The Last Days of Haute Cuisine

The Last Days of Haute Cuisine by Patric Kuh has a subtitle of "The Coming of Age of American Restaurants". It is a non-fiction piece about just that. From the story behind the beginning of credit cards to the slow food movement starting long before it was called the slow food movement this book is chock full of small stories that amount to a lot when put together. The history of the US is bound by the restaurant industry in ways that I had never dreamed of. I'm not usually one for non-fiction books, but the vibrant characters in this story are brought to life on the page in a way that does not often happen!

"When one has felt the pull of two continents, such images become dear to one. They are not the rah-rah oath of allegiance stuff that, dear as citizenship is, so oversimplifies the process of belonging."

Life of Pi

Life of Pi by Yann Martel was a fascinating, thought-provoking story of survival. I feel like there isn't much to say that will do justice to this amazing story, especially without ruining the mystical quality that the book has.

The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing

The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank was a birthday gift from a good friend. It was the perfect book for reading on vacation and I devoured it while watching the glaciers go by our cabin's balcony.

The book centers on Jane throughout her life as she tries to figure out life, love, and how to balance the two. It is organized in a collection of short stories - each with a different perspective matching where Jane is in her life.

It was a great read and very enjoyable. I highly recommend it!

#56 - Go to see a stand-up comedian live.

We went to 2 different stand-up shows on the cruise ship, and both were the same guy. He was really funny and he did some seriously awesome impressions. Fun time.

#51 - Do karaoke

I competed in a karaoke competition on the cruise ship. My first time singing karaoke and the pressure was on! I thought I did pretty well, but I didn't win because this other guy WAS elton john. Seriously sounded just like him.

I really liked performing, but my least favorite part was listening to the half drunk people who thought they were hilarious. Not fun.

#42 - Ride in a limo

It really wasn't very comfortable, but it made us feel special.

"Give me my camera back!"

#40 - Visit at least one state I’ve never been to.

I think Alaska counts.


Denali was OUT in all it's splendor! Only about 30% of people get to see the mountain "out" because it creates it's own weather systems which usually result in lots of cloud cover. We were so lucky to see this amazing mountain!

#81 - Obtain a GOOD cash-back credit card and make it work for me.

I think I like the cards I have enough to "cancel" this item. I think canceled sounds much nicer than "failed".

#60 - Complete my bookshelf finishing project.

All finished! In fact, the bookshelf - and the other half of the pair - now reside behind the couch with my DVDs and Mike's as well. I think it looks nice. It'll be even nicer when I can get to it. Right now there is a huge pile of empty boxes in the way.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I decided to re-read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince before going to see the movie. I realized how much I have jumbled the 5th, 6th, and 7th Harry Potter books together in my head. However, I now have a much clearer picture of the events of HBP and, of course, I will go into the movie theater tomorrow with high hopes which will probably be dashed within the first 10 minutes. Oh well. I'll strive to enjoy the movie despite the fact that I will always love the books more.

#90 - Buy a nice pair of binoculars/opera glasses

I bought a nice pair of binoculars at Bass Pro Shop with a gift card. As soon as I figure out how to work them, they will be great for my upcoming trip to Alaska.

I would still like to get a nice pair of opera glasses some day, but for now, this is completed.

#82 - Set up my futon/daybed.

I did this. Twice! I guess I was waiting to post until I uploaded a picture, but that never happened... and then I moved and set it up again! Basically, I've got the frame (dark blue), the mattress, a mattress cover (maroon), 2 pillows to act as "arms"(light blue) and a throw blanket(flag print) that looks very nice on it. Use your imagination.

#75 - Bake a cake in my cross pan.

This I did. Kind of. Apparently the directions I followed were wrong and didn't properly compensate for the cake rising... rising... rising out of the can pan, onto the cookie sheet it was on, and then over and to the bottom of the oven.

Well, to put it nicely, it was disastrous. I am debating trying again or just giving the pan away on freecycle. Leaning towards the latter at this point.

#98 - Pick up trash on my way to work.

Failed. I never did this officially, and now that I've moved, I can no longer walk. However, I did pick up trash a few times, but I just didn't do the whole thing.

Velvet Elvis

I recently finished reading Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell.
My sister lent me the book over a year ago and started asking what happened to it, so I thought I'd better read it before I returned it! I really enjoyed this book. I loved the way that Bell addressed faith through examples of everyday life. The first chapters did this really well and helped me to really get into the book.
My favorite part about the book is the way that Bell addresses how things were in Jesus' day. Why he used the phrases he did, why he spoke in parables, and why things were the way they were are all addressed. We need to be reminded that Jesus was a Jew and that really colored a lot of what he did and how he rose to fame.
Bell addressed a lot of questions that I have had about biblical passages. Why did they phrase it that way? Why didn't they just come out and say it? I came away from this book with a much greater understanding of what was going on at the time and what the Holy Book is really saying.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in understanding Christianity a little better.