Rollin' on a River

For those that have been wondering.... Yes, I am still on dry land. In the past several days, Rhode Island has been experiencing the most devastating flood in over 100 years. I didn't realize it was that bad until 1. my boss couldn't even get out of her driveway because her street was flooded so badly 2. my parents said that flooding in Cranston (where I work in a pharmacy one day per week) was on the national news 3. I received a notice on my door from my apartment complex about being prepared for a flood and 4. I went down to Cranston today and found out that at least 2 of our stores are literally underwater (the water is all the way up to the drive-through window!!!).

Because I live in a historic former mill, my apartment is also on the water. There is a dam across the street, and then the river flows past our management office and one of the apartment buildings (not mine). Yesterday we were sent home early from work to allow people to reach their homes before roads were shut down. When I got back to my apartment complex, people were stopping at the apartment complex to take pictures of the flooding river... I thought I'd join them.

Here are some pictures I took yesterday outside my complex. It may be hard to really judge how high the water is, but trust me, it's getting up there....

What class of rapids would this be?

I don't know how high it is, but the water is at least halfway up the trees.

On apartment's management office sits right on the water

It's going to take a lot to flood this bridge... keeping my fingers crossed

This is the "little stream" that passes through the middle of my apartment complex

You can read about the storm from the Weather Channel here. Below are some of the pictures that have been submitted by residents from areas that are flooding.

Exeter, RI

East Greenwich, RI

Warwick, RI... this is just south of Cranston AND where the airport is located.... I hope they get things opened up before my Mom comes on Friday!

Keep you posted if anything happens. Until then, keep the families that have been evacuated or lost their homes in your thoughts and prayers.

Soul With a Capital S

After our grand food tour of the North End, my Dad and I took up Jim's recommendation on the best pizza place in the area- Regina Pizzeria. (This restaurant also came recommended by my brother who lived just outside of Boston for a summer.) We followed the directions and almost missed the place- the North End isn't that big but neither is Regina's.

It was a little chaotic and definitely noisy when we walked in- it reminded me of a cross between a small Italian diner and a mild version of an Ed Debevic's in Chicago. There wasn't a whole lot of order in the place- lot of shouts from waitress to kitchen to waitress across the room, people shuffling by each other through the narrow aisles. It was a good thing we were looking for pizza because that was the only thing on the menu. No salads, no breadsticks, no calzones. Just pizza. But I guess the best way to get good at something is to just make that one thing. The pizza was delicious... nothing you'd eat if you were on a diet, but they had the crust thickness to edge ratio down just right (thinner bottom of the pizza with a little more lip on the outside).

We got to Regina's just in time- when 6:00 PM rolled around, the line was already out the door.

After dinner, we headed off to Wilbur Theater in the Theater District of Boston to see Tower of Power. Originally from Oakland, California, Tower of Power is a funk and soul group that has been around for over 40 years. Not very many people know about them, but the ones that do tend to follow them around (I hate to say cult, so we'll call them "groupies," even though I don't think that is the right word, either). Tower of Power (of ToP, as they are often abbreviated) rarely come to the Midwest, so when my Mom saw that they would be in Boston, she jumped on the chance to get tickets for my Dad as a special present.

Here is a bit of the history on the theater from their website:

The Wilbur Theatre was built in 1914 by the Shubert brothers who named it for their friend and theatre manager A.L. Wilbur. It was built on the site of the former Winthrop School for Girls. The Wilbur was the first Boston theatre to draw its inspiration from American Colonial architecture rather than from European sources. It was designed by architect Clarence H. Blackall. To ensure authenticity, the porticos on the front of the theatre were copied directly from the 1837 Thomas Bailey Midrich House at 59 Mt. Vernon Street on Beacon Hill. This Federal Revival style is characterized by a quiet simplicity and intimate, almost home-like atmosphere. Architectural historian Douglas Tucci said of the Wilbur, "The auditorium is in its chaste way the handsomest of any Boston playhouse."

They didn't allow any photographs to be taken inside the theater (I hate this- can totally kill a blog post), which is shame because it is so beautiful. All of the original architecture is still intact. The building has lavish details such as filigree molding (is that a real thing?), a crystal chandelier, and a crest emblem with a gold "W" that I coveted the entire show. (FYI- for those of you that don't know, I am obsessed with monograms!)

There are three levels inside the theater- the top two had stadium seating that you would see in a movie theater today. We had seats on the first floor and were only about 30 feet away from the stage. It is a small venue (probably holds about 500 people), but they definitely pack you in like sardines. They had tables and chairs for seats on the first floor- bigger tables of 12 in front, and rows of chairs on the sides. The numbers of the seats were a little confusing, even to the staff. (I swear they had no idea what they were doing.) Not only did we get seated incorrectly (well, we actually sat ourselves), three other groups around us were put in the wrong seats by the ushers. Right up until the show started there was always some kind of commotion going on in our section about whose seats were where, what seats were extras, blah blah blah- it was hilarious.

Even if you wouldn't choose a funk and soul band to see in concert as your number one pick, Tower of Power is a great show if you love live music. You don't see a 10+ member band with a 5-horn section very often these days, and let me tell you, these guys can cook! I brushed up on some of the best of ToP the week before the concert- I mean, who doesn't love to sing along at a concert?

A picture of the sign outside Wilbur Theater

An old photo showcasing the interior

I probably took about 30 (illegal) pictures during the concert, none of which turned out. On top of that I didn't remember that I had a video function on my camera until the last minute of the concert when I saw a woman taping the show on her phone. I mean, I probably wouldn't make any money from selling it, but it would have been fun to have, especially since they were playing my dad's favorite song, You're Still a Young Man.

The best picture I got all night! Just a reminder that there's nothing like the real thing...

Click on the following links to experience a little ToP from your own home...

-Soul with a Capital S (my favorite)

-You're Still a Young Man (Dad's favorite)

-What is Hip (I love this video- it is from 1977! There are still 3 original band members playing today- isn't that amazing?)

-Diggin' on James Brown (Another crowd pleaser)

We definitely had a blast at the concert- thanks for the tickets, Mom!

More to come tomorrow about Dad and I in Newport...

La Bella Vita

Last Tuesday my Dad came for a short visit to Rhode Island. He had two tickets to see Tower of Power in Boston on Wednesday night, so I took half of a vacation day so that we would have time to explore the city. I've been to Boston more than half a dozen times since I've lived on the East Coast, but I knew that I probably wasn't the best tour guide.

If I ever need suggestions for places to see and things (and I am lacking access to a local authority), I turn to Trip Advisor. While searching for various to-do's in Boston, I came across Michelle Topor's Food Tours of Boston. After reading reviews and looking at her website (and a phone call to my Mom to be sure my Dad would like something like this- non-refundable tickets!), I decided that we'd give it a try.

On Wednesday afternoon, we met at the location described on the instructions. There weren't very many other people around, so I began to wonder if we might be the only people on the tour. Just then, our tour guide walked up and introduced himself. I recognized Jim from the pictures and descriptions of the tour guides on Michelle's website but thought that it might be creepy if I told him I already knew who he was. As it turned out, there were only 2 other people on our tour- a mother and daughter (maybe in-law?) from Virginia.

Jim started our tour by giving us a high-level overview of the history of the area. Before the North End was inhabited by Italians, a number of different immigrant groups lived there. As the immigrants became more affluent and prosperous, they left the area.

Our first stop was at Maria's Pastry Shop. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but appearances can be deceiving. Maria's is a family business that has been open for 25 years, yet still remains largely unknown. Jim showed us the different types of Italian pastries that are made and what, if any, affiliation they had with religious holidays. Colomba, for example, is bread shaped like a dove that is made at Easter. This sweet cake is eaten for either breakfast or dessert and is topped with almonds and powdered sugar. After Jim explained all of the goods, we were able to taste biscotti (bis means "two" and cotti means "cooked"), marzapan, white torrone, lobster tail, sfogliatelle ("clam shell"), and amaretti. The amaretti is what Americans would refer to as a macaroon--this was definitely my favorite. (Note: I felt badly for the rest of the day for taking my Dad to Mike's Pastries an hour before the tour, since our tour guide pretty much said it was a commercial cop-out. Sorry, Dad!)

A picture of the amaretti cookies- yum!

Jim explaining the significance of the marzipan lambs that are made during Easter. Maria and her sister hand make the ears, legs, etc. of the lambs by hand- only the body comes from a mold.

Our next stop was Mercato del Mare, a relatively new (only 2 years old) seafood specialty shop that resembles a European market. They buy and sell local products whenever possible (i.e. sea scallops from Nantucket). You can regularly find halibut, salmon, tuna, calamari, swordfish, red snapper, haddock, and other varieties depending on the season. The owners are known for their home-prepared "heat and eat" meals for young professionals on-the-go.. lobster rolls, clam chowder, lobster bisque, and ready to grill tuna teriyaki.

A view of the case with the freshest seafood on the block

After the seafood market, we went to Polcari's Coffee, a general store specializing in coffee, dried legumes, spices, nuts, and hard to find items, including rose water, pomegranate molasses, and preserved lemons. Walking into this store was like taking a step back in time- even the scale that they use to measure your purchases is over a hundred years old. It is owned and operated by the 3rd generation of the family that started it in 1932. I learned some interesting facts- the difference between real and American cinnamon and how to roast your own coffee beans. I bought some Italian candy, dried kiwi, and dried lavender (it was only $1.99!!).

Sunlight can make even a barrel of nuts look lovely

Love these spice jars- so charming!

Because we had a smaller group, we had the advantage of being able to visit several of the smaller shops that larger tours can't fit inside. The next two stores are great examples.

Monica's Mercato is a small shop that carries all sorts of pastas, meats, cheeses, and other products imported from Italy. Across the street is a sister restaurant, Monica's Trattoria, which is owned by the same family. Fresh pasta is made daily and can be bought from the merchant shop. I'm not one for pasta, but even the lobster ravioli sounded delicious. The owners weren't expecting us, but they made prosciutto and cheese (don't remember what type) sandwiches on the spot. I also learned about the designation "D.O.P." D.O.P. stands for "Denominazione di Origine Protetta" and is literally translated as "Protected Designation of Origin." It is a certificate of authenticity from the Italian government that prevents "impostors" from selling their products, along with the promotion of quality and originality. For example, all Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses must come from a specific region of Italy.

A picture from Monica's- now you know what I mean when I say small!

Having a local guide you around town definitely provides opportunities that you otherwise would never have known about. Our next stop after Monica's would have been difficult to find, considering it does not have a sign or even a phone number. Albie's is a produce shop that visits the local markets every day and brings back the freshest fruits and vegetables to the North End. Unlike American supermarkets, you are not allowed to handle the produce yourself. When you walk into the store, you simply tell Albie what you would like, and he picks out what he thinks is best. In the spring, look for baby dandelion, fava beans, artichokes, and spring onions.

I just love that there isn't even a sign!

While we were outside of Albie's, Jim brought out some of the more interesting ingredients for us to learn about and try. We tried both fennel root and prickly pear. The prickly pear was my favorite- it tastes like a cross of a watermelon and a raspberry. The seeds are smaller than those found in a watermelon, so you actually eat them instead of spitting them out. If you like raspberry jam with seeds, than this fruit is up your ally.

A prickly pear! Try this 3 times fast: Peter Prangle, the prickly pear picker, picked three perfectly prickly pears.

Here is Jim explaining the difference between a boy and girl eggplant. Unfortunately, the male eggplant is preferred because it has fewer seeds. If you turn an eggplant upside down, you can tell the sex of the fruit by its belly button. Male eggplants have indents, while the females are flat.

The North End neighborhood has some gorgeous architectural details. Some of the town homes you see pictured below held up to 12 families. And if you think about it, a family in the early 20th century wasn't just one or two children. Jim pointed out unique details as we strolled from shop to shop.

The copper contrast is gorgeous- I can't imagine what some of these places are selling for now!

An eagle perched atop a windowsill

Our next stop was at The Wine Bottega. According to Jim, who has traveled and lived all over the globe, this is one of the most beautiful wine shops he's ever been in. This place was huge! Its focus is on discovering and sharing small production, hand-crafted wines. We were able to taste a sip of limoncello, an Italian liquor that is chilled and served in summer months. It is made from simple syrup, lemons, and high-proof vodka that is steeped for 80 days. Not exactly my thing...

This doesn't do the place justice- even the floors were beautiful! You weren't supposed to take pictures, so this one had to be done in secret without a flash.

Our last stop was at Salumeria Italiana, a fabulous little find that has been around for over 40 years. They import the cream of the crop from Italy- commercial and artisan pasta, polenta, rice, olive oils, capers, San Marzano DOP tomatoes, and a number of meats and cheeses. Jim also gave us a short lesson in this store. I had no idea that there were different types of balsamic vinegar. You have to read the label to find real balsamic vinegar- the first listed ingredient will always be "grape must." Americans apparently get fooled by marketing ploys that companies use- they simply color/flavor regular vinegar, which is definitely different than the real thing. We also got to taste and learn how to pick out olive oil. If you are a true foodie, you could have spent hours (and lots of money!) in this store alone.

This pasta was colored naturally- I wanted to get some to take to my Mom, but I know that it would not end up intact by the time I got it back to my apartment.

Dad and I in Salumeria Italiana at the end of our tour. You don't actually go that far, but by the end of the tour, we were worn out!

Again, I highly recommend this tour to anyone who's visiting Boston. It was the best way for us to learn about the hidden secrets of Boston's North End (without having lived there for ten years). Thanks for a great tour, Jim!

More to come on Dad's visit to Boston...

Power Up!

Technology is amazing- I am writing this post from my phone while my
Dad and I are riding the train to Boston. He will be here until
Thursday evening. This afternoon we are attending a "walking cooking
class" and tonight we have tickets to see Tower of Power at Wilbur
Theater.

The best part about this ride is that my Dad has made 5 comments about
facing the wrong direction (opposite of the direction of the train).
Oops! I think it feels like a slow roller coaster- hope I don't lose
my lunch!

--
Sent from my mobile device

The Search Is On...

While I was visiting Indianapolis this weekend, I had a chance to start my apartment search. (Note: When I say start, I mean looking at the apartments themselves. The truth is that I've had a 3-page spreadsheet for over a month!) Even though I'm not moving back until July, I wanted to get a head start to prevent scrambling at the end of my residency. Besides, the planner in me could not resist.

I'm looking to move into a one-bedroom apartment downtown. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or too large, but it MUST have a washer and dryer inside the apartment. This is the main limiting factor in my search, but I will not compromise on this one. I only scheduled 2 appointments to look at 3 different apartments- I am going to be back in April, and I didn't want to drag Nick all over town with me when I won't see him for 2 months.

It's always helpful to have someone else evaluate where you want to hang your hat before you sign a lease. For example, I looked at the apartments at Lockerbie Court. They weren't anything spectacular, but the location is perfect. However, there is one minor safety issue. Every apartment has a balcony that is connected to every other resident in the complex. The last thing I want to have is some creepy dude standing at the door that leads to my kitchen watching me. I know, it's not likely that would happen, but the potential for strange visitors would keep me on the edge. We also looked at the Ambassador apartments- this building, formerly owned by the Marion County Pubic Library, has been completely renovated. The apartments meet my basic requirements, but they are on the small side for what the rent is.

My favorite apartment is one that a friend's boyfriend just moved out of recently. I happened to be looking on Craig's List, and when I was looking at the post, I realized that those pictures looked very familiar! This is definitely my favorite apartment right now. There are a few others I'd like to look at in a couple of weeks, but if I had to decide now, this would be it. Here are some of the pictures from what I'd love to be my future apartment.

There are actually two full baths- this apartment is the result of a combination of two smaller apartments. Not that it's a big deal, but this way guests could use the first bathroom without going through my bedroom.

I heart pedestal sinks!

A walk-in closet complete with a washer and dryer

One of two sets of bay windows in the apartment- this picture is from the bedroom

The other set of bay windows- these are in the living room (yes, it has wooden floors!)

Here is the view from the previous bay window-it looks gorgeous when the city is lit up at night.

Isn't this a nice kitchen? I've never had an island in any apartment or house I've lived in before, but it's a great "gathering" place. Although it doesn't look similar, islands always make me think of the giant wooden chopping block/island my Grandma and Grandpa had in their kitchen.

I don't really know how to describe this- it's a gigantic walk-in closet off the master bedroom. It's big enough to hold a small army- almost the size of a small bonus room.

Well, what do you think? I am a little nervous that it will be rented before I move back, but I'm hoping to talk the office manager into holding for me if I start my lease in June. More to come...

Happy Birthday, Ron!

Everything I know, I learned from Ron....

1. Always be nice.

2. Don't be afraid to try something new. (Ron is the reason I ended up in Rhode Island.)

3. Know when to keep your mouth shut.

4. Whenever possible, take the credit.

5. Just always be nice.

I Don't Want to Check My Bags

Hope you had a great weekend! I took one of my last few, precious vacation days on Friday to go home for a long weekend. Nick leaves for China on April 1st, and if I hadn't gone to see him this weekend, it would have been a total of 3 months between visits! I had such a wonderful time with my family and friends- I'm sorry if I didn't catch you! But, I have good news! I will be in Indianapolis for work for an entire week in April! Nick will be in China (boo) but that means you won't have to share me.

Over the weekend I learned how to post on my blog with my phone, so I should be able to write quick updates much more frequently. I'd better get to bed soon- I tried to sleep on the plane, but no matter what, I can never quite get comfortable. I kept bobbing my head and waking myself up (does anyone else remember watching people in class do this?! It is hilarious! Not that I ever did that...).

I bought Marsh brand sugar cookies at the grocery store this morning to share with co-workers tomorrow at a meeting. When other people go on vacation, they always bring back something fun to eat (i.e. Debbie brings bagels from NY). It's hard to do much of anything via plane, so I decided that my sugar cookies would do. However, they are now more like sugar crumbs. Some jerk moved my back after I sat down to try to make his fit. This would have been fine, except for the fact that he kept ramming it in the overhead compartment to make his ridiculously large "carry-on" bag fit (I only put this in quotes because he must have been slipping $20 bills to the attendants to let him keep his bag- no way they would have normally let this thing on board. The whole time I was thinking of Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents on his trip home, refusing to check his bag.) Oh well, I'll have to keep the cookies in my purse next time and have the strength not to eat any of them! Does anyone have any other suggestions for Indiana-only foods?

If you're not familiar with the movie Meet the Parents, here's the dialogue between Ben Stiller and the flight attendant when he is trying to shove his bag into the overhead compartment.

[Greg is trying to fit his large bag into the overhead bin]
Flight Attendant: I'm sorry, sir, you're gonna have to check that.
Greg Focker: I got it.
Flight Attendant: No, I'm sorry, that bag won't fit.
Greg Focker: No, no, I'm not - hey, I'm not checking my bag, okay?
Flight Attendant: There's no need to raise your voice, sir.
Greg Focker: I'm not raising my voice. THIS WOULD BE RAISING MY VOICE TO YOU, okay? I don't want to check my bag, okay? And, by the way, your airline? You SUCK at checking bags, okay, because I already did that once and you lost it, and then I had everything screwed up very badly for me, okay?
Flight Attendant: Well, I can assure you that your bag will be placed safely below deck with the other luggage...
Greg Focker: Oh, yeah? How do you know my bag will be safe below with the other luggage? Huh? Are you physically going to take my bag and put it beneath the plane? Are you going to go right now outside, with the guys with the earmuffs, and go put it in there?
Flight Attendant: No...
Greg Focker: No? Okay, then shut your piehole and listen to me when I say that I am FINISHED with the checking-of-the-bags CONVERSATION.

I wasn't able to find this clip from the movie 0nline quickly, but I'll add it later if I come up with it.

Kiss Me, I'm Irish!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Did you remember to wear green today? I can't believe I subconsiously wore a green sweater (I'm usually still half asleep when I'm getting ready for work!)- why can't I train my internal alarm clock the same way I remember holidays?

When I called Nick today, he gave me a pop quiz on the history of St. Patrick. Don't worry, I failed miserably, too. Here is the "This Day In History" for March 17, 2010 from the History Channel:

"On this day in 461 A.D., Saint Patrick, Christian missionary, bishop and apostle of Ireland, dies at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland.

Much of what is known about Patrick's legendary life comes from the Confessio, a book he wrote during his last years. Born in Great Britain, probably in Scotland, to a well-to-do Christian family of Roman citizenship, Patrick was captured and enslaved at age 16 by Irish marauders. For the next six years, he worked as a herder in Ireland, turning to a deepening religious faith for comfort. Following the counsel of a voice he heard in a dream one night, he escaped and found passage on a ship to Britain, where he was eventually reunited with his family.
According to the Confessio, in Britain Patrick had another dream, in which an individual named Victoricus gave him a letter, entitled "The Voice of the Irish." As he read it, Patrick seemed to hear the voices of Irishmen pleading him to return to their country and walk among them once more. After studying for the priesthood, Patrick was ordained a bishop. He arrived in Ireland in 433 and began preaching the Gospel, converting many thousands of Irish and building churches around the country. After 40 years of living in poverty, teaching, traveling and working tirelessly, Patrick died on March 17, 461 in Saul, where he had built his first church.

Since that time, countless legends have grown up around Patrick. Made the patron saint of Ireland, he is said to have baptized hundreds of people on a single day, and to have used a three-leaf clover--the famous shamrock--to describe the Holy Trinity. In art, he is often portrayed trampling on snakes, in accordance with the belief that he drove those reptiles out of Ireland. For thousands of years, the Irish have observed the day of Saint Patrick's death as a religious holiday, attending church in the morning and celebrating with food and drink in the afternoon. The first St. Patrick's Day parade, though, took place not in Ireland, but the United States, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City in 1762. As the years went on, the parades became a show of unity and strength for persecuted Irish-American immigrants, and then a popular celebration of Irish-American heritage. The party went global in 1995, when the Irish government began a large-scale campaign to market St. Patrick's Day as a way of driving tourism and showcasing Ireland's many charms to the rest of the world. Today, March 17 is a day of international celebration, as millions of people around the globe put on their best green clothing to drink beer, watch parades and toast the luck of the Irish. "

Here are a few of my favorite Irish things...

My surname is Irish. Click here to read the history behind it.

Who doesn't love Lucky Charms? I was only allowed to eat cereal like this on special occassions, and when I did, I would save all of the marshmallows for last.

My high school's mascot was a shamrock (I know, really tough, huh?).

Dublin was the last stop on Nick's and my trip to Europe- Here is a picture of the Temple Bar Area in Dublin at sunset.


If you can get past all of the swearing, it's a great movie. *Love* that it takes place in Boston!

And last but not least, one of my favorite quotes...

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Washington, Part I: D.C.'s Drunken Donuts

Last Thursday, Debbie and I flew to Washington D.C. for the American Pharmacists Association's annual meeting and exposition. This year's theme was "Inspire, Engage, and Influence: APhA Pharmacists Lead the Way." Unlike the ASHP meeting in Las Vegas last December, we didn't have to do any recruiting for the residency, which gave us a little more flexibility.

After much internal debate, I ended up purchasing a piece of rolling luggage the night before we left to use on the trip. It's funny- as far as luggage goes, I didn't buy anything fancy, but it felt like such a luxury! I've never owned any what I call "grown-up" luggage. The closest I've come before is a beautiful black and pink Vera Bradley set my mom got me, which is perfect for weekend trips but difficult to pack clothes for more than 3 days (at least for me!). I think I walked around Target for an hour before I decided to get it, and I am *so* glad that I did! The 360 degree rolling wheels are a must if you are considering buying new luggage.

After we landed in D.C., Debbie and I took the Metro (LOVE using public transportation!) to a stop near our hotel and walked just a few blocks to reach our destination. When we left the airport, the escalator going up to the Metro platform was broken, and we had to lug our bags up without any help. Now, I'm not in the greatest shape, but I do lift weights and work out fairly regularly. I thought my arm was going to FALL OFF!

We stayed at the Renaissance hotel in the Penn Quarter right across from the Convention Center. (Note: The Convention Center could have its own zip code- check out this floor plan... pretty sure I had to ask for directions every time I went to a meeting. The only exception- the general session. There were banners taller than me pointing the way.) There were a couple of things I really liked about the hotel: 1. They had lemon-infused water around the hotel. It was almost like lemonade without the sugar- it tasted so good! I mean, it wasn't anything complicated (well, I think so)- just a bunch of cut up lemons in a glass beverage dispenser (can't wait to get one of these someday!). 2. They had fresh flowers in the lobby- pomanders made of red carnations- they were gorgeous! Putting anything on display en mass creates a great visual effect. (Naturally, I did not take a picture... Sigh...) The hotel also had a great workout center. I meant well (I packed 3 workout outfits) but didn't make it there once! Good thing we were doing a lot of walking. When we got there on Thursday, it was warm enough for Debbie and I to go for a walk in shorts and sweatshirts- we went around the National Mall and beyond.

Here is an outside view of our hotel- the pictures I tried to take were ruined by the rain. This one is much prettier.

The Convention Center in Washington D.C.

Look at the size of this room! I have no idea how many it seats, but I was shocked when I walked in- definitely didn't expect that many people! (Note: I decided I might look funny just taking a picture of the audience, so I thought this one from their website would suffice.)

Now, I'm definitely not a self-proclaimed "foodie," but I did get to eat at some great restaurants. On Thursday night, Debbie and I went to a Spanish tapas restaurant we had found on our walk earlier that day. Apparently, La Tasca is well known among locals. I hung out with some friends that live in D.C. after dinner, and they knew what I was talking about before I could even say the name. The atmosphere was lively, the food was tasty, and the sangria pitcher was half-price. (They have over 10 types of sangria!) I had the bread with infused olive oil, shrimp, and the fried eggplant. Not necessarily the healthiest dinner, but it was just what I needed.

On Friday night, a vendor that works with our team for immunizations took a small group of us to Smith and Wollensky's, a steakhouse. I asked their waiter what came on their house salad just to make sure I wasn't going to end up with something I hated. However, I had a very difficult time understanding him, and the only words I caught were "honey Dijon dressing" and "croutons." I decided to take my chances- I mean, how bad can a house salad be? Well, let' s just say that it was less than ideal for what I had in mind- it was covered with apple wood-smoked bacon thicker than my thumb (it looked like raw meat to me), chunks of potatoes, and button mushrooms.

After everyone had finished their main dish (everyone but Deb got steak- the knives they handed out looked like it was made for a giant!), the waiter brought over the dessert tray, which was covered with the most delicious-looking sweets. My eye was drawn to the white take-out bag on the bottom tier, and the waiter introduced it as "Drunken Donuts." They make fresh, homemade donuts, shake them with powdered sugar in the bag while they are still warm, and serve the donuts with 3 liquor-infused jams. WOW- probably one of the best desserts I've had in quite a while. There were only 4 small donuts, but I tried to get someone else at the table to try them. No one did- they were all too full. At first I felt like the glutton of the group but that feeling didn't last long! Guess I'm the girl that's not afraid to get dessert even though no one else wants anything but finds the strength to finish it all by herself.

My drunken donuts! I am extremely tempted to make homemade donuts one weekend....

On Saturday night, we went with a different vendor to Matchbox: A Vintage Pizza Bistro. Mike has family in the area and has visited D.C. frequently for work, so he recommended this restaurant. From the outside, it doesn't look like much. In fact, it looks like a hole in the wall... but appearances are deceiving. When you walk in, you end up going a maze of rooms and levels. Over time, as their business grew, the owners just kept buying additional property and tearing down the walls. The architectural details are gorgeous- lots of exposed brick, tall ceilings, staircases, and a wood-fire pizza oven. The food was amazing, and, like La Tasca, it had a great atmosphere. I highly recommend it if you are ever in the neighborhood.

An outside shot of the restaurant

I love that the rooms are open and flow into one another

I'm sure the skylight is wonderful when the sun is out- their roof also has outdoor seating

Check back tomorrow to hear details of the rest of my trip!

Don't Phone This In

A couple of weeks ago while I was shopping (more like wandering) at Target, I happened to end up in the fitness section. While browsing through the DVD's, I saw one that I had read about in a couple of magazines (Shape, maybe?)- Jillian Michael' 30-Day Shred. I've never followed the show "The Biggest Loser," but I have managed to catch a couple of episodes over the years. If you're not familiar with the program, Jillian Michaels is one of the trainers that whips people into shape. She can be pretty tough on her "students," but she definitely helps get results. I am so glad that I bought the DVD- definitely worth the $9 investment. The workouts are 20 minutes long and divided into three parts- strength, cardio, and abs. Unlike most other exercise videos, she has you complete short segments of each throughout the program. The workout repeats a pattern of 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs three times (preceded by a 2 minute warm-up and followed by a 2 minute cool down). I did the video five times last week (she says you're supposed to do it every day, but my body cannot take an hour of zumba and her video). There's also a diet you're supposed to follow online. I haven't even really looked at it, but it can't hurt that I gave up candy for Lent. (Addendum: I just watched a YouTube video online of Jillian talking about eating, and now I think I should follow some kind of plan!)

NEWSFLASH: I have also stopped drinking Diet Coke (for the most part anyways). I maybe have one or two a week-- can you believe that?!?! I kept having these terrible stomach aches and gave up all different types of foods periodically in an attempt to identify the culprit. As you may have guessed, Diet Coke was the last thing I tried, and as fate would have it, it helped. I didn't have too many withdrawal headaches, and I have started drinking a lot more water.

I think what I like best about Jillian (I know, I'm talking like we hang out three times a week) is that she doesn't take any crap. For example, when you are doing jumping jacks she says, "Don't tell me you can't do these. I've got 400-pound people that can do jumping jacks. If they can do them, then you can, too." A couple of her other favorite phrases that I like are "Don't phone it in!" and "You don't get abs like this for free!"

Hopefully I'm on my way to being, as Jillian says, "shredded."

I Judge When You Use Poor Grammar*

Today I am celebrating National Grammar Day. Most of you probably didn't know that this day existed (neither did I), unless your company's website had it posted on the main page, along with best practices for grammar (I'm not kidding- you can't make this stuff up).

When my brother and I were young, both of our parents had high expectations of our academic performances, and in order to accomplish this, they taught us the importance of learning, instilled a love of reading, and.... were very difficult graders and editors. I can remember working on a paper, needing to have someone proofread it before I printed or submitted it, and trying to avoid having my Mom read it because I knew she would be so tough. I can remember my Mom handing my papers back- there was always something I had done wrong!

This was not just a one-sided attack. When I was in the fifth grade, I asked my dad for help with my math homework. He was appalled at how sloppy my work was and said that he wouldn't help me until I cleaned it up. (Throughout the rest of middle school and on into high school and college, I meticulously wrote out all of the steps to a problem, no matter how elementary it may have seemed.)

Now that I am a resident, I am the editor-in-chief of a nationally circulated newsletter designed for pharmacist education; I also contribute to our company-wide newsletter at least bi-monthly. I have two part-time interns that work one shift per week for the clinical services department that do quite a bit of drug information and professional writing. At this point, they are either a) used to my complete overhaul of their work or b) have such precise grammar and sentence structure that I barely touch their articles. I also have sixth year pharmacy students on rotation with me for six weeks at a time, and I don't want to know what they really think about me. On the first two days of the rotation, I have them take a plagiarism test, review a grammar handbook, brush up on their drug information skills, and edit a sample paragraph to assess their overall writing ability. (I don't think you should receive a doctorate if you cannot figure out how to properly use apostrophes, commas, capitalization, and punctuation.) The rotation students also have to present three journal clubs during the course of their stay at the office. I think I was a bit harsh on my student this week, but at the same time, this student had not done his homework (or at least enough of it- if you are going to present a topic, you had better know the meaning and significance of every single word, abbreviation, and value that you use in your presentation).

I think the most popular mistake students make is writing exactly how they would talk in a conversation. (I know you're thinking, she's such a hypocrite- that is exactly what she is doing now! Trust me- it is possible to have more than one writing style. My drug information work is very different at the office than what you read on my blog.) I often wonder how students get through pharmacy school without acquiring better writing skills, but I think I already know the answer... Most students (at least in my class, anyways) did not enjoy their drug information class during pharmacy school and did as little as possible to get by. I, on the other hand, did not miss a drug info class (unlike some of the other classes that I was more of a guest than a regular- sorry to disappoint Mom and Dad!) and thought what we were learning was useful (even if it was a little dry). My friend Tony and I would joke that we would both do residencies one day- his in pharmacokinetics and mine in drug information.

Even though my residency is not technically a PGY2 drug information residency, evaluating clinical information is a large part of what I do. In fact, there is something about diving deep into available literature to provide someone with a thorough, yet concise, answer to a clinical question that is very rewarding. (Wow, what a nerd...) That being said, I am still not wild about all of the statistical tests performed in clinical trials or calculations used to figure out ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) values (thank goodness that is not a part of my job). I'll call Tony (or Chelsea) if I need help with kinetics.

In the long run, my parents' efforts have paid off in full. I have better writing and organizational skills than I ever would have developed on my own, and best of all, I am not afraid to use a red pen.

Click here to view everyday examples of poor grammar.

*This title comes from the name of a Facebook group I've been in since 2004.