do 100 things in 2009

60. See BFF MissAsh – Mar. 18 – How fun it is to reconnect with old best friends! The people who know your history and how you are, yet they choose to love you anyway. We spent a hilarious afternoon laughing, eating, snorting, and catching up without passing judgments. I need to make this a regular occasion!

56. Try 5 New Restaurants

1. The Firehouse in Venice, CA – One of my most favorite places for breakfast!!! The more-than-occasional bodybuilder who comes in for some grub make good people watching.

2. The Stinking Rose in Beverly Hills, CA – A restaurant that “serves food with garlic,” it’s not the ideal place for weekday lunch or a first date, unless you don’t mind offending coworkers and don’t expect a good night kiss, but the food is AMAZING and the theme inside is memorable. I love this place!

3. The Crustacean in Beverly Hills, CA
Mmmm. The food is delish, especially the garlic noodles! Pretty much anything you order will knock your socks off. The inside is amazing, from the glass floor overlooking a fish tank to big ceiling fans to a black-robe wearing hostess, this place feels and looks more like a retreat than a restaurant.

4. Cut in Beverly Hills, CA
I don’t eat steak, so I wasn’t so sure about this place but they had the most amazing Dover Sole… EVER!!! (HB wasn’t sure about the steak though, which came out warm instead of sizzling on a plate) Service was top-notch. I wasn’t crazy about their breadsticks (they were literally sticks) and their decor inspired by a cutting board reminded me of IKEA than anything else, but it worked. The hotel it’s located inside was drop dead gorgeous.

5. Beso Restaurant in Hollywood, CA
Popularly known as Eva Longoria’s restaurant, this place does not disappoint for good people watching! The romantic decor inside was coupled by the most amazing service I have ever encountered – they treat ever customer like a celebrity. The fancy version of nachos and salad we ordered to start were just fantastic. I’m not sure about the entrees though… Maybe we ordered the wrong stuff, but we weren’t impressed. Their dessert (chocolate souffle) was just okay – maybe we’re spoiled by the one at Cut? When we go back, it will be all about champagne and appetizers.

6. Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills, CA
HB and I had a romantic little lunch at the famous sushi chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s first restaurant. It’s a cozy little joint with an interesting menu. I wasn’t overly impressed with what I ordered, but the little sushi I did order was freaking amazing. I’ll have to stick with sushi next time. But the dessert – their version of an ice cream sandwich – is what’s still on my mind today! It is unlike any thing I’ve ever had and the server was right – I will definitely go back for these little delights.

3. Run with MissM – Mar. 6 – We didn’t really run-run, but we did here and there until her knee would hurt. (Poor thing!)

I feel bad for feeling disappointed because I really really really wanted to run, but it will be a lesson for me to run with people who are actually running-running, instead of those who “kinda” run.

I also found out during the time spent with her that I am a running nerd! I suppose that’s what happens when your nose is buried in running books all the time… Hmph.

Regardless, I had a wonderful time reconnecting with my dearest college buddies and THAT is what counts most!

41. Plan a wonderful surprise for HB’s birthday – Feb. 22, 24 – On the 22nd, I surprised him with his first helicopter ride! For 75 minutes, we flew over the beaches and cities of Los Angeles and got into stalker-mode as we gazed into compounds of celebrities like Paul Mitchell, Cher, Eddie Murphy, etc. Afterwards, we had brunch at Geoffrey’s, one of our favorite restaurants in Malibu that overlooks the ocean. Then on the 24th, we had dinner at The Crustacean, where I presented him his first Mont Blanc pen! He was very surprised and loved it. It felt really good to spoil back the man who spoils me on a daily basis <3

1. Run with a group of people – Feb. 27 – Now, why haven’t I done this before??? Not only did it make the time fly by, but it was so much more fun too! I can also see why people can make a 5:15 am run so much more motivating: there’s actually people waiting for you. I can’t wait to meet with the running club again!

2. On my birthday, go on a kick butt run – Jan. 23 – Whoever thought I would happily go out on a run to celebrate my birthday? Not me! I ran it on the beach and it was fun, even though it was raining. The bad thing is that I think I got too cold for so long… A couple of days later, I was down for the count. Regardless, I did it and it was plenty fun.

12. Run along the beach – Jan. 23 – There were a few questionable folks out and about (who goes to the beach on a rainy day in Jan???), but I had fun waving to the bicyclists while I envied the yellow ponchos they wore.

15. Use my Garmin to train 10x – Jan. 14 – The customizable workouts are fantastic! Paired with the heart monitor, it takes training to a new level.

16. Buy the perfect pair of running shoes – Feb. 25 – Surprisingly, they were not as expensive as I feared. A running shoe expert reviewed the tread in my old sneakers, watched me run in my regular sneakers, recommended 3 pairs of shoes and watched me run in each of them. I heart my new sneaks – they are amazing! What a difference a pair of shoes make. (They don’t look cute, but cuteness unfortunately doesn’t prevent injuries, for if they did, I would be sporting Hello Kitty)

23. Take a yoga class – It seems that I’m scheduling myself yoga 5 days a week and while it feels amazing on my sore muscles, I just don’t get it. I feel like I’m wasting my time when it comes time to do an inverted pose… When I do the tree pose, I just get impatient for the stretching. What am I missing? (DaringDaisy, help?)

27. Go to the dentist – This is thanks to a a popcorn kernal, which cracked my teeth. It lead to more work than I anticipated on other teeth and… Argh, it was horrible.

29. Go to the doctor – Thanks to the dentist who prescribed me antibiotics that I ended up allergic to, I dropped in on my doctor. I’m so lucky to have such an amazing doctor.

52. Celebrate my 29th birthday at Madeo’s!!! – Amazing time as usual. I love it there!

55. Take my Mom to Geoffrey’s again – Jan. 31 – She had a fabulous time!

57. Attend the AMC Best Picture show again – Feb. 21 – We made it through 3 movies (plus 1 movie we skipped out on, since we’ve seen it already). I had to bow out for the 5th… I was exhausted!

64. Spoil my mom with love and appreciation – Jan. 20-Feb. 1 – Fine dining, shopping and lots of laughs. What more could one ask for?

13. Discover a new running route – Jan 12 – Now that my mileage’s outgrown my cozy little neighborhood, I am in need of a running route. In the next section of my little town is a crazy hilly area set on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. After avoiding that area like the plague (including at one point stubbornly running in circles in my area!), the fact is that I need to train on there in order to conquer the 2.5 miles straight of uphill running in the 10k and the frightful hills mountains that wait for me in the half marathon. Sooo a new route it is. I am scared!

20. Join a (real) gym – Jan. 8 – HB hustled a new gym membership for me at my old gym! I’m especially excited at how close it is – I might even run there and back sometime this year. I will be taking my first stretching or yoga class today since college :):):)

53. Dine at The Ivy – Jan. 11 – Hb took me there for lunch yesterday and spotted Michael Clarke Duncan at the restaurant!!! (See who he is here) They served HUGE portions and had amazingly plump shrimp to serve (almost as good as Mastro’s). We practically had to be rolled out of there, we were so full.

In progress:

15. Use my Garmin to train 10x – As of Jan. 12, 3 x thus far

1. Run with a group of people – Done: Feb. 27 – completion entry
2. On my birthday, go on a kick butt run – – Done: Jan. 23 – completion entry
3. Run with MissM! – Done: Mar. 6
4. Run 500 miles
5. Run 100 miles in a month – Looking like April
6. Run a 5k in under 25 min
7. Run a 10k race – February 8 baby!
8. Bike the LA Marathon – Memorial Day with HB
9. Run a half marathon – May
10. Run a marathon – October
11. Get my max heart rate
12. Run along the beach – – Done: Jan. 23 – completion entry
13. Discover a new running route – Done: Jan. 12 – completion entry
14. Improve my cardiovascular health
15. Use my Garmin to train 10x – Done: Jan. 14 – completion entry
16. Buy the perfect pair of running shoes – Done: Feb. 25 – completion entry
17. Take a class on running faster and stronger
18. Celebrate my one year of being a runner! – August
19. Go on a bike ride
20. Join a (real) gym – Done: Jan. 8 – completion entry
21. Exercise 10,000 minutes
22. Use the elliptical trainer for one complete cardio session
23. Take a yoga class – Done: Jan. 16 – completion entry
24. Take a spinning class
25. Do pull ups
26. Read 4 books on health/fitness – As of Mar. 23, 2 so far
27. Go to the dentist – Done: Jan. 30 – completion entry
28. Go to a dermatologist
29. Go to the doctor – Done: Feb. 11 – completion entry
30. Buy life insurance
31. Get my teeth whitened
32. Get to a average weight of 105 lbs
33. Keep my body fat percentage at 17% at the most
34. Celebrate my one year anniversary of being a vegetarian! – May
35. Celebrate my one year anniversary of being coffee-free! – June
36. Keep a gratitude journal
37. Keep a journal starting every day until the day I turn 30 – 8×11.5-sized book with daily entries and pictures to chronicle the last days of my 20s. Eventually, I’d love to give this to my future daughter when she turns 29.
38. Take 100 pictures of me so that I’ll never forget what 29 looked like!
39. Update my myspace
40. For one week, put 25 cents in a jar every time I make a negative comment
41. Plan a wonderful surprise for HB’s birthday – Done: Feb. 22, 24 – completion entry
42. Have breakfast with HB on our patio
43. Have a romantic dinner with HB on our patio
44. Get married – December
45. Have my parents see me marry – December
46. Plan my wedding!
47. Buy wedding rings
48. Romantic weekend with my fiance in San Francisco
49. Try on a wedding gown, even if I don’t buy it – slated for 2009
50. Get professional photos of me semi-nude – One of my closest friends is a photographer. November 2009
51. Go to a Dodger game!!!
52. Celebrate my 29th birthday at Madeo’s!!! – – Done: Jan. 23 – completion entry
53. Dine at The Ivy – Done: Jan. 11 – completion entry
54. Dine at Mastro’s
55. Take my Mom to Geoffrey’s again – Done: Jan. 31 – completion entry
56. Try 5 new restaurants – Done: Mar. 23 – completion entry
57. Attend the AMC Best Picture show again – Done: Feb. 21 – completion entry
58. Send 3 random greeting cards
59. Send my best friend a housewarming gift
60. See my BFF MissAsh – Done: Feb. 21 – completion entry
61. See my BFF MissSh
62. Buy my mom an expensive purse
63. Get cats vaccinated
64. Spoil my mom with love and appreciation – Done: Jan. 20-Feb. 1 – completion entry
65. Call my sister to say hi
66. Send my sister a flower arrangement on Mother’s Day
67. Send out Mother’s Day cards to my best friends’ moms
68. Go see my Dad
69. Send out all my Christmas cards by December 15
70. Landscape my yard – aka plant revival
71. Buy something to hang the hose in the front yard
72. Clean patio furniture
73. Decorate the patio – candles, lights, etc.
74. Clean out and organize the foyer closet
75. Clean out stuff I no longer use/want – This includes old shampoo bottles, old magazines and old make up. Out with the old, in with the new!
76. Fix the garage door!
77. Buy a new couch
78. Buy a new area rug for the living room
79. Buy a new sheet set for the bed
80. Donate my old clothes
81. Donate my old purses
82. Donate my old shoes
83. Cook 5 new things – As of Feb 24: Pork chops, shrimp and chorizo pasta
84. Shop at Trader Joe’s
85. Print and frame pictures for my mom to take with her
86. Update framed pictures
87. Add more framed pictures
88. Create a memory book from our Caribbean trip in 2008
89. Create a memory book from our Caribbean trip in 2007
90. Create a memory book from our Asia trip in 2006
91. Buy HB a quality book to put his ticket memorabilia in
92. Take pictures of HB’s new office
93. Buy a Maserati or Porche or Mercedes – Done: Jan. 18 – completion entry
94. Buy me a Rolex
95. Save massive amounts of money!
96. Seriously look buying a bigger house in 2010
97. Keep my hair dark – NO highlighting in 2009!
98. Buy new NON-FITNESS clothes
99. Give 500 cheers! – I started out this year with 730 total cheers given. By 1/1/10, I should have at least 1230
100. Secret romantic goal

P.S. I would like to thank Green Girl for the idea and for letting me borrow a few of these goals!

1. Join a (real) gym
2. Try out and maybe join my local running club
3. Run a 10k race – February 8, 2009
4. Bike the LA Marathon – Memorial Day with HB
5. Run a half marathon – Nov. 2009 in SF
6. Run 500 miles
7. Exercise 10,000 minutes
8. Go to the dentist – I am NOT thinking about this until next year. Hmph!
9. Read 5 books on health/fitness
10. Keep a gratitude journal
11. Get married – December 2009

1. Run a 5k in under 30 minutes – If I accomplish this within the next two weeks, then off the list it goes!
2. Run a 10k race – Slated for February 8, 2009
3. Bike the LA Marathon – Doing this with HB on Memorial Day!
4. Run a half marathon – Slated for Nov. 2009 in SF
5. Race across the Golden Gate Bridge – This might be my first half marathon!
6. Run 500 miles – If I run a minimum 15 miles a week, I would finish it by Aug ‘09 the latest
7. Exercise 10,000 minutes – I should be able to finish this by June ‘09
8. Take my mom to Curves with me – Slated for Jan/Feb ‘09
9. Go to the dentist – I am NOT thinking about this until next year. Hmph!
10. Create a website on weight loss, fitness and health
11. Read 5 books on health
12. Keep a gratitude journal
13. Get married – Slated for Dec. ‘09 in Barbados baby!

I took out some goals that were too vague and added some fitness goals I’d like to accomplish.

1. Run a 5k in under 30 minutes
2. Run a 10k race
3. Run a half marathon
4. Race across the Golden Gate Bridge
5. Run 500 miles
6. Exercise 10,000 minutes
7. Take my mom to Curves with me
8. Go to the dentist
9. Create a website on weight loss, fitness and health
10. Read 5 books on health
11. Keep a gratitude journal
12. Get married