it’s my birthday!! I’m 29 years old today, and this blog is officially back up and running!

and no, this isn’t some April Fool’s joke (because you can probably guess that I’ve been the butt of many April Fool’s jokes in my life.) I had to stop posting, because I got my second cookbook deal at the end of the summer and had to write feverishly for the next 4 months (I’m still writing/editing). thus, this blog launched at a very inopportune time, but now – it’s BACK!

I’m so excited to bring alissandrab back – I have SO much to say, share, show, and I don’t want to dilute Inspiralized with all of that.

my goal is to post 2 times per week here on alissandrab – I’m going to hustle to make that come true! I apologize in advance to Lu, who will officially become an Instagram husband.

for today’s post, I’m simply going to share a list of things I want to achieve in the last year of my 20s. I’m actually not fearful of the big 3-0, I’m kind of looking forward to it – I think women are most beautiful, confident, and interesting in their 30s. I’m starting to truly leave the bullsh*t of my 20s behind and finding my true Sasha Fierce.

things I want to do before I turn 30

1. Go to Las Vegas: I’ve never been, and I want to go when I can still justify wearing body-con dresses.
2. Learn how to grill: it’s embarrassing that I’m a food blogger and I don’t know how to operate a grill, but I grew up where my father was the grill-master and my mother didn’t touch it. alas, we’re in 2016 and I’m a strong-ass independent woman, and I should learn.
3. Join a book club: I’ve been wanting to do this ever since I graduated college and have never acted on it. luckily, two of my best friends moved to Jersey City this week, so I have a feeling it’s the perfect year to start!
4. Go to a music festival: I’ve been to one in NYC before, but I want to see more live music this year.
5. Go skinny dipping: yup.
6. Throw a course-by-course dinner party: I’m hoping that sometime this year, we’ll move into a 2 bedroom apartment with a space for a dining table and this can be a reality. so, this is kinda dependent on our living situation.
7. Karaoke: I haven’t been karaoking since the summer after I graduated college! WHAT.
8. Go camping: whether it’s in my parent’s backyard or somewhere in the North East, this is happening.
9. Take a pottery class: just one of those self-enrichment activities.
10. Read The Catcher in the Rye again: this was always my favorite book and it sits on my bookshelf now, but I’ve never thought to re-read it for pleasure (when I read it, it was in school.)
11. Learn how to make a great margarita: YASS. my favorite drink is a margarita, but I rarely like the ones they serve up at restaurants (ick on the simple syrup), so I want to perfect my own at home finally. also, maybe a paloma!
12. Learn how to do winged eyeliner: why can’t I master this?!
13. Create a morning routine: I want to have more zen mornings. currently, they consist of waking up with Lu, washing my face, applying toner and then moisturizer, and then making coffee and sitting at my desk. I want to create a more relaxing morning routine. I have a year to nail one down.
14. Get abs (even if they only show for a day): this is a pretty big item, BUT it’s totally feasible – I already eat very clean, I just need to work on ab work – I RARELY do core work (it’s so boring!) I’m going to get on this starting on Monday so that by the time summer comes, I’ll have an ab or two. even if it’s just for a day 🙂
15. Visit another continent: well, I am going to knock this one off in June – we’re going to Bali and Thailand for our one-year wedding anniversary, but I wanted to include it anyway.
16. Cook through a cookbook: I want to cook through an entire cookbook Julia & Julia style (one of my favorite movies – for obvious reasons!)

what would you add to this list for yourself?