resourcefulness

When living in a country where you can't really read the language fluently and need to get around places by yourself without a car, motorcycle, or bike, you learn how to be resourceful.

Thankfully, google maps makes it really easy.

Destination: Big park, and big department store.

Means of transportation: Take Bus #81 4 stops down Gong Yi Road.

Holler.

random.

Does anyone else go to sleep thinking about and looking forward to what they're going to eat for breakfast the next morning? Hehe, I do.... every night =P

I'm getting a little tired of all this pumpkin craze going around now that it's autumn... (there's none of it in Taiwan, thankfully, but I see it EVERYWHERE on my google reader!) Please...no more talk of what restaurant's doing pumpkin this or pumpkin that....Nothing else gets that much attention at other times of the year! So unfair to the key limes or the watermelons...they get no lovin'.

It's a wee bit under the halfway point for my time here in Taiwan, but now that time is flying by faster, it probably won't feel so long till I head back to the states. I will be sad to leave though.. (*GASP*)

Taiwanese food has become my new favorite cuisine, hands down... my all-time favorite dish: basil (otherwise known as 3-cup) chicken, cooked by the chefs at zhongqiao (where I work). I could eat that every day for the rest of my time here... Mmmm....basil....

Plum powder tastes good on just about everything, especiaaaallyyyyy fruit (including tomatoes, which some Chinese/Korean people consider to be "fruit" O_O ).

Matt Chandler gives some freakin' good sermons. Take a listen to his "Path" series if you get a chance -- I ESPECIALLY like the "art of prayer" & "sanctification in marriage"!!! http://hv.thevillagechurch.net/sermons

Okay...I believe that is all. Till next time...

taichung jazz festival!!

My coworker had told me about the annual jazz festival that Taichung was going to have, but she said that the dates just happened to lie on the days that I'd be in Hong Kong :( I was supperrr sad, but to my delightful surprise, at church this morning Rebecca invited me to accompany her to the jazz festival, which actually didn't end until tonight!! Omg, it was soooooo cool! We laid out a blanket in the cool autumn weather under open skies and enjoyed super talented musicians from France, Germany, Africa somewhere (didn't catch it) play unique music.

I was blown away by this group that I'm going to shamelessly promote now: Stouxingers(pronounced stew singers) They're an a cappella group from Germany with original arrangements to classics (and original songs), and they perform with a lot of funk, groove, and spirit. They make all sorts of fun noises with their voices, like trumpets and trombones and bubbles and whatnot, and best of all they sing verrrry on pitch! (yay) Afterwards, they sold CDs and had a signing, and luckily we got to buy some before they sold out (which happened in like..20 minutes!).

she's my favorite. she's sooooo talented!! not to mention the only girl in the group! yay girl power.

autographed CD! I don't know why my computer won't let me flip it 90 degrees....

This video doesn't do justice for how good they are (especially live), but hopefully you'll get an idea. I ESPECIALLY love their arrangement/performance of "waterfall" -- fast forward to 1:39 to see it! :D

7 days of jam-packed fun!

bubble tea @ chun shui tang, where bubble tea originated

shaved ice!

mahjonggggg

shopping in Taipei. sooooo many people o_O

sun moon lake!

Danshui, outskirts of Taipei

Hong Kong Island @ night

Ruins of St. Paul, Macau

egg custard tarts :)

big buddha in Lantau island

More pictures can be found here

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd presenting..... a MOVIE, with a debut of my nifty cool Flip camcorder with HD-quality videos!!! Movie made by yours truly ;)

vacatioooonn

Michelle and Janet are here!! Time to plaaaaaay!

10/14 - 10/15 : Taichung

10/16: Sun Moon Lake

10/17: Taipei

10/18 - 10/21 : Hong Kong

some good news!

1. I am actually getting paid for my work here =P I was quite surprised when the HR lady told me to pick up my salary for the month today.... It's not much, but enough to help fund the supplies I'll need to start experimenting with the new tricks I'm learning...and maybe to jump start a small just-for-fun business out of my kitchen. say what?

2. I'm going back to NY in January! (still have to book my plane ticket though)

3. The reason I'm going back is because...*drum roll* ... I'm gonna start my Pastry Studies at The French Culinary Institute! I got my admittance email this morning! Wheeee :)

#1 reason to come to Taiwan

So many secrets of the Taiwanese dessert world are slowly being revealed to me... When before I was so stupified by the intricacy and beauty of how such desserts came to be, I fear them no longer. Behold -- my creation!! (thanks to my pastry chef for teaching me how to make these!!)

(granted, out of the 45 we made these 12 are probably ones that he wrapped... but it's okay. I'll get there some day. hehehe)

*edit* OMG. I just ate one of the red bean ones. DELICIOUS. The wrapping was sooo buttery and flaky and ... and ... *droooooooooooooools*

the moon shines ever so brightly tonight!

What do mooncakes, outdoor barbeques, and pomelos have to do with each other? They are all part of the integral mid-autumn festival celebrated here in Taiwan (and across Asia, though I think only Taiwan barbeques...)

Our restaurant decided to have a giant barbeque in the backyard of the restaurant last night after work. Lemme tell ya... barbeque-ing with a bunch of really talented restaurant chefs, sitting on crates, drinking Taiwan beer, and enjoying the mid-autumn breeze is one great way to spend a night! (and a little secret: drizzling some red wine on meat along w/ the regular marinade makes the meat super super delicious).

Some pictures...(sorry the quality isn't the greatest)

This is how to do the mid-autumn festival the true Taiwan way. When I was a freshman, I tried hosting a mooncake party in my dorm room...alas...

Happy mooncake day everyone! :)

a little homesick

what I wouldn't give to be in America's suburbia right now... I dream about

eating a nice turkey sandwich, maybe a carrot muffin, oh and some white chocolate macadamia nut cookies for dessert....

walking down the aisles of target, driving down wide streets, sitting in the park on a sunny day...

browsing a well air-conditioned barnes&noble w/ some light jazz playing in the background, sorting through clothes at jcrew, baking in the comfort of my own kitchen...

yes.. my own well-stocked kitchen....oh how I miss thee.

sigh.