Sunday Chit Chat #01

Well babes, it's officially Sunday, the start of a new week.  Last week was also my last week of summer, how sad.  Did you have a wonderful week? I sure hope you did, because I was very fired this past week!  I began school, and even though I've dreaded it, my schedule doesn't seem as bad as the year prior.

I'm so excited to share my week joys with you!  Knowing my summer was ending was an eye opener, and I really was savoring every moment of summer I had left.  Last weekend I really took advantage of my last summer days with my family, including one particularly unique trip.  Here's some of my favorites to share with you today, and have an amazing week. 

01. Book Shopping
I finished The Girl on The Train within two days the other week, and it was one of my most addicting books I've ever read.  I did watch the film, and it was extremely disappointing compared to the book.  So definitely read the book instead of watching the dreadful movie.  Anyway, I went to Barnes & Noble as a result of having nothing else to read. I bought City of Bones, A Darker Shade of Magic, and Ready Player One. All books I'm so excited to read!

02. Finishing Stranger Things
I know, I'm a little late to the party.  I actually watched the first episode months ago and loved it, but I only got Netflix the other week!  I finally got around to finishing the entire series, and I am now so thrilled for season 2!

03. Amish Country
My family wanted to go to Amish Country to get my good food, and so we adventured out.  My gosh, what a change for this city girl!  It was extremely interesting, to say the least.  Seeing a different way of life was educational, and it was such a funny trip, especially since we got lost in the middle of nowhere!

We also stopped by at the Lake beforehand, which I always love doing.

04. Going Back to School
This wasn't a favorite, but it was nice to see my friends again.  It's good to start new beginnings, so therefore in a way it's good to go back to sure. I sure do miss sleeping in, though!

05. New Choker
My favorite choker brand of all time, Gagged Choker's, released a brand new collection the other week.  Gagged Choker's are created my Broadway's princess Jasmine, Courtney Reed, along with some Dresser's I know and love!  They hand make every single choker, and they all are so unique and gorgeous!  I bought the new Aladdin themed one, "Street Rat", and boy oh boy I'm madly in love with it.

11 Things Broadway Has Taught Me

If you haven't guessed it already, Broadway is my life.  Although there are lots of sappy reasons why I love Broadway there are also certain things that it has taught me.  Theatre has been a major part of my life for the past few years and there's nothing in the world that I would trade it for.  I have made so many friends and there's so many things from being in theatre and from loving Broadway.  Theatre has also had a positive impact on my life and I truly do believe that it has guided me in the right direction since I was a child.  Needless to say I would be lost without Theatre and I also know a lot of people would feel this way as well.

Today I'm going to share with you 11 things at loving Broadway and Theatre has taught me.  There's probably a ton more than I list now but these are the essential life lessons I've learned throughout my years performing.   Whether it's from the amazing people and actors I've met to simply performing onstage myself, Theatre truly is the love of my life and I'm very glad to share this with you today

1. We're All Doing The Same Thing
One time a few years ago and my very first voice class, I was extremely nervous when we were warming up our voices.   Then someone said something that I will never forget nor have I ever, "It's okay, we're all doing the same thing".  I often think about this when I'm in a nervous situation or awaiting an audition but I'm very anxious about.  You see is actors we're all doing the same thing.  We're all following our dreams and we're all willing to embarrass ourselves to achieve those dreams.  

Like the cheesy lyrics from high school musical "we're all in this together", and it's true.  

2. Being Brave
It takes an awful lot of courage to get up on that station embarrass yourself, let me tell you. this is actually one of the things I love most about performing.  For simple show you can go out on stage and be someone else, anyone else that you want.  You can create a character in an entire mindset for a completely different person than you are, and that is very special to me.  Theatre has taught me to be brave to go out and do the bold things that I would never normally do in my life

3. Strength
Performers are the most amazing people I've ever known.  Mainly because most actors have so much inner strength in themselves.  It's very painful to go to an audition and not get that audition, and often times some people may feel the need to quit performing.  But the strongest actors will keep on going and keep auditioning and auditioning again until they finally get an audition callback.  It takes an awful lot of strength not to give up.

4. You Are Special
Everyone is unique and theatre has really showed me how many people out there are so unique.  Everyone has a story, everyone has a background, and theatre really brings that all together. Theatre has also taught me that I am special and I am my own person and that I can get up on stage and be myself (along with someone else!).  

This applies to everyone, so always remember that YOU ARE SPECIAL!!

5. Be Outgoing
I have always been a very shy and timid person, and Theatre has really brought out the best of me.  Theatre has taught me to talk up more and be myself more because there is nothing more important than knowing who you are.  Sure sometimes I am a very shy person but usually when I am around my fellow theatre friends and probably the loudest person!  I'm so thankful for us Broadway and theatre making me more outgoing than I've ever been in my life.

6. Find Your Talent
You really find what you're talented out when you're performing.  Maybe you discover you're actually not a great singer after all, but rather a great actor.  You can also find out what you're comfortable doing and what you're not.  If theatre isn't your thing, it just isn't your thing there's nothing you can really do about it.  But it should encourage you to go venture out and find what you are talented at and what you are extremely passionate about, and that is the dream you should follow.

7. You Can Handle it All
Rehearsals can be long and exhausting, and theatre has really boosted my tolerance up.  You can also learn to withstand more drama and more tough situations.  Broadway in Theatre really builds you to be a stronger person than used to be.

8. Be Yourself
There's not a better place for you to truly be yourself, than when you are performing.  You really cannot be the best you can be unless you are being truly yourself.  If you aren't who you really are, then who are you?  

9. Not Everything Lasts
Whether it's post show depression, or you're really sad that your favorite show just closed, nothing ever really lasts!!  Broadway has made me really more tolerant to knowing things are more short lasting than they are long-lasting.  Although it's always wonderful to live in the moment and enjoy every second you have with what you love. One of my favorite shows on Broadway is closing next month, and boy am I going to be depressed!!

10. Stars Are People, Too
Broadway stars are honestly the most sincere and kind hearted people I know.  Sure there is rude ones now and then, but most of them are just absolutely down to earth and grateful for where they are.  I'm actually friends with a few of them and they really taught me how to not be "starstruck" so to say.  If you are ever stagedooring a show, don't be nervous to go up and talk to your favorite actor they love hearing the kind words you have to say to them!

11. It's Another Day of Sun
As a song from La La Land says, it's just another day of sun.  At the end of the day, you just have to keep doing the same thing until you get good results.  You'll wake up in the morning, try your best and follow your dreams, and that will lead you to the life that you want to live.  And when they let you down, you'll get up off the ground, the morning rolls around and it's another day of sun.

My Favorite Free Apps to Use as a Blogger

Blogging definitely requires way more than just writing up a simple post.  Whether it's from editing, planning, or even checking your stats, you're probably going to want a way to do so on the go.  For me, there's some "go to" apps I love to use as a Blogger, and I'm pleased to share them with you today!  All of the apps that I am listing below are free, and my favorites that make it just a tiny bit easier and more organized while blogging.  So here are my favorites and top picks, I recommend you try to use these if you are a Blogger!

Buffer
Buffer is an amazing app that many bloggers I know use.  It is used to schedule tweets at certain times of day, mainly to promote your blog.  You can schedule these tweets to post links to all sorts of different blog posts you've written, that way you don't have to manually do it yourself.  A great way to boost traffic!

Preview
Preview is another great planning app that I use, only instead of Twitter, it's used for Instagram.  It's setup is exactly the same as Instagram, that way you can test a certain theme to see if it works with the rest of your photos or not.

Bloglovin
There's always a conflict with who loves Bloglovin and who doesn't, I personally love the app.  It's a great way to follow your favorite bloggers and see all their new posts on the go.  The app actually did have some controversy over traffic for bloggers in the past, but I still enjoy to use it anyways. You can also connect your blog to your account and your posts with go directly to it after you post something new.  You can also follow my Bloglovin to keep up with my latest Blogpost's here!

Wordpress
I recently switched from Wordpress to Blogger for various reasons, but before I did, I used the Wordpress app a lot.  I'm rarely at home much, so it was very easy to write up a post on my phone and save it in my drafts through the app.  It is also a great way to check your stats if you have a blog through Wordpress!

Twitter

Twitter in my opinion is the best app you can use as a Blogger.  You can be yourself, engage with other Blogger's, and boost your traffic.  It is such a fun app and community to be a part of, and there's all types of solutions to getting more traffic for your Blog.  My personal favorite way to engage is taking part in various Blogger Chat's, and I've even hosted a few myself.  If you would like me to do a more detailed post on how I get my Blog across various platforms, comment below!  You can also follow me on Twitter here.

My Top Dining Spots in New York City

I have eaten at many different types of places and situations in the Big Apple, from sit down restaurants to on the go hot dog stands.  You really have to teach yourself what's good and what's not, this is very important to having the best eating experience in the city.  These places I am listing are one's that I have personally been to, but there are plenty and lots of other great spots in New York, I encourage you to research them if you plan on visiting the city!

IL Cortile - Little Italy

I had the pleasure of dining in this restaurant during my last year's summer trip to the city.  It is located right in the heart of Little Italy, and I went after a "shopping" experience in China Town, which is not far at all.  This restaurant is pure and homemade Italian, with a real memorable sauce.  I myself ordered the Chicken Parmesan, which I remember being delicious.  Though, this is a very traditional joint, be weary.  I happened to check my phone after I finished with my family, and one of the waiter's did remind me of the dinner manors!

Joe's Pizza - West Village

Now this tiny joint in West Village, has been my top favorite pizza spot of all time!  It is a very tight and crammed place, as most pizza joints in the city are!  The pizza is absolutely incredible, and any lines you have to wait in is worth it!  If you are a lover of New York pizza (and lets face it, who isn't?) then this is definitely the place of your dreams.  There is also a little park right across from the joint that is a lovely spot to relax!

Lombardi's Pizza - Lower Manhattan

Lombardi's was founded in 1905, which gives it the title of the very first pizzeria in the United States!  This restaurant serves the best of Neapolitan pizza, and it is one of the finest places in the city that I've been to.  This is a classic that you must try at some point during your New York experience, to get to have the original New York pizza!

Junior's Restaurant and Bakery - Midtown

Junior's is known as the perfect spot to have a bite before seeing a Broadway show, mainly because it is located in the heart of most Broadway theatre's.  I was actually waiting until intermission of Hello, Dolly! (which is in view of Junior's literally) let out because I was going over to pick up playbills.  I decided to stop and have a bite at Junior's.  I had a delicious hamburger, along with the most amazing piece of cheesecake ever.  If you ever visit, you must try the strawberry cheesecake!

Majestic Diner - Midtown

Now this is much more of a breakfast option, but it is an option.  The Majestic Diner was a block down from my hotel, so I stopped there to eat in the morning.  I had the most delicious trench toast, and they had plenty of other delicious looking items on their menu!  I highly suggest it if you need a quick but good breakfast.

Backstage Chats: Grace McLean

Grace McLean has recently made her Broadway debut as Marya in the critically acclaimed Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812.  Based off of an about seventy page section of War and Peace, the story follows young Natasha as she moves to Moscow, and eventually becomes seduced by Anatole, although engaged to another.  Grace plays Marya, Natasha's strict godmother whom her and her cousin, Sonya, move in with.

Grace has been with the show for quite sometime, and it's been wonderful to see the show finally on Broadway.  She also has a band, Grace McLean and Them Apples, which she works with on the side of this Broadway show. Sadly, Comet has recently announced that it will be closing on Broadway on September 3rd of this year.  In honor of the show closing, I   I got the chance to talk with Grace about The Great Comet, Marya, and her band.

1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a performer?

Well the story I like to tell is about when I was in A Christmas Carol at South Coast Repertory when I was 11, and my bloomers fell off while I was dancing with Fred at his party. My "underwear" was literally around my ankles and yet the show went on. And I thought, well this is a great place to face your fears and get a laugh while doing it!

2. What was the first Broadway show you ever saw?

I saw Kiss Me Kate with my mom when I came to New York for a summer high school program at NYU when I was 17.

3. How did you first come across The Great Comet?

I saw the original production at Ars Nova in the fall of 2012 - I had been reading about it everywhere and I love Russian literature so I knew it was going to be right up my alley. I went on the very last night, it had been sold out for weeks, and I just barely got in off the wait list line, and then had one of the most memorable and moving theatrical experiences of my life.

4. Have you ever actually read War and Peace?

I have, twice! Once when I was traveling abroad in college, I wanted some morning reading, so I read War and Peace before class at this little cafe in Amsterdam, and over the course of the 2 months I was there became one of the regulars there. I loved having a "white coffee" and a warm croissant while I read. And then I read it again while we were doing the show off-Broadway in 2013, and so much faster this time! I think because I already had such a strong relationship with many of the characters already, by spending all my time with them in the show.

5. Do you think that The Great Comet is harder to perform than other Broadway shows?

Well, I've never done another Broadway show, but...it's pretty strenuous. It's all stairs all the time, in a corset, in a carpet (my costume is quite heavy), all while singing! All the time!! But, I really do love it.

6. How would you describe your character, Marya?

In the book Marya is described as a dragon woman, and I like to take that and run with it.

7. You truly are one of the real power voices of the show, is the role challenging? 

I love my track because I get to experience a real range. I get to be silly and huge and serious and small and devastated and regal and full of rage and always always full of love.

8. What's your personal favorite number in the show?

Honestly I love In My House, because the momentum of the entire show changes course in that moment, and it's really fun to be steering the ship in that moment.

9. What do you think is the most unique part of the show?

There's so much! I could say that it's all sung through, or that it makes use of all the space in the theater, or that the many styles of the music reflect the many styles of writing in the book.

10. If you could play any other role in The Great Comet, who would you play?

Dolokhov would be fun - Preparations is such a funky jam!

11. How much do you think the show has evolved since it first opened off Broadway? 

It just keeps getting bigger even while it strives to maintain its intimacy.

12. Finally, will your band, Grace McLean and Them Apples, be making any new music in the near future?

Yes! We're still working on a full length album, I'm going to be releasing at least 1 new music video this year, and I'm working on a musical myself about the early life of 12th century mystic Hildegard von Bingen.

Huge thanks to Grace McLean for doing the interview!
Buy tickets to see her in The Great Comet on Broadway before it closes here.

One Year of Blogging

BIG NEWS TODAY!  Today is the one year anniversary of my Blog!  Candidly Darling has officially turned 1!  I've worked hard on my Blog in this past year, and I also began working on myself as well.  Thank you so much for following along on my journey, I absolutely love sharing some of my life with you lovely readers.  It's been a crazy and love filled year, and having this Blog has been a great part of my life thus far.   To celebrate my Blog's birthday, I've written 11 of my favorite moments and memories this past year.  Once again, thanks for reading.

1. New York City - August 2016

In August, around the time I created my Blog, I visited the Big Apple for a year big weekend.  I went to see my favorite singer Barbra Streisand in concert (which was absolutely incredible, by the way) and I also met up with some of my best friends.   My one best friend came in from Sweden to see Barbra, and we ended up seeing Waitress on Broadway together.  It was such a fun and memorable trip that I won't forget anytime soon!

2. Hamilton

During the course of my New York adventure, I ended up getting lucky, and I scored a ticket to see Hamilton on Broadway!  I've loved this show since before it opened, and finally getting to see it was such a surreal experience. 

 

3. Makeup

I only started applying makeup to myself last year, and I must say, I'm so glad I started.  Makeup has become a great passion of mine, and I love making myself up to go out.   It really makes me feel a lot better about myself, and my looks.  

4. Cutting My Hair

I've had long hair my whole life, and last year before my New York trip, I decided to take the leap and change that.  I cut off most of my hair, and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.  I still now have short hair, and it's so efficient that I might never go back to long!  It's also helped me teach myself how to do different hairstyles on myself, too!

5. Twitter Blogger Chats

One of my favorite things about being a Blogger has been getting to know other Blogger's.  What better way, than through Twitter Chats?  I've hosted a few myself, and had fun joining in on some.  They helped boost my traffic, and even better, get some engagement!

6. Broadway Interviews

One of my favorite things I've done on this Blog, is Interview Broadway personnel as a fun little snippet for my readers.  I interviewed Amber Ardolino from Hamilton in Chicago, and Grace McLean from Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812. 

 

7. Memphis - April

My family and I decided to go visit some family members down in Memphis, Tennessee.   It was such a fun trip, and I gotta admit, I was in love with the jumper I wore.  I really hope I can go back sometime soon!

8. Vocal Improvement

Being in musical theatre, my voice is very important to me.  Over the past year, I've realized my vocal range has gotten higher over time.  I used to be an Alto, but now I register as a Mezo-Soprano!

9. New York City - June

My recent trip to New York was only two days, but it sure was wonder filled.  I got to visit my favorite spots in the city, and saw some of my favorite people.  Getting to visit the city is always an amazing trip.  

10. Backstage at Wicked on Broadway

I visited my friend Teale Dvornik backstage at Wicked on Broadway, where she works as a Dresser.  She ended up taking me backstage, and it was my first time backstage ever! It was such a wonderful experience, and I'm so grateful she took me.

11. Backstage at Anastasia on Broadway

Last but not least, I got to visit my dear friend Christy Altomare, who stars as Anastasia herself.  I've been friends with Christy for over a year, and it was so great to finally see her shine on stage.   Afterwards she had invited me backstage, and I finally got to meet her! It was an incredible moment that I will never forget.  

For Good

Happy August loves!  In honor of the entire principle cast members who left Wicked on Broadway this past weekend, I thought I'd write something up to honor them.   Wicked first opened on Broadway on October 30, 2003 at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City.   The show famously starred Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who would become stars throughout Broadway (and even Hollywood).   In actuality, Stephanie J. Block was the first Elphaba ever chosen.  She would go on to be the first Elphaba in the national touring production, and then join the Broadway company later on.

The original concept for the show was a prequel-like story to The Wizard of Oz.   In this story, it is about the unlikely friendship between Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of The West) and Glinda.   We actually see why Elphaba became "wicked" and trust me, you'll never watch The Wizard of Oz the same again.  Wicked is currently the 9th longest running Broadway show in history, but it will most likely someday become closer to that number one slot.  The show also celebrated its 10th Anniversary on Broadway in 2013.

The sensational Broadway musical is based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, "Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of The West".   In 2004, Wicked held a total of 10 nominations at the Tony Awards, and won surprisingly 3 out of its 10 nominations, losing to Avenue Q.   Although today, Wicked stands as one of the most classic Broadway shows that attracts millions of tourists and fans every year.   Wicked also currently has productions touring America, and a production on West End.  

Wicked is a very unique and special show, an certainly is a magical trip to Oz.  I will never forget seeing the show for my 12th Birthday, my parents had gotten me fourth row tickets.  It was an amazing experience that if you have the chance to see it, you most definitely should.  I intend on seeing the current Broadway cast, now starring my friend Jackie Burns.   Wicked is for sure one of the most successful Broadway shows of all time, and it is not to be missed!  💚