You may not have noticed, but I love theatre.

The shows I highlight here are ones I've seen on Broadway and/or a national tour, but I also see plenty of shows locally that I haven't mentioned, and I've been seeing plenty of great things in the Baltimore area. It would be a disservice not to mention the amazing productions I've seen locally. Keep reading for a listing of my favorite places!

Pro tip: check out Goldstar to find discounted prices for live events in your area, including theatre! I've used this many times to see shows at places that are normally priced a little higher than I prefer, and I've found theatre troupes I didn't even know about! If you're new to the site, be sure to sign up using my link for $7 off your first purchase.

Company: Dundalk Community Theatre | Dundalk, MD

Show: Avenue Q

When: June 2018
Thoughts: I'd heard about this show but never seen it, so when my friend found out about this local production, I was game! We even talked Sean into coming along (he hates most musicals) and he found it hilarious! The ticket price of $20 was reasonable and justified by the set, talent of the cast, and overall production quality. It didn't *feel*  like community theatre.

Company/Location: Olney Theatre Center | Olney, MD
About: It took me awhile to understand this, but Olney isn't a traditional community theatre. They put on high-quality productions featuring equity actors, and given this, the ticket prices are much higher than other shows one might see locally. When I first heard about Olney, they were showing Carousel at $60/pop. I wanted so badly to see it, but couldn't justify the price tag. Increasing quality and talent has continued to increase the price tag, with their recent production of In the Heights selling for $90 and including actor Robin De Jesus who was in the original Broadway production. While I missed Carousel, I later discovered Goldstar and have been able to attend a handful of productions since. Each one has been great, and each one has been better than the last.
Favorite Productions: Evita, My Fair Lady, In the Heights




Company/Location: Toby's Dinner Theatre | Columbia, MD
About: Toby’s presents Broadway and original musicals in the round with a buffet-style dinner. As far as dinner theatres go, Toby's is one of the best I have been to. I'd love to see some updates to make the venue and food more modern, but the show quality is excellent and I'm always happy to attend, again with the help of Goldstar discounts. Can't beat dinner and a show!
Favorite Productions: South Pacific, Show Boat

Company/Location: Vagabond Players | Fells Point, Baltimore, MD
About:Vagabond Players is America's oldest continuously running little theatre, located in the historic Fells Point neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland...a few steps away from my office. Cool, huh? The prices are reasonable with one discounted Thursday performance for each show - I try to make it to this one when I can! The theatre is small and intimate with  no bad seat in the house. I've seen one musical and one play so far (more to come!) and was impressed with the quality of both.
Favorite Productions: Little Shop of Horrors, Bad Jews

I got my most recent fix much quicker thanks to Style Pass!

This time around, I asked my stylist for items in white, chambray, and/or gingham. I've also been pinning items more frequently on Pinterest for inspiration.

Here's how it turned out:

I love the color and I can tell my stylist was looking at my Pinterest board because I've been pinning all the linen. Unfortunately, this wasn't a flattering shape for me and I don't really need a jacket in linen. I sent this back.

Again, my requests were met. These are white and made of super comfy linen, but there was a 90's genie fit going on here. They were super baggy, and I prefer a more fitted shape. This and the jacket made me feel like I was wearing a potato sack. Returned.

Another almost hit. This fit great and I loved the chambray fabric and linen feel, but I'm not a big fan of boob accents. I just couldn't get past the scallop detail, so sadly, I returned this.

This was super soft and comfortable and just a great casual tank to add to my summer rotation. I kept it.

I found this one baffling. I've complained in the past about dresses that are not bra-friendly, which this one appears to be. Much more importantly, however, is the color choice. Anyone who knows me knows I loathe purple and will not wear it. This is indicated in my style profile as well. I broke my rule of trying all things from SF on for this one because purple just isn't going to happen here. Returned.

Summary

1/5 items kept doesn't sound great, but I'm actually happy. I felt like even though most items weren't right, I could tell (except for the dress) that my stylist was paying attention to exactly what I was hoping for and just struck out with the fit aspect. I love all the feedback I can give because it always improves the chances of finding true love in my next fix. Any suggestions on what I should ask for?

More importantly, if you haven't tried Stitch Fix yet, what are you waiting for?! Now is the perfect time to try, because you get $25 towards your Fix if you sign up using my link. Plus, with the satisfaction guarantee, you've got literally nothing to lose!

One of the last stops of our California trip in April was Disney's second gate, Disney California Adventure Park. I'd read all about the park on Disney blogs to a slew of facts and opinions from the park's unpopular status amongst locals (you don't want to be called a "half day park") to the fact that we would be visiting during the early days of Pixar Fest, even though Paradise, now Pixar Pier, would still be under construction.

I was excited to visit but not sure how I'd like DCA. After all, I adore Disney's Animal Kingdom but have never been a huge fan of Hollywood Studios, two Florida parks that have received the dreaded "half-day park" description.

Spoiler alert: I loved it!

The best thing about Disney Parks is their theming, and DCA was no exception. It was really cool to visit a California-themed park after visiting various areas of the state so I could really appreciate the detail. Areas included Hollywood Land, Fisherman's Wharf, Cars Land (think Rt. 66), Grizzly Peak (think Yosemite and northern CA), and more! The small space was utilized incredibly: as close as the lands were to one another, I always felt completely immersed in whichever one I was in.

With the purchase of Disney's MaxPass, we were able to ride everything we wanted with time to spare (the park was short a few rides due to renovations, but they included a few things I'd have skipped anyway). So, if you are someone who wants to hit every ride and leave, then sure, you can call this a half day park. If you enjoy exploring the details throughout the park, you can easily enjoy a full day here. I didn't want to leave and rode several things twice (including A-list attractions Radiator Springs Racers and Soarin', thanks again MaxPass!) before I left, pouting, upon Sean's insistence.

My favorite Disney Park has always been Epcot. I'm a sucker for the World Showcase and the geography-based theming of DCA has made it a close second in terms of Disney favorites. I also loved the calmer, more mature crowd. While the classic Disney Parks will always draw tons of families seeking to create magic for even more young children inevitably leading to stress and meltdowns come lunchtime, the parks without the castles provide all sorts of fun without the sense of panic and urgency coming from hungry, cranky people who have been in the heat waiting to meet Anna and Elsa for a few hours too many.

A handful of these states were visited only after I met Sean, but his  state count is even more impressive then mine. Longtime readers of this blog may recall that he visited Michigan shortly after our first date, one of many states he's been to that I haven't...yet.

I recall that his February visit was cold and snowy, words that immediately cause me to make a mental note to never visit said place. Fortunately, since discovering Beth Millner Jewelry, I realized I needed to reconsider. If her stunning pieces are all inspired by the Upper Peninsula, it must be a lot better than I imagined, right? 

I googled some of the locations Beth's signature pieces are based upon and wow, guys. I think a trip to Michigan is in order after all. In the summer, anyway! ;)

Black Rocks

Lake Superior

Sugarloaf Mountain

via

Looks like Maryland and Michigan have more in common than the letter 'M': when I searched for Sugarloaf Mountain, it immediately took me to a Maryland attraction. Michigan's Sugarloaf Mountain is a lovely hiking destination that rewards your walk with stunning views that rival our east coast overlooks.  I'm not sure which ring I love more between the Sugarloaf and Black Rocks as the details on both are stunning. I hope Beth furthers her Sugarloaf line with a pendant - it would be gorgeous!

Of course, once you find the outdoor UP attraction that strikes your fancy, the best part is that you can end your day with a visit to Beth's studio!

If you're not making it to Michigan anytime soon, that's OK, too: code BWALSH5 saves you 5% on your order all summer long. And, I'm giving away another $20 gift card to one reader. Just enter below!

I got my fifth box from Stitch Fix recently, but before I get into showing everything off, I've got a few updates!

Last month, I got an invitation to Stitch Fix's style pass and jumped at the opportunity. Basically, you pay a one time $49 fee which waives the $20 styling fee on all fixes for a year. Just like the styling fee, the $49 is credited towards anything you keep from your fix. It's a no-brainer once you hit a good groove with your stylist. It eliminates the worry of losing $20 if you run into a fix that doesn't work for whatever reason.  

You all now now that there is a fix available for men. Now, they've taken it even farther and added a box for kids! I was skeptical of this at first, but another girl shared her haul and the prices are completely appropriate for children's clothing; I noticed several pieces under $20. I don't have littles, but if you do, definitely check it out - it would be a fun thing to go through together every month or so.

Onto the fun stuff...the clothes! This month I left a note for my stylist requesting summer dresses and shorts, as well as naming a few specific SF pieces I'd seen and liked. (Apologies for the low light photos, I didn't have a chance to take them with natural light this week) Here you go:

This was a slinky fabric, similar to some maxi skirts I own, and it had pockets! It seemed promising for a simple black maxi, but then I tried it on...and hello, cleavage! The last thing I want in summer is to have to layer up to cover the girls, so I sent this one back.

I'd seen this maxi in other girls' fixes and fallen in love. Thankfully, this was still available in my size and seeing it in person made me love it even more with how incredibly soft it was. I wore it to work the very next day...AKA I kept this!

The length and hip fit on these were great, but as happens with most pants and shorts for me, the waist was too tight causing some icky muffin issues. I could have exchanged for a size up, but that usually results in an undesirable "saggy butt" fit, so I had to send these back.

This would have been the perfect transitional piece for the office with the elbow length sleeves and classic style, but just like with the first dress, the low cut showed a lot more chest than is work appropriate. I sent this back.

This didn't wow me for any reason, and I'm not a fan of chest pockets on women's clothing for me; I don't need any additional attention in that area! Technically, I kept it, just not for me: another girl in a SF group asked to buy it from me.

This fix was a 1/5 for me personally. Had the shorts fit better, it would have been a 2/5. The dresses honestly didn't wow me, but more importantly, I was kind of disappointed that two items were so low cut. When I first registered for Stitch Fix, I was very clear that with my larger bust, I needed items that covered the girls so they could be worn to work. Up until this fix, they had 100% met this request.

I'm requesting fixes slightly more frequently now that I have style pass. I made some color/pattern requests for the next fix, so let's see if it improves again! Fix #4 was hard to beat and I hope to see more winning fixes in the future!

If you like anything you see or are ready to try some new fashion, complete your style profile here and order your first fix. They are so confident you will be happy, they will refund your $20 styling fee if you opt not to keep anything from your first fix!