Medicine & Manicures

Sparkle & Shine


2015 may be coming to an end, but surely I’m not the only one who’s excited about 2016!! With a new year comes a fresh start and new things to look forward to. New Year’s Eve has always been one of my favorite holidays. I love getting dressed up, sipping on champagne, and the excitement of counting down to the next year. Even though I don’t go “all-out” like I used to, I always find a way to celebrate. 






Today I’m sharing a fun look that is perfect for New Years Eve (or any time you just wanna get a little fancy). I found this sequined top the other week at H&M and naturally, it’s now on sale for 50% off. I’d seriously scoop one up if I were you! This is the first (and certainly not last) fully-sequined item in my closet and I only wish it were more acceptable rock it on a regular basis. I’m going bowling on NYE so I’ll be pairing this top with black skinnies, but I thought it would look super cute with a pop of color. 



















H&M sequined top (only $18) // red pencil skirt, similar // black pumps


statement earrings c/o Happiness Boutique // Loren Hope cuff // gold clutch, similar






Whether you want to stand out in sequins or just throw on some sparkly nail polish, NYE is the perfect time to add in a little glitz & glam to your wardrobe. Here are some other fun ideas for the last night of the year (you can click on any of the items to shop). The more sparkle & sequins… The better!! 











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Life Lately: Holiday Edition


The holidays may be the most wonderful time of the year… but also the most hectic! I feel like I have had something planned every single day of this month and while I love going to fun events and staying busy, I’m also looking forward to some R&R after Christmas. Who’s with me??




We’re doing a little catching up today so here’s a little look at what I’ve been up to since settling back into Charlotte!




EXIT STRATEGY


I don’t know about other cities, but Exit Strategy and other escape room-type places are taking over Charlotte. The concept is that a group of people are locked in a room and have 1 hour to get out. You’re probably like, “why would I want to do this??” It’s a fun activity to do that involves teamwork and working to solve a puzzle. You may have to find an actual key to get out of the room or solve a series of clues. Our room was a “murder mystery” and we had to find out who the murderer was, what weapon they used, and where it took place. Spoiler alert: we didn’t make it in time… even with a few hints along the way. The hour flew by and they told us we were 3 clues away from the end. It’s harder than you think it would be but I highly recommend it!!




AMELIE’S FRENCH BAKERY


If you’ve seen my Instagram posts and recent snaps, then you’d know there’s a new French bakery in town! Amelie’s actually has another location in the NoDa neighborhood of Charlotte, but I’m happy that they have added an uptown location which is conveniently a few blocks from my place. Quite dangerous for the wedding diet if you ask me. Not only are the pastries and breakfast sandwiches delicious, but the decor is so pretty (very French) and it’s the perfect place to cozy up with a cup of coffee.






AMY SCHUMER


Ryan & I have been watching “Inside Amy Schumer” since it started but somehow we still haven’t seen Trainwreck. Anyways, Amy came to Charlotte last Saturday so it made for a fun date night. She was funny as usual, but when Bridget Everett came out on stage, things got a little crazy. If you don’t know who she is, imagine a 200 lb. woman wearing almost nothing, singing very inappropriate songs, and straddling guys in the audience. Raunchy to say the least, but she put on one hell of a show!

HOLIDAY ON ICE
My old roommate Sarah and her boyfriend visited Charlotte over the weekend so I did my best to keep them entertained. Of course we had to make a stop at the outdoor ice skating rink and skate around while listening to Christmas music. We followed that with dinner at 5 Church because it’s an uptown Charlotte staple. The next morning, I took them to a few more places uptown and we biked through SouthEnd. Needless to say I was pretty exhausted at the end of the day but we had a great time!




CO CHARLOTTE 




On Monday night, I had a dinner date with Joey and we tried out a new Vietnamese restaurant in Charlotte called CO. It’s located in the Park Road Shopping Center, which has been buzzing with new shops and eateries. I got the Vietnamese ramen with pork belly, shredded pork, poached egg, egg noodles, and bok choy served in pork broth. And I’m telling you, it was good to the last drop! I’ll definitely be going back ASAP.





Last night, Ryan’s parents came over and cooked dinner for all of us. They’re the sweetest! Luckily my guy gets to work from home today so while he works, I will study. Thanks for stopping by and I will catch up with y’all again after Christmas!








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Spotted


Happy first day of winter!! I must confess… winter is my least favorite season but I can deal with it around the holidays. I’m glad that it has finally cooled down a little around Charlotte- it just doesn’t feel like the holiday season when it’s 70 degrees out, am I right?! Christmas is just three days away and all I can say is… where has 2015 gone??




This weekend was super busy, but so much fun. More on that tomorrow.





Today I’m sharing the outfit that I wore to see Amy Schumer, one of my favorite comedians. I recently discovered Greige Boutique, a local NC boutique based out of Chapel Hill, and fell in love with this spotted top. Definitely felt like I was channeling my inner dalmatian and you can never go wrong with a classic black & white combo.





I paired the top with these leather leggings and lace-up heels which I am obsessed with. I have been on the hunt for a pair for a while and when I saw these on sale at Express (and had an old gift card burning a hole in my pocket), I had to pull the trigger. They come in 4 different colors and are currently under $50. (Insert praise hands emoji here)!!







“Cruella” top c/o Greige Boutique // Express leather leggings //  Gorjana earrings


Nine West lace-up heels (on sale for $50!) // Tory Burch bag, similar // lips: Bite Beauty in “violet”





Between having family in town, to dinner dates with friends, to doctor’s appointments and Christmas shopping, I feel like I’ve barely had any time to myself. Not to mention I need to get in study mode for the boards. So. Much. To. Do. On the bright side, Ryan’s parents are in town for a few days so we’ll just keep the Christmas merriment going! Hope y’all have a great day 🙂





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Last Minute Stocking Stuffers


Fun fact. I had no clue Ryan & I were doing stockings until I felt something crunchy in mine the other day. Whoops! I haven’t really been on my holiday shopping game due to graduation/packing/moving, but at least it’s easy to find little goodies to fill a stocking. For anyone out there who is doing some last minute shopping like me, I thought I’d share a few things that I included in Ryan’s stocking. And don’t worry, he has been instructed not to read this post so let’s keep this between us!


SOMETHING LOCAL




I’ve been trying to shop local these days and if you live in Charlotte, then you know that Paper Skyscraper is THE best place to find local and unique gifts. Ryan & I live uptown and love seeing the skyline outside our window, so I thought this kitchen towel would be a great addition to our kitchen.











SOMETHING TO WEAR




You can’t go wrong with a pair of socks- extra points if they’re funny or inappropriate. As soon as I spotted these “swing your thing” golf socks, I knew I had to get them for Ryan. They’re perfect gift for any golf connoisseur! (Bacon lovers… get these).











SOMETHING RANDOM




Cue… the head massager. Totally random but totally awesome. I’ve given these as gifts before and they never disappoint. Ryan loves a good head massage so this will make my life easier… plus we can both benefit from this gift!










SOMETHING EDIBLE




Throwing some edible goodies in a stocking is a given. I added some Chomps Snack Sticks to Ryan’s  stocking because who doesn’t like beef jerky?! These little sticks will come in handy when hiking, traveling, or just when he needs a quick snack. They’re like a tastier and healthier Slim Jim made of non-GMO, grass-fed Angus beef. If you’re feeling lucky, you can enter here to win a stocking filled with $150 work of edible goodies!






Can we also talk about the fact that Christmas is only one week away?! I will be braving the SouthPark mall craziness tomorrow to squeeze in some shopping and then going to see Amy Schumer tomorrow night. Super excited about that because she is freaking hilarious and every time I go to a comedy show, I have a blast. Hope y’all have a fabulous weekend!! 






I received Chomps Snack Sticks to sample from BrandBacker. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

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PA School Graduation Weekend!

Hi friends and happy Tuesday! Sorry for my absence yesterday, but I had quite the busy weekend and had Ryan’s parents in town the past two days so it has been crazy around here. This weekend I had friends and family come visit Raleigh, my car battery died, received my long white coat on Friday, had a secret Santa party, graduated with my Master’s degree on Saturday, officially became a physician assistant, and packed up and moved from Raleigh to Charlotte on Sunday. Told you… Craziness!!


Friday was such an awesome day. The time had finally come to get my long white coat. For y’all that don’t know, the length of a white coat symbolizes medical knowledge. A short white coat is worn by students and I still how remember how excited I was to receive mine the first week of class. Getting the long white coat symbolizes the transition from student to professional and this day meant so much to me and my classmates… almost more than the actual graduation! We got to choose a person to “coat” us and it was so special to share that moment with Ryan. After that, celebrations were in order! I was so glad to have all my loved ones in town and thought it was pretty awesome that all my bridesmaids were in attendance!

After the white coat ceremony, Sarah’s family, my family and all of my friends headed to downtown Raleigh for dinner at Bolt Bistro and it was absolutely delicious! We ended the night with some drinks and arcade games at Boxcar. This was my first time there and I was so impressed with the huge selection of games and I totally killed it at skee-ball!

Saturday was the main event, our graduation day, but I had a few celebrations even before that. Since not all my closest girlfriends live in town, we thought this time in Raleigh would be the perfect opportunity for our “secret” Santa party. We exchanged gifts at our friend Rachael’s house and then her boyfriend Freddy cooked breakfast for all of us. It was such a great start to the day (complete with mimosas, of course)! Then it was time to head back and get ready for the graduation festivities.

Yes, this day was happy and exciting, but also bittersweet. PA school has taken up a huge chunk of my life for the past 2.5 years. Of course I’m ready to be back in Charlotte for good and start my career, but I’ll also miss group outings with my classmates and catching up with faculty. It was a little sad to say goodbye to a lot of my classmates, knowing that they’re scattering across the country. We’ve been through many stressful times together, but also made PA school more fun than I ever thought it would be. (You can read about my 5 favorite moments here).

Sunday was an early morning spent packing up everything into our cars, saying goodbye to the roommates, and driving back to Charlotte for the LAST time!! I won’t miss those frequent 3 hour drives and when I visit Raleigh in the future, it will be for fun purposes only. I’m so thankful for my two roommates and PA school wouldn’t have been the same without them.

I’m so excited to start the newest chapter in my life and am thankful for my friends and family who have supported and encouraged me all the way. I also can’t even begin to tell you how amazing of a supporter Ryan was- always keeping me positive when things got stressful, understanding my hectic schedule, and cheering me on every step of the way. I know 2016 will be the best year yet!!





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