The Kennedy Center’s JFK Exhibit!

When most people think of Washington, DC’s The Kennedy Center, they think of spending what can feel like a fortune on tickets to see a performance. Case in point, I am seeing Hamilton at The Kennedy Center (here) in JUST 10 days!!!! I shared a bit about my visit to The Kennedy Center on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee) in recent times and am planning to share here more about it, too. To the common eye’s surprise, The Kennedy Center has MANY free things to do upon visiting, whether it be seeing an exhibit, checking out their legendary rooftop terrace, or enjoying the outdoor grounds or a daily performance outside. More specifically, Papa and I visited The Kennedy Center’s JFK exhibit titled Art and Ideals, dedicated to former United States President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK), on opening weekend just a few weekends ago.

About:

SO, to give a back story to the JFK exhibit at The Kennedy Center, during his presidency, President Kennedy founded and set aside some funds for an arts center in Washington, DC. He wanted this arts center to represent the several cultures within the United States and embrace diversity, showcase the performing arts talents within our world and a place to present international talents, too, and honor none other than the arts. The Kennedy Center was being built and, after President Kennedy’s assassination, it was decided to name this famous arts center that he so created the foundations for after him. This exhibit on President Kennedy opened on September 17, 2022 to honor the 50th anniversary of The Kennedy Center which opened in 1972. The JFK exhibit has photos of everything that the former President wanted to dedicate The Kennedy Center to, whether it be a safe haven for African Americans to express themselves and be accepted for who they are, a place for dancers, singers, and actors to show off their talents, and to continue performing arts education for all. JFK was President during the 1960’s in a time when the Cold War and Civil Rights Movements dominated the news and then-current times. Overall, the exhibit was a BEAUTIFUL tribute to former President Kennedy and his love for creating a safe haven for all to simply be them for years to come.

Our Experience:

One of my favorite parts of the JFK exhibit was getting to see ALL of the former First Lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis photos!!! I am a HUGE fan of Jackie Kennedy, as I love her utter class, style, and charisma. Not to mention, the fact that Jackie Kennedy remained a major supporter of the establishment of The Kennedy Center both when her late husband was in office and when he passed. Jackie Kennedy truly loved The Kennedy Center!! At the same time, the history of the Kennedy family was presented in JFK’s dedication exhibit. It was neat to be able to see the passion that the entire Kennedy family has for the arts and embracing diversity, all cultures, and acceptance.

Recently, I have been reading a lot of magazines on celebrities, whether it be Elizabeth Taylor or Dolley Parton. It has, indeed, been my new way to wind down after a long day. Anyhow, there is even a Kennedy Center award given to performers. It’s neat to see the legacy of The Kennedy Center and JFK to this day in performers that many of us know and love across the globe!

Wrap-Up:

Truly, the passions that JFK had for the arts shows today in their legacy known as The Kennedy Center. It seriously is a beautiful legacy!!! There is also a GORGEOUS signature rooftop terrace accessible to ALL The Kennedy Center visitors which truly showcases the beauty of Washington, DC (via showing off gorgeous skyline views!) and honors the Kennedy’s very well.

XOXO – Katie <3

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Kicking off My First-ever 101 in 1001 Bucket List!

I am a big sucker for bucket lists!!! On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I am ALWAYS visiting new places, whether near or far. I have many many many bucket lists. The other day, I got inspired by my fellow blogger friend Annaliese of Southern Belle in Training who just completed her first-ever 101 in 1001 bucket list. SO, as someone who LOVES reaching for the stars in her own magical and confetti-filled way, I knew that I had to jump on this bucket list idea and start it TODAY!

The 101 in 1001 bucket list is a bucket list for people to complete, which allows them to complete 101 of their own goals in different categories within 1,001 days (or a little less than 3 years). Being out of college for a year now with a stronger mindset of what I want to with my life post-college graduation, I feel as if I am in a place where I can work to achieve both my career goals and personal goals. Personally, I hope to remain in the Washington, DC area and grow my career here, too. At the same time, I have professional goals within my current company that I would like to achieve which additionally involves getting a graduate degree. I also plan to provide periodical updates on the goals that I’ve achieved over time. NOW, let’s get into it!!!

Start Date: September 22, 2022 (aka the FIRST Day of Fall and a year post-my undergraduate college years!)

End Date: June 19, 2025 (I’ll be 26 and 4 years post-my undergraduate college years)

Career:

  1. Attend a leadership seminar
  2. Be making a certain salary
  3. Attend an in-person healthcare-related conference
  4. Reach a certain level of leadership within my projects
  5. Join a healthcare-related professional society
  6. Attend a Women in Technology Leadership Awards Gala
  7. Volunteer at STEM For Her Day/other STEM For Her events in relation to promoting company exposure
  8. Host a meet and greet or event with my company and my alma mater, Meredith College
  9. Continue to network within my company and beyond
  10. Attend the Women in Data Science at the University of Virginia conference again
  11. Continue to maintain and create connections with both my coworkers and clients

Education:

  1. Start the part-time MBA application process
  2. Complete a technical writing-related certification
  3. At least plan out when I want to obtain my PMP (Project Management Professional) certification
  4. Complete my company’s Human Centered Design certification

Personal:

  1. Start attending church more, whether it be Wednesday night activities, Sunday services, or special events
  2. Work on reorganization within my apartment
  3. Vote in-person in an election
  4. Donate blood
  5. Finish watching Gilmore Girls
  6. Paint my dresser hot pink
  7. Decorate a statement book shelf
  8. Buy a new laptop
  9. Adopt a rescue Yorkie
  10. Participate in a local charity walk
  11. Watch a play at my local high school
  12. Watch The Crown on Netflix
  13. Paint my family’s antique lamps
  14. Decorate my apartment with family antique pieces
  15. Start scrapbooking
  16. Start investing and continue to do so
  17. Open a Poshmark shop
  18. Make more intentional purchases when shopping
  19. Read a devotional
  20. Buy and read Reese Witherspoon’s Whiskey in a Teacup
  21. Try Korean BBQ

Relationships:

  1. Visit a vineyard with family
  2. Host a dinner party
  3. Have a fondue night with Papa
  4. Host a Christmas Holiday Tea
  5. Treat my Papa to dinner at The Capital Grille
  6. Host a White Elephant gift exchange
  7. Attend a Meredith College Cornhuskin’ as an Alumnae
  8. Go to a happy hour at a nearby restaurant with friends/coworkers (not planned by my company)
  9. Host a girl’s weekend for 4+ of my friends at my apartment
  10. Host a s’mores bonfire
  11. Plan a family crab feast in Annapolis
  12. Go see a Taylor Swift concert with some of my best friends
  13. Meet up in real life with my fellow influencer/small business owner friends Holly and Lindsay
  14. Join the DAR
  15. Attend a DC Bloggers Event/Meetup
  16. Meet up with DC-area-based influencer friends of mine in real life
  17. Meet up with my cousins Jack and Laura
  18. Reunite with my family and friends that I spent childhood summers up in Maine with
  19. Visit my coworker’s nail salon
  20. Tour the Library of Congress with my Dad
  21. Go to The National Christmas Tree with Papa and Aunt Amy
  22. Decorate Christmas cookies with my friend Sarah
  23. Have a DIY fancy picnic with friends

Travel:

  1. Visit two new-to-me countries
  2. Visit two new-to-me states
  3. Visit a new-to-me Canadian Province
  4. Plan a girl’s birthday weekend away for my birthday
  5. Visit Charleston again
  6. Explore Uptown Charlotte
  7. Go back to New York City at Christmas time
  8. Attend another one of Papa’s family’s reunions
  9. Visit Papa’s family in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
  10. Visit The Biltmore at Christmas time
  11. Plan a weekend away from our respective hometown’s with my bestie Amanda
  12. Drive myself to visit family and friends in New Jersey/Pennsylvania
  13. Visit my cousin Sabrina in Boston
  14. Visit Natural Bridge State Park, Virginia
  15. Go to New York City for the day with my Aunt Sherri
  16. Take a trip with my bestie Shivani
  17. Visit New Bern, North Carolina
  18. Visit my friend Cassie in her hometown of Winston Salem, North Carolina
  19. Explore my friend Alanna’s hometown of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  20. Visit St. Michael’s Island, Maryland

Washington, DC:

  1. Attend Capital Pride with my company
  2. Go to a Library of Congress Happy Hour
  3. Visit Georgetown at Christmas time
  4. Explore 3 new-to-me Washington, DC neighborhoods
  5. Picnic at The National Mall
  6. Go on a Potomac River Cocktail Cruise
  7. Go to a National Gallery of Art’s After Hours Event again
  8. Tour the Old Postal Office
  9. Enjoy a High Tea
  10. Tour the White House
  11. Visit the DAR Headquarters/Museum
  12. Visit City Center
  13. Tour Mount Vernon again with my Dad
  14. Eat at Old Ebbitt Grill
  15. Visit MGM National Harbor
  16. Eat at Tupelo Honey
  17. Visit the SCOUT Bags Flagship store on a weekday
  18. Eat at Primrose DC
  19. Go on a Georgetown Canal Cruise
  20. Visit another Embassy (I went to the Jamaican Embassy as a kid!)
  21. Explore Dupont Circle again
  22. Experience the Tidal Basin Cherry Blossoms at sunrise

Now, to get going on my bucket list!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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4 Hours in Fredericton, New Brunswick

It’s CRAZY to say that I spent LESS THAN A DAY in Canada and then came back to the United States by the afternoon. If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared on my stories a few weeks back about my drive going across the United States-Canada border (more on that down below!) with my Papa and dog Rosie. We, then, were whisked away to enjoy the literally drop dead gorgeous Canadian highways, before landing in our destination of the capital city of the New Brunswick province – Fredericton.

SO, to get across the border of Canada, you have to have a passport that will not expire within 6 months upon entry into Canada or any country for that matter, fill out the Go Canada questionnaire to list out your destination(s) that you’re going to while in Canada, COVID-19 vaccination records, and everything ready to go when you get to the border patrol. You can ALSO bring dogs with you!!! To bring a dog into Canada, you need their updated vaccination records which you can usually get from the vet (we did for Rosie!). Papa and I were staying at our family’s homestead in Houlton, Maine – a small town located at the VERYYY end of I-95 and right by the United States-Canadian border. Getting across the United States-Canada border was pretty easy: we simply drove up to the United States/Canada Customs building window, were greeted by a Border Patrol Guard, showed our needed documents/answered a few questions about belongings that we were bringing in with us, and then went on our way. We didn’t even have to get out of the car, which was super easy and makes the process of going in/out of Canada for the day a much much much easier process than it could have been, when compared to landing in a foreign country’s airport and going through the Customs process in that country (case in point: Customs usually lasts at least an hour in both United States’ and United Kingdom’s airports). Overall, driving into Canada was a much more simplified process than I have experienced in the past!

AND, alas, we were in Canada!!! Fredericton is about an hour from the United States-Canada border. The highways in Canada were absolutely STUNNING as they were super well-kept and there were drop dead gorgeous pine trees, lakes, and islands filled with pine trees lining the roads. New Brunswick is a Canadian province that is rather rural, well at least the part that we were in, so the more pine trees the better! We enjoyed the Canadian countryside – I guess?! – for sure!!!

Now, Fredericton, New Brunswick is the historical capital city of the New Brunswick province of Canada and sits on the St. John River. New Brunswick, along with Quebec, is one of a few Canadian provinces that speak both English and French. You will, indeed, see signs in both English and French on the New Brunswick highways just like you would in Quebec. Fredericton has a population of around 60,000 people which is tiny compared to the Washington, DC area where I reside yet huge for the province of New Brunswick (especially the area that we were in). There was sooooo much historical charm in Fredericton, even just driving through the streets.

When we arrived in Fredericton, I felt a bit like I was in Europe – not going to lie here – the streets felt very European and there were folks speaking both English and French. Papa and I personally didn’t have any MAJOR plans on what we wanted to do, as we decided to go on a whim. That all being said, we enjoyed the downtown streets while there. The City Hall was located right by where we had parked and paid homage to the nation of Canada, province of New Brunswick, and displayed their love and pride for the LGBTQ+ community. There was A LOT of LGBTQ+ pride signs, streets, stickers, attire, and much more around town in Fredericton – what a BEAUTIFUL THING! At the same time, the town had a lot of gorgeous historical and Victorian-inspired buildings. For being a rather small city, Fredericton felt like such a multi-cultural melting pot. I went into Urban Almanac – a cute little cafe that brews in-house – and got lavender flavored iced coffee. I got to talk to some of the locals there and they were SO SWEET. Above all else, along with its charming history and culture, the people of Fredericton are simply super kind.

Personally, I really enjoyed Fredericton. It was really fun getting to explore this gorgeous town with Papa and Rosie and *finally* have it feel like Fall there, too. We wore our raincoats there and weren’t hot either (!!!). I would love to explore more hidden Canadian gems, too, such as St. Andrews, New Brunswick and Ottawa, Canada and Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Fredricton truly is off the beaten path yet a gem to yet be uncovered for all to see.

XOXO – Katie <3

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72 Hours in Asheville, North Carolina!

On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I have been sharing my adventures in Asheville, North Carolina a few weeks ago for my best friend Kearra’s Birthday Weekend. Kearra did an AMAZING job getting us all ladies together for a fun weekend away to celebrate her and to simply be together. On that weekend, Alanna and I went to The Biltmore together and the Birthday crew – me, Alanna, Hannah, Aspen, Rachel, and *of course the Birthday girl of the weekend* Kearra!!! – and I also visited many other places around Asheville. Let’s get into the fun Birthday weekend for Kearra via 72 hours in Asheville, North Carolina!!!

As for The Biltmore, I decided to get into more depth on the experience that Alanna and I had there. Read more on Alanna and I’s Biltmore adventures here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/09/16/an-afternoon-at-the-biltmore/#/

For more United States travel inspiration, check out my Exploring 50 States expedition page.

Where We Stayed:

First thing’s first, after a LOOONGGG working day, each of us headed for our AirBnB in nearby-to-Asheville Swannanoa, North Carolina. Our AirBnB was STUNNING and perfect for all of us for the weekend. Hannah, Alanna, and I carpooled there and arrived at the AirBnB close to midnight. When we woke up in Swannanoa, we got to see breathtakingly gorgeous views of the North Carolina mountains at every angle, whether it be from our AirBnB’s balcony, driving into Asheville, or on the neighborhood streets right by our AirBnB. The mountains were GORGEOUS!!!

What We Did:

After working a half a day at the AirBnB, each of us ladies went to The Biltmore Village to Corner Kitchen – a delicious brunch and dinner place. A fun fact about Corner Kitchen is that it gets packed pretty easily so reservations (which Kearra so kindly did for us all!) are highly suggested. Corner Kitchen is only open for breakfast/brunch and dinner and both menus look AMAZING. Everything at this restaurant is locally sourced and seemingly (if I recall!!) farm-to-table. We arrived at Corner Kitchen for a 12:30 reservation and around 1-2pm, the restaurant was closing for the breakfast/brunch meal time, in preparation for dinner. At the same time, Corner Kitchen had a GORGEOUS exterior along with many many many of the Biltmore Village restaurants, cafes, and shops.

Post-brunch, Alanna and I headed for Palm Village – a Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store, while the rest of our crew went to other stores in the area. Alanna and I are the BIG BIG BIG Lilly Pulitzer lovers of the Birthday weekend crew! I got to meet Britney of @cute_classy_carolina on Instagram – a fellow Instagram friend of mine for a few years now who happens to work at Palm Village! While there, I learned that Palm Village is the largest Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store, encompassing 4 locations each with HUGE storefronts. Britney was SOOO SWEET and it was great to meet her along with the rest of the uber sweet Palm Village ladies! Alanna and I enjoyed trying on some of their many gorgeous pieces (a lot of which were on sale!) and shopping. We each purchased a few pieces – one of which for me was the Pollie Midi Dress (pictured right below!). I most definitely cannot wait to shop at Palm Village again and plan to via calling them and ordering one full-priced item for FREE SHIPPING. I highly recommend you do, too!

Friday night, we all did candle making at Hummingbird Candle Company located in downtown Asheville. Candle making was a unique experience which Kearra so kindly reserved for us all. It was neat to be able to smell several different candle scents, with the flexibility to be able to mix 2 scents together. One of the unique experiences offered in it all was getting to smell the 25+ scents that they had without knowing what the scent really was. We got descriptions of our favorite scents later – mine was Lemon Pound Cake! I mixed mine with a strawberry/raspberry scent, too. Once we chose all of our scents, we got to get to candle making, which was such a FUN, interactive, and NEAT experience! The best part?! They had a confetti wall and the most adorable merchandise, SO pictures, pictures, pictures!!!!

Saturday, we slept in before parting ways to either The Biltmore (me and Alanna) or horseback riding (Aspen, Kearra, Hannah, and Rachel). We each had a fun afternoon whatever the activity was that we did. After parting ways, we united together again to go to downtown Asheville to enjoy some of their gorgeous local shops. One of the things that I LOVE about downtown Asheville is the plethora of locally-owned shops. Whether it be fashion, art, locally made goods, restaurants, or a cafe, downtown Asheville truly has it all. Us ladies checked out one of their fashion boutiques, an Asheville-themed gift shop, and a cafe. I refrained this time around, as I shopped a lot at Palm Village, yet some of the other ladies in our crew got a few goodies. And, later that evening, we went to The Lobster Trap for Kearra’s Birthday dinner celebration and got a BUNCH of delicious seafood cuisines with fresh Maine lobster. It was a blast and especially seeing Kearra’s STUNNING Birthday cake when we got back to the AirBnB, too.

Sadly, Kearra had to leave early Sunday morning. So, the rest of us left the AirBnB for the Omni Grove Park Inn hotel – a gorgeous hotel overlooking the North Carolina mountains. None of us could afford to stay there at this point in our lives – LOL! – but we really enjoyed the hotel’s grounds. We walked around the hotel’s grounds mainly outdoors, catching scenic mountain views, waterfalls, and much more. The hotel is made out of stone rocks and was seriously breathtaking. It, perhaps, felt like a luxurious lodge in the mountains. We didn’t get any food or drinks there, but if I do go back to Asheville, that would be high on my list. Then, we all parted ways and headed home after an amazing weekend.

Wrap-Up:

Personally, I am super super super grateful for Kearra for arranging a special time and weekend for all of us to get together to celebrate her. Each of us ladies live in 6 different cities across North Carolina and Virginia and don’t get to see one another as much since our college days, so getting together was truly a blessing. Here’s to the next Girl’s Weekend with this amazing crew!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

From shopping the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale to working 9-5 to travel in 3+ different states and enjoying time with family and friends all in between, life has been crazy to say the least! If you follow along on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you probably have seen ALL of my recent adventures. Currently, sheer exhaustion is the NAME of the game recently, yet the exhaustion of mine has not kept me from making memories in the midst of it all. Personally, I believe that we ALL have one life to live and we should live it to the fullest that we possibly can – even if that means doing a lot all at once!

  • Planning Fall trips – Currently, my Papa and friends and extended family and I are planning trips for this Fall 2022 season. Y’all, it’s going to be a BUSY one in terms of travel. My trips include: Greenville & New Bern in North Carolina this September, Philadelphia and Shenandoah National Park and Annapolis with some Washington, DC day trips sprinkled in this October, and the Delaware beaches and Raleigh and Maryland beaches along the Eastern Shore this November. This December, I am looking up and ahead to*yet another* Raleigh trip for my best friend Hannah’s Birthday Weekend along with a long weekend in New York City to see the Rockettes (ticket ALREADY booked!!!) with my best friend Alanna and her family. I am really excited for my upcoming adventures, as they are mostly on the weekends so I can focus on work at home (which has been far from the truth these past few weeks!).
  • Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale Excitement!!! – If you know me, then you know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Lilly Pulitzer! In case you didn’t know, Lilly Pulitzer only has a sale twice a year – known now as the Sunshine Sale (it used to be called the After Party Sale) – and it is currently going on NOW as I am writing and publishing this post (!!!!). I previewed the Sunshine Sale over this past weekend at my nearest Signature Store (or local Lilly Pulitzer boutique): The Pink Crab in Annapolis, Maryland. My late Great Aunt Margaret who was also a Lilly Pulitzer lover shopped there A LOT, so I am glad that I got to live out my best life for her! The ladies at The Pink Crab are THE SWEETEST and made my shopping experience there such a great experience. I’m excited to visit again. Afterwards, I went over to Bitty & Beau’s – a cafe that primarily hires people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – for some coffee and an amazing chocolate muffin, where I hung there for a bit and socialized with the super sweet staff. It was a super duper fun Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale preview day! To read more about the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale this September 2022, look no further than here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/09/09/lilly-pulitzer-sunshine-sale-september-2022/#/
  • Trader Joe’s Obsession – I have recently established an obsession with Trader Joe’s. I went there on Saturday after hitting up The Pink Crab’s Sunshine Sale preview. Needless to say, the prices at Trader Joe’s were REALLY GOOD for the grocery items that I consistently like to purchase as compared to some of the other grocery stores that I frequent closer to home. I typically purchase fish filets (such as salmon and shrimp), salad, fresh vegetables to roast/air fry, granola bars, and yogurt. Well, along with *of course* coffee. Not to mention the fact that Trader Joe’s has ALLLL the seasonal staples when it comes to grocery items and standard-sized pumpkins to put on your doorstep for under $5 each. That all being said, I am definitely going to be hitting up Trader Joe’s more for groceries!

Y’all, I would write more BUT I am way too tired haha! At this current moment, I am very happy to be back at home for the time being with only weekend trips on the horizon. I am currently counting my blessings and enjoying every second of every moment, no matter how I may feel. I hope you do just the same.

XOXO – Katie <3

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Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale September 2022!

Is it just me or does the gap of time between the January Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale and the September Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale feel MUCH larger than between September-January?!?! I think YES! BUT, we’re here now, folks. The Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale September 2022 sale is *FINALLY* upon the horizon and I can stop complaining now about waiting much longer for it!!! If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you probably know that I am a 5+ year Lilly Pulitzer lover. SO, Lilly Pulitzer’s Sunshine Sale is like my own version of the Super Bowl, as it may be for you too. Cheers!

The Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale September 2022 will occur Monday September 12-Wednesday September 14 and will be online only. Some participating Signature Stores will have in-store sales starting Saturday September 10-Sunday September 11. See the list of Lilly Pulitzer stores here: https://www.lillypulitzer.com/stores/?showMap=true&horizontalView=true&isForm=true

*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.*

To shop ANYTHING in the sale or on the Lilly Pulitzer site for that matter, use this link: https://rstyle.me/+ZX8-I5owdYcX1fQgk_d8zg

If you don’t know, the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale (formerly known as the After Party Sale) is Lilly Pulitzer’s biannual sale. It typically happens every January and September for only A FEW DAYS. Lilly Pulitzer does not have a sale section on their website (only in stores which can be hit or miss) which is something unique about the brand, making their sales SO MUCH more exciting and special. It is primarily online and has been in recent years due to COVID-19, yet many Lilly Pulitzer boutiques and Signature Stores do offer early access over the weekends in stores before the sale launches online. Many of Lilly Pulitzer’s Signature Stores and Zappos (sometimes Belk, too!) offer sales online (those that have websites, though) starting at midnight the day of, so definitely stay up for that! Other Signature Stores offer shipping at a flat fee when you call their storefront during the duration of the sale to purchase – THIS can be a great way to purchase from a Signature Store (which ALL are small businesses) while sometimes *EVEN* getting a product you wanted from the sale which could be out of stock online before you get a chance to shop. Check out several of Lilly Pulitzer’s Signature Stores and their websites, which I list in this blog post here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2021/11/20/preppy-small-businesses-to-support-this-holiday-season/

Lilly Pulitzer’s Sunshine Sale is an experience to not be missed. Personally, I prefer to shop online as I am NOT a fan of the big crowds and long lines which may come with shopping in-store the weekend before. PLUS, as someone who primarily works from home, I get so giddy to wake up at 8am on a Monday morning to shop and then get going on my work without the Monday blue’s. I have never shopped a Lilly Pulitzer Sale of any kind in store – I have shopped gifts with purchase, though, in-person. HOWEVER, the Sunshine Sale does have its moments which may be trying. Last January and September 2021 before the sale then, compiled a list of Sunshine Sale tips which you may read here:

Whether this is your first or 30th time shopping the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale, it is always an experience never to be missed. I personally *every time* get the mega thrill of shopping this fun and exciting sale twice a year. I hope you do, too! Happy shopping!!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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6 Hours in Bar Harbor, Maine

If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you probably know that a couple of weeks ago I went on vacation with my Papa to Maine and Canada (see more here and here!) and most recently to Boston, Massachusetts (here). While in Maine, I just knew that a visit to Acadia National Park in via our 6 hours in Bar Harbor, Maine was a must-see!

For more United States travel inspiration, check out my Exploring 50 States expedition page.

My Experience:

From where we were staying at my family’s homestead in the Northern Maine town of Houlton, I knew that going to Bar Harbor would be at least a 3 hour drive each way. Luckily for Papa, he is an early bird so that meant that we could easily make a half a day at Bar Harbor worth our while. For the duration of the half a day, Papa and I focused on the Cadillac Mountain Summit at Acadia National Park and the iconic downtown Bar Harbor, Maine.

Papa and I also brought our dog Rosie to Bar Harbor with us. Bar Harbor is a SUPER dog-friendly town. Acadia National Park offers many places where dogs can go on a leash, including Jordan Pond, Cadillac Mountain Summit, and much more! The only place that was not dog friendly was Sand Beach (sadly – it’s gorgeous there). The downtown of Bar Harbor offers a pet store and outdoor restaurant seating for dogs, too. Bar Harbor also has a stunning town park with a fountain where MANY dogs can go to hang on their leashes with their owners.

As the main Maine planner for this trip (including our 6 hours in Bar Harbor, Maine!), I reserved a timed Cadillac Mountain Summit pass just a few weeks in advance for $6. A special thanks to my Instagram friend Kellie of @classickellie (definitely go give her a follow!!!) for letting me know that this was the case for visiting Cadillac Mountain. With the timed Cadillac Mountain Summit pass, it is one ticket PER CAR and not person – thank goodness! – and each car can enter the summit for as long as they’d like within a half hour of their timed entry pass’s timing. Since Papa and I were coming from 3 hours away, I opted for a 9am pass as opposed to the iconic sunrise which our dog walker for Rosie and her daughter had suggested to us. Personally, I LOVED being able to see the breathtaking views of Acadia National Park’s trees, lakes, mountains, and coastline from up above that it didn’t matter if it was via a sunrise or when I could see it all clearly from up above.

I felt REALLY lucky that we were able to see everything view-wise that Cadillac Mountain Summit had to offer when we went, since it was a pretty clear day. When a car gets to Cadillac Mountain Summit, presents their ticket for their vehicle at the gate, and goes up the summit, there are SEVERAL scenic views to take in on your way to the top. Papa and I stopped at several of them – both of which faced the iconic Jordan Pond where the Roosevelt’s would have tea and the gorgeous coastline filled with arrays of boats and islands. We even met a former Meredith College classmate of mine’s family friend while taking in the scenic views and asking for pictures – what a SMALL world! At the top, there’s A TON of places for parking and *of course* taking in ALLLL the scenic views. I loved that part of it as you felt ON TOP of the world. I really enjoyed see all of the stunning views of Acadia National Park and beyond from up above. Papa did, too. In fact, going to Cadillac Mountain Summit was his favorite part of the trip. Which, for me, was a major WIN-WIN, since I was nervous about being in the car 6+ hours each way just to even see the entrance to Cadillac Mountain Summit.

After going to Cadillac Mountain Summit, Papa and I tried to go to Jordan Pond BUT parking there was more than ridiculous as lines and lines and lines of cars were trying to get in. SO, to downtown Bar Harbor we went! Downtown Bar Harbor was gorgeous and had A LOT more parking opportunities than Jordan Pond or even what felt like the entirety of Acadia National Park, since we went during peak tourist times. Bar Harbor has a ton of shops, restaurants, cafes, and gorgeous colorful buildings. Papa and I went to Testa’s Bar & Grill – located on Main Street – as it was dog-friendly and *EVEN* had a pooch menu for Rosie, lobster, and outdoor seating. While pretty pricey, Papa and I LOVED the experience of getting to enjoy the downtown Bar Harbor atmosphere with Rosie while enjoying some Maine delights.

After lunch, Papa and I enjoyed some local shopping and strolls alongside downtown Bar Harbor’s Main Street. My favorite shop was The Acadia Shops, as it offers local Maine and more specifically Bar Harbor goods. I ended up buying some maple syrup for myself and Papa as well as our neighbor and friend Angela, a blueberry chocolate bar, and a stuffed lobster. Needless to say, I was tempted to buy more, yet proudly refrained from it!! I also really enjoyed browsing through the gorgeous Geddy’s Shop (they also have a restaurant on Main Street!) which carries brands such as SCOUT Bags, Hadley, and local Bar Harbor merchandise. Geddy’s definitely felt like me in a shop – LOL! As for the town park (located on Main Street, too!) where Papa and Rosie spent most of their time, the views are none other than BREATHTAKING.

Wrap-Up:

Although Papa and I were initially hesitant about a visit to Bar Harbor, we were both so glad that we did it and brought Rosie along. This visit was Papa’s first ever to see the Maine coastline, which made it ALLL that more worth it, along with a highlight for us both of the trip. Sometimes, taking that risk and longer-than-preferred day trip aka 6 hours in Bar Harbor, Maine is SOOO worth it in the end!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Visiting The LL Bean Flagship Store?! Read This First!

***Please note that this Visiting The LL Bean Flagship Store?! Read This First! Guide will be updated and recirculated periodically to reflect the most up-to-date information. This travel guide was most recently updated as of April 2026.***

Whether you’re into preppy fashion or not, a trip to the LL Bean Flagship store is nothing BUT a must-see when in the state of Maine! Growing up, my family and I spent summers on end up in Northern Maine. HOWEVER, we rarely visited the LL Bean Flagship store with the *iconic* LL Bean (Bean) boot in the front for ALL of your Instagrammable needs located in Freeport, Maine (I had been before, yet it has been at least 5 years since!!). So, when Papa wanted to go visit on our way up to Northern Maine, I knew *yet* another visit to the LL Bean Flagship store was in the cards for me (see more of our Maine adventures here and 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. Thank you for supporting The Pink Chickadee.*

For more United States travel inspiration, check out my Exploring 50 States expedition page.

Visiting The LL Bean Flagship Store?! Read This First!

Table of Contents

About LL Bean Flagship Store

Getting There

Our Experience

My LL Bean Picks!

About LL Bean Flagship Store

In case you didn’t already know, LL Bean is an outdoorsy fashion house that is Maine-based with many of its products being made and even handcrafted right in the state. LL Bean also carries several preppy and classic fashion staples. The Bean boot (pictured in the sculpture in front of the flagship store and linked below) is one of its well-known designs. I own a pair of Bean boots, too, and LOVE them! LL Bean also offers customizable canvas totes and bags including an in-house embroidery station at their Flagship Store, hiking gear, women’s and men’s clothing (whether it be outerwear for hiking/cold Maine-like winters or day-to-day life), back to school gear (I had and still have an LL Bean monogrammed backpack!), and winter gear. Not to mention the fact that LL Bean sells kayaks, hammocks, tumblers, fishing gear, camping gear, and much more! 

You can plan your visit to the LL Bean Flagship Store here.

Getting There

LL Bean is headquartered in Freeport – a town located just North of the Maine’s biggest city of Portland and easily accessible off of I-295 (it only took us about 3 minutes to get to the store from the highway!). Like Portland, Freeport is aligned on the Maine coastline. Along with LL Bean, Freeport also offers a variety of other shops, including: Patagonia and J. Crew Factory. At the same time, the town offers a plethora of local Mainer-owned gift shops and restaurants and even a whoopie shop called Wicked Whoopies. Papa and I went to Wicked Whoopies, a bakery honoring the well-known Maine dessert of the whoopie pie, that sells whoopie pies in flavors of ALL kinds (I got the peanut butter and Papa got the original!). When in Freeport, Maine, you will see several murals, beautiful Maine streets, LL Bean kayaks hanging practically EVERYWHERE, and food trucks selling lobster ALL because: when in Maine, do as the Mainers do and enjoy it all!!!

Our Experience

Upon entering the LL Bean Flagship store, you will see a HUGE LL Bean Boot sculpture and red backpack with likely a line of folks waiting to snap a photo in front of it before they enter the store, themselves. I am not super sure about later times in the day or weekends, but Papa and I had a quick wait in line (1-2 parties and snapped photos for others, too) as we arrived on a Tuesday around 10am. After snapping our photo with my dog Rosie who came along for the adventure, we headed into the store. The BEST part?! ALL LL Bean stores (like many outdoor equipment stores such as Cabela’s) ARE dog-friendly!, so Rosie went shopping, too!

The LL Bean Flagship store is probably the biggest LL Bean store out there! It has a WHOLE section for monogrammed goods (a customized tote with a funny saying courtesy of Instagram amiright?!) with a sewing booth done the day of, outdoor gear, women’s clothing, men’s clothing, children’s clothing, Back to School lunch bags and backpacks hanging ALL across the walls, and much more! The store ALSO had some tumblers, winter coats ON SALE (VERYYYY tempting!!!), and kayaks. Right across the street, LL Bean has a home goods store, too. We didn’t check that store out, but if I had more time, I would have done just that. 

My LL Bean Picks!

When visiting the LL Bean Flagship Store, you’ll likely be able to shop many of my LL Bean Picks (and more!) while there. You can see all that LL Bean has to offer in-stores and online here.

 

Wrap-Up

Til next time, LL Bean (with *hopefully* a visit to the home goods store, too!!)!

XOXO – Katie <3

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