Turning 30: It's not so bad after all!

Well, the big 3-0 has come and gone and left me feeling...pretty much the same as I did on October 17! In fact, it was a splendid birthday; a day full of kind wishes, thoughtful presents, and expressions of love. And the celebrations will continue with a dinner date tonight as well as a Mad Men cocktail party Jeremy is throwing me at the end of the month! I'd say that turning 30 was a complete success!

My little 30x30 project, on the other hand, did not fair as well. I had wonderful intentions (as we all do), but...time got away from me, I was lazy, I was busy, I started strong and finished weak, I was pregnant....numerous excuses abound. I managed to cross off eight to-do items from my list of 30. It seems kind of lame that less than 1/3 of the list was completed. However, my 30th year lasts for another 364 days, and therefore I will strive to accomplish more as the year unfolds.

1. cross the Golden Gate bridge on foot or bike

2. eat breakfast on the beach

3. make Grandma Babchuk's cabbage rolls recipe

4. pay for a stranger's coffee in the Starbucks drive-thru

5. watch "The Wizard of Oz"

6. bake homemade bread

7. travel out of state or country (Seattle 3.19.11-3.21.11)

8. buy myself a bouquet of fresh flowers (irises 3.27.11)

9. plant a vegetable garden

10. paint in my living room/kitchen/dining area...maybe

11. finish reading the Harry Potter series before the last movie hits theaters in July (5.10.11)

12. fit my booty back into my favorite pair of jeans

13. write and mail a handwritten letter every week

14. purchase printmaking supplies and create an original lino-cut print (9.10.11)

15. go dancing (Paso Robles - 3.11.11)

16. refinish an old buffet/sideboard table for my dining area

17. volunteer (Serve Dei w/ Life Group 5.23.11)

18. scrapbook SF '10 & Seattle trips

19. hike in Sequoia National Park

20. go to a concert

21. deliver cookies to a neighbor

22. send our sponsor child, Rakib, six letters, notes or pictures

23. leave 30 sticky notes of encouragement in random places

24. eat at Dusty Buns Bistro (9.22.11)

25. do one pull-up

26. wash my car once a month

27. tip a server the full amount of my entire bill

28. go on a hot date to Ripe Tomato

29. roast a whole chicken (7.17.11)

30. take a yoga class


So here's to finishing my list before next year!

Dusty Buns

The sun was setting, the line was long, the patrons were hungry and the Dusty Buns Bistro was busy filling orders. Every Thursday the popular food truck can be found in front of Cafe Corazon on Wishon Avenue in the Tower District. On this particular Thursday evening, Angelica, Michelle and I met up to taste the gourmet sandwiches made with local, organic ingredients on fresh, homemade Dusty Buns.

I opted for the original Dusty Bun, a delicious combination of organic chipotle roast chicken with a sesame bell pepper slaw. A side of Bistro Fries, seared marble potatoes with a chili aioli dipping sauce, rounded out the meal. Even in Fresno's blazing late-September heat, it was definitely a meal worth waiting for.

August in Canada

Returning to Fresno after a week spent in the rolling green hills of Saskatchewan is always a tough thing. Don’t get me wrong, I like Fresno. I really do. But home is where the heart is, and my first home will always be Saskatchewan. Each visit is guaranteed to leave me feeling refreshed and relaxed. The prairies are one of my favorite places on earth. The expansive, deep blue sky stretches endlessly, making it feel as though you’re living inside a giant snow globe. The horizons are so clear and crisp, you can literally see for miles across the fields of crops and trees. The pace is slower, everyone waves to you while driving on the gravel roads (even strangers), there’s always a familiar face at the local cafe, friendly conversations are had while filling up at the gas pump, a fresh, homemade cookie is offered at the shoe repair store, every summer meal is sure to include a bounty from the garden and is enjoyed outside....it may sound like some Norman Rockwell painting, but it’s the small place on earth where I was privileged to grow up and where I love to return.

Anniversary Retreat

On July 20, Jeremy & I celebrated our 9th anniversary. Yes, nine years. I know, we’re an old married couple, minus the old part! To properly ring in our years of wedded bliss, we ventured to the Central Coast for a weekend away. Pacific Grove was the destination, the Gosby House Inn was our quaint bed and breakfast, low-60s were the promised temperatures, and relaxation was on the menu. After driving through the Pacheco Pass, the temperature reading in our car made a dramatic drop from the 99 degree heat of Fresno to the cool breath of fresh Pacific air. As we pulled in to Pacific Grove that evening, the sky was overcast, and it was 58 F. It felt like winter. We loved it.

Our time was spent walking, reading and eating. We excelled at all three. The seaside pathway that winds from Pacific Grove into Monterey affords expansive views of the ocean to the west and the quaint coastal houses to the east. On Saturday morning we headed out for a long walk and brought our books along, just in case we felt like stopping for a read. On our way back we found a quiet bench just off the path, perfect for reading, that looked over the rocky shoreline and dark waves below. I ended up reading an entire book in 24 hours and Jeremy made a sizable dent in his novel over the course of the weekend. It was perfection. Sprinkled in between our walking and reading, we ate amazing fish tacos at Peppers for lunch, and I savored a delicious plate of homemade lobster ravioli for dinner that night. We concluded our time away on Sunday with more walking and, of course, a tasty lunch to send us on our way home. The Red House Cafe served up unusual sandwiches that did not disappoint. My grilled cheese was a heavenly combination of Fontina cheese, roasted red peppers and artichokes on fresh bread with an olive aioli sauce. Yum.

I realize this may sound like a holiday fit for a 90-year-old, but we loved every minute of our lazy weekend away. It’s always such a wonderful feeling to escape the summer heat and retreat to the coast for a time.

Project Roasting, accomplished!

I've long held this crazy fear of roasting a whole chicken. I know to all those seasoned cooks out there, roasting a chicken is probably a standard part of Cooking 101, but to me it was a new culinary experience. I was intimidated by the entire process, from pulling the disgusting gizzard gunk out of the raw bird to ensuring that the meat was cooked all the way through without drying it out.

Before
After
On Sunday night, I donned my down-home cooking gloves and tackled the fowl with confidence. After a healthy salt & peppering and olive oil rub, I popped that baby in the oven and waited for the magic to happen. The timer went off 90 minutes later, and what went in to the oven as a pasty, raw hunk of Salmonella emerged beautiful, golden, crispy and fragrant. Paired with mashed potatoes, skillet corn and cucumber salad, we sat down to a delicious dinner. I no longer fear the roast chicken!

Dinner is served!

30x30

My 30th birthday is fast approaching. Six months and three days, to be exact. I'm honestly not dreading this birthday but am rather looking forward to my next decade of life. Many of my friends and my hubby are 30+, so in a way, I'll just be joining the "club."


In preparation for this momentous occasion, I've decided to make a list of 30 things I'd like to accomplish before the big day on October 18. You will not find anything grandiose or unattainable, like a trip to Paris or having a baby (because I know for certain those things are not happening before October!). Instead my list is filled with small items; some meaningful, others frivolous. And by posting it here on my blog, I'm holding myself accountable to actually attempt its completion!


I composed my list over a month ago, so there are a few items already crossed off. As I work my way through this list, I will be sure to post a picture and a comment or two. Wish me luck!


1. cross the Golden Gate bridge on foot or bike

2. eat breakfast on the beach

3. make Grandma Babchuk's cabbage rolls recipe

4. pay for a stranger's coffee in the Starbucks drive-thru

5. watch "The Wizard of Oz"

6. bake homemade bread

7. travel out of state or country (Seattle 3.19.11-3.21.11)

8. buy myself a bouquet of fresh flowers (irises 3.27.11)

9. plant a vegetable garden

10. paint in my living room/kitchen/dining area...maybe

11. finish reading the Harry Potter series before the last movie hits theaters in July (5.10.11)

12. fit my booty back into my favorite pair of jeans

13. write and mail a handwritten letter every week

14. purchase printmaking supplies and create an original lino-cut print (9.10.11)

15. go dancing (Paso Robles - 3.11.11)

16. refinish an old buffet/sideboard table for my dining area

17. volunteer (Serve Dei w/ Life Group 5.23.11)

18. scrapbook SF '10 & Seattle trips

19. hike in Sequoia National Park

20. go to a concert

21. deliver cookies to a neighbor

22. send our sponsor child, Rakib, six letters, notes or pictures

23. leave 30 sticky notes of encouragement in random places

24. eat at Dusty Buns Bistro (9.22.11)

25. do one pull-up

26. wash my car once a month

27. tip a server the full amount of my entire bill

28. go on a hot date to Ripe Tomato

29. roast a whole chicken (7.17.11)

30. take a yoga class

mmmm...Max's

Every so often, Jeremy and I love to hit up one of our favorite dining locations in Fresno: Max’s Bistro & Bar. I love pretty much everything about this place; walls adorned with artwork by Tomas Panzarino, a dimly lit room casting soothing shadows across the tables, a simple, yet elegant, menu, the sweet potato fries....

We stole a couple of hours for a quiet, leisurely date on this Thursday evening. Dinner consisted of the three scallop dinner (for the lady) and filet Mignon (for my handsome man). It was fabulous. So were the sweet potato fries.