Life List Item #116 Completed: Learn How to Play a Musical Instrument

I started guitar lessons last week. I've never touched a guitar in my life, nor can I read sheet music. Other than a brief fling on the bass drum in junior high, I have no musical experience other than a zest for accumulating mp3's.

I have an acoustic guitar that I play right-handed.

I like it. The guitar instructor is an affable, long-haired, rocker-type of dude who is my age. The class includes one bored-looking young teenage boy, and two other women close to my age. We (the girls) immediately bonded.

So far, we have learned how to read tab and chord charts. We can play the major chords and are learning chord shifts to the minor chords.

According to Rocker Dude music instructor, I'll be able to play some songs by the Beatles and Rolling Stones by Christmas. I'm looking forward to that.

Life List Item #118 Completed: Learn How to Fire a Gun

I enjoy learning the kind of stuff that spy's would need to know. I would say that scuba diving, card counting, and bar tending school all fall under the skill set that at least James Bond needs to have. However, firing a gun accurately is probably the most important skill for spy's both real and fake.

Being that it was my birthday this week, my husband knows that nothing delights his Leonine wife more than the slavish completion of any item written into a neatly organized list. So he signed me (never fired a weapon ever in my life) and himself (ex-military, intrepid deer hunter) up for gun and shooting lessons.

The lecture part of the class went over gun safety, handling, storage, and cleaning. Then came the practical part in the shooting range.

I don't know what it says about me, but I was a drop-dead natural markswoman. I'm talking bull's eyes every time at 15, 25, and 35 feet with a semi-automatic as well as single action and double action revolvers (all 22 caliber). My shooting was impressive enough that Rory and the instructor said I should really think about joining a shooting league. I definitely had fun; it would be something to consider if my fall school schedule allows me the time.

I think I was a good shot for these two reasons:

1. The instructor had just told us exactly what to do in the classroom portion, and the one thing I really excel at is being a professional student.
2. Not to knock the other women in the class, but they were all handling the guns like they were live rattlesnakes and flinching at every shot that went off. Now I'm not saying I'm some kind of tough-as-nails SOB, but the guns did not frighten me. At this point in my life, I've bungee jumped, walked away from a prestigious but soul-crushing career, and sold two houses at profit under horrible economic conditions. Many things in this life are more terrifying than the sound of a gunshot in the context of a gun range.

So who knows? Time permitting maybe I will work on becoming the next Annie Oakley.

For those in the Louisville metro area, I have to give props to Open Range gun range. The class we took was about 4 hours long, covered all things guns, and their facility was super clean, super modern, and super friendly (and they were NOT gun weirdos either). They also have a paintball arena. I highly recommend this range if you are just looking to do target shooting, and the class is terrific particularly for women or people looking for a refresher. You can visit their website here: http://www.openrangesports.com/

Life List Item #14 Completed: Visit San Francisco

San Francisco is now officially my favorite American city (and I've already been to the Big Apple, the Big Easy, the Windy City, the Motor City, and several others).

Here are some city highlights from our recent trip:

• Touring Alcatraz and it's surrounding gardens
• Strolling around Haight-Ashbury
• Getting a great work out just by walking up and down San Fran's monster hills
• Hanging out at Golden Gate Park
• Checking out the sea lions at Pier 39
• Eating fried shrimp at Fisherman's Wharf
• Window shopping around Union Square
• Navigating public transit
• Fantasizing about owning one of the cute and oh-so-San-Francisco homes (see bellow)

Life List Item #48 Completed: Eat at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California

Chez Panisse and it's co-founder, Alice Waters, are associated with the creation of California cuisine. This type of cuisine is marked by a strong emphasis on presentation and the use of the freshest, organic, local food available. The restaurant is located in Berkeley, CA, which as a city has a reputation for liberalism and a sort of low-key hippie aesthetic.

I wouldn't recommend Chez Panisse for the service (and before you protest, I'm not saying the service is bad). It's just that the previously mentioned hippie aesthetic shines through at this restaurant. Although the restaurant is serving up a fine dining prix fixe menu, the casual attitude underlying the service was very obvious to me. Jackets are not required for men, and a few patrons were even wearing jeans. And I'm saying all this as a terrible food snob; if you choose to eat here, this little nuance will probably go totally unnoticed.

That all being said, the food itself was outstanding. The waitstaff was very knowledgeable about exactly when and where everything on the plate had come from. I can honestly say that I had the best tomatoes and the best duck breast I've ever eaten in my life here. For fine dining, the portions were generous, and the presentation immaculate. I also must mention that we probably had the best table in the house, which overlooks the main drag in Berkeley.

If you're looking for an even more casual (and cheaper) meal, Chez Panisse also features an upstairs cafe that just serves entrees.

One cute thing they do at the restaurant is to print up the days menu on nice paper, which you get to take as a souvenir when you leave. Here's mine:

Aperitif

***

Heirloom tomato salad with sheep's milk ricotta and green olive toast

***

Pan-seared sea scallops with corn and basil

***

Spiced Sonoma Liberty duck breast with apricot chutney, haricot verts, and fresh flageolet beans

***

Rose-scented meringue with raspberry ice cream and summer berries

Life List Item #49 Completed: Drink Wine in Napa

Napa Valley in California is widely considered one of the best wine producing regions in the United States. If you ever had Beringer or Robert Mondavi wine, then you were drinking Napa grapes.

Today more than 700 different wineries populate the valley, and many of them are open to the public for tours and tastings.

We spent the better part of the day at Domaine Carneros Tattinger, where they mainly produce sparkling wines and Pinot Noir. After a leisurely lunch of locally made cheese, pistachios, and fruit, we took the two hour tasting tour where you stroll around the grounds and facilities with a glass of Champagne in hand. The tour was interesting and fun, and the wine tastings were generous portions (we each got 2 full glass of champagne, along with tastings of 3 different red wines). We had an awesome tour guide, who clearly loved his job (I'd love a job where I got to drink and talk about wine all day).

Even if you're not a wine snob, I would recommend a visit to Napa Valley. What's more relaxing than sitting in the perfect California sunshine in front of a wine chateau?

And here's an interesting Wikipedia fun fact about Napa Valley: "Almost 4.7 million people visit Napa Valley each year, making it the second most popular tourist destination in California, second only to Disneyland." I'll take Napa over Disneyland any day; people in giant rat costumes creep me out.

Life List Item #15 Completed: Drive Down the Pacific Highway

Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Highway in California, is some of the most scenic driving one can do in the U.S. Switchback turns let you view the mighty Pacific Ocean on one side, and mountains and redwoods on the other.

In my experience, the natural beauty was awe-inspiring. We got on the highway at about 5:30 AM, which was just in time to watch the sun rising over the ocean. Deer were plentiful on the ocean side cliffs and mountains. Sea lions were basking on jutting rocks and beaches. We got on Highway 1 at Cambria and headed north towards Monterey. This was an enjoyable drive of several hours (although the highway is posted 55 mph throughout, many of the curves are 25 to 30 mph since they're so sharp).

If you decide to make this drive yourself, allow plenty of time and gas up before you get on the highway. Most of this section is through National Park areas. There are NO gas stations, rest areas, restaurants, or vending machines. It's just pure nature with a road running through it. I would recommend bringing a camera; there are plentiful "vista" turn-offs on the ocean side for gorgeous photo ops. Also bring your car charger and Ipod loaded up with great driving music; that's really all you need.

Life List Item #16 Completed: Surf in the Pacific Ocean

On our recent vacation to San Francisco, my husband and I went to surf school. Here's some thoughts:

Surfing looks a lot easier than it actually is. I would liken standing up on a surf board to the experience of learning to ride a bike. Most people fall off the board repeatedly for the first hour or so, but once you stand up and ride the first time it's a piece of cake.

Surfing is fantastic exercise. Paddling your board out against the tide to get into wave riding position will force you to work muscles you didn't know you had. The following morning my arm, shoulder, and upper back muscles were burning. I've always been more of a stairmaster/ treadmill workout kind of girl, so this was a pretty new feeling for me.

Surfing is highly addicting. While we were surfing, a curious sea lion swam over and poked it's head up to check on what we were doing. Groups of friends were surfing together; families were surfing together. One day at Linda Mar Beach and I'm hooked on the prospect of surfing in Hawaii and Australia.

Hang ten, dude!

Life List Item #3 Completed: Bet $50 on Black at the Roulette Table in Vegas

I'm a pretty crappy gambler. I don't know how to play poker, craps, blackjack, or football squares. The extent of my gambling experience lies in consistently picking losing horses in the Kentucky Derby and a lifetime total of about $20 in slot machines.

However, I am pretty good at math, and statistically speaking you have no better odds in a casino then betting simply on either red or black at the roulette wheel.

So this past weekend in Las Vegas, in a fumbling and awkward fashion, I proceeded to place the biggest bet of my life in front of an audience of hardened, half-annoyed/half-amused, experienced gamblers.

I'm happy to say that beginner's luck does exist.

And since, as I stated, I'm a pretty crappy gambler, I immediately cashed in my chips and strolled out of the casino with a crisp hundie in hand.

Other Things To Do In Chicago Before You Die

1) The Museum of Science and Industry

You could easily spend an entire day at this museum and not see everything. However, if you could only do one thing there, you must see the U-505 German submarine.

The captured WWII sub has been on permanent exhibition at the museum for over 50 years. The sub used to sit outside the museum and you would take a brief tour through the interior by going out a covered walkway straight into the sub. You really didn't get a grasp of how large the ship was because you really only saw the exterior when you were driving up to the museum.

In the late 90's, museum curators noticed that brutal Chicago winters were destroying the hull of the sub, and in 2004 a major renovation and relocation project were undertaken to move the sub to the other side of the building and place it in a covered, bunker style exhibit space.

The new space is amazing. The story of how the sub was captured, what became of the prisoners, and how the sub was brought to Chicago are all fascinating. But I guess the engineer in me was most riveted by this:

How they got the sub into it's new permanent home:

2) Shedd Aquarium

This place is like an aquarium on steroids. Even without the sea life, the building itself is gorgeous and blends classic and contemporary architectural styles into a structure nestled right up against Lake Michigan. The exhibits are world class and feature sharks, dolphins, sea lions, and my favorite the beluga whales. To really make it a day, when you finish at Shedd's, go over to the Field Museum next door to see Sue, the world's largest and most complete T. Rex skeleton.

3) The Navy Pier

You can enjoy the Navy Pier without spending a dime (although if you want to spend it's pretty easy as this venue features tons of restaurants, bars, shopping, and boat tours). Walking casually along the pier will give you great views of the city, Lake Michigan, and of course, people watching. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Navy Pier also hosts free fireworks every Wednesday and Saturday night.

4) The Hancock Observatory

I've been to the top of the Sears Tower and it's no great shakes. You pay $15, they whisk you up to the Skydeck and on most days the view is obscured by cloud cover. That's it folks.

For the same price you can do the Hancock Observatory (the Hancock Building is the other black skyscraper with two distinctive white antennas on Chicago's skyline - you can see it in the photo above behind the Ferris Wheel). The Hancock Building's observation deck also features a nice little museum of Chicago history, and since the building is not as tall as the Sears Tower, the view is not obstructed by clouds.

Life List Item #53 Completed: Eat at the Superdawg in Chicago, IL

The Superdawg in Chicago is one of the few original carhop restaurants still operating in the United States. It was opened in 1948 by Maurie and Flaurie Berman, who still run it today with the help of their children. For just being a little hot dog stand, the Superdawg boasts enough distinctive features to make it a favorite with locals and tourists alike.

It all starts when you drive up and feast your eyes upon the anthropomorphic hot dogs standing on top of the restaurant. I've said it here before, and I'll say it again; I am a sucker for giant, fiberglass statues of anything. If you have 8 foot tall fiberglass people-weenies gracing your building, I'm like a moth to a flame. I have to eat there.

The restaurant itself does not appear to have changed much since the 1950's, and still retains the metal ordering boxes to order from your car.

We actually ate at the Superdawg twice while in Chicago, and both times it was packed with locals and tourists alike. The food is tasty, inexpensive, and distinctively packaged. Your hamburger or hot dog comes snuggled in a little box with crinkle-cut french fries, a pickle, hot peppers, and a unique-to-Superdawg pickled green tomato (pictured here is the "Whoopercheesie" double cheeseburger on dark rye bread).

I highly recommend the milkshakes! One Superdawg nestled in french fries will run you $4.95, and in Chicago, you're not going to get a slice of Americana any cheaper than that. The Superdawg is a fun, nostalgic, and economic must do in Chicago!
For more Superdawg: http://www.superdawg.com/default.cfm
For a laugh, click on "FAQs", then go to the video of Maurie discussing why ketchup is not included on a Superdawg with everything.

Life List Item #52 Completed: Eat at Charlie Trotter's in Chicago, IL

Charlie Trotter's is regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world. As a restaurant, they set the standard for fine dining and service, and they have an award-winning record to back it up (http://www.charlietrotters.com/restaurant/).

Charlie Trotter the chef has appeared on many PBS cooking shows, authored over a dozen cookbooks, and is well known around Chicago for his involvement in community outreach and philanthropic activities. His culinary philosophy revolves around using fresh, healthful, and organic ingredients to create balanced and visually striking food. His sauces are made by and large out of fruits and vegetables. You don't see a lot of cheese or cream-based items on his menu. I would say the emphasis is definitely on healthful fine dining.

All that being said, eating at his restaurant was high on my life to-do-list.

Before I get to the food, let me just say that the service by the waitstaff was bar none. You want to feel like royalty the moment you walk in the door? Go here. We got the best table in the house (it's upstairs and overlooks the entrance to the foyer), just because I asked the maitre'd for it. The waitstaff at this restaurant are all salaried and it shows. They know the menu and the wine list (which is ridiculously extensive) inside and out.

But you probably want to know about the food. Trotter's doesn't do the ho-hum pick an entree and maybe an appetizer style of service. You pick one of two 8 course tasting menus for a three hour dining "experience". If one of the courses doesn't sound appealing to you, you can pick a different protein and the kitchen will invent something completely different for you (for example, I did not wish to have the eel course, so I asked the waiter to have them make me something with quail instead, and presto, it was so).

Rory and I both got the Grand tasting menu:

Effingham Oyster with Wasabi & Nori
Steamed Freshwater Japanese Eel with Cilantro, Roasted Banana & Soy

Scottish Salmon Confit with Rose & Black Tea

Roasted Duck Breast with Kumquats, Wild Licorice, Szechuan Peppercorns & Duck Gizzards

Salt-Crusted Veal Loin with Oregon Morel Mushrooms, Fermented Black Garlic & Thyme

Red Shiso Sorbet with Mango & Grains of Paradise

Poached Quince with Sesame Ice Cream & Rosemary Shortbread

Oloroso Sherry-Raisin Ice Cream with Chocolate Cotton Cake, Dried Plums & Ennis Hazelnuts

The food was AMAZING. I didn't have the cake for the last course, so instead they made me something that involved ice cream, cherries, dark chocolate, and olive oil that was completely incredible.

Before we left, we got to tour the kitchen (which was immaculate), and meet the chef himself:

That's Charlie Trotter, me looking bombed (I only had two glasses of super expensive wine with dinner!), the kitchen manager, and Rory (looking full and happy).

Chef Trotter naturally enquired about what brought us to Chicago. I got to share my own food-based educational pursuits and the fact that I was rushing back to Louisville to blog about eating in his restaurant. So, being a great marketer as well as being a great chef, he then gave me 3 hardcover cookbooks he has written about healthful cooking!!! Freakin' awesome! Charlie Trotter is officially at the top of my celebrity chef pantheon.

I highly recommend doing this before you die!

Life List Item #90 Completed: Have A Plan B

It occurs to me as I make preparations to move to Lexington to start my doctoral degree at UK this fall that I'm on Plan C or Plan D at this point. Afterall, if I was still on Plan A, right this moment I would probably be inspecting some crumbling bridge in some miserable part of Detroit while being leered at by some furious and psychotic commuters / usually harmless but possibly psychotic homeless bridge dwellers / large and definitely psychotic construction formen.

I like it when I complete a life list item without even realizing I've done it!

Life List Item #120 Started: Get My Doctorate

I just got my notice that I have been accepted to the doctoral program I applied for at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. My PhD program is Biochemical and Molecular Biology of Nutrition, and falls under the blanket of their medical school. I'm still waiting to hear back from University #2 that I applied to, but one way or another I am now officially a doctoral candidate starting this fall.

Let the dissertation begin!

Oh, and if you feel a compelling need to call me Dr. Baker, I'm totally OK with that.

Life List Item #82 Completed: Learn 3 Card Tricks

I never get tired of learning stuff, especially if the stuff in question pertains to a skill that a secret agent might possess (I have a scuba diving license, despite living smack dab in the middle of the Midwest). I had two days off in between taking the GRE and starting spring semester, but that was all the time I needed to learn a handful of card tricks with which to amaze / rip-off my friends.

At this point, I can do the easiest version of "Was THIS your card?". More importantly, I can count cards using a short count or a long count. This isn't MIT-nerds-in-Vegas style card counting by any means. This count involves me dealing the cards and either shorting or extending the deck based on what the particular card game demands. Not quite James Bond I know, but I only had two days!

I'm not going to tell you how I do my tricks (as an impoverished grad student I may be forced to bilk you out of money). However, this video demonstrates two of the classic tenets of card tricks. You'll notice this guys movements are quick and practiced; the trick doesn't work if you're fumbling. Secondly, he snaps the cards hard, which is one of the classic misdirects; the noise and his patter distracts you from what his hands are doing.

LIFE LIST UPDATE: This item brings me up to 41 of 124 items completed. That's over 33% - not bad by age 30!

You Say You Want A Resolution

Sure, you could lose some weight. Quit smoking maybe. Read "War and Peace" from cover to cover.

Mine's pretty simple: Stop and smell the roses.

Happy New Year!