Wednesday 30 November 2011

When It Rains, It Pours



I'm so bored of this rain that I'm taking photos of it! And it's been doing this at about 2:30pm everyday since we've been back in Singapore. Oh the joys of rainy season. 

Tuesday 29 November 2011

Paddington Garden










I was thinking about what I should post on my blog and then I remembered that I still have a million photos of cafes in Taipei that I still have to share. Ok well not that many but I still have a few that I'm going to spread out so that every now and then I can look back at them and feel that much closer to returning! This is Paddington Garden Cafe in Zhongxiao Dunhua and we went there quite a few times. This place was aways busy which is always a good sign that the food and price is spot on. It's a Tonkatsu and pancake cafe and they have quite a variety of stuff on the menu: sweet and savoury pancakes, pork cutlet sandwiches, udon noodle soups, omelette breakfasts, open sandwiches... 

We ordered the Cheese Croquette and Fried Pork Belly Sandwiches one night and then the Bacon & Cheese Omelette Breakfast when we went back there for Sunday brunch. There were so many things that I wanted to order at this place, you know when you're waiting for your food and everyone else around you is getting their food and you wished that you ordered what they got? That happened a lot! And I already know want I want to try next time and that's the Cheese Pot Pancakes which is a stack of pancakes drizzled, or should I say completely smothered, in a cheesey cheese sauce. You can tell I get excited when I think about food! Maybe I need to start up a food blog on the side. Anyways, great food and a great place that we will definitely go back to next time! And how cute are the pancakes with the logo burnt into them? What a neat idea!

Monday 28 November 2011

On The Street... Hats In Taipei

I never used to photograph many people wearing hats for StyleStophomore and I think that was because a lot of the time, to me people don't really incorporate the hat into the rest of the outfit. Instead it looks as if they just throw any hat on as they walk out the door (I know that's probably not the case) but more times than not, the hat seems to detract attention from the rest of the outfit rather than compliment it. But, that all changed when we went to Taipei and I found myself photographing so many people with hats! 

Maybe my disliking for hats will change now. I love how these people are all wearing quite small neutral coloured hats that just top off the outfit and without them, it just wouldn't be complete. It's like you need the hat but at the same time it's not the main focus of the look. Missing Taipei already but 6 more weeks and we'll be back!




Sunday 27 November 2011

New In: Wool Duffle


I bought myself a duffle coat! Needed something super warm especially for Tokyo next month so I got this wool coat from Uniqlo in Taipei. It's so cozy and it made me realise how much I miss wrapping up in warm coats during the winter months. Haven't owned a duffle coat since the chilly days of Dunedin so I'm pretty excited about wearing this one out!

Saturday 26 November 2011

Cable Scarf


Started knitting this scarf in Taipei and I'm about halfway through. Gonna need it for Tokyo and Taipei soon!  

Friday 25 November 2011

Outfit | Last Day In Taipei (for now)



Today's outfit. Wearing top from Seoul, GAP jeans, Uniqlo leather belt, leather boots and bag from Taipei. Was on the train this morning going into the city and it suddenly occurred to me that we had just spent a whole month in Taipei and it's funny sometimes when I think about how it all just happened considering that 5 months ago I didn't even know where this place was on the world map and never thought it would be a place to go and visit let alone live. But we love it and we are back in January next year for 3 months! Oh and it also occurred to me that we will be spending our anniversary night at the airport. Happy one year to us! And our present from ourselves to us... Tokyo in 3 weeks!

Thursday 24 November 2011

Minimalist Suitcase Wardrobe

The nomad life goes on! Doing a whole lot of travelling next year, living 2 or 3 months here and there, and I have no choice but to condense my wardrobe plus other essential belongings down to whatever can fit into one cabin-sized suitcase. We'll literally be carrying everything that we own around with us, bar 1 box of books and stuff that we're sending back home.

Clotheswise, I've started to think about what I need to go into this "minimalist suitcase wardrobe" of mine and bearing in mind that we'll be hitting up every city in either Autumn or Spring weather which will be just perfect. Can't wait! So, my list in my head consists of basic things like 3 or 4 merino or cashmere sweaters, a couple of silk shirts, black and blue skinny jeans, a black blazer, a winter wool coat, a lighter jacket or parka, Converse chucks, leather shoes and leather boots (one pair of each), a couple of light knitted outwear like cardigans, a black leather bag and 2 or 3 chunky knit scarves. I picture it to look something like this...


That's all I can think of for now. Whether I achieve this will be one thing and the other will be fitting it all into just one bag. Eeeeek I'm already thinking I need a larger suitcase. Bring on January 14th!

Wednesday 23 November 2011

Orange Tea

...The name of our local bubble tea shop that we've been to almost every single night of being here! Taipei definitely has the best bubble tea around but that's not surprising considering that this is where the drink originated and it seems to be the national drink here. Everybody loves it and there seems to be an endless supply of bubble tea anywhere you go in Taipei. Our favourite and what we have got every night (bar the couple of times when I've decided to be adventurous and just point to some other drink written in Chinese on their banner) is the Passionfruit Tea with Tapioca and Coconut Jelly. And it's super cheap too, only NT35 which is about $1.50 each. Gonna miss the bubble tea the most!


Tuesday 22 November 2011

A House














A longer than normal photo post, but I loved the unique interior of this place. A House is the very first A Capella Live House Cafe in Taiwan and it's a pretty cozy little spot with live performances by both local and international groups happening throughout the week. From seats made out of cardboard boxes in the shape of drums, to glasses that rolled around on the table (I guess you could say that the bottom of the glasses resembled cymbols?), this place had so much character and a clear musical theme to it. Themed cafes are indeed a popular thing here in Taipei. There was some performance scheduled for later on in the night when we went but for us, it was just chill time while sipping on some very very strong cocktails and sharing some brownie and ice cream. Oh and the bathroom smelt super sweet too!

Monday 21 November 2011

Outfit | Inbetween Rain


It's been raining a lot here in Taipei the last week and I think that's quite unusual for this time of year (well that's what the locals say at least but I'm not quite sure how they can recall what the weather was doing this same time last year!) Took these shots while sitting out between the showers and after the rain had already messed up my hair and made it all frizzy. Oh well, and excuse the cheesyness of this one. And see my crazy bent right arm? I really don't do very good sitting shots. Anyways, wearing Uniqlo sweater and polka dot socks, skirt from Seoul, self-made scarf, leather boots and bag from Taipei. 

Sunday 20 November 2011

Prim And Proper

Really loving knitwear at the moment especially knitted dresses which is something different considering I've never really been the type to wear dresses. Either above the knee or just below and paired with Converse or leather boots, I think I could easily live in cozy knit dresses all season long. Some quick inspiration from the South China Morning Post Style Magazine featuring model Wang Xiao in an editorial called "Prim And Proper".



Saturday 19 November 2011

Amber's Brunch





Another cafe in the Zhongxiao East Rd Sec 4 area which is where we hang out most days to get photographs. Amber's Brunch is on the corner of two little back streets and is a neat place to sit outside and have a quick bite or brunch. And if there was one thing we would go back here for time and time again, it would be their milkshakes! They're more like super thickshakes, the types that you sit on forever cos they are so thick that you need to wait for the ice cream to melt down a little. I had the orea milkshake and the shrimp pasta in white wine sauce, while James had the caramel vanilla milkshake and the BLT sandwich. And we've already been back there for milkshakes since I took these photos from the first time!

Friday 18 November 2011

Outfit | Wine




I've had a real thing for knitted dresses ever since I took this shot back in Seoul. I think if I can get myself some chunky enough yarn I might have to make myself one. Taipei is perfect for wearing knitwear almost all year round and I love this one I picked up from Uniqlo the other day. The colour is totally my type of red and I actually felt taller wearing this out, must have been the above the knee length and the extra inch my boots give me. Dress from Uniqlo, Comme Ca Ism scarf, leather boots and bag from Taipei. Oh and the last shot, a bit random but I always like looking back at the quick test shots that James takes while adjusting the camera settings and this is one of the very few where I'm not pulling any outrageously hideous face!

Thursday 17 November 2011

Yarn Heaven

I finally went to find this Shilin Yarn Supermarket the other day and if I hadn't looked up pictures on the internet beforehand, then I don't think I would have known that this little door lead up to the the most amazing yarn shop ever! Up on the second floor, this place is quite small but stacked with pretty much every type and colour of yarn you could imagine. I didn't know where to start and I think I went round all the aisles at least twice before even remembering what it was that I was there for. Came away with some wool to make a sweater which I'm slowly getting started on after making several attempts already! It seems that no one can put a simple pattern on the net for a plain pullover sweater that doesn't involve either 10 different colours or some fancy/whacky design on it. Anyways, some pictures of this place...


Wednesday 16 November 2011

Taipei X Converse

Ok, it's obvious that I love Converse. In fact, coming to Taipei to live for a month with only 1 piece of carry-on luggage (and nothing else), I could only fit in a couple of pairs of shoes and it was an easy choice to bring both pairs of Converse sneakers. This is the land of Converse after all! And I even tried on a pair of hi-tops the other day and if they didn't make me look even shorter than I already am, then I would have definitely bought another! Can't ever get enough of them. They are the comfiest shoes ever and I reckon that everyone should own at least one pair of Converse no matter what. I think everyone in Taipei does and it's so cool seeing all the different styles, fabrics, embellishments and designs around. 

A couple of my favourite Converse shots taken for StyleSophomore. I'm naturally attracted to Converse shoes when people-watching on the streets so these ones were an obvious shot...