2014 Favorites

My Three Favorite Books of 2014

3. Better Nate Than Ever and 5, 6, 7, Nate, Tim Federle

Thirteen-year-old Nate Foster and I don't have a lot in common, save one very important thing: a love (LOVE) of Broadway musicals. The fact that these two books are classified as "junior fiction" does not mean that they aren't incredibly well-told, or that they aren't laugh-out-loud funny. Tim Federle (my favorite person to follow on Twitter) has spun such a clever, original, and hilarious story about Nate and his scheme to travel to New York City to audition for a new Broadway show. When Emily and I went to New York this summer, everywhere we looked there were real-life reminders of the books and it made the trip so much more fun! I just cannot stress how funny these books are. I kept wanting to highlight or underline huge chunks because I could not get over the creativity and hilarity. Read these books and maybe you too can laugh quietly aloud to yourself on a plane surrounded by strangers!

“Imagine: pretzels sold on the street! It’s as if anything is possible. Do they also sell hopes on the street? Do they sell hugs and dreams and height-boosting vitamins? Or hot dogs? I bet you they do.”

2. Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line, Rob Thomas

If you like Veronica Mars the TV series, there's absolutely no reason you wouldn't love Veronica Mars the book. Rob Thomas, the creator and showrunner of VM, actually started out as an author, so this really is a return to form for him. The entire novel reads like an extra-long bonus episode of the show! The mystery is engrossing and compelling, the characters are as witty and charming as you remember them to be, and there are more than a few  twists and surprises that you won't see coming. Perhaps the best part of the experience for me was listening to the audiobook, as it was narrated by Veronica Mars herself, Kristen Bell. Bonus points to Bell for doing spot-on imitations of her cast-mates when she read their dialogue. Hilarious.

“She suddenly realized that this was Bri Lafond’s first lesson that people sucked. Veronica remembered that letdown, the way the world suddenly seemed stripped of bright colors, your beliefs toppled like dominoes.”

1. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets, Eva Rice

My friend (and the most voracious reader I know!) Katie counts this book among her favorites, so I've always intended to read it. Now I'm so glad I finally got around to it! It really is such a special book. Full of joy, sorrow, and champagne, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets tells the story of Penelope, an 18-year-old girl living in a post-World War II England, in a grand house that is crumbling around her and her small family due to lack of money. Enter the effervescent Charlotte, her hilarious Aunt Clare, and Clare's witty son Harry. (Full disclosure: I adore Harry. I found myself missing him when he wasn't on the page, and constantly grinning at his quips.) This remarkable trio of characters bring about a great deal of change to Penelope's life, in the best possible way. Check it out and get a chance to attend glamorous parties, spend a snowy New Year's at Milton Magna Hall, and maybe even fall for the strange and mysterious Harry Delancy.

"He looked at us almost pityingly, with a hint of a smirk on his face, his chaotic hair almost hiding his extraordinary eyes. Newfound knowledge of his skills as a magician seemed entirely appropriate; never before had I met someone who looked capable of turning men into frogs and frogs into princes."

Honorable Mention:

One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories, B.J. Novak
Super creative, very fun, and totally un-put-downable.
“If you love something, let it go. If you don't love something, definitely let it go. Basically, just drop everything, who cares.”  

I read several Agatha Christie mysteries this year (five in all), as I'm a big fan of hers and frequently say that she can do no wrong. But when I read Endless Night, I began doubting that opinion, because I just thought Christie was completely missing the mark. You should have seen my face when I got to the end of the book and realized that SHE TOTALLY GOT ME. For the entire duration of the book I was looking the wrong direction, and I never saw the twist coming. It was completely genius. You win again, Christie...

I also read some really good non-fiction as well, including Creativity Inc. (about Pixar) and Superfreakonomics/Think Like a Freak. I'd recommend checking any of those out if any of that sounds interesting to you! And if you're looking for a good memoir, Cary Elwes's As You Wish and Amy Poehler's Yes Please were both were quick and entertaining reads.

My Three Favorite Movies of 2014

3. The One I Love 
I watched this one on a whim the other day (it's streaming on Netflix) and I really, really enjoyed it. I had read only a little bit about this movie—mostly about how no one could talk about the plot because saying anything would spoil it. So of course I was intrigued! The movie itself was fascinating; it was small and strange and incredibly compelling. It's just kind of weird and Twilight Zone-y, and if you like things that are weird and Twilight Zone-y, I think there's a good chance you'll like this.



2. Veronica Mars
The entire experience of seeing this movie was just SO MUCH FUN. First of all, I backed the movie on Kickstarter, so I got tons of insider information while they were making the movie and then leading up to the release. Second, I made the release of the movie an EVENT. I wore Veronica Mars t-shirts every day to work that week, and when the big day finally arrived, I drove to Dallas with my roommate (to the closest theater showing the movie) to see the midnight showing. We got a hotel so we could stay the night, and I took the following day off from work so we could sleep in. All of that awesomeness, plus the fact that the movie itself was amazing! It was like having a reunion with old friends, and Emily and I laughed, gasped, and squealed our way through the whole thing. A great mystery, all of our favorite characters, an IRA GLASS CAMEO, and Logan in a Navy uniform. I mean, what more could a VM fan want?

1. Guardians of the Galaxy
Did you ever have more fun in a movie theater? From the rockin' throwback soundtrack to the action and the non-stop humor, this movie was just golden. I saw it three times in the theater, again on the cruise ship, and I just got the DVD for Christmas. It's fantastic, and if you haven't seen it yet, I just don't even know what you're doing with your life. Also, let's please not forget that before he was Star Lord and even before he was Andy Dwyer, Chris Pratt was Che on "The OC."

Honorable Mention: Interstellar, Into the Woods, Chef, Captain America 2

My Three Favorite Events of 2014

3. Oh Hey, I'm Like a Speaker Now I Guess?
Theoretically, public speaking doesn't bother me. However, once I'm in front of a crowd, somehow I forget to breathe and my hands start shaking and WHAT IS HAPPENING. So when I was asked to speak at a Christian camping conference in February, I was obviously a bit hesitant to accept. The topic, social media, is something that I'm passionate about, but again: the shaking and not breathing thing. But I finally just decided that I wanted to say YES to more new things, and before I knew it I was giving a talk to a packed room of people in the camping industry actually there to hear ME talk about what I do! In addition, I was asked to give a talk on social media this summer to a group of our 8th and 9th grade campers. I spoke every other week about how awesome I think social media is, but about how we shouldn't give it too much power, and how our validation should come from Christ and not how many likes you get on Instagram. It was almost more unnerving to talk to 13-year-olds than it had been to talk to adults, but again, I'm glad (and kind of proud of myself!) that I decided to say yes.

2. Can't Stop Won't Stop Cruising
When my dad called me to ask if I'd like to go on a cruise in November, I said, "Are you crazy? A man in a really nice camper wants to put our song on the radio! Give me a pen, I'm signing, you're signing, we're all signing." Not really, but you get the sentiment! I had SUCH a blast aboard the Emerald Princess with my mom, dad, and brother, I can't even tell you. It was so relaxing, all of our ports were so packed full of fun things and warm sun, we ate amazing food (goat cheese souffle, I still dream about you!!), watched movies ON DECK, played games, went to cheesy trivia nights... It was just so, so great. I didn't want to leave the ship!

1. Broadway Times Four
Sometimes I still can't believe that when I went to New York this summer, I got to see "Newsies." And "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder." And "Matilda." AND "Les Miserables." Four shows in three days. It was so amazing, so magical, so unbelievable. You can check out the full story here. They were all fantastic, and I frequently look back on that trip with such wonder, asking myself "How did we get here, Skitch?"

Honorable Mention: Morby/Ciminello Family vacation in Galveston/Houston. Stand up paddle boarding, Top Golf, games, shuffleboard, Schlitterbahn, and LOTS of Norah time. (We just won't talk about that whole "everybody got sick and threw up all over the place" part.)

Four Broadway Shows: How We Did It

I recently returned home from my third ever trip to New York City, and it was out-of-this-world amazing.

My roommate Emily and I got cheap flights and a (relatively) cheap hotel and spent four and a half days trekking all over the city and having a wonderful time. We ate a ton of good food and desserts, went boating in Central Park, visited Brooklyn, walked the High Line, enjoyed live music at the South Street Seaport (with excellent views of the Brooklyn Bridge!), sat in on a singalong in Bryant Park, saw Grand Central Terminal and the 9/11 Memorial and the New York Public Library, wandered the Upper West Side, shopped at a flea market, and basically just never stopped walking.

We also managed to see four Broadway shows.

Four.

For a musical fan like me, this was just... unbelievable. Beyond imagination. Because while New York City is amazing and I absolutely LOVE being a tourist there, the whole point of this trip was to see shows. And those shows? Were AMAZING. The other stuff was just an added bonus.

So here's the short version (believe it or not) of how it happened.

Emily and I purchased tickets for Newsies and Les Miserables prior to our arrival in NYC. These two shows were basically the reason for the entire trip. We absolutely HAD to see our pal Ramin Karimloo perform the role of Jean Val Jean in Les Mis, and had been looking forward to that for months and months. Then when we heard that Newsies would be closing at the end of August (I'm still not ready to talk about it), that put even MORE of a fire in us to get up there as soon as possible. So those tickets were more expensive on the front end, but there was no way we were going to risk a trip to NYC without Les Mis/Newsies tickets in hand. No. Way.

We arrived in the city on Thursday, and after several hours of sight seeing, we went to meet some friends outside of Kinky Boots, the 2013 Tony winner for best original musical. While we waited, I pressed my ear to the stage door and was in heaven listening to the crowd cheer on Tony-winner Billy Porter sing the final number, and I thought I was going to die. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to be inside that theater. Well, my wish was very nearly granted when the door suddenly swung open and I was so caught by surprise that I had to back up quickly to avoid a face full of door and lost my shoe in the process. People began pouring out of the theater and I had to fight my way forward to rescue my poor flip flop. And then I somehow ended up holding the door open for half of the theater but THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT.

Wait, what is the point? The point is that moment was when I knew I was going to do whatever it took to see a third Broadway show while we were there. I even sent up (what felt like) a silly and lame prayer... Lord PLEASE let me see another show! I just wanted it. So badly. And I knew it was probably ridiculous. Probably...

Friday night rolls around, and I want to pinch myself, because we are actually about to see Newsies. Nearly two years and THOUSANDS of times listening to the soundtrack later, I have returned. I was absolutely giddy sitting in my seat and thumbing through the program. Then the overture started and the curtain began to rise. I was so OVERJOYED and I just... I don't know, I really don't have the words to describe how excited/thrilled/ecstatic I was in that moment. I was practically glowing.

That right there. That was the best moment of the trip.

The show itself was even better than I'd remembered. So funny, such an amazing cast, the BEST dancing on Broadway (or anywhere, really), and I was on the verge of happy tears the entire time.

Put it this way: imagine that there's a movie you've loved for nearly your entire life. Then they go and make a musical of that movie. And the musical is even better than the movie. That's Newsies for me.

After the show, we fought our way to the stage door so that I could get autographs and photos with the cast. I have a very understanding roommate who stuck with me and took pictures of me and stood her ground in a sea of INSANE "fansies," despite the fact that the entire situation is basically her worst nightmare. What a pal!

So then we turn to leave, and guess who we see across the street coming out of Aladdin? Adam Jacobs (Aladdin himself! Emily gets the credit for spotting him.) and Tony-winner James Monroe Iglehart! Wow, what a moment!

The only way to describe how I felt after all that was "on a high." I don't know that life will ever approach the feeling of sheer ELATION of that Friday night in New York City.

When we got back to the hotel, we talked strategy for the next day. We had done a ton of research into the other shows currently playing on Broadway, trying to figure out our best bet for picking up a third show. Some shows do a lottery for cheaper tickets, some offer rush tickets the day of the show, some offer standing room only tickets... You really just have to figure out what is your priority and what you want to try for!

Armed with invaluable information from Playbill.com and Broadway Spotted, we decided to try for tickets to this year's Tony winner for best original musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder.

The GGLAM box office opens at 10am, so we got in line at 8:30 with about 20 people in front of us.

please oh please oh please oh please

The wait was really not that bad-- we had coffee and sat on our Starbucks wrappers (super classy) to protect our shorts from the New York street, enjoyed powdered donuts offered to us by fellow line waiters, and only had to move twice for cars once we realized we were sitting in front of a driveway...

At the last minute we had to make a decision: do we try for matinee tickets or evening tickets? They were in two separate lines, and what if the line we got in SOLD OUT? Well, we took a chance, rolled the dice, and got in line for the matinee. And two $37 dollar tickets later, we were two VERY happy girls holding matinee tickets to a TONY AWARD-WINNING show! So happy that we just had to reward ourselves with gourmet cookies from Broadway bakery/hot spot Schmakary's.

Going into Gentleman's Guide, I was excited to see it in a kind of general way. I had seen them perform "I've Decided to Marry You" on the Tony's, and was... looking forward to it! With like... regular anticipation. Not eager anticipation or anything.

Then the show started, and Bryce Pinkham came out. And any illusions I was under that this was your average ordinary show went out the window. Bryce and his co-star Jefferson Mays (both nominated for Tonys for their roles) were absolutely FANTASTIC. Wonderful singers, incredibly gifted comedians, and very engaging performers all around. Bryce in particular could make us laugh with the simplest eyebrow arch or sly grin aimed at the audience. It is safe to say that he is our newest Broadway crush, and he can do no wrong.

But really, I can't say enough about how much WE LOVED THIS SHOW. It was funny, the music outstanding, and the casting obviously top-notch. If you are planning a trip to New York anytime soon, GO SEE THIS.

We hadn't intended to spend time at the stage door, but the actors started coming out very soon after we exited the theater, so we felt like we couldn't NOT see them. And that turned out to be absolutely the right decision! Despite being boisterous and over-the-top on stage, Jefferson and Bryce were both so soft-spoken, kind, and intentional with every single fan that waited for them at the stage door. They each made eye contact with everyone, asked questions, genuinely thanked each and every person... It was just amazing, and such a special time for both Emily and I. When we walked away we felt like we were floating. That was due in large part to the sheer brilliance of the show as a whole, but also because of how we were treated at the stage door by the actors. I think it is safe to say that we will both have a soft spot for both Jefferson Mays and Bryce Pinkham for years to come because of this wonderful interaction.

After GGLAM, we decided to make a quick stop at Schnipper's (where we saw one of the ORIGINAL stars of Newsies, Evan Kasprzak!) to split some fries. Now earlier that day we had discussed the fact that since we had tickets to a matinee, we would have our evening free... so why not try to see another show? Why not? So once again, we did some prep work, figured out which shows held a ticket lottery and when, and ranked which shows we wanted to see most.

Emily headed to Aladdin to enter the lottery there, and I went two blocks up to try for Matilda. We were both SO NERVOUS and hoping against hope that one of our names would be called. We texted back and forth while we waited, anxious to hear the results.

Emily: I can't handle the suspense. My stomach is in knots. 

Well, neither of us won. HOWEVER. The ticket guy at Matilda said that if anyone wanted to line up and try their chances for Standing Room Only tickets, then just wait over here. Well since I was standing right there, I slid into line, text messaged Emily, and that's how we ended up right at the front! We thought we would wait for maybe 20 or 30 minutes, go eat dinner, then come back in time for the show. But 30 minutes came and went, and we were still standing in the lobby waiting... for a chance to stand for three more hours.

I could tell Emily was fading fast, but I knew we couldn't give up these spots in line now that it felt like we were SO CLOSE to seeing a show that I KNEW would be absolutely amazing. We found out that the reason the wait was so long was that they wouldn't sell any SRO tickets until they'd sold out the entire house. Henceforth every time the door to the theater opened, I was always hopeful that it was someone with the urge to buy last-minute full-price tickets (as in like $150 each) to Matilda. No such luck.

Fast forward another hour. It's 10 minutes to curtain, people are finding their seats, and we're STILL IN LINE. Finally, something happens. The two people in front of us get called forward to the box office. "This is it!" we think. "Standing room here we come!" But instead of buying tickets and entering the theater, the pair returns to the line, saying they were offered obstructed view tickets, and that they just weren't interested. Before we could really process this information, they're waving Emily and I forward, and here we are standing at the box office!

Box Office Guy: I have two obstructed view tickets available.

Me: How "obstructed" are we talking? Like, behind a pole or something?

BOG: No, they're just on the far side so you have partial view of the stage.

Me: Umm... How much?

BOG: $42 each.
Me: We will take two.

I mean, are you kidding me??? $42? That's less than a third of the price for a normal ticket! And do you know where our seats were? The first row of the first balcony. Not the second balcony. The FIRST balcony. WHAT. Yes, our seats were all the way over on the left side, but we so did not mind. Plus there was the fact that WE GOT TO SIT DOWN. IN ACTUAL SEATS. I just couldn't believe our good fortune. Before I knew it the overture was starting and the kids were performing and here we go: I'm on a high again.

If you've heard anything about Matilda, you've heard that it's a brilliant, clever, hilarious, FUN show. It is absolutely all of those things. It certainly has its dark parts (the original book is by Roald Dahl, after all), but we just loved everything about it. Amazing dancing, insanely clever song lyrics, incredible staging, and the cast made FULL use of the theater, running up and down the aisles, singing in the box seats (SUPER close to us by the way), and a few other fun bits that I don't want to give away. I felt like I was grinning the whole time-- that is, when tears weren't filling my eyes from the sweet wistfulness of certain songs.

I had looked forward to seeing Matilda for ages, without really believing I'd get a chance to, and I just couldn't believe it was really happening. If you haven't checked out the soundtrack yet: get on it. It's spectacular.

Sunday afternoon rolls around and it's time for our fourth and final Broadway show, the big one: Les Miserables. I knew we had floor seats for this one, but I wasn't expecting the SEVENTH ROW. Thanks to one of Emily's connections, we'd managed to score some seriously legit seats! Being that close was just... a dream. It was so, so wonderful. And what can you say about Les Mis? Of course it was outstanding. Ramin Karimloo has unequivocally the best voice I've ever heard, so getting a chance to hear him perform live was just unreal.

I expected to love Ramin as Val Jean. I was not expecting to ALSO love Will Swenson as Javert, another powerhouse singer whose sheer authority and command of the stage, not to mention his OUTSTANDING voice ("M'sieur le Maire you'll wear a different chaaaain" -- chills on chills on chills), made him the BEST Javert I've ever seen.

The rest of the cast was also very talented, although we ended up seeing understudies for Enjolras, Fantine, AND Cosette. C'est la vie, I suppose! At least we got to see Ramin and Will. I really just can't overstate how good both of them were. Just wow.

And that's how it happened! I'm sorry I seem to have gotten carried away in my own effusiveness, but it really was that wonderful. I've obviously run out of positive adjectives, but what can I say?

It was perfect.

P.S. After Les Mis we went back to Schnipper's and saw TWO MORE NEWSIES! Life made.

2012 Favorites

My Three Favorite Books of 2012

3. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, Alfred Lansing
This book was absolutely fascinating. I just couldn't get enough of Ernest Shackleton's expedition and couldn't believe all of the hardships he and his crew went through being stranded for nearly two years (!) during their failed attempt to reach the South Pole in 1914. I really enjoyed this one.

"'It's hard to realize one's position here,' Macklin wrote, 'living in a smokey, dirty, ramshackle little hut, with only just sufficient room to cram us all in, drinking out of a common pot, and laying in close proximity to a man with a large, discharging abscess. A horrible existence. But yet we're pretty happy.'"

2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
An absolutely lovely story set on a post-World War II English island. Compelling, sweet, heart-wrenching, hilarious, and perfect. I wanted walk along the Guernsey shore with Juliet, cook with crazy Isola, and sit quietly with the darling Dawsey. And most of all, I wanted to emulate the courage of the bold and daring Elizabeth, one of the most thrilling and inspiring literary heroines I've ever encountered. A must-read.

"I'm sorry I can't send you my notes on Charlotte and Emily--I used them to kindle a fire in my cook stove, there being no other paper in the house. I'd already burnt up my tide tables, the Book of Revelation, and the story about Job."

1. Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand
I am having trouble finding the words to describe exactly how enthralled I was with this book. This true story of the unbelievable experiences of Olympic runner Louie Zamperini in the Pacific during World War II is gripping, entertaining, brutal, unimaginable, and ultimately (somehow) uplifting. Hillenbrand has created such a fleshed-out world, full of an amazing amount of statistics, background information, and vivid descriptions that bring this astounding story to life. I cannot recommend it enough.


"Awed to silence, forgetting his thirst and his hunger, forgetting that he was dying, Louie had known only gratitude. That day, he had believed that what lay around them was the work of infinitely broad, benevolent hands, a gift of compassion."

My Three Favorite Movies of 2012

3. The Avengers
I saw "The Avengers" three times in the theater, more than any other this year. This movie was so entertaining; I had an absolute blast every time. It's fast-paced, engrossing, and, most importantly, hilarious. Thumbs up.
"That man is playing Galaga! Thought we wouldn't notice. But we did."

2. Safety Not Guaranteed
I got two copies of The Artist for Christmas. I plan on exchanging one of them for Safety Not Guaranteed. What an interesting, sweet, funny, and unexpected little film. Put it on your Netflix queue.
"Stormtroopers don't know anything about lasers or time travel. They're blue collar workers."

1. Pitch Perfect
I've seen this movie five times and I am far from tired of it. So well-made and so FUN. Endlessly quotable, great characters, awesome musical numbers, a completely swoon-worthy guy, and... I don't know! I don't know what else to tell you! It's number one on my list, so that should be enough to convince you. GO WATCH IT.
"The Sock-a-pellas, proving it doesn't get better for everyone after high school."

My Three Favorite Events of 2012

3. Trips, particularly to New York to see NEWSIES, but also two insanely fun trips to Galveston with friends, a college roommate reunion in St. Louis, and a week-long stay with the family in Phoenix over Thanksgiving. Unreal.

3b. But seriously, Newsies. The best show I've ever seen ever. Boom. I said it. I still dream about seeing Newsies (as recently as last night). Somehow I still can't seem to properly express how incredible it was or how much it meant to me that my friends and family sent me to New York to see it for my birthday. But it was an amazing, amazing experience. I'm tearing up right now just thinking about it.

2. Moving in with my roommates. I was alone in my apartment for five years, and I honestly really enjoyed living by myself. But then the opportunity to move in with friends came along, and I'm so glad I jumped at the chance. Living with Emily and Lacey has been encouraging, hilarious, comforting, refining, and SO MUCH FUN. It makes all the difference, having people to come home to. To grocery shop and cook with. To watch"Pitch Perfect"  and "The OC" and "Chopped" with. (Oh my word, so much "Chopped." We love it.) Living life alongside these girls is SUCH a joy, and I feel constantly blessed to live with such kind and FUN people. We give out (figurative) roommate gold stars for doing dishes, go see movies in our pajamas, text each other about what the cast of Newsies has been tweeting about (honest to goodness), and make homemade marshmallows JUST BECAUSE WE CAN. I'm having the time of my life.

1. CIMI-BABY. YOU GUYS. MY SISTER IS GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!! We found out on Christmas morning, and I might have let out an ear-splitting scream. Maybe. I'm just so excited!!! Right now the baby is the size of a lemon, or maybe an orange, depending on which pregnancy site you go with (PICK A FRUIT AND STICK WITH IT, Y'ALL!). But by July 6th, it will be a real live baby. And I will be the most rockin' aunt that ever rocked aunt-dom.

A BABY, you guys. An adorable, tiny little bundle of a crazy cool kid. It's going to be amazing.

I can't wait.