Winding down...

TGIF!

It has been one of those weeks. You know the kind I'm talking about. (I have them often, really.) The kind where you feel like you don't even have a second to breathe. I love long weekends just as much as the next girl, or boy for that matter, but in my business they mean trouble. Because I have just as much to do and less time to do it! This week (and last week, even) I would go to bed late and wake up before the sun rise. Not a good feeling, though for some reason it wasn't that hard to do. I guess because the stress of it all was pumping adrenaline through my veins.

So by the time 3 o'clock rolled around yesterday I was feeling much better. My stories were done, the police blotter was sent, my editor's questions were answered... basically, the paper was put to bed. After leaving the police station and running a quick errand for my editor, I decided it was time to treat myself a bit. So I went to Panera Bread Bakery for a late lunch. (Have you ever been? It is sooo good.)

I don't usually enjoy eating alone but yesterday it was quite blissful. After ordering my favorite salad-- the Fuji Apple Chicken salad, hold the onions and Gorgonzola-- I slid into the nearest booth, got comfy and hooked up to Panera's free wi-fi to browse the web for fun (instead of for work).

After my food arrived, I spent the next hour eating slowly, in relative silence, savoring each bite. My shoulders started to relax, my mind started to free up. I was winding down...

Not long after I got home, I crashed. Into my bed, that is. It was only 5 p.m. I snoozed for the next four hours. Man was I tired. Upon waking I decided what better time to catch up on my favorite, guilty pleasure reality shows? (I don't have a TV in my room and since my brother and his friend have a monopoly over the one in the living room, I've missed a lot of good-- and bad-- television since moving home.)

I watched (on my MacBook) highlights and full episodes of both "The Hills" and "The City." Then I followed that up by watching the premiere episode of "Downtown Girls." Have you seen it? I first heard about it the other day, and read that the main "character," Shallon, is a writer for Glamour. (She pens some of the posts for the magazine's sex and relationships blog, Smitten.) Since Glamour is my fave mag, that piqued my interest. I simply had to watch.

My verdict? Hilarious! At first it seemed like maybe the show was trying to be like "Sex and the City," which isn't a bad thing necessarily, but I mean, c'mon! Nothing will ever compare. (Like Carrie, Shallon acts as a narrator, and you see her talking into a web camera and typing an email to pitch a story idea to her editor. And the episode is centered on the girls throwing a "Recycling Your Ex" party. Remember the SATC episode about the very same thing? Also, the premiere ends with the girls having brunch... it's all so strangely familiar.)

The girls research each others' ex-boyfriends.

But my skepticism faded a few minutes later when the show had me laughing out loud. These girls are super funny and already, after one episode, I want to be their friends. If you have some downtime, you can watch the first episode here. (I highly recommend munching on some Goldfish while you're at it.)

A delicious Panera salad and bread (can't forget that French baguette) and a few hours of reality TV? I can't think of a better way to unwind after a long week.

The only thing missing? A glass of wine :)

How do you relax after a stressful week?



P.S. Speaking of "Sex and the City," I am planning on FINALLY seeing SATC 2 this weekend! (I know, I'm such a bad fan to have not seen it yet! I was supposed to go with friends this past Monday but the plans fell apart.)

P.P.S. Sorry I haven't been around your guys' blogs lately! I miss you! I'm hoping to catch up on all my blog reading and commenting this weekend.

Top image and second image (both of feet, oddly enough) via we heart it.
"Downtown Girls" photo via MTV