Friday Night Lite

To cap off Wellness Week, may I suggest I lovely night in?  Sure, it is Friday and restaurants, bars and parties may be calling your name, but what about taking a night for yourself and just getting pampered, replenished and rested in the comfort of your own wonderful home?  Here are my essentials for a perfect restorative evening in:

1) Yummy bath or shower.  Kick off the evening by getting clean and cozy. I am not a bath type myself (I get bored. Don't ask.), but I love a good steamy shower with delicious products.  I love Lunaroma's Lavender Chamomile Salt Glow, which is aroma-therapeutically relaxing and can be scooped into a bath or scrubbed on in the shower. If you are into the bath thing, epsom salts cost about $2 at the pharmacy and make for an incredible healing soak.  I also am loving Burt's Bees Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub for the face.  For a real cheap treat, toss your towels in the dryer for a few before you hop in the shower, and dry off in warm fluffiness.  Ahhhh....

2) Comfy pants.  A must.  I'm talking softest cotton, elastic waist, next best thing to nothing kind of pants.  These are my current faves, made even more fave by the fact that I got them for $9 at the J.Crew outlet in Maine, which just makes me feel smug.  Plus, the husband says they are "cute."  Sweatpants that a man finds attractive?  Yes, please... I'll take 10.   They are on sale on J.Crew's website as well (just not for $9), and would make a fabulous holiday gift.  But I digress.... 


3) Facial mask.  Dry air, alcohol, stress, and greasy party foods ravage our skin this time of year.  After you are all warm, cozy and comfied-out in your awesome sweatpants, smooth on a great at-home facial, and trick your face into thinking it is June again and all dewy and lovely outside.  One of my all time favorite masks is Aveda's Tourmaline Charged Radiance Masque.  Says Aveda, "finely powdered tourmaline—one of nature's most energizing minerals—boosts skin's energy, while natural exfoliants help skin gently shed dull, lackluster surface cells—revealing new radiance."  I concur. 

4) Take out.  Cooking is a no-no on personal health night, as are dishes.  In the city, my absolute favorite indulgence was sushi take out, but that is not so much an option in this part of Vermont.  Tom Kha Gai soup from the Thai place is an exotic, yet comforting option.  In a pinch, even a fantastic frozen pizza will do; the point is that your kitchen and dish brush aren't seeing any action this evening.  You are just grubbing on something that makes you feel good inside and out and doesn't involve more than pushing a button or two.

5) A great movie.   Need a great, cleansing sob?  May I suggest Stepmom or The Notebook?  Need a cackling laugh and to gawk at some nice pecs?  Point Break is one of my favorite films of all time (don't judge).  Want to feel better about the human spirit?  Beyond Rangoon is amazing.  Or, to get in the holiday spirit, I highly recommend Elf, because what says holiday like Will Ferrell pounding back maple syrup while wearing green tights? 

There you have it; all the ingredients for a great night in.  Mine will include snuggling with the little guy until he goes down to bed, and then kicking off all of this with a nice glass of red.  Just thinking about it makes me feel ready to tackle the day, and puts a smile on my face in anticipation of the evening.  Happy Friday!

What is your favorite way to relax and rejuvenate at home?