I fell in love with live theatre when I made my 8th grade debut as Lord (yes, Lord) Montague in the schools' production of Romeo and Juliet. Certainly the love for musicals had already been planted as I grew up with a mother who was always playing a movie musical on TV.

I didn't really have the access to live theatre aside from the occasional community or high school production until more recently when I moved to Baltimore, and since then, I've done my best to see any show possible. From attending different shows to talking to different people, I've noticed a few thought trends that I'd love to squash:

1. Live theatre isn't affordable

2. Community theatre isn't any good

3. Theatre is for old folks

Who: My neighbor & I

What: The 10th Anniversary tour of 80's rock jukebox musical Rock of Ages

When: February 2019

Where: Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore, MD

Why: Curiosity

Thoughts: All I really knew about this show was that it featured a lot of popular rock songs and that a movie had been made that was not liked by many in comparison to the musical. Since it was in town and we were curious, my friend and I snatched up some cheap "limited view" seats (in the balcony vs. our traditional orchestra) to see what this was all about.

The night was...interesting. We learned that the view from the balcony is way more limited than that of the limited view orchestra counterparts. We experienced a brief scare when the show was disrupted due to a medical emergency. Our seats were in a section that allowed us access to an "exclusive" lounge that was overly crowded and where we couldn't even get service to order a drink. All valuable lessons learned. We will happily return to our orchestra seats in the future. Onto the show...

I was born in the 80's, but I'm a 90's kid through and through. The music was fun, but the story was...less interesting. Clearly, much of the audience loved the show and perhaps I would have too had I been born five years earlier. Don't get me wrong, I didn't dislike the show, I just...didn't like it either. I left with more "meh" feelings of not caring either way. I can see how the show could appeal to lots of people, I'm just not one of them and that's OK. It was still full of fun moments, it just didn't appeal to me enough to be a favorite. It happens.

Who: My neighbor & I

What: Spamalot, the silly Monty Python musical

When: February 2019 

Where: Hershey Theatre, Hershey, PA

Why: Monty Python is funnier than the Super Bowl

Thoughts: My friend mentioned she wanted to see Spamalot. I hadn't seen it either and a quick search revealed a production would be in Hershey, PA which is less than 2 hours away from us. There was a discount for the Super Bowl Sunday show, so we booked and were on our way.

OK, I know this review is supposed to be about the show, but I have to talk about the theatre for a moment. It is amazing! Not only were tickets more affordable, there was free parking directly in front of the theatre which is absolutely stunning on the inside and didn't feel crowded at all. Sight lines were fantastic, and because of the low Super Bowl attendance, we were able to scoot over to even better seats for Act II! We both agreed that we'd be happy to make the drive up for future shows.

Onto the show: It's Monty Python, so naturally, it's silly. We expected ridiculous and we got it. My friend and I loved it whereas someone like Sean who loves the film but hates most musicals would likely not appreciate it at all. The show is short, fun, and they even worked the score of the game into the script in Act II! I haven't been in a show in ages, but I told my friend that Spamalot has one ensemble I'd absolutely love to be a part of.

I had planned to share "before and after" photos at the end of my first Arbonne30, but really, I'm not finished, so there isn't a true "after" to show. I put on a lot of weight over time, and it's going to take some time for it to come off. Thankfully, it is coming off. I've been on the program for about 6 weeks now and have lost 20 lbs, 14 inches, and 1 clothing size while gaining better health (including reduced blood pressure and resting heart rate), more energy, and more confidence.

I've been getting lots of questions about how the program works, what it entails, etc. for awhile. What I can share and have been sharing is how it works for me. The choices I make are ones to ensure that I succeed with this program.



For instance, I choose lunch as my meal where many others choose dinner. I choose to prep one lunch for the entire week to ensure I don't get lazy and eat out while others who may love to cook are happy to come home and cook a different dinner every night (shout out to my husband who's taken responsibility for most of his own dinners like a champ!).

With that in mind, these are 4 tools that  have made the program a breeze for me:

1. Personal Blender

No lugging out a huge blender twice a day and cleaning a bunch of pieces. No paying crazy $$$ for systems like Magic Bullet.

There are so many affordable options on Amazon and after some digging and comparing, I opted for this $25 system as well as a second compatible bottle.   It's small, convenient, and super low-maintenance, and I love that I don't feel guilty about leaving it on the counter since it takes up so little space! I love keeping the bottles in the fridge with the liquid already measured inside so I can just grab the solids and blend in the morning. A quick rinse of the blade after and I'm good to go!

2. Water Bottle

A huge part of the program is drinking enough water—approximately half of your weight in ounces. Having a reusable cup or bottle you like makes this super easy. I know I said "bottle", but my personal favorite most days is a 24 oz. Tervis tumbler that I keep at my desk. Most days I've met my goal before the work day is over!

3. Bluetooth Scale

Every morning I step on the scale. Whether you check daily, weekly, or whenever you feellike it, I love that I don't have to write down or remember anything. This bluetooth scale costs a fraction of Fitbit's version and syncs daily to it's own app which communicates with other tracker apps including Fitbit, apple, and more! I can easily see overall progress and I love seeing a push notification congratulating me on each weight loss milestone!

4. Food Prep Containers

I pack these up once a week and grab one from the fridge each morning on my way to work. Aside from being convenient and BPA-free, they are a great visual for appropriate portion sizes as I know exactly which compartment is best for veggies, proteins, and clean carbs.  Can't get easier than that!

When I heard that one of my favorite Broadway performers, Sierra Boggess, was going to be leading a musical based on the movie Ever After, I knew I had to see it. Between the amazingly affordable seats and my Southwest points (40K free points with their credit card? Sold!), I knew I'd be making this happen.

Although I've visited most states on the East Coast, Georgia is one of the few I haven't been to, so I also knew I wanted to take advantage and enjoy Atlanta while I was in the area. Weather cut my plans short, but I still got a lot in and had a blast in the day and a half I did have:

Mary Mac's Tea Room: A famed Atlanta spot for soul food. I went around 11:30 and was able to be seated and served quickly at the bar by myself. It was a good thing I went when I did, because when I finished, the line to get in was out the door!

Alma Cocina: One of the few places downtown open late at night. Delicious sangria and out of this world fried avocado tacos!

South City Kitchen Midtown: Delicious brunch! It was hard not to laugh as a Marylander as the server tried to recommend crab dishes to us. I tried the King Biscuit—a twist on biscuits and gravy—and yum!

Tip: try to get reservations when possible. All of these places were packed and I had success either as a solo traveler sitting at the bar, or at brunch with friends who had made a reservation ahead of time.

Fox Theatre: Atlanta's spot for touring Broadway shows. They were set up for Waitress when I visited. Tour includes cool history and other trivia about the 4,000+ seat theatre and a look at some of it's other spaces. Gorgeous venue! They also offer ghost tours around Halloween.

Alliance Theatre: Local arts center with a newly refurbished Coca-Cola stage where I saw Ever After! Keep an eye out for other original shows here.

Georgia Aquarium: Whale Sharks. Manta Rays. Dolphins. Seals. Otters. All the aquatic cuteness one could want! Backstage tours and a "swim with the whale shark" (sold out, sadly) option are also available among other encounters.

World of Coca Cola: This famed soda has Atlanta roots and for a fairly low entrance fee, you can see all sorts of memorabilia, meet the polar bear, visit the vault where the secret formula is stored, and taste an international variety of Coca-Cola beverages before being released into their gift shop with every item imaginable.