Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

Hope everyone is having a nice short week- hard to believe it is already June! After tomorrow, I will only have four weeks left of work (not that I'm counting down), and I know they will go quickly. I've giving a short presentation tomorrow (an easy one- it's about me), an intense one Monday (practice run) and Wednesday (45 minute live CE presentation- speaking of which.. pharmacists, don't forget to get your CE credits by June 30!), and a journal club presentation (the risk of fractures when taking a PPI) the following Monday. On top of that, I worked an extra shift in the stores on Tuesday night, and tomorrow I'm working the overnight shift (I've never actually done this, so I'm interested to see how it will go).

Last weekend I went back to Indy for the long weekend. Well, I didn't actually make it for a long weekend.... I got to the airport on Friday night, only to sit there for almost two hours while my plane was delayed. Eventually they cancelled the flight (for some of us at least) because most people would have been stuck in Charlotte. I guess there were severe thunderstorms (they better have been severe!) down South. I woke up early on Saturday morning (4:30!!!) to catch a flight through Philidelphia to Indy and finally made it home.

Saturday was a family day. As you may have noticed, my mom's birthday was Friday. She and I worked on making wedding invitations for a friend during the day- I can't wait to show them to you. I forgot to take a picture (arrrg!) of them, but they are purple pocketcards with shimmery white invitations and grey and purple ink. The main invitation even has a purple gemstone! Purple isn't my favorite color, but these are absolutely gorgeous. If you were to buy these from someone who professionally makes wedding invitations, they would cost a small fortune (as much as I pay for my monthly rent!). I'll see if my Mom can send a couple of pictures my way to post on the blog.

On Saturday night, we met up with my brother to have dinner at Harry and Izzy's for Mom's birthday. (Not only do I love their food and service, I love the name... it makes me think of my Mom and our dog, Izzie- you could write a book about their adventures but a restaurant named after them is nice, too). We started with their St. Elmo's shrimp cocktail. If you are ever in Indianapolis, make sure you try this! But *beware*- it is hotter than Hades! I had a salad with pecans, julienne apples, and a vinegrette, but eveyrone else had either steak or lamb. Dessert was homemade strawberry shortcake with ice cream and whipped cream- yum! The strawberries had soaked into some of the shortbread just enough to soften it up and make it taste like jam. (Another picture fail- neither my Mom nor I remembered to take a picture!)

After dinner, my Dad, Mom, and I went to pick up my keys to my new apartment! I was lucky enouh to get the apartment I wanted (click here for my original post on apartment searching), which is right downtown. The place is huge- 2 full bathrooms, a walk-in closet, and another bonus room off the master bedroom. It also has wooden floors in the kitchen, nice countertops, and track lighting. My favorite feature of the unit, though, is the amount of windows- they are everywhere! There are two sets of bay windows- one in the bedroom and another in the living room, which gives you a great view of the city skyline. (I can also see my brother's apartment complex, which is only two blocks away. I liked my Dad's idea of stringing two cans together to have as walkie talkies.) I'm really looking forward to moving in!

Sunday morning I helped to make breakfast (blueberry pancakes!) and hung out around the house before heading to visit Lisa in Speedway! You have to be crazy to go to Speedway on race weekend- it is a madhouse! Luckily, I had some expert advice from a seasoned pro- I brought my Mom's bike (thanks Mom and Dad!). It was ten times easier to get around. (It was a little nostalgic for me- I felt like I was in junior high again.) Amy (who was visiting from Texas), Katie (another Speedway native), Lisa, and I spent the day lounging, catching up, and trying to stay cool. For dinner, we attempted to eat at Baxbeau's but got a little lost (we would get lost in our own city). Instead of eaitng at the restaraunt, we got carry-out and ate on the steps of Monument Circle.

A view of the Sailers and Soldiers Monument at night

I loved this picture- it is of one of the fountains downtown.... but when I showed it to Amy, Katie, and Lisa, all three of them made a sour face (like, what is this?!). Looks like I'd never make it as an artist!

Amy, Lisa, and Katie- had so much fun with you!

My turn! Hmmm...maybe I'll try to crop myself in the picture above....

On Monday, I slept wayyyyy in (a much needed three-day weekend luxury). After cleaning up and getting together my bag (as hard as I try, my suitcase of things ends up all over the floor by the time I leave- it doesn't matter how much stuff I have, where I am, or how long my trip is- it always ends up on the floor), my Mom drove me downtown to meet Nick for a late lunch (isn't she the best? So took me so that I could surprise Nick). We ate a Left Bank Cafe, a new restaurant on the canal. The food was okay, but the service was chaotic. I'd give them a couple of weeks to sort things out. When you do go, be sure to get a Nutella and strawberry crepe- amazing!!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Hope you have a wonderful last day of school! Can't wait to see you this weekend!

Kisses and Castles

While searching for my new craft objects of desire (dresden trim and paper cut-outs), I somehow discovered a store called "Castle in the Air." It is a small, family-owned business in California that carries specialty craft items, not your run-of-the-mill Michael's or Jo-Ann's. (Not that I don't love those stores, but sometimes you have to step out of the box to find new ideas.) They carry dresden trim, German glass glitter, sheet paper (gorgeous Italian marble and other fine prints), calligraphy supplies (my next big adventure), and some miscellaneous items.

I've never considered myself a romantic. In fact, one day I was hanging out with Chelsea, and I don't remember how the subject came up, but for one reason or another I denied being a romantic. I can't recite her words verbatim, but it was something like, "You have got to be kidding me!" I think I mainly denied being a romantic because of fashion magazines.... you know, they have four different types of styles, such as classic, modern, romantic, and bohemian. If I have to place myself in one of those categories fashion-wise, it definitely isn't romantic (although I do love to get dressed up). But outside of clothing styles and perfumes (not a huge floral person), I'd guess I fall into the romantic category because I love love.

Anyways, while looking through their holiday section, I fell in love with a few Valentine's Day pieces. The two books shown below are reprints of short paperback books published in the early 1900's. I'm not sure what I will do with them yet, but a time will come when they are just what I need. I have turned old books into scrapbooks before, which can be just lovely. These books are substantial enough for a scrapbook, but they could definitely be part of one.

I love the subtitle, "How to Win a Lover." The book is filled with relationship rules, but it also has a section that details the meanings of flowers.

I can't wait to read this section, which includes "lovers' quarrels," "love-letter writing," and "women men dislike."

"The Book of the Kiss" is filled with quotes and short stories.

I also bought this screen printed card. I think alphabet cards and posters (especially in children's bedrooms or playrooms) are charming... Growing up, my brother had one that was hand-embroidered. I have a full set of alphabet cards from Martha Stewart crafts hopefully I'll put to use someday.

Below are pictures of the new tablecloth I bought last weekend....

A bouquet in a corner of the piece

A close-up of the cake and present

The middle of the tablecloth has several repeating phrases, including "good luck," "happiness," "congratulations," and "best wishes."

This is 1/4 of the tablecloth. I haven't measured it yet, but it should fit on a medium size square table.

I think I'll be helping my Mom make some wedding invitations when I go home for Memorial Day, and I will be sure to take pictures to share with you- she is so talented! Hope everyone is having a great week. Cheers!

Someone's Trash Is My Treasure

Another busy weekend in Rhode Island.... I picked up extra shifts in stores on Friday and Sunday to make some extra money (moving trucks are expensive!!). I am definitely going to have to get used to standing on my feet for long periods of time again... my legs were aching when I woke up this morning.

After breakfast on Saturday, I packed a backpack with a reusable bag, a poncho, a water bottle, snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and cash. No, I wasn't going hiking, but you're not that far off. I drove to Massachusetts for the Brimfield Antique Show. The Brimfield Antique Show is the largest antique show in the United States. Along with some of my other adventures, it is also in my "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" and "10 Best of Everything" books. Instead of re-creating the wheel, here' s a short synopsis of what the show is all about:

The Brimfield Antiques Show began in the 1950's and has become the largest and best-known outdoor antiques show in the country. Running along Rt. 20 for a distance of perhaps a half-mile and perhaps 500' or more, back on each side of the highway, the Brimfield Show is a huge, vast undertaking, filled with thousands of dealers dealers over the course of the week, selling everything from the finest antiques to 'yard junk', requiring a day or two to see everything there is to see. Food courts and rest facilities abound, and the Shows are filled with hidden treasures and the 'right kind of people', creating a safe and fun environment for everyone, children included. Shows are patrolled by uniformed and undercover police, and rarely is there any trouble of any kind.

Brimfield is a quaint, picturesque rural New England town, home to 3,000 residents. Founded in 1731, (the year before George Washington was born), the town's 35 square miles are surrounded by apple orchards, horse farms, and wooded hills in an area known as the Pioneer Valley, and Foothills of the Berkshires.
During show-times, the town's population balloons to over 250,000 visitors and over 5,000 dealers for the 6 days the Show operates. The Show has a carnival-like atmosphere, appropriate for all ages, where good vibes prevail, (and few, if any problems ever present themselves).

Dealers come from all over the world as do visitors. From millionaire world-famous rock stars and movie stars to the local resident from down the street, the Show is a Mecca for serious and casual collectors of all kinds of antiques. A few of the Fields require an entrance fee on the initial opening, usually $5.00-10.00, which tends to be waived later in the day. Most fields do not have any entrance fee, and generally, you can move freely from field to field.

Well, I didn't see any rockstars, but I saw plenty of other people. It's hard to really understand how many people are packed into such a small space until you are there. All things considered, everything runs very smoothly. ... I didn't see any fights, hear any cars honk, or any other type of chaos (not that most people interested in antiques would start a riot or anything). It was very easy to find parking (I had a harder time finding my car later in the day), and I didn't have to pay to get into any of the "fields. The traffic turned out not to be that bad on my way in (especially since I came later in the day), but I had a slight delay on my way home (only a half an hour, so not *that* bad). The whole "Fields" and "Promoters" thing can be a bit confusing ,so I'll break it down for you:

1. The Show does not have any formal organization with the exception of the dates, which are chosen by some county auxiallary group. It occurs for five-six days three times a year. The days and times are dependent upon the Promoters...

2. The Promoters are the people that host the "Fields." They are generally local townspeople who rent out their yard/field/space during the show. They are responsible for providing bathrooms, security, etc. Depending on the location and the Field, the promoter charges the antique dealers $XXX to have a booth at their field.

3. The Fields are where the show is held. Each field is run by a different promoter and given a different name. For example, two sisters (the promoters) run "J & J Productions" (the Field) that is known for its high quality and rare items (from the dealers).

Here are a few of my pictures from Saturday...

The show is set along the highway, but the highway becomes more of a sidewalk three weeks a year

There are food vendors with everything from a pickle on a stick to fried dough, lemonade to root beet floats. Yum.

Cowboy boots made of metal, anyone? You laugh, but I saw a guy carrying one later that day.

There was a beautiful display selling salvaged fountains and statues... I would have bought this metal archway/gazebo (not sure what to call it), but it wouldn't fit in my car.

Lots of old furniture...

And buddha statues? This place has everything! (Think: Ghostbusters quote)

I didn't go to the show looking for any specific items, so I did a lot of wandering and people-watching. However, I did find a few things I couldn't live without (of course!). I bought about a dozen old Indianapolis postcards that featured downtown highlights and the city. Not only do I love to write letters, the postcards themselves are adorable. On top of that, the artwork isn't copyrighted, so you can reprint the images. I'm thinking of using them for a craft project I've been wating to try. I also got a few cigar boxes ($3 each!), which are great for getting organized. I like to keep cards or jewelry in them.

My favorite find of the day came within the first 20 minutes I was browsing. Both my Mom and I really like vintage linens, i.e. tablecloths, runners, aprons. These items were so carefully hand-crafted back in the 1940's and 1950's- you can't find anything like them in stores today. Aprons are often hand-stitched and featured special appliques, and tablecloths were hand-printed. There was a mega-booth (probably the size of a medium-sized garage) that only had vintage linens. Even though I was by myself, I felt like I had come with a dozen other ladies. We were all oooh-ing and aaah-ing over finds one another had pulled out of the pile.

I hadn't really found anything that I loved, so I headed to the back table to look at 'Novelty" tablecloths. As I sorted through the pile, I came across the most wonderful vintage tablecloth I have ever seen. It was pink and light green with flowers on it. When I started to look closer, I noticed that there was a present on it... and then a cake... and then an umbrella. Yes, it was a tablecloth for a bridal shower! I talked to the owner of the booth, who told me that she had only seen two of these in 15 years of collecting vintage linens. I had the feeling that if I walked away, I would never see it again. It wasn't cheap, but I don't regret getting it at all. I haven't taken any pictures of it, but I'll be sure to post some soon. Someone hurry up and get engaged- I'm ready to throw a bridal shower!

Spring in Indy Part II

On April 9, I drove from Novi, MI to my parents' house to stay while I was in town for work. (It feels weird to say that it's my parents' house, not my house, but I guess it's kind of true.) It was so nice to be at home- it's not every day that you have someone else offer to make you dinner or do your laundry when you're an adult. [Note: We have this joke in my family that comes from a line in the movie Ghostbusters. When they are on the top of the building with Gozer, she asks Ray if he is a god, and he says no, to which she replies, "Then you must die!" He and the rest of his crew and almost flung off the building by lightening out of her fingers. Winston then tells him, "Ray, the next time someone asks you if you are a god, say yes!" So, long short somewhat shortened, if someone asks you something e.g. do you need money?, say yes!]

Click here to see the clip from the movie (it's towards the end)

Other great quotes from this movie that are often referenced by my family include:

-Where do these stairs go? They go up!

-Does this pole still work?

-We can stay there tonight! You know, try it out!

-I collect spores, molds, and fungus.

-Ray has gone bye-bye, Egon... what've you got left?

-Whoa! Nice shootin', Tex!

We had gorgeous weather, which allowed for my Mom and I to take Izzie on lots of walks. It was the perfect time of year for spotting wildflowers- we saw purple, white, and yellow violets! I can't remember the last time I saw white violets, and I don't ever recall having seen yellow violets, except in pictures. Izzie is so funny- whenever I'm home and I put on my tennis shoes, she thinks I am going to take her for a walk! My Dad takes her for a walk every Saturday and Sunday morning in Cool Creek Park, a small park near our house that has trails through a wooded area. I love that spoiled dog.

I taught four classes the following week with Susan, a pharmacist from Ohio. She has been giving immunizations for 5 years now, so her field experience was very valuable and added a great deal to our presentation. Since she had more practical knowledge, we split up the day, and I took the clinical section, which is basically the first few hours or so. I talk about all of the infectious, vaccine-preventable diseases that the pharmacists already reviewed in their self-study prior to coming to class. It's a miracle I haven't had anyone fall asleep on me. I try to keep things interactive, and by that, I mean I pass around a sign-up sheet (pretending like I need it) that I then use to call on the pharmacists to read questions (I'm so sneaky!).

Monday's class was in Bloomington, home of Indiana University. I haven't really spent any time in Bloomington, except for the grad orientation meeting several years ago at Lake Monroe. Nick went to school at IU (absolutely loved it) and often raves about how wonderful Bloomington is. I'm looking forward to getting a personal tour someday. We had class on Tuesday and Wednesday at a company office in Indianapolis, which is where I saw many people that I previously worked with while I was in Indy.

Wednesday night I ate dinner with my pharmacy supervisor, Amy, at P.F. Chang's. I worked for her as an intern for five years before graduating from pharmacy school and will be working in her district when I move back to Indy this July. We spent a lot of time catching up, then talking details about my transition from RI to IN. I found out that I am going to be a pharmacy manager when I move back! I couldn't be more excited about having a home pharmacy, developing a team, and getting to know my patients, one thing I've definitely missed this year. (I only work in the pharmacy one day per week, so it's hard to become really close to any of the customers unless they come in every Thursday or Friday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.) Amy is a wonderful mentor, and I feel so lucky to be able to move back to her district. Indy is full of what I call "my people"--after working in the same area for a while, I've been able to get to know other professionals and develop a support network. (I also have also developed a support network in RI, all of whom I will miss dearly.)

On Wednesday night, I drove to South Bend in preparation for a class early Thursday morning. I'm glad that I chose to drive up the night before. If I didn't, I would have had to get up before 5 a.m.! Let's face it, I'm much more of a night owl than an early bird (although that is slowly changing- I've gone down from 4 alarms to only 3! I'm sure my neighbors hate me, but let them. If I told you what it was like living next to my new neighbors, let's just say that you wouldn't feel so sorry for them.).

I had a blast working with Susie- I was sad to see her go back to Ohio! Susie is high-energy, flexible, and always up for an adventure, all the things you want in a traveling work partner. Even though we were busy, we did have time to talk a lot about work, family, pharmacy, etc. She has a condo on Sanibel Island and if I ever have the chance, I'm going down there to visit. (Nick's parents and grandparents also have condos on Sanibel- sounds like the place to be!)

Other exciting news- I finally signed the lease for my new apartment! It is the first apartment I posted pictures of on my blog- click here to see them (it's the first apartment). My Mom and I went downtown on Friday afternoon so that I could sign the lease and show her the apartment. (She took a few hours of vacation to spend some time with me, isn't that nice?) She really liked the apartment- although not necessary, it's never a bad thing to have a Mom's seal of approval. After the apartment, we did a bit of shopping at Circle Center before driving back to Carmel.

Friday night, our family friends, Jim and Linda, were in town, and the entire family went out to dinner with them at Barcelona Tapas. I first discovered this restaurant through my brother, and I haven't been able to get enough of it since! I recommended it to Susie while she was in town, and she raved about it the whole next day. My favorite is their baked goat cheese with marinara sauce and warm garlic bread.

On Saturday, I met Nick's family for lunch at Clay Terrace. Andrew, his nephew, was given the release to be in public (he was born prematurely and had precautions about being in public due to the potential for catching RSV, which can be very serious for babies with underdeveloped lungs), so it was nice to see him out and about. After lunch, I headed down to Lisa's house in Speedway. There are very few places where I feel just as "at home" as I do at my own home, and Lisa's house and her parents' house (two different places) are definitely on the list. It's hard to believe I've been going there since the fall of 2003! (We met our freshman year in college at Purdue.)

Saturday afternoon Lisa took me to the Twist 'n Pup, a new local (you guessed it) hot dog and ice cream place. They have lots more than just those two items, but since those are their namesake, Lisa and I both tried hot dogs and butterscotch-dipped vanilla cones (amazing!!). Later that day, Junie came over, and we traded stories. Since I had been raving about Barcelona Tapas and neither of them had been there, the three of us went there for dinner with Lisa's brother, Sam. (Just as good the second night! My new favorite: the caramel and supposedly strawberry churros!).

Sunday morning was spent going to church with Lisa, followed by quick visits with her dad and mom. I had an early afternoon flight, so I went back to the airport after lunch. It was definitely a busy trip, but I was energized by the idea of moving back home in less than 3 months.

I didn't do a very good job taking pictures (Sorry Julie, Lisa, and June!), but here are a few I took around by parents' house.

These daffodils are lilacs are from my parents' backyard. I wish I could arrange flowers half as well as my Mom can.

I loved the crab apple blossoms in the spring. It looks like snow when the petals are blown down by the wind.

I was trying to take pictures of Izzie- I think she must have heard something when I was taking this picture. After this she got distracted and decided that she'd rather lick my camera than have her picture taken.

Izzie sleeping on her designated part of the couch.

Mr. Rocky! I can hardly believe he will be 19 years old this October. I've got lots to say about him, but I'll save that for another blog post.

It was great to be at home for a week! A little pampering, plus time with family and friends goes a long way. If I didn't get to see you when I was home, I'm sorry! Not much longer, and you won't be able to get rid of me!

Adventures in Beantown

Wow! So much to catch up on! I'd start from the beginning but that would take much to get you up to speed. Instead, I'll start with my Mom's visit to Rhode Island.

Over her spring break, my Mom came to visit me for a long weekend at the beginning of April. I was a little concerned that I wasn't going to be able to pick her up at the airport because of the flooding in Southern Rhode Island, but none of the roads (no pun intended) were blocked. My mom's plane was right time (wasn't expecting that), so we had to stall a little before our reservations. I thought we should eat at an authentic Italian restaurant in Federal Hill, so we had a lovely dinner at Pane e Vino. Besides the fact that we were right next to the waiters' station (Mom has always had some bad restaurant luck), it was a wonderful, relaxing meal.

Since I took my Mom down to Newport when she visited before, we decided to head up to Boston for the day. I had been wanting to visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum since a) I read about it in my '1,000 Places to See Before You Die' book and b) my friend Courtney said it was one of the most beautiful places in Boston (she goes to school in the city, so I trust her as an accurate resource). Ms. Gardner was an avid collector of art from around the world. Within several years, both her husband and father died, leaving her with almost $3 million dollars (this is back in the late 1800's- who knows how much money that equals now!). She used her money to build the museum and buy additional pieces to add to her collection. The only stipulation of the museum was that everything had to be left where she put it, even after her death. The second part of the "contract" was that there was to be a celebration on her birthday every year. (This woman was very particular. I don't know about you, but I'm not sure she and I would get along.)

My favorite part of the ISG museum by far is the courtyard. It opens up to all three floors of the museum. It is just as much a piece of art as the rest of the building- fresh flowers, marble statues, and a fountain, to name a few highlights. Above the courtyard is a ceiling made of glass.

The museum doesn't look like much from the outside... you probably wouldn't even notice that it was there if you weren't looking for it.

Here is a picture of the courtyard, although it is not my favorite. They won't let you take pictures inside (it was torture!), so this is the best one I could find online. Wouldn't this be a gorgeous place for a wedding?

There were paintings by many famous artists- this picture was done by Michelangelo.

"El Jaleo" This is a very interesting piece by Stewart. The painting itself takes up an entire wall- a small recess was built just to highlight this painting. It is much more beautiful in person- the fabric looks so fluid, and full that it almost reminds me of a wedding dress.

After several hours at the museum, we had a quick lunch after checking into the Park Plaza Hotel. When I was talking to my Mom before her trip, she realized two things 1) I had not spent the night in Boston and 2) I had never experienced room service in a hotel! If you haven't ever had a chance to use it before, I highly recommend using Priceline.com to find a last-minute deal on a hotel or flight. We were able to book a room for less than half of what we would normally pay if we booked through the hotel's website. Priceline allows you to select where you'd like to be (it even goes down to the neighborhood level in bigger cities like Boston, New York, etc), the number of stars of the accommodations, and the price you'd like to pay. If you have gone too low, it will come back and tell you to change some of your options. Otherwise, if all parameters can be met, the hotel is booked right away and it tells you where you will be staying. You have to be a little bit flexible, but it's definitely worth a try.

The Park Plaza Hotel- it was a perfect location... close to a T stop, Boston Common, and Paper Source (I swear I did not even know that it was less than two blocks away!)

Isn't it nice to know that there will always be someone to open the door for you?

On Saturday night, we stayed in to watch the final game of the NCAA tournament. I asked my Mom if she wanted to go to a sports bar or restaurant to watch the game, but she preferred to stay in and relax (fine by me!). When she was growing up, one of her favorite memories was ordering room service with her Mom. My Grandpa did quite a bit of traveling, and my Grandma would go with him from time to time. She was able to sleep in, read all day, take a nap, and, her favorite, order room service. :) It felt special to share something with my Mom that she shared with my Grandma.

On Sunday morning, we went to Easter service at the Park Street Church on the other side of Boston Common. I had done some research ahead of time (imagine that!), and it looked like a place that we would enjoy. It was a fairly traditional service, but it had one of my favorite ceremonies in the church- baptisms. There was a girl from China who was baptized- her story was very beautiful.

The church is actually a part of the Freedom Trail- it was founded in 1809!

After church was over, we took the T to get breakfast in Cambridge. I know, not exactly the closest place to eat, but there was a place that I didn't want to miss after I did my research (ha!) on the best places to catch brunch in Boston. There were a lot of fancy (and therefore, $$$$) places that were on the list, but another one caught my eye when I read that it was voted both "Best New Restaurant" and "Best Brunch" by several Boston area magazines. The Friendly Toast is not a chain (there are only two of them total- the other is in New Hampshire) and is kind of in a weird location (not easy to find by any means). Thank goodness they had an extra sign to guide you to the back of the building, or we never may have found it.

The Friendly Toast has a relaxed atmosphere, filled with 50's and 60's memorabilia. My chair had a green, metallic plastic covering the seat, and there was a small ceramic cow holding our salt, sugar, and pepper on the table. I had butterscotch hot chocolate with marshmallows (to die for!) and "Hansel and Gretel waffles"-- gingerbread waffles with pomegranate molasses and whipped cream! Mom had the "Drunkard's French Toast"-- French toast topped with a Grand Marnier and raspberry sauce. Click here to see more of the menu.

A picture of the inside of The Friendly Toast- it would have been a blast hunting for the decorations!

It doesn't look like it in this picture, but it was packed! Thank goodness we got there before 10:00 AM.

A picture of a magnolia tree in bloom in Cambridge

We drove back to RI on Sunday afternoon and took a long nap- all that running around made us exhausted. I had to work on Monday, but we did get to make dinner together on both Sunday and Monday nights. On Sunday, we had homemade pepperoni and banana pepper pizza, and dinner on Monday night was tacos with fresh salsa and guacamole and margaritas.

We got to the airport on Tuesday when I realized that we hadn't taken a picture of the two of us on my camera the whole weekend! (We had one taken of us in front of Park St. Church, but it is on Mom's camera.) To make up for it, we took the picture below while waiting for our flights.

Thanks for a great weekend, Mom!

Spring in Indy

I'm writing to you this week from Indianapolis- I was in Detroit for training until last night. From there, I was planning on driving to Merrillville, IN for a continuing education pharmacy session with the Indiana Pharmacy Alliance. But, after more than 12 hours of continous lecturing by myself, I had almost lost my voice. Instead of driving west, I headed south to sleep in my own bed and rest my voice.

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day- sunny, high 60's, slight breeze. It is the kind of weather that you can be comfortable wearing shorts or jeans, but you don't get too hot either. My Mom and I took Izzie on a walk in our neighborhood, and we saw a sure sign of spring- wild violets! I haven't seen this many in a long time, and I have never seen white violets before growing on their own. I picked a small bouquet to bring the outdoors in. Fresh flowers are so wonderful to have inside. I don't know what it is about them, but the combination of bright colors, fragerance, and shapes are just lovely.

Much more to write about, but I'll fill you in more tomorrow. I'm going to do one of my favorite things that I can only do at home- play the piano.

Walk the Line

Happy Easter! Hope you were able to celebrate with friends and family.

On Friday afternoon, my Mom flew into Providence to visit for a few days. After I picked her up, we headed to Federal Hill, an Italian neighborhood in Providence. I wanted to take her somewhere nice to eat, but there are an innate number of restaurants, which left me cluelessly as to where to start. Enter Open Table.

Open Table is a website that allows you to look at restaurant reviews, make and cancel reservations online, and earn reward points towards dining at restaurants (not sure how this works yet, but I'll figure it out). Mike, a co-worker of mine who does quite a bit of traveling, swears by Open Table. He uses it whenever he's traveling to find the best spots without doing a bunch of legwork. I guess it's similar to Trip Advisor but focuses merely on food.

After looking at the options, I chose Pane e Vino, which was also recommended by a friend. We were a little early, and it looked a little empty... I get nervous if a restaurant isn't busy on a Friday night because that usually means it isn't very good! Turns out other people just got out to eat later. We had a lovely dinner- I had Caesar salad and Mom had halibut with olive oil, garlic, and cherry tomatoes, accompanied by the Italian version of a giant tater tot. Dessert was a warm apple tart with a small (it looked like they scooped it out with a melon baller... I mean, I know our portions in America are too big, but give me a break!) bit of vanilla ice cream.

We spent all day Saturday and part of Sunday in Boston- more to come on that later. (I know, I still owe you details of my trip with my Dad to Newport.) Tonight we made homemade pepperoni pizza Roth-style (friends of mine that first introduced me to pepperoni pizza with banana peppers- yum!) and watched "Walk the Line," the movie with Reees Witherspoon and Joaquin Phonenix about Johnny Cash. I didn't really know his story, so it was pretty interesting but it was too long- 135 minutes without anything blowing up seems like forever.

Hope you have a great week! Cheers!

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...

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.

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.