Bucket List item #2

This weekend I was able to check off another item from the Bay Area Bucket List. The girls and I went wine tasting at V. Sattui up in Napa. Technically it's St. Helena, but close enough. I ended up buying about $150 worth of food and wine while I was there. It's well worth it though, because once I move, I won't be headed to wine country as often. Plus it took me 4 years to get to Napa anyways. Now I am stuffed and pretty buzzed. Napa is truely beautiful and I hope that one day I can own a vineyard of my own. Maybe I'll add that to my main bucket list. :)

Something to remember

Shut up and Dance!

I used to dance as a kid and even did recitals twice a year. Every Christmas I would do the Nutcracker and in the summer we would do a tap broadway show. While I was there we did Mary Poppins and Guys and Dolls. I was actually really good and was always up in the front. I stopped doing it once I was in junior high and now looking back I kind of wish I had kept it up.

Yesterday, my friend Julie talked me into taking a beginner hip hop dance class that she has been taking for the past few years. I have been wanting to join a dance class, but didn’t want to commit to anything, especially given my work situation. This class is drop in as wanted and very low pressure/stress. We started off the class doing crunches and push-ups, so it had me a little leery at first how the rest of the class was going to go. Once we got into the routine, it was a lot of fun. The instructor Micaya was great and made everyone feel at ease. Our group was more advanced that she had expected so she threw in some floor moves for us to try. It pretty much involved crouching to the floor, twisting to the other side, kicking a leg out and wrapping it around to the other foot to twist spin up. All very fast of course and we did this about 20 times. My thighs are killing me today, but it’s a good burn. I had a lot of fun and was dripping sweat from the workout. I have officially found my new hobby for the remaining time up here in Nor Cal. Word.

The Big Eat LA Version

I signed up for the “Big Eat SF 7x7” about a year ago. It’s basically a list of 100 food items in SF that you should try before you die. I unfortunately have only been able to try about 3 of them and doubt that I will get to any more of them before I leave. I like the concept though, and was looking for a LA version of it. There was a blog online that was very similar. This listed 100 things to eat and do that are unique to LA only. I have already done the things that are bolded below, and I want to try to do the rest. Cuz as you all know…I’m all about my lists lately. :P

1) Cocktail punch at the Radio Room in the Edison
2) Chili dog from Pink’s
3) Rattlesnake and rabbit with jalapeno at Wurstkuche
4) Korean short ribs taco from Kogi BBQ taco truck
5) Great Los Angeles Walk
6) Ajo Garlic Ramen at Ramenya
7) Sour Kraut Cocktail from Copa d’Oro
8) Red velvet cupcake from Sprinkles
9) Singing Elvis at Palms Thai
10) Churro from churro cart at Disneyland
11) Junk food dessert platter at Simon LA
12) Dessert tasting menu at Providence
13) Classic martini at Musso & Frank Grill
14) Roasted bone marrow at Church & State
15) Pedal boat at Echo Park Lake
16) Bowling and $4 cocktails at Shatto 39 Lanes
17) Kobe-style beef at Park’s BBQ
18) Mulholland Drive from 405 to 101
19) Medicina Latina at Malo
20) Father’s Office burger
21) Maple bacon doughnut at Nickel Diner
22) Mashti Malone’s lavender ice cream
23) Red Line Metro barhop
24) Live music at Spaceland
25) Magic Mojito at Bar Centro at the Bazaar by Jose Andres
26) Wine tour through San Antonio Winery
27) Sample everything at Scoops ice cream
28) Bike from Santa Monica to Hermosa Beach and back
29) Mochi from Mikawaya Little Tokyo
30) Broiled San Francisco stuffed French toast at Starling Diner
31) Mojito sampler jelly shots at Bar Nineteen12
32) High Tea at Royal/T
33) Pimp your own burger at the Counter in Santa Monica
34) Carne asada burrito from Tacos Tumbras A Tomas at Grand Central Market
35) Diddy Riese Chocolate Chip Cookies
36) Ride the mechanical bull at Saddle Ranch and have a premium SR AMF
37) Greyhound Proper at Hungry Cat
38) Blue cheese fries at Pete’s Cafe and Bar * Truly incredible*
39) L.A. Conservancy’s Historic Core walking tour
40) 21+ screenings at the ArcLight
41) Secret beef feast at Totoraku
42) Moonlight Rollerway
43) Bartender’s Choice at Comme Ca
44) Tomato, mozzarella, sausage, salami, bacon & guanciale pizza at Pizzeria Mozza
45) Ride the Pacific Ferris Wheel at Santa Monica Pier
46) Late-night Danger dogs
47) Bet on a horse at Santa Anita racetrack
48) Loco Moco (foie gras loco moco, quail egg, spam, hamburger) at Animal
49) Blood & Sand cocktail at Tiki Ti
50) Tea and a stroll through Huntington Gardens
51) Drive Sunset Boulevard from Echo Park to PCH in a convertible
52) Double chocolate croissant pudding with Jack Daniels sauce at Milk
53) Hike from Fern Dell Drive to Mt. Hollywood, stopping at Griffith Observatory
54) Meatball sandwich from Bay Cities Deli
55) Scorpion cocktail at Hop Louie
56) Magic Castle
57) Scoe’s No. 2 at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles
58) L.A. Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats
59) Philippe’s French Dip with hot mustard
60) Dim sum at Empress Pavilion in Chinatown
61) Remember the Maine at the Varnish
62) Omakase dinner at Urasawa
63) LA Phil concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall
64) Pool party at Standard Rooftop Bar
65) Quarter chicken with side of garlic sauce at Zankou Chicken
66) Goddess spa treatment at Olympic Spa
67) Vodbox at Nic’s Martini Lounge
68) Turkey dinner at Clifton’s Cafeteria, don’t forget the green jello
69) Los Angeles Marathon
70) Marty & Elayne at Dresden Room
71) Coleslaw and sourdough toast at Original Pantry
72) Real Black Dahlia Tour by Esotouric
73) Ninotchka at Bar Lubitsch
74) Stay in a bungalow at Chateau Marmont
75) Auntie Em’s Market dinner
76) Sunday wine tastings at Silverlake Wine
77) Grilled cheese night at Campanile
78) Power lunch at the Polo Lounge
79) Cadillac Margarita at El Cholo
80) Courtside at a Lakers game
81) Angel City Derby Girls Tournament
82) Box seats at Hollywood Bowl summer concert
83) Dodger Dog at Dodger Stadium
84) Ride the Good Year blimp
85) Sip mojitos poolside at the Hotel Roosevelt’s Tropicana Bar
86) Ringside at Lucha VaVoom
87) Summer movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
88) History Walk from Mission San Gabriel to Olvera Street
89) Taro ice cream at Fosselman’s
90) Galco’s Soda Pop Shop
91) Apricot & Honey 75 at the Penthouse during sunset
92) Angel City Drive-In
93) Downtown Art Walk
94) Bonfire at Dockweiler Beach
95) Bingo at Hamburger Mary’s
96) Karaoke at Brass Monkey
97) Yee-Mee-Lu “blue drink” at Good Luck Bar
98) Sunset dinner and horseback riding with Sunset Ranch
99) American Food & Wine Festival
100) Hike to the top of Sandstone Peak and sign the register

Bucket List Check Mark

Tonight I checked off another item from my Bay Area Bucket List. My friend Kim and I went to Guy Fierri's restaurant in Santa Rosa, Johnny Garlics. It only had a 3 star rating on yelp which kinda of made me leary, but he is a famous chef on Food Network and I still wanted to try it. Plus I doubt I will ever go back to Santa Rosa after I move, so now was my chance. The place pretty much looked like a Chilli's or Applebees on the inside. For a starter we order the Lava Shrimp Appetizer. It was a little too tangy for my liking, but it was shrimp and you all know how much I love my shrimp. For my entree, I got the Bourbon Bison Meatloaf with Garlic Mashed Yukon potatoes and asparagus. It was pretty tasty and SUPER garlicky. Then we split a Thin Mint Mud Pie which was really tasty. Overall I give the place a 3.5 out of 5. My food was all good but not something I would go out of my way to eat again. Tomorrow I will be doing a 5K at the gym to make up for all the calories and fat I just ate.

Canyon High Class of '01

I just received an invite on Facebook for my 10 year high school reunion. Wow, 10 years already! Even though it seems like it’s come too fast, I seriously don’t remember much about high school. I have done a lot since then and don’t keep in touch with any of my old friends from those days. I was looking at all my former classmates who were also added to the page. All the “popular” kids are all still friends with each other and went to college together. Most of them are just a beautiful as I remember but some have let themselves go. Like a true suburban upbringing, most of them are married with kids and haven’t done much outside of Santa Clarita. I truly doubt I will go to this reunion. It is in May of next year. There is no one from high school that I want to see. My best friends from high school and I had a big falling out and it would be awkward to see them there. Who knows though…maybe I’ll change my mind.

Here is an aerial view of my high school