Confession: I’ve been avoiding my birthday list.

My birthday was more than two months ago and I hadn’t looked at it since I posted it in March.

I’m not sure why this is. Probably because my life has felt full of to-do lists. Working overtime. Writing my book. Managing this site. Planning our wedding. Settling into our new flat. Growing my business. I’m constantly checking lists, ticking things off, and adding more on, so managing my free time by a list hasn’t felt very appealing.

I’ve been craving adventure and spontaneity, so I’ve just put my birthday list to the back of my mind and even considered ditching it completely.

It was Matthew who suggested we cook an artichoke – one of the items from my list.

I was excited by the idea. It was a simple way to tick off one of my birthday goals. And it was something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, hence why it’s on the list.

That’s the thing about birthday lists. They look like a to-do list but they’re all about prioritising the experiences you want to have and being intentional with how you spend your time. I take a pretty flexible approach to them, trying to tick off a couple of things a month (when I’m not avoiding it completely) but not getting stressed out when I don’t. I add things on when it feels good and forget about those I’m no longer keen on. And then there’s usually a marathon stretch of trying to do as many items as possible in the weeks leading up to my birthday.

Avoiding my birthday list wasn’t bringing me more spontaneity and adventure because when I take a break from the to-do lists, I just want to crash. The list is a gentle nudge to fit in those non-essential things that bring more joy and variety to my life.

Like cooking an artichoke.

They’re an intimidating vegetable with their spiky leaves and inaccessible fleshy heart. Neither Matthew and I had ever eaten one that didn’t come out of a jar first. But we watched this video and learned that the whole thing is rather simple, if a bit labourious considering how much you get to eat.

• Start by peeling the stem with a vegetable peeler and trim it to around an inch.
• Cut the spiky ends off the large leaves and then slice off the end to take the spikes off the smaller leaves.
• Steam or roast for up to 40 minutes. Check on it regularly after 20. When a leaf pulls out easily, they’re done.

I hadn’t realized how little of the plant you eat. You just the scrape off the fleshy part of the leaf with your teeth and discard the rest. You can also dig out the hairy choke to eat the soft heart underneath all of the leaves.

We dipped ours in hummus and a truffle balsamic reduction, and then used the heart for a salad.

Rocking out with your artichoke before you cook it is optional but highly recommended.

Have you ever cooked an artichoke? Would you like to give it a try?

Love, long weekends, and 80s rock ballads,

I turned 27 on Saturday and if my weekend has gone anything like I’ve imagined, we’ve been swanning around Paris gorging ourselves on pastries, listening to jazz in underground grottos, and taking endless tourist photos in front of every romantic hot spot.

We’re taking the train back to London this afternoon, so I’ve scheduled this post to share my new birthday list with you!

My birthday list led to so many fun adventures last year, like taking a trapeze class and raving my way into the morning.

I’ve managed to squeeze in as many things from my list into the year as I could and have been relaxed about letting go of those I wasn’t very interested in anymore and adding to this year’s list those I didn’t get around to due to time or financial constraints.

This year I’ve been conscious of trying to find a good balance of tasks. Some big and some small. Some expensive and some free. Some time consuming and others that I can accomplish in an afternoon.

Here’s what I’m planning to do before my 28th birthday:

Go to a festival.

Take burlesque classes.

Drink absinthe.

Go on a mini writer’s retreat.

Take a cookery class.

Make a scrapbook.

Visit a country I’ve never been to before.

Go wildcrafting in London.

Learn transcendental meditation.

Plant a garden.

Watch The Godfather films.

Go to an equestrian event.

Attend a free coach training weekend.

Read Wuthering Heights.

Run 5k.

Take the Qoya teacher training initiation.

Ferment veggies.

Go to the Edinburgh.

Read Infinite Jest.

Try voga.

Learn calligraphy.

Host a dinner party.

Learn how to cook an artichoke.

Celebrate midsummer.

Take Veronica’s Parlour class.

Go to the seaside.

Create an art wall.

Have you written a birthday list? I’d love to read it, so please share yours in the comments if you fancy it.

Love, polka dots, & raspberry cupcakes,

Photograph from Oh Happy Day.