Good Guilt

I'm jumping on the guilty pleasure bandwagon. I first saw this post idea on Victoria's blog, followed by Alex's, and then last week on Danielle's.  I will admit there are a few repeats between my list and these girls' - but who doesn't find happiness in trashy TV and greasy food?!

Here are my twenty guilty pleasures, in no particular order.

1. Drinking wine. It doesn't have to be a weekend, a special occasion or even 5pm. I love wine. Red and white and everything in between. It just really makes me happy.

2. Fantasizing about a house with a huge, crisp, clean kitchen...complete with a walk in pantry for food storage, a wine cooler of some kind, amazing cabinetry, granite or marble counter tops, professional stove top... the works! (oh and lots of natural lighting).

3. Window shopping that turns into just shopping. I live and work within two blocks from the biggest shopping spot in the city of Chicago. Any walk can easily turn into a shopping excursion. It's both dangerous and awesome.

4. Buying shoes. I have a serious weakness for all kinds. I'm a size 7 but have forced sizes 6-8 to work if they are awesome enough and the only sizes available. I've also come dangerously close to a negative checking account balance due to the "need" for a pair of pumps. Whoops.

5. Eating pizza (with wine to be specific). It happens at least once a week. I'm from New York, so I do love New York style pizza. I also regularly crave a good Chicago deep dish pizza. And homemade pizza? Love that too. It's cheesy, and saucy and carb-y deliciousness.

6. Eating dessert every night. Sometimes I need after lunch dessert too.

7. Obsessing over getting a puppy. I pretty much utter the words "I want a dog" on a daily basis. A yellow lab, name TBD. It will be mine soon, I promise.

{i melt.}

8. Taking part in seasonal activities and making a point to eat seasonal foods/treats. I will never watch a Christmas movie in July, or eat pumpkin [anything] any time but fall... (my cookbook is also organized by month so there is no confusion).

9. Chipotle. I say I hate it but there's no denying it's good. Chicken quesadilla, chips and guacamole, burrito, tacos. You name it, I'll happily eat it.

10. Coffee. I drink a skinny vanilla latte daily (I blame you $1 coffee bar at work). Starbucks fills in on the weekends. And obviously (per #8) this turns into pumpkin spice lattes in the fall, peppermint mocha in the winter and iced coffees in the summer. duh.

11. Being OCD about cleaning and straightening. I cannot leave the house without the bed being made. I hate when the couch throw pillows are not in their appropriate corners and I cannot stand dirty dishes anywhere but in the dishwasher. Cleanliness and order make me so so happy.

12. My iphone & my Macbook. I spend way too much time on both.

13. Celebrating Christmas (the tree, pretty ornaments, sparkly white lights, holiday cookies, all the music)... even though I'm Jewish.

14. Going off of #5, I like anything with cheese & carbs. Pasta, grilled cheese, cheese & crackers, lasagna, ziti... oh I could go on.

15. Trashy trashy TV. Gossip Girl, Millionaire Matchmaker, Real Housewives... I just can't stop watching.

16. Spending a lot (I mean a lot) of time on Tastespotting & Foodgawker. I love meal planning.

17. Eating out. For someone who knows how to cook, I eat out way too often. And I always read the menu and chose what I want before going to the restaurant - it's just too stressful otherwise!!

18. Attending/watching sporting events more for the food than the actual sport. Hot dogs, popcorn, cheese fries, nachos, soft pretzels with cheese sauce (I guess we can add those last three to #14)

19. Car concerts a.k.a singing as loudly and obnoxiously as possible to your favorite song and/or dance parties at home. Too much fun.

20. Friday or Saturday nights at home. They may be lame but there's nothing better than comfy clothes and a good movie on the couch.

I had to stop at twenty but I'm already thinking of more. Apparently I do a lot of things I shouldn't - but life's short and you only live once, right!? Also, please ignore the fact that half of these are food related. 

What are your guilty pleasures? I'd love to hear (especially because maybe it will make me feel better about my own)!