What I'm learning

If you've been following my blog for a while, you should know that I'm only recently 21 and fresh out of university. A baby in the world of Adult. I've lived with my mum the whole time and never really ventured outside of my comfort zone.

And now I'm in a whole different continent, in charge of myself. Sure I'm staying with family but they're not directly in charge of me, just allowing me to share their space for the time being. Before I arrived I was full of hopes, dreams and ideas. Now I'm here? Now I'm here I've learnt that hopes and dreams are all well and good but if you don't understand the public transport system, they're not going to get you very far.

That's not to say I'm stuck stranded on a roadside wondering how to get from A to B. I'm typing this from the sofa in my great aunt's living room (which also doubles as my bed). What I am saying is that some of my original plans have had a slap from reality and reality have turned them into dust.

So, you know. Planning ahead is good sometimes.

Stay tuned to how this turns out - I know it will be a surprise to me, too!

Photo credit: Tony Soh

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

What does every nerd who loves musicals do after going on an Inside Broadway tour? Why, she goes inside and buys tickets for a Broadway show, of course!

Have I mentioned my love of musicals lately? Since writing that post, I can now say that I've seen six musicals this year: Avenue Q, Cats, The Lion King (for the second time), Bugsy Malone, Matilda and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder was recommended to me and my friend by our tour guide (who was absolutely delightful, btw) as a funny musical in which an entire family is played by one man. That is, one man plays five men of various ages and personalities and two women.

It wasn't funny. It was HILARIOUS. There were parts of it I didn't understand because I couldn't hear anything as I was laughing so hard. The performance was sharp and all the actors were flawless. From the first few seconds when the cast walked on to warn the audience (in song, of course) to leave if they couldn't handle a tale of revenge and retribution, I was hooked. There were so many ridiculous moments in the show that were absolutely perfect. It's a shame that the show closes "soon" (in January) - but here's hoping they migrate it to London so I can watch it again!

The show itself is about a man called Monty Navarro who has grown up in poverty with his mother. After her death, he discovers he is related to the fabulously rich D'Ysquith family and eighth in line to inherit the family fortune. But eighth in line means he won't be getting it any time soon - unless of course, he gets rid of a few people who stand in his way...

The murders are all executed (ha ha) in a hilarious fashion, ranging from pushing a priest off a church spire to an elderly aunt being eaten by cannibals. It's even more hilarious when you remember that each of the victims is played by the same actor: Jefferson Mays. Mays is a wonderful talent, although he doesn't steal the show due to the rest of the cast being so amazingly vibrant in their roles as well. Scarlet Strallen as Sibella Hallward, for example, was one of my personal favourites, from the moment she sang her first song.

I don't really know what else to say about A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, except that if you ever have the chance to see it, definitely take it! You'll be in for an amusing evening I'm sure.

The Walter Kerr Theatre - don't be fooled
by the exterior, it seats over 500 people!

I'm in New York, baby!

I'm writing this out on my phone because it's 7am here in New York and everyone else is asleep so I don't want to risk getting out my laptop and disturbing them all. My body is still running on London time because it got up at 5am (10am BST) and refused to be lulled back into slumber.

But they taste so good...

I'm having a great time so far: I've managed to figure out
the subway (kinda), been to Times Square, had a tour of the Radio City Music Hall and died over cinnamon sugar pretzel bites. Those things will give you serious cavities. I've also gotten lost at LEAST three times and rained on as if I was still in bonny ol' England but that's just how life goes sometimes, right?

Later today my friend Other Sarah (as my brother likes to call her - I know a lot of Sarahs) and I are going to a few of the New York museums, including the Museum of Natural History. I'm excited for it, not least because it featured heavily in the animated film from my childhood We're Back: Dinosaurs. Hopefully if there's time today, we'll also make it to the Museum of Sex. I'm really interested in seeing that one because it sounds such an unlikely theme for a museum! I'll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, have a picture of me inside the radio City Music Hall:

And that's just the bathroom.