Room Service

November 9, 2012 | By | COMMENTS

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The idea of room service held little appeal for me until I was on a book tour for longer than expected (stranded in Austin for a bit by the hurricane) and suddenly I couldn’t fathom another dinner out with human beings. I enjoy human beings…but on a book tour you meet so many of them and talk to so many of them there comes a moment where you just want to be by yourself.

So on the night before I flew back to New York, I stayed in my room at the W hotel and ordered room service. Something about it made me feel giddy, like I was a kid doing something I might be punished for later. (And when my publisher sees the hotel room bill, that may still happen! Don’t worry, I didn’t order any exotic movies.)

Having pigged out on BBQ that day at lunch (see here), I decided to order a cobb salad with shrimp, a glass of Chardonnay–to match the Chardonnay the Housewives were drinking on the TV in my room–and a surprise for dessert.

The Cobb salad with shrimp was like something you’d get in a country club; super generic, but good because it tasted so familiar:

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Washing it down with Chardonnay while watching T.V. was really enjoyable. I didn’t eat it in bed, though I suppose I could have (that’s probably part of the fun of room service. Noted for next time.)

The real treat came at the end: I totally didn’t need to order a giant piece of chocolate cake. But I did anyway.

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This was so over-the-top, I’m embarrassed to show you that I had this delivered to my room. Even the guy presenting it had a sheepish look on his face: “Is this really just for you?” his eyes seemed to be asking. STOP JUDGING ROOM SERVICE DELIVERY PERSON!

But I totally enjoyed it and even though I didn’t eat all of it, I ate a lot of it. And plus I had a salad for dinner so I was entitled to my cake.

The next day I flew back to New York and cooked all of that comfort food I mentioned in my butternut squash soup post, so clearly I was craving a taste of the familiar after all that travel. Which is why room service totally hit the spot on that night in Austin, Texas.

Next time you’re traveling, I suggest you treat yourself to the same.

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Categories: Travel