Leesburg, Virginia - Spring 2025
featuring Birch Tree Books, Books and Other Found Things, Side Bar Coffee, Señor Ramon Taqueria, some early daffodils, & a cheerful-in-spite-of-it-all little street piano. <3
I got a giftcard to one of my favorite local(-ish—it’s like an hour away from where I live live) independent bookstores for Christmas last year so we headed up there last month to walk around a bit & visit both of Leesburg’s cute bookstores.
Birch Tree Books
I love this woman-owned, diverse, & trans-rights supporting bookstore so dang much. They also are a garden shop! & sweet baby Coco is the cutest shop assistant of all time.
Books and Other Found Things
This is a Nova indie bookstore staple & features a huge collection of used books all painstakingly curated & organized by the super friendly owner, Allen Robinson, who plays cribbage, btw, & loves when folks stop by to play with him. <3
My haul:
MOTHEATER by Linda H Codega (2025) —don’t you love it when you’re browsing a small local bookstore & you find a book you’d never heard of but sounds absolutely perfect for you? That was Motheater: witches, Appalachia, moths, industry vs nature, queer characters—say less! I’m going to read it for this Spring’s #ReadingWizBingo challenge as my 2025 release book pick.
SWORDHEART by T Kingfisher (2025) —so apparently this book is the first in a spin-off series (duology? trilogy?) based on the Clocktaur War duology (2017) which I haven’t read but that are getting new reprints this year so now I’m debating whether or not to wait & read those first… either way this edition is stunning & I have no regrets.
NIGHT WATCH by Jayne Anne Phillips (2023) —apparently this book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction last year which I didn’t even realize until I actually read the sticker on the front… it’s been on my TBR & since it takes place at an asylum nearish to where I live I really wanted to read it in case we move away soon.
THE HERB BOOK by John Lust (1974) —I got this book mostly for aesthetic reasons (I think it’ll look super good on my witchy bookshelves) but it is really cool to see all the different catalog of plants & their uses. Plus it has that amazing old book smell so.
I also picked up one of Birch Tree’s super cute totes (which is screen-printed by the owner’s daughter—top right below) + a couple pins for it! I love it sm—it’s now one of my three favorite bookstore totes along with my E Shavers & greedy reads totes. <3
Side Bar Coffee
I got a honey lavender latte & it was amazinggg.
Señor Ramon Taquería
Some of the best tacos I’ve had in this area in a very long time. Can’t wait to go back & try more from their menu!
Street Piano…
Tbh I’ll never understand why folks think this is a good idea. This little piano is dead dead but it is super pretty! & maybe it gets someone excited about finding a piano they can actually play? idk idk. 😂
Can’t wait to go back & visit more places! I don’t get up there as often as I’d like & quite a few of my favorite small businesses have closed since the last time I was there (rip Finch & Windy City) but there are lots of cute places still & the historic downtown area is so cute & walkable. Highly recommend.
Xx ceallaigh 🥀📖