February 18, 2013

Guilty Pleasures...



"The Wine Dinner"
Cook Restaurant, Philadelphia
February 11 - February 18, 2013
Project 52 (7/52)


The week that was...

Week 7 of Project 52, and I'm still in it to win it.  It's no secret that I love food, wine and Italy.  I've openly admitted to these things that make me want to do a happy dance.  So I hit the trifecta last Friday when the Better Half and moi  headed to the city for an "Italian Wine Dinner" at Cook.  The Things had given us an evening at this collaborative kitchen/classroom/restaurant for a Christmas gift.  Each month Cook posts their monthly "events" online.  Because the restaurant only holds about 20 chosen ones, you have to be quick on the draw to make a reservation for the event that takes aim at your happy place.  So I was an ecstatic Italian wine drinkin' and eatin' fool.

But I think all my talk of wine, food, Italy...as well as my public swooning over shoes, travel, photography kinda makes me look maybe...the non-99%-ish, if ya know what I mean.  I'll freely cop to being a shoe snob. There's just no way around that no matter how much I rationalize.  But I do have my darker side.  The things that make moi happy that maaaaaybe I might not admit so easily.  That maaaaaybe some might find a bit uncouth.  A dopamine dump of non-politically correct stimulus.

Some might call these "guilty pleasures".  I like to refer them as:


"This stuff makes me REALLY happy, just because.  You've got a problem with that?"

1.  I'm a mom, so of course my Things make me happy.  But you know what makes me REALLY happy? That they now have money and can afford to buy MOI some pretty cool gifts.  I mean, all those years of handmade crafts with glitter that I could never get out of my carpet were cool. I swear they were.  But a dinner in the city?  Motherhood is REALLY paying off now.

2.  My favorite movie EVERRRRRR.  The one if I see it on tv and I'll call my sister to let HER know...and we'll BOTH do a little happy dance.  Don Knotts in "The Incredible Mr. Limpet".  You haven't witnessed cinematic genius til you've seen Don Knotts as Henry Limpet. A man who turns into a talking fish and helps the U.S. Navy locate and destroy Nazi subs during WWII.  Patriotic AND acting chops.  It's a win/win.

3.  Six little words ..."The most dramatic rose ceremony EVERRRRRRRRR".  I just recounted to make sure it was six, I was right.  The Bachelor makes me soooo happy because I watch all those Bachelorettes who have no sense of propriety and succomb to embarrassing meltdowns on national tv and think...wow, I'm so happy I'm not THEIR moms.

4.  Loaded Tater-Tots.  'Nuf said.

5.  Speaking of Loaded Tater-Tots....Elvis Presley (pre-loaded tater tots days).  More specifically, Elvis circa  his 1968 "Comeback Special" sporting that black leather suit singing "Love Me Tender". Yes, I'm grinning as I type this.

6.  Not answering my telephone. I know, the jig is now up.  But texting makes me happy.  Talking on the phone doesn't.

7.  I'll take "80's big-hair music" for $500 Alex.

8.  Nail Polish.  Under my bathroom sink looks like a freakin' OPI factory exploded in there.  The worse part?  I don't even paint my fingernails.  But it makes me happy having all those "Apricotcha Cheating", "Friar, Friar, Pants on Fire",  "Melon of Troy", and "Here Today, Aragon Tomorrow" bottles.  A girl's gotta have options, even if I don't use them.

9.  Milk Duds and salted popcorn.  At the movie theatre.  Together.  Eaten in the right formulaic equation. Throw a few Milk Duds in your mouth.  As soon as your jaw isn't hurting anymore and you have safely passed the point of pulling out a filling, throw in a handful of salted popcorn.  Perfect combo of salt/sweet.  But I'm married to a dentist, so I have a back up plan.

10.  Heckling. A good heckle can make me crush on you just a bit.  I'm a Philly girl afterall.

You know, the Dali Lama said "The purpose of life, is to be happy".  He HAS to be a Don Knotts fan.

--Kathy


linked to:  Project 52Inspire MeListicles




22 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. If you're going to share your guilty pleasures you should come clean! You forgot a major one.....Giant Sweet-Tarts. So disappointed in you. As a punishment I think I'll watch Mr. Limpet today....all by myself :)

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    1. Not a secret...I've already publicly declared my love of them. But they have to make your tongue bleed, haha.

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  3. #3 and #7 rocked! Love them! We are big fans of The Bachelor on our blog, too! :)

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  4. Love the 80s hair and Milk Duds, but I feel like I've been deprived all my life. Loaded Tater Tots? Never heard of such a thing. They sound AWESOME!

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  5. LOL! Visiting you back :-) So glad I did! Love, Love, Love Mr Limpet! Did I say love! And do you know there are some people who have never seen that masterpiece! That's how my son learned Nazi's are bad! And can I say....where would I be now without my 80's hair?

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  6. Such a great list. My husband could totally be your crush. We would do you proud at a Phillies game. And since our seats are 3 rows behind home plate, we even get reactions from the players and the umps, but your love would make it even better. :)

    And I love to buy nail polish and never use it too. Weird. Thank goodness I have two daughters as my cover now. Ellen

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    1. Oh no you don't!!! "I" sit behind homeplate at Phillies games too! Maybe I'm ALREADY crushin' on your husband, haha.

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  7. I have experienced #1 with my brother. He's seven years younger. He grew up and stayed single for a long time during which I received some pretty cool payback ;-) I still have a ridiculously huge pair of Burberry sunglasses. They are still my sunglasses, I wear them in the car and don't make eye contact at stop lights. I never buy anything that trendy but he was treating. Yummy to #9. I do that with raisinettes and they go in at the same time as popcorn. Mouthful of popcorn + 5 raisinettes.

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  8. Mm tater tots. I haven't had those in forever! And yay 7/7!!

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  9. I agree with most on your list. I ignore the phone too. And ironically, my husband and I were talking about Mr. Limpet the other night and The Ghost of Mr. Chicken. I was saying how I need to see them both again. All I remember was Mr. Limpet made me cry. I think I was so young and worried that he would stay a fish forever. And the Ghost of Mr. Chicken scared me. We are going to try and find both of them to watch.

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  10. Give me an honest girl any day!! I so love reading your posts with your sense of humor that cracks me up! About the Bachelor... it was really interesting when my eldest son hung out with the guy sometime before he hit reality tv. Loved hearing the background stories! And favorite nail polish? New England me loves "Kennebunkport" when wanting a red but last year it was "I don't give a Rotterdam". Love the in your face attitude one must use when saying it!!!

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  11. I had totally forgotten about that Don Knotts movie, loved it! #3 YES, #9- Amen to that, AND I'll raise you some cheddar cheese to dunk your popcorn in! Hmmm, I wonder why I can't lose weight? :)

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  12. RIGHT there with you on #6. I'd far rather text or email or tweet someone that actually pick up the phone & call. :)

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  13. I had some other comment in mind, but as soon as I saw the words tater tots, my mind was consumed and I could think of nothing else!

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  14. That night sounds fab! I love red wine and Italian food, too! I love shoes! I need to try your Milk Dud/popcorn combo. Sounds good with the salt and sweet!

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  15. I also have a healthy dislike of the phone. Texting and e-mail have been very good for my social life. I have finally learned to stop buying nail polish, since I don't paint my nails, as you pointed out. But I still haven't thrown out the nail polish I already have, because you never know. I might paint them someday. Plus they look pretty in my cupboard.

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  16. You never fail to make me laugh, and what a great Christmas gift! Bet you had loads of fun.... also laughed about the nail polish as I was glancing in my bathroom nail polish closet.... Have a great day!

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  17. YES...EXACTLY...the salt/sweet ratio! I'm more of a Sour Patch Kids and popcorn but the Milk Duds would work for me too. :)

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  18. Loaded tater tots?? You're a woman after my carb-craving heart! lol...the Bachelor is my guilty pleasure, too, for the very same reasons. And high five on avoiding the telephone! *texting is my friend* Thanks, as always, for making me smile. :)

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  19. Totally jealous of #1..so how long does it really take before parenthood really starts to pay off?

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