101 in 1001

I was chatting with a friend about New Year's Resolutions, and I couldn't really think of any specifics for the year. Every year I try to spend less, read more, eat healthier and be more active - but I couldn't think of anything that I could claim was an actual resolution for 2016.

Last week, when I was reading a few blogs over my coffee, I came across Cait's 101 in 1001 list. Completing 101 tasks in 1001 days (or just under 3 years). She did this a few years ago, but for some reason it really hit me as a great way to hit a few goals in this season of life. So here goes nothing!

101 in 1001
January 11, 2016 - October 8, 2018

1. Visit a new continent (I've never been to South America or Asia)
2. Have my hair colored professionally (never done it!)
3. Host a wine tasting at home
4. Make my own Vanilla Extract
5. Bake something from The Great British Bake Off
6. Pay for a stranger's coffee
7. Do something with old cards/letters I've saved
8. PR in a 5k or 10k
9. Be able to do 30 REAL push ups
10. Do 3 home exchanges
11. Organize my basement
12. Snowboard in another country
13. Memorize 10 Bible passages
14. Start volunteering regularly
15. Gain 3 new production clients
16. Compete in an Orangetheory fitness challenge
17. Live in New York for more than a month
18. Landscape our backyard
19. Have professional family photos taken in another country
20. Have a girls weekend reunion with my CAKEJAR girls
21. Re-certification in SCUBA
22. Be featured on another blog
23. Learn a new skill
24. Contribute to a record and be mentioned in liner notes (writing, producing, singing or instrumental)
25. Meet 3 new blogger friends (IRL or online!)
26. Fly overseas in a lay-down bed
27. Attend a black tie charity event
28. Try yoga consistently for a month (3-4x a week)
29. Host a coffee swap
30. Go wine tasting in 5 new places
31. Have my eyes checked and buy glasses
32. Leave a 100% tip
33. Learn all the State capitols
34. Attend 3 or more City Council meetings for my district
35. Start writing my book
36. Take my mom to New York City
37. Keep my niece and nephews for the weekend
38. See a comedian at Zanies 
39. Write a letter to Matt to be opened on our 10th Anniversary
40. Take a vacation with BOTH of our families!
41. See a movie at the Belcourt Theater
42. Visit the Biltmore Mansion
43. Spend time in 5 states I've never been to (I've been to 28 so far)
44. Read kate spade's 'all in good taste' and 2 other books about entertaining
45. Frame photos from my travels and display at local coffee shop
46. Take a flower arranging class
47. Do a karaoke duet with one of my talented friends (who sing much better than i do)
48. Create a book of customs/recipes I've picked up around the world
49. Go through cosmetics & samples and purge
50. Go to a live sports event 
51. Back up all my pictures to the Cloud
52. Create a new tradition
53. Add a guest book to our home
54. Join a networking group
55. Be intentional about going on walks in our neighborhood
56. Take a course on coding
57. Help 5 people plan a trip or vacation
58. Send 10 gifts just because
59. Go camping
60. Go to 5 new countries 
61. Mentor someone
62. See the Grand Canyon
63. Host brunch 4x a year
64. Find out my blood type
65. Get paid to write about travel
66. Be a part of a live studio audience 
67. Hit my UP step goal, 8 hour sleep goal, and 8 glasses of water every day for a week 
68. Make friends with my new neighbors
69. Create my production portfolio
70. Create and stick to a blog editorial calendar
71. Have 4 guest blog posts
72. Improve my french
73. Paint the living room 
74. Learn to fold a fitted sheet
74. Make a 30 things I've learned in my 30 years list
75. Re-organize my spice cabinet
76. Help Matt grow his business
77. Have a stay-cation complete with no cell phones
78. Take a spontaneous road trip at least 1 hr away
79. Learn how to clean my wedding ring at home
80. Find & purchase the missing pieces to the china set Matt's mom gifted me
81. Meet goal weight/size
82. Invest in great pair of jeans in that size
83. Improve blog hits month over month (for at least 6 months)
84. Bike ride on the Shelby Bottoms trail 
85. Find 5 new places to walk/ride bike instead of drive
86. Come up with an idea and actually bring it to life
87. Learn a makeup trick
88. Find the perfect every day lipstick
89. Replace my faux leather jacket with a real one
90. Take an LSAT practice test 
91. Host a murder mystery party
92. Send 1 "just because" letter a month
93. Learn to drive stick shift
94. Learn how to poach an egg
95. Figure out a skincare routine and stick to it
96. Stay in an over water bungalow
97. Learn all the words to "Careless Whisper"
98. Support a Kickstarter I believe in
99. Go to my 2nd show at the Ryman
100. Participate in all local elections
101. Work my way up to a handstand

What do you think, am I in way over my head? I tried really hard to think about things I was interested in, wished I knew how to do, was afraid to do, or have just been in the back of my mind for a while. I may do an edit or two, but I've thought pretty hard about this list and I'm excited to make it happen.

Do you want to  101 things with me? Let me know in the comments!
xo

Recap of 2014 Travel

PLACES WE WENT IN 2014
Seattle, WA (January, April & September... yes, three different times)

Bourbon Trail, KT (February)

Victoria, BC (April)

NYC (May & August)

Atlanta, GA (May)

Washington, DC (May) & Wichita, KS (May)... in the same day.

Ithaca, NY (June & August, work trips)

Chicago, IL (June & October)

Sanibel, FL (All of July & August unless otherwise noted, Also in December)

 

Lake Chelan, WA (September)

Cruise to Bahamas (October)

Cinque Terre, Rome, Florence & Venice, Italy (November)

Custer, SD (December)

If there was a cat lady heaven, I found it - 1 house, 4 kittens!

After 60+ flights, layovers, delays, lessons learned, miles earned, getting lost, gaining memories, walking a ton & waiting even more... 2014 was a great year for travel! We were able to see a lot of great friends, family, attend weddings, take adventures, hear bands play, visiting new countries... I truly can't complain! I'm very lucky that work took me to other parts of Tennessee, upstate New York, & South Florida for quite a bit this year! You'll never hear me complain about a work trip :)

Many of these trips didn't make the blog, because I wasn't keeping up like I should. Let's start with that for my first resolution of 2015... to share every travel hack, tip & experience I can with you!

We can't wait to see what 2015 has in store! 
xo

Pre-Vacation Cleaning Checklist

I love being organized! 

Getting ready to leave for more than a long weekend takes a lot of prep work. Cleaning your house a few days before that might not seem like the top of your priority list, but I promise, you'll be thanking me later. If you make sure you're packed ahead of time (save a few essentials like make up & toothbrush), this list won't take more than 2 hours of your time MAX & can be done over a few days. You can do it!

What's better than coming home from vacation, taking a nice shower and climbing immediately into bed with ZERO to think about? Nothing. If you clean house before vacation, you'll be enjoying these perks & be stress-free. Here's how.

1. Clean Out the Fridge
The best way to make this painless is to keep groceries to a minimum a week prior. We bought only the essentials last week and have been eating down any random foods and we're almost down to nothing! If you've got a lot of fresh foods leftover a few days before you leave, make soups, salsas, or meals that can be frozen for your return! I made a version of this soup on Tuesday and used up all of our carrots & potatoes (plus, dinner & lunch were done for the next day)! Focus on cleaning out perishables like veggies & fruit, cheese, lunch meats, dairy & bread. Things like eggs, frozen foods & canned goods will last a few weeks without a problem. Toss any leftovers you won't end up eating. The more you work on eating up what you have, the less waste there will be!

2. Similarly, Have Some Essentials Ready For Your Return
Think about things with a long shelf life and have them ready. Coffee, eggs, oatmeal & tea will cover breakfast. Freezer meals (that you made with your leftover veggies), some easy snacks like dried fruit & nuts, rice cakes, popcorn, frozen fruit for smoothies, and pantry items like beans, rice, soup, chili, plus some frozen goodies can create quick lunches & dinners. Dream up a few meals before you leave that require minimal fresh foods so your first day back requires little thinking or creativity. 

3. Wash Your Sheets
Climbing into bed with freshly washed sheets is absolutely the best. Make up the bed with fresh sheets before you leave for your trip, or keep them off to let your mattress breath while you're away. Having the clean sheets ready is half the battle. Even if they're waiting for you in the dryer!

4. Do Laundry
My least favorite part. I try to get this done a week before we leave, doing one final load the day before we leave. If you can't get the laundry done, just make sure all clean clothes are put away & dirty ones are in the hamper. It will make for an organized house when you get back & you won't be wondering if your favorite shirt is clean for Monday morning. 

5. Have Clean Towels Ready
You won't likely have time to wash the last towel you used, but make sure you have a clean set ready to go when you get back. Goes great with a nice, hot shower to get the plane grease off.

6. Throw Out Flowers
We always keep fresh flowers in our house & there is NOTHING worse than forgetting to toss them before we leave on a trip. You don't want stagnant water & mold flooding your air when you return. 

7. Clean the Bathrooms
A day or two before, do a quick clean. Quickly scrub toilets, quickly scrub the tub, sink and wipe down any surfaces. No ring in the toilet or grimy tub to come back to. You can easily do this in 10-15 minutes! That fresh shower will be worth it.
How to do it in 15 minutes

8. Clean the Kitchen
I know - sounds daunting. Put at least getting all of the dishes IN the dishwasher & cleaned will set you in the right direction. If you can empty it - even better. The most important part is to wipe down all the counters & then sweep the floors. You don't want any crumbs waiting around for little mice to decide to use your house as a vacation rental while you're gone. 
How to do it in 15 minutes

9. Make Sure All Bills Are Paid 
Most things are handled online these days, but think through any bills that might be due within a week of your return. If you're getting home on the 28th and rent is due on the 1st, send it out before you leave so you're not stressed or behind when you return. 

10. Last Thing - Take Out the Trash
This might seem obvious, but do it right before you leave. Don't forget random trash cans in the bathroom, bedrooms & common areas. You never know if someone threw away part of a granola bar. Just say no to mice & bugs!

Now - you're ready for vacation! And you'll come home to a peaceful, clean, house that will make the first day back to work/school/reality a little easier. 

What are your pre-vacation rituals? Do you have a pre-vacation cleaning checklist?
xo

Other Travel Checklists:
International Vacation Checklist & Timeline
In Flight Survival Kit
Dos & Don'ts of Airport Security

Wine Destinations in the United States

I'm a HUGE fan of wine. 

A personal favorite form our local winery, Arrington Vineyards.

Although red wine was an "acquired taste" for many, I started drinking it almost immediately. I'm guessing it has something to do with my grandfather sneaking me sips as a kid. We're Italian - what did you expect?

Anyway, one of my favorite things to do is go WINE TASTING! It's such a fun way to explore an area and enjoy a beverage at the same time :)

We are traveling to Italy in a few weeks and I can hardly contain myself thinking about all of the new, delicious, local wine I'm going to consume -- especially in Tuscany!

Can't get to Tuscany? No problem. These are so many amazing wine destinations in the good ol' USA. Here are four:

Ithaca/Finger Lakes, NY

The view from Ventosa Vineyards back patio where you can have lunch. I suggest the 2010 Pinot Noir.

I was in the Ithaca area for work in June & August, and it's just gorgeous; there are several huge, long lakes (which is where they get their name, Finger Lakes) with wineries scattered around them. They also happen to have wonderful dairy farms.... can you say wine & cheese party?

Napa Valley, CA

enjoying the lawn outside of V. Sattui Winery

This might be a given, but you'd be surprised how many people think good wine only comes from Italy. You can make this a day trip from San Francisco or Sacramento.... and I'd highly suggest it! It's beautiful and there are so many wineries to choose from. I am dying to go back to Napa, it's been years. I remember loving V. Sattui & the Coppola Winery, but here is a comprehensive list from Food & Wine on the best wineries in Napa since it's been a while for me :)

Lake Chelan, WA

view from Benson Winery

If you missed my post about how much I loved Chelan (OR what to pack for a weekend there), check them out. If you don't feel like clicking more things, just take my word for it - you'll love Chelan. A quick 3hr jaunt from Seattle, this unassuming wine country is about as idyllic as it comes; hillside vineyards with sweeping views of the cozy lake town. Personal favorites were Karma & Benson.

Traverse City, MI

I've been told by several friends that I need to visit Michigan. Confession: I've never been in the state, with the exception of the Detroit airport. I'd really like to remedy that by visiting the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. It looks amazing! While I can't personally vouch for this area, I am confident it won't disappoint. After all, people from Michigan are obsessed with it, so I'm sure I'll love it, too! More on the LP Wine Trail here.

There are also many stand alone wineries across the USA that are really awesome, like Arrington Vineyards in the Nashville area :) 

Have you ever been to these areas? Do you like wine tasting? Is there another wino location I need to know about?! Share below!

xo