I sat cross-legged at my kitchen table, slowly sipping my coffee on a Saturday morning. I watched a young couple walk their French bulldog pass by my window. Cars drove by, busying themselves with errands and other Saturday things. A few birds rest upon a Sycamore branch, feathers puffed in the crisp dawn air. I glanced down at my mug and saw that the cup was nearing empty.
What to do with my day… I mused to myself out loud. And then I remembered I had an easy answer to this age-old ‘what to do?’ debacle. I ran to my bookshelf, pulled out a blue paperback and began to flip through the pages of Amanda Turner’s book 100 Things to Do in Boise Before You Die. I decided to make a day of it! I turned to page 54: Brunch on the Bench. Perfect! And I hit the road to start crossing off my Boise bucket list.
Amanda Turner has been in Boise for over two decades. A self-proclaimed “urban wannabe homesteader,” Amanda spends her days tending to her garden, bees, and chickens and trying to cook as much food from scratch as possible. Of course, when she is not maintaining her urban homestead, she is writing. Mostly humor novels, a few of Amanda’s earlier books include How to Be Awkward and This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store.
Writing outside her comfort zone, Amanda published 100 Things to Do in Boise Before You Die in 2023. “The publisher approached me about this book, and initially I thought the project wasn’t for me because I’m a humor writer,” Amanda shared. “But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much fun it would be to rediscover some of my favorite things about Boise! And to learn new aspects of the city that weren’t on my radar and share what I love about Boise with readers.”
I continued my Saturday journey after a delicious breakfast at the Blue Bench Brunchette. I enlisted Amanda’s help for my next destination. I wanted to map out the next few stops and jotted a few things down in my phone. First, we’d get cultural and ‘Appreciate Art at BAM’ followed by a ‘March into History at the Idaho Black History Museum.’
Conveniently categorized into sections like ‘Food and Drink’ and ‘Sports and Recreation,’ I could easily plan my next move. Strolling through these iconic museums had worked up my appetite so I decided to go ‘Eat and Drink Adventurously at the Modern.’ Even though I have lived in the Treasure Valley for virtually all my life, Amanda’s book reminded me to step outside of my traditional haunts and go explore something different! It’s so easy to get stuck in our habits that we often miss out on novel experiences and opportunities to discover our new favorites.
After another delicious meal and a stroll through Freak Alley, I decided to round out my day with an evening show at The Flicks. Coming out of the movie and fully satisfied with my day, I noticed the Idaho Capitol Building lit up against the dark sky. I stopped and took it all in for the first time in a long while. After a few minutes, I took a deep breath and hopped into my car, excited for what 100 Things to Do in Boise Before You Die would bring to my Sunday. Fresh eyes and a new adventure no doubt!
Even though I have lived in the Treasure Valley for virtually all my life, Amanda’s book reminded me to step outside of my traditional haunts and go explore something different!