It's definitely weird getting used to living on a bus. Always in Motion.  Changing time zones.  Half of the time, we as a cast don't even know what city we are in!  One night we were performing in Ashland, KY.  We were all confused and surprised that night when we went out to a bar by our hotel and were told we were in West Virginia!

On the bus, we have quiet hours until lunch so people can get their rest in.  Sometimes, just sitting up straight can get you restless so we get creative.




I like floor sleeping under the seats... Like so --->












<----- Or sometimes it feels good to stretch out my legs, like so.




Then sometimes I get so restless, I turn the seats into a jungle gym.  Like so ----->

We spent two weeks in Yakima, Washington which is about 2 hours outside of Seattle.  We watched the lush mountainous trees slip away as we drove more into desert like mountains, that still looked pretty, especially when the sun hit them the right way.

I ended up loving Yakima, despite seeing locals hiding away in corners shooting up with needles. Yep, you read that right.

Yakima, Washington brought me the best apples I had ever had and extreme kindness from local shop owners- The type of kindness where they stamp your store loyalty card 4 times instead of once, so that you can get a free sandwich by the time you leave town.

The old train station was turned into a delightful coffee shop, which gives you a quaint atmosphere but also good coffee and treats.  The local sub shop beats out Subway any day with toppings such as pineapple to go on your teriyaki chicken sandwich.  The visitors center has local flavored honeys that are to die for.  If its happening while you are there, go to the farmers market!  We tried grapes there, that taste like grape jolly ranchers!  I now understand why grape flavoring tastes the way it does! Definitely try some wine as Washington has a lot of wineries!  We did a $5 wine tasting and sampled 5 wines!  Oh, and coming from a Texan, the Mexican food restaurant was gross.  You can skip that place.  There is still room for chains like Target and Olive Garden, which we seem to find by every hotel stop we make.  So, you still feel like part of civilization despite being in a small town with no car.

My thoughtful parents surprised me with a package of snacks for the cast.  Trying to feed into the stereotype of starving actors, we demolished this whole box in 2 days! Getting surprises on the road is super exciting and centering!  So thanks mom and dad!

All in all, it was a nice town.  I recommend definitely visiting Washington.  I'm not sure Yakima needs to be on the list, but if you end up there, you're in good hands.  Just don't J-walk.  You might get stopped by the police- Michael, cough cough.

When you are on tour, you are going to be in different types of hotels everywhere.  Some will be normal, some will be amazing, and some will have some extra perks.

Learn to think ahead and stock up when there is a free breakfast!  Not all hotels will have them, and it will help you save money and not eat out all the time.


I like to take the apples and peanut butter, because that's a good healthy snack for the bus rides.  They tend to last awhile too.

I also snag a few oatmeal packages.  Most rooms will have a microwave or coffee pot that you can use to make the oatmeal.

And although this is obvious- if you're trying to save money, skip the Starbucks.  Almost all hotels will provide coffee and tea for you in the lobby and have coffee machines in the room!  Living the high life y'all!  

Rehearsing in the big NYC felt magical.  It's the home of musical theater, and it was an honor to be surrounded by all of the Broadway shows while tapping away in Ripley Grier rehearsal studios.  We were in New York for 3 weeks for rehearsals.  Day 1 was more thrilling than I could have imagined. Meeting the cast, and starting to tap right away..... a day full of smiles.
I loved every second of rehearsals with this crew, but I also made sure to take time to experience and enjoy the city itself.  After all, it is the city that never sleeps.

You will see through my travels that I am a big proponent of trying new things.  Here were some of my new experiences in NYC: a lobster roll (oh. my. so yummy) A bialy...if you don't know what it is, look it up.  Went to Chinatown, Little Italy, and a NY Jewish Deli- I ate at all of them, obviously. Saw the 911 memorial.  Went to the pier and saw the sunset. Went to a real speakeasy.

• Just walk.  Explore. Let yourself get lost.
• Buy cookies at schmackerys.  You won't regret it.  It's a great place to meet a friend and not spend a lot.
• Explore different neighborhoods and don't just stay in touristy Times Square.  I really enjoyed Astoria and the Upper East Side and Chelsea Market.
• Dollar Pizza from 2Brothers.  Nuff said. 
• See shows.  Do it.  Even if you aren't a musical theater person.  I saw "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime," "Fun Home," and "Something Rotten."  All 3 shows were incredible. There are so many ways to get discounted tickets- rush tickets, lottery tickets, TKTS, todaytix.  Look them all up.
• Treat yourself to a nice cocktail (My friend Mike Reckling makes a mean drink.  He bartends at a place called Vitae.  Just saying.)
• Go see the 911 memorial.  I cried.  It was very moving.
• Walk around central park.
• Eat street food (within reason)
• Take the trains.  It will save you money, and you will see all types of people.
• Happy Hours are everywhere. Just FYI.
• Try a famous chef's restaurant or bakery.

 While visiting, I met up with my best friend Karissa who lives in NY.  She has a blog www.rissieblog.com. We filmed a fun cooking video while I was there.  Check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ9b7zyyhbo 

Most people know that to save space in your suitcase, you roll your clothing.  If you didn't know that, well, now you do!

I found when I would go searching through my suitcase to find a particular top, I would pull things out and they would become unrolled.. And if you're in a hurry, this leaves a mess of a suitcase.  When traveling, I want to try and remain organized, despite living out of a suitcase.
So, here is a solution I tried and really like.
I went to a dollar store and bought hair ties and rubber bands.  Cheap ones- No need to spend lots of money!
I used them to wrap around my rolled clothing to keep them rolled up and tight.  Now when I pull things out, the stay rolled and I can neatly stack them right back in!  Plus, I have hair ties and rubber bands around, which surprisingly comes in handy,
And it helps keep dirty clothes separate.  Anything not wrapped in the tie or band is dirty.

I couldn't be more excited to be a part of the National Tour of 42nd Street!
This show is filled with glitz, glamour, laughs, dance, tapping all over the place, and 1930's style.  It has been one of my favorite shows to perform, and to have the chance to combine my love of tap and travel is an absolute dream come true!

If you don't know the show, 42nd Street is about a young girl, Peggy, who goes to New York City to follow her dreams to be in a Broadway show.  When the star breaks her ankle, Peggy has to step up and become the star to save the show.  The musical is filled with amazing classics such as "Lullaby of Broadway," "We're in the Money," and "42nd Street."

To learn more about the show and tour stops, visit http://www.42ndstmusical.com

To see a 1:00 sneak peak video of the show, click here --->  42nd Street Clip