The Life of Katie – June 2023

June 2023 was a whirlwind month that started with being super busy and productive to winding down with none other than a spontaneous week-long vacation to the Carolina’s after a long weekend away for Father’s Day with my Dad, Step Mom, and childhood best friend Amanda (who came to visit from New Jersey!) in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Lots of excitement has been happening both on a personal and professional front. On a personal level, I traveled to 5 different states this past month along with a day trip to Barboursville Vineyards (here) in Orange County, Virginia: North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. Meanwhile, on a professional level, I have been learning A TON within my career discipline and my passion for my work has only increased over this past month. Nonetheless, through it all, June 2023 was a pretty GREAT month!

Due to my rather spontaneous for me end of June 2023 trip, I have been *just a bit* behind on blog posts. Early each month, I post a round-up of ALL the Washington, DC area places that I dine at that previous month (DC Dining) and a monthly Life of Katie round-up as opposed to every week. I also have some travel content from my recent travels (including a Charleston, South Carolina shopping guide!!!!). At the same time, having some time away from writing content on the blog and not posting for much of the past week has allowed me to reset and *even* think more creatively about future content that I want to share (!!!).

The following summer months aka July and August have nothing but summer adventures to come both near and far! Some of my near summer adventures include seeing fireworks locally in the Washington, DC area, time with family and friends, more Washington, DC area dining outings, and a few trips to the theater (whether it be The Kennedy Center OR the local movie theater). My adventures far away include a long weekend away back to Bethany Beach, Delaware to visit my Dad and Step Mom along with my Aunts and cousins who are coming to town for a mini family reunion weekend, a lake weekend in Lake James, North Carolina with Hannah and some of my other college best friends to reunite, and a long weekend flying into Indianapolis, Indiana to visit my fellow influencer bestie Lindsay of @sunshineandstairclimbs who visited me back in March for the Cherry Blossoms and then driving up to Chicago, Illinois for the second leg of our long weekend. I have never been to Indiana and I am SUPER excited to add another state to my list (!!!), as I want to venture out to visit all 50 states (and Puerto Rico!) at some point in my life. As for Chicago, I went there once back in the death of winter and peak of the city’s nickname “the Windy City” and wasn’t able to fully enjoy this incredible city, SO I am really excited to visit again and see it in the light of summer!

Highs:

  • A weeklong vacation to the Carolina’s! I flew into Raleigh, North Carolina on a Friday morning where I visited with my friends Alanna and Shivani before heading down to Charlotte, North Carolina with Alanna for our friend Bree’s belated Birthday and Graduation Party where we got to meet ALL of Bree’s (and our friend Hannah’s) high school friends as well as a few of Bree’s college friends, too, which was SO MUCH FUN! There, I did my first-ever display of jell-o shots along with a lineup of alcohol. Bree’s high school friends are such incredible people that I am glad I got to meet during my quick 24 hours in Charlotte this time around (I would LOVE to come back to Charlotte for a weekend in the future to explore and catch up with friends there!!). Afterwards, me, Bree, Alanna, and Hannah all headed down to Isle of Palms, South Carolina for some incredible hospitality courtesy of Hannah and her Mom at their home down there. While in Isle of Palms, we stayed at the Wild Dunes community and explored the area A LOT along with a day trip into nearby Charleston and Mount Pleasant (more to come in a future blog post on my incredible time down in South Carolina!). Needless to say, I am uber-grateful for the kindness, hospitality, bonds, and charm of the final week of June 2023.

The CUTEST wine shop – Taylor’s Wine Shop – in Raleigh, North Carolina

Bree’s Grad Party in Charlotte, North Carolina

Flight reads brought to your by Bethany Beach Books

  • Dining within the Washington, DC area is ALWAYS a high for me each month to month. This June 2023, I dined at some pretty incredible places, including Ada’s On The River in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia; Trattoria Villagio in Clifton, Virginia; and The Bazaar by Jose Andres in Washington, DC. At the same time, I enjoyed many meals (and wine!) at home with my Papa and our neighbors. Many memories were made with both friends and family via my Washington, DC area dining outings as always, too (more to come in a future blog post on DC Dining – June 2023)!
  • My weekend in Bethany Beach, Delaware was SO special. My childhood best friend Amanda drove to stay with us for the weekend which was SO SO SO nice. Amanda is practically like a sister to me and she truly fits in with my family, which was super sweet, as my Dad and Step Mom and even their Yorkie (my “Sissy”) Ginger joined us for practically everything. Our activities included: beach mornings/afternoons (where we *even* overheard the college-aged male lifeguards in the stand right by us talking about their girlfriends – my Dad called it “lifeguard love stories” – LOL!), dinners and drinks at some incredible Bethany Beach-area restaurants (I plan to write a dining guide soon-ish, too!), parasailing which was AMAZING for the first-time ever with Amanda, shopping on the boardwalk where I bought one wayyyy too many books at Bethany Beach Books and *of course* fudge at the local chain Candy Kitchen, mini golf, ice cream, and climbing a former World War 11 tower that is now free and open to the public and has amazing views, too. We all had such a special weekend together, too, as so so so many memories were made that will last a lifetime.
  • To kick off summer, just the day before I left for the Carolina’s, Papa and Rosie and I went for a day trip to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (read more about my experience last summer here). We ended up picking a day to go that was rather rainy and foggy which meant for gorgeous views of the fog amongst the Appalachian Mountains and the rivers that intersect there. I saw an exhibit on Louis and Clark’s expedition that partially took places in Harpers Ferry, grabbed a cup of coffee for $2.50 (aka a steal for living in the Washington, DC area and being addicted to Starbucks to some extent), and took in ALL the views within Harpers Ferry National Park and the town which only has a population of ~250 people. It was a STUNNING and literally perfect day – MORE to come in a future blog post!
  • I hosted my first-ever summer dinner party!!!! I decked out my deck in *none other than* a flamingo summer theme and had pizza, salad, and charcuterie for 3 of my good friends and dog Rosie who were able to show up and celebrate the kick off of summer with me. We had a BLAST catching up with one another and talking about our summer plans. Each of my friends that showed up had either went to my high school or college, which makes me feel SO beyond lucky that we are able to still remain friends to this very day. ALSO, I LOVE that each of my friends has become friends in a way with some of my other friends – it truly is special!
  • Work has become nothing short of exciting this past June 2023. Firstly, my work OOTD’s have become a highlight of my day-to-day 9-5 life. In summary, I used to feel a huge lift in my spirits when I wore a cute outfit to school in my high school days and am glad I reinstated wearing cute outfits while working from home and sharing them on my Instagram stories (follow me @_thepinkchickadee) on the daily. Second, my passion for healthcare policy has only grown this past month so much that others on my team have noticed and are wanting to pull my into more policy work. My excitement has grown for my 9-5 world in many different ways, so much so that when I signed off for my out of office week at the end of the month I knew that I would have something to look forward to in July (along with my word OOTD’s which will continue!).
  • One of my fellow Lilly Pulitzer lover friends Lorena and I met up at Barboursville Vineyards (here) in Barboursville, Virginia near downtown Orange, Virginia. I took a day trip to meet up with Lorena and explore this gorgeous well-known to the area vineyard (it was about 2 hours away from me!) and the drive was GORGEOUS *just* as if I was transported into a STUNNING painting of the rolling hills of Virginia’s countryside. Lorena and I kicked off our day with a 3-course lunch at their delicious on-site restaurant Palladio before exploring the nearby Barboursville Ruins and taking in ALL of the scenic views along the meadow-filled trail there. Last but not least, we went into the winery where I bought some wine bottles as gifts for my parents. Later that night, I made the trek back home to Northern Virginia and enjoyed family time via a cookout with ice cream cake for my Mom’s Birthday. All in all, a GREAT day with many loved one’s all around!
  • Early June 2023, I got to experience *even more* adventure in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia aka one of my FAVORITE spots in all of the Washington, DC area. This time around, my friend Brittany and I went to paint pottery at a local shop called Paint This (where I painted a cupcake) before parting ways where I got Mexican food and a cocktail and then walked around the streets and explored some of the many shops there. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Old Town Alexandria, Virginia and its beauty SO MUCH that I hope to live near there in the next few years.

Lows:

  • While in Charlotte, North Carolina, my friends and I sadly ran into some … car issues. Sometimes, I like to joke that it seems that *every single time* I drive down to the Carolina’s, my friends and I run into some car issues. It sucks A LOT especially when it comes to traveling which can be so exciting and fun when there aren’t any. However, on the bright side, everything worked out and we were all safe and healthy through it all.
  • I had a rough mental week a few weeks back. While I won’t get into the details of what all was occurring during that week, I will say that it involved LOTS of sleeping and couch resting to the Food Network in the background. Needless to say, it is SO important that we all take care of ourselves and listen to our bodies both on a physical and mental level.
  • When there wasn’t any car issues, there was it felt like LOTS of traffic on the highway. Personally, ever since my car accident back in February, I have had LOTS of anxiety when it comes to driving. And, well, traffic is NOT my favorite thing to drive in, but whose is it?! The traffic on the way to both Delaware (a holiday weekend) and Charlotte (a car wreck which closed down a portion of I-85) took a major toll on me mentally. However, through it all, I am very proud of myself for simply plowing through the stress of all of the summer traffic despite my driving fears.

June 2023 was such a bittersweet month, filled with ever-growing bonds, great hospitality, lots of generosity, and several memories made along the way. Here’s to an even MORE special July 2023!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee1 Comment

What I Wore to Work: May & June 2023

If you don’t already follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!!), you likely aren’t well aware that halfway through the month of May, I started sharing my work outfits on my Instagram (and also Facebook) stories. As I wrap up my June work month *just a bit earlier than usual* due to a much-needed beach week in South Carolina with some of my very best friends, I am filled with so much gratitude for deciding to share my work outfits here on this incredible platform. It has truly become such a highlight of mine to be able to share my work outfits with y’all. I *even* shared that I am sharing my work outfits with y’all on my LinkedIn of ALL places – LOL!

Back story: when I was in high school, it became such a highlight of mine to plan out my outfits the night beforehand, especially as my days became CONSUMED with AP course work, SAT prep, college applications, and extracurriculars aka the typical high school student life of an over-achiever like myself. Outfits were THE highlight of my high school years. I *even* had a blog where I literally just posted my outfits my Senior year of high school (like 2016!) called Katie’s Closet Blog! Then, into college, I began dressing a bit more casual as I LOVED getting to sleep in aka THE college lifestyle. And, then, COVID-19 hit at the end of my Junior year of college, which meant slumber wear all day every day with the exception of a few days here and there. This whole casual dress attire of mine continued into my post-graduate years with the work from home lifestyle. I actually used to HATE work from home, due to the fact that I missed getting to dress up in a cute outfit around others everyday. However, in recent months I have grown to LOVE the primarily work from home lifestyle, as I have so much freedom and flexibility and no commute within my day to day routine. BUT, I was missing getting to showcase my super cute outfits.

Innovate is the word for my work from home outfits. Innovate is ALSO one of the biggest key words of my company in the ways that its growing. As crazy as it seems, innovate is a word that I LOVE and see as key to my personal life in so many different ways. So, yes, innovation is what allows me to share my outfits with y’all without feeling like I am missing out on doing so in my day to day life. The highlight of my high school days, which kept me going throughout those loooonggg days of essentially prepping for college, now keep me going in my postgraduate life.

I decided to combine my May and June work outfits into one blog post, due to starting sharing my May work outfits in the middle of the month and going on vacation the last 7 work days of June. I have recently gotten away from sharing outfits via the Shop LTK platform, as I want my looks to solely serve as inspiration from one’s own closet, rather than a place to simply impose consumerism when it may not be right for others. Any how, I hope you enjoy!

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

Dress: Draper James; Sandals: Jack Rogers x Vera Bradley (old collab); Earrings: Small Boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina (forget the name of it!); Bracelets: Amazon & All She Wrote Notes
Dress: Lisa Fernandez x Target (old collaboration); Cardigan: Northern Isles; Sandals: Jack Rogers; Handbag: Lilly Pulitzer; Bracelets: The Inspiration Co. & Amazon
Top: Lilly Pulitzer; Skirt: Talbots; Headband: The Pioneer Woman at Walmart; Necklace: Talbots; Bracelets: Amazon & All She Wrote Notes
Top: Hawthorn; Pants: Talbots; Necklace: Thrifted ; Bracelets: Amazon
Dress: Crown & Ivy at Belk; Pearls: Thrifted; Scarf: Tommy Hilfiger; Headband: J Crew Factory; Sandals: Jack Rogers; Bracelets: Kendra Scott, Amazon, & Little Words Project
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer; Handbag: Kate Spade; Flats: DSW; Bracelets: Amazon, The Inspiration Co., & Kendra Scott
Dress: Gretchen Scott; Bracelets & Earrings: All She Wrote Notes
Button-Down: Karl Lagerfeld; Pants: Talbots
Tee & Skirt: Vineyard Vines; Headband: Lilly Pulitzer; Bracelets: Teleties x Scout Bags; Sandals: Sperry; Earrings: Cora’s Den
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer; Cardigan: Crown & Ivy; Headband: Anthropologie
Dress: Amazon; Button Down: Ralph Lauren; Bracelets: The Inspiration Co. & All She Wrote Notes
Tee: Lilly Pulitzer; Skirt: J. Crew; Headband: Lilly Pulitzer x Lele Sadoughi (old collab); Necklace: Nordstrom Rack; Bracelets: All She Wrote Notes
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer; Bracelets: Amazon & All She Wrote Notes
Dress: Target; Headband: Scout Bags; Bracelets: Kendra Scott & Amazon; Earrings: SugarFix from Target
Tank: Lilly Pulitzer; Skirt: Banana Republic; Bracelets: Kendra Scott, Amazon, & Little Words Project
Dress: Jude Connally; Bracelets: Teleties x Scout Bags hair ties
Tank: Walmart; Necklace: Thrifted; Skirt: Elie Tahari; Bracelets: Kendra Scott & The Inspiration Co.
Tank: Fabletics; Skort: Thrifted; Bracelets: Teleties x Scout Bags hair ties
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer; Headband: J Crew Factory; Earrings: Found On Madison; Bracelets: Amazon & The Inspiration Co
Top & Pants & Headband: Lilly Pulitzer; Sandals: Sperry; Jacket: Lands End; Bracelets: Amazon, J Crew Factory, & The Inspiration Co
Dress: Crown & Ivy at Belk; Bracelets: Kendra Scott, The Inspiration Co, & Amazon

Stay tuned for my July work outfits in *just* a month!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

National Wear Your Lilly Day 2023

Happy Summer Solstice and first *official* day of summer (!!!). Over the years, summer has surprisingly been my least favorite season. I, then, despised the hot and humid weather and simply wanted to curl up in a warm blanket and sweatshirt and pajama pants with a cup of tea and admire the snow outside with a fire pit in the background. However, in recent times, I have started to LOVE the warmer months of summer and spring much more than the cooler ones (although, I will ALWAYS be a sucker for fall!!). To kick off the first day of summer aka the day that this post is published on the blog, fellow Lilly Pulitzer lovers like myself commemorate the start of summer with National Wear Your Lilly Day (see my 2022 posting on it here)!

This past weekend, I got to spend the weekend with my Dad and Step Mom in Bethany Beach, Delaware and my best friend Amanda came to join us, too (it was Amanda’s first time in Delaware!!). We had such a special weekend together and it was truly incredible. Going to Bethany Beach was such a GREAT way to kick off Summer 2023, SO I had Amanda take some photos of me here to share on this platform with y’all in honor of *none other than* National Wear Your Lilly Day. I feel so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing friend like Amanda whom I can call family, as we’ve known one another since we were little.

So, you may be wondering, what is National Wear Your Lilly Day (NWYLD)?! NWYLD is a day commemorated today (or the day that I published this blog post!!!) aka the First Day of Summer/Summer Solstice. THIS IS A DAY in which ALL Lilly Pulitzer lovers love to embrace. We can commemorate our love of the Lilly Pulitzer brand, our community, and share it with others, too. The Lilly Pulitzer brand all started with a juice stand in Palm Beach, Florida. Lilly (McKim) Pulitzer had recently moved to Palm Beach, Florida with her husband and simply needed something to do. So, Pulitzer started a juice stand and uncovered that there were no dresses and pieces that she loved that would cover her juice stains. And, well, that was how the brand of Lilly Pulitzer begun: Pulitzer started making brightly and beautifully printed clothing that would cover her juice stains. Soon after, the likes of the Kennedy family (including former First Lady Jackie Kennedy!!!) and many more flocked to the Lilly Pulitzer brand which has become a prominent brand that many love to this day. Knowing the start of the Lilly Pulitzer brand (which I wrote MANY high school and college papers on – LOL!) is helpful in bringing together the community that Lilly Pulitzer has brought to me and several others as well.

My FAVORITE part of kicking off NWYLD is the sheer fact that I can *finally* use the #SummerInLilly acceptably – LOL!! Every day feels like summer when you’re in Lilly Pulitzer, though (!!!). I decided to *finally* pop the tags on my Cody Shift dress from the Sunshine Sale back in September 2022, which I write about here, and pair it with my Talbots straw navy and white striped pineapple clutch which I got from ThredUp, Jack Rogers pineapple and flamingo sandals, and jewelry from the likes of Kendra Scott, Amazon, Target, and The Inspiration Co. This outfit was PERFECT for shopping on the Bethany Beach boardwalk and dinner nearby afterwards. It was also the best look to commemorate #SummerInLilly!

Needless to say, summer is ALWAYS better in Lilly Pulitzer!!! What can I say?!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

2023 Reader Survey Results & Upcoming Blogger Goals!

Just a few months ago, I sent out a reader survey (look NO further than here) to survey y’all on my blogging platform here via The Pink Chickadee, what y’all LOVE seeing, and what y’all want to see moving forward. Every single year, I strive to host a reader survey along with a $25 Target gift card giveaway (the winner will be announced at the end of this posting!!!) to one lucky participant and this year is my 3rd year ever doing one. I used to work primarily in data analytics, so doing these Reader Surveys are a bit of a fun passion project for me. And, at the same time, I LOVE getting inspiration from *none other than* y’all – my readers – on content to share moving forward.

To be frankly honest, this 2023 year, I have been prioritizing taking rest and time for myself. And, with doing so, I am writing a bit less here on the blog and sharing bigger postings that are more meaningful to me in terms of memories to look back on in the future, such as my monthly DC Dining posts where I write a round-up of different restaurants that I dine at in the Washington, DC area each month (read my most recent DC Dining’s blog postings here and here). And, in the midst of ALL my time resting and being busy busy busy, I simply missed getting to write and share my 2023 Reader Survey results from the survey I shared with y’all earlier this year. I will say that this year’s Reader Survey had the highest volume of responses that I have EVER received in the past and that is all thanks to YOU. THANK YOU <3

Survey Results

Before digging into my survey results, it’s important to note that this survey includes my followers on social media, readers of the blog, and those who may do both. This survey was also voluntary and all responses are anonymous upon submission and will remain anonymous.

Demographics:

The majority of my readers are within the 25-34% age range (64.7%) and 35-44 (17.8%) and 18-24 (14.5%) follows as the second and third largest age range populations. Most of my readers are women (approximately 85%). The majority of my readers live in the East Coast or Southern regions of the United States, with Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina as the most popular states. The Midwest and California (a surprise to me!!) is another popular area in which my readers live, as well. More specifically speaking, the Washington, DC, New York City, and Raleigh-Durham metro areas are the most popular cities in which my readers and followers and viewers on social media reside. On the other hand, not many of my readers live outside of the United States.

As for who YOU love to read and follow on social media, y’all’s favorite bloggers and influencers are a variety of different people. I was super super super pleased to see some of my favorite accounts pop up, such as: my fellow Virginia residing friends and influencers Kystle of @thevirginiahypegirl and Annaliese of @miss_alk on Instagram and my favorite influencers Courtney of @abyersguide on Instagram, Angela of The Thrifty Pineapple (now @angelamdarnell on Instagram), and Amy of @amylittleson on Instagram. One of the few accounts that came up that I had not heard of except for in passing was Artistic Director Clare Waight Keller (@clarewaightkeller) on Instagram. I *had* to follow her and am obsessed with her feed (!!!) so thanks y’all!! At the same time, many of y’all don’t have a favorite or favorites influencers/bloggers and that is OKAY.

Where Y’all Follow Along & Favorite Content:

I was surprised to see that Facebook was slightly the most popular site for my fellow readers to follow along! Instagram and simple visits and even a subscription to get updates on ALL my blog posts via my website were the second-most popular ways for y’all to follow along. Over 97% of y’all have read a blog post as well. I also noticed that a smaller yet mighty percent of my readers follow me on both Shop LTK and Pinterest. And, as for content, y’all LOVE Instagram Reels and Facebook posts, hence, y’all’s love for Facebook which I LOVE, too. Y’all also *of course* love static Instagram posts (meaning NO reels/video content in a posting) along with Instagram/Facebook stories. At the same time, I was ecstatic to see someone post that they LOVE seeing posts of my Papa and dog Rosie – SO SO SO sweet!

As for content, y’all love seeing things pertaining to fashion (specifically preppy fashion and secondhand/thrifted fashion), travel, the authentic life of Katie (including the good and the bad and more specifically with a focus on mental health), home decor, and Washington, DC area life and things to do. Y’all’s favorite topic to read up on is travel along with adventures in the Washington, DC area and more specifically on starting out in a brand-new city. At the same time, y’all LOVE reading and seeing photos pertaining to preppy fashion and learning more about different small businesses. The second-most popular topic areas were: secondhand fashion/thrifting, Dog Mom adventures with my dog Rosie, my daily outfits of the day, and home decor. Needless to say, I LOVE that y’all love reading what I have strived to show and coincidentally LOVE sharing the most.

Overall, y’all aka my fellow readers seem to LOVE following along on my social media, whether it be Facebook or Instagram. I LOVE that y’all find my content authentic and fun and just love watching me simply be me.

And, as always, I LOVE hearing what YOU have to say as y’all are THE BEST:

  • Thanks for being you!
  • I admire all you do on your blog and you are the best sister ever! Keep being you my friend and never change! <3
  • Thank you for sharing your personality and style! & taking readers along for the journey

2023 Blogger Goals

  • Continue exploring the Washington, DC area more and share local favorites. I feel so so so beyond lucky to live in an incredible city with SO MUCH to do both inside and outside of the city. The Washington, DC area has A LOT of great things to do and I LOVE taking advantage of it all. I have been following and continue to follow a lot of other fellow Washington, DC area and Virginia bloggers who provide me with so much inspiration for places to go, content, and things to do. SO, as always, I plan to continue to share more Washington, DC area content!
  • Share more authentic content. Whether it be content pertaining to self growth, self empowerment, mental health, career, or all of the above, authenticity is key in my eyes. I find it SO important to be authentic, especially as an influencer. While it can be a challenge at times, I love seeing that my content resonates with others aka YOU and I want to continue to do just that.
  • More fashion. I want to share more preppy fashion finds, whether it be in my stories via an outfit of the day (OOTD), while on an adventure, or just a simple Instagram post. I always get excited before any day to put on a cute outfit, whether it be to lounge or work from home or to go into Washington, DC for the day for a brunch or dinner. I intend to continue to do just that!

Thank you all for all of your love and support here on my platform. Your support means THE WORLD to me. And, as promised, the lucky 2023 Reader Survey participant and winner of the $25 Target gift card is ….. Amber Dengler!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

I Saw Aladdin at National Theatre!

Ever since I saw that Aladdin the Broadway musical was going on tour, I *knew* I had to go! In recent times, I have been trading concerts for the theatre and I have seen several shows since this past Fall. Shows include Hamilton, Wicked, and Hairspray. At the same time, I have fallen in love with getting to go to different theatre’s around the Washington, DC area. And, Aladdin happened to be shown at The National Theatre, which was a theatre that I had yet to go see a show at! SO, for my 24th Birthday, my Dad treated me and my best friend Haley to tickets to see Aladdin via the National Theatre’s Broadway on Tour 2022-2023 season!

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

The National Theatre is *just* down the street from the iconic Willard Intercontinental Hotel on Pennsylvania Ave Northwest in Washington, DC. It is just a couple of blocks away from the Metro Center Metro Station on the Blue, Orange, Red, and Silver lines and an easy walk. The funnest part of the National Theatre when we left was seeing the theatre ALL decked out for Aladdin outside, including seeing the Aladdin truck outside. Unlike the Kennedy Center, the National Theatre is a bit smaller of a theatre, however, it offers SO MUCH charm and history to it. One of my favorite parts of The National Theatre’s interior design was the painting of a portrait of the woman known as “the First Lady of Theatre” – HOW NEAT!!!!

Ever since my college years, I have been OBSESSED with the soundtrack of Aladdin. And, coincidentally, Haley had been obsessed with the soundtrack, too! Both of us had been listening to the soundtrack pretty often during the weeks leading up to when we saw Aladdin, too. I LOVED watching the Aladdin soundtrack in action, too. I always find it to be super unique to hear any musical’s soundtracks beyond my daily life of listening to them on Spotify! The production was SO WELL DONE! And, I always find that musicals have such a beautiful way of tying together beautiful meanings that we can take into our own daily lives. In the case of Aladdin, I find the show’s catchphrase “the diamond in the rough” to be such a GREAT meaning to finding beauty in areas and things that it may be harder to find the good in.

For both Haley and I, Aladdin was one of the BEST shows that we’ve ever seen! The cast did such a great job and the props, scenes, music, and dancing was done SO well and beautifully. In recent times, I have LOVED getting to see shows locally in the Washington, DC area. I feel BEYOND lucky to be able to see some pretty incredible performances that happen to come to my city so I don’t have to make the trek ALL THE WAY to New York City or London to see a pretty great show. Haley and I both have been lucky enough to see a show at New York City’s Broadway (and London’s West End for me as well) and we both LOVE the affordability and accessibility of seeing a show in our own city.

A special thanks to my Dad for this incredible Birthday gift and experience that I will keep in my heart for years to come!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee1 Comment

The Life of Katie!

Long time, NO life of Katie! It, indeed, feels like centuries (well, January 25 to be exact) since I last wrote a life of Katie blog post! A lot has happened in my life since January 25, 2023 which is ALMOST 3 months ago both personally and professionally, including: experiencing an evening hit and run by a bus after a dinner with a friend and grocery shopping, taking trips to Raleigh, North Carolina and Carlisle, Pennsylvania and Louisville, Kentucky, having two visits from friends visit me for my second-ever National Cherry Blossom Festival as a Washington, DC area professional, commemorating first-time and 100th+ time reunions with several friends and family members, chopping off my hair into a lob, helping to coordinate an International Women’s Day panel event at my company with others in my company, starting to work in the health market full-time at my company (as opposed to defense and health markets), and continuing to work on myself and grow personally in a multitude of different ways. Needless to say, the life of Katie has been a whirlwind of both highs and lows, yet, through it all, I have become stronger and more self-aware.

***Photos on a day trip to City Center, Washington DC

As always, I view life as an everlasting cycle of one working on themselves. I didn’t view life this way up until within the past year, and I see this newly developed perspective of mine as such a gift. And *of course* as promised, here are some updates into the Life of Katie:

  • Thrifting – In the past 3 months, I have gone thrifting more than I ever have in the past! While in April I am thrifting less than I did in both February and March and well shopping in general beyond things I need, I did have a blast finding some extraordinary name-brand items that I would have paid hundreds for otherwise. Most items I get at the thrift store I get for under $15! The name brand items I have found since January 25 include a Coach logo handbag, Gretchen Scott dress, Vineyard Vines shorts, Maeve dress, Kate Spade crossbody handbag, Vera Bradley scarf, Lilly Pulitzer mug, Tory Burch blouse, North Carolina (my college state!) hand-painted tin plate, Jack Rogers sandals, Lilly Pulitzer scarf, and Talbots cardigan. I have bought wayyyy too much (hence why I am cutting back on shopping a bit!), but I am really happy with what I have scored and am enjoying what I have now.
  • Overcoming Trauma – Last Spring and Summer, I had a few *very* strange interactions that made me super uncomfortable from those that it should not have come from. It took me a LONG time to process these interactions as they made me feel scared, traumatized, and overly anxious. I didn’t even want to do things locally as a result of fear of more of these interactions. But, as I worked a lot more on myself, the more I realized that these people who were the source of these interactions were 1/1,000,000+ people in my area and even the world and that there is SO MUCH good around me. I’ve started to focus on the good more and learn more and grow as a person. That self-growth allowed me to both process and overcome this trauma that I had from those uncomfortable interactions and be able to better set limits for myself moving forward.
  • Old Lady Spring/Summer – I am truly striving to enjoy the sunshine more so this year! On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared a bit about how this year Hot Girl Spring/Summer is now Old Lady Spring/Summer!! With Old Lady Spring/Summer, I am home by 8pm every night, enjoying my wine on the back porch, staying at home and binge watching my favorite shows, and breaking out allll the florals and chunky knit cardigans (heat permitting!). My friend a few weeks back asked me if I was wanting to couple up or enjoy Hot Girl Summer, and, well, she inspired me to respond with the fact that I am parttaking in Old Lady Spring/Summer!!
  • Travel – Since January 25, I have traveled to North Carolina, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and done a few day trips close to home in Virginia and Washington, DC. Needless to say, all this travel both near and far has been such a highlight for me!!! It has been so special to spend time with friends who come to visit me and I come to visit them and to hang with those who live close to me too and aren’t a 4 hour+ car ride or plane ride away. Travel has always been a special thing for me and having those I love be apart of it and the cultural learning and awareness that has come too makes it even more special. I have a few maybe a lot of trips planned for this Summer and even Fall and some in 2024 and I couldn’t be happier to do them with those that I love. I feel extremely blessed to be able to have such incredible friends and family members who hype me up and vice versa. It truly is a gift.
  • Healthy Lifestyle – Recently, I have started eating healthier. It has been a whirlwind of fear and emotions that have gone into my decision to start diving into a healthier lifestyle, but it has been worth it in the end. Before I made the choice of healthy living, I was always tired and it was making me feel sick and negatively affecting my mental health. I cut out sugar from all of my drinks (including coffee), refuse to eat much sugar, strive to use painkillers a lot less and choose more natural pain relievers, and avoid fried foods more often than not. Needless to say, I feel A LOT better physically and mentally. Feeling better helps us to be our best selves!!

Life has been a whirlwind since my last life of Katie blog post, but everything since then has helped shape me into who I’m meant to become.

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

How I Spice Up My Weekly Routine

A few months ago, one of my good friends asked me how to make a weekly routine that can be so mundane *just* a little more exciting. To be frankly honest, it took me a while to nail down a weekly routine as it can get pretty boring with the 9-5 work days every Monday-Friday. Ever since I graduated from college, I wanted to find fun things to do with my time when I was not on the job. SO, today, I am going to share a few ways that I spice up my weekly routine!

Post-graduation life can be a tough adjustment. Going into adulthood after living in a college dorm/apartment with all of my best friends just doors/an easy walk away was a challenge for me. I felt spoiled having made plans with those in my social circles all the time to having practically no plans at my fingertips. Even though work can take up a bit of my time during the week even after the typical hours of 9-5 from time to time via happy hours, networking events, and professional development, I think it is vital for every person to have a strong work-life balance. The “life” part of the work-life balance can be pretty tricky to navigate, too, especially during a big life transition from the college world.

At the same time, I don’t have a huge interest in night life like many of my fellow peers and, yes, I am 23 as I write this. I have learned that there is MUCH MORE to life than going to the bar every night (DC area bar life culture is big on this) and repeating after the work day or on the weekends. I do go out a bit on occasion, but I prefer to check out the booming Washington, DC foodie scene than anything. However, on the same token, if bars are your thing, then that is GREAT and you SHOULD go enjoy them when and while you can! Read more on my *lack* of excitement on the subject of nightlife here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/10/25/im-23-and-have-no-interest-in-night-life/

The following items are ways that I spice up my weekly routine:

  • Try a new-to-me local restaurant – As previously mentioned, the Washington, DC area’s foodie scene is growing faster than ever before. There are SO many new-to-me restaurants and cafes galore that I want to try! Sometimes, it’s nice to get out of dining at my usual restaurants/cafes and trying some place that is new to me. Trying a new restaurant ALSO makes for some great content on this platform 🙂
  • Take a walk – Whether or not I take my dog with me or go somewhere in the neighborhood or farther away, a nice walk is a GREAT way to clear my head after a long day. Especially as it gets warmer outside, I am excited to check out some new trails and visit some local spots that I rarely take the chance to stop by.
  • Get some coffee – I usually try to go get some coffee at my nearby Starbucks 1-3 times/week. I LOVE the community of baristas at my local Starbucks, as they always put a smile on my face. These Starbucks runs of mine make for excellent work breaks or pick-me-ups after errands.
  • Shop at a different-than-usual grocery store – Sometimes, all it takes is a visit to a different grocery store. Nearby, I have Safeway, Giant, Food Lion, Wegman’s, Aldi, Lidl, Walmart, Target, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods. I LOVE getting to stop by a different grocery store, as I usually place an Instacart order at my local Food Lion (I save A LOT of $$ this way!). At the same time, I always find something so so so magical about wondering the aisles of a grocery store. Even if I have the majority of my grcoeries at home already, it still is fun to check out one of the many grcoery shops near me!
  • Pick up my prescriptions and check out TJ Maxx/Home Goods – I get my prescriptions at my local Safeway near *none other than* TJ Maxx and Home Goods! SO, I always make sure to check out the TJ Maxx and Home Goods right by that Safeway and make such a mundane outing a lot more fun.
  • Watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy while cooking a new-to-me recipe – Every so often during the week, I listen into Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. While I tune into some of my favorite weeknight shows, I usually dedicate some time to cooking a recipe that I have yet to try! That way, I can eat well and enjoy shows that I LOVE.
  • Go thrifting – One of my newest favorite hobbies is …. thrifting! There are A LOT of great thrift stores within a 30 minute drive of my house with several items retailing for under $10 and $15 at the very most. Thrifting is like a treasure hunt, and I find it to be such a blast. More to come on some of my favorite super cheap scores Northern Virginia thrift stores!!!

During the week, it can feel so so so boring once we sign off of work. While it is necessary and healthy and needed to simply have days where we literally do nothing and nothing only, it is also important to find some joy in the mundane. Spicing things up in our ordinary lives simply makes the ordinary … extraordinary!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

A Shapermint Crew Feature!

I have been lucky enough to work with one of my favorite body confidence brands: Shapermint!! On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I am regularly sharing my top Shapermint picks over time. In case you didn’t know, Shapermint is *none other than* a shape wear brand that promotes body positivity for women of ALL shapes and sizes. So, when Shapermint reached out to me about being featured on their site, I couldn’t let this excellent opportunity go to waste!

Read my article here: https://shapermint.com/blogs/news/shapermintcrewlove-series-interview-38

Shapermint’s mission is ALL about empowering others of ALL shapes and sizes, as the intimates brand sells shape wear in sizes XS-4XL. When I was in middle school back in 2011, I remember reading Seventeen magazine and watching women of all ages and sizes, including celebrities and then-First Lady Michelle Obama speak on accepting their body and learning to love it. The magazine’s features on learning to love all of you was such a beautiful start of a body positivity revolution that has grown since my middle school days. Shapermint is literally a brand taking off on Seventeen magazine’s mission back in 2011 and even before then. Let’s be REAL here: girls are mean. And, we are usually are own biggest critics. SO, that all being said, having an extraordinary brand such as Shapermint featuring women of all shapes and sizes learning to love themselves is such a great thing that I hope continues to expand throughout our world moving forward.

Coincidentally speaking, Shapermint emailed me that my feature on their site the day after International Women’s Day aka March 8. I spent my 2023 aka this year’s International Women’s Day at my company’s headquarters helping put together and panel and reception event to honor this amazing day. It was an incredible event, and I am so proud of each of my colleagues and myself for all our hard work that was put into making this event happen. The theme this year for International Women’s Day is Embrace Equity – meaning how can we make sure that everyone has equitable access to succeed? Everyone’s needs are different in the workforce and so is everyone’s body in what they choose to wear and how they wear things. Shapermint is definitely transforming the world of fashion for ALL beautiful bodies and sizes.

I am SO honored to always speak on body confidence and positivity, especially with the iconic Shapermint brand. I have collaborated with several fashion brands since starting my blog in January 2020, but Shapermint has been one of the most special brands and one of my favorites to work with. It is such a compliment to see my hard work come to light and to be noticed by others. And, sometimes, we do not even know who is noticing us. Case in point: one of my fellow blogger friends got some GREAT exposure for her secondhand content. Little did she know, her page had been featured and recognized as a top secondhand content creator in her own city by a popular secondhand account. You NEVER know who is seeing your hard work, whether it be at work, creating content, or in your personal life. Just keep going!!

Read my article here: https://shapermint.com/blogs/news/shapermintcrewlove-series-interview-38

A special thanks to Lina and the rest of the Shapermint Crew for featuring me on your site via this incredible opportunity. Keep empowering others!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

14 Days of Pink Recap!

If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!!), then you probably have seen over the first 14 days of February that I was doing my own fashion challenge: 14 Days of *none other than my favorite color* PINK!!! *Just* in case you didn’t know, my favorite color is PINK, so I had to do a fun fashion challenge to kick off the days leading up to Valentine’s Day wearing all things PINK!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

For my 14 Days of Pink challenge, I wore PINK every single day during the first 14 days of February leading up to Valentine’s Day. As a mega lover of the color pink, this fashion challenge was not challenging for me to find 14 days worth of pink outfits to wear, rather it was fun to be able to style 14 different outfits with pink in it for 14 different days. Those 14 days involved: lounging around the house, working in the office, a Galentine’s party, networking dinners in downtown Washington, DC, and an evening out at a painting bar. So, it was fun to incorporate pink into each of my outfits given the current day’s ongoings. The pieces I wore were ALL shopped directly from my closet which was FUN to “shop” in, too (and, well, my wallet enjoyed it as well!).

Although I did shop my closet for all of my 14 Days of Pink looks, some of the pieces that I wore are still available online AND I have linked them here:

Happy rest of February to y’all!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

My 2023 Reader Survey + Favorite New Set!

At the beginning of each year, I do a reader survey to further position my goals for my platform for the coming year. As my followers here at The Pink Chickadee, I LOVE to hear from each of you to know how to better serve y’all for the upcoming year. If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee if not!!), then you have probably seen me post about my survey!

*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.*

My Reader Survey will be open from February 1, 2023-February 15, 2023. You can take my Reader Survey 2023 here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMR6I2bAZeNSzjyRA_TO9-rqRAulGiskIgEw8ZEeIar17l3w/viewform?usp=pp_url

Purpose: My Reader Survey is a chance for you aka my fellow followers and readers to share what you’ve enjoyed seeing here on my platform and what you want to see moving forward on my happy corner of the internet. It also allows me to collect data on my fellow readers’ demographics, including age range, gender identity, cities in which they live, and where content is viewed. At the same time, I can collect feedback on what content my readers aka y’all like, don’t like, and want to see in the coming year. Year after year, my platform grows and I love to see how my readership has evolved and grown with the times. Knowing all of this information allows me to best serve y’all and, furthermore, best craft my 2023 blogger goals to serve y’all.

As a woman in STEM and more specifically a woman in data science, I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting to collect and analyze data on y’all and use it to none other than y’all’s advantage. This is a moment for me to seriously nerd out over y’all’s responses – LOLLL! I mean, it is SO MUCH FUN to be able to look through each and every one of y’all’s responses and see how I can best serve you. In the data science world, it is ALL about taking a set of data and transforming it into actionable insights that can be best used to serve a purpose. In this case, that purpose is to best serve y’all and develop goals for The Pink Chickadee for 2023! At the end of the day, my blog is only apart of your own world, and I am here to best serve YOU and what YOU feel inspired to find from me and my platform.

As always, thank you so much for taking the time to read and support my platform. Whether you have been here since I started blogging back in early 2020 or started following along just this week, it means the world to me that you have found and taken the time to visit my happy little corner here of the internet. As someone who has become passionate about creating content spreading my confetti wherever I go, I am always happy to share it with y’all: my readers. Now, it is YOUR TURN to share what you want to see moving forward in 2023 and beyond.

To nerd out over ALL of your survey responses, I will be enjoying a nice cup of coffee, watching Netflix in the background with a nice candle all lit up, and wearing my gorgeous and brand-new Silk & Salt Staycation Sweat Set! This sweat set is gorgeous, super comfortable, and great for work from home and lounging or perhaps both. Silk & Salt’s Staycation sweat set was *even* initially a bit out of my style comfort zone, but I am glad I gave it a try. Spoiler alert: I LOVE it!!! Use my discount code KATEFRANCES20 for 20% off your Silk & Salt order using the following link here: www.shopsilkandsalt.com/KateFrances20

Don’t leave yet! You can take my Reader Survey 2023 here until February 15, 2023: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMR6I2bAZeNSzjyRA_TO9-rqRAulGiskIgEw8ZEeIar17l3w/viewform?usp=pp_url

Survey analyzer assistant Rosie is reporting for duty!

Thank you all!!! Much love :)))

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment