Guilty's going Green and it's long overdue. .

There is not enough Crown Royal Maple to dull the pain of working 140 days straight.

There is not enough Don Julio tequila in my shot glass to quench my thirst for fun.

Perhaps a change in my vacation plans is afoot. I am actively searching the web for opulent accommodations and cheap airfare.  That dicey combo is always a fantastic search criteria.  We have had enough of drudgery of winter. The recent cold snap has empowered us to fight back against the extreme weather with a Guilty vengeance. We considered several options like a 3 day trip to Vegas or a Manhattan getaway weekend that includes a shopping spree at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg.  That weekly open air market is a Guilty Pleasure sanctuary.

Both of options sounded good, but we need mountaintops.  Guilty and Thin Mint are planning a winter getaway to Snow Basin.  It's one of the Guilty's favorite hideouts, Removing yourself from the paralyzing process of work and skiing where the Eagles glide, is the key to my relaxational recovery. Skiing in Utah with a stopover in Colorado in late March is a Guilty Dream.

Guilty's going green and it's long overdue.

Snowed in and working wonders

The entire Northeast is being whipped by a major winter storm.  When did we become Manitoba?  Worse than the blanket of icy snow, the frigid temperatures and killer winds are life threatening.  Businesses are closed and we are hunkered down for a long weekend.  Of course, I am well-prepared for a Guilty Pleasure or three.  

However, I am getting a little antsy from a business prospective.  It's just too much down time for me. The idleness of the holidays must end.  I want to get back to work. January is always an important month for business development and filling up our event calendar. Snow days do not help our regional economy. Yet somehow we are working wonders and meeting with six brides this weekend at the beautiful Lochwood Estate.

Lochwood is a new to market venue and prime wedding dates are starting to fill up. The estate is one of the former locations of American Bandstand.  This venue features a classically refurbished barn with a funky balcony and Hemingwayesque built-in bar.  With four rolling acres. Lochwood is the perfect location for a rustic Guilty Pleasures Wedding, Company Picnic or Family Reunion.  Breakout the smoker, share a micro brew and dance round the firepit.  Let's have some country fun.  Think outside the box.  There's a great Guilty time waiting for you in Skippack, PA.  Give us a call.  610-539-8330.

Winter Chills and Hot Chocolate Dreams

Without much warning, winter has arrived in Philadelphia with a bad attitude.  BAM!! Breakout the Kashmir sweater and fur lined slippers because the bitter cold has made itself quite comfy in our daily forecast. As we mature nothing gets old quicker than the piercing cold weather. The nose runs, the legs ache, and the shivering persist. Nothing becomes more of a Guilty Pleasure than steaming hot cocoa in my favorite holiday mug... but don't forget the marshmallows!  Chef Ameerah makes our own.  There is no better way to combat the chattering teeth, numb toes, and frost bitten fingers than a comforting mug of Thin Mint's hot cocoa.  She is a hot beverage Aficionado who knows that hot loves hot.    

Why not go beyond the powder and packets this year.  Living Well in Winter means savoring homemade hot cocoa and marshmallows.  It's always an awe inspiring Guilty Pleasure moment.  

Dancing poolside at Bluefields Bay is always a Guilty Pleasure.

Wow it's really bitter cold outside, especially for early December.  Unfortunately, the weather on the East Coast is about to get considerably worse this weekend. Remember last year when everyone was complaining that it was too hot for the Holidays. Too hot??  Were they serious?  It my world it's never too hot for the Holidays unless it's 90 degrees and I am dancing poolside with Thin Mint in Bluefields Bay, Jamaica.  But that's a different kind of hot, now isn't it?  Smokin' hot of course.

What could be better than chillin' underneath an Almond tree on December 25th, especially with an Ultimate Mudslide or two in hand?  And don't forget those tantalizing tropical breezes!  There is no greater Guilty Pleasure anywhere than being at these amazing Villas in Jamaica for Christmas and New Years.  The Moncure Family and their staff can anticipate all of your Guilty Pleasures. Their six pristine properties provide world class service and hospitality.  The delicious food at each Villa is a five star dining experience. Renting a Villa from the Moncure's is very similar to an opulent stay at the Ritz Carlton, but it's much more private and Guiltorious. Honeymooners should take notice of the Cottonwood Cottage. It's the perfect location for a very luxurious, active and romantic week in the Caribbean.  After 24 years, it's time to plan our return trip.

Remarking that it was too warm in December was last year's bellyache.  This year it's the other side of coin in the City of Brotherly Love and we need to be proactive. So lets light the fireplace on Pine Street, pass the steaming hot cocoa in Berwyn and share the Dancing Bear blanket in Trooper. Mercy me, we still have over three months to Springtime.

We definitely both need a vacation intervention by the Lords of Guilt.  Now wouldn't that be miraculous!!!

The House of Happy returns. Guilty habits rule the day!!! Thankfully Provence Catering's event calendar is empty today so no parties are impacted by the weather. Working at home is always productive during a mid-week snow storm.(okay, it's really a snow dusting.) Thanks to a dire weather forecast, the entire mid-Atlantic region seems to be shut in. Many members of the Guilty Pleasures Club have seized upon the fury of Mother Nature to begin the 12 Nights of Holiday Guilt a few days earlier. We love innovation in all forms, particularly among the Guilty. A true Guilty historian knows that many great Guilty Pleasures have been borne out of successfully coping with extreme weather conditions. The Great Blizzards of 1995 and 2009 were the inspiration for the famed "House of Happy" and the feeling of contentment that follows. This sense of wintertime fulfillment was reportedly the motivation behind the highly-acclaimed episode of the Sopranos where Paulie and Christopher are desperately running through the snowy forests of the Jersey Pinelands. Haven't we all been lost and famished in the snow before? Maybe without the bloody wounds of course. Here's how Happy happened in 1995 and the remarkable relounging results were quite by accident: Before heading to the streets of Saddlebrook, NJ to recover my aging Audi from five feet of snow, I put a tray full of marinated Turkey Drumsticks and thighs into our convection oven to slowwwwwww cook. Preparing Sunday dinner at 9 am seemed like the perfect way to start the day. Turkey, especially the dark meat has always been one of my all-time Guilty Pleasures. I love the comforting smell and rejoice in the flavor. From the Thanksgiving drumstick to my award winning dark meat turkey salad to tender cheeks, the moist and flavorful dark meat of Tom Turkey is constantly calling my name. Shoveling out of blizzard conditions that day was a painful and grueling experience. The strain of digging out from sixty inches of snow caused shear exhaustion and an urgent need for Guiltorious rejuvenation. After two hours of FEMA-like duties, I trudged through the snow and crawled up the stairs to our loft apartment looking for a miracle. I must be delusional to expect a game changer. Then Happy happened! Upon entering into our toasty abode, I was overcome by the incredibly delicious aroma of a slow-cooked Gobbler. Since I had forgotten about my bird in the oven, the enticing smell of the roasted turkey really made me smile. My entire disposition and energy level changed. Suddenly I felt happy. The house smelled happy. As you know, scrumptious food aromas have that magical uplifting power. Think chocolate chunk cookies or a reincarnation of Holiday dinner. The anticipation of devouring a mammoth drumstick made me the Guilty creator of the "House of Happy."

The House of Happy returns.  Guilty habits rule the day!!!

Thankfully Provence Catering's event calendar is empty today so no parties are impacted by the weather. Working at home is always productive during a mid-week snow storm.(okay, it's really a snow dusting.)  Thanks to a dire weather forecast, the entire mid-Atlantic region seems to be shut in.  Many members of the Guilty Pleasures Club have seized upon the fury of Mother Nature to begin the 12 Nights of Holiday Guilt a few days earlier. We love innovation in all forms, particularly among  the Guilty.  

A true Guilty historian knows that many great Guilty Pleasures have been borne out of successfully coping with extreme weather conditions. The Great Blizzards of 1995 and 2009 were the inspiration for the famed "House of Happy" and the feeling of contentment that follows. This sense of wintertime fulfillment was reportedly the motivation behind the highly-acclaimed episode of the Sopranos where Paulie and Christopher are desperately running through the snowy forests of the Jersey Pinelands. Haven't we all been lost and famished in the snow before?  Maybe without the bloody wounds of course.  

Here's how Happy happened in 1995 and the remarkable relounging results were quite by accident:

Before heading to the streets of Saddlebrook, NJ to recover my aging Audi from five feet of snow, I put a tray full of marinated Turkey Drumsticks and thighs into our convection oven to slowwwwwww cook. Preparing Sunday dinner at 9 am seemed like the perfect way to start the day. Turkey, especially the dark meat has always been one of my all-time Guilty Pleasures. I love the comforting smell and rejoice in the flavor.  From the Thanksgiving drumstick to my award winning dark meat turkey salad to tender cheeks, the moist and flavorful dark meat of Tom Turkey is constantly calling my name.

Shoveling out of blizzard conditions that day was a painful and grueling experience. The strain of digging out from sixty inches of snow caused shear exhaustion and an urgent need for Guiltorious rejuvenation. After two hours of FEMA-like duties, I trudged through the snow and crawled up the stairs to our loft apartment looking for a miracle.  I must be delusional to expect a game changer.  

Then Happy happened! 

Upon entering into our toasty abode, I was overcome by the incredibly delicious aroma of a slow-cooked Gobbler. Since I had forgotten about my bird in the oven, the enticing smell of the roasted turkey really made me smile. My entire disposition and energy level changed. Suddenly I felt happy. The house smelled happy. As you know, scrumptious food aromas have that magical uplifting power. Think chocolate chunk cookies or a reincarnation of Holiday dinner.  The anticipation of devouring a mammoth drumstick made me the Guilty creator of the "House of Happy."

It's Summer Somewhere

Whomever decided that some foods can only be enjoyed at certain times of the year should be put out of their misery. Because misery is what I, personally, experience when the first few days of winter arrive and announce, “we’re here!” with bracing winds and bouncing sleet. I should be allowed to turn up the heat to 80 degrees, mix a margarita, and enjoy summer foods in December if I like. Really, is there anything inherently wrong with a crisp lemon water ice when the snow is coming down outside? Or, slicing open that watermelon I just purchased in January while playoff football is on screen? Of course not – it’s summer somewhere, right? Just because I happen to be living on the far side of the sun five months out of the year doesn’t mean I can’t be allowed to join in on some of the fun in the sun…even if the sun does disappear at 5 p.m. sharp every day. Summer isn’t a privilege in my world: it’s a right, and a right I want to enjoy even when Old Man Winter comes over for a long-term stay.

My guilty pleasure is remembering that it's only winter outside.