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What: #91 Go to the Belle Isle Aquarium

When: March 1st
Where: Detroit
Why: As a very young girl, I have vague memories of going to the Belle Isle Zoo before it closed, and as the years went by, most of the other treasures of that island were similarly shuttered. It was sad; I recall stories my mom told me of her parents taking her out there on summer nights to hear bands playing, all sorts of folks gathered on the grass on this lovely jewel in the Detroit River, just enjoying the beautiful scenery around them. I longed for that to be a reality for me, and have actually started to see this come true!

Over the past decade, I've seen Belle Isle change from a nearly abandoned, littered, overgrown eyesore back to a vibrant destination worlds apart from the downtown area. Events are starting to happen there - I've recently participated in a triathlon on the island, an historical bike tour, and numerous Tour de Troit rides. A few summers ago, I first visited the Conservatory and the repaired fountain, and this weekend, I finally stepped inside the reopened aquarium.

The building has always been an incredible architectural gem by Albert Kahn, and seeing it for the first time inside was breathtaking. The ceiling tiles give you the feeling of being underwater, and the space is just perfect for families to spend their weekend afternoons strolling past the forty or so tanks filled with everything from stingrays to seahorses to jellyfish to frogs to tropical fish to a giant freshwater puffer fish named Otis.

On this visit, I was fortunate enough to meet Jennifer Boardman, one of the people responsible for getting the aquarium renovated, funded, and re-opened to the public. Meeting her was so inspirational, and helped me see the incredible impact individuals are having on this great city!

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What: #90 Ski on Peak 6 at Breckenridge

When: February 14th
Where: Breckenridge, CO

It's enormous...the tiny dots are other skiers!

Why: Last year was the first time in almost 30 years that I didn't get to the mountains to ski, and the first time in almost ten years that I hadn't gone out to the Rockies to ski. A part of me wondered if I was done skiing...it has gotten so expensive and takes a lot of equipment and I've gotten a bit more worried about my knees after a few spills on the slopes over the years. Then, my brother and a few of our friends decided to get a place on Lake Dillon over the long weekend, and I realized I still have a few years of skiing left in me as I jumped at the chance to fly back out there. One of my favorite places to ski in Summit County is Breckenridge, and one thing I missed last year was their expansion to Peak 6. Getting out to discover new terrain at an old favorite is almost as exciting as skiing at a brand new place, so this was something I was looking forward to doing. And, it didn't disappoint. The snow was great, the sun was high, the sky was blue, and the whole bowl was practically empty, giving me just the most amazing feeling of having the entire peak to myself! We did five runs down Wonderland Bowl, finishing up just as the sun was sinking below the peak and casting shadows across the terrain. The whole afternoon on that peak was so great, that when we came back to Breck a few days later, I didn't want to return to Peak 6 and ruin the perfect day we had...luckily, there are 4 other peaks to choose from, so I'll save my next runs on Peak 6 for next year!

Skiing on Valentine's Day!

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What: #88 Go to the new Blimpy Burger in A2

When: February 8th
Where: Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger
Why: When I started this quest of new things to do, one item that landed on that initial list was making a visit to a local landmark. That was three years ago, and it was just in time; not long after my visit, the community learned that the University was buying up the land to make way for another expansion, and the beloved burger joint was faced with an uncertain future. Then, about four months ago, all was right with the world when they reopened in another location, and lines started forming to see if it was what we all remembered it to be. Today, after a peaceful morning of meditating, it seemed like a good afternoon to appreciate the joy of reacquainting myself with the fare at Blimpy Burger. We arrived about ten minutes before they opened, and as we stood around the front door, admiring the familiar snow bear, we realized we had formed the front of a lengthening line. As the minutes ticked by, about 20 people were orderly gathered in a queue waiting for the doors to open. This is how it is for this much-loved local landmark.

What I hadn't factored in was the stress I'd be under as the official first person in line. There is a fairly specific process that each customer is expected to follow when placing your order, and I usually observe and carefully listen to those before me to remember the process. It's a lot like the "Soup Nazi" from Seinfeld, and I felt like Elaine. Luckily, the guys behind the counter took it easy on me, and I even got them to laugh at some of my shenanigans. The people directly behind us in line weren't quite as amused at the length of time it took me to place a correct order; I should help told them about the messages of patience and understanding I heard at my morning Buddhist service!

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What: #61 Shop at Schmidt's antiques

When: February 7th
Where: Schmidt's Antiques
Why: From the age of 10, I was riding along Michigan Avenue (US-12) between cities as my family moved from one to another, then as we still explored things to do and places to see in this region, and it is still the closest thoroughfare for me today. One building has always stood out with its red barns and old white farmhouse, and a name that relates to a branch of my own family tree. On a dreary winter's afternoon, it seemed as good a time as any to check out what these bright barns held in store. Upon entry, it was clear that these were fancy antiques, not the garage sale spread I was expecting. The barn connected to room after room of enormous wooden wardrobes, lovely hand-crafted tables and chairs, glass demi-johns and beautiful old pottery, and intricately carved doors, umbrella stands, dressers, and other exceptional furniture. 

The prices reflected the craftsmanship and the history of the pieces, so I wasn't prepared to drop hundreds of dollars on a purchase. I did see that they hold auctions and estate sales, so I might be interested in seeing if there is ever an item up for bid that catches my attention. Any of these pieces would certainly be a focal point of any room, but for now I'm sticking with my own bookcase I inherited from my grandparents. 

 

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What: #68 Donate to public radio

When: February 2nd
Where: 91.7 WUOM
Why: Part of the motivation for continuing this list was to do more things for more people, whether that included people I already know or finding ways of meeting interesting people or seeking out ways to give to people or organizations that mean something to me. Many days, a portion of my commute time in my car is spent listening to NPR on my local affiliate and hearing local and global news and interesting stories that catch my attention. Every year, I switch away from the channel during their fund drives, but this year, I wanted to take part in it. I've enjoyed their programming - so much so that I went to a live-taping of one of the NPR shows - and am fortunate enough to be able to support it in a small way. So, I took the time during this winter's fund drive to hop online and make a one-time contribution. It's my small way of showing my appreciation for this source of information, and it felt so nice to donate, I may find other causes to donate to this year, too!