You’ve moved. Your friendships haven’t moved with you.
You’re learning the roads, finding your favorite coffee spot, and settling in. But the people you could call for a last-minute plan are still somewhere else.
Why we created BERIM
Life changes.
Sometimes, your circle needs a new beginning.
A move. A work-from-home routine. A divorce. The loss of someone you built a life with. Or simply realizing you’d like more people to make plans with.
Whatever brought you here, you don’t have to have it all figured out. BERIM starts with something small: a place to go, a warm hello, and someone to share the moment with.
That’s where BERIM begins
If this sounds familiar
Starting again can feel awkward.
You’re welcome here anyway.
Your workday is full of calls. Your evening is quiet.
Working from home can mean plenty of conversation without much company. When you close your laptop, you want a reason to get out and people to look forward to seeing.
Life changed. Your social circle changed with it.
After divorce or the loss of a partner, familiar routines and shared friendships can feel different. You may be ready for a little company without wanting to explain your whole story.
Everyone seems to have their people already.
Walking into an established group can feel like arriving halfway through a conversation. You want a welcome, not another room to work your way into.
You want to go. You just don’t want to go alone.
A walk, a museum, a coffee. The activity sounds lovely. Figuring out who to invite, or whether you’ll feel out of place, is the harder part.
“We should get together” never becomes a plan.
Meeting someone once is a start. Seeing them again is how a familiar face has a chance to become a friend.
You can come for the company. You don’t owe anyone an explanation of what brought you here.
A note from Roxana · Founder
I wanted people to make plans with.
So I made a place to start.
When I moved to Ashburn, I wanted more than a list of things to do. I wanted people to do them with.
I met some wonderfully kind women here. Those early connections reminded me how much a simple invitation can mean when you’re finding your feet somewhere new.
But I also understood the hesitation: will everyone already know each other? Will I feel awkward arriving alone? Is this really for someone like me?
I created BERIM to make that first step feel easier. A real plan. A warm introduction. Something to enjoy together, so the conversation doesn’t have to carry the whole experience.
A move is only one reason to need a new beginning. Working from home, divorce, widowhood, retirement, or children growing more independent can all change who we see and how we spend our days. I wanted BERIM to make room for those different chapters, without asking anyone to define themselves by one.
My hope is that we move beyond one nice afternoon and start becoming familiar faces in each other’s lives. People we look forward to seeing. People we can say, “Let’s go,” to.
Roxana
What that means when you show up
We put thought into the plan.
You bring yourself.
A welcome before a crowd
A host to find, a hello, and an introduction. You don’t have to arrive with a friend to have a way into the conversation.
Something to do together
Walks, coffee, culture, and shared tables give us a natural starting point. No forced partner switches or putting you on the spot.
A plan you can actually assess
Clear timing, location, and costs help you decide what fits your life. The Founding Walk is free; optional café purchases are your own.
A reason to meet again
We’re building recurring gatherings around what people enjoy. Friendship takes time. Our aim is to make room for that time together.
A Farsi name. An open invitation.
BERIM means “let’s go.”
The invitation is for you, too.
Our name draws on Farsi and the spirit of Persian hospitality: make room, invite people in, share the table. You don’t need to be Persian or speak Farsi to belong here.
You might be new to Northern Virginia, a remote worker missing everyday company, newly divorced or widowed, or finding your footing in another life transition. You might have lived here for years and simply want your world to feel a little bigger.
There’s no one story you need to have, and no pressure to share yours. BERIM welcomes adults 18 and older across backgrounds and life stages. Come for a walk, a conversation, or a shared table. Let the rest take its time.
Come as you are. Move how you want.
Start with one morning
You don’t have to know anyone.
That’s why we’re doing this.
Join the Founding Walk at Central Park at One Loudoun.
Sunday, October 25 · 9:30–11:15 AM · Free with RSVP