special event on Oct. 7 which will give you and yours a chance to remember someone special who has passed away. It’s called “Their Light Shines,” a memorial luminaria gathering to honor and celebrate the lives of loved ones we carry in our hearts.

For this beautiful evening of remembrance, participants are invited to purchase a luminaria and personalize it in honor of a loved one. On the evening of Tuesday Oct. 7, they’ll all be placed around the Comfort Care Home’s parking lot, and at sunset, they’ll all be lit. It makes for a very powerful and moving scene.

After a brief welcome at 7 p.m., light refreshments will be served and music provided by the Threshold Singers.

Each luminaria costs $20. To purchase yours, log onto www.webstercomfortcare.org. Even if you can’t attend, consider purchasing luminaria to honor your loved ones. That way, their light will shine even if you can’t be there.

Webster Comfort Care Home (WCCH), located at the corner of Holt and Klem roads, provides free hospice care to the terminally ill of our Webster community. The dedicated staff members and volunteers there uphold the dignity and ease the suffering of its residents, while supporting their loved ones in a warm, home-like atmosphere.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/29/2025)

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Got any shoes you don’t need?

26 Sep

As a runner, I’m finding that I go through running sneakers pretty quickly. To some extent (like many of you, probably), when I get a new pair, all my other ones drop one rung down the usefulness ladder, relegated to walking sneakers, then schlep-around-the-house sneakers, then gardening sneakers. But when my used sneaker collection starts number four or five pairs, that system falls apart.

So right now I have a growing pile of worn out sneakers in the corner of my closet. But they won’t be there for much longer, because at the last Webster Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting, I met Ruby Black.

In her day job, Penfield resident Ruby Black works full time as the Director of Community and Employee Engagement at Volvo Cars Rochester. But it’s her part-time job working with Designer Shoe Warehouse and its partner organization, Souls4Souls, which reflects her real passion.

Soles4Souls is a Tennessee-based nonprofit which turns unwanted shoes and clothing into opportunities for people in need. They have four key initiatives:

  • 4Relief, providing footwear and clothing to people in crisis situations, 
  • 4Opportunity, helping entrepreneurs in developing countries create sustainable businesses through shoe sales, 
  • 4EveryKid, delivering new shoes to children experiencing homelessness, and
  • 4ThePlanet, keeping shoes and clothing out of landfills to benefit both people and the environment.

Ruby has focused her efforts on collecting and distributing footwear to those in need, spending much of her free time gathering, sorting, and bagging shoes. She’s been collecting shoes for five years now, through donation boxes placed in businesses throughout the city. Last year, her efforts hit a huge milestone of 10,000 pairs, and this year she fully expects to reach 11,000.

Here in Webster, Ruby’s donation boxes are located at

  • LA Fitness, 929 Holt Rd.
  • Garber Chevy , 740 Ridge Rd.
  • Burn Boot Camp, 1847 Empire Blvd.
  • LaLa of Webster, 38 E. Main St.

(I recently learned that Friday Brighton Hair Design Tat 80 East Main St. in the village is also collecting shoes, but I don’t know if it’s for the same program.)

So next time you’re ready to ditch that old pair of shoes, drop it by one of these locations instead. Soles4Souls will take shoes of any style, size or condition. New and gently used shoes are especially helpful for the 4Opportunity program.

Other ways you can help is to host a shoe collection box at your workplace or special event, help spread the word about Soles4Souls and its mission, and participate in Ruby’s annual fundraising run, where every $20 raised provides a new pair of sneakers to children experiencing homelessness in the U.S. (The run is held every May, but you can also send monetary donations through that link.)

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/26/2025)

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Webster Hope named Webster Chamber Business of the Month

22 Sep

Congratulations to Webster NY Hope, honored as the September Business of the Month by the Webster Chamber of Commerce.

Located at 1450 Ridge Rd., Webster Hope was founded by Holy Trinity Church as an outreach ministry in 1999 as Hope Ministry to provide an organized and more comprehensive way of helping people in need by providing food and clothing. They operated under the umbrella of Holy Trinity until 2022, when they formed their own 501c3 and updated their name to Webster Hope.

The agency’s mission continues to be to serve the needs of residents in the 14580 zip code. Their volunteers embrace the spirit of compassion as they provide food, clothing, and household goods to those in need. Financial assistance is also available, with the emphasis on preventing homelessness.

Webster Hope doesn’t just hand out food and clothing. They meet with people individually on each visit. These conversations allow them to develop relationships with the people they serve. As a direct result of these conversations, the agency has added household items collections, Back to School nights for school supplies, and other services. Director Margery Morgan says the best part of being at Hope is the atmosphere of hospitality and getting to know their neighbors.

Webster Hope has one paid employee and more than 100 volunteers, active with Scouts, sports teams, schools, churches, and other Webster charities. They’re also always happy to send a speaker to participate in community events.

The Webster Chamber of Commerce hosts a monthly breakfast for Chamber members, guests, and visitors who are interested in investigating Chamber membership. The September breakfast will be held on Friday Aug. 26 beginning at 7 a.m. at the Webster Golf Club, 440 Salt Rd. The monthly breakfasts are opportunities to network, meet new contacts, develop current business relationships, learn, and earn visibility for your business or organization. This is the largest monthly Chamber networking event in the Greater Rochester area, with 70-90 attendees. Bring a door prize for visibility and your business card, to take your chances on winning a prize, too.

Visitors and members are welcome. Please register here.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/22/2025)

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Play-a-Latte is officially open

13 Sep

Play-a-Latte, Webster’s new play café, officially opened to the community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Friday morning.

The new play café — located in Towne Center Plaza (Target Plaza) — offers families a bright, kid-friendly space where children can dive into imaginative play, and a coffeehouse vibe, where parents can sip, chat, unwind and catch up with friends while their kids explore.

The last time I was in the café, well before it was open, it was pretty much still an empty storefront. Co-founders (and sisters) Richelle Acker and Kristi Phillips tried to help me picture their vision of the final layout once they got everything set up, but until I walked in Friday morning, I still had little idea of how it would look.

In a word, it’s adorable.

Eight different custom-built playhouses (retail and service shops) line the walls, surrounding a “central park”-type area with picnic tables and ice cream cart, all encouraging imaginative play. There’s also a fenced-off area for very young children, a party room, and a separate sensory room: a quieter, calmer space with muted lighting, fidget toys and sensory tiles and boards. Plus, there’s plenty of comfortable seating for parents and grandparents, and a nice variety of refreshment options for both adults and children.

James loved the trucks
Cayden (2) and Nora (6) serving up ice cream

The word is spreading quickly about Play-a-Latte. Shortly after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the café was buzzing with small children, who were offering haircuts at Richelle’s Hair Salon, scooping ice cream, parking cars at Chase’s Garage, and serving up treats at Kristi’s Cafe.

Mary Mungovan-Moss knew it would probably be busy, so she got to the café early with her 18-month old son James. She’d only found out about it a few days ago, and it didn’t take her long to check it out.

“We were super excited,” she said. “We were hoping for something like this in Webster so that we can take him somewhere to play while his sister’s at school, and be able to play with kids that are not just his sister.”

The 90-minute time slot she’d registered for was “the perfect time for this age,” she added. “Play with everything, get tired and go.”

Play-a-Latte located at the southwest corner of Towne Center Plaza (Target Plaza), 1028 Ridge Rd., next to Cold Stone. It’s open Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Birthday party reservations are available after hours every day. Registrations are strongly recommended, because it’s gonna get busy and you don’t want to be turned away. Click here to make yours.

Find out more on their website here, Facebook page here and Instagram (playalatte_playcafe).

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/13/2025)

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