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!

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!

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!

My Favorite Squeeze

Every once in a while, I get a craving to have breakfast for dinner. It wasn't a regular event at my house growing up because my Dad isn't a huge fan. Instead, when he would go out of town, we would feast on pancakes and bacon. Pancakes are by far my favorite breakfast food (when they are done right, of course), but I also enjoy French toast. I found the following recipe in Good Housekeeping magazine. (I am not a regular reader of this publication, but it was the only decent reading available at my doctor's office. And yes, I am that person that tears things out of the community magazines.)

French Toast

-2 large egg whites

-1 large egg

-3/4 cup low-fat milk

-1/4 tsp vanilla

-1/8 teaspoon salt

-butter or butter spray

-8 slices whole wheat bread

In a pie plate, use a whisk to beat the egg whites, egg, milk, vanilla, and salt until blended. Dip bread slices into egg mixture, and press the bread lightly to coat both sides well. Place 3-4 slices in a skillet, and cook 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides. Top with fresh berries and maple syrup.

Nutrition info (per 2 slices): 300 calories, 12 gm protein, 46 carbohydrates, 9 gm fat, 6 gm fiber, 56 mg cholesterol.

Now, I know that I'm no cooking genius, but how hard can this recipe be? This is the second time I've made this recipe, and both times I have ended up with bread that is too burnt on the outside and still soggy on the inside. The first time I blamed my pan/skillet (it does the job 95% of the time, but how good can a $5 pan from IKEA be? It serves my current purposes, but I would eventually like to upgrade.), but now I'm starting to think I don't have the heat set correctly. Any tips?

To go along with my breakfast for dinner, I made fresh orange juice- YUM!

FLASHBACK: (Since I did such a poor job of updating during the holidays, I am going to be using these "flashbacks" to bring everyone up to speed.)

On Christmas Eve, I got a call from Nick, who had just finished opening up some of his Christmas presents. When I asked him what he received, he immediately said, "My mom got me a juicer!" to which I replied, "Really?!" He was excited (by his standards) and went on about how he couldn't wait to use it. I would have been more excited for him, but I got him a juicer, too!!

During our Europe trip, Nick raved about the fresh juice we would have in the mornings at our breakfast spots, so I made a mental note (along with a note in my Blackberry) to get him one later. (Note to self: write blog posts about the trip to Europe in the near future.) We imposed a $20 spending limit on Christmas presents this year (a chance to save money and be creative), which was perfect- I had seen a Black and Decker juicer at Target for $19.99.

It turned out that Nick got a much fancier juicer-a Jack LaLanne juicer. (I'm sure you've seen his commercials on T.V.) His Mom got a good deal on one at a garage sale, so it couldn't be returned. However, I'm not sure Nick would have wanted my wimpy juicer. During my Christmas vacation, he made me several good juice combinations, including grapefruit, oranges, apples, and carrots. I liked the juice, but I have 3 qualms with the juicer:

1. It is *huge.* Unless you have a lot of storage space in the kitchen (or can hide it someplace else), it stays on the counter.

2. The parts can't be put into the dishwasher. I mean, I don't mind hand washing some dishes when it's absolutely necessary, but I can't see myself cleaning this thing by hand every morning (or see myself making juice every morning).

3. The pulp is separated from the juice- this can be both a pro and con. It allows you to put fruits and vegetables you might not otherwise consume (I don't know whether to say eat or drink here), and you can use the pulp in muffins and other recipes (but how many people really do this? Seriously, fresh juice and muffins every morning? Who is this person? Betty Crocker?). I personally love the orange juice with 'lots of pulp."

Here is where my juicer comes into play...

1. All of the parts (except the base with the power cord) can be put into the dishwasher!

2. It is small enough to fit under the kitchen counter.

3. You have the option of having high or low pulp juice.

But, at the same time, you can only use it for citrus fruits. I guess it depends on what qualities you are looking for in a juicer. :)

My new favorite kitchen appliance...

For those of you who are wondering, I ended up getting Nick a combination Christmas and anniversary gift (We were at Pat and Sarah's wedding on December 27 when I just started introducing myself as his girlfriend). I didn't stay under my $20 limit, but Nick got me a coral-colored cashmere scarf and glove set (love it! It's the very first things I've ever owned made of cashmere), so we were even in the end. At Details, one of my favorite gift stores in Indy, you can buy pictures of letters from around the state, including IU, PU, and Indy. I used pictures taken from downtown Indy to spell his last name.

Here is the full picture.

The first 3 letters- the "K" is from the construction of Lucas Oil Stadium. The "L" is from the top of the Indianapolis Museum of Art building. The "E" comes from the of Conseco Fieldhouse, where the Pacers schedule is posted.

The last 3 letters- The "M" is from the Indiana State Museum, which is just a short walk down the canal from Nick's apartment. The "E" is from part of a building downtown that houses Hard Rock Cafe. I think the "N" is from a random parking sign, but I'd have to look at the back of the picture to be sure.

As for this year, there might not be any holidays on the near horizon, but I'm going to call Julie soon to start planning birthday and Christmas presents.

We Survived the M.B.T.A.: a Weekend with My Mom

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post! Last week I was busy with what I call "maintaining the facade." My mom was on her way to visit for the weekend, so I was "staging my apartment" and making it as clean as possible!

My mom flew into Providence on Thursday afternoon. We went back to my apartment to relax for a bit, and then went to North Providence for dinner. For my birthday, Lisa gave me gift certificates to restaurants in Providence and Boston (a fabulous gift, by the way!). We used one of the gift certificates at an Italian restaurant, Pizzico. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the food was delicious. I had barbecue chicken pizza, and my mom had risotto with mushrooms.

I took a vacation day on Friday, but we did go into work so that Mom could meet the people I spend the most time with at work. She got to meet Deb, Troy, Mike, and Alma; I also showed her a few of the things I've been working on, including my research project and some clinical reviews for our merchandising team.

After our tour, we headed down to Newport. The drive from my house to the southern part of Rhode Island was gorgeous. All of the trees are at their peak for changing colors... every shade of yellow, orange, red, and purple you can imagine. (Too hard to take a picture while you're in the car, though. It doesn't quite have the same effect.) It was a little on the cool side when we got there, but we are more of a cold weather family, so my mom and I didn't mind wearing a sweater (much better than being hot and sweaty!). We ate lunch at the Clam Jumper and walked around downtown Newport. My mom got me the cutest pair of cat eye sunglasses! (See below) I think I am going to wear them with a black dress to work on Friday in celebration of Halloween.

Aren't these adorable?

Cute idea: the Clam Jumper had Christmas lights in traps used to catch seafood

We also visited Aardvark Antiques, a unique salvage shop at the bottom of the ramp that you take to get to downtown Newport. I've always wanted to visit but never actually stopped. It is similar to White River Salvage in Indy, but they have a much larger selection of outdoor ornaments. They had every kind of statue you could imagine... animals (dolphins, bears, an alligator, birds to name a few), people (small children playing, jockeys, Roman goddesses), and ornament urns, columns, and vases.

They have all shapes and sizes of metal gates- I would love to use these in my house (well, I don't have a house yet, but when I do)

If I could have chosen one thing, this fountain would have definitely been it- I'm obsessed with lions

Here's Mom standing by a horse statue- it was beautiful and larger than life (literally)

There was a family of elephants (Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and baby bears)- I'm standing next to the Mama elephant

In the late afternoon, we went to tour the Breakers, one of the mansions on Newport. The Breakers was owned by the Vanderbilt family and used as a summer home up until the 1970's; it was sold to the Historical Preservation Society. The house is 138,000 square feet, has 70 rooms and 20 bathrooms, and the most beautiful sculptures, chandeliers, and marble tiling I have ever seen. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the house, but again, I'm not sure my photography would do it justice. A couple of my favorite parts of the house included the monogrammed navy and gold china, the marble walls in the game room, and the giant staircase. My mom liked Mrs. Vanderbilt's room and the chandeliers in the dining room. Another very unique feature was the open air living room on the second floor that overlooks the ocean- it was used for entertaining.

A light post outside the Breakers

A view of the back of the mansion

This is the view from the mansion looking out to the sea

Friday night we rented the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Neither of us had been able to watch it when it first came out, and I am so glad that we picked that movie. The story was amazing- really makes you realize how lucky you are. If you haven't seen it yet, watch it tonight! I'm also thinking about getting the soundtrack, but I'll listen to song clips on iTunes before I buy it.

On Saturday we drove to Boston to shop at our one of our favorite stores- Paper Source! I had written down some addresses and information on which subway lines to take. However, I didn't write down directions on how exactly to get to our number one destination. I was planning on using my phone to get last minute directions but that is a little hard if you leave your phone at home! I was happily surprised when we made it with little trouble. (Don't be fooled, though- I did get us turned around more than once when we were walking around the city- oops! Sorry Mom!)

Even though we had never been an actual store, we have been shopping online at Paper Source's website for more than a year. They have absolutely adorable gifts, craft kits, and the one of the best selections in color and size of paper for making your own invitations. (Right now my mom is making invitations for Tammy's son's wedding, which will be next August. My mom is so creative and talented! I think she should start her own business, but we can save that for another post.) We had so much fun looking at everything in the store- we spent almost 2 hours there! I got a couple sets of cards and invitations to personalize, along with these "expression notes" I've been eyeing for some time now.

After lunch we went to another stationary store in Boston, Rugg Road, and looked at their speciality papers and invitations for ideas. We got on the subway to head north, but right after the doors closed, the signs changed to "Out of Service." We ended up having to get off at the next stop and wait for another train, which we only took one stop further. It didn't seem like it was worth it, but I'm sure we went farther than what it felt like. After the subway experience, we went into the North End for a cannoli at Mike's Pastries.

Their cannolis are amazing!

We also visited Kitchen Arts on Newbury Street and found unique cookie cutters and small fondue dipping stations (I'm not sure what the correct term is, but I know this isn't right. It is almost like a birdbath on top and a tea light goes underneath to keep the fondue warm. I am so excited to use it!)

On Saturday night I made dinner for my Mom at home- Greek salads, red pepper hummus with toasted Wheat Thins, and fruit salad with dates. Nothing to write home about, but I think we were still full from the cannolis! We also looked through a book we got in Boston- Paperie for Inspired Living. The author makes absolutely gorgeous invitations, but the best feature of the book is all of the practical tips she gives.

On Sunday morning, we slept in (worn out from our day in Boston!), and then I made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. We did a little bit of shopping in Nordstrom's at Providence Place Mall. If you are ever looking for nicer hair clips, barrettes, or headbands, they have a great selection. Although they cost just a bit more, the quality and designs make it worth the cost. After a late lunch, I took my Mom to the airport.

I am very thankful that I have such a great relationship with my Mom. It was so nice to spend time together, just the two of us, to catch up in person. We talk several times a week on the phone but that isn't the same as face-to-face. It did make me feel like more of an adult- it was my Mom's first overnight stay at one of her adult children's apartments/houses.

Thanks for a great weekend, Mom!

The Deadliest Catch

Mom and Dad left this afternoon to head back to Indy- I was sad to see them go! (Yes, I cried... shocker.) It was wonderful to have such great help with moving boxes, assembling furniture, and finding my way around. Here are a few moving photos... You can see I still have some work to do.

How many trees do you think I killed?

Last night we went into Downtown Woonsocket for a special dinner to celebrate. We saw signs for the River Falls restaurant and their Lobster Fest all over town, so we figured we'd give it a try. It actually turned out to have a wide selection of both seafood and beef and was tasty to boot. Mom had lobster, I had shrimp, and Dad had "The Deadliest Catch"- almost a pound each of lobster, crab legs, mussels, and clams!

It must have been good because Dad gave it a rare 9 out of 10!

I promise to put up pictures of my apartment- just give me one more day to do some final cleaning and sorting. I'm hoping to show you the apartment and my complex, the Halstead at Slatersville Mill. See you tomorrow!