I Went to See Hairspray at Capital One Hall!

Flashback to October 2022 and one of my best friends Haley and I are on the train to Philadelphia. We had experienced a lot of issues with Amtrak leading up to eventually getting on our train and on track to the City of Brotherly Love. So, like many people who were once stressed and exhausted, I *none other than* fell asleep on the train, well, until I heard on the intercom that we were in Baltimore. And, like just any other Hairspray fan, I found the iconic song “Good Morning Baltimore” gleaming throughout my head. Since then, I knew I had to see Hairspray the Musical live!

Capital One Hall is a brand-new performing arts center in the Washington, DC area based in Tysons Corner, Virginia as a part of the brand-new Capital One Center. My office happens to be in the Tysons Corner area, so I had been to the Starr Hill Biergarten (on the 11th floor aka rooftop of the Capital One Center) a few times and just happen to be familiar with the area in which this brand-new theatre is located. Along with Capital One Hall and Starr Hill Biergarten, there is also a hotel known as The Watermark Hotel, fine dining restaurants like Wren, and mini golfing place on the rooftop at The Perch. The interior architecture is gorgeous and super modern at Capital One Hall. There are 3 cafes where guests can get refreshments, whether it be snacks, coffee, or alcoholic beverages – ALL of which they can take into the theatre to enjoy the show. They also have a booth for purchasing performance-related merchandise, some of which my friends Brianna and Brittany happened to snag! To learn more about Capital One Hall, follow them on Instagram @capitalonehall AND look no further than here: https://www.capitalonehall.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqtqzho3m_AIVxd7ICh0KfwaEEAAYASAAEgIUgPD_BwE

One of my favorite parts of the Capital One Hall was the red carpet like photo booth that ALL guests could take photos in front of. There was a bit of a line when we went but luckily we got there early enough to get some photos before it got super crowded. There was ALSO a light ring aka just about every influencer’s dream at the photo booth to give that red carpet feel *just a bit more*! You really do feel like royalty when seeing a show at Capital One Hall!

Hairspray happened to be the first show that I was interested in seeing at Capital One Hall. My best friends Brianna and Brittany and their Mom invited me to join them (we happened to book seats right next to each other, too!!). We attended a 1:30pm or 2pm show on a Saturday and it was PERFECT. I LOVED the creativity of the performance and the cast: it was truly unique (especially to our location of Tyson’s Corner!) and every actor’s unique flair shined.

The only downside to seeing a show at Capital One Hall was the fact that the staff were rushing everyone out right after the show ended. This utter rushing via the staff was due to another performance being scheduled right after ours. However, the rushing of guests led to guests not being able to snag merchandise, take a photo (or two!), use the bathroom for longer than 5 minutes, or even grab a refreshment for the ride home. It sadly felt like we were rushed out to the point of where we couldn’t enjoy anything after the show. I’m hoping in the future that this manner of planning for two shows on the same day gets ironed out over time, as Capital One Hall is fairly new to the performance circuit.

Through it all, I LOVED getting to experience the brand-new Capital One Hall and hope to see a show there again in the future. I also had a GREAT time catching up with Brianna, Brittany, and their Mom. Here’s to making many more memories very soon!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

My Experience at Washington, DC Restaurant Week – January 2023

The last time I went to Washington, DC Restaurant Week aka DC Restaurant Week was back in January 2022 and it was very unintentional as it just so happened to coincide when I was meeting some of my best friends Brianna and Brittany for brunch (we went to Farmers Fishers Bakers in Georgetown!). Unfortunately, I missed out on DC Restaurant Week in August 2023, since I had happened to be in Maine and Canada for a much-needed vacation. SO, since I was around this past week, I was able to check out two different restaurants for DC Restaurant Week – January 2023!

DC Restaurant Week lasted from January 16-22, 2023. Participating restaurants on their website could offer brunch, lunch, and dinner with a fixed menu at a fixed price of $35, $45, and $55 for three courses (usually just lunch and dinner). I checked out two restaurants: The Capital Grille (the Fairfax/Fair Lakes location in Virginia!) and Earls (located in Tysons Corner Center in Tysons, Virginia!). Before I get into ALL the details behind my experience at both restaurants, I wanted to make note of the fact that Earls was not participating in DC Restaurant Week, but I wanted to include my experiences here since it was during *yes* DC Restaurant Week. For more information on DC Restaurant Week which will be back for Summer 2023, look no further than here: https://ramw.org/restaurantweek

The Capital Grille:

I went here with my Papa and Aunt Amy, as we do monthly/semi-monthly dinners at local restaurants. Aunt Amy and I decided to treat our very well-deserved Papa to dinner and split the check. The Capital Grille was tough to get a reservation at: I ended up monitoring the DC Restaurant Week site’s participating restaurants like a literal hawk until I saw The Capital Grille get added to the list. And, the moment I saw it on the list, I immediately booked us 3 a reservation (the earliest time we could get in was at 7pm) and well, this was a month in advance too. Tip: SO, moral of the story is to book reservations early for the restaurants you do want to dine at for DC Restaurant Week. Luckily, booking The Capital Grille a month out was well worth it and definitely a great idea. The ambience was amazing and the staff was super friendly ALL around, whether it be the bus boys, waiters, or hostesses.

The food was also amazing, too. The Capital Grille had a fixed 3 course meal for $55/person. The fixed menu also included a choice of 1 of 2 of their signature sides (we ended up ordering 2 more not listed on the fixed menu). They also have an extensive list of cocktails and wines (I tried the Espresso Martini *surprise*). And, well, they also have an incredibly delicious assortment of none other than BREAD (!!!). The fixed menu at The Capital Grille was an amazing deal, as it included their signature filet mignon on its list of entrees which can cost $55+ on its own. On the fixed menu, I got the fields salad as my starter, salmon as my entree, and The Capital Grille’s Signature cheesecake aka my favorite cheesecake ever now (!!!) as my dessert. Papa, Aunt Amy, and I also ordered Brussels sprouts and asparagus a la carte, along with the two sides of mashed potatoes and creamed spinach to share from the fixed Restaurant Week menu.

We had an incredible time at The Capital Grille! The food was delicious, the drinks were great, and the service was impeccable. I found the staff whomever they were to be ultra-friendly and truly go above and beyond what I’d expect anywhere else. The Capital Grille is definitely an occasion restaurant for families and lovers, alike, so the staff ensure that everyone feels special when they walk into the room. Along with the main dining area, The Capital Grille has a gorgeous bar that I am definitely interested in checking out sometime. I *for sure* want to come back and dine at The Capital Grille AND enjoy their cheesecake again!

Earls:

After an afternoon at the theatre aka seeing Hairspray at Capital One Hall in Tysons Corner, Virginia (more on that in a future blog post!!), my best friends Brittany and Brianna and their super sweet Mom and I headed for Earls to enjoy a nice dinner together. Earls is a well-known restaurant in Tysons Corner, Virginia. When we got there, it was pretty loud as a group happy hour was right by where we were seated at their gorgeous bar (1/2 in the restaurant!). That all being said, I was a bit apprehensive of the restaurant at first, but didn’t want to let the loudness of those around me affect my views of my time dining at Earls.

As the night progressed and the happy hour attendees flocked to the other bar, my time at Earls truly began to simply blow me away. The menu at Earls is so so so gorgeous, especially with the golden crest on the menu book’s cover (!!!). To start, I tried their strawberry lemonade which was delicious and treated everyone to the chipotle calamari (which included breaded cauliflower and jalapenos, too). And, for my entree I tried one of their salad/grain bowls and added grilled shrimp to it along with their super delicious clam chowder. Personally, the clam chowder and chipotle calamari were my favorites, and I would have easily just ordered those two only if I were to do it all over again (or go back!).

Just like The Capital Grille, the staff at Earls were super kind and truly went above and beyond. Our waitress was super sweet like everyone else along with the manager who was all smiles and came to say hello to every table of folks who were dining tonight. Everyone was so so so kind which made dining at Earls all that more special!

DC Restaurant Week January 2023 was a memorable weekend for the books. I had a blast getting to dine at two incredible Washington, DC area restaurants and look forward to trying some new-to-me places for future DC Restaurant Weeks!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

I Saw Wicked at The Kennedy Center!

I have always LOVED the meaningful storyline behind Wicked! Not only is it portrayed in the iconic musical that I got to see live just recently, but it is also portrayed in-depth in the books. My good friend Brittany reads the Wicked book and has learned SO much more than what is shown on the stage and it is all SO NEAT. I went on a solo date (which by the way EVERYONE should do this every so often!!) to see Wicked at The Kennedy Center just a few nights before it closed on January 22, 2023. I had an amazing time seeing Wicked live for the second time since seeing it at West End when I studied abroad in London in July 2018.

On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared ALL of my recent adventures (which I will be posting about *very soon*, too!) along with watching Wicked on tour. Wicked on tour was the first this weekend of many super fun recent adventures. It was really fun to see after almost 5 years when I saw it at London’s West End. 5 years ago, I was in a very different place than I was now. I have grown and learned so much over the past 5 years and I’m SO SO SO proud of myself for my own personal growth, too. In London even while studying abroad and knowing the transit system there and being able to navigate it on my own, I was *still* super nervous to do things by myself. Needless to say, 5 years ago, I didn’t feel comfortable by myself and with myself – sad but true. However, 5 years later, now I do and I even saw Wicked by myself: something I *just* wouldn’t have done when in London. You can read more about my London adventures while studying abroad, especially if you’re planning a trip there here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2020/09/05/my-study-abroad-experience-in-london/

***Photos of me seeing Wicked for the first time at London’s West End – July 2018!

I have LOVED getting to go visit The Kennedy Center over the past few months. There is SO MUCH to see here at this extraordinary fine and performing arts center. The Kennedy Center serves as much more than a theatre for performances that come from all across the world for fellow Washingtonians to see. A few months ago, back in October 2022, I went solo to see Hamilton the Musical on tour live at The Kennedy Center, too. I, then, saw a Frozen in Concert singalong with the National Symphony Orchestra over Thanksgiving 2022 weekend. And, in September 2022, my Papa and I took a visit to the then-brand-new John F. Kennedy (JFK) permanent exhibit on the top floor *and* to check out the iconic rooftop terrace. Read them all here:

So, a fun fact about The Kennedy Center is that if you are sick or there is inclement weather the day of your scheduled event there, they will transfer your tickets to another date of your choosing. ALL you have to do is contact the box office and they will be happy to help. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling well on my initially-scheduled date to see Wicked. BUT, luckily, the box office transferred me to the day that I went recently AND got me a better seat with a better view. ALL I had to do was pay the difference between the cost of the initial ticket to the one that I booked through the box office. The box office was GREAT and super helpful! I ended up in the same section that I booked (Tier 2 Balcony), but was in the center part of it rather than the left or right. My views were impeccable!!

I arrived at The Kennedy Center pretty early (at least an hour early) and was able to successfully get to my seat and purchase the souvenir book from the gift shop before the crowds started pouring in. My best friend Brianna went to see Wicked with her family not once but twice and loved it. Brianna told me to get there early, too, so thanks to her! The night of the show, the weather was super foggy and rainy, so I opted to Uber there rather than Metro and take the free shuttle that The Kennedy Center offers from the nearest Foggy Bottom Metro Station to there, as I’m not one to drive into the city. The people sitting by me were super friendly, which made my experience all that more special!! Through it all, because I saw Wicked, I *truly* felt changed for the better!

I am definitely looking forward to another solo date at The Kennedy Center. Performances such as The Lion King and Into The Woods will be coming in 2023 as the year progresses. It seriously is a GREAT way to relax and sincerely take myself and only myself out on a nice date!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee5 Comments

Enchant Washington, DC Photo Diary!

Did you know that Nationals Park decks the halls in their own unique way?! The other night, my best friend Stephanie and I went to Enchant DC – a Christmas light maze that is decked out ALL over Nationals Park. This is my second time-ever going to Enchant in Washington, DC and I had a BLAST catching up with Stephanie and taking in ALL of the Christmas cheer!

Enchant plays homage to a gorgeous Christmas lights maze down on the actual baseball field of Nationals Park. Meanwhile, the seats and stands are filled with a mini Christmas market where I purchased some delicious Whiskey-infused Peanut Butter Fudge from Chocolate Moonshine DC – a local fudge business – along with a Hallmark channel-sponsored singer, and opportunities to see Santa at an extra charge. If you’re not a Washington, DC area local, then don’t fret! Enchant is held in other United States cities besides Washington, DC, including: Las Vegas, Nashville, Dallas, Sacramento, San Jose, Scottsdale, and St. Petersburg. Enchant has been held in Washington, DC for a few years now and the Christmas maze *in my opinion* gets better and better and better year after year! Tickets are a bit pricey at around $30-$35/person with discounted rates for children and Seniors, but I find it to be 1000% worth it upon arriving at Nationals Park and seeing the gorgeous Christmas maze and lights display! Read more about Enchant here: https://enchantchristmas.com/

In the meantime, I am going to share some photos from Stephanie’s and I’s super fun adventure to Enchant!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

My Christmas Card 2022 + A Christmas Mall Outing!

One of my current favorite quotes is “be the woman that your dog aspires you to be!” If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!) or know me in real life, then you probably know that I have a 3 year-old Shepherd-Chihuahua mix named Rosie who is my pride and joy in this great thing called life. Papa and I rescued her from a local shelter as she came from Puerto Rico as a result of the hurricanes there. Well, as a proud Dog Mom I *had* to give Rosie the Christmas experience that I think every dog deserves – a visit to meet the one and only Santa Claus!

Luckily, the mall closest to my office – Tysons Corner Center located in Tysons, Virginia – has a few select designated Pet Nights to meet Santa Claus. I ended up looking for opportunities to meet Santa Claus and happened to find an advertisement for Tysons Corner Center’s Pet Nights with Santa on Facebook and as per usual Katie fashion ended up reserving me, Papa, and Rosie a slot for our Christmas 2022 photos! Read more about Tysons Corner Center’s Santa schedule and to reserve your spot here: https://www.tysonscornercenter.com/SantaPhotos

Since it was Pet Night at Tysons Corner Center, Rosie along with ALL the other pets were allowed to enter the mall without any judgement or requests to leave by anyone who works there. Rosie got to walk through the GORGEOUS-ly decked out mall allll the way to Santa’s North Pole where we waited to meet the Big Guy! We got there pretty early and getting the photos done were pretty quick, too. I had a BLAST getting to meet other families with their dogs and kids, alike. Rosie met some friends, too, and especially made a great new friend in Santa (for those of you that have met my Rosie Posie in real life know that she can be hit or miss with meeting new people and she doesn’t like to be picked up either). Well, Santa picked her up and she stroke a “posie” for the camera, too!! Needless to say I was and still am VERY proud of her.

And, the resulting photo for Christmas Card 2022 is, …..

*drum roll please*

Here you go!!!!

Along with taking Christmas photos, I LOVED getting to stroll with my dog aka a dream come true through the mall. Tysons Corner Center has some super fun murals, displays, and *of course* Christmas decorations at every turn. We parked right by the Bloomingdale’s entrance and I was in awe at the beautiful Christmas decor and displays that honored 150 years of the notable designer department store. Along with Bloomingdale’s, Papa and Rosie and I walked through Nordstrom which has my favorite shoe selection in the entire mall – yep, and has been for years aka since high school!! – and got to admire the decorations there, too. I LOVED that Nordstrom played off of the colorful fashion this holiday season, specifically with the color PINK. If you are in the Washington, DC area, a visit to Tysons Corner Center – in walking distance and easy access from the Tysons Metro Station on the Silver Line if coming from the city – should definitely be on your list to get some Christmas shopping done and to take in some holiday cheer.

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

I Saw Disney’s Frozen in Concert at The Kennedy Center!

Do you wanna build a snowman?! Come on let’s go and play or, perhaps, watch Frozen in concert at The Kennedy Center! This past Thanksgiving weekend, I kicked off the holiday season with some of my best friends – Brittany and Brianna – by watching the National Symphony Orchestra play Frozen in concert while we watched the movie. Let’s just say that it was AMAZING!

*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.*

I am a HUGE Frozen fan for those who know me very well in real life. Olaf is my very favorite Disney character, too (hence, me bringing my two plush Olaf’s to the show!!). And, sadly, Frozen Live didn’t go on tour to Washington, DC, unlike many of the other United States cities that it went to. However, I was very very very close to booking a ticket to see my favorite Disney movie live in Raleigh, North Carolina when they went there. SO, Brianna, Brittany, and I knew we had to go when the National Symphony Orchestra was playing Frozen in concert while watching the movie over Black Friday at the Kennedy Center. I also saw Hamilton back in October at The Kennedy Center, too – read on that here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/10/15/i-saw-hamilton-at-the-kennedy-center/

As for getting tickets, I purchased my tickets through The Kennedy Center’s MyTix program, which one of my coworkers told me about back in April. I only paid $29 for an Orchestra seat and met other super friendly young professionals and students who sat right by me (Brianna, Brittany, and their super sweet Mom sat nearby me in a different part of the Orchestra!). The MyTix program is a young professionals/young adults ticketing program for those who are 18-30, active duty, or an undergraduate student with the purpose of making seeing the performing arts more affordable and accessible to everyone. Tickets are posted weekly, on a first-come first-served basis, have no service fees, and several discounts for specific shows at specific seats and dates. The MyTix program is generously funded by David M. Rubenstein. Once registered to be apart of the MyTix program, emails come out weekly with dates and shows and times of which shows will be sold for that week and when. It is worth checking, too. To be apart of the MyTix program and learn more about it, look no further than here: https://www.kennedy-center.org/mytix/

Brianna and I both wore ice blue dresses! Mine is from Exlura (a brand sold on Amazon!) from a collaboration that I did with them back in the Spring fashion season earlier this year. A special thanks to Exlura for gifting me my dress earlier this year, too!! I styled my Exlura dress with a grey cape to make it scream Anna from Frozen that I purchased years ago from Nordstrom Rack. And, my Olaf earrings (which the sales ladies at the gift shop LOVED!!!) are from a favorite small business of mine: Cora’s Den! My boots are from a Jack Rogers clearance sale back in 2020 and a favorite of mine. And, last but not least, my plush Olaf’s are from Amazon (one of which one of my best friends Cassie gifted me!!) and I have them linked below. Shop my Cora’s Den earring which Cassie also gifted me – love you Cassie!!! – here: https://corasden.com/products/olaf-earrings?_pos=1&_sid=fd7cb05f0&_ss=r

The Kennedy Center is one of my favorite places to explore and see in the Washington, DC area. This performing arts center plays homage to not only a place for performances to be performed but also to exhibits such as one that is FREE and plays tribute to former President John F. Kennedy and the most gorgeous rooftop terrace. While there, Brittany and I saw several families with kids and both agreed that “kids need to be exposed to the arts” – something that former President Kennedy strived to introduce and make more accessible to everyone when he decided to create The Kennedy Center when in office. Read more on Papa and I’s experience at The Kennedy Center exploring this vastly extraordinary fine and performing arts center here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/09/29/visiting-the-brand-new-the-kennedy-center-jfk-exhibit/

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

I Saw Hamilton at The Kennedy Center!

…. And it blew us all away!!! A dream truly come true – I got to see Hamilton LIVE at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. And, well, the best part?! I went by MYSELF and had an amazing time and *even* forgot that I was there ALL alone. All in all, getting to be in the room where it happens was definitely another item crossed off my bucket list!

Hamilton was in town in my home city of Washington, DC from late August 2022 until around October 10, 2022 while on tour. It was performing at The Kennedy Center, which I write more about my experience visiting its GORGEOUS rooftop looking over the city and its brand-new exhibit dedicated to former President and founder of the performing arts center: John F. Kennedy, in the below post linked here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/09/29/visiting-the-brand-new-the-kennedy-center-jfk-exhibit/#/

In case you didn’t already know, Hamilton is a world-renowned musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and is based off of none other than American revolutionary statesman and one of America’s Founding Fathers Alexander Hamilton’s life and story. Music from this musical can easily be found on Spotify, too. A beautiful tribute to him, through none other than a rapped musical! Currently, Hamilton is showing in New York City, London, Australia, Germany, and on tour in North America (where I saw this amazing musical!!!), which you can read more about (and hopefully comes to your home city soon, too!): https://hamiltonmusical.com/new-york/home/

If you’re a BIG fan of Hamilton or musicals in general, then you know that tickets are super high-priced to see it. I’m talking about tickets starting at around $150+ per person for nosebleed seats on a good day. BUT, somehow, I was able to score my ticket for a whooping $59 (nosebleed seats, though, but who cares when you’re seeing Hamilton?!) and around $75 with tax and fees. I scored my GREAT ticket deal on the Washington Theater marketplace, which I subscribed to here (I also know that the MyTix program via The Kennedy Center targeted at young adults 18-30 gave out even better deals on Orchestra seats, too!): https://www.washington-theater.com/?ppcsrc=ppc-adwords-city-c-e-10-washington%20theater&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIir_Ik_Hg-gIVkI7ICh3rWgkYEAAYASAAEgLdh_D_BwE

Now, while I won’t spoil anything here on what happens when you enter the room where it happens, I will say that Hamilton truly will blow us all away AND is worth every penny to see!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee2 Comments

When Shakespeare’s Playhouse Came to Washington, DC

Flashback to my college years studying abroad in London and I was standing front and center towards the stage at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. In case you didn’t know, playgoers stand in the orchestra section of the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, since it’s simply apart of the experience!! I saw multiple William Shakespeare plays within my college years, especially within that month that I spent in London, including: The Tempest, As You Like It, Romeo & Juliet, and Othello. Needless to say, my Shakespeare-filled month was nothing short of a dream come true!! SO, when Shakespeare’s Playhouse came to the National Building Museum in my home city of Washington, DC, I just knew I had to pop by!!

The National Building Museum is located right across the street from the Judicial Square Metro station on the Red Line. It is also about a 15 minute walk from Metro Center Metro station along with Gallery Place Metro station, yet I chose the utter easiness of seeing the museum right when I saw sunlight via the Metro station’s escalator and I suggest others do as well. The museum is opulent and absolutely stunning both on the outside and the inside.

Shakespeare’s Playhouse exhibit is a limited-time exhibit at the National Building Museum in collaboration with the Folger Shakespeare Library until the end of August 28, 2022. It has played hostess to several super neat exhibits over the years, including an exhibit that involved placing plastic balls in the main lobby of the museum, which brought in several visitors. Currently, the National Building Museum has an exhibit on the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France amongst many others. There are LOTS of children-specific exhibits and activities, too. For more information on the National Building Museum, look no further than here: https://www.nbm.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIx6nFy53g-QIVm__jBx2uiAHoEAAYASAAEgLeYfD_BwE

When I walked into the National Building Museum, I was in awe with its utter opulent beauty. Personally, I think that the golden columns which line the National Building Museum’s main lobby felt *PERFECT* to be able to house Shakespeare’s Playhouse exhibit. The Shakespeare’s Playhouse exhibit lined the foyer of the museum. It is highly suggested that you go with one of their hourly tours to view the exhibit and learn more about it. In the evenings, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – one of Shakespeare’s well-known performances – is performed with tickets going on sale. While on the tour, I learned that the theatre within the Shakespeare’s Playhouse exhibit was designed by a professor at the University of South Carolina to replicate Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. The theatre will, then, go to its home at the University of South Carolina and serve as a touring outdoor theatre for William Shakespeare’s splendid performances ALL throughout the warmer months. In my opinion, this theatre will be such a great way to preserve and commemorate Shakespeare’s works for many years and generations to come.

Along with a drop dead gorgeous theatre replicating Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, the Shakespeare’s Playhouse exhibit also had a section for costumes from plays over the years, the design inspiration and sketches behind *even more* costumes from Shakespeare’s plays, and interactive costume dress up experiences. As a BIG fashion lover, I loved getting to see some of the many gorgeous costumes that were designed specifically for the stage. Unlike walking into a boutique to buy clothing for a show, costume designers for a show design the costumes specifically for the actor(s) who are in the show and what they may be doing within the show (such as intricate dancing, fencing, etc.). It truly is a neat process of costume design as A LOT of work goes into making just one garment for a performance that takes on a whole other level of intricacy that goes beyond the construction of a pair of jeans from Target.

I flew solo on my visit to the National Building Museum. It was a GREAT experience to simply take myself out on a date, and I think you should take yourself out on a date, too! It was REALLY fun and a little bittersweet to be able to relive my experiences of studying William Shakespeare in London for a month. Next on my list of embracing my love of William Shakespeare is to check out the town of Staunton, Virginia – the town is currently playing homage to a HUGE Shakespeare playhouse – and explore the Folger Shakespeare Library in my home city of Washington, DC. I hope y’all continue to find things you love nearby your homes, too.

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

The Washington, DC Temple Limited-Time Open House

Earlier this weekend, I shared on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!) about my family’s and I’s adventures to the Washington, DC Mormon Temple. I have personally been interested by the Mormon religious faith and have met many friendly people who are Mormon throughout my life. So, when the Washington, DC Mormon Temple had its first-ever open house in almost 50 years, we couldn’t not take the chance to visit it!

Built in 1974, the Washington, DC Temple is the biggest Mormon faith-based temple in the United States, located in Kensington, Maryland just outside of the nation’s capital. Its purpose is to serve as a temple basis for those who identify as Mormon religiously East of the Mississippi River. There are several Mormon faith-based temples across Utah such as in Salt Lake City and beyond and in Los Angeles, California. Yet, these Mormon-based temples are a lot smaller than the Washington, DC Temple that serves a much larger population of people. These smaller temples across Utah and even in Los Angeles serve their population’s needs well, too. Fun fact: over 80% of all people who religiously identify as Mormon live within 50 miles of a Mormon-based temple. It’s super cool to think that the largest Mormon-based temple in the United States is right in my own city.

Visiting the Washington, DC temple was a super neat experience. When we arrived and parked, we were immediately greeted by friendly faces all around, both volunteers of the Mormon faith from all across the country and visitors alike. We walked throughout all 6 floors of the temple with options to take both the stairs and the elevators. The stained glass along the stairwell were extremely stunning, too, and it was super cool to look down and see the Baptism tub at the very bottom of the stairwell. We also saw the Sealing Room where wedding ceremonies take place in the presence of both family and friends, with the Bride and Groom facing one another surrounded by mirrors to represent “eternity” together, and uniting their family and friends together as one. To me, it is a beautiful thing and concept.

At the same time, we saw absolutely STUNNING paintings that embody many aspects of the Mormon religious faith. Not to mention, the temple’s interior designs were recently renovated for the first time since its 1974 construction and was BREATHTAKING! Although you cannot take pictures of the interiors while visiting, which makes for a true immersion into the visitation of the temple and learning about the Mormon faith without distractions of cell phones and technology, you can view photos of it all and learn more about the Washington, DC Temple and Mormon religious faith here: https://dctemple.org/galleries/temple-interior/

Luckily for y’all, there’s STILL time to go and visit! The Washington, DC Temple is open to visitors now until June 11. ALL tickets are FREE and they are reserved by a parking or shuttle ticket, which means that yes, you can bring as many people in a car as you like. Tickets are to be reserved online in advance, though. You can reserve your tickets here: https://dctemple.org/open-house/

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

When The Sistine Chapel Came to the Washington, DC Area!

Flashback to July 4, 2018. It is a hot and humid day in Rome, Italy. I am wearing a long sleeve white top, tassel earrings, and pink capri pants with lobsters printed on them (courtesy of Crown & Ivy sold at Belk!). The subway is crammed to the max like none of us have ever seen before in our lives. I clutch my then-brand-new pink Italian leather crossbody to my chest. I am walking with my classmates and professors on our group outing to The Vatican (which is a WHOLE other country!!). We, then, get to The Vatican. We get to our tour and, low and behold, it is just as crammed and hot and sweaty and humid as the subway was in Rome. Every single tourist and their sister and brother and Aunt and Uncle times 200 is there. While I feel extremely blessed to have seen The Vatican and the iconic paintings within the Sistine Chapel, I felt miserable and disappointed at the hot and humid environment packed to the rim full of people. So, when I heard that an interactive exhibit of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel paintings was coming to the Tysons Corner Center Mall in Tysons, Virginia, I knew I needed to book a ticket pronto!

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel exhibit was held at Tysons Corner Center located in Tysons, Virginia – a Northern Virginia suburb of Washington, DC notorious for its booming business district and malls (one of which is Tysons Corner Center where it was held!). I happened to find the tickets on Facebook via an advertisement which is typical for me to find EVERYTHING nowadays – haha! – and then went into the Fever app (the same app where one can purchase tickets to an interactive Vincent Van Gogh exhibit, Claude Monet exhibit, or iconic Netflix’s Bridgeton Ball in their own respective cities across the United States) to order my solo ticket. Then, my adventure awaited.

Although this Sistine Chapel exhibit isn’t still on display at the Tysons Corner Center at this exact moment that I am writing this blog post, it still felt like a dream come true. I personally didn’t stay for long, as I have seen many of these works of art either in real life or very similar works of art when I studied abroad in Tuscany, Italy and London, England and traveled to Paris, France to see ALLLL of the extraordinary works of art including the iconic Mona Lisa at the Louvre. But, it was still super amazing to see the several works of art that I had barely gotten to enjoy while visiting The Vatican amongst the sweltering heat and crowds. While at Tysons Corner Center, I got to view every single painting that I saw at a distance within a sea of people up close. It was a pretty amazing experience if you ask me.

Having studied abroad in Italy, it was so nice to see a touch of Italy here in the United States and especially in my hometown of Washington, DC.

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment