The Magic of the Mountain

I must admit that these past few weeks I have been a bit homesick for the big apple. It may be that I miss a certain Deane Davis but I also miss the hustle and bustle of the big city. But I could not just hop on a plane and go back to Manhattan because I had been hired to work at Idyllwild Arts as a counselor in the Children's Center. Obviously I was a bit skeptical of going to the middle of no where when I was craving the havoc of a city. But after spending a week here I must say that there is no place I would rather be at the moment. Living in the middle of a forrest, meeting some truly amazing people, and just having fun, who could ask for a more perfect summer! And there is no cell service here. I rely on my cell phone way too much and it is nice to have a break from it. The kids have not even arrived yet and I'm already having an amazing time!! I thought I would share some of my favorite experiences from the last week.


-Hiking to the Point
After getting done with duties early Sarah, Richard, Georgie, and I decided to hike up to the Point one afternoon. The view from up there is spectacular, not only can you see the surrounding mountains but also the city of Hemet. A view like that really takes your breath away and puts everything in proportion.

-Walk to Town
On our first day off a bunch of us decided to walk to the town of Idyllwild and get lunch and look at some of the shops. There and back is a grand total of 5 miles!! The town is adorable and kind of reminds me of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls. On the "Welcome to Idyllwild" sign it says "home of adventure, music, arts, and harmony." I am in the right place! The town is incredibly artsy and it makes sense that it is the home of one of the only arts boarding schools in the country. Dolly Parton has (or used to have) a house here as did Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston when they were still married. My favorite place in town is Candy Cupboard where I bought a vanilla ice cream bar dipped in chocolate and rolled in peanut brittle. Yes, I do have a bit of an ice cream addiction but I can't help it!!

-Morning Runs
My roommate Josie and I have been running these past few mornings before breakfast. I am one of those people who loves to workout before they start their day, it always leaves me feeling so energized! Unlike many musical theatre students at Marymount Manhattan I love having dance in the morning because it leaves me feeling awake and ready to go. I wish I could go running through the woods every morning. I love smelling the trees and seeing squirrels and bunny rabbits as I work my butt off. There is always something to see and yet it is incredibly peaceful at the same time. And of course I have to work off that ice cream bar somehow!!

-Singing in the Troys
At college and sometimes at home it is often hard to find some alone time to just sit and sing. There are always people around and so it never works out. The other day I decided to head down to the Troys (which are practice rooms here at Idyllwild) and practice my song for the talent show and just spend some time singing for fun. It was so refreshing to just stand in a room for an hour and sing with no one there to judge. It gave me time to remember why I love to sing. I also came up with some goals that I would like to achieve this summer. These goals include learning two Italian songs ("Time to Say Goodbye" and "Nella Fantasia"), as well as conquering the "Queen of the Night" aria, and possibly "Glitter and Be Gay." Hopefully I will still have time to spend in the Troys this summer because an hour of just singing here and there is just what I need this summer!