Welcome, 2015!

Happy New Year, friends!

This past year has been such a whirlwind, but I'm so glad I've kept this blog to keep track of it all! Illinois, New York, Florida, Hawaii! What a year it has been!

I spent the day ringing in the New Year with my awesome parents, my best friend Kathryn, her husband, and her mom at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Because what else is a Florida girl supposed to do except go to a theme park?

Clearly, Kathryn and I had a blast. There's never a dull moment when we're together! There truly is nothing like starting off a year with your best friend.

I hope your 2015 is off to a great start! I'm off to watch some serious championship bowl games!

XO,
Meghan

I'll Be Home For Christmas

There's nothing quite like being home for the holidays. As dear Perry Como sang, "Oh there's no place like home for the holidays." Between you and me, I think he stole that line from Glinda in the Wizard of Oz, but that doesn't make it any less true!

I am so happy to have had the opportunity to be back in Sarasota for the holiday season. From seeing my kids perform in the Christmas Parade, to shopping with my mom and watching football with my dad, I really couldn't ask for anything more this holiday season!

Happy Holidays from the Sunshine State!
Meghan

Touring Kauai

On Thursday morning my parents and I got up and headed for the Waimea Canyon. My dad stopped at Starbucks for me (what an awesome guy!) and we drove up to see the canyon from the overlook.

Of course, we were up for anything, so when we saw a sign for a blowhole called "Spouting Horn" in Poipu, Kauai we had to check it out!












Up we continued to drive until we started seeing the red clay associated with Hawaii. Then, finally, we made it up and around the canyon for this gorgeous view! The Waimea Canyon is known as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific."

In typical Manahan fashion, Daddy got the best pictures! Check out this awesome shot he took of the waterfall, Waipoo Falls!

After we left the Waimea Canyon overlook, we grabbed some snacks (in Hawaii than means pineapple and mango!) and headed around to see the other side of the island. Fun fact, in Kauai you can only drive around part of the island because the Na Pali Coast National Park doesn't have roads! (Check out more about the Na Pali Coast in my blog post here!) 

But we did come across the Manini-holo Dry Cave! It was one of the most insane things I've ever seen- and I got to walk through it!

It was an awesome day in Kauai! I can't wait for my parents to see the Na Pali Coast tomorrow!

XO,
Meghan

A Day in the Life

On our first day pulling into port, we were delayed by a tropical storm, but we would never let that stop us! A rainy day is choice weather for the Manahan's, even in Hawaii!

So we rented a car and headed off to explore the Road to Hana. As expected, the Road to Hana was much different in the rain than what I experienced in a couple weeks previous. (You can read about that adventure HERE.) But with rain came gushing waterfalls everywhere we turned!

It was positively gorgeous, and because of the rain the roads were pretty empty as well!

Although this wasn't my first trip on the Road to Hana, it was the first time my parents had experienced it, and that was just as fun!

My absolute favorite part of the trip this time around was the blowhole at the black sand beach, Pa'iloa Beach. The water was high, so the blowhole splashed even more water and created a spectacular effect which my father, of course, caught on his camera!

Needless to say, I was pretty soaked after that one! But it was totally worth it! Believe it or not, as soon as we finished our drive along the Road to Hana, I had to perform that night! I had two jazz sets to perform in the gorgeous Skyline restaurant. Luckily for me, my father didn't miss taking pictures of that either!

My wonderful duet partner, Vincent Teschel, and myself

There truly is never a dull day when you perform on the Pride of America!
Always more to come,
Meghan

Seeing Pearl Harbor

The first day my parents got here, I met them bright and early! It was a day that I had always wanted to experience since I was young: We were going to see Pearl Harbor.

Fun fact: When I was in 5th grade, I had an awesome history teacher, Barbie Spraker, and a fierce love of reading. I became irreversibly hooked on books about World War II. My grandfather also served in World War II, and he has always been one of my greatest heroes. To this day, I love to read historical fiction and nonfiction, as well as plenty of biographies. 

It was 7:15am, my Mom was already in line for tickets to the museums, and my Dad was picking me up and buying us coffee.

Pearl Harbor turned out to be an incredible experience, just as I had hoped. We started by seeing the USS Arizona. We took a ferry boat out to the memorial to pay our respects. With our tour group, there were three Navy sailors who I had the wonderful pleasure of getting to speak with. They were in Oahu from Arizona and brought a flag with them that they had raised all over the world. Today, they were allowed to raise their flag at the USS Arizona memorial. 

Luckily, without even knowing the previous story, my Dad was ready with his camera.

We Can Do It!

After we saw the USS Arizona, we headed back to ship for a soundcheck, grabbed breakfast, then returned to Pearl Harbor to see the Pacific Aviation Museum.

The Aviation Museum was awesome. Not only did it have an indoor portion filled with history and airplanes, it had a hangar filled with more aircrafts.

It was incredible. But, this is only the start of a week filled with awesome adventures!

More to come,
Meghan

Hawaii- Manahan Style!

Let’s start this blog out by saying that my parents are hands down two of the most amazing people I know. My parents are creative, funny, loving, encouraging, but most of all, supportive. 

So supportive that they traveled over 5,000 miles to come see me perform on a cruise ship in Hawaii. 

However, for those of you who know my parents, you know that they have never missed me in a performance. On top of that, they have taken pictures, recorded videos, made dinners for me and my castmates, taken us out to ice cream, and generally been the best Stage Mom and Dad ever. (I truly look forward to my Dad asking if he can take pictures of me during that dream Broadway show someday.)

In other words, I am so excited to share all of the truly wonderful adventures I went on during my time with my parents in Hawaii! 

Stay tuned!

Meghan

All Good Things Must End

The Mississippi River
Photo Credit: Chuck Manahan

With this post, I bid the Quad Cities and Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse adieu. I truly cannot believe that my time in this area has ended. I have had such an amazing time getting to know my cast and the midwest!

For now, I am off to drive cross country to my next destination... New York, NY!

Until next time, Rock Island.
Meghan

"So What Else Is Around Here?"

So many times, my parents and I end up somewhere awesome because my Mom talks to strangers. She can, at any time, without warning, begin a conversation about anything. There was no such thing as "shy" for me growing up, because every person along the way was someone new to talk to.

So many times I find my Mom asking, "So what else is around here?"

This time, it landed us in LeClaire, Iowa at Antique Archeology, the home of American Pickers.

Now, my parents and I love antiques. My house is filled with incredible little treasures that we have picked up at garage sales, auctions, inherited, or saved. So television shows like American Pickers are right up our alley. We decided to keep the close proximity a secret and give my Dad directions without telling him where he was going!

Antique Archeology with my Mom (and Starbucks)
Photo Credit: Chuck Manahan

Antique Archeology
Photo Credit: Chuck Manahan

The entire place was filled with picks seen on the show. And motorcycles. Lots of motorcycles!

Down the street in LeClaire there are about a dozen shops all very similar to Antique Archeology... It was hard to leave!

Hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas vacation!
Meghan

Christmas in Chicago

Today my family and I arrived in Chicago for Christmas away from home! We decided to go to the Museum of Science And Industry, a place my Dad has wanted to take me for years and years!

They had an incredible room of Christmas trees decorated for every country, an entire wing dedicated to Walt Disney, and my Dad's favorite... Planes hanging from the ceiling! This museum was stunning and it was difficult to see everything in just a day, but just as every great theme park aficionado would, we made it through every wing!

The entrance at the Museum of Science and Industry

Merry Christmas, bloggers!

Meghan

It's Getting Close to Christmas!

My parents are officially in the Quad Cities! I am so excited to have them see my shows and to celebrate Christmas in Chicago!

You know my dad is around when I have amazing pictures like this for the blog:

Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
Photo Credit: Chuck Manahan

A Christmas Story at Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
Photo Credit: Chuck Manahan

More adventures with my parents to come!
Meghan