Loving Local Food – I launched this blog in February 2009 after Molly Hoyne suggested I start blogging about my passions. I started falling in love with food when I moved to Seattle six years ago and Loving Local Food was the outlet that finally helped me bring my culinary passion to the next level. I am able to share and connect with friends and family through food, regardless of whether or not we can all sit down at the table together.

Seattle Food Bloggers – I happened to mention Loving Local Food to a work acquaintance and within moments he was introducing me to Keren Brown via email. Keren (Frantic Foodie) organizes food blogger events throughout Seattle and is a master at networking within the food community. I have connected with numerous food bloggers, met professional food writers, and had the chance to take a class by well-known photographer, Lou Manna. The opportunities (or foodportunities as Keren would say) have been endless.

Food Writing Class – I signed up for Candace Dempsey’s food writing class this fall to learn a few professional tips and check an item off my life list. I was inspired to write an ode to my heritage with Minnesota Hotdish: A Farmwife Classic Your Family Will Love. I learned to craft pitch letters, read stories from professional food writers, and received invaluable feedback. The praise and constructive critique I acquired was reassurance I should continue to put words on paper.

West Seattle Winery LLC – This past summer, my husband and I converted our garage into a winery. It is fully licensed and bonded by the state and 2009 was our first commercial crush. We had long weekends and purple-stained fingers, but our wine babies are in barrels and demijohns and we are looking forward to their release in 2010. Next step? Creating a brand name for the winery. Any ideas?

A Greener Kitchen – After six months of researching vendors, building up inventory, and cursing at shopping carts we launched A Greener Kitchen. Officially released to the world on December 31, 2009, A Greener Kitchen was born out of my obsession with the kitchen and focuses entirely on eco-friendly kitchen tools, gadgets, and accessories.

Cheers to the progress made in 2009, and here’s to everything 2010 has waiting for us!

Despite the early rise, I must say it was the most productive four hours I have had this month. It gave me the opportunity to reflect on myself, my relationship, and my values; challenged me to think about where I want to go and what I want to accomplish in the next ten years. Would it surprise you that almost half of the items that made it onto my list are food-related? Depending on how well you know me, probably not, but it made me realize how incredibly passionate I am about the subject.

I have a few small, easy to check off goals like loading new songs on my iPod or learning how to can fruits and veggies.

Having kids is definitely a big goal and attending culinary school, a lofty goal. I have spent the last few years waffling on the latter. I do not want to be a restaurant chef, but I aspire to teach others how to cook (that is on my life list too).

This version of my life list is my 36 before 36, check boxes of skills and thrills I want to have and experience in the next ten years. Where do I start? What should I check off first? Before I worry too much, I decided that the first step is to declare it to the world. Here it is world (or slice of world that may happen to stumble upon this blog post). In no particular order, here is my life list.

• Take a hot air balloon ride.
• Taste wine in the South of France. (Charlie and I just booked a trip for next June. Where should we go?)
• Take a French cooking class, in France.
• Take a Spanish cooking class, in Spain.
• Take an Italian cooking class, in Italy.
• Keep a garden year round.
• Own and operate my own business.
• Help my mom launch her new product line.
• Take the 29gifts.org challenge.
• Teach someone how to cook. (Ideally an underprivileged family through a local volunteer organization.)
• Visit the west coast of Australia.
• Take a trip to Las Vegas with my family when my youngest brother turns 21. (So close.)
• Finish painting all of the rooms in our house. (My husband put this one on his life list too!)
• Prepare a multi-course dinner for my friends and family.
• Go to culinary school.
• Have 10,000 visitors to my blog.
• Publish an article.
• Dig for and prepare a geoduck.
• Read The Little Black Book of Style and follow as least five tips.
• Take a food and/or travel writing class.
• Have kids.
• Make a habit of placing worries in my God box, giving my fears up to the Universe.
• Take a yoga vacation, or keep a yoga regimen while on vacation.
• Join/assist with the Delridge Produce Co-op.
• Join a business networking group.
• Prepare my own lunch every day.
• Update the song list on my iPod.
• Keep our house clean and clutter free.
• Learn to can fruits and veggies.
• Sell our fruit wine at a farmers market.
• Reach our goal amount for our savings account.
• Travel to New York City. (Can you believe I have never been?)
• Visit New Orleans.
• Own and drive a hybrid or similar fuel efficient car.
• Attend a Minnesota Wild game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN.
• Record the song I wrote for Charlie for our wedding.

If you happened to scope something out you might be able to help me with, raise your hand. I would be overjoyed to return the favor by helping you complete your own life list, food-centric or otherwise.