Loves Music, Loves to Dance

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

A Girl's Gotta Eat

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

Babies, Beginnings, and Brunch

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

Having a Ball

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

Artsy Heartsy

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

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

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).