ITEM #49: BOOK – Lovers

I think this book might make a good gift for the cheapskate Valentine (and since this is after Valetine's day - a late gift too!).

I think my brother S and his then girlfriend K gave this to me for my 21st birthday so many years ago. Don’t worry, the pages haven’t rotted with old age… yet!

The book has a good collection of famous couples including Prince Rainer & Princess Grace, Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo, and Ellen Degeneres & Anne Heche.

Here’s a funny line from the words that go with Ellen and Anne:
“Anne’s taken a lot of flack for what she’s done, but in 25 or 30 years, when we’re still together and out of this business we can look back and laugh. Maybe it’s a horrible thing to say, but Anne and I both had the same reaction when Princess Di died, that she had just found the man of her dreams and then he died, and how could you go on living after that without that person? If Anne goes, I want to go, that’s how strongly I feel.”

It must be horrible being famous and having your words in print…

ITEM #48: BOOK – The Sound of Music by Maria Von Trapp

When I was really young and hadn’t started going to school I used to watch the Sound of Music every single day. Up until the puppet show. So, obviously, I absolutely love this movie.

It wasn’t until 1996 when my family and I went to Europe for a holiday that I realized that it was based on a true story. We were in Salzburg and we went on this Sound of Music tour. The guide kept saying things like “and this is where Maria went lived… this is where she… blah, blah, blah” and all I could think was “boy, it’s just a movie, there’s no need to get too excited”….

And then when I realized it was based on a true story I rushed back to Australia and bought this book (technically, I strolled upon it some years later at Dymocks in Sydney)…

So if you’ve always wondered if Maria and Captain von Trapp lived happily ever after, here’s your chance to find out! One thing I loved about this story was that Maria was FAT! At one stage she was heavily pregnant and people couldn’t even tell the difference… take this book to learn more!

ITEM #47: BOOKS – Quentin Tarantino screen plays

I bought these books circa 1996 when I was in high school. I used to love Tarantino. Partly because he used to work in a video store and that was my dream job (such high aspirations! But at least I wanted to work back then!). I even wrote an essay about how he was living the American dream. The dialogue in a lot of these are very good… stuff that you can easily miss when you watch the movies.

ITEM #46: PHOTO FRAME – 3 x wooden frames with Vietnamese embroideries

I bought these embroideries in Vietnam in 2001 and had them hanging near my dining table for a couple of years. The space has now been taken by one of J’s “artworks” [technically an old uni project, but still looks pretty interesting]. I found these in my wardrobe after a big clean up on the weekend. I’m trying to work out where to hang them, but the problem is that I don’t own a drill so can’t do this myself. Might be easier for them to find a new home (one with a drill).

ITEM #45: BOOKS – Learning Mandarin and Cantonese

I studied Mandarin at uni for about 2.5 years. Didn’t learn much (except I do know how to ask you if you smoke, and to reply that I don’t smoke) but I did meet my boyfriend J. Hopefully these books will bring you some luck in romance too!

ITEM #44: WATCH – DKNY with black leather strap

I tricked my boyfriend J into buying this for me in… maybe 2002? I went to Sydney and bought him an expensive el croquis book on Herzog and De Meuron (also know to me as her dog and the moron) in lieu of buying myself a much needed watch. He was very kind and returned the favour with this purchase.

The battery has died on this watch so now I use one of J’s old watches and a great digital given to me by my top friend Q (technically, I’ve swapped the one Q gave me 3 times, so I’m onto my fourth now).

ITEM #43: PHOTO FRAME – Red frame from Freedom

This photo frame is so well used that it sits proudly on my desk at home with the pictures that it came with still housed within. I have endeavoured, many times, to put my own pictures in it but have never managed to work out how to crop and resize at the same time. If only my boyfriend J would help me! Hopefully you are more technological savvy, or just have the perfect sized photos to cut up.

ITEM #42: BAG – large black Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday bag

I didn't update the blog yesterday because I left my usb stick at home... so I'll do two today.

I received this as a farewell gift in 2003 when I left my events job. I really loved this bag – so much so that at one stage I had two of them. It’s big and roomy… the only problem is that it has a black lining and I can’t stand a black lining. How can you find anything?

One side of the bag has Audrey is wearing a necklace and there are diamantes in her crown - it's a bit like a "spot the difference" game.

SOLD! ITEM #41: BOOK – Marie Claire Hair & Make Up

I won this book in 2000 when my boyfriend J bought me a pair of shoes from Nine West for my birthday. I entered a competition and won this book. You never guess by the amount of make up I wear, but I actually read this book from cover to cover and really know my make up theory. I’m terrible in practice though… hopefully this will be more helpful to you!

ITEM #40: KITCHENWARE – Chopsticks

My boyfriend J and I received these two pairs of chopsticks from a Ryokan in Kyoto in 2004. When you receive a gift from an accommodation venue it is a good indication that you’re paying too much!

You’ll notice that the red chopsticks are smaller than the black ones. That’s because the red ones are meant to be for a woman. Not sure if it’s because they’re supposed to have smaller hands or because they are more subservient than men… they do the same thing in Japan with a pair of tea cups.

These have never been used. Maybe because I always set the table and I don’t want J to think he has bigger hands than me.

SOLD! ITEM #39: BOOKS – Several by Jane Austen

Books include:

• Sense and Sensibility
• Pride and Prejudice
• Persuasion
• Emma
• Northanger Abbey
• Mansfield Park (not photographed)

Pride and Prejudice is my all time favourite book. It’s probably quite daggy to say this… but who can resist a book that starts “It is truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife”… To me, Darcy is one of the best characters I’ve ever read. Don’t let Chasers War On Everything stop you from loving Darcy.

The other books are enjoyable too… but Pride & Prejudice is still the best.

SOLD! ITEM #38: BOOK – Four Blondes by Candice Bushnell

From the author of Sex and the City… that’s all I had to know before I wanted to read this book.

The blurb says “with its uncensored observations of the mating rituals of Manhattan’s elite, Candice Bushnell’s Sex and the City created a sensation. Now, with Four Blondes, Bushnell triumphantly returns to the playgrounds of the beautiful and powerful – once again capturing the essence of our era, like no other writing…

So judging by this… she’s just resting on her reputation. But from memory, it was an enjoyable read – chick lit… nothing too mind enhancing or mind numbing.

This will be a good book to read before the Sex and the City movie comes out.

ITEM #37: VASE– Pottery vase from Malaysia

My boyfriend J’s Mum gave this to me and it has never housed flowers. It currently sits on our windowsill near our front door and in the kitchen.

This is the kind of thing that made me want to start this blog. It could be so much more well used and more loved in someone else’s home. If only I could find that home for it!

ITEM #36: BOOK – Raise high the roof beam, carpenters by J D Salinger

I bought this book after reading Catcher in the Rye, but I could never get into this one. It may have been a little too American for me. I’m not sure…

I have always had the intention of going back to read it, but after at least 10 years on the book shelf I think it might be time for someone else to try first!

J D Salinger is one of those authors that you could name drop into conversation (if that’s your thing) and he’s probably the reason that people started naming their little girls Zoe.

ITEM #35: KITCHEN ITEM – ice cube tray

My freeze comes with built in ice cube trays so I don’t really use this. My freezer is also so packed with food from my Mum as well as old bread that I can’t really fit it in now.

So many cookbooks suggest that you freeze things like lime juice, lemon juice, tomato paste, pesto etc in ice cube trays so that you can use them at a later date, but I always finish my pesto in record speed (on toast using the bread from the freezer!), I like to drink my fresh lime and lemon juice with water and I don’t make my own tomato paste. Someone also recently suggested freezing passionfruit (my favourite fruit) but, like pesto, that is for consumption straight away in my household!

SOLD! ITEM #34: BOOKS – Griffin & Sabine series by Nick Bantock

I bought these books slowly while I was still in high school. I really treasured these books and I leant these to lots of people telling them they must keen them in good condition (for you!).

The illustrations are beautiful and the way the book is written is really interesting. It’s like two people corresponding with each other in the old school way – snail mail! They send postcards and letters, and you actually can take the letters out of the envelope and experience it the way the character in the book would. It’s kind of like a love story, but not really.

The series has 5 books and there is another book by Nick Bantock (not as good) included as well.

This is a great set of books. I hope someone take this up because it’s great!

ITEM #33: BOOK – In the miso soup by Ryu Murakami

I bought this book from Kinoyuniya in Sydney in 2005 after looking for other books by another Murakami (the one who wrote Sputnik Sweetheart). My boyfriend J and I were really into Japanese literature at the time after our trip to Japan. I even paid $30 for this book – which I would never do nowadays.

This book is nothing like the other Murakami’s writing… who likes to name drop about other writers and musicians and things. There is much more blood, guts and nudity in this. I’ve since read another one of Ryu Murakami’s books (Piercing) and have decided that maybe I’m not cut out to be one of his fans.

If you’re going to Japan soon, it’s great to read this kind of stuff to get you in the mood.

Here’s the first paragraph on the inside jacket…
“It’s just before New Year.

Frank, an overweight American tourist, has hired Kenji to take him on a guided tour of Tokyo’s nightlife on three successive evenings. But Frank’s behaviour is so strange that Kenji beings to entertain a horrible suspicion: that his client may be in fact the killer currently terrorizing the city.”

SOLD! ITEM #32: BAG – Red Cellini handbag with compendium

I bought this bag on sale at David Jones in something like 2002. It is a really nice work bag and when I use it many people comment on it. My work attire isn’t really that professional, so I rarely use this bag. Actually, I like to use this when I go for job interviews because I can hide a magazine in the compendium while still looking professional! :-)

ITEM #31: KITCHENWARE– TEA POT

I really love this teapot but I rarely use it because it doesn’t have its own strainer and it’s only really good for one cup (and I am too greedy for just one cup).

My yoga instructor gave it to me in 2005 because I was drumming up so much business for her. It was like I was trying to be the top rung in a yoga recruiting pyramid scheme (visit www.coreyogastudios.com for class timetable… she really is the best yoga instructor I have ever been to. Anyone who meets her will love her).

I am slightly hesitant to give this teapot up – it looks quite nice on my bookcase at the moment. But I think someone who would use it could love it more than I do.

ITEM #30: ACCESSORIES – COIN PURSE

I bought this coin purse in 1996 when I was on schoolies.

When you move the purse from side to side you can sort of see the flower picture opening and closing.

If you are a smoker, this would be a good purse to store coins in the car (assuming you use the ash tray for ash). Also handy if you like to buy lots of stuff from vending machines, train tickets and other things were you need to collect coins.

SOLD! ITEM #29: BOOK – Are men necessary? When sexes collide by Maureen Dowd

I asked my boyfriend J to buy this for me for my birthday in 2006. I found this book a very entertaining read. I can’t quite remember if it was the content of the book, the writing style or because I was also watching the West Wing at the time and was enjoying all things American.

Here are some points I found interesting that I wrote down in my reading notes:

• It’s more a man’s world today than ever. Men can eat their cake in unlimited bakeries
• Women would move from playing with Barbie, to denouncing Barbie, to remaking themselves as Barbie
• Women demand equality, girls just want to have fun and ladies long to loll about
• Choosing between work and home is, in the end, a problem only for those who have a choice

ITEM #28: BAG: Green bag with bunny

My Mum gave this to me a couple of years ago. Her friend gave it to her but she thought it was ridiculous so she gave it to me. I absolutely love this bag, but unfortunately it only gets an airing one at year at Easter-time. And Easter is not that long.

Whenever I use this bag I like to stroke the terry toweling bunny. If I’m somewhere too serious for the bunny, I face the rabbit towards my body so other people can’t see it. But I still know he’s there.

I often wonder who decided to make this bag. Who were they thinking would buy it and use it? I think maybe the designer had you in mind! :-)

SOLD! ITEM #27: BOOK: Teach yourself world faiths

I finished reading this book in January 2006.

According to my reading notes different world faiths address the nature of existence. Taoism aims to retain in the mind as few analytic concepts as possible. Shinto celebrates the world rather than reject it as is it. Judaism followers feel that freedom and independence of thought are important aspects of life. Baha’ism believes that the main religions of the world share basic commonalities and as such we may regard all faiths as being an expression of the same divine spirit. Hinduism is more of a process of accretion and evolution…. What does all that mean?? Read the full book to find out more.

ITEM #26: PHOTO FRAME: Two way swinging photo frame

I think my now sister-in-law K gave me this for Christmas one year. The frame currently holds a picture of my boyfriend J in front of the Sydney Opera House (photo not included).

The good thing about this frame is that you can put two pictures in it. So if you two boyfriends (or girlfriends)… or maybe two kids… you could put one on each side and just display the favourite of the day.