"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

Halloween For (not quite) Grown Ups

Happy Halloween!

Personally, I have always loved Halloween. Fall is my favorite season, people give you free chocolate, and you get to play dress up! It's always been a blast. Even through college my friends and I have dressed up and made an effort to celebrate Halloween with our inner children.

This year, however, I wasn't sure how Halloween would go. Luckily, my cast likes to do crafts and play dress up as much as I do, so I was not disappointed.

We decided that we should be the Golden Girls for our Halloween rehearsal!
Thank you for being a friend...

Later that night we got ambitious and carved Disney Princess pumpkins! 














Mine was Belle, of course!

Hope you all had a wonderful Halloween!

The Next Adventure

Life here in Rock Island is off to a very busy start!

Photo credit: Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse

I arrived in Illinois on the 23rd and began rehearsals with the cast right away! This cast is wonderful already. Everyone is older so there's no drama and the dishes are always done. The show has an audience on November 6th (that's nine days away!) and we've actually made quite a lot of progress in the short time we've been here!

Photo credit: Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse

Above are pictures from the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse Facebook page taken on the first day of rehearsal! There are ten kids in the show and they are so sweet and talented, albeit rambunctious!

The adults, including myself, all live in the Actor's House together, which is basically a gateway to practical jokes, late night laughs, and quick friendships. It's been a blast so far! I'm looking forward to more pictures of costumes and adventures to come!

More to come,
Meghan

Monday Music: Foy Vance

For fear of killing you all with my girly country Music Monday last week, here is a new artist with a completely different sound.

This Music Monday is dedicated to Foy Vance and his new album Joy of Nothing.

I first found Foy Vance on Amazon MP3's Artists on the Rise. If you have never enjoyed the beauty of Amazon's MP3 site, prepare to be amazed. He had a free download of his song "Closed Hand, Full of Friends." I fell in love at first download, went directly to Spotify and found the whole album. 

Foy Vance is originally from Ireland but grew up in Oklahoma. He has been said to be  similar to Van Morrison and Tom Waits, but he definitely makes his own sound. He has toured with Ed Sheeran, and you can totally tell. In fact, the two sing together in the song  Guiding Light on the Joy of Nothing.



So go check Foy Vance out on Spotify, grab his song off of Amazon, and enjoy this up and coming artist.

More to come, 
Meghan

Music Monday: Jana Kramer

So I thought I'd start a few "regular" things to add to the blog!

Today, I want start a "Music Monday" to encourage myself to keep discovering new music instead of listening to my favorites on repeat. (Although, I'll probably share some of those too!)

Today's Music Monday is dedicated to up and coming country artist Jana Kramer!

Jana is quickly becoming one of my new favorite female country artists. She's a mix of Jo Dee Messina, Carrie Underwood, and Dixie Chicks. She is definitely country, with some undertones of pop.

She began her career on One Tree Hill, but debuted her self-titled album in 2012. If you've heard her sing, you've probably heard the song "Why Ya Wanna." However, her song "I Hope It Rains," although very Taylor Swift, is slowly becoming one of my favorites. Jana also won the Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Female Artist in 2013.

I saw her in concert recently, at the Fryeburg County Fair in Fryeburg, Maine. She killed this concert. She sounded exactly as she does on her recordings, and I commend her for that! On top of her songs on her most recent album, she debuted some songs, as well as singing some crowd favorites including Katy Perry's Teenage Dream and Jo Dee Messina's Bye Bye.

Jana began recording a new album in September, and I'm looking forward to it! She also posted this awesome quote on her instagram a few days ago, and I really loved it.

Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @kramergirl! 

Enjoy!

Meghan