 THE season of giving is over, thank God, and January heralds a new extreme in self-indulgence. Treating yourself has become the latest trend to hit North Wales. And like any indulgent 20-something, I'm converted. Self-gifting, as presented by those impossibly fickle Manhattan marketing gurus, has become the by-product of a selfish society, flourishing bank balance and a sexy, consumer-driven lifestyle. It means that sales shopping is now sacrosanct (hoorah!), a hair appointment takes precedence over a pal's latest love crisis (unless they have some juicy gossip, that is) and one's eating requirements cannot be compromised (cheap burger bars are so last year). That's why I decided to have a post-pampering session at one of Chester's most exclusive restaurants, Pastarazzi. Formerly known as Paparazzi, this ultra chic ristorante used to be theplace to dine with fabulous friends and a table had to be reserved weeks in advance. Why? Well, it was The Ivy of the North West, the celebrity hang-out du jour. But most of all, it represented all that was elegant about Chester. Fast forward a few years and it seems to have become a victim of the city's growing leisure industry, long usurped by places like the Living Room, Ego and Zizzi. The result? A 7pm reservation? No problem. It's a pity because Pastarazzi seems to have it all. A gorgeous building, professional staff as well as a huge list of gorgeous dishes. The Victorian men who built the bank in which this restaurant is housed probably imagined they were recreating a Gothic mansion. Mullioned, stone-built and elegantly panelled, it's an architectural masterpiece, and the inside is stunning too. Don't ask me to describe every detail of the decor because I was too busy gabbing with my dining companion to notice much beyond the impossibly white table cloths and monochrome pictures. | 
