Every year when it hits November, I can't help but think about Christmas. This year, it is no different. The Christmas wreath is already on the door to welcome visitors as early as the first day of November.
I absolutely love Christmas. It is my favourite holiday of the year. The expression of love through the grand celebration with friends, showering your loved ones with gifts (mine include homemade goods), holidays and the most delectable of food (Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef, Fruitcakes, Candy Canes). This is definitely the season of joy and thanksgiving.
Then you dream of, ever since you were a child (sometimes aloud), what the most ultimate Christmas present would be for that year. Remembering that if you keep it realistic, it just might come true. Of course, the most ultimate gift for me (any year) would be a hotel of my own which I get to design from scratch. A close second would be a piece of land and a house that I get to design. The experience on both counts would be so delightful.
Then there are realistic gifts. Those that someone could easily buy which would charm me and I would definitely love. Take out your wallets, it is time to buy some affection from your special someone.
Bellocq Tea and Accessories. They are to die for, especially for an avid tea drinker. I adore the tea cannister, gold vial (gold dust to sprinkle on desserts or even in the tea), mate guord and bombilla from the accessories line.
Diptyque's Limited Edition Perfume Bottle by FX Balléry. It is a handmade crystal bottle that has it's own unique number. The bottle is sold with a concentrated version of one of diptych's signature scents - either Philosykos or L'Ombre dans l'Eau. It is sold with a black lacquer box, metal funnel and refill. I love the lines on the bottle as though they were the fumes enveloping it. Gorgeous.
simple, has a quiet charm and beautiful. First I must declare, I am not a watch collector. I only own two watches; a 20 year old Tag Heuer F1 rubber strap and a 15 year old Baume and Mercier Rivera. Both given to me by my dad, one to swim with, the other as an everyday watch. I have recently gone round declaring recently that if I were to acquire any watches, there is just room for maybe 3 more in my lifetime. 1 gold watch (at the moment, Patek Philippe Nautilus), maybe the Georg Jensen Vivianna and 1 leather strap watch ( this is it). It is simple, understated and a tat old-school. Very me.
The Agrarian Kitchen Experience as well as the Whole Hog Classes. Agrarian Kitchen is a fantastic experience for any foodie. Besides learning how to cook, you get to wear your gum boots into their farm to pick your fresh produce and eat your "practical" there. They grow their own vegetables as well as farm some "forgotten" animals. Imagine eying a little wessex saddleback piglet and thinking of all the nasty things you would like to do with it. The thought is enough to quicken my juice. Jokes aside. This is an experience of a lifetime for the "green" foodie. Their classes are almost fully booked right through to June 2011. Time to make travel plans to Tasmania and make a pit stop.
Royal Copenhagen Flora Danica Dinner Service. So why would I want porcelain and as you notice the price of the desirable gifts are supposed to get more and more expensive. How expensive can China be? Let's just say a plate could be as cheap as USD300 up to a few thousands for one of the rarer pieces. A quick history lesson.Flora Danica was commissioned by Crown Prince Frederik on behalf of king Christian VII of Denmark for creation at the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory. According to tradition the service was intended as a gift for the Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, an enthusiastic collector of porcelain.
The king chose to have Danish plants depicted on the porcelain service, thus making it an obvious choice. The 18th century was the age of enlightenment and sensitivity, and Europe's fascination with botany was growing. Porcelain had become a matter of royal prestige since the recipe for this 'white gold' had been rediscovered in Europe in the beginning of the century, and most European princes quickly founded their own porcelain manufactories.
Flora Danica was used for the first time on 29 January 1803. The occasion was nothing less than the birthday banquet for the king himself. Ever since this royal service has been used only on ceremonial occasions, among which were royal birthdays and weddings, visits by- foreign monarchs and banquets held for the opening of the High Court and the investiture of knights.
After the creation of the original service Flora Danica was not produced for a further 60 years. Then, in 1863, a new service was made as a wedding present from the Danish people to Princess Alexandra, daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark, on her marriage to the Prince of Wales, later king Edward VII. Queen Alexandra's Flora Danica service is now kept at Windsor Castle as part of Queen Elizabeth II's collection.
Of the 1,802 pieces of the original Flora Danica service delivered in 1803, 1,530 survive to the present day. Part of this service still graces the royal table of Queen Margrethe II on state occasions at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. Other pieces from this rare, old dinner service remain safely exhibited at Rosenborg Castle, now a museum, and Amalienborg Palace, the official residence of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
The king chose to have Danish plants depicted on the porcelain service, thus making it an obvious choice. The 18th century was the age of enlightenment and sensitivity, and Europe's fascination with botany was growing. Porcelain had become a matter of royal prestige since the recipe for this 'white gold' had been rediscovered in Europe in the beginning of the century, and most European princes quickly founded their own porcelain manufactories.
Flora Danica was used for the first time on 29 January 1803. The occasion was nothing less than the birthday banquet for the king himself. Ever since this royal service has been used only on ceremonial occasions, among which were royal birthdays and weddings, visits by- foreign monarchs and banquets held for the opening of the High Court and the investiture of knights.
After the creation of the original service Flora Danica was not produced for a further 60 years. Then, in 1863, a new service was made as a wedding present from the Danish people to Princess Alexandra, daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark, on her marriage to the Prince of Wales, later king Edward VII. Queen Alexandra's Flora Danica service is now kept at Windsor Castle as part of Queen Elizabeth II's collection.
Of the 1,802 pieces of the original Flora Danica service delivered in 1803, 1,530 survive to the present day. Part of this service still graces the royal table of Queen Margrethe II on state occasions at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. Other pieces from this rare, old dinner service remain safely exhibited at Rosenborg Castle, now a museum, and Amalienborg Palace, the official residence of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
The pieces are hard to come by and no private collector has ever collected the whole series as yet, with all the different floras, let alone a dinner service for a few people. I only ask for a teapot, tea cup and saucer with it's dessert plate. Happy Hunting.
Francesco Clemente's Artwork. This year, I have collected more art than my many years added together. I absolutely love Francesco Clemente's work. This one here is his portrait of the famous designer Gianfranco Ferre. (This is for sale) I love his watercolour portraits, then again seriously, I would love to own anything from him. No qualms about that. It would make a good piece to add to the collection.
2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S. I always loved the Porsche. It isn't as loud as a Ferrari or Lamborghini but it packs a punch and makes a really good drive. This version has 530bhp, 0-62mph at 3.3s. Top speed of 195mph. It comes exclusively with the 7 speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission which essentially is a double clutch gearbox. This ensures a smooth change of gears. I am a fond believer that if nothing goes quite wrong with the car or if finances permits, to keep it for as long as I can. That's what makes a Porsche so desirable. Its design is so easy to love even many years from now. Just like my Mini.
