Life list.

There have been numerous websites, countless articles and even a movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman that was created on the idea.

A bucket list is a list of things to do before a person dies, and is derived from the term "kicked the bucket."

However, I don't associate the list with death so much as with a celebration of life.

Such is the reason why I spent the last many weeks putting my list together! The following are the top 100 items on my life list, and in no particular order:

1. Skydive [2009]
2. Live overseas for an extended period of time
3. Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
4. Qualify for the Boston Marathon
5. Learn a second language fluently
6. Marry my true love
7. Experience the birth of my children
8. See a Galapagos tortoise
9. Complete graduate school
10. Learn to cook well
11. Lead a successful career
12. Run a marathon in all 50 states [wip]
13. Run a marathon in all 7 continents [wip]
14. Ride an elephant in Thailand
15. Go on a safari in or near South Africa
16. See Angkor Wat in Cambodia
17. Climb a big mountain, be it Mt Hood, Ranier, Kilimanjaro or Everest
18. Surf a big wave
19. Walk along the Great Wall of China
20. Go on a volunteer vacation
21. Ride a camel to the Great Pyramids of Giza
22. Climb the Eiffel Tower in Paris [1997, 2009]
23. Stay at a villa in Tuscany
24. Devote more time to community service
25. Maintain a healthy and active lifestyle [wip]
26. Pay respects to The Buddha in Nepal
27. Visit the Taj Mahal in India
28. Visit Acropolis and the Greek islands
29. Go on a road trip by car in the US
30. Visit the US National Parks, including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite [wip]
31. Hike the Incan Trail in Macchu Picchu
32. Dance the tango in Argentina
33. Scuba dive in a Mexican cenote [2009]
34. Scuba dive with sharks [2008]
35. Have a heartfelt conversation with my dad
36. Explore my spirituality
37. Visit Vietnam again
38. Achieve my ideal weight [wip]
39. Buy a home
40. Learn to play a sport well
41. Explore my artistic side and display my artwork
42. Go camping
43. Participate in the Tour de France
44. Organize a charitable event
45. Explore a live volcano [2000, 2005, 2007]
46. Learn to play an instrument well
47. Ride on a helicopter
48. See the glaciers in Alaska
49. Rock climb
50. Learn to drive a car [wip]
51. Zipline in Costa Rica [2007]
52. Witness the Northern Lights in Norway
53. See the Grandfather Clock in London
54. Experience every 3-Michelin star restaurant in the US (awarded 3 consecutive years)
55. Snowboard in powder out West
56. Visit the Holy City of Jerusalem
57. Hike through the Amazon Rainforest
58. Go on a gastranomy tour of Europe
59. Visit New Zealand, the land of the LOTR
60. Start my own business in something I love
61. Win the lottery [wip]
62. Live each and every day to the fullest [wip]
63. Always listen before I speak [wip]
64. Show my family and friends how much they mean to me everyday [wip]
65. Practice yoga
66. Shake hands with President Barack Obama
67. Watch a live taping of Oprah
68. Meet the Dalai Lama
69. Write an article for a major publication
70. Receive a scholarship or grant for literary or humanitarian work
71. Become a millionaire [wip]
72. Donate unwanted clothes and shoes to charities
73. Make a difference in at least one person's life
74. Buy organic and/or local food when given the choice
75. Maintain a blog on an aspect of my life [wip]
76. Sail or cruise around a part of the world
77. Sleep in a castle
78. Become a cheese connoisseur
79. Go on a wine tasting in Napa
80. Lead an extraordinarily creative life
81. Send my children to college debt-free
82. Retire early
83. Read books whenever I have free time
84. Go on a backpacking trip
85. Scuba dive in the Egyptian Red Sea
86. Swim with dolphins [2006]
87. Go whale-watching
88. Plant a garden
89. Watch an Olympic event live
90. Eat sushi in Tokyo
91. Photograph the Sahara desert
92. Pursue my passions
93. Watch a concert from the front row
94. Experience weightlessness
95. Break a Guiness world record
96. Complete the Iron Man
97. Trace my ancestry
98. Celebrate Chinese New Year in China
99. Ride a bicycle in lieu of public transportation or a car for short distances
100. Seize the day [wip]

wip = Work in progress, where I've either completed at least 1 component of the goal if it has different components or I'm actively attempting to complete the goal if it doesn't

I hope to be able to really enjoy completing this entire list, and create another in the not too too distant future!

-S

A blurred memory.

This solitary photo provided as a constant reminder in my Outlook inbox since it was taken during a client dinner last week of the neglect that this blog has suffered.

Though my memory of the meal is blurred by a foray of Kirin light beers, chardonnay and cold sake, the flavors of some of Nobu 57’s exceptional dishes—which included fresh yellowtail sashimi slices, each accented with a tiny round of Jalapeno and drizzled with garlic soy sauce, hunks of tuna sashimi marinated in matsuhisa dressing and laid on a bed of baby greens, and tataki-style wagyu, sliced thin, seared lightly and dressed in a tart ponzu sauce—still linger on my tastebuds. The standout dish, however, was the Miso Black Cod wrapped in lettuce. The cod was buttery, silky and light in texture, and its rich but delicate flavors were enhanced, not overwhelmed, by the marinade. The way in which the cod constrasted sharply with its sweet crisp topping (which I still can’t identify after much Googling) danced in my mouth.

My coworker J captured the moment and emailed the photo to me, titling it “Add it to your shitty blog” before I devoured every last morsel.

It won't be so long until I blog again. I'll be back soon.

-S

Welcome to our world.

On most days, my boyfriend R and I lead quite predictable lives. We're forced out of bed by the irritating buzz of our alarms. We make the 23-minute long commute to the office. We eat much of the same meals. We hit the gym and run outdoors in efforts to stay fit. We surf through channels in search of distractions.

On special days, our lives transform dramatically! We leap out of bed, brimming with enthusiasm to learn about diverse cultures and lifestyles. We search intensely for outstanding and unusual cuisines to savor. We explore unfamiliar places, both on land and diving under water. Traversing the world is our passion!

Welcome to our journal dedicated to our love of food, diving and, of course, travel.

-S