recommendation: when you find something you like, buy it

i can't emphasize how important this phrase is - repeat it, and memorize it. when you find something you like - BUY IT. ok, now let me give you the rules (you didn't think I was giving you permission to buy any and every-thing you wanted?!?)

1. this does not mean buy everything you see that you like
2. this does not mean be stupid with your wallet. spend smart!
3. this DOES mean, when you see something that is hard to find, unique, or memorable, buy it

examples:
a souvenir on a trip. there is nothing worse than seeing something great, but deciding its too early in the trip to get it, and you figure you will see them everywhere, and then you never see one just like it again. and you regret not buying it the rest of the trip. this literally happens to me every.single.time. i go to india. just buy it when you see it.

if it is a hot summer day and you wander in to nordstroms and they are having their huge annual summer sale and you find this fantastic pair of tall brown boots with the perfect heel that are comfortable and 50% off but meant for fall which is months away, but you know you will wear them and need them and love them.... buy it. (true story, and they are well worn)

you find something that just makes you happy. we were in san francisco on a girls trip and popped into St. Helena Olive Oil Co. to browse while we were waiting for our lunch reso at Rutherford Grill (same restaurant group that owns Bandara in Chicago! at either, i recommend to try the cold queso dip, the veggie platter, the a la carte enchilada, or the hacked chicken salad). St. Helena Olive Oil has little bowls set out at every single table so you can taste every single product, its pretty awesome, especially when you are hungry and have been wine sampling all morning. I'm happily dipping away when I strike - the Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce. It is not at all what it looks like. I mean when I think of butternut squash i think yum, but when I think of butternut squash as a pasta sauce, it just doesn't seem like it would translate well, but this one does. i almost walked away from it - how to transport a glass jar of sauce back in my suitcase? $12 for pasta sauce? i don't really need it. am i just buying because i'm hungry? but after circling around it like a hawk for the next 10 minutes, i decided to go with it - because when you find something you like and it just makes you happy (and refer back to rule #3 - its unique, not easy to find, and it will remind me of my trip to SF) - you BUY IT.

shop smart, no regrets!

p.s. and it was worth it. it brought me supreme happiness. we ate the sauce with gnocchi and some freshly shaved pecorino and sauteed garlic spinach on the side. delish! and dinner literally took 5 minutes to make (boil water, add gnocchi, cook until floats to top, 2-3 minutes; warm sauce - 3-5 minutes; sautee spinach in olive oil & minced garlic 2 minutes. done!)

I have a little leftover sauce so I'm going to try their white beans and sausage recipe this weekend!