Off the hook! Mission Inn, Riverside!

Do you know the Mission Inn Resort in Riverside, CA? It is like a super fancy hotel, 5 stars, where a few of our presidents got married in it, many of them have stayed in it, many foreign leaders have stayed there, and also lots of celebrities also stayed there... It is built with lots of mixtures of different architecture styles with lots of secluded spaces.

So, I've lived in the Riverside/Loma Linda for nearly 10 years and always wanted to stay at this hotel. I used to sneak into the hotel and hangout in one of the beautiful and secluded court yards... But, guess what? No sneaky sneaky anymore! I actually got to stay there like a high-roller this time!

So, I went to the ATLS (Advance Trauma Life Support) certification course, given at Loma Linda University by several trauma surgeons from the American College of Surgeons... I went there with my friends Kevin and Julie, who are also co-residents in the Ventura program. They are from the South... and I thought to treat them to the best of the Inland Empire that I know...
So, here is the where the rampage start:

You see that corner white tripple-arch door at the end of the terrace? Well, that was our room! And as we enter, we were all jaw dropped at how large and how our room was! Yeah, no joke, it was off the hook!

Then, as we walk out of the door, we can look down into the Terrace Cafe, where we ate a very nice 4 course meal on our second night there.

The rotunda!

There's Kevin and Julie looking cute on the stairs; Kevin and I stuck together in a box.

Me, chilling in a secluded court yard; the pool overlook.

Customized chair for the 335 lb president Taft; which both Kevin and Julie fit in easily... Kevin was doing a Taft impression.

A sweet Cadillac.

First course of our four course meal at the Terrace Cafe: Crab cakes.
Second course of my meal was a gourmet halibut.

Third for me was a spiked coffee; and then, of course, chocolate!

And yes, we all passed the ATLS certification. Yay.

Life is flying by...

Lingering

4th month in residency

Thoroughly soaked in Fun

Enjoying learning from my attendings

Loving operating with the surgeons

Pleasure working with fellow residents

We cook gourmet

We sing worship

We watch movies

We frolick at the beach

We play games/ball/frisbee

We camp

We BBQ

We massage

We fellowship

We hug

You know what they say...

Time flys when you are having fun!

The pain and hail and sleets seemed so fast in the past

But, the present seemed to be slipping all the faster

Perhaps wind is blowing by

Perhaps the ground is oily

Perhaps I'm shy and not grasping every beauty that walks by

Perhaps my heart still needs some time

I know I am doing a lot

But, somehow feeling I am also missing a lot

On my mind:

Tap show

Violin caroling

Sing out loud

Hosanna

What a beautiful voice

Tag

My name is George...

Camping at Reyes Peak

My Hennessey Hammock and some nice friends.

Congratulations Geoff and Jessie!

What a handsome dude!

So, as your big brother, I want to tell you I love you and will always be available for you! Congratulations on getting hitched! It's about time huh? I think you guys are great, and hopefully you will have lots of fun and growth during all the years you will have together.

This was a great wedding! Let me just summarize:
* Beautiful chapel at the Wynn Resort, Las Vegas, beautiful flowers

* Small, short and sweet wedding ceremoney

* Great message by the reverend, all the meat and no fluff, and realistic and right on!

* Beautiful bride and handsome groom, even better looking bestman (hee hee, wink wink)

* Huge limosine cruising down the strip! That was really cool.

* Got to meet Jessie's wonderful family! Everyone was meant to be there.

* Lots of eating, eating and more eating...

* Falling asleep to a beautiful view of the strip on my feather bed after a warm bath in the roman tub...

I hope you guys have fun on your honeymoon!

Ventura Update

Hey everyone! Man, I haven't posted a blog in such a long time. I have been having so much fun at the residency program. Living on the beach, full view of the California Channel Islands, beautiful sunsets, surfs, city night lights, happening downtown, fresh fruits and vegitables, wonderful people, small town, and my absolute favorite job in the world... what else can I ask for?!

It is now almost end of my 2nd month in resideny. First month I was on inpatient Medicine-Pediatrics. Now I am on Surgery. The unique thing about this place is that most of the residents wanted to be completely self sufficient to practice full spectrum medicine in the middle of no-where. So, the training here shows it. We, residents, run the whole hospital. We are also a regional trauma center... so, here are some of the things I've been doing this month: help run traumas, doing surgeries (either primary or first assist), primary c-sections, did the burr hole into the brain, making scalp/skull flaps with the brain surgeon, suturing up the face and reconnecting tendons with the plastic surgeon, doing orbital implants, general surgery stuff, being the only surgery resident on-call at night in the entire hospital, my hands on the brain, doing and managing chest tubes/tracheostomy/central lines, enjoying delicious hospital food, quality reading times, playing the violin and guitar, hanging out with attendings, Bible studies, OMT, acupuncture on my fellow physicians... anything else...

I am having so much fun, living in paradise, and working with such a great residency and hospital staff. I can't ask for more.

One thing I do struggle with is quality time with God. Please pray that I would make that into my schedule.

Today, I found out that there is a Wilderness Medicine Society that does all sorts of expeditions and teaches other physicians about wilderness medicine... man, I am all ear!

Thanks for reading this blog, I hope to hear from you soon too.

Oh... PS, my brother is getting married at the Wynn, Las Vegas! I will post pictures soon! I am so proud of him!

Medical School Graduation

Pictures of my medical school graduation, then celebration weekend in Las Vegas...

Getting Hooded then hand shake with the Chancellor, Dr. G!

Brothers picture... of my three good friends: Greg, Brian, Daniel

My parents and I before I received a surprised award :)

Las Vegas

Falling in love at the Le Reve show at the Wynn after a very beautiful performer threw me a red carnation :)

My brother and fiance at the Eiffle Tower... awwww...

The Bellagio water show from the top of the Eiffle Tower... very nice.

Atlanta, Georgia

Hi all, I haven't posted a note on here for quite a while! After my last rotation in medical school, I took about a 5 week vacation. Graduated on 6/5, went to Vegas, then to Georgia. I have here a few pictures of my time in Georgia. I met up with a few people that I went to Costa Rica with and got to spend lot of quality time with a few people. I must admit, I really enjoyed Atlanta. I really enjoyed hanging out with Clint, Carla and Hannah out on the porch. I really enjoyed hiking the Tallulah Gorge with Clint and Deborah. I really enjoyed eating Chef Brantley's wonderful meal. I really enjoyed floating down the Broad River in our kayaks with Clint, Hannah, and Liz :) Ahhh, good times...

Hannah and my colorful creations

Lunch with Ryan at the Ted's Montana Grill... my first Buffalo Burger

Hiking the Tallulah Gorge loop with Deborah and Clint

Yum... good Southern BBQ

What else can I say? Nothing like them boiled p-nuts...

Clint's backyard... lots of wonderful relaxing hangouts on this porch overlooking a foresty backyard. Good times rolling...

Kayaking on the Broad River with Hannah, Liz, Clint... so nice, lots of wonderful memories and pictures in my head... too bad I didn't have a dry bag to carry my camera in to show you pictures of Hannah and Liz fliping over in the kayaks :) We had a great time did we, girls?!

Chef Brantley's Creation: "Bohemian Gourmet"

Talk and Bite
Baby leek with chicken salad
Mini burger
Sushi Tuna roll


The Main Deal
Ocean delight, Orange Ruffie
Pan sheared with olive oil, lightly season, and topped with a thin crisp crab cake.

West meets East Green Beans
Fresh green beans blanched in a southern season boil and finished off in a pan with roasted sesame seeds and olive oil.

From the Earth, mixed Baby Potatoes
Roasted baby potatoes, red & yellow bell peppers, garlic, green onions, and mush rooms covered with olive oil and seasons cooked to a roasted light brown.

The Sweat Things of Life
Key Lime Mango tart
Mini Chocolate cake covered in a dark chocolate Ganache
Bohemian Split Banana, mango, and pineapple cooked down in a brown sugar, butter sauce, topped with ice-cream and a mini fried sneaker.


Expresso