Woohoo! April Foodie PenPal Reveal Day!

Happy April 30th! Also known as APRIL FOODIE PENPAL REVEAL DAY!

It really isn’t some major holiday, but I always look forward to sharing some info about the goodies I’ve received! 

I was paired with Sydney (from over at the Alternative Vegan) and she did a great job with some of my favorite things! She also asked some really great questions in her initial email, which I am sure gave her a heads up to the things I liked! :) Also, Sydney is another Hoosier participating in the Foodie PenPals - which was exciting for me! She shipped her box on the 15th, then it was on my doorstep on the 16th! Talk about fast delivery! 

Now for the goodies!

• In the far left corner, that is local SNICKERDOODLE coffee! Holy moly! SNICKERDOODLE COFFEE!??!!? I’m excited to try that ASAP!
• Next to that are the Nacho Bean & Rice chips! I’ll probably pack that for lunch sometime!
• In the jar on the top right, we have HOMEMADE lemon poppyseed granola! I’m stoked to put that with my yogurt for breakfast soon!
• Of course, 70% dark chocolate! SCORE!
• That little bitty bag in the middle is a package of DARK COCOA CHILI coated peanuts! Helllllo awesome!
• 3 packets of Justin’s nut butters! Fun fact, in the two foodie penpals boxes that I’ve sent to people, I have included Justin’s nut butters! It must be an Indiana thing!
• Last, but not least, a package of hemp hearts! Apparently they can be used in smoothies. cereal, yogurt, etc….some of my favorite choice foods!
• And of course, a handwritten  note! :)

Whew! I’m excited to try some of this stuff! I’ve obviously had the Justin’s products before, but none of the other stuff! I like being exposed to new things! :) 

I got to send a box to Kati in New York! I always seem to get paired up with the East Coasters! I think that’s part of the awesomeness of Foodie PenPals, though! 

Interested in Foodie PenPals? You should be! Click on the button below to head over to the website!

I’m not doing Foodie PenPals in May, but hopefully I’ll be back for June! Until then!

3 weeks ago  /  1 note

The start of my 26th year!

So I celebrated my 26th birthday with a quick trip to Chicago! In on Sunday afternoon and out early on Monday afternoon!

It was a whirlwind and it was fabulous. Hopped on the MegaBus and arrived in Chicago just in time (one hour before show) to get a rush ticket to BIG FISH! Following that, I had to go find Brett and then head up north for the show that I pretty much planned this trip for: ASPECTS OF LOVE. Saw those shows, went to Navy Pier, went shopping, went back to Navy Pier, then finally headed back home! Yup, that was a FAAAAAST twenty four hours!

So, let’s talk about the shows I got to see!

BIG FISH: This was a last minute choice on my part! I decided to see this just a couple days before and I planned to get a rush ticket as soon as I got into the city. I’m so glad it all worked out. I got a seat pretty close, Row J, so I didn’t miss ANYthing. 

The BIG reason I was sold on this show was because it is currently headlined by Norbert Leo Butz (whom I saw on the street before the show). Seriously, NLB and the fact that this show is in its “Pre-Broadway” run, made it something I needed to see. Also, it has music by Andrew Lippa, another composer I’m very intrigued by. I have not read the book or seen the movie of BIG FISH, but I’m now a lot more curious. Oh, and did I mention that Susan Stroman is the director/choreographer? I love watching anything she puts onstage. 

Considering this show is still new and changing, I could definitely notice some kinks and things that were still rough around the edges. For example, I was a big fan of the opening song (“The God’s Honest Truth”), but I don’t think it propelled me into caring about the rest of the show. It could easily stand alone and I could see a show choir performing the opening number in the next five years - but I don’t know if it draws the audience in. Now, several critics hated the scene with the witch in the forest that tells the leading character how he will die. I had no qualms with this scene. Super talented recording artist, Katie Thompson, played the witch quite well in my opinion. I liked the song, I loved how the set looked, and I loved the projections on the stage and costumes as well! I also felt that Andrew Lippa penned some great emotional ballads in this one, like “Daffodils” that Edward sings to his love as we end Act One, or “I Don’t Need a Roof” that Sandra sings to Edward as he nears the end of his life.  This is a musical that I do intend to add to my collection once the recording is released!

The BEST part of this show were the production elements! The projections, the water in the orchestra pit, the circus scenes - I loved really feeling like I was a part of Edward Bloom’s stories. It was definitely one of those shows that “takes you away.” 

If you’re in Chicago, GOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I don’t think this is one to miss this year! I’m glad I hurried to the Oriental for that rush ticket! More info at Broadway in Chicago.

(SIDE NOTE: Ben Crawford, who has been a familiar face with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, is in this show! I didn’t know that until I got there! I was so surprised!)

And now, some thoughts on the rarely done show: ASPECTS OF LOVE. This show was pretty much the impetus for this particular trip to Chicago along with my birthday. This is a show written by the super famous musical guru, Andrew Lloyd Webber. I was first introduced to this show YEARS ago and I was always curious about seeing it onstage. When I saw it was taking the stage in Chicago, I made plans to be there for it - considering I have no idea when a production will cross my path again.

Theo Ubique has created a beautiful and talent packed production, but my God, this show is a doozy. If you don’t pay attention to any moment of this show…you. will. be. lost. That’s that. It covers a large span of time, 17 years or so, and it’s entirely sung through. The show is also about three hours long - so don’t sit in the hard chairs. I’m not going to break down the plot here, but it is very interesting…google it.

Any actor in this show has their work cut out for them, but they’ve created something beautiful to behold. The music - the direction, the performance, the overall sound - is absolutely breathtaking. The voices will blow you away. There’s nothing I recommend more from this production…it is ALL in the music. Standout numbers included “Hand Me the Wine and the Dice” and “Journey of a Lifetime,” which was a circus-y number. 

I have to give MAJOR props to the three female leads of this production! WOW. Anytime they were onstage, I could not stop watching. Their voices were outstanding and the casting was absolutely spot-on. Bless them for making something out of this trainwreck Andrew Lloyd Webber piece. 

I’m glad that I can finally say I saw ASPECTS OF LOVE, considering it may not ever cross my path again. But now I know why! :) 

1 month ago  /  1 note

Who likes mail? ME!

I especially like mail that is a bill or junk mail! And that’s exactly what this cool photo is showing off!!

 A few weeks ago Becky (over at OH MY GOSH BECK) put a post up on her blog about a letter exchange! I read the post and I knew I had to do it - I love these kinds of things! Just last week, I got this nifty envelope and inside was a reply! 

I sent a postcard from The Children’s Museum because I think that the postcards are usually pretty cool! She wrote back and put the note in this fancy little envelope! I can’t lie, I’m pretty impressed with this envelope! I’m feeling an envelope folding project coming on sometime soon!

So, I think this whole idea is pretty cool! You should go on over to Becky’s blog and write her a note! She’ll write you back! :)

1 month ago  /  2 notes

When you’re out in public with a bunch of other theatre people

whatshouldtheatrecallme:

1 month ago  /  360 notes  /  Source: whatshouldtheatrecallme

March Foodie PenPals update!

Hey world!

Have you heard of the Foodie PenPals? Well, you should definitely look this up! Check out my link at the bottom of this post for more information and to sign up for this month! 

March was the first time I had ever done the Foodie PenPals program before. I had seen some other bloggers post about it, but had never taken the initiative to sign myself up. So, I decided March would be the month!

Now this is the exciting part - you submit your information and you get paired with someone. However, the name you are paired with IS NOT the person who is sending you a box. So it’s kind of like this:

• Kelsee sends box to Person A
• Person B sends box to Kelsee

I know, kinda cool and kinda complicated, but the organizer seems to have this down to a science by now. 

Now let us take a look at what I got:

Yes, this box of tasty treats came to me and I was very excited!

• Homemade Banana Bread!
• Buckeyes, or peanut butter balls
• Local maple syrup
• Local apple butter
• Two types of peanut butter
• And dark chocolate with caramel and sea salt

Thanks to Debby over at Deb’s Daily Life for sharing some tasty things with me! 

I sent a box to June in New Jersey, so I’m eager to see what she thinks soon!

If you are interested in participating or learning more, please check out the link/photo below:

1 month ago  /  0 notes