Get to Know Me in 20 Questions

Ok, ok, I’ll jump on this whole blogging “20 Questions” bandwagon. My blogger friends Rachel and Jane both recently posted ones for themselves and I couldn’t resist but write one up for myself. So here you go! Enjoy!

1. What brings you the greatest joy? 

Skiing on a bluebird day just after a big snowstorm. Enjoying a delicious meal. Spending an afternoon baking. Disney soundtracks – seriously, singing along to A Whole New World truly can truly transform a crappy day into a good one. .

2. What are your vices? 

Having little self-control when it comes to eating – if there is food in front of me, even if I don’t like it, I will eat it. Checking my phone too much, even when I know nothing interesting has happened on it. Buying too many kitchen gadgets – I probably don’t need it, but I am sure I still want to buy whatever it is.

3. What is on your nightstand? 

This will show my skills at home décor – lotion, tissues, alarm clock, my Kindle, and a photo of Brice and myself (a very cute one of him proposing!).

4. Do you have a secret talent? 

Umm… I think it might be a secret to even me… But I guess I’d say I can touch my nose with my tongue. I admit, that is creepy and not really a talent. That’s the best I can do.

5. What is your greatest indulgence? 

Spending money on food. As is obvious from this blog, I love good food, trying new restaurants and attending food events. That certainly can add up, but it is always worth it in my opinion.

6. What should every woman try at least once in her life?

Weightlifting. And not like using 5-pound weights for a minute before yoga, but doing some serious lifting, like heavy back squats or clean & jerks. There is something really empowering and awesome about being a woman and being strong.

7. What makes you laugh?

My goofy friends. Watching puppies run around, especially when their legs aren’t quite coordinated yet. Any animated movie, especially Monsters Inc. and Wall-E.

8. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? 

That I am completely terrified of open water. I hate not being able to see what is in the water. I’m pretty sure that I’ll get eaten by some sea monster. And yet, I somehow agreed to learn to SCUBA, we’ll see how that goes…

9. What is on your bucket list? 

Traveling to many more places – I am lucky to have traveled to a lot of places already (most of Western Europe, Peru, Belize, Egypt, Australia) but I have plenty more places I’d like to go to like Central Europe: Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Israel, Turkey, Patagonia, Alaska, Tanzania. We are in the process of planning 2.5 months in Asia so that will knock out a lot of places as well!

Going to pastry school and/or open my own bakery – someday it will happen, even if it is post-retirement.

Getting a dog.

Seeing the Northern Lights.

Eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant (or a few).

10. What is on your feet right now? 

Some cozy, black, studded Steve Madden slippers that keep my toesies nice and warm.

11. How did you make your first dollar?

It was either babysitting, where I insisted I was going to be like the Baby-Sitters Club and turn it into a legit business, or cleaning horse stalls (we had between 5-10 horses living at my house when I was growing up – not the most glamorous work but it was fun being around the horses and my parents paid well).

12. What superstition do you believe in? 

Can’t say I really believe in any… is that lame?

13. What items in your closet do you wear the most? 

Workout clothes. Not completely flattering but really comfy pajama pants. Jeans (since we don’t have to wear slacks at Intel, it’s jeans pretty much every day).

14. What is the best gift you’ve ever received? 

A cooking class in Paris. Brice set the whole thing up for our trip to Europe a few years ago. It was amazing – our chef instructor toured us around the local markets, we cooked all afternoon in her gorgeous apartment and then of course enjoyed a giant delicious meal paired with lots of French wine. I love experience presents like that way more than anything tangible.

15. What is on your liquor shelf? 

Pretty much whatever you’d want, we probably have – tequila, whiskey, vodka, even some Absinthe and Everclear. Sounds like we are total lushes but I swear, it is more that we rarely drink hard alcohol anymore so the booze has never really gone down.

16. What is on your kitchen counter?

A LOT. I love kitchen gadgets and we are fortunate to have a lot of counter space so there is my amazing Kitchen Aid mixer, a toaster, a set of glass mixing bowls, a knife set, a spoon/spatula holder, and of course some photos of Brice and me looking adorable.

17. What would you never leave home without? 

My phone (see vices above). Some sort of layer – a jacket, a scarf, some mittens – it doesn’t matter how warm it is, I guarantee I will be cold.

18. What movie has the greatest ending? 

I don’t know if this is the greatest, but being a total cheeseball, I love the ending to When Harry Met Sally. “I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” So sweet and perfect.

19. Who is on the guest list for your ideal dinner party? 

Can I just include like every chef and foodie out there? That would be awesome (especially if they helped cook). I feel like these folks would be really entertaining: Anthony Bourdain, Alton Brown, and from Portland: Gabi Denton of Ox, Jami Curl of QUIN, and Kim and Tyler Malek of Salt & Straw. To get some non-foodies in the mix, I’d also give Ross Matthews and Heidi Klum an invite.

20. What is one thing you wish you had known when you were younger? 

Being cool is overrated. It’s perfectly acceptable to be the nerdy person you are deep down.