One Step Closer

We are officially 1 week and 1 day away from Chris coming home.  4 months worth of audition rotations are almost complete and in the books.  We're also less than 3 months away from Match Day - which cannot come soon enough!  While I don't want to wish way the holidays, I do watch that day to hurry up and arrive so we can begin planning for the next phase in our lives.

His 4th audition rotation was at Aria in Philadelphia, PA.  I visited two weeks ago and loved the city. We spent a day in downtown Philadelphia doing the basic tourist tract - Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Christ Church.

It was breathtaking to stand in Independence Hall and hear how they went about signing the Declaration of Independence in the very same room.

As we get one step closer to Match Day, I hope to take time and savor the holidays with family and close friends.  It's taken a lot of restraint, but I've finally realized that I can plan for apartments and locations when we find out where we're going, and just enjoy the moment we're in now.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and is looking forward to the holidays as well!  Yes, I've already been proudly playing Christmas music!

Quintessential Fall *Gilmore Girls Style*

I don't know about you but I am what you'd call a Gilmore Girls fanatic.  I've seen every episode probably close to 10-15 times each (I know, scary!).  It's the one show that makes me feel better when I'm having the worst day, it's what I turn to when I take a relaxing bath at night, and it shows your mom really can be one of your best friends.

Recently, they've released news that a Gilmore Girls revival is in the works.  Although it won't be a full season, it will be possibly 4 90-minute episodes featuring a time jump to a few years after the series finale ended off.  I am absolutely thrilled about this news!  Here's to hopes Rory and Logan end up together after all!

Just as Rory roamed around Connecticut and Yale's campus in the beautiful fall setting, I roamed around Rhode Island and Brown's campus this past weekend.  I will admit, I felt a little like a Gilmore Girl bundled up in a scarf with a latte.  Chris and I had a great night exploring Providence and all is has to offer.  It's a great city and I would be overjoyed to live nearby.

Chris did his third audition rotation at Kent Hospital in Warwick, RI.  A community hospital known for an outstanding ER residency program!  He keeps telling me not to get my hopes up on a certain location, but it's hard not to when you visit all these new and exciting cities and think that we could live there for 4 years!  Whatever the future holds for us during residency, I will be so excited to start fresh in a new city!

In addition to exploring Providence, we also explored the small town he was staying in, East Greenwich.  It was a very walkable town with coffee shops, diners, and boutique shops lining the downtown streets.  Just a few blocks from his apartment was a marina, which made for a perfect morning walk to see the sunrise.

On Saturday, we spent the day in Newport, which happened to have a food festival going on.  We had lunch at The Barking Crab, delicious!  If you're ever in Newport or Boston (there's only 2 locations), I beg you to stop by and enjoy one of the best lobster rolls!

After walking around a bit more after lunch, we made our way to the Breakers mansion.  I'd been once before years ago, but Chris had never been and I knew he'd love it.  It was a beautiful day and couldn't be any better for pictures by the water with a beautiful mansion in the background.

As you're walking through the Breakers listening to the audio tour, it's really hard to believe how people lived that luxurious years ago.  It gives you an inside look at how the 1% lived in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  It's hard to imagine just how large a 125,000 square foot mansion is until you walk through...truly earning the word mansion.

I hope each of you had a great weekend and are enjoying all the beautiful-ness of fall this year!

My Daily "Me" Time

Fall, without a doubt, is my favorite season of the year!  It's simply beautiful!  On a Monday you wake up, smell the fresh crisp air, with the trees still alive in shades of green.  By that Friday, you notice most of the trees are vibrant shades of green, yellow, orange, and red.

One of my 30 Before 30 items is to establish "me" time each day.  I've definitely accomplished this in the past few months.  I look forward to 5:00 every day not only for the fact that work is over, but because I know I get to take a walk around the neighborhood and wind down.  Whether I'm listening to music, the birds, or talking on the phone, this hour at the end of my day every day has become a little treat to myself.

These evening walks have become even more of a treat now that the trees are turning for the season.  It really does instantly put a smile on my face when I round a corner and notice one of the prettiest group of trees in town is right in your neighborhood.

How do you have "me" time each day?

Our Trip to NYC

It's actually September!  I can't believe it's already here and Chris has already completed 1 audition rotation in Middletown, NY, at his second in the Bronx, NY right now, then finishing them up in Warwick, RI and Philadelphia, PA.  It's been a bit of an adjustment living apart for a few months.  I like to think of it as it makes the time we spend together that much more enjoyable and memorable!  We both appreciate the time together more now and look forward to the next visit.

Since it was Labor Day weekend and I had an extra day off work, I headed off bright and early Friday morning to Mount Vernon, just north of NYC.  Chris is renting an apartment for the month there and it made the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle, which believe it or not, exists in Blacksburg, VA during a college game-day weekend.  It was nice to spend a long weekend together celebrating both of our birthdays in a city we love!

After arriving on Friday afternoon and Chris changing after his shift at St. Barnabas hospital, we walked around an outdoor mall and enjoyed dinner at one of our favorite restaurants...none other than Yard House.  It seems like we're both blood hounds when it comes to sniffing out our favorite joints in new cities.

Saturday we woke up and took the train into NYC for the day.  We had an entire day of adventures and exploring all that is Manhattan!  We walked around Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Times Square, Bryant Park, and much more, all adding up to 12 miles of walking!  After devouring pastrami sandwiches in a Jewish deli, we swung by the NHL store and bought a couple NYR shirts for the upcoming season.

Before we knew it, it was dinner time and we were on the west side near Hell's Kitchen.  We looked online to see what kind of restaurant sounded good to us and settled on a burger joint called 5 Napkin Burger.  Please go here if you ever come across one!  It will change your life.  Honestly the best burger I've ever had!  It was a little early to go home after dinner with it only being 9:30 or so.  We strolled through Times Square once more, stopped by the M&M store to pick up a bag, and finished the night off with drinks on a rooftop bar just off Times Square.

It was one of the best trips we've had together - plenty of catching up and seeing new sights!  It's surreal to be in these new cities and look at them as a place we could live in less than year, but it's really exciting at the same time!  Here's to a great weekend visiting Anne and Charlie in Florida with Ali!  I hope everyone has a great weekend as well and takes time to spend with the one they love!

A Weekend Getaway to Gatlinburg

In an effort to stay busy this fall, mom and I planned a getaway trip to Gatlinburg, TN.  It's the perfect location for us to meet in the middle, although we forgot just how touristy it really is.  We had a great weekend together and look forward to many more mother-daughter trips!

After unpacking at the hotel and getting settled, we walked around Gatlinburg a bit and then headed down to the outlet mall.  Dinner was amazing at The Chop House, followed by some great steals at Banana Republic!  Finished with PJ's, Oliver Sangria, and helping mom set up her Accounting spreadsheets for her company.

Saturday morning we ventured out to The Christmas Place - it really is the happiest store in the area!  Every room features a different theme and fully decorated trees.  I may have gotten an early Christmas present for someone special :)

After getting back to Gatlinburg around lunch, we walked around the area a bit more, enjoyed lunch at a great Mexican restaurant, then toured the Ripley's Aquarium.  It's been years since I'd been to an aquarium and honestly had forgotten how enjoyable it is!  We spent about an hour and half taking in all the fish and sea life they had - from sharks to sea horses to penguins.

These two pictures have to be some of my favorite pictures I've ever taken.  This is the same jellyfish - just fluorescing in different colors.  Honestly breathtaking!!!

Saturday after we walked around Gatlinburg a bit more and toured a few hot sauce stores for Chris.  I always bring him home a hot sauce from every vacation I go on and this store, Pepper Palace, had too many to choose from.  I ended up getting him 2 from All Sauced Up and I know he'll love them both!  I'm excited for him to get home in November and try them!

There was one less than exciting event that happened this weekend, well twice actually.  Roxy, my little car, decided to give me trouble twice.  All in all, we found a shop that could fix her so I could be on my way home Sunday.

I hope everyone is having a great week so far!!!

The Beginning of The End

Although summer may not officially be coming to an end, it sure feels like it to me.  College students will soon we swarming back to Blacksburg, making it near impossible to enjoy a dinner downtown on a Friday night.  All the stores also seem to only be stocking fall clothes.  I went shopping last week for more shorts, only to find one tiny rack of shorts on sale, of course none in the size I needed. Here's a few pictures from our summer trip to Raleigh before his Step 2 Board exam!

With August here already, almost a whole week in, that means Chris has officially begun his 4th year of medical school.  I honestly cannot believe he only has one more year left.  It feels like yesterday that we were moving here and exploring the area together.

This past weekend we moved him to Middletown, NY where he is spending a month doing an audition rotation at Orange Regional Medical Center.  Chris just learned that the hospital is the newest one built in the state of New York.  That would explain the modern amenities they had!

We love the area!  It has plenty of restaurants, strangely which seem to be centered around pizza and asian only - but we love those choices!  It's only an hour and a half train ride into NYC, about 45 minutes to an outlet mall, what more could a girl ask for?  We even found an apartment that is truly perfect.  I couldn't name one thing I would change about it.  So naturally, I put our name on a waiting list.  You never know where you'll end and if it's Middletown, it's one less thing to worry about next spring.

He has a room at a local B&B for the month - with a full kitchen that he can use.  Here's a few pictures to show how picturesque it is!

I'm keeping busy this month with a few trips - Gatlinburg, TN with mom this weekend, then going home for a week to visit mom, dad, and friends.  While in Nashville, we'll also be celebrating a wedding of two dear friends which Chris will be able to fly in for.  Makes it a great month when I get to see him twice!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!  I'll be sure post after my travels to Gatlinburg - I'm sure it will be beautiful this weekend!

My New 2015-2016 Planner

I think it's safe to say that anyone who knows me well knows that I'm a planning freak!  At least I self-proclaim that I'm a freak about planning.  I have the basic planner from Staples for work, but I always like to have a more colorful and well laid-out planner for personal use.  After two years of Erin Condren planners, I decided to try something new and see what other options were out there.  After much research and back-and-forth, I chose the Emily Ley Simplified Planner.




I will admit, I was a bit skeptical when I first received it and started comparing it to my Erin Condren planner.  I've laid out the pros and cons below as an easy reference for anyone who is comparing these two planners for their own personal use.

After a couple weeks, the Emily Ley planner is turning out to be perfect for my personal use!  The monthly layouts and separate weekly layouts are just what fits my needs.  The classic gold rings and colorful tabs for each month are a nice touch as well.

The Perfect Summertime Italian Flatbread

During the summer, I find myself trying to eat a little healthier and fresher.  We love Italian food, but sometimes the pasta can sit a little heavy.  I racked my brain for recipes last weekend and decided to try something new - a flatbread.  Chris loves a good caprese appetizer at any Italian restaurant so I knew what I had in mind would be a hit for us!  The combination of fresh tomatoes and creamy mozzarella is delicious!  This recipe calls for roasted garlic, which we had never done in the oven before.  Let me tell you - try it now!  It will make your whole house smell amazing...like a small mom-and-pop Italian restaurant!  Finish it off with fresh basil and some of the highest quality balsamic vinegar I've tasted, it was a perfect and easy weeknight dinner!  I hope you enjoy as much as we did!

Ingredients:

• 1 package of mini pre-cooked flatbreads (our package had 4 which was perfect for a dinner serving)
• 1 whole head of garlic
• 1 large mozzarella ball (sliced thinly)
• 1 large round tomato (sliced thinly)
• Basil leaves (sliced into thin strips)
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Slice off the head of the garlic. Peel away any excess outside layers. 
3. Place the garlic in foil and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Close the foil tightly and bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until fragrant. 
4. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Peel off the outside layers and skin of the garlic cloves. Gently rub the roasted garlic on the flatbreads. 
5. Alternate laying slices of tomato and mozzarella until the flatbread is covered.
6. Sprinkle the thin slices of basil leaves across the top of each flatbread.
7. Top with salt and pepper to taste, and finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
8. Place in an oven and turn the heat to broil.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown.
9. Cut into strips and enjoy!

Recently Happening

Recently things have been a bit chaotic around here.  Friends from work are planning on moving, others having babies, Chris prepping for his Step 2 Board exam, and work getting busier every day.  I've been a little sparse when it comes to posting these past few months.  Hopefully I can get back to a weekly schedule and give you all something to indulge in!

What's been happening at home?  Chris and I have made 2 absolutely amazing recipes that we 100% recommend to friends and family.  Asian turkey meatballs are a great healthy alternative to beef meatballs and add just the right flavor to this Asian dish.  Serve over rice and add your favorite Asian hot sauce, perfect weeknight meal!  These home made Chipotle bowls featured on The Today Show are to die for!  The chicken and corn salsa are spot on to those offered at Chipotle.  Definitely both repeat meals in our house!

As Chris has chosen emergency medicine as his specialty, he's recently signed up to receive a monthly Emergency Medicine magazine.  As you can see, our coffee table reading offerings are definitely wide spread.

For the past 2 months since it's been warm enough to wear sandals, I've been constantly searching for the perfect pair of black sandals.  I've finally found them!  I've been obsessed with my Jack Rogers I bought last year and decided as I've been pleased with the quality, I'd purchase another pair, different style, in black.  I think the tassels on these give the perfect touch that sandals can use to elevate them for a special occasion.

Bud Light Lime...Summertime...need I say more?  It really is the perfect refreshing drink for any warm day.  Weeknight after work or weekend afternoon, it's my go-to beverage of choice for the summer months.

Best of...Our Vacations

It's been 3 years since Chris and I took our first vacation together.  Each and every trip since has been nothing short of amazing!  Since we're not taking a vacation this year, I thought it would be nice to dream and relive through our past trips.

It all started in Miami with Tim & Becca.  Beachfront condo, pool, Lincoln Road - what more do you need?

Dominican Republic was next with Chris' college friends.  This trip was one of the best I've ever taken!  It's always so much more enjoyable enjoyable to stay at an all-inclusive resort, especially when you have a private villa and golf cart.

My first New York Rangers game - need I say more???  I think I surprised Chris' sister Ali by standing up screaming louder than Chris when they scored.  I will say that it's been nice living 3 hours away from an NHL arena where the tickets aren't astronomically through the roof.

Our most recent big vacation was in September to Hilton Head Island.  Beach days, shopping, delectable restaurants, a day trip to Savannah - best vacation we've been on together.

Hopefully the memories made on each of these vacations will hold us over until we can take another.  Until then, Chris will keep pushing through medical school and I'll keep doing whatever I can to make life easier for him while he's studying and pulling long days.

Short & Sweet - Our Top 5 Movies

Another week has wrapped up.  I don't know about yours, but mine was swamped - beyond thankful that it's finally Friday!  I chose to do a blog post with my favorite movies for this week, as it's been nothing but dreary and rainy here.  Who else loves to curl up with a cozy blanket and watch a good movie on a rainy day?

As I'm talking about my blog post, Chris goes "Oh you can't pick all girly movies," and proceeds to start naming off his favorite movies.  So I've included his top 5 favorite movies below as well!

What are some of your favorite movies that you could pop in and watch any day of the week?

Short & Sweet - My Trip Out West

My trip out west was picture perfect (with plenty of pictures to share with you all)!

I decided to book a trip to see my Aunt Linda & Uncle Jeff out in Arizona while I could take the time off.  I think the only times I've seen them in the past 10 year was due to funerals, which is every thing but joyful and exciting.  Mom and dad decided to make a road trip out of it and meet me out there when I landed.  It was a week full of memories that will never be forgotten.

We arrived at their house in Prescott, AZ to find adorable Scrabble letters with a welcome message, bottled water, hot chocolate mix with Baileys, and the most well-stocked bathroom basket I've ever seen.  Aunt Linda definitely puts the complimentary toiletries at hotels to shame!

Uncle Jeff wanted me to look through his late-mom's silver and crystal while I was out visiting and told me I could have whatever my eye fancied.  Little did he know, I'd want all but maybe 3-4 pieces of it.  Mom and dad definitely have a trunk full of silver and crystal to store for me and Chris until we get a house that we can display it in.  I am so grateful that Uncle Jeff thought of me when he received all of this.  It's really nice to have pieces that every time you use them, they remind you of the person who gave them to you.  Always best to keep items like these in the family!

The first full day in Prescott included one of the best lunches I've ever had!  A full page (I'm talking like 30 choices) of tapas and homemade sangrias - what can go wrong?!?  La Gato Azul proved to be a hidden gem.  It's worth the wait that the lunch crowd brought and we all enjoyed a delicious and filling outdoor meal in perfect weather!

I will admit that the puppies were unforgettable.  I never thought I would want to splurge and get a Coton puppy one day, but Aunt Linda has had an influence on me and made me a Coton-lover!  I've already found breeders near our hopeful residency locations.  Cody and Cooper, the two Coton pups, were so lively!  They were the most well-behaved and lovable dogs I've ever been around.  Riley, the beagle, was as precious as they come!  She loved everyone!

Since people get baby fever, I'm pretty sure it's safe to say I have puppy fever!  Bring on fall of 2016 when we're in a different location in residency and I can get my own little pooch :)

The drive back to Phoenix on Sunday was stunning!  We had to pull off at a rest area and take in the scenery!

I never thought roses could live and thrive in the Arizona heat, until I saw their back yard.  They have the most beautiful rose garden I've ever seen in person.

And as always, you know you're in Phoenix when the thermometer is ticking closer and closer towards 100 degrees (in March)!!!  Thank goodness for the <10% humidity or I'd be scorched to a crisp out there!  Saying I sat outside and enjoyed a few beers in the 95+ degree heat is something I never thought I'd say.  It was actually quite enjoyable in the shade, believe it or not.

Here's to keeping up visits with Aunt Linda & Uncle Jeff in the future!  Hopefully they can come visit Chris and I in residency and explore the town we live in!

Short & Sweet - Springtime

Springtime is finally upon us!  After months of harsh winter weather and yearning for a day of decent sunshine and warm temperatures, this first weekend of spring was absolutely perfect!  We booked a hotel and hockey tickets for a getaway in Raleigh, NC - which has quickly become one of my favorite getaway spots.  It's close enough that the drive isn't too bad on a Friday afternoon, yet far enough that it feels like a whole different area.

When we woke up on Saturday morning, the sky was covered in clouds.  We spent the first hour or so trying to figure out what the weather was doing.  The forecast kept saying mostly sunny and a high of 68...yet the skies were not cooperating.  By the time we rolled out of the hotel for a day of retail therapy and venturing around town, the skies were beautiful and it was quickly warming up outside!  Lunchtime rolls around and it's the perfect spring day - sunny and 68, just as predicted.  We enjoyed a couple beers and delicious pizzas outside at Piola.

The NY Rangers were in town one more time and we somehow managed to get second row tickets for an unbeatable price.  I'm pretty sure we were surrounded by Rangers fans from Brooklyn - Chris definitely felt at home.  The Rangers won in a shootout so we ended the night at the World of Beer, conveniently located within walking distance of our hotel.

After finding out from the couple next to us that the Rangers stayed at the Renaissance North Hills hotel across the street from us (we stayed at the Hyatt House), we decided we may have to splurge and book a night there next trip when they're in town.

I hope everyone had a great first weekend of spring!  Time to break out of your winter shell and enjoy the nice weather we're having!