Busy Busy Busy

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, life has been hectic to say the least. Here are some snippet updates of my life:

• I won a facial from a new spa in Tampa called Spa Sundara and it was amazing. Definitely needed the relaxation moment. If you are local, I highly recommend you check them out!
• We went to the USF/UTEP game last Saturday night and we won 54-17. It was a fun game and the tailgate was awesome. 
• After the game, we went over to Carmen's house for an Oktoberfest party. I donned a costume and enjoyed authentic German food and beer. We had a blast!

• Sunday, we got some pictures taken for a friend's photography porfolio and I can't wait to see the finished products. We ended up playing football outside for the pics and some of them are hilarious (think chest bumping like the pros). 
• We celebrated my grandmother's 72nd birthday Sunday night with some amazing home-cooked food and cake. She doesn't look a day over 60!
• Last night, my friend and I went to see Dr. Siddharta Mukherjee speak about the history and progression of cancer and cancer research. He is the author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book "The Emperor of All Maladies" and it was fascinating lecture. The best part was getting my book signed by him... now I own two autographed books!

•  I have been working on a sailboat mobile for my friend's baby shower. She has decorated her nursery in a nautical theme and I'm excited she asked me to make a mobile to place over the crib. Once I'm finished, I'll show you the final product. I will also be making her other present, but it's a secret :) 
• The Boston Red Sox have a final game tonight and they have to win and the Rays have to lose in order for them to grab the AL Wild Card spot for playoffs. You can guess what we'll be watching tonight!

Whew, you can see why I have been absent from the blogosphere. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere... I just won't be blogging as much as I was until things quiet down.

What have you been up to?

Book Review: Your Medical Mind

Title: Your Medical Mind
Author: Jerome Groopman, M.D., Pamela Hartzband, M.D.
Publisher: The Penguin Press
Book: Hardcover, 320 pages
Buy: Amazon.com

Synopsis:
            Making the right medical choices is harder than ever. Whether we’re deciding to take a cholesterol drug or choosing a cancer treatment, we are overwhelmed by information from all sides: our doctors’ recommendations, dissenting expert opinions, confusing statistics, conflicting media reports, the advice of friends, claims on the Internet, and a never-ending stream of drug company ads. Your Medical Mind shows us how to chart a clear path through this sea of confusion.
            Drs. Groopman and Hartzband reveal that each of us has a set of deeply rooted beliefs whose profound influence we may not realize when we make medical decisions. How much trust we place in authority figures, in statistics, or in other patients’ stories, in science and technology or in natural healing, and whether we seek the most or the least treatment-all are key factors that shape our choices. Recognizing our preferences and the external factors that might lead our thinking astray can make a dramatic, even lifesaving, difference in our medical decision making. When conflicting information pulls us back and forth between options, when we feel pressured by doctors or loved ones to make a particular choice, or when we have no previous experience to guide us through a crisis, Your Medical Mind will prove an essential companion.
             The authors interviewed scores of patients who have struggled with situations such as these. They also drew on research and insights from doctors, psychologists, economists, and other experts to help reveal the array of forces that can aid or impede our thinking. They show us the subtle strategies drug advertisers use to influence our choices: they unveil the extreme-sometimes dangerously misleading-power of both narratives and statistics. And they help us understand how to improve upon a universal human shortcoming- assessing the future impact of the decisions we make now.

Review: 
             I've never been in a situation where my medical choice affected mine or any of my family's future, but this book makes me feel better about those inevitable choices. People don't seem to realize that the choices they make are all psychological and have roots in someone's experience or past. Drs. Goopman and Hartzband did a great job of interviewing people in all different aspects of medical ailment to show how differently people think based on what is presented (or not presented) to them. It can be easy for someone who just has a broken leg to pick a treatment that will heal their leg in time, but someone faced with an incurable cancer or deciding for a loved one no longer termed coherent is another story.

              I think this is an important book to read for anyone who will ever need to make medical decisions for them or a loved one. It will open your eyes to the world of medicine to see that sometimes people have an agenda and that it shouldn't get in the way of what you need to do. Facts, figures, and experience all come into play everyday and everything should be considered and thought over before a decision has been made. Parts of the book tend to get a bit heavy in medical talk and statistics, but the stories of individuals faced with critical decisions will inspire you to be careful next time you need to make one. I give this book 4 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in order to create this review. The opinions expressed are of my own. Thank you to Trish at TLC Book Tours. 

Boston Love

Our trip to Boston was amazing! Not only was it 30 degrees cooler than Florida, and thereby very enjoyable, but the city was alive with baseball and we loved every minute of it!

We went to the game on Thursday night against the Rays and had seats 2 rows from the field in the right outfield. I told the people sitting behind us that the game was a birthday gift for my husband and they decided to buy him beers throughout the night. Even though we lost and it rained/misted most of the night, it was such an awesome experience!

The next day, we woke up early to take the Fenway tour, which included sitting in the Green Monster seats and seeing the amazing view from up there.

 The hubs didn't want to leave! 

After that, we headed to the Samuel Adams Brewery for the tour and tasting. I didn't realize it wasn't the mass production brewery but it was neat nonetheless.

 Mmmm Oktoberfest :)

To round off our day of tours, we headed to the Taza Chocolate factory, where we got a look at how organic stone ground chocolate is made. They have some really neat types of chocolate, including ones with different flavors, and the best part was obviously the sampling. I may have purchased $50 worth of chocolate, only because I didn't know if we could find it in Florida or online (which we can).

That evening, we headed to the North End for some delicious Italian food and stumbled across the Paul Revere Mall, which also houses the Old North Church, which is where the famous "One if by land, two if by sea" lanterns were hung.

We ate at a place called Pomodoro, which was tiny but the food was delicious. It also happened to be across the street from Mike's Pastry, where we grabbed 4 cannoli's to take home (they are as good as people say they are). The hubby's cousin and fiance took us to a bar called Tavern on the Water where we had a beautiful night view of downtown Boston.

 My attempt at a night shot of Boston

The next day, we headed to Boston Harbor for a Whale Watch boat ride and took some pictures of the beautiful boats and water.

I'm not going to lie, the boat was fast and bumpy and I almost got sick, but once we got to where the whales were located, I was all about taking pictures. They didn't come out of the water that much but I did get to see them and get some good shots.

 On the way back, I got a great picture of the Boston skyline. I can see why people love it so much!

That was our trip in a nutshell, we got a lot of things accomplished and loved going to all different parts of Boston to get a true experience. I asked the hubby how realistic it was if we moved there but I think that decision will be put on hold, haha.

Have you ever been to Boston?

Salvage The Bones Giveaway Winner and Announcement

Hello my lovely followers, I just got back from our short but sweet trip to Boston and we had a great time. I will be writing more about it tomorrow but I want to announce the winner of the Salvage The Bones book giveaway!

The lucky winner is....

Erika from Cafe Fashionista!

Congrats Erika and I will be contacting you shortly for your information!

I also have another really exciting announcement to share with all of you...

I got the job!!

I found out last Wednesday that I received a promotion to Supervisor of my department and I was so relieved to find out right before our vacation! It's really exciting to finally take a step into management and learn what it takes to become a leader. My official duties start October 3rd, so wish me luck in my transition!

I'll be posting pictures of our Boston trip tomorrow. How was everyone's weekend?

Birchbox Review: September 2011

Yesterday, I received my September Birchbox and there are some great things in this month's package!

This month's theme is celebrating Birchbox subscribers, as they have reached the 1 year mark! There is a nice selection of items including:

Colorscience Pro Sunforgettable mineral powder SPF30 - This is my first technical makeup product I've received from Birchbox and I'm actually wearing it right now! The color is medium but it could work for light to medium shades. I was really happy to see that it didn't contain bismuth oxychloride, which makes a lot of women break out, like so many other mineral powders do. The full size actually comes inside of a brush for easy application.

Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream - I've heard of Jurlique but have never tried their products, so I'm excited to see how this stuff works.

Incoco Nail Polish Applique - The only nail applique I'd ever tried before was Avon's and it was pretty good but still needed some work. I'm really excited to try these out because they are textured and gold, but I've heard good things.

Jouer Lip Enhancer - According to them, it plumps up your lips without any tingly sensation. I swiped some on when I first received it and it was glossy and definitely tingle-free, but as for plumping, I'll have to wait and see.

Salvatore Ferragamo Attimo L'Eau Florale - I love that they are coming out with sample fragrances in spray tubes now, I always make a mess when it's just a pop-off tube. This scent is definitely floral and nice, I could see myself wearing it in spring.

Bonus: Birchbox Friendship Bracelet - This cute bracelet reminds me of the Kaballah strings, but I'm wearing mine now, hoping another Birchbox person will spot it and stop to chat :)

Interested in subscribing to Birchbox? Help a gal out and click here!

What did you get in your Birchbox?

Book Review and Giveaway: Salvage The Bones

Title: Salvage The Bones
Author: Jesmyn Ward
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Book: Hardcover, 272 pages
Buy: Amazon.com

Synopsis:
            A hurricane is building over the Gulf of Mexico, threatening the coastal town of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, and Esch’s father is growing concerned. A hard drinker, largely absent, he doesn’t show concern for much else. Esch and her three brothers are stocking food, but there isn’t much to save. Lately, Esch can’t keep down what food she gets; she’s fourteen and pregnant. Her brother Skeetah is sneaking scraps for his prized pitbull’s new litter, dying one by one in the dirt. Meanwhile, brothers Randall and Junior try to stake their claim in a family long on child’s play and short on parenting.
           As the twelve days that make up the novel’s framework yield to their dramatic conclusion, this unforgettable family-motherless children sacrificing for one another as they can, protecting and nurturing where love is scarce-pulls itself up to face another day. A big-hearted novel about familial love and community against all odds, and a wrenching look at the lonesome, brutal, and restrictive realities of rural poverty, Salvage the Bones is muscled with poetry, revelatory, and real.

Review:
           The best word I can use to describe this book is "raw". The characters, the setting, the events; they all conjure an image of coarseness and grit that the author captures so well. The main character, Esch, seems like an innocent 14 year old girl, until you learn of her past and her present predicament. It's clear that her family is just trying to survive in rural Mississippi but the oncoming hurricane tests their loyalty and relationships to the limit. There are also incidences of violence, both of the human and animal variety, and the description of the fights are pure and reach you at a visual level.

           Not knowing much about the location, the author did a great job of describing it in detail, right down to "The Pit" that makes many appearances in the novel. Some locations are used to conjure pleasant memories, others more painful, but they all take their place in the novel, almost as separate characters. Another surprising character is China, her brother Skeetah's pitbull, who has a litter of puppies in the beginning and sets the tone for the entire novel with her lack of care for them and eventual fighting before the hurricane strikes. She is the catalyst for Skeetah's decisions and he puts her before everyone else, including himself.

            Even though this novel was darker than what I normally read, it was a nice and surprising alternative. It was written extremely well and you could tell that some of these situations may have come from the author's experiences or first hand knowledge. Some events in the novel are intense and hard to read, but I think it's those moments that make this book so powerful. It takes you outside your comfortable life and throws you deep into the South, where survival and family come hand in hand. Read this book during a rainstorm to truly delve yourself into the emotion and tone of the novel. I give this book 4 stars.

Want to read the book? I am giving away one free copy of Salvage The Bones for one of my lucky readers to win, courtesy of Bloomsbury USA. All you have to do is comment below and one lucky reader will be picked on September 19th. This giveaway is open to US and Canada readers only. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in order to create this review. The opinions expressed are of my own. Thank you to Lisa at TLC Book Tours. 

Great Night at FNO!

Fashion Night Out Tampa was a big success! The whole International Plaza was buzzing with fashionistas and stylish people buzzing over fall fashions. My friend Carmen and I got dressed up and headed over to our first Fashion Night Out and we had a great time.

We stopped by the new Tory Burch store and ogled the Reva flats while we sipped champagne. We stopped by Gucci (where Carmen found her perfect bag and shoes) and Louis Vuitton for some bubbly and latest fashions and got a truffle sample from Godiva that was out of this world! Nordstrom's was serving up white sangria and we snapped a picture before moseying over to the shoe department. I also checked out the new Mad Men collection at Banana Republic and found some great pieces I would love to own.

Neiman Marcus was hosting a Lipstick Lounge and Carmen and I got some beautiful fall colors painted on our lips.

Finally, we ended the night at The Grape, where they were offering $15 wine flights and amazing appetizers. I finally met Krystal from Krystal's Kitsch and we chatted over wine about upcoming Boston trips and her next adventures.

In all, we had a fabulous Thursday night and I was so happy to see such a great turnout at this event.

Did you enjoy Fashion Night Out?

Fashion Night Out Tonight!

As much as I would love to be in NYC right now for Fashion Week and tonight's FNO events, I am happy that Tampa is doing their own thing. International Plaza is hosting Fashion Night Out and a lot of stores are participating, including my favs Tory Burch and Michael Kors.

Hopefully I'll get some great pics at the event, but I decided to make a Polyvore outfit of what I'm wearing tonight (the closest look to it really). Kristin at Bon Bon Rose Girls told me to get funky for my first FNO but I'm also going to channel some sophistication ala Charlotte York :)

Fashion Night Out by scientifichousewife

Trina Turk square neckline dress, $278
Badgley Mischka floral shoes, $135
Clutch hand bag, €55
Beading jewelry, €17
London Road white gold jewelry, £130

The dress I'm wearing is black and white, with a long black and white pearl necklace, pearl earrings, and black, flowered heels. I decided to round the look out with a teal vintage clutch to get that pop of color that my outfit so desperately needs. Can't you imagine Charlotte in this??

Anyone else going to Fashion Night Out tonight?

Book Review: All Over The Map

You may think that if you've read one book about a middle-aged, divorced writer who travels the world to find love and meaning, you've read them all. I originally thought that until I read All Over the Map by Laura Fraser, and I realized that every author's experience is different.

I initially won this book for my book club through TLC Book Tours and thought it sounded nice but eerily similar to another popular book, of which I will not name. That book was good, but I couldn't relate to the author at all, and parts of it felt a bit pretentious and snooty. My book club decided to read this book for August and I couldn't wait to dive in and learn about someone's traveling adventures.

The author, Laura Fraser, has gone through countless amounts of men trying to find the love she is missing in her life. Since her divorce, she has been getting older and still wants to have a family. She constantly travels for different work assignments, hoping she finds someone in another country, or reconnects with the many guys she's become acquainted with.

She makes friends everywhere she goes and starts relationships only to find the men missing something, whether it be spontaneity or passion. When she travels back to a town she lived in as a child, she feels a reconnection with the area and makes a compulsive decision that changes her life.

This memoir is full of eye-opening truths that really make you examine your own life and question your decisions. She does everything she can to make herself happy and finally succeeds, realizing that you can't have it all and some things are worth the effort. It also makes me want to travel to all the exotic locations she describes, such as Samoa, Italy, Mexico, and Buenos Aires. I highly recommend this book to everyone and I hope it inspires you to do some traveling of your own.