Northern Ireland Coastline Travel Diary

On my final day of my solo trip to Ireland, I went on a day trip to Northern Ireland with Finn McCool Tours. Throughout my trip to Ireland, I saw several of the many many many sights to see in the Emerald Isle car-free and by way of Dublin (see a list of ideas here!), including Cork County, Glendalough, Dublin’s Trinity College Book of Kells Experience, and the Cliffs of Moher. Truly, my trip to Ireland was one of THE BEST trips I have EVER taken! While in Northern Ireland on my day trip, my tour group and I enjoyed 2 hours in the capital city of Belfast (here) where I outline the history of Northern Ireland and a bit about Finn McCool Tours. And, today, I’m going to share where most of the Northern Ireland tour was spent (well, besides the drive to and from Dublin!): on the coastline via my *very-own* Northern Ireland coastline travel diary!

*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.*

For more travel abroad inspiration, check out my exploring 50 Countries Expedition page.

Northern Ireland Coastline Travel Diary

To kick off my Northern Ireland coastline travel diary, the tour bus took us ALL along the Northern Irish coastline, starting at Dunlace Castle, which is a now-ruined medieval castle where part of Game of Thrones was filmed at. Visitors can walk the castle grounds and explore them, too, but the tour bus didn’t allot us time to do so this time around. Next time! And, amongst all of its twists and turns via the windy Northern Irish roads, my tour bus showed us off quite a bit of the coastline, some of the scenic points of which we could see the Scottish coast off of! Nevertheless, the Northern Irish coastline is BEAUTIFUL (!!!!!).

Most of our tour group’s time was spent at Giant’s Causeway aka a STUNNING beach off the Northern Irish coastline. According to Irish mythology, it is said that an Irish giant named Finn McCool constructed a causeway to face off his Scottish giant rival Benandonner. And, hence, this beautiful and unique black sand Northern Irish beach was born. Giant’s Causeway was BEAUTIFUL and I had never seen such a unique yet beautiful beach like it before!

And, now, for some photos from the gorgeous Northern Irish coastline!

Dunlace Castle + beyond:

Giant’s Causeway:

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Most Worn & Raved About Skirt

Funny enough, when I ordered my gold pleated skirt via a J Crew Factory sale as an impulse buy, I *never* expected that it would become one of my most coveted pieces in my closet. At the time, I thought welllll it’ll get some use, but little did I know at the time …. Anyhow, this skirt of mine, which is currently out of stock on the J Crew Factory website, has become a FAVORITE of mine and so much so that every time I wear it (which is almost weekly now!) I get a compliment (or two!) on it, whether in an outfit of the day story over on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee) or in real life. Needless to say, this gold pleated impulse buy skirt has been indeed a splendid surpass nevertheless!

*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 sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

Ironically, I fell in love with the pleated skirt back in 2021 when I was looking at moving back to the Washington, DC area and saw some of the local bloggers and content creators there wearing the pleated skirt. Whether they worked on Capitol Hill, in government/government contracting, or for one of the many PR firms in the area, *everyone* was wearing the pleated skirt (or at least to my eyes from afar via Instagram stalking in my final North Carolina college days!). I LOVED the poses and versatility of the pleated skirt alongside its glamorous feel for an ordinary office day. As many of us know, Washington, DC gets a bad reputation for its lack of fashionable people. However, I have found the Washington, DC area to have several stylish residents, including the many content creators and bloggers that I looked up to (and still do!) sporting those pleated skirts.

To this *very* day, I still adore the pleated skirt. Hence, my regular occurrences of sporting my only one pretty frequently. Whether for workwear, which is typical for me, or for travel as I wore it on my solo trip to Ireland earlier this year and plan to pack it for upcoming travels of mine as well or for a local day with friends/family, this skirt of mine can be styled for IT ALL! What I LOVE about the gold color is its versatility to be worn all year-round. I definitely will be purchasing another pleated skirt at some point likely in another neutral color (which, yes, Iinclude navy in that list!) or perhaps my signature color … PINK. Stay tuned friends!

One of the things that I have LOVED the most is the consistent love I have received whenever I put on this skirt. Truly, I have NEVER seen so many compliments on just one piece in my closet than this skirt of mine. To my followers and friends on Instagram and beyond, THANK YOU!

Although my exact gold pleated skirt is no longer in stock, I have linked a few similar styles below:

Here’s to more memories and adventures made in my most favorited skirt!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Fall Strolls – Burke Nursery and Garden Center

Indeed, this October, I have been Octobering more than past years and it has been AMAZING (!!!!). One of me and Papa’s and Rosie’s traditions is going to the local Burke Nursery and Garden Center in Burke, Virginia. Each Fall, Burke Nursery and Garden Center puts on a SHOW (!!!!) with an adorable all things Fall Fall Market, pumpkin patch, and Fall displays with complimentary rides for children. Needless to say, there were SOOO many photo opportunities, too!

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.

While on our outing to Burke Nursery and Garden Center, I had been reflecting with Papa on how I truly value the family traditions that we do year after year. From going to the Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive (here) to see the Fall foliage to visiting Nall’s Produce to an annual Christmas Eve Eve dinner at Mike’s American Grill, traditions truly bring me joy and fulfillment year after year. Every Fall and into the holiday season, I LOVE to switch my activities here and there, but find tons of value in doing some of the same things with the people that I love year after year. Perhaps, some of my love for traditions has to do with the fact that I went to a tradition-centric all-women’s college?! Whatever the case may be, I am grateful for the traditions I take part in each year!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Fall Travel Diary

Over the weekend, Papa and our dog Rosie and I embarked on our annual Fall tradition to see the foliage at Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. We rarely get out and hike or walk on any of the trails at Shenandoah National Park, but rather stick to leaf peeping and taking in ALL of the scenic views view the scenic Skyline Drive. We have made visiting Skyline Drive an annual tradition ever since I graduated from college in May 2021 (see more here!) and it has become a special way to celebrate the Fall season alongside the upcoming holiday season, too. Rosie has LOVED getting to take in ALL of the sights and smells at Shenandoah National park, too! And, 2024 was the first year that I had my camera with me to snap some lovely shots of the mountains in their beauty and glory this Fall season!

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.

Our Experience:

One of the things that we’ve noticed this year, despite arriving at Shenandoah National Park before 9am, was the lack of visitors this year (even as we left). Papa and I believe that the recent damage and unfortunate and devastating events from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton are a big reason for this decrease in visitors. Shenandoah National Park amongst some of Western North Carolina’s and Virginia’s towns are reopening post-hurricane and are welcome to visitors. Even though these destinations may have received damage from recent hurricanes, they are still open to and eager to welcome visitors, including at Skyline Drive at Shenandoah National Park. These towns that are reopening need our business now more than ever before. While they may not be every town or place, the ones that are opening again and ready for visitors need us now to support and stimulate their economies, especially after receiving damage. That all being said, I am SOOO grateful that Papa and Rosie and I visited Skyline Drive via our annual Fall tradition especially this year.

Now, I am going to keep this post more focused on the photos I took as they encompass some of the many special memories made on our Shenandoah adventure this Fall 2024!

 

 

 

And, until next Fall!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Ramblings on Loneliness in 2024

About a week ago on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), I shared on my stories a link to a post about a New York Times article headlining “Americans Are Spending More Time At Home – And More Time Alone”. And, while I do not have a New York Times subscription and hence had trouble reading the article, the headline alone triggered me into *just a few* ramblings of my own thoughts on this matter aka loneliness in 2024. Moreover, I see the importance for spending time alone for all of us (including my fellow extrovert friends!), however, at the same time, I see the importance for spending time with others for all of us (including, yes, my fellow introvert friends!). The moral of the story is that while we are placing a much-needed greater emphasis on the need for self care and the person as a whole, we also need to make time to be with our loved ones and *even* those now far and few interactions with strangers. In the end, all of us need a community of people and a support system in our corner, which the recent COVID-19 pandemic has made to be much trickier than in the past. ANDDDD, prevent loneliness in 2024 and the years to come.

As previously mentioned on my Instagram Stories, there are MAJOR benefits to prioritizing ourselves and our alone time through practicing self care, limiting overbooking and overextending ourselves, and focusing on ourselves as an individual as a whole and not just who we are professionally. But, at the same time, I have noticed that if people want to find community, then there is a bigger need to put ourselves out there than ever before. Interactions with strangers have become much more few and far in between as compared to in the past (such as when I was a kid). For example, 15 years ago as a kid, I would be walking my childhood dog Butters and pretty much every dog and their owner would stop and the dogs would play with one another (if it was OKAY given Butters’ size as a 5 pound Yorkie). Yet, nowadays, when I am walking my dog Rosie who’s about 35 pounds, a LOT LESS in fact practically no dogs’ owners will stop to let their dogs play with Rosie *even* if the dog wants to stop and play the owners will tug them away. Not only are these fewer daily interactions with others negatively impactful on me, but it also harms my dog’s (and other dogs’) mental health. And, limiting these interactions such as time for dogs to play and interacting with other dogs while on walks do contribute to our loneliness as a whole, thus, creating that greater divide between finding community and finding comfort within our own space and hence being alone (even if that means we are experiencing loneliness in 2024).

I will say though that from personal experiences, I have cut back on a lot of social interactions in the past year and most recently in the past few months. For instance, I used to network A TON professionally both in my 9-5 and beyond within the Greater Washington, DC area. But, as I was networking time and time again, I found myself getting extremely burned out and decided to cut back on these professional activities for my own wellbeing and rather focus on personal activities with friends and family and building my personal community instead. Recently, I have found that saying “No” can be beneficial, too (I will save my thoughts on this for another post, though!). Nevertheless, cutting back on networking professionally has been beneficial for my own self care. Needless to say, while I am sharing my thoughts about loneliness here, I do want to share my own experiences with cutting back in a social manner, too, to show that none of us are alone in doing so.

Currently, I think there is a divide between our self care and our time with others. In American culture, we place a HIGH value on our working lives that once we finish our tasks at work (or even take them home) we don’t want to take the time to do things beyond work. We place a major emphasis on being productive but we want that time beyond our own productivity to ourselves and ourselves only. And guess what?!?! That is OKAY, but it’s also VITAL and IMPORTANT to our own wellbeing and even our own successes. There is a ton of value in taking time to be alone and with ourselves and have our “me time”. Like I said earlier, *even* extroverts need “me time”, too. But, we also MUST have time with others, and yes, *even* introverts need time with others, as well. We as humans are naturally social beings and we thrive off of being around others even if it’s in doses here and there.

Needless to say, I find that there’s something to be said for alone time and it doesn’t have to make us lonely either. Hence, my own desires to cut back on certain interactions to prioritize my own self care (something that I think we ALL should do!). During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us found ourselves spending more and more time at home and truly enjoying the benefits of slowing down. Consequently, many of us continued to reap those benefits of slowing down and not being on the go 24/7 like we were pre-pandemic. Self care IS important and like my best fried Shivani says, it is something that we all must practice in order to achieve the things that we set out to achieve (whether professionally or personally). There are truly some great pros to spending time alone and it is vital to our wellbeing, both physical and mental health, and also to our professional and personal accolades and that should not be overlooked.

While I won’t get into some specifics of my own thoughts and solutions to this HUGE trend of loneliness in 2024 in our society that has both pros and cons to it in this post, I will say that I think that there should be a balance of both time with ourselves and time with others. Community is vital to both our mental and physical wellbeing and overtime can develop into a support system which every person needs and can benefit from having. Personally, I feel fortunate to have an incredible community over on my Instagram page (and here too!) and also in-person in my own life. There is something to be said for communities whether in our own backyards or online or both (I find a little bit of both to be beneficial for myself!).

To wrap up this post which will become a series of posts over time, I want to note that my thoughts are my thoughts alone, but that I know I am not alone in how I feel. Many of y’all in my Instagram community shared your own thoughts and experiences to my ramblings on this loneliness in 2024 and I am SOOO grateful that you did. One of y’all even shared (shoutout to @dcmahj on Instagram!) that y’all started your mahjong meetup group to cultivate community amongst others through a shared interest of learning to and playing mahjong together in Washington, DC! Having each of YOU in my community is a HUGE BLESSING to me. Community in all forms is a beautiful thing. Nevertheless, thank YOU.

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

Pumpkin patches, Fall festivals, the changing seasons, and pumpkin spiced lattes – OH MY! In recent times, I have truly been continuing to embrace the Fall 2024 season. Indeed, Fall 2024 has been a GREAT ONE! It is my first Fall season with my camera which means that I have been taking LOTS of photos (!!!!) of ALLL of the Fall festivities. I have been striving to savor the moments more so this Fall 2024 season and aspire to do so beyond, too. As always, here are some updates into the Life of Katie!

  • A visit to an orchard + Carlisle, Pennsylvania – Papa and Rosie and I took a day to go visit his sisters – my Great Aunts Darlene and Margaret – in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. On the way there, we stopped by a favorite place of ours – Catoctin Mountain Orchard in Thurmont, Maryland. Catoctin Mountain Orchard this time of year offers apple picking and has an ADORABLE pumpkin mountain (!!!!!). SO, we did some shopping to support the local economy, snapped some photos, and took in ALL of the Fall vibes while briefly there. And, then, we headed to Carlisle which is a beautiful and scenic drive from the Washington, DC area to visit family. We enjoyed lunch at one of Aunt Darlene’s local digs and time with one another. Truly, family time is a blessing!
  • Allergies – Unfortunately, like many others locally to me, my seasonal allergies have been THE WORST in recent times. Truly, my allergies have gotten the best of me from time to time amongst all the excitement with the changing seasons.
  • Seeing Mean Girls The Musical – My friend Briana and I enjoyed a soooo fetch girl’s night out in Washington, DC seeing Mean Girls The Musical at National Theatre. Beforehand, we grabbed dinner at La Grande Boucherie aka a lovely opulent French restaurant housed in a former bank downtown. Both dinner and the musical was LOVELY and such a great way to unwind on a weeknight with an amazing friend.
  • Solo date in Old Town Alexandria – To kick off slamming my laptop shut until Tuesday for Indigenous People’s Day Weekend, I took a solo evening out in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia aka one of my FAVORITE local spots. I started my solo date by doing a *tiny* bit of retail therapy at Current Boutique aka a local consignment store and then headed over to Captain’s Row and the waterfront to snap some golden hour shots as I strolled. To end off the night, I enjoyed a nice dinner at Vola’s Dockside outdoors while watching the sunset and then took the trolley back to Metro to head home. Truly, it was a lovely evening to recharge on my own!
  • Walks with Rosie and Haley – My friend Haley and I have enjoyed some lovely walks together and so have me and my doggy Rosie! Rosie LOVES to explore our neighborhood, especially nearby Heron Pond where she loves to go for a little swim! At the same time, my friend Haley and I have enjoyed local walks to Lake Mercer and a neighborhood home that is DECKED OUT for Halloween!
  • Taking my dog out on a date – One of the most special things that I did recently and even in 2024 as a whole was take my dog on a date just us two! Rosie and I went to a favorite dog-friendly vineyard of mine that I actually had the amazing opportunity to work with (here) earlier this year – Three Fox Vineyards & Brewery! Rosie and I enjoyed some time together as I sipped on some wine and nibbled on some pizza (which Rosie enjoyed some of, too!) and a walk to the gorgeous meadow and creek (Rosie *of course* swam a bit!) and enjoyed meeting local guests and staff, too! Rosie was truly a hit!!! And, above all else, it was such a special outing to be able to take my dog on a date and do something just us two.
Walk with Rosie
Papa with his sisters Darlene and Margaret
The magnificent La Grande Boucherie
The magical steps of La Grande Boucherie
Walks with Rosie
Sunset at Vola’s Dockside
Golden hour at Vola’s Dockside
The Nightmare Before Christmas-themed home
Walk at Lake Mercer with Haley

Catoctin Mountain Orchard:

Seeing Mean Girls at National Theatre: 

Stroll at Old Town Alexandria, Virginia:

Three Fox Vineyards & Brewery with Rosie:

Here’s to making many more memories soon!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Softest Sweater I Own!

Personally, I am a sucker for a fun seasonal outing, NO MATTER the season! This Fall, I have adored getting to visit ALLL the pumpkin patches!!! And, over the recent long October weekend, my friends and I enjoyed a lovely outing to Reston Farm Garden Market. The day we went was such a breath of fresh crisp Fall air and truly an introduction to the incoming cooler weather days. The best part?! I had the softest sweater to wear to enjoy the day!

*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 sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

My sweater *indeed* lowkey reminds me of a candy cane, but doesn’t scream Christmas which means I can wear it throughout ALLL the Winter months and not just during the holidays. I loved getting to style it with a vintage skirt that I purchased for $2.50 at the thrift store the day before, some vintage family pearls, my Tuckernuck sunnies, and my Longchamp Le Pilage tote that I’ve had for 10+ years. Not to mention, this sweater is EXTREMELY soft and cozy and not itchy like other sweaters I own. It feels SOOO comfortable and makes me feel as if I’m wearing pajamas ALL DAY while out and about. The best part?!?! It retails for under $30 on Amazon, comes in several colors, and is size-inclusive. A win, win!!!

Alongside enjoying the moments at the pumpkin patch all warm and cozied up, I also LOVED getting to take some photos of the gorgeous Fall festival atmosphere. Reston Farm Garden Market hosted a small, yet mighty Fall Festival for ALL to enjoy over the long October Indigenous People’s Day weekend. The pumpkins of ALL shapes and sizes truly remind me of the beauty in uniqueness and diversity within the produce that we eat and us to decorate with. We also rode the ADORABLE onsite mini train around the grounds and truly got to be a kid again for a hot few minutes. Needless to say, it was such a great time with friends on a lovely Fall day!

A special thank you to Ecowish for sponsoring today’s blog post. Please note that all opinions are my own. 

XOXO – Katie <3

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Fall Strolls – Occoquan, Virginia

Growing up, I spent several childhood weekends in the charming town of Occoquan, Virginia. My Dad lived in Occoquan for a few of my childhood years hence the many weekends spent there. Weekends in Occoquan were spent walking my late childhood Yorkie Butters alongside the gorgeous historic streets and alongside the adjacent Occoquan River, getting ice cream at the local ice cream parlors, and dinners and shopping via supporting the local small businesses (which are the only businesses in downtown Occoquan!). Through it all, Occoquan holds a special place in my heart!

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.

Truly, Occoquan is a unique as some may say “hidden gem” in the Washington, DC area – something that I LOVE about it too. At the same time, I truly view Occoquan as such a special place in my childhood and sometimes forget that it is there amongst ALLL that there is to do in my own backyard (something I feel VERY fortunate for!). And, in those few moments that I do revisit the charming town that is apart of my childhood stomping grounds, I am extremely grateful for it. Needless to say, I LOVE that Occoquan is a little oasis amongst the Washington, DC suburbs and hustle and bustle of the area.

One of the biggest things that I have found in strolling through Occoquan, while not as frequent as in the past, is that it’s important for us all to find time to explore places near and dear to our hearts. We must make time for those places that we adore and cherish. Even though, yes, it may be the same place time and time again, it is also going to be great for your mental health, too. I have found this to be true whenever I go to Occoquan and hope that others can do the same with their childhood stomping grounds (if/when able to), too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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A Few Hours in Belfast, Northern Ireland

For my final day in the Emerald Isle back in April 2024, I took a day tour bus to Northern Ireland (see more day trip ideas from Dublin here!). I will be splitting my Northern Ireland day content into two posts: one of my experience at Giant’s Causeway (coming soon!) and another (which I am sharing today!) of my experience at the capital city of Belfast. Honestly, Belfast, Northern Ireland has seen its share of turmoil over the years and is one of those cities that I was initially apprehensive about visiting, BUT, when there even if only for a brief few hours, I was super impressed. The people of Belfast while they’ve been through a lot via Northern Ireland’s history, have a lot to share given their experiences and a beautiful capital city that I am blessed to have visited!

*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.*

For more travel abroad inspiration, check out my exploring 50 Countries Expedition page.

While in Dublin, I was debating as to whether or not I wanted to go on a day trip to Galway or Belfast. I debated and debated and debated. I asked around at the hotel lobby and with my fellow Instagram besties (shoutout to y’all!!!) as to which city I should visit during my weeklong voyage to Ireland. And, in typical Katie fashion, after a few days of debate again and again and again, I landed on a day trip tour bus to Belfast and Giant’s Causeway to get a taste of both the coastal life and city life of Northern Ireland!

Planning a trip to Ireland?! Or, are you interested in learning more about travel to Ireland?! Learn more about my additional Ireland experiences in Dublin, Connemara, Glendalough, Cork County, Dublin’s Trinity College’s The Book of Kells Experience, and The Cliffs of Moher.

A Few Hours in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Tour Operator: Finn McCool Tours operated this incredible Northern Ireland day tour. One of the things that I learned during our tour, where Finn McCool graciously took care of our transportation via charter bus, is that you don’t need your passport when on a tour bus and crossing the border into Northern Ireland (which is technically a part of the United Kingdom!). Our tour guide, while I forget his name, was lovely and extremely knowledgeable and passionate about sharing the stories of Northern Ireland and his family’s experiences there as well. Truly, his insight and perspective into his father studying in Belfast during a time of turmoil in the city was eye-opening into some of the domestic conflicts that took place there fairly recently. The guide’s experiences and stories truly made me realize how far Northern Ireland has come since the Protestant and Catholic conflicts from the 1968-1998 (more on that below!) yet there’s still always room for improvement. In the meantime, learn more about Finn McCool Tours here.

About:

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is apart of the United Kingdom, sitting on a part of the Emerald Isle aka Ireland. Ireland is a predominantly Catholic nation, whereas, Northern Ireland, a British territory has a Protestant majority. Though Northern Ireland has a Protestant majority, it does have a Catholic minority and hence caused conflicts between the residents: a Protestant majority who wanted Northern Ireland to remain apart of the United Kingdom and a Catholic minority who wanted Northern Ireland to reunify with Ireland. From 1968-1998, Belfast as the heart of Northern Ireland, was central to these secular conflicts that created unrest worldwide. As a result of these conflicts, over 3,500 people died with many more people injured and a heightened level of trauma, suffering, and anxiety face and linger amongst the people of Northern Ireland to this day. It is said, according to the tour guide, that the people of Northern Ireland are known to have a darker sense of humor as a way to cope with the things that they’ve been through over the decades. And, in some towns, such as Londonderry, Northern Ireland, the Catholic people and Protestant people remain separated to some extent. I find it important to share the history of Northern Ireland as it shows the power that conflict has in our world as a whole and especially in Northern Ireland and with their people and culture. While a small part of the world, a brutal 3-decades long conflict is still significant as shown throughout Northern Ireland.

What I Did:

We only had 2 hours to spend in Belfast, SO I primarily spent my time in Belfast in the city center. Two of the most well-known places in Belfast is the Titanic Museum and the Belfast Murals (which I would’ve visited if I had more time) that depict the significance of the political uprising in Northern Ireland. Although not this time around to see more of Belfast, I did enjoy my time in city center. City center is where the gorgeous Belfast City Hall is amongst some lovely local businesses which I will share more about below!

Belfast City Hall (Donegal Square North): Located in the center of Belfast, Belfast City Hall is a civic building offering free exhibitions and entry on its first floor to all guests. The exhibitions primarily showcased the centuries-long history of Belfast to today. And, one of the exhibitions showcased the many women in leadership roles amongst Belfast’s and Northern Ireland as a whole’s government – HOW EMPOWERING! At the same time, another part of the exhibition showcased city keys from other cities across the world that had leaders from them come to visit Belfast. Through it all though, the architecture was AMAZING (!!!!!) throughout the interiors and exteriors of Belfast City Hall. I was truly impressed by the Belfast City Hall in its true beauty and glory.

Sawers (Fountain Centre on College Street): Sawers came recommended by the tour guide as a lovely local deli and market. I find it tough to find local markets and delis like these that aren’t owned by a huge chain. However, I adored the circa-1897 Sawers deli that serves locals and tourists, alike! I ended up getting a lovely wrap and salt and vinegar chips to enjoy on the bus ride home, along with some tea for family members as gifts!

Waterstone’s (Fountain Street): I popped into Waterstone’s having had some extra time on my hands before the tour bus came to pick us all up to head back to Dublin. Waterstone’s is ADORABLE and showcases local author’s works all across Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom as a whole! I NEVER go to bookstores anymore it feels like, BUT I LOVED my time at Waterstone’s browsing amongst all of the lovely books (and additional merchandise) on displays. The staff at Waterstone’s were ultra-friendly, too!

Pink City Buses: ANDDD, last but not least, one of the coolest parts of Belfast is …. The PINK BUSES!!!! The city’s Metro Network launched on February 7, 2005 via a rebranding of the Citybus Network. The pink color is distinct to showcase that they are uniquely Northern Irish, not red as in apart of England/London via the broader United Kingdom. These pink buses are also … double decker, which is SOOOO cool!!! I adored these PINK buses and they make Northern Ireland uniquely its own lovely place!

Wrap-Up:

Even though I was debating on even going to Northern Ireland, I am SOOOO glad I did! I almost just went to Giant’s Causeway via the Northern Ireland coastline, but I am SO glad I chose to go to Belfast, too. Belfast gave me a true taste to Northern Ireland and impressed me beyond words. Belfast is definitely an underrated gem, too. I definitely am honored to have gone and learned about its history, amongst its conflict and turmoil over the previous recent decades, and hope others get the chance to become aware of it too. Northern Ireland has been through a lot but it is definitely one worth learning more about and visiting if you’re ever in Ireland. I am SO glad I went and hope others get to learn more about and see this lovely place (including Belfast), too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Florals for Fall + A Pumpkin Patch Visit!

I am a sucker for ANYTHING floral! And, personally, I have a hard time giving up Spring and Summer styles for Fall styles, especially, when the Fall styles are typically anything BUT bright and floral. BUT, who says that floral can’t be for Fall?!?! Definitely NOT me and clearly not others either!

*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 sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

Over the years since becoming a J Crew Factory fanatic, I have come to notice that the preppy fashion brand is ALWAYS serving up some fun Fall floral merchandise year after year. I am a firm believer that there is ALWAYS an opportunity to express gratitude and find joy in each physical season of the year and season of life. Nevertheless, these unique floral prints make me get excited for Fall and bring me SO MUCH JOY, as I embrace the cooler temperatures in the air.

My J Crew Factory dress (alongside others!) is currently on clearance (!!!!). Shop it here!

To further embrace the Fall season, Papa and I decided to visit a local-to-us produce shop: Nalls Produce. Nalls Produce has been serving the Northern Virginia community since 1961, carrying local produce, plants, jams, and seasonal items (including their signature Fall Pumpkin Hill!) alongside an onsite …. PIG for visitors and shoppers to get to know! Papa and I have made visiting Nalls Produce during the Fall season an annual tradition. This time around, we brought my camera to snap several photos and picked up some jams, mums, and pumpkins because Tis the Season! Needless to say, I have adored our Nalls Produce Fall tradition and look forward to it next year (or maybe a second time this year!).

 

 

XOXO – Katie <3

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