Happy Belated Galentine’s Day ladies! Thanks to the brilliant geniuses of Parks N Rec, we now have this special (non-federal) holiday on Valentine’s Day-eve that offers a reason for us ladies to hang out and share in our friendships together. In our single, pre-parenthood days, this would’ve meant going out for drinks (or at the very least brunch) with our closest clique of galpals and gabbing for hours about all our favorite things. You know, what we’re currently watching, craving, loving etc. Now, as a parent, it’s entirely likely that you may not have been able to go out for a girl’s power hour with your besties last night. So we Orange County Moms Blog Contributors decided to put together this (non-X-rated) guilty pleasure list of things that you can indulge in alone, guilt-free, and on your own schedule. This is the stuff we are watching after the kids go to bed, eating in the broom closet where no one else can see us, and reading while we wait in the school pick up line. And we want to share it with you so you can do the same! After all, as Leslie Knope said, Galentine’s Day is all about:
Ladies celebratin’ ladies. It’s like Lillith Fair, minus the angst.
Here are our current favorite TV shows, treats, books, and more. Are you as obsessed with any of these as we are???
Allison Almond – I just finished watching Longmire season 6. Yes it was released in November, but I was watching Hart of Dixie. I watched all 4 seasons in November, December, and January. Just finished Hart of Dixie like 2 weeks ago. Then I watched Longmire these past 2 weeks. Now, I’m not really not feeling like any shows are speaking to me. After my kid is in bed, I’m going to finish reading a Mary Higgins Clark book on my kindle. By the way, I get daily free books on kindle from BookBub. I’ve met a few authors from the suggestions of free books from this site.
Heather Moulden – I watch The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, The Carbanaro Effect, and Impractical Jokers. Light stuff that makes me laugh. And at that, it’s only for about 30 minutes in the evening. Otherwise TV keeps my brain up! More for the guilty pleasure list: US Weekly and People magazines.
Hilary Feldstein Ratner – My guilty pleasure TV show is currently The Royals. It’s about a fictional modern-day British royal family and feels like an inside glimpse into the workings of a monarchy. Plus it’s got everything I secretly love in a show (high drama, irreverent humor, sincere romance, brilliant actors). Dynasty legend Joan Collins is in it vamping things up, if that gives you a sense of the level of drama we’re talking about here. And it’s got an amazing soundtrack featuring modern Britrock with a style that’s kinda like Sex Pistols meets Mumford & Sons if that makes any sense. (Foals – Mountain At My Gates, Bear’s Den -When You Break, Greylag – Yours To Shake, and BANNERS – Half Light among others are currently on repeat in my car.) To be completely candid, the show has recently weathered a high-profile #MeToo scandal in which the cast rallied around one of its stars who spoke out against the show creator’s sexual harassment towards her. That must’ve taken an enormous amount of strength and bravery, and only makes me want to keep this show on the air even more. I’ve binged The Royals twice in a row and can’t wait for the new season to start next month!
Jill Sambol – I am a die hard fan of The Bachelor. Been watching since the very first season. Also love to watch: Shameless, Grey’s Anatomy, How To Get Away With Murder, Shark Tank, Married At First Sight, all the Real Housewives series, and the best: Lifetime Movie Network!!!!! Another guilty pleasure I have is that I love “Love Songs With Karen Sharp on KOST 103.5.” My hubby dedicated a song to me on my birthday.
Maria Hoey – My TV guilty pleasure is the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. New York. Comedian. It’s so incredibly good! Also: Trader Joe’s Cold Brew Coffee Chocolate Bar, Coffee Toffee Shortbread Cookies also from TJ’s, and basically any Young Adult fantasy fiction book.
Melissa Fisher Goldman – I balked at my friends who watched Pretty Little Liars for years. Then I finally agreed to give it a try, and I binge-watched the entire series in record time. #sorrynotsorry
Viv Jones – Ok I love trashy TV. I actually watch probably one of the worst shows ever made, online. It’s the British version of Jersey Shore but it’s set in Newcastle. (It’s actually called Geordie Shore which is a regional nickname for that area.) When we moved here I became a fan of The Bachelor. It’s hilarious! I would say another big guilty pleasure I have is being willing to drive great distances for really good cake/dessert/donuts!
We hope you’ve found a new obsession from our guilty pleasure list. Wishing a very Happy Galentine’s Day to all our lovely lady friends reading the Orange County Moms Blog!
 guilty pleasure list. This is the stuff we are watching at night, eating in the broom){kind=link}