This Is Slowly [quickly] Turning Into A Monthly Thing

The last time I blogged I had a lot of exciting news. I mean, exciting for me... Maybe not for you. I hope it was exciting for you. I feel like I have finally returned to the real life now that my month of vacationing is over. I am, however, feeling rested and grounded after having been absent from the real world for so long. It doesn't make life any easier but at least I feel more prepared for it. 

Things that have happened that I may or may not elaborate on:

1. I spent way too much time at the beach

2. I saw Evan!

3. I moved into a new apartment in NYC

4. I'm in a show

If you know ANYTHING about me, you know that when I say that I "may or may not elaborate" on something, it means I WILL elaborate. Stop, stop, your clapping and praise is just too much. 

I Spent Way Too Much Time at the Beach

I was literally gone for a week when I was only supposed to be gone for two days. It was a tad absurd but I feel like every person needs a period of time to themselves in order to remain sane. I missed about a dozen auditions and most of me didn't even care. Granted, when I can't get a theatre job I'm sure I will care but right now, it was one of the best decisions I have made for myself in awhile. I so badly wanted a hair wrap but that didn't happen. Atlantic City boardwalk does not offer hair wraps. What is UP with that. It was a great week besides that and it sure passed the time until.... 

I Saw Evan!

It was a truly magical two weeks. But really. We had so much fun and I can't help rubbing in how great our time together was. I will save the mushy details. For those of you who don't know, I spent a week at Evan's parents' house in Carlisle, PA and then him and I went on vacation to San Francisco! Let me start this little saga by first telling you about Carlisle, PA. It's a super-cute, small town in western PA that houses a lot of little gems that I got to experience in my time there. Dickinson College is in Carlisle and their campus is huge! It's also really beautiful. One of my favorite days was when Evan, his mom, and it went hiking through this wooded area up to the top of this huge mountain. The name is currently escaping me as I type this in the backstage area of my show but I'm sure I will find out soon what the name of it is. It was really hard climbing all the way to the top especially at one point, we were literally rock climbing up this large mountain. I was also sweating like a PIG! And there were bugs. Lots of bugs. But we got ice cream at the end of it so it was all worth it. The power also went out one night while I was there so I really got the camping experience. One of my favorite nights there though was one night when we decided to build a fire in the backyard (in a firepit, no worries!), sit in the hammock, roast marshmallows, and have a couple drinks. We sat in the hammock together for hours. I think I will forever remember exactly how I felt that night whenever I get stressed out- it was one of the most relaxing moments I have had all year. At the end of the week, we packed up our stuff and hopped on a plane to San Francisco. But this was no ordinary flight... No, no... Evan surprised me with first-class plane tickets! Guys, first-class is so nice. I don't think I will ever fly first-class again, but it was magical. It was sooooo wonderful that I think everyone should experience it at least once in their life. We were literally drinking cocktails at 8am. That's not even an exaggeration. I can go through every single day that we spent in San Fran but that would be way too long. I will give you a list of things to check out if you're ever there though!

1. Do a wine tour in either Sonoma or Napa. We did one in Sonoma through Green Dream Tours [in case you need a suggestion] and they were awesome. We tasted so much wine that day and they drove us around. It was pretty perfect. 

2. Visit Fisherman's Wharf if you're not already staying there. We stayed in that area and it was really nice. A tourist trap, but very nice. 

3. Go to Buena Vista Cafe and have one of their famous Irish Coffees. They claim that they invented the Irish Coffee. I'm not too much of a fan but they were awesome according to Evan. The best part about the bar/cafe is that they encourage you to sit with people you don't know. We sat with a very nice group of people and we all became great friends by the end of the night.

4. Scoma's and Boudin Cafe are two really great restaurants in the Wharf that I highly recommend.

5. The Castro is a fun part of San Fran to visit as well. It's known for its gay population but there is an awesome cookie place out there called Hot Cookie. There are also a couple really great bars out there. 

6. Go to the Science Center on a Thursday night! They close down the museum and open it from 6-10pm for those 21 and over. They sell drinks! Like, alcoholic ones. What is better than walking around a museum [it has an aquarium, too!!] whilst drinking?! It was amazing.

7. Check out the food market at the Ferry Building on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings. We bought some really nice cheese and bread and paired it with one of the wines we bought on our wine tour. We had a great lunch that day.

8. Also check out the piers at the Wharf. They have great activities for families as well as young folks like us. They also have some cute little shops if you're interested in shopping.

9. DO NOT miss riding the trolleys either! They are such a tourist attraction but it's so fun to hang off the side of them as they barrel down the streets of San Fran. 

All in all, there is a TON to do there. We went during one of the coldest months though. The locals say that the best time to go is in September/October since those are their warmest months. It was nice going in July but it was cold enough to warrant buying a new jacket. 

I Moved Into A New Apartment AND I'm In A Show

Oh boy. These tie into each other since both are/were happening at the same time. I am currently doing a show in Allentown, PA while traveling back and forth to NYC to move into a new apartment. The past couple days were absolutely crazy but I need to give a big shoutout to Zach Weirich, my roommate, for dealing with this change and finding us a really great apartment without any of our input! Hahaha yay Zach! I would just like to say, though, we are finally moved into our new apartment on 171st and Amsterdam. We have tons of unpacking to do but the apartment should be in really great shape fairly soon! The show is still going as per my comment earlier about sitting backstage. It is called Nunsense Jamboree and is one of the million sequels to the original Nunsense Musical. It runs until August 17th at the Pines Dinner Theatre in Allentown, PA so come see it because I'm a nun. Never thought that would happen, eh?

That's all for now, anyway. Hope everyone is enjoying summer!

Until next time...

Laura

Oh I didn't see you there!

Hey everyone!

Well it looks like I missed the opportunity to tell you that tour ended! About two weeks ago, in fact. Many apologies. I was going to write a new blog post as soon as it happened but then I found myself completely lost in the world. I had no idea what I was doing for two weeks straight. I would wake up not knowing where I was, what to eat for lunch, or how to maintain my hygiene. So it's probably a good thing that I didn't see many of you during this time period. I can't tell you what was going through my mind in the final week of tour because I just don't remember. It was all a blur. But what I CAN tell you that it completely affected my outlook on life and my career. 

Things I learned while on tour:

1. Living in close proximity to a small amount of people is very hard

2. Making decisions is necessary in life and SHOULD be made

3. Traveling is awesome

4. It is important to be flexible- in decision-making and thought 

5. Always locate the nearest urgent care and Walmart- they will be your best friends

6. Being a relatable and kind human being goes a long way

7. Always say good morning- it starts the day off right

While tour was fun many days, it will also insanely hard. Remembering to wake up in a positive mood every morning was hard- especially on days that started at 5am. But that positive attitude is what saved many terrible days. We, as a cast, got through a lot of our terrible days like that. And then again, we got through many terrible days WITHOUT that (but those were much more unbearable). We had a lot of fun though, and I have a TON of pictures that makes it look like I lead an awesome life. 

But now it's back to normativity. Which is actually really hard to assimilate into after leading a nomad life for six months. I suddenly realize how much of the "real world" just doesn't matter. I have also realized that working my butt off for no money and not having a day off to actually gain my sanity back is no fun. I am definitely making changes to my life- I'm choosing to LIVE instead of pretending to live by just surviving. Does that make sense? The world has enough workaholics. I want to focus on being sustainable AND happy. It's funny how in this world, we make it our goal to be "blank AND happy". As if both are not typically the norm. My goal this summer is to make both the norm for myself. Because I deserve it, dammit. And you should want to also! Because I want you to, dammit! 

Changes I have made for ME:

1. I don't have a set schedule at work yet- I am just substitute teaching swim lessons right now

2. I got a NYC recreation center membership (it's only $25/year for those of us under 25) so I can go swimming regularly 

3. I'm setting time aside to play my uke every week

4. I'm promising to take myself on a vacation or mini-vacation or getaway as often as I can and as much as my bank account will allow

5. I am promising myself that I will [try to] stop worrying so much about money because money comes and goes just as the waves in the ocean come and go

6. I will [try to] stop stressing about things out of my control in general

7. I will remind myself every day of what I DO have in my life RIGHT NOW that makes me happy

I have now stepped off of my soap box. 

In other news, I see Evan in one week and two days. That's 9 days for all you math people. I cannot believe it's been six months since I saw him last. It doesn't seem like a lot of time when you put it into the grand scheme of life but not seeing someone for even a week can make you sad. I feel for all my girls and guys in long-distance relationships right now. It's not easy for anyone. My mom still says she misses my dad even when he goes on a business trip for a few days. However, "absence makes the heart grow fonder". And that is true. My heart is very fond. 

In order to pass the time quickly this week, I am covering a few shifts at work, working on my uke skills, and Diana Spieller is in town for her birthday!! So this weekend will just be a blur of glitter and sunshine. Oh, and it's pride week. That could be where the glitter is coming from. I will be at Pridefest on Sunday and I hope you will too. I also hope you say happy birthday to Diana since she is great. 

Until next time...

Laura

P.S. Should I change the title of my blog now or.........? 

I'm in the newspaper... Twice in one week!

So an impromptu little post here... Wanted to share some pretty cool news with my blog fans. I have been featured in the newspaper twice this week! Wanted to share the articles since I feel pretty honored. The first feature was because of the Freddy Awards... For those of you who do not know what the Freddy Awards are- they are like the Tony Awards for our local area high schools. When I was in high school (which seems like a distant memory now... *sigh*), I was nominated for four years and got the opportunity to perform alongside the other wickedly talented nominees. I also participated in the opening number for about three years. It was truly a fantastic experience and I am STILL friends with a lot of the students that I got to perform with. This year, the newspaper wrote an article about a young man who is about to join the "elite group" of young people who were nominated four years in a row at the Freddy Awards. I am surprised A. that they remembered me and B. that they kept record of that since it happened so long ago. What a cool honor to have bestowed on me. I still like to think that I hit my performance peak in high school and this just proves that I will never be better than what I was in high school (jk...!!!) Anyway, the article is worth a read! Thanks to Mrs. McDermott who cast me in all the roles I got nominations for. She truly made me into the performer I am today. Hats off to theatre and drama teachers everywhere. 

Read the article here: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/freddy-awards/index.ssf/2014/05/freddy_awards_2014_daniel_youn.html

The second article I was a part of was in the Morning Call. Kathy Lauer of the Morning Call was cool to write an article about me coming home to perform at Parkland High School (though they were considered rivals of ACCHS, I still think of them as home). My cast and I will be performing on Friday at 10am and 1pm (not sure if there are tickets still available for the 1pm). If you know my mother, you probably know that she bought 20 tickets in order to get the group discount for my show. I'm pretty sure she is almost out of available tickets but if you are interested in tickets, comment below and I can try to help a brotha' out! Or sista'! 

Read the article here: http://touch.mcall.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-80244338/

Until next time...

Laura

Local Show Dates

I know I said I would include the show dates at the bottom of that last post but I forgot... so here is a separate post for them!

Friday May 9

10am

Paper Mill Playhouse

22 Brookside Drive 

Millburn, NJ

May 15

9:30am and 1:30pm

P.S. 205 Clarion

20th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY

May 16

1:30pm

Peters Elementary School

4055 Friedens Road

Slatington, PA

May 22

10am and 12pm

Lincoln Theater

200 Bloomfield Avenue

West Hartford, CT

May 23

10am and 1pm

Parkland High School Auditorium

2700 North Cedar Crest Blvd

Allentown, PA 

***MY HOMETOWN DUH***

May 28

10:30am and 12:30pm

The Keswick Theatre

291 North Keswick Ave

Glenside, PA

May 29

10am and 12:15pm

Bergen Performing Arts Center

30 N Van Brunt St

Englewood, NJ

May 30

10am and 12pm

Tarrytown Music Hall

13 Main St

Tarrytown, NY

June 13

9am and 10:30am

P.S. 8

3010 Briggs Ave

Bronx, NY

We officially end tour on June 15! I hope to see some of you at these future performances since it is coming to a close so soon. We also have a couple non-local shows for those outside of these areas. If you would like to know about the other locations, please comment below! 

Until next time...

Laura

Hello, old friend...

It is incredibly difficult to keep people updated on your life when they constantly want to know so much about what's going on. I haven't even had a chance to talk to my own mother in the last week let alone ALL my adoring fans.... This highly anticipated post will definitely be worth your time, I promise. I like to keep everyone on the edge of their seats by not posting for a month at a time. Hence my waiting an entire month to update. 

Truth is, life has been crazy hectic but I have managed to have a little fun on the way. Since the last post, we have been performing all over the tri-state area. (Thank you to those who have attended performances!) To those of you who still want to see the show, we still have local performances coming up (schedule included at the bottom!) 

April went by incredibly fast. I think mainly because we had so many local shows but also because we had a "mid-tour" break for a few days. It was soooo nice having a vacation from the show. I spent the break at home with my family and ended up being able to see my newly-married broski for Easter dinner. For those of you who did not know, I gave up sweets for Lent this year and it was one of the hardest sacrifices. Giving up sweets is ESPECIALLY hard when your entire cast eats sweets in front of you on a daily basis. But I RESISTED the temptations and came out on top- meaning there were only two times that I broke down and actually ate sweets (sorry, God)-but I DID IT. Then on Easter, I got an incredible basket of treats from my parents and ate cookies until I couldn't fit into my jeans anymore. All in all, it was a much-needed period of relaxation. 

Since then, we have been in and out of NYC pretty much every week. We have been to VA (where I saw some family members who came to see my show!! Thanks, Aunt Jo and Uncle Eugene!), MD, and PA. Being in and out of NYC has been great, though, since I've been able to see my roommate Zach. I have seen him more in the past couple weeks than I have all year with both of us having completely opposite schedules. A couple weekends ago, we decided to have a date night and go see Les Mis on Broadway. Boy, it was good! Casting choices were a little wonky for certain roles but Ramin (Jean Valjean) definitely deserved his Tony nomination. All in all, it was a great show (a show that I not-so-secretly want to be in). 

This past weekend, though, we had a day off in Syracuse, NY. We took the opportunity to travel to Ithaca, NY to visit the local farmers market. It was a very windy day but the sunshine made up for it. I also had the opportunity to get my mom's Mother's Day gift! (For those still not aware, Mother's Day is on Sunday!!!) I was also able to see a good family friend and her children, and spent the afternoon with them. After spending time with their lovely family, I met up with Natalie, our stage manager for the show and my now good friend. Together, we explored the Ithaca Commons. The coolest bookstore, Autumn Leaves, resides there. It is in this place that I bought a book about our astrological signs and how they affect our health. I haven't gotten through much of the book but from what I've read, I can tell it's going to be amazing. I was never one to believe in that "hippy-dippy" stuff but it's actually pretty cool how much stuff is "coincidental". If you know anything about me, you know that I am a hypocondriac. I am constantly thinking something is wrong with me, or that I'm sick. WebMD has become my best friend/worst enemy in the past couple years. My parents are constantly yelling at me about diagnosing myself on WebMD which is why I'm convinced that I bought this book to try and help me become less dependant on technological remedies. From what I've read so far, the book describes sickness being more from the mind than from a bug. I feel like my mom has probably told me this a million times but it only takes one time to finally realize it! Proud of me, ma?! Long story short, positive thinking is where it's at! 

That's about as exciting as it gets, folks. Evan and I are gearing up to see one another (in July) and even sooner than that, I will be home (in Allentown) for performances! One more month left of tour and I cannot believe it is almost over. Exciting changes are coming up though. Zach and I are planning on moving to a new apartment and I have been looking into some old jobs and some new jobs. I also plan on taking up a new hobby- synchronized swimming!!!! WHAT!!! I will be sure to keep everyone updated with the synchro swimming developments as they happen. WINNING. 

I would also like to dedicate this blog to Lo since in a few short days, she will be discontinuing her journey with us on tour. I am so very sad to see her go but I know this is her time. And just like the willows blow in the wind, so shall Lo be blown in the direction she is meant to go in. Lo, if you are reading this, I made that up. But also, I will miss you immensely. 

Until next time... I leave you with some photos from the past month.

Laura

Best friend, Jennifer Wysong, came to see my show!

Les Mis for date night with Zach.

OMG I FORGOT TO MENTION. We met Mike Thaler, the author of Teacher From the Black Lagoon! He also signed my book (picture to follow once I get a picture of it). Funny story- I almost cried while he was signing my book because I was in such awe. What a great experience!

My little LoBa. Here's to you. 

Show Dates

As promised... Though one day late because, let's be honest, when have I stayed completely true to deadlines on this thing...

April 7

10am and 12:15pm performances

MAYO Performing Arts Center

100 South Street

Morristown, NJ

April 8

10am performance

Kupferburg Center for the Arts

65-30 Kissena Blvd

New York, NY

April 9

10:30am performance 

Town Hall Theater

123 West 43rd Street

New York, NY

April 10

10am performance

Memorial Auditorium at Montclair State University

1 Normal Ave

Montclair, NJ

April 11

10am performance 

Garde Arts Center

325 State Street

New London, CT

April 15

10am performance

Monmouth University- Pollak Theater

400 Cedar Ave

West Long Branch, NJ

That's it for the really local shows! Will update more for my NY and NJ friends once we get the rest of our tour schedule. Ex should be around the NY/NJ area more often throughout the next three months! Contact me if you plan on coming to a show and I will see about comp tickets since we get them at most venues! 

Until next time...

Laura

And in the Blink of an Eye...

... Almost a month has passed! Where did the time go? I can actually answer that in a few short paragraphs... Actually, I can't promise they will be short. They might be. But I haven't planned anything. As I sit in my NYC apartment, listening to Spanish rap music, I write this. 

The last time I wrote, I was just finishing up the Midwest portion of our tour! We are [almost] officially halfway through tour! That weekend, I sprinted to my brother's wedding. I say sprinted because I did just that- sprinted... And yet, still missed the ceremony. I literally missed it by about five minutes and as I ran up the church steps fully made-up and clad in LuluLemon gear, I was greeted by my entire family who did not seem mad that I was late, but rather entirely too happy to see me. This is one of the many reasons I love my family. In case you didn't see it on Facebook, I was late due to the fact that my plane was NOT running on time like I had assumed it would be. And you know, when it rains, it pours- I hit tons of traffic going from the [Philadelphia!] airport to the church because it was RUSH HOUR. Anyway, an hour later and I am sprinting up the church steps. This show has definitely conditioned me for doing quick changes because I ran into a back room with my mom and we got my dress on, hair fixed, and make-up retouched in under two minutes. 

Formula for a fast quick change:

1. Don't think

2. Make sure you're wearing very BASIC layers

3. Already have a make-up and hair base A.K.A. Have it already started because then all you need is a touch-up

4. Lay out the outfit you are changing into ahead of time

Long story short, I made it just in time for pictures at the church and the reception (which is a huge party- who wouldn't want to miss that?!) The bride and groom, of course, looked fabulous. And the party, of course, was phenomenal. Wine was pouring, people were dancing, and many pictures were taken (as promised). The next day was not so hot... But being hungover and being at home where my mom can take care of me wasn't so bad. 

The day after, it was back to NYC! For those of you wondering- I am currently back in NYC though I will be in and out for the remainder of my tour. For the next two weeks, however, I WILL be in the NYC area and therefore staying at my own apartment, which is wonderful but also super weird. My sublet and friend, Kevin, was kind enough to let me stay in my own room on days that I have to wake up at the crack of dawn (which is most days). What's weird is the fact that I have been living out of a suitcase filled with the same clothes and the same amenities for the past three months. Now I'm coming back to my apartment that contains a ton of junk that I just simply don't need anymore (or at least stuff I have realized I can go without). I think this may begin the phase of my life entitled "Only the Necessities". That is, when I stop denying the "True Life: I'm a Hoarder" phase. If you ever think you don't have enough stuff, you should try living out of one suitcase for awhile and then come back and see how much stuff you REALLY have. I'm sure my tour friends can attest to this. It really makes you feel first-world. 

In conclusion, I'm in NYC for the most part and going through some stuff so if you need/want something, I most likely have it and you should get in touch. Or I mean, you could just get in touch since I'm horrible at communicating [said the blogger]. 

I will be posting a schedule of our local shows in two day's time. Almost hard to believe since I never post two times within the same month anymore. BUT YES ITS HAPPENING AND YOU SHOULD BE EXCITED. 

I'm pretty sure I wanted to write about something else...

OH YES. In case you couldn't tell from my disgustingly cute Instagram and Facebook posts, I have an awesome boyfriend. He is a marine (but shhhh don't tell anyone [except everyone knows]) and he is going on his first deployment this year. For awhile we weren't sure when he would be leaving (because the military is constantly changing their mind) or IF he would even be allowed leave before he left. Well after months of anticipation and unnecessary pessimistic planning, he just got word of his leave!! He will be coming back East to spend time with his family and I for the first two weeks in July! You know you're in a long- distance relationship when the slightest mention of seeing your person makes you insanely happy; even if it's three months away. (And since you probably haven't done the math in your head, when I see Evan in July, that will have been SIX MONTHS since I saw him last). Even if him and I end up in the same place in the future, I hope that feeling never goes away. I always want to have that feeling of anticipation and happiness for the person I love even if I'm waiting for them to come home from work. That just seems so special to me and kudos to those who still have that (my mom and dad, for one [or two if you want to get technical]). 

It must be spring because romance is definitely in the air. (I stole that from a horoscope). 

Until next time...

Laura

Marc and Telaina!

"Let's take some photos that make it look like I was here!" - me

My date, Courtney (Telaina's cousin), and I 

My wonderful parents

The cutest cousins in the world

The day after the wedding............

The boyfriend. 

From Pittsburgh to Michigan to Geocaching to St. Patrick's Day

WOW. It has legitimately been a month since my last blog post. In other news, Happy St. Patrick's Day! (Look at the bottom of the post for some fun facts about the holiday)

We have done A LOT of traveling in the past month- drove many miles, saw a lot of snow, took a myriad of pictures, ate more food than I have eaten in the past year, and made a lot of new friends. I am going to try and recap most of these adventures as best as I can. In addition to all these  adventures, I have picked up a new hobby, which I think everyone should at least try once (no fear!)

So after we left Pittsburgh, we headed back to the Midwest for the next part of our tour. The week of February 24th, we headed to Ohio and then to Wisconsin. It was in Onalaska (not Alaska), Wisconsin that I re-discovered my love for yoga. I have done yoga before but I decided to be adventurous and take a hot yoga class. I am always weary of hot yoga since I have a history of being dehydrated and passing out... my parents will remember this one: I passed out at my Confirmation practice in grade school from dehydration- I don't remember most of it but I do remember throwing up in the bathroom and my dad bringing me home. So you can imagine my hesitance. I decided to go through with it, though, making sure to hydrate A LOT the night before. Let me just say... it was a fantastic class! If you are ever in this quaint, historic town, check out the Root Down Yoga Studio (which is actually in La Crosse, WI but it's a quick drive from Onalaska). After that we headed to Iowa and Illionois both of which did not boast much except when we passed through historic Galesburg, IL for dinner. We stopped at the Landmark Cafe and Creperie which is known for..... dun dun dunn.... its CREPES! What was surprising about this place, however, was not its crepes (which were very very good), but its polenta. My mom has made some awesome polenta dishes and this restaurant was able to remind me of home. I had a polenta meal with mushrooms all over a creamed spinach sauce with white wine. SUCH a great meal in a surprising place. On March 8 (my mama's birthday!!), we began a mini Michigan tour. Michigan has been great offering a lot of nice people and good food. I won't get into my recent bed bug episode at a Red Roof Inn in Southfield, MI but I will say that it was traumatizing and I definitely washed and inspected every item I brought with me on tour. I am proud to say that I am bed bug free.

 

But the real city to talk about in Ann Arbor! If you ever get the chance, visit this wonderful town! Ann Arbor hosts the University of Michigan but it is most known for being one of the most liveable cities in the US. This city has been compared to Paris in terms of food- it has some of the best and most restaurants per square mile. We ate at the Jolly Pumpkin- which I would highly recommend. They are known most for their craft beers and their homemade pizzas. 

The city is also known for its fairy doors (yes, I said that correctly). Jonathan B. Wright (children's book author) is believed to be the builder of these doors. The doors began popping up in 2005 and seven of the ten original fairy doors still exist in downtown Ann Arbor today. **Look below for a picture of one of the fairy doors outside of the Michigan Theater** 

Along with our adventures in Ann Arbor, I picked up my new hobby- geocaching! There is a free app for it on smartphones which I would recommend if you have never gone geocaching before- it's a great intro!

ge-o-cach-ing

noun

1. the recreational activity of hunting for and finding a hidden object by means of GPS coordinates posted on a website.

My castmates, Dakota and Kane, decided to embark on this adventure with me yesterday. We found 4 geocaches and it was one of the most exciting things I have ever done (SEE PICTURES BELOW OF ALL THE FUN I HAD).

In the next week, we will be making our way back East, hitting up Toledo, OH and Chicago, IL. Then at the end of the week, my brother is getting married. I am so grateful that I am able to make it back for the wedding (keep your fingers crossed that no one schedules more performances for Friday!!!!) I am thinking positive though and I'm sure I will have a HUGE blog post about the wedding. I already know I am going to be crying like a baby at the wedding and I know someone will get pictures of it specifically for my blog. I'm finally getting the sister I have always wanted! Congrats to Marc and Telaina- I can't wait to see you both and celebrate with you on your special day!

Until next time...

Laura

I promised a couple facts about St. Patrick's Day...

1. St. Patrick's favorite color was actually blue

2. This is the day of St. Patrick's death

3. St. Patrick was not actually Irish- he was Roman Britain but was captured and brought to Ireland as a slave at age 16

4. The St. Patrick's Day parade was invented in the US

5. St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in space twice

Lake Erie

The Michigan Theater put us up on their marquee!!

The fairy door at the Michigan Theater. Coffee cup and wallet shown for size**

Cute bookstore in Ann Arbor! Yes, I can read!

My first geocache was hiding in a tree! AND it had goodies in it. I didn't take anything but I DID add a little bag of throat coat! 

You are required to sign a log once you find the cache. Someone was JUST there on March 3! Pretty cool, huh?

Kane, Me, and Dakota celebrating our second find of the day, which was also hiding in a tree.

How to Make the Most of Your Hotel Room and other stories...

So I have really slacked. You don't need to tell me twice. However, this is my thing and I can do with it whatever I want! I did miss blogging for the last two weeks though. So much has happened... I am now another year older... And maybe wiser? Also, it was Valentines Day on Friday! Where has the time gone this past year?! 

****If you feel so inclined, tell me what you got for Valentines Day in the comments below!!****

In other, other news! I'm in Pittsburgh! My heart is so happy. I realized that my heart was full that Friday night we got there. First of all, I visited a great friend, Chris, at his place of employment in Shadyside and then my cast and I went to dinner at The Elbow Room. Wine flowed and food was eaten in honor of Valentines Day. But I didn't realize how much I missed Pittsburgh until I was indulging in Pamela's on Saturday morning. My cast and I spent the morning (well, what we consider morning) at the Strip District. If you reside in Pittsburgh, and you have yet to see the Strip District, you are missin out. Besides providing everyone with fresh (and inexpensive!) produce, there are also little shops mainly for aesthetics. Some of my favorite places to stop in to are: Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop- which also provided a trip down memory candy lane; Pittsburgh Popcorn Company- you should consider going in on the 21st since they will be selling nutella-covered popcorn that week; Pittsburgh Macaroni Company- all the Italian goods you could ever want, AND the freshest mozzarella you can find in Pittsburgh; and of course, Pamela's- which, if you've never been here then you need to unsubscribe now (if you haven't even subscribed, then shame on you!) Anyway, as I stared at the wonderfully melting chocolate and banana hotcakes sitting in front of me, I realized how much of an infinity I have for Pittsburgh. I never actually thought I would miss what used to be "my city" for four years so much. BUT I DID, SO GO FIGURE. 

I know I promised a post about making the most of your hotel room... But I think I'm going to end up telling you all the stuff I have ended up buying whilst on tour so far... And their prices. Because, hey, it's tax season. 

Contact solution double bottle: $16

That awesome vintage purse (every girl NEEDS a purse): $19

A phone wallet thing: $10 (at target and they were totally cute)

Oxi Clean Crystal Burst Laundry Detergent Power Packs: a pack of 27 for (legit) $5.99. These are especially awesome for traveling since most hotels DO have their own laundry. These also don't freeze in below-zero weather.... Who knew....

A file folder: for important documents that would otherwise get lost in my suitcase... $1 (target, duh!)

A laundry bag since dirty clothes take up a lot of space sometimes: $3 (target once again)

A Brita water bottle: get this... It has a filter INSIDE the water bottle so when you drink out of it, you are drinking filtered, clean water! Technology, people... $14.99

Some clothes: Which I will NOT tell you how much that cost me...but I CAN tell you that whatever I bought was totally cute and totally worth it.

I didn't buy this ON tour but I got it as a Christmas present from my thoughtful boyfriend: a portable humidifier which I'm pretty sure was only like $30-$40. It has been a God-send especially if you are a singer. You put your water bottle in it and it lasts pretty much all night. It also pumps out A TON of purified cool air to keep you hydrated all night. It's great! 

A plastic plate: $1 (TARGET). Most food places give you leftovers in non-microwaveable containers so having a reusable plate is actually very convenient. 

Lavender glade spray: $3.99- not only good for bathroom use, the smell of lavender is associated with relaxation. 

I think you should all feel honored that I shared my expenses with you. If anyone feels so inclined to help me with my taxes, please feel free. 

Anyhow, I'm going to get back to enjoying my evening with my parents (who are in town!!) and finishing work. Looking forward to seeing your comments below about everyone's Valentines Day!

UP IS ON RIGHT NOW ON ABC FAMILY OMG GO WATCH IT NOW!

Laura

Also this...

How Time Flies...

WHEW! What a week! I can't believe it's been 8 days since my last post. I missed you all terribly. I've been missing a lot of things lately- sleeping in the same place for a good amount of time, home cooked meals, my family, my lovely roommate (Zachary). I do, however, LOVE the traveling. This is the first time in my life that I have been nomadic. When I think about it, I don't technically LIVE anywhere since my room in NYC is being subletted. It's kind of a weird and exhilarating feeling. I say this only three weeks in to tour but I truly think being on the move might be good for me- granted, I definitely miss having a kitchen to cook in seeing as how there are only so many times I can go to Taco Bell in one week... Or one day... 

Enough with sad things! My birthday is in 5 DAYS. Money orders will be accepted. Just kidding! That's pretty much all I wanted to say in this section.

Our first stop of the week after Missouri was Joliet, Illinois. I HAVE to talk about the theatre we performed in because the people there were so nice. The Midwest houses some of the friendliest people on this earth and I'm so glad we began our tour in this area of the US. We had a three-show day that day including a load in AND load out of the set (basically it was a LONG day). But it didn't even feel like it. They were so kind in helping us load in our set and they gave us lunch (Jimmy Johns for the win!) They also decided to theme the evening performance as a pajama party! Yes, everyone participated. Yes, I brought my stuffed elephant. Everyone in the audience was also in their pajamas. Haha fun! 

We have been traveling between Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois this past week. We decided to visit Duluth, MN where we hit up a local restaurant that made homemade beer! Man, we are finding some great beer here in the Midwest. After we gorged ourselves on burgers and beer, we found ourselves at an antique store (which, if you know anything about me, I would buy the entire store if I could... Or a bunch of teacups). Alas, I found no teacups that I could realistically transport from hotel to hotel... HOWEVER, I DID find a reLly cute leather purse with a flower pattern imprinted on the outside. I will include a picture since I promised my mom that I would. The best part of it is that I got it for $19! It's in really great shape, too. Ahhhh vintage purchases. To round out the day, we popped in to a chocolate store (OF COURSE) and we picked up some delectable treats. I was craving cheesecake like crazy and of course this place had chocolate-covered frozen cheesecake! WHAT!? I would include a picture but....uh... I ate it before I even got a good look at it. 

Following these couple of days, we did a lot of traveling, I thought I had bed bugs for like a second (it turned out to be spider bites which were acquired at the theatre we worked at for the last two days, and we basically just ate all week. But today was momentous because I fulfilled one of my bucket list items. We went to the Mall of America in Minneapolis! It was actually pretty magical. A couple of us even rode the roller coasters. Best part was that there were NO lines because of the weather (tons of snow and low temps). We also had some time to go shopping a little... I mean... It's the MALL OF AMERICA. After that, we had a five-hour drive to our current location, Grand Rapids, MN. We are staying in this really cute, historical hotel called the Sawmill Inn which, yes, sounds totally hokey but actually is pretty cool. It's complete with an in-hotel restaurant and indoor swimming pool. Also by some stroke of luck, my cast and I were standing outside of our rooms trying to decide where to go for dinner when a pizza guy was looking to deliver two pizzas to "Larry in room 114". Well. "Larry in room 114" apparently didn't exist so the pizza guy returned to our rooms with pizzas in hand. He only charged us $15 for the $25-worth of pizza that was supposed to go to "Larry in room 114". So the 6 of us enjoyed discounted but AMAZING pizza and then went on to go swimming in the indoor pool and spend some time in the hottub. It's been a pretty solid day. 

As for tomorrow, it's another three-show day. But let's all take a moment to rejoice in the fact that on Sunday we only have one show AND we were promised that we would be out in time for the SUPER BOWL. Don't expect any live blogging on that day because I will probably be eating and drinking some beer. 

Til next time, folks. 

Laura

Up next... How to Make the Most of Your Hotel Room

The restaurant we ate it in Duluth that makes their own beer AND their own root beer!

The Mall of America!!

The wonderfully inexpensive and functional vintage purse I bought in Duluth! 

Adventures in Missouri Part Deux

So it was impossible not to blog about a day off... especially in this awesome city. St Louis is quickly becoming one of my favorite places based on the events I experienced yesterday. 

Our day started at 10am when we left the hotel and traveled to the Gateway Arch in downtown St Louis. While there, we stepped into the visitor center which had a museum about Westward Expansion (constructed in 1965, the Gateway Arch was built as a symbol of westward expansion- it's a reminder of the link between the east and the west). The museum was pretty interesting complete with animatronics so real, they looked like they were seeing into your soul. It was creepy. They also had a gift shop where I got postcards (for you, mom...). 

After the arch, we made our way to a restuarant, the Tap Room... as you can probably guess, they are known for their beer selections. They make all of their beer at the location! Their burgers were also awesome, and I heard their mussles are not to be missed. If you're ever in the area, you need to check it out. 

There's nothing better than running around like a five-year-old after you have eaten your body's weight in food at The City Museum. I will muse about this pplace for the next five minutes and TRY and explain how spectacular and cool it was. The pictures I took will never do it justice- it HAS to be experienced. I will try my best, though. The City Museum is one of the few places in this world where there are virtually no rules. "Housed in the 600,000 square-foot former International Shoe Company, the museum is an eclectic mixture of children’s playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion, and architectural marvel made out of unique, found objects. The brainchild of internationally acclaimed artist Bob Cassilly, a classically trained sculptor and serial entrepreneur, the museum opened for visitors in 1997 to the riotous approval of young and old alike. Reaching no farther than municipal borders for its reclaimed building materials, City Museum boasts features such as old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile, and even two abandoned planes!" In addition, the museum also houses enchanted caves which lie underground (and can only be found through certain crawl spaces!) There were also about a dozen slides that led to different floors including a 10-story slide that you had to take spiral stairs to (about 150 steps; my thighs were BURNING). There was ALSO a half-pipe course that we parkour'd through. It was SO HARD to leave this place, but alas our time had come to an end after two hours of running around. 

After nap and relaxation time at the hotel, we went to the Chocolate Bar on Park Avenue. This restaurant sounds exactly like what you think! It's all desserts. YES DESSERTS. For the sake of inducing jealousy, I shall tell you what I ordered: A grilled cheese complete with pesto, roasted tomatoes, gruyere, cheddar, and mahon cheeses; a Bailey's brownie sundae, and a glass of Moscato. It was one of the most decadent meals I have ever eaten. 

THAT WAS MONDAY.

I would end it there, but we had a snow day yesterday!!! Another day off... how magical. Yesterday consisted of pampering, shopping, and all around female bonding time. It's amazing how much one can spend when tempted with so many wonderful stores. I also got my hair cut (nothing special... just had to get the chlorine cut out of my hair from all the swimming I have done in the past couple months). 

Today was also nothing spectacular but we DID have two shows today with awesome audiences! It also happens to be our last night in Missouri so we decided to celebrate a great stayby going out to a nice dinner. We went to a sushi restaurant called the Drunken Fish which had some of the best sushi I have ever tasted (I got the spicy tuna rolls but I was also brave enough to have begged for a taste of Lo's White Tiger rolls which were recommended by our waiter; and boy, were they good!) After dinner, Lo (our tour guide for all things St. Louis) had one more St. Louis specialty for us to try: The Gooey Butter Cake. I think if everyone tried one of these, the world would be a much happier place. Paired with a double espresso, I was ONE HAPPY CAMPER. These delighful treats are a mixture of butter, cream cheese, sugar, LOVE, HAPPINESS, and some other things, and can come in a variety of flavors. We went to Park Coffee on Park Avenue (right down the street from Chocolate Bar). Park Coffee offers about 76 different varieties of Gooey butter cake AND they deliver worldwide! SO GET THEM. http://parkavenuecoffee.com/content/gooey-butter-cake <<<There's the link in case you want more info. 

Congratulations if you made it this far in the post! Tomorrow ends our time in St. Louis and I am sad to see it go but we had some awesome shows, really wonderful food, and some experiences I will never forget. We will start tomorrow with a double show day and then we travel to Joliet, Illinois for a THREE SHOW DAY on Friday. 

Our tour goes on. Til next time, faithful followers. 

Laura

An artsy representation of the arch. Yes, I took this myself! Thanks, instagram! Follow me @melchioreo

My roommate and castmate, Dakota and I at the arch.

The Tap Room!

Like I said, the picture doesn't do it justice but the entire building is devoted to this museum! And the outside is just a huge jungle gym!

My castmate, Kane, in one of the two abandoned airplanes at the museum. 

My blog would not be on its way to awesome without proof of my love for elephants.

Giant whale that you can walk through to get to another corridor.

HUGE dragon slide and another view of the outside jungle gym.

In the Home Stretch: A Tutorial About Touching Your Toes

Hi there! This is Laura, Laura's cast mate. But you can call me Lo. 

I spent many years as a dancer, and I've spent many years as a 'not dancer.' I know a whole lot of stretches. I'm going to share a few of my favorite-and most accessible-ones that I've thrown into my bag of tricks over the years.
Besides preventing injury and releasing those nasty toxic build ups, stretching also brings clarity of mind and emotions, which is extremely valuable to performers. I'm not talking about the hippie dippy stuff. It's very scientific. 

If I do a "drop down" (see picture 1) all that gook in my nasal passageways that gives me headaches when I wake up, starts breaking away and my sinuses are immensely grateful. Thanks gravity! 

Or if you take a look at my modified "Halasana pose" (picture two) you will find the kinks in your neck and lower back mutually grateful. I find this modified position more of a passive stretch, great for meditating, as opposed to the active stretch that touches your toes down to the floor. Can someone say intimidating, stupid head person in yoga class? Alas, I was never meant to look like a human pretzel/funnel cake because lord knows I've pulled a few muscles in my
 neck trying to do that stretch so I stay away from it. Although, I would never admit that to Miss Pretzel Funnel Cake. 

Another favorite for mind and body stretching is Picture 3, which has a very clinical title called the "arm against the wall stretch". This stretch is magic for performers, especially singers, because it reaches many muscles in the arms as well as the chest. For me, this stretch gets a pressure point that lives on the inside of my armpit that an ex-professor lovingly called the "cry spot". And yes, poking it hard can bring tears. But stretching it out feels oh so lovely. Don't push too hard in this one though; too much pressure is bad for the shoulders.
Just two more favs, and I will speed up with these two. 

A sitting squat (picture 4) is a must do for actors. It grounds you to the floor and opens up those tight feeling hips. And for you non-performers, let me tell you, after a long day of driving or sitting at your desk, doing this stretch will hurt so good, it will make you feel free like a bird afterwards. Make sure you reverse your arm/shoulder positions as well so both sides feel the same stretch. 

Last but NOT least: the tendon stretch (picture 5). This is great for women who adore high heels, or people who are planning on doing a bunch of jumping/dancing/running around. This stretch is deceptively simple. The key is to relaaaaaaaax. I was doing this stretch wrong for ages, but now it's one of my favorites. You will feel your Achilles pull taught and all those little muscles under your calf will sing (sometimes very loudly). Remember this stretch is not about the calf. The calf gets so much attention it should just shush for a while! Seriously, ladies in heels, after a long day, try this. If you have a history with sprained ankles and tendons, try this before active play. It will help! 

I hope you found this blurb useful! Please feel free to reach out with any questions/comments, especially if you'd like to know about modifications of these stretches!

xo,

Lo

Picture 1

Picture 2


Picture 3


Picture 4


Picture 5

Adventures in Missouri!

This blog post will probably be short since the cast and I haven't seen too many Missouri sights yet. HOWEVER. We ARE in Missouri! Today was a double show day (see what I did there with the title?) Which means-for all you non-theatre folk- that we did two performances of the show today. Let me say first-- THANK GOD we ran through the show last night since there was a lot of it I forgot (hopefully my director doesn't see this...) during our four days off. The theatre we are performing at is SUPER nice as well with a lot of backstage and onstage space. They also provided us with a crew to help unload our set which is a luxury that we usually will not encounter. They ALSO gave us lunch! WHAT! 

The theatre we are currently performing at and will be performing at for the next week is the Florissant Civic Center Theatre in Florissant, MO. Pictures included down at the bottom! 

We have a THREE show day tomorrow which will be interesting. But we also have a meet and greet after our last show. Boy, those kiddos are always so cute! Today we had a ton of kids responding to what we were doing onstage (whether they were prompted to or not) but that is the BEAUTY of live theatre. Most times I wish all shows could be interactive- it brings a sense of reality to the work- but also gives the audience a chance to be a part of what is going on. 

This wouldn't be an actual blog without a rant about theatre once in awhile. Anyway, spending the evening relaxing and watching "Easy A" with my roommate before a three show day tomorrow (I may go crazy). 

Tomorrow I will be handing the blogging reigns over to one of my castmates, Laura "Lo" Babiea, who will be writing a guest post tutorial about stretching because health and fitness is also a part of this blog. Look at how awesome this blog is! Also a quick shoutout to everyone who has subscribed to the blog. 

Keep spreading the love, I appreciate it!

Laura

Up next... In The Home Stretch: A Tutorial About Touching Your Toes