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

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

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Pan-seared sea scallops with corn and basil

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

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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.