13 Things To Do in Toronto, Ontario

Over on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee), I gave y’all a peak into my November 2024 trip to Toronto, Ontario to see Taylor Swift perform at the end of her Eras Tour. I had always wanted to visit Toronto since I was a kid and my experience there did not disappoint. This Ontario city is a HUGE city in Canada and North America as a whole, so it can be challenging to figure out things to do in Toronto, Ontario. In fact, it can be overwhelming as the city has SO much to offer! While I hope my first trip to Toronto isn’t my last, I am going to outline some things to do in Toronto which I did while there back in November. Come along for the ride!!

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

About Toronto, Ontario:

Toronto, Ontario is the most populated city in the country of Canada. Its metropolitan area made up of several neighborhoods has a population of ~6.6 million people. Located alongside Lake Ontario, this city is home to several ethnic groups whom have immigrated from all across the globe and now proudly call this city their home. Notable attractions include the CN Tower, Casa Loma, and St. Lawrence Market and is within a 2 hour’s drive reach of Niagara Falls. The people of Canada are extremely kind, caring, and proud and those that reside in Toronto are a true testament to that.

13 Things To Do in Toronto, Ontario

Before I get into the meat of this post and share what 13 things I did in Toronto, Ontario, I wanted to make note of a cost-effective way to see multiple city sights: City Pass. City Pass allows for visitors in a variety of different cities, including Toronto, to pay a fixed price to get into 3-4+ of the city’s most popular sites to see. Visitors can save 35% by purchasing a City Pass, as opposed to purchasing entry fees individually. We ended up using City Pass to visit a few of the sites that we saw and did while in Toronto. Learn more about City Pass Toronto here.

1 – Climb to the top of CN Tower

As i described upon first walking the Toronto streets, it’s “the space needle of Toronto!” LOL! The CN Tower is an observation and communications tower in the heart of downtown Toronto. It is open to visitors via a timed-entry pass to climb via an elevator to the top of it. Atop of the CN Tower, visitors can see all of Toronto and the Toronto Harbor from up above! A CN Tower admission ticket is also included in a Toronto City Pass. CN Tower also has an onsite restaurant, where guests can enjoy a cocktail in the sky and an incredible gift shop on the ground floor that has some of the best souvenirs that Toronto has to offer!

Note: Upon timed entry to the CN Tower even if you arrive early or on time, all guests must get in line outside of the building upon entry indoors and must go through a security checkpoint. 

2 – Learn more about Canada’s aquatic ecosystem at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada showcases the unique aquatic ecosystem of Canada’s waters, specifically focused on the adjacent Great Lakes which Canada shares borders of with the United States. Being honest, I hadn’t visited an aquarium since I was in middle school! And, I was truly in for a treat!! While we were there, Ripley’s Aquarium went ALLL OUT for the then-ongoing Taylor Swift Era’s Tour, which was a BLAST (!!!) for us Swifties. Ripley’s Aquarium truly puts on a great and immersive display to learn more about the local ecosystem and aquatic environment but also to take it all in!

3 – Grab Coffee at Tim Horton’s

When in Toronto, one MUST try Tim Horton’s: a Canadian-based (headquartered in Toronto) coffeehouse and breakfast-based restaurant chain. While there are Tim Horton’s locations in Northern Maine to my knowledge, there aren’t many Tim Horton’s back in my hometown of Washington, DC. There are several Tim Horton’s locations in Toronto and Canada as a whole – you will be sure to find one and in for a local treat!

4 – Shop at CF Toronto Eaton Centre

Downtown Toronto’s major mall is the CF Toronto Eaton Centre. I LOVE malls and enjoyed visiting my first-ever Canadian mall (!!!). CF Toronto Eaton Centre has ALLLL of the best Canadian shopping to offer those from both near and far, including familiar stores found in American malls such as H&M and Aerie as well as some unique to Canada stores. While in town to see Taylor Swift, we got to enjoy a special display of Taylor Swift concert photography throughout her touring years!

5 – Dine at Simona

An Italian and Mediterranean restaurant in a gorgeous atmosphere looking over the Toronto Harbour, Simona is a lovely place to dine at while in Toronto! Like many Toronto restaurants during the Taylor Swift Eras Concert Tour, Simona had exclusive Taylor Swift specialty cocktails and friendship bracelets on their menu. We ended up getting some specialty Eras tour-themed cocktails, friendship bracelets, and enjoyed some of Simona’s delicious menu for a great lunch looking over the waterfront!

6 – Take in the views via a Toronto City Cruise

One of my highlights of our Toronto adventure was a Toronto City Cruise with City Cruises Toronto. Also included via a timed-entry with City Pass Toronto, the covered city cruise (as we were there in chilly mid-November!) took us all alongside the Toronto Harbour. Taking in the views of nearby Harbour islands and the Toronto city skyline from Lake Ontario, truly a Toronto City Cruise was a GREAT way to spend a part of an afternoon and simply be mindful and to enjoy the moment.

7 – Try a local cafe

Downtown Toronto has several lovely local cafes and they’re each worth a try! I ended up trying Hailed Coffee and Mos Mos Coffee & Cookie Shop which were both near my hotel and had a GREAT experience at both.

8 – Dine at Frenchy

If you love French cuisine, then you will LOVE dining at Frenchy! Frenchy is an elegant bar and brasserie located in the heart of downtown Toronto. The interiors are impeccable and the food is delicious and offers diners that elevated fine dining experience.

9 – Try Beaver Tails

A unique Canadian dessert and snack, beaver tails should definitely be on your must-try list while in Toronto! We ended up splitting a beaver tail at a dessert shop right by the Toronto Harbour. We were indeed in for a treat!!

10 – Stroll + Eat at St. Lawrence Market

St. Lawrence Market for centuries has been Toronto’s local community’s heart and culinary focal point. Everyone who walks through the market’s doors can shop and buy locally made and owned groceries from its vendors as well as grab a delicious lunch or take something for the road. Whether you simply walk through St. Lawrence Market and take it all in (it is such a unique experience that any Toronto visitor must take part in!) or grab some groceries or something to eat, you won’t be disappointed!

11 – Dine at a rooftop bar

A rooftop bar is a must when in Toronto! SO many restaurants offer the opportunity to grab a drink and a bite to eat while taking in the city’s stunning skyline. We ended up dining at Kost for brunch and LOVED getting to take in the city skyline from up above, *even* if it was freezing and windy!

12 – Admire the Grand Millennial’s Paradise of Casa Loma

Known as “hill house” in Spanish, Casa Loma is Toronto’s majestic castle where Sir Henry Pallatt once lived. Now, with its gorgeous gothic style architecture and heavenly grand millennial interior design, Casa Loma is open to the public and included (without timed-entry) via a City Pass. I was truly in awe as a grand millennial at Casa Loma’s stunning interiors and exteriors. The castle has an onsite restaurant, gardens, and courtyard that overlooks downtown Toronto on a hill. Indeed, a fairytale of a place!

13 – Take a day trip to Niagara, Ontario

Toronto is Canada’s biggest metropolitan city, but there’s SO MUCH MORE to see in Canada! We ended up taking a day trip to the nearby Niagara, Ontario – specifically Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake – with Niagara & Toronto Tours and had a GREAT time. Read more about our experiences in Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake here and here.

Wrap-Up:

Toronto truly is an amazing city! Before visiting, I had heard so many incredible things about this melting pot of a place. Not only does Toronto highlight the kind and caring nature of the Canadian people, but it also shows off Canada’s historical significance and mark in our world. Indeed, I think everyone should visit Toronto at some point in their lifetime if given the chance. You won’t regret it!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My 2025 Word of the Year

Last year, I started doing a word of the year and have LOVED centering my whole world in a given year around one word. In 2024 (here), my word of the year was joy. And, truly I strived to bring SO MUCH JOY into 2024 with me and into 2025. 2024 taught me how to bring joy into all aspects of life, whether good or bad and to indeed find joy in everyday life. At the end of the 2024 year, like many of us, I found myself doing lots of reflection on how I wanted to shift my focus into 2025. Since I LOVED picking a word of the year for 2024, I decided to do the same thing again for 2025!

SO, with that all being said, my 2025 word of the year is … FORWARD!

One of the biggest themes I noticed in myself throughout 2024 was dwelling on things that happened in the past, whether great or not-so great. I found myself when tough things happened dwelling on them a lot longer than I should have. I found myself getting into my head wayyyyy too much than I should have. I found myself getting reminders of what happened in the past and thinking that what happened in the past will be a repeat trend in the future (which by the way isn’t true folks!). While it’s great to look to our past for fun memories, lessons learned, and even inspiration, we must move forward on a regular basis. In my reflections on 2024, I realized that I wanted to focus on moving forward in 2025 and decided to make it my word of the year and center my entire world around moving forward.

In practically all aspects of my daily life, I have been brainstorming ways in which I wanted to and am in the process of implementing when it comes to forward-thinking in 2025. While I won’t be sharing all of those ways here with y’all, I will note that it has been beneficial allll around for me to center the year 2025 around the word forward. For example, I am focusing on growing my newsletter over on Substack (let’s be friends @thepinkchickadee) that I created in December 2024. On all of my social media platforms aka Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee), Substack, Threads, and most recently YouTube (let’s be friends @thepinkchickadee) as well as my website that you are currently reading this post on, I am striving to create consistent content and build relationships with YOU aka my lovely community and friends while doing so. I am focusing on creating a structured environment for me to create and share content with y’all via this overall happy place of mine on the internet. At the same time, I am focusing on finding community locally by continuing to attend church more regularly and when able with my Mom and Papa and continuing to engage more locally with those that I already know and love, including with Daughters of the American Revolution. To tie it all up with a bow, I will also be striving to make more time to see those that I love both near and far. In 2024, I didn’t spend much time in real life with my dear college friends that have been there for me through the ups and downs of life who all reside in North Carolina and I want to make more of an effort to see them as well as other long distance friends and family members while achieving some of my both local and further away travel goals. This platform, community, and friendships are truly just a sample of the many ways that I am paving the way forward for myself into 2025 and beyond!

When 2024 ended, my mental state was not in the best of spirits and I left the year feeling severely burned out and run down. Via reflection in therapy (which I am a full supporter of EVERYONE doing at some point in their lifetime!), I realized that dwelling on the past and putting too much energy into the things that I cannot control whether they happened in the past and are wayyyyy behind me or I simply cannot control somebody else and how they act and react is simply not a productive way to move forward in 2025. I have been focusing on facing my personal fears and truly changing my mindset to not dwell on the negative but rather focus on the positive and make adjustments accordingly to focus on the positive, too. Recently, I have been applying Mel Robbins’s “let them” theory into my daily life and it has been groundbreaking for my own personal and mental wellbeing (I plan to share more about this in a future blog post, too!). All this to say, going forward into 2025, I feel so much more rejuvenated given the changes that I’ve already made!

At the end of the day, the only things that we can control are how we act and react to things and our pathway forward in this world. We cannot go backwards, but we are always going forward into 2025 (and beyond!). I wish you all the best in 2025 and moving forward from there!

XOXO – Katie <3

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4 Restaurants I Tried in Cary, North Carolina

Whilst I spent 24 hours in Raleigh, North Carolina over Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend which I shared more about over on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee)! Although cut short due to impending snow storms in the Washington, DC area, my trip to the Raleigh area was truly a blessing as I got to see some friends that I hadn’t seen for almost a year and some over a year. While there, I got to try some new-to-me delicious eats in the nearby Raleigh suburb of Cary, North Carolina. Cary, North Carolina dining experiences are definitely ones for the book, too! Last time I went to Raleigh and truly dined out there was in December 2023 (here). I feel SO lucky to have been able to try some delicious Cary eats. The Raleigh/Cary area has changed a bit since I graduated from college in 2021 (Raleigh is my college town!) and I LOVED getting to experience some new-to-me eats!!

***Please note that this blog post was written in January 2025 and will be periodically updated and recirculated to reflect recent updates.***

4 Restaurants I Tried in Cary, North Carolina

La Farm Bakery (4248 Northwest Cary Parkway)

Truly, I was *in awe* as soon as I walked through the doors of La Farm Bakery! While there are currently four La Farm Bakery locations across the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area, the location on Northwest Cary Parkway is their original home. La Farm Bakery is a North Carolina-based French style bakery that sells breakfast/lunch items alongside a cafe full of drinks to dine in (and most recently wine glasses!!) or take to-go alongside a French-style market selling all-things from wine bottles to pastries (cakes, macaroons, cookies galore!) to sandwiches to salad dressings to breads and unique La Farm-branded merchandise. My college best friend Claire and I visited La Farm Bakery on a rainy Saturday morning and had a lovely time together. Claire has grown up dining at La Farm Bakery and even worked there a some years ago and gave me the crash course on all-things La Farm Bakery, which was truly a gift if you ask me! My time at La Farm Bakery transported me to what it must feel like to be in a Mom & Pop French market! I ended up taking home some locally sourced North Carolina peanuts and some freshly baked scones to enjoy. Needless to say, I will be back to La Farm Bakery next time I am in Cary!!

The Refectory Cafe (2726 Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard, Durham)

While technically not in Cary, The Refectory Cafe was one of the delicious restaurants that I enjoyed on my January 2025 dining expedition. Located in Durham, The Refectory Cafe offers a variety of delicious brunch and lunch delights. The Refectory Cafe has continuously been ranked the Number 1 Restaurant in Durham (as of November 2024) by TripAdvisor. This well-renowned Durham restaurant also offers special wine dinners and other delicious dining experiences on occasion. I had their North Carolina caught fish & chips alongside an Aperol Spritz. And, well, I cannot wait to have it again!

Sports & Social Cary (301 Fenton Gateway Drive)

A local sports bar at Cary’s Fenton shopping centre, Sports & Social is an ultra-fun location! Alanna and I stopped in here after some shopping at Fenton for some drinks and a snack. The interiors of Sports & Social is definitely an elevated sports bar. The vibes were impeccable and I’d definitely come back to watch a Commanders game, as it’s truly the perfect spot to watch any sports game!

Colletta (1 Fenton Main Street Suite 170)

Colletta came highly recommended to me by my best friend Shivani. Also located in Fenton shopping centre alongside Sports & Social, Colletta is an upscale Italian restaurant that offers unique lunch and dinner menus. Alanna and I started off with a charcuterie board and cocktails before enjoying a rigatoni Bolognese as an entree. I am STILL craving that Bolognese!!! Alongside the delicious eats at Colletta, the staff is ultra-kind. Our server Michelle was a literal angel and a true testament alongside her coworkers to the kindness that they offer to all diners there. One of the biggest things that I admire about my favorite restaurants, hotels, etc. is the people that make it amazing and admirable. Colletta is a true testament to that admiration of mine for this restaurant!

Wrap-Up:

One of my consistent highlights of visiting Raleigh, North Carolina and its surrounding area is ALL of the delicious food that I have on my itinerary. Raleigh and Cary have a wonderful variety of dining experiences that are sure to leave you coming back for more!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Vegamour HYDR-8 Shampoo Review

Over the years my shampoo journey has literally been a rollercoaster. I feel like certain products work and then they don’t and then the process starts ALLLL over again. ARGH! So, when Vegamour reached out to me about working together, I knew that this was an opportunity to end my rollercoaster of a journey when it came to finding the right shampoo for me. Needless to say, through working with Vegamour and trying out their shampoo, I have truly found the right solution for me. My hair has truly gone through its *very own* re-awakening and thanks to this Vegamour HYDR-8 shampoo review, I will tell you why!

*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.*

About Vegamour:

Vegamour is a hair care brand focused on hair wellness rather than hair care. Through incorporating plant-based ingredients into their products, Vegamour takes a holistic approach to hair care promoting healthy, beautiful hair wellness. As stated on their website, using Vegamour hair products is a “non-toxic relationship,” which we LOVE on all fronts! See more here.

Specifically, I had the opportunity to try the Vegamour HYDR-8 shampoo and conditioner, which works for all hair types and textures.

Vegamour HYDR-8 revitalizing shampoo’s and conditioner’s benefits are the following:

  • Aides in protecting hair from future breakage
  • Reduces frizz
  • Adds shine to hair
  • Leaves hair stronger and more resilient
  • Reduces breakage via strengthening hair
  • Contains no harsh sulfates and chemicals, which can strip hair of its color
  • Works for all hair types and textures, specifically fine or thin

Key Ingredients include:

  • Karmatin
  • Amino Acids
  • Marula Seed Oil
  • Moringa Seed Oil

My Vegamour HYDR-8 Review

As previously mentioned, Vegamour HYDR-8 shampoo and conditioner has ended my rollercoaster of a ride to finding the right shampoo and conditioner for me. Through utilizing natural, plant-based ingredients, I have definitely seen a difference in my hair since switching to Vegamour HYDR-8 products. Immediately when I made the switch, I noticed a major difference for the better in how my hair felt which in turn made me feel all that more confident. My hair felt back to its initial bounce as if I had just left the hair salon!

Products Used:

One of the key benefits of Vegamour HYDR-8 is that I have noticed that when I got blonde highlights in my hair in February 2024, the blonde color was still going strong in my hair over 7 months later. When using other shampoos before Vegamour HYDR-8, the longstanding highlights in my hair was not a thing. Rather, my hair lost its color and shine over time. The same goes for when I entered into my brunette chapter (here) in October 2024. It is almost February 2025 and my hair remains the same color at its similar color and shine and bounce since my brunette chapter began. The natural ingredients that Vegamour HYDR-8 contains truly make such a difference.

While my hair does not grow below my shoulders nowadays (which is one of Vegamour’s several benefits) my Mom and I both experience this hair growth phenomenon, I did notice that my hair has felt much more lively since making the switch. At the same time, I have enjoyed taking showers much more than I did before using Vegamour HYDR-8! Showers have, indeed, become a major immersive self care experience for me and I have to thank Vegamour for that! The same gratitude that I have towards Vegamour for loving showers allll over again comes with feeling more confident when it comes to my hair and how it looks. Before Vegamour, I wasn’t as excited about showers, doing my hair, and really putting in the time and effort for my hair care and wellness. After Vegamour HYDR-8 became apart of my hair wellness, my entire hair care routine has turned upside down. I feel much more confident and have a BLAST when it comes to doing my hair and how I feel about it all.

Since starting to incorporate Vegamour HYDR-8 into my hair care wellness routine, I have felt a whole wave of confidence and overall growth in how I feel about my hair!

Before Vegamour HYDR-8:

After Vegamour HYDR-8:

Wrap-Up:

Truly, I am so grateful that Vegamour was introduced to me. Not only has this plant-based approach helped my hair to grow and shine to its full potential, but I have elevated my hair wellness routine for the better. Throughout my Vegamour HYDR-8 review and experiences, I have indeed felt that I am my best self and am excited and confident that I am the best Katie that I can be!

A special thank you to Vegamour for sponsoring today’s blog post. Please note that all opinions are my own. Without support from our partners, The Pink Chickadee wouldn’t be where it is today!

XOXO – Katie <3

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I’ve Tried 4 RH Restaurants: Here’s My Take!

Truly, an opulent and elevated dining experience at a furniture store is what any RH Restaurant will have! Amongst all of the glitz and glamour of the Restoration Hardware stores, Restoration Hardware has opened several RH Restaurants across the United States and in England at the storefronts. Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to dine at not one, not two, but THREE RH Restaurants: Dallas, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Indianapolis, Indiana. One of the things that has struck me about the RH Restaurants is that they are super similar from city to city. However, that concept is far from the truth. Now, I am sharing my take on each restaurant.

***A special thank you GS-JJ for sponsoring this blog post. Without their support, The Pink Chickadee wouldn’t be where it is today!*** 

*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.*

I’ve Tried 4 RH Restaurants: Here’s My Take!

About RH Restaurants:

RH Restaurant is the signature elegant dining experience that multiple Restoration Hardware storefronts offer to shoppers and diners, alike. Truly, guests get to experience the sheer opulence of the storefront while enjoying a fine dining experience and/or a lovely glass of wine. The restaurant is a bit on the pricier side, yet it offers a truly great experience in an opulent setting for what you get. RH Restaurants are located all across the United States and a few in England, including beyond the four cities where I’ve happened to dine at one. Some of their other cities besides Dallas, Charlotte, and Indianapolis that have a RH Restaurant include: Nashville, New York City, Newport Beach, Chicago, and Minneapolis (see the full list and make a reservation here). Personally, I think that everyone should dine at an RH Restaurant at some point in their lifetime!

Dress Code:

While there isn’t a specified dress code, RH Restaurants encourage casual elegant. With casual elegant meaning that diners should avoid athletic wear, beach wear, loungewear, and overly casual clothing. Business casual or dressy casual attire is rather strongly encouraged within reason. Think business casual, but jeans are accepted!

To personalize your elegance, consider adding sophisticated accessories to your outfit. Custom Patches are a must-try.

Whether it’s a subtle monogram on the cuffs of a smart casual suit or a unique pattern on otherwise acceptable jeans, these subtle touches can elevate your outfit. These subtle touches complement the restaurant’s sophisticated ambiance without appearing forced. Customization is also incredibly convenient; you can get your own patches in a short time, easily adding a personal touch to your dinner outfit and adding a touch of flair to your elegant and sophisticated look.

My RH Restaurant Experiences By City:

Dallas, Texas (3133 Knox Street)

Dallas’s RH Restaurant is located on the rooftop of the Restoration Hardware storefront in the heart of the city’s shopping district. This RH Restaurant was my first-ever RH Restaurant experience, too! One of the things that immediately struck me as I walked through the Restoration Hardware storefront’s doors up to the rooftop for my dining experience was how literally opulent it is. I truly felt like royalty walking up those grand steps into the gorgeously elegant dining room! Filled with windows alllll around overlooking downtown Dallas made this location a truly magical first RH dining experience!

See more about my experience in Dallas, Texas, including lodging and at RH Restaurant, here.

 

Charlotte, North Carolina (6903 Phillips Place Court)

Less than a week after my first-ever dining experience at the RH Restaurant in Dallas, I made my way to the next one in Charlotte. We ended up doing a brunch and the menus were pretty similar from Dallas to Charlotte. The entrance into the RH Restaurant was pretty similar and super magical and opulent, however, the interiors of each storefront were different between the two cities. Like the Dallas location, the Charlotte RH Restaurant was also on the rooftop and boasted several gorgeous views of the Charlotte skyline (though there weren’t as many tall buildings in view as there were in Dallas). The interiors of both the Dallas and Charlotte dining rooms were pretty similar too, making it for an elegant experience that was quite familiar!

See more about my travels to Charlotte, North Carolina, including lodging and my experience at RH Restaurant here and here.


 

Indianapolis, Indiana (4501 North Michigan Road)

The Indianapolis RH Restaurant is situated on a previously family-owned estate that Restoration Hardware bought out and restored to its true glory. Unlike the Dallas and Charlotte RH Restaurants that are located on the rooftop, Indianapolis’s RH Restaurant dining room is at the mansion’s first floor dining room and has a complimentary Wine Bar/Cafe for shoppers and diners. We ended up having to wait a bit upon checking in for our reservation and grabbed some drinks at the Wine Bar/Cafe and felt like true royalty. Once we were seated, the RH Restaurant experience was great as per usual. And, afterwards, we ended up touring the estate and Restoration Hardware storefront where the RH Restaurant is located. Truly I was BLOWN AWAY! The Indianapolis RH Restaurant is indeed a RH Restaurant location like no other!

See more on my travels to Indianapolis, Indiana, including lodging and RH Restaurant, here and here.


 

Raleigh, North Carolina (4120 Lassiter Mill Road)

The RH Rooftop at RH Raleigh is located in the heart of North Hills Shopping District – a popular upscale shopping and dining district (see my guide on Shopping + Dining at North Hills here!). Just like the Dallas and Charlotte locations, Raleigh’s RH Rooftop location is located on the third floor of the RH Raleigh shop and gallery. While the RH Rooftop reminded me of both the Dallas and Charlotte locations in terms of its interiors and layout, I felt that the staff focused more on providing guests with a fancy and fun time out on the town. Truly, I felt that the RH Rooftop location in Raleigh went above and beyond and as if we were treated like royalty!

See more on my travels to and lodging in Raleigh, North Carolina here!


 

Wrap-Up:

Truly, RH Restaurants offer such an elevated dining atmosphere and overall experience. I adore getting to visit them in different cities (and hope that the Washington, DC area gets its *very own* RH Restaurant, too!!). While the dining experience at any RH Restaurant does include a hefty price tag, I do find it worth the experience on occasion when traveling or wanting to try something different. Not only are the vibes and taste impeccable, but you’ll be able to make lasting memories, too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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When A Friend Shuts You Out

Recently over on Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee), I have been seeing several folks discussing some rather taboo or less discussed topics that I’m hoping to shed some light on over here in 2025 and beyond. In 2024, I shared my ramblings on loneliness (here and here) and plan to share more of my thoughts on similar taboo topics. One of those topics is something that I think many of us have experienced over the years: when a friend shuts you out. This is a super tough topic to discuss as it’s truth be told such a sucky feeling and thing to experience. We genuinely as humans and friends want to be apart of our friends’ lives, but sometimes they don’t want us to be apart of their lives anymore. It’s a rather tough pill to swallow, but is very well the truth a lot of the times when a friend shuts you out. And, trust me: I’ve been there too.

When I graduated college back in May of 2021, I was apart of a so-called sorority-like friend group and had thus felt a major sense of belonging from it and throughout my college experience. I ended up moving from North Carolina to the Washington, DC area literally a day after receiving my diploma and hence begun my next chapter into adulthood. It was terrifying at the time, but with a job already in line in the nation’s capital to start later that Summer, I knew where I needed to be. I was pretty much the ONLY person from my 400-person sorority-like all-women’s college class to move to Washington, DC. Many of my college friends including my friend group remained in North Carolina. And, after four years of memories made in our college dorms, apartments, college formals and events and celebratory occasions, distracting ourselves from studying, late night talking and drinking, and everything in between, I simply began to get shut out by many of my college friends at the time. We had literally gone from taking photos in our caps and gowns galavanting around our college campus the day before to pretty much barely texting each other. The texts and FaceTime calls from afar became far and few in between. A few months later, I came back to North Carolina to visit for a weekend. I noticed a stark difference between the friends that I made while we were in college and while we weren’t in college. It felt as if I was in one day and the next day simply shut out. All I had heard about was the gossip of the time that I had been simply shut out of. And, to my surprise and disappointment, I had been excluded from the typical friend group activities of the weekend I was in town. Which I had instead received many excited texts about how fun the outing was and how excited everyone else was to be there … without me. The pain I felt at the time was unbearable and utter shock. Essentially, I been shut out of that friend group that I once cherished and felt so much belonging in a few months prior.

At the time, I was in utter denial that I was being shut out of my friend group that had once provided me such a great feeling of belonging. I had convinced myself many times and times again that things would change and that these friends of mine from college would realize what they’re missing out on. I would continuously text these friends, hoping they’d start to respond more and more frequently. Maybe, perhaps, one of them or a few would want to come and visit me in Washington, DC for the weekend. Just MAYBE things would change. But, instead, the texts became more and more sparse.

I share this story to tell you that you are not alone by any means in experiencing when a friend that shuts you out. The simple reality of the matter is that we all have friends that will or have shut us out at one point or another. Guess what? It hurts. It’s painful. And, a lot of the time, we don’t truly understand why. A lot of the time, the reasoning has nothing to do with us. Rather, there can be a variety of factors our friends may be experiencing, including: personal issues, jealousy and/or insecurity, shift in priorities, physical distance, miscommunication, or different life stages. Usually though, the reasoning has nothing to do with us who simply want to keep the friendship alive.

So, to put it into context: no, you did not do anything wrong by simply wanting to check in on your friend and continue that friendship without them reciprocating. Simply put, you don’t need to feel guilty or shame for simply wanting to keep that friendship alive. However, friendships are a two-way street. We need to focus our energy more so on the friendships that choose us as we choose them and NOT the friendships that don’t choose us. It can be easier said than done, I know.

Upon graduating from college and settling into my new life and job in the nation’s capital, I kept in touch with many of my college friendships beyond that one specific friend group which provided me with the most belonging during those four years. One of my friends at the time (we’re still friends to this day!!) was appreciative that I reached out to her and continued to choose her as a friend. She thanked me! That exact text made me realize that there is SO much to be thankful for with the friendships that we do have and are able to maintain. We need to focus more on the friendships that are two-way streets. Like with dating, we need to choose those who choose us time and time again. Those that make space for us in their lives are the ones that we want and need to keep around. Those are the friendships that are of high-value and worth having.

At the end of the day though, I do feel extremely fortunate to have several friendships from my college years that I have to this day. Indeed, some of these friendships were unexpectedly formed after college and through creating this platform! But at the end of the day, I discovered that these are the friendships worth keeping. None of these friendships resulted in either person being shut out, but rather chosen to be kept in one another’s lives. We send those lengthy audio messages where we love to yap, exchange thoughts in the group chats, and slide into our Instagram DMs to share adorable content we think one another would like. We also make plans to see one another, despite many of us living in different cities and states. We may talk daily, weekly, monthly, or even periodically. But, at the end of the day, we chose one another and those are the friends worth keeping around.

And, while my highly esteemed friend group and I in college may have parted our ways after my big girl move, I will cherish the times that we did have together during our college years. The memories made will always be there to cherish. Although I may not talk to them everyday like we used to, I still am open to the possibility that we may exchange some texts here and there and remember our fun college days (like I have one a few occasions). 

Reality check: when a friend shuts you out, it sucks, but we must move forward. We need to focus our energy on those that open their doors to us, not shut them in our faces. Sometimes, the truth hurts and that’s simply apart of the evolution of adult friendships at all ages and life stages. Most importantly, we must move forward with a heart full of gratitude for those that have chosen to keep us around and keep them around especially when a friend shuts you out, too! Perhaps, another lengthy audio message of gratitude and meme of appreciation incoming over making plans for a lengthy catch up session?!?!

XOXO – Katie <3

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5 Years of The Pink Chickadee!

Five years ago, I hit “post” and posted my first-ever blog post. I was terrified, but I did it. That night, I hosted a launch party for my *very own* dream blog that I was, well, terrified to start and keep the momentum going on. In January 2020, I was scared to put myself out there, scared of what others would think of me, and simply scared of failing myself and my dream of becoming a fashion and travel blogger. Five years later, I can confidently say that I am a successful fashion and travel blogger who despite her initial fears of putting herself out there and failing at this has curated a strong community and following of likeminded people and a blog to call my own. Five years into blogging and I am proud of myself for what I have created and self-coded and what I will continue to do.

In September 2019, I suffered my first big college heartbreak. It was a situationship that lasted on and off until a few years later. September 2019 was the first of many tough heartbreaks and realizations when it comes to love and dating. At first, I was in utter denial, but I was also upset. At that time, though full of great sadness for what could have been, I knew that I wanted to do something for myself. I vividly remember posing for a photo with a cookie on a trip in college to Charleston, South Carolina (here) and excitedly revealing to somebody in college that I was starting a blog while feeling so sad on the inside due to that heartbreak. But, saying “I am starting a blog” aloud truly gave me hope that there was more to life beyond the utter heartbreak that I was experiencing via the dating world. And, that is when and how The Pink Chickadee was born.

On January 15, 2020 when I first hit “post,” I was extremely self-conscious as a person. Like I said before, I was terrified in all ways at the idea of putting myself out there and full unfortunately of self-hatred and loathing. Fear was my best friend. I even took a break from posting consistently not once but twice in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic was keeping us in lockdown. My mental health hit an all-time low. Until, I took a Summer 2020 website development course and willingly pulled a few all-nighters to re-code my entire website. I got my logo redone and re-designed. And, I started to continually post consistently over on my social media platforms. My social media, then, looked a lot different than it does now. But, The Pink Chickadee was my saving grace during the COVID-19 pandemic days and my relationship and breakup and beyond.

Flash-forward to today and I am full of gratitude, confidence, self-love, happiness, and joy. I am fully confident to say that being the one woman show behind The Pink Chickadee is a BIG reason for my success and personal growth over the past five years. I have had the pleasure to work with several brands, including Virginia Wine Pass (now Reserve Pass), OPI, Shop Navy Bleu, and Panera Bread. I have been featured on Starbucks, Redfin, and Jack Rogers. And, I have curated an incredible follower basis and community and friends in YOU. Needless to say, I feel so thankful, grateful, and blessed to have made that decision on the evening of January 15, 2020 to hit “post” and remain consistent in doing so over the past five years.

I have fallen in love with being a blogger! I love getting to curate content that resonates with you and connect with you all. I love getting to collaborate with likeminded brands and share content with likeminded creators and communities. While my platform and my goals associated with it has evolved over the past five years, the one thing that remains the same is my love of being here. I love getting to be here!!

Through it all, THANK YOU for being here along for the ride. Cheers to five years (read past years’ blog-aversary posts here, here, and here!) and more than five more years of opportunity, growth, prosperity, confidence, and happiness. Cheers!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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12 Hours in Connemara, Ireland

While I was in Ireland on my *first-ever* solo trip back in April 2024 to Ireland (read more about my experiences at the following: Cork County, Cliffs of Moher, Trinity College, Glendalough, Belfast, and Giant’s Causeway), I *just knew* that I wanted to see Kylemore Abbey located in the unique Irish region of Connemara while I was there without hopping in a car to drive on the opposite side of the road (see a list of car-free day trips here). Initially, I was planning to do an overnight in Galway – a coastal town – but opted not to as I loved the hustle and bustle of Dublin. BUT – many tour operators did not go to Kylemore Abbey from Dublin in April which can be an off-season travel month. Nevertheless, I persisted and found a way to make it to Kylemore Abbey!!

*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.

12 Hours in Connemara, Ireland

I was *truly* fascinated and IN AWE with the entire region of Connemara, Ireland: the home of Kylemore Abbey. Needless to say, I am SOOO glad that it made it to Connemara while in the Emerald Isle, as I was blown away by its unique scenery and beauty. I had NEVER seen anything like Connemara before!

About:

Kylemore Abbey is located in Ireland’s distinct Connemara region. Connemara is rather remote for Ireland (which is a country the size of the state of South Carolina in the United States!), yet boasts some unique stories. With a population of ~32,000 people, Connemara is the only region in Ireland where the majority of its population speaks the native Irish language. In fact, Irish families send their kids in ~middle school-high school for a Summer away to stay with a host family in Connemara to learn their native tongue. I learned from my tour guide that some of the Irish’s Summers away in Connemara were where many teenagers experienced their first kiss, went to parties, went on dates, and more! Connemara’s economy is mostly focused on agriculture, fishing, artisan crafts, and tourism. One of the most distinct things about Connemara is its gorgeously unique landscapes and scenery playing homage to Ireland’s only fjord (more on that below!).

As for Kylemore Abbey, was built by Mitchell and Margaret Henry in the late 1800s and are responsible for restoration of Connemara’s economy which has since provided several jobs and economic stability to the region and its people. Since 1920, Kylemore Abbey has become a Benedictine Abbey: home to the Benedictine nuns who retreated there during World War 1 and have been there ever since. Today, the first floor of Kylemore Abbey is open to visitors alongside its gorgeous Victorian Walled Gardens, a chapel, and lakeside grounds.

Tour Operator:

Lally Tours was the ONLY tour operator that offered an option for people to visit Kylemore Abbey and Connemara from Dublin in early April. The tour started off with complimentary bus tickets to/from Dublin and Galway and then a pickup/drop off adjacent to the Galway bus station for my Connemara tour. The tour via Lally Tours was excellent and offered great views and facts of Connemara.

Where We Went:

Killary Fjord – Ireland’s only fjord! I had never seen a fjord until visiting Killary Fjord. My tour bus offered a brief stop at Killary Fjord located in Northern Connemara to enjoy its gorgeous scenery!

Kylemore Abbey – The main point of interest and stop of the tour (although my tour did offer an option in lieu of Kylemore Abbey at Connemara National Park). I had a few highlights at Kylemore Abbey while there. First off, I LOVED getting to tour the first floor interiors of Kylemore Abbey, which are a grand millennial’s paradise (!!!!) and see ALLL of the late 1800’s styles on the mannequins and within its interiors. The hand-painted and uniquely designed wallpaper is gorgeous and is always a highlight for me. Second, I adored the Victorian Walled Gardens, despite it being an ultra-windy day and lots of the flowers not being at their peak bloom yet alongside the lovely lakeside walk to the Abbey’s chapel to say a prayer. The nature is seriously lovely here and perfect for some lovely strolls. And, last but not least, I still CANNOT stop thinking about that delicious salmon quiche I had at the onsite restaurant – ONE of the best lunches I’ve ever had! Kylemore Abbey was truly an amazing experience for me and a major high of my entire Ireland adventure.

Connemara – The scenery and landscape in Connemara is like no other! Connemara is such a unique place and I had never seen any place like it!! While it was a super windy day when I visited, I opted to take most of the scenic Connemara photos on the bus route from the window of my seat.

Wrap-Up:

Being transparent, I went into this tour with the intention of visiting Kylemore Abbey. However, I left this tour with a whole new perspective and knowledge base of a unique region of Ireland I never knew existed til I stepped foot on the bus that took me there! Connemara is a beautiful region with such distinct character historically and economically and scenery wise. I am excited to visit again as I was indeed BLOWN AWAY!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Living Room!

Long time, NO home decor! I have been living in the Washington, DC area for almost four years now and have *finally* gotten around to sharing the details on my living room. In the past few years, I have shared with y’all my bedroom, kitchen, bar cart, office space, and most recently my rattan bookshelf and welcome console. Throughout the years, my interior design style has evolved for the better: from a college student to a young professional. Indeed, my living room is a true testament to that evolving style of mine!

*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 preppy style & grand millennial home content, check out my Preppy Fashion & Grand Millennial Home page.

Needless to say, I used to rarely use my living room. Mainly, it was a place to sit and lounge a smidge but mainly whenever my Papa came downstairs to hang or somebody visited. Being transparent over here, I used to be a mega workaholic and spent ALL of my time at my desk in my office space (I highly don’t recommend this!). I spent my 1.5 years of my college experience Zooming into classes from a desk in my bedroom and it unfortunately felt natural to me at the time to continue this into my postgraduate life. So, during my initial postgraduate years, my living room was truly left as a bit of a dump until I decided two years ago to start using it as a place to rest and started setting more boundaries when it came to work and relaxation. As a recovering workaholic, I highly suggest setting boundaries when it comes to your working life and personal life and am happy to talk more about this in another blog post. In 2023, I began to transition after work during from my desk to my couch and truly it has been a wonderful way to wrap up the working day and for my mental health. My living room is a true blessing and reflection of my mental growth and truly allowing myself to slow down and recharge and reflect.

My living room is my happy place during many points of my home life. Believe it or not, I can be a bit of a homebody despite my grand love for travel! And, my living room is one of my *very* favorite spots to be in my entire apartment. It reflects my since evolved style as a preppy college student to a preppy grand millennial young professional with many pops of Katie! I adore spending LOTS of time here in my living room and enjoy hanging here whether solo or with others. Truly, it is a great gathering place!

Additionally, I have linked a few of my living room home decor items that I could find:

Thank YOU so much for being here along for the journey! Perhaps, my living room gives you some inspiration for yourself in some way, shape, or form. Here’s to making more memories in this beautiful space that I’m so grateful to call mine.

XOXO – Katie <3

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Transitioning The Life of Katie!

Hello friends! Over the past few years, I have shared a whopping 32 (!!!!) Life of Katie blog posts with y’all. These posts tend to be some of the most well-received and some of the quickest clicks y’all make whenever I share these over on my Instagram stories (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee). However, in recent times, I have been reflecting on my goals for this platform into 2025 and beyond and will continue to share personal updates with y’all, BUT in a different format than before!

Now, I will be sharing my Life of Katie updates over on my …

Substack called Happy Hour with Katie!

Yes, you heard me right: in September 2024, I created a Substack but didn’t publicize it a ton at the time due to my wayyyy too frequently talked about holiday season burnout (here and here). Happy Hour with Katie will share some personalized updates from me Katie and *of course* into the Life of Katie! I will be sharing my favorite things (whether or not recently purchased) on a monthly basis, a round-up of content that I share with y’all here on the blog, and a weekly happy hour where I will dig into the Life of Katie (!!!) and share a few topics that have been on my mind. There will probably be more topics and content to come over on my Substack, but for now, I will be sharing LOTS of personalized Happy Hour with Katie updates over there! Whenever I write a The Life of Katie blog post in recent times, I feel *A LOT* of pressure to make it into this super fancy blog post. And, while I LOVE writing about the ongoings and ramblings of my life during that time of which I am publishing it, it has come to be more pressure-some to me and consequentially less enjoyable. I adore sharing my ramblings and peak into the life of Katie with YOU and am excited to do so in more of a casual setting. Think of Happy Hour with Katie as a happy hour that we can have together on a weekly basis! Subscribe here!

Why Substack?! In late 2024, I have been daydreaming about starting a newsletter yet didn’t know where to start. And, at the same time, for YEARS, I have missed having the opportunity to connect with other bloggers on a regular basis via platforms that allow you to do so. Thinking on the lines of circa 2015 with Tumblr if y’all remember those days! SO, when one of my coworkers mentioned that she joined Substack, I knew I needed to check out what the hype was ALLL about! As I said before, I created a Substack in September 2024 and have been mainly procrastinating on using it until now. Soon enough, I realized that Substack would provide me what I’m looking for in terms of a place to connect with other bloggers and likeminded people in a newsletter-like setting! I could create a Substack to talk about personalized content and share things from my blog, connect with others, and share with YOU!

But Katie, I already get too many emails!! Yes, I have heard YOU all already! But, don’t worry! I will be sharing my Substack posts alongside my email newsletters to those of you that do choose to subscribe on my Instagram Stories once they are posted. I want to make Happy Hour with Katie accessible to ALL readers, regardless of if they choose to and/or have the bandwidth to subscribe or not.

What will be happening with the blog?! The Pink Chickadee blog is NOT going anywhere in 2025! In fact, I have been brainstorming LOTS of plans and ideas for 2025. Earlier this week, I published two travel posts and have several more posts to come and to be planned for the year. And, with the new content that I am aspiring to share with YOU here, there comes a time where I don’t want to publish as many Life of Katie posts within the mix, which makes Substack the perfect platform for that. And, at the end of the day, I will probably still post some personalized content here over on The Pink Chickadee! One of my goals is to share some of my local eats and activities more so on here and I’ll continue to share What I Wore to Work on a monthly basis here, too. There may be another Life of Katie post (or 32!) in the future!!

At the end of the day, I want to thank YOU for being here. To those who saw my little publicized announcement of Happy Hour with Katie and subscribed or provided feedback or how you want to receive updates, thank YOU for your support and for being here along the ride. Truly, having the community that I have in y’all is such a beautiful and amazing thing. Thank YOU!

XOXO – Katie <3

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