30 Things To Do Before Turning 31 *Revisited*

The last 6 months of my 30th year the world got hit with “Covid-19”. Although plans big and small all over the world were set ablaze, I was still able to experience some really magical things.
What I learned was to never wait. Sieze the day. Make magic happen even if it takes a little bit more effort. Do not put off for tomorrow what you can do today.
When it comes to adventures I have always been a seize the day kinda girl. I try to get intentional about building things I love into the structure of my life. I’m so glad that I am this way. Before Covid-19 hit, we did some of the things on this list that now would be utterly impossible. The restaurants, the travel to Hawaii, things big and small in an instant we could no longer do, humanity could no longer do. 2020 is a strange time indeed. As I make my next list with the huge looming  possibility that Covid-19 won’t go away anytime soon, I am struck with a different kind of dreaming. Im not mad about this at all.
“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they make the best of everything.” -Tony Robbins
So here is to always, always making the best of everything.

1: Attempt Whale Watching- didnt do

2: Visit Mt. St. Helens -Walk behind Cathedral Falls. Walk across Lava Canyon bridge and into the Lava tubes.-closed

3: Learn More About The Native Flora Of Washington

Oh my gosh has this been one of my greatest joys of this year! I have felt such a growing sense of pride as I learn more and more varieties. I secretly harbored a desire to be a florist for many, many years. With our move to Washington I made a career change, beginning my floral career. Boy has this changed my life in so many ways! Being constantly surrounded by floral creations and varieties I have never heard of or even seen sparked an intense and nearly obsessive journey with flowers. Actually who am I kidding, its defiantly obsessive. Just ask my husband. Every time we hike I stop multiple times to photograph wild flowers to identify later when I have internet. I am constantly pointing out the new varieties I have learned to my sweet and not at all interested husband. I have slowly but surely even began learning which ones I can forage for edible uses. Which is a continuation of this goal that I will certainly carry over to this next years list.

4: Go Cliff Jumping

Cliff jumping at Waimea Bay the sort of thing my love adores, that I simply just don’t know what to think about. I stood at the edge and felt my stomach disappear. I made him hold my hand as we jumped. After, I was filled with excitement and pride. There was no way in hell I was climbing back up to do it again. But I am glad I tried it out! I mean look at the pure delight in that last photo! 

5: Learn How to Throw Pottery on a Wheel

This is my speed. I learned how to make pottery on a wheel and fell in love with its meditative processes. Lit up from the inside out. I could do it all of the time and hopefully one day I will!

6: Visit Hawaii’s Black Sand Beaches

 

The Big Island is famous for its black sand beaches which was a huge perk to choosing this island. We were able to go to three. Including the most recently created Pohoiki beach back in 2018. My favorite Punaluʻu beach with its sun bathing sea turtles. And the Waipi’o Black Sand Beach that is a short hike down where you might sea a magical beach waterfall and wild horses.

7: Go Clamming, Crabbing or Scalloping (Roast On Open Camp Fire)

We learned how to find several different types of clams. How to harvest oysters and I even found a crab! The oysters we ate raw, right then and there. The crab we did indeed roast on our camp fire.

8: Cut Fire Wood With Ax/Go Ax Throwing- didnt do/closed

9: Learn To Make Ginger Beer From Scratch- didnt do

10: Visit Another National Park

Coming here was a dream come true! I have envisioned visiting Volcanoes National Park since I was a little girl gazing at the pages of National Geographic. It is a wild and yet serene place. The only sound was the heartbeat of crashing waves against volcanic cliffs. No birds. No cars. No sway of tree leaves clamoring. Just ocean and earth. As we drove the winding roads that lead down to the sea cliffs, this beautiful rainbow appeared above the vast stretch of lava field. My love pulled over for me. It was one of the happiest moment of my life dancing in a lava field under a rainbow.

11: Float Down The River In Leavenworth- didnt do

12: Buy A Duplex

WHAT A JOURNEY! This has been a dream of my loves for nearly a decade and a combined dream of 5 years. We spent 6 months looking at properties. One after another. Several we put offers on with none acceptance. Others we got accepted but ended up not working out. Until finally we found THE ONE. This is it… This is the one babe. He said to me one morning. We viewed, inspected and had the VA appraisal. We were sure we wanted THIS ONE. We were so close! I was decorating in my head. Then we got the news that it fell through on Friday the 13th. Our guts were out. We were both so sad that we barely could put it into words. An entire week goes by with the thoughts of this dream slowly dying. With everything happening in the world during March, we were sure we would have to postpone this dream, yet again. Until that following friday we got a call right before we were to head for a camping trip out of phone service. We challenged the appraisal he said. And it worked. You guys got it!!! The exact words my love uttered were “I am flabbergasted.” As if thats a word he uses for such things. But we were and are. It is finally ours.

13: Try Local Doughnut Shops -Find A Winner

Henry’s Donuts:
Seems to be a local staple. I enjoy them and especially love the old fashion feel of the joint. 
Better than grocery store or gas station for sure. 

Porpoise Doughnuts:
This place is adorable and super yummy but defiantly pricy. They get away with charging more because 
they are in the most popular district in Seattle. And to be fair it is a pretty instagramable place. 

Top Pot: 
Probably my third favorite donut shop that I have tried here. Solid unique flavors. 
But I love that there are locations everywhere, designed to fit the feel of the neighborhoods they are nestled in. 

Delite Bakery:
Hands down favorite shop. Every donut is to die for with a great mix of unique and classic flavors for cheap! 
But especially there strawberry shortcake and salted carmel are wins on every level.

Donut Factory

Daily Dozen Doughnuts

Side Hustle Doughnuts 

Frost

Donut House: 
Takes second place. A tiny pink off the wall joint with delicious huge donuts and apple fritters the size of my head. 

Rocket Donuts:
Unfortunately the location I attempted to go to has closed down and 
I am not sure if there is plans to reopen.

14: Hike In The Enchantments

One of the most delightful, magical and beautiful places we have hiked yet. We didn’t see anyone the whole day. Surrounded by craggy peaks. Numerous wild flowers. And the most beautiful sub-alpine lakes.

15: Hike The Fremont Fire Lookout- didnt do

16: Eat At Bateau For A Very Very Special Occasion

A dream that was two years in the making finally came true. I was able to take my love and a few friends to celebrate his 29th Birthday. We had 6 courses of BEEF! A luxurious opportunity to encounter a meal of perfect unison between superb ingredients, outstanding service and perfection methods of aging. We felt spoiled and blessed to be among company as good as the 77 day aged steak we ate. If that tells you anything.

17: Make Artifact Uprising Photo Book Of Our First Year In Washington And Our Hawaii Trip

Thanks to my lovely sister and mom I was gifted Artifact Uprising gift certificates. I am one of those people who delights in having hardcopies of photos. Every year I try to print out photos of important moments and they know this about me. xoxo

18: Sleep In A Unique Place 

I have an affinity for sleeping in strange places. Such as old churches, renovated gas stations and castles. This time my love and I stumbled across a lovely campground owned by Bob. His place was a hippie/motorcycle haven. Complete with a teepee.

19: See A Show At The Gorge -closed

20: See My First Live Comedy Show

We basically started with the caviar of comedy. Dave Chapel and Joe Rogan. It was a phone less venue, so I have no proof that it happened. Other than my love and my own sore stomach from laughing.

21: Face A Fear

22: Visit Blue Fox Drive In -Camping And Pups Are Allowed –Closed- Due to Covid-19

23: Brewery Or Distillery Tour -Closed- Due to Covid-19

24: Attend A Star Gazing Party And Photograph The Stars 

We didn’t attend a star gazing party, as gatherings have been canceled. But my love took me to Mt. Baker for a sunset dinner for my 31st birthday. There among those mountains I photographed my very first stars!’ All the details of that night deserve its own post. Suffice to say it was absolutely perfect.

25: Check Out Palouse Falls

Our vacation to Yosemite had to get canceled due to the spread of the virus during the spring. So we made the best of it by visiting this Eastern Washington gem! It had been on my list since moving to Washington. It was like driving to another world. Leaving behind the lush moss covered forests and entering into a grand canyon-esque landscape. It was an overnight trip that was well worth it.

26: Visit Kangaroo Farm -Closed- Due to Covid-19

27: Try Out Goldmyer Hot Springs -Closed- Due to Covid-19

28: Eat At Nue In Seattle

Although there is no photographic proof of eating at Nue. I do have a witness that we indeed did consume the famous Chengdu tower of fried chicken as well as the chicken hearts. A little lack luster compared to the price. But overall still an interesting experience. Nice atmosphere and flavor explosion.

29: Eat At Kedai Maken / Try Malaysian Food For The First Time

We have been to so many great restaurants since living around Seattle but this place is top five for sure. We have been several times and there is always a line to get a table and it is always worth it! With unique menu items like frog legs and pork tails, net bread and rabbit stew. Your tastebuds will be lit with flavor and spice. The atmosphere is perfect as well with a unique blend of cozy and eccentric.

30: Read 12 Books

I discovered an app called Libby that allowed me to listen to as many audio books as I wanted without breaking the bank! I exceeded this goal by a ton. Instead of listing all the books I read I will list the ones that impacted or entertained me the most!

1: Game of Throne Series by: George R. R. Martin

2: On The Shortness of Life by: Seneca

3: Mans Search for Meaning by: Viktor E. Frankl

4: Radical Acceptance by: Tara Brach

5: Letters to a Young Poet by: Rainer Maria Rilke 

6: Reboot by: Jerry Colonna

7: Clear Mind Wild Heart by: David Whyte

8: The Power of Habit

9: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by: James Nestor 

10: Own Your Day Own Your Life by: Aubrey Marcus

11: Everything is Figureoutable By; Marie Forleo

12: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by: Dale Carnegie

13: Tao Te Ching

 

Bonus Adventures:

Spending a weekend at The Post Hotel with my love for our anniversary. I have done a separate blog post HERE.

Weekend camping trip to the Olympic Peninsula to photograph two of our greatest friends elopement! Blog post HERE.