30 before 30!!

I am turning 30 years old in January and about a year ago, I created a list called "Shaz's 30 before 30". It lists 30 things that I would like to do before turning 30. There's no chance I will be able to complete all of these over the next 2 1/2 months, but I am trying to cross off as many items as I can before then. And as of last night, I can cross off #9! I made my first 5-course meal and it was in honor of Chrissy and Linds' engagement. I really couldn't think of a better reason to celebrate!

Anyway, before I talk about the dinner - here is my list of 30 things I would like to accomplish between now and by the time I turn 30…

1. Ride in a hot air balloon
2. Start a cooking blog
3. Go to Italy
4. Go sailing
5. Go zip-lining 

6. Grow a vegetable/herb garden
7. Take dancing lessons
8. Run a 10K
9. Cook a 5-course meal
10. Go on a Mediterranean cruise
11. Visit the Grand Canyon
12. Become a parent
13. Learn to sew
14. Volunteer at a nursing home
15. Travel somewhere with just my backpack
16. Indulge in one major treatment: Lasik
17. Visit NYC
18. Purchase a brand new car
19. Learn to swim properly
20. Buy a boat
21. Go camping (real camping)
22. Go horseback riding

23. Make my own beer/wine

24. Watch the sunrise and the sunset in one day

25. Take a photography class

26. Go on a roadtrip

27. Go to a drive-in movie

28. Navigate a new and unfamiliar town like a local

29. Drive cross-country

30. Visit the Supreme Court/US Capitol/White House

Four the 5-course meal, we set the table with all the stuff from our registry from our wedding - including the table cloth, napkins, place mats and glassware. Jim folded the napkins. ;)

Menu - Each course was paired with a different champagne or wine. The first course was a sweet potato soup, then shrimp cocktail, then crab cakes, then filet with eggplant quinoa and finally, a pumpkin/pecan pie with whipped cream. :) Everything was of course homemade.

Kicking off the dinner!! Veuve Clicquot cheers. :)

First course - Sweet potato and rosemary soup paired with the Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin Champagne.

Second course - Shrimp cocktail, again paired with the same champagne.

Third course - Crab cakes with lemon and homemade tartar sauce paired with Sebastiani Pinot Noir.

Fourth course - Filet mignon with quinoa and eggplant, similar to the couscous side I made with my flank steak in my previous post (thanks #blueapron!). This course was paired with one of our wines we bought in Napa - a full bodied Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon.

Fifth course - Homemade pumpkin and pecan pie. This looked like mush once we sliced it, but it was delicious. The pecans were a nice, sweet addition. Speaking of sweet, we paired this course with the port wine we bought at the Charles Krug winery in Napa. Delicious!

Then, happily and surprisingly (to Chrissy hehe), Lindsey gave Chrissy an engagement ring....and we all celebrated even more! But I'll let them tell you the rest. ;) YAY!!!!

  

In closing, I think in order to move forward, sometimes you have to look back. Here is a list of 30 accomplishments I have been proud to complete in my life thus far…

1. Moved away from my hometown/home state

2. Bought a house

3. Gone parasailing

4. Learned to drive standard

5. Created a YouTube video

6. Graduated from college

7. Earned a Master's degree

8. Partied in Vegas

9. Landed my dream job

10. Toured wine vineyards

11. Got a tattoo

12. Traveled to Europe

13. Visited Hawaii

14. Got married

15. Went on a Caribbean cruise

16. Bought a summer house

17. Saw a celebrity  

18. Went to a talk show (Ellen and Jay Leno)

19. Volunteered for a meaningful cause (HFOT)

20. Went to an Aerosmith concert

21. Ran a 5K         

22. Completed a home exchange

23. Flew on a non commercial airplane

24. Rescued a dog

25. Lived in Washington, D.C.

26. Shot a gun

27. Visited more than 15 more US states

28. Vacationed with my entire family as an adult

29. Enjoyed a spinning class

30. Read a book trilogy…and loved it!

Til next time...

Shaz