It’s our November anniversary! 🙂 That’s one month from the end of the year and I remember how we started in Melbourne in February – one year from the start of the year. I wrote about How I Met Your Mother in Melbourne when we went to Australia for a trip earlier this year. I wanted to get her something to remind her of that.
I cooked her a kangaroo roast while staying at Citadines on Bourke, a serviced apartment that’s the second most expensive hotel we stayed in while we were there. The most expensive was Rydges on Swanston where we spent our second night there coz all the rooms were booked out – it was Formula One finals in Melbourne, and I didn’t know – the basic room cost AUD 680 per night (RM 2,100).
Anyway, we both cooked for each other this anniversary – I made Gordon Ramsey’s Pan Fried Duck with Parsnip Purée and Madeira Jus and she made a wonderful rosemary Chicken Maryland for me.
She said it was the best dish I’ve ever cooked, counting the Poached chicken breast with beetroot and nectarine purée so I probably need to replace that in Best of sixthseal.com. Haha!
I’ll write how I made the duck later. It was the most technical thing I’ve done to date…or according to my better half, the least technical, but the most delicious!
Anyway, back to Melbourne, she really liked a pine cone that we found on Phillip Island but unfortunately we couldn’t bring it back.
Pine cones are everywhere back when I was in university. I started this blog in April 2002, back when I was still studying in Melbourne. I know that Customs might give us a hard time if we attempted to bring it back (they’re quite strict on plants and eggs which can introduce blight into the country) so I said I’ll get her one next time…
…and so I did. 
I tried to tell her I didn’t get her anything and gave her a complimentary hair ring that was in the Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore room toiletries (quite a nice hotel). I don’t think she believed me though, coz I always say that each anniversary.
This is from the Pandora Christmas 2013 Collection. It’s a pine cone with red accents and I got it for her as an anniversary gift and also an ode to our first vacation together.
I got a bit OCD and wanted the heart to face inwards so I fiddled with her charm bracelet a bit. Heh. It really does tell our story together. I’m lucky to have her in my life and I’m glad that we’re together.
Happy anniversary to us in the month of MOREvember! 😀
The presentation of the food looks good! Happy Anniversary to both of you HB and YL! 🙂
Thanks Ken! 🙂
Oh ya, need to write about the duck dish – it was based on Gordon Ramsey’s dish!
Fixed the date yet? We are waiting… 😉
Haha! I hope it’ll be next year! 🙂
We’ll definitely let you know when it happens.
BLESS! being in love looks good on you (:
congrats to the pair of you. hopefully more anniversaries to celebrate (((:
ps. very sweet idea to cook for one another. i might just steal that idea!
Thanks for the kind comments! 🙂
Please do, I think it’s fun too cook for each other too! Here’s to your anniversary!
Happy Anniversary to both of you. More sweet journey ahead too 🙂
Thanks Andrew! 🙂
Likewise to you and yours!
I stayed during week days between 2010-2012 in Melbourne. I am mostly booked in Quest apartment. The apartment is spacious and most time I got two storeys unit. The daily rate is around $150. Maybe next time to come to Australia, you can consider Quest.
Yup, I know that apartment! 🙂
I usually stay at UniLodge in Swanston, nice huge apartment for a reasonable price (around AUD 220, depending on season) but this was Formula One time so we didn’t have much choice.
I used to study in Melbourne so I’m familiar with the places, had a YHA card to live at the AUD 50 per night guesthouse while snowboarding in Mt Buller too. That’s the cheapest accommodation, hands down, in Mt Buller itself e.g. you can ski right out the front door!
I thought you cooked the pinecone! Hehe!
Haha! I don’t know any good recipes for pine cone. 😉
Congrats! Good looking food there !
Thanks mate! 🙂
That’s a very nice and meaningful bracelet! Each and every Pandora charm you bought has a story/meaning behind it. So sweet…..
Thanks Mel! 🙂
Yeah, it’s basically our story in a bracelet!
Dear, less technical but is beautifully cooked and plated. Most important is so delicious that I want to have your portion too..hehe
Thanks for the awesome dinner and keeping our ritual. It’s our story but you choose to design it to mark down our milestone. **Hugs** <3
Thanks dear! 🙂
I’m glad you like the Gordon Ramsey duck! It is quite good with the cranberry, tomatillo and chutney wine reduction.
I’m lucky to have you dear, always. <3
The pine cone is really pretty 😀
Here’s to many more months of happiness!
Yup, we found that in Phillip Island! 🙂
Thanks Mela! Likewise to you and yours!
That’s a really meaningful bracelet! <3
Thanks Charmaine! 🙂
It’s our story that I designed for her charm bracelet!
Whenever I feel miserable, I come to your blog and always cheered up in an instant. There’s so much love here. 😀 *waves to Ling* you’re one lucky gal. 😀
Thanks Eli! 🙂
Keep your head up, hope things go better for you soon. Stay well and all the best!
I didn’t know that we are not allowed to even bring home dried pine cones!! I collected so many from the parks outside the Kyoto’s Imperial Palace and brought them home, just like that.
Oh you’re not supposed to bring plants and even egg-containing stuff into Australia! 🙂
I think they might be more forgiving coming out, but generally they’re quite strict about things like this. I once had a parcel returned coz Australia Post found a pine cone inside. They don’t ship stuff like that.
I just reckoned Customs would be as strict too, they’re an island (albeit a huge one) and they can’t afford to have biodiversity disturbed and they already have that mindset, no matter incoming or outbound.
Very sweet… Love the food you both cooked
Thanks! 🙂
It was fun to cook for each other too!
Sorry for not visiting your blog for some time. Been busy with the little one.
I remember vividly that FB update where my ‘kusmangat mak oi’ was thrown in.. lol. Happy November Anniversary and more to come 🙂
No worries! 🙂
I know he’s been sick, hope he gets better soon!
Haha! Yeah, I remember that well too. Thanks for all the well wishes!