A Themed Italian/French Restaurant by Taiwan’s No. 1 Idol (Taiwan 2011, Day 14)

Who is Taiwan’s No. 1 Idol? That would have to be Jay Chou (周杰伦). He’s also known as Mr J to his fans and the media. He’s a very talented singer cum song writer. He composes most of the songs in his albums and I like listening to his songs. He started acting a few years back. His acting skill is average, so, I still prefer to hear him sing.

There is one particular movie that I like, Secret (不能说的秘密). The story was written by Jay and he acted as the male lead too. Not only that, he directed the show. I like the movie because of the unexpected twist at the end of the movie. Anyway, I’ll not dwell further into the movie as that’s not what I want to blog about.

Jay Chou has opened a themed restaurant, Mr J Restaurant II (意法厨房II) after the movie. One can see large posters of the movie and props used, in the restaurant. The food is mainly Italian or French, not too bad but I won’t say fantastic. However, it’s a must-visit place for Jay’s fans!

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P.S: This is my last entry for my Taiwan trip 2011. I’ll start writing about my Japan trip after this.

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Address:

No. 250, Wúxìng Street, Sinyi District

Taipei City, Taiwan 110

DIY: Art Attack in Taichung (Taiwan 2011, Day 13)

We tried traditional almond paste and fried fritters in the famous shop <三時茶房>. Many travel guides and blogs have recommended this shop. The paste was thick and fragrant and the fritters were so fresh and crispy! The shop is tucked in a small lane from the main road, so you’ll need to open your eyes to look out for its green walls and red signage.

It was in this shop that we came across a free magazine called “Exploring Central Taiwan in a Beautiful Way: La Mere Terre”. The magazine introduces the art scene in Taichung and also recommends cafes to go for a laid back afternoon. The book also have a 1D and 2D itinerary to tour Taichung.

But what caught our eyes was an article on shops that offer D.I.Y classes. We were interested in a ceramic cups painting course offered by Royal Sun Young (翔旸瓷). So, we set off for the shop, but was told that we need to call beforehand to arrange for a session because it takes time for the painting to set on the cups. But being nice and helpful Taiwanese, they offered to let us try out decoupage instead and we were happy to do it since we were in an arty mood that day 😉

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Address:

三時茶房

台中市北區太平路107巷11號

翔旸瓷

台中市西區五權西二街146號

A “Pilgrimage” for Bubble Tea Lovers (Taiwan 2011, Day 12)

Taichung is the birthplace of Bubble Tea. For a Bubble Tea lover like me, going there is like going on a “pilgrimage”. Bubble Tea originates from Chun Shui Tang (春水堂) in Taichung. So, my first stop definitely had to be Chun Shui Tang. We tried the hot bubble tea, something that we don’t have in Singapore and ordered some snacks. It tasted as good as the cold drink but I think I’m still more used to cold bubble tea 🙂

We can also see familiar brands such as Gong Cha and Koi too!

          

B&B for Music Lovers (Taiwan 2011, Day 12)

The place that I stayed in Tai Chung was an incredible B&B for music lovers. The Forro B&B is located on the 2nd floor of its cafe – Forro Cafe. An interesting concept but it can get a bit noisy at night if you want to return to your room and retire early.

All the different rooms are decorated according to different themes. The one that I stayed in was a Rocker room. When I entered the room, I could recognise immediately that the furniture are from IKEA (I’m a big fan). The room was clean but a bit old and used.

The cafe on the 1st floor was interestingly decorated. My favourite corner was a Marilyn Monroe collage created by memo pads. I strongly recommend visitors to Tai Chung to visit the cafe even if you are not staying in the B&B. Not only is it nicely decorated, there are live performances by budding musicians on certain nights. So, do not miss out this great place if you are a music lover!

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Address:

10am-10pm

台中市西區精誠三街47號

04-23101661 (每週二店休)

forrocafe@gmail.com

Taroko Gorge: Now & Then (Taiwan 2011, Day 11)

I’ve visited Taroko Gorge 8 years ago and this trip is a revisit to the place. I get to visit the Shakadang trail (砂卡砀步道) which was closed back then due to a landslide caused by an earthquake. However, the Nine Turns of Coiled Dragon (九曲幡龙) was closed this time due to falling rocks.

Nevertheless, the view is still as magnificent as before. Check out the photos of the place now and then! The photos of the past are in sepia.

Shakadang Trail (砂卡砀步道)

Swallow Grotto (燕子口)

Swallows live in holes in the rocks

Look at the layers of marble!

Can you see the side view of a red indian chief?

Mother Bridge (慈母桥)

Can you spot “a frog with its crown”?

Changchun Ancestral Hall (长春祠)

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sun

Good morning! The rising Sun

DingDai, QingJing, Taiwan, 2011

Peeking through the flowers

Osaka Castle Park, Osaka, Japan, 2012

A cosy nice little place 何家 (Taiwan 2011, Day 10)

The minsu we stayed in Hualien, 何家民宿 is a very nice cosy little place, very different from the one we stayed in Yilan which is grand.

The owner of the minsu is very friendly and she told us that setting up a minsu is her dream. That’s why she quit her job and turns her house into a minsu. All the decorations were done by her and we are really impressed with her passion!

 

Their rooms are simple and cosy too and I like the brightly-coloured walls!

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室內電話：03-8223382 訂房專線：0937-165884
E-mail：hejia@pixnet.net 地址：花蓮市府前路524號

Staying in a Castle in Yilan (Taiwan 2011, Day 9)

We didn’t do much in Yilan except to go to their local night market and take photos in our minsu, Sigma Castle (希格玛花园城堡). This is mainly because of the rain and the fact that our minsu is too pretty and comfortable!

The facade of the minsu is that of a castle and that explains the name. The beautifully decorated room that we stayed in made us feel that we are princesses. Pictures speak a thousand words, so enjoy the photos!

The facade

The outside of the minsu is modelled to look like a castle.

 The living room

The living room and dining room are beautifully decorated with pretty ornaments.

 

The room

The dreamy room that makes us feel like princesses.

The afternoon tea

Afternoon tea for guests at 3.30 p.m. The Roselle tea is a must-try.

The breakfast

Breakfast includes many delicious local delights such as fishball noodle and spring onion fried pancake.

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Sigma Castle’s Address:

宜蘭縣員山鄉深福路236號( 金車威士忌酒莊對面)

Tel:0987-275539/03-9233124 (AM:10:00~PM8:00)

Fax:03-9232754 e-mail: sigma.castle@msa.hinet.net

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unusual

 Chocolate or best medicine?

Candylicious, Sentosa, Singapore, 2011

Does it look like a woman’s head with a crown?

Yeliu, Taiwan, 2004

Countdown to 2012 @ Taipei (Taiwan 2011, Day 8)

One of the main objectives of the Taiwan trip is to watch the Countdown 2012 at Taipei. The Countdown celebration starts around 7 p.m. but we didn’t want go there so early and stood in the cold for hours. So, we went for dinner first before going down around 9 something.

We decided to give the concert a miss as we wanted to get a good place near Taipei 101 to watch the fireworks. According to a Smashbox salesperson we met at a shopping centre, the best spot to watch the fireworks is the space between Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A11 (星光三越) and Taipei 101. So, we went there and found a spot to sit down and wait for the firework.

When the clock strikes 12, the fireworks started and we are engrossed in the magical and colourful fireworks display! After the fireworks, we then rushed to the performance area to watch Show Law’s performance.