Chelsea Morgan

Don't miss me tomorrow in the staged reading of The Kiss at Chicago Dramatists! I'm so excited to be working on this amazing production. The music is gorgeous, the story is beautiful, and you will leave with more appreciation for art and love. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

Most of the time in the quest for good Friday Playlist songs, I get lost in the music and overlook the videos altogether. But music videos have incredible impact on how a song can move us. Sometimes a song won't stand out to me until I've seen the video and it makes the lyrics breathe in a new way. It can form completely new ideas. One of my favorite music video directors, Autumn DeWilde, is an exceptional photographer as well. Her video for Ingrid Michaelson's The Way I Am has always stood out to me as a fantastic example of storytelling and style. I love magical realism, and while this video isn't exactly that, it veers into that territory. Combined with a rich color palate and stylized shots, this is one of my all-time favorites. 

Another example of clever imaging and exceptional direction is Oren Lavie's Her Morning Elegance. There is such delight throughout the whole video. And the narrative without much singing into the camera lets teh audience really experience the lyrics. (Which I think are beautiful).

Finally, I saw this video today for the first time and was so impressed with the storytelling and emotional impact this video for Moving On by James had. I love when a simple device can be expanded to a whole world and makes a powerful statement. It's really clever and honest, and certainly draws the viewer in to the story. So impressive. 

Do you guys have any music videos that stand out to you for visual and musical impact? Please share in the comments! And of course, HAPPY FRIDAY!

I'm making waffles!

We had one egg left in our fridge today, so this is what happened:

Recipe: 

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 Tbl white sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tstp salt

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 stick butter (1/6 c. butter), melted

3/4 c. milk

Directions: Mix together the dry ingredients in a small bowl (the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt). In this recipe, sugar counts as a dry ingredient. Next, whisk together the egg, milk, vanilla, and melted butter. Gentle whisk in the flour mixture until all is combined. Plop about 1/2 the batter into your desired waffle maker and follow the heating instructions per your machine. I did about 4-5 minutes for these babies. Then top with any desired toppings and enjoy!

I halved this recipe from the one on Allrecipes.com, and it turned out superbly. The batter ended up being nice and thick, and this was perfect for 2 servings in our little waffle-maker. Hope you all have a great Saturday. :)

I hope this gives everyone a much-needed pickup after a long and stressful week. Dynamite by Brenda Lee. 

Happy Friday - here's to a weekend of ambitious projects and (hopefully) relaxation. Cheers!

I'm running out of creative places to take these photos. See those towels in the background? SEE? I'm a busy bee again, auditioning a whole bunch and starting a new and delightful day job. So location is just gonna have to suffer for these style posts, ok?

Dress: Vintage Anthropologie, but try Ebay!

Shirt: H&M

Shoes: Seychelles, for Anthropologie

I love layering a tied buttondown over a dress to create a retro look. It make a dress (in this case, a strapless one) appear more modest and can be a good day to-evening piece. It gives a 50's almost-rockabilly vibe in my opinion, and is a great look with cropped pants as well. Tied buttondowns are great if you need a little coverup but don't want to opt for a cardigan; they're lightweight for summer and are perfect if you're touring and have to step inside a fancier establishment or place of worship.

I love tying my buttondowns! There will be many more tied buttondown outfis to come. Many more. MANY MORE.