We all have them—and we’re loath to admit them. Whether you’re a CIA-trained chef who dips Tostitos into a jar of microwave-melted Cheez Wiz, or a jazz virtuoso who sings Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” into a hairbrush in front of the mirror, you’ve got guilty pleasures—those things (or people, places, practices, preferences) you love, but shouldn’t—or at least would prefer not to.
But don’t be embarrassed. To ease your guilt, we’ve found some neighbors who’ve graciously (all right, reluctantly) agreed to share their guilty pleasures with you.
John Crabtree, Restaurateur, Mount Kisco
“Every once in a while the craving just hits me, and I hop into my car and head to the McDonald’s drive-thru and order my Big Mac, fries, and a root beer.” The “American classic,” says Crabtree, is a real comfort food that conjures up fond memories. “I don’t know for sure if it’s the nostalgia that drives me to that drive-up window, but it sure tastes good.”
John Scofield, Jazz Guitar Virtuoso, Katonah
“Unlike many of my peers in jazz and a small world of jazz snobs, I have a soft spot for some of the out-and-out pop music of my youth: Sam the Sham [‘Woolly Bully’], The Association [‘Along Comes Mary’], and Peter, Paul, and Mary [‘500 Miles.’]”
Harlan Jacobson, Film Critic and Program Head of Talk Cinema, Peekskill
“Like most critics, I usually sit in my darkened screening room enjoying the unvarying rotation of Citizen Kane, The Rules of the Game, Rashomon, Au Bout de Soufflé, and Modern Times, and when I’m not reading Roland Barthes on semiotics in the original French, I return to John Waters’s 1972 film Pink Flamingos for a fresh start.”
W. R. Tish, Founder of wineforall.com and Frequent Contributor to Westchester Magazine, Katonah
“On cold nights, I turn to Calvados, the wickedly aromatic apple brandy of France. When it comes to wine, my guilty pleasure is buying by the label—especially the wackier labels from Australia and California. And for food, I like to follow a diet that is rich in vitamins: Vitamin B [bacon], Vitamin C [chocolate], and Vitamin D [donuts].”
Rick Yamet, Art Dealer, Peekskill
“As an art dealer, I sell some very expensive works by well-known artists, but I’m loath to admit that I admire the art of both Dr. Seuss and Baselitz the Painting Chimpanzee!”
