Location, Location, Location

No, I didn't win it. The day/night lounge set. The one thing I wanted, I was craving for, lusting after. It slipped out of my hands because I WASN'T there in person at the auction last night. Even with my increased bid, it didn't help. I lost out by a mere $10, one incremental bid. If I had been there, there would have been a bidding war for sure, for sure! I had the mild blues when I found out - lost out by one bid. So now I am on a mission, I need to get a day/night lounger!! Or a full set with 2 armchairs, if possible.



So I've set my eyes on something else now. Talk about moving on. And onto bigger and better things. This apartment which we have viewed a couple of months ago, and shelved onto the back burner then, is back on the top of the List. It is under serious reconsideration now and we shall do a second inspection this weekend.

It has location, location, location. And interesting architecture. Quality finishings help give the apartment a sharp, polished look. And oh, did I mention location?

I Want, I Want

I caved in. I succumbed. I need this 60s Day/Night Sofa bed. No, I want this.

Well technically not this orange one, but in the same style except with off-white covers with black and brown flecks in it. I didn't even realise that the sofa opens up into a bed, although it did say "day/night" on the label. The one I want is even better as it comes in a complete lounge set with 2 armchairs as well. The fact that it opens into a sofa bed like that make it even more fabulous, and increases my "want" meter for it. I now regret that I've not put in a higher absentee bid for it in tomorrow's Design Auction.

Should I ring up the auction house and increase my bid? Or should I just cross my fingers and hope...

Back To The Orange

Last night I recalled my first winter in Sydney, where I faithfully shopped at Paddy's Market every Sunday, buying copious amount of whatever fruit that was on sale that weekend.

Very often it was oranges in the fall and winter time. I ended up baking a lot of orange cake, which was really moist and delicious and well-received in the office. With autumn just round the corner, the crisp air reminded me of that orange cake.

Today at teatime, a colleague asked if any more baked goodies were forthcoming from my oven. Flattery would get you everywhere, and so it was decided that an orange cake would fulfil that request. After a long lapse, the results turned out a little different - less moist, less sweet, less buttery. On the positive side, perhaps healthier?

But on the whole, still tasty, I'm sure the folks at work won't be complaining tomorrow.

A Meal For Two - VD

In partnership, G and I whipped up our V-Day dinner with no fuss. We had pan-fried salmon, topped with crushed wasabi green peas, laid on top of a bed of Chinese greens tossed in soy sauce and sesame oil.
Dessert was a yummy dark chocolate ganache tart from the Swiss Bakery downstairs.

Dinner for two: $25. First VD dinner cooked together: priceless.

A Rose By Any Other Name

Finally. A great macaron. This came all the way directly from France, across the miles to Singapore first, and then from Singapore to Sydney.

A dear, sweet Singaporean colleague had brought this all the way back from his recent holiday. When he had asked before he left on vacation, what I would like from France, I had replied, "Go to Pierre Herme, and eat a wonderful macaron for me." He went one better. Although he did not make it to Pierre Hermes, he went to a shop which made these delicious rose macarons which they are known for, and bought some back for me.

Thank you, JK. They made my day.

CNY Reunion Dinner

Every trip back home involves food. Lots of food.

Especially so during the Lunar New Year period, which involves putting any sort of diet on hold, pigging out on New Year goodies like pineapple tarts and bak-kwa (the 2 most sinful and fattening snacks ever known to man) and attempting to eat your way into good luck for the year, by way of yu sheng, the raw fish salad with loads of auspicious trimmings thrown into the dish, for good measure (and good fortune).

For reunion dinner, mum made sure that everyone's favourite dish was represented on the table. There was deep fried prawns for sister no.2, and pork chop for sister no.3. I had requested for my egg rolls with minced meat, a childhood favourite.

For a balanced meal, mum also served stir-fried green veggies with sliced abalone and lotus root and pork rib soup.

Traditional first day of Chinese New Year dessert was a sweet clear soup with healthy stuff like white fungus/Jew's ear, red dates, gingko nuts, sweet potatoes and dried longans.

Eating well is a sign of prosperity, the Chinese believe. With this great start, I'm sure we will be having a bountiful Year of the Golden Rat - with an abundance of good health, peace, love and joy all round.

Nostalgia

A sense of nostalgia filled me as I read the Alumni magazine detailing the move of my old Law School to its new campus, at the "other" end of the Botanic Gardens. A nice, green and leafy environment, with its old buildings - some black and white colonial-style, some 1970s type, with a lot of history and character behind these grand old dames.

So this trip back home, I decided to take a walk down nostalgia lane with a couple of old school mates.

The manicured quadrangle with the goal posts reminded me of inter-year games that I've never taken part in.

The long, cool corridors reminded me of the slow, humid afternoons perched on the parapet, with the book I've never read.

The lush, green trees reminded me of the discussions with tutorial mates over the latest tort or property cases, that I've never argued over.

It's strange what nostalgia does to you, even when you had never lived your past in that time or place...