"It was not without a certain wild pleasure I ran before the wind delivering my trouble of mind to the measureless air-torrent thundering through space." ~ Jane Eyre

Since today is a day off, I thought I would dedicate a post to guilty pleasures.

We all have our own guilty pleasures; some are commonplace, and others are unique to each individual. I am a big advocate of indulging in guilty pleasures as often as possible because they are the best parts of life. Guilty pleasures are what makes life rich and divine. These are amongst my favorites...

1. The Spa: Every so often I go to the Nordstrom Spa for an aromatherapy massage. The best moment of the experience is right before the actual massage: Claudia sits you down with a neck wrap that smells of oatmeal and a basin filled with soap to place your feet in. I close my eyes, sip some tea, and think about nothing. Today I am going to get a massage at my local salon, Expressions, because English Teachers can't afford Nordstrom's all of the time. Lisa is as great as Claudia, and she lets me choose my own music! I can't wait for my Chocolate Spa trip with Sarah in January. Oooooo. Ahhhhhhh. Yummmm.

2. Jessica McClintock: Once in a while, I need to remind myself of my roots. If I am shopping at the mall and am feeling that "independent woman" frazzle, I sometimes need a moment to let go of the Ann Taylor-suit-wearing-English Teacher me. I go into the Jessica McClintock store, take three of the most gorgeous gowns, head into the fitting rooms, and try each dress on. I stare into my inner princess and relish the 15 minutes of feeling like an adult Disney Princess. The women in there know me; they are Armenian. So, they allow me to come in and take pleasure in the gowns whenever I wish.

3. The Romance Novel: I have no shame in admitting this. I know three monologues by Shakespeare, I have read The Odyssey half a dozen times, I know what the term enjambment means, and I only read Chaucer in Middle English. Sometimes a little Lit-girl needs a break. Julie Garwood is the guilty pleasure author of choice. Her books are tucked away in my library, but there are at least eight of them including my all time fave, Ransom.

4. Def Leppard: I listen to all kinds of music, but sometimes I need to put in one of the best cd's of all time into my cd player: Hysteria. Known for the infamous Pour Some Sugar on Me, I appreciate the album for its lesser-known works like Rocket and Women. Rock it baby, yeah!

5. Spinach and Artichoke Dip at Houstons: I don't do this often, but when I do it is delectable. I have a low-fat version from Trader Joe's that satiates my craving, but it is no where near the same as Houston's masterpiece that ooozes with cheese. The salty tortillas that come with it are also delish. I haven't had Houston's in a while, so call me up if you want to go enjoy some!