home.

Yup, touched down in LA about 4 hours ago. Back to reality. Time to recollect myself, catch up on sleep, and pick up where I left off. Need to get back on track, too, in terms of working out...4 mile runs around the loop, morning Sunday hikes at Crystal Cove, and walk my dogs twice a day.

On a happier note, no more mosquitoes and humidity!!!! For some reason, just this week, I got 6 hideous mosquito bites on my face. I don't understand why they like my nose so much. Oh well. It felt nice to take a deep breath of the air when I stepped out of the airport. Yes, LA is polluted too, but it certainly is not as bad as Taipei. Ahh, the weather is amazing! I just need to open my window and can enjoy the ocean breeze =)

au revoir taipei!

I had waaaay too much FUN in Taipei (and other travels in Taiwan) this semester. This semester has been an amazing, enlightening, growing, crazy experience. Many memories I will never ever forget. Sounds cliche, yes, but I am so glad I chose to come here to study abroad. I made great friends from all over the globe, ate plenty of goooood food, spent valuable time with my family, improved my Chinese speaking skills (my pronunciation especially), and of course learned a lot about myself. These past four months have undoubtedly been the best four months of my life!

To all my friends and family who have been keeping in touch with me via this blog, thank you for taking the time to do so, I know you get giddy when you receive a newsletter from me :) Most importantly, I thank my parents for particularly letting me to come here. I've never been away from home for this long and thousands of thousands miles away. And thanks to all the other readers who stumbled across my blog...hope this blog helped you somewhat in whatever you were searching for!

From this experience, I truly feel like a changed person. Sounds corny, yes? Haha, but I honestly do! Now I know the feeling of Taiwan's tourism motto "Taiwan touch your heart." I can't wait to be back.

And, as this post is posted to my blog [I am writing for future] at 6:40pm, my plane is preparing for takeoff, and I will be on my way home. See ya later, Taiwan!!!

life is all about FUN :)

Memories. This semester I.....lost 2.5 toenails. Caught at least four food bugs. Death by fried mozzarella sticks, fried onions, french fries, and fried lemon chicken strips at 3am. Went to the gym at 6am everyday for an entire week. Snorkeled for the first time ever, and loved it. Saw the sun rise and went to sleep at 8am after a few crazy adventures on one Friday night. Bought waaaaay too many clothes (ex. 8 dresses, 5 pairs of shoes). Started to eat pork again. Almost got hit by cars and mopeds too many times to count. Death by heels and cig smell four nights in a row during 2nd to last week. Spent a worthy 85NT on one little macaron at a Japanese/French bakery inside posh Bellavita (new, expensive mall). Ran in the rain by the river--though, it felt incredibly invigorating. Met up with two food bloggers, to eat of course. Ruined two pairs of nice leather shoes...one of which I am forced to throw away *sad face*. Slept a mere 2 hours and still went to the gym at 6am one day. Spontaneity at its best--last night in TAIPEI was going to be lounge bar hopping, we ended up first at Organo, then Bar Code, slummy Babe18 [had an awkward encounter with 2 nieces], KTV allllll in one night--then home at 6:30am......


Yes, quite a fun, crazy roller coaster ride, this semester. Taiwan touched my heart, for sure. Taipei summer 2011 can't come fast enough!

it's a bittersweet symphony, this life.

Thursday today already. I have 26 hours left in Taiwan. 

All morning I have been walking around looking like a zombie. I had a mere 1.5 hours of sleep. Went out last night...came back and went straight to the rooftop to watch the sky awaken. It's so peaceful up there. The birds chirping and all. J, W, and I talked about the future. Taiwan is definitely in the plans for all of us after graduation. But who knows what will happen one year down the road. Though, I am set on moving here for a year or two after graduation.

Honestly, I'm not that excited to go home, but I am trying to be optimistic. I mean I do have  gorgeous beaches and snorkeling to look forward to in a couple days ...and apparently sea turtles!! Sighh. Just one more year, and I will be back.

remember the time

I haven't been keeping track of the dates/days, but I do know that I have to bid farewell (aka see you later) to Taipei and my friends and family soon. So, I have been eating and doing things I have yet to do....living my remaining time here spontaneously. Basically, not saying no to anything. No thinking, just doing.

This past week, I....

_ate at Mos Burger, a Japanese fast food burger chain - they are most known for their rice burgers. I've never eaten at a fast food restaurant in Taipei (excluding vendors and TW hole-in-wall places) until this time.

_bought a drink from Chen Sanding 陳三鼎黑糖粉圓. This boba stand is near my dorm and always has a long line--it's "famous". My friends have all told me that they think it's overrated or mediocre. I finally tried it for the first time today...I bought a "Frog Egg Lemon Jelly"青蛙愛玉 (the boba are called frog eggs because they resemble frog eggs!) drink, with no milk tea since my tummy is sensitive to milk. My verdict? It was refreshing and not too sweet, though I don't think I will be back unless I'm really craving for boba. 
_stayed awake til the sun came out almost everyday of this week. I know, my skin is totally hating me right now.
_went KTV with friends til 1am and had a blast :) It also made me like Mandopop more and realize how un-Asian I am.
_slept in til 1/2pm, twice. I haven't slept past 10am for awhile.
_indulged in a Greek protein-filled feast. 
_death by heels four nights in a row.
_ate fried tea leaves and other tea-infused foods at Cha For Tea with my family on Zongzi Holiday.
_sushi at A-plus twice. I'm gonna miss this restaurant sooo much. Nowhere in the States can beat their prices :/
---lots more, but I won't list them...

picture roll:

marinated beef with sour cream and bread + nutmeg flavoring; pork gyro wrap; seafood stew in olive oil, vinegar; eggplant with melted cheese and ground pork...all gone quickly. We were starving =)

6.18 ~ Spark 

the LOVE sculpture in front of Taipei 101

awake at 5:42am to see blue skies and sun

Salmon on Fire roll @A-plus. The waitress torched it to sear the salmon and fish eggs-->yummy smokey flavor!

RenAi Rd. + GuangFu S. Rd. intersection - the pretty, rich area of Taipei.

raspberry tart at Mr. Qute - Jay Chou's restaurant!! Though, Mr. Qute was not that cute afterall. The restaurant had a large window so we got a peek of the kitchen. Right when we walked in, we witnessed the waiters sitting on the floor, taking their break. Then the guy who decorated our cakes seemed like he hated his job and just carelessly threw the fruits and sauces on the plate.. But the cake was good ^_^

taken from a bus. I took a lot more pictures, but this one turned out the best because I kept snapping without looking through the viewfinder.

a 99NT hotpot near my dorm. Cheap and good!

the famous bubble tea place, dubbed "ugly man" bubble tea by some of my friends haha.

hey, good morning

watch the sun come up. 

it's calling,

i want another day with you.

These are photos from this morning that my friend took from the roof around 5am. A Taipei sunrise.

a list

THINGS TO DO BEFORE LEAVING [I made this list 2 weeks ago]:
_x_KTV with friends - the only time I did was with my cousins --check. did this on Tuesday night
-go to top floor of 101 on a clear day --will probably have to save this for next time. gotta save that 480NT for other things.
-find the spot at Yangmingshan that gets a view of Taipei city with 101 during evening
-sun set at Danshui
_x_eat more Taiwanese and Asian food --check. I've been eating mostly Japanese food lately.
-Maokong Gondola's 貓空纜車
-spend more time with family --I'm trying, though everyone is so busy right now :(
-walk to 101 from 公館 --will make it there sometime next week.
-a day at Fulong Beach (Yilan area) --will most likely have to save this for another time. my next week schedule is craaaazy.
-see if all my stuff will fit in two suitcases --will need to leave my winter clothes and comforter here
_x_stock up on colored gel pens, highlighters, and cute notebooks --check. went a little crazy at a stationary shop yesterday!

-

-take more pics of things other than FOOD --in process

_x_learn a bit of Taiwanese --check. I've recently picked up a few basic phrases.

-actually make it to Danshui via bike --my plan for this Saturday morning.

I don't want to go home :(

 

i should cook more often...

Simple foods that I eat often/LOVE and will attempt to make when I return home (and it will all refrain me from eating out). Hopefully I can perfect my basic cooking skills this summer so I never have to bug my mom about what temperature to cook things at or have my omelet turn out completely lumpy and result in scrambled eggs instead (or ummm burn the pan again).

-onigiri - triangle sushi/rice ball - my favorites (from 7-11) are the salmon 明太魚 and beef炭火燒牛肉 - I could eat one everyday, though I would probably use brown rice instead of white rice.

-okonomiyaki 
-cauliflower soup from Saveurs

-smoked salmon with honeydew from A-plus 

-banana walnut waffles - [will use wheat flour] I had the most delicious pancakes at The Diner, an American breakfast diner nearby --and I'm not even a huge pancakes person. The pancakes were sooo fluffy and had actual slices of bananas in them!

-white fish (seabass or trout) with paprika carrot sauce from Saveurs 

I honestly sometimes wonder how I'm not obese yet or what I'd look like if I never ever exercised =) 


Oh, and I decided that I'm going to compile all my food pictures, organize them by restaurant, and post them on Picasa. Or just categorize them for my sake and/or future portfolios if I ever decide to tread into food photojournalism!

take me to the place i love, take me all the way.

I write this post with great sadness....because I don't want to count down the days that I am returning to not-so-exciting States. It is very grey outside. Dark. Pouring rain. I am stuck inside, recollecting myself after two long nights in a row and chilling to Ray LaMontagne. Reminiscing all that has happened this semester. Be prepared, my good friends, I have plenty of crazy stories for you! In the meantime, I am planning to live the next two weeks to the fullest. Cheers to more long, crazy nights to come and lots of eating!

the wonders of afternoon tea

When I think of afternoon tea, I imagine pretty porcelain floral tea cups, sweet cranberry scones, and girly gossip with (girl)friends. But in Taiwan, it is much more than that. Well, I've never had "afternoon tea" back in the States, nor have I ever really anticipated to anyway. I mean who has time to allocate an hour or two in the mid-afternoon to drink a cup of expensive coffee and eat delicate cakes and desserts? And, I don't think I've ever seen a restaurant in Cali that serves afternoon tea. It certainly isn't embedded in American culture..

Anyhow, today a friend treated me to afternoon tea at a bright, colorful café called Bunny Listens to the Music (兔子聼音樂). We met at 2pm, so not quite the time to eat a full meal or to only eat sweets. So, we shared an afternoon tea set, which came served on two-tiered plate stand. Two real-deal foccacia ham (or turkey?) sandwiches and two scone-like sweets. My friend explained to me what they were....they were some kind of French dessert (far breton)that had a crumbly surface and prune on top. The top tier had two green tea macarons and two cakes of our choice: a slightly sour apple tart (tarte tartin) with a crumbly crust and a maple brulee cake. The set also came with two drinks, I chose an iced cappuccino. Unlike in the States, nothing we ate was too sweet. My throat didn't burn after the sugar load. Also, apparently they get all their ingredients imported, so everything is very high quality. I could certainly taste the difference between their desserts and other cakes I've had from Taiwanese bakeries and restaurants.

far breton

a real sandwich! most Taiwanese afternoon tea places give flimsy sandwiches made with yucky white bread.

tarte tartin

 LOVE. my first time eating macarons in Taiwan! I've been craving them for months.

This café is definitely on my return-to-before-heading-home list. Their cakes are the best I've had in Taiwan, or maybe even the best I've ever had. Afterward, my friend took me to Bunny's sister bakery: Boite de Bijou. Mmmm it is [carb] paradise. All their breads are nothing like other Taiwanese bakeries. Their bread is French-style ~ crunchy outside and moist inside and barely sweet. I couldn't resist, but had to buy breakfast for tomorrow. A dark chocolate bread that is surprisingly not sweet nor bitter and a whole grain bread. Sighh, if I could, I would buy their bread everyday. Ah, can I just move to Taiwan NOW?

in love.

我愛上了okonomiyaki! I mentioned okonomiyaki (好吃燒 - literal translation = delicious to cook) sometime ago, but if you don't remember what it is....it is Japanese pizza, or pancake, that is very, very delicious. Made from cabbage, flour, water, and eggs - and whatever stuffings you chose. There are several variations of it. There are ones with noodles inside - Hiroshimayaki, others with egg inside or topped with a runny egg - Modernyaki (mmmm!). 


My friend introduced an okonomiyaki place that is located in B2 of one of the SOGO's in Zhongxiao Fuxing area called Tenya (TEN室). At this place they cook the okonomiyaki in front of you, or you can choose to make it yourself. Basically you have a teppan on the center of the table, you choose which flavor you want, then the waiter will bring out the ingredients in a bowl, pour it out on the iron griddle, and you watch your okonomiyaki sizzle away. 


I went to Tenya last night with two friends. We each ordered a different okonomiyaki and shared: beef kimchi, squid, and pork Hiroshimayaki with melted cheese and noodles. 


The TEN室 okonomiyaki experience:

squid okonomiyaki ingredients

beef kimchi okonomiyaki

...and then there were three.

Final result. Okonomiyaki sauce (tastes a bit like BBQ sauce), mayo, wasabi mayo, katsuobushi powder. 

I must must must learn how to make this. Apparently it's quite easy to make ^_^

THIS makes me happy.

Every bakery in Taiwan has at least one cutesy cake. Passed by a bakery in Breeze Center (upscale mall in Zhongxiao E. Rd. area) food court earlier today that had this. I've seen quite a few piggie cakes, but none with a fence and all. Teehee.

So sorry everyone...I had just finished editing and re-sizing all my pictures from the weekend. Will be writing a post sometime later this week...perhaps tomorrow.

good, good weekend!

Arrived in Taipei late last night from my trip. I am still in the midst of catching up on homework and editing pictures (and recollecting everything I did over the weekend), so I will write about the trip sometime later this week. In the meantime, here are some images from the weekend...

this was at a hotel on a hilltop. the hotel is actually under the same management of the hotel we stayed in, except of course this one is twice as expensive.

Flower Vase Rock through my eyes.

there were many scenic spots along the coast. we rode mopeds throughout the island, so we could stop anywhere we wanted.

since the island is made of coral, there is coral underwater and standing tall on land.

we woke up at 4:08am on Sunday so we could watch the sun rise...total fail. it was foggy and hazy, and no sign of sun. though, we sat there waiting til near 6am. this was shot at 4:46am.

 refreshing mango lime ice.

my coral + shells collection from Xiao Liuqiu!