30 Before 30: Items 20 & 28

I've crossed two items off the list! Honestly, I knew I'd be going on vacation when I made the list, so it was a little like cheating, but only a little.

Item #20 - Take a Cheesy, Kissing Photo on the Beach with my Spouse!

Despite his reluctance to pucker up to me on camera, I managed to grab my hubby for a smooch on the beach in Cozumel! If you go to Cozumel, I have a recommendation. DO NOT hang out on the western side where the cruise ships dock! Go directly to Mezcalito's on the eastern side of the island, and if you never leave, I'll completely understand. The eastern side is a beautiful stretch of rocky beaches with ultra-low-key bars scattered every mile or so down the shore. The best way to visit this side of the island is find a cab-driver and negotiate a 3 or 4-hour rate to have him drive you around all afternoon. We had a blast bar-hopping, taking gorgeous pictures and enjoying the unbelievable ocean as it stretches out over the horizon to, well, Cuba. It goes to Cuba, but you can't see it. Watching the teal waves crash on the tan surf, feeling the light breeze blowing through the green palm trees and tanning in the golden sun as you relax in a hammock will result in one of the best days you'll ever have (at least I can say it was one of the best days I've ever had).  

Item #28 - Go Deep Sea Fishing!

Except for the Dramamine overdose which resulted in me sleeping most of the 4-hour tour, I loved Deep Sea Fishing. 

We left for our journey from Puerto Aventuras at about 9:30am, excited to catch loads of fish, drink some Sol and enjoy sailing on the open sea. We rolled over the waves under the hazy blue sky, chatting about buying a restaurant in Playa (dream job!) while waiting for a bite. And we waited and waited and......fishing takes a lot of patience. (BTW, I'm the one on the right in the photo.....he he he).

About 30 minutes in, something happened! We all jumped up and watched as our friend Vierk reeled in a fish. He was fighting and pulling and out popped.....a mackeral. Holy Mackeral! Horray for a fish! I couldn't wait for my turn to attempt the exhilarating experience of reeling in my very own sea-creature. Unfortunately, I was 4th in the line up......so we had a lot of fish to catch. 

Three hours, several Sol and quite a few naps later, we finally hooked our second fish! This time Larson fought the strong swimmer all the way in! Turns out he got a Wahoo...which we promptly ate at Gringo Dave's for lunch. Wahoo = Yum! Only two fish, but a lot of fun memories and some great naps made for a very fun and memorable day on our vacation! I'd recommend deep sea fishing to anyone who can remember to buy non-drowsy Dramamine and likes floating on the ocean while drinking cerveza's.......come on, who doesn't like that. :) 

The 30 Before 30 List

Well, here it is....the 30 things I'd like to accomplish in the next 7 months. Some of it is semi-serious (really do need open an IRA, the 401k isn't cuttin' it)....some of it is silly (I've always wanted to sing karaoke solo but knew I wasn't drunk enough) and some of it is terrifying (uh...sky-diving).

Many thanks to my friends Kelly and Jesse for introducing me to this list of wishful items! And thanks to the bloggers out there who have documented their list publicly, online and motivated me to steal their idea and do the same. I look forward to sharing my progress with anyone who will read this. Wish me luck!

1. Run a marathon

2. Keep a Plant Alive for 6 months

3. Join Junior League of FC

4. Read 5 "Classic" Novels

5. Plant a Tree

6. Go Vegan for a week

7. Sing Karaoke Solo

8. Take Writing Class/Workshop

9. Try Pilates

10. Go Skydiving

11. Ride the Poudre in a Sea-bearing vessel

12. Learn to cook John's favorite Gourmet Meal

13. White a Children's Book

14. Watch 5 "Classic" Movies

15. Volunteer at Church

16. Learn to Knit

17. Watch the Godfather Trilogy, Beginning to End

18. Take a Self Defense or Karate Class

19. Read the Entire Bible

20. Take a Cheesy, Kissing Photo on a beach with my Spouse

21. Write a Non-Profit Business Plan

22. Stop being a Procrastinator

23. Host Fancy Dinner Party & Cook John's Favorite Meal Previously Learned

24. Ask for and/or Receive a Raise

25. Give Blood

26. Open an IRA

27. Achieve a "Flat" Stomach

28. Go Deep Sea Fishing

29. Relearn the Piano & Master One Song

30. Try Kickboxing

Hiatus

Well, its been awhile since my last post. My apologies to my two followers.

On April 23rd, a very special event took place, Wyoming Art for the Cure! It was an incredible evening full of amazing artwork, great food, spirits and a fabulous crowd all helping us raise money to find a CURE for breast cancer!!! 

Post-party celebration at the Cloud 9 Airport Bar in Cheyenne was too fun to describe (also, my wine-infused memory of it is a bit fuzzy, so its best if I don't try). Then I jumped a flight to Boston for 5 days for a work conference. It was a fun, yet exhausting, trip. Let me tell ya, risk management is a very exciting industry....as you can imagine.  Are you picking up the sarcasm? Cause I'm layin' it on pretty thick. 

Well, now that things have settled a bit, I'll get back on the blogging band-waggon. Somehow I just realized this week that my 30th birthday is sneaking up on me (7 months and 4 days away...ah!) and I got a great suggestion from a good friend to make a 30 Before 30 List. The List is the 30 random and not-so-random things I'd like to mark as DONE before I embark on the next decade. It'll be coming soon.....

I Can't Cook But Even I Can Make: Homemade Hummus

My adventures in the kitchen have been limited and hazardous, but occasionally a dish will come along that even I can make, who as Carrie Bradhshaw says, would “keep sweaters in my stove” if my husband didn’t use it.

The dish of choice this go-around is Homemade Hummus! Main selling feature for the culinary-impaired….no stove/cooking required! You can create this dish with a food processor, some simple ingredients and about 10 minutes.

You Need:

• One can of Garbanzo beans (or Chick Peas)
• 2-3 cloves of Garlic (recommend roasting it first)
• Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper

Other Seasonings/Flavors of Choice - Today we’re making Olive Hummus so get the following:

• Handful of black olives
• Little bit of olive juice
• Dash of Oregano, Celery Salt, or some kind of pre-mixed Italian Seasoning

And Action:

Dice garlic (very, very small). Place garlic, beans (drain most of the bean liquid but leave about a tablespoon for moisture), olive oil, salt and pepper into food processor. Give it a good mix. Voila – Hummus!

For the Flavor: Chop olives and add to hummus, pour in about a tablespoon of olive juice and season with oregano and celery salt or any Italian seasonings. Mix and continue to add seasonings/olives until you get the taste you want!

What the heck, it's so easy, make two flavors!

Red Pepper Hummus: Chop red and green peppers, a bit of onion, and add to your hummus mixture (the mixture without the olives in it). Season to taste with a jalapeno hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika. Yum, yum, spicy, yum!

A Great Night Out: 3 Fun Spots in FC!

Tonight from 4-6pm at Choice City Deli in Fort Collins, enjoy a tapping party of New Belgium's "Shadow of the Foeder". They only have approximately 80 beers of it, then its gone forever! Choice City Deli is a fantastic place to grab a bite to eat afterwards as well! Their awesome menu includes fabulous market-fresh cuts of a wide variety of meats, good-sized entrees, an incredible sandwich menu and 15 beers on tap! Check them out tonight!

Also, thanks to the site Feasting Fort Collins, I've learned of a two new bars opening right here in Fort Collins! In the Armstrong Hotel, Ace Gillett's will be opening this Saturday night, featuring martini's and live music. Looking forward to an evening reminiscent of another time, I can't wait to atttend, sip on a extra-dry martini and take in some jazzy tunes.

Also opening this week, the Times Square Dueling Piano Bar & Grill promises sing-along piano songs and a "New York style with a western pull" menu. Sounds like a fun, fun weekend to me!

Fitness: Skiing!

Always a great workout, I've loved skiing since I was young.

However, four years ago I knocked myself out while skiing and ended up in the emergency room with a concussion...not a good story. I vowed to never again ski without a helmut and instead spent the last four years afraid of skiing and not going at all.....until my good friend Lindsey invited me to go.

To celebrate her fabulous birthday, we went in on a great condo and night-skiing package deal at the Getaway Lodge in Keystone, CO. It was a great weekend, full of friends, beer, glow-sticks, a little bubbly, oversized glasses and of couse skiing....

On the way up the moutain in the gondola (which I far prefer over the chair lift), I started getting that nervous, twicthing feeling of anticipation. My heart was pounding and my stomach did flip-flops at the sight of the snow-covered trails as we climbed higher and higher up the slope.

Jumping out of the gondala (so much better than trying to jump off a chair lift), I clicked on my rentals, adjusted my snug helmut and zipped my coat to the top. Staring over the edge at the start of the run, I had flashbacks of waking up in the First Aid lodge, not knowing what day it was and unsure of how I got there. Oh...I don't know about this!

Excited to get started right away, the rest crew jumped up and down the slope they went. I realized it was the time I'd been anticipating and I just had do it. I tentatively made my way down the top of the trail, remembering the feeling of skiis on my ankles and when to lift your foot or turn your knee. Thankfully the group stopped for a minute to make a run decision and I caught up, feeling slightly more confident.

I proceeded down the hill, already feeling the workout in my burning calves and thighs, thinking "I'm not gonna have to workout for at least two days!" I picked up speed and started following my spouse, always a better skier than I. I started going faster and faster, feeling the wind blush my cheeks and the snow fluff up behind my turns. I was feeling quite invincible with my helmut, but then made a mental note that just because my head was safe, didn't mean I wouldn't break every other bone in my body.

Slowing it down just a bit, we made it down the rest slope and back to the gondola to go up again. I made the whole way without so much as trip or stumble!! Horray!!

We spent the rest of the evening getting in as many runs as possible, taking in the beautiful sunset over the mountains and experiencing night-skiing for the first time ever! Finishing off the night with great food and friends, made it a perfect weekend and assured me that I'm definitely not afraid to ski again (with a helmut of course).

















Photo Taken by Lindsey Hamilton

Yum!: Pizza Casbah

Just ate the most delicious pizza from Fort Collins local restaurant, Pizza Casbah! The thin herb crust and delicious toppings piled high onto very large slices came to together to make a terrific pie! 

We tried out the spicy garlic wings....I definitely recommend! They were meaty, spicy and cooked perfectly!!

Check them out for a great slice of pizza - they deliver, have carry out and offer dine-in! They're located downtown FC on Laurel!

Fashion Alert: Liberty of London @ Target

I'm so over winter....I can't wait until spring actually arrives with warm weather, sunshine, flowers and more hours of daylight! I'm especially excited for warmer-weather clothes including wedge sandals, floral patterns and flouncy skirts!! 

With spring fashion on the brain, I'm stoked to learn about Target's newest collaboration with Liberty of London! They're bringing their fabulous floral prints to Target in dresses, skirts, tops, dishes, accessories and more! I adore the bright colors and fun styles of their line and can't wait until it arrives! 

Pre-order has already started and expect to see the full line in stores by March 29th! 

 

A Great Night Out: Road 34 Bike Shop

One of my favorite local watering holes is the Road 34 Bike Shop here in Fort Collins. 

This deli/bike shop/bar/concert hall is a blast! They've got inexpensive drinks, a great sandwich menu and book some of my favorite bands such as the Hickman-Dalton Gang, Roger Clyne, and Cracker.

The next show I'm thinking of checking out is The Samples on March 19th. They're a Colorado-native, indie-label band that I'm sure will put on a great show! 

Be sure to stop by the Road 34 Bike Shop anytime for a couple drinks, sandwich or even to buy a bike! 

Fashion Alert: Polyvore.com

I've wanted to be like my younger sister, Kate, for years.....I have tried and tried to be a stylish gal and stay in the know with the latest fashions. Well, unlike my sister, I am somehow missing that gene that ques my brain to trendsetting fashions, eye-catching accessories and creating a fabulous look.

So...I cheat! And with a website like this www.polyvore.com...its easy!

This site not only offers shopping, but the ability to create looks with their items online so you can see how it will all come together. And better yet, they provide you with all of the looks the super-trendy have already put together so you don't have to fret about the right shoe, bracelet or jacket. Check it out! 

I love this combo myself...its got me ready for spring!

it's kind of sad how you still make my day. by ♥//eℓℓiejonas- featuring James Perse t shirts