The Roundup: Tricks & Treats

Happy Halloween! I can't believe it's already the last day of October. I figured I would do one master post for this month's highlights and to tell you a little bit about what's on my mind for November :) At the very beginning of this month, my performance team (Capital Salseros) and I performed in the Hall of the Americas at the Organization of American States. We were performing for 200+ guests, including ambassadors and diplomats from several Carribbean embassies (the Bahamas, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, etc.) The adrenaline rush of performing for such a large audience was amazing and so much fun!

The weekend after our performance my friend treated me to dinner at Maple Ave Restaurant, a local spot in the heart of Vienna! The food was delicious but a little pricey. I would say there are definitely some tastier (and more reasonably priced) spots in our town, but after hearing about this place for months it was nice to give it a try! We got the fried green tomatoes for an appetizer and split the banana bread pudding for dessert. I tried their baked mac and cheese for an entree.

Speaking of food - a friend of mine (who I met through salsa class) has been teaching me how to weightlift. It's been challenging because I've never done strength training before. He put together a workout routine for me, as well as a nutrition plan. I've always had a problem with portio control, but with his help I was able to pre-cook dinner for a few weeknights and they are both tasty and healthy!

As you may know from one of my previous posts, I got the opportunity to visit NYC for an interview. I stayed with one of my best friends from college and we ended up noshing at this tasty Italian place close to Penn Station! Before meeting up with my friend for dinner, I ended up wandering through the city with a fellow interviewee. We walked over to the Strand street bookstore and wound up reading for a little while in Central Park. That's one part of the interview process that I really enjoyed - meeting all the other wonderfully talented, interesting, and friendly interviewees!

The following weekend, a good friend of mine from high school decided to take me to the Shenandoah to go hiking! We hiked the White Oak Canyon trail (right next to Old Rag) and got the most spectacular autumn views! There are two falls on this trail, although we only managed to make it to the lower falls. We ended up hiking about 3 miles up before turning around to head back to the car. The weather was absolutely perfect for hiking - sunny and a bit chilly due to a light breeze.

Between the adventures I was also trying out some new Halloween-themed baking recipes! I made some pumpkin cupcakes for my coworkers and some skeleton cupcakes for a friend's pumpkin-carving party. For the skeleton cupcakes I used a Wilton kit + Wilton black icing. For the cake mix? Devil's Food Cake from Betty Crocker! Everyone ended up loving the little sugar bones sprinkled in the black frosting. It's all in the details :)

Fall is my all-time favorite season, mostly because it's smack-dab in the middle of the holiday season! I love the crunchy leaves, warm apple cider, oversized scarves, fluffy down bedding, and flannel sheets. It's also the best excuse for stationary-crazed dorks (like me) to send my friends from elementary school & college some snail mail! I used Jolie's stickers for my Halloween & Thanksgiving cards. I also started Balance, Angie Grace's pattern book for therapeutic coloring. I have a plan for this collection of patterns - to be revealed in the future :)

Towards the end of the month my friends took me mini-golfing at Woody's to celebrate my acceptance to medical school. One of my pals brought some roses to say congratulations and they ended up being the perfect way to honor what would have been my dad's 60th birthday. After my acceptances arrived, I immediately thought of him. He taught me to pursue my dreams with tenacity - to be unapologetic about my ambitions, and 10 years later it's still a huge part of who I am. I have him to thank for that, in addition to plenty of other things.

I finished the month off with Duke DC's Partners in Education, which I now sit on the planning committee for :) this month's trip was to Hartland Farms. The kids got to play on the moon bounce, see a pig race, go on a hayride, run through the corn maze, and enjoy the beautiful fall weather! Duke alumni never fail to impress me with their generosity! More than 10 volunteers gave up their entire Sunday to take these kids out to the farm. We're so lucky to have such a wonderful network of alumni right here in DC!

Now that the month is over, I'm turning my attention towards November and all the excitement it will bring! Here are the top five reasons I am absolutely over-the-moon excited for the coming month:

1. Duke AAAC Interviews It's interview season! I always look forward to this time of year because it's another opportunity for me to talk about the school that I love so much. Duke is such a huge part of who I am and I can't wait to speak with applicants that are just as excited about the school as I am!

2. West Coast to East Coast My best friend since the 7th grade is finally leaving California to visit me in DC! On the docket for her visit: Dupont Farmer's Market, segway tour of the National Mall, Lincoln Assassination walking tour, and dinner at a local Italian market in DC!

3. The Children's Crusade Our book club read for November looks like a fun one :) I'm planning on making some Morrocan-style Harissa meatballs for the meeting and it'll be a great opportunity to catch up with the ladies.

4. Friendsgiving 2015 As this is going to be my last year in Vienna, I've officially volunteered to host Friendsgiving again for my high school crew. Menu is still in the works, but we're trying to keep it light this year! I found the cutest wax lanterns, leaf bowls, and pear place settings for the night. Will definitely post photos when all the crafting is finished!

5. Birthday Fun November also happens to be my birthday month :) the fact that my friend from California is visiting is the best birthday present that I could've ever asked for! To bring my two worlds together, I'm hoping to host a sushi night while she is in town to introduce her to my best friends from high school!

I'm also currently working on some new material for the blog! The series will be called The Skinny and I'll be sharing my top 3 or top 5 favorites picks (in loads of different categories) each week. Until next time!