I am continuously curious and love trying new things. It might even be my whole persona. The obvious would be trying new restaurants and traveling to new places. You see plenty of that here on the blog. But it also extends to making pottery, taking on cooking challenges, and learning more about where my food comes from.
So, in the spirit of continuously learning, I kept track of the new things I tried this year. Here are 15 things I did.
Make Croissants
I love croissants! That’s the main reason why I took a baking class at Sur La Table. Making croissants is a time-consuming task, and I have yet to try it at home, but this was a tasty and fun class.
Check out all the cooking class options in Austin in this post.
Try Non-Alcoholic Wine
The non-alcoholic beverage industry was valued at $1.46 trillion in 2023, and demand shows the interest is still strong. People want fun drinks without alcohol for a variety of reasons like to be healthier or to avoid alcohol. As someone who drinks alcohol, I don’t recall a non-alcoholic cocktail that has wowed me, and now I can say the same for non-alcoholic wine. The ones I tried were either terrible (like tasting Pine Sol) or lacked the depth I enjoy in wine.
Baked for a Cooking Competition
I joined my friend Scott’s barbecue team to bake the dessert. The competition was more about the barbecue categories (ribs, turkey, and brisket), but the dessert category was equal weight in points. The dessert had to be s’mores-themed and have chocolate, cookie, and toasted marshmallow elements.
It was an intricate 9lb, layered sheet cake, the biggest thing I ever baked. (We had to submit 5 servings.) The cake had graham cracker crust, chocolate cake, graham cookie butter, 2 kinds of marshmallow icing, graham cracker buttercream, tuile crumbles, and toasted marshmallows.
The cake looked great and tasted pretty good, but it ended up in 7th place out of 10. Our team came in 5th out of 10 overall. My thought is the cake was too intricate and the elements weren’t very clear. But, it was a fun weekend overall and it was fun to flex my creativity in this way!
Made Gnocchi
I took a cooking class with Prickly Pear Cooking Classes, and we made a multi-course Italian dinner. It was my first time making gnocchi (pan-fried), and it was easier than I thought it would be.
Read about the Prickly Pear Cooking Class here.
Experienced a Total Solar Eclipse
While it ended up being cloudy in Austin, we experienced the darkening of the sky and saw the eclipse phases for a few seconds. It was a spooky thing to see. (Here’s Kaira being a cute glasses model.)
Cut 13 Inches of Hair Off
After a year of no haircuts, it was due, and with my hair being so long, I thought, why not donate it? The organization required at least 12 inches of hair and one day, a child will be wearing my hair as a wig. Local salon Urban Betty does half-price donation cuts and takes care of sending it in.
My hair hadn’t been that short since I was a kid and it took some time to get used to. It has grown back to a familiar length, and I’m thinking I won’t cut it that short again!
Saw a Chiropractor
Dr. Kyle Hardwick of Adjusted ATX invited me in for a complimentary session. I had never been to a chiropractor before, and I could see how the services could be beneficial for temporary or chronic pain. Each part of our body is connected to another, and our spine is a crucial part of health and wellness. That’s how Dr. Kyle was inspired to become a chiropractor. He suffered migraines as a teenager and it was finally a chiropractor that helped him find relief.
While chiropractic care helps injuries or pain, it can also benefit your overall health, like improving your posture (who else sits at a desk all day like me?) and encouraging faster recovery. This can be a medicine-free solution to get to the root of health issues.
Served on Jury Duty
This wasn’t something I voluntarily chose, but I understand the honorable duty of civil service. Yes, it was slightly inconvenient to not be at work for three days, but the experience itself was eye-opening. It gave me a better understanding of the justice system, the court process, and possibly too many details about the assault definitions. It also showed me that while the justice system is not perfect – they call it a burden of proof for a reason – it is the fairest way to resolve conflicts and uphold the law in our society.
Dove a Cenote
I got to scuba dive this year and they were spent diving cenotes near Cancun. Our guide mentioned that divers usually don’t enjoy it the first time, and I can agree. It’s not something I want to do again. Being in the pitch dark 30 feet underwater is unnerving. I think I’d rather do that on a blackwater dive in the ocean where you’ll see sea creatures. However, I could go back and snorkel or simply explore the caverns above ground.
See more details about the cenote dives in this post.
Swam with a Whale Shark
Also part of the Cozumel trip was an excursion to swim with whale sharks near Cancun. While the experience was slightly chaotic – multiple boats, needing to jump in the water quickly – there were brief seconds of wonder being next to this beautiful, gigantic creature. I hope I get to happen upon one in the wild one day!
Read more about swimming with whale sharks in this post.
Went to a Silent Disco
Have you ever been to a silent disco? Everyone has headphones with multiple stations playing different genres of music. Each station will show a different color on your headphones. Then you are all dancing in the same space. It’s a fun way to be your own DJ. Be sure to take your headphones off at some point. It’s funny to be in this setting and hear nothing but dancing footsteps and a lone voice singing along.
Walked the UT Football Field
Before the season started, I got the chance to go on the field for a media event! I have great memories of being in the stadium and around game days, and I enjoyed the season this year. Here’s to more success in the next season!
Pet a Longhorn
We went to Hyatt Lost Pines for a staycation, and they have a longhorn on the property. At a certain time, they walk the longhorn to a central location for guests to interact and take photos. Whoa, this is a big bull!
Tried Crochet
My friend Carme is a local maker who started crochet in 2021. Since then she created Karmi-Gurumi, a fun crochet business that sells a variety of things. My favorite is her plushies. She is teaching a crochet class at The Paper + Craft Pantry next March and put together a test workshop for friends. Crochet is a lot harder than I thought it would be! Hopefully one day I’ll pick it up and try again. The orange circle is what I completed.
Making My Own Matcha Drinks at Home
Ever since going to a tea ceremony in Japan, I’ve wanted to try making matcha at home. I went to a great matcha shop in New York City and picked up matcha while I was there. I was also gifted a matcha set for Christmas, so I was all set! I’ve been testing it out, and I’m enjoying practicing.
I’m looking forward to trying new things in 2025. I’m thinking of stained glass, embroidery, and archery. Have any suggestions? Let me know!
Do you want to try something new? Check out these posts for some ideas:
You might also like
Leave A Reply