Buy experiences instead of things! Latest advice by the Journal of Consumer Psychology

Have a read at this extract from a Globe and Mail article further to some recent research published in The Journal of Consumer Psychology. The full article can be read at  www.theglobeandmail.com/.../money-can-buy-happiness-if-you-spend-it-right/article1787800/
 but in the meantime I cut an extract that offers a consistent message with what I hope to create for my clients: meaningful experiences that count on the happiness scale.
 

 

Here is the extract: "Buy experiences instead of things
Retail therapy is dealt a blow with this one. Studies show it’s better to buy something you can experience – a massage, a day on the ski hill, a trip to New York – rather than prop up your mood with a new dress.

Part of the reason is that experiences focus the mind and keep us rooted in the here and now. (“A wandering mind is an unhappy mind,” reads the paper.) A dress just doesn’t have the same power. If anything, it sends your mind off thinking about how it will transform you into someone better, which of course never happens.

Also, and more important, experiences give you sensory memories, even if it is just the strength of Sven’s hands on your sore glutes."

Perigord or Dordogne: The Frenchman's paradise in the Globe and Mail

I agree with this Globe and Mail article ( http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/explore-the-frenchmans-paradise/article1784589/ ) that Perigord feels like a Frenchman' paradise especially off season when the crowds of international tourists from the Summer have dwindled. The area is rich in history, the country side is lush with rolling hills and rivers, many quaint villages with medieval castles to explore, and of course the prehistoric caves to stay cool and travel back in time. Lots of accomodation options and great rich food. Spring and Fall are a great time to go as I do mind exploring little villages or Sarlat when the ratio of tourists to locals seems like 10 to 1. This is when we get into a France of the museums I do not like.  Last time I was in Dordogne was right after Christmas . If you are OK with colder (and rainy at times) weather  and more limited options of places to visit, you will experience a more authentic place, with markets catered to locals and long meals of rich food by the fireplace after some nice walks or explorations of chateaux.
The location of Dordogne/Périgord  makes it possible to enjoy a vacation of contrasts in the Southwest of France as you can easily hop to the Bordeaux wine region within 90 minutes and then head  south for 2 hours to the Basque coast for the beach, mountains, a touch of Spain and a life loving locals. You can arrive in Bordeaux and explore the area, tour Dordogne, and hop back on a train or plane from Biarritz or Pau after enjoying the Basque country. Yes the South West of France is a Frenchman's paradise of contrasts and good life.

Video podcast on Bordeaux wines and its region for armchair travel

I recommend the 32 minutes  of video podcast at http://podcast.lcbo.com/lcbo/learn/podcasts/discover/videos/12_wines_of_bordeaux.html developed by LCBO, the government-run organization overlooking the sale of wine in Ontario.

I found the video to give to a good overview of the various wine regions, the unique caracteristics of wine making  for each one. At the same time you catch some good glimpses of majestic Bordeaux, Médoc, Graves, Entre-Deux-Mers, St Emilion and the nearby Côtes, and Sauternes. You get a good sense of why the Bordeaux region holds the title of wine capital of the world  and what it does to retain the title. More importantly  one is left with a better understanding of the rich range of wine offerings. Bordeaux are wines of winemakers who value terroir.  A votre Santé!