Shauna K 12/8/24 Shauna K 12/8/24

In My Edinburgh Era

The Eras Tour experience coupled with a 3-day food and culture guide

(The first half of this posting will detail the Eras Tour Concert, while the second half will be a detailed Food & Culture writeup you can skip down)

If we haven't met before, hello I am Shauna, and I have been a fan of Taylor Swift since the very beginning. I can simply say that I remember where I was when I was fourteen years old driving home from a family vacation. We were almost home, crossing over the Bear Mountain Bridge (poetic, I know) and a song came on that stopped me in my tracks. Staring out the window the peak of my angst, I heard Teardrops on My Guitar for the very first time. I remember feeling so seen, and after the song ended begged my parents to turn the volume up so I could hear the name of the girl singing.

As we drove through the tollbooth, the radio announcer said, "And that was Taylor Swift singing her new hit, Teardrops on my Guitar," and I took a mental note in that very moment. Keep in mind, I had never more than held a guitar before, and certainly was never instrumentally inclined, yet it didn't matter. Despite this, the singer managed to connect directly to me and my situation of unrequited love I felt for some guy that went to my High School who did not care about me.

As the years went on, her name kept coming up- from Our Song, to Love Story and You Belong with Me, I kept connecting to her music. I smiled so hard when I heard Today was a Fairytale driving home from my first date with my first real boyfriend and his dark gray T-Shirt; to screaming and punching my radio when I heard Mine driving home from our breakup. It was Taylor's way of expressing deep longing in such a relatable way that hooked me. I am a woman who loves deeply, and pines after people when I start crushing hard. When you pine hard, you fall harder when things don't work out, since I think Ms. Swift and I have this in common, you already know how I feel about the music that connects to her deep despair.

As I listened to her music era by era, new installments kept coming up in my life. Dancing to the 1989 earworm, Shake it Off, I befriended my now good friend Heather and we bonded over our mutual love for Taylor’s work when she finally mentioned the obvious- let’s go to a concert sometime ! Due to scheduling confilcts we devastatingly missed the 1989 Tour, but due to Heather’s determination, we got tickets to the Reputation Stadium Tour. We went with our friend Holly and had a truly amazing experience, complete with Fearless performed as a surprise song (to which I sobbed for its entirety). At the time, when she performed a tour she would spend most of the set list performing the featured album- in our case, Reputation. At the time this was a huge disappointment to me, who was really only there to hear her older songs, especially the songs from Speak Now. We only got one song from that album, and I didn’t appreciate the incredible experience of seeing this legendary tour as I should have.

As the years continued to pass, we landed at Midnights. Without question, this one was my favorite (I know, unpopular opinion). I was going through the biggest heartbreak of my life, and this album was integral in my healing. Shortly after releasing the album, Taylor announced The Eras Tour and I knew I needed to go. A 3 hour love letter to her entire discography, complete with outfit changes and surprise songs. I needed to go, and I needed to make a dress to honor it. As we know, history was not kind to the fans, and I was one of the casualties. I was unable to see the show in my city and I was gutted. With no other option, my friend Heather and I made a pact: put in for a bunch of European cities, and if we got tickets, that was the destination.

We ended up getting a code for Zurich, despite the number of feelers we put out there. And although it wasn't really a location on my radar, I was hopeful about tickets. Before the tickets went on sale however, Heather's coworker was able to hook us up for 3 tickets in Edinburgh-- the city tied for first on my list. My mom had just stayed in an Air BnB in Edinburgh City Centre, and was able to put me in contact with her hosts. We got a really good price, and were not up-charged for the tickets at all. Once our flights were booked, we had to wait 11 long months to see her.

Because Taylor Swift is such a big star and demand to see her is so high, only large stadiums can accommodate crowd demands (for reference, our stadium held over 73,000 people per night of the tour). Where I live, the closest stadium is in NJ which is easily 2 hours away, and parking is impossible both coming and going from MetLife stadium. This concert was located in Murrayfield Scottish Gas Stadium which is not far from City Centre. Our Air BnB was walking distance from Waverley station which is a big travel hub. The trip was pretty easy in terms of steps, train out of Waverley to Haymarket (10 mins) and then a tram from Haymarket to the venue which only took 20 minutes because there were so many people going to the same place. The crowding continued to be an issue after we arrived at the venue because it took a long time to make a short walk from the station to the stadium. We thankfully made it just in time to hear Paramore start off.

I will say that I heard so many horror stories about people not being able to make it into the concert that I definitely internalized it a bit. I had multiple stress dreams of our tickets not going through or worse, people sitting in our seats that felt so real. In those scenarios, we missed the concert and I was holding back a bit of panic as we got our tickets scanned and found our seats. You can imagine my horror when there were people sitting in our seats upon arrival. I had the most impossible time holding it together when we told these people that they were in our seat and they more or less dismissed us. Thankfully my much calmer friend was able to talk to them and let them know they were simply in the wrong section. Crisis averted.

Because we got there so close to time, I didn’t have a moment to walk around and trade bracelets and see everyone’s creative outfits. I made my dress, inspired by her famous Enchanted Cupcake Dress, that I wanted to show off a little, but I already know I need to wear it again. Although we planned it initially, ultimately we didn’t have time to make bracelets the night before like we planned, which was really sad. Prior to the concert, I made a bunch of them— so I gave a bunch I would have traded to my friends, which brought me so much joy in my own way. I gave a few to some little kids who complimented my outfit, as well as a few of our seat neighbors. We met a sweet fan from San Francisco who was traveling solo and sitting in front of us. She had a purple Enchanted bracelet that she insisted I took because it matched my outfit, and I gave her a Wonderstruck I had made in return.

Seeing Paramore was such an added bonus since I’ve never seen them live before. I was happy that I knew so many songs, and loved Hayley’s presence and energy. I love that they have such a long and beautiful friendship, and that Taylor herself requested Misery Business to be added to the set list a few weeks before our show, despite it being permanently removed from their rotation for many years. Feminism off, Misery Business on, period. I cried multiple times during Paramore’s performance, it was extraordinary.

Then. The countdown. We knew we were close when an especially tall cart disguised as a janitor’s cart came by. Any fan following the tour knew who was in there, she wasn’t fooling us. We cheered and screamed. My anticipation went through the roof when Lady Gaga’s Applause started to play. Just the opening chord was enough to know she was about to start, just as she does every show. We got a clock on stage with a countdown, then Taylor Swift’s disembodied voice slowly singing a simple sentence: “It’s been a long time coming..” Full on tears. She will never know how true those words rang for us. It really was such a long time coming, a year of careful planning, saving and anticipation. So many things working in our favor leading to the moment where my friends and I were in the room with Taylor herself. I’ve been a fan since the first album, a tour encompassing her entire musical discography up to present is simply too much for me to process. Being surrounded by people who felt that way, was just incredible.

She played so many fan favorites and I had so much fun as she came out for each era seeing which outfit she would wear for our show. I was particularly partial to the outfits she chose for Speak Now and 1989 and was secretly hoping we’d be the first show to get the new Rep outfit. After 10 years of friendship, Heather and I got to take it back to where we started by looking eachother in the eyes and jumping around uncontrollably to Shake it Off. To make it even more special, Taylor acknowledged it was her first time performing in Edinburgh in 10 years. I felt so lucky to be celebrating 10 years of friendship practically to the day at the same time.

In the middle of the tour, Taylor released her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department— something that wasn’t even announced when the tour began. She began the European leg of the tour in Paris and debuted the TTPD set of the show. To fit it in she did cut some songs from every era— most notably Long Live (pour one out). Despite a few losses, we got to be some of the first to experience this new era live on stage. Our friend Holly even dedicated her outfit to the newly appointed era. I was the most happy with the inclusion of But Daddy I Love Him into the set.

But the moment of truth always comes down to the surprise songs. Now, please keep in mind I was monitoring them very closely prior to the show to manage my expectations as best as possible. Her discography is so massive, which leaves the roulette of songs and mashups insanely dicey. As expected, she had done a few of my precious favorites leading up to my concert so I wasn’t expecting to hear them but I tried to stay positive.

My romantic life has been a bit tumultuous these past couple of years, and I think I’ve especially leaned on Taylor’s music because of it. Her storytelling ability hits a sweet spot of being both specific and relatable that you can really connect to it. I was hoping for some frothy, happy surprise songs to be honest. If I could have had my pick I would have loved to hear Message in a Bottle, Superman, Guilty as Sin?, King of my Heart, Paris, The Great War, long story short, Jump then Fall, Our Song, imgonnagetyouback or I Can See You. My friend mentioned it really wouldn’t be a complete Eras tour without an inclusion of the Debut album (only available in surprise songs, as she sadly doesn’t have a section for Debut on the set list). Additionally, unlike other cities where she has a city or location referenced in a lyric or title (Paris, London Boy, Welcome to NY— or the more subtle references of Sweet Nothing, False God, and Maroon), Scotland is never referenced in her discography— so we had no clue what was coming.

Now, my girl Taylor gave me some relatable numbers for sure, but not in the way I envisioned at all. Our first song on the guitar was Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve— which if you know me and my past at all you understand why this particular song is personally a very hard listen. I was happy for the Midnights representation and thankfully didn’t cry because she paired it with the sensual I Know Places. The mashup was a bit weird but I do love both songs, even if one is harder to listen to than the other.

Then came the piano. Within 3 words of ‘tis the damn season, I was sobbing. I didn’t turn to look at my friends once, it was too much. I feel like this song caught me off guard when I first heard it, and by the end I was deeply connected to it and crying. It kind of became a song I would listen to if I needed to expel some sadness and cry, it was very current for me when I first heard it, and related a bit too much. She mashed it up with Daylight, a Lover staple that I adore so much. Unfortunately the floodgates were long broken by the time she started it so I was just a mess watching my bracelet turn from yellow to pink. It was extra special because we were the first show she performed almost entirely in daylight due to the elongated summer days in Scotland— something she commented on a few times during our show. Four songs connected to 3 past relationships was a lot to mentally process at a live concert. At the same time, it felt a bit symbolic and healing, like I left that part of my past behind in Scotland and could finally move forward. I was grateful for the breathing space between the surprise songs and the closing Midnights set where we all went absolutely crazy. Bejeweled is such a bop, and I loved seeing the whole stadium’s bracelets shimmer in time with the music. She was very generous with this era and I am grateful for that. After she performed Karma and took her bows, I cried because it was over, smiled because it happened and stated simply: “let’s do that again.”

I wish I could say leaving the stadium was as easy as getting there but it was honestly insane. The merch lines did move fast, so we all bought some shirts among other things. But the crowds started to get really bad in b the way out. Several trams that were expected to run were not running and there were thousands of people ahead of us attempting to leave the venue and catch the same trams. The sun was officially down at 10:30 when the show ended which meant it was COLD. Even with a sweater and a hoodie over my outfit and it just wasn’t enough. I also was wearing somewhat uncomfortable shoes that I had already been standing and dancing in for hours, so waiting in line on steep concrete stairs that wasn’t moving was.. not my favorite. It ultimately took us 1.5 hours to catch a tram due to the combination of limited service and heavy crowds. When we finally passed the turnstile to get on, I was pushed through the crowd involuntarily without moving my legs, it was one of the scariest things I’d ever experienced. The tram ride itself took only 30 mins total and dropped us pretty close to Waverley station after 12:30 am. A sweet drunk person came out of a restaurant right as we got off and called me Ariel so it cooled my otherwise heated mood. We probably got back to the Air BnB around 1, but I couldn’t fall asleep until at least 2 because the music from the concert was still reverberating in my head. I was on such a high that I wanted to go to 10 more shows and watch the movie on the plane. The unfortunate thing was that I had to get up at 6am the next morning, which was actually insane.

History & Culture

**The Royal Mile**- the impossible to miss main strip that goes through the charming city of Edinburgh. This is where you’ll find many gift shops ranging from Tartans and wools as well as more touristy items like magnets and souvenirs. There are so many beautiful historic buildings and churches as well as pubs and restaurants. There are many paths and stairwells that lead to this cobblestones street and if you follow it to the end you will reach the castle. It does get busy pretty much right at 10 am, so we got up really early for a photoshoot to commemorate our trip. My friend Heather found flytographers and we chose to book Kim who was incredibly kind and patient with us despite cold weather, tired models and minor rain. She made sure we got a variety of backdrops and that each group of photos we took looked unique. She also gave us a large selection of pictures as well

as a fast turnaround time.

**Edinburgh Castle**- we booked the last time slot for the Castle so the crowds weren’t too crazy, the negative was everything was closing so we rushed to the top and worked our way down. On this trip I learned that a Castle was designed as a fortress for soldiers in battle, whereas a Palace is where royals typically live. You can tell I had not learned that lesson yet based on how I dressed haha. Regardless, because of its placement at the top of the city the view of Edinburgh is unmatched. Even though they were closing, the staff was incredibly kind to us and let us get all

of our photos before departing.

**Victoria St-** the original inspiration for Diagon Alley according to the Scots, and a must for any fan of the Harry Potter franchise. After having seen Portobello Rd in England I’m not 100% convinced but there’s definitely a strong argument in favor of Victoria Street. The road isn’t long but is lined with Harry Potter inspired shops such as Elephant House (where you can try glitter butterbeer), the Museum of Illusions, John Kay’s bookshop which inspired Flourish and Blotts as well as Harry Potter gift shops where you can buy Hogwarts and character merch (I ended up buying a Gryffindor scarf that was made in the same mill as the scarves portrayed in the movies). Chalmers, a cashmere shop used to be home to the Joke Shop that inspired Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Although the store is closed, their logo: glasses and a mustache remain. Getting photos here is tricky for many reasons. Considering this is the most photographed street in the country, it is packed with people during normal business hours. Additionally when empty, it is a complete incline which makes it a little challenging, we also had issues with lighting at our

arrival time and had to use a flash.

**Greyfriars Bobby Statue**- This adorable statue is dedicated to Bobby, a Skye Terrier from the late 1800s who’s owner passed away early into his life. Bobby survived his owner by 14 years, and is famous for sitting by his owner’s grave at Greyfriars Kirkyard for the rest of his life. He was buried there, not far from his owner’s grave- it is clear that both in the past and present, Bobby is beloved by the city of Edinburgh. What touches my heart is that this story is one of a few famous stories that inspired the tearjerking masterpiece, Jurassic Bark from Futurama. There is a statue of Bobby just outside the Kirkyard that visitors can rub his nose

for luck.

**Harry Potter Walking Tours**- run by diehard fans of the franchise, these tours take you through a couple of spots that inspired components of the books. I of course showed up dressed up in full Beauxbatons attire, which went over so well. Our tour guide, Alastair was so happy and told me he had never seen someone take the Beauxbatons approach, but I clearly belonged there. My house is Gryffindor, and as the guide went through trivia questions, everyone was encouraged to raise a hand and answer them to win points for their respective house to be tallied at the end for the House Cup (My house won, much to the chagrin of our Slytherin guide). The tour takes you through Greyfriars Cemetery, where JK Rowling used to walk regularly when she was writing the novels. Through the cemetery you see the names of real people that inspired character names from the books. You also get to see the cafe where the first book was written and the hotel where the final book was completed as well as the real school that inspired Hogwarts. The tours encourage you to bring a wand that you will use to perform a real spell which I loved. We finish the tour at Victoria street where each store’s significance is outlined in detail. The tours are advertised as free, but the tour guides are really dependent on tips to keep the tours going and encourage a 20£ donation which

was beyond worth it.

**Princes St Gardens**- beautiful greenery with sweeping views of Edinburgh Castle and the Victorian Gothic monument dedicated to Sir Walter Scott along with the city. We were lucky enough to come in June and we were able follow the paths to see the beautiful flowers. With close proximity to Waverley Station and City Centre, these beautiful gardens were basically unavoidable, and we had no complaints. We went back practically every day to take beautiful photos all

around.

**Highland Tours**- the morning after the concert, we woke up at 6am yet again to catch a bus up to the highlands. I was exhausted and a bit grumpy but it was so well worth it. Our guide was the sweetest, and our driver somehow safely got our large tour bus over so many twists and turns. I personally did not feel comfortable driving a car on the opposite side of the road without having driven in a few years so I knew a tour would be the only way to get up to the highlands. We were able to

see so much including:

Glencoe- although we didn’t see the surrounding town, our guide stopped our bus and gave our group a few minutes to marvel the beautiful mountains of Glencoe. This was our first venture into the highlands and it was simply mindblowing. We were so high up already and the air was so clear, I wish I could have kept taking it in before we left— it didn’t even feel real.

Glenfinnan Viaduct- although it’s a national landmark for Scotland to the point that you can find etchings of it on their pound notes, that’s not why I was there. As any keen movie goer would know, the Hogwarts express follows the Glenfinnan Viaduct to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. There is usually a train that goes over the viaduct that you can sometimes see on the tour. The group let us know ahead of time the train wasn’t running on the day we selected but we didn’t need it. It was spectacular on its own, even if we got intensely rained on on the way back to the bus from there.
Loch Shiel- located directly across from the viaduct, was the sparkling Loch Shiel. This spot was a filming location for the Triwizard tournament in the Goblet of Fire but it looked completely different. There was something really special about this spot and its sweeping views.
Local cafes for breakfast and lunch, our guide took us through the towns of Blairdrummond and Glen Nevis where we were able to stretch our legs and get food from the cafe in town. There was also a local market onsite that sold grab and go prepared foods, groceries, souvenirs, beers and wine. The food was made with local meats, cheeses and produce which made it extra special. I was able to get a mushroom and cheese pastry and the best vegetable soup along with some cute souvenirs and post cards and a beautiful view.
Pitlochry- we were given the most time to explore the charming town Pitlochry for a little over an hour. We had just enough time to do a quick walk and grab a bite at one of their restaurants. We settled on a little spot right on their Main Street where I had wonderful authentic Scottish smoked salmon on toast. It really blew me away, and I had to fight myself from scarfing it down. Although the tour was a long day, I wish we had more time in Pitlochry, it was really so special and sweet.
Highland Cows: if you walk through Edinburgh, you will see artwork and photos of these cuties everywhere. Our guide made sure to stop at a farm where we could see one up close and say hello. Sadly we didn’t have more sightings, although he was hoping to find them in a few spots. I’m just glad we saw them at all!

As we drove up the highlands our guide shared so much history as we went through each town and passed noteworthy landmarks. He also shared some traditional Scottish Music with us while we drove up to the highlands. Additionally, he could tell there were a lot of Harry Potter fans in our group and pointed out some lesser known filming locations such as the Forbidden Forest as we drove by. As we got to each destination he really let us go our own ways and choose how much time we spend doing what. He gave recommendations and told us what time we needed to return to the bus. On the ride back down to the highlands he provided a clipboard and asked each passenger to write a song down (as long as only 50% were Taylor Swift songs) and then he put each of them into a playlist and shuffled them. It was really nice hearing everyone’s different musical tastes and it made the long ride down go quicker. We got back to Edinburgh around 4pm and still had time to do a few more things before turning in for the day. It was more or less an 8 hour day but it was the perfect mix of action and relaxation. I definitely needed to catch up on sleep after the concert so the long stretches of bus ride were beyond welcome.

Food

**Dishoom**- In general I like to connect to my small piece of Indian heritage when I can. UK territories are known to have amazing Indian cuisine and I feel like it’s my way of connecting when I’m on colonizer soil. Dishoom specifically is a restaurant I’ve had my eye on since planning my 2020 trip to London that never was, enhanced by multiple friends of mine hyping it up. Named for the sounds boxing gloves make when a fighter strikes a punch (dshoom-dshoom) according to my Dad, the restaurant itself had an upscale vintage charm. Having our first meal in Edinburgh just felt right to me. What I love about this restaurant group is that each location has one specialty item that’s only available on that one menu. For us it was a black lentil dal that I ordered. Overall the experience was great and helped us get our bearings in town, I of course picked up some incense for a friend of mine who’s a big fan.

**Tollbooth Tavern**- our number one landmark for the trip as our Air BnB was located right behind it. On the outside is beautiful tollhouse from 1591 that has been turned into a bar and has been in service since 1820 On the inside, the vibes were so cozy and inviting, completed by the beautiful windows and walls lined with books. We ended up going twice for drinks and light fare, and learned that you can order a half pint of beer or cider rather than a full. It’s so convenient if you’re not sure you’re going to like something and fear commitment, or you’re like me and you want to try as many different local drinks as possible without overdoing it. We stopped by right before leaving for the concert where I enjoyed a local favorite dessert called a Cranacen which I absolutely loved— an almost parfait with

raspberries, oats and whiskey cream. The best !

**Brewhemia** on our first day we walked the area surrounding our AirBnB and Brewhemia immediately demanded our attention. We ended up going on our last night of the trip for dinner. The restaurant and taproom was MASSIVE, boasting multiple floors with Instagram photo traps galore. We shared many laughs and Thistly Cross ciders as we celebrated the last night of the trip. Our server was the sweetest ever and gave us a bunch of recommendations in both Edinburgh and the surrounding towns for our next trips back. It made leaving even harder because there was still so much to experience there, especially foodwise. My friends got an actual dinner while I had bread and (incredible) melted cheese. In addition to a multi floor dining room, there was also a performance space inside. I popped over for a few minutes to listen to some live American country music and Go-go

dancers dressed as different Taylor Swift eras.

**Hot Toddy**- we walked by several times before finally being sold on their Taylor Swift themed cocktails. Considering Guility as Sin? was my #1 most listened to song of June, it only felt right to order the Passionate as Sin drink. Especially since I am obsessed with passionfruit hehe. The restaurant was covered in live plants to really build the ambiance, each plant with its own name tag so we really got a feel for who they were. The people who worked there were super nice and the prices

were pretty reasonable considering the sticker price for a craft cocktail in NYC.

**Laila**- I’m not gonna lie, we chose this place for the aesthetics. My friend Holly and I are particularly partial to a pastel vibe and Laila definitely delivered with every detail. We were able to make an early reservation before flying out, since it had been hard to walk in on previous days. We had a nice brunch complete with “pink” avocado toast and unicorn lattes. This spot is definitely for the girly girls, and its

location at the top of Cockburn street really cements its aesthetic charm.

Tips + Closing Thoughts

Scotland is finicky with its weather and we honestly got really REALLY lucky on our trip. I went in June, which is typically one of the warmer months— but Scotland is so far north that it doesn’t mean the same thing as June in the states or even other parts of Europe. Being closer than expected to the Arctic Circle, meant colder early summer days so be sure to bring hooded jackets, warm tights, and pants for a comfortable time. Even with all of those things considered, I was still cold and ended up buying a warm scarf that I rarely took off the whole trip. Temperatures ranged from low 40s to mid 50s, which felt very different in sunlight or shade. The other interesting part that I didn’t factor in is that because Scotland is so far north, the length of daylight is different than the states, and varies more drastically depending on when you go. In our case, it stayed light til about 10-11pm which was unexpected since back home sunset took place around 8:30. Keep in mind if you go closer to the winter season you might deal with shorter days than you are used to, so you should factor this in and plan accordingly.

Additionally, there is high chance for rain in Scotland. We only had 2 hiccups with this, but neither instance had much of an effect on the trip. Thankfully, when we did have a downpour, we were headed for a long stretch on the tour bus. Weatherproof clothing and umbrellas are advised but having boots was such a lifesaver. Especially with the copious amounts of cobblestones, hills and stairs.

Going to a foreign city during a monumental concert like this was kind of special to be honest. Since this was Taylor’s first show in the country for 10 years so many stores and restaurants were so excited to have her in town. We saw some beautiful window displays, little references and themed cocktails I couldn’t help but feel so welcome as her fan. There were so many people with Eras merch around town and in the airport. In fact, on our way out we befriended a few Swifties in the airport who went a different night than us. I loved their enthusiasm and learning how they found her music and what their favorite eras and songs were. I ended up making 20+ bracelets while I was on the plane and made a special one for each of them. There was a bit of solemness in the air at the customs line since the journey was over for so many of us. I decided to give away the remaining bracelets to random people in the line wearing Eras merch to brighten things up. I gave my last bracelet to this sweet family who ultimately were on both my flight coming and going from Edinburgh, as well as the tram ride to the concert. They were so sweet and it was the best way to close out a beautiful trip. The female comradery was unmatched throughout the entire experience. Overall, Taylor Swift’s continued ability to connect to so many people through her music will never cease to astound me. I feel so lucky to be alive at the same time as her, and to share the magic of her music with so many people.

Shauna K 11/20/24 Shauna K 11/20/24

My Adventures Over the Rainbow

I must have been 2 or 3 years old when I saw the Wizard of Oz for the first time and I can say without exaggeration that my life changed forever. I know I am one of millions of people who have such an affinity for this series and it’s characters, I just wanted to share my story.

I just was a little brunette girl who wore braids everyday, but I instantly saw myself on screen. Sure- I wasn’t an orphan, hell I had a pet cat, and lived in New York City, but none of it mattered. My imagination had been sparked, and I adopted a permanent skip in my step as I acted out every scene and tried to convince my cat to get into a basket, so I could fully accept my life as the real-life Dorothy, and make my way to Oz. At the time, I was probably aware of 5 existing places in the world, New York, Paris, India, Florida and Kansas (of course!). I used to live in fear of when I’d go to Kansas, because I was CONVINCED my clothes would lose all of their color forever since it was black and white there.

I must have seen the film hundreds of times, and my Mom would play a cassette for me every night that played “Over the Rainbow” which I found boring, and “If I Only Had a Brain” which was easily my favorite as I had always loved the Scarecrow. Naturally, when it came time for me to choose my first Halloween costume at the age of 3, I chose— the Wicked Witch of the West??

The forever pink girlie from day 1, obsessed with Dorothy,
was adamant about dressing up as the Witch.

I still don’t understand this decision, but my Grandma obliged my childish request, and made me a beautiful costume, complete with silver spiderwebs along my cape. My mom painted me green, and I ran around the halls of our NYC high rise screeching “I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog too,” much to the chagrin of everyone around me.

I think I realized the error of my ways, and by the time I was 5, I begged my Grandma to make me a Dorothy costume. My Grandma lived in Florida at the time, and she used to make costumes for all of my cousins. I think we were concerned that the costume wasn’t going to come in time, and my Mom bought me a Halloween store version that I despised. I remember having to wear that version to my school’s Halloween party and I was so salty— but then my Grandma’s beautifully made one came just in time for Trick-or-Treating. A Halloween Miracle :)
Over the years I continued to watch the movie and built so many family memories with it. I held onto the costume and wore it over and over until I outgrew it, and life kept moving on. Everything changed however, when I hit Middle School.

In 7th Grade, a friend of mine had just seen a new musical on Broadway called Wicked, which was a prequel story that centered around the Witches of Oz. She showed me one song, “Popular” that Glinda sang and basically told me “She’s you, you have to listen to this one!” I liked the song instantly, and begged my Mom to take me to the show, since we were gratefully very close to Broadway.

It took a whole year of convincing and planning, as well as a move further upstate, but 13-year-old Shauna could never have been prepared for what she saw next. Before the show even started, I remember there was a map of Oz on the stage curtain and I was already transfixed, studying each quadrant and seeing the areas that each Witch oversaw. Then came the show. I must have had stars in my eyes after hearing Eden Espinoza and Megan Hilty sing the roof off the Gershwin Theatre. I remember picking up on foreshadowing throughout the show and theorizing during intermission. I wanted to know so badly how Elphaba became the iconic Wicked Witch of the West. I studied every costume, and wanted more than anything to learn every song and be on that stage.

What followed, could only be described as a character shift for me under the guise of a full on obsession. I bought an I ♡ Oz shirt, that had the witches in the middle of the heart, and the soundtrack. I subjected my family to HOURS of playing that soundtrack over our home speakers. I paid specific attention to every single line Glinda sang in the show and perfected it. Every night that year, I put that CD in my purple discman and listened to it on repeat while I was sleeping. It only got worse when I eventually downloaded the entire soundtrack onto an iPod and listened to it on the bus on my way to school.

I was new in school that year, and I wasn’t particularly close to anyone in my new town. Rather than trying to blend in, I would spend all of my time listening to Wicked, and drawing anime characters dressed like Elphie and Glinda. It must have been really jarring for most people from my simple small town, to be approached by a particularly tiny 13-year-old who only wanted to obsessively talk about anime, Neopets and the Wicked Soundtrack. I remember none of my friends had seen it yet, and were quickly getting sick of me talking about it, so I spent a decent amount of time talking about it with anyone who would listen on deviantArt. Through much of my abrasive behavior, one of my new friends convinced me to join our school’s musical theatre production. I had never been on a stage before but after seeing Wicked and getting inspired, I knew I had to. I played a bit part in Annie, and had so much fun before the show ended. You could imagine my surprise when that same friend told me there would be a summer production and you’d never guess the show.

That’s right. That same year, after nursing a year long Wicked obsession, our community theatre was holding auditions for: The Wizard of Oz and I needed to play Glinda. Obviously this wasn’t the Wicked version, but I had seen the Wizard of Oz so many times I probably could have acted the whole show out in my sleep. More importantly because it’s me— I needed to wear that DRESS. I think something was lacking from my childhood decision to never wear Glinda’s dress for Halloween, because I was hellbent on playing this part. Plus everyone kind of already knew the producer’s daughter who was super talented, and a dead-ringer for Dorothy, was going to get the lead.

This was my chance. I showed up at that theatre with my I ♡ Oz shirt with my hair down to my butt, and I was ready to tell those Munchkins to come out wherever they were in the most graceful way I could. In this audition we all read for every character, so I remember reading for Dorothy and the Witch as well as Ms Glinda. At first I was scared I wasn’t going to get a part at all, but because I had remembered every line inflection from the movie, I realized I was easily the most qualified person in the room to be in this show.

At the very end however, we did singing auditions. They asked everyone who wanted to come forward for Dorothy to sing “Over the Rainbow,” for the group. One by one almost every girl went up singing their hearts out. I was both nervous, but also a bit stubborn because of my Glinda vision, so I initially held my ground and didn’t go up. As more people sang though, I couldn’t shake some of my most messed up thoughts. I was better than them, and I couldn’t stand still for one more moment without at least trying and giving it my best.

I took a deep breath, stood up from my seat, and planted myself on that stage with as much confidence as I could. The rest just kind of happened, after all I really was just singing some song I heard every night, once in a lullaby. I knew I killed it, but definitely tried to play it off like I was humble (probably horribly). My mom came in right when I started singing and got to hear the whole thing. I think it was the first time she’d ever really heard me sing like that, and she has such fond memories of that moment to this day. The producer of the show asked her nicely which kid was hers, and my mom said my name to which the woman responded with a very sour face.

I don’t think I had even made it home yet by the time the director of the show called with the news. My dad is notoriously bad for getting information wrong when people would call the house, so my mom and I frantically called her back. She had let me know that I had officially gotten the part of Dorothy, but only for the first half of the show as I was sharing it with the aforementioned producer’s daughter. At that moment, this was the biggest accomplishment I had made in my life, and my favorite part of the show was the first half anyway, so I was simply abuzz. I remember quickly highlighting my lines in pink and watching the movie a few times to refresh.

I know I was only 13, but that show became one of the most special and formative experiences for me. I made new friends from different schools right away, and we became so close as a cast, as it was many of our first times ever playing leading roles. Of course, I instantly had a crush on the boy who played the Scarecrow who went to another school. I remember having to balance being comfortable with him in scenes, with my nerves of being so into him in real life. It probably didn’t help that I loved the original scarecrow and had such a big crush on Wicked’s Fiyero. At the same time, since he didn’t go to my school, he didn’t know I was a weirdo so I got to put my best self forward. Even though I had gotten more comfortable with him over the summer and eventually became his friend; I remember sitting on opposite sides of a bench alone with him during tech week and being so nervous and tense. He kept inching in closer to me and I kept sliding further away. When he finally told me he liked me, I was so close to the edge I almost fell off. I remember the rest of the cast running past us right after, pretending they weren’t listening to our whole conversation which broke the tension. Despite that, clearly something I did had worked and totally tricked him into thinking I wasn’t a weirdo (jk he was a huge nerd too).

The more difficult part of this production was the costumes. Because of my status as a newcomer, and my split role, I tended to get shafted when it came to costumes. I was several inches shorter than the other actress, which made our clothes fit very differently. Rather than providing me with a costume, they handed me a bundle of fabric and basically told me to figure it out, while she was ordered an outfit for the production. Thankfully my Grandma was a seamstress who had the very specific experience of sewing that exact costume once before. Additionally, my shoe size was completely different from the other actress which usually isn’t an issue but in this case it was detrimental.

They ordered one stunning pair of Ruby Slippers in size 9. I was barely a 6, and I was gutted because no amount of wadded toilet paper would make those shoes fit me. In 2006, Amazon did not exist the way it does now, and typically Party City would only carry costumes en masse during Halloween. But it was July, the season for sandals and relaxing. I think my resourcefulness as an eventual cosplayer started in this very moment. My mom and I went to at least 10 different stores trying to find red pumps, or even white ones. At a certain point, just pumps. We dug through sandal, after wedge, after flip flop, until we found what we were gonna have to make work. A pair of black ballet flats with a wedge needed their Cinderella moment.

I remember spray painting those shoes in the backyard, then hitting them with spray adhesive to add glitter and sequins to them. After a few wears, up close they were an absolute mess, but from far away they were perfect. I think I did 6 shows in them and would carefully touch them up with a paintbrush every day. Clearly this experience didn’t dull my spirits as I took it upon myself to make individual poppy flowers by hand for the famous scene, and excitedly brought whatever small props I could from home to make the show a success.

It went better than I could have hoped honestly. Even if no one helped me with my hair, and my braids were falling out regularly on stage, probably with a trail of red glitter close behind me- none of it mattered. In my mind I had made it to Oz and had the time of my life that summer. I ended up doing shows with so many of those people throughout high school, and always felt such a close connection to them because of this show. I have no doubts in my mind that if it wasn’t Oz, it wouldn’t have been this special. I think it cemented both my love of performing and crafting, which I have continued to do in multiple ways. Even our director was such a wonderful person, and really had such a special place in her heart for us. She returned a few more times to direct, and I think that was a main reason for all of us coming back every year. She ultimately inspired me to choose the college I ended up going to.

As I got older, my obsession with Wicked and Oz may have waned, but never dissipated completely. I sang Popular for countless auditions and won parts with it as well. Concurrent with performing through school, I became a bit of a Broadway nerd with a special affinity for both Idina and Kristin. Over time, I was fortunate enough to see both of them live a few times, and even got to meet both of them!

It took me nearly 10 years but I finally found my Elphaba. Early in my friendship with my friend Heather, we bonded over Wicked and found our other halves in each other. We even lived together for nearly 5 years! Through our opposing color aesthetics and personalities, we seem to always fall right into these characters. One of my favorite inside jokes between the two of us relates to Wicked ;) We can’t seem to go a single Karaoke night without choosing at least one Wicked duet. I know for a fact, for the rest of my life, I will always tear up and think of our friendship when I hear the song “For Good.”

It’s only fitting that the movie comes out this week and we are taking things very seriously. My Elphaba and I be at opening night on Friday, in full Wicked regalia. Over the years I followed in my late Grandma’s footsteps and learned how to sew, I’ve even gotten pretty decent. For this premiere, I have gone far enough to make my own dress, marking my official first time EVER getting to dress up as Glinda (hopefully not the last). I couldn’t be more excited for this movie—I have so much hope and faith in this cast, and I can’t wait to see the spin they put on these beloved characters. I can tell they care so much about the characters, and everything I’ve seen and heard so far has been wonderful. I know I am gonna cry my eyes out, and I am ready.

Shauna K 2/9/24 Shauna K 2/9/24

My Hair: the Myth, the Legend

February 7, 2024 marked 5 whole years having fashion colors in my hair!

For most of my life, I feel like my hair has held such close importance to me. I was one of those kids who had it cut traumatically short at a super young age and have definitely given my hair an inflated value since.

My hair is naturally dark which has also always been a pain point for me. Like a lot of people, my Mom was the beauty standard for me growing up, and she happened to have blonde hair for most of my life. I also grew up with Barbie and Britney Spears as my inspiration so I have always been acutely aware of my hair color and always wished it could be different. For a long time I felt like the options were blonde, red, and dark; throughout High School and college I rotated between the 3, but I was never really satisfied with any of them.

Concurrently, I was a huge weeb, and in the anime world no hair color was off limits. I always wrote off fashion colors in my teens and early twenties because the quality of the dyes was so bad and brands were limited. I'd see people do them, look good for maybe a week, and then experience serious fading. Even just a slightly faded pink especially always looked like a salmon color which was super unappealing to me. At one point when I was in college, I dyed the tips of my hair pink and purple, but it faded relatively fast and left my hair pretty damaged. When it came to committing to a full scalp dye, I always made excuses because I "didn't wanna damage my hair" and "wanted to come across professional." Although I had written it off in my mind, I secretly wanted it so much.

So February 7, 2019, my hair was bleached to a pretty light blonde, but I wasn't sold on the color. I was stuck between an ashy platinum or rose-gold color. Basically I wanted it to look natural enough in a corporate setting that no one would bat an eye. I ended up going for a consultation with a local stylist after having done very little research. Since my hair had already been dyed pretty light, they assured me we could get it to rose gold relatively easily. I woefully lamented that I really wanted a pastel pink, but the conservative nature of the company I worked with at the time wouldn't allow it. I made a point to say that I hoped I could do it one day though.

Now, I don't know if it was a miscommunication or if my hair was so porous that it soaked in the color really quickly, but long story short I ended my session after coming in for a consultation with pastel pink hair. For the first time in my life, I felt like me. It was such a powerful moment and I was overwhelmed with emotion. The problem was-- it was a Thursday.. I had work the next day and it was 11pm.

As a mostly ex-cosplayer I had a storage bin full of wigs, and found one that was pretty close to what my hair looked like at the time. I worriedly went into the office the next day, ready to get an earful from my very vocal and judgmental boss. The plan was simple: let the color wash out after two weeks, go back to blonde and pretend it never happened.

But instead, he said nothing. No one did. So if it didn’t matter, and I kept it hidden, there was only one option: I’d keep it. Leading up to that moment I was coming off of some serious self hatred issues and I was just beginning to really express my personal style. This was exactly what I didn’t know I needed to take that to the next level.

Anyway. It turned out my hair was a big deal at work, and my boss never once spoke to me about it. Instead, he made a point to make my life miserable, took away my responsibilities, publicly humiliate me, and treated me like absolute shit. Although my Instagram was private at the time, a few people from work followed me and allegedly told him, because he never once saw my pink hair in person. It wasn’t until I found a new job that another coworker told me that he was trying to find ways to get me fired but I was protected by the handbook, essentially this was his retaliation. This boss went as far as pressuring another colleague to tell me to dye it back to my natural color to “advance my career.”

It was a sad way to end that chapter of my life, but it brought me into the arms of the company I work for now which was such a blessing. Every single person in my old department was laid off in 2020, and that could have been me if I stayed. I know for a fact I wouldn’t have even looked for something new if it wasn’t for this catalyst. So yes, another reason to hold my hair in such high regard. I’m a Leo Rising after all.

Instead I get to be around people who are so kind and supportive of me and my hair color to the point that it makes me emotional. I went from someone who hated my hair color so much and wanted to sabotage me, to a boss who told me that pastel pink was his favorite color of the many I’ve done over the years. When I went back to pink in 2022, he literally said: “you’re back, finally.” I’ve had coworkers tell me that they were inspired by the color and take the plunge, and even feel safe enough interviewing at our company where they allow bright hair. Last week I had a senior leader at my company tell me how her daughter recently dyed a pink streak in her hair and got to show her that there are professional adults who have hair like that too using my picture.

My grandpa has come around to my hair color but every now and then he will ask me the million dollar question (literally):

“Shauna, would you dye your hair back to normal if a company paid you a million dollars a year ?”

To which I will always say absolutely not. If they don’t accept me for who I am right off the bat, it’s already a horrible start. I spend more time at work than anywhere else, why would I wanna be somewhere where people openly don’t accept and support me? My mental health is so much more important.

“Things to know if you want to start coloring your hair with fashion colors:”

— (That I wish someone told me)

Understand the Financial Burden

Sure, you can do a fashion color at home, but if it’s your first time I wouldn’t recommend it, especially with bleaching.

If you are on a budget, I would recommend keeping a “shadow root” in your hair, or doing an ombre to start. This way, growth is less noticeable and you’ll only have to worry about maintaining fade. You can also get some streaks or “money pieces” if you are trying to save some money.
If you do choose the route of a full scalp bleach (which is what I do), it is gonna be a time and money commitment for sure. Every 6-8 weeks you need to return to the salon for a root touch up. Although it obviously improves aesthetics because you don’t have roots, it also prevents color banding. In short, if you let your roots grow too long, the heat from your scalp won’t warm the hair evenly and you will get some nasty bands in your hair (see article).
Every color session and even a root touch up session requires at least two different services. Depending on where you live, your hair length, thickness and texture, it can get really pricey. At least a couple hundred per session, and (tip your stylist generously!)

Know what you want:

It seems like an annoying first step, but booking a consultation is crucial to make sure you and your stylist are on the same page. If you have longer hair that you’ve been coloring for years, try to think back to all of the color treatments you’ve done over the past 5 years at least. These colors in your hair could affect how bleaches and dyes react to your hair, and if you’re not fully honest your hair will be the ultimate polygraph test and rat you out. I know you don’t want to admit the black box dye mistake from 2 years ago but if the stylist knows it’s in there beforehand, they can take necessary precautions. If you aren’t upfront, it could take so much time (and money) to correct these reactions, and you may end up with hair you are unhappy with.
Most likely, you’re going to have to bleach your hair to some extent. Make that point known right off the bat, so that you are booking the proper amount of time. I have made the mistake of not making that clear in the past, and the stylist only had time to put color over my dark hair, leaving me unhappy. Keep in mind that bleach and color are two separate services, and are done one after the other— so try not to make plans too close to your appointment time. The rule of thumb is the lighter the color you want, the lighter you’re going to have to lift your hair (it may also mean more damage). I always like to add that it is a lot easier to darken your hair if it’s too light, so I would recommend trying to go lighter if you are on the fence.

Booking the right stylist:

If you want a specific service done, you need to find someone with the proper skill-set to do it. In this case, that's colorful hair. There are a few ways to find the right stylist

Look up all of your local hair salons to see if any of them have stylists that do fashion color services. Ideally you want someone who specializes in fashion colors. It helps even more if you know someone local who has similar hair to yours to give stylist recommendations. These colors are complex and react differently to hair and chemicals than standard colors. If you are going to someone who doesn’t usually provide these services, they may not have the proper experience to give you the hair color you want, and it may look too bright or too natural.
Because everyone’s hair reacts differently, it may do something unexpected. I am not a professional by any means but I always like to ask a lot of questions, and I’ve learned a lot form my stylists. It’s important to have someone who understands that certain products turn hair green, and know what to do in these situations.
Every stylist has a color that they specialize in/do exceptionally well. Pay attention to this as well while making a selection. Obviously, this shouldn't be a deal breaker, but it helps to have someone who specializes and understands the complexities of pink hair if you're planning on going full pink.
Many stylists post "Before" Pictures of hair. This is THE most important thing to pay attention to. As a person with darker hair this is exceptionally important. A stylist may do really well with the colors you want, but they may be completed on a lighter hair color than yours. Naturally blonde hair and lighter brown hair are able to lighten to a level 11, which is nearly impossible on a darker hair color which can get to about 10.
It’s best to use a stylist’s own photos as a reference photo for color. This is because they know the exact hair texture, color, and history of that person’s specific hair as well as the exact products used. You’d be surprised how edited and filtered some photos on Google are, and those models may be starting out with much lighter or thicker hair than yours. Even some models on the hair dye boxes are wearing wigs or extensions which react differently to dye.

Listen to your Stylist

If your stylist tells you that something is going to take multiple sessions, or simply isn't possible, they aren't just making things up or trying to "up-sell" (most of the time).

Your hair health is crucial, so you need to prioritize it. Bleach is no joke and if you aren't careful you can do some serious long term damage to your locks. The darker your hair is, the more work the bleach is going to have to do--ie: the more damage you'll see in your hair. Dark blonde hair will just go blonde, but brown hair has to go from brown, pass through red/orange to then go blonde.
I have naturally strong hair that historically grew relatively quickly, and never used to have issues with breakage. Obviously this changed significantly once I started regularly processing my hair, and I honestly wasn't fully prepared for this change. For the longest time I didn't know what was happening, because I had never struggled with this issue my whole life. Now I have to take strong precautions.

Get regular trims

I know you don’t want to hear this. Trust me. I didn't want to hear this either. The longer you put off doing this, the worse your circumstances are gonna get. In 2021, my ends were getting stringy and my hair wasn’t growing much past a certain point. In case you're not aware, if you don't regularly cut your ends, each split end will divide even further up the strand, which will eventually cause it to snap off entirely. In a way you have to play the long game. You’re not gonna notice it the first few times but I promise you will look back and really see the difference.

Manage your expectations

If it’s your first time doing this, don’t be discouraged if it’s not perfect. Try to really assess your hair and see what changes you want to make. For example, my roots would sometimes come in very neon due to my hair’s porosity.

Your hair will most likely fade over time, so be mindful of this. This is especially true for pastel colors, because there is less color there to begin with.
Always remember that beneath your color is a yellow hair that oxidizes, and your fading hair color is going to be fighting with that. So if you have blue in your hair, it may start to turn green over time— or pink could turn orange.

Don't color hop too often

If you do, try to make gradual changes. Having to strip color also causes damage.

Look at a color wheel and see what colors are opposites; for example red and green. If you have red hair, I would recommend to avoid trying to go green or even blue right after. Stick to nearby colors first, maybe start with an orange or yellow.
If you can, try to let the color fade out as much as possible if you want to change colors. Utilize a clarifying shampoo if you want to speed this process up.

At home hair care!

Another thing you are sick of hearing! If you want to elongate your hair color you can take matters into your own hands.

Spend your money on high quality shampoo and conditioner. I use one specifically designed for colorful hair. I have been told sulfate free is the best route
If you are worried about fading, you can also invest in a color depositing shampoo or conditioner (Keep in mind that they do have some hair color in them, and may stain your shower/hands if you’re not careful). A lot of people use oVertone, but I used to use a Joico shampoo recommended by a former stylist. At the moment, I don’t experience fading, but I understand the struggle.
Rinse your hair with COLD water. It sucks but it really does the trick.
Limit heat on your hair, aka blow drying and styling products. I sometimes use rollers on damp hair and sleep in them, but if I use heat styling tools, I always use low heat and a protectant spray. High heat will cause color fading!
Prolong your washes— a little color will usually come out when you wash your hair, so frequent washes may cause some fading as well.

At the end of the day, my colorful hair is one of the most consistent relationships I’ve had in my life and I’m so grateful for the turn of events that made it possible. As I said before, I’ve never felt more like myself and I can’t wait to keep doing this for years to come.

I don’t exaggerate when I say that I get stopped on the street, the train, restaurants or whatever every day. People are so kind and always have questions about it, so I’d been meaning to write something up forever. I really could gush forever and ever. I love you, hair 🩷

Shauna K 12/30/23 Shauna K 12/30/23

2023: How it Changed for Me

I am still working on writing about my trip to Amsterdam but for now I am feeling really reflective with the end of the year rearing its head. 2023 has been such a wild year, full of joy, pain, loss and growth. Although there have been so many formative memories and moments from this year, the turning point of my year probably took place with one particular whirlwind week in June.

Early in the month I went on a trip with my friend Sara to Philly for the first time to see an Ed Sheeran Concert. We drove down for a quick weekend trip, screamed our lungs out at the concert, took pictures with landmarks, found a flower field and went home. But this trip was just the beginning for me. In fact, I came home and packed a suitcase to do it all over again.

This wasn’t just a normal trip though. See, I had a work trip to kick off the week, a friend’s wedding at Disney and a solo trip to Los Angeles to finish it off. For a person like me it was literally three separate wardrobes. I remember being so anxious for this trip I booked and planned an entire trip to Nashville the week before.

It started with a flight to Chicago out of Newark. My flight was a little delayed, so in typical Shauna fashion I went to the bar. I was quickly approached by someone, which initially put me off but it turned out that this guy just wanted to vent. He was Canadian, but worked 50/50 in New York and had told me that there were fires that had delayed his trip back to Toronto for several hours. He had been in the airport all day. Initially, he was sitting at a different bar and was getting harassed by a woman with a full glass of vodka trying to live stream with him.

I told him what I did for a living and how this trip was a culmination of months of work and planning, and I was super nervous for it. Turns out he worked right near one of our stores and had never been. While we were talking though, an older woman sat down near us and he encouraged her to sit with us. We all went around explaining our different reasons for being at the bar, and although she seemed fine initially, I was completely shocked by what I heard next.

It turned out she was at the airport because she is initially from New Jersey, and was home because her granddaughter was killed by a drunk driver. She had come up from Florida and was her daughter’s rock through this incredibly painful time. She told us how her granddaughter was days away from graduating high school, had gotten into an amazing college and had a wonderful life ahead of her. We learned that she was able to graduate posthumously, and that the President even acknowledged her and how intelligent she was. The gentleman sitting with me mentioned that his daughter was the same age and I could tell he was also really shaken up. I was so engrossed in this conversation, I nearly missed boarding my flight to Chicago and had to run while shouting my well wishes and reflected on how many different stories were in that airport alone.

I was really nervous about coming off as professional the next few days on my work trip. It felt like a lot of pressure because all of these people were flying from different cities in North America. Naturally, I hid my Ariel backpack in my hotel room, but it was no use. I ended up realizing how many nerds were among us instead. I feel like things went more or less well, but I never really know how people feel about me and I am always one to assume the worst.

This time I didn’t really see much of Chicago, but to me I preferred being around nice people rather than some of my previous trips there where I just ventured around alone. I also knew there were so many steps left in my journey after the fact.

In less than 48 hours I was back at O’Hare, and got to experience the fun (?) of flying Southwest to Anaheim. However, I did have to layover in Phoenix first which kind of sucked. So it was two anxiety inducing Southwest “self seating” lineups. My friends were already in Anaheim and they had trouble checking into the hotel room right as I was taking off.

I ended up spending the flight to Phoenix trying to help them get into the room, but nothing worked. Of course the only way they could get in would be me calling the hotel and giving them permission, but even with in-flight wifi, it was the one thing I couldn’t do. Instead I was on chat with the Marriott tech support team who were of no help. The moment I landed, I sorted it out, and then paced the entire airport, dragging my bag with me, and called a few of my closest.

I landed in Anaheim LATE, but thankfully everyone was still up. My friend Casey was getting married in a few days, but before the big day a bunch of us were going to Disney! I hadn’t been to Disney in nearly 10 years so I was stoked.

Originally, I was supposed to take this trip by myself to Anaheim, which was a little nerve-wracking. I booked a room with two beds because it was weirdly cheaper than one— and also in case I could rope someone to come with me, since I had an open plus one that I was dragging my feet on. A few weeks leading up to the wedding my friend Rose called me out of the blue. She explained that she originally had declined her invitation to the wedding due to some serious personal issues. Some things had changed for her, and before she even got the sentence out, I said “a million times yes, not only can you be my plus one, you can stay in my room with me, I have an extra bed.”

The two of us have known each other since middle school and have a complicated history to say the least. Due to one particular boy we won’t speak of, at one point didn’t speak for literal years. This was a particularly special moment for me, our high school selves would never have believed we would be here together having the best time.

We opened and closed the park both days we were there which was crazy. On the first day we had different park hoppers so I solo’d Disney for the first few hours while they were at California Adventure—sadly, my tripod got taken away at the entrance which really upset me because I wanted to take my own photos and not ask strangers. At the entrance Chip and Dale were taking pictures with people, so I got in a short line and then immediately felt overwhelmed by emotion and started crying (I held it together for the pic). Although I wasn’t supposed to be Disney-bounding as Ariel on Day 1, a lot of people thought I was because of my hair so I went with it. I also met a cute girl named Grecia who was dressed like Ariel, and we immediately connected. Since the new Little Mermaid movie just came out, there was a whole set up there for the live-action Ariel— and she wasn’t there we snuck under the partitions and took some pictures. I left her for 30 seconds, and she immediately called me to tell me live-action Ariel was there and she held a spot for me in line as I ran to get a photo. Disney Magic at its finest.

By this time, Rose and another friend of mine from High School, Kim had let me know that they were in line at the Star Wars Smugglers Run ride. When I got there, I let the attendant know my friends were on the ride thinking somehow there would be a secret passage to take me there. She said, “you can go through to find them but it’ll be a lot of ‘excuse me’s.’” So I did. I remember making eye-contact with Kim and I just saw her say “OMG she’s really doing it".” 10/10 worth it. Also Rose got to be a pilot so it was just an overall win.

The rest of our time at Disney we went on so many rides, met up with Casey and Laura, got food poisoning, the works. Rose even got to meet her husbando Darth Vader and I got to scream over Kylo Ren. I got to wear the dress and Mickey Ears I had made specifically for the trip, and by the end we were so exhausted from opening and closing every day, and I was so sore afterwards.

The ultimate highlight was seeing my beautiful friend Casey get married and walk down the aisle to “Beauty and the Beast” as I cried violently. She also had some songs from Kingdom Hearts in the processional, and the music at the wedding was incredible. I wish all my high school friends could have been with us but I am so grateful for the crew we had.

You know how you tend to morph into past versions of yourself when you’re with people from a certain time in your life? It was funny because when the wedding first started, I didn’t get up and start dancing. None of us did. But little Shauna from high school wasn’t versed in the language that is alcohol. I ended up making friends at my table and we went down to the bar together and then took the dance floor by storm. One of the girls at my table Sydney, wanted to dance to “Somewhere Only We Know” since it’s one of her favorite songs, but there was no one on the dance floor. Naturally, I asked her if she wanted to slow dance with me, and we had a whole moment together alone on the dance floor that we mostly played for laughs. It was heavily enhanced when another guest got up and started dancing with his slice of cake on the plate. Although my high school friends were initially reluctant to come dance, I shared my alcohol with them, and even Rose was bouncing around with us to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” A moment of growth across the board.

At the very end a very sweet slow song played and we all formed a circle around Casey and Jared. We all swayed to the music as they looked at each other so intimately, and she sang the lyrics to the song, that were incredibly heartfelt, directly to him. The joy only lasted so long, because I had to quickly grab my bags and head out to the final leg of my trip that same night.

It must have been after midnight when I got out of my Uber in LA. I had stayed at this particular hotel a few times in the past, so thankfully I was familiar with it when I stumbled in. I tried to wake up as early as I could the next morning. Although the hotel I stayed in was famous (though honestly reasonably priced for DTLA), I hadn’t kept up with what had been filmed there since 2013 when I was last there. Turns out my girl Taylor Swift filmed her music video for “Delicate” in this very hotel (there was a picture of her in the hallway). It also happens to be one of my favorite songs by her ever.

I tried to get up as early as I could to go for a walk and try out a few bakeries I had saved. After two successful trips to Pitchoun Bakery and Bottega Louie— I then headed to Best Buy to get myself a new tripod, since the one I brought was aforementioned confiscated.

At this point I should mention yet another curveball to my story. Randomly just a few days before my trip, my childhood friend Lucas had posted on Insta about being back in LA. Although we don’t talk super regularly, I ended up dm-ing him to see if he’d be free while I was there, and I lucked out. The funny thing is that although we had loosely stayed in touch, I hadn’t SEEN him since I was 13 when I moved away. And yet, here he was picking me up from Best Buy in Los Angeles. Insanity.

Despite being more than half my life ago since I had seen him, it was like no time had passed. Still the same guy I’d always known in the best way ever. In a way it was my 13 Going on 30 moment, since we had that exact time gap since I had last seen him. It was really amazing learning about his life and reminiscing on everything from the crazy Pokemon card trades we made and the drama that ensued, our obsession with Hamtaros, screaming Lizzie McGuire over and over, and random memories from our old block. He reminded me that even as a kid when we played Teen Titans, I always wanted to be Starfire and would fight with him over getting to be her.

We got some coffee in K-Town and I got to see his cool apartment that was in the neighborhood. Then naturally we spent the rest of the day in Little Tokyo, carefully scanning all of the stores for all of the unique merch. There was an amazing ramen place where we got a Ramune for old times sake. We even found a store that sold Pokemon cards and went back and forth about them for a good while. He had told me that he lost all of his Pokemon cards which kind of broke my heart. Me being me, immediately got him a few packs to restart his collection (and maybe some for me too).

At some point, I found a Jigglypuff figure and we took some cool film photos on his camera. Then we found a Japanese grocery store and got some snacks and drinks, found a place to sit and just chatted and opened our Pokemon cards until the sun started to go down. It was a really special day

The final day, I spent the first half of it on my own just walking around. I went to a food hall and the Last Book Store of course, and took some self photos. For a little bit I met up with one of my friends from college who also lives out in LA and took her to Terra at Eataly. The last crazy moment of this trip was when we went upstairs, one of my coworkers who was at the leadership summit in Chicago was working there that day. It was so bizarre that I was still on the same suitcase, in my fifth state in a week chatting with her.

My friend and I caught up, walked around the mall for a bit. I dragged her to the American Girl store where I learned that this year’s Girl of the Year is Kavi, an Indian-American Girl from Jersey who’s a huge theatre nerd. She also has ADHD and she was shown dressed as Glinda from Wicked. It warmed my heart because Wicked was my gateway musical when I was 13 and felt very connected to this doll immediately and her story.

Our meet-up was quick because I actually had to catch my flight that day. I went back to my hotel, grabbed my same suitcase for the last time, and headed out for an hour + Uber ride. (I apologize for the cryptic nature of this next part). Although I had the time of my life on this trip, my heart was hurting a little bit. In this vulnerable state, I decided to make a phone call while I was on this Uber ride. I went into this call thinking was going to go one way, and it very much did not. It ended up going on for a few hours, while I was in line for security, phone through the metal detector, everything. It was painful, it was cathartic, and honestly I think it’s what I needed.

All of these beautiful meetings over the course of the week, new beginnings, connecting with old friends, culminated with the devastating closing of a door. Even if at that moment I was crying and drinking alone in the airport at 1am my time, it was probably the most important moment for me in 2023. I took my red-eye with the whole conversation playing back in my head all night, I landed in NY at 7am, and I was finally fully free to move on with my life. I’ve never felt lighter than I had in that moment. As I landed I realized that the Canadian wildfires were clear of Chicago while I was there, and once they got there I was in California—although NY was hit pretty hard, it was in stable condition when I had gotten home. I successfully avoided that by chance as well.

Reflecting back on this year, my mind goes back to this week over and over. It was just so powerful in so many ways and as the year’s midpoint, it really took its place as the turning point of my year. I learned that life does move on in unexpected ways, and that my support system is everywhere. Somehow I tangibly got to see how I’ve grown over the course of my life— childhood, high school, college, work. I’ve never felt luckier and more grateful than I do right now. The way everything came together in that single week had such an impact on my year, and I know I will never forget it.

Shauna K 11/17/23 Shauna K 11/17/23

I went to Belgium..?

What an exciting thing to get to talk about! But why Belgium? Well, I wanted to go on a trip with my Mom who is an avid world traveler. While I love to go to places that she’s been, there’s just something very special about going to a new country with someone, and experience it for the first time together. After all, this is my first international trip (if you don’t count Canada) since the pandemic, and I really wanted it to be special. So where hasn’t she gone that I wanted to go?

In October of 2019, I was at the Met with a good friend and I was a little buzzed. As we were looking at the art, we found a piece that was from Belgium, and next to it was a map. He enthusiastically explained that there is a medieval town in Belgium that people don’t talk about nearly as much as they should. My phone was dying, and to remember, I took a photo of the map itself, and sent the photo to my Mom. I knew I had to go to Brugge.

Fast forward 4 years?! And I was listing places off left and right and there was my ace— Belgium. We had decided that we would spend some time in Brussels, the capital city, and then make our way to Brugge. We had booked an Airbnb a little out of the way and the train to Brugge was relatively quick and easy. We toyed with the idea of going to one more place in our 4 full days and ultimately decided on Amsterdam for reasons I’ll get into later but yes, I am a huge nerd.

Day 1.

So after a very long flight, customs and an Uber we made it to Brussels! The hardest part was the fact that we took off around 9pm my time and landed in the morning in Brussels. I took a 2 hour nap, which honestly wasn’t enough and we walked roughly 30 minutes from our AirBnB to the Grand Place—the central square of Brussels.

Every moment I spent in the Grand Place (pronounced Grahnd Plahce) was literally magical. The gold adornments, intricate sculptures, and reliefs on each building blew me away every single moment I spent there. Considering it is a 360 viewing experience, it is nearly impossible to capture everything in a photo all at once. The biggest negative is that because it is the most “touristy” part of the city, there are your typical Hard Rock Cafes and Starbucks shoehorned into some of the beautiful architecture— it’s just done in a way that its almost not noticeable. Somehow touristy has much more charm than it does in my home of NYC, or even Rome or Dublin for that matter. Additionally, there was a graduation happening in the Grand Place, that made it a little more crowded, but I did the best I could with my tripod and some patience from my mom.

We took a historic tour that included Chocolate and Waffles, and I wish I absorbed a little more, I was just so exhausted. Our tour guide was SO sweet and enthusiastic and I really learned so much despite my tiredness. Some key highlights of the tour include:

**Overview of Grand Place History and Architecture-** he went into detail on each building, its significance in history, and the meaning of many sculptures in the square. For example, the flag for Brussels is red and green which was why those colors were so prominent across the Grand Place.

**Le Funambule**- we learned about the unique way waffles are made in Belgium, and why they can seldom be recreated in the states. The plain presentation was most practical because locals can walk with them and keep their hands cold in the winter!

**Mannaken Pis**- strangely the most “touristy” thing we saw on this tour was the 17th century bronze statue of the Peeing Boy, who often wears a different outfit more or less every day. Apparently each outfit is requested on behalf of a charity organization, and there is a nearby museum where you can view some of them across history. I just found it so funny that such a beautiful little city was just covered with Mannaken Pis merch. We were lucky enough to see the statue with 2 unique outfits as well as unclothed, and even a parade of locals led by a mini statue peeing into the crowd? (unconfirmed; we’re pretty sure that’s how they commemorate a new outfit?)

**Poechenellekelder**- we walked by, and our guide had recommended us to stop by later. Basically, it was a restaurant that had a bunch of vintage marionettes sprinkled through.

**Royal Gallerie of Saint Hubert-** this was a beautiful upscale shopping center that evokes similar feelings to famous arcades in London, Paris and Milan. It also happens to be a great place to find an Uber if you need one! I really liked walking around here, and wished I had time to sit at one of the cafes.

**Mary Chocolaterie-** Inside of the Royal Gallery, we were introduced to one of the staple Belgian Chocolate brands, Mary to try pralines (different than the US). Each chocolate is made by hand daily— and it is the original recipe of Mary Delluc herself, who’s sweet story you can find here.

After the tour we went off on our own and visited the aforementioned Poechenellekelder for a quick lambic and a rest. Prior to coming to Belgium I had developed a love for lambic beer which originates there, so I wanted my first drink in the country to be just that. I was a little sad that it was the usual Lindemanns this time, but somehow it tasted better because vacation. To many the marionettes may have been cool and interesting, but I couldn’t help being a little scared of them..

We grabbed a legit dinner in the Grand Place, and got to watch a bunch of kids graduate which was super fun. Lots of excitement and confetti! It started drizzling right before our food came, so we sat under an umbrella and ate our Moules Fritte outside as many of the other Europeans did. What I found most interesting, was that because Belgium is such a central, country and often a travel hub, we watched our server who spoke both perfect English and French, slip perfectly into Dutch when needed. And here I can barely speak perfect English!

Day 2

Finally got some sleep and was ready to start day 2! We made it back to the Grand Place early to check out the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. The building was as architecturally beautiful on the outside as it was on the inside. Something cool my Mom always tells me is that when you enter a new church for the first time, you should make a wish! I really like that tidbit, so I always do :) My mom likes to light a candle for a loved one in churches as well so we did just that while marveling the incredible Stained Glass inside.

After visiting the cathedral, we actually went back to Le Funambule, because although the plain waffle was wonderful we had to try one of the specialty waffles. They also had buckets of nutella that I literally could not stop thinking about for one minute. Of course I got a waffle with strawberries, whipped cream, and nutella— while my mom got one with strawberries and bananas. I don’t know how fruit seasons work in Europe, but I didn’t expect October strawberries to be SO juicy and delicious. The whole thing was amazing, but with the whipped cream it was super filling.

When we went to Italy in 2017, my brother insisted on buying Pokemon cards because he felt it was important to get them in different languages as we travel to new countries. On the flight to Belgium I asked myself— well how am I supposed to do that here?! In my search for a perfect magnet and some postcards (bc I collect), we stumbled upon a little Japanese store in the middle of the Grand Place that had so much nerd stuff it made my heart sing. Of course I marched right to the front and asked what language their cards were, to which they replied “French” and I slammed my card down right there (probably). I was just so happy to see so much fandom representation in the store, and I had a VERY hard time not grabbing the SDS sodas because you rarely see merch for the series.

After a quick stop at a nearby cafe for an espresso, we made our way back in the direction of our AirBnB. My boss has a friend local to Brussels, and highly recommended the markets they have on weekends (we chose Flagey), that I would say are larger scale Farmers Markets you’d find in the US. This was easily such a highlight for my mom and I both, as we enjoyed local wine and oysters for crazy low prices. We also brought home some local cheeses, wine and a baguette to take back with us. One of the cheeses we found was a Mimolette, which I weirdly remembered as someone’s answer on an interview when I asked their favorite cheese.

We ended up going shopping for a bit because I needed to get better shoes to keep trekking on. I was hoping to find them in my tried and true Primark, H&M, and Forever 21 and when it felt like we lost all hope, we found a local fast fashion equivalent in Bershka. Additionally I found the Danish Brand Flying Tiger and SCREAMED because I haven’t seen one since their NYC locations closed, to my own heartbreak. I had to grab a few things from there as well, because I have no idea when I’ll make my way back into one. The rest of nice was super chill because we had to wake up super early for the next day.

I should mention at this point that I’ve been talking about this entire trip for months now to pretty much anyone who would listen—my friends, co-workers, VP, etc. After telling every single person who had been to the country, the feedback was always the same: “Brussels is fine and everything, but you’ve GOTTA go to Brugge.” At first the feedback was comforting, but when you hear it 100 times, it begins to become a little worrying. If everyone goes there, is it really going to be that charming? Are we about to head into Duloc hell with Times Square level crowds? Only time would tell. Additionally, we felt a little cursed because there was a marathon happening that weekend, beginning in near Brussels, and finishing in Brugge. We weren’t sure how it would affect us, but we knew it wasn’t gonna be good— we agreed the best thing to do was to keep the expectations low.

We had to wake up SUPER early for the next two days, to maximize our time in Brugge. We took a morning train out of Brussels-Zuid towards Brugge. Shortly after leaving the city of Brussels, the scenery quickly shifts to open farmland with precious cows, horses, and sheep. The train ride was more or less an hour long, and it was a beautiful ride.

Getting off the train in Brugge was just magical. I felt my fears leading up to the trip melt away right as we left the train station. Immediately, you can feel the difference in the architecture right away. Since it was still early the streets were relatively empty, so I was able to get some nice photos upon arrival. This is my preferred way of taking photos, so I can get it out of the way and continue to enjoy my day without having an impending shot-list.

There were some cute shops, ranging from souvenirs, to cafes and even a Harry Potter themed store— which of course immediately brought me joy. I loved walking into each of these stores to see all of the different trinkets they had for sale. Some were hidden behind small alleyways, while others were on the main stretch.

One of my favorite initial spots we checked out was the Gruuthusemuseum. Due to time constraints, we didn’t have the time to go inside, but the exterior and the grounds surrounding it were truly spectacular. It really felt like a medieval castle. I of course got some of my favorite photos of the day there— one of my highlights was just spinning around like a maniac in my flowy skirt right outside.

After some initial sightseeing, we were getting a little cold and a little hungry, so we made our way to the Markt (Main Square), that’s usually pictured on most postcards. I was the most excited to see this iconic square and I can’t say I wasn’t a little disappointed. The square and the architecture were both absolutely sensational— the problem was that the Marathon finish line was set right there. Parts of the square were blocked off, there was loud booming music, the crowds were out of control, and the most egregious: not only were there port-a-johns, there were open air urinals (dixi’s if you’re wondering) mere feet from the iconic buildings. Additionally, the Basilica of the Holy Blood was covered in scaffolding, and the Belfry Tower was partially obstructed by the Marathon from some angles. Could it have been worse? Yes, of course, we were half expecting it. But it was still disappointing nonetheless.

After several failed attempts to get some photos in the Markt, we settled on dining at Le Panier D’Or to try to make the best of an unfortunate situation. We had some nice Onion Soup and a beer and tried our best to enjoy people watching. The servers were so sweet and hilarious— at one point they were in competition to take the best photo of my Mom and I, which had us cracking up.

Once we finished up, we walked around and noticed immediately that some of the shops near the Markt were very different than the first few stores we stopped into. There were quite a few commercial businesses respectfully hidden in these historic buildings. I definitely wasn’t expecting a Dunkin’ and a McDonalds, but the whole thing was just funny juxtaposition to me.

From here, we spent some time at the Church of Our Lady of Brugge for a few reasons. Obviously the architecture and stained glass were amazing. Although my mom grew up a bit religious, I wasn’t raised that way so it’s always interesting to go to a place, albeit multiple places like this with her. She likes to donate a little money, light a candle, and say a prayer. Since my brother and I are both at a bit of a weird place in our life, she made a point to write out some manifestations for us in her words: “and leave them all over Europe.” It really means a lot to be honest, considering I am always feeling so awkward in these spaces.

The most special part about visiting this Church was the fact that there was a live piece from Michelangelo. Madonna and Child of Brugge was sculpted by Michelangelo and was his first piece during his lifetime to leave his home country of Italy. Not only was the sculpture absolutely sensational, his style is immediately identifiable. Although there is so much happening around this piece, it is just captivating, it’s the only place your eyes can go. It was just a wow moment, in such an unexpected place.

After departing from the Church, we grabbed a quick tea to warm up and a waffle of course. At that time there was a Pokémon Go Community day event happening for Timburr, so I was simultaneously and frantically trying to catch all my shinies with limited service. Fatefully this seems to happen when I go to Europe, because the first Charmander event was during my trip to Dublin. Thankfully in both instances, I got two and was happy with the circumstances.

…And then we headed to Brussels again for round 3

We left Brugge later in the afternoon, since we had done everything we really wanted to do while we were there. We were also cold and it was a little rainy, with my hair that means its time to go.
The ride was pretty quick and painless, and because I am me I am always reflecting. Amidst reflection, it stopped raining for a bit, and I said out loud: “Huh, this would be perfect for a rainbow, I wonder if we’ll get one!” And on command, we rounded a corner and there it was, right over the corn fields and cows. I practically erupted in tears. The more I looked over at it the more vibrant it got— and I was the only person on this very quiet train ride getting SO excited about it.

It was a FULL one, not just a piece. Eventually I couldn’t contain myself, and I went down to the first level of the train and took a bunch of photos. I even got a few people to turn around and get excited about it too. I felt like this was my main character moment. My life has felt so uncertain for a while now and especially after such an amazing day, I always take these moments as signs that everything is moving in the right direction.

Once we got to Brussels, I needed to get a scarf, because I couldn’t take the aforementioned cold anymore. I may have been cold but man was I super picky, none of the street vendors had the right color to thickness ratio I needed. There was actually a seemingly endless little mall right by the Mannaken Pis where I finally found my perfect scarf that I think I am gonna wear forever. We also had to pay our boy one more visit, where we got to see him without any of the excess clothing and actually see the statue on its own which was cool.

Since shopping always works up an appetite, my Mom and I agreed that Italian food was the way to go and stumbled into a restaurant near the Grand Place. It was such a nice time and the food was so good. I’m so basic but I really do go crazy for a good authentic spaghetti pomodoro and a bottle of Italian red.

Even though we JUST had dinner, there was only one thing left to do— Fries. My mom was at first adamantly against this, but I insisted because they were invented in Belgium and they’re pretty famous. I was also subject to seeing the cones from La Friterie for the entirety of the trip and had to give in to the pressure. Goddam, did they deliver. Despite having had a full dinner, they were both delicious and not filling, if that makes any sense. Even my Mom who was very skeptical changed her mind on the dime when she tried them. 100% worth it. Plus it gave us an excuse to have one more night walk through the Grand Place, all lit up, sans graduates for one last time. It was just perfect.

And with that, we had to wake up early for one last hurrah— which we will get into in Part 2 🍓

Shauna K 11/11/23 Shauna K 11/11/23

Nashville 2023: Celebrating our Friendship!

Hi, I’m Shauna and I did not survive the 2022 bloodbath that was the US Eras Tour Ticket sales via Ticketmaster. If you live under a rock, Taylor Swift announced that she’d be performing music across her 10-album discography. Up until this point, each tour has focused on a single “Era,” which was the current one of the time. So if you missed the 1989 era on tour back in 2015, its unlikely that you’ll hear many of the songs live. As I am a good citizen, I fan verified, got onto the waiting list, and never made it further. Like many, I watched scalpers scoop up thousands of tickets from fans all over the country, and eventually the world.

So.. how does not getting concert tickets have anything to do with a trip to Nashville?

I'm so glad you asked! It was Memorial Day Weekend, and Taylor was coming to my home city of NY and as previously mentioned, I didn’t have the tickets. A few days before the concert, a coworker of mine simply asked “You like Taylor Swift, right?” I felt my neck snap 360 degrees. It turns out he had a lead for tickets. Additionally, Taylor Nation alerted the public that we’d have one more shot at grabbing the remaining tickets from the initial release. My friend Heather and I were ready.

Unfortunately, our hopes were decimated as quickly as they came and everything fell through. I was devastated as I walked through NYC all weekend, littered with fans in their Eras merch. It was beyond FOMO. For what should have been our show, Taylor also released a special version of the Midnights album including the new song “You’re Losing Me,” which STILL as of 11/2023 is unavailable for streaming, despite how close I hold it to my heart.

In the mean time, I was looking up the castle from the Love Story music video and realized it was in Nashville. The pieces started to come together, so was Centennial Park and other references along her career. In a manic afternoon, I reached out to my friend Heather with screenshots of an Expedia Bundle and a list of places we could go. A long weekend in August was reasonably priced, so my credit card took a nice hit and we were officially going to Nashville.

Like a method actor, I prepped hard for this trip by returning to my country roots exclusively for like 2 weeks. It was honestly so nice and nostalgic to get me in the spirit. Although I was born in the city and grew up in the suburbs, I spent my high school years in a small town that had some pretty redneck patches. Many of my closest friends lived on scary dirt roads, with twists and turns, and I got to learn to drive there.

The flight was relatively quick, and getting there we quickly realized why it was so reasonably priced. It was 90+ degrees the whole weekend, because down south bby. We really did our best to work around this part, which I’ll get into a little later on.

I chose the hotel we stayed at completely randomly through Expedia, but once I saw the photos I was completely sold. We stayed at the Graduate— easily the cutest hotel I've ever stayed in! If you can’t tell by this webpage, I love pink. Plus, you know you’re staying in one of the cutest spots when people are in the lobby at all hours taking photos. The rooms were super cute and pastel but then the bathrooms were a dark/rock and roll themed. The hotel was also home to the rooftop restaurant White Limozeen, which was Dolly Parton Themed, Cross-eyed Critters Karaoke Bar, and Poindexter Cafe where they served coffee.

The hotel was a little further from Broadway in Nashville, but it was a nice escape from the hustle and bustle. Plus, the Ubers were super reasonable ! Everyone at the hotel was so kind and patient, and it was worth every moment. When we had first gotten there, I was kinda sad about some boy stuff, but a cheerful “Howdy” from the front desk, and some recommendations on places to go, brightened me right up.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Was it a little gimicky? Yea, but it was pretty cute and I got to learn a little bit. There were costumes on display from many different ages of country music, complete with descriptions on the artist and their legacy. There was a special exhibit dedicated to Taylor Swift where we got to see her robe from her honorary doctorate at Columbia, and the elevator buttons and cloak from Bejeweled. There was also a stand in broken Koi-Fish guitar from the Speak Now era that was featured in the 2023 video "I Can See You," since the original guitar that's usually there was with Taylor on tour at that moment. We also got to see hand written lyrics from Taylor's breakout hit, "Tim McGraw" which was super emotional. We also got to see the Hall of Fame, with so many noteworthy and historical names!

Centennial Park

The mecca of our trip. Taylor Swift wrote a sickeningly sweet song called Invisible String for her folklore album and I knew I needed to end up here one day. From its green grass and sometimes gold leaves, to its Parthenon for some reason, it’s definitely a special place. Because I am a disgusting fool, I immediately started playing it from my phone for both of us as we entered. I did see a guy in a teal shirt right on cue!

Additionally, we wanted to make our pilgrimage to the newly placed Taylor Swift Bench. As we approached, we saw some teenage girls around it, so we kinda awkwardly waited for them to finish from a distance, and then started to take pictures with it. One of the girls noticed us and came back with two friendship bracelets— I think I started to cry. Randomly, mine said “august” after one of my favorite songs of all time, as well as the month we were in. It was a bigger deal to me because she had released 1989 Taylor’s Version the day before (on 8/9). Heather’s was equally perfect, Daylight is such an incredible song too. We talked shop with her for a little bit before we parted ways. I wished I had made some bracelets so I could give her one. I was really moved by this small act of kindness.

The Gulch

I had so much fun chilling and walking around the Gulch. We went down to see the famous mural by Kelsey Montague, Nashville What Lifts You Wings, which was even cooler in person! I loved the little guitar details. There was a small line queued up, but it moved super quickly. We were pleasantly surprised with how many cute stores were there as well. We especially enjoyed Winky Lux and Kittenish ! Both stores had cute little photo-op areas and they encouraged us to go crazy, which we did ;)

Tractours

We got to live out our Woo-Girl dreams on this fun little adventure. A few friends had recommended doing a tractor tour of some kind, and Heather went ahead and found this one. This took some research, because not all of these tours are created equal. Some of them require peddling, which is a hard no, and others don't have alcohol.It’s not much of a “socializing” event, since people tended to stick to their groups, so keep this in mind.

This tour basically took you on an hour long drive through Nashville, complete with a bar, dance floor and elevated sides that you’re encouraged to stand on, dance on and most importantly hold on. The music selection was a good mix of country and pop, and our MC/Bartender RJ was so much fun. He was dancing on the bar and so engaged, you’d almost never know he does this every day.

Because the tour takes you through the city of Nashville, it starts off in the outskirts. Since we had chosen a later time-slot, it meant we were getting to the drop off spot- aka the middle of nowhere- while was dark dark outside. The entrance wasn’t marked, and the Uber had a little trouble getting there. Once you get there they have games like corn-hole, and drinks for sale as well as a relatively nice restroom, since there isn’t one on the tractor. Everyone was super nice and friendly and it was overall a great experience.

Broadway

The most "touristy" thing that you have to do on a first trip is to just walk up and down Broadway. There are a bunch of stores with cute souvenirs you can take home, which is my kryptonite as a magnet and post card collector. I knew if I tried on the overpriced cowboy boots, there was no turning back, because I love the look so much.

At night, the vibe changes substantially as the focus is less on shopping and more on.. Bar hopping. The whole honky-tonk vibe changes along with the street, as each location fills up with people ready to party all night.

We spent most of our time on Broadway where there are a million places to choose from. Most of them are multiple floors with a rooftop component, so they are made for more comfortable shoes to deal with the stairs and dance ofc.

Luke’s 32 Bridge- As a long time fan of his music, we had to stop at Luke Bryan’s Bar and it was one of my favorite spots to party in all of Nashville. There were 3 different floors with 3 different vibes— the first being super country, the middle being a little more clubby, and the top playing a lot of pop music. Since most of the crowd were marriage age (late 20s/early 30s) it was a lot of music that was popular when I was in college. Two highlights for me were screaming Shake it Off at 3am, and bopping around to Cotton-eyed Joe. I also experienced the most thirsty men here, so be warned.
FGL House- Florida Georgia Line’s Bar— I am so sad to say this was the biggest disappointment for me. This was the first bar we went to and I am a HUGE fan of FGL. I saw them live back in 2014, and used to listen to their first album on repeat for years. The live band performing was great, but we didn’t know almost any of the songs, and worse, not one of them were Florida Georgia Line. I’m sure the vibes are different at night, but if I had to pick, I’m always gonna pick Luke’s.
Layla’s Honky Tonk- We made a short stop at Layla’s but it was PACKED. We had a quick Jell-o shot and hydrated. The bartender was honestly an angel, there were a couple of girls who were melting down a bit in the bathroom, and she really took care of them.
Tailgate Brewery- They are a local brewery that had their own ciders and beers. There was some super cute art around the building as well!
Lucky Bastard Saloon- They were giving out free Jell-o shot coupons, and since the guy handing them out gave me like 5, we had to stop by. It was pretty chill, and I lost it when they played Welcome to the Black Parade. The biggest negative here was they charged for bottles of water. We didn’t experience it anywhere else so we were caught a little off guard. Considering we were encourged to dance on the dance floor and it was 90 degrees outside, it would have been nice.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge- We stopped in before it got too late and the vibes were so nice. We got to hear a live band perform both old and new country music, while attempting to beat the miserable heat.
Cross-eyed Critters Karaoke- had to get a quick drink at our hotel on night one and sing a quick “Santeria” for karaoke as per traditions. The bartenders were singing, and we made friends with them because they had amazing musical taste!

For your safety: I think it’s important to mention that due to the volume of people in these spaces, and the fact that it is a hotspot for Bachelorette parties, don’t let your guard down. Groups like this and women in general are targeted here for drink spiking/roofies. We did a good portion of drinking safely in our hotel room, and would mostly do sealed Jell-o shots when we were out to reduce risk. If we were drinking full drinks we were trying to space them out and really keep an eye on them and each other.

I honestly didn’t plan ahead as much as I had thought, but we found some cute places collectively around Nashville

Liberty Common- we stopped in for a lovely brunch along with a “Single Girl Spritz.” We went at a bit of a slower time which was such a breath of fresh air from the craziness. Our bartender was super sweet, and the food was good too. I promised a co-worker I’d do a shot of Tennessee whiskey while I was out there, so it was extra fitting that we were here when I was supposed to be on a call with him. This experience was really nice, but def a bit pricey so just be cogniscent.
San Antonio Taco Co- for a 180, slightly divey experience, I LOVED this spot so much. It was super casual, and you’d write your orders by checking off what you wanted in quantities. The food was super cheap and SO good and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Genuinely was trying to scheme ways to get back there.
Slider House- We grabbed a quick bite and a cider here on our first night. I really loved that they had such a wide cider selection, I had to get one I’d never tried before- which was a peach flavor!
Elliston Place Soda Shop- The aesthetic, vibes, and food were so on point here. The whole place felt very vintage Americana, which makes sense since they’ve been serving since 1939! I absolutely loved the cherry ice cream soda and the impossible burger. I definitely wasn’t inspired by the signage… Additionally, they had an adorable Lego replica of the restaurant at the host stand. It was really the perfect place to go for a rainy brunch to lift our spirits.
Parlour Doughnuts Since we were pressed for time heading to the airport, we gave Nashville one last hurrah at Parlour Doughnuts. Their flavors were all so interesting, I had an impossible time choosing. I settled on a raspberry pistachio donut, but I was holding myself down from grabbing a creamsickle one as well.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed Nashville a lot—It was a good time. It was a little out of body being a single girl at a bar for the first time in my adult life. I may be a NYC 6 but I felt like a Nashville 10 for sure. Since I spend too much time on Tiktok with these hot skinny 20 somethings, and I’d kinda resigned myself to feeling unworthy of shimmering in a place like this. It totally went out the window for a fleeting moment when I was there, which was super freeing. As fun as the attention was, it’s a little scary, so it’s nice to know I still have it but also I need a break.

I’d love to go back with a bigger group next time when it’s not 90 degrees now that we know our way around. There were definitely some things I wanted to do that I couldn’t get to this time around. Most poignantly, we couldn’t go to the famous castle as it’s a private residence, only open to the public for their annual renaissance faire.

Maybe next time we can pretend to be in a bridal party to fit in— considering how many times we were asked what we were celebrating. Famously, when asked this question one too many times, Heather responded enthusiastically “OUR FRIENDSHIP” and I’d like to think she dropped an invisible mic.

Shauna K 11/6/23 Shauna K 11/6/23

My Personal Crusade Against Fast Fashion

Since its inception, I have always despised the term influencer, and its usage in media.

From the top of your soap box, what are you trying to influence me to do at the end of the day—buy deodorant or nail polish? It’s a little pathetic if you ask me.

My exception goes to those who use their platform trying to advocate for a specific cause, especially without being paid to do so. One such cause has been mass consumption and fast fashion. Between being pumped to DEATH with questionably accurate targeted ads, and the instantaneous and oversaturated nature of the internet, it has become increasingly difficult not to over consume. But because of individuals who made it their mission to make people aware of this point, I have really been trying to be more mindful of the familiar and somewhat comforting “Add to Cart” button.

I really like to vary my outfits, and constantly want to put new ones together because clothing is my passion. My Instagram account knows this too, due to the aforementioned targeted ads. It has become increasingly difficult for me not to buy new things at an accelerated rate, since trends are moving more quickly than ever and it’s easy to feel left out. The toughest part is that fast fashion items are so cheap, and you are encouraged to buy in bulk ie: Free shipping over $50, or BOGO sales. But something needs to change.

I decided to make this website for a number of reasons, the main one is to share my little findings in life with my friends and family. I am not going to change the world with an online journal, but I would like to instead encourage or dare I say influence the people in my personal life to consider things from another perspective. I want to be able to elaborate on things that an Instagram post could never dream of doing. So here are some steps I am trying to take to better myself and my impulse buying habits.

My favorite line I’ve heard recently in regard to trends is: would you buy this item 3 years ago? If the answer is no, then the item isn’t as classic as you think it is, and you shouldn’t buy it.

Since dyeing my hair vibrant colors as opposed to naturals, I learned not all clothing will work with bright hair colors, something that never really applied to me as a brunette, or a blonde for that matter. This unexpected fact is part of the reason I have an even bigger case of the “closet full of clothes, but nothing to wear” mentality. It gets worse realizing that dress very differently for work than I do in my spare time. All of this stacked on top of the fact that I live in New York, with distinctive seasons and shifts in climate. It’s EXHAUSTING trying to figure out what to wear sometimes.

One way I have been able to fight my ever present “need” to buy things is through rentals. I first learned about Rent the Runway a few years ago when I was lamenting having to buy a new dress for every wedding I went to. Fast forward after the pandemic, and I wanted to rent a dress for my friends’ wedding, and to my surprise I found so much more. Not only can you rent a formal dress for a single occasion, you can actually subscribe to them for monthly closet updates, that could even be for casual outings or even for work.

I signed up for a monthly subscription to test it out and rented 4 items for $100 (one of which I ended up wearing to the wedding). Although this sounds like a huge amount of money, remember that these are high quality items that are worth hundreds each. To be able to wear a piece infinitely in a month for around $25 a piece is pretty impressive. Think about all of the $20-$30 dresses you’ve bought once and are rotting in your closet, when they could be loved and enjoyed over and over again by others.

So far, I have only rented dresses, because that’s what suits my personal style this summer—but they also offer blouses, skirts, pants, jackets, outerwear, purses and other accessories. With a subscription, you can also buy the item at a discount if you really fall in love.

If you don’t want to subscribe but instead want to rent something for a one-off event, dinner, or even a photoshoot you can select the date range that works best for you. Because their home base is in NJ and I am in NY, the items usually come in 1-2 days after placing my order. I also like that with this option, you can opt for a second size in case you’re unsure of the fit or if you are between sizes. The only drawback here is you have to send the item back within 4 days of receiving it.

The cool part is that your order comes in reusable fabric packaging that you can zip up and mail it back in. No boxes, no tape, no bubble wrap. All you have to do is take the shipping label and flip it, before dropping it off at a FedEx site (I go to Walgreens, but any provider will do). They even repurpose the hangers and plastic sleeves which I really appreciate because I hate single use plastic packaging. Additionally, they have an entire section of their website dedicated to their cleaning procedures, which I appreciate after the 2020 shutdown.

My Cons: with the subscription you are only able to purchase items that are currently in circulation, so if your size is sold out when you need it you are SOL. Some items are highly sought after, so if you want one of those items it might be easier to rent separately. You can redeem your swap at any point in the month, so if you don’t have a shoot or specific date planned where you need tue item, it’s not a big deal. But please keep this in mind!

The only other thing I’d watch out for is if you are unsure about your size, do as much research as possible! The website encourages all renters to leave detailed reviews on their rentals, so take advantage of this feature. Each review includes the renter’s height, measurements and body shape. Some even include photos which I find the most helpful. I have ordered a few items that have not matched the colors of the listing perfectly, so trust the reviews and look at every picture of you can. Learn from my mistakes!!

Before you come for me, I don’t of course just mean thrifting!

…But ok it’s a start! I should make a list of my favorite thrift stores in and out of NYC one of these days. But yes, visit your local Goodwill, or even better, a consignment store for some retail therapy that’s a little less guilt inducing.

Another way to second hand shop is to utilize Poshmark, Depop and Mercari. I know Facebook is archaic to some, but there are plenty of Facebook groups dedicated to selling items that fall into specific aesthetics and fashions. I also like to use these platforms as a seller, not for monetary gain, but instead to know my piece is going to a good home.

An even better way to do this is through swaps with your friends! If you have something you don’t think you’ll use anymore, and have a friend who could fit in it, see if they’d like it. I always try to pick out specific items that remind me of people and offer them up before trying to declutter the item another way. A few of my favorite pieces have actually come second hand from friends over the years.

As a former cosplayer, I am no stranger to the sewing machine. This is a skill that I’m still working on and improving, but we’ve come a long way.

Sewing may seem daunting, but there are a few easy ways to use the skill without building a piece from scratch:

Alterations are a great way to expand the lifespan of an existing garment ! If you are a person who buys online and is never sure of their size— this is for you. ALWAYS go with the bigger size. You can easily tweak the side seams on a shirt or dress to fit you. It can even be done by hand and taken out if your weight fluctuates.
Another thing you can do is turn a simple dress into a two piece set by cutting and hemming it and adding elastic to the skirt.
It’s also amazing what a simple trim or the addition of buttons can do to add your own personal flair to an otherwise basic clothing piece.

If you do take up sewing, remember that there is a learning curve. You aren’t going to be amazing over night— some person online may even tell you your clothes look like something out of the “bargain bin.” But don’t stop trying! Start with easy projects, and try to repurpose your fabric from old projects or even clothes you were planning on donating, to incorporate to new ones. I am still a work in progress but I’ve come a long way since my humble start.

Just make sure not to hoard fabric! It’s definitely counterproductive, and I’m a little guilty of this… (but getting better 😖)

I want to make a clear point that this is just my hot take on this subject matter. I am in no way trying to bash people who can’t afford anything but fast fashion. Sites like Shein and Amazon make fashion accessible to communities that used to be excluded from trends. Everyone is allowed to feel good about themselves and self expression through clothing is a great way to accomplish this,

I am attempting to direct this at people with disposable income who choose to buy fast fashion in bulk and then mass purge their closets after one or two wears. Thrift stores are overwhelmed by the amount of donations coming in daily, and your donations could be going to a landfill. So there’s a good chance your quality pieces (with a long life span) you’re donating could be in a landfill while a Forever 21 shirt sits on a hanger only to fall apart after 2 more wears. I am trying my best to be just as thoughtful about my donations and where things are going after I use them.

I notice a lot of clothing I used to donate were things that extended family members and other people who didn’t know me would get. And I get it, I love clothes— but I don’t need them. I now I try to encourage people to avoid getting me clothes and opt for experiences (or nothing !). For the most part, people really appreciate this because if they love you, they want you to love the gift and use it. Communication is always key. If you don’t feel comfortable, maybe it’s your s/o’s parents— communicate through your partner. These small changes really do add up.

Anyway! I hope this helped but I’m always here for an open conversation. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, instead offering my perspective. Maybe you’re already doing all of these things, or maybe I didn’t mention something that you do. I really want to learn, so tell me :)

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