#64: Eat at one of the world’s top restaurants

Pellegrino named its top 50 restaurants in the world today.

50. Waku Ghin, Singapore

49. Coi Restaurant, San Francisco, U.S.

48. The Test Kitchen, Cape Town, South Africa (and Best in Africa)

47. The Fat Duck, Berkshire, U.K.

46. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy

45. Hof van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Belgium

44. The French Laundry, Napa Valley, USA

43. Schloss Schauenstein, Fürstenau, Switzerland

42. Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark

41. Quique Dacosta, Alicante, Spain

40. Daniel, New York City, U.S.

39. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy

38. L’Astrance, Paris, France

37. Restaurant Andre, Singapore

36. Mani, Sao Paulo, Brazil

35. Martín Berasategui, Lasarte-Oria, Spain

34. Asador Etxebarri, Vizcaya, Spain

33. Nihonryori RyuGin, Tokyo, Japan

32. Attica, Melbourne, Australia (and Best in Australasia)

31. L’Atelier Saint-Germain de Joel Robuchon, Paris, France

30. Per Se, New York, U.S.

29. De Librije, Zwolle, The Netherlands

28. Acqua, Germany

27. Le Chateaubriand, Paris, France

26. Azurmendi, Bilbao, Spain (and Most Sustainable Restaurant)

25. L’Arpege, Paris, France

24. Amber, Hong Kong

23. Restaurant Franzen, Stockholm, Sweden

22. Vila Joya, Albufeira, Portugal

21. Le Bernardin, New York, U.S.

20. Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico

19. Faviken, Järpen, Sweden

18. Astrid y Gaston, Lima, Peru

17. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand

16. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria

15. Central, Lima, Peru

14. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan

13. Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand (and Best in Asia)

12. Vendome, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

11. Mirazur, Menton, France

10. The Ledbury, London, U.K.

9. Alinea, Chicago, U.S.

8. Arzak, San Sebastián, Spain

7. D.O.M, Sao Paulo, Brazil (and Best in South America)

6. Mugaritz, Errenteria, Spain

5. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London, U.K.

4. Eleven Madison Park, New York, U.S. (and Best in North America)

3. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy

2. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain

1. Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark

#48 Done: Attend a Music Festival

We got our country on at Stagecoach music festival.

The iPhone camera doesn’t do it justice.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

#45: Nap in a Hammock

Got in a good 2 hour nap in the warm desert air.

#21 Palm Springs.

#47: Lounge by five hotel pools

Lounging at the Miramonte in Rancho Mirage.

#61: Wine Refrigerator

Protecting the wine shipments that continue to come in from our Napa trip.

Enjoyed a beautiful Easter day with family.

Brittany found the golden egg.

Me: Let me take a picture
Brittany: No
Me: You’re barely ever home
Brittany: Fine, but no flash
Me: Flash it is

Hemingway couldn’t believe it when he woke up this morning. It was the first Saturday in a long, long time that Brittany was home and Sonia and I were still in bed. Come Hell or high water it was going to be a pool day. He whined until noon, but finally got his way.

#100: Find a Regular Barber

This one was an old school neighborhood barbershop. One of the better cuts thus far.

#73: A Forever Pen

A most excellent birthday gift from my Dad and Georgeanne.

A great belated birthday dinner at Rivera with my Dad and Georgeanne.

Bourbon Street, 2008.

I was naive to think my “Big Ass Beers” post would be the final say in regards to my marriage to Sonia. In the past few years I have become accustomed to a text or a Facebook “like” as the only response to a life moment. Today, my sister, Michelle, actually called me to congratulate us. Unfortunately she also asked for a few details of the wedding and I gave her nothing. At the time I couldn’t articulate why, so I probably hurt her feelings. But, let me try to explain. We didn’t have a wedding. After seventeen years (four years away from three seven year itches), a wedding would’ve been an unnecessary speed bump in our life. I mean, we’re empty nesters for heaven’s sake. The fact of the matter is, we just didn’t want the noise, so we eloped. It was a private moment that acknowledged where we have been and where we are going. We’ve been happy and grateful to share our lives with our friends and family, but as the author of my own life story, I want this chapter to consist of five words. We eloped in New Orleans.

Why yes, yes it is. Nearly seventeen years after moving in together, Sonia and I tied one on and tied the knot (not in that order). This will serve as our official wedding picture. Traditional? Not so much. Fitting? I’d like to think so. Although witnessed by none of those we care for the most, all of you were most certainly in our thoughts when we said “I do”. With that said, we still want to celebrate with you. Without a wedding to plan, we can focus on the party, so keep an eye out for those save the date cards.

#33: See 5 Bar Bands

We saw ten on Saturday alone.

#80 N’awlins

Spent the better part of the weekend with our clients from Nashville. Hopefully a New Orleans outpost is coming soon.

Oysters shucked and served right on the counter. And alligator corn dogs as an afternoon snack.

As long as you have your own lawn chair you can plop it in front of any bar and get served. There’s no city like it.

Made up for last weekend in Vegas.

#42: Have a drink in a Hemingway haunt

The rotating carousel bar at the Hotel Monteleone was a favorite Hemingway haunt in N’awlins.

Left the camera at home, so only a few iPhone pics. The quarter was buzzing. Everywhere we turned was another great band.

A picture perfect day to kick off the French Quarter Festival.

New Orleans

First meal as a 41 year old…. A dirty water chili dog on Bourbon Street.

Celebrity chef, Curtis Stone, opened his first brick and mortar restaurant in Beverly Hills about three months ago. That’s the same amount of time it took us to get a reservation. The restaurant revolves around a monthly single ingredient pre fixe menu. This month it is peas. Sonia hates peas, but Curtis figured out how to make her love her meal.

#23: Out of State Concert

#47 Lounge by five hotel pools

Recovering from a massacre at the craps table.

This used to be the spot of our favorite hole in the wall casino. Progress I guess.

Looks like we’ll miss a beautiful day in LA.

#88. Certified Wine Professional

Nothing like a three hour course at UCLA to cap off a stressful Monday. At least there was wine. This is the beginning of a two year program that will certify us as wine professionals.