My Washington, DC Area 2023 Bucket List!

*JUST* in case you didn’t already know, I am a Washington, DC area-based blogger! While I do travel frequently especially to where I have family and friends in Delaware, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey and love every minute of my adventures, I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting to explore my Washington, DC area backyard, too. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I am ALWAYS posting about my local adventures which I am SOOO blessed I am able to do close to home. Every now and then, well every year at this point since I moved LOL, I have shared a Washington, DC area bucket list, so here we go for 2023!!

Read my Washington, DC area bucket lists from the past two years’ past here:

Looking back at my Washington, DC area bucket lists from the past few years, I am lucky enough to have completed several of the items that I had desired to do. One of the highlights of my time in Washington, DC was dining at the bar at Old Ebbitt Grill – the oldest saloon in Washington, DC at least and a former boarding house for former President McKinley during his time as a Congressmen – which I will be dining at *yet again* for my birthday weekend (!!!) at the end of April. I have also enjoyed a gorgeous few strolls along Georgetown’s Waterfront Park and the food scene many times in nearby Arlington, Virginia. Touring the historic Tudor Place, National Cathedral, and Library of Congress have each been highlights of my own, too. My best friends and I enjoyed ice cream, sailing, and strolling in Annapolis, Maryland – a highlight of mine from when I first moved! Overall, looking back at both bucket lists, I feel beyond blessed that I have been able to do many of the things that I have previously desired to do.

Before I get into my Washington, DC Area 2023 bucket list, I do want to share that it is always likely that not all items will be completed in a year. Luckily for where I stand with where I want to go in my career, I will not be leaving the Washington, DC area anytime in the near-term future or even the next few years. More adventures to come both near and far!!

My Washington, DC Area 2023 Bucket List

  • See the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin at sunrise
  • See a performance of The Nutcracker
  • Check out Cafe Georgetown
  • Visit the Renwick Gallery
  • Go mini golfing at Puttery
  • See Aladdin at National Theatre
  • Explore City Center
  • Enjoy pizza and/or Thursday night trivia night at The Winery at Bull Run
  • Tour the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland
  • Explore downtown Leesburg, Virginia
  • Visit the DAR Museum and Library
  • Take a day trip to St. Michael’s Island, Maryland
  • Try Ralph’s Coffee for the first time-ever at Tyson’s Galleria
  • Have a picnic at The National Mall
  • See The Lion King at The Kennedy Center
  • Visit an embassy for a free event/exhibit
  • See the orchid display at the United States Botanic Garden
  • Explore the Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill, U Street Corridor, and Shaw neighborhoods
  • Eat at The Point in Washington, DC
  • Admire the flowers at Greenspring Gardens in Alexandria, Virginia
  • Explore downtown Fairfax, Virginia
  • Enjoy a warmer weather evening at Fairfax Corner
  • Explore Shirlington in Arlington
  • Visit the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
  • Watch the sunrise or sunset from Lincoln Memorial
  • Take a walk along the Tidal Basin not during cherry blossom season
  • Attend a blogger meetup
  • Try Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates in Fairfax, Virginia
  • Go mini golfing at The Perch
  • Try LeBon Cafe
  • Dine at a restaurant in Chinatown
  • Tour The Carlyle House
  • Eat at Ambar
  • Try Chateau de Chantilly Cafe
  • Enjoy coffee flights at Loud’n Roasted Coffee Roasters
  • Visit a Basilica
  • Visit the Dumbarton Oaks Museum
  • Go back to Tatte Bakery & Cafe
  • Visit The Crossing at Clarendon *yet again*
  • Try 54
  • Try Breeze Bakery Cafe
  • Go to another National Gallery of Art After Hours event
  • Go back to the Library of Congress
  • Tour the Hillwood Estate
  • Visit the newly-updated Air & Space Museum
  • Visit the Old Post Office Pavilion

Here’s to MANY more adventures in the Washington, DC area!

XOXO – Katie <3

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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

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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

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Washington, DC Spots: US Botanic Garden Season’s Greenings Exhibit

The US Botanic Garden’s Season Greenings exhibit has been on my bucket list for awhile now and especially as something I really wanted to do this Christmas season. Yet, I did not think that I would have been able to make it to this magical holly jolly exhibit this year. BUT, when my Mom and I decided that we’d rather go somewhere else than to tour the United States Capitol Building for another time, I *just knew* that I had to suggest the US Botanic Garden! Luckily for me, my Mom wanted to go too and it was the perfect way to spend Christmas Eve Eve!

Getting there: The US Botanic Garden is easiest to reach using public transportation. It is a 7 minute walk from Federal Center SW Metro Station, which serves the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines. It can also be reached via the Smithsonian Metro Station (also along the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines), as the US Botanic Garden is located right on the National Mall (on the US Capitol Building’s grounds!!!) along with many of Washington, DC’s other Smithsonian Institution museums like the National Gallery of Art, Museum of Natural History, and the Smithsonian Castle. So, if you’re visiting other Smithsonian museums, checking out the US Botanic Garden may just be worth your while, too! A unique fact about the US Botanic Garden is that it is located right next to the US Capitol Building’s Visitor Center and grounds and seeing that too is a great addition to any Washington, DC adventure! The address for the US Botanic Garden is 100 Maryland Ave SW. For more information on the US Botanic Garden, look no further than here: https://www.usbg.gov/

About: The US Botanic Garden is a botanical garden located on the grounds of the US Capitol Building. It is supervised by Congress via the Architect of the Capitol who is actually responsible for maintenance of the US Capitol’s grounds. Its hours are 10am-5pm daily with extended hours til 8pm on Tuesday’s for the Season’s Greenings exhibit’s duration. Like every Smithsonian museum, the US Botanic Garden is FREE to enter via free admission. The Season’s Greenings Exhibit is located within both the outdoor gardens (with G-gauge model trains running during open hours, too!) and the indoor conservatory which features holiday decorations, poinsettias, and sculptures of Washington, DC landmarks made from *nothing other than* …. plants! The Season’s Greenings display runs until January 2. For more information on the Season’s Greenings exhibit, look no further than here: https://www.usbg.gov/holiday

On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared some photos from my adventures at the gorgeous US Botanic Garden. My Mom and I were both IN AWE at just how gorgeous the US Botanic Garden’s Season’s Greenings exhibit was. We LOVED getting to experience this exhibit. To me, it felt as if we took a tour of Washington, DC without having to leave a building! Mom is really into gardening, so it was super fun to be able to learn from her own gardening experiences with the plants here at the US Botanic Garden. For example, a lot of the sculptures of landmarks were accessorized and surrounded by rosemary – a favorite of my Mom’s that she plants regularly and plans to use within lots of dishes for our Christmas Eve dinner. It was fun to learn from her while also getting to enjoy some made with so much love and countless hours Washington, DC landmark sculptures!

Along with the Season’s Greenings exhibit, I know that the US Botanic Garden has gorgeous Spring, Summer, and Fall exhibits that I look forward to checking out in the future. With it being right by the US Capitol Building, I am very excited to be able to walk its grounds too while also enjoying greenery from around the world.

This outing with my Mom to the Season’s Greenings exhibit is the first of many family festivities between now and January 2. I am SO excited to share all of my adventures this holiday season (especially my outfits!). At the same time, I hope YOU have an incredible holiday season filled with joy, merry, and lots of time with loved one’s and yourself, too.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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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

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Washington, DC Spots: Live at the Library of Congress

Who ever knew that the Library of Congress has a happy hour every Thursday night?! I surely didn’t!! To my surprise, the Library of Congress stays open every Thursday evening until 8pm for their weekly program known as Live at the Library. Last Thursday, my friends Brianna, Brittany, and I decided to surprise Brittany for her birthday with a trip to Live at the Library!

About: The Library of Congress is the research library that serves as Congress’ research arm. It is also the United States’ oldest federal cultural institution and largest de facto national library. Live at the Library allows visitors to stay at the Library of Congress until 8pm, take in the building’s gorgeous European-like architecture, listen to some live music, admire the exhibits, and enjoy a light snack and drinks at an additional cost (however everything to my surprise was under $10 which if you know for Washington, DC area is a steal for food and drinks!). All visitors must reserve a ticket in advance via a timed entry pass – they’re free do not fret!! – to go and visit and will enter in at the Jefferson Building on 1st Street SE (the only entrance for guests to the library). To reserve a ticket look no further than here: https://loc.usedirect.com/LOC/

Getting there: The closest Metro stop to the Library of Congress, located just behind the United States Capitol Building, is Capitol South – located in the heart of Washington, DC’s gorgeous and well-known Capitol Hill neighborhood. Capitol South Metro station is located on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines. There are signs for the Library of Congress all around the Capitol Hill neighborhood making it less challenging even for directionally challenged people like myself to find their way. However, I *did* still get lost on my way there – whoops!! When routing yourself there, it’s best to use the main entrance of the Library of Congress’s Jefferson Building: 1st Street SE.

Brittany was happily surprised with a birthday trip to the notable Library of Congress! As we walked in, we were able to see the library’s Christmas tree in its main hall along with a Bible on exhibition. One of the coolest features of the Library of Congress’ Christmas tree is the fact that there’s book(s) to represent each of the United States (kind of like the state trees surrounding the notable National Christmas tree!). I was able to find the books for Texas (my Step Dad’s home state), Iowa (Papa’s home state), New Jersey (my home/birth state), North Carolina (my college state), and Virginia (my current and hopefully long-term home state). Each of the state books were painted with beautiful artwork masterpieces all over its covers and rims to represent its uniqueness. We also took several photos in our outfits in front of the tree, too! The Library of Congress Christmas tree is stunning and the fact that it had representation of all of the United States made it so much cooler and all that more special to see, too.

North Carolina!
Texas - Part 2!
New Jersey!
Iowa!
Virginia!
Texas - Part 1!
North Carolina - featuring my Onyx (Class Ring!)

We arrived at the Library of Congress a little after 7pm, so we didn’t have too much time to walk around and enjoy the exhibits and get some wine/snacks (we went to the Pentagon City neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia for that!). There was also a Santa Claus social for kids at the library earlier that day which the staff was cleaning up from. However, we definitely all wanted to come back and spend more time here at the nation’s largest cultural institution. To me, the ceilings, columns, and architecture ALL over the Library of Congress felt as if I were taken back in time to my study abroad days in Italy. I saw a striking resemblance to the Sistine Chapel at The Vatican when looking up at the building’s ceilings! Read a bit more about my time studying abroad in Italy in the Summer of 2018 here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2020/08/06/my-study-abroad-experience-in-tuscany/#/

One of the BEST features of the Library of Congress is the fact that its free and accessible for everyone. Knowing that people from Congress from centuries ago to this very day utilize its resources just as well as any other person can makes me admire the accessibility of the Library of Congress for everyone. When talking with the library’s super sweet docents, I learned that anybody can get a FREE library pass of sorts (forget the exact name of it!) to utilize its resources. The Library of Congress has a genealogy lab (which my Dad and I plan to use in 2023 for family research) and much more that anybody can use with a library pass. At the same time, there are super neat exhibits, including one that we saw on mapping aka my Dad’s heaven! Read more about the Library of Congress and ALL that it has to offer here: https://www.loc.gov/

The Library of Congress is probably my favorite site to see in Washington, DC! It felt just as if I was back in Europe. I definitely plan to go back more in 2023 to research, work, and just take it all in.

XOXO – Katie <3

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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

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Washington, DC Spots: Downtown Holiday Market

There is ALWAYS something so magical about the holiday season. Washington, DC makes it pretty great with their annual Downtown Holiday Market. When my best friend Hannah and I arrived for its second day (Saturday November 19), we were whisked away into Washington, DC’s version of a European-like holiday village such as those I see in travel magazines.

The Downtown Holiday Market is located on F Street NW between 7th and 9th Streets just outside the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). It is just a few blocks away from the Gallery Place Metro Stop, located on the Red, Green, and Yellow lines. From 12pm-8pm everyday with the exception of Thanksgiving Day and December 5 from November 18-December 23, 2022, the Downtown Holiday Market is an outdoor market which supports small businesses across the Washington, DC area. The aisles and booths include food (including German delights and churros!), shopping, and live music. According to the Downtown Holiday Market’s website, “this year’s retail lineup will feature more than 70 exhibitors including Black-owned and minority-owned businesses.” It is ALSO the holiday market’s 18th year! At the same time, the Downtown Holiday Market offered a plethora of festive decorations, whether it be Nutcrackers, reindeer, candy canes, or gold stars that are PERFECT for photo opportunities. Read more about it here: http://downtownholidaymarket.com/

Since we went on its first Saturday of the year, the Downtown Holiday Market was pretty busy when Hannah and I got there. We mainly just walked around as I’m not a big fan of crowds, yet I enjoyed the atmosphere and holly jolly cheer. I did get a chance to stop into The DC Pop-Up – a collective of women-owned and minority-owned Washington, DC area makers – and picked up a few things for myself and one of my friends for Christmas. I ended up talking to one of the shop collective’s makers and she like the rest of their crew there was super sweet. Supporting women-owned and minority-owned makers are two of my FAVORITE THINGS! While we didn’t go this time around, visiting the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum which are two connecting museums with a cafe and atrium in between is a GREAT way to spend part of your day since it’s just right there. Instead, Hannah and I went to my FAVORITE burger joint on me insisting – Shake Shack!

I most definitely want to come back to the Downtown Holiday Market – it offered such Washington, DC Holiday charm and provided such a great way to spend the holiday season. Whether it be with family, friends, or a significant other, coming to the Downtown Holiday Market is a FREE way to spread some holiday cheer this year!

XOXO – Katie <3

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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

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The Kennedy Center’s JFK Exhibit!

When most people think of Washington, DC’s The Kennedy Center, they think of spending what can feel like a fortune on tickets to see a performance. Case in point, I am seeing Hamilton at The Kennedy Center (here) in JUST 10 days!!!! I shared a bit about my visit to The Kennedy Center on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee) in recent times and am planning to share here more about it, too. To the common eye’s surprise, The Kennedy Center has MANY free things to do upon visiting, whether it be seeing an exhibit, checking out their legendary rooftop terrace, or enjoying the outdoor grounds or a daily performance outside. More specifically, Papa and I visited The Kennedy Center’s JFK exhibit titled Art and Ideals, dedicated to former United States President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK), on opening weekend just a few weekends ago.

About:

SO, to give a back story to the JFK exhibit at The Kennedy Center, during his presidency, President Kennedy founded and set aside some funds for an arts center in Washington, DC. He wanted this arts center to represent the several cultures within the United States and embrace diversity, showcase the performing arts talents within our world and a place to present international talents, too, and honor none other than the arts. The Kennedy Center was being built and, after President Kennedy’s assassination, it was decided to name this famous arts center that he so created the foundations for after him. This exhibit on President Kennedy opened on September 17, 2022 to honor the 50th anniversary of The Kennedy Center which opened in 1972. The JFK exhibit has photos of everything that the former President wanted to dedicate The Kennedy Center to, whether it be a safe haven for African Americans to express themselves and be accepted for who they are, a place for dancers, singers, and actors to show off their talents, and to continue performing arts education for all. JFK was President during the 1960’s in a time when the Cold War and Civil Rights Movements dominated the news and then-current times. Overall, the exhibit was a BEAUTIFUL tribute to former President Kennedy and his love for creating a safe haven for all to simply be them for years to come.

Our Experience:

One of my favorite parts of the JFK exhibit was getting to see ALL of the former First Lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis photos!!! I am a HUGE fan of Jackie Kennedy, as I love her utter class, style, and charisma. Not to mention, the fact that Jackie Kennedy remained a major supporter of the establishment of The Kennedy Center both when her late husband was in office and when he passed. Jackie Kennedy truly loved The Kennedy Center!! At the same time, the history of the Kennedy family was presented in JFK’s dedication exhibit. It was neat to be able to see the passion that the entire Kennedy family has for the arts and embracing diversity, all cultures, and acceptance.

Recently, I have been reading a lot of magazines on celebrities, whether it be Elizabeth Taylor or Dolley Parton. It has, indeed, been my new way to wind down after a long day. Anyhow, there is even a Kennedy Center award given to performers. It’s neat to see the legacy of The Kennedy Center and JFK to this day in performers that many of us know and love across the globe!

Wrap-Up:

Truly, the passions that JFK had for the arts shows today in their legacy known as The Kennedy Center. It seriously is a beautiful legacy!!! There is also a GORGEOUS signature rooftop terrace accessible to ALL The Kennedy Center visitors which truly showcases the beauty of Washington, DC (via showing off gorgeous skyline views!) and honors the Kennedy’s very well.

XOXO – Katie <3

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