Quote of the Week (month, year....I'm a slacker)

You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
Azalea Plath to her daughter, Sylvia

Indian Food Cooking Class

Clockwise from top: Kerala Shrimp Curry, Basmati Rice, Spring Vegetable Curry, Coconut Green Beans, Red Lentil Dahl, and Carrot Halva. Oh, and there's some beer.

See this shrimp curry? I made it. #BOOM #DONTACTLIKEYOURENOTIMPRESSED

My sister drinks beer now.

My mom, me, and my sister. We're actually really cute when we aren't making these faces.

See?

My Mom, sister, and I took a class on cooking with Indian spices at the Natural Gourmet Institute last night. I made Indian food (with the help of my family and several instructors) and it was delicious.

Book Review: Henry's Demons

I can't help it. I like reading books about mental illnesses, and this was a really good one!
Henry's Demons is a true story written from several perspectives: Henry (a young adult diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 18), his mother, and his father. We hear the experience from the first onset of Henry's illness, to the family's struggle with the British mental health care system, and then to recovery.

This story would be interesting even if it was fictional, but the incredible thing about it is that it is completely nonfiction and portrays a struggle that so many families around the world have to deal with. Many families know nothing about mental illness until it emerges in their own lives. I don't want to ruin the story for you so I won't go into great detail, but to hear the story from the different perspectives makes it feel very real.

My favorite narrator in the story is Henry. It was extremely interesting to hear his inner thought processes as he recalls his behavior. Many of the things he did while experiencing delusions and hallucinations were extremely dangerous and could have cost him his life, but in his mind at the time his actions were normal and practical. It is truly a miracle that he survived to tell his story.

I know I am a social worker and maybe my interests are be a little different from most. Actually, it was one of my professors who recommended this book to me. However, this book was not written as a text book. It's written as a readable story that anyone could enjoy and become immersed in. I could not put this book down, and I don't think you'll be able to, either!

Quote of the Week (month, year....I'm a slacker)

Little cosmic girl, isn't it a big world?
Say, don't you worry about the little things,
don't let the daylight rob your dreams.
Little cosmic girl, isn't it a wild world?
There is love and there is sadness,
there are miracles and madness.
And we may never understand,
no, we may never understand.

"Little Cosmic Girl" Brett Dennen

New Girl

I'm excited! Anyone know when it's supposed to start?

Tumblr Treats.

My goodness, there are just so many lovable things on tumblr lately! To see all of my favorites, you're just going to have to go right to my tumblr. I'll give you a preview here, of course.

I think I'm going through a nook phase. I've collected lots of nook pictures.


If you were waiting for a sign, this is it.


From Sleepy Hollow, one of my favorite movies.


I don't really go to the movies, but I am dying to see Midnight in Paris. I think Marion Cotillard is stunning.


...and of course we all know I love JGL


Lastly, I'm hungry.

Clicking the images will take you to the source.

Recipe: Gwenyth's Dip

Do you guys read Matchbook Magazine?
It's quickly become a new favorite, because they have a little bit everything, and everything in it is cute. I really enjoy flipping through the (digital) pages and looking at all of the beautiful pictures.

One thing that caught my eye in this most recent June issue is the piece on Gwenyth Paltrow's new cookbook, where she shares recipes that her dad used to make. This dip is one of them. I love Gwenyth, I love dips, and I was able to get all of the ingredients at the local supermarket. It was really a nobrainer to put together.

I used to not-so-secretly attempt to mimic the style of Margot Tenenbaum. It didn't work out so well- I could never get my hair to look like that and I didn't have a floor length fur coat and I didn't smoke cigarettes (still don't, FYI). Mostly I just wore a lot of eyeliner. Making this dip is the closest I will ever be to becoming the next Gwenyth Paltrow.

If you click on the picture of the avocados it will take you to the recipe, but here it is if you're lazy:

1 cup vegenaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
2 finely chopped scallions
pinch of coarse salt
few grinds of coarse black pepper
1 garlic clove minced or put through a press
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped capers

stir it all together. eat with carrots, crackers, on a sandwich, however you want!