KMart Ice Cream Maker Review

So I was talking to my sister one day, and she mentioned that she was considering purchasing a KitchenAid as it was going on half price up in Zurich (so jealous). For those of you who aren't aware, the KitchenAid can costs close to $1000, and is one of the most AMAZING mixers ever.

 

All right, so truth be told, I've never had the chance to actually use one of these babies. But being the consumer-advertising sucker that I am, just seeing it on Martha Stewart when I was in Singapore, and just hearing about how it makes the perfect meringues just makes me go all weak at my knees.. (sighhhh)

So back to the main point, she began talking about how the different 'attachements' for the KitchenAid were likewise, going on a 50% sale. And she briefly mentioned an ice cream maker one, which was amounting to hundred-ish++ ( I can't remember the figure anymore) dollars. Whatever the amount was, I stopped her mid sentence and said,

 "wait, can't you buy ice cream makers for $20??"

I said this because I was quite certain I had seen KMart selling their ice cream makers for $20 one day. KMart has HEAPS of amazing fun kitchen devices that look amazingly appealing to children, and would make fantastic inexpensive gifts for (poor) friends.

For instance, last year, I bought a dutch pancake maker and donut maker as christmas gifts for friends back home in Singapore who either were the baking/cooking sort, or had kids (and hence, I knew would make most use out of them hopefully!) 




Unfortunately I haven't gotten a chance to ask them how it went, (seeing that the electric plug heads here and back home are different, they might not have actually used them yet.. Fei?)

But I have tasted a sample of the donut maker's goods before when a friend made them. Although they weren't exactly donuts, they were nice, soft, fluffy and pancake-like. (And seeing that there's hardly any oil, probably a healthy fun snack-activity for any kid).

Seeing that I am SO sold on KMart's series of cooking appliances, I went on to purchase the Ice Cream Maker to trial before passing it on or getting one for my sister!

Now believe me, knowing that some ice cream makers cost hundreds of dollars, I had my doubts on this guy. Plus, I could not, for the life of me, find a decent review of this product! (Hence decided to write one for all you out there contemplating the purchase of one)

 

For an in expensive $20, I  proudly brought home my new toy to trial!

Now in all honesty, because the ice cream maker does not have an actual electrical freezer component, do not expect to make and eat your ice cream on the same sitting. And and and... always make sure you have enough freezer space and planning before making ice cream! Unfortunately, this little baby isn't one you can just conveniently whip out and use, as you need to freeze the freezer bowl at least 24 hours prior. ( Hence the need for planning).

Key tip and reminder of using this device: KEEP EVERYTHING AS COLD AS POSSIBLE! This meant keeping the mixture cool before putting it in, freezing the bowls, not doing it in the hot blistering sun etc. 

The ice cream maker is a simple device, it basically churns your cream while it slowly freezes in a cold cold bowl.

A snapshot of my peanut butter and dark chocolate ice cream in the process! Yummmm (it turned out to be way too rich though)

One mega let down is the limited capacity of the device. Overloading it resulted in this big mess, and I had to stop the churning mid way as the ice cream began pushing up on the lid and I was afraid of spoiling the mixer in one day.

As you can see, we were alll prepared to eat it the ice cream once it had finished churning.. Unfortunately, this didn't really happen and we had more of a chocolate-sorbet-soft-serve type ice cream. (Which was still pretty awesome).

Although the cost of ingredients and effort kinda took up as much as one tub of 4L Coles ice cream on sale, the experience was still fun. AND, you get to pick your own flavours! (Like the peanut butter and nutella you see sitting at the edge of the counter!)

I would recommend this anyday if you had a big enough freezer, ate ice cream quite frequently, or my favourite, had kids with perhaps dietary needs and required lactose-free sugar-free everything-free ice cream. It's a fun event, and it feels better eating your own home made ice cream!

Singaporean Humour

With less that 5 days left of official school days, and with the looming deadline of my thesis, what better way to spend time then to....

Start watching stupid videos online right?

ClickNetwork is one of the sites which I frequent in order to get that dose of local humour and entertainment whilst I spend time here down under. Basically, ClickNetwork employs seemingly random locals and produce seemingly random videos of fairly frivolous natures to entertain. They've employed local bloggers such as Xiaxue and Qiuqiu, and even random NTU students to do episodes on fashion.

One of my favourites from ClickNetwork is Don Richmond (assumingly, Mark Richmond's bro - they even look similiar), who does the stupidest things on camera (in a scarily serious manner). The weekly 'Now You Know' videos serve to update me with news highlights which are deemed important by the team at ClickNetwork (fine by me, at lease I get to know something, as opposed to being completely clueless about news).

So I came across this spoof he did of Brad Pitt's Chanel No. 5 ad. Although it's not super fantastic, it still made me laugh!

Wishtrend Review!

I rarely write reviews about my purchases, online or not, namely because I always feel so guilty after any shopping splurge, I try and bury it and hide it within the depths of my memory as soon as I get the goods. But this time, I cannot bear to let something that works so well for me go unpublicised! 

Wishtrend is a korean online shop that specialises in bringing korean skin/hair/face products to the world. Although their website isn't the most appealing, and they do appear rather dodgy at first, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience with them. My closer friends will know that I stinge when it comes to buying stuff online (unless I know for sure it's something that I want and cannot get it in a physical store). Most of my online purchases occur on ebay, where I always indulge in $1-2 necklaces shipped from Hong Kong or China (I really really love ebay Australia, you can get so many more things as opposed to ebay.sg!)

Anyways, Wishtrend was something my sister and I came across when we got our July Bellaboxes when she was in Singapore (I had been sharing my bimbo experiences with her regarding product reviews and such from our local bloggers Xiaxue and Kaykay). Our boxes contained this AMAZING product called the 'Skinmiso Pore Pack'. Basically, it's an elaborate pore pack product (haha alliteration) that removes your black heads and refines your pores in 3 steps, as opposed to the 'quick and easy' one step Biore Porepack we all know.

It sounded unbelievable and dodge at first, but since I had the sample, I tried it, and

HOLY COW MY NOSE BECAME SO BLACKHEAD-LESS!!

I would love to post up tat-glam close up photos of my before and after strawberry nose, but decided against it because (1) no camera (2) don't wish to make you choke and gag in case you are eating. 

My lucky sister hasn't had the trouble bane of blackheads since her pregnancies (foetuses give you AMAZING hair, skin and nails apparently. They are the ultimate hair, skin and face product). So despite me raving about the product, she didn't have much reason to try it. I went to Wishtrend, determined to buy the product, but realised that it would cost about $30 for a set once you included shipping, and immediately retreated to my corner of stingy-ness. 

I soon pushed wishtrend into the deep recesses of my memory, feeling that the prices weren't great, and that they were out to sell a cheap korean product to me for much much more. It wasn't until 3 months later, that I had a HUGE urge to splurge (refer to post: Quarter Life Crisis) not too long ago. I revisited the numerous beauty product sites, which is something I normally do to 'window shop' (just look, no buy). AND THEN...

I found this awesome blogger/youtuber who provided a 'free shipping' discount code for Wishtrend (which amounts to $10). How could I resist right?? So after a lot a lot a lot of procrastination, debates with myself, getting approval from the boyfriend, I went for it and bought myself I bunch of stuff!

It all arrived individually bubble wrapped in the box, which made opening the box WAY WAY funner.

They also threw in heaps of free samples! I received two face masks and 2 sets of Klair's face product sachets (which I haven't been too impressed with, to be honest)






You can still see my scissors in the background which I used to rip the carton box open.

Retail therapy... Ahhhhh...


I seem to be getting more and more addicted to it the closer I get to graduating. It must be that anticipation that I will actually start getting a salary, which isn't too healthy for my pocket actually!

 

One of the products that has actually won me over is this: Skin & Lab Triple Action Essence.  You must be thinking: Skin & Lab?? Seriously? how grammatically wrong can that get?? IT makes NO SENSE. 

But seriously, the stuff smells awesome, and makes me think it works. (psychological effect is still an effect right? haha). As opposed to the Klair's face mist that seemed to give me a slight rash on my face.

So after that, I shared my experience with my sister to see if she would join me in indulging in online shopping (anyways, the free shipping code was to expire at the end of the month). Being a expecting mum and all, she hardly gets time to do frivolous things (conversations would probably mostly be around diapers, potty training, milestones and the works). So she decided she wouldn't buy anything at that point of time. Since she was due (is due) today (ETA: 15 Oct 2012), I decided to get her a little pre-new-baby present (to hide the dark circles that often come with receiving a new baby.

When finalising my purchase with wishtrend, I hit this unexpectedly annoying road block: 

PayPal does not allow Australian residents to ship purchases to Switzerland. 

WTH seriously!??? (This was around 12am in the library and I had spent about an hour deciding which combination of products were best for her) Eh I do research when I buy gifts ok. I e-mailed them and asked if Wishtrend could do anythign about it, and within an hour, this nice Korean person (in his slightly broken English) provided me with a solution and offered to arrange the appropriate shipping with my order despite the restrictions placed by PayPal! What a dear!

She received her products within the stipulated time (sometime last week) with of course, HEAPS OF SAMPLES. (Unfair, she got more samples than me!)

Obvious bias on my part as to which brand I recommend (The Klair's mask was a free gift)










And her free samples = many many many. ( I thought I got a bargain already!)











So brings my long wordy post on Wishtrend to an end! HAHA iPOET

As Delirium Sets In....

I begin to have random lines and statements pop up in my head and float about, as if I'm awake yet dreaming, or dreaming but yet awake. The semi-conscious state is quite interesting when sleep deprived. Motor coordination goes down, fingers type letters that are not what they are supposed to be

Thoughts so disordganised and random you'd think I were high

• I cannot believe I have 15 days left
• Feel like an abosluate bogan wearing thongs and jeans. Horrible horrible image
• Chugging red bull as I ironically, struggle to write my thesis on the effects of taurine (which is found in red bull)
• losing thoughts half way midsentence
• feeling a severe impairment in short term memory abilities as I write about short term memory, working memory, spacital memory whateer memory 
• slurring in my typed words
• cannot wait for tomorrow to end
•  

I Cut My Hair... Not!

It was a rare good hair day, and I decided to play with my hair in a moment of slight delirium. I took this photo intending to send this to Mark and scare him with a story that I had chopped my locks off, but couldn't keep a joke and just told him straight that I was playing with my hair.

As you can see, 4 years on and still proudly donning my favourite T-shirt. I'm still bummed that I cannot find my ultimate favourite red collagiate after graduating (I distinctly remember lending it to someone rather regretfully, knowing that it may not come back, I just can't remember who it was!). But I figured it probably is a fellow ACian as you'd know if an ACJC needing returning if you didn't go to the school right?

I feel SO ancient just thinking about junior college.. Gosh my sister's about to have her second baby for crying out loud! (That makes me a DOUBLE auntie!)