Becky's Baylor Adventure!

Seattle Smiles

2011-12-05T14:59:00.000-06:00

After Thanksgiving I flew back to Houston through Seattle to make a very important stop on the interview trail. When I first arrived I paid the Seattle Art Museum a visit, which was cool. Then I headed to the main attraction: University of Washington. Though the emergency medicine residency program is brand new, it was very interesting and exciting to hear what they have planned.

I had a couple awesome dinners with north Idaho friends- Hillary Chisholm (above) and Laura Phillips Jensen (below). Hillary is in her fourth year of medical school at UW and will "expand" to spend another year figuring out what she wants to do for residency. Laura is an ED nurse at Harborview living in a beautiful home with her husband and dogs!

Perfect Fit

2011-11-30T14:03:00.000-06:00

Christmas came early this year in the form of a trip to northern Idaho for Thanksgiving. Adam joined me for some family time consisting of amazing food, fun games, and overall bonding + relaxation. It was good to re-introduce the BF to the fam for the first time since Rice graduation. Throughout my time at home, I was reminded of many blessings in my life and reasons to give thanks.

In truth the amazing rendezvous has already been expertly recapped by my dear mother, so my words here will be brief. My stomach and heart could not have been happier nor fuller. We celebrated Mom's birthday a yummy ice cream cake and candles. Lots of candles. Though Mom got her share of gifts, the kids got very special presents, too- first edition, hand-signed copies of the long-awaited family cookbook. Time to start baking!

Try Me

2011-11-27T19:02:00.000-06:00

November 10th marked the start of the interview trail for me with a visit to Harbor-UCLA. While in southern California I spent a long weekend with Adam. We ate lots of tasty food, went shopping for guinea pigs (just looking for Adam), and picked up some tasty Taiwanese breads and taro pops.

After my interview and the visit, I returned to Houston and went straight to friend Revathi's birthday party. Her party theme was the ever appropriate Mobster Lobster (see costume below). After the candles were blown out, I took Revathi and Anand with me to Houston's Risotto Festival- all made possible by friend and foodie judge Sarah. Soooo good!

More eating took place in a tiny town between Houston and Galveston; this time with cousin Alison. Temporarily in town for the cruise ship season, Alison was able to break away from work to catch up with me over Mexican food. It was great to connect!

CultureMap Associate Editor Sarah hooked me up yet again with a sneak peek at Nabi, a new restaurant in the Montrose area on Westheimer. They served up sweet saki cocktails and some interesting food like brisket gyozas, pork buns, sushi, and an entire roasted pig. College roommate Teresa and I also found some time to hang out- shopping in the Rice Village!

Sparks Fly

2011-11-20T16:16:00.000-06:00

In the beginning of November, I enjoyed some of the Rice homecoming festivities. Though I did not attend the game, it was fun catching up with some visiting alumni and having a picturesque volunteer brunch atop Hotel Zaza.

I must have been on a real brunch kick, because I also joined Sarah and her co-worker Caroline for a late morning meal at Benjy's on Washington. From the chocolate chip bacon waffles to the white peach mojitos, it was a delicious treat!

On Saturday, November 5th, I got a surprise phone call from Brandi inviting me to join her for a Taylor Swift concert. In one of the final stops on her Speak Now tour, she rocked the house and was truly fantastic. I especially got a kick out of trying to decipher the quote inked on her arm. That night's signature lyric came from Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now: "It's love's illusions I recall, I really don't know love at all."

For the latest installment of the Houston Pops 2011-12 season, they presented the music of Paul McCartney. Though the resemblance is a bit striking, the band was only a cover.

One of the highlights of the night was watching the subscriber appreciation video. If you watch closely, I make a guest appearance right around :59. Check it out!

Costume Change

2011-11-13T11:06:00.000-06:00

Halloween 2011 turned out to be a three-day extravaganza. Baylor celebrates the costumed holiday with a talent show called Coffeehouse. Inspired by a cardboard box, I went as a Rubik's cube. For the night before Halloween, I joined forces with friends for a Montrose pub crawl (and a stop at Yogurtland). Costume #2 was a maid, which paled in comparison to Peter as a nevernude or Teresa and Dane as a glowing Tron.

Finally, Halloween proper involved a laid back trip to 13 Celsius, a favorite wine bar. I threw together some sort of a Ronald McDonald costume- thanks to the help from an old red wig my beloved sister Sarah passed on to me. Despite all of the dressing up, it was back to business as usual for the start of my final core clerkship rotation on psychiatry.

Catching Up

2011-11-07T10:00:00.000-06:00

Though I have back-dated this blog, I'm actually posting it a few months after these events transpired. As 2012 kicks off to a start, it's time to get back on track with the blog. Ready, set, go!

Thanks to a Rice wedding, my college buddy Jenn came into town for a visit. We enjoyed catching up over ice cream at Amy's. Robert and Jenn are looking forward to finally living together in the foreseeable future as they couples match in emergency medicine and psychiatry, respectively.

As my sub-internship in the surgical ICU came to a close and my psychiatry core clerkship got underway, I was able to squeeze in some musical theater with friend Sarah. We saw the traveling Broadway show Memphis, which I thought has some fantastic numbers. Very reminiscent of Hairspray, this fun and energetic musical hooked me from the beginning.

My amazing medical school classmate and dear friend Brandi successfully defended her Masters thesis at the end of October. Despite graduating with an English Major from Rice, attending medical school, getting married, having a baby, and publishing countless papers in the field of cardiothoracic surgery, Brandi found time to make waves in the field of bioengineering. Good job!

Trivial Pursuits

2011-10-30T16:24:00.000-05:00

Baylor's Emergency Medicine Interest Group held its second annual Trivia Night at Hans' Bier Haus on October 6th. Though my team came in a close second, the night was a lot of fun and a fundraising success. The bonus bucks went directly into the hotel fund for our block of student rooms at the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Annual Conference in San Francisco.

Baylor brought a group of over a dozen students to the meeting this year. Though we didn't have much time to get out and explore the city, we enjoyed views of the city's skyline at the Texas EM mixer. My personal favorite event of the weekend was the residency fair at the med student symposium. I had a chance to visit with several of the programs where I have applied.

Unfortunately, I had to skip out of the conference early Sunday morning to make it back for the highlight of this year's Pops season: Idina Menzel! Her wide selection of songs included: Wicked's I'm Not That Girl, For Good (a capella and amazing!), the quintessential Defying Gravity, Rent's No Day But Today, the Glee version of Gaga's Poker Face, her own song Gorgeous, lullabies for her baby boy Walker, Annie's Tomorrow, and more. Though she didn't stay after the show to sign her CD, she did share a strawberry lozenge with me during the performance! In an attempt to prove she was soothing her sore throat and not popping pills, she passed a candy to me in the front row!

When I wasn't bonding with my new BFF Idina, I hung out with other friends (mostly of the med school variety) during this Oktoberfest month. Robert and Ian held a couple pizza making and beer brewing get-togethers. Inspired by our San Francisco drinks of choice, Revathi hosted folks at her place for some martinis- a little dirty, two olives.

Get Your Kicks

2011-10-23T15:19:00.000-05:00

September came to a close with a few fun and educational events. I led a CPR class for some BCM students and got a kick out of showing the American Heart Association's new instructional video for bystander CPR (highly recommended- check it out). My mentor Dr. Fisher had a bunch of emergency medicine groupies out to her house in the Woodlands, which was fun (see above).

With CultureMap foodie friend Sarah, I enjoyed a couple special meals. We savored some succulent selections at Le Mistral's 10th Anniversary Celebration and took in the chimerical courtyard ambiance (obviously I am working the thesaurus here to broaden my vocab). During the day we kicked off our shoes and picnicked in Hermann Park.

Speaking of kicking things off, the month of October got off to a great start with what has become an annual trifecta of events: Race for the Cure, Christ the King's Blessing of the Animals, and Free Night of Theater at the Houston Ballet (see 2010, 2009). Wentworth really wore himself out at church this year and was too tired to maintain his bladder control. I'm still paranoid about any lingering hint of cat pee odor in the Camry. Sigh. Time to get a new car? (kidding!)

Bebop and Rocksteady

2011-10-16T14:25:00.000-05:00

On September 16th, the Rice Women's Resource Center celebrated its 15th anniversary! As a two-time student director of the RWRC, I was very excited to see what the center is up to these days. After a nice reception in the Brown Courtyard, I took a sneak peek at the new digs. More photos from the RWRC anniversary can be seen here.

The very next day, I enjoyed a bit of the Museum District Day festivities. I loved stopping by the Contemporary Arts Museum, which had two exhibits on display: The Spectacular of Vernacular and Perspectives 175: Marc Swanson: The Second Story. I joined several hot-glue-gunning children on the lawn outside to make my own art car. Then I paid a brief visit to the John C. Freeman Weather Museum.

That night a group of folks gathered at 13 Celsius to celebrate Amy's birthday. We sipped on wine and ate cupcakes before heading to the gayborhood/midtown club F-bar. Switching gears a few days later, I attended another birthday party-- this time for my classmate and friend Anand. Over beers at Flying Saucer, we toasted Anand and relished in our status as fourth-year medical students.

The Cali Redux

2011-10-09T11:22:00.000-05:00

Thinking way back to September 10, I found myself boarding a flight for southern California bound for the Western Regional Emergency Medicine Student Symposium. I spent the day back at USC for lectures, workshops, and a residency fair featuring several California programs. At the end of the day, I fought traffic down to Irvine to meet up with Mr. Tuttle. Adam and I stuffed ourselves silly with Italian food at Mama D's.

We spent our Sunday picnicking and walking the shores of Thousand Steps beach. Nearly living up to its name, 213 stairs allowed us to descend to the picturesque sandy stretch. With delicious cheese and fruit, crossword puzzles, and clear sunny skies, the setting was just about perfect. By the time we packed up our bags and trekked back up the stairs, we were hungry for something substantive.

Juicy burgers fit the bill at 25 Degrees in Huntington Beach. My angus beef was topped with caramelized onions, prosciutto, pesto, and avocado. Mmmm! We split an ice cream cookie sandwich and made our way back to Irvine. On my way to the airport on Monday, I paid a visit to Harbor/UCLA's emergency medicine residency program. I shadowed for a few hours and confirmed my interest in their amazing program!

Rainbow Connection

2011-10-02T00:25:00.000-05:00

Upon my return to Houston, the social scene kicked into gear. Thankfully, the flexible schedule on my emergency ultrasound elective rotation allowed for me to catch up on appearances. Javier celebrated his birthday with yummy food and board games (thank you Sam for Quelf!). Speaking of birthdays, I missed my friend Sarah's birthday while I was away in California, so we had to make up for it.

At City Centre we watched The Help, ate at Flora and Muse, and caught up on life. Then a few days later we tried out many menu items at Coppa, a relatively new Italian restaurant on Washington. Our sampler included a coconut cocktail, a summer squash pizza, goat cheese ravioli, melt-in-your-mouth chicken, donuts with dipping sauce, Italian wedding cake, a decadent chocolate truffle, and more! The ambiance was fantastic, and the leftovers were amazing.

As soon as I got back to Houston, I also had to check in on Brandi and Peter. I could not believe how much their little boy Thomas has grown! He's quite the cutie with his big blue eyes, gummy smile, and grabby hands. In fact, I have decided to become his talent agent. The Houston Symphony was hoping to cast a baby in their subscriber appreciation video, so I booked Thomas on his first gig! Because Brandi was out of town I will be posing as the tot mom in the upcoming clip. Stay tuned.

Much to my delight, my friend Risa was in town for a bit recently. We rendezvoused for brunch at Canopy, and she told me about life in law school at Penn. She's looking forward to clerking next year and then accepting a job in New York for the long term. Pretty exciting stuff! Unfortunately, I am not applying to any residency programs in NY, but it sure will be fun to pay her a visit.

On Sunday, September 4th, the Scullys and I attended the season opener of the Houston Pops. It's hard to believe we are in our third year as subscribers. We had a blast listening to the vocal powerhouse trio Poperazzi. Following tradition we met the performers after the show and snapped a meet-and-greet picture. I have a feeling this is going to be a great season!

The fun, food, and friends continued on Friday, September 9th, with two big events. First, I went to Brats and Burgers at church, a social event for young adult to mix, mingle, and munch on delicious food. Then afterward I made a beeline for my friend Revathi's place. She put together a feast for her friends using her mother's traditional Indian recipes. I was very impressed with the spread and had fun trying some new flavors. Makes me want to crack open my mom's cookbook!

Hitting the Mother Road

2011-09-25T00:58:00.000-05:00

Just like that, my month in Los Angeles was over. Adam and I decided to mix things up for the drive back to Houston and hit I-40 instead of I-10. We gave up the straight shot back to Houston in favor of new scenery and a chance to head the way of the Great American Highway. While getting our kicks on Route 66 we turned yet again to our AAA guidebooks for the history of stops along the Main Street of America. Even though the drive was quite a bit longer (leaving no time for Standin' on a Corner in Winslow, Arizona), I really enjoyed the ride.

Our overnight pit stop took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Despite a late-night interruption from a misguided drunk attempting to find his room, we managed to rest up before resuming the eastward journey. After 18+ hours of listening to audio version of The Help, the book came to a close. The readers for Abilene and Minnie were perfect (I was especially delighted to see the same Minnie in the movie). We turned south in Amarillo to make it to the capitol of Texas by nightfall.

We stopped for a late dinner in Austin with Adam's college roommate Will and his fiance Lynne. Will is excited about law school, and Lynne is planning their summer wedding. By the time we made it back to Houston, we were beat! However, there was little rest for the weary because I had to show up for my new rotation's orientation into Emergency Ultrasound. Before I knew it, I was driving Adam to the airport. My only consolation was a handsome four-legged friend who welcomed me home as if I had never left.

Friends and Ends

2011-09-17T22:50:00.000-05:00

Before Adam and I left San Diego, we met up with his friend Brandon. Though Brandon's lab moved south from Irvine, he and Adam still keep in touch and surf occasionally. I also got to meet his girlfriend Nina when the four of us caught up over a delicious Sunday brunch.

During the last week of my rotation, I was able to meet up with high school friend Jeannette. She has continued to stay on working at her Teach for America assignment school in LA. We met up at a random mall in a random suburb and frequented stores like Orange Julius and Forever 21. It was classic. We had our own Pretty Woman montage in the Nordstrom's dressing room. What fun!

For our last night in southern California, Adam and I went to Huntington Beach for some flavorful crab at Rockin' Baja Cantina. Afterward we took a stroll on the beach in the moonlight. The evening would have been most romantic if it weren't for the metal detectors trolling the beach. Not that I minded- they just made me want to go on a treasure hunt! Yet, we had no time for distractions because we left the very next morning for our epic journey #2.

Monkeying around San Diego

2011-09-14T02:19:00.001-05:00

On Friday, August 19th, Adam and I headed south to San Diego. With our sights set on the zoo we prepared for an afternoon of orangutan antics and cute koalas. I pieced together a short highlight reel of our animal adventures, which includes my personal favorite primate, Karen, rolling around on the ground.

For dinner we made our way to Little Italy. Bencotto Italian Kitchen lived up to its 4-star Yelp rating. We tasted the refreshing caprese salad with pesto, the melt-in-your-mouth red wine braised beef with cornmeal polenta, and the unique special with spicy shrimp over squid ink linguini. Delizioso!

We attempted to walk off some of the decadent meal through the streets of Little Italy. Unfortunately, the walk led us to a little cafe with gelato that we just could not pass up. We waddled our way to our hotel on the bay and enjoyed the fantastic view. Our lofty room gave us a great view of the San Diego nightscape. Thank you, Priceline.com!

Balboa Conquests

2011-09-12T02:07:00.000-05:00

Adam and I took a day trip to Balboa Island for some peaceful seaside beach walking and some rowdy arcade games. In a head-to-head duel, I showed Adam a thing or two about Skee Ball and triumphantly claimed my Fun Dip prize. It's all in the wrist.

In an effort to best my ball rolling skills, Adam challenged me to Roll Down. Unfortunately for Adam, I did not take pity. Let's just say gravity got the better of him in our second extreme arcading championship. Together we picked out the world's smallest gorilla for our prize. Adam wasn't down for long before his name was up on a street corner!

We finished up our sunny day trip with a walk around town. Adam got a Balboa Bar (chocolate covered ice cream), while I couldn't pass up a frozen banana (even if George Michael Bluth wasn't there to sell it to me). We also passed through a saltwater taffy store on the way back to the car. Have I told you about my sweet tooth?

So Sophisticated

2011-09-10T03:15:00.000-05:00

For California weekend #2, Adam and I got our boba tea fix in the Garden Grove area before settling in for a hands-on meal at Cham Sut Gol Korean BBQ. The meal was very filling and a great value.

On Saturday, August 13th, we took in some sightseeing of an artistic nature at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. As you can see, I was very excited to be out in the sun during this mini midpoint break during my two weeks of night shifts.

Adam and I did not have time to pay the Tim Burton exhibition a visit, but we did channel his dark, quirky energy. We really enjoyed making the museum as interactive as possible- from mingling among sculptures to posing with paintings.

Choosing the highlights from our impromptu photo shoot was tough, but I'll let some of these pictures do the talking. After sneaking around like Smooth Criminals with our flash-free photos, it was time to Beat It so I could Heal the World.

Angels in the Outfield

2011-09-03T13:45:00.003-05:00

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Adam and I took ourselves out to the ballgame. We watched the cumbersomely-named Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim take on the beloved Seattle Mariners. The wholesome American pastime kept us entertained for nine innings with the help of some ballpark standards: hotdogs and cotton candy. See if you can pair the hotdog with its owner:Despite the Mariners out-hitting the Angels 7:4, the holy hometown team proved victorious with two runs over the Mariners measly one run. After a well-balanced meal of sushi, Adam and I drowned our sorrows in a decadent turtle sundae at Hans' Homemade Ice Cream. Our sedentary day wrapped up with a trip to the movie theater to see Horrible Bosses.

Something Old, Something New

2011-08-30T19:41:00.006-05:00

For my first full weekend in southern California, I was lucky to get to spend lots of time with Adam. We had some tasty beef noodle soup at Liang's Kitchen for lunch. With food for our bellies and fuel for the road, we made the drive south to San Diego.On our way to Shelter Island, we met up with my good friend from high school and former debate partner Stefan Zao. We caught up over coffee at Con Pane, a cute cafe/bakery. Stefan is thriving in his sunny location- from sky diving to scuba diving.Adam and I pulled a quick costume change and arrived at the location of his grad school friends' wedding. Beth and Josh had a fun, quirky outdoor wedding complete with quotes from Dr. Seuss and A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The weather was perfection, and the flowers were bright and colorful. The cupcake tower topper featured a pair of Jedi knights, and the DJ rocked and rolled all night.It was great to meet many of Adam's UC-Irvine friends. Even though Adam and I have been in phase 2 of our relationship for nearly a year, it was nice to get to be his date to an official function for the first time in a long time. The last time we went to a wedding together was in May 2007 when he was MY plus one for Chelsey's wedding. Good memories!

Change of Scenery

2011-08-23T22:22:00.002-05:00

During the month of August I did an away rotation in Emergency Medicine at LA County Hospital. Working with the residents and faculty at USC was a fantastic experience. The residency program is well established with some of the big names in EM calling USC their home. The four-year program is comprised of close-knit residents, entertaining educators, nice facilities, and interesting patients. One of the largest EM programs in the country, USC serves a diverse population in east LA- from serious trauma cases to unusual medical pathologies. In comparison to working at Houston's county hospital, LA County has a fairly similar mix of cultural diversity and critical patients. I picked up some new skills that I will take back to Baylor with me: starting a central line, ultrasound-guided IV access, removing a toenail, suturing a heavily bleeding finger, and more!

Manifest Destiny

2011-08-16T16:39:00.006-05:00

Day #2 of our epic westward journey involved cruising through New Mexico and Arizona. We briefly stopped at the fenced off ghost town of Stein (above) and snapped a quick pic before heading on down I-10.Thanks to our AAA TripTik and travel books, we were able to read about all the towns that dotted the drive to California. The blurb for Willcox, Arizona, piqued our interest, so we took the exit and made a beeline to the Rex Allen statue. Inside the bronze statue is a molded heart symbolizing that Rex's heart will always be in Willcox.Adam insisted that we visit the Rex Allen Museum & Willcox Cowboy Hall of Fame. After seeing Adam drool over the glitzy wardrobe on display, I made a mental note for his upcoming birthday. Our eyes widened as we saw one of Rex Allen's records on display: Don't Go Near the Indians. What a trip!While in Willcox we stood on the very spot where W. Earp died... Warren Earp, that is- brother of Wyatt. Warren was gunned down in the Headquarter Saloon, which today is a quaint little corner gift shop. Unfortunately, Tombstone was a bit too far off the interstate for a visit to the OK Corral. Next time, perhaps.The blog wouldn't be complete without mentioning some of the food we ate along the way. Adam was very excited about his New Mexican food in Tuscon. We let the waitress "take care of us" and she served us up a mighty fine and mighty filling meal. We ate dinner in Palm Springs at a new burger joint called Woody's. While eating my Hawaiian burger, I enjoyed a surprise jazz concert with Adam. Before long we finally made it to Irvine and the West was won!

Go West, Young Man

2011-08-14T14:59:00.000-05:00

After bidding Wentworth a fond farewell, Adam and I hit the road. We set our internal compasses heading due west and hopped onto I-10 toward the Pacific Ocean. With a goal of making it to California in time for the start of my emergency medicine rotation at USC/LA County Hospital, we put the pedal to the floor. In just a few hours, we were ready for lunch in San Antonio. The strategic stop also allowed us to Remember the Alamo.While humming the tune to "Davy Crockett," we toured the grounds and snapped a couple pics for the memory books. We even stepped across the line Lt. Col. William Barret Travis drew in the sand to see who was "prepared to give their lives in freedom's cause." Then we continued on our way, attempting to make a larger dent in the 1,547-mile journey.We soon discovered that gas stations in central and west Texas were few and far between. After a slight miscommunication between driver and co-pilot, we found ourselves literally sweating our way to the next gas station in Bakersfield, TX (where the entire town consisted of an exit ramp and two fuel pumps). Just after dark, we settled into our hotel in Las Cruces, NM. We stretched our legs and even took a relaxing soak in the hot tub. Who knew sitting still for so long would be so exhausting?!

Blissfully

2011-08-07T18:03:00.004-05:00

On Saturday, July 23rd, I watched my childhood friend Kristin Longwell walk down the aisle and marry Darin Christensen. It was a gorgeous day on Hayden Lake. The two looked like a perfect pair as they read personalized vows to each other. It was such a treat to see the entire Longwell family, to catch up with high school acquaintances, and to meet Kristin's fun friends from college & physical therapy school. After a few drinks, a delicious dinner, and several spins on the dance floor, I made a triumphant bouquet catch.One of the most clever bouquet tosses would have to go to my dear friend Jenn, whose bouquet purposefully split mid-air into several catch-able clusters. I got to see Jenn briefly for dinner the following Wednesday night when I was back in Houston. She and Robert have continued to make the TX-NC long distance work, but they are looking forward to matching together in psychiatry and emergency medicine, respectively. After falling easily into conversation with Jenn, I was reminded how special her friendship is to me.

No Place Like Home

2011-07-31T09:56:00.006-05:00

My time home in northern Idaho was amazing. With the perfect combination of great weather, unbeatable company, and a clear mind, I savored every moment of my peaceful vacation.I'm glad that my brother Sam was able to sneak over from Spokane for some R&R as well. Keeping busy with his firm Witherspoon Kelley, Sam seems to be enjoying life as a lawyer in the Pacific Northwest. I have to admit that I am a bit jealous of his close proximity to Coeur d'Alene and our parents.This trip home reminded me yet again how I lucked out with those folks I call Mom and Dad. Mom's cooking is always top notch. She certainly deserves the new kitchen remodel out at the lake cabin. My stomach approves!

Idahome

2011-07-26T11:14:00.008-05:00

On Tuesday, July 19th, college roomie Teresa, her boyfriend Dane, and Idaho friend Max joined me for a show at Miller Outdoor Theatre. We saw the musical production of Urban Cowboy, which was quite the Texan spectacle. The score was comprised of very familiar tunes fit for humming along. It sure was nice to lounge on the grassy hill while snacking on a variety of fruit, cheese, and crackers.On Friday morning, I embarked on my long-awaited trip home to North Idaho. With a warm welcome from my parents at the airport, I knew this trip home was just what the student doctor ordered! For our first event of the weekend, we headed to the Coeur d'Alene Resort golf course for a special Rotary luncheon.Capitalizing on the gorgeous views of Lake Coeur d'Alene, the Resort built a multi-million dollar events center on the manicured greens. We enjoyed a tasty meal in the roomy space (and, for the first time since Girls State, I sang our state song). After the lengthy introductions (everyone seemed to have brought a guest), the program highlighted the uses of the venue.Once we were fed up, we took a stroll around the grounds. I could see how guests or wedding parties would enjoy the infinity pool, vivid gardens, scenic altar, and the events center itself. However, even the views paled in comparison to the sore-eye-soothing sight of my parents. As future posts will reveal, it was the start of a perfectly majestic four-day weekend.

Taking in a Picture Show

2011-07-17T13:11:00.005-05:00

After a great week of work in the emergency department, I took Saturday off for some R&R. On Friday night I saw Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. Apparently, I need to beef up on the authors and artists of the 1920s! The movie reminded me how nice it would be to take a trip to the City of Lights again. Afterward, Sarah and I went to Down House in the Heights for a couple drinks.Saturday was a busy, friend-filled day. I met up with Revathi for a free cherry cupcake from Sprinkles. Then I went straight to the gym to work it off. Then Sarah and I met up for another movie. This time, we saw the final installment of Harry Potter at Studio Movie Grill. While at City Centre, I enjoyed some free Red Mango frozen yogurt for my second Twitter prize redemption of the day.Sarah and I did some people watching in the bustling central courtyard as cute little kids played catch and tripped over themselves. As the sun began to set, I met up with some med school/Rice friends for some delicious pulled pork barbecue. By the time my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

Over the Moon

2011-07-11T23:07:00.008-05:00

It has been back to business with the start of my four-week emergency medicine elective. So far, this long-awaited rotation has lived up to and exceeded all expectations. Time flies when you are having fun and keeping busy, so my 8-12 hour shifts pass quickly. Not only do I love the work in the EC (emergency center) at Ben Taub, but I enjoy the people with whom I'm working. I'm on the rotation with friend and fellow future EM doc Revathi. We also have become gym buddies and indulged in a yummy post-workout lunch at Black Walnut in the Village (above). Friday, July 8th marked the return of the cow costumes! Brandi and I suited up yet again for our traditional Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A. Our get-ups were a big hit last year, but this year we had strength in numbers with a whole herd of folks. Brandi's parents, Peter, Peter's mom and sister were all there for the spotted spectacle. Most notably, we were joined by costumed MD/PhD friend Nya and little Thomas in his first public appearance. He was udder-ly adorable.While digesting my free chicken nuggets and lemonade, I met up with Sarah for a show. We saw the AD Players' production of the play Emma. As a big Jane Austen fan, I loved the stage adaptation. The set work was especially clever, and the intimate theater was just the right setting. Now that all of my big tests have wrapped up, it's time to crack open another novel or two to get back in touch with my inner English major!

Going Fourth

2011-07-04T17:59:00.004-05:00

In my final week of Step 2CK studying, I took a much-needed brunch study break with Rice friend Sarah at Canopy. The french toast was AMAZING! Just writing about it makes me crave some of the perfectly moist, vanilla+orange infused goodness.I also saw newborn Thomas Michael twice since he settled in at home. Getting to hold and burp the little guy was the highlight of my pre-test period! Now Brandi and I are both in the anxious wait period for our Step scores (1 for her, 2CK for me).Over my two weeks of dedicated study time, I hopped the following places: Black Hole, Agora, Starbucks, Panera, Coffee Groundz, and more! One of my favorite lunch breaks involved going to Cafe Brasil for a beet and goat cheese sandwich on focaccia.Finally, after my nine hour exam on Sunday, I was able to unwind. I spent the evening in the pool with friends and the night at Guava Lamp for karaoke with more friends. As for the actual Fourth of July, I'm keeping it pretty low key- weeks of laundry and piles of papers await me. Nonetheless, happy Independence Day to all!

Turn, Turn, Turn

2011-06-26T12:50:00.007-05:00

Friday, June 17th marked the end of my third year of medical school. After taking my final exam in pediatrics, I enjoyed a night of relaxation. I worked on a few projects around the house and popped in on a med school party:There was definitely reason to celebrate: I am officially a fourth year medical student! In the next year I will do rotations in Emergency Medicine in Houston and LA. I will apply to residency programs across the country, travel for interviews, and go through the match process. In March I will really find out what the future holds (especially in the geographic sense), and finally, I will graduate in May!Friday was also a big day of change for my good friends Brandi and Peter as they welcomed their beautiful son, Thomas Michael. I visited the family of three in the hospital, and it was so special to see their lives evolving into something a bit more complete and perfect. Thomas came into this world surrounded by love, overjoyed parents, and doting grandparents. All the little newborn ladies out there better keep an eye on this guy who is destined for greatness, wit, and brilliance.When I heard that Thomas was a whopping NINE+ pound baby, I immediately thought of another great friend and awesome mother, Kami. Back in March, she gave birth to her second son, Logan Briggs. With his older brother as living proof, the Shaws make some handsome little boys, so it will be fun to watch this little guy grow up as well. Though it will be years and years before I will ever be soliciting parenting advice, I look forward to turning to Kami and Brandi when that time does come.Finally, a group of friends bid adieu over brunch to our friend Max, who will be spending the next three months in Mexico. Best of luck as he heads south of the border!

Delighting in the Everyday

2011-06-19T12:57:00.005-05:00

As much as I want to mislead you, my life mostly consists of haunting Houston's coffee shops these days. Last weekend and this past week were mostly focused on studying for my pediatric "shelf" exam. I did take a lovely study break on Saturday evening to stop by Robert's place, hang out with classmates, and help transfer crawfish to the boiling pot. Though I couldn't stick around for the feast, I'm sure it was tasty.Instead, I carpooled with Amy and Aaron to the Woodlands for the Food and Wine Week Grand Tasting. As usual, we were lucky to have Sarah hook us up with guest passes to the decadent affair. I really enjoyed the event last year, so it was great to go back and try samples from the best that Houston (and beyond) has to offer. Finally, I want to share the link to my entry for Living Lutheran's video contest- check it out!

Celebratory Cheers

2011-06-12T13:00:00.008-05:00

On Thursday, June 2, I joined Sarah for Central Market's 10th Anniversary Celebration. The tented gala was a food lover's delight with ten of Houston's best chefs sharing a signature dish sampler. Big names and highlights included Randy Evans of Haven, Philippe Schmit of Philippe Restaurant, John Sheely of Mockingbird Bistro, Hugo Ortega of Hugo’s, and Claire Smith of Canopy and Shade. After the gala, we went to the Dessert Gallery to help Javier's boyfriend Gus celebrate his 25th birthday. We snacked on decadent cakes and heard about how our dear friend Max (below in pink) will be leaving us for an extended stay in Mexico. Gus and I also exchanged study tips for our upcoming USMLE board exams.On Friday morning I caught an early morning flight to Boston for the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) annual conference. What a blast! We watched residents show their skills in the case simulation battle SimWars. Former Rice EMS friend and Baylor classmate Cameron Decker won a prestigious award for his work with area EMS, police, and even a swat team. Yes, there was a little of this, too:The Medical Student Symposium filled up Saturday with all sorts of helpful tips and pointers as I prepare to apply to Emergency Medicine residency programs in September. The residency fair boasted over 70 programs from around the country! After all the business, we enjoyed a night out in the Boston Commons. Our mighty group of medical students were only outdone by our faculty advisers. :)When I returned to Houston on Sunday, I drove straight to the wedding of my neighbors Missy and Tony. Though I missed the short ceremony, I was able to enjoy the festivities at the reception. We were well fed with fresh fruit, mimosas, and a lunch buffet featuring waffles, fried chicken, roast beef, and mashed potatoes in martini glasses! Instead of cutting cake, they shared delicious cupcakes from Crave. I felt very lucky to be included in the big day.

Baby Blues

2011-06-05T21:45:00.010-05:00

Last Sunday started off with church and grieving the loss of Liane Hansen from NPR's Weekend Edition. Then I met up with north Idaho friend Victor McFarland who was in town for research related to his PhD in History at Yale. We grabbed some brunch, walked around, and popped into a couple museums. It sure was fun to catch up with my former Math Counts team member.That afternoon family and friends of expectant mom Brandi gathered at Canopy for her baby shower. After a couple months of planning, I was excited that the day had finally arrived- and that Brandi was still undelivered at 38 weeks. She had quite the bounty of boy-befitting presents.The attendees enjoyed fresh fruit and pastries upon arrival followed by their choice of entree (I loved my tasty quiche). The guests filled out "Wishes for Baby" cards and completed a page in the baby weight/arrival date scrapbook. Photos of Brandi and Peter from their infancy decorated the tables along with a few flowers and a chocolate favor at each place setting. For more event photos, click here.
Brandi, Peter, and I drove downtown directly after the shower for our dinner date at the Lancaster Bistro. We met up with the Executive Director/CEO of the Houston Symphony Mark Hanson and Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski. Lucky us! We gushed about our subscriber love for the Symphony as we look forward to our third season next year. I took the opportunity to put in a request for next season: Shenandoah. I was very happy to hear that the song was already on the docket. Score!This dinner will go down as one of my Houston highlights for sure. It was such a special opportunity for the three of us, and dinner itself was truly fantastic (lamb chops). Afterward, we enjoyed our final show of the season, a Ray Charles tribute featuring Ellis Hall. We took our standard post-show photo with the featured artist. Clearly, this highly anticipated day exceeded expectations!

Have a Nice Day

2011-05-29T00:48:00.004-05:00

Jon Bon Jovi came to town on May 17th. Joined by classmate Revathi and family friend Max, I enjoyed a night of rocking out to Bon Jovi's greatest hits. It's hard to believe JBJ is nearly 50... he's lookin' goooood. Check out the video clip below to see what I mean:

He finished the show with one of my all-time favorites, Livin' on a Prayer. I busted a move and sang along at the top of my lungs. It was the complete evening. A couple days later, I went to a Rice young alumni event atop One Shell Plaza downtown. The view was impressive, and it was nice to help support the school's Centennial Challenge in preparation for Rice's 100th anniversary next year.

I'll Always Adore It

2011-05-21T23:18:00.005-05:00

After living 89 beautiful years, raising five amazing children, and touching countless lives through education and song, my grandmother Betty Breckendfelder passed away on Tuesday, May 10. Though I didn't get to make it to Iowa for the funeral, I was assured that she was well remembered. I am especially grateful to my family, friends, and church for showing support through kind words and prayer.Last weekend Amy hosted a Mac'n'Cheese party. Everyone brought their own crazy recipe inspired by a Huffington Post article. Clockwise from the top right: mac'n'cheese pizza (Aaron), mac'n'cheese burgers (mine!), bacon mac'n'cheese pie (Javier), mac'n'cheese grilled cheese panini (Sarah), and mac'n'cheese omelette (Amy). What a feast!UPDATE: My church gave me the lovely altar flowers after today's services. The bouquet was so large and beautiful, I split it up into two vases and wanted to share them on the blog.

Bright and Breezy

2011-05-14T12:11:00.006-05:00

Sarah and I spent May Day downtown at iFest, Houston's international festival. After spending the morning examining newborns, changing diapers, and calculating caloric intake, I enjoyed breaking away from the hospital to enjoy a bit of culture outdoors. Sarah and I made a beeline for one of the many festival stages to snag front row spots for (as far as I was concerned) the main musical highlight of the entire event: Keb' Mo'!Given the festival's short time slots, he was only able to play about 8-10 songs. Though I would have loved to hear more of his hits and my favorites, the set quickly drew to a close. I scored a set list from the stage and managed to get Keb' Mo' to sign it for me. What fun! Sarah and I spent the rest of the day wandering around the various vendor booths and snacking on some funnel cake.On Tuesday May 3, I boarded a plane bound for Washington DC for a touchdown just shy of 7 hours. With a quick metro hop over to the convention center, I was able to check in at ACOG's Annual Clinical Meeting (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists). I breezed through the exhibitors (above), taking in the variety of pharmaceutical and technological innovations. Then I spent the afternoon at the residency fair, which provided medical students an opportunity to gain insight into what the next four years might hold. In the picture below, I'm joined by two fellow medical students and Baylor's Director of the Core Clinical Clerkship Dr. Leong-Kee. Conveniently, I had my meeting with the Dean the following day to discuss my plans for the future. Though I had a great time on my clinical clerkship rotation and at the conference, it looks like ob/gyn is coming in behind emergency medicine as my specialty of choice. All of the decision making is exciting but a bit stressful, so it was nice to unwind with friends at Canyon Creek Cafe in the Heights (below). I recommend the Badd Ass Hott Dogg and a Country Ass Tea (frozen! yum!).

United We Dine... and Dance.

2011-05-08T21:47:00.005-05:00

On Thursday, April 28th, a few med school friends and I participated in "Dining Out For Life." We ate a delicious dinner at Canopy, and a portion of the proceeds benefited local AIDS organizations. While we were waiting for our food to arrive, a photographer for OutSmart (Houston's gay, lesbian, bi, and trans magazine) snapped our mugs. We may be featured in an upcoming edition, which means we would be associated with the likes of Patty Duke, who graces the cover of the May edition. Update: I had the roasted beet salad and sweet potato gnocchi. YUM!On Friday and Saturday of last weekend, I frolicked in Galveston with fellow Emergency Medicine groupies. The Texas College of Emergency Physicians (TCEP) held its annual meeting at Moody Gardens. I enjoyed meeting physicians, residents, and program directors from around the state. One of the highlights of the weekend was participating in the only student team in SimWars, a code simulation competition. Led by our own BCM genius Robert McArthur, our team held its own and even managed to impress the judges. Saturday night was filled with fun and dancing. Those EM people sure know how to have a good time!

Viva Las Vegas!

2011-05-01T12:50:00.006-05:00

After I finished my final exams of the Ob/Gyn clerkship, I headed to the airport to hop on a plane for Las Vegas. Since this weekend getaway was my first time in Sin City, I had a lot of ground to cover. Adam and I stayed at The Signature at MGM Grand, which was a very nice treat. Speaking of treats, we hit up the MGM's buffet for our first big meal on Friday morning. The food was good enough, but the pistachio ice cream was tops! After we got our fill, we watched the MGM's lions receive a hearty feeding of their own.Penny-pincher that I am, it made sense to proceed slowly on the penny slots in my introduction to not-so-high-stakes gambling. Much to my surprise, my first dollar rapidly quintupled into $5! By the end of the weekend I was only up $1, but it was nice to end in the black. Too bad Adam's gambling venture didn't have such a happy ending. Next time, Mr. Tuttle, next time. In the afternoon we paused from our flirtation with Lady Luck and lounged by the pool.For the rest of our day, we popped in and out of various casinos- checking out the elaborate lobbies and fun themes. We had dinner in New York, New York, then headed to the immaculate Bellagio for a glimpse Dale Chihuly's elaborate blown glass, the colorful flowers in the conservatory, and the majestic fountain show set to the tune of Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's beautiful Time To Say Goodbye. We battled the crowds to make our way down the Strip to Treasure Island for their revamped pirate battle featuring the vixenish Sirens of TI. The night ended with gelato on the banks of the Venetian's Grand Canal.Day #2 began with a quaint meal on cobblestone streets and beneath the artifical blue skies at Paris. I received my first and only complimentary drink of the weekend as I pressed my luck (below). Adam and I stopped by the 4-story M&M store before I needed a break from the hustle and bustle. We took a brief break in our luxurious hotel room to regroup, play cards, and watch the high school debate documentary Resolved (yes, we are debate geeks, no shame). We hit the streets again and participated in a focus group to give feedback about the pilot for I Hate that I Love You. No surprise here: I found the four-friend relationship jumble relatively amusing and Adam would have tuned out after the first ten minutes. At least we each pocketed $15 for our opinions!For our last full night in Vegas, we ate tapas for dinner then saw the Cirque de Soleil show Ka. The set was impressive, acrobatics were amazing, and the concept was pretty unique. Our final day in Vegas was Easter, so we dressed in our Sunday best and headed to the Wynn for brunch. The cornucopia of food was a perfect last meal. We had time to wander off the Strip to visit Adam's cousin Caryn and her family for a bit. Then we ended the day with a tour of the Bellagio's art gallery and drinks at the snazzy Cosmopolitan. soon it was Time to Say Goodbye again, but this time without the Bellagio's waterworks. Adam had a long drive back to Irvine, and I had to get up early for my Pediatrics orientation at Texas Children's Hospital.

Sunday Funday

2011-04-24T16:01:00.000-05:00

On Sunday April 17th I went to the Palm Sunday service at church and celebrated the anniversary of my baptism. Afterward I went to Empire Cafe with Teresa and enjoyed my signature brunch item: Italian toast. We went for a nice mid-morning walk in Montrose and even swung by the Menil. We popped in on the new installation "Upside Down: Arctic Realities," which was cool... After slipping on booties, we walked around the stark white room and took in the display of arctic artifacts. We wrapped up our walking tour by noon, and I spent the rest of the day studying for my final exams in Ob/Gyn. The rotation came to a close on Thursday, just in time for me to hop on a plane and spend a long weekend in Vegas (recap coming soon!).

Fancy Free

2011-04-16T21:18:00.003-05:00

The week got off to a great start on Monday with some free cheesy deliciousness at the Melting Pot. In honor of National Fondue Week, I made a reservation for some complimentary fromage with food connoisseur Sarah. We enjoyed dipping so much, we stuck around for some flaming dessert (above). Yum! Now my goal is to recreate this at home with my fondue pot.In another freebie outing, I stopped by Ben and Jerry's for a scoop of Bonnaroo Buzz. It was quite a convenient pit stop on my way from the ob/gyn wing of People's Clinic to the med center for afternoon meetings/lectures. My final indulgence of the week was to celebrate Peter's birthday! It took me three days to eat one slice of the sinful and decadent Cheesecake Factory concoction, but I did it! I also got a sneak peek at Brandi and Peter's in-progress nursery now that the crib is up.As my final week of ob/gyn approaches, I feel like the next few days will be a real sprint to the finish. Last weekend I did manage to fit in an ACLS course (advanced cardiac life support), and this weekend I initiated the process to become an ACLS instructor. Now I can be just like the people on ER and Grey's Anatomy: "Shock 'em! Resume compressions! Push 1mg epi!"

A Well-Balanced Diet

2011-04-10T18:19:00.005-05:00

After much anticipation I finally made it to the Landmark River Oaks theatre with Sarah to see the latest version of Jane Eyre. I thought the film met and exceeded expectations, proving to be both haunting and period appropriate. It's always nice to reconnect with my inner English major. Now, if only I could debrief with Rice professor Dennis Huston!Because of the way my clinical schedule worked out on Thursday, I was able to sneak in lunch at Canopy with Amy, Aaron, Javier, and Andrew. So much fun! In addition to being a very bright spot in my week, the midday date also was great for the appetite. Admittedly, making the meal decision was quite difficult given the awesome menu. I ended up getting the brie & prosciutto melt with honey fig jam and arugula on toasted sourdough. Yum!On Friday night I went to spin with Amy, which I haven't done in a couple months! Lately, I have been hopping around 24 Hour Fitnesses in Houston but missing out on my old routine. It was nice to reunite with my gym buddy and burn some calories. I immediately proceeded to put those calories back on with a hearty steak at Robert's place with fellow med student friends Ian and Sean.Much to my supreme delight, Robert's sister Angie was visiting with her 4-week-old daughter Jacqueline. I got in some quality baby holding time and enjoyed catching up with Angie. The only other noteworthy event during the week was a my Saturday study break at Rice, when I popped over to KTRU's annual live outdoor show just outside the library:Though I normally don't know any of the indie rock bands performing at this student radio event, I did know Michael Cera (!) of Arrested Development and Juno fame who performed with his band Mister Heavenly. Tragically, I didn't realize he was on campus until after the fact and missed him completely! Such a shame. The photo above actually features the band Washed Out.

Lookin' Forward to the Weekend

2011-04-03T14:45:00.003-05:00

Last weekend kicked off with some free mini cupcakes at Celebrity Cupcakes in the Rice Village. Brandi, Peter, and I caught up over sugary sweets and swapped stories from our rotations in Family Medicine (Brandi), Pediatrics (Peter), and Ob/Gyn (me). On Saturday, I exercised my BLS Instructor certification by helping out with a CPR training class at Baylor.Afterward I went over to Robert's place to have dinner with med school friends. We had some delicious Texas-style home cookin' with brisket, mac n'cheese, and a hearty heap of corn. Yum! It was also nice to catch up with Dad over the phone while he was celebrating his birthday in Alaska. Meanwhile, I was wearing a tank top.After church on Sunday I met up with Sarah, Steven, and Cameron for brunch at the quirky Hotel Zaza. Located in the Museum District, the hotel's restaurant Monarch debuted its new "Sunday School" offering. Let it be known that I had no idea what I was getting myself into as the clock struck noon. Soon, we were surrounded by sparklers, suds from flowing champagne, and servers in black mini dresses. As the music cranked up, the dancing began. Soon, a round of punch-flavored shots was distributed with light-up rings for our fingers. Finally, my main dish of chicken and waffles (or should I say, waf, the half-waffle) arrived. The food was tasty, but not filling enough to offset the copious amounts of mid-day alcohol that seemed to be in unlimited supply. Thankfully, my need to study prevented me from over-indulging in such libations, but the experience sure made for a fun memory.

Loves Music, Loves to Dance

2011-03-27T00:10:00.000-05:00

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

2011-03-20T15:13:00.004-05:00

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

2011-03-13T16:12:00.003-05:00

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

2011-03-06T11:13:00.002-06:00

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!

Artsy Heartsy

2011-02-24T14:38:00.000-06:00

Over Valentine's Day weekend, Adam came to town. We had a pretty low-key weekend filled with boardgames, crossword puzzles, and Scene It. We both enjoyed watching Colin Firth shine in The King's Speech and can see why he's an Oscar favorite.We crafted an adventure in Houston's art scene, which included a couple stops in the Museum District. We walked through the Cullen Sculpture Garden (above) before crossing the street to the Contemporary Arts Museum. John Wood and Paul Harrison's quirky video installations were unforgettable. Their fun experiments and ridiculous videos left me laughing, intrigued, and wanting more. They reminded me a bit of Ok Go (check out this, this, and/or this).
We also stopped at the Rice Gallery. Mary Temple's installation "Northwest Corner, Southeast Light" was very subtle but quite striking. She painted light to create fixed shadows on the floors and walls. The work successfully evoked questions about the transience of shadows, the permanence of paint, and the perception of light and dark.Adam humored me and tagged along on a tour of the Rienzi, a house museum maintained by the Museum of Fine Arts. The docents led us through the decorated rooms of the River Oaks home, educating us on the furniture, artwork, and fine china. After a full day of fine arts, we enjoyed a nice fondue dinner at home.Our final outing occurred on Valentine's Day with a dinner at Hearsay. We got all gussied up and enjoyed some fine dining including surf and turf. Before I knew it, I was driving Adam to the airport and bidding him adieu. Though the weekend was short, it was sure nice to take a mini vacation in Houston with one of my favorite people.

Ice, Ice Baby

2011-02-15T15:09:00.003-06:00

On Monday, January 31, the Houston Symphony hosted a Most Valuable Patrons (MVP) Party at La Colombe d'Or, a boutique hotel and restaurant on Montrose. Even though Brandi and Peter could not make it for the champagne and appetizers, I had a lovely time catching up with Sarah. Later in the evening Sarah instigated the most excitement of the night by raising my hand when the patrons were asked, "Who of our young subscribers just had a birthday?" My face turned beet red as I was acknowledged as the winner of dinner with the conductor of my choice. What fun! Look forward to a post on that maybe around May.The end of January and beginning of February brought a bit of a cold wave for Houston. My one living plant succumbed to the freezing temperatures. Houston practically shut down for a day as icy roads led to hundreds of accidents throughout the city. Thanks to my prepared parents and a freebie from their CPA, I was equipped with an ice scraper and was able to beef up my visibility. I haven't had to deal with that sort of weather since high school! Brrrr. 7+ years of Texas weather have made me weak!

The Best is Yet to Come

2011-02-06T22:46:00.003-06:00

As a continuation of my birthday celebration, Brandi, Peter, and I went out to dinner before our latest Symphony date. We dined at the Hard Rock Cafe then headed over to Jones Hall for the show. Matt Dusk performed the music of Frank Sinatra with the Houston Symphony. We toe-tapped along to his smooth, swanky crooning from our spray-zone seats in the front row. For the first time in concert-going history, the main performer recognized us after the show! While signing a copy of his CD, he joked about how we had an up-close-and-personal view of his crotch (yes, Matt, we did... but hey, That's Life).

Start of Something Good

2011-01-27T22:10:00.004-06:00

Though 2011 had a rather low key start, my 26th year began with a blast. I had the weekend off while rotating on hand surgery in orthopedics, so I took advantage of the free time to pamper myself.The day started off with free Chick-Fil-A spicy chicken biscuits for breakfast with Brandi and Peter (how did we not take any pictures??). I spent the day indulging in a mini facial, a pedicure, and a coupon-inspired shopping spree all before the sun set. In the evening I headed to Thai Spice for dinner with my lovely friends.The tasty Thai dinner was capped with TWO birthday cakes- yummy red velvet and exotic taro varieties. After such a nice rendezvous with my closest Houston friends, the hardcore contingent of our group headed to Montrose for an ultimate dance party.Javier was a gracious chauffeur, and Amy made sure I celebrated to the max. Of course, a night at South Beach wouldn't be complete without a photo op with a couple drag queens. After the music died down, we filled our belly with grease and sugar at House of Pies in the wee hours of the morning. When my head finally hit the pillow, I slept soundly, warmed by the nice memories, thoughtful presents, and friendly phone calls that punctuated my day of birthday bliss.

A Break from Regularly Scheduled Programming...

2011-01-19T20:27:00.000-06:00

This just in: Leonardo DiCaprio (aka Leonard DiCarpio to Mom) was just spotted in a Rice cap!! While watching a Spurs vs. Lakers game in LA, DiCaprio showed his love for my alma mater. Sweet!

Forever Friends

2011-01-12T21:52:00.000-06:00

While I was home I had the good fortune of being able to meet up with several of my very best friends from home. I suppose Kate and Jeannette would be best classified as "debate friends," but our bond has grown beyond the bounds of cross examination. After studying in Sweden and receiving her Masters in Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability, Kate now lives in Anchorage, Alaska. Jeannette did Teach for America in Los Angeles and stayed on there as a full-time high school teacher. Missing from the group was Jil, who lives in Boston after receiving her Masters in International Relations from BU.The highest-yield rendezvous came at Bakery by the Lake downtown. What initially began as a chat with Chelsey grew into a full-fledged reunion with Shalem, Jenny, and Molly. Chelsey works as a dietitian in Utah and has a lovely home with her husband Joel and various furry creatures. Shalem lives in Chicago but is home for an extended visit following the death of her wonderful father Joe. Jenny has been working in a doctor's office in Coeur d'Alene and is married to high school sweetheart Mick. Molly also lives in Utah and enjoys her outdoorsy job working for the BLM.My friendship with Kami became especially tight during our run on the Lake City High School stage in Steel Magnolias (I was Ouiser, she was Annelle). Kami now lives in the Seattle area with her handsome husband Dan, darling son Eli, and baby boy on the way. Dan juggles working at Boeing with night school in preparation for dental school applications this fall. Kami is the Renaissance woman of the home: master chef, dutiful wife, caring mother, expert crafter, and fellow blogger. Over the years, I have enjoyed stealing her recipes and reading updates on her blog, which motivates me to stay committed to my own cyber-updates. In a recent post, she captured our breakfast outing at the Owl Cafe and the importance of having timeless friendships.

Ho Ho Home!

2011-01-05T20:25:00.000-06:00

Christmas Day on Hayden Lake was gorgeous. We woke up and enjoyed some delicious bubble loaf, which is just the way to start off a holiday celebration. Santa came and went in the night, leaving our stockings full of treasures like iTunes giftcards and ornaments from the North Pole (Alaska). I especially enjoyed my scratch-off lottery tickets, which brought in a solid $3 in winnings.The six of us then walked the trail to the little lake place where the real loot was waiting for us underneath the Christmas tree. After the flurry of ribbons and wrapping paper settled, we watched Arney jump in the icy cold water with impressive height and temperature tolerance.The next evening we got fancy in preparation for the seafood buffet. Before making an appearance at the Hayden Lake Country Club, we visited the Stanleys at their lovely home. We had tasty wine while touring their awesome lakeside chateau. We took a peek in their amazing wine cellar and would not have left if it weren't for our impending dinner reservation.We enjoyed a nice dinner and stuffed ourselves silly. The night came to a bittersweet close as Sarah, Paul, and Sam packed and departed for an overnight at Sam's house in Spokane. Sarah and Paul headed home to Florida in the morning while Sam returned to the daily grind. I knew my own days of R&R were numbered...

The Night Before Christmas

2011-01-01T18:07:00.003-06:00

On Christmas Eve our family of six ventured into downtown Coeur d'Alene for some group photos by the new Chamber of Commerce. Then we headed to Trinity Lutheran Church for the Christmas Eve service, a comforting tradition that really made me feel festive. Afterward, we drove back out to the lake place to prepare for the Robnetts' arrival!Janet, Rusty, and Jessica arrived for our annual Christmas Eve dinner bearing gifts (as three wise ones are known to do, of course). We snacked on appetizers and caught up on events that had unfolded over the past year. We sat down to a Christmas-color-coordinated salad with yummy prosciutto and pomegranates.We communed with a savory dinner of crown pork roast, handpicked cranberries (which, my urology attending informs me, are proven to help prevent UTIs... but only if they're the North American variety), stuffing, and some sort of mushroom + wild rice deliciousness. Then we blew some gigantic bubbles on the deck as an interlude before our trek over to the little lake place for desserts and opening presents around the tree.

The Complete Package

2010-12-30T13:59:00.000-06:00

When Sam arrived on Christmas Eve's Eve, the family unit was finally complete! We celebrated in very traditional fashion way and popped some bubbly! We toasted to the first family reunion since Labor Day 2009.As Sarah and Mom slaved away in the kitchen, I mostly focused on Christmas cookie aesthetics. As you can see above, it was tough work! Once the sugar cookies were sufficiently iced and delicately decorated, we sat down for one of many awesome holiday meals. I took a break from staring at my plate as I scarfed down the deliciousness to take in the scenery. Quite possibly the best view:Holiday traditions continued after dinner with Christmas movie viewing parties downstairs. We stuck to the classics like White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, Love Actually, and (of course) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Even Arney joined in on the fun. You know- if you scratch his belly, he will love you till the day you die.

I'll Be Home for Christmas

2010-12-28T11:31:00.001-06:00

After completing my four weeks of general surgery at Ben Taub, I hopped on a plane and headed home to the Inland Northwest. Unfortunately, I forgot what it's like to travel with a checked bag during the holidays, and my luggage didn't catch up with me for a couple days. That is the only explanation I can offer for the, above, awesome sweatpants and sweater (circa 7th grade). Sarah has a much more legitimate excuse for her attire- kayaking on beautiful Hayden Lake.There's nothing like spending Christmas in wintry North Idaho with the family to get into the holiday spirit. The lake was gorgeous, fresh white snow hung heavily on the trees, and my nose stayed a bright shade of Rudolph red in the chilly air. In fact, I though I would just about freeze to death after having left Houston's weather in the 70s for the bitter cold of my hometown. Nonetheless, I managed with a few extra layers, Mom's belly-warming culinary feasts, and heartwarming good company and conversation. I knew I was on the most relaxing of vacations when Dad came upstairs with his arms full of boardgames!

A Paula Deen Christmas

2010-12-25T10:56:00.004-06:00

Javier hosted a Paula Deen themed Christmas party, which was a great excuse to decorate, cook, and EAT! I cracked open my hope chest and brought out the fancy cloth Christmas napkins. To go with the napkins, I bought a couple nice cloth tablecloths which will be functional for festivities to come. The crafty touch of the night was taking a sharpie to some clothespins to personalize napkins.There was food aplenty. Some of the most sinful, filling fare was available for our group of eight. After stuffing ourselves silly, we took some rather ridiculous pictures recreating some of the highlights from the last year. Below, you can see our group of Coffee Prince watchers (Korean comedy/drama on Hulu) with mugs in hand sipping hot chocolate. All in all, it was a very fun and festive night.

Seasonal Sizzle

2010-12-22T17:15:00.004-06:00

On Sunday, December 12, the Scullys and I enjoyed A Very Merry Pops with the Houston Symphony. It was a great way to get into the Christmas spirit! During intermission we took some rather ridiculous pictures by the lobby tree. We especially enjoyed the sing-along portion and a special visit from St. Nick. A couple days later, I received my first Christmas present: an extra ticket to Burn the Floor with Sarah! This traveling Broadway ballroom showcase was sizzlin' hot! The jumping, jiving, and gyrating cast was truly outstanding, keeping a breathless pace throughout the show. The dancers hailed from around the world, featuring father-son notables Corky and Mark Ballas of Dancing with the Stars fame. For the complete review, check out Sarah's expertly-worded review on CultureMap here.

ReunioNy-Ying

2010-12-19T20:40:00.007-06:00

There's nothing better than waking up from a post-call nap to see the smiling face of a former Rice roommate! A couple weekends ago, I had the pleasure of Ny-Ying's company. Since it was my "Golden weekend" (both Saturday and Sunday off), we got to spend some quality time together around Houston and with other Rice friends. First we went to Bowl for soup/salad then to Red Lion Pub for drinks and fish and chips. We had tons of fun catching up, enjoying the Christmasy glow of the patio, and taking some ridiculous commemorative photos (above).Ny-Ying, Teresa, and I embraced our inner girlishness and donned our Saturday best. For our visiting Georgian, we had Texas barbecue at Goode Company (above). Then we romped around Rice. We decided that the hedges were worthy of jumping, so we hiked up our dresses and gave the Rice tradition a go. It sure would have been nice if our fourth and final roommate Katherine had been there, but she had learning to do at Yale. Such is life.

That night, we joined forces with Teresa's boyfriend Dane and two members of our favorite boy's quad from Lovett College: Andrew (aka Traverso, his last name) and Eric (aka Steve, because he really just looks more like a Steve). Will was stuck in Dallas, and Adam was probably surfing and eating fish tacos in California. Anyway, we whipped up a fancy dinner for ourselves and played an amazing game of Cranium.On Sunday morning I insisted that Ny-Ying join me on my couponing adventures. We stopped by Crave Cupcakes for some free peppermint hot chocolate. Then we went to Sprinkles Cupcakes for free chocolate peppermint cupcakes. Just as our blood sugars peaked in the 300s, we zoomed over to the Landmark River Oaks Theater to watch 127 Hours, featuring James Franco's hand trapped under a boulder.Due to weather problems in Atlanta, Ny-Ying's flight home was canceled and she got to stay an extra night on my pullout couch. On Monday morning she made it safely home to return to med school at Emory and her remaining residency interviews for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Can't wait to see where she ends up!

Santa Belly

2010-12-12T19:50:00.000-06:00

As Christmas rolls around the corner, desserts have been rolling around my midsection. Paula Deen and her buttery recipes have dominated the season, but that's a story for later. At Amy and Aaron's we had some yummy cakes which kicked off the baking extravaganza. Then, I assumed the domestic goddess role and made some chocolate peppermint blossoms (recipe compliments of Kami Cope Shaw's blog Everyday Heaven). I also whipped up some banana chocolate chip muffins and tiramisu brownies. Rest assured, these calories were shared among friends and others on my surgery team. Plus, I need the extra padding for the cold winter, right?

Giving Thanks

2010-12-06T23:41:00.010-06:00

Right up until the evening of Tuesday, November 23rd, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would be spending Thanksgiving in Houston. I had feelers out with friends and their families for extra seats at the Thanksgiving table, and I even signed up for an early morning 10k turkey trot. Then the clouds parted and the upper-levels on my surgery team gave us the long weekend off (not just Thursday as originally dictated at orientation). Excitedly, I called my sister Sarah, gassed up the car, and headed 560 miles east to Navarre, Florida. I paused in Baton Rouge for the night before arriving at the Brehm's doorstep on 10:30am Thanksgiving morning.I made it in time to catch some of the Macy's Day Parade (apparently, this is actually called the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade- news to me!). Before I knew it, divine smells of deliciousness were wafting from the kitchen and the table was set. A couple of Sarah and Paul's friends from their squadron joined us for a wholesome, filling feast. I'll spare the so-good-it-makes-you-dizzy details of the melt-in-your-mouth stuffing, the sweet butternut squash soup with the zippy red pepper mousse, and the desserts- oh, the desserts! Suffice it to say, my sister is a world class cook and my belly hasn't been that happy in a long time.With our digestive juices tackling the heavy duty job in our stomachs, we put our gaming wits to use and engaged in a boisterous game of Mexican Train. Which reminds me: I need to host some game nights! Anyway, I slept very soundly that night and didn't even feel the urge to hit up Black Friday sales. Spending the day lounging around the house on Friday was a treat. Sarah and Paul's place is impeccably decorated, and I felt like I was staying in a home straight from the pages of a magazine. Relaxation was very easy to come by.On Saturday Sarah, Paul, Paul's mom Sue, and I fueled up on Tropical Smoothies then hit the greens... at Goofy Golf. Much to my delight, we played 36 holes of mini golf! Paul putt-putted his way to victory and Sue managed to pull off a big win at the final hole-in-one challenge for a free game. Speaking of holes-in-one, Sarah captured this awesome action shot of my successful attempt at putting into the frog's mouth so he poops it into the hole. Niiiiice! The weekend drew to a close much too soon, and my only consolation was that I would be seeing Sarah and Paul again in Idaho less than a month later. The drive back to Houston was long and nostalgic, but the memories I brought back with me left me feeling so thankful for my family and the precious time I get to spend with those exceptional people.

Time Marches On

2010-11-21T21:12:00.003-06:00

I can't believe how time has been flying lately! I finished up my transplant surgery rotation on Saturday after another exciting week involving a few liver transplants, a kidney transplant, and an organ harvest. I think the most difficult part was sewing up the empty little body of a toddler after her organs were harvested. Yet, I was also able to see how her healthy liver gave new life to another young girl. Tomorrow I will begin the marathon that is general surgery at Ben Taub, the county hospital. Over the weekend, I was able to relax with friends. I went to Morning Glory with Teresa at City Centre (above)- a posh, up-and-coming shopping area in northwest Houston. On Saturday night I went out for drinks with Amy, Aaron, and Javier. As you can see, roomie Javier and I are looking more and more alike everyday!

May your days be merry

2010-11-13T20:42:00.003-06:00

After finishing up my emergency medicine rotation (which I loved), I started in on transplant at St. Luke's. Within minutes of joining the service that will be my home for two weeks, I got to see the end of an adult liver transplant. I was even trusted to staple half of the abdomen! Then mid-week I saw a pedi transplant from beginning (prepping the donor liver and the patient with biliary atresia) to the end (watching re-perfusion and the Roux). Pretty cool stuff. On Friday night I got to scrub in on an organ harvest, which was such a special experience. I was very lucky to have space at the operating table with the heart team working furiously in the chest and my team digging into the abdomen.Over the past couple weeks, I have been able to make a few social outings. I had lunch with Lutherans in the med center (fellow med and grad students). Though I didn't finish the book, I went to the Rice young alumni book club at Mockingbird Cafe. Finally, I celebrated Lulu and Josh's engagement at Sushi Raku (hosted by mutual friends and newlyweds Amy and Aaron). The only really low point lately was locking myself out while my roommate was out of town. The upside is I because great friends with my wonderful neighbors. The downside is that was $100 in locksmith fees I am not getting back. Sigh. Guess who just bought a hide-a-key with a combo lock?For my day off this weekend, I tried to get into the holiday spirit. With three generations of Braud women (Brandi, her mom, and her grandmother), I tackled the Houston Ballet's Nutcracker Market for the first time. I made a few little purchases and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of seasonal shoppers. Sadly, I didn't get any quality Christmas shopping done, but I did feel a bit more joyful and merry.The evening closed with a Houston Symphony Pops concert. The theme was "One O'Clock Swings!" The symphony teamed up with the University of North Texas' One O'Clock Lab Band to perform some jazzy numbers. Though this was not my favorite show of the season, I really enjoyed Stardust and the Duke Ellington medley. Of course, it was nice to return to normal and have Brandi and Peter join me for the show.

A Little of That

2010-11-06T15:37:00.009-05:00

For the past two weeks, I thoroughly enjoyed working in the county hospital's emergency department. Baylor started a new emergency medicine program, and I was lucky to have rotated through the service with truly amazing attendings. I had several 8- and 12-hour shifts filled with quite a variety of patients. I had the opportunity to suture (on a real, live patient for the first time!), insert a urinary catheter (I'm sure the allure of this will fade rapidly), insert an NG tube (in a very combative HIV+ patient), perform a pelvic exam (good prep for my ob/gyn rotation in the spring), staple a guy's head (the attending insisted that we didn't need local anesthetic), and more!I also became intermittently nocturnal. It was tough to try to sleep during daylight, but I had some tricks up my sleeve. On the night before my 7pm-7am Halloween shift, I stayed up late for a midnight showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show with Sarah. I've been meaning to go for about seven years now, and I am glad I finally made it to the ridiculously risque show. Quite eccentric! I don't think I'll be renting the movie in my spare time, but now I am kind of in awe of Tim Curry.In a sad break from tradition, I went to see the latest Pops concert without my built-in dates, the Scullys. Interestingly, I wasn't alone for long because headliner Chris Botti called down a group of high school trumpeters to take their empty seats in the front row (Brandi and Peter's unknowing contribution to the future of music... the boys left gasping that it was the best night of their lives!). I was incredibly impressed with Mr. Botti- one of People's Most Beautiful who had the coolness of Sting with a hint of a David Bowie smirk. All the after-show hubbub prevented me from getting one of my standard post-show meet-and-greet photo ops, but Botti did sign my CD-DVD combo pack. It was a fun night but could have been taken up a notch with my symphony sidekicks (who will hopefully get to enjoy their signed DVD at home as a consolation).When I wasn't sleeping or seeing patients or show-going, I tried to be a model citizen. I voted early (please take note, Bristol Palin). I recycled. I did laundry. I cleaned my room. Pretty impressive, eh? I also went to the Menil for a book signing. Amy, who works at the museum, totally hooked me up for this swanky shindig. We heard a few readings from Art and Activism, the literary collaboration on the lives of John and Dominique de Menil. Some of the contributors were present to sign the book. I still need to get Amy's signature because she had a hand in the publication as well!

A Little of This

2010-11-02T13:47:00.005-05:00

Rice celebrated homecoming on October 17 with an array of festivities: tailgating, a football game, and an alumni dinner at the Hanszen Masters' house. Because I was studying for my neurology final, I had to settle for merely a taste of each, which proved to be great study breaks throughout the day.It's pretty funny that I never once tailgated at Rice while I was a student, yet the parking lot was hopping with a chili cook-off, various vendors, and rowdy students/alumni playing games like beer pong in broad daylight. While I was studying at Rice's Fondren library I checked the progress of our game vs. University of Houston. Much to my surprise, we pulled off a win in Bayou Bucket Classic with a respectable score of 34-31. Way to go, Owls! Finally, I sneaked away from the books to grab some yummy food and great conversation at the alumni dinner (above).During my last week of neurology (translation: last week of getting to work at 9am), I enjoyed three days in a row of breakfast with Amy! Crave Cupcakes in the Rice Village had a promotion that was too sweet to pass up: free coffee and a cupcake! Thankfully, they made breakfast-friendly cupcakes like zucchini walnut and apple streusel. It was a tasty way to start the day! The week ended with my neurology final, which wasn't nearly as painful as the NBME subject exams aka the "shelf" at the end of each rotation. I really enjoyed my neurology rotation and working with Dr. Evans- a Rice and BCM alum who specializes in headaches.I recently saw the musical Shrek for the first time. The costumes were AMAZING! The songs were fun and the storyline was exactly what you would expect from the movies. The traveling production brought a great set, an entertaining Donkey, and a hilarious Farquaad. I was a little disappointed with Shrek's voice and the disrespect of people around me (cell phones ringing, flash pictures, getting up and down during the show, talking, etc.).Another show I had been looking forward to for weeks was the Jason Derulo concert! One of my favorite spin instructors loves to play his songs (like Ridin' Solo and In My Head), so naturally, Amy and I were pumped up! We ate dinner at a fancy restaurant with Aaron beforehand and then got our groove on at Warehouse Live. I have to admit, I don't think I have had that much fun at a concert in a long time! Afterward we acted like the teenage girls we never were and waited backstage to see him after the show. Despite waiting for like an hour in the rain, our efforts were not rewarded, and we reluctantly went home.

Reviving the Texan in Adam: the Finale

2010-10-25T20:50:00.002-05:00

For the final leg of Adam's Houston adventure, we went straight to the meat of it. Following afternoon chai tea at Agora, we headed downtown for a fancy dinner. We checked out Samba Grille, a relatively new churrascaria in the theater district. I had never experienced the all-you-can-eat meat extravaganza, so my belly went into a bit of shock as it was stretched taut.We had fabulous assorted veggies, soup (mine was the Jade soup: spinach + broccoli cream + crabmeat gratin = heaven), and coconut rice (swoon!). Then the meat parade began with over a dozen cuts/types circulating on skewers. The carvers would come by and shave off a few slabs of juicy goodness until we had our fill and flipped our green coasters over to red (aka- stop... must digest... meat).Following the feast we waddled over to the Hobby Center to see Hairspray. The show was lots of fun, especially the ad-libbing in the father and mother's duet "You're Timeless to Me." Unfortunately, Adam timelessness was realized on Tuesday when he set off to Dallas for a couple days before returning to life as a surfer boy in California. Of course, the blog wouldn't be complete without a commemorative arm-length self pic shot:

Reviving the Texan in Adam: Take 2

2010-10-19T20:25:00.007-05:00

Adam's Texas adventure continued with a trip to the Bayou City Art Festival. We met up with Sarah after she finished her shift at the CultureMap booth then browsed the art together. I was pretty impressed with the turnout for the downtown Houston event, which was just like the Utah Arts Festival I visited in June with Chelsey and Joel.After browsing the paintings, photographs, sculptures, and wacky performance art, I felt completely uncreative. Still, it was a gorgeous day and all that walking around worked up an appetite. To satiate our hunger, Adam and I went to Cyclone Anaya's in Midtown for taquitos and tequila- I mean a mango margarita.As the sun started to set on the eve of the third day, we paid a visit to our alma mater. Rice certainly has grown up in the last few years: new basketball court ('field house'), fancy schmancy new gym, TWO new residential colleges, a new glass pavilion, new sculptures sprinkled throughout campus, and more! Adam was very relieved to see that Lovett was quite the same as when he left it over three years ago. To which I reply: Lovett?! Lovett?! Lovett sucks! Hanszen, Hanszen- YEAH! Hanszen, Hanszen- YEAH!After visiting Rice haunts we visited Rice friends. We stopped by Brandi and Peter's lovely condo and played some rousing rounds of Bananagrams. I highly recommend this fun, fast-paced, Scrabble-like game. Amy and Aaron got wind of all the fun we were having and sped over to join in on the games.Marty was also around- playing it cool on the couch and getting all sorts of belly rubs. Just when I thought the perfect evening couldn't get any better- we added ice cream! With nights as complete as these, why would anyone ever go back to California? :)

Reviving the Texan in Adam: Take 1

2010-10-16T15:04:00.006-05:00

For the first time in over three years, Adam Tuttle made it back to Houston. His first request for his Texas re-initiation was for some quality barbecue. We drove straight from the airport to Goode Company BBQ and chowed down. As you can see in the picture above, Adam was overcome with emotion upon clearing his plate.After our smokey Texan dinner, we met up with Peter and Nya for frozen yogurt at Berripop. Fellow former Lovetteers Peter and Adam had plenty to chat about: life since Rice, mutual friends, and memories of their beloved residential college. Baylor MD/PhD Nya easily fell into conversation, bringing her shared experiences of life in Idaho, California, medical school, and grad school.Adam continued to rally after his day of traveling by tagging along with me to 13 Celsius where we met up with Amy and Aaron. Adam bonded with Amy over Taiwan (where both of their parents are living), and then he bonded with Aaron over nerdy guy stuff while I sipped wine and observed the bonding. We were soon joined by gym buddy Gretchen (above).I had to go to school/work on Friday, so we didn't meet up again until dinner. We went to Star Pizza for some intense deep dish dining. Afterward, we went to Kroger to pick out the perfect pair of pumpkins. We set up shop on the patio and started carving, a seasonal ritual I haven't enjoyed in several years. Even Wentworth tried to participate in the festivites (see if you can spot him in the picture below).Though neither of us claim to be expert carvers, we were both pretty satisfied with our efforts. As the jack-o-lanterns flickered on the porch, we cleaned and roasted the seeds. In my first attempt at pumpkin seed baking, I found the final product tedious to produce but tasty to eat.

Things that make me smile

2010-10-12T21:16:00.005-05:00

Saturday, October 2, was a big day. I kicked off the day with Race for the Cure downtown. If memory serves, this is my fourth time doing the race in Houston. I am happy to report that this year's 5k was more of a jog than my typical walk-jog. I moseyed through the post-race festivities with Teresa and Dane before heading home.At home I showered, scooped up Wentworth, and headed back on the road in the direction of Christ the King Lutheran Church. Wentworth received his second St. Francis of Assisi blessing. This year Marty the dog (of Brandi and Peter Scully) accompanied Wentworth and the rest of my congregation's furry friends. Wentworth was exceptionally well behaved, though a bit timid.After the pets received their blessing, Brandi and I stopped at Berripop for some celebratory frozen yogurt. We lounged on the patio as folks raised their eyebrows at my cat and his harness. Why is it perfectly normal to have a dog out in public, but a kitty companion is just crazy?Brandi and I parted ways briefly to beautify ourselves and deposit our pets at their respective abodes. Then we reunited and went to the Wortham center for the Houston Ballet's production of Jewels. Our wonderful seats were complimentary thanks to the annual Free Night of Theater promotional event. Watching the dazzling performances of emeralds, rubies, and diamonds dancing and glittering across the stage was my kind of childhood dream!After the curtain closed, I stopped by Amy's place for dinner and Korean drama. Javier and Max also joined in on the wining, dining, and subtitle reading. The menu included Chilean lemon chicken drumsticks, brussels sprouts with bacon, and yogurt tartlets. Yum!While we stuffed our faces, we watched a couple episodes of Coffee Prince on Hulu. The Korean show featured a cast of quirky characters who struggled with love, money, and gender identification. After just a couple hours of watching, I am practically addicted!

Oh, What a Beautiful Weekend!

2010-10-03T23:34:00.003-05:00

Last weekend, I enjoyed two magical days of splendor post-Internal Medicine and pre-neurology. I took advantage of Museum District Day by stopping by the Rice Gallery in the morning to see Sarah Oppenheimer's installation D-17, which involved a plane (the shape, but also like a jet wing) dramatically cutting through two panes of glass. It was a nice stop at one of my favorite Houston/Rice places, though truth be told, the gallery has seen better installations.I spent the afternoon at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens with friend Sarah. After stepping foot into the cozy, secret-garden-like grounds, I was at peace! I could not believe that I had never visited this lush little oasis in my 7+ years in Houston. I crossed the swaying wooden bridge over the bayou to get to the manicured gardens and sloping lawn and was positively enchanted. Sarah and I toured the former home of Miss Ima Hogg (true name) and observed the impressive assemblage of American decorative arts dating from 1620 through 1870. Then we learned a bit about the history of the Hogg family at the new education center. Much to my surprise, Harry C. Hanszen married Mike Hogg's widow (and sister-in-law of Ima Hogg) Alice. Alice was an important Houston socialite and even donated a Monet Water Lilies painting to the MFAH. Mr. Hanszen, of course, left his legacy at Rice in the form of my residential college.That evening I joined up with a group of Baylor med students for Matthew Carter Service Day. We volunteered at Covenant House, a home for kids in crisis and Houston's homeless children. We played bingo, which was a big hit. I was able to unload a large portion of my toiletries stash (built up from all that couponing), which went into the prize pile with other contributions like toothbrushes and socks.

Sugar, Spice, Everything Nice

2010-09-26T23:12:00.002-05:00

Apparently, September 15th was National Dessert Day. I never would have known had it not been for Bravo's delicious promotional events for the new season of Top Chef: Just Desserts. I took a couple study breaks to check out Three Brothers Bakery (above) and Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique (below). Three Brothers is just down the road from me, and I had no idea that such delectable delicacies were so close. Sugarbaby's was also a cute stop for scrumptious red velvet cupcakes. Did I mention my sweet tooth was satiated for the low, low cost of $0.00?Last weekend Amy celebrated her three decades of life with a triple-themed birthday gathering at Liberty Station on Washington. With themes of bacon and donuts, people brought some pretty interesting creations including a do(ugh)nut wrapped in bacon. Absolutely sinful. I put on my thinking cap and decided to craft a bacon necklace, custom made for Amy on her big day. She wore it and ate it and all was right with the world.Finally, on Monday I had the pleasure of playing babysitter to Holden, Pastor Brad's son. It was nice to take care of the charming cutie (without any health complaints) for a couple hours. Unfortunately, the rest of the week was not nearly as heartwarming. After endless studying, I took my internal medicine board exam and will start neurology tomorrow!

Finer Things

2010-09-19T23:57:00.002-05:00

Brandi, Peter, and I kicked off the new season for the Houston Pops with "Broadway Rocks!" on September 5th. Our new season tickets are pretty fantastic, though some may say a bit too close for comfort. With the new redistribution of cheap seats, our nosebleeders transformed into mouthspitters. Yep, we're front and center this year. This means I really have to get there on time to avoid crawling over at least a dozen people as the lights go down! We really enjoyed the musical hits performed by our beloved symphony and four Broadway performers. I especially got a kick out of their homage to the "greatest Broadway flop" with a ((ahem)) stirring rendition of "Bright Eyes." After that total eclipse of the heart, we turned around and sunk our teeth into Amy's ice cream. De-Lish! Speaking of deliciousness, I really enjoyed an eating adventure at CityCentre with Rice friend Sarah. We nibbled on succulent seafood at McCormick & Schmick's and then digested at the cutest bistro/bar/coffee/flower shop in all of Houston: Flora & Muse. De-Lightful!

Upgrading and Downtowning

2010-09-12T18:34:00.008-05:00

I finally broke down and gave into the connectivity demands of this millennium. Yep, I got a fancy phone. My trusty, no-frills, free-with-contract Motorola flip phone that got me through Hurricane Ike has been retired in favor of an iPhone.Despite my resistance to having a phone + computer + internet + email + camera + calculator + scrabble + pharmacopoeia + calendar + mapquest + alarm just a pocket reach away, I am a total convert. What they say is true: I don't know how I ever survived without my new gadget. Funny story- when I went to the Apple store to "move into" my new device, I attended a brief tutorial. I think my presence just may have brought the average age under 70. Now, who wants some FaceTime??While I was busy entering the modern age, my roommate Javier was entering middle age (I kid!). Javier celebrated his 30th birthday with class, yummy food, and good friends. First we ate gourmet pizzettas and Sprinkles cupcakes at Caffe Bello. Then we made our way to Montrose to hit up the club scene where I saw my first Meteor Shower. Let's just say there was water, men, and speedos but no 50-meter pool.We ended the night with some dancing at Blur, another popular GLBT-friendly club. We busted a move until the wee hours of the morning, but I was still able to get myself to the church on time for Rally Sunday. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning than worshiping in a cozy packed church with trumpets sounding and joyful hymns filling the nave.The musical momentum continued with a stop by the Theater District Open House in the afternoon. I bought my hugely discounted ticket to see Broadway Across America's traveling production of the musical Shrek. Should be a nice treat next month!

The Brunch Bunch

2010-09-04T21:27:00.003-05:00

After endless begging, pleading, and trickery, Amy and I finally convinced Brandi to enter the wonderful world of the Midtown 24-Hour Fitness SuperSport. The three of us no-pain-no-gain'ed our way through a spin class and a weights class before we finally called it quits. With all of those calories burned, we celebrated with brunch at Tiny Boxwood's and invited the boys: Aaron, Peter, and James. As you can see, the meal was colorful, healthy, and delicious! Perhaps we should make a monthly tradition?

Old Kids on the Block

2010-08-28T13:58:00.002-05:00

A couple weeks ago, childhood friend Rachael arrived in Houston with her significant other Jon, who will start graduate school at the University of Houston. Lucky for me, the move means that Rachael may be visiting my neck of the woods as frequently as once a month. It's quite coincidental that my Indian Meadows friend's bf will be just a couple blocks away (transplanted from sunny California)!In an effort to introduce them to H-town, I took them for a spin in the Toyota Camry- A/C blasting. First stop was a the museum district's Cullen Sculpture Garden. We peeked in the Contemporary Arts Museum to see the quirky "Dance with Camera" installation. Then we headed over to the Byzantine Fresco Museum, the Rothko Chapel, and the Menil Collection. Anyone who has visited me in this tiny town knows that these are some of my favorite haunts. I absolutely loved the controversial work of Maurizio Cattelan, which had been sprinkled throughout the museum. We were fortunate enough to catch the thought-provoking exhibition in its last weekend.After the art tour, we ate yummy food at Thai Spice where I bumped into favorite Rice professor Dennis Huston. Then Rachael, Jon, and I met up with Risa and had a family-friendly nightcap of Amy's ice cream.

Till death do us part

2010-08-21T23:28:00.003-05:00

After the wedding festivities for Amy and Aaron, things took a morbid turn. At the strike of midnight, I made my way over to the Museum of Natural Science for a CultureMap Pop-Up Party. My friend (and CultureMap writer) Sarah alerted me of the festivities, which provided a free opportunity to see Houston's horticultural sensation Lois, the corpse flower.People mixed and mingled in the HMNS courtyard while sipping cocktails and eating delicious, fancy cupcakes. Then, there was a grand unveiling of the corpse flower's alter ego on Twitter. Much to my surprise, Sarah herself was behind some of the acerbic, diva-esque tweets. The evening capped off with a special glimpse of the corpse flower, which only blooms for a few days every few years. The line was long and the stink was gone, but I'm sure glad I had a chance to see what all of the fuss was about!

Put a ring on it

2010-08-15T20:10:00.004-05:00

On July 24 Amy and Aaron walked down the aisle of Houston's 1891 St. John Church. The one-room chapel is nestled in the heart of downtown, tucked in Houston Park between skyscrapers and the public library. Though this ceremony technically was their third round of nuptials, this was the first time they tied the knot with the full wedding party in front of family and friends.Our mutual friend (and my roommate) Javier officiated over the short-but-sweet "I dos." Afterward we went to 13 Celsius Wine Bar for the reception. Amy and Aaron's friend Mike owns the "industrial-chic" establishment (Mike's wife Gretchen is also a friend/gym buddy!). At the reception we sipped wine, toasted champagne, ate delicious cupcakes, and danced the day away. To get a better idea of the day's festivities, check out their awesome wedding highlight video!

Don't have a cow.

2010-08-07T13:17:00.003-05:00

Way back on July 9, Brandi and I went to Chick-Fil-A dressed as cows. Because we are ridiculous, hungry people who love a good deal, we sacrificed a bit of dignity and scored free meals! Though most of the other Cow Appreciation Day participants were under 8, Brandi and I made a pretty good showing.On July 15 Brandi and Peter hosted a tea party in celebration of friend Rose's return from studying in England. Naturally, Brandi outdid herself with preparing the delicious scones, triangle sandwiches, cheese varieties, and (of course) tea. My belly was full for days to come! Here's the cute poem accompanying the invite:

Rose has journeyed back from Isles across the sea,
So I propose a party--of course, high tea!
With scones, jam, honey, butter and clotted cream,
Triangular sandwiches ('twill be a dream!),
Lots of delightful company,
And something else...oh yes, the tea!

Orange spice, cinammon stick, vanilla chai,
Earl and Lady Grey, lemon zinger, oh my!
Black current, oolong, Persian peach white, and green--
Will all be served on Thursday evening,
At seven o'clock, in number 116.
Another day may well suffice,
Just let me know, I won't ask twice!

Freedom rang and I answered

2010-07-27T20:59:00.004-05:00

For my last day of pre-clinical celebrations, I had a bunch of friends over for an "America, the Melting Pot" party. My lovely sister/brother-in-law gave me a fondue pot about 7 months ago, so it was well past time to use it!Playing hostess was also a great excuse to clean. Yes, I need excuses, motivation, and a time line to get the job done.After we stuffed our faces, we played some Taboo. I do love board games. With the help of my awesome friends, set up and clean up was actually pretty manageable.Poor Wentworth missed out on the fun on account of his dander/allergen situation. Don't worry, I made it up to him with ample belly rubs.

From Park City to the Lake City

2010-07-21T20:53:00.005-05:00

My trip to visit the Alberts wrapped up on Monday with a trip to Park City. Chelsey and I got pedicures on the way and then walked up and down the main street. Though we were there during the off season for this ski resort/film festival town, its charm was still in full force. I enjoyed peeking in the windows of the cute shops, reading the menus at fine dining establishments, and perusing many of the art galleries.Unfortunately, my trip to see Chelsey and Joel came to a close that evening when I said goodbye at the Salt Lake City airport. Little did I know, Delta Airlines was not ready to let me leave Utah. My flight was delayed for about four hours! Thankfully, Mindy (from Dad's office and mother of high school friend Molly) was on the same plane. She graciously offered to drive me from the Spokane Airport into Coeur d'Alene and then let me crash at her place. My travel woes really weren't so woeful after all!For my week of relaxation on Hayden Lake, I enjoyed time with Mom, Dad, and Sam. Oh- and Arney and Kitty! Highlights included a bike ride to Camp Mivoden, kayaking with Dad, Scrabble/SYTYCD with Mom, driving by Sam's new house, and eating dinner at The Cedars floating restaurant (of college summer employment fame). I was also able to psych myself up for rotations, which began with Internal Medicine on July 6!

Out and About in Utah

2010-07-11T23:10:00.010-05:00

Day two of my Utah adventure began with a trek up the steep mountainside that practically makes up Chelsey and Joel's backyard. We scrambled up to the ancient shoreline that runs along the Wasatch Range. I was on the lookout for shells and fossils but found cacti and a fantastic view instead. After making our way back down, we freshened up and headed into the tiny town of Brigham City.The three of us explored the town's century-old tabernacle. Much to our surprise and amusement, the docent with backwards sunglasses gave us the OK to try out the organ. The three of us took turns banging away at the bellowing pipes. It wasn't too long before we exhausted our impromptu musical repertoire of Heart & Soul, Chopsticks, Joy to the World, and Edelweiss. Afterward we indulged in ice cream, and Chelsey helped me straighten my hair for the first time.Our evening's social agenda included a trip to Ogden for a concert on the ski hill. I met several of Chelsey and Joel's friends. It was so nice to spread out the blanket, snack on fruit kabobs, sip wine, and listen to some music as the sun went down. Soon the moon was over our heads and the musicians were packing up their instruments. We ended the night with a few rousing games of ping pong at a friend's house.Sunday was a lovely, low key day for us. We went to Willard Bay State Park for a bit of canoeing and reading. I got in an afternoon nap and was well rested in time to help make sushi. The reality is, Chelsey did all the tricky prep work, then we all assembled our rolls. The other two highlights of the night were unique experiences: going to a drive-in movie and filling up the natural gas tank for Joel's truck. While I don't recommend rushing to the theaters to see Grown Ups, I do recommend paying just 95 cents for a gallon equivalent of natural gas!

A Cut Above

2010-07-06T21:10:00.006-05:00

With the heat turning up in Houston, I decided it was time for a change. On Wednesday, June 23, I took the plunge. Using a Groupon, I went to Kharisma Hair Studio and had Loris, the Paris-trained Italian co-owner of the salon, chop off my lengthy locks. Though Loris ended up cutting off easily over a foot of hair, the blunt cut resulted in a 9-inch ponytail that I sent to Pantene Beautiful Lengths to make wigs for cancer patients. The bald feeling has been a bit of an adjustment, but I was happy to take a load off and nix the tangles!With a shorter 'do and an even shorter "to do" list, I packed my bags on Friday, June 25, and headed to Utah to visit Chelsey and Joel! While in Salt Lake City, we grabbed lunch then explored the Utah Arts Festival. I got an especially big kick out of recognizing the work of JD Hillberry at a stand. Many years ago- I believe, in Estes Park, CO- I purchased a print at an art festival called Measuring Up. Immediately, I made the connection between the first piece of art I ever bought and the booth in SLC despite the decade gap. According to his website, he'll be in Houston at the Bayou City Art Festival in October. Maybe I'll just have to make a trip downtown and keep an eye out for his booth!Later day became Latter Day in our capital walkabout. We checked out the impressive LDS complex and headquarters of the Mormon church. We walked the perimeter of the towering temple and read the signs on the street outside remarkable buildings from years ago. We reached a peak in our trek when we peeked inside the Tabernacle (home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir). In an attempt to pique our interest in the building's acoustics, a female missionary performed a dazzling auditory demonstration. She tore a piece of newspaper, dropped three pins, and finally dropped a nail for all of our ears to enjoy.After all the big city action, Joel and Chelsey took me home to Brigham City. They have a lovely house on a corner lot. They've made some beautiful updates and skillful improvements to their abode over the last couple years. They have an immaculate garden, a place for their dog Hank to run around, and tons of space. I met their cats (both make Wentworth look like a sumo wrestler!) and got the grand tour. To top the evening off, Joel made some delicious Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. All that excitement in just one day!

Take Me Out

2010-06-28T22:05:00.009-05:00

I was the incredibly lucky friend of Sarah who got to tag along with her to HEB's Wine and Food Week event in The Woodlands. The official title of the decadent smorgasbord was "Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting and Chef Showcase presented by Texas Monthly." Phew! The conglomeration of restaurants and wineries lived up to its name.We felt like we barely scratched the surface and left with overly full bellies. Inspired, I snapped a picture of a duck confit tart with huckleberry salad, goat cheese, and carrot jam (*hint, hint* Dad and Mom).With the two free tickets I received from the Astros 5k, I invited my med school friend Brett to the ballpark. We watched our Houston Astros lose to the San Fransisco Giants. The pain of the loss was eased with foot-long hot dogs, beer, and even a bit of cotton candy.Unfortunately, Brett's girlfriend (a Baylor first-year) couldn't join us because she was studying for her final exams... did I mention how excited I am to be DONE with my second year of medical school? Oh, how good it feels to be an MS-3!

Shower Power

2010-06-24T14:47:00.004-05:00

Way back on June 13th, I threw a couples wedding shower for my friends Amy and Aaron. The Justice of the Peace made it legal last month, but the couple will be jetting off to France for a July 10th ceremony. I'll be in attendance at their July 24th nuptials in Houston (third time is the charm, after all). We noshed and drank and chatted the afternoon away at Shade. For the full report, check out Amy's wedding blog Rice Cracker Love (HOT TIP: if you go to the blog be sure to scroll down to see the cutest wedding invitations ever).

The picture features friend Max, bride-to-be Amy, me, groom-to-be Aaron, and my new roommate (!) Javier.

A Day of McNay

2010-06-22T08:33:00.003-05:00

For the Sunday of my weekend in San Antonio, Risa and I checked out the McNay Art Museum. The mansion-turned-museum was filled with all sorts of artwork- outdoor, indoor, 2-D, 3-D, old, and new.We learned about the life of Marion McNay as we walked through her beautiful house and ambled through the gardens.While we were there, a guy was taking his graduation pictures. Following suit, Risa and I staged our own photoshoot!We spent the afternoon on the Riverwalk (statue of San Antonio below). The weather demanded that we arm ourselves with ice cream, so we sought out some creamy goodness and then strolled along the waterways below the street. All too soon, my brief weekend adventure came to a close, and I made the lonely trip back to Houston.

San Antonio Saturday: Sanctuaries and Sunsets

2010-06-14T23:55:00.005-05:00

I rolled into San Antonio on Friday, June 4 for a weekend of fun, exploration, and relaxation with travel buddy/Rice friend Risa. We munched on some Mexican food and watched the sun go down poolside. Then on Saturday morning we mounted our bikes and hit the Mission Trail. We stopped by Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose (above), and Mission Espada.After spending most of the day on bikes and in the sun, we retreated to the shade of Texas Hill Country. We sipped wine at Woodrose Winery and wondered what was going on (if anything) in the mind of peculiar Greek hostess. While it would have been nice to have hopped around more of the vineyards, by the time we finished up at Woodrose, the sun was setting and we had to move on to our final destination: the LBJ ranch.For our final Saturday activity, we pulled into the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and walked around the "Texas White House." Unfortunately, I forgot my National Parks Passport (where IS it anyway??), so I couldn't add a stamp to the book. Still, it was fun to see old cars, read about a bit of history, and chat up the park rangers. Once the sun finally slipped below the horizon, we snagged a spot on the lawn in front of the big, blow-up movie screen. We indulged in free popcorn and soda while watching Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Talk about a great way to end a day of adventure!

Celebrate Good Times

2010-06-09T14:04:00.003-05:00

About a week and a half ago, I jogged my way through the Astros Race for the Pennant 5k. It was a nice change of pace to add in some outside-the-gym exercise. I decided to forgo the beer at the end of the run but enjoyed cooling down in Minute Maid Park. Over the next day or two, I realized that my spinning muscles and my running muscles really aren't the same. Ouch. Haha.Over the last week since I received my Step 1 score, I had time to relax and celebrate with friends. Brandi took me out to a lovely dinner at critically acclaimed restaurant Reef. Amy and Aaron spontaneously snatched me from home one evening and took me to have drinks at 13 Celsius. Hearing congratulations and expressions of shared relief from friends has buoyed me back into action. I am so glad the last six months is behind me, and now I find myself really looking forward to what's in store for the future!

Soaring and Scoring

2010-06-04T13:29:00.003-05:00

On Sunday Brandi, Peter, and I saw our last pops concert of the season with the Houston Symphony. With my pair of extra tickets, I brought along friends Teresa and Dane. The concert title was Cirque de la Symphonie, and the acrobatics were minimal but very impressive (see representative youtube video below from a different concert). It was a great way to end the season!The other massive piece of news is that I passed the first of my boards (the USMLE Step 1)! Words cannot describe the relief and sense of release I felt when I got my score. I have already celebrated with friends a bit, but that will have to wait for another post. I should also comment on the clinical ethics rotation I am taking (and loving!), but again, that is for another time. I will leave you with this little guy that I encountered on my ride home from class today:

Gardens and Galleries

2010-05-29T19:24:00.004-05:00

During the final segment of my California adventure, Adam and I checked out the Huntington Library. We wandered through the library galleries to see a Gutenberg Bible, several impressive first editions, and science-related exhibits. I especially enjoyed walking through the Huntington's elegant residence with impeccable decor and British art installations.The diverse gardens were the other main draw of the destination. We ambled through themed gardens dotted with sculptures and fragrant blossoms. I loved the bamboo forest, bonsai trees, and the raked rock/sand of the Japanese garden. Naturally, we stopped and smelled the roses in the rose garden. We also took a detour to the conservatory, and I couldn't help but feel like were were in a game of Clue. Instead of Ms. Scarlet with the lead pipe, we saw an indoor rain forest with lots of exotic plants.

SEAL of approval

2010-05-27T13:53:00.004-05:00

The main motive behind the timing of my California trip was to catch high school friend Stefan's graduation from the Navy SEAL program. He completed the grueling two years of training in Coronado and finished with the 277 class. It's pretty impressive to hear the statistics about how they attained mastery of Sea, Earth, and Land. Swimming enough miles to go from Cuba to Florida, running enough miles to go from Florida to NYC, spending over 60 hours underwater, and blowing up over 7 tons of explosives earned this class of 41 men (from 160+ originally) their tridents.The ceremony was pretty short and sweet. Part of me hoped for a bit more fanfare like I enjoyed at various Air Force Academy events. Alas, there were no fly-bys, parachute jumps, falcons, or addresses from the President. Still, it was a special ceremony and a very big deal for this group of elite men. Afterward I got a little tour of the training facilities including the Coronado shoreline.I had a chance to catch up with some of Stefan's family and to meet his girlfriend Kim. We ate lunch at McP's, a SEAL-only establishment, to mark the first day that Stefan could be served with his new naval status. It was great to see such a good friend for the first time in years! Hooyah Stefan!

On a Mission

2010-05-26T22:36:00.004-05:00

25 years is a long time to live without ever having indulged in a fish taco. I knew the wrong had to be righted, so I made my personal mission to eat one on this most recent trip to southern California. Adam took me to one of his favorite post-surfing establishments: Taco Surf. I must admit, the meal was delicious, messy, and oh-so-satisfying.Speaking of missions, we paid a visit to Mission San Juan Capistrano. We walked through the old buildings, read about the history of the mission, listened to the audio tour, and even eavesdropped on some of the guided tours. I especially enjoyed the flowers and the Serra Chapel (California's oldest building that's still in use). By the time dinner rolled around, we were starving and ate to our stomach's content (in my case, a bit over capacity) at Mama D's for some delightful Italian.

Miles and Milestones

2010-05-16T21:37:00.003-05:00

I feel like I can check a lot off my list since the last post. Despite a late start at the uncoordinated test center, I took my USMLE Step 1 exam on Tuesday, May 11. After the eight-hour exam, I was ready for some ice cream, a bubble bath, and a full night's sleep. I studied on Wednesday for two Baylor exams on Thursday (nutrition and evidence-based medicine). Finally on Friday morning I made a run for it and headed north to Idaho.Saturday morning I got to cheer on Sam as he walked across the stage in the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. It was pretty cool to watch him receive his hood and scoop up his diploma after three years of hard work in law school. Now he'll take the Washington bar and make a home for himself (and Arney dog) in Spokane. Congratulations, Big Brother!

I'm so grateful to be home in Idaho for a short stretch of time with family. It's been divine recharging my batteries and filling my belly with food other than nachos and bagels. It's going to be hard to go back to Houston on Tuesday, but at least I have a furry friend waiting for me to rub his belly feed him Friskies in bed.

3...2...1...

2010-05-08T00:46:00.004-05:00

Just finished all the questions in the Kaplan QBank. Overall, I've done over 6,000 questions in the last couple months. This test better go well! I shall return to civilization after 8pm on Tuesday, May 11. In the meantime:

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Plugging Away

2010-05-02T17:43:00.006-05:00

I'm in the home stretch of my studies for perhaps one of the toughest, most important exams I will take in my medical career. With the test rapidly approaching on May 11, my life has been relatively boring and monotonous. Recently, I have heard the song below in the car on my way home from studying. Perhaps my appreciation for this song is skewed by the mood I am in at 1am or maybe it's the relief that comes with completing another day of studying and having a bed/snuggly cat waiting at home. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the song:

Eating with the Master

2010-04-22T14:30:00.006-05:00

Last Wednesday Amy, Aaron, and I went to dinner after working out. Located just a couple blocks from the gym, T'afia was our chosen dining destination which also boasted a Top Chef Masters viewing party. What made this particular soiree so scintillating was the presence of renowned Houston chef, restaurant owner, and Top Chef competitor Monica Pope. We wined and dined and cheered on MP as she vied for the title of Top Chef Master. She won the Quick Fire Challenge and the whole restaurant erupted into cheers. When she barely missed out on a spot in the finale, everyone booed in anger and disbelief. It was a very fun (and delicious) time!

I've got tetanus...

2010-04-13T19:40:00.009-05:00

...toxoid coursing through my veins. This morning I received my DTP vaccine at Occupational Health in the Baylor Clinic. Many may dismiss this trivial task as unworthy of blog space, but when an event happens just once every ten years, I feel like it's fit for posting. For the especially curious folks out there, you'll be happy to know I was inoculated intramuscularly with the comprehensive booster (bonus pertussis component included). To celebrate, I spent the rest of the day studying and then went to Core Central (weights + some aerobics) at the gym... and maybe I'll dig into some ice cream when I get home from studying at Rice's library. As always, a blog is never complete without a picture, so here's the photographic proof of my bolstered immunity:

Puttin' on the Ritz

2010-04-06T19:58:00.002-05:00

Last Thursday the Houston Symphony kicked off a weekend of Gershwin, and Brandi, Peter, and I were there to experience it. We toe-tapped and swayed along as John Pizzarelli sang and strummed on the jazz guitar. It was a nice, relaxing night off with good friends!

Korean BBQ

2010-04-02T00:50:00.005-05:00

A couple Saturdays ago, Amy, Aaron, and I went to Chinatown for some late-night Korean BBQ. I have just two words: DE-LISH! Coupled with the good company, the super-tasty food brought a big smile to the face. What a great break from Randall's healthy choice frozen meals! :)

Catching Up

2010-03-30T09:58:00.002-05:00

Though I didn't attend Beer Bike this year, I did catch up with a few alums over the weekend. Newlywed Jenn has been back in Houston for a few weeks as she prepares to study for the Step 1 on April 1 (or thereabouts). We have had some really quality chats over the phone but it was especially nice to see her face-to-face and relax for a bit. Incidentally, Beer Bike was a bit of a bust this year. The alumni race was a rainy run instead of a bike, and the undergrad races were postponed. Apparently, the races happened on Sunday and were a bit lackluster. If I keep up my spin schedule at the gym, maybe I'll bike on next year's alumni team for Hanszen!

How does my garden grow?

2010-03-26T01:58:00.003-05:00

Like this!

New Zealand Adventures

2010-03-14T21:28:00.002-05:00

The trip began the way every trip should- with chocolate! I had some truly divine morsels to keep me company on the long trip across the Pacific. With merely a regulation-sized carry-on and a backpack, I was feeling pretty good about my expert packing skills. That was, of course, until I noticed I left my charging camera in Houston. Shucks!I must have been pretty exhausted during my travels because the movie marathon that I had been looking forward to on the long flight didn't really happen. Thankfully, I made up for it on the way back! I went from flying in the biggest plane I've flown on (nearly 400 seats! - full) to probably the smallest commercial plane (just 19 seats- less than half-full).Perhaps the most exciting thing that happened to me was having my pen explode all over me. The crappy pic with my cell phone doesn't do the mess justice. I think I'll have to give the win to Sam for best travel stories. Exploding pen vs. Lady Gaga? Yeah.

R.I.P.

2010-03-06T01:55:00.002-06:00

9/7/09-3/5/10
Stolen!