Contrary to popular belief...

HG and I did not get into a fight and decided to stop working together on I am Fashion and started our own blogs instead. (Even our mutual friends wondered about it!) We still email each other daily about the intricate details of our lives and random thoughts we have, and feel extremely empty when the other is away and has no access to the internet. When I freak out, she is the first person I call and she is still my maid of honor when I fantasize about my wedding. Our reasons for closing down I am Fashion still stands, though I do think that my later rationalization of it in this blog is a better articulation of how we feel.

As for us continuing to blog even more regularly than before, I attribute it to the "newness" of our blogs. Starting a new blog is like starting a relationship. At the beginning everything is new and exciting as you get to know the other person and watch your relationship grow and mature. Every up and every down is a significant moment. Then the honeymoon phase eventually wears off and you reach a happy medium, where your relationship becomes a part of your daily life. With any luck, you will live happily ever after in this state with a few surprises here and there to spice up the norm. If not, your relationship will wane and you grow apart, eventually deciding that you are both better off parting ways.

Clearly I'm in the honeymoon phase. We are starting to explore new things together, trying to figure out what works best for the both of us. Every new post is an adventure. Every comment and email is exciting. I want to spend every moment of everyday with it, checking on its progress i.e. stalking the traffic, the incoming and outgoing links etc. It's an exhilarating feeling that I'd almost forgotten about!

Analogy aside, it is heartwarming to read everyone's encouraging comments and to know that we were able to leave a small footprint on some people's lives. We appreciate your support and remember that we've not left the blogging world for good. Come visit us some time at our new blogs -(Find the links to our new blogs in the post below). We miss you guys!

CowParade in Taipei

What better time to welcome the CowParade to Taipei than the Year of the Boar!! The CowParade, the world's largest public art event, is currently also going on in Hong Kong, and Madrid. CowParade first debuted in 1999 in Chicago (I was there, too :-) which is why I'm so glad it's finally coming to Taipei) Over 50 cities worldwide has hosted the event since.






The cows on display are created by local city/country artists. It's amazing seeing how the locally created cows reflect the different culture, histories of their respective cities.






Below is a close-up of a cow appropriately named "night market cow". The Taipei CowParade runs Feb 03 - March 31.

Cosplay Photo Shoot

I had never witnessed cosplay in person, so I was thrilled to join hubby on this particular photo shoot. This time I was asked to help Wendy, our cosplay model, with her makeup. The photo shoot took place outdoor in a park. I'm surprised how dreamy Wendy looks in the photos. Can you guess which character she was trying to emulate?

Outdoor Photo Shoot and Mini Dress

I love tagging along on hubby's photo projects, especially one that I could put my style savvy to use - helping dress the client. Jessica and her boyfriend, Jake, both still high school seniors, wanted to do an outdoor couple's photo shoot. Hubby asked me to help dress/accessorize Jessica for this shoot. Jessica is very young, with an outgoing personality so I picked out a sporty cobalt blue mini sweater dress for her. The shoot took place at an old wine refinery factory, thus giving the photos their beautiful color and interesting mood. I am loving how the photos turn out. What do you all think of the photos?

Night Market Continued: Tan Sui Fisherman's Wharf

After the "Shih-Lin" night market, We arrived at our destination, Tan Sui, late at night. We checked into a hotel that we previously looked up on the Internet. The next morning, we wasted no time packing up again and leaving the hotel behind for a full day of sightseeing.



The hotel is just 5 min away from the Tan Sui coast:



It was a gloomy-weather day with strong winds. (The winds remind me of San Francisco Bay.) All the photos look a bit gray :-( This is a shot of Tan Sui Fisherman's Wharf, complete with the block of pedestrian stores and the shoreline right behind it. This is the place where the river of Tan Sui meets the Pacific Ocean.







We strolled along the river of Tan Sui.



Boats ferry tourists across the river and back.



Where there are tourists, there will be no shortage of snack vendors. A little girl is selling glazed cherry tomato w/ plum.





A trip to Tan Sui is not complete with a taste of its local specialty - Tan Tofu, Fish Ball Soup, and Steamed Pork Buns.



Turkish immigrants also set up shops along the river.





Wow..what's with the long line? Let's get a closer look....



Huge sweet potatos hang on the mobil mini cart. How cool is that!



Yummy!

Night Market

Late last month, hubby took me on a trip north for a weekend getaway. This trip was my long-awaited holiday because hubby was so busy we had to skip doing anything for Valentine's Day and the Lunar New Year. We wanted to visit Tan-Sui, the northern tip of Taiwan. On our way there, we stopped by the famous Shih-Lin night market - an ideal place for grabbing a bite to eat after driving almost 3 hours. Shih-Lin night market is the best known night market on the island of Taiwan, and it's THE place to sample real authentic Taiwanese snacks. The place houses many Taiwanese food/snacks vendors selling traditional staples as well as new inventions. Tourists from the US, Japan, and mailand China crowd the night market to get a taste of the real "Bubble Tea", "Stinky Tofu", and much more. I've had most of the snacks when I was young, but after being absent for so many years living in Chicago, I got to experience a few items for the first time like a tourist which is a lot of fun!



The vendors and the bustling crowd at Shih-Lin night market:







Super Large Fried Chicken Fillet, could be as big as 9 inches long!!



Deep Fried Bread:



Jumbo Grilled Sausage:



Tea stands like this one greet you at every corner of Shih-Lin market, if not at all streets of Taipei. A tea stand offers everything from Bubble Tea to a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice.




A snap shot of the mass transit system in Taipei. The transit is the best way to get to Shih-Lin market, or any place in downtown Taipei.

Dumpling House

Dear all,


It's been a crazy few weeks for me, and it took a while to get my life back in order. Gosh I have so much I'd like to share, but first let's have a feast for our eyes. Hubby and I celebrated the Chinese New Year early last month at the city's most renowned dumpling house. Only a couple of streets away from our apartment, this place serves nothing fancy but the most basic Taiwanese dishes. Their best is the Steamed Dumplings served in a bamboo steamer (pictured here with chopped chilies, soy sauce, and fresh ginger slices).




Holiday atmosphere plus a table full of hot, delicious, family style Chinese meal:



Ham & Egg Fried Rice:



Sea Cucumber Salad:



Stir Fried Cabbage:



Hot & Sour Soup Noodle: