Japanese Wagyu Steak

Our recent dinner.

This is how meat eaters eat. 

The moral of the story is not to think about the cost and just eat. It’s after all once in a while.

Medium rare. Just look how jucy, tender, succulent and buttery the wagyu looks.

This is how Japanese wagyu, Australian Augus and a super large Australian grass fed steak started it’s life with us… 

The cost of all 3 steak was in Excel of RM1000. Just look at the size of the grass fed beef. Easily  filled up the whole plate and chunky. 

All were marinated the same way. Freshly grounded black peper, pink himalayan sea salt and garlic powder. 

It is then plastic wrapped and kept in the fridge to chill.

Simple recipe as we did not want to alter the beef taste. Just enhance the taste and bring it’s flavors out. 

Now the Cooking process begins over a smoking well oiled and seasoned Lodge cast iron.

Once the crust is obtained, the cooking is enhanced with butter, thyme, garlic cloves and fresh rosemary. With the exception of the grass fed beef. It was later placed in an oven to continue cooking at 200 degrees celsius  for 15 minutes, due to its thickness.

This is the final result. Japanese Wagyufollowed by the Australian Angus.

How beautiful the Wagyu looks and taste

Look, look, look at the gorgeous Australian grass bed beef. Bloody in the middle. Just nice.

Steamed 2 varities of corn. Seasoned with melted butter only. The purple one was the first time and last time we will but it. I think that says it all. The white one (although in the picture it looks yellow) was super sweet and we topped up more on the steamer.

The potatoes were simple enough to make. Peeled, boiled then roasted with garlic oil, butter and rosemary.

The potatoes were in high demand, only second to beef 

The wonderful meal was accompanied by nice scenery.

Ferris Wheel Press Brush Frountain Pen

Greetings. 

1 August 2021. It’s a rainy Sunday morning in Shah Alam. Weather is 26 degrees celsius at 8.18 am.

It’s such a beautiful day. This is my first blog typed using the IPad Pro 2021. Received 2 weeks ago, ordered online from Apple Singapore. Mainly to assist in my kids online classes.

I must say it is a dream to use. M1 prosessor is super fast. It is currently only aided by Baseus 6 in 1 hub. I still have lots of exploring to do.

Listening to Supergrass - Caught by the Fuzz, whilst penning this blog (on Bose SoundTouch 10 connected by bluetooth). 

I remember a time, many years ago when I was using iPhone 3GS. It had bluetooth but could not connect to anything practically. How Apple has progressed.

I am penning my to do list for grocery shopping on a recently acquired Ferris Wheel Press fountain pen, elegantly named Brush. It silhoutte resembles a painting brush.

I was eying this pen for sometime but kept delaying purchase as I had other priorities. 

Oh my. Soundgarden is playing The Day I Tried to Live. Takes my breath away listening. The track is also on Fear Street 1994. It’s on Netflix now. It’s a worthwhile trilogy to binge on.  

I lost concentration. Coming back to our current topic.

The pen was purchased from PenGallery. 

I was lucky. Purchased it under their clearence sale. They only had yellow. Not my preferred color but at that price, no complaints. Lucky me, it was also their last unit and now its completely sold out. Well, that’s if they ever do decide to restock in future.

The pen has been with me for about 3 weeks but I am only now taking it for a test drive. Flushed it out with clean water and inked it.

So what are my thoughts so far?

It’s a beautiful pen to look. Simple, elegant, minimalistic and functions well.

The brass nut serves as a stopper that prevents the pen from rolling.

It’s a small pocket pen, hence the absence of a clip. 

I do however find that a clip on a fountain pen, no matter how small the pen is, it’s still helpful. You can clip it to your shirt pocket, collar or anywhere else. The absence of a clip means that the pen is only confined to the pen sleeve in your shirt pocket (provided your shirt comes with one) or a pen pouch.  

I did notice that the cap squeaks when opening / closing its cap. I guess that brass cap rings will somoothen in due time and the sound will vanish.

The last unit was a fine nib. Well, so be it.

I found it not fully enjoyable and pelasant to use. A far cry from my Montblanc fine nib. But at that price, no complaints. Anyhow, just look at the nib and grip section. It’s such a beauty. This is the only pen that I own that grip has such lovely engraving.

My gripe is with the writing experience of the nib. At times it is scratchy and skipps. Oh! There are also times it stopped writing and I had to give it a jerk and tug to force flow ink to the nib.

It could be the paper. A4 80 gsm Double A. But none of my other pens have had this issue on the same paper.

So in conclusion, I will use it until the ink runs out then I will put it on rotation for future use.

I understand from checking Ferris Wheel Press website that they now have gold plated nibs at an additional USD$ 30. That might be a better option as their steel nib is not to my liking. And a check from forums, it’s a mixed review on their steel nibs.  

But the smooth sunburst yellow barrel gives me ideas for future projects. 

I could have it airbrushed as inspired by the picture belon taken from the net. Urushi Le Petit by Taiwan 3952. 

Now, wouldn’t that yellow look amazing after the makeover?

 

Truefitt & Hill shaving set

Always take pride in your self. Your self worth is what makes you, well you. Each of us are unique in our own way but that does not mean we need to slack off with our appearance and self esteem. 

The best investment you can make, is an investment in yourself… Warren Buffett.

There’s no excuse for looking like you have been hit by a weed whacker. 

Look good, feel great.

With that said, Truefitt & Hill is recognized by the Guinness Books of Records in April 2000 as the oldest barbershop in the world. Established in 1805, it is 216 years old. They have been in Malaysia I think more than 10 years.

I first remember steeping into their Bangsar outlet and remembering wow, it cost an arm and a leg to get a haircut and shave here. Their shaving products were uber gorgeous but you need to sell your kidneys to buy them. 

I always had their products at the back of my mind. One day I thought. 

I never took it too seriously. Then again, I always wanted a Montblanc pen but never really could justify it. Now,I have a few.  

Father Day 2021, I decided to pamper myself and splurge. I said what the heck, its an investment in myself, their products oozes exclusivity and its a heirloom that my son will inherit one day.

The products arrived a day after Father’s Day. I have paired it up with Brut eau de toilette (Original) and Old Spice aftershave. Classic combo if you ask me.You cannot get anything better than that. Unless you can add Tabac. That would make the combo simply irresistible!… Song by Peter Gabriel comes to mind. 

The Old Spice I inherited from my fate father. It was purchased from my sister residing in UK. She informed me that it was my father’s request as he wanted to use it. He adored the smell. I guess in his old age, the smell reminiscent back to his younger days. 

The package arrived so neatly packed. To be honest, I was rather impressed. Well you see, I have in the past ordered things online that cost much, much, much more. Some costing almost 5 figures RM. But they were no where packed as well as this. Some packaging were close but this packaging took the top spot.

Hence, even before opening the package I was impressed. Utterly excited.

The whole packaging was sealed with a tamper proof airtight plastic wrap.

Bubble wrapped nicely

To my amazement, I realized that they had included a free cap. It was indeed a pleasant and must appreciate surprise.I will definitely use it.   

They were also kind enough to provide me a small discount voucher. 

   Unleashed from the confinement of its packaging.

I choose the faux horn. Initially I was wondering why the faux horn shaving set caused so much? It was not even real horn. I thought maybe it could be due to animal activism and the company wants to be “politically correct” or something to that effect? But I realized that I had also purchased 2 combs made from horn. Actual horn. Not faux. I pondered then came to the realization that the combs would be kept in a dry place and the horn being a Natural material may get mounds, rot and even crack if exposed to frequent moisture, like your bathroom. The shaving set would be full time in the bathroom, hence the faux material. Talk about an epiphany. 

It’s breathtaking to look at. Stunning. Can you believe it this Edwardian Collection Fusion set cost RM1,890.

The shaving bone china mug RM330. I’m so glad especially on this purchase. Mine was the last unit.Navy blue is now sold out. Bonus was the shaving soap included. I did not see the soap being included in the package. 

The 2 genuine horn combs.The larger one cost me RM175 and the other RM145 (travel size). The smaller one is the size of my finger. Pretty small indeed. I have used both of them. Hands down the larger one is better.My hair is more smoother and manageable after using it.Better that the wooden combs I have.

Can you believe it the Gillette fusion only caused me RM40+ when I purchased it at time of release. It is a lot cheaper now. With rubber inserts allowing getter grip it has never fallen off my hands during shave. The Truefitt & Hill on the other hand feels like a lump of rock. Solid, sturdy. I have not shaved with it, so I do not know how the quality of shave will be. But I doubt it would be as good as the Gillette due to the mechanism of the Truefitt & Hill holding the razor does not have a moving motion mechanism.  

As you can see the Gillette fusion standard razor has a half moon design that allows its mechanism to rotate smoothly right and left allowing for a closer and smoother shave.

The old soap and bowl cost me a total of RM80. Organic hand made soap. Beautiful latex. Have not had the chance to try the Truefill& Hill soap yet. 

Badger hair brush. The right is synthetic bristles from Body Shop (RM68). Had not used the badger brush yet but they seem similar in texture. Only can tell once using it but a vast difference in price. 

Nothing beats the smell of Old Spice. Just a gorgeous breathtaking note. Top notes are Nutmeg, Star Anise, Aldehydes, Orange and Lemon; middle notes are Cinnamon, Carnation, Pimento, Geranium, Heliotrope and Jasmine; base notes are Benzoin, Musk, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Cedar and Ambergris. Can you say no to that? Such a complex smell. 

Overall I would say. Extremely pleased with my purchase. No regrets. 

Montblanc Bhoeme Je t’aime

I first caught on to this pen when Figboot introduced it on his YouTube channel 2 months ago, sometime in February 2021.

My jaw dropped as I did not know Montblanc made such intricately designed fountain pens.

I check out more videos by other YouTubers and pursued the internet to garner more knowledge and discovered that the Boheme has such a broad and extensive range. 

Some might say the mechanism is a pure gimmick, others might think it is cumbersome but all who had tried it agreed that for a Montblanc enthusiast, this pen is a must.

There is even a YouTube video of such a pen sent to a nib mister for up keeping and he was so impressed with it, he was on the lookout to purchase one.

And money is no object, you might even want to look for the Soulmakers 100 years 1906 limited edition Bhoeme fountain pen, released in 2006. Granite pattern resign, stainless steel cap with a dragged show cap logo and 43 facet floating snow cap diamond at the top.

https://youtu.be/7aj1VBjivbo

Hence, I kept this fountain pen at the back of my mind for future purchase.

On 29 April 2021, I was badly bitten by the Boheme bug when a renowned retailer offered a price that was too difficult for me to ignore. I called him to query, confirm on a mutually agreed price, made online payments within 15 minutes and that was that. The deal was done.

The pen arrived on 6 May 2021. 

First impression was... WHAT THE FxxK? You mean, I paid so much for this tiny piece the size of a Kaweco Sport!!!???

After the initial shock had subsided and I composed myself, I started to play with the mechanism. That was that, I was smitten.

The Heart Shape synthetic ruby color jewel, Je t’aime. It means love in French

Hold your horses. Where is the nib? Unlike the Pilot Vanishing Point. To make the nib magically appear, you will need to unwind the cap at the end of the barrel

Dual tone 14K gold nib

The end of the barrel uncaps to load the ink cartridge. Similar to loading the ammunition on a cannon

The rest of the bells and whistles

International warranty

Being a NOS (New Old Stock) from 2002 certain things was a tad tight but upon using it, it became silky smooth.

The pen did not write immediately after loading the Montblanc Le Petite Rose Burgandy ink cartridge. I was worried for a while but sitting at the back of my mind that this was an unused pen way back from 2002.

I remembered seeing one YouTube video on fountain pens that have difficulty writing and tried this method. I dipped into an inkwell for a few seconds to allow the nib and feed to get saturated with ink and then tried to write. I did but shopped after a few scribbles. I repeated the process a little longer this time. I wrote beautifully and as all Montblanc it preforms flawlessly until now.

My advise, get this pen. It has so much going for it.

This pen seized production in 2015, making it even more desirable.

More on the Montblanc Boheme range can be viewed on the blog below:

https://penstylo.blogspot.com/p/hr-display-block-margin-top-0_6.html

 

ASC Arco Bronze Celluloid

ASC (Armando Simoni Club) ASC was founded by Emmanuel Caltagirone.

The fountain pen collecting and craze by enthusiast in Europe did not go unnoticed and ASC was founded catering to Armando Simoni fans. The club gave birth to a publication meant to celebrate Italian fountain pens by creating a privileged group of collectors who deserves special attention and could have access to special pens which was not meant for the public and could not be purchased in stores.

The yearly clubs fees were rather high compared to other European Collectors Clubs but they justified the cost by the fact that they offered access to pens which could not be had otherwise.  

The first pen to be offered to club members was the OMAS extra Red Brick piston filler. The pens came in a limited run and numbered according to the members club enrollment number. Can you get more exclusive than that?

This pen is now highly sought after in the secondary market.

NOW coming to our current pen the ASC Gladiatore Medio Arco Bronze Celluliod.

It sure is a handful of a name for a pen. But is is most befitting. Elegant, eloquently designed and has a presence like no other pens. It is one of the rare pens that demands you to notice its presence. 

Why does this pen command an audience and make its presence felt? Well for one, the pen is made from celluliod. Celluliod due to its composition, is highly flammable, difficult and expensive to produce. The building blocks for celluliod are nitrocellulose, camphor, cotton, other agents and dye. The dye is used to produce the desired effect.

During its heyday, celluloid was used for photographic films, tennis balls, combs, guitar picks, dolls and much more.  

Initially sold under the OMAS brand as Arco Bronze Celluliod Paragon. The design remains relatively unchanged into its current evolution, ASC Gladiatore. 

OMAS (Officina Meccanica Armando Simoni) was founded in 1925 in Bologna, Italy by Armando Simoni. He was a visionary and far ahead of his peers in innovation and design creation. 

OMAS went into liquidation in 2016 and the remaining arco rods were purchased by ASC. Which explains why the design remained relatively unchanged. Well, if something is not broken, why fix it, right?

OMAS was revived in 2018 by its new owners Ancora.

Well this pen indeed has provident and a rich background of history.

The pen I purchased on 17 April 2021 has an added history as it was lost during transit in Memphis,  Tennessee on its way to Malaysia. I followed regularly with PenGallery on its status and even offered to write in to the courier company FedEx. Skipping a few heartbeats, the delay was worth it. I thank Mr. Lai for his relentless following up with the courier and grilling them.

You always remember a pen more when there is a story attached to it. 

The pen is utterly gorgeous. Breathtaking. Looks heavy but its actually very light. 

Without further ado. I present the Gladiatore

Gladiatore Medio Arco Bronze Celluliod 

The pen packaging looks like the pen has a floating effect. The scraps of arco celluloid provided is a nice touch

12 facets piston filler 

From this angle, you can faint looking at the pen

Closeup. No other pen looks like it

Even the side profile has a uniqueness to its arco design

The pen clip with the wheel is unique and fully functional. It is the smoothest clip I had ever used to fasten to my pocket. It literally glides into position

18K Gold nib. A dream to use and write effortlessly on the fist ink fill up