White Goods - old V's new

You'll be familiar with that big window of time a tradesperson gives you when they agree to make a 'house call'. The electrician gave me three hours. Much to my delight he rang to announce his imminent arrival within the first thirty minutes of this three hour window. My problem, an inoperable electric plug on the stove top. When I rang to book the service call the response to a request to service a stove that had an electrc plug was greeted with incredulity and derision. I am apparently housing a pre historic monster. Once the electrician took a look at this thing of great beauty from the past his approach changed to a level of reverence usually reserved for ancient relics. He extolled the virtues of the dear old girl, "so much better built, more reliable and easier to clean than her modern equivalent." Sadly the power point couldn't be fixed, but he assured me that the stove would go on until the rust beats it; a similar thing happened to an old car of mine (see "My Humble Mechanic" Image 19/10/06). Old toasters, fridges, hairdryers, electric jugs etc. do the same. Planned obsolescene is good for the manufacturer but not so good for the end user. Bring back those well designed electrical items of the past with their long living shelf lives.

A quick scout around the local appliance shops showed that nothing much had changed in the design of the electric hot plate and oven combination, but the construction just doesn't give the impression of being built like a brick......house.

Gas cookers......now they're a different story.

So what's my reliable 'old girl' going to cook tonight? ..
Lamb (backstrap) and aparagus stir fry, served with basmati rice. If you'd like the recipe just send me an email.

Guess what I found in the street today? A sweet young thing sipping coconut milk through a straw (see blog 20/6/10"Coconuts and music" an i 4 design).

Here she is

Coconuts and music

Musical moments

Looking for an enjoyable way to relax on a Sunday afternoon I joined the audience at the ABC 's Eugene Gossens Hall for a live broadcast by one of Australia's most distinguished pianists, Clemens Leske. In celebration of Chopin and Schumann's 200th anniversary he played Chopin's Scherzo No2 and Nocturne No3, plus Schumann's Davidsbundler Dances. For me,Chopin's Nocturne No3 was the winner for.
As the Eugene Gossens Hall is a camera free zone I had to take a quick pic before the concert started. Hence the grainy quality but it will give you an idea of the over-sized recording studio.

Coconut Milk - the new 'buzz' food
Forget a coffee or a glass of apple, carrot, beetroot and ginger juice with lunch. The latest craze is to drink the milk from a young coconut. Considered to be a drink and a 'meal in one' it helps to build up the immune system. At $2.50 a coconut, it's cheap medicine. I intended to photograph one today, but Wholefoods had sold out. It's kind of cute to see Sydneysider's dressed in business suits sitting sipping a coconut through a straw.
Coconut water (bottled by Nudie) is also making inroads.  Promoted as a natural alternative to vitamins, mineral water and sports drinks, it's available in four flavours. At $3.50 a bottle you could forego a second cup of coffee.

Where to for coffee?
What better place to have a cup of coffee after an elegant recital than under the Dome of the heritage listed Queen Victoria Building in George Street, Sydney