Weekend Recap

HAPPY MONDAY!!! 

How was your weekend?

I had a great fun packed weekend! It was exactly what I needed after a long week of studying for my 5th exam this month. Luckily, this week is our LAST exam for a couple weeks. October has been no joke. I need a break!

My classmates and I went out in Uptown Charlotte on Friday night to a piano bar called Howl at the Moon. It was a great opportunity to bond and get to know each other outside of the classroom. We all had a great time. We definitely need to do this again sometime soon!

The FSU vs Miami came was a tad bit stressful and ugly but somehow we pulled out a win. I hope that we play well against Duke at the Homecoming game this weekend. They had a big win against UNC and will be coming out with confidence to Doak. We better show up and fight! SCALP 'EM Seminoles!

On Sunday, my phi mu sister, Jackie, invited me to go to the Carolina Panthers game against the Dallas Cowboys. It was a perfect day in Charlotte, weather in the 70s and sunny. For a while there I thought we were going to pull ahead with the win against the cowboys. It was a close game!

I decided that Charlotte is probably where I will end up. The city, people, and environment is right in line with my personality. I love the southern hospitality meets city slickers. It is such a fun city and I am looking forward to the next four years exploring the city!

Have a great week! It's almost the weekend again :) 

Great Grapes Wine Festival

How to survive pharmacy school? Reward yourself with fun events on the weekend with good people. I have been working very hard in school lately. October is an exam/quiz packed month. In order to make it through I have to give myself goals and rewards. 

I found out about the Great Grapes Wine Festival from a classmate who has attended for the past couple years. I am a festival junkie. I think they are so much fun and there are so many different types of festivals out there. I knew that a couple of my classmates would jump at the idea of attending a local wine festival! So we organized a group and bought our tickets!

Great Grapes was at the local park in Charlotte and had dozens of local wineries that came together to show off their product. We went around to most of the booths and tasted until we found our favorite bottle. We each bought different wines and settled down on a grassy knoll, shared, chatted, and laughed. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon. 

My favorite wineries that I tried were Southern Charm and Autumn Creek Vineyards. Southern Charm Vineyards specialized in sweet reds, which I normally don't care for, but they were very delicious. They had a seasonal christmas wine that was infused with cranberries and a delicious sangria. Autumn Creek had a white blend (pino and moscoto) called Diamond Girl that I really enjoyed. The two wines balanced each other out and created a clean, crisp wine that is very drinkable on a hot afternoon. 

I think I want to visit a winery for my birthday. They are all over the state and look like a lot of fun! North Carolina has so much to do! I am having a great time and can't wait to stumble across another fun festival.

Here are some photos from the Great Grapes Wine Festival:

The Best Kind Of Medicine

So, there must be something going around. Everyone is getting sick. I am just now recovering from some sort of virus. Let me tell you...it was not fun. I had to take off school yesterday. I slept ALL day. I literally was up for maybe 3 hours. Today I feel about a million times better. I am not back to my happy healthy self yet but I am on my way to getting much better!

As you know, my best friend Rima is in London doing an internship at a local gallery. She is doing great things and they have their opening tonight! Cross your fingers for her!!

I was laying in bed and heard a "ding" on my blackberry. I look and see an email that says "a little surprise" from Rima. I open it up to find this:

I love that she shares her adventures with me. I have never been out of the country besides Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, and Bahamas. Europe fascinates me. I definitely live vicariously through Rima. It means so much to me that she thinks of me during this amazing trips. Atlantic Ocean? Lets make Sim a video! I just love her so much.

Photo Jen took while Skyping Rima at Stonehedge!!

Here is a little background story: Last winter break, I went over to Rima's house and we sat on her couches outside with mulled wine and comfy blankets. We sat all cuddled up and had some future talks. I had decided what grad school I was going to and she was waiting to hear back about her placement in London. We started talking about our 5 year plans. Everything felt so natural and easy when we were talking about them...like it was meant to be. Then, a shooting star flew over us. It was awesome. I feel that our 5 year plans are starting to become a reality. Rima is in London, I am in North Carolina. We know we are going to come together again sometime soon but our paths are surprisingly pretty close to how we imagined them. Now, Rim get that dream job and the Loft. I will meet you in London. I am so proud of you. Keep doing great things! I know it will all work out in the end.

Can't wait for the real deal. Big Ben here we come :) 

{mind} Homesick

Whenever you begin something new, there is always the feeling of fear and nervousness that accompanies the transition. It can hit you at any time. Some people experience it before the move, during the move, a week into the new journey, or a while after. During undergrad, I wasn't homesick until the second semester of my freshman year. I was so busy with rushing Phi Mu, starting classes, moving in, and meeting new people that I didn't feel lonely or sad until things slowed down. This year has been a little different.

2012 - you have been really tough. Challenging me to think ahead, push my limits, move me across the country...three times, say goodbye to friends, grow up, and much more.

I have really enjoyed the transition to North Carolina. I love it here. Everyone is super friendly and welcoming. I love the weather, environment, city, people, and school. But, homesick hit hard this week. I started to think about all my friends going in their own directions, not being at recruitment, starting over completely, making new friends, and missing my family.

Homesickness is there to remind us that we aren't alone. When I was feeling down this morning I called my friend Rima - who instantly made me forget about being sad after telling me funny stories and reminding me that she is always a phone call, text, or skype away. She instantly made me feel full after only a five minute conversation. Distance means nothing when you have amazing friends and family. After a few hours, the lonely feelings started coming back. During break I checked my facebook to see that Jen wrote me a message. I start chatting with her and told her how I was feeling a bit beat up today and this is what she sends me:

That feeling you get when you tell yourself things will be better tomorrow and you actually believe it.
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She literally knows me too well. I died laughing. This website is filled with funny pick me ups. Moral of the story : whenever you are feeling beat up, lonely, or sad - call/text/message one of your friends, they are guaranteed to make you feel better and not so far away. 

I know that I will start making friends and making my own here in NC but I will always have my amazing group of friends with me wherever I go. And that is something I am so thankful for! 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

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I hope it is filled with watermelon margaritas, sunny days and cool nights, country music, red white and blue outfits, and good food. 

My neighborhood has 3 pools and they all just opened this weekend! Perfect timing for Memorial Day Weekend. I can't wait to have the pool opened for the hot summer days approaching!

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Texas is all about lovin' your country, family, and beer. So it is only fitting that I celebrate Memorial Day Weekend Texas style with a country concert at Billy Bobs in Fort Worth, TX. Tonight, my family and I  are going to see Joe Nichols. His songs are perfect for a day filled drinking margaritas and at night two stepping. 

Here is one of my favorite songs: Tequila Makes Her Clothes Come Off 

(you should really listen to this by the pool drinking your favorite tequila drink!)

I will miss my friends even more this weekend because we are always about the themed parties. We look forward to holidays just so we can all come together and have a party! We had our fair share of American themed parties and socials. 

Have a great Memorial Day!!! 

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Oh Twenty First Birthdays

Twenty First Birthdays. Enough said. My best friend Rima turned 21 and I knew I had to make an amazing cake to celebrate. I am not a very big baker but when I saw this BEAUTIFUL cake I knew I had to recreate it.

Mission: low fat strawberries and cream birthday cake.

chocolate

strawberries

whipped cream

custard

pirouette cookies

angel food cake

YUM!

When you think of 21rst birthdays you probably thing of tequila shots not chocolate covered strawberries. But, this cake is the best chaser for that tequila shot. Trust me.

The cake is really simple to make. So you have no excuse not to completely impress the person you make it for. I used boxed Angel food cake mix, cool whip, fresh stawberries, Pirouette cookies, and low fat strawberry jam! The only thing I actually made was the custard! The assembling of the cake is the best part!

The trick is to spray whipped cream in between the layers to make sure they stick! You layer strawberry jam, custard, and fresh stawberries between the layers. You should have 2 round cakes cut in half.

You should have 3 layers of filling in your scrumptious cake.

Frosting can be high in calories and sugar...so I used cool whip (a low calorie whipped cream). Genius. I spread a 16oz container all over the cake and put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes to harden.

Once the frosting is harded, assemble the pirouette cookies around the cake. I used hazelnut and dark chocolate pirouette cookies but you can use whatever flavor you want!

After the cookies are placed on the side of the cake, begin filling the inside with your chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate decorations.

For the happy birthday sign: just spread a thin layer of white chocolate on wax paper and place in freezer to harden for about 10 minutes. Once the white chocolate is hard, take the semi sweet chocolate and write Happy Birthday. Then place back into the freezer to harden.

Happy Birthday Rima!

Low Fat Strawberry and Cream Birthday Cake

adapted from The Baked Bean

Cake:

follow the instructions on the Angel Food Cake box or purchase a pre-made angel food cake.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries:

6 oz of semisweet chocolate chips
3 ounces of white chocolate chips
15-16 large strawberries
Put the chocolates in seperate microwave safe bowls.
One at a time, melt the chocolate in the microwave in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring each time. Heat and stir until smooth.

Pirouette Wafers:

store bought hazelnut or dark chocolate

Cool Whip:

16oz container

Custard:

Ingredients:
2 cups of half and half
1\2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks (you'll need the whites for the cake!)
3 Tbs Cornstarch
4 Tbs of unsalted butter, cold and cubed.
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
Heat the half and half, vanilla extract, 6 Tbs sugar and salt in a medium pot over medium heat until it starts to simmer.

In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks, in a medium bowl, with the remaining sugar and cornstarch for about a minute.

When the half and half mixture reaches a full simmer, pour have of if into the egg mixture bowl and whisking constantly.

Return the mixture to the pot and whisk the cream over medium heat. Let the cream thicken for about 1-2 minutes. Once the cream has thickened, turn of the heat and mix in the butter until melted.

Strain the cream through a sieve over a medium bowl. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and press the wrap directly over the cream so that a skin will not form. Refridgerate until cold and set.

Use right away of refridgerate until ready to use.

Enjoy :)