Still in Worcester...

This is my view on clear nights during my drive back to Worcester from Fitchburg.  The town itself isn't much to see, but this view is worth it!

Leaving Worcester for 3 interviews in 3 states in 3 days on Tuesday.  So excited for Christmas!!

Exhausting...but fun!

So I set about last week to make a map of where I've been since starting this journey (blue dots) and where I still have to go before graduation in May (red dots).  There's a few errors, omissions (Italy didn't fit), a few unknowns (I'm not sure how I'll fit Hawaii on the map if it works out that I should go there) and a few overlaps, but all in all it's a pretty good representation of the whirlwind journey I've been on.  But I can't complain one bit.  I've had the opportunity to see great friends and family across the country and all without paying $1 in real rent (I've bought lots of gifts, and paid the mortgage on my own condo, but no real rent)...

I'm currently in Worcester, MA and am staying with a friend who is a 3rd year medical student at UMass.  I spent the weekend in Boston and caught up with some old friends and had a wonderful interview at Boston Medical Center!  But man is it cold here!  I guess 10-ish years in the South has really made me weak!  But it's a great excuse to wear lots of scarves!  And to cozy up inside with a mug of tea and watch TV and knit...

Book Club

The second installment in my Book Club series is this quick read by Ann Patchett, State of Wonder.  Years ago I read her book, Bel Canto and fell in love!  She writes these interesting stories, in exotic settings, with great characters, and it all comes together to make a very memorable read.

This one was no different.  While I was in New York, I need a book to read on the subway, so I hopped on over to Greenlight Books, this adorable, independent bookstore in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn.  This one was featured as a "new in paperback" and I didn't hesitate to pick it up.

I read it in a matter of a week on my train trips, and just devoured it!  It's the story of a pharmaceutical researcher who is dispatched to go to South America to follow-up the recent death of a colleague there.  The research that is being done in South America is on a native community who maintains fertility into their 60s and 70s (so suspend disbelief for a moment).  The drug company would, of course, like to figure out how to synthesize this ability and sell it to 40-something women at top dollar.  But of course ethical dilemmas, and personal development ensue, and maybe, just maybe the colleague isn't dead...

I highly recommend it!

Next up....Anna Karenina, so it might be a few months!

Albuquerque

Well, so it begins.... The "interview trail" as 4th year medical students call it.  The time of year when we pick up after work one day, travel to a new city, and are back to work the day after!  All in the name of "matching" into a residency!

The Sandia Mountains from the hospital conference room

So it was in this fashion that I traveled to New Mexico the other day.  Sunday morning I flew to Albuquerque, drove around, got the lay of the land, went to dinner with current residents, slept in a weird hotel, toured the hospital and interviewed with attending physicians, drove to Santa Fe, had dinner, drove back to ABQ, and hopped back on a plane to Charlotte!  Phew... needless to say I was exhausted!

The plaza in Santa Fe

But I'm glad to say that I got to check another state off my list.  And I really loved the program at the University of New Mexico!  The people were very nice.  There's a lot of focus on academics and educations and they take care of lots of sick kids from around the southwest US and lots of those have really rare and weird diseases.  BUT it was freezing and so, so dry that my skin was cracking and my nose was bleeding by the time I left.  So if I end up matching there, please send gallons of lotion and a humidifier!!

Santa Fe

Central Park

I'm back in Charlotte on a radiology rotation, but still have lots of photos from NYC to share.  A few days before I left I stayed with a very wonderful friend on the Upper West Side.  My schedule was such that I never even saw her while I was there (working 3pm-11pm with at least an hour commute).  But I was able to use that morning time for some exploration.  I needed to go for a run, so I took that opportunity to run through Central Park.  It was a disjointed run to say the least, because I kept stopping to take pictures!  It was a gloomy, fall day but the weather was perfect for a run.  I'm always so surprised by how in the middle of the city you can feel like you're in the woods in Central Park.  But then you look up and there are amazing tall buildings and historic picturesque shots!

Book Club

If you know me at all, you know that I always have a book in progress.  I like to read before I go to bed at night, and my wishlist of books is so long that I have to keep up or else I'll never read these amazing books before it's too late.  So while I was in NYC I had lots of time to read on the train to and from work.  I started with Deborah Harkness's bestseller Discovery of Witches.

It is honestly one of the best books I have read in a long time.  I likened it to Harry Potter meets Twilight meets the Da Vinci Code.  And it's the first in a trilogy which is wonderful because it means you don't have to be sad when you finish it because more is on its way!  (The second book, Shadow of Night is out in hardcover, but the release date for the third is TBD).

I read it so quickly, partially because I had so much time on the train, but partially because I was tearing through it!  Couldn't put it down.  I even had one of those awkward moments when I was at my stop, but wasn't ready to stop reading so I continued to read as I walked up the stairs and out of the subway and almost into people...

It's the story of Diana Bishop, a professor of history and scholar of alchemy at Yale, and the descendant of generations of witches.  She has always shunned her powers, but upon stumbling upon an ancient book of witchcraft she is brought into the world she has always avoided.  She is met by the attractive and intriguing 1500-year-old vampire, Matthew Clairmont, and of course madness ensues.  It is fast paced, and so captivating.  I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good romance and some magic!

I really wanted to be caught reading by this blog while in NYC.  http://undergroundnewyorkpubliclibrary.com/ But no such luck... Check it out!

My next book is Ann Patchett's State of Wonder...stay tuned

In the nick of time...

Well, I'm back in Charlotte, and apparently I got out of NYC just in the nick of time.  I left at around 6pm on Saturday and the subways closed at 7pm on Sunday.  And then apparently all hell broke loose along the entire Eastern seaboard!!  I could not feel more blessed to have gotten out without any delays, and I seriously hope that NYC and NJ recover soon.

The pictures online are absolutely amazing.  From the blackouts to the flooding, I can't believe this is the same city I was just adventuring around a few days ago!

Blackout in lower Manhattan

Check out this website for a before-and-after .gif

http://gothamist.com/2012/10/30/compare_lower_manhattan_before_and.php

Empty Grand Central Station

http://gothamist.com/2012/10/28/photos_grand_central_terminal_gets.php#photo-5

MTA/Aaron Donovan

The Red Hook neighborhood, which is where I stayed last month

http://gothamist.com/2012/10/30/photos_stormtroopers_flooding_and_m.php#photo-6

flickr

This picture of the flooding at the ground zero/Freedom Tower dig site is amazing, because it shows the sheer power of that volume of water.  I remember this statistic from a disaster preparedness course that we took during med school - it only takes a foot of water to displace the weight of a 4-door car, sweeping it with the current.

http://weather.aol.com/2012/10/30/at-least-80-flooded-houses-destroyed-by-nyc-fire/

But alas, leave it to Diane Sawyer to leave us with a ray of hope; that after the storm the sun really does shine!

instagram - DianeSawyer

Perfect Fall Weekend!

The weather in New York this weekend was nearly perfect this weekend!  So I took full advantage of my time off and ended up having a nearly perfect time!

SATURDAY
- A foggy run through Brooklyn Bridge Park

- Yoga class
- Awesome iced latte and pain aux raisins from Bien Cuit on Smith St.
- Lunch at Candle Cafe on the Upper East Side - the most disgusting green juice and the most delicious BBQ Tempeh and sweet potato sandwich (the second time this week I've had sweet potato on a sandwich)

- An overwhelming trip through the Met

- A quick walk through Central Park

- A homecooked dinner of pasta with vegetables and goat cheese and catching up on lots of TV!

SUNDAY
- Run through Brooklyn Bridge Park
- A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (a total of 8 miles...so tired....)

- Saw newlywed Amber Tamblyn walking her dog!

So all in all, nearly perfect!  Now it's time for a nap...

Mmmm...Pizza....

So after shopping at Eataly, I was sufficiently overwhelmed and decided to get lunch elsewhere.  There is an amazing food truck park (an area where food trucks/stands congregate at lunchtime) at Madison Square called Madison Square Eats.  There are tons of big name carts there like Momofuku Milk Bar, Wafels and Dinges, and even a place called Arancini Bros, which just might be my idea of heaven.

But the place I most wanted to try, especially after having spent so much time in Eataly, was Roberta's Pizza.  Amazing wood-fired pizza - they actually travel around the city with the oven.

Perfect crispy crust.  Great cheese and sauce, and lots of basil and red pepper.  Just perfect!

And all with a view of the Flatiron building in the background...

 What would happen if I ate pizza every day?  Maybe it's like an apple a day?

NYC Math

I just spent $20 on a cab home from work at 12:00am.  (Yes, I work ridiculous hours).  It took 8 minutes.

I could have spent $0 on a shuttle, train AND bus home.  It usually takes 90 minutes.

I saved approximately 82 minutes by paying an extra $20.  (4 minutes of which I'm using to post this)

That's less than 25 cents for every extra minute of sleep I get!  I'd say that's worth it!!

Eataly!!

One of the places I was most excited about visiting in NYC was Eataly.  It's this huge Italian supermarket chain that was brought over from Italy my Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich and other big name chefs in NYC.  There are lots of different sections within the market - and each one is more amazing than the last.  It's quite overwhelming!  There's a huge cheese shop, fresh pasta, bakery, fish, meats, housewares, and on and on and on...

 The bakery was absolutely amazing.  With what seemed like a mile of italian pastries...

And a huge italian espresso bar...

But the fresh pasta bar was the most beautiful...

In addition to the market, there are eateries sprinkled throughout.  A pizza and pasta restaurant.  A seafood restaurant.  A vegetarian bar.  And apparently there's a beer garden on the roof.  I might have to come back in the summer to take part in that...

It was so overwhelming that I didn't even end up eating lunch there.  But more on that later...

Brooklyn Bridge Park

The first thing I did when I got to New York was go for a run.  I'm staying with a friend from high school who lives right at the end of the Brooklyn Bridge Park System.  It's still in progress, but it's a gorgeous trail with amazing views of the Financial District, the new Freedom Tower in progress, and even the Statue of Liberty from a few places.  

The weather has been nice and I've had a few more opportunities to run there.  This is a required activity as I need to counterbalance the insane amounts of food I've been eating!  Between snacking on night shifts, NY pizza and food trucks, it's a miracle if my jeans will fit by the end of this month!

There's the new Freedom Tower @ 1 World Trade Center, under construction, to the right of center.  When completed it will be 1776' high.  The tallest building in the western hemisphere.

Now I'm off to an overnight shift.  Thankfully it's the last one I have this month!!

Back to my traveling antics...

It's been over a month since I last posted, and its only because I was on my favorite rotation thus far (neonatology) and was spending time in Charlotte where not too much fun stuff happened.

But then I started traveling again.....

I'm currently in Brooklyn on an Emergency Medicine rotation, but first my parents and I made a stop over in Boston.  I lived there for a year from 2006-07 and it was great to explore again with my parents.  Unfortunately it was really rainy and cold during our stay.  During our stay we

• strolled down Newbury St.
• saw this guy who was just on the season premiere of New Girl
• had an amazing eggplant sandwich at Cutty's in Brookline
• went to dinner at what claims to be the oldest restaurant in the US
• walked almost the entirety of the Freedom Trail
• ate amazing Italian food (cannolis included) in the North End

Then I took a train to NYC and started working in the ER the next day....

I won't stay away so long next time...

Hiking. Hunger Games Style...

This weekend the family decided to take a trip to Asheville, NC to get away and explore a little bit.  Unfortunately the morning of our departure, our oldest cat seemed to be on his last legs (this has been a long time coming), so Dad decided to stay home on high alert.  (The cat is still alive, but the vet is coming tomorrow, so we'll see what happens...)

So our trip turned into a girls' trip - Mom, Allie and me.  We started off by going apple picking.  This apple was literally growing around the branch.  I tried to come up with some metaphor about how to be resourceful when obstacles are put in your way, so I could use it for my residency essay (which will be submitted in 19 short days), but I couldn't come up with anything that didn't sound like a 12-year-old wrote it!

Mom and I snapped some camera phone shots!

And then we went for a hike near Hooker Falls.  There are three sets of waterfalls nearby - Hooker, Triple and High Falls.  And apparently Triple Falls is where they filmed the "Peeta is dying" scenes in the Hunger Games.  The link is to a CNN article about other places the cast went while filming in Asheville.  Unfortunately they're filming Chasing Fire in Georgia.

So gorgeous!  And well worth the aerobic effort!  Then we headed up to our rental house for the night.  When we had four people going it was cheaper (and nicer) to get a whole house rather than two hotel rooms.  So we found this amazing place on VRBO.  Little did we know that it was at the top of a mountain, which sounds great in theory, until you realize that you have to drive up this uninhabited mountain.  But it was worth it for these vistas...

We had a wonderful dinner at The Blackbird in Black Mountain and the most indulgent brunch this morning at Tupelo Honey.  I would move to Asheville in a heartbeat - too bad there's no pediatric residency or fellowships there!  Maybe someday!!

Such a wonderful reprieve from suburbia!  Too bad we only got to spend about 16 hours at the house.  But hopefully we'll go back again soon!

Back home...

After a red eye flight cross-country, a birthday dinner, an engagement party, a coffee meet-up and a 7-hour drive, I'm back in the comfort of my parents' house.  And all in about 40 hours!  Not too shabby!

The numbers so far...

92 - number of days since starting this adventure

2,446 - number of miles driven (not counting commuting)

2,136 - number of miles flown (pittsburgh to los angeles)

8 - number of different grocery store chains i've been in (safeway, kroger, publix, whole foods, trader joes, food lion, wegman's, giant eagle)

9 + 1 - number of states + the district of columbia i've been in

9 - number of places i've slept (6 beds, 1 couch, 1 air mattress, 1 floor)

Sheep herding

Last year in the fall, my mom and I found sheepdog trials near Charlotte and we had the day off, it was beautiful outside and we decided to check it out.  It was so cool.  I felt like I was in the middle of the movie "Babe."  So when she sent me this video last week, I could not believe it. 

How in the world do they get the sheep to work in such intricate movements?  And tolerate those light vests?  I can't even make my cat get off the bed!!!?

My own personal leap day!

This is my favorite day, and it happens only once every 4 years!!!

So excited for the opening ceremonies!

Celebrity sighting

So my time out and about in LA has been pretty limited since I've been fairly busy either working, driving or sleeping.  But today, I had my first (and probably only) celebrity sighting of the trip!  Just walking along the corridor of the hospital, there we see this famous face...

And she looked good!  Jamie Lee Curtis is a huge supporter of children's hospitals across the country and she must have been taking a tour of the brand new hospital building at CHLA.  Totally bizarre to see someone famous in the hospital of all places!

Work

Morning commute

Don't tell the California Highway Patrol (or my mom) that I took this shot!

Hike in Griffith Park

In an attempt to avoid the awful rush hour traffic in LA, I've been trying to find workout/shopping/eating opportunities near work between 5 and 7.  Griffith Park is only about 5 minutes from the hospital and provides the most amazing views of the city, the Hollywood Sign and the Griffith Observatory

You drive up this long and winding road to the top of the mountain, and from there you find tons of trails going up and down, providing amazing views.

Too much smog to see the Santa Monica beaches (in fact, I think this shot is towards Downtown, not West towards the beach), but perfect views of this iconic place...too bad I left my real camera in Pittsburgh, or else I would have much better shots!

Not too shabby for an after-work workout!