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Kate Oczypok

Pittsburgh based freelance writer

Welcome to my world! I am a woman who wears many hats—teacher, photographer and the purpose of this site, writer. I've loved writing ever since I was young and I am delighted to be doing it professionally now. I encourage you to read some of my work below to get a better idea of what I write.

Notebook and Pen

A Bit About Me

My Bio

I was born in Pittsburgh, PA and moved to D.C. for college. After 20 years in the D.C. area, my husband Brad and I moved back to Pittsburgh in September 2022 to be closer to family (and cheaper real estate!).  I currently freelance for various publications in the mornings, teach piano to around 20 students in the after-school hours and do family and portrait photography on occasional weekends. I live just west of the city of Pittsburgh with my husband and dog Thor. I love movies, reading (not just novels, I subscribe to around 10 magazines!), binging TV shows and entertaining friends and family.

Desk with Book
Freelance

My Latest Work

Here are some of my latest pieces.

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*Updated October 2024*​​

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Walmart Yodeling Kid Mason Ramsey is Coming to Pittsburgh​​

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​Charles ‘Chip’ Esten Talks About Creativity, Community, and Coming Home to Alexandria

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This “Cowboy” Chili Is So Good, I Started Buying 6 Bags at a Time

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Bret Michaels, Former Poison Frontman, Dishes Ahead of Leesburg Show 

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The $2 Pantry Staple I’ve Been Buying for 17 Years (Perfect for Nights When You Don’t Want to Cook)

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These Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches Taste Even Better than McDonald’s — And Are Way Cheaper

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Kristin Chenoweth Chats About Her Upcoming Wolf Trap Concert

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National Dog Day: How My Dog Helped Us Find a Sense of Community

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Book cover_edited.png

Today I Feel...

Released August 28, 2022

Many of you remember my old dog, Moe. He was an English Bulldog who was the complete opposite of our current dog, Tito—he was slow, quiet and preferred to just chill rather than play and run around constantly. He was certainly a character too, just like Tito!

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Over the five-and-a-half years my husband and I had him, I took probably thousands of photos of him. I felt compelled to turn them into a picture book for kids to advocate for animal rescue and dog ownership in general. Not to mention, one of my bucket list items to publish a book is checked off! Special thanks to J & I Publishing LLC, owned by a former high school classmate of mine. This never would've happened without her incredible illustrations that helped make my book come to life.


The book is available on Amazon and if you're interested in working out buying multiple copies or selling at a bookstore or school, feel free to email me!  

Image by Nick Morrison

My Writing: National & International Publications

Here are some highlights from national and international publications that I've written for. Want to see more? Get in touch below!

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Better Homes & Gardens:

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The 7 Best Mosquito Traps of 2023 to Keep Pests Under Control

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The 9 Best Dishwashers of 2023 to Cut Down on After-Dinner Cleanup

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The 10 Best Fabric Shavers of 2023 to Make Your Clothes Look Like New

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The 8 Best Bath Mats of 2024, According to Testing

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The 11 Best Patio Furniture Pieces of 2024 to Upgrade Your Outdoor Space This Summer, Tested by Us​

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The 8 Best Patio Umbrellas of 2024, According to Our Tests

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Dogtime:

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TikTok Star Spotlight: Tatum Talks

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Glamour UK:

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How I learnt to love my new body after gaining two stone on antidepressants

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The Good Kid Project:

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Young Sheldon Star an Outspoken Advocate for Rescuing Animals

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Meet the Koala Whisperer, a 13-Year-Old Netflix Star

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Eight-Year-Old Actor Saving Her Money for the Homeless

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Insider:

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The owner of a line of DC restaurants shares how selling inventory, streamlining menus, and upgrading tech helped his business stay afloat — and how much he made from each venture

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Interview with Eataly's Executive VP of North America

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My husband and I dated for 9 years before getting married. I recommend it to those with anxiety

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We love being a mixed weight couple. I outweigh my husband by 50 pounds.

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I thought I had IBS my whole life — it took almost 40 years to discover I had a gluten sensitivity

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I'm in my 30s, and 2 of my closest friends are in their 80s. Here's what I've learned from our age-gap friendships.

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My grandmother just turned 95, and she's still thriving. Here are her 3 secrets to longevity.

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The Kitchn:

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My New Pandemic Friendly Routine that's Just as Good as Going to Starbucks

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The Frozen Pastry at Trader Joe's That's Even Better than Homemade

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This Trader Joe's Staple Freezes Surprisingly Well (and is the Key to Easy Dinners)

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This Trader Joe's Freezer Find I've Been Making on Repeat Every Monday Night

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This Cheese Has Been a Permanent Fixture at My Family Gatherings for Nearly a Decade

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I’ve Used Instacart Exclusively for 2 Years Straight — Here Are 7 Ways I’ve Learned to Save Money on Groceries

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My Mom Shared Her Secret for Easy (and Fast!) Cleanup After Slow Cooker Dinners — and It’s a Game-Changer

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The 6 Best Freezer Finds We Tried in 2022

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The 8 Best Grocery Shopping Tips We Learned in 2022

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These Air Fryer Liners Are a Huge Time-Saver — And They’re Only $12

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The Underrated Aisle That (Finally) Convinced Me to Sign Up for a Sam’s Club Membership

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The $4 Store-Bought Dessert My Grandma Has Been Serving for 30 Years

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Teen Life:

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The Benefits of Taking Arts in High School

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The Lineup:

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The Delphi Murders

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The Disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

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The Unsolved Evansdale Murders of Lyric Cook-Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins

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Livingly:

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Is Your Relationship Ready for a Sleep Divorce?

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10 Things People With Anxiety Want Their Partners to Know

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The New York Times:

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5 Cheap(ish) Things for Cold Weather Running (scroll down for my section as I was the tip of the week)

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You're Tracked Everywhere You Go Online (scroll down once again as I was tip of the week)

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Nicki Swift:

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What the Cast of Clueless Looks Like Today

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The Untold Truth of The Office

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Paste Magazine:

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Food and Drinks Made Famous By TV Shows

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People.com:

 

Who is Anne Hathaway's Husband? All About Adam Shulman
 

Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley's Relationship Timeline

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Reader's Digest UK:

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10 Nostalgic Dishes to Make at Home

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10 Traditional Easter meals to make at home

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10 Easy recipes for back-to-school

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RealSimple.com:

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Why Financial Opposites Attract

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We Own the Laughs:

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Catching Up with Comedian Samuel J. Comroe

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Yahoo:

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These women don't have (or don't want) children. Here's how they handle questions about it.

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My Writing: Local Publications

From Pittsburgh to DC to LA, here are some locally-based pieces of mine.

Check out a sampling of my published articles from local outlets below and get in touch for more.

Image by Kaitlyn Baker
Image by Thought Catalog

The Washingtonian:

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He Brought Me Breakup Pizza

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How I Found My Purebred Bulldog—and Adopted Him

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The Georgetowner:

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Mean Girls Heading to Broadway

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Buttercream Bakeshop: Classic Sweets With a Twist

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Georgetown Boutique Owners Remember Kate Spade

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Art & Fashion Mix at Lynn Louisa

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Jenna & Barbara Bush's "Sisters First"

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Waitress Serves Up Laughs at the National Theatre

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The Office Experience Immerses Fans in Dunder Mifflin

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Have Yourself a Cozy Holiday Season—Without Leaving Georgetown

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This Boutique Gem Has Flourished—Despite Opening Mid-Pandemic

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Ulla Johnson Jumpsuits And Veronica Beard Blazers: What’s Hot At Alexandria’s Favorite Consignment Shop

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This Designer Stationery Store Is Taking Off In A Digital Era

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Broadway’s Megan Hilty Discusses Upcoming Performances in Town, Shopping in Georgetown 

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Jackie's Digs & Dogs

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Summer 2023: When Women Saved the Economy

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Film: Are We Living the Plot of 'Barbie?'

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Review: ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Is Swift at Her Most Grown Up, Mature Sound

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Richie Moriarty of CBS’s ‘Ghosts’ Previews Appearance at Library of Congress

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Northern Virginia Magazine:

 

Comedic Legends Steve Martin and Martin Short on Performing at Wolf Trap, Their Hit Hulu Series, and More

 

Judy Greer Dishes on 'White House Plumbers'

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Caroline Aaron Chats About Final Season of ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’

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How To Build Your Own Business In 2021

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From Christmas Cookies To Roasted Chestnuts, Where To Get Amazing Holiday Treats In NoVA

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The Biggest and Best Holiday Trees in Northern Virginia

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NoVA’s Pets Of The Month: Garrett And Kemler Are In Search Of Their Forever Homes

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These Fairfax County Teachers Journeyed to the Ukrainian Border to Make a Difference

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25 Things to Do Around the DMV Before the End of Summer

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Homeward Trails Rescuers Travel to Ukraine to Work with Shelters, Rescue Animals

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NoVA Pets of the Month: Meet 10 Cats and Dogs Looking for a Home in the New Year

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​Virginia Native Jason Mraz Calls First-Ever Wolf Trap Show ‘Exciting’

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6 Virginia Towns That Feel Like a Hallmark Holiday Movie

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Impractical Jokers’ James ‘Murr’ Murray to Take Stage in Tysons

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Meet Arvind Manocha, the CEO of Wolf Trap

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Ben Platt Talks About New Album, Coming Wedding Ahead of Wolf Trap Show 

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Zooey Deschanel and Zachary Levi to Talk in DC About ‘Harold and the Purple Crayon’

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Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

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Brothers' daily routine inspires kindness at McAnnulty Elementary

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March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month — and the disease is hitting people younger

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Review: Taylor Swift shakes Acrisure with a show for the ages

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Pittsburgh City Paper:

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10 Perfectly Pittsburgh Things You Have to Do at Least Once

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Classic Pittsburgh Moments Millennials will Remember for the Rest of Their Lives

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Pittsburgh native Chloe Rae Kehm "manifested" her dream job in Moulin Rouge! The Musical

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Move over, Pittsburgh Dad, “Cig Mom” is here

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Pittsburgh native Loren Allred is the greatest showwoman you’re about to see a lot more of

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​Kevin Nealon talks caricatures, comedy, and SNL's 50th ahead of Pittsburgh shows​

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Love Island's Kaylor Martin discusses the show, viral fame, and her local roots

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The legendary Sheila E. is throwing “one big party” at City Winery Pittsburgh​

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Interested in learning more? See below on how to contact me.

"I know, you're probably one of those cheerful people who dot their "i's" with little hearts." 

When Harry Met Sally (aka my favorite movie!)

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