The Ocean City, Maryland Restaurant Without the Crowds

If you have been to the beach during the summer season, then you know that it is PACKED at ALL times, whether it be the restaurants, the boardwalk, the beaches, the shops, or the traffic. Ocean City, Maryland is NO different than any of the other beaches crowd-wise during the summer months. I regularly visit my family at the Delaware beaches, which is close by to Ocean City, Maryland and its super fun boardwalk and GREAT restaurants. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared a bit about my restaurant experience at The Lighthouse Restaurant – a restaurant located along the Chesapeake Bay in nearby-to-Ocean City-Bishopville, Maryland.

Read more on my recent travel experiences on the blog here:

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

Shop my dress here: https://rstyle.me/+Ic_YV2kaBOWdZcI-gdcWGQ

My family and I spent about 30 minutes driving through the backroads of the Delaware beaches. We were driving through the farms of Delaware, which are on the outskirts of the Delaware beaches. After those 30 minutes were up, we ended up at the gorgeous Lighthouse Sound Restaurant, surrounded by gorgeous waterfront views at every turn, the sound of seagulls chirping, and amazing cuisine!

The Lighthouse Sound Restaurant is located along the Chesapeake Bay and doubles as a club house. It offers both indoor and outdoor seating and gorgeous views of the Chesapeake Bay at every turn. There is a gazebo outside, hills and hills of golf courses, pathways, and the waterfront views. They even *yes, even* have a fireplace in the Wintertime for outdoor seating. My family and I sat outside in their white Adirondack chairs to enjoy our dinner, which boast adorable preppy and classic beauty vibes! At the same time, the indoor seating offered opens up to a HUGE set of windows and there is even an Americana-themed bar, too. As for the menu, the Lighthouse Sound Restaurant offers a plethora of fresh seafood dishes that are local to the Ocean City, Maryland/Delaware beaches area. All in all, it’s a great dining experience!

The BEST part of the Lighthouse Sound Restaurant?! NO BEACH CROWDS!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Foot Bridge in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

One of my favorite things that I LOVE about visiting my Aunt April in New Hope, Pennsylvania is enjoying the views of the nearby Delaware River and town of Lamberville, New Jersey on the other side of it. On my Instagram recently (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared some photos of the foot bridge, the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge, in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The only thing separating the two states is the Delaware River – a monumental river and historical landmark in George Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware on December 25-26, 1776. Its beauty and historical significance reigns true to this day.

Most people on my blogger side of things don’t know that I was born and raised in New Jersey for about 5 years of my life. I lived in New Jersey for a few months after I was born, moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas to live until I was 3, and then moved back to New Jersey until I was 8. The second time that I lived in New Jersey my family and I lived in Pennington, New Jersey – a small town located about 20 minutes from Princeton in one direction and 20 minutes from New Hope and Lamberville in the other. However, even when I lived in Pennington and the many many many years that followed, I never realized the historical significance of the places just minutes away from my pre-8 years of age childhood hometown.

The historical significance of the Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware River is that it was the first move in a surprise attack led by George Washington against the British during the American Revolutionary War. Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware River occurred on the night of December 25-26, 1776. The nearby-to-New Hope and Lamberville is the town of Washington’s Crossing, Pennsylvania which plays homage to a historical downtown village, Washington’s Crossing Inn (where my Aunt Sherri got married!!), and a historical park open to ALL visitors to enjoy the Delaware River, historical sites, and the beauty in between it all. Each year around Christmas time, Washington’s Crossing, Pennsylvania hosts a reenactment of George Washington’s revolutionary crossing of the Delaware River during the American Revolutionary War. The Delaware River in all of its glory and beauty plays a big role in the making of our country, today.

I grew up going to both New Hope and Lambertville as a kid. We would go to New Hope for ice cream. One cool thing is that New Hope has its own Bucks County Playhouse, which showcases several performances, including Kinky Boots which is on tour this summer! Meanwhile, Lambertville had a gorgeous train station that turned into a pizza shop with a nearby duck pond, which my Dad would always take my brother and I to back in the day! Each time we went, we would walk across the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge where there’s even a marker to mark the borders, where *YES* you can stand in both states at once!

Nowadays, I LOVE getting to go visit my family and friends who still live in and around Pennington, New Jersey and enjoy the gorgeous footbridge separating both New Hope, Pennsylvania and Lamberville, New Jersey from one another. Each town offers a plethora of small businesses, historical beauty, great restaurants and cafes, and *of course* drop dead gorgeous waterfront views. I feel extremely lucky to be able to enjoy the waterfront views along the Delaware River, especially knowing that this bridge that I love to admire connecting the two states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey was once not that AND that it played a major major major role in the eventual making of the United States of America.

Personally, I really really really LOVE going to visit New Hope and Lamberville and admiring that gorgeous bridge between the two states and will continue to for YEARS to come!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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A Few Hours in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Personally, I find West Virginia one of the most beautiful states that I have ever laid eyes on! Growing up, I would occasionally go on family reunions to Blackwater Falls State Park, West Virginia – a place rated a hidden gem in the United States on MANY pages listing them! – and fell in love with the state simply on our drives through it. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I recently posted about my day trip to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia with my best friend Bryn. Believe it or not, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is located just an hour-90 minutes west of Washington, DC, making it an easy day trip from the nation’s capital, and it is a beauty!

When coming into the town, it is easiest to drive and simply park there. Harpers Ferry offers parking along its visitors centers and along the streets of the hilly town. The main attractions to visitors in the town are offered at the bottom of the hill, where the town is located. Bryn and I parked at the middle school for free located about 20-30 minutes from the main tourist attractions. Whatever you choose to do – hiking or not, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing and even bring a water bottle for walking as you WILL be walking quite a bit and getting a workout in.

A bit of background about Harpers Ferry, West Virginia: this town is located at the location wherewith the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet, also known as The Point, and provides views of both Maryland and Virginia. Harpers Ferry is located just outside of Loudon County, Virginia – a well-known county that is not far from Washington, DC that is legitimately heaven on Earth with its beauty, too. The town even has a train station, which goes into Washington, DC on the daily for commuters. Harpers Ferry is also located along the Appalachian Trail, offering hikes at all levels for visitors, including to the scenic Jefferson Rock which former President Thomas Jefferson found to have such stunning views of the rivers from. This town’s notability comes from being a key site in the 1859 raid of Abolitionist John Brown and a well-known battle during the Civil War. One of the things that I LOVE about Harpers Ferry is the fact that both hiking and sightseeing is offered. So, you can easily come to Harpers Ferry dressed all cute for photos OR dressed all cute for hiking OR a dressed for a little bit of both!

Harpers Ferry has a plethora of small businesses in the town, both for dining and shopping. At the same time, it offers A LOT of historic charm and scenic views at every turn. Bryn and I simply explored many of the shops in town including a candy shop that had candy from decades including the 1920’s, took in the scenic views, and walked across the footbridge over the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. Everything both Bryn and I did was for free, too – something EASY to do here in Harpers Ferry.

Honestly, my visit to Harpers Ferry was great. The town’s close proximity to Washington, DC and plethora of scenic views make it an easy not even half day trip from the city and allows me to feel as if I am in heaven on Earth. I loved that it was easy to simply spend $0 while here and to just enjoy the moments, history, and gorgeous views while visiting. This was my second time here in Harpers Ferry, as the first time I went with my Mom during lockdown in 2020 to hike. And, if I were to go back again (which I want to!), I would hike a bit, walk through the town, park MUCH MUCH MUCH closer to the town, and go to a vineyard in nearby Loudon County, Virginia. Either way, there is something for everybody in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia!

XOXO – Katie <3

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National Wear Your Lilly Day 2022!

If you know me or follow me on social media (follow me on Instagram @_thepinkchickadee!), then you know that I am a HUGE fan of the fashion brand Lilly Pulitzer! Lilly Pulitzer has been my favorite fashion designer for a LOOONGGG time now: I fell in love with her bright and bubbly designs. And, in my high school and early college years, I started expanding my wardrobe to include Lilly Pulitzer pieces. Since then, I have amassed a HUGE closet full of Lilly Pulitzer pieces, a bedroom decked out in Lilly Pulitzer, an office space decked out in Lilly Pulitzer, and *of course* a love for the community and culture of the brand.

Read more on my love for Lilly Pulitzer on the blog here:

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

So, you may be wondering, what is National Wear Your Lilly Day (NWYLD)?! NWYLD is a day commemorated today (or the day that I published this blog post!!!) aka the First Day of Summer/Summer Solstice. THIS IS A DAY in which ALL Lilly Pulitzer lovers love to embrace. We can commemorate our love of the Lilly Pulitzer brand, our community, and share it with others, too. The Lilly Pulitzer brand all started with a juice stand in Palm Beach, Florida. Lilly (McKim) Pulitzer had recently moved to Palm Beach, Florida with her husband and simply needed something to do. So, Pulitzer started a juice stand and uncovered that there were no dresses and pieces that she loved that would cover her juice stains. And, well, that was how the brand of Lilly Pulitzer begun: Pulitzer started making brightly and beautifully printed clothing that would cover her juice stains. Soon after, the likes of the Kennedy family (including former First Lady Jackie Kennedy!!!) and many more flocked to the Lilly Pulitzer brand which has become a prominent brand that many love to this day. Knowing the start of the Lilly Pulitzer brand (which I wrote MANY high school and college papers on – LOL!) is helpful in bringing together the community that Lilly Pulitzer has brought to me and several others as well.

This year’s look to commemorate NWYLD (besides the shift that I am wearing to the office today) was styled a few days ago in Pennington, New Jersey – my hometown up until the age of 8. My favorite piece that I purchased so far this year is my Parigi Skort Romper in Blue Horizon Coming In Hot. I wore this romper favorite of mine for my 23rd Birthday. I styled my romper with my heart-shaped printed pouch that Lilly Pulitzer is Birthday gifting with purchase along with a 15% off Birthday discount with any $150 or $200+ purchase (upon registration for an account and listing your birthday on the Lilly Pulitzer website) that is sent on one’s birthday or around it. And, *of course* I had to wear a Lilly Pulitzer top knot headband and my bright pink Classic Jacks Jack Rogers sandals because I LOOVVEEE my Jack Rogers sandals! Shop the Parigi Skort Romper here: https://rstyle.me/+TMrZQf3de8KAAIkjUgIbJA

Also, I have linked some of my current favorite Lilly Pulitzer products below!

Now, Happy NWYLD & Summer Solstice!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Flamingo Bar Cart Reveal!

For a LONGGGGGGG time, I had yet to get around to setting up and decorating my flamingo bar cart. So, just a year after my Washington, DC move, I *FINALLY* shared on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!!!) a Reels revealing my flamingo bar cart!!!! After purchasing a hot pink bar cart from Home Goods to use to store all of my snacks in my college apartment back in 2019, I knew one day I wanted to make it into a flamingo bar cart. And, today, I am sharing ALL of the details behind it!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

A fun fact about my bar cart is that A LOT of the items either came from a FabFitFun seasonal box (ranging from Summer 2021 to Summer 2022) aka my Draper James straw tray, Kate Spade gold scalloped ice bucket, and Kate Spade tumblers. At the same time, I LOVE using items from my first-ever friend from college AND small business owner and one woman show Cassie of Cassie’s Designs, including my monogram pair of champagne flutes and my flamingo wreath. My flamingo wreath made by Cassie was one of my favorite items that I purchased for my college apartment and a memorable part of entering (and exiting) my college apartment on a regular basis, so I’m glad I could repurpose it for my flamingo bar cart!! Speaking of champagne flutes, my other set of wine glasses were handprinted and purchased during the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale back in September 2021. And, *of course* my decorative flamingo and pink wine bottle came from none other than The Dollar Tree. But, last but not least, my straw flamingo two-tiered decorative shelve came from Home Goods. I shared this style on the Styling My Lilly Facebook Group and got SEVERAL comments about it, as this straw flamingo style comes in several different variations (a basket version of which I bought, too!!). So, above all else, check out your local Dollar Tree, go visit your local Home Goods/Marshall’s/TJ Maxx, and subscribe to FabFitFun (haha – I’m biased) which I talk more about here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/06/02/why-i-switched-to-an-annual-fabfitfun-membership/#/

Unfortunately my hot pink bar cart has never been spotted by me at Home Goods since I bought it, but I have linked a few similar styles below just like many of the other bar cart finds of mine. Shop all the finds here:

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Reality of Post-College Graduate Life

We all see graduation as an exciting time in our lives. We get dressed in a cap, gown, and our nicest outfit for the big day. We walk across that stage. We receive our diplomas (AND DEGREES!!!). We walk off the stage feeling accomplished, proud, and ready to take on that next chapter in our lives. We celebrate our achievements with our friends and family who potentially are doing just that, too. Perhaps, we MAY even take graduation photos in the midst of ALL that excitement. BUT, the excitement and gratitude from all of those exciting college graduation moments seems to disappear in the blink of an eye. And, just like that, we are thrust out of the college world and into the big, scary adult world.

For more posts on post-college life, look no further than here:

If you know me and have been following along with me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!!) and the blog, then you know that I am a recent college graduate. I graduated from Meredith College a year ago (May 2021) as of when I am publishing this blog post with a Bachelors of Arts in Mathematics and triple minors in Data Science, Statistics, and Website Development and Honors. I also served on several college committees and won 5+ awards throughout my college experience. Everyone knew who I was on my college campus, as a result of my bright pink and preppy style, on-campus involvement, go-getter personality, and outgoing and bubbly persona. Just a day after my college graduation I moved from my college town of Raleigh, North Carolina to the big city of Washington, DC where I started my job at a company that I LOVE soon after. That all being said, my identity was defined by all of my experiences in college. Then, when I graduated from college, all of that went away. My identity, which was filled with being that girl involved in ALL of the committees, dressed to the 9’s in bright pink, and somehow making friends with everyone in between it all, left me along with my college years. Everything seemed to disappear and fall apart after college. And, truth be told, I still really miss those college years where everything felt as if it was in its place where it was meant to be.

Change is inevitable. Change is the one constant in ALL of our lives. Change is the one thing that we should all expect from life, whether we like it or not. With post-college graduate life, change is everywhere and at EVERY turn.

For many of us, post-graduate life changes involve a move, whether nearby or far away. Some of those moves can involve a brand-new city, back home, or even nearby our old college stomping grounds. Whatever the move may be, it IS a change to leave college apartments and/or your college campus for something else. We may be living with our parents, siblings, or grandparents and having to re-establish our relationships with those in our lives who we left just a few years beforehand and changed and grew so much in those years since initially leaving home. We may be living with roommate(s) and adapting to living independently and paying rent, utilities, and many other things on our own, too. Either way, packing up ALL of our belongings and college memories and life and moving elsewhere is tough. At the same time, friends from college and from back at home become dispersed, whether in different cities or different places within the same city/metropolitan area. Many of my friends live within 30 minutes from me that are in the Washington, DC area. I feel lucky by that statistic, too, given how vast the Washington, DC area is. The same goes for my friends Hannah and Alanna in the Raleigh-Cary-Durham, North Carolina area. Hannah, Alanna, and I were talking the other day about how many of us are lucky if we see our friends once a week in the postgraduate world, as opposed to all day everyday as in the college world. That is a BIG CHANGE!

Jobs take up A LOT of our time, whether we like it or not. I am very lucky to say that I had a job before graduating from college at a great company that I am lucky to say that I LOVE here in the Washington, DC area. I have several supportive coworkers and have been learning a lot on the job. I feel VERY fortunate to have all of this. I know several people who spend MONTHS if not YEARS searching for a job post-graduation. It is hard and, essentially, looking for a job IS A JOB. Either way, work WILL take up a lot of your time. It is not easy to find that work-life balance, especially the first few years out of college. We go from waking up at 12pm if we so choose to after staying up until 4am doing homework assignments to waking up much much much earlier to check emails, pings in Microsoft Teams and/or Slack, and meetings. We may even have an occasional or regular routine commute into work, too. Work IS exhausting. It is for everyone. It’s much different than college classes, but thankfully there is NO homework in the working world (*cues confetti!!!*). That is a BIG CHANGE!

We are out in the real world. We are in working jobs. We are paying rent and groceries and bills and potentially even student loans and everything in between it all, too. We are not asking our parents anymore for money, since we now have our own paychecks. We understand the value of money. We understand the expensive cost of things, such as groceries, gas, car payments, cell phone bills, rent, utilities, health insurance, auto insurance, 401K retirement accounts, savings accounts, and much much much more. It is all A LOT. We are gaining a newfound sense of independence. As, in previous times, our parents usually for the most part, handled those types of things. Adulting was beyond our own brain’s scope of comprehension. Those days are behind us and we are officially adults. That is a BIG CHANGE!

Our mental health takes a toll, through it all. To be honest, I have felt a loss of my own identity in the post-graduate world, a longing to see and interact with my peers on a daily basis, and a post-graduate world depression. My whole entire life, I have been going from classroom to classroom, assignment to assignment, report card to report card, and semester to semester. In between it all, I attended social to social, committee to committee, meeting to meeting, and event to event. And, then, I did it all again. My life has REVOLVED around being in a classroom setting all of my life. None of that classroom structure is there. It isn’t easy being in the post-graduate world when your identity was surrounded by your past school life. Personally, I miss a lot of what college had to offer and I know my college friends do too. It isn’t easy, but none of us are alone either. Remember that.

Although we excitedly put on our caps and gowns, walk across that stage, and receive our degrees, the road after doing so is never easy for anyone. We go through roller coaster rides of excitement, ranging from taking our first vacation when we would have probably been in class to decorating our first-ever apartment in the real world, and sadness, ranging from realizing we’re in fact not in college and living near all of our friends anymore and adulting and everything else. Things haven’t been easy for me, since my college graduation, to say the least (I want to be REAL with y’all!!!), but I do know that for all of us, everything is temporary and that things WILL get better. Do not forget – things WILL get better – though they may seem hard at this very exact moment.

XOXO – Katie <3

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Why You Should Play Tourist in Your Own City!

The other day, I was hanging out with my high school friends Haley and Violet. When, Haley stated “let’s all go into DC one of these days and play tourist!” Well, on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you probably already know that I live in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. Well, just a week before Haley and Violet and I hung out, my best friend Amanda who lives in New Jersey came to town and we did just that: play tourist in my own city!

Life can get crazy and make us want to simply just rest close to home, but sometimes a breath of fresh air can make it all worth it. Especially when that breath of fresh air is close to home, we can really truly feel refreshed. Ever since I moved to the Washington, DC area right after graduating from college in North Carolina, I have loved being able to have a plethora of new, exciting, and fun things to do in my own backyard. As compared to North Carolina, Washington, DC has several more things to do on the weekends and every weekend at that, as compared to once in a blue moon back in North Carolina. Living here in the Washington, DC as a whole has been a breath of fresh air for me! I have friends from North Carolina, New Jersey, and beyond visiting me from time to time. And, each time a new friend comes, we usually go visit the typical touristy areas of Washington, DC, which ALWAYS gives me new light and more and more love for the city that I live in.

Each and every single time I come to the Washington, DC area and play tourist, I start at The National Mall. The National Mall is home to the Smithsonian Museums and gardens, including the Smithsonian Castle, Smithsonian Gardens, the National Gallery of Art, the National Archives, the Museum of Natural History, the Air and Space Museum, and many many many more. At the same time, the National Mall has lines of fields perfect for picnics and admiring the United States Capitol (with the Supreme Court Building and Library of Congress behind it) on one side and the National Monument (with the Lincoln Memorial, World War 11 Memorial, and Korean War Memorial behind it) on the other. Food trucks also line the National Mall with a plethora of types of cuisines to choose from, whether it be your typical hot dogs and soft pretzels, to ice cream, Boba tea, and even Mexican, Mediterranean, and Asian delights. So, that being said, it is EASY to spend a full day including lunch and dinner on the National Mall. And, I usually do to some extent when friends come to town!!

And, perhaps, when you play tourist in your own city, you’ll find something new to you, too! Every time I play tourist in Washington, DC, I see it all again from a new perspective. Whether with a fellow Washingtonian or not, I always strive to keep a bright, open-minded mindset, as I see the same exact sights for the 100th+ time (luckily for me, it doesn’t get old, though!!!). For example, when Amanda was in town a few weeks back, we tried a new-to-me and her restaurant that I have always wanted to try: The Hamilton. The Hamilton is a well-known restaurant in Washington, DC apart of Clyde’s Restaurant Group (which also houses the iconic and historic Old Ebbitt Grill, too!) and has sweet Americana charm and cuisine. People from ALL over the world eat at The Hamilton and all of the other Clyde’s Restaurant Group restaurants when they visit the nation’s capital. Amanda and I were BLOWN AWAY by The Hamilton in Washington, DC. The food (she ordered gnocchi and I ordered a crab cake sandwich and we each got a charcuterie board to start!!), drinks (she ordered a boozy milkshake and I ordered my typical drink order – a glass of Cabernet), and the service was all to die for! Not to mention, the environment was charming, yet timeless Americana. It was such a great experience to be able to visit The Hamilton and add another place been to off of my Washington, DC things that I did mental list!

Amanda and I had a GREAT time while she visited Washington, DC. Obviously, we visited the National Mall (!!!!) amongst a few other sites and ate at The Hamilton. I cannot wait to see her again and explore Washington, DC as a tourist in my own city with Haley and Violet, too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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So I Bought the Hill House Nap Dress

About a month ago on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared about my purchase of the Hill House Nap Dress. I fell in love with the Hill House Nap Dress watching my blogger friend Talia of Dresses & Democracy rave about her HUGE collection of Hill House Nap Dresses as well as Jamie of Miss Maximalist with her several Instagram Reels showcasing her vast Hill House Nap Dress collection. So, when my Birthday came around, I caved in and purchased my own Hill House Nap Dress and *FINALLY* joined Nap Dress Nation.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

When I bought my first-ever Hill House Nap Dress, I literally was SO nervous to wear it. Not because I was fearful of ruining it on accident, but finding the perfect place to wear my Nap Dress to. Well, on an outing to a local vineyard near me – The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville, Virginia – I *FINALLY* decided to proclaim my Nap Dress Nation support and wear my Hill House Nap Dress! Shop my exact Hill House Nap Dress here: https://rstyle.me/+MKZjLqE2uQhoik0dFaDfOQ

Hill House has several different Nap Dress styles, ranging from the Athena, to the Ellie, and even the Caroline. I ended up going with the Ellie Nap Dress (as pictured in this post), since I loved this style the most. Initially, I was hesitant to purchase the Ellie Nap Dress, as I am a petite 5’2, but luckily for myself, the Ellie Nap dress fits perfectly like a glove as if it were a maxi dress on me. A little side note: most midi dresses in regular sizes fit like a maxi on my petite figure, and the Ellie Nap Dress is no different. I ordered my Ellie Nap Dress in a size Large, my typical dress size, and it worked well for me. I could wear a bra without it showing my bra straps either, which was something I was hesitant of when first putting it on. Overall, for the fit of the Ellie Nap Dress, it fit me like a glove!

To me, my Hill House Nap Dress is PERFECT! It felt as if I was Cinderella searching for her missing magical glass slipper which only fit her feet that her Prince Charming awaitedly found for her, but a dress edition and minus the Prince Charming. It seriously fit like a glove. I love love love this dress!!! And, even *yes even* in the summer time, it kept me cool due to its light but firm cotton fabric being able to keep me comfortable and cool throughout the sticky, humid Washington, DC area days. I can seriously see why so many people LOVE the Hill House Nap Dress and why Nap Dress Nation is such an esteemed place to be.

As for purchasing a Hill House Nap Dress, they can be bought on Hill House’s website. All Nap Dresses in all styles retail for around $120-$300 each. The pieces are classic and timeless, yet come at a hefty price tag (which stemmed my initial hesitation to purchase one). I do intend to purchase another Hill House Nap Dress in the future, but plan to wait since I have SO many summer dresses that I yet have to wear. Before purchasing my first-ever Hill House Nap Dress, I enjoyed many many many Nap Dress dupes, including this one from Old Navy that I spill ALL the tea on here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/04/21/the-hill-house-nap-dress-dupe-that-i-love/#/

In the meantime, I have linked some of my favorite Hill House Nap Dress styles for your own admiration (and mine, too!) below!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Book Shelf that Honors my Alma Mater

If you know me, then you know that I LOVE making my home a happy place! Recently, on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared my Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall – my most recent home decoration endeavor to be shared before today. My Freshmen and Sophomore college dorms were so bright and such a happy place of mine that it brought joy to others, too. A fun fact about my Freshmen year college dorm was that it became one of the big stops of my classmates’ tours when trying to find the cutest dorms in our class. It was, indeed, a fun time! And, well, my happy place home has extended well into my post-graduation years.

Recently, when I redid my Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall, I ALSO redid a sweet corner of my office space/end of the Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall that honors none other than my college alma mater of Meredith College. Before my Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall took shape, I had a HUGE gallery filled with photos of my alma mater Meredith College. Ranging from paintings and prints of Meredith College to awards that I received while in school, EVERYTHING seemed to be ALL-things related to Meredith College. However, it was a bit to much for what I wanted the gallery wall to be moving forward (hence, why I switched it up!). Read more about my Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/05/22/my-lilly-pulitzer-gallery-wall/

One of my favorite memories and blogger collaborations back when I was in college was with Mapiful, where I got to create and customize my own map. Mapiful is a poster and map poster customization shop that creates GORGEOUS maps to commemorate special places to each of us. That map to me *HAD* to be of Meredith College! It was a super special collaboration of mine, as I got to honor my sweet Meredith College and the friendships, community, and relationships all established while I was in school there. So, my Mapiful framed poster had to be apart of this sweet sweet corner! Shop Mapiful designs and customizations here: https://www.mapiful.com/us/

Another special memory made in college was during my study abroad adventures in San Ignacio, Belize. San Ignacio is located within the rainforest region of Cayo, Belize. One of the most unique things about Belize is the several local and ultra-talented artisans in the area. One of these artisans hand-designs metal Meredith College Lux’s (Meredith College’s logo you can say!) that are absolutely STUNNING. It is a one of a kind piece which sits on a wooden maroon easel in that sweet sweet corner.

A favorite part of this sweet sweet corner of mine is my clear glass clock. That clear glass clock is engraved with my name, as its my award given to me by Meredith College’s Math & Computer Science Department known as the Charles A. Davis Award for Outstanding Seniors in Math & Computer Science. I have so many memories from my Math & Computer Science department at Meredith College, from both my classmates who became friends, professors who became strong connections in my professional network and friends too, and my community. Essentially, the Math & Computer Science department became my academic home at Meredith College. So, to be awarded for my dedication to the Math & Computer Science department by my fellow professors was an extreme honor and is super special to me.

This sweet sweet sweet corner of my apartment is a place to honor my college memories, achievements, and community. It’s a place that I look over at and smile from ear to ear. Because, wherever I go in life, I always have my sweet memories made at Meredith College to take with me!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Lessons I Learned from Heart Break

This is a part that I have hidden from my blogging world for the most part. If you have been following with me on my blogging journey for a while and more specifically on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you probably know that I had a rather short-lived relationship my Senior year of college. Along with that relationship, I had a few potential relationships that never came to be during my college years. I have always been a sucker for a good love story, and am obsessed with many romantic comedies and those of Disney movies. However, the world can be a lot less magical when it comes to the world of heart break.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

A little back story: I was in a relationship my Senior year of college for a few months. The most ironic thing about this relationship was that it started and ended in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and right before vaccines became widespread and distributed to the general public. My ex-girlfriend lived in a North Carolina city a few hours away from me in Raleigh, North Carolina (where I was at the time for college). We made an effort to see one another between our two respective cities during those times. In North Carolina and especially within my Meredith College population, it is very frequent that people will get married in their early-mid 20’s. People committed to one another at a young age (sometimes even middle school sweethearts) and get married soon after their college years end. The pressure to commit was REAL in college. During that relationship, there was definitely immediate talk about commitment and marriage. I had intended to stay in North Carolina to be close to her and started doing my job search there, too. Along with the pressure to be in a committed, long withstanding relationship, I started to realize that the person I was putting my all into was not giving me that same all in return. She had taken advantage of me in different ways, too. I was bending over BACKWARDS to give her my all with barely anything in return. Needless to say, when I called off the relationship and chose to break up with her, I did so for me and only me. I knew that I deserved and was worth more than anything she could give me, especially when I was giving 100% and getting only 5% in return. The break up was not received well on her end. I lost multiple. I repeat multiple friends over this break up. I definitely realized then and there who would stick around and who didn’t. There was a vague blog post about the break up after it happened, as I was filled with so much self love and empowerment when I chose to break the relationship off. Read it here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2021/02/21/sunday-scaries-starting-out-single/

Throughout my college experiences, I had multiple romantic interactions with others, whether it be flirting in the Instagram or Snapchat DM’s, in-person via passing, or many peeks to one another at events. I began to gravitate towards them and some I developed a crush on. Many of them that I crushed on I had hoped for a relationship with, some more than others. One of these folks that I had encountered with with on and off more so in a crush-like way for multiple years. At one point in time, my friends and I definitely thought that the two of us were going to start dating. BUT, that ended up being far far far from the case. It was a wave after wave of heartbreak versus excitement. A lot of interactions and flirting throughout the years, yet a lot go distance too. Through it all, I just hung onto the hope that it would all magically work out in my romantically favored mind for the long run. Today and tomorrow and everyday after, that is far from the case. However, due to varying reasons, no relationship was ever pursued with any of my so-called college crushes. This is something that I have never shared, yet still pertains to the ways in which I cope and have learned from dealing with heartbreak and feels raw to me to this day.

I have even *yes, even* tried the dating apps. BUT, I could never seem to be on a dating app for more than a week at any given time. I have talked to others and even had phone calls with others via dating apps, but the idea of meeting someone on a dating app and meeting someone for the sole purpose of dating them is something that makes me uncomfortable to no end. I have tried and tried dating apps from time to time again. But, overtime, I have come to the conclusion that they are not the right path for me to eventually enter into a relationship. The funniest part is that the last time I used a dating app, I forgot that I even had it and kept forgetting to use it. Read more on that here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2021/11/14/relationship-sundays-why-i-dont-use-dating-apps/

The truth is: heartbreak HURTS. It is painful. It is raw. And, it makes us more vulnerable than we sometimes ever want to be. Though, at the same time, heartbreak makes us all stronger and prepares us for the right person that we are meant to be with. It also allows us to give ourselves grace, admire ourselves for who we are, and love ourselves through thick and thin for the imperfect person that we are.

When I moved to Washington, DC, I decided to for the sole purpose of having the chance at a fresh start. I would be able to focus on myself, my confidence, and go after my dreams. These dreams that were MINE and not even thinking about keeping someone else’s in mind. Carrie Bradshaw says in Sex and the City that “women move to New York City for two things: labels and love”. Not going to lie, I partially felt that way about my move to Washington, DC – I could live just steps away from ALL the beautiful high-end preppy boutiques along with their respective outlet stores AND have a better shot at loving myself and, when I’m ready, someone else. In my Junior year of college – one of my WORST years for heartbreak – I kept envisioning myself living it up in Washington, DC post-graduation. I am glad I am today.

Lessons I Learned From Heartbreak

  1. You ALWAYS have yourself – You probably have witnessed one relationship come and go or a hopeful romance fade away. But, at the end of the day, you have yourself to fall back on. Your mind. Your thoughts. Your self worth and how you view it. We live in our thoughts day in and day out. All of those things are with you whether or not you’re dating somebody. When heartbroken over someone else, our self worth could feel diminished. But, our thoughts and mindful thinking are always with us. Be someone you can turn to in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Be proud of yourself and do things for YOU. People come and go. At the end of the day, we always have ourselves to turn to.
  2. We are not meant for this person – This has always been a HARD pill for me to swallow. Hey, we may have just been rejected by someone else romantically and that SUCKS. For whatever reason, this person that we had so hoped to date has chosen to either break up or not date us at all. We may have EVEN envisioned a lifelong future with this person. We picture this person as the perfect person for us. It sucks when we are let down. But, surprise, we are not meant to be with this person, no MATTER how great for us they may seem. My cousin once told me this and I will tell you, too: try just try to picture and list out AS many reasons as you can as to why this person is not right for you. Overtime, you’ll realize it too.
  3. Self love is the BEST love – Through it all, we must continue to work on loving ourselves. Admire the progress that YOU made. Be proud of you. And, most importantly, take care of yourself. Take a walk, find a hobby outside of work, go to therapy, or cook a nice meal. Hold yourself accountable. Perhaps, find an accountability partner, too (mine is my bestie Shivani and my Mom!!!).
  4. Contentment comes from within – We cannot fully be content based on what others think, say, or do. Contentment must come from within. And, a lot of that contentment comes from working on loving yourself. My ex-girlfriend told me that she had “never been happier than with me” and that she was depressed before we dated. That is a scary truth. Happiness does not come from another relationship, no matter who you are with. You must find that joy and happiness from within yourself first.
  5. All of this heartbreak is preparing you for the right person – Yep, you heard me right – all of the heartbreaks and all that you’ve survived are preparing you to meet the right person for you. Deciding NOT to settle for someone who isn’t right for you is only allowing you to make that UPGRADE to the person who is. Now, when I say the right person for you, remember that they are not going to be perfect by any means. They may not even be who you perfectly envision yourself being with either and even anything but. But, they WILL be right for you and you WILL see it when the time is RIGHT for you both. And, it will be great. They say that all of the frogs come before you kiss your Prince. That is the reality with all things dating and relationships. Trust me, you’ll be better off having known your worth, loving yourself, and continuing to work on YOU when it comes time to meet and fall in love with your perfect one.

Now, to, shop for labels and focus on self love!

XOXO – Katie <3

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