Recharge

I was feeling pretty grubby and run-down after the weekend, which was jam-packed and food-and-booze-filled.  After work and after I’d made Mr. Magpie’s dinner {meat loaf and mashed potatoes! — classic, stick-to-your bones fall dish in our fam; I used a recipe from this awesome pork-centric cookbook, which naturally had bacon draped over it}, I enjoyed some much-needed recharge-the-batteries time.  One of the unexpected joys of our new apartment here in Chicago {aside from about 2x as much space} was the jetted tub in our master bathroom.  I hadn’t used it prior to last night — and now I have no idea why.

{Tub — $2,344; sheepskin rug — $79+, depending on size}

Added a little Philosophy bubble bath ($30) and a loofah, and life was good.  {P.S., normally I buy Molton Brown body wash because they have some great gender-neutral scents and then we don’t need to clutter our shower with 34 different kinds of body scrubs and washes.  I’ve had many a house-guest rave about this body wash — men and women alike.  I highly recommend it.}

I even had a candle going ($57, Annick Goutal; matches — set of two boxes for $11) — so romantic…for myself.

I know this will majorly date me, but I put on some John Mayer (hey…listen to “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” or “Edge of Desire,” and then talk to me.  He is so.good.)  I had originally thought I might read some of my book, Death Comes to Pemberley (kinda seriously embarrassing and nerdy…it’s a fictive extension of Austen’s phenomenal Pride + Prejudice, and I’m a huge P + P junky.  This follow-on is not great literature, but it’s just what the doctor ordered after a long day of work.), but — I don’t understand the mechanics of that.  How do you read with wet hands?  And I don’t know if I’m just a wimp, but my arms get tired holding it up and not being able to prop it up against something.

So.  Instead, I soaked myself into pruny-fingered bliss and enjoyed a glass of wine (tray — $20, Design Darling).

Then, I slathered myself in lotion.  I’m a huge fan of Fresh’s Hesperides ($30) — smells like grapefruit! — but have recently come to covet Jo Malone’s pricey Pomegranate Noir (body balm — $75), which has a sultry, more perfumed and sophisticated scent to it.

Side note: I had recently invested in a bottle of Diptyque’s Body Oil ($78), but Mr. Magpie hated the scent.  Like, a lot.  He thought it smelled like baby powder, which, it turns out, is one of his least favorite scents on God’s green earth.  Lord help us when there are mini Magpies in the mix — I guess there will just be a lot of complaining.  Or maybe there are unscented powders?  #Things that people without babies wonder.  (Ew, did I just use a hash tag?  Sick.)  At any rate, I had to donate that bottle to my mom…

Sooo after life’s must luxurious bath, into my favorite lingerie ($85 for top, $66 for bottom) —

— and P.J.s (want these so badly…but cannot imagine spending that much on P.J.S — $230):

I store my nicer lingerie in some of the beautiful monogrammed lingerie bags I received as bridal shower and engagement gifts ($225 for set from Leontine Linens):

Great gift for any bride to be.  I did a quick brush (Mason Pearson brush — $169) and then let my hair dry with Kerastase’s Lumiere Liquide ($42), which was recommended to me at a salon in Charlottesville recently for smoothing tangle-prone longer locks.

Then, I gave myself my own mani-pedi using YSL’s Rose Abstrait ($25):

And, finally, a lovely hour long season finale to RHONY.  PS — Does anyone else watch trash like I do?  I am unabashedly addicted to all things Bravo (much to Mr. Magpie’s chagrin), Revenge (OMG…did you see the season premiere on Sunday?!  I’m kinda thrilled and furious that Victoria is back — why did they bring her back so quickly?  And why do I always want to drink brandy from a snifter after I see her?), and Downton Abbey.

…..(Oh, and Pretty Little Liars.  Shhh.  No one tell.)