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Showing posts from 2005

last days...

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only a few more days left in my stay in taipei. surprisingly, i've come to like living here, tho the sudden chg of weather into gray and cold days with nonstop drizzles sure have dampen things up a bit, making leaving here not too tough to do. tho i sure will miss my friends. this is this month's wallpaper article on taipei. tho most of us who's bn here kno it doesn't do it much justice, still... it's in Wallpaper!

art and space

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this is a space that is simply beautiful and zen. the owner converted an old unit in a 4 floor bldg to a private gathering space that one can go and be gracious hosts at. with yummy japanese food served to you in amazing ceramics she lugged back from various parts of japan and asia. this is where i went to learn to cook japanese food, curtesy of my dad's cousin's wife (aunt who is teaching chinese flower arrangement) we watched the teacher/ chef (who spoke really fluent chinese) cook the dishes while we took notes. then we sat down to eat the dishes she made. the class size is about 8 ppl, perfect little luncheon. great teas were served too. it was perfect wintery food on this very fist day of real winter feeling in taipei.

wow

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chinese floral arrangement this is the origin of "ichiban" janaese flower arrangement we all come to know. it's less formal, yet tougher, cuz u hv to make it look as "natural" as possible, taking into consideration of the meaning of each plant n placement. took my first class today. this is more like sculpture than painting. very different. ---------- rock climbing i tried rock climbing at an indoor gym for the first time last nite. wow, it's not easy thing, but having done yoga sure has helped a lot in building strength in legs. and it's quite fun, esp when u look back down from the top.... i think everyone should give it a try) ---------- yoga it's just continuation in my self-improvement process. it's wonderful to c how ur body can adapt to new positions n improvements to b seen daily. afterwards, it feels like wonders! ---------- just having fun... so much to learn and do! ----------- dec 1. another year has come to an end. where to b? i dunn...

near the end of my stay...

well, it's been a while since i blogged. been submerged in a different life here. working really hard one project after another. and now i'm done. feeling a little sad about leaving taiwan soon. afterall, i've been here since late august. it's now mid-november. wow, how time flies! yet i hardly got to really see taiwan this time, again, cuz i'd been so busy working. just returned from japan (shizuoka-perfecture) even tho i had originally thought i was going to b in nagoya area. boy was i way off. it goes to show when other ppl arrange ur entire travel plan, u just sort of am a sheep being herded around. it was a totally different experience tho, being that it was a golf playing trip for my dad and his friends. i'm just a companion for him in place of my mom. still, the golf courses r pretty. and, well, the japanese r just so cute n flustered whenever i speak to them in english. running away from me. o well. maybe i should learn their language soon, like i wanted...

green onions

due to the unusual amount of typhoons hitting taiwan this summer. the price of SCALLIONs, or green onions, has gone up to approx 10USD/ lb. wow!

old taipei

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while going to the hospital to visit my mom (taiwan university hospital), i noticed that the architecture around here are either really new or old. well old as in built during the japanese era. this is a little church still in use today. built during the japanese occupation, it is a unique style to taiwan due to its material usage, tho it looks european, the brick n red tiles used here makes it quite different than anything u can find in this region of the world. i realized that ther are still many more things one can discover on this little island, just in architecture. many still in use today. the other foto here is a temple, the only one tht i really remember goin to a lot with my family. tho we visit temples very rarely, this one is embeded in my memory. a very popular place too. lots of ppl going. so on the day b4 my sister took my mom to the hospital, she asked us to visit the temple, taking the children too. the boys went wild running around in the space! this is my beautiful an...

gall bladder stone

the last few days hs bn a bit strange. spending time in a hospital that is so convenient tht i felt as if in a mall. it's got a very nice clean food court with 2 convient stores, book store, vitamin shop, shoe store, supply shop, gifts, n starbuck... n more. each floor is set up w/a waiting area w/tv, n computer w/free online access! the nurses r very helpful n sweet n explains everything. wow, it's amazing experience for visitor n patient alike. my mom has gall bladder stone, n it got infected or something the nite she was due to leave for the states. so now, i don't kno how long her n dad will b staying in town. thnx to my sister, chris, who knos wht to do n more caring than i, she stuck around and stayed w/my mom, taking her to the hospital, etc. i can only sit around n hang out. get kicked out of the hospital, to go home n hang out w/my dad, who is really eager to leave town. he's a well known doctor here, n i guess it's a bit embarrasin for him to b in the hosp...

typhoon day off!

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"Typhoon Talim, with gusts near the center up to 227 kph (141 mph), made landfall just to the east of the capital Taipei in the early hours of Thursday and was bringing strong winds and rains to the island's northeast..." —cnn... well, i'm just glad the storm isn't so bad around me that i can't get online n watch tv, etc. cuz ther's def no way outta here. homebound for today at least. hv not experienced a typhoon in many years. so in the meantime, i will try to update my blog...

autobiography of a simple man

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couple of days ago, my dad's autobiography was published in taiwan. it has been a dream of his to write a book on his life and his work as a doctor. his life's journey thru his contact with people and patience, thru his medicine and philosphy. his introspection n retrospect while living the present. a combination of balance of energy, meditation, etc. the writer he hired to edit his words is amazing, because sometimes, he speaks in very philisophical terms tht most of us, who has basic understanding of the language can't grasp. it was a very good press conference. very good turnout of ppl. tho i'm a little disappointed at the ppl here in taiwan. their belief tht chinese medicine, a tradition with a history of 5000 yrs, cannot b as important as or relevant as western medicine, which, i must add, is still in its cradles. they're highly skeptical of the USC research results of our liver pill supplement. case histories to prove. but o well. it'll b a long time b4 pp...

new pad!

so, i wnt to a roommate interview the nite b4 i took off to taiwan. i didn't think i wd get the space, but i did!!!! so i'm now moving into a new space, somewhere i've been wanting to live. it's within walking distance to THE GROVE in los angeles. almost west hollywood, but not quite. it's a very quiet neighborhood. i'll b living w/3 other prof girls around the same age group. it's rent controlled space, so my rent (430) didn't go up at all moving into this awesome spanish style duplex! and i'll b fairly close to K-town... yummy! can't wait! i wish i'd taken a foto of it to post... but click on the title above n u'll get the link to the grove to chk out wht i'm talking about!

200% humidity!

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photo comment, the beach view is of DaShi. the guy is my friend Neil. my little god-daughter/ niece (rene) and myself... here i am in taipei... well, currently, i'm in taipei county, at my parents' mountain home (neihu). spent the day in DaShi (northeastern coast of the island, by the beach) anywher u go at this point, i guess, can b said to b hot n muggy. even at nite time, ther's no cool-down. u can just sit ther in the shade and sweat like nobody's business... which in turn attracts all these mosquito to bite me! alrdy got quite a few annoying bites to prove. however, neil's beach house in DaShi had a really nice face-lift on the rooftop deck area. they did a really really nice job, it feels like we r ready to throw a nice weekend beach party soon. once the rains stop. the waters were too flat to go surf in today, so no one wanted to go. i was totally fine by it, cuz it's way too hot n sticky to go out ther. and the sand sticks to ur skin like glue here. u do...

tiesto! flight ci-005

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i can't believe another month has passed! and i'm just about to update my blog.... i'm packing again to go taipei, work on the anual lunar calender project for my family. next year will be the DOG year! whenever i start a project like this, the depressing thought is, my birthday is near... i will b 36!!!! and the year will soon b over! it's time for being retrospective n introspective. no good. well, i finally started sorting thru my travel fotos... but ther's way too much, i will just post this one first. it's of mark & shinae, 2 of the ppl i traveled with on this trip thru europe. this was taken one sat morning (really hot morning, late moring) in vienna. and here's me towards the end of the trip staying at Garrett's place w/his cute little family in LONDON. ------------ dude! i hv way too much stuff! too much clothing! too much dust! need to cut back. ------------ anyways. this time i will b in taiwan til october, coming back just in time for the ...

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things to remember everyday: flossing, don't overeat, walk more.... smile, be forgetful. memory is over-rated.

fotos...

well, most of my fotos taken from the trip is still inside my friend, Mark's computer. Mark, well, he's still on his "world" tour. He's now on the cruise thru the Nile River in Egypt, with our other travel companion, Angie. it's thanx to Angie who arranged the whole trip thru Europe. She and Shinae were responsible for the booking of train, flights and hotel/hostels thruout Europe. Then Mark will continue onto Asia w/his brother, and they won't b back in OC til August... i guess tht's when i will hv the chance to post my fotos...? ah well... i will try better nxt time, take my own things w/me. n not leave a trail behind. ____ v (^.^) v

home sweet home!

i'm finally home, and working again. after a long long trip out. it's so nice to b out and about that coming home seemed sweet n sad at the same time. i'm torn because when i'm in nyc, i miss it so much. when i'm here in california, seeing my family, i missed them too. once i get all my fotos back from mark's (one of my travel frnds for europe) computer, i will load up some fotos to share with everyone. this will prob b in august, he's currently in egypt with angie (our other companion).

it4s nice in Nice!!!

so beautiful n azur water.... chilling out. great food. friendly ppl in france. y do the french get such bad reps! they so friendly!
wow, i walked into an internet cafe near the Grand Via with my friends Mark n Angie, i realized, this is the exact same 1 i was in b4 with Cary when we travelled thru Spain the first time. this is the first time we´ve really had any rest from our Speed Travelling. it´s quite nice, tho not as warm as expected just yet. we did manage to do a lot of stuff upon arrival in Madrid. saw a Bull fight for the very first time in my life. i don´t really care for its unfairness to the bull, but at least i saw it with my own eyes b4 disagreeing with wht goes on ther. o well. it´s been really expensive travelling in europe. but nothing comapred to UK (london), wow. amsterdam, rode bycicles, fell twice. quite embarassing. tried the coffeeshop specials and special mushrms, awesome experience. saw sex show w-friends. help him take foto w-the prostitute in red light district. she was really friendly. paris is best so far. bordeaux for first time, wine tasting n driving around countryside, so fun. i drov...

time to take off!

it's 5.30 am. i didn't sleep at all, was going to try when my alarm wnt off, good one. the sky is lightening up. i've packed and repacked my luggage several times, conflicted about what to bring n what not to bring along for this trip. since i'll b going from spring-like weather into summer heat. and then it's like 45 days of travelling in europe n then nyc. i just want to bring EVERYTHING! o well, i've tried, now ther's no more time to take out or add things. i'm gonna just keep it as is. i just don't like the weight. time to get ready. hope we don't hit traffic. gotta pick up other frnds on the way to long beach airport (thank goodness it's not LAX) just a bit worried about how fast we'r passing thru ea/place. i may just break away from group if need b. gonna need a vacation from this trip in the end. i will try to blog from my trip. birds r chirping. if anyone has suggestions for wher to go eat in london, paris, belgium, n any of the d...

hahaha, chk this out

i can play this mindless game for hours, just for the heck of it. tho my score sux!

may 16~july 10, 2005 summer travel plan!!!!

05.15, miten & premal concert in LA to start off my trip! 05.16. fly Jetblue from Long Beach to JFK, connecting on Virgin to London directly. 05.17. arrive in LONDON. 05.19. fly Ryan air to Berlin (never been ther b4) 05.21. train to Munchen 05.23. passing thru Köln (my ex-'s hometown, maybe i will visit) 05.23 arriving in Amsterdam (maybe david chi will come meet us ther to show us around town, PARTY!!!!) AVB,TIESTO, scumfrog, etc! 05.24. PARIS, i might stay here longer? maybe not, been here too many times. 05.27. Bordeaux 05.29 Madrid (hmmm, been here, not tht awesome compared to other towns in Spain) 06.01 Barcelona (fun town, maybe this time i will take the ferry to IBIZA!!!!) 06.03 Narbonne (where neil's ancestors r from) 06.04 NICE!!! (finally making it to this town for once) 06.06 passing thru Geneva (maybe not, too boring for me) 06.06 arriving in Lucerne (maybe) 06.08 Milan (thru Firenze) ok, this is one town in Italy i hvn't ever set foot in. 06.08 staying in ...

just a quick foto

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i've been wanting to update my blog, but have been sort of lazy... i have dial up at my apt (lazy roommate) n myself, i guess. now i'm at home, with high speed, wow, i really appreciate it. anyhoo, started working on another catalog project... planning my summer trip. i will fly from Long Beach to nyc/ connecting directly to London. originally i wanted to go to nyc n spend a few days ther first, but i found out the Miten/Premal concert in LA falls on may 15th... i can make that! sorry, i will spend time in nyc on my return from europe in end of june. from nyc in july, i was planning on going to egypt, but i hv to return to LA to work on another catalog :-( i do not want to work on it anymore, this project, but it's a stable income for me... so i can travel. o well. when i'm done tho, i will get an asia pass to fly to, asia, of course, n travel around there, ending my trip in taiwan for a visit and work? maybe, open up a cafe with my girlfriends in taipei. idealy speakin...

china, kunming trip...

should i go? my parents r going w/their frnd to kunming, china. invited me to tag along... should i go? it wd b nxt wed for 10 days!!!!

i miss nyc!

been watching a lot of tv, movies lately, everything is reminding me of how great it was to live in nyc! b'sides the cold, etc, i miss the fact that u can walk everywhere n visit ur frnds by taking the subway or bus, within small distances... i miss living in the city, a city where ther's everywhting to discover by just turning the corner! i love it here in LA too, but i really miss the fact that u can get anywher simply by hopping onto the train! traffic sux!

new book to read

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this is a poet i hv fell in love with since last summer. thanx to a friend from US i met in taiwan (who by the way knew more about taiwan than i, for an american) we went to Page One in the tallest bldg in the world (for now) called Taipei 101. this is wher u can find all sorts of books published in english, chinese, japanese, etc! it surpasses barnes & nobles or eslit in taiwan. anyway, we exchanged authors and books we love and came away with Pablo Neruda! his book of love poems with pablo picasso's illustrations r amazing. this new book is recently published with the entire collection of his work. it is amazing.

a new sketch

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last nite, i drew this. it's been a while since i made these drawings... i will try to color'em in later. maybe make larger painting... painting, i guess i hv to put that off until i come back from my travels in august? i drove home to spend the weekend with my family, since i'll b working on-site all nxt week in pasadena, so had lunch with my brothers at a sushi place. this is my lunch. yummy!!!! everytime when we talk about eating lunch, wow, i just wanna go ther, either shibusho or fukada for their udon n soba... man, m i turning into a japanese person? most of my diet is japanese! altho costly, it's the best! yum yum!!!! hmmm, what shall i do this friday nite? i don't really wanna party cuz sat nite i'm gonna go dance all nite at spundae alrdy, dj gabriel & dresden + dj christopher lawerence! wow, jam packed sat (birthday party during the day)... but what to do friday nite with my visitin frnds from taiwan? neil is in town.... one day at a time i guess, ...

retrodating to WHISTLER, CANADA

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i'm retro-writing my blog... finally sitting down a little n collecting my fotos n thoughts. these r a few of the fotos i manage to take for the trip to whister, canada. the weeks leading up to whister trip, i've been working all day n all nites to finish the catalod design/ production deadline. by the time i'm done, it's 2am, my flt to whister leaves from LA at 7am... so i ran home, packed (basically stuffed everything i can remember into my bag) called for shuttle service, took a shower, n bam, the shuttle arrives at my door at 4am. no sleep. i arrive at LAX, n it's ultra long line to go thru security! damn, no rest at all. 1 line after another, i shuffled thru along everyone else. apparently, most of ppl on this flt is going to whister, they all packed their gear. looks like i'm only one w/out gear :-( anyways, i finally got to sleep a bit on the short 3 hr flt north. arriving ther, met up w/my frnds who rented a giant suv. our stop n go search for alcohol t...

morning! podcasters!

good morning! the sun is shining, n i'm up early, it's only 7.11 am right now! wow. anyway, crashed really early last nite too, at prob 10 or 11? most likely 10, right after a heavy dinner, no good. man, i need to loose a couple of pounds! now that i'm up in alhambra so much, i miss going to yoga everyday! really miss doing yoga, wht to do? chg studios? such a pain. gotta work in pasadena today, nice change, since the drive thru downtown into west LA is such a painful experience. a mere 20miles will take nearly 1.5hrs! wow. i really wish ther's public trains i can take here to places. nxt move i will move to a place near a metro station. but i can c it's going to b a beautiful day. sun is out, no rain. slightly cloudy, but it'll blow over. neil is coming to LA ths week, sometimes. prob to visit his g/frd? i will try to b better at updating my blogs... elsewhere on the news... ever heard of the latest POD news? KCRW is now podCASTING! it means u can take their pr...

mark ryden's paintings...

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friday nite, wnt to the pasadena museum of art n saw the opening nite of Mark Ryden's work. my gosh, i've never seen an opening at a museum so jam packed b4! i was feeling closterphobic n had to run to the rooftop garden, only to find, a band n more ppl!!!! but it's a beautiful n weird show. great work i must say. this painting has new colors, n very beautiful... chk out his website.

arcade fire!

my friends n i went to the Troubadours (a small but cozy venue in west hollywood) to c the sold out performance of Arcade Fire. wow! they were awesome! loved it. loved it. 2 other performers also opened for them, Owen Pallet (who's new album is called Final Fantasy) n some other guy we didn't like at all.

anna in the tropics

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tonite, we, basically the dining club friends, went over to pasadena play house and saw ths play "Anna in the Tropics" it's a very small cast/ crew, but wow, it was a very good play, we all enjoyed it very much. this is a very cute space too, built in the spanish settlement style. the bar is outside in the courtyard (altho it was really chilly tonite)... at the end of the show, ther's a cigar roller rolling cigars, me n jimmy both got 1 for free! ther's also musicians playing cuban style music. i think this is the opening nite, not quite sure.

sun shining down on me!

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wow! i cannot believe that having sunshine here is soooooooooooo important. everyone i talked to is so thoroughly affected by the last 2 weeks of rain. so happy today! even if it isn't warm at least the sun is shining!!!!! here's a beautiful tree, look at the clear blue sky, not a cloud in sight (for now). in yoga practice today, we'r reminded of how lucky we r to b living, having wht we hv, here n now. i'm reminded of our luckiness that ther is not flood nor mudslide nor tsunami to deal with. n i c in color!

rain rain, wher is the sun hiding?

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does this rain ever stop? it's been rainy n gray since... FOREVER! i kno i'm spoiled about this rain, but i live in southern CAL! it's supposed to b warm n sunny, not wet all the time! my brain is moldy w/rain. i can't even stand the sound of the rain anymore either! wow, this is crazy! ok, so last week, b4 i head out to the CES show in Las Vegas, it cleared like for a little bit, n the sky near my parents' house in newport looked beautiful... then, well, LVS was... rain/snow/gray, wet, cold for all of the weekend, i mean, it rained the four hours drive home too! it snowed on friday! i didn't kno LVS gets cold in the winter! wow! it is still raining right now, as i'm writing this. it's driving me nuts! so, i thought i'd share some of this wet foggy weather foto too... on liter note, here's a gallery where i saw some interesting snoopy paintings, so i snuck a foto in b4 the sales came by to tell me NO FOTOS! in a rather mean way. m...

happy new year!

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this is dj tiesto, i just saw him at the palladium (sold out show) for new year's eve! wow, was he amazing as usual! i hope all the friends who were able to share this evening with me had fun too and thank u for coming out and dancing all nite w/me! it's been a while since i wnt all niter like this. brings back memories of dancing in good o'days! wish u all a great new year! and i hope 1 day to catch Tiesto in Concert in person! i saw snipets of it on dvd someone has & wow! was is awesome! i wish i didn't miss his performance for the olympic opening ceremony! :( light & shadow are the dances of love! peace and my heart to the ppl of tsunami disaster. and my gratefulness to all the ppl who r ther w/their rescue and aide efforts.