Spa-tacular

The holiday season can be incredibly stressful. Add that to the daily pressures of work, home, family, and friends and you've perpetually stressed and snappy. Not a good combination.

I'm saving up for some spa treatments to decompress and get ready for the new year.

Here's what I have my eye on:

The Deep Sea Detox at Bliss: "This super wrap includes a firming oil massage, a marine seaweed body mask and a stimulating shower to simultaneously slim, promote lymph drainage, replenish minerals, relax, hydrate and leave you looking totally 'see'-worthy."

If you're looking for a cheaper option, The Elemis Exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow and the Hot Salt Scrub both look like good options.

Fabulous Facial: "This fab-for-all facial includes all the expertly performed facial essentials (cleansing, exfoliation and extractions), and is designed to be customized 'spa'- cifically for you with a variety of beauty-boosting upgrades. Fabulous indeed!"

Add a quickie mani and pedi and you're ready to usher the new year in! Pin It Now! Tweet

Winter Nails

I'm a huge believer that small acts of taking care of yourself can truly make you feel prettier and more put together. While I do like to leave my nails bare to refrain from using polishes too often, sometimes I love to use a night of pampering for an at-home manicure. It also makes for a great bonding activity during a girls night in!

In my opinion, it's far too expensive to have a plethora of nail polishes that you only ever use once in a while so I've bought three colors that I can use all fall and winter. Here they are:

-Essie Fishnet Stocking: perfect for day time during colder weather and also for parties and nights out
-Essie Wicked: The most beautiful rich color that really does go with all outfits
-Essie Eternal Optimist: This is a more conservative color that can be worn in a work environment or at a more formal event

These colors match well with my olive skin tone, but I have no doubt it would look good on everyone! Pin It Now! Tweet

Memento

I'm a sucker for little meaningful mementos.  For me, they have an immense ability to make transport you back to a certain time and place. As someone who tends to be a little nostalgic, they're perfect reminders of good times had and better times to come. I also read in Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project that having positive, happy reminders around the house is a great way to keep your spirits high.

To create your own little mementos, simply grab a napkin from a date, a family dinner, or even a hotel you've stayed at and place it in a frame. In order to make the end product look more professional, back the napkin with a plain card or letter paper. Wouldn't it be sweet to have dozens of these in the form of a gallery wall? Pin It Now! Tweet

Hurricane Sandy

{Photo from www.weather.com}

The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has been devastating. While Chicago was spared of the destruction, it is still difficult to hear about the families that have been displaced, the lives that have been lost, and the entire neighborhoods under water.

Now more than ever, we see the human spirit can be a glue that brings those from different backgrounds and areas together. If you haven't already done so, please make a donation and help those in need.



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Coming Up

It's a new week and a new start. I'm looking forward to enjoying the (somewhat) mild fall weather here in Chicago and being productive.

Here are the posts coming up on West of India(na):

~An adorable idea to save special mementos
~Five outfit ideas for Thanksgiving dinner
~Gift ideas for a hostess
~Must have make-up for holiday events
~Delicious quick and easy recipes for all of you to enjoy

Please leave me a comment if there's something else you would like to read about! Pin It Now! Tweet

Lunch In A Flash

As mentioned before, I have a penchant for quick and easy meals that are still healthy and pack nutrients. The last few days, I've been enjoying this quick meal for both lunch and dinner.

Ingredients:
1 box organic whole wheat couscous
Sausage of your choice {I used the vino formagio ones from Trader Joes}
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup spinach {feel free to use the cut, pre-washed version if you're short on time}
1 tsp salt
Trader Joes Hot Salsa
1.5 tbsp low fat Fage yogurt

Bake or pan fry one or two sausages of your choice. I chose to pan fry my sausages to save time, but either option works well. Once that's done, transfer it to a plate and keep covered. Bring half a cup of water to boil and add the couscous and spinach along with the salt. Each time I made this dish, I used a handful of couscous and it was more than enough. I also added some curry powder here, but feel free to add whatever you would like to give the couscous some added taste. Basil leaves, thyme, or even red pepper flakes are all good options. Wait until the water has dried up and quickly stir in the ingredients together. Transfer to your plate with the sausage and there you have it -- a quick, healthy, nutritious meal. It's delicious on its own, but I chose to mix it a little salsa with some Greek yogurt for some added zing.

Finally, you can always up the ante by adding freshly cut fruit as a dessert :)

*Please note that this is not a sponsored post

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Read

I've loved to read for as long as I can remember. I'm pretty sure I spent all of kindergarten reading books. It's a habit my mother inculcated in me, for which I am forever grateful. During college, the number of books I read dropped significantly, but recently, I've been trying to make more of an effort to read a book a week. While I'm pretty old school and love the feel and experience of reading an actual book, I must admit that the Kindle has made it so much more convenient!

Here are five books I highly recommend:

1. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway - this first person account of an Italian campaign during WW1 is gripping and powerful and truly moves you

2. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri - as the child of Indian immigrants myself, this book hits close to home and puts into words some of the most pure emotions

3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling - this right here is a girl after my own heart. Read this book -- you will not regret it. I promise you.

4. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin - I started this book thinking it would be a little silly but it adds a scientific perspective to happiness and gives you steps to achieve it yourself.

5. Honeymoon with my Brother by Frank Wisner - a book that will change your view on break ups. It's a must for any adult.

Reading doesn't have to be daunting. Start small and with a genre you like and read whenever you get a chance. Regardless of how long it takes you to finish a book - it's time well spent.

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