My very own Personal Chef

From the moment I discovered the magic that is baking, I have started drooling over the Kitchen Aid stand mixers. I would imagine how much fluffier my cakes would be, how much faster I can whip up frostings and how easier it would be for me to knead my bread (special my pandesal which our friends here always request for). I have my mind set on having one and I even listed it on my Christmas wish list . However, after checking the prices on line, I was surprised. A kitchen aid model which costs around $250 in the US would be had here in Europe at around €450… what kind of conversion is that?!?

During Christmas season, honey kept on insisting that he’ll just buy me the Kitchen Aid but being the wise shopper that I’d like to think myself of, I told him to hold it off and I’ll do some more researching. After combing the internet far and wide and browsing through reviews upon reviews of stand mixers available in the European market, I have concluded that the better alternative for me is to get a Kenwood mixer. There are reviews that even go as far as saying that KAs available in Europe are not as good as those in the US, this I’m not sure of. I was so surprised when I learned that the specifications of a Kenwood mixer are much better than that of a KA and it’s cheaper. Apart from that, all the reviews for Kenwood have nothing but good things to say about the product, how durable and versatile it is. The only edge KA has over Kenwood is the variety of funky colours. I am more than convinced so I told honey I found the mixer that I really want.



Without much prodding, honey and I ordered the product online and last thursday, honey came home with a huge box in tow. We’ve finally got our very own Kenwood Chef Classic. I immediately popped in the DVD included on the package on the player and honey was amazed by the range of things this chef can do. We can buy additional attachments to even increase the range of what our chef can do in the kitchen, it’s simply amazing.

Of course I donned my apron and baking mittens during the weekend and had a little baking frenzy at my kitchen after all my chef and had some getting-to-know to do… For our first adventure together, we made some blueberry muffins and japanese cheesecake. I must say, I couldn't be any happier with its performance.

My Package of Joy

While vacationing in Manila, I was having second thoughts if I should buy the Twilight DVD from there. After having read witsandnuts’ post about how the Philippine-released DVD is wanting for a lot of features, I told myself that I’ll just wait for it to be released in Amsterdam. As difficult as it was to resist purchasing the DVD (which was seriously calling out to me while we were in the record shop), I managed to hold my ground and look the other way.

When we returned here, the first thing I did was check out the local record shops and to my dismay, the Twilight DVD is not yet available and I was told that it will be released sometime in June. I was about to kick myself when my colleague told me about the sale at Amazon. When I checked out the site, well what do you know? The Twilight DVD is already on sale. I was ecstatic. I immediately placed my order plus some books that I’ve been wanting to buy for a while now, which luckily enough were all on sale.



After three days of waiting, I was so thrilled to go home hoping that my anticipated parcel has arrived (or was left to our neighbours). The moment I stepped into the door, my eyes immediately spotted the white and orange slip, I knew the postman has come. I picked it up to see where the package is and immediately asked honey to go and get my parcel from our neighbour as indicated in the slip.



I have a big, wide grin as I welcomed honey back inside the house with the box in his arms. I was like a child opening a present on Christmas Eve. There it was my Twilight DVD, Nigella Lawson’s How to be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking, Complete Novels of Jane Austen and a children’s book entitled The very Hungry Caterpillar (for my little baby Bee). Oh, the simple joys of life. I have a lot of watching and reading to do.

Weee! We’ve got WII

Last Christmas, I created my very first wish list and although honey wanted to buy the things in the list I didn’t receive from anybody else, I told him not to because I’m really trying to limit myself to the things that we need and not overly indulge in the things that we want.

Over the weekend, one of our friends asked us to go with them while they try to look for the best sofa set to replace the one they currently have. Shopping, (window or otherwise) is a trip I couldn’t bring myself to decline so off we went. Right beside the furniture shop that our friends visited was our favourite electronics shop and saw that they have really great deals on offer. I tagged honey along and entered the shop marvelling at all the wonderful things on sale clenching my fist as I try to use every ounce of self control that I have to keep me from buying those items that I long to have. However, honey got the better of me, pointing out that he received a pleasant surprise from work last week and that there was a storewide offer, which includes one of the items in my wish list, he insisted that he wanted to buy me a present, who am I to argue, so I caved. There inside the Mediamarkt, we finally became owners of this marvellous WII sport pack.



I’m really enthused about this game, I read a lot of wonderful things about it and as I try to explore it, I can say that this will definitely be a part of me and honey’s bonding moment. We already started last Saturday night, we played tennis. Egads, my arms and shoulder were aching after four games with honey and everything was a tie. I also tried the WII fit board and the WII fit program yesterday and I must say that its really good.

If at first I have my doubts about this purchase, now I can truly say that it was a really great buy, this WII. We’re looking forward to fun times ahead.

Picture Perfect

One of the best gifts that I’ve received this Christmas, which also happens to be in my wish list as well, is a Canon EOS 450D. Actually, it so happens that this item is also in honey’s wish list, so on our December mensiversary (how cheesy, we still celebrate our mensiversary... haylaveet!), after honey took me on a lunch date, we went straight to the one of the chains of electronics shop here in the Netherlands and bought this camera, we agreed that this is one of his gifts to me this Christmas and also one of my gifts for him this Christmas. We call the camera “Marty” coz we bought it from a shop called Media Markt (pronounced as Mart).

So before I confuse the heck out of anyone reading this, since I’ve used Marty, I’ve been enjoying myself a lot while exploring his properties…. Simply amazing, I’ve never taken pictures as nice as the one I’ve taken on this camera. We took Marty for a test drive (or is it test shot?!?) when we went to Paris and to Disneyland and I have to say so myself, all the pictures were marvellous. Marty gives us more room for creativity and it turns any environment, not conducive for taking pictures even, simply dramatic.

Here are some of my favourite shots from Paris and Disneyland (honey has been my favorite subject hehe).





i love the black and white shots:





I’m sure this is just a beginning of a long and sweet love affair that I’ll have with Marty.

All I want for Christmas

It has been one busy holiday season in our home. Initially, I thought that I would have a relaxed Christmas eve since honey and I decided to accept the invitation of a good friend, Ate E, to spend Noche Buena with them together with rest of our friends from CFC. Then I thought wrong, I laboured the entire day making the fondant cake that I wanted to bring to the party. Oh well, it all turned out great so my efforts were not put to waste.


I made the fondant from scratch and moulded it to cover the cake. I also bought some snow man decors to top the cake with. Using my cookie cutters, I cut the fondant in heart and flower shapes to decorate the cake as well. I am so pleased with the outcome. It was so cute. I coloured the first tier of the cake (which is cappuccino flavoured cake) red and the top layer (chocolate cake) green, very Christmassy.


Oh and by the way, I was able to tick some items off my wish listand I’m waiting for the other items which are still in transit and hopefully, I’ll be able to tick the others as well. Thanks honey!

Then comes Christmas

(photo from Flickr)

As everyone keeps on saying, it’s that time of the year. The breeze is getting colder, homes are prettifying their trees, everyone is wrapping presents, people crowd the shopping malls (or in our case shopping streets) to grab those items in their list. I really love this season, I just feel that this time of the year people are nicer, warmer, more patient with one another, more loving. It’s nice to see people go out of their normal, busy lives to think of little tokens and give to other people. Tis the season when I see a lot more people becoming more generous to others, sans whatever economic conditions there may be.

Twenty four days to go before Christmas and I’m really excited to spend this season with family and friends (although, I’ll miss most of my family who’s not here to spend Christmas with us). I'm so looking forward to the busy holiday season and let me be the first to greet you all. Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Oh, BTW, I have never in my life created a wish list but this year, I have a couple of things in mind. I am wishing for a Canon EOS 450D, Kitchen Aid Mixer, a nice cake plate (you will be amazed at how difficult it is for me to find a decent cake plate, where I can serve the fruits on my labour on the dining table), Wilton’s 52 piece cake decorating set, WII Sport and DVD of great movies (like the entire collection of the James Bond films).

You can never say… a generous Santa might be around the corner waiting to make my wishes come true!