Wanna Wanna Wednesday... My 35th Birthday Wish List

Happy Halloween, Lovely Friends!! The most exciting thing about the end of October/beginning of November is that my birthday is rapidly approaching! I cannot believe I am turning 35 years old this year! I still feel like a teenager most of the time... which I haven't determined yet if that's a good thing or a bad thing, to be quite honest! LOL

As is my usual custom, there are a couple of items I'd love to have for the big 3-5 this year, so today's Wanna Wanna Wednesday is very special as it contains my Top 5 Birthday Wish List!!!

              

Joe Brown's Fur Collar Coat  Years and years ago, I had a very similar coat that I scored from Tar-jay, and it's regrettably waay too big for me now. So the fact that I stumbled across this coat seems like the most delicious kismet. It's meant to be, I tells ya!! LOL

Tickets for "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" on November 13th  I've been wanting to see this movie for most of the year, and when it was announced that it was releasing a few short days after my birthday I knew that part of my birthday celebration will have to include me droolin... I mean watching Shah Rukh Khan in this film.

As an added bonus, I recently discovered that the Madame Tussaud's in Times Square has a Bollywood section (including an SRK wax statue), so perhaps I will make a night of it by going to see the film and then head over to Madame Tussaud's to see the statues up close! Add dinner at a great Indian restaurant to the agenda, and my night would be MADE!! LOL

ASOS CURVE Top With Wide Straps And Peplum I don't own a lot of white tops. There's a very specific reason for this... I'm a klutz. I'm older now, and with age comes a certain degree of grace (I'd like to think and don't you dare ruin this delusion for me!), so I think it's time I invest in a nice white top. You know, like a grown up who doesn't need a bib to wear white.

I.K. Jewelry Indian Necklace Set I've been a fan of I.K Jewelry's Ebay Shop since the summer, and when I could, I've purchased a couple of pairs of earrings from them. When I saw this necklace and jewelry set I knew that I needed to add it to my collection. I am very happy to share that this item is one from my list that is presently on its way to be from India!

Lots and Lots More Hindi Films It's not secret that I'm ga ga for Hindi cinema. So much so that my Hindi Cinema collection has grown from one film to around forty something (no jive!)... and I'm all about adding to the collection! I have a killer wish list on Amazon.com and every few weeks snag an item from the list to add! Above are just a few I really really want to get from the wish list!

DearCurves Multicolored Knee Length Skirt It's also not a secret that I'm wild about all things wax print, and I've been searching and searching for months for a lovely wax print skirt. The skirt is not in my present size, but if I keep the Get Healthy momentum going, I predict I could rock this by the spring!!

Yummm! Satisfying Soups: Low-Fat Seafood Gumbo

Happy Tuesday, all!! It's the last week in October, so I thought I would end my feature on satisfying soup recipes with a bang!!!

This delicious (albeit complicated-sounding) recipe has all the ingredients to make me go "Oooh!": Seafood, Spice and it's low-fat on top of it all!!! Score!!

Low-Fat Seafood Gumbo

Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Legasse, Food Network

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups clam juice
8 ounces fresh okra, tops trimmed and halved lengthwise
3 bay leaves
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
3 blue crabs, quartered, optional
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 dozen shucked oysters, liquid reserved
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 pound lump crabmeat
Serving suggestion: cooked white rice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put the flour on a baking sheet and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flour is a dark nut brown.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil with the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, pepper, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, crushing them through your fingers into the pot with their juices and cook for another 5 minutes. Gradually sift the browned flour in the pot until the vegetables are coated, cook for 2 minutes more. Slowly pour in the stock and clam juice, stirring constantly. Add the okra, bay leaves, lemon juice, salt, cayenne, thyme, and crabs. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the shrimp, oysters with their liquid, green onions and parsley; cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Add the lump crabmeat and season the gumbo, to taste. Serve with rice.

Music Therapy with Miss Moon

" This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind... let it be something good."
~ Author Unknown

" Love the moment, and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries."
~ Corita Kent

" Begin today. Declare outloud to the universe that you are willing to let go of struggle and eager to learn through joy."
~ Sarah Ban Breathnach


Eight weeks into my Creative Visualization Challenge, I am so very happy to share that I got a job!!! And a damn good job at that!! Whoo Hoo!!

Due to Hurricane Sandy hitting the east coast, my first day isn't until Wednesday (Yay! Halloween) but I am filled with an overwhelming sense of  excitement and happiness for my future. It's an amazing (and legal!) high to accomplish something you set out to do. I have two more goals to accomplish for the year, and I will do my best to ensure they are manifested as well!!

I'm feeling so fabulous right now, is there any other song that can best articulate these feelings than "Feelin' Good" by Nina Simone? I don't think so... so sing along with me!!



Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Breeze driftin' on by you know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feelin' good

Fish in the sea you know how I feel
River running free you know how I feel
Blossom on the tree you know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feelin' good

Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done
That's what I mean

And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me

Stars when you shine you know how I feel
Scent of the pine you know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me

And I'm feelin' good

A Little [BARENAKED LADIES] for a Saturday Night

Okay, it's Saturday night! So of course, I'm bringing you another song from one of my favorite male performers. And you're in luck, because this time there's five guys to groove to!!

This is one of those songs I heard in a store somewhere and had to find out who the artist was. And once I copped their album, I would play this song on a loop and sing along... LOUDLY. As a matter of fact, I am singing along as I type these words!! LOL

So I hope you all will join me in singing along to "It's All Been Done" by Barenaked Ladies!!