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Bucket List: Fish and Chips in London
We may have missed our flight from Greece to London, but there was no way I was missing out on Fish and Chips in London. ♥️ (Also our flight back to the states was out of London… so really not a huge decision to be made here)
So after waiting hours in the airport, we caught a second flight late to London.
We slept in the most beautiful penthouse overlooking the London Eye and woke up bright and early (just kidding – we woke up at noon) and made our way to The Rock and Sole Plaice (which are apparently types of fish! Clever name).
Yum!
Bucket List: Greece
So I enjoyed both an authentic Greek salad and olives while in Greece. However, I ran out of time to get my Gyro! I know, I know – how could I be so careless? I guess it just means we will have to go back again…
One of the best parts of our stay in Athens was our AirBnB. We had a huge covered patio with direct access to our own rooftop 360 degree view. From our patio we were able to see the Acropolis (and for whatever reason my camera makes it look further away than when you are actually standing on the patio looking at it.)
There we’re so many cats!
2015 New Years Resolution Completed – Bucket List Update
My New Years Resolution last year was to have a better upcoming year than the previous year was. The last year was topped in the first quarter of 2015.
I wanted to make an updated post to my bucket list post from two years ago. I have organized the list, and moved all of my accomplishments to the top.
I am still living the dream; MY dream.
Have a Cup of Coffee With a Stranger (Achieved 2015)
Dine in the Eiffel Tower (Achieved 2015)
Be Smiling in a Random Persons Photo in the Back (Achieved 2015)
Jump into a Fountain (Achieved 2015)
Drink Champagne in France (Achieved 2015)
Drink Guinness in Ireland (Achieved 2015)
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland (Achieved 2015)
Eat Chocolate in Belgium (Achieved 2015)
Eat Crepes in France (Achieved 2015)
Get Lost in a Foreign Country (Achieved 2015)
Dance Like No Ones Watching (Achieved 2015)
Don’t Use the Phone For a Day (Achieved 2015)
Attend a Yoga Class (Achieved 2015)
Become an Early Riser (Achieved 2015)
Do a New Year Dip (Achieved 2015)
Do a Boudoir Photoshoot (Achieved 2014)
Cut my Hair and Donate It (Achieved 2014)
Become a Film Maker (Achieved 2014)
Fly a plane (Achieved 2014)
Be in 5 Magazines (Achieved 2014)
Eat Cajun Food in New Orleans (Achieved 2014)
Go Ice Skating (Achieved 2013)
Drive around Big Sur (Achieved 2013)
Cross-Country Road Trip (Achieved 2012-2013)
View the Golden Gate Bridge (Achieved 2013)
Drive Along Route 66 (Achieved 2012)
Drive Along the Pacific Coast Highway (Achieved 2012)
Drive from Home to the East Coast (Achieved 2012)
Go to Colorado (Achieved 2012)
Become a Runway Model (Achieved 2012)
Stay in Death Valley (Achieved 2012)
Eat a Lobster in Main (Achieved 2012)
Eat Ribs at an American BBQ (Achieved 2012)
Be a Vintage Model For a Day (Achieved 2012)
Be on the Cover of a Magazine (Achieved 2012)
Bake my Own Bread (Achieved 2011)
Here are the remaining open bucket list items. I will continue to work on completing each one, living my life to the fullest. I figured these few items should keep me busy for the next few years:
Climb a Rock Wall
Drink Only Water For a Year
Go For Walk in Central Park
Achieve 1,000 Goals
Add a Picture /video/blog of all my Goals
Attend a 10-Day Vipassana Meditation Course
Attend a Poetry Reading
Attend an Inner Awakening Retreat
Be a Mentor to Someone
Be a Part of an Important Movement
Be a Part of Habitat For Humanity
Be Blind For a Day
Be on Stage in Front of Thousands of People
Be Part of a Disaster Relief Team
Be Part of a Peaceful Protest
Be Passionate About a Cause
Become Courageous
Become First Woman President
Break a Guinness World Record
Build Schools For Women and Girls in Developing Countries
Buy a Stranger a Meal at a Restaurant
Change Someone’s Life For the Better
Completely “Unplug” For a Week
Create a Travel Journal
Do 365 Random Acts of Kindness in a Year
Do a Buddha Meditation
Do a Favor For a Stranger on the Scale of “Pay It Forward”
Do a Twenty-Four Hour Silence
Do Charity Work Abroad
Do Something Crazy For Charity
Do Something New Every Month For a Year
Do Something Nice For a Homeless Person
Do Something Nice For Someone Who Will Never Find Out
Coast to Coast Train Trip
Couchsurfing in 10 Countries
Cruise Around the World
Cruise Mexico
Cruise the Caribbean
Cruise to Alaska
Cruise to Antarctica
Drive Around Australia
Experience the Grand Canyon
Explore Africa
Explore Asia and the Far East
Explore Australia and New Zealand
Explore the Amazon Rainforest
Explore the Desert on a Camel Safari in India
Explore the Galapagos Islands
Get a Lei in Hawaii
Get a Self Portrait in Italy
Go Backpacking Through Europe
Go on a Gondola in Venice
Go on a Real African Safari
Go Shopping in Milan
Go Swimming in the Dead Sea
Go to a Big Medieval Fair
Go to a Big Time Movie Premiere in Hollywood
Go to a Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan
Go to Brazil
Go to China During Chinese New Year
Go to Egypt
Be Time Magazine’s Person of the Year
Become a Cheese Connoisseur
Become a Freelance Writer
Become a Programmer
Become a Published Author
Become a Supermodel
Become a Translator
Become a Travel Writer
Become a Wine Connoisseur
Become an Author a Successful Blog
Travel By Seaplane
Backpack Across Europe
Backpack Across South America
Backpack Across the Himalayas
Backpack Appalachian Trail
Backpack South East Asia
Backpack Trough Australia
Backpacking Through New Zealand
Camp in the Backyard
Travel the Amazon River
Climb a Mountain
Climb a Pyramid
Cross Country on a Train
See the Northern Lights
Hike in Nepal
Visit the Grand Canyon
Visit Yosemite National Park
Hike Machu Picchu
Bake a Cake For Someone For No Reason
Cook 30 Recipes from 30 Different Countries in 30 Days
Cook an Entire Meal from Another Culture
Eat a Gyro in Greece
Eat a Six-Course Meal That I Prepared
Eat a Traditional Food from Every Country
Eat Apple Strudel in Vienna, Austria
Eat Chinese Food in China
Eat Curry in India
Eat Fish and Chips in London
Eat Greek Salad in Greece
Eat Maple Syrup Pancakes in Canada
Eat Mexican Food in Mexico
Eat Olives in Greece
Eat Pasta in Italy
Eat Poi in Hawaii
Eat Sushi in Japan
Eat Using Chopsticks in Asia
Create Passive Income
Establish my Business Before I Turn 40
Gain Financial Freedom
Go an Entire Month Without Spending Any Money
Invest in a Stock
Invest in Gold
Invest in Real Estate
Invest in Silver
Invest in the Stock Market
Save $10,000
Stay on a Strict Budget and Save For a Goal
Attend a Presidential Inauguration
Attend a Sydney Opera House
Attend a TED Talk
Attend a Writing Class
Become Bilingual
Become Fluent in French
Become Fluent in German
Become Fluent in Italian
Become Fluent in Spanish
Complete a Course to Become a Photographer
Complete a Novel
Complete a Rubik’s Cube
Complete all the Books from ’1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die’
Complete an Online Class
Do Crosswords Every Day For a Month
Do Sudoku Every Day For a Year
Get a Scholarship For University
Get a TEFL Qualification
Get Certified As a Lifeguard
Go on a University Exchange
Know the Alphabet Backwards
Learn 100 Basic American Sign Language Signs
Learn a Burlesque Routine
Learn a Computer Programming Language
Learn a Form of Martial Arts
Learn a New Language and Speak It Fluently
Learn a New Word Every Day For a Year
Learn a New Word from an Unknown Language Every Day For 30 Days
Learn a Trade
Attend a High School Reunion
Attend One Wine Tasting a Month
Create a New Family Tradition
Grow Old With the Love of my Life
Have 50Th Wedding Anniversary
Have a Picnic in Central Park, New York
Have a Romantic Flight in a Hot Air Balloon
Apply to Be a Jeopardy Contestant
Apply to Be an Amazing Race Contestant
Attend a Broadway Show
Attend a Charity Ball
Attend a Cirque Du Soleil Show
Attend a Concert As V.I.P
Attend a Film Premiere
Attend a Lantern Festival
Attend a Masquerade Ball
Attend a Paint Party
Attend Carnival
Be in Time Square on New Years Eve
Build a Snowman Taller Than Me
Celebrate the 4Th of July in Washington Dc
Dance Salsa in Rio Di Janeiro
Dance With an African Tribe
Dine in the Dark
Drink a Glass of Red Wine in Chile
Drink Rum on a Caribbean Beach
Drink Tequila in Mexico
Act in a Movie That Hits Theaters Nationwide
Act in a Short Film
Appear As an Extra in a Drama
Appear in a Music Video
Appear on Television
Attempt a New Recipe Once a Month For a Year
Be a Part of New York Fashion Week
Be on More Than 4 TV Shows
Become Great at Playing Guitar
Build a Computer
Build a Functioning Solar Still
Build a Giant Sand Castle
Build a Gingerbread House from scratch
Live in a Log Cabin
Put together a complex Puzzle
Build a Sauna in my Home
Build an awesome Tree House
Build a Website
Build Affordable Green Communities
Complete a Painting in One Day
Complete a Wine Journal
Create a Children’s Book
Create a College Photo Album
Create a Documentary
Create a Publication
Put together a Scrapbook
Create an Iphone Application
Create Melted Crayon Art
Decorate a House
Capture a Tornado on Film
Circumnavigate the Globe By Sail
Climb to the Top of a Rope in a Gym
Cross a Country With Bicycle or By Foot
Do a Firewalking
Do a Polar Bear Plunge
Do Human Bowling
Go at the Top of the Highest Building of the World
Go Bull Riding
Go Dog Sledding
Go Go-Karting
Go Into a Zero Gravity Room
Go Storm Chasing
Go White Water Rafting
Go Zip Lining
Hang Glide
Have a Nascar Experience
Arrive at an Airport and Take a Flight Randomly
Attend a Beach Bonfire
Attend a Beach Party
Attend a Mind Reading Show
Attend an Event at Buckingham Palace
Bathe In Chocolate
Bathe In Milk
Bathe In Oil
Be a Contestant on a Game Show
Be a Couchsurfing Host
Be a Flashmobber
Be a Member in the TV Audience
Be a Street Performer For a Day
Be a YouTube Star
Be an Extra in a Television Show
Be in Two States at Once
Be Inside an Igloo
Be Interviewed By Jay Leno
Be Interviewed On Oprah
Be Invited to the Playboy Mansion
Be Listed As One of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People
Be Nude on a Nude Beach
Be on a Radio Show
Be on the Cover of Rolling Stone Magazine
Be on the Front Page of a Major Newspaper
Be on Webcam With Someone For Twenty Four Hours
Be Photographed Beside the Pyramids of Giza
Become Ambidextrous
Belong to a Secret Society
Blow Bubbles in the Rain
Buy Someone’s Groceries Just Because
Call Someone, Tell Them to Look Out Their Window, and Be Standing on Their Front Lawn
Celebrate my Birthday in Another Country
Change Clothing in a Phone box
Climb a Light House
Collect a Coin from Every Country I Visit
Collect a Jar of Dirt from Every State
Collect a Penny For Every Year I’ve Lived
Create a World Map With Pins of Where I’ve Been
Dance all Around the World
Dine at Sanyou Cave Hanging Cliff Restaurant, China
Do Everything With my Left Hand For a Whole Day
Do Something Absolutely Spontaneous
Do Something Unexpected
Don’t Talk a Whole Day
Draw Funny Faces on all the Eggs in my Fridge
New Balance
This will be strange to some, but I have a habit of trying to plan out my life. Everywhere from finances to goals, to daily plans to social interactions. I know, I know… “How do you plan social interactions and stay genuine?” Well, I haven’t quite figured that one out, but I believe it is all part of seeking out a new balance, and I don’t mean the shoes.
Many times throughout the year, I list down goals. Career goals, hobby goals, “me” goals (spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental bettering of ones self). I also list down family and friend goals.
I have always found it interesting that Jesus only had 12 disciples. I mean, He’s Jesus… Surely he could speak into the lives more intimately than that of just 12 followers? Yet, He chose only 12 (sinners I might add, tax collectors, fisherman, prostitutes… But that is not for this blog) that he kept close to him in His daily walk.
Studies have shown that you become the 5 closest people to you. You lean toward their good and negative traits, habits, choices.
Danny Silk (though not the pioneer of the thought, his writings have strongly influenced my life) talks about your inner circle, and how not everyone should have access to your core.
With all of this being said, at the end of the day, you need to find balance. Balance for yourself, and your personal needs, while also balancing your social needs.
I like to write down a list of my daily interactions with people, and ask myself the following questions:
How can I love these people more?
How am I contributing to their life?
What are they taking from my life?
How can I communicate with them better?
How can I encourage them?
With that being said, the last time I went through this activity, my notes to myself were “I am overextending myself” and “I need to be more intentional with my time.”
If you are to be the light in this world, can you pick out the 12 people you have surrounded yourself with and honestly answer yourself those questions above? Can you answer who the 5 people you have in your life that are influencing your actions and thoughts? Are they more good than bad?
How can you improve you today?
Bucket List: Attend a Yoga Class
“I just know about sweat and frustration. And that what I once thought was impossible somehow doesn’t always stay that way permanently. One day it’s suddenly easy and accessible, and mostly because I’ve stopped struggling against it. I’ve just accepted where I am, keep showing up, and then the change just happens.” – Edward Vilga, Downward Dog
So happy Briana suggested taking a hot yoga class. It was so relaxing, and I was surprised how much my body sweat! I am feeling more and more satisfied and content with my life with each passing day. It is amazing what 5am wake up times (thanks to Noah getting my ass out of bed) and a couple fitness classes here and there, can do for your mentality.
As I am heading into my late 20s (*gasp* I said it. Better screen shot this post), I realize that I am about to hit the prime of my final stage of adolescence. It is said that late 20s are the years that you go through your final changes mentally as an adult, so once I hit my 30s, “I am who I am” so to say. I want to go into this chapter of my life as the absolute best version of me. Whatever the outcome of my late 20s are, I hope that I stay strong, loving, and open minded.
Ashlee Karin 