A Petaluma360 Blog

Bucket List Journey

List Worthy Experiences in Travel, Food & Adventure

Going to South America With a Wine Importer.

Monday, at 6:56 by

There are so many incredible wine perks to owning a restaurant, like the private wine tasting at Napa Valley’s Trinchero that included a stay at the invitation-only Sutter Home Victorian Inn. That was pretty great, but this next adventurous bonus may be even better. We are heading to Chile and Argentina with Copa Fina Imports for an exclusive tour of select South America wine valleys and their wineries. That’s right. Ten entire days in South America filled with drinking wine.… Read More »

17 Things to do in Hong Kong

Wednesday, at 10:35 by

While traveling to Hong Kong, in Asia, I knocked quite a few items off my Bucket List. And found quite a few more to add to yours. Bucket List of 17 Things to do in Hong Kong 1. RIDE THE LONGEST ESCALATOR IN THE WORLD Rest your weary feet from Hong Kong’s hilly streets and get a lift on the longest outdoor escalator in the world. The Central Mid-Levels is a 2624 foot bucket list worthy ride that links the… Read More »

Hong Kong’s Bucket List View

Monday, at 7:47 by

I am a huge fan of going to one of the highest places in each city I visit to check out the view and to get my bearings. In Florence it was the top of the Duomo, Seattle the Space Needle and Georgia’s St. Simon’s was a lighthouse climb.  And almost every city has some sort of pinnacle that requires a stairs or an elevator. But seeing Hong Kong’s best view at The Peak required something a bit more unique,… Read More »

I Need to Bathe. According to Yelp.

Friday, at 7:08 by

As a consumer I really like Yelp. As a restaurateur? Not so much. My restaurant, Sugo Trattoria, has a solid four stars out of five in their rating system, so I am not just saying this because our reviews suck, because they don’t…most of the time. And I am more than willing to admit that on occasion we screw up. As I am sure you sometimes do too. But, here’s a prime example of why as a restaurateur I am… Read More »

Hong Kong’s Goldfish Market

Wednesday, at 8:48 by

Hong Kong boasts a variety of markets and I went to just about every one of them. But, one stood out as a bucket list worthy event, probably because in all my travels I had never witnessed anything like it. The Goldfish Market is truly unique. And a bit quirky. Hong Kong’s Goldfish Market caters to the locals and their Feng Shui lifestyle. Aquariums equal good luck in the Asian culture and can be found in many homes. Fish symbolize… Read More »

Bathing Elephants in Thailand

Sunday, at 12:24 by

In a recent interview with Life Listed, I claimed that my favorite bucket list adventure was swimming with stingrays in the Grand Caymen. But, that was before bathing elephants in Thailand. Elephants trump stingrays. The one thing I was looking forward to most about traveling to Chiang Mai was an experience hanging out with elephants in Thailand. Nope. We will not be riding them or seeing an elephant show. Too many horror stories about the training techniques for these. Didn’t… Read More »

Dessert Comes First in Hong Kong

Wednesday, at 10:06 by

In a world where I dedicate my life to achieving my dreams, eating dessert before dinner makes total sense. It is a dream. Besides, I am an adult, most of the time, and can make my own decisions about what I ingest, even if it is a entire meal dedicated to sugar. Luckily, dessert always comes first at Hong Kong’s Dessert Kitchen. I like their style. Hong Kong is known for its cutting edge food concepts and The Dessert Kitchen… Read More »

My Day Job as a Restaurateur

Monday, at 7:11 by

I use the term “day job” loosely…very loosely. Because, being a restaurateur takes up most of the 24 hours in a day, not just the typical nine to five. And it’s not really a job, it is a lifestyle choice. If you don’t mind working late on weekends, covering the occasional dishwashing shift or snaking a floor drain when someone throws too many straws down it, then being a restaurant owner may be for you. When I am not traveling… Read More »

Street Food at a Hong Kong Fishing Village

Thursday, at 10:23 by

After painfully climbing the 268 steps to see Hong Kong’s Tian Tan Buddha, Peter and I took a short bus ride to visit Tai O Fishing Village, also known as the Venice of Hong Kong. Since Venice, Italy is one of my favorite cities in the world, I had high hopes for this Asian-style water town. On the Western side of Lantau Island lies the quaint fishing village of Tai O where the homes are built on stilts and the… Read More »

The Ultimate Bucket List Resource Guide

Sunday, at 9:50 by

Welcome to The Ultimate Bucket List Resource Guide. The following are the tips, tricks and resources that I have acquired and used in my several years as an avid bucket lister and new experience collector. It is my hope that this guide will give you the inspiration (aka: big fat kick in the butt) to make a your own bucket list and live a life filled with creating amazing memories. What is a Bucket List? Blow glass, eat croissants in… Read More »