Lucky

I have been in Chicago for over 6 months and I still have to pinch myself at times. It's been hard leaving everyone I love behind (well, except for my best friend and boyfriend, Anthony) but I knew this was something I needed to do.

I have been so lucky in the 6 months I have been here. I have a full time job as a nanny with a sweet little boy and I have been involved in three consecutive theatre productions since I moved here. I have gotten to work with amazing people in the world of Chicago theatre. Everyone has been so welcoming and they all are incredibly talented. I am learning so much and have been lucky enough to have a different position with each show that I've done so I really am learning different aspects of theatre with each production. I ran a lightboard for the first time with my last production and stage managed my first show in Chicago! I am now assistant directing Wrong Mountain and will have the wonderful opportunity to meet the playwright.

Like I said, I have to pinch myself sometimes because I am really so lucky to be here. And even luckier that I have someone to be there if I ever need it, and trust me, I need it sometimes.

I am lucky and very grateful for everything that has come my way and for everything that is ahead of me.

Kaitlin's Day Off

 Highlights of Chicago One Year Ago

 Sue the T Rex at the Field Museum

 A view of the Buckingham Fountain and the skyline

 Cloud Gate A.K.A. The Bean

 Lake Michigan

 George Suerat at the Art Institute of Chicago

 Navy Pier Ferris Wheel

 Women's Rights exhibit at The Chicago History Musuem

 Jelly Fish exhibit at the Shedd Aquarium

 L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written in Chicago!

 

This morning I realized that today is exactly one year since Anthony and I jumped on a plane to the windy city. We decided to take a vacation to Chicago to see if maybe this was the place for us. We had created a list of cities we would be willing to move to when Anthony got his Masters and Chicago was the one place we hadn't been. I was so excited but I honestly didn't know if I would love Chicago. I instantly fell in love with everything about the city. It was clean, laid back but still the metropolitan area I was looking to live in. Not to mention the theatre here is amazing. That vacation literally changed my life. Less than 8 months later the boy and I packed up our lives and moved them to the Midwest. Since moving here I have been a part of two shows and my third one starts at the end of July. I have acted in student films and I've been nannying for several families. This blog started because of my desire to move here, hence the name. I have been living here for 4 months now and I cannot wait to share more stories about my journey in Chicagoland.

It's a Beautiful Day

Dress- Target

Scarf- Vintage, Vintage Archives

Purse- Vintage, Vintage Archives

Watch Necklace- Vintage

Sandals- Wal Mart

I was cooped up in my apartment for part of today but when the boy and I finally got out we enjoyed a nice dinner outside and a walk on the beach where we looked for sea glass. I do have to say, I found the perfect sea glass partner :) I am hoping to take some of this sea glass (lake glass?) and make jewelry to sell for Katie Did Designs.

New Directions

 Dress- Forever 21

Tank- Forever 21

Skirt- Thrifted

Belt- Forever 21

These pictures are from about a month ago. Anthony and I actually found some time together and wandered a few blocks to the beach. The weather lately has been so back and forth but this turned out to be a beautiful day and I decided to pair a floral dress (that is too short for me to comfortablly wear on my own) with a longer navy skirt. What I love most about this skirt is that it has a subtle flower pattern on it and I loved combining it with this goldenrod yellow belt. The combination of colors and floral patterns made me feel feminine. I have been nannying a lot which means that I don't have many opportunities to dress how I want, although I have considered posting some outfit photos about how to still look put together while watching children for a living. There are definitely limitations to outfits when it comes to chasing 1 year olds around a playground but I think sometimes I find just the right balance. Rompers are definitely helpful in this category.

Today is another lovely day (we've had a few of these in a row!). I am hoping to get some pictures of today's outfit which is a comfy blue dress from Target and a couple of vintage accessories I've acquired over the past week. I am a HUGE fan of thrifting lately and have had the wonderful experience of going to the Vintage Bazaar. Gotta love Chicago. And Sunday I plan on stopping by the Vintage Garage event. I love clothes with a story and I can't help but love looking through mounds of clothes and finding a gem.

On the theatre side of my life, the show I am stage managing goes in to Tech week on Monday! It is a devised theatre piece using the themes and character archetypes of Anton Chekov plays. The cast and director are all uber talented and it has been so nice to be openly welcomed into this tight knit group. Devised theatre is also near and dear to my heart (I miss my Mirror, Mirror ladies) and it is great to be a part of that kind of process again.

Ok, enough of my word vomit. Next time I will try and stick with one topic, or keep my stream of consciousness to a minimum.

Go out and enjoy the day!

<3

Late night posting...

It is 11:30pm here and good ol' midnight thirty in the place I've been missing most these days. This past week has been making me feel nostalgic for the Trojan city. I've been missing the ginormous subs from Deli and Brew, the great beer on tap at The Ruck and all of the friends, families and mentors I left when I moved here almost three months ago. This will probably be a short post, since I can barely keep my eyes open, but I just want to let everyone know that you are all in my thoughts. Enjoy being with each other while the school year is still going. I miss you all.

Hail and other things

I got my first rejection since I moved here a month ago. The short film I auditioned for did not cast me but I am actually ok with it. I think the weather outside is relaying how I'm supposed to feel (it is hailing and all around just an awful day out there) but I know it just means there is something else I will be doing instead. I am hoping to book an audition for next Saturday so hopefully good news will come of that.

I had a very long "work" day yesterday. I babysat for two little girls yesterday who were named after Shakespearean characters. They were so sweet and loved the beads I brought. I barely had any left to bring home! We also made crowns and it was fun to play make believe. It turns out I am acting after all :) I ended up sitting for them for 13 hours but by the end of it I had so much fun that it was ok that I was exhausted. I did however make up for it by doing absolutely nothing today. Today was spent watching more episodes of How I Met Your Mother, reading some of my favorite blogs and looking over a chinese food menu (can't wait for dinner!)

I am hoping to make some masterpieces of the jewelry persuasion tomorrow. I have taken pictures of some of the pieces I've made lately but haven't gotten around to posting them for some reason...

I just got my usb cable to post the pictures and it turns out the battery is dead. That might be why I didn't post them.

Well anyway, I am dealing with this rejection rather well and can't wait to see what else there is for me out there :)

Inspiration

Ok, so I think I've spent more time on other people's blogs than writing in my own, but what is nice about reading the blogs of others is the inspiration I get from them. Now, the blogs I usually read are fashion blogs that are either depict people's personal fashion or streetstyle fashion, but it is inspirational to see what inspires others. These women are not only well dressed but intelligent and thought provoking.

I feel like I've been lacking some inspiration lately, but yesterday I seem to have found some again. I met up with a mother and her two children for a meet and greet so that I can sit for them tomorrow (I seem to be doing this all the time but it's good because I'm getting more comfortable with "interviews). After I met with them I ventured a little around the Starbucks we were at. I am still exploring as much of Chicago as I can and it is nice to walk around an area I wouldn't have found on my own. I found a used bookstore (!) and without a second thought went in. I swear, I died and went to heaven. The place is literally packed from the floor to the ceiling with books. I mean look at it. How can you not fall in love?

It is literally a maze of books. As soon as I walked in the woman asked if she could help me with anything so I naturally asked her where the Drama or Theatre section was. The section was in a corner where I wasn't really able to move but it was probably the best play selection I've ever seen at a used bookstore. I usually find that half the Theatre section is full of Shakespeare, and don't get me wrong I like me some Shakespeare but I'm usually looking for other playwrights as well. These shelves however housed hundreds of plays that ranged from Brecht to Mamet and everything in between. I lost myself in the section and if I had less self control I probably would've left with double than what I took (5 plays and 1 book). I even found Fahrenheit 451! The prices were reasonable and they were in good condition. I actually plan on going back tomorrow to look for more plays but this time I will have a list so nothing is on impulse.

After the amazing bookstore I stopped by a bead store called String a Strand. What a cute store. They had a nice selection and I left with very whimsical beads that I plan on turning into jewelry pieces very soon. I am very excited for the ladybug earrings I intend to make. (Sierra! I found charms that look like the Tree of Life!) I love being inspired by beads. I rarely walk into a bead store with ideas in mind. I just walk around and look at the stock and let myself get inspired by the different colors and designs. I hope that my Katie Did Designs customers are pleased with what I come out with!

As for the theatre front, I am starting as an ASM for a show called Girl You Know It's True in a week. I am so excited to start. The show sounds hilarious and the people I get to work with seem fun and hardworking. I really couldn't ask for more. I also auditioned for a short film a little over a week ago. They had great feedback for me and although I haven't heard anything yet I am keeping my fingers crossed. I will also be participating in a table reading tonight and will be reading for one of the leads. I am very excited for this and I am curious to see how it plays out.

All in all I feel like I am settling in pretty well. I still miss everyone like crazy but I know it is good for me out here. And hey, I think I'm finally looking like a Midwesterner :)

Busy, busy, busy...

It has been a while since I posted but that is because I'm probably home a total of 3 hours a day (not including sleep). I keep running around this wonderful city to look at all it has to offer. Anthony and I spent some time yesterday and today at The Vintage Bazaar. I am absolutely thrilled with a black slip dress I got. Can't wait to wear it!

I've also been practicing traveling around by myself. Anthony is seriously the master of navigation and I'm usually so bad at it but today I had the opportunity to figure things out myself (I can't really blame him for not wanting to go to Forever 21 with me for the hundredth time). I did have to call him a couple of times but all in all I got home safe and sound. I found it kind of fun experiencing things myself with the knowledge that if anything happened he was a call away.

As for theatre prospects, I am pretty excited about some opportunities coming my way. I had an interview the first Saturday here and this past week I found out I got the assistant stage manager position. I was ecstatic when I found out. I also have an audition next Sunday for a short film. Pretty excited about that too. As for making money, I babysat for a couple of families this past week and continue to apply for other sitting jobs.

All in all I am very happy here. Once in a while I think of everyone I left in New York and it leaves me feeling down. I really miss talking to my friends face to face. Skype is nice and everything but nothing beats sitting in the same room as your friend and catching up. I guess there will be a lot of that when I visit Troy :) 

It is day four since we've moved to Chicago and I am enjoying everything so far. Granted, everything is only a couple of stops off the 'el' but I figure I plan on being here a long time so it's ok if I haven't seen too much yet.

I had my first interview (hopefully one of many) and I think it went pretty well. I hope it went well. It is with a theatre company that produces new works which I find very exciting and familiar :) I also set up an account on babysitting website and I have already had two moms contact me. Things seem to be rolling and I really can't complain.

I am hoping to work on my etsy site for my jewelry soon. Kind of sad I have to change the name to Katie Did Designz (I know it's only a letter difference but I still don't know how I feel about the 'z') but I'll live. I plan on having pictures up on the site by Monday, so please be on the look out!

I do love being in the windy city but I definitely miss everyone I left behind. Please Skype me when you can. I finally have a good webcam :)

Lasts

Tonight was my last Troy Night Out. The best Friday of every month. It was nice to stop in to my favorite local stores like Anchor No. 5 Boutique and the Beat Shop. I even got some new rose earrings and some DVDs to show for it :) I also got to see a staged reading by Starzyk Play Productions, which was great because I had the privilege of working with them four years ago. Laughing is definitely the best remedy for my slight sadness but I feel like Troy is letting me say goodbye to everyone before I leave. Thank goodness!

Four more days...It is coming to end of my journey in Troy and what better goodbye than a beautiful snow fall? I am looking out the window of my apartment building and I see my favorite kind of snow fall: the large snowflakes falling at a peaceful rate. It is actually beautiful outside. Thank you, Troy.

I am so close to leaving for a new life. It is a little nerve wracking but part of me also can't wrap my mind around the fact that all of my belongings will be packed away in a moving truck a week from now. Scary. Crazy. Exhilarating. I am so lucky to be moving with Anthony. Family members keep telling me how brave I am but honestly it's so much easier to be brave with him by my side. I have an amazing support system in him and I am so lucky to have that. I get to make a new life with my best friend! :)

All happiness aside, my life consists of packing. At this point I really wish I didn't own anything, things would be much easier, but alas I couldn't get rid of my play collection to save my life so I guess I'll live with my things.

I am getting very excited about the theatre prospects in Chicago. I made a list of all the theatres I want to send my resume and new headshots (courtesy of Kyrie :)) to and the list of theatres I want to apply for as a stage manager. I've also looked into acting classes which I also excited for. So many opportunities and I really couldn't be happier.

On our way...

Anthony and I spent Thursday and Friday looking at apartments in Chicago, and I have to say I was very impressed by most of them. It was a tough choice but in the end we found an apartment that fits us perfectly. It is in Rogers Park East and the apartment has so much character, not to mention it is gorgeous. We are really lucky to find a place with such a nice landlord. So far, between our apartment now and the one in Chicago, we've had nothing but luck with great landlords.
I am less nervous now that things seem to be falling into place. I hope other things follow suit!