Ok, so I said go to a play or opera in the list, but the idea behind this task was to go do something cultural and different that I haven't done before. And therefore, I am marking this as completed after an evening at the ballet.
The whole evening itself was pretty darn sweet. In theory, I was just along for the ride for someone else's celebration, but I got a pretty awesome deal. We started out at a swanky French restaurant in D.C. The food was delicious and beautiful!
The dinner deal included a ride to the Kennedy Center so we were whisked away after dessert to see our show. I've been to the Kennedy Center before but we were in a different theater for the ballet and it was quite beautiful. This was my first ballet so we decided to play it safe with a well known story, Peter Pan. And it was great! It wasn't a traditional ballet, there many different kinds of dance (the crocodile did hip hop I think??) and there was even some flying which is always interesting. I'm not sure if I'll do a ballet again, but I am certainly feeling more up to experiencing the cultural activities that are at my fingertips here in the nation's capital. So check mark for this task, and perhaps I'll be checking it off again before the 1001 days are up!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
14. Make fondue
If it wasn't for the Best Friend, I'm pretty sure I would have slacked off majorly on this 101 project, if not given it up entirely. It has been really nice to have each other as constant motivation as well as someone to collaborate with on some of the tasks. We have previously had one designated 101 weekend, where we got together and tackled a few of our tasks that we figured would be more fun in tandem. So when her Hubs decided to go on a trip during Valentines Day weekend we figured it was an opportune time to get together again. So she invited another one of her friends (who we have since converted to the 101 way of life) and we planned a fabulous weekend full of laughing, catching up, Disney, drinking, and of course... fondue!
After some slight alterations to the recipe (due to ingredient constraints) we made some fabulously delicious cheese fondue. It was grand. Insert a few of our favorite Disney animated films and wala, it's an hour or so later and we were ready for round two! Now if you ask me, it is a sin to do fondue and not do chocolate. So chocolate we did. So easy, so scrumptous.
All in all the fondue was just a high point of a very wonderful weekend with the girls.
Side note: If I ever get married, a fondue pot will be the first thing on the registry.
After some slight alterations to the recipe (due to ingredient constraints) we made some fabulously delicious cheese fondue. It was grand. Insert a few of our favorite Disney animated films and wala, it's an hour or so later and we were ready for round two! Now if you ask me, it is a sin to do fondue and not do chocolate. So chocolate we did. So easy, so scrumptous.
All in all the fondue was just a high point of a very wonderful weekend with the girls.Side note: If I ever get married, a fondue pot will be the first thing on the registry.
Monday, February 9, 2009
80. Visit my sister at college
If you hadn't noticed, I'm pretty close with my little sis. So, when she flew from the nest to head to college I knew I would miss her. She survived her first semester, and as the second semester got started I promised I would make the trek down to see her in Charlottesville. It was so great to see her in her new environment and to see her growing up.
We had a great time tooling around campus and the downtown area. It was fun reliving the college life and hanging out with some of her new friends. I am sure this was only the first of many visits.
We had a great time tooling around campus and the downtown area. It was fun reliving the college life and hanging out with some of her new friends. I am sure this was only the first of many visits.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
38. Open a savings account
You may have noticed that the Best Friend and I have something of a love affair going with Google (granted at times it is a one sided affair). Well watch out google because ING may be knocking you off the pedestal.
I was introduced to this online banking phenomena by the Best Friend. I tossed around the idea for awhile, and was a little iffy on the fact that I couldn't actually walk into a bank. But then again, when was the last time I walked into my bank? I did a little more research and finally decided to take the plunge and try it out.
So plunge I did, and I may never go back. ING makes it so easy to set up and manage your accounts. I can decide how much will be automatically taken from my checking account and how often. I even set up separate accounts and then was able to name them the fun (well sometimes fun) things that they are going towards, like my three month cushion, vacation, and housing. It's great! So now I'm saving and working toward yet another 101 task, having a three month cushion of money set aside.
I was introduced to this online banking phenomena by the Best Friend. I tossed around the idea for awhile, and was a little iffy on the fact that I couldn't actually walk into a bank. But then again, when was the last time I walked into my bank? I did a little more research and finally decided to take the plunge and try it out.
So plunge I did, and I may never go back. ING makes it so easy to set up and manage your accounts. I can decide how much will be automatically taken from my checking account and how often. I even set up separate accounts and then was able to name them the fun (well sometimes fun) things that they are going towards, like my three month cushion, vacation, and housing. It's great! So now I'm saving and working toward yet another 101 task, having a three month cushion of money set aside.
7. Pay off credit cards
Rock on! I can not tell you how amazing it feels to have this task completed!
Unfortunately, through my last year of college and a brief stint in law school I accumulated a freakish amount of credit card debt (though by statistics I have found I was better off than many people my age which is just downright scary). Over the past two years I have been slowly but surely chipping away bit by bit. And now I can officially say I am credit card debt free!
Now that I'm not forking out an exorbitant amount of money each month, I can start working toward other goals, such as building up that "rainy day fund". Woohoo!
Unfortunately, through my last year of college and a brief stint in law school I accumulated a freakish amount of credit card debt (though by statistics I have found I was better off than many people my age which is just downright scary). Over the past two years I have been slowly but surely chipping away bit by bit. And now I can officially say I am credit card debt free!
Now that I'm not forking out an exorbitant amount of money each month, I can start working toward other goals, such as building up that "rainy day fund". Woohoo!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
29. Learn to drive stick shift
Did you know that some people actually choose to complicate their lives by adding a whole plethora of steps to the driving process? They call this a "manual transmission" vehicle and yes, people make a conscious choice to purchase such a vehicle. I don't know why. I mean personally my life is complicated enough, and I have plenty to think about while driving without constantly remembering to let up on gas, push on clutch, shift gear, now ease off clutch, press on gas... whew... makes me exhausted just thinking about it.
So why, you may ask, after that tirade would I have added to my 101 list of things to do "learn to drive stick shift." Well, while I was not a boy scout (for obvious reason) I do try to live by the old adage, "always be prepared." You never know when you may have to drive someone's vehicle, and it has happened to me on more than one occasion where it would have been very beneficial for me to have this skill.
And so I embarked on a set of missions. The first mission was to find someone who not only owned a manual transmission vehicle but who also possessed an extreme amount of patience. Once that was completed it was time to hit the parking lots. Unfortunately, my wonderful instructor had other ideas and we headed straight to the streets. I'm not going to lie, it was just short of pee-in-your-pants-terrifying, but it's just like throwing someone into a pool, they'll either sink, or swim. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to report that I swam... well sort of... It wasn't pretty the first couple times, and there were a couple slip ups which included me becoming overly frustrated and someone passing me on the shoulder, but hey, a girl's gotta start somewhere. And so after many jumpy rides, I set out on my own and successfully completed a round trip with the stick shift!
So why, you may ask, after that tirade would I have added to my 101 list of things to do "learn to drive stick shift." Well, while I was not a boy scout (for obvious reason) I do try to live by the old adage, "always be prepared." You never know when you may have to drive someone's vehicle, and it has happened to me on more than one occasion where it would have been very beneficial for me to have this skill.
And so I embarked on a set of missions. The first mission was to find someone who not only owned a manual transmission vehicle but who also possessed an extreme amount of patience. Once that was completed it was time to hit the parking lots. Unfortunately, my wonderful instructor had other ideas and we headed straight to the streets. I'm not going to lie, it was just short of pee-in-your-pants-terrifying, but it's just like throwing someone into a pool, they'll either sink, or swim. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to report that I swam... well sort of... It wasn't pretty the first couple times, and there were a couple slip ups which included me becoming overly frustrated and someone passing me on the shoulder, but hey, a girl's gotta start somewhere. And so after many jumpy rides, I set out on my own and successfully completed a round trip with the stick shift!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
63. Try a new recipe once a week for a month
Part of my new living arrangement includes being responsible for dinner once a week. Now if that doesn't lend into my 101 I don't know what does! Granted being "responsible for dinner" just means I need to ensure there are edible substances available in evening, but because of this 101 task I have totally stepped up to the plate.
For my first meal, I stole an old favorite from the Best Friend and made pesto gnocci with chicken and asparagus. As my uncle would say "Yum-O!"
I got a little adventurous on week 2 and went without a recipe *gasp*! Lucky for me, my days as a waitress in a mexican restaurant paid off and the chicken and lime soup also earned a "Yum-O!"
Of course the recipe-less evening only lasted one night and by week 3 I was clicking my way through websites only to find another "Yum-O" worthy recipe. Now I am a huge fan of breakfast for dinner and the scrambled eggs with borsin and peas, ham, and homefries really hit the spot.
I went back to what I knew on week 4 and used the leftover potatoes to make a friend's cheesy ranch potatoes with hamburgers (this was done with the help of my uncle since I have yet to complete the task of learning to grill... but work with people I'm learning!).
Now let me just say the fun has only just begun. I have since made lasagna; spinach, tomato, onion, and goat cheese quesadillas; and homemade doughnuts! This is definitely a 101 task that has paid off. And my future husband will be so thankful ;)
For my first meal, I stole an old favorite from the Best Friend and made pesto gnocci with chicken and asparagus. As my uncle would say "Yum-O!"
I got a little adventurous on week 2 and went without a recipe *gasp*! Lucky for me, my days as a waitress in a mexican restaurant paid off and the chicken and lime soup also earned a "Yum-O!"
Of course the recipe-less evening only lasted one night and by week 3 I was clicking my way through websites only to find another "Yum-O" worthy recipe. Now I am a huge fan of breakfast for dinner and the scrambled eggs with borsin and peas, ham, and homefries really hit the spot.
I went back to what I knew on week 4 and used the leftover potatoes to make a friend's cheesy ranch potatoes with hamburgers (this was done with the help of my uncle since I have yet to complete the task of learning to grill... but work with people I'm learning!).
Now let me just say the fun has only just begun. I have since made lasagna; spinach, tomato, onion, and goat cheese quesadillas; and homemade doughnuts! This is definitely a 101 task that has paid off. And my future husband will be so thankful ;)
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