January 27, 2005
These Foolish Things.
It's rather repulsive here in New York this week, just slushy and freezing and filthy. The subway is all messed up, I can't feel my toes, the fantastic & ubiquitous Bahamas ad campaign totally mocks my pain at every turn, and I seriously just want to hide under my down comforter with a bottomless mug of hot chocolate until oh, late March.
One British psychologist even pegged this past Monday as the most depressing day of the year. So I'm glad it's not just me.
How to cope?
I find that a few simple well-placed comforts make the dark days & cold nights a little brighter and warmer. Here are the tools in my winter survival arsenal:
- Aveda Comforting Tea. No matter how foul the weather, this tea's magical powers soothe every last frayed nerve. It's slightly minty with a hint of licorice, has no caffeine, and its natural sweetness needs no added sugar. It is liquid happiness. It may even contain Prozac, but my studies have proved inconclusive. It also makes fabulous iced tea in the (I don't even want to type it) summertime.
- Great bedding. This is one area I seriously think is 100% worth a big splurge. I spent years buying whatever bedding I could scrounge up for less than $40 a set, but one Christmas I received a Company Store down comforter. I. Can. Never. Go. Back. The amazingly warm and cuddly comforter was the gateway drug leading me to the hardcore crack that is high-thread-count, 100% cotton, soft as a baby-type sheets. I am not much of a snob, I almost always prefer a practical knockoff to the real thing, but seriously. Do yourself a favor, buy yourself one nice set of sheets, or even a pair of pillowcases. You'll notice a huge difference. It's like sleeping in a hug.
- Dahlias. This is my favorite flower. There's a deli on the west side of Broadway near Great Jones Street that carries gorgeous, long-lasting dahlias. Grab a bunch of your favorite bloom, trim the ends, and keep at least one simple vase of them in your apartment whenever you can. Buying a cheap little bouquet somehow makes me feel impossibly elegant, and it's a great little reminder of the coming spring.
- Warm Comfort Foods. I have a particular weakness for Lipton Noodle Soup. I ate a lot of it as a kid, and it's fast and easy-to-prepare on a chilly day. I'm sure you have your own oddly comforting culinary standbys.
- GE Reveal Lightbulbs. An Apartmentalist reader brought these great bulbs to my attention, and they truly do brighten a room on a dreary day. The negative effects of sunlight deprivation are well known, and these are a more reasonable solution than expensive tropical vacations and full-spectrum lamps.
How do you survive the cold?
(Dahlia photo courtesy of Kottke.org)
Posted by Lara at 01:42 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack