I love reading about people's favourite things.

You know those snippets in magazines where they ask celebrities their favourite beauty items?

And the back page of Sunday Life magazine where local celebs share favourite things from their homes and lives.

Good Weekend also has a regular feature with someone notable – usually in design – sharing their three favourite items.

I love having a sneak peek into the kinds of things people treasure, or just enjoy. Kind of like how your neighbours always come through your house when it's open for inspection. And you do it to theirs too.

Just call me a sticky beak.

But don't worry, I don't peek in your bathroom cabinet at parties, I promise! (…though I definitely remove anything embarrassing before I give my own parties…)

So, in the spirit of sharing, I thought I'd offer some of my favourite bits and pieces for show-and-tell too.

Foods

• Mr K's poached eggs on English muffins.
  

We're so often disappointed at cafes when the yolks come out practically set rather than creamy. So after spending a few weekends in the kitchen experimenting with different tools and techniques, Mr K mastered the art of the perfect poached egg. I honestly haven't had better in a cafe.

• Coffee

I'm extra spoiled when my eggs are accompanied by a flat white – not so much a favourite, as a necessity…

Look, it's a butterfly

• Bulla Gourmet Yoghurt with crumble muesli topping
  

These come in 3 flavours – passionfruit, blackberry and summer berries. I scoop out most of the fruit sauce before stirring it cos I don't like overly sweetened yoghurt. Mixed with the topping, it's just the perfect blend of crunchy and creamy.

At about $4 a pop it gets to be an expensive snack, and I really should just make my own, but I don't know what muesli to buy.

Yep, that's what stops me. How lazy can you get…?

• New Zealand Natural icecream in Chocolate Ecstasy
  

I do actually have favourite fruits and vegetables, in case you think I live on junk food. But who wants to see pictures of peas and carrots? Chocolate icecream is much sexier.

And this is a very decadent chocolate icecream. For me, melt factor is very important. This one goes almost mousse-like as it softens. Ecstasy indeed.

You won't find it at Coles. I can only find it at Woolworths.

House Stuff

Most of my favourites revolve around the house and home. To say I'm domestically inclined is pathetically understated.

I'm the kind of person who actually enjoys cleaning. Who finds hanging out the washing meditative.

Ironing? There's nothing so zen as a perfectly ironed shirt. Or as blissful as ironed pillowcases.

• White damask bedlinen

It was always my dream to have an all white bed in damask bedlinen.

All white, all cotton, 1000 thread count bedlinen just feels like pure, cool, clean luxury every single night. It's a dream come true.

I like to add a bit of interest with a few coloured throw pillows. Mr K gazed disapprovingly at these for a few minutes when I brought them over, but wisely didn't comment on me feminising the bedroom. He knows it could have been worse.

Like Laura Ashley florals, patterns and frills everywhere kind of worse.

He likes the more masculine version.

Nice, but a bit bland… don't you think? Or are you more of a purist, like Mr K?

• My A. Giannelli alabaster bust
  

You know those moments when you see something – a dress, a house, an african bust – and you know that, whatever it costs, it will be yours?

That's what happened to me when I was walking past a fine china shop in Little Bourke St many years ago, and saw this girl in the window. I was arrested mid-stride and knew at that moment that, whatever she cost, I had to have her.

Luckily for me she was only hundreds, not thousands, and within a few weeks she was mine.

She has the most beautiful face I've ever seen.

I never get tired of looking at her. She's so elegant and regal looking.

And there's something strong, almost defiant about her, which makes her even more beautiful.

Okay, enough.

Imagine if I had kids…

• My favourite mug
  

Yes, my favourite mug of the moment has blue elephants on it. From the regal to the ridiculous?

Oh… but look how cute they are!

I got this on one of my discount store browsing-for-no-reason visits. It was probably $2. Who ever thinks a cheap $2 mug will become their favourite?

I wish I'd bought more, but they're nowhere to be found now. Their cuteness made them sell out, I'm sure.

• Wusthof Trident knives
  

Once upon a time, long before it was fashionable, I wanted to be a chef. I worked in kitchens. I studied at William Angliss.

I decided I wanted a regular person's life instead.

But I learned one of the most important life lessons. The value of very good, very expensive knives. And, most importantly, the skills to use them.

When I see what most people cook with I wonder how they still have all ten digits intact. And how they don't loathe cooking with a passion.

Without Trident knives I'd never slice so much as a tomato.

I know there are other as good, and better, brands but I'm Wusthof loyal. Probably cos I grew up with them too.

***

Okay, so before I bore your socks off and ramble on even more than I have, I'll leave off here and post my favourite beauty products and other random stuff next time

xx Kiki

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