National Wear Your Lilly Day 2023

Happy Summer Solstice and first *official* day of summer (!!!). Over the years, summer has surprisingly been my least favorite season. I, then, despised the hot and humid weather and simply wanted to curl up in a warm blanket and sweatshirt and pajama pants with a cup of tea and admire the snow outside with a fire pit in the background. However, in recent times, I have started to LOVE the warmer months of summer and spring much more than the cooler ones (although, I will ALWAYS be a sucker for fall!!). To kick off the first day of summer aka the day that this post is published on the blog, fellow Lilly Pulitzer lovers like myself commemorate the start of summer with National Wear Your Lilly Day (see my 2022 posting on it here)!

This past weekend, I got to spend the weekend with my Dad and Step Mom in Bethany Beach, Delaware and my best friend Amanda came to join us, too (it was Amanda’s first time in Delaware!!). We had such a special weekend together and it was truly incredible. Going to Bethany Beach was such a GREAT way to kick off Summer 2023, SO I had Amanda take some photos of me here to share on this platform with y’all in honor of *none other than* National Wear Your Lilly Day. I feel so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing friend like Amanda whom I can call family, as we’ve known one another since we were little.

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.

My FAVORITE part of kicking off NWYLD is the sheer fact that I can *finally* use the #SummerInLilly acceptably – LOL!! Every day feels like summer when you’re in Lilly Pulitzer, though (!!!). I decided to *finally* pop the tags on my Cody Shift dress from the Sunshine Sale back in September 2022, which I write about here, and pair it with my Talbots straw navy and white striped pineapple clutch which I got from ThredUp, Jack Rogers pineapple and flamingo sandals, and jewelry from the likes of Kendra Scott, Amazon, Target, and The Inspiration Co. This outfit was PERFECT for shopping on the Bethany Beach boardwalk and dinner nearby afterwards. It was also the best look to commemorate #SummerInLilly!

Needless to say, summer is ALWAYS better in Lilly Pulitzer!!! What can I say?!

XOXO – Katie <3

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All in the Details: Coffee Table Edition

The other Friday, I had extra time in my schedule in the afternoon. SO, I *finally*A redid my coffee table in my living area – something that I had been meaning to do! I get extremely inspired by Pinterest for ideas on how to decorate my own coffee table as well as some of my favorite fellow influencers and figured: why not give these design ideas that I’ve LOVED a whirl?!

I have recently been watching A LOT of Chelsea Fagan’s The Financial Diet (TFD) and it has become a FAVORITE of mine (!!) on YouTube and one of the quotes that really stood out to me when she interviewed a well-known interior designer was on the lines of the fact that designers get inspired by those around them – they don’t just whip things up on a whim. As someone who LOVES interior design and prefers to design my own space herself, this interior designer’s quote REALLY stood out to me and rang true to myself. At the same time, I find SO MUCH inspiration from simply ordinary, everyday people on my social media feeds, rather than my favorite celebrities (but, yes, there is something VERY inspiring about the interior design done by Martha Stewart, Rae Drummond aka The Pioneer Woman, and a Washington, DC classic The White House done by United States First Ladies). Not to mention, there is ALWAYS inspiration to be found in stunning hotels such as The Greenbrier in Sulphur Springs, West Virginia (which I aspire to stay at/visit someday!); The Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, DC; The Colony in West Palm Beach, Florida (which I also aspire to stay at/visit someday!); and many other iconically designed hotels/resorts. BUT, I find everyday lifestyle and home decor to be the most aspirational and attainable both financially and practically speaking to myself and most other people, which is why I find it to be super inspirational and applicable to my lifestyle and home. For example, I dog sit for my Mom’s friend Ms. Gwyn who has a beautiful preppy and coastal, New England-inspired style home nearby my own. Ms. Gwyn has DIY-ed a lot of her home’s aspects and discovered many charming thrifted antique pieces and/or pieces from her own travels, including many summers to Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Ms. Gwyn’s home interiors are super inspirational to me and fits the mold of what makes her her in a gorgeous, unique way beautifully. At the same time, Ms. Gwyn’s home’s interior design is much more attainable and affordable to others.

One of the key things to do when redecorating your home is to simply use what you have, as opposed to buying brand-new things. At the same time, shopping secondhand is ALSO a unique way to find some charming, high-quality pieces that can be used in your home for years to come. I chose to do both of these things when redoing my coffee table. Monthly, I go on a thrift store run, as thrifting is one of my newfound favorite hobbies. I mean, who doesn’t LOVE finding Lilly Pulitzer or J Crew or practically any other name brand item for under $15?! And, on my June thrift store run, I came across two gorgeous petal platters for $7 each from Arhaus – a name brand home store – along with some new books that I found of interest for under $10 when combined. I ended up falling in love with these two bowls, and, $14 later, I had a basis for a fresh and new coffee table redo! So, books and platters in-hand, using the basket tray and wooden-inspired balls that were originally on the tray, I grabbed a few pieces that I had laying around my home without a place to calls its own for more memories to be made.

Besides the books and platters from my most recent thrift store haul, the items that I used in my coffee table were all already at my home. They include: a woven round tray with handles and the wooden/beaded decoration balls that were in the tray, a woven turkey that I had thrifted earlier this year, Thompson family crystal from my Dad’s side, a coaster that I was gifted from my Aunt Bell from her family’s trip to Israel when they went in 2010, a Kate Spade Home deco-dotted tea plate, a Dollar Tray heart platter, and *of course* A LOT of books! Needless to say, it only costed me $20 to put together a redo of my coffee table, making it unique, accessible, and welcoming to others and myself.

While I am only sharing the up and close details of this coffee table update of mine, I did have a lot of fun taking 30 minutes to make it happen. I don’t know about y’all, but I LOVE and always feel more fresh and ready to conquer the world or sleep while watching Jeopardy when I have an updated space!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Barboursville Vineyards Review

A few weeks ago, my fellow Lilly Pulitzer loving friend Lorena suggested that we visit Barboursville Vineyards as a summer meet-up place, as it is a well-known and gorgeous vineyard in Orange County, Virginia. I had recently visited other Virginia vineyards Barrel Oak Winery in Delaplane (read about that here), The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville (read about that both here and here), and Grace Estate Winery in Crozet (read about that here). Being that I LOVE wine and am always down to try a brand-new vineyard, I *just* knew that I had to make that our meet-up spot this summer! One of the best parts of Barboursville Vineyards is that it is approximately 2 hours away from the Washington, DC area making it a perfect day trip to getaway from the hustle and bustle in my own backyard. Read on more to see my *very own* Barboursville Vineyards review!

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

About Barboursville Vineyards:

Proudly known as “an estate of wine”, Barboursville Vineyards lays the plot of land in which former President Thomas Jefferson almost took root in constructing Monticello on. But, Jefferson’s footprint at Barboursville Vineyards is far from little: Jefferson designed a historic landmark mansion for his friend the former Virginia Governor James Barbour. The construction of this historic landmark mansion finished in 1821, only to be burned down due to a Christmas Tree fire on Christmas 1884. Today the ruins of this historic landmark mansion is known as the Barboursville Ruins and are just a few minutes’ walk through a gorgeous meadow trail from the winery and its well-known restaurant Palladio. In 1976, Gianni Zonin an Italian from the province of Veneto acquired this plantation with the expectation of making it into a vineyard that would soon be known as what it is today: Barboursville Vineyards. 2006 was the commemoration of 30 years of Barboursville Vineyards and, to this very day, the Zonin family continues to bring together purpose and passion through their work and Zonin family traditions along with maintaining the vineyard’s heritage through 8 generations. Read more on Barboursville Vineyards’s heritage here!

Getting There:

2 hours from Washington, DC, 1 hour and 15 minutes from Richmond, and 30 minutes from Charlottesville, Barboursville Vineyards is within an accessible day-trip reach to those in the Washington, DC area and other parts of Virginia. It is easiest to drive to Barboursville Vineyards, given that there are LOTS of stunning windy country roads along the way there which make you feel as if you are in a real life painting. I did drive by James Madison’s Montpelier on the way to Barboursville Vineyards and it was about 10-15 minutes away, making it a GREAT post-Montpelier refreshment before the ride home. Read more on visiting and Barboursville Vineyards here!

My Experience:

Lorena and I started our time at Barboursville Vineyards at their ultra-elegant restaurant Palladio. Palladio named after Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio from the Venetian Republic of Italy (just like the Zonin family!) is majorly elegant and gives off ALL the Italian Renaissance vibes. A win, win!!! Lorena and I enjoyed a super Italian 3-course meal at Palladio, splitting a gorgeous ricotta and radish and onion salad, mushroom and parmesan flower pasta, and then splitting a flourless chocolate cake topped with a blueberry syrup to finish. Last but not least, we had complimentary champagne (!!!!). Needless to say, our time at Palladio was very nice and we both felt as if we were on top of the world!

After we felt ON TOP OF THE WORLD (!!!!) while dining at Palladio, Lorena and I took a gorgeous meadow trail to the nearby Barboursville Ruins. The trail that we took to the Barboursville Ruins was an open meadow trail looking over gorgeous fields that lead to rolling hills and then eventually the Blue Ridge mountains. There were stunning flowers, too, within the meadows. It really felt as if I was placed into a painting!! As previously mentioned, the Barboursville Ruins pay homage to former Virginia Governor James Barbour’s home of what remains of it today since that tragic fire on Christmas 1884. The home looks like a mini Monticello! You can totally see a lot of parallels to the Barboursville Ruins and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello which I visited with Papa back in October 2021 (read on that here). Needless to say, the Barboursville Ruins showcases a home that feels very much like it belongs right where it was meant to be.

Before Lorena and I parted ways, we checked out the wine tasting room so I could purchase some bottles of wine as gifts for family members, which is adjacent to the Library 1821 which was established at Barboursville Vineyards to allow visitors “comfort and contemplative tastings throughout the year” via wine flights and charcuterie and cheese, which are changing throughout the seasons of the year. At the same time, Library 1821 serves as a home to select documents, including a letter by former President John Quincy Adams where he appointed James Barbour to his presidential cabinet as Secretary of War, original fine china owned by the Barbour family, and commendations from the vineyard’s many wines. While we didn’t go into the Library 1821 as it’s more for bigger parties and adjacent 1804 Inn Guests, I know it is something of interest for me to dine in in the future!

Wrap-Up:

Lorena and I had an INCREDIBLE time at Barboursville Vineyards!! It is always a huge blessing tto catch up with a great friend like Lorena. Not only does Barboursville Vineyards offer such extraordinary aspects of Virginia’s state history and more specifically Orange County, Virginia’s history, but it also offers a variety of tasty wines and cuisines all locally sourced in the most stunning setting. On my way home, I passed several other local wineries which truly presented me with the gift of wine that the Virginia Wine Country around Greene, Albemarle, and Orange counties of Virginia have to offer. Needless to say, I feel SO MUCH gratitude to live in such a historic and incredible city and state. My Barboursville Vineyards review was truly one for the books!

XOXO – Katie <3

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DC Dining – May 2023

Ahhhhhhhhh! May 2023 was a GREAT month for Washington, DC area dining. As I kicked off the month celebrating my 24th Birthday, there were MANY dinners out checking out new-to-me restaurants along with some restaurants that I’ve been to before. I feel so beyond lucky to have many incredible and loving family and friends who made this past month so special and memorable. SO many special memories were made while dining out this May 2023 (you can also see my DC Dining round-up from March and April 2023 here and here).

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

Farmers Fishers Bakers (3000 K Street NW, Washington DC – Harbour at The Georgetown Waterfront)

Located in The Washington Harbour in Washington, DC’s gorgeous neighborhood of Georgetown, Farmers Fishers Bakers is literally in the perfect location for dining and fun vibes along with *of course* scenic views of the waterfront! Farmers Fishers Bakers is a farm-to-table restaurant just like its sister restaurant Founding Farmers that has locations in both Tysons, Virginia and Foggy Bottom in Washington, DC (I visited each respective location during February and March of this year coincidentally!). Farmers Fishers Bakers is a very special restaurant to me. I first went to Farmers Fishers Bakers was with my now best friends Briana and Brittany for our first-ever meet-up during DC Restaurant Week Winter 2022 for an amazing all-inclusive brunch buffet. There at Farmers Fishers Bakers, we all found out that we went to the same exact high school (though at different times) and lived within minutes of one another to this *very* day! This time around, I celebrated my Birthday with my friends Shivani and Joelle amongst pizza and their 10/10 caesar salad with THE BEST signature cornbread croutons (!!!). Shivani, Joelle, and I had an amazing time just catching up and celebrating. It was such a blessing to see them both AND I always love the vibes at Farmers Fishers Bakers and *of course* the Georgetown Waterfront!

Urban Roast (916 G Street NW suite c-2, Washington DC – Penn Quarter)

Urban Roast is LITERALLY THE MOST Instagrammable pop up restaurant/bar in all of Washington, DC! It reminds me of Virginia’s Darling – an adorable bar in nearby Old Town Alexandria, Virginia – a bit with its signature Spring decorations which were up when we went in mid-May. Urban Roast spices up its decorations seasonally along with its menu that includes a variety of charcuterie spreads ranging from breakfast spreads to cheese boards to pastry spreads and drinks including seasonally along with individual menu items, too. What I LOVE about Urban Roast is how friendly the staff is there and social that they are as well as *of course* how gorgeous and fun the decor is, too! I also LOVE LOVE LOVE how easy of a walk it is to Urban Roast from both the Metro Center and Gallery Place Metro stations (less than a five minute walk!) and from the well-known Capital One Arena where the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards play along with several artists on tour (including The Jonas Brothers who I am seeing there this September!). I came here with my best friends Briana and Brittany and their ultra-sweet Mom and we had a BLAST catching up, taking in the ALLLLL moments, and snapping several photos!

La Chaumiere (2813 M Street NW, Washington DC – Georgetown)

Some of the best memories that I have made in my high school years (and now post-grad years!) with my Dad were at La Chaumiere (French for “the cottage”) ever since I was 14 and just about to start high school. I have had many Daddy-daughter dates at this restaurant as well as my 17th Birthday celebration with friends. On their website, La Chaumiere prides itself on being “as close as it gets to dining in a French country” by serving *none other than* traditional French cuisine. La Chaumiere has a strict no-phone policy and formal dress code policy where guests can truly enjoy the moments in their best, classy attire. I came back to La Chaumiere for the first time in 7 years with my Dad and Step-Mom DD to celebrate my Birthday and we had such a special time catching up and bonding. A highlight for me besides our great dinnertime conversations phone-free was getting to enjoy two bottles with the family of Katherine’s (my legal first name!!) Vineyard Chardonnay (which was AMAZING!) out of Cambria Vineyards in California. Specials memories were made at La Chaumiere and the extremely friendly staff made it even more memorable!

Hometown Grill and Bar (9000 Lorton Station Blvd, Lorton, Virginia)

Hometown Grill and Bar is essentially a hometown hangout for those local to the Lorton, Virginia area near to well-known and refurbished Workhouse Arts Center! I grew up around Lorton, Virginia in the nearby Fairfax Station, Virginia where I still live today with Papa! I feel so lucky to live with my Papa in my childhood home and I’m savoring EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. Enough of my soap box – LOL! Hometown Grill and Bar is a favorite dining spot of mine. My good friend James and I went to Hometown Grill and Bar for dinner and catching up with one another. One of the highlights of Hometown Grill and Bar is that everything ingredients-wise is locally-sourced and farm-to-table AND every season has its own unique menu to reflect what may be in-season. So, I got to try the brand-new Spring 2023 Dinner Menu at Hometown Grill and Bar which I LOVED getting to do and tried their seafood rigatoni which I am still craving.

Coastal Flats (11901 Grand Commons Avenue, Fairfax, Virginia with additional locations in Tysons, Virginia & Gaithersburg, Maryland)

One of the Great American Restaurants owned by The Carlyle Group based primarily in Northern Virginia, Coastal Flats is a seafood restaurant that offers an incredible sea-themed atmosphere with impeccable dishes to try, too. Papa, Aunt Amy, and I have been going to Coastal Flats together for years now! We usually go to the Fairfax, Virginia location since it is nearest to us in distance. Alongside the variety of delicious seafood and all-American fare dishes, a highlight of Coastal Flats is their seasonal cocktail menu that is SO SO SO fun. My favorite appetizer which we get *just about* every time is their crab fritters which are SO tasty and unique as well. Aunt Amy and I are HUGE FANS of the salmon at Coastal Flats which is served across many of the other fellow Great American Restaurants but decided to branch out and try a veggie burger (Aunt Amy) and grouper (me) this time around. Needless to say, we were not disappointed as with every visit!

Bistro Cacao (316 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington DC – Capitol Hill)

A gorgeous French restaurant located in Capitol Hill just blocks away from Washington, DC’s iconic Union Station, Bistro Cacao has gorgeous atmospheres and delicious fares. I came here to Bistro Cacao with my friend Tiffany when she was in town after a conference *just blocks away* from the Capitol Building. On our way to Bistro Cacao, Tiffany and I took a stunning walk alongside the Capitol Building and through some of the iconic Capitol Hill neighborhood. Our food was delicious and we sat outside in their fun and floral atmosphere. I ordered the salmon which was delicious! HOWEVER, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to go back to dine at Bistro Cacao and dine inside which Tiffany had done in the past and showed me its gorgeous interiors!

1310 Kitchen & Bar (1310 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC – adjacent to The Georgetown Inn in Georgetown)

1310 Kitchen & Bar is located coincidentally on 1310 Wisconsin Ave – a GREAT location for dining and shopping within Washington, DC’s neighborhood of Georgetown. In fact, 1310 Kitchen & Bar is *just* a few blocks up the road from M Street NW in Georgetown near ALLLL the shops and bakeries, whether it be Glossier’s DC storefront, TJ Maxx, Shop Made in DC, Little Words Project, Baked & Wired, Scout Bags Flagship Store, Vineyard Vines, Bitty & Beau’s, Kendra Scott, and Tory Burch. You can see why I just LOVE Georgetown?!?! I came to 1310 Kitchen & Bar with my high school best friends Laura and Haley to catch up and enjoy Georgetown. The food and staff were super kind at 1310 Kitchen & Bar and it was a great time. I ordered the spinach omelet which was AMAZING! At the same time, with 1310 Kitchen & Bar’s adjacent location to The Georgetown Inn, I got to enjoy the lobby including its gorgeous paintings just before we headed out for more shopping and neighborhood admiring.

Maman Joon Kitchen (8048 Tyson’s Corner Center (Tyson’s Corner Mall), McLean, Virginia)

Located right near the Apple Store within Tyson’s Corner Center, Maman Joon Kitchen is a brand-new Persian Kabob restaurant. My best friend Stephanie and I met up here one day after I was at a work happy hour. What’s funny about this spot is that Stephanie and I both saw it via the power of Instagram (!!!). I really admire that Maman Joon Kitchen gave out free kabobs to military Veterans in honor of Memorial Day over the recent long weekend. Maman Joon Kitchen is a true leader in what it means to be a local small business with the heart to pay it forward to others. I ordered a salmon kabob plate with rice and salad and Stephanie did the same but with chicken (I think!) and split some hummus and pita. Stephanie and I both had a great time catching up!!

May 2023 overall was such a memorable month for me! I am beyond grateful for those in my life that I can call family and friends. Much love!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie – May 2023

From celebrating my Birthday via the kick off of the month in the gorgeous little of town of Edenton, North Carolina to SOOOOO many fun celebratory dinner/brunch and social outings across Washington, DC and Northern Virginia to SOOO many exciting professional development opportunities, May 2023 has been nothing but filled with excitement and surprises. As with any month, there are many highs but of course a few lows, too. May 2023 has been nothing short of a blessing to me. It has historically been a celebratory month for me as May 1 is my Birthday and college/high school graduations along with others Birthday’s are to be, too. I feel beyond blessed to have a GREAT month of May this 2023 year and am looking towards the future for an exciting *and* ultra-busy June-August 2023 (which I have been in the process of planning!!!).

Gratitude has been the BIG word for May 2023. I am beyond blessed to have such incredible friends and family members that I get to spend time with, celebrate with, and go through both the highs and lows with. My friends and family truly are my rocks. I am truly grateful for them, their love, and their support through it all. Thank you all <3

Highs:

  • I got invited to a private VIP Coronation Party at the Scout Bags Flagship store in Washington, DC’s neighborhood of Georgetown. This was my first time-ever attending an event as an influencer like this. I got to shop for my Mom for Mother’s Day and pick out some cute summer staples for myself for my upcoming travels and adventures, too. At the same time, I met some of the incredible and ultra-sweet staff at Scout Bags, including their social media manager Sarah and the fashion brand’s iconic founder Deb! At the same time, this event gave me *another* opportunity to wear my fascinator which I wore when touring Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky back in March. This event was such a BLAST!!! I brought my best friend Laura with me as my plus one and the store was literal heaven on Earth for her as it is for me, too. Laura and I also got a swag bag and to decorate a custom flower bouquet from Washington, DC’s premier pop-up flower truck – Lily’s Flower Truck! Laura and I went to Clyde’s on M Street in Georgetown nearby afterwards and it was such a great morning/early afternoon out.
  • Birthday and celebratory dinners/brunches with friends and family. So so so so many memories were made, too. Restaurants include La Chaumiere, Farmers Fishers Bakers, Hometown Grill and Bar, Urban Roast, and Coastal Flats. Over Memorial Day Weekend, I also went to my cousin Benjamin’s college graduation and goodbye party as he moves to Michigan in the next few weeks for his new job. I am beyond proud of Benjamin and all of his accomplishments and REALLY enjoyed getting to catch up with him along with many of my fellow family members there too. Be on the lookout for a DC Dining – May 2023 blog post *very very very* soon!!
  • Enjoying the magic of Washington, DC in the summer months. Although it is technically still Spring here in the Washington, DC area and according to the calendar, it definitely feels like summer here in the Washington, DC area given the huge increase in humidity here and people out and about including the influx of tourists. Needless to say, I LOVE the magic of Washington, DC coming alive!!!! One of my favorite outings was taking my best friends Haley and Laura to the Glossier storefront in the neighborhood of Georgetown. In the Winter months, I find myself and I know others feel the same the sheer need to hibernate and just stay indoors. BUT, when the weather gets nice out, I want to be in the city and enjoy it, too. That energy from myself and others truly radiates throughout the entire city.
  • Professional development events, which includes my first-ever two conferences: the Leadership Summit via The Leadership Center for Excellence in Ballston, Arlington, Virginia and Med Tech via The Academy for Radiological & Biomedical Imaging Research in Washington, DC’s Capitol Hill, which I showcase some fun behind it all here. Both conferences taught me SOOOO much and and inspired me on many levels. I felt so much hope for the future and inspiration for where my career can take me. I feel *extremely* grateful to have an incredible employer that supports me in my endeavors, too.
  • At the end of May, I went into the office for a work Happy Hour that one of my teammates helped put together. The Happy Hour featured a guest that’s one of our company clients and it was SO inspiring to hear from this client of ours. Afterwards, I met my best friend and college “Big Sis” Stephanie for dinner at the nearby Tyson’s Corner Center (mall). We tried the brand-new Persian restaurant MamanJoon (will share more in my May 2023 DC Dining blog post coming soon!!) and the staff were SO sweet and the food was amazing. The Tyson’s Corner Center has a super fun exhibit of artworks done by artists at the Lorton Workhouse Arts Center along with LOTS of fun graffiti demos, modern art displays, and murals both in and outside of the mall. Needless to say, the atmosphere was super great to close out the month of May.
  • I had a light week towards the end of May, so Papa and I took an evening outing to Nall’s Produce – a local garden and produce center in Alexandria, Virginia. We both bought some locally sourced produce and spent quality time together. One of my favorite parts was simply wondering the aisles and aisles and aisles of the garden center section at Nall’s Produce. Gardens centers are GORGEOUS, y’all!!! Needless to say, Papa and I had an amazing time together there and then went to Chili’s nearby for dinner and beers.
  • To kick off Memorial Day weekend, Papa and I went out to lunch with his sister and her husband aka my Great Aunt Darlene and Uncle Mike. We checked out a restaurant on the waterfront along the Occoquan River in Occoquan, Virginia. We had a super nice time catching up with Aunt Darlene and Uncle Mike and learned more about their upcoming exciting summer adventures to Europe. I am super blessed to have incredible family members such as Aunt Darlene and Uncle Mike in my life. Afterwards, Papa and I took Rosie on a gorgeous walk at Mason Neck State Park in Virginia that led to a stunning marsh on an inlet of the Potomac River. I unplugged the entire walk with the exception of taking some photos at the marsh on Papa’s phone and it was SO needed!

Lunch with Great Aunt Darlene and Uncle Mike – Occoquan, Virginia

Walk with Papa along Mason Neck State Park – Lorton, Virginia

  • Papa and I went for a long weekend to Edenton, North Carolina – an ultra-charming North Carolina town – for my 24th Birthday celebration. We brought Rosie our dog with us and had an amazing time. In Edenton, we took Rosie on several walks alongside the Edenton Waterfront Park, rode on the historic Trolley Tour to learn more about Edenton’s history, and dined at spots that local “Edentonians” frequent and love. Read more about my time with Papa and Rosie in Edenton here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2023/05/17/48-hours-in-edenton-north-carolina/
  • Many evenings in the yard with a glass of wine and sunshine! Rosie hangs out in the front yard for HOURS on HOURS on end in the sunshine during these warm, summer-like months. When I am done with work, I LOVE getting to sit outside, enjoy some sunshine and a glass of wine, and hang out with Rosie and Papa too. Sometimes I’ll go for a walk and bring Rosie, too. There are so many bonding moments that are special for me and Papa and Rosie.
  • Alongside attending the VIP Coronation party at the Scout Flagship Store, I also attended a Kentucky Derby Party at my Mom’s friend’s house. *Yes*, this Kentucky Derby Party gave me *yet another* opportunity to wear my fascinator which has been a blast (!!!) ever since I toured Churchill Downs. At the Kentucky Derby Party, I got to make my own Mint Julep which I LOVED trying when I was in Louisville, Kentucky and mingle with others in my Mom’s friend’s community. The Washington, DC area is very populated but also very small at the same time. Needless to say, it is always fun to get to know more people in my city while also seeing some familiar faces (and placing bets on which horse will win the 2023 Kentucky Derby!).

Lows:

  • Burnout, burnout, burnout! The name of the game this May 2023 has been burnout and the physical affects of it. I attended a webinar through Women in Technology coincidentally this May 2023 and I learned how to best identify when burnout starts and how it affects us via the cycle of burnout. That all being said, I realized from that webinar that burnout is one thing that I struggle with and sometimes I simply need to take it easy. One weekend this May 2023, I literally just did nothing except take Rosie for walks and one dinner with a friend. It was super nice just to simply rest and recharge and just sleep. And, sometimes, that is what we truly need.
  • Two words: awful allergies. My allergies have SUCKED throughout the month of May! Now that it is much nicer out and my dog Rosie wants to hang out outside for the majority of the now-sunny days, I find myself having *none other than* an allergic reaction all day everyday to the grass that Rosie sunbathes on. I have found myself dealing with fatigue and horrible allergy symptoms all month long. However, the memories that I have made with Rosie and will continue to make make it ALL that worth it.
  • Grocery planning changes have been happening on my front. In the past, I would use Instacart to preorder groceries and simply pick them up curbside or have them be delivered. To many people’s surprise, using Instacart has been much cheaper for me than getting groceries in-store. However, I have realized in recent times that the grocery planning process has been taking a mental toll on me via obsession over the planning process with my cart. Needless to say, I am switching to in-person grocery shopping 1-2 times a week based on what I need rather than through Instacart for the time being.

Looking forward to the future, I have some very exciting plans for June and July 2023! Ranging from beach weekends to summer activities to graduation parties to everything in between, Summer is usually the time that is a BIG travel season for me and many others, too. I have a total of 5 weekends away in the next 8 weeks with opportunities to rest in between it all. I am very excited for what is to come but hoping to protect my soul and self from too much burnout as well. Here’s to an exciting and busy and *of course* fun next 2 months!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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