Since I work with food and go to culinary school, I'm most excited for all the new restaurants that are opening up in town. In market square, Nola will be opening in the spring (and the farmers' market will be back!), a new sub shop, and if I remember correctly, a whiskey bar. I'm really excited to see what's moving into the space Mancini's used to use (which used to be jenny lee bakery). I'm really hoping it's a thai place. Since Sukhothai moved to oakland, there's no more thai food downtown (that I know of...).
I'm also really excited for the farmers' market in the strip to open back up when that season comes round. Also, since I'm really bad at exploring, I'm excited to explore oakland and lawrenceville once the weather warms up and I've got money to burn.
Pretty much any new shop or season, or activity is interesting to me though. What is everyone else looking forward to?
Just got my bike tuned-up at Dirty Harry's, had some clipless pedals put on (and my wife and kids got me shoes with cleats for my birthday), so I am looking forward to some warmer weather and (from what I have been told about going to clipless pedals) improved efficiency!
Spring
Oh! I forgot - I'm also very excited for riding the trails in a tshirt and shorts again.
RF, I wear shorts and t-shirt to ride the trails now. Of course it's under a layer or two of fleece and thermals 
I'm looking forward to seeing the sun after 5 o'clock. And bikefest party rides.
I'm excited about the 5 boros ride (90% sure I'm going to go), and probably doing the ride to DC in May. Also, some sweet non-bike related projects this year. I miss my garden in the winter. I'm still mad at myself for not planting garlic this fall, 'cause last year's crop was amazing. I grow a lot of edible berries, kale, and herbs, and whatever else can survive the black walnut trees in my back yard.
Spending six or so weeks climbing in Texas and California with my family.
Sorry, that isn't related to cycling.
haha, doesn't have to be. I'm excited because I start to get health coverage/dental coverage and paid vacations this year.
The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades
Seriously, though, I want to improve the state of my phonograph collection and the various round flat things with a hole in the middle of them that contain the music I play back on them. (Right now, I'm listening to the vinyl Timbuk 3 LP.)
It's a thrill to hand a teenager a 45 rpm record, entirely out of context, and try to have him/her figure out what it is. Most have seen an LP. Fewer have seen a 45. Fewer still have seen a 78, let alone heard the music from 80 or 90 or 100 or 110 years ago. (I own a record from 1904.)
I'm excited for all of the exciting bike stuff coming up this years. I especially look forward working with Flock of Cycles to bring some really cool bike related events to the community.
I am really excited to meet more people. I think it's amazing how diverse the lives are of the people on this board, and every time I meet someone from here, I learn something new.
rubberfactory:
Since Sukhothai moved to oakland, there's no more thai food downtown (that I know of...).
there's lemon grass cafe on 6th st.
I'm excited to continue the good fight (year 2!) against the japanese knotweed in the back yard. I have a strategy this year, a strategy and a machete. A big machete. I also want to go morel hunting in the spring.
In biking, I'm excited to explore more. Been using it mostly as transportation, but the Tagorama has my interest piqued about some areas I've only driven through. Figured it's time to bike through them.
wow, the battle against knotweed. it's an epic battle. may the force be with you
Bicycle Busker Band!
I'm going to the open stage at OTB on Wednesday to try to recruit by singing a song or two.
I completely forgot about lemongrass. I used to walk past it twice a day, too.
Do they have good curry?
Curry is my favorite food. Pumpkin, mussaman, and green curry. Mmhmm.
The MS150 and the Punk bike. Oh and hopefully some good alleycat races.
RF - I'm going to see if I can coax the hubby in to pre-symphony dinner @ the Lemongrass, I'll let you know what I find 
Why Pumpkin Curry hasn't induced world peace is beyond me.
pumpkin, meh. give me a properly spiced green curry any day (though red, yellow, panang, mussaman, etc. can be substituted for variety).
thai curry became my favorite food the moment i had it, and i'll be damned if thai cuisine in bloomfield isn't still my favorite (in addition to being my first).
incidentally, thai curry isn't all that difficult to make. except that kaffir lime leaves are generally impossible to find. but a little old lady once suggested substituting some lime zest, and it works well enough. i recommend giving it a try!
I am slowly starting to look forward to greatly increasing my commuting miles, last year was kind of a toe in the water, and I think I have routes and times all ironed out. I sometimes get mentally crushed by the darkness of January and February and just vegetate, but I'm feeling good this year.
Ej, I have inlaws who have Italian DNA who won't eat anything with garlic or onions, curry isn't even on their radar. Grown adults with palates of 10 year olds, incomprehensible. World peace remains a distant dream.
I think one of my instructors know where to find kaffir (in addition to every other obscure food on the planet. She's the kind of person who "never comes back from france with less than two foie gras).
I'll ask her for a local place to find it.
It may or may not be mad expensive though.
Italians who won't eat garlic or onions? I married one of those. I started dumping garlic and onion powder in his cooking when he wasn't looking. Rather than pitch the whole meal he'd eat while grumbling. Then I switched to real onions (he even agreed that was better). Now he asks me to mince garlic for him, and will even chop onions himself. But that was a carefully planned conversion performed in self defence.
My bet for keffir would be the asian grocer on the north side of Penn in the strip. If not, and if you can get someone to speak english to you, they'd probably know where to find it. It has to be possible - the Thai places can't be all specially importing it, and it's become an increasingly popular flavor.
Bonus points if you go hardcore and grow your own (container, indoors, it's possible!): http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/exotic/care-of-your-kaffir-lime-tree.htm
i've been to a bunch of places in the strip on many occasions. it was actually the little old lady at kim do (across from stan's) who told me to use lime zest. she also said kaffir lime was, at that time, not being imported and that no one could get it.
lotus, which i visit regularly, definitely doesn't have it. but it's also a chinese food store, and i wouldn't really expect them to.
