We were all huddled around Phyllis’ desk—analysts, admins, and loan officers—leaning in as she described her opulent dinner at a fine dining restaurant called The French Laundry.

I’d never heard of it.

Another thing I’d never heard of? Sweetbreads. But the way she talked about it made it very clear they were neither sweet nor bread.

That was 20 years ago, back when I was working my first corporate job at a bank. And somehow, that moment stuck with me.

At the time, I was balancing that bank job with being a server at Applebees, plus taking night classes at community college. I was renting a room from a family in an affordable housing unit, and I kept my one fork, knife, and spoon in my bedroom, where I ate ramen at least a couple times a week.

So, yeah, eating at The French Laundry wasn’t exactly on my radar.

Fast forward to last week, and there I was—sitting at The French Laundry for MY birthday.

My husband planned a wine country getaway with a spa day and special Black Truffle and Regiis Ova Caviar menu at The French Laundry. It was over-the-top and a chance to experience the vision of someone (Chef Thomas Keller*) who is truly a master at his craft.

BTW, if you like food photos, check out my Instagram stories highlight here; I took about 30 pics at dinner, because I’m that friend. 😂

*Unfortunately, Chef Keller wasn’t there that night, but we did get to visit the kitchen, and every station was immaculate—so tidy!

When everyday life feels overwhelming, I try to think about ONE thing I’m grateful for, because if you’re like me, you probably used to dream about some thing, experience, person—something that is a part of your reality today.

Taking a moment to savor—both the big, bucket list things, and the small, everyday ones—is a way to supercharge your wellbeing.

Savoring isn’t just about joy or pleasure—it’s about stretching those moments, paying attention to what makes them special, and letting them sink in. Happiness research shows that when we savor, we’re not just enjoying life now—we’re deepening our happiness long-term.

So between planning dinner, writing your performance review, or contacting your local elected officials, I hope you find something worth savoring this week too.

– Nicole