Written by Baz Luhrmann.

 I don't like the song, but I like the advice :)

Sigh.

Dear Life,
Whats a girl got to do to get some real romance around here?
Regards,
Natalie

So It Begins!

  I'm not of Arab descent, but its safe to say that middle eastern food is now a staple in my house. Its my favorite cuisine; there are always new things to try and for the most part is healthy. Now I'm the first to notice if we're out of cucumbers or bulgar, to the delight of my parents (not).

 After my first trip to Egypt I was curious enough to step out of my cooking boundaries and attempted to recreate the things I'd eaten there. Since then my kitchen has seen it all... the good, the bad and the ugly. I'm hooked- not a week goes by where I don't make a favorite dish or try something new.

  I've been eyeing these two amaaazing coffee table cookbooks (with beautiful photos!) for a couple of months but never thought I'd actually get them because they were so pricey. Two weeks ago, Borders Bookstore sent me coupons to buy anything in the store and get it 50% off. I went in and came right back out with these two beauties.... Merry Christmas to me! So I'm DETERMINED to somehow make each dish (!!!) and post my attempts along with the recipe. With the exception of any organ dishes ( I saw a recipe for lamb brains. No thank you.). I'm down but not that down. I will definitely need adventurous taste testers ... I think I've exhausted the good graces of my parents. It was probably the lentils and onion topped with yogurt that did them in. Anyway... Lets Begin!

 

 This is the first recipe I've made from Arabesque. It is simple, refreshing, and perfect to serve after a rich meal. I was serving a small amount of people so I halved the recipe. This serves 6.

Slada Bil Bortokal (Morrocan Orange Salad)

This is the most common Moroccan dessert.

 

•   6 large oranges
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water (sold at any middle eastern grocery)
• 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

 Peel the oranges, taking care to remove all the white skin. Cut into slices and arrange in circles on a serving plate. Sprinkle with orange blossom water. Just before serving, sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon.

UH. MAZE. ING.

 Went to see this tonight at the Angelus Temple/ Dreamcenter. Everytime I go, I feel like the message was written just for me, like I'm the only one in chapel listening. Blew me away, I came straight home and watched it again.



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The longer I live, the more I realize...

Why is it so much easier to think negatively than positively? Break it... time is too short  to be wasting thoughts and feelings in a fashion that wont further or enrich this life!

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7)

"... And be renewed in the spirit of your mind..." (Ephesians 4:23)

      “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
                                                          - Charles R. Swindoll


Seems like you got a pink kink in your think :)



Charlie

All I want for Christmas is you. 

R.I.P my sweet baby.

If I made a movie, this would be in it.

firework

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!”

-Jack Kerouac, "On The Road" 

Nejmia

Wow.

*If you would like to make a doantion toward Nejmia's college fund (started by eager youtube viewers!) email for more info at acquaintance@wholphindvd.com. Subject heading: "Nejmia."

**It is traditional of Yemeni men to carry with them a dagger with them always (she mentions taking away daggers from the boys at the Mosque) . Also, Hadith refers to reports of statements or actions of the Prophet Muhammad, or of his approval of something said or done in his presence. They are important in Islam for understanding the Qur'an  and Fiqh (Islamic Law). There are different Hadith in Sunni and Shi'a Islam.

Pop binge.

I feel like theres been a flurry (yes i just used that word) of pretty good pop songs on the radio. Thats such a relative satement, but considering that I've never been a big fan of  the Kiss FM sort of music, I have to say that lately I've been pretty into it. This one's my favorite... I adore the message and video. I didnt like the song the first couple of times I heard it but I've warmed up to it. If  you've already heard it, give it one more go and find something for yourself in the words.



These are just for kicks.

Its getting cold on this island.

Bloom

Brilliant.

 These were designed by 3rd year art student Serena Malyon using the Photoshop tilt-shift effect.

Favorite...I could walk right through this.

We're sleeping together.

 

Hafiz Quotes

"Hafiz was born in Shiraz in south-east Persia (modern Iran) in approximately 1320 A.D., twenty two years before the birth of Chaucer and a year before the death of Dante. He was named Shams-ud-din, which means 'Sun of Faith,' Mohammed. Later when he began to write poetry he selected Hafiz for his pen-name or 'takhallus'. 'Hafiz' is the title given to one who has learnt the whole of the Koran by heart and Hafiz claimed to have done this in fourteen different ways."

_____________________________

"Stay close to any sounds that make you glad you are alive."

"I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being."

"We have come into this exquisite world to experience ever and ever more deeply our divine courage, freedom and light!"

"One regret, dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed, is that I did not kiss you enough."

 "I should not make any promises right now, but I know if you pray, somewhere in this world - Something good will happen."

"This place where you are right now, God circled on a map for you."

"Love wants to reach out and manhandle us, break all our teacup talk of God."

It Felt Love

How

Did the rose

Ever open its heart

And give to this world

All its

Beauty?

It felt the encouragement of light

Against its

Being,

Otherwise,

We all remain

Too

Frightened.

Dig it.

Vintage country. And that shirt, Johnny.










  Willie Nelson wrote this one.

Um.

Is it only me? I neverrrrr have an answer for the person who asks me what my hobbies are. Never ever. All I know is that I like to do whatever appeals to me at the moment and  most of the time those things vary. But I've found that I really genuinely like reading about philosophy when I have nothing else better to do.

So tonight I've stumbled upon this beaut through the website allaboutphilosophy.org.... and thought I'd share :)

Materialism as a philosophy is held by those who maintain that existence is explainable solely in material terms, with no accounting of spirit or consciousness. Individuals who hold to this belief see the universe as a huge device held together by pieces of matter functioning in subjection to naturalistic laws. Since materialism denies all concepts of Special Creation, it relies on the Theory of Evolution to explain itself, making beliefs in materialism and evolution interdependent.

The first question this worldview should cause most of us to ask is, "If all that exists is matter only, where did the natural laws that govern it come from?" New scientific discoveries in the areas of biological complexity, cosmological design, quantum physics, and information theory bring these materialistic assumptions into doubt. A massive quantity of evidence demonstrates that the universe and its material aspects are connected by a network of energy, design and information. We now see much more than matter - we see the result of conscious creation.

Materialism, at its simpler level, involves the focus on material "things" as opposed to that which is spiritual or intellectual in nature. We live in a world surrounded by and composed of matter. It is natural, therefore, that we may become distracted from spiritual or intellectual pursuits by material possessions, but this is frequently where problems occur. We can become obsessed by a desire to obtain them, or simply frustrated by the need to maintain them.

The questions this attitude should cause us to ask are, "Are material things really more important than anything else? Is material success the highest goal? If things are all there are, what's life all about? Why am I here at all? If life is really just about materialism, why should I even try to live a moral life? What does it matter how I treat others or how I live, as long as I have what I want? Why does what I believe about the origin of life matter?"

In a court of criminal law, a conviction arrived at by any jury requires proof beyond a shadow of a doubt. Current theories of materialism appear to be clouded by shadows and doubts. We needn't conclude that it is necessary to take a completely opposite view. After all, as C.S. Lewis once said, "God … likes matter. He invented it." Consider, instead, how what you choose to believe affects how you live, for as Lewis also said, "different beliefs about the universe lead to different behavior." What we believe must either be true of false. Before settling on the position you choose, you owe it to yourself to keep seeking the truth about life, death and the universe.

Oh, Classic Lady.

I picked this, dare I say it, adorable blog name because a) you guessed it, my name is Natalie and b) I've been told I tend to surprise people (good thing or bad????), hence the "Would"...  very inarticulately I simply meant, expect the unexpected!  And this is all the more a perfect blog title because of my adoration of the style, grace, and talent that is Natalie Wood. I like to think that this blog is a good mix of the two; a little quirky and a little classic.

And now I leave you all with a little photo homage to gorgeous Natalie... I'm off to my date with my couch, Dr. Zhivago, and a glass of sangria. Ciao!