Next to Normal

My last show of the season, probably. I may get tickets to Mamma Mia, but this was the big one.

Next to Normal is a musical about loss, depression and love. It's about the toll that depression can take on a family. It's a beautiful musical and I don't want to give too much away. If you have a chance to see it, SEE IT. You won't regret it. 
 I was fortunate enough to see it twice. Once with Pearl Sun, Alice Ripley's understudy, and once with the Tony winner herself. Both women were amazing, and the show was incredible.

Some favorite lyrics:


"You square all the corners, I straighten the curves. 
You've got some nerve, Henry, and I'm just all nerves." - Perfect for You 


"Day after day,
Give me clouds, and rain and gray.
Give me pain, if that's what's real.
 It's the price we pay to feel.
The price of love is loss,
But still we pay.
We love anyway."- Light 

I also met a lot of the cast! They were so sweet, especially Curt Hansen, the tour cast's Gabe. He was too funny.  Pardon my hair, it was drizzling and a mess outside!

Emma Hunton, who plays Natalie. Her voice is INCREDIBLE and she totally steals the show.

Asa Somers, who plays Dan. Again, awesome voice. Super nice guy. 

Curt Hansen, the N2N tour's Gabe. Isn't he a cutie? I love this picture. He was too funny.

Jeremy Kushnier, who plays the Doctors. He was super nice.

Preston Sadleir, the tour's Henry. He is so much like his character, which is a compliment if you've seen the show!

All in all, I loved it. I'd see it again in a heartbeat and encourage you to see it if you can. This cast is incredible. If you've never stagedoored, I'd also encourage you to try it. It's so much fun to meet the people behind the characters!

Musical Theater

I've been really lucky in that I've been able to see some incredible shows this year.


Charlotte is such a great city. I love that shows sell out here. I love that we're having our best theater year and building more museums than ever. I'm proud to be from Charlotte.

Anyhow, when I talk about seeing these shows I want everyone to know that I paid for every single ticket and that I appreciate the fact that I am able to see them. I know that tours don't go to small towns and that not everyone can afford these tickets. Just know that it has brought me great joy in a tough year and I really do appreciate every second I spend watching live theater.

I saw In The Heights literally days out of the hospital. I missed my original performance and had to get different tickets. This show means so much to me because of that. I relate to Nina because I felt like such a failure leaving school. I love this show so much and Lin-Manuel Miranda is somewhat of a personal hero.

Spring Awakening Round Two. It was so different this time, and I remember just needing it to not end. This musical is the reason I love musicals. So beautiful. I met most of the cast and Jenny and I had such a great time. I was really sick for this one too, and it came at a really good time.

I saw this one with Abigail, and I haven't laughed this hard since. Oh my goodness. We had back row seats but loved every second. I can't say enough about Avenue Q as far as originality. If you get a chance to see this, go see it whether you like musicals or not.


Tomorrow I'll see Next to Normal. I can't wait. I'll definitely post about it.
I'd love to do a Broadway playlist too. These are just the musicals I've seen in 2011. I've seen a few more and watched a few musical movies, and just listened to a few cast recordings.  What are your favorite musicals?

Essie Collection

Oh, how my tune has changed.
Let me tell you a little story. A few years ago I wanted a bottle of dark purple polish and the famous OPI Lincoln Park After Dark was out of stock at my Ulta. So I grabbed an Essie polish. It was sticky, tacky, goopy and gross. A bad bottle. I assumed it was the BRAND, and at $8 a bottle I swore off of Essie forever.
Thank goodness for Danielle and Beauty Forum. Well, my wallet would beg to differ.
She convinced me to try another bottle and I am hooked. They last longer, and have a much better selection of colors. I'm more impressed with the collection every time I look at it when I go to Ulta and I'm happy with the 8-10 days of wear I get out of my at home mani/pedis.
I've bought 7 polishes in about 2 weeks. Oh my gosh, that's scary considering they're $8 a bottle. Ulta has been running those Buy 2, Get 1 free sales... I'm such a sucker! Already planning my next 3.
Here's what I've bought:

Lapis of Luxury

Splash of Grenadine

Cute As A Button

Funny Face

Tea & Crumpets (current mani)

Super Bossa Nova (current pedi)

Your Hut or Mine

What should I get next? I'm dying to grab Tart Deco, but my Ulta doesn't have it. I'll probably grab another three because I have $9 in points at Ulta so with the Buy 2, Get 1 Free I'd get 3 for less than the price of 1. I have an addiction, you guys!

Nineteen!

It was a great birthday. Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes and for celebrating with me :)  We didn't take many party pictures (whoops!) but here are a few.

We made Cake Pops and had chocolate fondue. SUCH a great combo!

 

My big birthday gift this year was a Michael Kors watch. Totally in love!

Eighteen

As of midnight tonight, today is my last day as an eighteen year old. I can't help but feel relieved. I don't want this to be a post of complaints or rants, but anyone who knows me understands what a difficult year this has been. To recap a little bit, I thought I'd make a list of what my 18th year has been like:

• My last summer at home. Tense goodbyes, sweet moments, great trips. 
  
• Leaving for Asheville. Saying goodbye to my best friends, my team and my family. 
• Losing my roommate (whoops) starting classes, struggling to make friends and feeling out of place.
• Getting shingles only a few weeks into the school year
• Getting a Crohn's flare and struggling to go to classes
• Getting shingles again
• Leaving Asheville for good
  
• Finishing school from home
  
• Deciding to transfer to Queens. The best decision I made all year. Knowing I'd finally be at home. 
• Getting shingles two more times (that makes 4) and being hospitalized
• Seeing In the Heights, Spring Awakening, and Avenue Q... falling in love with musicals completely. 
  
• Being pulled off my meds
• Doing a whole semester at home without school  
• Going to the Caribbean with my family, having 2 weeks of perfect health
  
• Getting sicker and sicker
• Summer classes
• Finding out my disease has progressed to the worst point it has ever been, restarting meds
  
• Starting Beauty Forum with Danielle
  
• A week later starting Bicoastal Beauties in Prep Talk

I really hope that didn't sound like complaining. I am truly grateful for the support I've had this year. I know that I am on the road to recovery and that hopefully I'll be on my way to college this time next month. It has been a tough year, and I'm glad to kind of tie it up and be done with it.  I will say that because of all the medical madness I have been fortunate enough to be able to find out a lot more about myself. I also was able to transfer schools, which never could have happened without the time off.  Here's to hoping 19 is a little sweeter, a little more normal and a lot less medical.  I'll send this year off with some pictures of my favorite moments. 

My 18th birthday party

Family at the Beach last summer

Julian and Eric (not pictured) came to visit Hannah T and I while we were at the beach :)

Virginia trip at the Newseum!

Dorm room in Asheville

Goat in Asheville, one of my first days.

The creek behind my dorm in Asheville.

Courtney Markowitz of Spring Awakening. She played Ilse, and was lovely.

Jenny and I with Christopher Wood, who played Melchior.

Jackson, Graham and I in New Orleans.

My father and I in New Orleans

Relaxing on the beach at Maya Chan in Costa Maya, Mexico.

Our family on the cruise.

A parrot on my shoulder in Roatan!

Starting Beauty Forum and Writing for Prep Talk... I can't even begin to explain how much fun it has been. I love makeup and I love blogging, so combining the two has been amazing.

Here we are, back at my birthday. Here's hoping 19 is a fantastic year! 

Red, White and Beautiful

Happy Fourth of July! 

May your makeup be as patriotic as your heart is!

Just a few little goodies. These could all be worn together because the lip is super sheer (trust me) and the eyeliner is more navy than true blue. Make sure to check out the extended Red Lips, Blue Tips Bicoastal Beauties column at Beauty Forum! 

MAC Fluidline in Waveline

Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15

Philosophy Frosted Animal Cracker Shower Gel

Grace Lamb gets a new look, finally!

Goodness, I was so tired of pink and navy.
Don't get me wrong, I love those colors. They're all over my room. It was just time for a change.  Green and purple are two of my favorite colors.
I'd like to thank Rachel Dawson, one of Danielle's friends, for designing my header!
She's got a few blogs, so make sure you go check them out:
Musings, Ramblings and her Tumblr.

Thanks again for the help, Rachel!

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend.
Oh PS- slight name change. Lost the Becoming. Didn't need it :)