Girl's weekend!

photo credit: Nikki Williams

I could tell you about my fabulous weekend with my friend Nikki Williams (soon to be Costulas!!). But instead, I think I'll just share her already awesome blog post here!

New York with Nikki!

Check out Nikki's awesome blog Dream in Neon, her instagram, and her twitter!
Meghan

Back to the Burgh

Remember in my last post how I shared about how wonderful RWS and Associates is?

Well, they're at it again!

Thanks to this incredible office of people, I had the absolute pleasure to drive down to my college town of Pittsburgh, PA for a performance and a visit!

I hadn't been back to Pittsburgh since I graduated, so I was truly jumping out of my skin to see this beautiful city I lived in for four years of my life.

In true RWS fashion, they teamed me up with two of the most wonderful people I have ever worked with! We learned our show in two short days, drove to Pittsburgh on the third, and performed on the fourth! Talk about a whirlwind experience. However, I made sure to get in all of my favorite, albeit touristy, spots on my Pittsburgh checklist.

As soon as we arrived in the burgh, we dropped our stuff off at the hotel and drove through the Liberty Tunnel (You know that scene in Perks of Being A Wallflower?) to "dahntahn Pixburgh" for Primanti's sandwiches.

My Primanti's sandwich was comprised of freshly baked Italian bread, french fries, tomato, coleslaw, provolone, and sirloin steak! The classic!

Michael and Brittany were as in love as I first was with this sandwich! If you're ever in the Pittsburgh area, I recommend it wholeheartedly.

We went to bed early, however, because we had a show the next day! As much as it can be joked about, I love doing children's theatre. It's so magical to have children looking at you, so enthralled by your every word and movement. 

After the show we did some shopping, and I headed to meet one of my favorite dance teachers from college, Miss Maria Slutiak. This woman is a force to be reckoned with! She has four beautiful children and can teach anyone how to land a double pirouette. She's tiny, she's loud, and she has one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen.




Eating my way through Pittsburgh! Primanti's, Pamela's, and Razzy!





Next stop, meeting up with one of my favorite people from college, Bucci! (Apparently he goes by Jonathan now, but I don't buy it!) We walked around one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill, and then we headed to our old college stomping grounds in Oakland for the best frozen yogurt I've ever had: RazzyFresh. I actually can't talk about it for too long because truly, nothing compares!










My last morning in the burgh was the cherry on top of a perfect weekend. I met up with Bucci again, but this time the one and only Ian Sulkowski met us too! We pulled up some chairs at Pamela's, ordered big breakfasts, and got caught up on everything we've missed. (We took some jogs down memory lane, too!)

Then I headed back on the road with my country music Pandora station and my windows down. I hope you all had beautiful weekends!
Meghan

Symbiotic Relationships with Manhattan (part two)

Just when I thought I was out of the woods, New York knocked me off my feet, literally and figuratively.

After a full day of seeing my students around Manhattan, my heart was full. It was a little after midnight, and I was hopping on the 1 train to head home. As I waited for the train, I put my headphones in to listen to the last episode of the podcast Serial. Anyone who has listened to Sarah Koenig tell this story knows how truly gripping it is. After starting the podcast, I began to instagram a photo from my day. This may sound like a lot of things to be doing this late at night on the subway platform, but let me make this clear: I was completely aware of my surroundings.

The 1 came and people shuffled off before I got on. As I entered, I watched a big man in a trench coat and a top hat get on before me and thought:

"I love New York."

Although it was late, the train was decently crowded. I looked around quickly hoping to find a seat. A man to my right shifted over a bit, so I walked toward him and settled in, all with my phone in my hand.

I tapped the screen to work on my instagram photo so I could post it before I lost service. I was choosing a filter when, seemingly out of nowhere, an older homeless man walks by me and punches me in the face.

I was punched in the face by a homeless man on the 1 train.

Now, let's clear some things up. My head was down, focused on my photo, and the train was moving, so he never got much leverage. The incident itself did very little to hurt me physically, however, my fellow passengers on the 1 train jumped to my rescue. Before I could put together what just happened, the same man in the trench coat and top hat ran across the train and yanked this guy away from me. 

After a couple sentences, I found out why he had chosen to single me out and punch me:
He thought I had taken a picture of him.

We've all seen it. People taking pleasure in someone else's plight. This was not the case with me, however, logical Meghan completely understands where he is coming from. No one should have to endure the parasitic relationship this man has dealt with. Although I was unfairly accused and wrongfully attacked, I completely understand where he is coming from.

I made it all the way home without a black eye and was greeted by my awesome roommates, Kevin and Connor, who had Trader Joe's Frozen Mixed Berries on my eye before I could even sit on the couch! Despite the crazy night it became, I'm so glad to have this to tell as part of my crazy New York story.

Stay safe!
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

Back to New York

Watching football on all the screens in Honolulu!

After a full day watching football in the Honolulu International Airport with friends and a long red eye flight from Hawaii, to Chicago, to New York, I am so happy to say that I am officially a resident of land and of the East Coast again!

Flying over Chicago!

My best friend, Kevin, because he's pretty much the greatest, met me at the airport for a very joyous reunion. I think I jumped up and down so much people thought I was crazy. But I am! Crazy happy to be back with my best friends in the city that never sleeps.

Reunited and it feels so good!

The initial rush of getting back to New York after a contract is always a blast. Connecting face to face with all of your friends is such a gift, and I'm so grateful for mine!

From the East Coast,
Meghan

The Boiling Pots

This past Tuesday in Hilo, Hawaii a few friends and I headed to the Boiling Pots. The Boiling Pots is a place located off of the Wailuku River, about a mile and a half north of Rainbow Falls. The Boiling Pots have their own falls, however, the Pe'epe'e Falls.

While this area can be dangerous while flooded, we made sure to go on a bright sunshine-y day! We swam through the first couple "pots" (pools created by lava flow!) until we got to where you can see the waterfall!

Meghan, Billy, and David before swimming to the falls!

Meghan pretending to be Ariel with Abe, the cliff post-mud fight, pre jump,
and Meghan and David swimming to the falls!

Abe was our guide, and we followed him out to the falls! (The Boiling Pots are Abe's favorite adventure spot in Hawaii!) We swam out, walked under the falls, had a big mud fight, and jumped off a cliff into the water! Then we coasted (Heel's Up!) back down the falls with the current. We were WIPED after, but what a blast!

After our day of adventure's in Hilo, we all went to a "family" dinner at the Skyline restaurant on board the Pride of America! I love these boys! I can't believe our adventure time is about to come to a close!

XO,
Meghan

  

Maui Ocean Center

One of the greatest things about living in Hawaii is getting to see all the beautiful wildlife that lives all over the islands. Turtles, fish, dolphins, and chickens live in perfect harmony with the natives and are highly protected on the islands. 



In that spirit, a few friends and I headed out to the Maui Ocean Center to learn more about all the beautiful inhabitants of the water we sail through everyday.





Hands down, my favorite wildlife in Hawaii are the green sea turtles, or, in Hawaiian, the Honu. These little (and big!) guys are just too cute and so much fun to watch play in the ocean. At the Ocean Center, they have interactive feedings where they feed the turtles a combination of spinach, seaweed, broccoli, and kale! (These guys definitely shop at Whole Foods.) This little guy is only two years old!




Only a little while longer to enjoy these beautiful creatures and the landscape (check out those palm trees in the aquarium reflection!) before I head back to big city life.

Aloha!
Meghan

The Na Pali Coast

One of the best things about working onboard the Pride of America is the wonderful people you get to meet who work onboard with you. I have made friends in many departments... That includes the Captain!

Captain Kjell calls me Dorothy because I sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow in our show
Lights, Camera, Music!

We have two Captains that alternate on the Pride of America. Captain Kjell Nesheim, however, has become very close with Production Cast as he makes a special effort to see our shows every week!

Every Friday onboard the Pride of America, we cruise past the Na Pali Coast. The coast stretches 17 beautiful miles on the North shore of Kauai. Many movies, including Jurassic Park, has been shot here and when you see it, you know why. I cannot describe it in any other words but breathtaking and otherworldly. It is definitely a highlight of our cruise.

Fortunately for myself and my fellow castmates, after our afternoon performance, Captain Kjell invited all of us to the Bridge of the Pride of America to see the Na Pali Coast Line.

The valley in this picture is the Kalalau Valley, only accessible by hiking or boat. There are no roads to access the Na Pali Coast.

















We even caught a rainbow on this cruise... Perfect!

Seeing Na Pali every week never gets old and having a new vantage point was a true treat. Captain Kjell is a gem, and I can't wait to see him when he gets back from vacation!

The singers with our Captain!

I hope the pictures I took captured some of this beauty, but there is truly nothing like seeing it in person. Definitely something to add to your bucket list!
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

New York, It’s A Helluva Town!

It’s official! After driving through the United States in the coldest weather seen in hundreds of years... I am a resident of New York, NY! This is so cheesy, but I truly have been dreaming of saying those words for as long as I can remember. The first time I stepped foot in this city, I knew I was home.

I’m so thrilled to be getting into the swing of things. Even just the little things, like buying your monthly Subway pass, make all the difference.

So look out New York, I’m back! And I mean business!