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

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Northern Virginia Spots: Marshall Pond Christmas Village

When it comes to Christmas lights, the tackier the better! Luckily for me, I happened to pop onto Instagram just last week and discovered that there’s a Christmas Village just 15 minutes away from where I live in Northern Virginia: Marshall Pond Christmas Village. Earlier this week, my Papa and I decided to check out Marshall Pond Christmas Village and were in AWE by the incredible Christmas Village light display!

About: The Marshall Pond Christmas Village is a Christmas village put on by residents living on a pipeline off of Marshall Pond Lane. Everyone on that pipeline of homes decked out their yards and houses with the most festive decorations to spread and share Christmas cheer for all to hear! Admission is free and its open everyday up until Christmas from 5-10pm. Families, couples, and friends, alike flock to come and visit this iconic Christmas light display. Festive drinks and pictures are welcome, too, as it is all outdoors.

Getting there: Marshall Pond Christmas Village is best accessible by car, as it’s located in Burke, Virginia about 10-20 minutes from its nearest Metro Station: Franconia-Springfield at the end of the Blue Line. It’s best to park your car along Marshall Pond Lane as the Christmas Village is located down the street’s pipeline. The address you want to enter into your GPS is: 10108 Marshall Pond Lane, Burke, Virginia. For the most up-to-date information, you can join the Marshall Pond Christmas Village Facebook Group which currently has 2,400+ members in it.

I told Papa earlier this week that we *HAVE TO* visit this nearby Christmas village and I knew that he was a bit hesitant – LOL! However, once we parked right in front of the Christmas village, we were in AWE with it all. SO much Christmas cheer and spirit!! Each and every home had its own set of unique Christmas decorations and light displays which was SO FUN to look at and admire. There was *even* a sparkling light tunnel through a community trail that neighborhood residents can take to enjoy the festivities and visitors can walk through a bit, too. Personally, I would say that this all free and easy outing with Papa was a HUGE success!!

Papa and I LOVED visiting Marshall Pond Christmas Village SO MUCH that we raved about it to my Mom and Aunts who also live nearby! Given its proximity to Washington, DC and its surrounding Virginia/Maryland suburbs and free cost to go walk around, I highly suggest visiting Marshall Pond Christmas Village if you’re in the Washington, DC area and want something FREE and FESTIVE to do!

XOXO – Katie <3

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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

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Lucketts Holiday House Guide

***Please note that this Lucketts Holiday House Guide will be updated and recirculated periodically to reflect the most up-to-date information. This Holiday House Guide was most recently updated as of October 2025.***

Have you ever dreamt of walking into a real-life Christmas Pinterest board?! Well, I certainly have! Luckily for my Christmas Pinterest dreams, over the past few years, I have made it an annual tradition to step foot into Lucketts Holiday House and fulfill those Pinterest-worthy dreams of mine. It was truly a dream come true to see real-life Christmas magic come to life, especially to kick off the holiday season.

About:

The Lucketts Holiday Open House is a festive fun Holiday House put on by the Old Lucketts Store – an antique store located in the town of Lucketts, Virginia just outside of Leesburg, Virginia. The Holiday House is located on the Old Lucketts Store’s grounds, however, it is its own separate building that only opens to the public annually during the holiday season. The staff at the Old Lucketts Store work on the interiors for the Holiday House year-round and it changes each year. One year, the walls of the Holiday House were filled with hand-painted wallpaper! Hence, you must come back annually to see what’s in store!!

Inside the Holiday House, ALL items are up for purchase (for the most part!) including gorgeous wool blazers, scarves, blankets, plush animals, mugs, and *of course* Christmas decorations. The Holiday House is a fully timed ticketed entry only due to the long wait lines that came when visitors would line up out the doors in years past (see more information below!). If you go with a group, it is highly recommended that you have one person book for everyone as tickets are highly likely to sell out fast. 

In addition to the Holiday House, the Old Lucketts Store is open for visitors to enjoy hot chocolate and drinks available for purchase outside, admire the murals outdoors on the Holiday House’s grounds, shop at the local markets and support local businesses outside of the Old Lucketts Store, and check out and shop at the Old Lucketts Store, which is open year-round. 

Beyond the Holiday season, the Old Lucketts Store hosts a biannual market in Berryville, Virginia at the Clarke County Fairgrounds during the Spring and Fall Season’s. Markets are an excellent time to support local businesses, vendors, and the Old Lucketts Store. And, not to mention, there are several fun photo opportunities at their markets, too! See more information on markets that the Old Lucketts Store hosts here.

Admission:

It is highly recommended to book your Holiday House ticket in advance. I suggest following the Old Lucketts Store on either Instagram, Facebook, or both for the most up-to-date information on when ticket sales go live. Tickets do sell out quickly, so I would definitely set your alarms and a placeholder on your calendar to book them! Tickets are usually sold on Eventbrite.

For the 2025 holiday season, the Lucketts Holiday House will be open from November 6-December 14, 2025 on the weekends. Buy your tickets on Eventbrite here.

Getting There:

To get to the Lucketts Holiday Open House, it is easiest to drive there. Leesburg, Virginia is the closest town, with its downtown located less than 15 minutes away via car. Metro from Washington, DC goes out to Ashburn, Virginia on the Silver Line (the new last stop on this line!) and is a 25 minute drive/Uber ride from the Ashburn Station. You ALWAYS want to put in Old Lucketts Store when routing yourself to get there via car or Uber, as the Lucketts Holiday Open House is only an extension to the Old Lucketts Store (signage will direct you via the store’s parking lot to the Holiday House). Please note that there are potentially paid tolls to drive to get there. Learn more about the Old Luckett’s Store here: https://www.luckettstore.com/

My Experience:

My first time going was in November 2022, and I decided to go by myself to the Luckett’s Holiday Open House and it was PERFECT for either solo dates, couple dates, friend dates, and family dates (personally, I’d love to take my Mom in a future year!), as I saw ALL kinds of groups of people there. The one thing that all of us have in common: a BIG love for Christmas. I loved getting to go through all of the magical rooms at my own pace and avoid the crowds, too. The Holiday House (even with ticketed entry) can get crowded and spaces are small and tight at times with people walking through its narrow halls. Personally, as someone who isn’t a big fan of crowds, I purposely went into the rooms that were least crowded and even ended up meeting the super sweet Andrea – who was walking around on her own when we crossed paths and agreed with me that the Holiday House IS like walking through a real-life Hallmark movie! That all being said, be prepared to deal with crowds here and there, especially when taking photos as you’ll likely want to.

Since my first visit to the Lucketts Holiday House in 2022, I have made it an annual tradition to visit each holiday season! I have shared a photo diary from my visits over in 2023 (here) and 2024 (here). Every time I visit the Lucketts Holiday House, I am in awe at the talent, labors of love, and holiday cheer for all to hear at every corner! 

Wrap-Up:

I will say, the pictures that I share DO NOT do the Lucketts Holiday House ANY justice! Everything is so much more gorgeous in-person, including the murals and photo booths located outside. I definitely want to come back, as The Old Lucketts Store is a small and local Washington, DC area-owned business that ALSO does a Fall and Spring market which I’d love to check out at some point, too! But, in the meantime, if you have ANY Christmas Pinterest board dreams, then definitely check out the Lucketts Holiday Open House!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Virginia Tulip Farm that Resembles Holland

Spring has more than sprung by the time this blog post has launched on my site – haha! BUT, one thing reigns for sure, many of us seem to LOVE a good tulip farm or even patch during these warmer months. I used to think that I would have to make the trek allll the way out to Holland to see the best tulips of my life in the Spring time to truly know that Spring has sprung, but that is far from the truth! At the end of this past month aka April as seen on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), my good friend from high school Haley and I went to a gorgeous Virginia tulip farm resembles Holland. This tulip farm is known as none other than Burnside Farms!

Burnside Farms is located in Nokesville, Virginia about an hour South of Washington, DC near Manassas, Virginia in Prince William County. What’s unique about Burnside Farms is that they open for the season when the tulips have fully bloomed for the season. And, in order to prevent crowds and crowds and crowds of people from coming in all at once, Burnside Farms requires a ticketed entry that can be reserved in advance on their website. Haley’s and I’s tickets were about $22.50 each including tax and fees. When visiting, Burnside Farms offers a pick your own option for guests to pick their own tulips, daffodils, and even sunflowers at an extra charge with an adorable and gorgeous straw basket to carry them in (Haley and I chose to just admire them!). Not only does Burnside Farms have a tulip farm, but they also have a sunflower patch in the Summer months and a Christmas tree farm in November and December with similar ticketed entry at least for the sunflower patch. Not to mention, Burnside Farms also has an ADORABLE gift shop filled with local goods, including locally sourced jams aka Papa’s favorite!

Haley and I ended up going to Burnside Farms around 5pm aka the good olde Golden Hour! Burnside Farms has a drop dead gorgeous array of rows and rows and rows of tulips. Many of these rows of tulips are empty, too, making it the PERFECT picture opportunity. You truly feel as if you are in Holland without the hassle and high cost of a trip and plane ticket abroad (BUT, I do wish to travel to see the tulips there someday :)!). Haley and I enjoyed simply catching up with one another as we walked through these gorgeous rows and rows and rows of tulips. We also loved the lack of crowds, especially with the ticketed entry to actually get into visit and see the tulip fields which limited them. Going to Burnside Farms truly felt like I was at a tulip farm that resembles Holland!

My tips for planning your visit to Burnside Farms is to keep an eye on both their website and social media platforms for when their tickets open for each season. Seasons are determined by when the tulips/sunflowers are in peak bloom. Tickets are expected to sell out fast for each season, and they open for each week about a week or two in advance. When I purchased tickets for Haley and I, most of the tickets were already sold out.

For more information on Burnside Farms (which will open in July for sunflowers!) and to plan your own future visit look no further than their website: https://www.burnsidefarms.com

XOXO – Katie <3

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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

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The Historic Hidden Northern Virginia Gem

The other week, Papa and I went back in time to the 18th century to visit George Mason’s Gunston Hall, located in Lorton, Virginia along the Potomac River just outside of Washington, DC. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!!), I have shared a bit about my adventures at Gunston Hall already. A few months ago, I found a Groupon for two tickets/$8.00 to tour a historic Virginia mansion. Best part?! It was located about 15 minutes from my house! It turned out to be the home of George Mason – a Founding Father. BUT, today, I am here to share a bit more about this magnificent historical experience of mine and Papa’s.

So, George Mason was an influential player in the creation of the Bill of Rights. He was also at the Constitutional Convention and fought in the American Revolutionary War. Although he may not be as notable as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison, or James Monroe to us all today, he made a major impact on our country and with providing equal rights to ALL humans. In fact, within the museum at Gunston Hall, there’s an exhibit placing an emphasis on ALL of the rights that George Mason helped grant fellow Americans, including women, BIPOC Americans, Americans with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ Americans. George Mason may just have been the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of his time. Indeed, George Mason paved the way for Ruth Bader Ginsburg to pave the way, herself. That exhibit within Gunston Hall’s museum, to me, showcased the importance of the impact that he made and helped create on all Americans, despite his name not being as prominent as others’ within our history textbooks.

Gunston Hall is located about a 25 minute drive from George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Both mansions are located along the Potomac River, which runs through Washington, DC. Historically speaking, ships could come directly to both George Mason’s and George Washington’s homes, bringing in goods from abroad after most likely arriving from abroad in Alexandria, Virginia. Fun fact: Alexandria, Virginia is a Northern Virginia suburb of Washington, DC with the CUTEST Old Town Alexandria in its heart and also located along the Potomac River. Alexandria, Virginia ALSO used to be the United States capital way way way back in the day aka centuries ago! Mount Vernon is located in Mount Vernon, Virginia just South of and around Alexandria, Virginia while Lorton, Virginia is South of Alexandria, Virginia. Lorton, Virginia is right by where I grew up and reside so it’s crazy to think that such a historic gem is nearby!

Unlike George Washington’s Mount Vernon, George Mason’s Gunston Hall is not as well-known. Y’all, I am from the Lorton, Virginia area and hadn’t had been to Gunston Hall in the decades that I have lived here. CRAZY!! Gunston Hall is definitely not as big of a property as Mount Vernon, but it does have some beautiful trails to explore along the Potomac River nearby and a complimentary tour offered every hour or half hour – I forget which since we signed up when we arrived for a tour – HAHA! The mansion was definitely a Grand Millienial like myself’s paradise!!! Not to mention, Gunston Hall has a museum featuring historical significances of George Mason’s time period and emphasizing his pioneering of providing all humans with equal rights here in the United States.

For $8.00 total, I got two tickets to tour a historic mansion, walk its gorgeous grounds overlooking the Potomac River, and visit a museum. While a lot smaller than other historic mansions, George Mason’s Gunston Hall is definitely worth the $8.00 for you and a guest to enjoy a historic afternoon along the Potomac River, admire the gorgeous historical mansion, and learn a few fun facts. It’s a hidden gem for sure that I wish I knew about sooner. My biggest piece of advice is to check Groupon for tickets and get a 3 month voucher, so you can pick a date that works for you or plan ahead on their website. Do whatever suits you fancy, but be sure to have a great time!

For more information on George Mason’s Gunston Hall, check out their website: https://gunstonhall.org

XOXO – Katie <3

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5 Reasons Why I Love Living in the Washington, DC Area

The big city, the several major monuments, the people, and ALLL the sites – oh my! The Washington, DC area is such an extraordinary place to live. I moved to the Washington, DC area back in May 2021 and have never looked back. Needless to say, I have fallen in love with my new city all over again and do every day! Personally, I am a firm believer in loving where YOU live, as I do myself living in the Washington, DC area. Today, I am going to be sharing 10 reasons why I love living in the Washington, DC area.

  1. The diversity – Washington, DC is a MELTING POT of cultures, cuisines, and people. There is something for everybody and everybody is welcome as they are for who they are and for where they come from, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, ability, sexuality, gender identity, and pretty much anything else you could ever imagine. Washington, DC is a multicultural center of our world and that’s what I love about it. With my city’s great prevalence of acceptance for ALL. One of the things that made me resent the South a bit was that there was less acceptance and excitement towards diverse backgrounds or backgrounds that are different from one’s own. I have always found such true beauty in diversity and the Washington, DC area’s multicultural melting pot truly embodies that beauty and acceptance that I so truly LOVE and embrace.
  2. The friendly people – Going off of my city’s diversity and great amounts of acceptance and true embrace for diversity, Washington, DC’s people I have found to be surprisingly friendly, given that it is a Northern city. Well, yes, we ARE located below the Mason Dixon line geographically, but we do function like any other Northern city. Washington, DC has A LOT of friendly folks. People are always willing to provide a helping hand and just simply hype one another up. I can’t tell y’all how many times I have complimented somebody on their outfit and they compliment me on my outfit in return – the hype squad here is REAL y’all and it is a beautiful thing.
  3. ALLL the food – The Washington, DC area pretty much has every cuisine you could ever ask for right at your fingertips. Want to try Chinese food that isn’t at a typical takeout place? We have that! Want to try Armenian coffee and pastries? We have that, too! Want to try Peruvian delights? We have that as well! Whatever the case may be, the Washington, DC area has it! I follow a few foodie accounts based in the Washington, DC area AND have found to love seeing ALL of the nations and cultures represented within my melting pot of a metropolitan area. It’s a truly beautiful thing, too.
  4. Public transportation – With all that the Washington, DC area has to offer, it also has an amazing public transportation system, known as the Metro. Metro consists of buses and a subway train system. Let me tell y’all, Metro feels like luxury when compared to the New York City subway – we in Washington, DC are spoiled when it comes to our public transportation! When I was in Raleigh, we only had a NC State Wolfline bus that went through only NC State’s campus nearby. It was tough to navigate and there wasn’t really much information available on Raleigh’s bus system – something I just WISH I was able to learn more about while in Raleigh, since I didn’t drive while in college. Whereas in Washington, DC, I feel so so spoiled with our public transportation system that is so widely used by practically the entire city’s population.
  5. ALLL the things to do – There is SO much to do just in the Washington, DC area! Whether it be the prominent monuments, parks, wineries in the nearby Virginia Wine Country (I have a Virginia Wine Pass for 2022!!!), adorable Virginia and Maryland towns, the plethora of Washington, DC neighborhoods (Georgetown, Capitol Hill, and Dupont Circle amongst the likes!), the restaurants and cafes, and the millions of museums, the Washington, DC area truly has something for everybody. There is SO much that I want to do here that I have yet to. My city is so amazing and it’s great to see how much it has right here and within a close proximity away from me. Y’all I can ALWAYS vacation right here in my own backyard and I love it so so so much for myself and my fellow Washingtonians, too.

I have felt oh so blessed to be living in the Washington, DC area since I moved here back in May. Having my family close by in this magnificent city and being able to live in one of the most historic cities in the world has been nothing but a blessing for me. Above all else, there is SO MUCH to love about where you live. These 5 reasons are some of the many reasons why I love living in the Washington, DC area. I hope you have some reasons as to why you love living where you live as well!

XOXO – Katie <3

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A July 4th Weekend in the DMV

Baby you’re a firework!!! This past weekend, my best friends Hannah and Alanna visited for the July 4th weekend. We had a blast and were able to, as Hannah put it, visited three states – Virginia, District of Columbia, and Maryland – in 3 days. We spent our weekend exploring the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia (but mostly for a fireworks show), Annapolis, Maryland with a boat ride along the Severn River off of the Chesapeake Bay, and of course Washington, DC. Today, I will be sharing our experiences from the past weekend AND some tips and tricks to combating the crowds and still having a great time at the notable fireworks show in Washington, DC. Here we go!!!

My July 4 Weekend Trip

Friday – The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia

Alanna and Hannah both came in on the train on Friday evening. My Papa LOVES going to the Workhouse Arts Center’s fireworks show every year, so he bought my friends and I a tailgate ticket to enjoy the fireworks, ourselves while he got a VIP ticket.

Fun fact: The Workhouse Arts Center is the former prison outside of Washington, DC-turned Arts Center. The formerly known Lorton Prison also housed some of many notable suffragettes in the 1900’s, bringing on a dark history to the center and Northern Virginia suburb of Lorton. Since becoming an Arts Center, the Workhouse Arts Center hosts a fireworks show every year along with displaying beautiful pieces of artwork made by local artists along with glasses, galleries, and a museum exhibit on its former prison roots.

Before going to the Workhouse Arts Center for a fireworks display, we all grabbed Mission BBQ – one of my favorite barbecue chains that supports police officers, firemen, and our military amongst many other first responders and our own American heroes. Once we arrived at the Arts Center, we strolled through the vendors and stations filled with several local businesses and admired the Arts Center’s grounds. We got to enjoy our dinners and the sunsets before an 8 minute-long fireworks show. Such a great way to kick start the July 4th weekend!

Saturday – Annapolis, Maryland

Some of my many relatives live in and around the beautiful town of Annapolis, Maryland. Annapolis is the Maryland state capitol and resides on the Chesapeake Bay. For reference, the Maryland city reminds me of the beautiful New England cities of Boston, Massachusetts and Newport, Rhode Island! To kick off our time in this gorgeous city, we visited my relatives at their Annapolis house before hitting the historic downtown.

Once we went downtown, we walked around the notable Annapolis Main Street and hit the local and oh-so preppy boutiques that it has to offer. Most notably, The Lucky Knot and of course The Pink Crab – a Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store. We also hit the most stunning Starbucks locations that I have been to on Main Street along with the 17 year old flagship Annapolis Ice Cream Company. We, then, strolled along State Circle which is home to the Maryland Statehouse and some extraordinary views of it. The streets all along Main Street and State Circle are cobblestone streets with colonial inspiration wherever you go!

After exploring downtown, we walked about a mile away to Eastport, Maryland where my Uncle John’s sailboat is. On our walk there, we crossed a beautiful drawbridge that displayed stunning views of the Chesapeake Bay and the Severn River along with local Maryland yacht clubs. Once we arrived on the boat, we enjoyed several stunning views of the Severn River. We went by the Naval Academy, downtown Annapolis, and much more! We, even, saw a rainbow from a recent storm – what a great way to spend the day!

Sunday – Washington, DC

From 8am to 12am, we were all in for a full Washington, DC Fourth of July. Each way, we took Metro – the Washington, DC area transit system. We kicked off our day with a Sunday brunch at the uber trendy and super fun Urban Roast. Urban Roast is known for their charcuterie boards with everything from your typical meat and cheese to waffles and your typical morning breakfast favorites! We got the breakfast board with waffles, biscuits, eggs, fruit, pastries, bacon, and sausage. It was great and the Instagram photos made it all even better!

Our early afternoon was spent at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum. As I have previously mentioned in my blog posts, due to COVID-19, the Smithsonian is offering ticketed entry where visitors can register to visit at a particular time up to 30 days in advance. All tickets are free, just like every Smithsonian museum always is. Everyone must wear a mask and maintain a social distance of 6 feet apart. So, we in a socially distanced fashion enjoyed the Smithsonian Museum – probably my favorite of the bunch! We went to the First Ladies, Transportation, and Food exhibits amongst many others. My favorite exhibits is, in fact, The First Ladies exhibit. The gift shop at that museum is also a favorite of mine, too. Definitely a fun time!

The remainder of our day was spent in and around the National Mall. The National Mall is where the fireworks were to be held that night. We ate at local food trucks for dinner and ice cream and took naps on the Mall, with some of us awake at each time of course. We also walked around to go see the National Monument, Korean War Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and Capitol at a distance (each were blocked off due to the fireworks). The fireworks were a blast as the fireworks show was packed with visitors and fireworks for 17 minutes straight. Fireworks were presented by the National Monument and the Jefferson Memorial/Tidal Basin. It was super cool to see both, as well. Overall, it was a hot day but a very fun one, too!

Tips for seeing the Washington, DC Fireworks

  • DO NOT spend all Day in the city – get there in the evening. If you don’t, then you will probably be drained and tired of the crowds like I was by 3pm. The crowds get bigger and bigger as the day progresses. Take the fireworks viewing like a concert – be alert and ready to watch and have a great time!!!
  • Take public transportation – pretty much all of the areas to park in the city and even the nearby suburbs will be closed. So, be prepared to take the Metro in and the crowds that come with it.
  • Bring chairs, blankets, and your own food and water – food and water bottles are expensive in the city and your own comfort will be more at ease when you do. Sitting in the grass can suck at times if you forget it all and your wallet will appreciate you, too.
  • Leave the National Mall a few minutes later – it will be very crowded once the fireworks show ends. People will be rushing to leave once it all ends and the crowds will be INSANE. So, definitely save yourself the hassle and hang out in and around the National Mall a few moments later. You also may want to walk a little bit extra to a further Metro station such as Metro Center, Foggy Bottom, or Farragut North/West. You can even check out a bar or restaurant, too. Just be mindful that Metro trains will depart at around 10:45 at the latest.

Here’s to a great July 4th weekend with even greater friends!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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