MetaChat - What is something you do when you feel like you want to treat yourself?

DORITOS.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 13 March | 13:11

shoe shine

posted by mullacc 13 March | 13:16

I'll buy myself a cookie. A good cookie.

posted by mudpuppie 13 March | 13:21

Pizza.

posted by trinity8-director 13 March | 13:23

I make myself a particularly nice dinner, with a glass of wine. (My partner works nights, so my evening meal is often a more of a snack.)

Turn off the phones, dim the lights, light some candles, and put on some good music. Really listen to it. Dance.

Take an unplanned hour out of a day and walk through the local art museum. (A membership makes this easier than ever --- when there's no charge for popping in, I find that I do pop in, for a quick peek at the new exhibit, to but a postcard, to have lunch.)

I often reward myself for a rough day or a completed project by allowing myself time to make something new for the apartment: I might matte and frame a striking graphic postcard, or a kitschy paperback, and hang it in a blank spot. Most of our "art" is this kind of stuff: repurposed ephemera or advertising.

Make myself a great cocktail. New this week: the Sea Breeze! (For non-drinkers: it's great without the vodka, too!) Summertime favorites: Pimm's cup, or Dark & Stormy.

Fresh pillowcases. Less of a chore than changing the whole bed ahead of schedule, but it feels and smells great when I go to bed.

Take my niece out for cocoa or have her over to watch a movie.

Go out for breakfast with friends.

Paint something. I'm no good, but it sure is fun!

posted by Elsa 13 March | 13:29

I wash my feet. Seriously, I soak them for several minutes in a tub of warm water, then scour them with this amazing foot scrub (sorry for the B&BW shill, it's just nice stuff); then I massage them with this foot lotion. Then I sit around in a daze and let the lotion work its magic.

Sure, each item is a bit pricey, but I really don't use a lot at a time so it lasts awhile.

When I don't have the scrubs and lotion handy, I just wash my feet the normal way, and it's still nice, but not quite like the puffy-eyed bliss a the scrub and lotion treatment engenders.

posted by Hugh Janus 13 March | 13:31

usually music - any bargains at Ye Local Record Shoppe? Or go to the library and gorge on media.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 13 March | 13:32

I buy an espresso drink rather than make coffee.

posted by Stewriffic 13 March | 13:36

Change the sheets.
Pedicure - also two-tiered by expense - get one, or DIY.
I am perhaps Elsa and Hugh Janus' cousin twice removed.

posted by rainbaby 13 March | 13:52

Bookstore.

posted by mygothlaundry 13 March | 13:53

Yes, books. Particularly new ones. I get most of my books from the charity places or the book exchange at work, so to buy a new book is a real treat for me.

posted by essexjan 13 March | 14:01

Pizza and/or beer and/or Ben & Jerry's.

posted by kirkaracha 13 March | 14:03

Go somewhere without MuddDude where I can sit and read or knit and people-watch, perhaps with a cup of hot cocoa. If it's cold then a coffee shop, and if it's warm then somewhere outside. (Of course, this may not seem so luxurious to people who aren't married to a man who requires constant attention lest he get bored).

I get most of my books from the charity places or the book exchange at work, so to buy a new book is a real treat for me.

This, too.

posted by muddgirl 13 March | 14:08

Cream-flavored ice cream. OMG.

posted by mdonley 13 March | 14:11

Who sells cream-flavored ice cream???

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 13 March | 14:14

Dinner out. When I've had a rough day the last thing I want to do is cook. A real treat is going out for dinner followed by a trip to Barnes and Noble for coffee and browsing.

Or, take-out at home with movies and mindless internet browsing. I do this all of the time so I'm not sure this qualifies as a treat.

A couple weeks ago I bought a lipgloss for 14 bucks. That was a treat. I've never paid that much for lipgloss. It's called Lychee Luxe and it's beautiful, darling.

posted by LoriFLA 13 March | 14:54

clean the living room and make sure husband knows it needs to stay clean.
hot shower.
cup of tea.
toast.
romantic period miniseries.

posted by eatdonuts 13 March | 15:21

black and white cookie.

posted by stynxno 13 March | 15:28

I am eating cookie dough and watching the L Word right now. Highly recommend both.

posted by rmless2 13 March | 15:30

Right now a bar of almonds in dark chocolate with a glass of ice-cold milk is going pretty far towards making me feel human again.

After a difficult day, going home and cleaning something of a manageable size helps me feel in control of things and lets me work off a bit of frustration. Tea, cat cuddling, and a movie (romantic period miniseries++, Dickens adaptation, or a silent film) transports me to a better mental place so I can sleep comfortably.

For deepest relaxation I take a blanket and a book here or here (not my pictures). Trees and water soothe me better than anything else except sleep.

If I'm stuck somewhere and can't leave, listening to this also never fails.

posted by notquitemaryann 13 March | 15:45

I go to the local veg market and buy an ice cold, glass bottle of chocolate milk. MMMMMMMMMM

posted by MonkeyButter 13 March | 15:51

I used to treat myself with chocolate, but I rarely do this nowadays. A nice cup of good tea is a good substitute. When I really want to treat myself, though, I go and buy a book. Today, I bought two: the week's been quite rough, so I decided that it was the right day to pick up (and pay for) some books that I had ordered a while ago (one of them took three months to arrive).

posted by Daniel Charms 13 March | 15:54

So many good ideas. +1 on the "cleaning something manageable" and "romantic period miniseries."

posted by muddgirl 13 March | 16:09

Yeah, everything I do has already been said. Bubble bath while reading a good book, then into clean sheets is my favourite though.

posted by gaspode 13 March | 16:14

Hard cider and comfort food and/or movies/tv shows. Cuddling my very battered teddy bear is also usually involved. And sometimes just letting myself bawl.

posted by Fuzzbean 13 March | 16:18

I eat macaroni and cheese, but I really can't anymore because it's high in sodium. Need new comfort food meal.

Another treat? Taking a cab home from the office, but that's a $25+ treat, so I really wouldn't consider it to be "little."

posted by TrishaLynn 13 March | 16:49

Sushi from the local "good" supermarket. (Don't laugh-they make really good sushi utilizing a real sushi chef, and it's fresh.)

Or a glass of Duplin scuppernong wine, at night, with my feet up and American Idol on the tube.

Smoked gouda cheese and crusty bread.

posted by bunnyfire 13 March | 17:08

I don't have a system. I just do something I've wanted to do and promise not to worry about the money.

posted by Eideteker 13 March | 19:39

Today it was slicing up strawberries when I got home and eating them with ice cream even though I was already kind of strawberried out from company-provided breakfast. Another time I made a pot of coffee and floated some ice cream on top.

I wish I lived closer to IKEA because it would be totally awesome to just hang out on the sofas and stuff and maybe get a slice of almond tart, cheap mass-produced corporate blandness be damned.

posted by casarkos 13 March | 20:15

Spending the day in bed with a good book and junk food and/or cinnamon toast.

posted by deborah 13 March | 20:25

A haircut, a massage or a long hot bath with lavender salts.

TPS, Ben and Jerry's came out with a creme brulee ice cream last year. I'm still in IN, home of sugar cream pie!

posted by brujita 13 March | 22:16

Carribean meat pie from the Golden Corner. Cafe du Monde coffee with cream. Brie and bread. Fresh flowers, especially irises or tulips. My paprika cashmere hoodie. The smile of a dog.

Wine and baths, always.

posted by Riverine 13 March | 22:46

There's no bathtub where I live now, but I've never found anything that works better than a bath.

posted by tangerine 13 March | 23:54

Soft tacos from the local really good place. They come on a paper plate, meat is asada or al pastor, onions (and cilantro! - it's optional), really hot little corn tortillas, two per taco. Spicy salsa in a little cup to pour over.

It's not good to comfort yourself by clogging your arteries, but this is an indulgence I permit myself.

posted by ikkyu2 13 March | 23:56

TPS: I live in Poland. The flavor is called "smietanowe" - literally, "creamed".

posted by mdonley 14 March | 06:55

Where in Poland are you, mdonley? I don't think I took note of the city...

posted by taz 14 March | 07:37

Pho and bone marrow.

I tried both for the first time yesterday. they were both great.

posted by jonmc 14 March | 09:29

What Hugh said. I found some epsom salts with eucalyptus and spearmint that make my feet feel wonnnnderful, and when my feet feel good, I feel good. Then finish with polish on the nails. My absolute favourite treat, though not really cheap, is to take myself out to lunch with a good newspaper (The Guardian if I can get it) or a new book. Yesterday we went on a cleaning bender, so when I was finally done I put on my favourite soft, cozy pyjama bottoms, flopped on the couch with a heating pad on my back and an afghan over me, and read The Preacher. A day in bed with a good book & food I don't have to cook is fabulous, too. Years ago, when I lived in the city, I would treat myself to a bunch of flowers once in a while. One day I was walking home with a particularly lovely bunch (after a particularly harrowing week). A woman walking the other way admired them, saying, "Who are those for?" "They're for me," I replied with a big grin. "What a great idea. I think I'll do that, too!" She continued on her way with a big grin of her own.

On preview: pho. Oh my god yes pho.

posted by elizard 14 March | 09:44

oh my god now i want pho and i don't know where to find it.

Houston people, hope me!

posted by casarkos 14 March | 14:18

mmm pho.

posted by gaspode 14 March | 16:28

13 March 2009