It's the final countdown until my birthday and until my 30x30x30 Birthday Challenge is complete.  So far, I have completed all my goals, some with more passion than others (see: #11 and #25 specifically). I admit that I am looking forward to having a bit more time on my hands again.  The birthday challenge was very demanding of my time and money.  But overall I am very happy with the my birthday challenge and feel really good about starting this new decade with some bucket list items crossed off the master list. I feel that I am going to start 30 with a renewed appreciation for life.  Anyway, without further ado, the last five items on my list:

It took me all day, but I finally found a Kickstarter I was excited about: Pedal South.  Here is there goal/mission/project:

In the summer of 2014 we five Students of the World alumni will set out on an 18,000 mile self-supported cycling journey down the Pan-American Highway, from Alaska to Argentina. Each in our creative roles–three filmmakers, a photographer, and a writer–we will produce a feature length film documenting our journey and the unique cultures and landscapes we encounter along the way. Our goal is to celebrate, connect, and inspire the people of the Americas through the storytelling process.

Sounds really cool right? And totally something that I would love to do myself, if I actually owned a bike and knew how to use it well. They are teaming up with the fitness oriented fundraising non-profit, Charity Miles. The app allows any athlete in the world to raise money for a charity of their choice just by logging their exercise miles! So each and every one of their individual miles pedaled will send real funds to major non-profits such as Stand Up to Cancer or Habitat for Humanity.

Finally, as part of my $35 donation, I will receive a handwritten postcard from the team, sent from a random location on their roadtrip. SO. COOL.  And I really hope they reach their goal so this gets fully funded. So if you find this interesting too, please donate!

Challenge #26, check!

There are quite a few museums in the Los Angeles area, and I've only been to a handful of them. The ones that I have had the good fortune of visiting are the Getty Center, Getty Villa Malibu, Griffith Observatory, LACMA-La Brea Tar Pits, Skirball Cultural Center, and the Natural History Museum.  Both Getty's will always have a special spot in my heart because they are so beautiful and were the first ones that I visited in Los Angeles. However, I think the Natural History Museum might be my favorite. It's so fun seeing all the animals!

The choice was easy for this challenge. I have never been to the Hammer museum, which not only is just a couple miles away, but recently recieved a large grant that allows for FREE ADMISSION indefinitely. And on top of it, parking is only $3 for 3 hours with validation.  That's what I'm talking about!!!

While it's not a huge museum, it did end up being the perfect "after-work-quick-cultural-experience" setup that I was hoping it would be. There were four main galleries, the first was "Tea & Morphine" exhibit, the second was the permanent classic art exhibit, and the last two were filled with an extensive modern art exhibit.  If you are interested in a creepy video that I experienced at the museum, and yes I watched the entire 17 minutes, click here for a review. I couldn't find the video itself online, which is a shame because it was really fascinating to watch and I STILL don't know how I feel about it after watching.

I spent about an hour in the museum and really enjoyed myself. Challenge #27, check!

YOU GUYS. I WON!!!!!!!!!!! $10 that is... and I spent $3... but that's a profit gosh darnit. 

So each one of these tickets to the left was $1, two of them are scratch offs and then of course the one on the left is an actual lottery ticket.  I picked my numbers randomly and it spit out the ticket. 

But like I said, I'm already a winner and made $7 yesterday.  Mega Millions numbers will be posted tonight, so we will see!

Challenge #28, check!

*Update* - the only number I guessed correctly was the Mega Number (09). So, technically I won my $1 back!

I baaaaarely finished this challenge. I was signing my letter at 11:59pm this night.  But I did it! Not a whole lot to say regarding this challenge, as it is very personal... however, I am excited to re-read it in one decade!

Challenge #29, check!

What a fun day, and amazing way to cap off the last few hours of my 20s! I loved that this was the last challenge, given that it's the happiest place on earth!

I did discover that my inner ear is getting progressively worse.  Some of the rides definitely made my stomach turn... but it was still SUCH FUN.  I will let the pictures do the talking.

Challenge #30, check! 

Thank you so much for following along with me these last 30 days!

This challenge wins the prize for least effort put in and most amount of "ehhh".

I did it. I pulled a bunch of clothes out of my closet and stuck them in a trash bag to donate to charity... except that they are still sitting in the bag on my bedroom floor. Technically I cleaned out my closet, but perhaps I dropped the ball a bit on the second part of the challenge.

I say I give my self a 75% on this challenge, since deciding which clothes to pull is much harder and time consuming than dropping them off at a charity, which only accounts for 25% of the challenge.  Also, I mayyyy have bought more clothes on Friday in which to fill the empty space in my closet. Oops.

Sooooo.... 75% is totally passing.... Challenge #21, check-ish!

On Friday night, Adam, Abby, Mollie, and I headed over to Industr Cafe & Jazz.  It was the only spot on the Westside that served Ethiopian food, and none of us felt like treking over to the Fairfax/Mid-Wilshire area for Little Ethiopia.  Looking back, we may have found better food there than we did here.  

Industry Cafe was a lot of fun, with the live band playing, but ultimately I was unimpressed with the food. I am not sure if it's the quality of the food that I was unhappy with, or that I simply do not like Ethiopian food... I'm leaning toward the former. I feel like I should go to Little Ethiopian sometime to try it again, perhaps one of the restaurants out there will be bit tastier. 

But regardless, I had a lot of fun, as shown in the video below. Challenge #22,  check!

On Saturday April 19th, I hosted the Immortal Murders mystery game for Adam's birthday party and present.  It was really great and we had a very nice turnout, about 16 players... 

From the feedback I've gotten, everyone had a lot of fun and many alliances (or fake alliances) were formed.  Money was exchanged and secrets were traded.  We had three additional murders on top of the original two murders. The first murder happened in front of everyone at the Hidden Council meeting (oops) and the other two happened in secret. 

Below are some of the pictures from our game (sorry for poor resolution, we had very low lighting to set the mood and I didn't want to be flashing everyone in the face as I was taking the pictures).

Challenge #23, check!

The morning after Adam's murder mystery birthday party, I have to admit I was feeling very unmotivated to go on this hike. I was sleepy, lazy, a little hungover. But after a little googling/yelping, I came across this park in Glendale.  I got my butt off the couch and Adam and I headed to Deukmejian Wilderness Park.  I am so happy I chose this park.  First off, it's very easy to get through, with a nice paved parking lot and a gravel overflow lot, if needed.  The trailhead is right next to a beautiful old building, a small area for grapevines, a lovely grassy area with a few picnic tables/benches, and even bathrooms (although they were out of order when we were there).  The area actually has an interesting history:

• The property was acquired in 1898 by George Le Mesnager, a French emigrant, prominent winegrower, and prominent Los Angeles businessman. Between 1914 - 1918, Louis Le Mesnager constructed the stone barn and shed along with a number of other buildings that no longer exist.
• The barn was used as a stable, for the storage of equipment and for the storage of grapes prior to their shipment to the Le Mesnagers' Los Angeles Winery. It operated in this capacity only until 1920, when prohibition ended the winemaking industry.
• In 1933, prohibition was repealed and a winemaking operation once again began in the barn.
• In November of that year a massive fire swept the hillside area, gutting the barn and shed and destroying the winemaking equipment and most of the smaller buildings.
• The fire was followed by major flooding during the rainy season, which did considerable damage in Glendale and led to construction in 1934-35 of the County dam and debris basin adjacent to the site.
• The barn was rebuilt with a new arch roof and residential quarters on the upper floor. The Le Mesnager family moved to the site in 1937 and lived there until 1960.
• In 1968 the property was sold to a developer who intended to construct homes on the site. The City of Glendale purchased the site in 1988 and renamed it Deukmejian Wilderness Park.
• The stone barn on the site is of historical significance as a relatively rare example of a two-story vernacular rock structure. However, it is not included in any register of historic places except that of the City of Glendale.

There are a few trails that wind through the hills, and during our hike we saw beautiful foliage, butterflies and many lizards, incredible views into Burbank/Glendale (although it was slightly hazy that day), and the remnants of the 2009 fire that swept through the area. 

All in all, I am thrilled that I found this park and that it's pretty close to Adam's house. I feel like this is a hidden gem in the LA area. If you are interested in a new, less-traveled hike, I highly recommend this park.

Challenge #24, check!

I switched some things around again and the dip into the Pacific Ocean was moved up to today.  As it turns out, the museum I wanted to go to today is closed on Mondays! So much for that. But this worked out pretty well, minus the fact that it was pretty chilly out on the beach.

You may watch this video and think I'm completely overreacting.  But here's the thing.  I am really, really scared of water I can't see through. It has to do with the unknown.  Similarly, I am still scared of the dark.  My imagination excels at assuming the worst possible scenario in a given situation, especially a situation where I don't know all the factors. If it was crystal clear water, I doubt it would be a big deal... it's about not knowing what might be around my feet. It's not a rational emotion.  So while it may seem like I'm overreacting, I really am genuinely terrified.  

However, I managed to get in and do it. I'm farther into the ocean here than I have been in many years.  So, as scarred as I now feel, I say that this was a success.  Challenge #25, check.

Today. Was. Amazing. I was so productive. This day felt so liberating and I'm convinced I need to do this once a month for my own sanity.

I allowed myself to have some basic technologies, such as running water and electricity. I also allowed myself to run some errands and go climbing.  Really it boiled down to no iPhone, iPad, computer, or television.  I didn't even really use the radio, although I did use the record player in my bedroom while I was cleaning!

Challenge #16, check!

This was a really exciting but nerve-racking challenge for me. I've never been a particularly good long-distance runner.  I grew up on sports that require sprinting and explosive power, like softball, tennis, and basketball.  Anything over a mile tends to be somewhat difficult for me.  So a couple years ago I thought I would add "Run a 5K" on my life bucket list. And when it came time to create my birthday challenge list, I thought I should make this a priority.  

I had hoped to spend about 8 weeks training for the 5k, but a toe injury halted that training almost immediately. It was very frustrating and I felt very anxious that, without the training, I would not be able to run all 3.11 miles off the couch.  However, about 2 weeks prior to the race, my foot was completely healed and I was able to start running again.

On the morning of the race, with my anxiety completely out of control, I lined up with about 700 people and at least 100 dogs and started my first 5k race.  I ran the entire thing, with a snail pace of 12:01/mile, but I did it. No stopping, no walking. I completed my goal just as I wanted, and for that I am very happy and proud.

Not that it's a competition, but Adam blew me out of the water with a 6:30/mile and 9th place. Meaning, if you look at the results below, there were 250 people in between when Adam finished and I finished -- hahaha! I don't care, I'm so thrilled he did well and thrilled that I finished!

Challenge #17, READY... SET... CHECK!

Man, this challenge was really touch and go for a while. I originally wanted to make Beef Bourguignon from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child.  However, once I actually took a good look at the recipe, I decided it was way too much work. I like my recipes to be very low-effort. So then I found another promising recipe: Supremes de Volaille Archiduc, or, Chicken Breasts with Paprika, Onions, and Cream.

Ah yes, this sounds much better... much easier.

I did my grocery shopping at lunch, and was very pleased with myself that I had gotten it out of the way so early in the day.  Then I realized when I got home that I didn't have any white wine, vermouth, or port. Ok. No biggie. Time to hit up Google for an appropriate equivalent. As it turns out, marsala wine would be doable, as long as I had some extra chicken broth or lemon juice to reduce the sweetness from the marsala.  DONE AND DONE.

I started cooking, again feeling very pleased with myself for my exceptional flexibility, when I realized in the midst of the recipe that my chicken broth was frozen. NO, I had not put the chicken broth in the freezer. However, my refrigerater has a mind of it's own and decided that it was going to freeze just the chicken broth and nothing else in the fridge. Okayyyyyy.  No biggie.  I'll just defrost it.  And, I dunno, let's add some mushrooms. Everything tastes better with mushrooms.

To answer your unspoken question.... YES, at a certain point it crossed my mind that I'm deviating quite a bit from the original recipe. Do I care? Ehhh not really. And guess what else? The dish was FLIPPING PHENOMENAL. This sauce was the best thing I've ever put in my mouth.  Paprika cream sauce forever.

Challenge #18, check!

I feel like I halfway cheated on this one. I mean, technically I DID finish a book I had started reading... but my intention was to finish one of those books that had been sitting on my bookshelf, half-read, for months or years. Ultimately though, I ended up finishing The Rock Warriors Way by Arno Ilgner.  I chose those one for a couple reasons, but mainly because it required the least amount of reading to finish. I only had about 30 pages to read.  Right now my life is super busy, so I opted for the smallest committment.  I hope to write a more lengthy review of the book later, but for now, I will just leave you with two of my favorite quotes from the last section of the book that I read tonight. 

"All living things, you included, are created, grow, and then die. Since you already have been created and aren't dead yet, you are most in harmony when you align yourself with the positive process in between - growth."

"The Rock Warrior's Way isn't a destination that you struggle to attain.  It's here, now.  It is the struggle itself... To follow the Rock Warrior's Way means to decide to walk the path. Then, simply be observant and pay attention."


Challenge #19, check!

I had been thinking about trying an adult ballet class for a few months now, and the birthday challenge seemed like a good opportunity to squeeze it in.  Not surprisingly, my climbing partner, Mollie, was very interested in ballet too. Actually, she turned out to be much more hardcore about it than I was expecting, as she had been wanting to try ballet as a small child. However, sadly her mom nixed that idea and Mollie spent her childhood wistfully pining after the ballerinas and their tutus.

That is so funny to me (in a curious way, not a mean way), because I had actually rejected ballet as a kid. My parents could go into more detail, but I think perhaps I was a little too mischievous to be contained to the rigid nature of a ballet class. I mean, look at my face in the picture above. I am absolutely about to cause trouble. I probably just talked too much in class. I could see that happening.

Inevitably, I dropped dancing and made my way into sports.  I must have been more at home there, running around and making noise. I played basketball, softball, and tennis growing up.  I especially found my place on the softball field, where there is plenty of talking, yelling even.  But, my goodness, look at that little me on the right... absolutely precious. I was clearly okay with the tutu.

So I tried an adult ballet class last night... and even bought ballet shoes (which were required, and, I might add, expensive).  I really enjoyed the class, but even now as a grown person, I couldn't help but talk through class... mainly to Mollie, but also to the little girl next to me who was light years better than I will ever be. I just don't feel that my personality is conducive to the strict nature of ballet.  But I really enjoyed the exercise and the challenge.  Now that I bought shoes I guess I'm going to have to keep doing it. As you can see from the pictures below, I didn't exactly hate it.  Look at that FOCUS!

Challenge #20, plié and check!