Boracay, Philippines: Lost in Paradise

Day 3. As the sun sets languidly behind the calm ocean waves, coloring the sky hazy shades of baby pink and pastel blue cotton candy, I think to myself, "This is how I want to remember Boracay."

But let's backtrack a bit.

Taichung, Taiwan: Lavender Cottage (薰衣草森林)

Keep an eye out for the teddy bears at the Lavender Cottage!

One of my favorite colors, one my favorite scents, and one of my favorite flowers all coincidentally share the same word: lavender. Growing up, I have always loved the color purple, in all shades and tints. Specifically, something about the light, more blue-toned lavender hue makes me feel serene, perhaps because I associate it with the scent of lavender flowers. Floral and sweet in fragrance, lavenders invoke images of cleanliness, of tranquility, and of subtle sensuality. It comes as no surprise then, that one of my favorite places to visit in Taiwan just so happens to be the Lavender Cottage in XinShe, Taichung.

XinShe Castle (新社古堡) in Taichung, Taiwan

"She paused in the middle of the cobblestone bridge, a contemplative expression brewing in her eyes. Overhead, heavy gray clouds hung in the sky and gathered into murky masses between the peaks of lush, green mountain hills. The fog seemed to encircle the castle grounds, looming eerily in the distance like ghosts waiting for purpose. As the rain gradually lightened up, no longer pelting angrily against the cold stone paths, she found the clarity to appreciate her surroundings. If she closed her eyes and let her mind drift, she could imagine herself in a different time and a different place, years and years past, miles and miles away."

Taichung, Taiwan: Elephant Steak House

Location: 大象牛排 (Elephant Steak)

The Elephant Steak House is a relatively new establishment in Taichung. With large, floor-to-ceiling windows supplemented by modern, red-accented decor, the space feels very open and accommodating. Plus, one isn't obligated to order a main dish at the restaurant – one can simply make a beeline straight for the buffet in the back. At the buffet, there are different stations ranging from fresh sushi to delicious squares of chiffon cake.

I decided to try one of the a la carte dishes on the menu, as well as select food from the buffet.

Taichung, Taiwan: Feng Jia in the Day

It's been a while since I've posted, but here I am, continuing my Taiwan summer escapades with a short post on Feng Jia in the daytime. Despite the daylight, the market was already bustling with a good crowd of hungry people.

Instead of wandering without a plan, I knew exactly what I wanted to eat. Prior to leaving for Taiwan this past summer, I had done some research on current night market foods in Feng Jia. One of the items that popped up was 大腸包小腸, which is similar to a hot dog, except that the bread bun is replaced with a sticky rice bun and the hot dog is replaced with a sweet, garlicky Chinese sausage. Frankly, I am not completely sure what other toppings are thrown in there (I believe there's pickled cabbage), but all I know is I'd much rather have this than an American hot dog.

Polaroid Photo Project: Taichung, Taiwan Edition

The first day after I landed in Taiwan over the summer, I took a few Polaroids to commemorate my first time being there in three years. My personal favorite is definitely the LINE plush dolls at the very top; I was tempted to buy all of them and lug them home!

Polaroid Photo Project Week #2

Here is my next installment of my polaroid photo project. This week I experimented a lot with double exposures in settings other than inside my house. At first I wasn't sure why I kept getting those white washes on the sides of my photos, but I realize now that they were a result of the technique I used to take my double exposure shots... Such carelessness on my part. The way I take double exposures is by popping open the back and gently tilting back the film case for my first shot. Unlike me, try not to let ANY light in (beware of the sides!) in order not to get those white spots. I mean, the white edges looked cool in some of the shots, but I don't want them to appear every time I attempt a double exposure. Therefore, when you take your first picture, take care in tilting the film case back far enough so the camera mechanism doesn't grab the first film sheet, but not so far as to let light in through the top or the sides. Then you can pop the film back in all the way, close the back door, and take your second picture. It takes practice...

In any case, the top left photo is a picture of a large pyramidal play structure in a city about half an hour away from my own. The top right is an attempt at a double exposure of Ocean Beach in San Francisco and my friend sitting in the sand... Then the bottom row from left to right is as follows: a double exposure of me with a shot of some trees; a rather creepy-looking double exposure of my friends sitting at the beach; and a double exposure of another friend with a shot of a parking lot.