Scrub Me In Nursing Podcast!

 

Hey everyone! 

My husband Bill has been doing editing work for Junior and Anthony - two amazing nurses who have the #1 nursing podcast, so I wanted to share more with my readers!

👉More about the podcast:

Welcome to The Scrub Me In Nursing Podcast with Junior and Anthony, your go-to podcast for all things nursing!

Get ready for a dose of laughter, insightful discussions, captivating stories, and deep dives into educational topics. Whether you're a seasoned nurse or just starting out, join Junior and Anthony as they bring their unique perspectives and expertise to the table.

Tune in each week for an engaging blend of learning and entertainment, where every episode promises to leave you informed, inspired, and entertained.

YouTube videos upload Monday evenings for the visual audience.

https://www.youtube.com/@ScrubMeInPodcast


Listen to the podcast on any platform: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2381716

New episode launches and more fun content:

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A Trip To The Biltmore Estate

What does Last of the Mohicans and The Odd Life of Timothy Green have in common? Scenes from both of these movies were shot at George Vanderbilt’s grandiose home; Biltmore Estate, in Asheville, North Carolina. If you’re unfamiliar with this location, you will certainly have your eyes opened to one of the most luxurious destination spots in the United States, that many celebrities have stayed at, including, President Obama.

Biltmore “Inn” was our next stop, and where we’d be hanging our hats for the next two days. We would be living like the Vanderbilt’s, or close enough with the 5-star hospitality, incredible award-winning cuisine, and jaw-dropping scenery at the Castle and the various other gems that make up Biltmore Estate.

No,  this is NOT  the Castle but the back of their hotel on the grounds if you can believe  it.  Just in case you might be confused.

The backyard of Biltmore Inn. All photos by: Melissa Arditti

Some interesting facts about the Estate as a whole:

• It is on 8000 acres of land (The House  is 175,000 square ft).
• Biltmore employs over 2000 workers/ 60 are just for landscaping.
• It is the 2nd largest employer in all of Asheville.
• They raise angus cattle, sheep, free-range chickens, etc.
• Biltmore has over 10,000 visitors per day at Christmas time, and generates over 1.2 million visitors per year.
• Daily operations feature several sustainable and clean energy practices, such as using solar power, planting a 60-acre canola field whose seeds will be harvested and pressed into a food-grade cooking oil and using vegetable oil as a bio diesel fuel for powering equipment used on the estate — now that is innovative thinking.

As my dad went to check in, I went around to take some photos of the stunning lobby. From the photo you can see the detailed oriental rugs, over-sized iron wrought chandelier, and vibrant flowers/plants that really welcome you into the Inn. There are also doors that lead out to a beautiful veranda that faces the Blue Ridge Mountains and the French Broad River.

This view was heavenly.

Before heading up to our room, I spotted an abundance of fresh apples by the front desk and so as the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away! It was a nice healthy and refreshing snack. The little things that I notice. ;)

The Inn has 213 rooms and 9 suites to choose from. Here is a photo of our room, including a luxurious bathroom.

Speaking of concierge service, a quick story. After double checking that I had everything in my luggage for the trip, I soon realized that I didn’t pack my razor! I wanted to wear a dress that day and so I called the front desk in a bit of a panic. This was the conversation:

Front Desk: “Good morning Ms. Arditti, how may I assist you today?”
Me: “Do you have any razors that I could have, I forgot mine.”
Front Desk: “Of course. Is there a specific kind and how many would you like?”
Me: “Anything you have is great. 2 would be fine, if that’s not a problem.”
Front Desk: “No problem at all. I’ll send someone right up. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
Me: “No that would be all, thank you very much.”
Front Desk: “Have a great day.”
Me: You too.

I literally put down the phone and walked toward my luggage to get my hairbrush when I heard a gentle knock at the door. I was pretty shocked at how quickly my request was granted. I have never experienced service like that before, so it certainly started the day off on the right foot. It may seem trivial, but to me, it is the little things that truly make a good hotel stay.

Another first for me was the complimentary nightly turn-down service with chocolates that the Inn offers each of their guests. After a long day walking around in the sunshine, it was nice to walk into our room and know that it was freshly cleaned and I didn’t have to fight with the covers (every hotel seems to tuck them in so tightly) I just slid right in and was ready for a restful sleep.

Plan your next stay here

A Taste Of Italy In Akron

Vaccaro's Trattoria
 All photos by: Melissa Arditti

Anyone up for some Italian food? It was a Saturday evening when we returned back from all the fun activities of the day and let me tell you, I was starving! So we looked at the plethora of restaurants that the hotel provided. They had everything from casual family dining to more upscale fine dining. We decided to browse through the listing that had moderate prices, after all, this was only our first stop on a week’s worth of touring the United States, and a majority of the time, we’re a bit of a frugal bunch.

I didn’t realize how busy restaurants are in Akron! The parking lot of Vaccaro’s Trattoria was packed. My dad dropped me off at the door to see if I could get us a table or not. A bit frazzled by the influx of people, the hostess told me it would be a few minutes, but she’ll see if something was available. We didn’t make a reservation in advance, so it was the luck of the draw at this point. After a bit of waiting and being bounced around to one area of the dining room and then to another, we were finally seated.

Service was decent. We were told the special features, which seemed as long as the actual menu. It may not seem like a big deal, but from past experiences going out to eat, it bothers me to no end when I overhear another table being told of the specials and myself and whomever I am with get overlooked. So this small gesture made me happy.

Our waiter was very well-mannered and explained menu items that honestly we had never heard of before. It was interesting to see the chefs come out from time to time and chat with other patrons. Obviously, there is a clear indication on who are regulars at this restaurant when they know you by name.

Although I will say that if you are searching for a quick dining experience, this is not the place to go to. We were getting a bit antsy after time was ticking away, but the quality of our meals ended up being worth the wait.

Here is my dad’s “Italian Wedding” soup. I’ve had this kind of soup many times before, but tasting a few spoonfuls, I cannot say that anything even compares. It had so much flavour and was very light. A perfect appetizer.

His meal was veal parmigiana, which had breaded veal scaloppini, egg angel hair pasta, aglio e olio mozzarella di bufala. (translated to: spaghetti with oil and garlic, and mozzarella made from the milk of domestic water buffalo). A dense carb-filled meal, but the veal was cooked well and he really enjoyed every bite.

My mom had her first taste of “Free-range airline chicken.” What is airline chicken? Well, it’s actually quite simple; a boneless chicken breast with the drumette part attached. It was served with corn bread, guanciale (an Italian cured meat), blistered grapes, mushroom ragout and swiss chard. The presentation was beautiful and the chicken was delicious.

I had a craving for seafood and so immediately I knew what I was getting; Jumbo Scampi and Agnolotti Pasta. It consisted of jumbo scampi, and I do mean jumbo, lobster agnolotti, chardonnay garlic butter, and julienne summer vegetables. If there is a dish that I would recommend here, this is the one. If you’re a seafood lover, once you bite into the pasta filled lobster, you’ll be hooked. I am actually getting hungry just thinking about it.

Finally, dessert. I cannot go into an Italian restaurant and not have tiramisu. Anything else makes no emotional sense to me, as this is my all-time favourite sweet. I’ve had tons of tiramisu over the years. Some have been orgasmic and others have disappointed. This particular tiramisu was quite tasty but the amount of mascarpone was a bit on the heavy side. However, the presentation was quite lovely to look at. We split this in three.

To finish off our meal, we ordered tea. I loved the gorgeous tea boxes that were presented in wooden cigar boxes. They had a variety of flavours, both organic and non-organic. This was a nice elegant touch.

Interestingly, there are also a few spots outside the restaurant that you can dine at. Definitely more intimate. I caught a little romantic evening taking place on our way out, as you’ll see in the first photo of the review.

Day one of our trip was certainly memorable and we commented that if food is this good in Akron, what is in store for us when we check out some other restaurants across the United States? Well, you’ll have to continue checking out Windsor Square, as I share more food reviews.

Award-winning and with 60 years of culinary history in Akron, Vaccaro’s is a perfect stop for your next classic Italian meal: www.vactrat.com

Exploring the “City of Invention” Akron, OH (Part 1)

Entering the United States is always a bit of a stressful encounter because you never know who the custom’s officer will be and what odd questions you’ll be asked. Thankfully, it was a breeze coming into the USA, as we had our passports ready to show as we approached the booth and the officer asked the usual questions: what’s your citizenship, where are you going, how long will you be away, and are you bringing in food, alcohol or tobacco.

After paying the toll, it was exciting to know that in only a few short hours, we’d be visiting our first stop; Akron, Ohio. Home to “Akronites, ” it is the 5th largest city in Ohio with a population similar to that of Windsor and has a vast amount of arts, culture, architecture, cuisine and much more.

I read the itinerary that my dad compiled and honestly didn’t find it too exciting. However, after spending a full-day on the go, I was really impressed with all the things to do here and how everyone works together to have a vibrant downtown core. Windsor can surely take some advice from the leaders in this place.

So after a couple of rest stops, we arrived at our hotel; Hilton Akron/Fairlawn.

Overall, a comfy stop for our first night away from home. I really loved the lobby area, since they had a purple couch (my favourite colour) and elegant paintings and modern decor.

Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel
 All photos by: Melissa Arditti

So when you arrive, it is quite a welcoming atmosphere. You can also take advantage of quite a few amenities, like the fitness room, complimentary wifi, and indoor/outdoor pools.

Here are a few photos of the room. Nice sized beds, a lovely marble washroom with complimentary toiletries, along with a shower area, lcd tv, and a small business area to do work, if desired.

Before heading on our first tour of the day, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat at Hilton’s restaurant called Beau’s Grille. It was quite a charming little restaurant with delicious food and friendly service.

It also happened to be the spot for bridesmaids/best men to have a drink or two at the bar area, as we encountered several groups popping in during our lunch.  Liquid courage perhaps??!!

One thing to note is that the United States ‘portion sizes’ are probably two or three times bigger, maybe even more at some restaurants. They are really generous with the amount of food served, so it is something to be mindful of, if you’re watching your waistline. However, vacations are also meant to be enjoyed so a little splurging is advised! Plus for the amount of walking that we did, we certainly burned a ton of calories daily.

Here was our table. Note that my mom really loved the brown place mats and so we ended up buying a similar one later on our trip.

This “pizza” that my dad ate (he only had about half since it was so big) was scrumptious. The crust was soft and loaded with all the toppings that you see here.

My mom and I both had this California Turkey Wrap Club, which was really tasty with the whole wheat tortilla and consisted of lean turkey, bacon, tomato, purple onion, cucumber and avocado. On the side, a fresh array of fruit.

No dessert though, as we were pretty stuffed and on a time schedule to meet our tour guide at the Akron Art Museum (which I will talk about in the next blog!)

If you’re looking for a bit more luxurious of a stay, as you’re travelling to Akron, I would highly suggest booking a room. You can find more information about the hotel and all of its services online.