Loves Music, Loves to Dance

Last weekend I enjoyed the latest in the Houston Symphony's Pops series: Pops Knockouts. In a break from the usual symphony + headliner showcase, the symphony and its choir were the sole attractions. They performed "the greatest classical hits of all time" including music from Carmina Burana, The Nutcracker, and Fiddler on the Roof. Individual selections included the 1812 Overture, the William Tell Overture, Pachelbel's Canon,the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and more!Afterward I went out on the town with my medical school classmates. We went to a new establishment in Midtown called Wonder Bar, and it lived up to its far out name. Though I didn't have any for myself, I enjoyed watching the glowing "tube tinis" shoot around the bar in their little bank-like capsules. The decor was pretty hip, and the company of friends letting their hair down was perfect.

A Girl's Gotta Eat

Undeniably, a top perk of being friends with a restaurant reviewer is occasionally tagging along for restaurant previews and openings. My waistline bears the bulk of that relationship's downside. This past Wednesday served as a perfect example. I joined Sarah and her coworkers Steven and Caroline for a tasty Mexican dinner at El Real. I enjoyed the queso and frozen margaritas at this new Montrose dining establishment, but the flautas were a bit too salty for my taste.On Friday evening I played fifth wheel to a Brandi+Peter, Amy+Aaron double date. At Amy's suggestion we convened at the Scully's favorite restaurant Masraff's for some elegance and fine dining. I started the meal off with some seafood gumbo topped with lump crab meat. My main course involved caramelized diver scallops, sweet tomato polenta (yum!), and ratatouille with truffle oil.We had round 1 of dessert at the restaurant. The couples each shared creme brulee in a partially hollowed butter-roasted pear half with whole berry sauce (in the photo above). I held out for dessert round 2 at Yogurtland. After all, an evening is not complete without some frozen yogurt. You can see the ladies' self-served selections below.

Babies, Beginnings, and Brunch

I just finished my second week of my Ob/Gyn clerkship rotation. I spent the first week on labor and deliver (L&D) day shifts. I spent this past week in the high-risk obstetrical clinic and had a night of in-hospital call on Friday. There's nothing quite like being the person who gets to usher a baby into the world and hold them during their first breath. I have two more weeks of obstetrics and then a month of gynecology.On Ash Wednesday I went to a short Lenten service in the Rice Memorial Chapel. The 30-minute study break was a nice meditative time to prepare for the beginning of the season of Lent and participate in the imposition of ashes. This morning I mourned the loss of an hour of sleep over brunch with Sarah in the Village. It was nice to get a waffle in before the day of studying!

Having a Ball

After finishing up three days of testing at the conclusion of my Family Medicine rotation, I took decided to take it easy for the weekend. I started off with reading some chick lit by the pool for about 30 minutes until the sun left me in the shadows. Then I rallied and got my glam on for Baylor's annual Charity Ball. I met up with several of my classmates (above). We mostly see each other on rotation, so it was nice to bond outside of scrubs and sterile environments. The next day, we had a residency planning workshop at Baylor. It's pretty exciting to think that in the next few months I will be honing in on what I will be doing for the rest of my life!