A SEASON OF CHANGE & GUILTY PLEASURES — NOV. 27

Okay, I’m at it again!  Changing up the headers, themes, etc.
Here I reverted back to a theme from the past; included some of the goodies from other headers, like the banner that proclaims my love of chocolate; and, of course, a few treats.

Then, because some themes with built-in text interfere with the images, I visited PicMonkey again and added my own text.

Meanwhile, over at Story Corner, I added a new header…and found a great background that I will enjoy for awhile, anyway.  LOL

I’m playing around with my blogs as a diversion from reading, and also to keep me from eating the ice cream in the freezer!

Do you find that the holidays play havoc with your healthy eating choices?  What, you say???  You mean that, just because I have this guilty pleasures blog, I should do whatever I want?  Well, there is a time and a season for all of that.

I think I wrote another blog post about that very thing, though:  Celebrating the Moments.

Now it’s time to return to my read, which is really getting interesting.  The Turnaround, by George Pelecanos.

And tonight, I’ll enjoy watching some of my favorite shows, including Parenthood.  What are some of your favorites?

HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATES — MY FAVORITE TREATS! — OCT. 29

 

 

My favorite thing about Halloween is the chocolate.  I never get any other kind of treat, and not just because the miniature treats are great for the kids.  But because I always have some left over.  So I need the treats to be chocolate!

Here you can see my overflowing bowl, next to some spooktacular decorations.  This little pub table is set up near the front door.  At the ready.

My favorites are the almond joys.  And they were at the bottom of the bag, which I discovered when I emptied them into the bowl this morning.

What are your Halloween favorites?  What guilty pleasures do you enjoy?

 

CHOCK FULL OF SOUTHERN CHARM & GUILTY PLEASURES — A REVIEW

Thirty years after Lin Breedlove escaped her hometown of Mimosa Branch, Georgia, she is back. With her tail between her legs, and now as Lin Breedlove Scott, divorced and broke.

She is not looking forward to staying at her parents’ home, despite how huge it is; what keeps her going is her plan to refurbish the garage apartment. The bliss of privacy beckons.

But almost as soon as she arrives, old friends and enemies appear and threaten the serenity she seeks. And a next door hunk of a man tempts her, even as a part of her sounds a warning bell.

In the midst of reconnecting, and while maintaining her regular phone contact with best friend Tricia, a cauldron brews, hinting at high drama and hijinks.

What political corruption will bring Lin into the midst of the town? What new connections will form, even as those old ones realign? And how will Lin stave off the desires that clamor, threatening to derail her new life?

Guilty pleasures reign in this dramatic Southern tale, even as the girlfriend connections and getaways promise fun and more adventure. An excerpt sets one of the scenes:

 

“With guilty pleasure, I snagged the biggest brownie and bit into it. Whoever had made them must have used bran, because it had a strangely coarse consistency, but the taste was sinful and chocolaty, with just a hint of coffee and a spice I couldn’t identify.”

 

Queen Bee of Mimosa Branch: A Novel was a delightful, if somewhat predictable, tale. Four stars.

READING, MIMOSAS, & CHOCOLATE: ENJOYING THE MOMENTS — JUNE 3

When life hands us unexpected challenges, our “guilty pleasures” have to fall into line with the new reality.

That’s what I’m telling myself on the first weekend after my oral surgery.  The upside:  the pain is now gone.  The downside:  soft foods reign.

But since I’m no longer on antibiotics, I can enjoy my Sunday mimosas!

And I actually have a Mounds bar waiting for this afternoon’s snack.  Soft…right?

Meanwhile, reading books that I enjoy has to be up there on the list of fun things to do on a Sunday.  I’m totally loving a couple of my reads:  check out my Sunday Salon post to find out more.

It has been very hot here, which was compounded on Friday by a power outage that lasted more than an hour.  I know, not long…but we don’t have them that often, so we feel quite deprived when we do.

Yesterday was a fun day of eating out and movies with my granddaughter Fiona…..

She is enjoying her summer break, having worked very hard this past year.

Today….I can feel the morning breeze coming through the patio door…and I’m hoping we don’t hit the triple digits.

What guilty pleasures are you enjoying today?  What favorite things capture your imagination during the summer months?

SAVORING SOME GUILTY PLEASURES — DEC. 19

 

Coming soon, this delectable title promises mystery, as well as delicious treats along the way.  Hot Chocolate will be featured here in February, on blog tour.

In the meantime, I am savoring some other guilty pleasures, in honor of the holiday season.  That time when we can toss out the rule book (and the scales!), and just enjoy.

Here are some goodies I have recently discovered.  Patty, from Books, Thoughts, & a Few Adventures, has shared this totally wonderful looking drink, along with its recipe.

 

 

Meet the Kumquat Sparkler…doesn’t it look absolutely tempting?

Recipe:

Kumquat Sparkler

By Amy Wisniewski

A bubbly citrus-and-ginger cocktail that’s festive and easy to make.

What to buy: Domaine de Canton is a ginger-flavored liqueur that can be found at specialty liquor stores.

This recipe was featured as part of our Cold-Weather Comfort Food Menu.

TIME/SERVINGS
Total Time: Under 5 mins
Makes: 1 drink

INGREDIENTS
5 ounces dry sparkling wine
1/2 ounce ginger liqueur
2 kumquats, halved crosswise

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the sparkling wine and ginger liqueur in a champagne flute. Squeeze the kumquat halves into the glass and then drop them into the drink to serve.

***

Thanks, Patty!  I can’t wait to try this one.

And just so you know, I haven’t forgotten chocolate.  Here are some tempting tidbits I found.

 

A chocolate buffet?  Is this heaven?

And now for dessert…as if we needed that after the buffet above!

 

Okay, now I’m going through a sugar overload just looking at these.  But virtual treats do not add calories!

What are your quirky favorites?  You can tell…come on by, please, and share!

 

DARK COMEDY? OR A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE — A REVIEW

Persey’s pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum period are an emotional minefield salved only by certain pleasures that seem to alleviate her pain. Chocolate is a big part of the “fix” for Persey, but despite her forays into Brownie mix, her favorite fix, the voices she hears that speak to her of her weight gain, her failings as a housewife, and her failings in general seem to override any pleasures she gains.

When the voices clamor too loudly, she begins to seek other distractions, like support groups for moms.

But no matter what she tries, nothing seems to work. The voices point out her failings and seemingly pound her ego until she is almost a total mess. She even begins to mutilate herself. At times she seems suicidal. At one point, with no apparent difficulty, she shares a deep secret from her past with her husband. This part did not ring true for me.

Cardona tells the story in Brownie Fix from Persey’s viewpoint, and there are moments of light-heartedness in between the darkest thoughts. But the flipping from one mood to another suggests a definite mood disorder. Eventually, Persey seeks help through therapy, but there is very little accomplished there, and she comes to this decision as one of many other things she tried. Perhaps the author chose not to focus on that process. The fact that she did not shows me that she either believed that Persey could find her own solutions, which she seemingly did in the end; or it exemplified the author’s choice to focus primarily on Persey’s strengths winning out over her weaknesses.

It was definitely an unusual portrayal of Postpartum Depression, and I would not recommend against it. However, despite the glowing ratings by other reviewers, I could only give this one three stars. Potential readers should check the other reviews and draw their own conclusions.

LUSH TREATS SET AGAINST A BACKDROP OF FAMILY DISARRAY — A REVIEW

Replete with beautiful settings and lush desserts, the world in which the Muir family dwells seems wonderfully lovely and filled with all that is good. In fact, they might seem to have it all. But then as we soon learn, life is definitely not perfect for this family. Avis, the mother and baker extraordinaire, manages her home business with all the gusto one might expect from a perfectionist; and the father, Brian, a successful real estate attorney, sustains the family like many a workaholic: from a distance.

And yet there is much to enjoy about the family life. Except for the fact that one day, when she was just thirteen, beautiful daughter Felice ran away for the first time. And over the next five years, she continues to inexplicably disappear.

After the first few times, the family members seemingly go through a kind of disconnect, perhaps in self-protection. Like soldiers living parallel lives while maintaining individual battles, Brian, Avis, and son Stanley nourish their little corners of the universe on separate islands of grief. While out on the streets and the beaches of Miami, Felice struggles to survive and battle against the elements and the dangers.

Meanwhile, a storm called Katrina lurks, threatening to dismantle the world around them. In some ways, the raging storm seems like a metaphor for the wreckage of this family.

But set against this austere backdrop of disarray, Avis’s delectable treats offer a glimpse of beauty, delight, and perhaps hope. The author describes the concoctions down to each delicious detail until we can almost taste them.

What do Avis, Brian, and Stanley share as they struggle against the loss of Felice? And what led Felice to this dramatic and dangerous lifestyle? What will need to happen for her to finally come home?

In some ways, the story felt overly detailed with thoughts, feelings, and history. While I thoroughly enjoyed Birds of Paradise: A Novel, I’m giving this one four stars.

FRIDAY MEMES: BROWNIE FIX — NOV. 18

Good morning! It’s Friday and time to celebrate our Book Beginnings, hosted by A Few More Pages; and The Friday 56, led by Freda’s Voice.

To join in, just grab a book and share the opening lines and your reaction to them, if you like; then excerpt something on p. 56.  Link up!

Since we’re here at this blog, it stands to reason that today’s book will be something chocolatey.  So I’m excerpting from Brownie Fix, by Ellen Cardona…a book I just received in the mail.

About:  Chocolate. Love. Sex. Really, what else could a woman want in life? For Persey, the heroine of Brownie Fix, her days are fun-filled until what is normally one of life’s most fulfilling experiences, the birth of her son, leads her straight into a dark state of postpartum depression. Wandering in her own postpartum hell, Persey meets people that are absurd, like the swinging neighbors who want a little more than a cup of sugar and a group of mothers who become whipped up in worship to a climactic furor. On top of the madness, she keeps seeing a yellow-toothed old man who acts like he wants to breastfeed from her. Or is it her imagination? Add the voices in her head that become louder and louder, and it’s little wonder that Persey reaches for brownie mix to soothe her insanity. Buckling under the pressure and lack of sleep from motherhood, Persey experiences the five stages of grief that lead her to uncover a buried secret, and gradually she begins to heal with the help of her family, friends, and, of course, brownies.

***

Beginning:  “Oh, my God,” Persey said with a sparkle in her brilliant eyes and flip of her auburn hair, a spicy blend of chili powder and milk chocolate.  “Brownie mix tastes like the food of the gods.”

I think I’m probably going to be thinking about chocolate while reading this book!

***

P. 56:  “Hey, I came home to help you out.  You can thank me later,” and wiggled his eyebrows.  Persey started to laugh.

***

I think this book will hold some interesting ingredients—some humor and lots of emotion.

What did you find today?  Come on by and share, please!

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY — CHOCOLATE COVERED MURDER — NOV. 16

 

Welcome to another Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill, at Breaking the Spine.

If you’d like to participate, share an upcoming release and link up at Jill’s blog.

Today I’m happy to share another chocolate treat in the form of Chocolate Covered Murder, by Leslie Meier, to be released on 12/27/11.

 

Between a cutthroat dessert contest and her daughter’s new job at the fanciest chocolate shop Tinker’s Cove has ever seen, Lucy Stone is on a steady diet of tempting treats! But with a killer on the loose, and Valentine’s Day around the corner, there may be nothing sweeter than revenge. . .

It’s frigid in snow-covered Tinker’s Cove, and Lucy is fighting the winter blues–and her widening waistline. No one in their right mind would vacation in Maine this time of year, but to boost the economy, the town is launching a travel promotion for Valentine’s Day. As a reporter for the Pennysaver, Lucy is assigned a puff piece on upscale Chanticleer’s Chocolates, and its deliciously handsome owner, Trey Meacham. But when a local fisherman drowns suspiciously, Lucy’s certain her investigative skills could be put to better use. . .

Everyone is shocked when Fern’s Famous Fudge loses its status as “Best Candy on the Coast” to Chanticleer’s pricey newfangled confections. And Lucy soon discovers there’s another tantalizing tart behind the counter. Sultry store manager Tamzin Graves is only too eager to serve her male clientele–who find her as mouthwatering as her beef-jerky-spiked truffles. Leaving a throng of jealous women in her wake, it’s almost no surprise when Tamzin is the next to turn up dead, her body covered in chocolate. . .

Could a bitter ex-wife be behind the crimes? Or a candy shop competitor? There’s no sugar-coating the truth, and as Lucy closes in on the culprit, she may find herself locked in the clutches of a half-baked killer. . .

***

I’m eagerly awaiting this delectable novel, which I can devour for my Cozy Reading Challenge of 2012.

What are you waiting for?  Tell us more….

CHOCOLATE, THE “HEALTHY” GUILTY PLEASURE — 11-11-11

A CHOCOLATE TREAT

Since chocolate is one of my guilty pleasures, it is important to note that, in its “dark” form, it is actually healthy for us.  Does this take the fun out of it?  Of course not.

Most people nowadays are aware of the health benefits of dark chocolate—and it’s important to note the distinction between “dark” and “milk” chocolate!—but what exactly makes it healthy?

In this site About.com.Longevity, we can find out a few of the reasons, like flavonoids, antioxidants, and protection from free radicals.  All benefits that help ward off the aging process, etc.  

I’m in!  Not that I need a health reason, but it doesn’t hurt.  Just as a glass of red wine can be heart healthy.  Of course, that doesn’t mean that if one is good, two or three is even better!  According to my doctor, that is…sigh.

All of this is leading up to my visit to the gym yesterday, followed by my reward at Barnes & Noble.  I had my usual coffee (with two shots of Expresso), my Biscotti, and then I grabbed the Godiva dark chocolate bar you see pictured above.  For later.

Someone told me that if we take a bite here and there throughout the day, the benefits are spread over time.  That didn’t work for me, though, because after the first bite, two minutes later I had to have another…and then another.

But even as I savored the chocolate, knowing that it was a little bit healthy helped justify the desire to add this pleasurable tidbit to my life.

I tend to get carried away, though, so I should probably not fill up the pantry with these goodies, since we know what I do whenever the treats are close by!

What are your favorite treats?  Does the fact that dark chocolate is also healthy (in small doses!) help you enjoy it more?