Medicine & Manicures

Four


Happy Thursday, friends! This has been a busy little week and last night was the first time I just got to lay around and chill. This little post has been floating around several of my favorite blogs so naturally, I had to join in! Hopefully you can learn a little more about me and also write one for yourself because these are some of my favorite posts to read… here goes nothing 🙂




Four of my nicknames





1. TT – Ryan somehow came up with this one. TT stands for multiple adjectives of “Tina.” His two favorites have to be “Tiny Tina” and “Tired Tina” (but FYI, no one calls me Tina in real life).






2. Tina – Ok so… some people can call me Tina, but only my besties get that privilege. I think my friend Logan started this one, which stemmed off of K-Tina (back from the high school days).






3. Puddin’ – Another one from Ryan. We love the silly nicknames around here.






4. Giggles – Ryan is cuddles. We’re so weird 🙂










Four jobs I’ve had







1. Sonic – This was my very first job as a senior in high school and I absolutely loved it! I got to skate around on roller skates, make tips, and yes… I did wipe out a few times.






2. Babysitter/Nanny – This was seriously one of my favorite jobs. Getting paid to hang out with kids- how awesome is that?!






3. Medical Scribe – After college when I was trying to get some experience for my PA school application, I worked in the ER as a scribe. Basically, I would follow the doctor/PA around to see each patient and I would chart for them. 






4. Patient Services Specialist – Otherwise known as a receptionist, I worked the front desk at OrthoCarolina for two years before I got into PA school. This was my first full-time job (aka “big-girl job”) and I absolutely loved working there. I’m even more excited about doing my ortho rotation there in June… can’t wait!










Four movies I’ve watched more than once




1. Mrs. Doubtfire – I know pretty much every line and can also do a mean impression of a hot dog. I even found the famous house in San Fran!






2. Wedding Crashers – Probably my favorite comedy of all time. I still remember going to the movies in high school and getting some random people to buy our tickets because we weren’t 18 yet. Ahhh, the good ‘ol days.






3. Titanic – I mean, it’s a classic! Yes it’s long, but I swear it never gets old- such a well made movie! 






4. Sex and the City – What girly girl doesn’t love this movie? 










Four things in my purse


1. Lip products – Whether it’s lipstick, Fresh Sugar lip balm, or Vaseline, I have to have something to keep my lips looking smooth and hydrated. You could say I’m addicted.








2. Tic-Tacs – Gotta keep that breath fresh!! I have to pop one of these babies in anytime after I finish a meal.






3. Mini hair brush – This is a must have when I wear my hair straight (it tends to get stringy) and when I need to apply lipstick on the go. Basically, I feel lost without this thing! I recently got a new one from Sephora and it’s even more compact than my old one. Love!








4. Emi-Jay hair ties – I hate wearing my hair up, but you gotta be prepared!










Four places I’ve lived






1. Moscow, Russia – In case you didn’t know, I wasn’t born in the US and am 100% Russian. So that means I can speak it, right? Sadly no, but I can understand my mom so I guess that counts for something!  






2. Marion, NC – This would be my good ‘ol hometown. It’s located in the foothills of NC between Asheville and Hickory and is super small. Like one high school small. I don’t visit too much because there’s not much to do but the best thing about Marion would have to be Lake James- it’s beautiful!






3. Charlotte, NC – I love this city so so much! I moved here in August 2006 to attend The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and graduated in 2010. After that I moved right outside of uptown and lived with my roommate Whitney for 3 fun years. After that, I briefly moved in with Ryan until August 2013 when I moved off to Buies Creek to start PA school!






4. Garner, NC – Conveniently located right outside of Raleigh, the roommates and I thought it would be best to get out of Buies Creek for our clinical year and be a little closer to civilization. What’s the best thing about living there? Having 2 Targets that are only 5 minutes away… heaven!










Four places I’ve visited

1. Dominican Republic – Beautiful beaches, beautiful weather, what’s not to love? I have nothing but good things to say about the DR (stay at Secrets Royal Beach… it was amazing!!)


2. San Francisco – San Fran is absolutely beautiful and has some of THE best food I’ve ever had. From the trolleys to the Golden Gate Bridge to the gorgeous victorian homes, it’s a city like no other.





3. Charleston – I never get tired of visiting this place. Beaches, shopping, and the best southern food you’ve ever had.






4. Boston – I went there last May for the national PA conference and loved every minute of it!






Four places on my travel bucket list






1. St. Lucia – We are considering this as our honeymoon destination, but no official plans yet. The island looks very “pacific” to me with its large Pitons and lush green landscape. 






2. Santorini – Greece looks amazing and like something straight off of a post card. Those white houses and the cobalt blue water… I will be visiting there sometime in the next few years.






3. Italy – I feel like Italy would be so romantic and can you just imagine the food?? I’ve never been to Europe so Ryan & I are definitely planning a trip in the near future.






4. Thailand – Another possible honeymoon spot- Thailand looks absolutely gorgeous and I hear you can get a lot of bang for your buck. It’s so far away, but hopefully I’ll make it there at some point!










Four things I don’t eat (this is a hard one because I eat pretty much anything)





1. Spicy chicken wings – Me and spicy foods don’t get along. I just don’t know why anyone would want to sweat while eating?!? 





2. Licorice – Just… eww!





3. Refried beans – It looks like mushy you-know-what. Sorry… but it’s true!





4. Brussel sprouts – I like my greens, but I’ve never been a fan of these.








Four TV shows I watch





1. The Bachelor/ Bachelorette – I only started watching this show when I graduated college and I was hooked! I’m sad to say that the seasons just aren’t what they used to be, but somehow I always keep coming back for more!






2. Revenge – I’ve been watching since the very beginning and I still love it, even though it is so out there. I just love to hate Victoria.






3. Tosh.0 – Sometimes you just want to get a good laugh out of people doing stupid s**t! 






4. Grey’s Anatomy – The obsession is real!! I re-started the series after PA school because I thought it would be cool to know what all the medical stuff was and now I’m seriously invested in their lives. 








Four things to look forward to in 2015  




1. PA school graduation!!! Oh my gosh, it feels like I have been waiting for this day (December 12th!) to come for so long and I’m so ready to become a PA and officially start my career in medicine.  I can’t express my excitement enough!!!!






2. Wedding planning – I feel like I have already planned so much but there are still several things we have to figure out (like hopefully a videographer and day-of-coordinator). The nice thing about having a long engagement is having plenty of time to figure out what we want and don’t want. Only 407 days to go!





3. Wedding season – To go along with the wedding theme, Ryan & I have 5 weddings this year. Only one of those will be in Charlotte so this means lots of traveling. I’m so excited to see some of my best friends tie the knot- I can’t wait!! 





4. Tropical vacation – I’m super duper excited that me & the fiancé are heading to St. Maarten at the end of May!! We love to travel and explore new places together and I’m so ready to get some R&R on the island and soak up the sun (wearing SPF of course!). 





Linking with Annie & Natalie.







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Weekend in NYC!




I have been bit by the travel bug lately! From New Orleans, to NYC, to St. Maarten coming up in May, nothing beats jet-setting to fun destinations. Last time Ryan & I went to New York was my very first time so I was all about the touristy stuff. We packed tons of stuff onto our itinerary like Top of the Rock, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, a Broadway show, and more.





This time was a little more relaxed, a little less scheduled. We basically planned this trip so we could meet up with our friends Mel & Todd (who were in town for a wedding) and meet their precious baby Luca. They were in town for a wedding so we got to spend quality time with them and also go do our own thing. We stayed in a 3 bedroom apartment (found on Airbnb) in Little Italy that was perfect for all of us! 




March 20th may have been the first day of spring, but we celebrated it with pretty snowfall all day! Snow and wintertime aren’t my favorites so I was worried I’d be miserable, but luckily my friend Katie let me borrow her puffy down coat and I was good to go! (My cold weather collection is seriously lacking). We had a delicious breakfast at Egg Shop (complete with a bloody of course) and popped into some shops around SoHo. Friday night, Ryan & I went to dinner at Little Prince, a recommendation we received from several people. We had some yummy mussels as we watched the snow fall down by the window- a perfect romantic date night!






Saturday morning, Ryan and I headed  to the 9/11 memorial museum and to see the giant pools where the twin towers once stood. When the attack happened, I was in 8th grade and didn’t really understand the significance of the WTC, but this experience definitely jogged my memory. It was so neat to see the artifacts that were saved but also sad to re-watch the news stories and see the photos of those who lost their lives. I can’t imagine what it was like to be in New York City on that day. I believe the museum opened pretty recently so I would recommend making a visit on your next trip to the city.

After the museum, we grabbed a bite to eat and hung out at 230 Fifth. If you’re looking for a cool lounge with a view, check this place out. You’re basically right beside the Empire State Building and the rooftop is breathtaking. It was a little chilly but we had to get some photos, duh! I definitely plan on coming back in the summer time!

We shopped down 5th Ave. for a bit and then headed back downtown for dinner with Todd, Mel, and one of her friends. We went to Balthazar which is rated the #1 restaurant in SoHo. One of my friends actually gave me a recommendation to go there so we were excited that Mel already made reservations. It’s a cute little French place and while the prices are a bit steep, I did enjoy the food and atmosphere. I also discovered a new favorite drink- the French 75. Courvoisier, champagne, and lemon juice… so delicious!!

We enjoyed our last day by walking around Central Park and grabbing lunch at Shake Shack. I love visiting NYC and sometimes wish I could live there… Even for a year or two. But until then, I’ll just fly up any chance I get. Since the past two times we’ve gone were in October and March, our next stop will definitely be in the summer time when we can leave our coats at home! If you know me then you know I love to plan trips and I have already started an itinerary (which includes row boats in Central Park). Until next time!





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6 Things I Wish I Would’ve Known About Blogging







Hey guys! So today I’m switching things up a bit with some fun stuff about the blog world. Yay! I know I love reading posts about tips & tricks and I’m always wanting to grow in the blogging world, so I thought these would be useful, especially for the new bloggers out there. I’m certainly not a professional blogger, but I don’t consider myself a rookie anymore either. I never knew what this world entailed- it’s truly a large community where you can express your thoughts, make connections, and just have fun! Here are just a few of the things that I wish I would’ve known when I started blogging and would have made life so much easier:


1. Don’t be a “no reply” blogger





I’m sure no new blogger is aware of this and I truly don’t know why Google has this setting, but whatever. I used to comment on all these blogs and never knew why I wouldn’t get responses. If you comment back on your actual blog post, other readers will see it, but the person who left the comment doesn’t get a notification. You want to make sure they’re getting your response right? And this way you can have little email convos back and forth, which are always fun!







To fix this problem, go to: Settings —> Mobile & Email —> Comment Notification Email





Next, fill in your blog email into the text box… and you’re all set!











2. Streamline your photos





Back in the day, my photos were all over the place until I finally discovered how to make them all the same width. Perfect for the OCD in me! Not only does it really clean up your blog, but it actually helps your page load faster!







I’m not able to find the exact HTML on my blog since I’m using a template (God bless the coders out there… this stuff is basically like a foreign language), but what I can do is redirect you to the resource that I used to streamline my photos. Check out this post from XoMisse for some HTML codes to get all your photos to be the same width.





3. Following on Google Friend Connect





Some people prefer Bloglovin’ and some prefer GFC. Personally, I like GFC because that’s where I log into for my blog posts and I like scrolling through my favorite blogs each day. I used to think that if someone didn’t have the GFC widget on their sidebar then I could only follow them on Bloglovin’ (which isn’t my favorite for some reason). Thanks to the lovely Zelle, I learned that you can follow any blog through GFC by simply clicking the “Add” button and pasting the URL of the blog you want to follow.




4. Latergramme can be your best friend





Ok, so this one doesn’t directly deal with blogging, but Instagram can be just as important. It can take some preparation for these posts, especially if you’re doing something like a giveaway. Sometimes it’s hard to post on social media when you have a demanding job (cough cough, PA school) and can’t constant be on your phone or computer. For all you planners out there, Latergramme easily lets you plan out your posts and when it’s time to go, you receive a quick push notification and all you have to do is swipe right. 




5. Create a separate blog email account





Why I waited so long to do this, I’ll never know. I would definitely recommend setting up a separate Gmail account for your blog ASAP! This will be a place where you can respond to comments and communicate with brands and companies. Organization is key and will make your life so much easier in the long run, trust me!





6. Leave the design up to the professionals





For about a year, my blog design was one that I created myself. I wish I had a screenshot of it to share with you, but sadly I don’t. It was cute, don’t get me wrong, but not as clean as I wanted. I did feel a sense of accomplishment for creating it myself, getting familiar with HTML codes and all that craziness, but you don’t even want to know the hours I spent doing that. One of the best things I did for my blog was purchase my site design (through one of the many companies on Etsy– most are around $30)! Do I think you should fork over $150+ for a custom design when you first get started? No. Do I think you need a clean, easy-to-read design to build your brand? Yes.





Hope some of these were useful for y’all and if you know of any other tips that have made your blogging life easier, please comment below! If any of you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to email me at medicineandmanicures@gmail.com. 









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Weekending: Travel Plans

Happy Monday, friends! First of all, I want to thank everyone who took the time to answer my little survey on Friday- it means a lot! After successfully completing my OSCE on Friday afternoon, I headed back to the QC for the start of five whole weeks!! Ryan & I stayed in that night and ordered take out from one of our favorites across the street, 5 Church. Our main mission was to sit down and finally figure out a vacation spot for the end of May when I have a week off from school. CANNOT. WAIT. We were debating between several Caribbean islands like Puerto Rico and Jamaica. I’m happy to announce that we officially have a destination on the books and we’ll be heading to… St. Maarten!! 

Beautiful, isn’t it??
Excited would be an understatement. I’m so ready to be somewhere tropical where the water is aqua blue and the drinks are fruity! It seems like such a cool place, like two islands in one. Sint Maarten is the southern Dutch side- more lively with things to do and nightlife. Saint Martin is the northern French side which is more relaxing (complete with nude beaches… eeek!). Oh, and we will definitely be going to the beach that all the airplanes fly over. So cool!! If any of y’all have been there, I’d love to hear some recommendations!
via
Saturday was a lazy day. Ryan & I had a fro-yo date and ran some errands and rented the newest Planet of the Apes movie. We made chicken nachos for dinner and I insisted on making homemade guacamole. Ryan usually gets that “wholly guacamole” stuff and I think it’s nasty. Anyways, it was delicious but I somehow ended up slicing my index finger while cutting those damn onions!! Luckily it wasn’t too bad- no need for stitches and my little flap is healing up just fine!
Sunday was full of unpacking my life, watching Grey’s, and taking a stroll through uptown/hanging out at the park. It was absolutely gorgeous outside and all I can say is… bring on the spring weather! Spring is officially 4 days away and did I mention my birthday is in less than a month? Wahoo! As for today, it’s all about getting back into the work grind after not working for 5 weeks. This will start my 6th rotation which means I’m almost at the HALFWAY POINT of clinical year. How crazy is that?!? Hope y’all have a fab Monday!
Linking with Biana & Meghan. 



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Pastel Flamingos

I love a good sweatshirt when I want to be cozy. If you haven’t ever felt a Wildfox sweater, you are missing out! They are incredibly soft and super cozy… basically like pajamas, but better! I have a few items from this brand because I have been so impressed with the softness and quality. I also just got this pajama set from Nordstrom Rack and am in love!!
This flamingo sweatshirt is no different- perfect for when you want to be cute and casual. It’s warm, yet light- perfect for those cool spring days. I do have to warn you, the sweaters run big. I’m wearing an XS here and it’s still a little roomy. Thanks for stopping by & I hope y’all have a fabulous hump-day!

MORE WILDFOX THAT I LOVE


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Katie’s New Orleans Bachelorette Weekend

The bachelorette weekend got off to somewhat of a rocky start. I woke up to a  lovely phone call saying that my flight (on Thursday morning) was cancelled and I was rebooked for Friday morning at 6 am. Um, no thank you! I proceeded to get ready as I was patiently on hold with American Airlines for 2.5 hours!! Yes, you heard that right. I received no help until I drove my butt to the Raleigh airport and waited some more until a gate agent helped me. Apparently Dallas got quite a bit of snow/ice so everything coming in was cancelled. I didn’t want to wait til the morning (plus 6 am flights are the death of me) so I did the next best thing and drove myself 3 hours to Charlotte to catch an afternoon flight (which also got delayed 30 minutes). Anyways, I made it to NOLA safe & sound so let me just end this spiel by saying that this trip was an absolute blast and #katiesragincajunbach was a success!

We loved our bachelorette party pad

We all stayed in Thursday night to watch Katie open her pretty presents, drink wine, and play Cards Against Humanity. Friday was spend exploring the city, bar hopping, and going on a ghost tour. Going out on Bourbon Street was nothing short of awesome. It’s one big party in the street and there are so many fun bars and crazy people hanging off balconies. Katie got to sing on stage and ride a bull for the first time so she was definitely the life of the party. Our last stop of the night was to a little place called Bourbon Bad Boys… and… that’s all I’m gonna say about that. It was craziness!

 Jackson Square
Pretty balconies everywhere!

Saturday we got up, grabbed lunch at a little place called Butcher, and hung around Jackson Square. The weather was perfect and we got to enjoy some entertainment from breakdancers. A little tiger snooze was needed so we hung out at the house for a little while before we got ready for the 2nd night’s festivities. We went to a nice dinner at Mr. B’s Bistro and most of us got filets with truffle butter (yes, like the song… I’m obsessed!) and continued with bar hopping on Bourbon.

Don’t you just love Katie’s little friend, Richard?!
Hurricanes at Pat O’Brien’s

I think we got 4 hours of sleep on Saturday night (no help from daylight savings) but it was so worth it. I’ll definitely be back to NOLA at some point, it is such a cool city with it’s history and beautiful architecture. We had so much fun celebrating the bride and I can’t wait for the big day on May 16th! 

Linking with Biana & Meghan.





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