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.

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.

Who: Me, myself, and I

What: Ever After, a musical based on the 1998 film starring Drew Barrymore

When: February 2019

Where: Alliance Theatre, Coca Cola Stage, Atlanta, Georgia

Why: A movie I love turned into a musical starring one of my favorite leading ladies, Sierra Boggess? How could I not go!?

Thoughts: This isn't the first musical production of Ever After to be performed (it premiered at Paper Mill Playhouse in 2015). It hasn't yet made it's way to Broadway, but I hope it does! I'll be the first to admit that I'd like to see more original content on the Great White Way vs. more movie adaptations, but Ever After is a valuable story that was presented well in musical form. This production was strong in all aspects with my only complaint being that the climax felt much weaker than in the film. Still, the nostalgia factor made up for that and I enjoyed the entire experience. If you're in or near Atlanta, you've got one more week to catch this amazing show before it ends!

If you've seen the show, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! 

Check out other shows I've enjoyed here.

Who: My high school bestie, neighbors, and I

What: Anastasia, the Broadway musical inspired by the 1997 animated film

When: December 2018

Where: Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore, MD

Why: I love a good princess story!

Thoughts: I've been intrigued by this show ever since it was announced it would become a Broadway musical. The movie is a fun piece of nostalgia and I wondered how they would pull it off. Short answer: they kept the strong bits including the memorable songs "Journey to the Past" and "Once Upon a December" while adapting other parts of the story, most notably the antagonist arc, to give the show a more realistic and historical context. Of course, it's a Broadway show, so tons of new songs were added. This is the perfect show for a girls' night out!

If you haven't seen it yet, have a listen to the original cast recording and check to see if the tour is coming near you!

Who: My neighbors and I

What: Fiddler on the Roof, the touring production of the revived classic
When: November 2018

Where: Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore, MD

Why: Tradition! Oh, and it was the first show of the Hippodrome's season. Finally!

Thoughts: This was actually my first time seeing a live production of Fiddler (I saw the film once ages ago) and I couldn't have loved it more! The talent was every ounce as good as it would be on Broadway, and the story is so lovely and relevant. Seeing major shifts in culture through Tevye's point of view is so relatable. 

It might not have escaped your attention that I saw this production in Baltimore. I saw the show on a Friday, two days after we made national news regarding an incident that took place during Wednesday's performance. Baltimore has a healthy Jewish population and nobody was impressed by what went down. I was so proud to be in an especially enthusiastic audience on Friday that was sure to cheer for every moment of the performance!

Fiddler is a classic for a reason, and I hope you'll take the time to enjoy it if the tour visits a city near you. While you wait, enjoy the most recent cast recording!

Who: My neighbor & I

What: Beetlejuice, the pre-Broadway run of the new musical based on the classic 1988 film.

When: October 2018

Where: National Theatre, Washington, DC

Why: Fun fact: a handful of shows come to "try out" in DC before moving to Broadway. Recent examples include Come From Away and Mean Girls. I've missed them all and regretted it, so even though I wasn't thrilled about the idea of another movie-turned-Broadway musical, I knew I didn't want to miss it.

Thoughts: My friend and I sat down and watched the film about a week before the show. I thought I'd seen it as a kid, but as I was watching it, I realized (gasp!) I'd never actually seen the movie before! I know it's a cult classic, but honestly, I didn't love it. I found it to be slow and I had a lot of questions.

I hoped the musical would embrace better storytelling instead of trying to mirror the film, and it did not disappoint. We had a great time! The sets were impressive, the plot much faster paced, and the talent immense. Broadway favorites including Alex Brightman (School of Rock) and Rob McClure (Something Rotten!) were just two notable names leading the cast. The most memorable film moments are still honored in this show while featuring a much tighter story. Please note that the show does contain mature language and crude humor, so be aware if you are considering bringing younger company to the show.

TL; DR: I didn't have high expectations of the show, but I loved it! If you're in or near DC, be sure to catch it now before it heads to Broadway. It will be at the National Theatre until November 18 and there are plenty of discounted tickets available on Goldstar!

Check out thoughts on other Broadway shows I've seen here.

Are you a fan of the original Beetlejuice film? Would you see the Beetlejuice Broadway musical? Let me know in the comments!

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed some vacation-y posts lately. Sean and I joined 7 of our neighbors on an almost-weeklong trip to Key West and had a blast!

Most of the clan booked flight inclusive packages through Expedia that flew them right into Key West. Sean and I used points from Southwest for a free flight into Fort Lauterdale (the credit card rewards are worth their weight in gold!), then rented a car for a scenic drive through all the Keys. I usually hate road trips, but this one was gorgeous and full of plenty of fun places for quick stops to break things up. Totally worth it!

Between the 9 of us, 4 rooms were booked at the 24 North Hotel on Key West's "rooster row", a location closer to the airport than it is the action of Mallory Square and Duval Street. Between the hotel's free shuttle and 2 rental cars, we were able to get around easily to anywhere we wanted.

We had booked a standard room with a water view. Since we drove, we checked in last and the front desk kindly accommodated our request to be near our friends. Unfortunately, that put us in an obstructed view. While I certainly wouldn't have left a bad review for this (they did give us what we asked for, after all), I did mention that the obstruction was a bummer and they upgraded us to a top floor suite the very next day! It was one of many examples of incredible service.

The hotel never felt crowded and featured a gorgeous pool, fitness center, and restaurant/bar both inside and outside. In addition, 4 hotels in a row were sister properties, meaning we could hop about if we wanted (we're lazy. we didn't').

While there's water everywhere, Key West isn't exactly known for it's beaches. The more accessible Higgs and Smathers beaches weren't a hit with our group (most people wouldn't even go in the water), but for a small entrance fee, the beach (and fort) at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park proved to be a winner!

I'll be honest and say I was worried there wouldn't be enough to do. Thankfully, this wasn't the case and we managed to fill the time together:  Sean and I didn't even hit all the things on our list! Our favorites were the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, Nancy Forrester's "Secret Garden" (a rescue parrot sanctuary), and enjoying the sunset from the Key West Cocktail cruise.

Home of Ernest Hemingway

The home is still home to dozens of siz-toed cats. You can see how wide the paws are on this guy.

Cockatoo friend Mr. Peaches (don't judge my humidity hair)

We also spent plenty of time exploring Duval St, tasting spirits at local rum distilleries, and forgoing the line for the popular Southernmost Point photo by taking it at night. Oh, and the girls got matching henna tattoos because why not?!

We ate Key Lime pie whenever possible (we thought the best was actually in Key Largo at Mrs. Mac's) and had decent food overall, but our favorite dinner hands down was the Cuban fare at El Meson de Pepe in Mallory square. We split a combination platter including 3 meats (hello, ropa vieja!), plantains, yucca, and rice and beans. I could have happily eaten there every night! On the flip side, the famous Sloppy Joe's bar was a spot I could have skipped. The expensive cocktails were way too sweet and the Key Lime pie tasted more like old glue. I know it's a tourist staple, but not one I'd recommend personally.

At the beginning of the trip, I was feeling the vibe that Key West was a nice place, but not one I necessarily needed to return to. As the week progressed, I actually found we were running out of time to try many of the "off the beaten path" options we'd listed ahead of time. Ultimately, we had a great, relaxing week and would certainly return to check some more activities off our list. While not your typical beachy town, there's certainly plenty to enjoy in Key West!

Have you been to Key West?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and favorite places and activities in the comments!