What I Wore at Disney

In honor of my last Disney vlog (hopefully) being uploaded this week, I thought I would end my Disney content for this summer with a post about what I wore on my Disney World vacation! One of my favorite parts of a Disney vacation is packing for Disney and figuring out what I will wear every day (my sister and I filmed a whole video about it!). 

However, this summer I had the challenge of going to Disney during one of the hottest times of the year. Therefore, I had to figure out how to dress cute and Disney themed while ensuring that I wouldn't absolutely melt because of the heat. 

What I wore can be sorted into a few categories: Disney dresses, Disney t-shirts, and character themed outfits. Now, I could definitely just wear a different Disney t-shirt every day, but I like to change it up to make it more fun! 

Disney Dresses
I absolutely love Disney themed dresses with prints of Disney characters. My sister, Hannah, has a whole collection and I have a fair few myself. (I even wore my Beauty and the Beast one to see the live action film!) My favorite place to buy them is Hot Topic because they have a wide variety and aren't too pricey. 

My favorite movie when I was a little girl was The Aristocats so I couldn't resist this Marie dress and bow! 





Disney T-Shirts
I love Disney t-shirts and have a fairly impressive collection. My friends even have a running joke about how many Star Wars t-shirts I have. This trip, I was so excited to wear my Millennial Falcon shirt in Hollywood Studios (Kylo Ren even commented on it!) and my new Moana shirt to the Magic Kingdom. Yes, I always theme my outfit to the park I'm going to. My favorite places to buy Disney t-shirts are actually Target and the Disney Store, but you can find them lots of places. 





Character Themed Outfits 
If you're an avid Disney fan, you may be aware of "Disney-bounding": dressing up as a Disney character in a subtle way. There are whole Instagram accounts and blogs dedicated to the phenomenon. My biggest tip is to try to meet the character you're dressed as while you're there if you can. I loved taking photos in the Norway pavilion in Epcot in my Princess Anna outfit and when I met her, she even pointed out that we were dressed alike! 




just a subtle Rapunzel colored outfit!

How do you like to dress when you're at a Disney park? Let me know in the comments down below x

Friday Internet Finds

Sorry that I totally missed doing a Friday Internet Finds last week, but I'm making it up with this week's hopefully! (I'd rather not post one than put one out that I don't think is actually worthy of sharing with you guys.)

Actual Hamilton: The New York Times published a great article about the actual music that Alexander Hamilton would have listened to, including the British song that inspired the musical's song, "Yorktown."

Go Phoenix: This list from Playbill shares the ten most represented colleges on Broadway right now, including a list of all performers from each school. I was so pleased (and proud!) to see a classmate's name on the list, who's recently made his Broadway debut in Book of Mormon.

GBBO: Lately my whole family has been obsessed with watching "Great British Bake Off" so I couldn't resist this quiz which tells you how far you would make it on the show. Good news: I would win!

Carrying the Banner (to Netflix): Anyone who has read this blog for a while will know that I'm a huge proponent of filming Broadway shows and making them available to the public. So this announcement that the filmed Newsies that showed in cinemas earlier this year is coming to Netflix absolutely thrilled me. It'll be up on the streaming service on September 5.

Lin Crossing: I always adore James Corden's crosswalk musicals, but Lin being in one is an absolute dream come true.

Best Walt Disney World Photo Spots!

I thought I should share some of my favorite photo spots at Walt Disney World with you all. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I went to Disney World for a week with my family back in June and took tons of photos.

All Disney parks fans will know the iconic spots -- in front of Spaceship Earth in Epcot, the famous 'purple wall' in the Magic Kingdom, by Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom. So I wanted to share some of my favorite photo opportunities in my favorite three parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios) that are a bit more unique.

Character Photos
I think that character meet and greets make for great photos. Whether your favorite is Mickey Mouse, Stitch, Ariel, or Kylo Ren, there are so many options to choose from! My personal favorites are princesses and Star Wars characters. Meeting characters in their indoor venues can also be a great break from the heat if you go in the summer months.

With Cinderella in the Magic Kingdom

With Princess Anna in Epcot

With Chewbacca in Hollywood Studios

Epcot Country Photos 
There are so many photo opportunities in Epcot in the different countries of the World Showcase! Two of my favorites are the red phone booth in the United Kingdom pavilion and the rocky waterfall in the Norway pavilion (right by the exit of the new Frozen ride). I think the mosaics in Morocco would also be a great backdrop!




Castle Photos (no, not that castle!) 
Cinderella's castle isn't the only castle in Disney World...there are two more in the new Fantasyland expansion! I love taking photos by the Beast's little castle by Be Our Guest restaurant and my sister loves Prince Eric's castle which houses the Ariel ride.

By Prince Eric's castle



Hidden Photo Spots 
There are also so many great photo spots tucked around the park if you look for them. My personal favorite is the Tangled themed bathrooms in Magic Kingdom right by It's a Small World and Peter Pan's Flight. You feel like you've stepped into the kingdom of Corona! I also love the little Imperial Speeder Bike that you can take photos of out in front of Star Tours in Hollywood Studio. It's perfect for Star Wars fans of any age.



What are your favorite places to take photos at Disney World? Let me know in the comments down below! x

Top Five Tips for Self Care

My dear friend, Fletcher, spent this summer living and interning in New York City where he will also return for the fall semester. He wrote a blog post about the importance of self-care especially when you're living in a city. It made me reflect upon my own summer in New York so I commented to share some tips with him for when he returns.

I'm moving to a city again next month, although a new one -- London! I'll need to ensure that I'm taking care of myself in order to not be exhausted by the city. I decided to expand a bit on some of what I told Fletcher and share my Top 5 Tips for Self Care with you guys. I tried to shy away from the obvious -- get enough sleep, meditate, take baths, etc -- and share some more unique things that I've found work for me.


ONE: Drink more water. However much you're drinking, you probably need to drink more. Especially if you're consuming alcohol, coffee, or fizzy drinks. It makes my body feel so much better, it makes my skin better, and it makes me feel accomplished and like I have my life together. 

TWO: Ask yourself what makes you happy and pursue it. If there's one thing that I learned in New York last summer, it's that I need to immerse myself in the arts. Anytime I was surrounded by theatre or a museum gallery, I was happy even if I hadn't slept enough or was having a bad day before then. I learned that I am going to need to pursue a career in the arts to make living in a big city worth all the hassle for me. 

THREE: Be active. This is a hard one for me because I have all sorts of self-doubt thoughts that are related to exercise. But just doing a short Pilates video or going for a walk (parks like Central Park in NYC or Hyde Park in London are so great for this!) makes me feel so much better. Lately, I've been working out with weights at my gym twice a week with a routine made for me by a personal trainer and I've felt so much better. I think it has something to do with happy endorphins? 

FOUR: Find what calming technique works for you. I don't think traditional meditation works for everyone. Try it (maybe with an app like Headspace) and if it works, great! If not, try ASMR videos or find songs that make you feel like you can take on the world, or at least a big city, and make a playlist of them. Last summer, I had a playlist of songs that I would listen to while walking around the city to keep myself feeling like I could conquer it. ("Bright Star" from the musical Bright Star is a really lovely one for when you're feeling down.) 

FIVE: Be honest with yourself and seek help if you need it. Especially if you have anxiety, depression, or another mental illness, it's important to understand when to push yourself beyond your comfort zone and when to take care of yourself. Try to listen to your body and give yourself breaks from the hustle of city life. Also, don't be afraid to reach out -- to a counselor, a friend, or a family member -- and talk about the issues you're having. 

Do you all have any self care methods that work for you? If so, be sure to share them in the comments below! x



Review: Wilde Like Me by Louise Pentland

I can't believe it took me this long to read Louise Pentland's debut novel, Wilde Like Me. Louise Pentland is the lovely lady behind the YouTube channel largely known as Sprinkle of Glitter, but this is certainly not just another "YouTuber book." It's a stunning first novel (of what I hope will be many!) with lovable but real characters, witty dialogue, and a plot line unlike any I've ever read.


I don't want to give away too much, but Wilde Like Me is the story of Robin Wilde, a single mum trying to get back into dating, figure out how to raise her daughter, and further her career as a makeup artist's assistant. Robin is relatable in how she struggles and I particularly appreciated the concept of "the Emptiness," that Louise used to talk about Robin's feelings of depression.

I also adored Lyla, Robin's six year old daughter, who always tries to cheer her mum up in the way only little kids can. I just wish that I could babysit her! I hope that she figures prominently in any future sequels to Wilde Like Me. Robin also gets a lot of help and support from her friend, Lacey, and her Aunt Kath, both of whom I loved.

I thought that Louise did particularly well at giving all the minor characters flaws, struggles, and interests of their own separate from their connection to Robin. This is something that some new writers seem to struggle with, but Louise totally avoided it.

Louise's prose itself is definitely on level with any good adult literature -- not Tolstoy perhaps, but that's why it would be a good beach read. (Although, I wasn't willing to take my copy onto the beach because I was afraid it would get hurt in some way.)

One thing that surprised me about Wilde Like Me is how Louise managed to take a plot that seems like it would be fluffy and indue it with astounding depth. Robin's struggle over her relationship with Lyla's dad, her fears about messing up her daughter's life, and her challenge of being a career woman and a mom are touching and real.

This is a novel that I think any woman would love. It has some 'adult' content and language, so it is more suited to mature readers. I think that many men would even appreciate this novel, particularly anyone who has experienced single parenthood.

In all honesty, I wish that I could live within this novel. I feel as though Robin, Lyla, Lacey, and all the others are dear friends and ones whose stories I hope to get more of. So Louise, about that sequel...?

Friday Internet Finds

What a strange week for Broadway fans! With two shows announcing their closing, big Hamilton announcements, and other news, it has been a bit of a whirlwind.

Ham 4 App: Hamilton launched their own app this morning, which allows you to enter the lottery for all productions, buy tickets, and use fun photo filters. Lin tweeted the announcement and shared that he'll be back on Twitter next week.

The Heat is On: The heat is certainly on in Saigon with the latest Broadway Style Guide profile which features Alistair Brammer. Not only are the photos stunning, but he proves what a lovely kind person he is. (Sometimes I'm just very proud that the 20-year-old guy I became a fan of turned into such a wonderful man.)

Goodbye My Gypsy Lovers: If you're a Broadway fan, you've likely already heard that Great Comet announced that it will close on September 3, following recent controversies. The cast put together a beautiful video celebrating the diversity the show brought to Broadway and hoping that its journey isn't over yet.

Swinging Out: Sadly this week, Bandstand also announced that it will close in September. I'm so sad to see this beautiful show with Corey Cott and Laura Osnes go, especially as I never got to see it. If you'll be in New York before September 17, go see it while you can!

Meet Anastasia: I became a fan of Christy Altomare through my friend Lucy who adores her, but this video gave me ten more reasons to love her (other than her stunning vocals and the fact that she's like a real life Disney princess).


Saying Goodbye to Great Comet

Yesterday news came that Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 is closing on Broadway. It comes as little surprise following the casting controversy of the past few weeks, but it's heartbreaking nonetheless.

I don't want to touch on the reasons for its closing, the way that social media may have contributed to it, or what mistakes producers may have made in this post. I simply want to plead that anyone with the ability to do so goes to see this brilliant show.

I shared the following text on Facebook and wanted to share it on here too. I'm gutted that I only got to see the show once and can't manage a trip to New York to see it again before the show's closing on September 3. So please, if you're able to go see it, do.



If you are in New York, do whatever you can to see this show before it closes. Especially if you can see it August 22 to September 3 when Dave Malloy, the show's writer/composer/lyricist/orchestrator, will be stepping into the role of Pierre once again.

I truly can't put into words what Great Comet has meant to me or what it's taught me about innovation, creativity, diversity, or the human condition. It renewed my faith in humanity, my hope for the future, and my love for the arts. It has touched my soul and I feel that I'm a better person for falling in love with this show. This cast is made up of some of the kindest, weirdest, most beautiful humans in New York and maybe the whole world.

The show deserved so much better than it got and I hope that it will have a future one day in London or even maybe in New York years from now. But to my point, if you have any chance to, please see this show because there's nothing like it on Broadway or coming in the next season.

Top 5 West End Performances I'm Looking Forward To

Now that I know that I'm moving to London for the next year, I'm getting quite excited about some upcoming West End performances -- especially ones I already knew about but didn't think I would get a chance to see. I wanted to share with you all my five top ones I can't wait for. Let me know what performances you're excited about in the comments down below! x

Killian Donnelly as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables
After his run as Charlie Price on Broadway, Killian Donnelly returned to the show that he got his start in to play Jean Valjean. Ever since he was a swing and went on for Valjean years ago, I've wanted Killian to return to the show. Honestly, seeing Les Mis again is my first priority when I get to London because it's my favorite show, the Queen's Theater is my favorite theater, and Killian is my favorite actor. You can buy tickets here.



Natalie Dormer as Vanda Jordan in Venus in Fur 
Natalie Dormer has been my favorite film actress for a long time so I'm thrilled at the opportunity to get to see her live. You may know her from her roles in TV shows like Game of Thrones or The Tudors or movies including The Scandalous Lady W or The Riot Club. In Venus in Fur, Dormer will play opposite David Oakes (The Borgias) in a special nine week limited engagement. You can find out more and book tickets here

Rachelle Ann Go as Eliza Schuyler in Hamilton 
I've been lucky enough to see Rachelle Ann Go as Gigi in Miss Saigon three times (twice in London, once in New York) and she never fails to stun me. I had high hopes that she would be cast in the West End production of Hamilton and was thrilled when she scored the role of Eliza, which I know she will excel in. While tickets are sold out from their opening in November through April, I have high hopes of winning the lottery or grabbing a ticket when they release more -- mostly to see Rachelle in a lead role! You can find out more here.



Gina Beck as Miss Honey in Matilda 
I adored Gina Beck as Galinda in Wicked and was so sad to miss seeing her in Showboat. It was announced today that she'll be playing the gentle teacher Miss Honey in Matilda from September. My sister is a fan of the show but I've never seen it before so I'm doubly looking forward to it. I know that she's going to be absolutely stunning, plus Matilda offers seats on the day of for just 5 pounds for those aged 16-25. You can book tickets here.

Tom Hiddleston as Hamlet 
Of course, it's unclear if we really needed another production of Hamlet but I adore Tom Hiddleston and the man seems made for Shakespeare. I saw him in the National Theatre broadcast of Coriolanus a few years ago and still count it as one of the most impressive performances I've ever seen. He will be playing the role for three weeks in September, directed by Kenneth Branagh, to benefit their alma mater the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Tickets are extremely limited and are being done through a ballot system, so pray for me that I get a ticket. You can find out more here.



Friday Internet Finds

Happy Friday everyone! This week, I realized how fun it is when West End news comes out and I realize that I might be able to see the shows themselves. How cool is that?

#SaveGreatComet: Broadway Bot published this article discussing why Great Comet is so important to Broadway right now and why it should be saved from going under despite the recent PR disaster. 

Lady Mary: In light of the news that Michelle Dockery is joining National Theatre's Network, I thought this "Which Downton Abbey Lady Are You?" quiz was quite cute. (I actually got Lady Mary, which kind of surprised me!

The Crown Prince of Denmark: Earlier this week, it was announced that Tom Hiddleston will be playing Hamlet in a limited engagement production in September directed by Kenneth Branagh to benefit their alma mater, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. However, tickets are very limited. (Fingers crossed I get one!)

Totally Gagged: Gagged Chokers recently released a collection called "Broadway Boyfriends," which is full of chokers inspired by the best male characters on Broadway. Most of them are already sold out, but you can still get "Sincerely, Me" inspired by Evan Hansen.

Evan Sees Dear Evan Hansen: One of my favorite (non-theatre) YouTubers, Evan Edinger, recently put up a cute travel vlog from him seeing Dear Evan Hansen in New York.

July Favorites

In case any of you aren't subscribed to my YouTube channel, I wanted to share my July Favorites video with you. It features makeup (including Intermission Beauty!), skincare, fashion, books, and other media. Enjoy x


August Goals

Since it's the beginning of a new month, I wanted to share my August goals with all of you!



(1) Upload four videos to my YouTube channel. I haven't been uploading as much as I like to over this summer, partially because I've been traveling so much. I have one last Disney vlog to edit and then I've filmed two more videos already. I'm hoping I can get at least four videos up this month, if not five or six!

(2) Prepare for my move. There's so much to do for my move to London that I want to get a lot of it done this month. I'm working on my visa, have my housing almost set, and have been sent the link to do my registration. I also need to figure out my flights and phone plan for while I'm there. If I can get most of this done in August, I can focus on packing in September.

(3) Clean my room. Because my family has been at the beach for a lot of the summer, I haven't finished sorting through my room or even through the things I brought home from college. I definitely have to finish that this month, especially once my sister starts school on the 15th.

(4) Keep working out. I've been working out, both walking on the treadmill and doing Blogilates videos. I want to keep doing this, as I need to be ready for the amount of walking I'll be doing once I move to London.

Let me know what your goals for this month are down below in the comments. x
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