MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This year I'm spending Christmas in New York City! I generally visit New York in the summer, so this is a treat. Anyone who knows me knows that New York where I intend on living as soon as I graduate, so I'm incredibly grateful for any time I get to spend here!

Besides being Christmas Eve, December 24 was also my sister's sixteenth birthday. We spent our first day back in the city celebrating both holidays with a trip to Rockefeller Plaza to see the tree, Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular, the Nederlander Theatre for Disney's Newises, and lastly to our friends' house in Washington Heights for Christmas Eve dinner. It was a spectacular way to start off the trip!

Seeing the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City is absolutely something you should try to do once in your life. It's quite the spectacle! The Rockettes were brilliant, as expected. Their precision is especially astounding to me. As a dancer I know how difficult keeping those perfectly straight lines can be or kicking at exactly the same height, but my god, they were right on it. The rest of the cast was impressive too, particularly the other dancers. 

Oh the woe that is being only 5'4". No future in the Rockettes for me, sadly.

Our second show of the day was Newsies. I've been interested in seeing it since it was playing at Papermill, so I was glad to finally get the chance! The dancing was beyond compare. Actually, overall the talent level was incredible, although the storyline was lacking. Still, I was beaming through the entire show, so two thumbs up from me. 

Chances are you've all gathered from my being a BFA MT major that I hope to someday be on Broadway. Trips like this always refresh that dream for me. Every show I see gives me new drive to improve so that I may be on that stage someday soon. I can't wait for the spring semester to start so that I can be in the studio everyday practicing. And in about two years, this city will be my home!

Taking a step away from Broadway dreams, we'd hoped to meet up with some director friends for coffee but schedules didn't quite work out. However we did get to visit some old friends from Virginia and then watch my sister open her presents. And our Christmas pajama tradition continued despite being in New York, hence the above picture. 

Tomorrow I'll be venturing back into the city to visit the Discovery Museum's Spy and Harry Potter (!!) exhibits and hopefully see Les Mis with college friends. 

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas wherever you might be! xoxo

Christmas Decorations, DIY Style

Although Christmas is fast approaching, there's still just enough time to up the holiday cheer with a few last minute DIY decorations! And even if they're not quite ready by Tuesday, you'll be extra prepared for 2013 decorating! I've been running across quite a few lovely decorative ideas over the past few weeks, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorites!

Cardboard Gingerbread House by The Squirrel Next Door

Anna Lee came up with this darling version of the Gingerbread House. This one will last a lot longer than its edible counterpart! A simple but fun DIY for all ages, and think of all the decorating possibilities!

A Matter of Style shared a list of 7 unexpected Christmas decoration ideas, all of which I love. The snowflake mobile and pet ornaments are my favorite though!

These animal figurines turned festive reindeer from Camille Styles are some of the most adorable creations I've come across. Lions and giraffes becoming Rudolph, what's not to love?

Happy decorating! xoxo

The Gang

Wednesday afternoon was spent making and devouring treats, exchanging Secret Santa gifts, and catching up with some very lovely ladies. 

I've known some of these girls since I moved to Lexington in sixth grade, and really became best friends with everyone during high school. We all went to a performing arts school with a pre-engineering magnet program, so these beautiful people you see before you are not only wonderful friends, but intelligent, talented, well-rounded people. We're all at different colleges around the world now (seriously, Lucy goes to school in England), pursuing very different majors (everything from international relations to theatre to pre-med), but we still get together every chance we can. It's amazing to have this group of friends that I can always rely on, even as we grow and change. 

Now I'm getting all sentimental and blah de blah, but I really am so grateful for every one of my friends!

We're also a tad ridiculous. 

xoxo

I Believe in Nargles

First snowfall of the season today! Alas, no pictures, but now it truly feels like December. Yet I was in much more of a Spring mood, so I threw on a few Goodwill goodies from the other day.

I received this charming button from my Final Battle Secret Santa today. I'm a huge Harry Potter nerd, so this was perfect!

And surprise, it matched my outfit! What luck!

Outfit Details:

Dress - H&M
Sweater - Oscar de la Renta

Tights - Target

Socks - Hue

Boots - Goodwill

One thing you can't tell just by looking is how much fun it is to twirl in this dress! So here, have a GIF. 

I spent a fair amount of the day spinning and dancing around to Ben Sollee and Broken Fences. It was a nice change from the Christmas music I've been listening to 24/7.

I've really had some great luck at Goodwill the past few trips. These boots remind me ever so slightly of Natalie Suarez's JETT Boots, which I'm in love with. 

Any fun thrift finds lately? xoxo

Homebody

I've been home for break a week now. It's been a fairly low-key break and I've spent the majority of it sitting at home. It's a welcome break from my usual nonstop schedule, although I admit that I am getting a bit antsy already. Fortunately we're headed to New York in about a day!

In the meantime, I've been spending time surrounded by animals and Christmas presents! Not a bad situation...

Besides my house, I've taken a few trips to Goodwill, where I continue to find lovely sweaters like this one.

Titian aka Tishie was kind enough to pose for some pictures.

Tishie and Piglet definitely beat out the other presents under the tree. 

Home for the Holidays, Christmas Edition!

The semester has ended and I am home for the holidays!

The tree is up and I've been working on Christmas presents for the past few days! 

It really is such a wonderful time of year!

I came home to an advent angel on my door <3

Thanks to my friend Sarah for this beautiful ornament!

Today I had a Panera lunch date with two lovely ladies, Emma and Lucy! It was so great to see them and catch up on each other's lives. Can't wait to spend more time with friends over break.

In non-holiday specific news, I've been to Goodwill two days in a row now! And it really is amazing the things you find when you take the time to peruse the racks. Yesterday I found this khaki dress and some frames for Christmas gifts. Today I discovered an abundance of sweaters, including an Oscar de la Renta one! Such fun!

Oh, and have I mentioned that I'll be in New York City next week for Christmas? I'm so excited to spend the holidays in the city seeing Broadway shows and catching up with friends! And equally excited about the pictures I'll hopefully be taking.

Are you going anywhere exciting for the holidays? Safe travels if so! xoxo

Holiday Cheer from the Super Sophomore Squad

The theatre and dance department's holiday party was tonight and the Fab Four never miss a chance to dress up.

Last year we surprised everyone with our super tacky Christmas sweaters.

This year we had to find a way to top it. 

Sadly, our numbers have dwindled, but we decided to transform into Santa's Super Sophomore Squad and spread the holiday cheer!

Jocelyn Moss as J. Frost

Sarah Hall as Deck the Hall, Sarah

Anna Lee McFadden as Angel Lee

Yours truly as Fa La La Fiona

The Fab Four!

"Samya Claus" (center) didn't have time to finish her shirt but she was part of the squad in spirit!

Happy Holidays all!!! xoxo

Juries

Tomorrow is the dreaded jury. When I audition to be accepted into the BFA Musical Theatre program at my school. Dance call starts at 8:30am, so wish me luck!

My friends Jocelyn, Sarah, Anna Lee, and I have been practicing pretty much nonstop. Hopefully we're ready! 

Even after our 8am Fundamentals final we practiced! That is dedication!

And then we procrastinated with photos...

(Also I feel tall in this picture. And I LOVE IT.)

In a freezing studio.

Juries, juries, juries. AHHHH.

Outfit Details:

Leggings - Forever21

Sweater - Goodwill

Socks - Macy's

Scarf - gifted

More song practice. Singing "Show Me" from My Fair Lady and "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" from Finian's Rainbow.

Hopefully juries will go well tomorrow, as well as my Accounting final, which I've barely studied for thanks to jury stress. Oh goodness, I cannot wait for finals week to be over. THREE MORE DAYS!