#56 Cook Every Dish From One Cookbook

Have you ever done this? I always am good for 3 or 4 recipes and then move on to the next book. You see, I sort of have an addiction to cookbooks, owning more than 100. To my defense, I do own a restaurant, so it is technically a write-off! I have to say that this goal was on my bucket list way before the move Julie & Julia was released! For those of you who haven't seen it, Julie challenged herself to cook every recipe from Julia Childs Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days. I am not giving myself any sort of time limit, except within a lifetime (geez...I still have 100s of other things to achieve too).

I have selected the cookbook A16 Food +Wine by Nate Appleman. A16 is a fantastic restaurant in San Francisco (I have written about it in this blog under #26 Eat at 500 Memorable Restaurants). The book features 92 modern Italian recipes, that all sound pretty delicious.

Sample Items:

• Roasted Apsaragus with Walnut Crema and Pecorino Tartufo


• Minestra Maritata


• Chestnut Polenta with Ragu alla Napoletana, Eggs and Ricotta Salata


• Lamb & Ricotta Crespelle with Tomato and Pecorino


• Chard Gratinata with Bread Crumbs and Grana


• Pistachio and Almond Cake with Orange Salad

Sounds Yummy, can't wait to get started!

Recipe Count: 92

Recipes Completed: 0

Julie & Julia (the movie)

What does that have to do with a bucket list? Nothing and everything.
Do you know how you read something, hear something or see something and it triggers an emotion that you needed to feel at that time? That's what the movie Julie & Julia did for me. The pure joy people feel when they achieve a goal always gets me teary eyed and made me greatly aware of why achievement is so important to me. The excitement that Julie felt when she had her first blog comment was an emotion I could relate to. Isn't that what people are striving for as you get older? To feel pure happiness over the smallest things in life, like when you were a child?

I have asked myself dozens of times, "why is it so important to you to have a life list, who really cares?" I have come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter who cares, as long as I do and the way this list enhances my life is worth every second that someone doesn't care or thinks that I am bonkers, vain or senseless. It makes me happy. Whether you read it or not...it makes me happy. There are not many feelings better than the true bliss that accomplishment brings!

#26 Eat at 500 memorable restaurants

Restaurant #116 is Redd in Yountville, CA

Redd is ridiculously cool and trendy. From the ambiance to the aprons to the food, it's all spot on to be the hot spot of Yountville. We passed it twice because we were unsure what restaurant it was or if it was an eatery at all. It has a tiny hidden sign that says its name, that could be easily missed and that might be my only complaint, except that Redd is so good it is worth the hunt.

It was a gorgeous day so we opted to sit outside. We actually went to Michael Chiarello's restaurant Bottega first, but when they informed us they had no outdoor servers available for the lounge area we chose Redd instead. Not sure why such a big name restaurant wouldn't have a server outside on a 90 degree Sunday. No worries, we still had a great meal elsewhere (still love you Bottega).

The patio is sleek and comfortable, boasting plastic green chairs and a soothing water feature. Our server was casual yet efficient. We actually commented that his laid back style didn't fit the environment, but we still liked him lots. We will definitely go back for dinner to sit in the ultra-trendy interior.

What I ate & how I liked it:

Duck Confit, mushroom risotto, thyme jus A+

The duck was perfectly cooked and the risotto was amongst the creamiest I have ever had.

Prosciutto, scrambled egg and creme fraiche breakfast pizza A

The crust was thin and crisp, just like the prosciutto. I could have done without the eggs, but I am not an egg person.

#48 Completed! Get a Bikini Wax

Ok...I have to be honest...I skipped the whole bikini wax thing and went straight for the permanent laser hair removal. I thought, "how great would it be to never have to shave my bikini line again?" I know...pretty great!!! My laser hair removal was done at Radiance Medspa in Arizona. I have done a total of 5 sessions and have spent about $750.

My first session, I was nervous not knowing what to expect. They give you the option of what style removal you want down there; simple bikini line, landing strip or full Brazilian. Leave your modesty at home! It's hard to keep it when you are naked and some technician it zapping you on your privates. They explain that it will feel like a hot rubberband snapping your skin and looking back, that made it seem like a picnic. It hurts!! It feels more like being electrocuted with flaming fire! After the first session I got smart and stopped by the bar next door to have a quick liquid pain reliever.

The results: Worth every painful zap I got!! I still could use one or two more sessions for the process to be complete, but I am happy. I'm Italian and have very dark hair that even with a close shave, you could see. This procedure cured that. You will still have to shave some strays, but I couldn't recommend laser hair removal more. Fantastic!

5 new things added to my Bucket List

1. Dog Sled
I plan on doing this in the winter, they have a place about 3 1/2 hours from my house.

2. Make a candle
I have tried to make soap, but never a candle!

3. Apply to be on a reality show
I have always wanted to do this, but never had a video camera. The hard part is to figure out which one to apply to!

4. Have a meaningful conversation with a stranger
Maybe after a couple of drinks?

5. Watch all the Oscar winning movies
After standing in the video store staring at all of the new releases and picking mostly duds, I decided to do this goal!

#124 Completed! Finish a crossword puzzle

More than 50 million people in the United States play crosswords regularly, count me in as one of them! I have tried them all; online, newspapers, magazines, daily crossword books...oh my! My skill has increased over time, but I had done thousands before I finally completed one (with no dictionary, assistance or cheating). Ok...so, maybe the one I completed wasn't at the NY Times, which is regarded as one of the hardest, but all the spaces were filled in and that counts!

If you are interested, you can create your own crossword puzzle pretty easily online. I used to make my own when I was a staff trainer, it was a fantastic way to teach something in a fun way.

#13 Play the Stock Market

The stock market is on fire today!! At the start of the day I was holding DNN, CPE, SIRI, ADVNA, AEZS & XRM. I sold XRM for $1.30 ($0.35 more than what I paid for it). I have a limit trade in for ADVNA for $0.60 (only $0.12 more than I bought it for), but that's not looking like it will sell today. DNN & CPE are on the rise, but I need them to each go up another $0.25 for me to make a little $$$. SIRI is still my lost cause stock, I keep hoping that a miracle will happen. I guess Howard Stern doesn't have as much of a following as I thought. Lesson learned...don't buy stocks where one person has to carry the entire company. At some point I will have to put my tail between my legs, accept the loss & sell...it's bringing down my portfolio!

#26 Eat at 500 memorable restaurants

Restaurant #115 is Dream Farm in San Anselmo, Ca.

Dream Farm claims to be a taste of rural America. The prices are reasonable, nothing over $20.00. Their location is great, right on the main drag in San Anselmo. It used to be the old Fork restaurant, it's the same owners, not sure why that restaurant didn't work out. But, rumors are that Fork was too pricey and inconsistent. The decor is wine country meets restoration hardware, very cozy. We had reservations on a Sunday night and were sat right away at the prime window seat. Service was adequate, we got served our appetizer before we got our wine, but after that everything was up to par.

What I ate & how I like it:

Shrimp Spring Roll A+

Fresh & light, great for a summer app. It came with a soy based dipping sauce that complemented it nicely. Not sure how this fit into their rural American food concept, but it was tasty.

Salad Nicoise of Seared Ahi Tuna, Potatoes , Green Beans, Olive, Egg A

My potatoes were under cooked, but besides that this was a great salad with perfectly rare ahi.

Creekstone New York Steak with French Fries and Blue Cheese Butter A+

This was the biggest piece of steak I have ever seen served! Even our server commented on the size. Oops, chef must have not weighed that one.

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta A+

I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but this was the best panna cotta I ever had (even better than the one I serve at my restaurant!). They sprinkled it with Amaretto cookie crumbs...YUM!!!

#26 Eat at 500 memorable restaurants

Restaurant #114 is A16 in San Francisco, CA.

A16 is a modern Italian restaurant that focuses on fresh, local foods, so they change their menus regularly. They are known for their pizzas, but have many other dishes their too. The prices are fairly reasonable, considering you are in SF (nothing over $25).

They are located in the Marina, which is a great place to spend an evening. We went to Bin 38 first for a drink & walked over to A16 with no problems. Surprisingly, parking is not much of a problem due to the parking garage nearby. Just remember to bring a pocketful of quarters, you'll need them!! Take it from me, I got a $100 parking ticket (made for an expensive night out).

What I ate and how I liked it:

Roasted Monterey sardines with fried breadcrumbs, currants, pickled chiles and herbs A

These aren't your mamas typical canned sardines...they are plump, little fishies. I little too much fishy for me, but I could appreciate the presentation of the dish.

Funghi – roasted mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, grana padano, garlic, oregano, wild arugula A-

They are known for their pizza and it was good, but not the best I ever had. I like Rosso in Santa Rosa, CA much better.

Ricotta gnocchi in brodo with cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil B+

These gnocchi were just fine, but lacked a bit of creativity.