What is life worth if we can't indulge in things that we enjoy (whether it's good or bad) now and then? Like having popcorn at the theater even though it isn't good for one's high cholesterol :-) Like seeing memorable movies that last with you. My most recent must-see movie is Slumdog Millionaire. It was about a guy in India who won 20 million rupees and the show producers thought he was cheating. So he had to retell the story of his life and how he learned the answer to each question. It's a very tight plot and it has a lot of buzz as a best picture contender. There are a lot of great movies this Christmas that I can't wait to see such as Frost/Nixon, Revolutionary Road, Milk, Valkerie, the Reader, Confession of a Shoppaholic (OK, I like the actor and actress in it even if it might be a slightly ditzy movie), etc.
Another indulgence that I enjoy is trying out new restaurants. It's always exciting for me to try out a new restaurant, cuisine, or dish. My absolute favorite restaurant is in my own town and it serves fusion southern food that is California cuisine crossed with Lousiana southern food. Since the chef used to be obese, he uses healthier cooking methods to make his fried chicken and cornmeal catfish. So somehow the food isn't very greasy and all the greens are super fresh. So how can you beat yummy southern food with much less guilt! Although I have only managed to find time to go to their Sunday brunch once, this restaurant's whole wheat waffles and fried chicken still swim in my head every Sunday morning.
Another indulgence is finding a good bottle of wine. I have always liked bold red wines and I am a softie for any Rhone or red blends. The best bottle of wine I have tried had somehow always been from my Yosemite picnics. I don't know if I just pick better bottles for Yosemite or it's the hiking or the scenery. My most memorable bottle of merlot was a half-bottle Clos du Val, which was small enough and light enough for a hike. Another great bottle of red was a Rhone blend that I accidentally chilled. Because it was slightly warm in Yosemite in September, the accidental chilled red was really refreshing - who would have thought that of red wine :-) This last month I have really gotten to like Riesling and the occasional Chardonay even though previously I really didn't stock much white wines at home.
Going to the bookstore to buy new books and read at their cafe is another of my favorite indulgences. For some reason, I go through phases where I stop going to the bookstores and then I pick up and start going all the time for a long stretch. I am on one of those stretches right now. The same thing with reading. I go on stretches where I read a bunch and then I can't seem to want to read. I once had to wait in line at a foreign airport for at least an hour and a half and got so into Middlemarch that I didn't realize how thick the book was. After that, George Eliot became one of my favorite authors.
Speaking of foreign airports. OK, I don't love foreign airports but I do love traveling. I love seeing new sights and visiting new places. I have always wanted to visit Italy or other parts of Europe outside of France/Belgium/the Netherlands. I had some "close" opportunities to go to the UK this year with my husband's business travel but that didn't pan out. My husband and I are plotting and planning for a possible trip to Italy next year. Let's just hope that our frequently flier mileage will all work out and that this trip will be possible next year.
Finally, surprised and complimentary services are always so nice to have because it makes the indulgence guilt-free. I had a choice of a complimentary massage or facial as part of my gym membership promotion. Since facial was the one spa treatment I had never had, I picked that to try. The facial was wonderful. The steam and the different treatments done were all very relaxing. My skin felt so light and glowy for at least a couple days - may be it was all psychological but hey at least something else worked if not my skin :-) Now I know why the Hollywood stars always get facial treatments. I don't think I am hollywood enough to spend that kind of money but it was great while it lasted.
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