#37: Learn to Make a Pot of Coffee

So this was an easy one. Or, at least, it should have been an easy one.

I love coffee. Usually by "coffee" I mean a Mocha Frap Light add Vanilla Bean and Caramel Sauce. Or a Vanilla Latte. But, thanks to burning the stick at both ends - and trying to live on a budget - I've started drinking coffee coffee. Usually this coffee coffee was supplied by SK+G. And then when I moved in to the Wicklers, there was always a pot brewing.

I've been spoiled.

But the other morning, I woke up and since it's spring break in the house - Josh and Linzi were not awake. And no one set the coffee on auto-brew. I've gotten accustomed to making my hour drive to work with a warm cup of Joe in my hand. What now?

Time to conquer #37, my babies.

What should have taken me 2 minutes took me 15 since I was trying to figure out measurements - water vs. grinds. But it happened. I made my first pot of coffee. Given, Josh had to add some more water to it to make it right but I still made it happen. A crash course in coffee making 101 and now I'm all set to do it on my own when I move out of the Wickler's next week.

Barista Kate. It's got a ring to it, no?

#36: Survive a Class of Bikram Yoga

My goal with 100 Things was to come back and post about each one that I accomplished to share it with you and ultimately, to check back on to make sure I am going to complete at least 80% of that list (guest starring on Gossip Girl might be a little more difficult to achieve than let's say....camping at Valley of Fire).

The other night I was out with Jeffrey James and we had pulled up the list to see what we could get crossed off within the next, let's say, year or so.

As I am going down the list, I stopped at #36 and was like WAIT WAIT I DID THAT ONE!

You guys, I survived (multiple) classes of Bikram Yoga.

A few months back, Groupon (best site ever, btw) featured a daily special of 92% of Bikram Yoga. We got 30 classes for like $25 and we had two months to use up those visits. Easy as pie, right?

Or not. The first class we went to was on a Saturday afternoon. I had my new yoga mat, my new yoga clothes, a bottle of frozen water and my motivation. All of those things melted away within the first 5 minutes of class.

First, let's discuss the smell. The smell was so raunchy I thought I was going to toss my cookies right there on the carpet. Yes CARPET. WHY OH WHY would they put carpet in a room where people are just constantly dripping pounds of sweat onto the floor? Carpet soaks up smell. Trust me, I've raised a puppy in an apartment, I know.

The rest of the class was a struggle. I had not been to the gym in, oh, I don't know, six months or so? It was June so it was just starting to heat up real nice outside but let me tell you, walking out of that room to the outdoors, felt like Vegas was a cool 60 degrees. I felt limber during class, there is no doubt about that there. And the feeling that I had after that first 90 minute class was pure bliss. Look, I even mentioned it in this post.

As I was reading over that post, I noticed that I said we were going to go three times a week over the following two months. HA HA HA. I must have still been high from that first class.

I went back, I did. Once. Twice. Three times. Even a fourth. And then I retired this body back to the LVAC. The good news is, it did get me back in the routine of wanting to take care of my body, which is important when you eat as much cheese as I do.

In conclusion - Bikram yoga - an experience that I would recommend trying - just bring nose plugs and try to hold on to those first moments after your first class for as long as possible 'cause you'll be chasing that high through 120 degrees of heat.

Hot Air Balloon

So I know that going to the Hot Air Balloon Festival in New Mexico is on my 100 but what I failed to mention on that list was is how desperately I want to RIDE in a hot air balloon.

I mean yes, I get excited at the thought of attending the festival and OH THE PICTURES but I want to be a part of the action.

For as long as I can remember, I've been just fascinated by these giants in the sky.

Saw this one on my way to work this morning, pulled over in a parking lot and snapped away. Afterward, my head was in the clouds all morning thinking about a ride and researching how to make it happen.

Do you know they do rides with champagne? SOLD. Who's with me?

100 (Things to Do Before My Time is Up)

Welcome my lovelies, to my 100th post...I know, can you believe it?? I decided that we should celebrate this occasion with a list...you know how I love lists...of things to do before I croak. About a week or so ago when I first decided I was going to mark post 100 with meaning, I got a little overwhelmed thinking of ONE HUNDRED things to do. I mean sometimes it's a task for me to dry my hair. The first 20 or so came pretty easy....after that, not so much but then...then they started flowing. I'd be driving and something would come to me and before I knew it, I was writing on a napkin in bar so I wouldn't forget to add it. It's going to be quite the rollercoaster and trust me, this is in no particular order. And let me know if you care to join me on any of these adventures. And I also promise to you to blog about every. single. one. of these that get accomplished. Here we go.

1. Wine tasting in New Zealand

2. Fall madly, deeply and hopelessly in love

3. Marry that man barefoot on the beach

4. Fly a kite

5. Get my Masters degree

6. Knit a scarf

7. Spend the whole day at a Farmer's Market and then make a meal using only what I purchased

8. Have children (yes, that is plural)

9. Take ballroom dancing lessons

10. Zip line through the Rainforest

11. Participate in a choreographed dance (preferably in a high school gym...ok, so this is one I've been holding onto and have never lived out but I am keeping the hope alive)

12. Stay at the Montage in Laguna

13. Camp at Valley of Fire

14. Visit Hawaii

15. Learn to surf

16. Breakfast in bed

17. Carnival in Brazil

18. Spend a weekend on a sailboat

19. Take my kids to Disneyland with Pep

20. Learn how to (correctly and safely) drive a stick shift

21. Go to a Cubs game at Wrigley

22. Have a garden

23. Teach

24. Spend the night on the beach

25. Own a hybrid

26. Be an extra in a movie

27. Touch Justin Timberlake

28. Dance with my father to Tiny Dancer at my wedding

29. See the Northern Lights

30. Create/Build/Decorate a nursery

31. Rescue a pet from a shelter

32. Experience bliss

33. Smoke a Cuban cigar

34. Bonfire on the beach

35. Milk a cow

36. Survive a class of Bikram's Yoga

37. Learn to make a pot of coffee (I know, I know...it's ridiculous)

38. Go skinny dipping in the South of France

39. Own a star (with the cheesy certificate and everything)

40. Get published

41. Spend a weekend in Boston (with Chloe)

42. Ride an elephant

43. Mardi Gras

44. Cross the Brooklyn Bridge (my history)

45. Kiss at the top of the Eiffel Tower

46. Talk to Al and Matt LIVE on/at the Today Show

47. Sleep in a castle

48. Go to the Olympic Games

49. Take golf lessons

50. Take a Volkswagen convertible up the coast via the PCH

51. Live in Manhattan for a summer

52. London to Amsterdam via train with Lobo

53. Attend the Grammy's (and not with a dude named Rich)

54. Get Lasik

55. Go on a safari

56. Throw a black-tie Oscar party

57. Have a relationship with my daughter just like the one that I am lucky enough to have with my mother

58. Spend the weekend at a 5-star spa

59. Learn how to play the piano

60. Own a bag I would never set on the floor (purse hook Panda and X!)

61. Go on a helicopter ride (hollacopter!)

62. Meet Barack Obama

63. Take an out-of-the-country trip with my 5 best girlfriends

64. Make a baby quilt

65. Own an expensive camera and learn how to use it

66. Go to the Kentucky Derby in the most ridiculous hat and drink Mint Juleps all day

67. Learn how to save my money

68. Watch my dad teach my son how to fly fish

69. Own a Vespa

70. Horseback on the beach

71. Join a softball team

72. DJ a party

73. Give Nie and all of her kids a hug and tell her what an incredible inspiration she has been to me

74. Spend New Years Eve in Times Square

75. Cochella

76. Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef

77. Own a beach house

78. Visit the top of Lady Liberty's crown

79. MoMA

80. Snowboard at Tahoe

81. Ride in a hot air balloon

82. See the Cherry Blossoms in Japan (I might settle for DC on this one, too)

83. Run in 5-inch heels

84. Build a tree house for my children (or help, at least)

85. Go on a spiritual tour in India

86. Speak two solid sentences in Chinese to PY

87. Watch a private fireworks show

88. Swim with a dolphin

89. Oktoberfest

90. Guest spot on Gossip Girl

91. Visit Austin, TX

92. See the hot air balloon festival in New Mexico

93. Create a happy, healthy and welcoming home

94. Get at least 17 stamps on my Passport

95. Have a KILLER bachelorette party

96. Watch Shawshank Redemption

97. Be a contestant on The Price is Right

98. Own a weimaraner

99. Cedar Point

100. Reach post 1,367