100resolutions

New Years 100

Several years ago, I was thinking about new years resolutions, I was in Chicago, looking at my life after weeks of going out all the time and decided I needed to do somethings to make my life better- and I had a lot to work on. One or two resolutions weren't going to cut it. I wanted something that was going to stick- more like a list of goals, some could even transfer to the next year, become life long resolutions. So I came up with the New Years 100. 

This year, one of my resolutions is to start documenting my life, not because my life is that interesting, but I noticed when i was on my global trip last year that keeping a blog forced me to not just go through life, but be an active part of it. It will be interesting to do this when I'm traveling, but I'm hoping it will help me see the interesting in the simple.

So here's my list- we'll see how it pans out by the end of the year.

1. Keep a blog

2. Create a budget

3. Organize bills, passwords and accounts

4. Stop and take the time to talk to people more

5. Do more for family and friends

6. Learn how to grill flank steaks

7. Design book with Spagnoli/Westover family recipes

8. Have or go to a superbowl party

9. Be out of the country for new years next year

10. Go to mexico with Matt

11. Turn 35

12. Create a playlist for WK Radio

13. Finish painting the hallway in my house

14. Plant a vegetable garden

15. Compost

16. Learn after effects

17. Create an animation and post it to my blog

18. Start a dinner club

19. Create a recipe book from the dinner club

20. Go to Thailand

21. Go to North Carolina to see Tom and Vicki

22. Send Olivia a baby gift

23. Talk to my chicago friends more

24. Control the ant problem in my bathroom

25. Do 5 deadhang pullups by April 15th

26. Run a half marathon

27. Learn how to can and freeze food

28. Organize shoes

29. Don't wait until April 15th to do my taxes

30. Memorize 5 songs on the piano

31. Cook something new every month

32. Have drinks and food at all times if someone drops by

33. Go to Las Vegas to see Jami at her kettlebell competition

34. Get a raise

35. Design multi-purpose room

36. Don't be such a slob at work

37. Make eye doctor appt and research lasik surgery

38. Go to California wine country on a tour

39. Go to Crater Lake

40. Go to Trout Lake

41. Go camping with Matt

42. Shoot a clay pigeon

43. Don't join a fantasy football team

44. Make Christmas cookies in time to send Christmas packages

45. Send Christmas packages before Christmas

46. Send a Holiday card

47. Send thank you notes

48. Listen to new bands

49. Volunteer

50. Go to a benefit for a charity 

Welcome to Tokyo

There's nothing like getting off a plane in a foreign city and being welcomed by what feels like a little WK- thank you Coke.

And as you can see, we're already blending in quite well...

Lost in Translation

We arrived tonight and took a bus from the airport. You drive in what seems like a super highway from the future. It's also positioned halfway up all the buildings- you drive so close to the buildings that I looked in to an office building and saw a man at a urinal. No joke. And the road goes almost through all the buildings, it’s hard to describe, but really neat. My room looks out over the top of the city and you can sit on the ledge just like Lost in Translation. It’s beautiful. I understand now, how Scarletts character must have felt- it’s a little intimidating and a little lonely.

And my toilet seat is heated. Yeah. And everything has a button or remote. And everyone bows. Even at the gym. While you’re on the treadmill.

Lost in Translation- i must admit, it's pretty right on. You see American celebrities faces all over the place promoting products. Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Keira Knightly- but the best if Tommy Lee Jones and Boss Beer...

The endless city

Today we met up with Driscoll and his amazing wife Bonnie for miles and miles of walking around town. While the Magi temple was peaceful, the temple we went to today which i'm spacing on the name, was a lot more energetic. And there are tons of stalls selling souvenirs!

And I know this sounds crazy, but apparently Ninja suits are totally last season- and on sale!

But apparently no one told this guy...

After the temple, we decided to take a boat back to the hotel.

harajuku is a place

So, being the America's Next Top Model watcher and Gwen Stefani lover that I am- I guess I thought harajuku referred to a style of dressing. Um, yeah, i felt really dumb when i found out it's actually a place in Tokyo. Lina took us here where we went across the famous Harajuku bridge, filled with characters and the next American Idol?

It's hard to even relay the cute factor of Tokyo. Even the police force have a cute animal as their logo. Lina is posing with a panda cake. I mean, why just have a cake, when you can eat a smiling cake?

The back streets of Harajuku is also the location of the famous Prada store. It's almost as beautiful as the Taj Mahal. That's kind of sick isn't it.

Lastly, we went to the Mori Art Museum which is open late. It had an amazing contemporary photography retrosepective. Something after a day of visual overload in Tokyo, it's quite peaceful to be in a large white space where you can look at an image one by one.
But just when you thinking you've escaped, at the top floor your stunned by the view of the city that seems endless. It's really that big.

le tour de Lina

Today, Lina and Hutch took us on an amazing tour of the city, both from a cultural and retail concept perspective. Lina is a wealth of knowledge about Japan, designers and customs. Arigato Lina and Hutch.

Andrew wanted to find a place of "beauty and serenity" so off we went to a beautiful temple in the woods of Tokyo. It reminded me of Oregon and was nice to be surrounded my green. The Japanese have many rituals for luck and prosperity. There Andrew is tossing some coins in to this box, then you clap 3 times and then you make a wish and bow.

We were also amazingly lucky to see a wedding procession. How lovely and sweet and happy does the bride look.

W+K Shanghai

By the way- we do work- alot! here are just a few things from the WK Shanghai office.
Like the sign on the door.

The office has grown- from the first time I was here of about 10 people, to the second time when it was about 25 to this time- 100+ people!! Needless to say, there are a lot of new faces, so the office put up posters of all the new people and a little about each of them. We've heard a lot along this trip that people are surprised at just how nice WK employees are- I think this is a great example of how no matter how big or small we are- we just want to get to know everyone.

Dumplings!!!

Besides the serious amount of shopping that I wake up and obsess about daily- my other obsession is dumplings. There is a great little place around the corner that no one I know has ever seen- but they deliver. So it was a top priority to share this with Andrew and of course capture his first dumpling experience.

Year of the Mouse

It's crazy to think just a few years ago I was a newbie in Shanghai experiencing my very first Chinese New Year. While I missed a lot of the fireworks this time- the Chinese still know how to get crazy with the celebrations and rituals. Here are a few of my favorites. Happy Year of the Mouse!!

Red Underwear. It's lucky to wear red underwear during chinese new year. What's funny to me is that all the ones you see hanging out to dry on all the lines are these giant red cotton panties. You'd think if you're trying to get lucky, they'd be a little sexier.

This is something I just learned- last year was Year of the Pig- so here, is last years pig welcoming the mouse. That's pretty nice of the Pig.

Gold Coins- are a symbol of luck and good fortune for the coming year. Here is the mouse bringing good fortune to everyone

The center of the celebration in Shanghai happens at YuYuan Gardens- which aren't really gardens but a huge market. The bridge behind me has 7 corners in it that zigzag to a very old and famous tea house. The bridge zigzags so that no evil spirits can follow you because it's believe that evil can follow you in a straight line.

And what would the center of any large touristy celebration be with Starbucks. Shanghai style!

The Taj

Andrew and I took a day off to go to the Taj Mahal which was 3 hours from Delhi. I'm going to tell the story of the Taj Mahal as I remember it so it's possible some of the facts are a little off but the basics are there.

Emperor Shah Jahann who was considered to be one of the greatest Mongol rulers had what would be considered a very progressive wife. She did a lot of work with orphans and children at that time and was also considered to be of great beauty. She became ill and on her death bed asked Shah Jahann to never marry again and to create something that he would always remember her by. While this day in age, you might have a guy plant you a tree or maybe a nice garden- old Jahann- well he apparently shut himself up for months distraught over the death of his wife, until he was reminded by a friend of the promise he gave his wife... and thus, decided to build the Taj Mahal.

The architect felt that something so beautiful should be seen gradually, not all at once, so that the view would appreciate the magnitude and beauty. The first part, seen here is the outside entrance. The type that surrounds the doorway is done in a way that the characters on the top are actually larger than the size of the character on the bottom so that optically, the characters look uniform.

This is the gateway to the Taj Mahal, when you look through the arch, at center, everything lines up.

And lastly, the final reveal, where you seen the entire structure. I must admit, I was shaken when i saw the whole thing. It gleams, it's the most beautiful monument i've ever seen. When the weather is nice and there is a full moon, the area stays open late so that you can see the reflection of the moon on the white marble. Our tour guide, who has been a guide for 4 years at the Taj Mahal on a daily basis still even pauses to say "it's like nothing you've ever seen".

Here is Andrew (we were feeling VERY touristy) is sitting on what is now knows as the Princess Diana bench. She had some very famous photos taken here.

So while this story is very romantic to this point, it takes a tragic turn- Jahann fell ill later in his later in his life. Thinking that he would die soon, his 4 sons starting fighting over who would take the throne. Finally, one son decided to overthrow his father become emperor. He locked his father in this tower in nearby Agra Fort.

The view out of Jahanns window was only that of his beloved Taj Mahal. He spent his last 8 years here, and when he was too weak to go to the window anymore, he had a mirror installed so he could gaze on the reflection.