On our honeymoon, we went to Napa for an ultimate foodie week. We hit up michelin after michelin starred restaurants: The French Laundry, Saison, and Meadowood. The meal at Meadowood began and both Mike and I knew that this was going to be a remarkable experience. It blew the other restaurants out of the water. Course after course the chef, staff, and ambiance were spectacularly paired to create an elevated culinary adventure that I will never forget.

This year, I decided to make a mind map of my 2017 goals. After a few years of trying “resolutions”, the resolutions always made me feel like I was supposed to start out 100% and there was no room for error. A goal seems more attainable, and it is a little more forgiving. I am working towards a lot of different goals and I need the flexibility to not get it right all the time, or else I will just quit and do none of it.

I found the mind map for yearly goals idea on linkedin from a Google career coach. It was a really fascinating article (especially since I have learned the massive benefits of pedagogy with mind maps and how applicable it is in personal and professional growth).

Baklava is one of my favorite parts of having a Greek family. My husband’s family is extremely Greek - think My Big Fat Greek Wedding IRL. His yiayia Tasia made the most WONDERFUL Baklava, it was everything I love about the dessert: nutty, syrupy, crunchy, buttery. I have been under some not-so-subtle pressure to be the legacy of her cooking, so I decided to take on the challenge of making baklava.