Brew Class - Day 28 8:12 AM

At one point in our lives we have all taken a class in school, and at some point we have all had a beer...but have you ever done them simultaneously?? On day 28 i went to Home Brews and Gardens where they offer a monthly Brew class covering the basic essentials of the brewing process and a nice cold beer while they teach!!! This class was super casual and gets you up close and personal with a knowledgeable home brewer ready to answer any questions you have about making your own beer at home!

They teach you all the steps from timing to sanitizing to bottling and even let you taste a few of the grains...let’s just say I'm more of a fan of the finished product.

Real World Sea World - Day 27 12:21 PM

I can't believe i have yet to do this and i live in San Diego. The weather was beautiful on Sunday so we headed to the coast and rented a few kayaks and took them out off the La Jolla shore. We didn't sign up for a tour or anything we managed to adventure on our own. Besides my tour guide was much better to look at. ;)

                        

I'm not gonna lie, my heart was pumping pretty fast. At one time i had to stop looking down into the water because i was freaking myself out. Then we kayaked over to the cove where all the seals hang out on the rocks, we sat and watched them for a few minutes and were able to get closer then you could at Sea World. They look cute from far away but they are seriously massive creatures.

After that we headed for the caves, although we were warned and threatened with a $350 fine for going in them we still went. It’s a lot harder than it looks. We had to wait for the tide to pull out and then time the entrance just right. Not only did i think i was gonna run into the rocks and flip but i was sure i was going to scrape up my face, get the damn' fine, DROWNED and then my personal tour guide was gonna be mad at me.  Obviously i didn't drowned but i did crash into the rocks a few times but still somehow managed not to flip. With a little screaming here and there i was able to make it back out of the cave in one piece.

We adventured around a little more saw a leopard shark and then cruised back into shore. It was a very successful day and a good upper body workout as well. My arms are feeling it for sure!

Tiny TOMS - Day 26 11:39 AM

I joined the masses and bought the shoes that is known all over the world. I got my first Pair of TOMS.

TOMS slogan is "one for one" because with every pair you purchase TOMS will give a child in need a new pair of shoes...one-for-one! Not surprising at all but they are very comfortable! People either love these shoes or hate em'-as my best friend would say- "they look like diapers!" My feet are small enough that i was able to pick from the kids sizes and, for some reason these have a slightly different look then most! I don't think they look like diapers and i actually think they look cute. Most importantly they kept my little toes warm after a day up in the sky paragliding barefoot- they were frozen and therefore the reason i bought the TOMS on the spot!

Now i just want to find them in red!

Shooting - Day 25 11:14 AM

So maybe i don't have a perfect aim and i jumped every time the guns went off because the noise startled me but I sure did have fun! I shot an AR-15 which is a semi-automatic rifle and a Glock pistol. Both guns were cool but i think if i had to pick i would go for the Rifle, it just felt more video game-bad ass-ish! Few more times than I’ll be ready to take on a bad guy!

Carved My First Turkey - Day 24 10:46 AM

I went to town on that bird! And I enjoyed every moment of it! Who says it has to be the man’s job?

Is That Mascara? - Day 23 10:37 AM

Most girls go to the restroom to touch up there makeup....apparently not me! I whipped out my "team Edwards" makeup bag and had my best friend give me a makeover right there in the middle of the bar.


The best part was our audience. There are not many young people that have time to sit at a dive bar in the middle of the day so our audience was mainly over the age of 60; we were giving them a show to say the least. They were all very interested in what i was putting on my face. They kept finding reasons to come over and talk to us. One even tried to talk me into getting my eye liner tattooed on so i would never have to do my makeup again. He said all the young kids are doing it these days! I think I'm going to pass. Where's the fun in that?!

It's True Blondes Have More Fun! - Day 22 10:22 AM

So my attempt to cutting my own hair wasn't too horrible, definitely uneven though, so i had to get it cleaned up. Not only did i get it cleaned up but, I ended up going shorter than i ever have gone before... and working my way back to blonde. Feels good to be back and I'm having fun with my little bob.

Dave And Busters - Day 21 2:04 PM

If you’re looking for something fun to do that is not too expensive Dave and Busters is right around the corner, literally from my house!

I believe i have been to Dave and Busters in the past but not like this. My siblings and I made a whole evening out of it. We ordered the meals that came with the game card and played as many games as we could before the card ran out... so two minutes later we had to put more money on it...no joke, two minutes later! It was worth it, we all had fun and enjoyed the mindless fun games as the night’s entertainment.  Next time I'm considering inviting my 21 and up friends to the Dave and Busters adventure. Can you imagine Dance-Dance Revolution after a drink or two; i might actually improve my score!

I Dare You To Shot Gun This Beer RIGHT NOW - Day 20 3:06 PM

I had just gotten out of the shower(reason for the towel) and i was sitting in the kitchen talking with my sisters as she was on her way out for work, she opened the fridge and saw we had two tall boy Coors Lights and instantly saw an idea and ran with it...

"Paige have you ever shot gunned a beer?... I dare you! DO IT, Now right Meow!!!"-says Sister Buddy.

Guess the 'Frat-boy' in me came out cause i said SURE!

Those rocky mountains were cold! There was probably more beer all over the floor than i actually was able to drink...but that's why there is two :)... SUNDAY FUNDAY!

Absinthe - Day 19 2:38 PM

Absinthe is as highly alcoholic beverage and at one point was not legal in the US... "ok lets try it"- says Paige!

Supposedly this is the proper way to drink Absinthe; you poor the green, liquorish smelling, highly alcoholic beverage into a glass and light it on fire, spinning the glass so it coats it. Then you poor the alcohol into another glass that contains orange bitters. You quickly cover the glass that had the flames with a napkin or towel catching all the fumes so you can stick a straw in and inhale those fumes. You hold that in your chest and grab the mixed shot of orange bitters and absinthe, now allowing yourself to exhale and swallow the shot at the same time.

Lets just say it worked i was tipsy after one and had some pretty crazy dreams!

Paragliding - Day 18 2:12 PM

Spur of the moment, last minute decision- got a call from a friend saying to grab warm clothes and meet him at the Torrey Pines Gliderport for some quick paragliding over the coast.

The take off was a little sketchy, he told me to keep running towards the cliff but it was ending very soon and i had no idea if the parachute had picked up yet or not, so basically i just had to trust the boy behind me that i was strapped too. He did good...he didn't drop me as he promised :).

It was very relaxing and peaceful up there with the most beautiful view of the coast!

I cant wait to do it again!

What The BALUT Is That??? - Day 17 1:57 PM

WARNING-If you're a vegitarian or involved with PETA please read this blog enrty with CAUTION!!!!

One of the things i have been adventuring the most with in this blog is my taste buds. Some have been good while others...not so good!

This new adventure i went into blind, i was told it was something most people have not tried and that it would definitley be a FIRST! It started with a hard boiled egg which looked pretty normal, maybe a little larger than an average egg, but for the most part it looked edible! so i was thinking-"hell, i got this". UNTIL i cracked the nasty thing open and almost shit my pants! I was not expecting a leathery wad of bird to come flopping out, thats for sure!



Balut is a duck egg with a fetus inside, normally between seventeen to twenty days...YEP, RIGHT BEFORE FEATHERS. People in the Philippines eat these as a snack like Americans eat hot dogs! 

 The bones give the eggs a uniquely crunchy texture but, with enough salt it basically taste like an egg!

This took me a little and i freaked out pretty much the whole time but i can now say that im one of the very few who have and ever will attempt this challenge! Just please don't say the word 'Quack' around me!

A video will be posted soon!

Cut My Own Hair!!!!! - Day 16 11:01 AM

Hands down the scariest thing i have ever done or will do in the next 365 days.

We have all trimmed our bangs or maybe even cut off a few split ends here and there but never would i of considered cutting off almost 6 inches ALL BY MYSELF! I still think I'm nuts even the following day! A girls hair is pretty important, bad hair can be the difference between a good day and a bad day! It has the power to put us in a good mood or simply hate the world all together! That's a strong statement, I know, but 90% of the female population would agree!

A few things i learned, besides the fact that nobody should cut their own hair EVER is...

• DON'T DRINK & CUT, two homemade cocktails and a pair of scissors does not make you a stylists.
• Start by cutting off less then you really want because you will eventually be going back and forth tying to make both sides of your head even and before you know it, it will be shorter then you expected!
• Keep in mind that your hair is longer when wet...so when it dries it will be shorter, EVERY TIME!
• Last and most importantly, HAVE A BACKUP PLAN! This could consist of headbands & hats or even better, a friend who at the bare minimum could help you even it out, or enough money to go see a professional.

To be honest i had a backup plan, although this was a unique experience that i will probably never do again because I'm definitely in the 90% of girls who's hair means everything to them! I knew i wanted to get my hair cut so i already had an appointment made with the best hair stylist in the world Mrs. Geraldine Cobb and I'm certain that she will spend the first 30 minutes scolding and reprimanding me for my lack of skill but, i also know that she will fix it and make it all better.

Cake Pops - Day 15 9:20 AM

With a little inspiration from my new office friend, who runs a baking/event planning/wedding coordinating business with her sister "Sweet Thing"...(YES, I'm extremely jealous), I took on the challenge of attempting to bake something i have never made before WITHOUT a recipe or instructions to follow.

Cake-pops are the new fad in the baking world. A cake pop is basically cake and frosting rolled up in a ball and then put in the freezer to harden so you can dip them in melted chocolate and maybe even sprinkle them in yummy candy or Oreo crumbs.

For my first attempt i went with chocolate cake and chocolate frosting, most people like chocolate so i figured it was a safe bet. This part actually sounds like the easy part, just simply using your hands to roll frosting and cake in a ball but, the trick was to find the right consistency. Very sticky but very fun!

I left them in the freezer over night and, of course i tried one the next morning for breakfast. Not normally the type to toot my own horn but they were pretty damn good if you ask me...and I'm not a chocolate fan!

I ended up dipping them in more chocolate and then rolled them in sprinkles and Butterfingers crumbs and back to the freezer they went.

I feel like there are so many fun things i can do with these now. And they were pretty simple. I'm glad i have two little brothers as my ginnie pigs!

Signed My WILL - Day 14 2:25 PM

Not really sure why i did this cause i don't have any children nor any money to pass on, and I'm hoping my last check bounces anyway!!!!...But it is definitely something i have never done before.


It was the typical questions; Who do you want to leave your money with? Who do you want to take care of your kids when your gone? Who gets this, who gets that?... (don't worry ALL of my buddies are getting a special something). But, then they start asking if you want to be buried or cremated? and special instructions for your funeral? It was a very odd feeling answering those. I have never really put any thought into how this all might go down. Kinda put me in an awkward mood and made me realize that this year of "news" is more important than i thought!...and those in it! :)

Downtown L.A. - Day 13 1:34 PM

AHHHHHHHH.... Little scary! let's just say that downtown L.A. is nothing like downtown San Diego. Its extremely spread out and has double the amount of bums.

Me and my buddy drove up to L.A. for another friends birthday who lives in west Hollywood. We were told to meet her at this cute little bar downtown, where she choose to celebrate her birthday. As we were walking up and down the streets with our iPhones out trying to figure out where we were, we quickly realized based off the bars on all the doors and windows that it was probably not a good idea and that my buddy should of probably not worn as many sparkly accessories as she did that evening. Yes- the bar was cute and the drinks were good but, it was not in the best part of town.  We were told NUMEROUS times to not go east of L.A. Boulevard, which this bar happened to be on the corner of. I guess the next street over is nick-named "skid row" because its where all the crazed crack addicts sell, buy, and get high at!

The moral of the story is that; A self defense class moved up a few on my list of new things to try this year!

Sangria - Day 12 1:07 PM

After walking the streets of downtown San Diego i realized i had yet to do my new or first for the day. My friends and i stopped into a local bar/restaurant where i had my first sangria. Sangria normally consists of a wine, chopped fruit, a sweetener, and a small amount of brandy. You would think since i like wine so much that this would not even be on the list of never done befores'. We actually ended up ordering both red and white sangria so we could all try both, i think i preferred the white cause of the little added fizz but, both were very good. I'm now interested in attempting to make my own.  

Message In A Bottle - Day 11 12:20 AM

Kinda a random night. My sister and i left the house with no plan in mind except to go find something new to do! Could get a little scary if you know my sister and i, but we kept it pretty simple.

We stoped by the liquor store and bought the cheapest bottle of wine and headed to the beach. 

We ended up sharing the wine and writing our favorite quotes on small pieces of paper which we rolled up and put in the empty bottle and corked it backed up. Down the pier we walked to toss our thoughts out to sea in hopes that someone somewhere will find the bottle, open it up and read them, maybe we will make a random person smile...

For the record, we did apologize to all the Nemo and Dory's and promise to make an honest effort to never litter again!



Super Lotto - Day 11 11:18 PM

As i was in the liquor store tonight i saw the lotto tickets outta the corner of my eye and i realized i have never bought one. I guess i never really thought i was the type to win. So I quickly stated out-loud that "i have never bought a lotto ticket"-the cashier shook his head and said "you don't wanna do that"- so for those that know me.... obviously that means I'M GONNA DO IT now! One dollar is not gonna hurt the bank. Of course i don't think I'm gonna win but the thought of quitting my job and moving somewhere warm for the winter will definitely make for sweet dreams tonight!

Numbers come out on Friday, WISH ME LUCK!!!!!!

Mad House Comedy Club. - Day 10 continued 11:04 AM

Mad House Comedy club down in Horton Plaza, was a fun first for a Tuesday night! It was like speed dating for comedians. Each of the stand ups got a few minutes to run through a few jokes. The short amount of time each was given was perfect, and not too long to get awkward for the newbies.

Some of the things that come out of the comedians mouth was outrageous, makes me wonder what it would be like if i brought one home to meet the family! Or even just dating one, I'm sure me alone, would provide them enough material to get them through a few routines! They make fun of everything, every race, every body type, every job and every famous person!

It was a cool experience and the place itself was pretty nice. It was a cheap and new outing. If you're tired of sitting on the couch go check it out.

502 Horton Plz
San Diego, CA 92101

(619) 702-6666

www.madhousecomedyclub.com

How Many Odd Things Can i Put In My Body In One Night? - Day 10 10:34 AM

I tried a few different things this evening, and I'm still amazed my stomach hasn't sent in divorce papers yet!

The night started with me literally chugging a Coconut water. Yeah, it sounds refreshing, like clean, laying on a Caribbean island somewhere taking in massive amounts of vitamin D and then completely re-hydrating yourself. And supposedly its suppose to be good for you, has tons of potassium, natural electrolytes and antioxidants, all the good stuff.

BUT i think its a sick joke!!! "Coconut Water", if you can even call it that, cause it tastes more like rotten milk, is not very tasty at all. I even tried one with a splash of mango in it...still didn't help. I'm on a mission to find one that is actually is as tasty as it sounds!

Maybe i just need to go to an island and pick my own coconut and try it that way, although i don't think i want to do that for the next thing i tried this evening...

Yep, that is a salad, more importantly a seaweed salad. Never thought those two words should ever be in the same sentence let alone in my mouth, for goodness sakes! One, its too much green for me and two, its freak'n grass from the ocean! Really? Do you know what fish do in water? Same things our dogs do on the grass in the neighborhood park!

Well, i still tried all four of the different types of seaweed on the plate and too be honest they weren't nearly as bad as i had thought it was going to be. Except for the thick dark green one, i literally thought i was licking the green moss that grows on the rocks at the La Jolla cove. It was slimy and awkward to chew, like thick lettuce but, nothing beats the texture of the next thing i tried!

The picture above is Uni, as in the edible part of the sea urchin. I guess its a rare treat for those who have acquired the taste for sea urchins and very off-putting for the rest! It had a creamy consistency and it was a little on the sweet side. I'm not gonna lie i think i swallowed it faster then i let it sit in my mouth but it was definitely a double swallow. I didn't mind the taste as much as i did the texture, not a favorite but after everything else this evening...what the hell!

Mint Julep - Day 9 11:11 AM

WOW!!! Strongest drink i have ever had. A mint julep is traditionally made with four ingredients: mint leaf, bourbon, sugar, and water. I think mine was straight bourbon on shaved ice, haha, not really but it's definitely a drink to get a job done. Two of those and somebody would have to carry me....

with that said anyone wanna get a Mint Julep with me this weekend?

Tractor Room - Day 8 11:03 AM

The Tractor Room aka a "carnivore's lair" was delicious! My new favorite place to get some real mac-n-cheese (almost as good as my mom's). And the buffalo fries were excellent as well. The place was decorated like a modern day ranch style cowboy bar; animals on the wall, cow hide seats at the bar and a pretty cool wooden patio bar with a real old tractor in front. Don't worry they have extremely well working patio heaters too.

Good food, and as usual good company! i would and will go again to try more of their exotic meat menu!

Honesty - Day 7 10:43 AM

“The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.”

In this modern world of marketing, spin and half truths maintaining honesty might be seen as a bit of a challenge! But in reality it is not, we always know at a fundamental level what is truly honest and if you are ever in doubt, simply reverse the scenario and put yourself in the others shoes... does it still feel honest?

Being honest does require a high level of self-discipline and is often really difficult to do at first because we have all got so used to those little lies and pretences that seemed to make life simpler. But that impression is false, being honest actual simplifies life considerably and releases an enormous amount of life energy from popping up complex and often completely useless webs of lies and pretences, that can now be channelled into something you really want to do.

No doubt about it-oysters are hard to swallow but what was worse was being completely honest to someone when you know its not what they were gonna want to hear. Shit is gonna happen, feelings are going to change and by no means are any of us a saints but hopefully apologizing and being 100% open about it will make you feel better and be able to move forward!

Being honest is definitely NOT a first but the situation and all the emotions that came along with it were!

Oysters - Day 6 9:42 AM

Oysters-So far this has been my least favorite new thing i have tried! Gross!!! I think its the texture thing...i feel like eating the oysters was like swallowing phlegm.

Rumor has it that oysters are a natural aphrodisiac-lets just say I don't think it did its job. Ill stick to a glass of wine, or two :)

Mr. A's - Day 5 9:32 AM

Fanciest restaurant i have ever been to. They pull out your chair, put your napkin on your lap, and always keep your water full. Everyone was very kind and attentive and, the food was pretty damn good. BUT the best part was the view. The restaurant over looks all of downtown and you can watch the airplanes come in for landing at the San Diego airport. Very classy!!

Can You Say Hickey? - Day 4 9:21 AM

A hickey, kiss mark or love bite, is a bruise or mark caused by kissing or sucking of the skin. While biting might be part of giving a hickey, sucking is sufficient to burst small blood vessels under the skin.

I've never had one... so it was a first!

...enough said!

First Electronic Show - Day 3 9:16 AM

The museum of contemporary art here in San Diego had an outside show for local bands, among those was an electronic band called Hyena. They were a very talented two man group who seemed to know how to play every instrument! This type of music has never been a top pick of mine but Hyena definitely perked my ears and i really enjoyed them. They were good, entertaining and fun. (wearehyena.com-check it out!)

This was a night of many firsts; one i had no idea that the Museum of Contemporary Arts did events like this, even on a random week night. Two, the show its self was new music, and i met new people. Totally not like me to get outta the house especially on a "school night"....worth it!

Lonely Hotel Room - Day 2 2:13 PM

I have gone to a bar alone, i have grabbed dinner out alone, i have gone to the beach alone, i have even seen movies in the theatre alone... I'd like to think I'm a very independent person, and very content to adventure out alone. But i have never stayed in a hotel room alone. I'm either with girlfriends in Vegas or on road trips with family. So when i got called into work yesterday  morning to work on a project out of town that was gonna last all day and into the the next morning causing me to have to stay over night, i saw an opportunity to try something new. Although i wasn't too excited about it i still did it. Its only a first once, right?

The room was decent and the bed was comfy but definitely lonely. Hotel rooms are always better with company.

 

Nepalese Food - Day 1 11:02 PM

As you all know I'm not very adventurous when it comes to my taste buds. I pretty much stick to three main food groups; sugar, french fries and CANDY! But this is a new year and with that comes a new Paige.

With a little help, i adventured to an Indian/ Nepalese restaurant for day 1 of trying something new. I couldnt pronounce what we ordered if i tried;  LAMB VINDALOO (Premium lamb cooked in gravy of tomato and onions with potato and vinegar.) And CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA -  (Boneless chicken breast cubes cooked in a special creamy sauce with herbs and spices.) We ordered both with a spicy level of 7, which sounds scary but it was not. Both dishes were very tasty and i would definitely order them again . 

The only thing i recommend is going with someone that knows what they are doing! My Nepalese tour guy came in handy :)

The whole experience was delicious!!!

Year 27 12:20 PM

So I'm 27 now. I just had an amazing weekend long birthday, celebrated with the best girlfriends in the world. They did so good by me, i honestly can say it was my best birthday yet! I wouldn't change a single thing about it and I'm positive that it will be impossible to top next year!

I'm not sure why but i was kinda bummed about turning 27 this year. I mean its not nearly as cool as your 21st or 30th but its also not like i need to start writing my will today. So I'm pretty sure its not the actual age that is bothering me but rather the lack of activities in the past 27 years of my life.

I have changed a lot about me and my life in the past year and all were very positive changes, for example i got a new job, i  no longer am bar tending my life away. i became very independent moving out with my sister, AND i dodged a real douche bag!! I'm very content with my life and those in it but, still feel bored!

My inspiration for this "do something new everyday" came from multiple places besides the just bored feeling. One was facebook, i recently found some old friends from high school and it was cool to see all the fun things they have been doing and places they have been. I quickly realized all my pictures and posts were basically repeats... drunk night out after drunk night out.  Second was my best friends brother, after talking to him and his friends and listening to all the places they have been and things they have seen i was almost embarrassed that i had no cool stories to share. 

Bottom line i realize I'm listening to my life at a four and feel like i should turn it up. A high 9 is the goal :).

I'm going to attempt to do something new everyday.

I'm going to start saying yes!

So please throw any ideas you have my way, they will be greatly appreciated 365 is a lot!

Here we go.