Current WIshlist

Looking at my past posts it seems like I have been blogging about food most of the time. Decided to mix things up and post up my newly updated wishlist. Most of these items have been on my wishlist for years.

Royal Doulton Signature Platinum Dinnerware - These are actually on sale right now but I can't decide if I should get them. Mainly because they have platinum rims and that means they can scratch, I can't put them in the dishwasher or the microwave and the cost a fortune. Was very close to just saying what-the-hey-I'm-a-dentist-I'm-buying-it but stepped into the Reject Shop today and realized a dinnerware set can be bought for the low low price of AUD15. Opinions, anyone?

On the subject of dinnerware, I have found my favourite kind of cutlery. Thing is, Reed & Barton is American and for the life of me I can't an online merchant that isn't in America that carries this brand.

The two designs are fairly similar but I think I have a slight preference towards the top one (Manor House) because it's heavier and I like heavy cutlery.

Kitchenaid Mixer - I really should have gotten one of these by now but somehow I haven't gotten round to it. The hand mixer that I have now is still alive and kicking and I guess it will always have a special place in my heart. My friends bought it for me for my 21st birthday and I think that is what kick started my love affair with baking. If I get a Kitchenaid I know my hand mixer will be demoted and I guess I feel sorry for it.

I feel the same way about my iBook. It's served me so well for so long it seems wrong to just walk out and buy a shiny new replacement.

Burberry Cashmere Scarf - Actually, I already have 2 of these. But as Ariel says in "The Little Mermaid", I want moreee. That song was all about discontent I'm not sure if Disney is sending the right message to generations of children!

Hermes Bearn Wallet - My dream wallet. Outrageously priced - I don't think I can ever bring myself to buy it. Plus, a wallet is such a high traffic item it is impossible to be careful with it.

A Red Bag - For most part, I am fairly happy with my current bag collection. There are only 2 missing items - a red bag and a white bag. I don't think I will ever be emotionally prepared to handle a pure white leather bag, so I think I shall aim for a red one first.

I like Epi Leather a lot. And in many ways I think that the Speedy is such a iconic bag it is a must have. In another way, it is so iconic everyone has it. Can't decide. Passy is probably a safer option. I think.

Tiffany Aria Earrings - Totally unnecessary and useless and easy to lose and overpriced and I want them!!!!!

My Dream Home - Was looking online at houses and saw this 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment for sale. I couldn't paint my dream house better than this. Walnut floor, french doors, white kitchen with an island... the lot. I can already imagine Milton in it. It is also well beyond what I could ever afford.


Some may call this post materialistic and shallow - which I guess it is. But for me, one should just look at these items and call it what they are - beautiful things that would be nice to have. Surely it is not wrong to dream?

No. 85 - Get A Chanel Bag

I've been coveting. For a long time. After 6 years I need not covet any longer!!!



A present from me to me for my 25th birthday. A huge thank you to my friend who graciously agreed to purchase it for me from Paris.

I was so excited I was told to calm down several times while I was unwrapping it.

:)

More Watermelon Carving

We had purchased a watermelon for this purpose a couple of weeks ago but just never got round to carving it. However, last night we dived into it.




I know for certain that every time I carve a watermelon in the future I will always remember my Benalla days.

My housemate went to the States last month and finally doled out the goodies to us.



I love Peanut Butter Cups. Not sure if it's because I can't get them here and thus the basis of its appeal or they really are amazingly awesome.

And Peanut Butter M&Ms.

Going to have to cherish this hoard.

Box Sets

Ever since forever, I had a thing for boxed sets.

Had always resolved to get the complete collection of Beatrix Potter stories and a couple of months back I got them.



Yes, I am unashamed of the fact that I love fiction written for 5 year olds.

French Manicure

I'm currently obsessed with my nails.

If I some day have the time and money, I'd like to get my nails manicured weekly. As it is, I get it done occasionally and do the rest myself.



I particularly like my nails french manicured. There's something about the white tips that I really like.

People have been asking me how I do dentistry with long nails. The truth is, it doesn't really affect me much at all. Once the gloves are on everything's pretty much the same.

Ohh, and see my palm? Notice how it has a straight line running across it instead of the traditional two arching lines? I wonder what it means in the world of palmistry...

Revisited

Music was a huge part of my life when I was growing up. I have plenty of memories in regards to my piano and violin lessons/ practice sessions.

I still remember hating scales. My mom made it more interesting by cutting bits of paper with the key written on them and making me draw them from a cup. Whatever I drew I had to play. Which makes no ridiculous sense now because at the end of it I still had to play every single scale anyway. But I guess it made things a little less mundane.

And I remember how I'd practice the pieces so that I could get a sticker for my hard work. Amazing what a sticker could do when I was 6.

Anyway, ever since I moved to Australia 7 years ago (has it really been almost 7 years??) I have let that part of me slip away. Not having a piano at home was probably the biggest issue. I kept putting it off, telling myself that I'd get one once I get a 'permanent' home.

However, my housemate went to Melbourne and came back with... a keyboard! An extremely exciting development. Played a few tunes and am pleased to say I still know how it works. And it made me realize I miss that part of me.

Now... time to learn the unofficial Bella's Lullaby from Twilight for fun. Always thought it was a simple and haunting melody and it's been stuck in my head for the past 3 months. Have to get it out.

Koko Black

Most of you will know that I have a great love for Koko Black chocolate. I've tried out many chocolate stores in Melbourne and at the end of the day I still think that this is the best.

One of my dreams is to one day wake up, open my front door and find a 64 piece Koko Black box sitting there. For me. Then I grew up and realized the likelihood of that happening is rather low. Being a self-sufficient person I have bought chocolates for myself, but not a 64 box. 16, yes. 32, yes. But not 64. I guess a tiny part of me is still hoping that some day it will happen.

Anyway, my housemate bought a box of 16 for me and my other housemate to share. Love free chocolate - especially Koko Black chocolate.



Yes, we do feel extremely lucky.

No. 89 - Get A Good Set Of Knives

After much careful thought and consideration I decided to buy a set of Wusthof knives. Love them to bits.



Everything is now cubed in high definition. Just makes cooking a whole new experience.

No. 46 - Get LV Luggage

I've always had a very extensive wish list. When I graduated I wrote down all the things I wanted to get and promptly started ticking them off one by one.

This item was ticked off quite early in the year - sometime in April if I recall correctly. A friend of mine was coming back from France and as a huge favour to me he brought this back for me.



I love it. It's just the right size for weekend trips - which as many of you know is as much as I can stand before getting antsy about wanting to go home and 'rest'. As most of you know I don't really love traveling - so much hassle and waiting and driving and sitting and inconvenience and stress etc. This however makes the packing part of it a little bit more enjoyable.

And at the end of the day that's why I love buying nice things. A good quality well crafted and designed item doesn't get old. Every time I use something nice it gives me pleasure. Like breathing in the smell of a leather bag, the soft feel of cashmere, the beauty of nice photographs, the experience of a huge screen, the sharpness of a good knife. Totally worth every cent.

Rattan Sticks

When I was first introduced to the concept of rattan diffusers, I was less than impressed.

"They look like well... sticks. Sticking out of a bottle. What's so great about that?"

However, I have since left that realm of thought and into the joys of fragrance without having to light anything. Because honestly - lighting a candle is hard work when one has to do it every day. Much easier to just open a bottle of essential oil, stick a few sticks of rattan into it and forget about it for the next 6 months - whilst having fragrance 24 hours a day.



Here's a picture of my side table in my room now. White lilies from the garden of my practice. Aren't they lovely?

My Day At Cacao

I love anything to do with baking that involves sugar. So much so my friend who is a pastry chef at Cacao in St Kilda invited me to spend half a day in the kitchen with him to have a look and see how a commercial kitchen runs and help make some things while I'm at it.

Unfortunately I didn't take many photos because I spent most of the time actually doing things as well as uh...sampling food. However, here are some of the things that I helped out with. Also did a little bit of danishes as well as quiches. Highly enjoyable.



My thoughts?

Well, I guess I have toyed with the idea of taking pastry a little more seriously than just baking 12 cupcakes in my little oven at home. But after this experience I have to say commercial pastry probably isn't really my cup of tea. It's all very well to have fun baking 12 cupcakes at home but when it comes to churning out huge numbers it gets a tad repetitive. Plus it's always a set menu - I can't wake up and decide no, I don't want to make danishes today.

Another thing that I really liked was the thought that I was making things that people would appreciate - the way every time I get my plate of food at restaurants I pause and look and exclaim how pretty it looks. Dentistry isn't as universally appreciated.

Anyway, there were 2 very interesting gadgets in the store that I really liked - really annoyed that I didn't take photos of them. One was a funnel for well...funneling. The special thing about it is that it has a stopper at the end that can be opened and closed at will - so you can just pour lots of liquid into the funnel and then funnel the contents into individual tarts or whatever you're working on without having to keep refilling it.

The second thing was an industrial pastry roller for nice even well layered puff pastry.

All in all - I'm really happy that I got this opportunity to do what I did. Got to taste lots of the product range too, which was great. Would love to do it again sometime.

Sleep Function

I've had my iBook for almost 7 years now. Yes, it's so old it's a iBook, rather than a MacBook.

One of the best things these computer people invented was the sleep mode. It has essentially meant that I only switch my computer off every... I don't know.... 2-3 months when it's running too slow. No exaggeration. What can I say - I like lift the lid and start surfing immediately - no waiting for the computer to boot business.

And no, it's not bad for the computer - if it was surely it would have conked out by now? These computers were built to last I say, and be abused.



Here's my trusty old friend, with its pulsating white light. I always like to think that it's its way of showing that it's snoring. Very very gently.

No. 48 - Get White Bedsheets

Have splurged on 1000-count sateen weave white egyptian cotton bedsheets and they are amazing. Am also pleased because now I have a full white load to do in the wash instead of having to keep waiting for more white stuff to be washed.



It's an upgrade from my previous 450 count sheets and the difference is significant.

Totally worth the money and would recommend everyone to buy the best bedsheets they can afford. After all, one spends 1/3 of one's life in bed.

Bedtime Reading

Every night before I go to bed I take a recipe book and decide what's the next thing I"m going to cook.



Sometimes I feel like there's too many things to try out and too little time. Actually, most of the time. And the fact that there's only 3 of us in the house - when I'm really in the mood there's not enough space in the fridge to accommodate my frenzy.

These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things...

A trip down to Melbourne these days is strictly business. Go down with a list, tick off everything and come back.

The only thing that I didn't manage to do was visit the bank. For some reason the the only branch that opens on Saturday mornings has closed down. Might have to switch to a bank that actually has a branch in Benalla to save me the trouble from now on.

Anyway, my housemate splurged on a portrait lense for her camera and we played with it for the rest of the night. Here are my spoils, photographed with her new toy.



Clockwise from top

1. Crystal shot glasses. I have grand plans for these - they'll very likely be featured heavily in the future.
2. A digital weighing scale, a new piping tip and a stacking mold.
3. Funnels. What for? Funneling, naturally.

Pretty satisfied.

Step One - Get A Thermometer

If one wants to temper chocolate, one should have a thermometer. Because accurate measurements are essential.



Alright. Part One done, will blog about part two - actually tempering chocolate.

No. 26 - Do Something Spontaneous

Was in Rutherglen and saw this in one of the shops. I usually take a long time to make up my mind when it comes to buying things but for this one, I pretty much made it up instantly. After all, one must be spontaneous once in a while.



I don't throw tantrums though. Instead, I mull over it for a few months and finally decide yes - I will get it.

No. 59 - Get A Le Creuset Pot

Le Creuset pots were 40% off and it was time to squander some hard-earned money on another frivolous item for the kitchen.



Immediately set to work on a chicken and mushroom risotto (7/50). Turned out great. Is it the pot or my fabulous cooking skills? I don't know.

No. 48 - Get White Towels

I've always loved the look of white towels but have always avoided them due to their high maintenance nature. However, after much hmm-ing and haw-ing I decided that as long as I committed myself to a white load of laundry a week and a plain one, all will be well. Also, there was a 30% sale on all towels in David Jones.



They're so white and fluffy and thick and heavy! Folded up, my previous towel is only about half the volume of this current set.

Happiness.