Destination One: Au Revoir Taipei

Surprise, surprise! I was away for Taipei, Taiwan the week before (and I spent most of this week busily putting this post together). I know VanillaChymes is generally a fashion and arts focused blog but with the encouragement of a friend and Jeisa, I decided to do a little guide on Taipei. I had a bit of trouble finding an English guide to Taipei and I wanted to find local sources, So here it is, everything put together by experience. Hopefully you'll find it handy if you ever decide to visit yourself! It's not a comprehensive guide, but I picked out my favorites and places where I had the best experiences!

This trip was my first to Taipei. All I had known of Taipei was from a film called Au Revoir Taipei and all I got was mostly glimpses of Eslite bookstore (the Barnes and Noble or Page One of Taipei, such a large group that it also sells apparel and stationary in various locations in Taipei), the Taipei MRT, and some of Taipei's night market. I went on this trip with three other friends for five days (arrived on Monday morning and left Friday night). In our schedule, we spent Monday at DanShui but it was raining so heavily. we couldn't see much, most of Tuesday and Wednesday in Jiu Fen, and the rest of our time exploring Taipei.

So hear are some of the highlights of our trip. Taipei is great for eating, shop, and some sightseeing. Everything is very convenient when traveling by the MRT and there's so much to eat! My friend and I started worrying about our budget by the second night because we were like "oh dear, where did our money go?" It turns out that there's so much to eat, money just disappeared from my wallet like that! Remember to bring some extra cash! If you don't have enough, just stop by the local bank to exchange for more.

As for the outskirts of Taipei, my favorite stop was at Jiu Fen. Jiu Fen used to be a prosperous town due to the gold mines nearby. The tea houses on its steps and its theater used to be entertainment for nearby miners. Once the gold mine reserves started declining, so did the town. Only after the film A City of Sadness by Hou Hsiao-hsien, did Jiu Fen's tourism industry start to rise again and along with it came a new start for Jiu Fen. It's very much like the touristy towns in China but the sea view is simply breathtaking and the Gold Ecological Park was so much fun!

Taipei, Taiwan

 

Destinations (pictured, top to bottom):
1. National Concert Hall: Next to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
2. Spot - Taipei Film House: Right around the corner if exit 4 of ZhongShan station (walk out and you'll see the signs pointing in its direction), Spot - Taipei Film House s the hub for indie films in Taipei. The building used to be the US embassy. If you don't have time to catch a film there, have a drink and snack at either of its cafes (Le Ballon Rouge or Cafe Lumiere). I enjoyed my tea set at the Cafe Lumiere (not pictured). Both restaurants serve the same items.
3. Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall: Commemorating the late Chiang Kai-Shek, pop in a for quick peek at this Taiwanese leaders life. My favorite part - the gift shop with cartoon-y versions of Chiang Kai-Shek on postcards and other souvenirs. Haha! :P
4. National Palace Museum: Take a look at the historical treasures of China's history. It's one of the rather prominent destinations of Taipei.

For more information on destinations and attractions, check out GuidePal's Taipei section. My friend wrote it! It's got a great guide on where to go in Taipei, written by a local Taiwanese (all in English)!

Cuisine (pictured, left to right):

1. Marinated Food at Shida Night Market. You just pick out want you want to eat at the front of the store. The workers will hand the food to the next person who chops it all up, calculates the price, and you pay. Then its cooked (more like boiled) in front of you. Take it upstairs to eat, there's a minimum amount required to be spent on drinks, but it's not much and you'll be able to enjoy your food a lot more comfortably that way.
2. Dong Noodles (Dong Fen) with Pork Balls for Breakfast. Suggested by Sweet Potato Hostel on our first night, this is supposedly a simple traditional Taiwanese breakfast. Dong Fen is a clear thin type of noodle. I had it with meat balls and it didn't disappoint!
3. Chun Shui Tang Bubble Tea (near ZhongShan MRT station). Chun Shui Tang claims to be the creator of Taiwan's famous bubble milk tea. There's a minimum spending of 100TWD but a  medium size bubble tea is already around 70TWD. Just try a snack while you're at it. The bubble tea there has a strong milk taste than tea. Note: the large size drinks are HUGE. It's the size of a pitcher, probably around the size of one litre. So think twice before ordering the large.
4. Shrimp Rolls at Hai Jing Chan Ting in DanShui. As suggested in our guide book, Hai Jing Chan Ting (海風餐廳) is a favorite of locals for seafood. We had cooked clams, Taiwanese veggies, fish balls, fried baby oysters, and shrimp rolls. Our favorite was the crunchy fried oysters. The price is rather cheap. Take a bite hear before heading down DanShui's old street for more snacks! Location: right at the beginning of the old street, if you're walking from the MRT (17 Zhong Zheng Street).

Other kinds of food to try:
1. Ah Zhong Mian Xian: A favorite of locals, its a very thin and soft type of noodle in a very thick soup. Available at XiMenDing and more info on GuidePal (above)!
2. Milkhouse's Half Cooked Cheese Cake PuddingHong Kong but the bottom is a light and soft pudding. I didn't take pictures but you can read more here :) Milkhouse has shops everywhere. There's one at the Taipei Railway Station and I bought mine at Breeze Center (FuXingNan Road MRT station)
3. Cookies from Kobayashi. Get off the MRT station at FuXingNan Road (same station as Sogo) and get out at Exit 3. It's right next to the station exit. Remember to try their freshly baked cakes!

Shopping:
1. Beauty Products: Try Watsons or Cosmed for a wide selection. Watsons has a lot of the Asian cosmetic brand and the larger stores even have some local Taiwanese brands. Cosmed has the famous My Beauty Diary face masks (amazing effects for its low price!). Note to Hong Kong visitors though, My Beauty Diary face masks are cheaper in Hong Kong due to the recent higher conversion rate between the HKD and TWD.
2. Clothes: Try the Shilin area or Shida Market. I was most impressed with the wide range of styles there (for example, I would see only Lilac blazer in a HK boutique but I'd fine three to five choices in only store in Shida Market). But I have to say, clothes in Taipei aren't all that cheap (compared to Hong Kong, China, the amazing taobao.com) but you'll get a large variety. Wufenpu (the wholesale market) wasn't worth much of a visit if you've been to the wholesale markets in Hong Kong (I asked for the price of quite a few tank tops and I got the price of 1080TWD, which is around 300HKD).

Where to stay:
STAR Hostels I have to say, this is one of the best hostels I've ever been to. Walk over from ZhongShan station in minutes (literally less than ten minutes), the area is very convenient. The common area, rooms, and bathrooms are sooo tidy and clean. The beds and pillows are as comfortable as mine at home! Breakfast is provided and the staff are very friendly and helpful! You'll be surprised at how a extremely clean, friendly, and convenient hostel is also at such a low price! It was 2000TWD per night for four people (four person dorm), which means it was 500TWD per person (around 140 HKD or less than 20USD). I'll definitely return if I visit Taipei again in the near future.

Outside of Taipei: Jiu Fen

Destinations:
1. The Stairs (pictured above): Lined with tea-houses on both sides, this is the signature view of JiuFen. if you have time, have a drink or two and enjoy the scenery. Note that it's rather expensive to eat there and the quality of the food might not be great, so just stop by for tea or other drinks. Restaurants and tea houses close before 10pm!
2. Old Street:At around the top of the steps, filled with souvenirs and snacks for tourists.
3. Gold Museum: It's actually the Gold Ecological Park. We had so much fun there! Most of the sites are free of charge except the gold mine tunnel and gold mining experience (like those in US amusement parks where you're given a pan to siphon for gold). There's a mini museum with a huge chunk of gold (haha, I was too amused to remember the details) for you to touch (yes, touch ONLY. It's really heavily because gold is a very dense material). You can even get a lunchbox mimicked after those of gold miners and the lunchbox comes with the box and a cloth with the park's map printed on it (yours to keep!) for only 200TWD. Take a bus for around ten minutes from Jiu Fen to get there.

Where to stay:
Aegean Sea's Homestay. It's right next to the stairs of Jiu Fen. Very convenient. The homestay will even drive you up to Jiu Fen from the RuiFang Railway Station after you give her a call from the station. There are rooms for two or four people and extra beds are available (on an additional fee). A room for four is 3200TWD on weekdays (another price during weekends). Breakfast is included and the view from the room and breakfast place (in an extension next to the house) is great!

Hope this helps!
All for now,
Delilah

Sister and Brother websites and other amusing findings

Hello! Another random post by Delilah before I start noting down my favorites from the current F/W 2011 Fashion Week. I've been online quite frequently these days since there's no school next week (thus, no assignments due and time to slack off...not exactly what I should be doing) and I noticed how quite a few new websites have started up: some are sister or brother sites of its well-known counterparts and others completely started from scratch. Let me take you on a brief guide to the new fashion-related sites out there.

Type 1: Retail Therapy

Mr. Porter

Brother site of Net-a-porter

Fashion Focus: Designer fashion for men (obviously!)

BHLDN

Sister site of Anthropologie, thus also a part of the Urban Outfitters Group

Fashion Focus: Bridal
Sooo pretty! Very non-traditional, yet remains really graceful.

Type 2: For the Curious Fashionable Soul

Where to Get it?

Seems to me, it's brand new. No affiliations.

Fashion Focus: Getting the online fashion community to hunt down what you want and where you can get it

Type 3: Street Fashion with a Brand

Need I say more? Basically, it's a NewLook/Chicotopia/Weardrobe type of website where people can post up pictures of their outfits, except this time, since the websites are started by various brands (such as Zara and Uniqlo) the people are wearing pieces from the brand. 

Zara People

Zara tries to attract fashion lovers by awarding those with selected outfits, after rounds of selection, with a monetary prize. The perks of it are that you must have at least two Zara items in your outfit and I'm not certain if this offer extends outside of Europe.

UNIQLOOKS

Uniqlo basically has a Where to Get It? vibe going on. You get to see people from all over the world show off their outfits and UNIQLOOKS will let you know if that particular piece is available in stores near you.

Hope you have a great weekend web-surfing :)

the versatile white tshirt

Oh I am not happy. I typed up a whole post here and POOF after uploading the pictures, the text was gone. Unhappiness is one good way to describe the past week: unpleasant grades, delivery getting caught up in customs, academic material not making ANY SENSE whatsoever. I'm officially pretty lost and ready for vacation all over again. However, a few positive have turned my frown upside down: I got my white Peter Pan collar black dress and it fits perfectly, my aunt is satisfied with the Banana Taipei bag I helped her buy (a creation by a Taiwanese company, printing the actual size Hermes Birkin on a canvas bag) and Chanel's exhibition in the Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art. Hopefully, it'll be open over the Chinese New Year holiday and I'll be right in time to see it when I'm there next week (Jeisaaa: How I wish you would be there!).

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA MM6

The White Flap Tee

Yes. It may look like your ordinary layered white tshirt but it can actually be worn in three different ways. Perfect for those days when you want to wear the same shirt but at the same time, you realize you've already worn this shirt in the past week.

Numero Uno: the Original

Numero Dos: One Side Tucked in

Numero Tres: Tied in a Knot

My favorite? The Original look would be my choice but I wouldn't mind trying the others :)

This will go on my wish list of multifunctional/versatile pieces, next to the American Apparel circle scarf!

Photo Credits and Where to Buy: Oak NYC

All for now,

Delilah

Holiday Dressing

Departing from my Balmain obsession for just a bit, all this holiday spirit has really gotten to me! Especially when I'm in Asia, where people don't celebrate Thanksgiving! But I've got tons to give thanks for, and I sure don't mind an extra week of holidays, especially when I was on the verge of collapse last week. (the after effects of too much work still remain: shoulder pain, eye strain, bad skin, ouchies what a horrible experience), Nonetheless, I treat myself towards the holiday spirit buy lots of online retail therapy (my Juicy Couture bag during Juicy's online sale on sale offer, I can't wait to get it! It's currently with my friend in the US because Juicy doesn't ship internationally. And my many purchases on taobao.com, China's ebay network, I can't wait to get all that jewelry in my hands!). It's surprising how the internet shopping trend is on a rise. Asos is doing free international shipping all holiday season and the Outnet had a free international shipping weekend last week. And Google's opened boutiques.com. I wonder if that means I don't need to go out shopping anymore. I doubt it. It's not the same when you get to feel the textures and try the items on :)

Anyways, I came across these dresses when flipping through Nasty Gal's latest lookbook on facebook. And I thought "these dresses would look awfully good during the holiday season!" Simple colorful sleeveless dress. Very cute, young chic, with a bit of a vintage-y vibe. Yet bright, silky, and very structured for a formal holiday dinner.

BB Dakota 

Halsey Dress and Winsor Silk Dress

Both dresses available on Nasty Gal's site: Halsey Dress and Winsor Silk Dress
Words of wisdom (and those of a thrifty shopper): It's cheaper on Nasty Gal then BB Dakota's site! Plus you can try to getting it during Nasty Gal's special sale periods.

Enjoy!
Delilah :)

the alexa chung addiction: the white collar

Hello! Among the various readings and assignments I have to do for uni, I've still kept myself rather engaged in the whole post-fashion week vibe. I really wish it didn't end! I started spending the last few days of Fashion Week on my computer every morning during breakfast and watching clips of shows from the day before. Meanwhile, as I  was going through recent pictures of Fashion Week, magazine editorials, etc and I noticed another very "Alexa Chung"  feature: a white collar. The collar might be just popping out from a knit sweater or added on to the neckline of a navy blue dress. It's simple, pretty, and very cute!

at Louis Vuitton's SS2010 show

in Elle UK November 2010

Photographed by David Vasiljevic in The Accidental Stylist

in  Madewell's FW 2009 Advertisement

I like this so much, I think I'm gonna go dig out my knit sweaters once it starts getting cold and match it with my white button downs from interning. I wonder if it works... Nonetheless, if you get really creative, you can actually try drawing on a black collar to a white t-shirt? I remember seeing a tank top in Zara over the summer with a printed on bow-tie on it. Maybe next time, Zara can do what I just suggested. hehe :)

Pictures from thefashionspot.com, fashiongonerogue.com, and refinery29.com.

All for now,
Delilah

lashes to lips: Jeisa's choice on make-up

Bonjour lovelies!

So technically, I am supposed to be studying for my finals or starting one of my assignments. But knowing very well that when exam week approaches, I won't be able to post again for awhile. So I decided to write this up following a shopping day out with my roommate, who inspired me to make this post:

Essentially, what is in my make-up bag?

What are my favourite, must-live-by make-up that I carry with me at all times?

I should start out by saying that I'm a die-hard DIOR fan, so please be aware that most of what I use is going to be from Dior. I know that judging the quality of make-up is incredibly subjective so even if it works heavenly on me, it might not work on you so just be aware of that and always always try it out at the department store before you make a purchase.

Okay, let's get to it:

• FOUNDATION: DiorSnow White Reveal UV Shield MakeUp

• This is a great foundation! I've always preferred powder foundations for some reason and this just works brilliantly. Finished and flawless application and my favourite part of it? It looks completely natural! There's never a need to worry that after a hard day's work, a thick cakey effect will form. As an added benefit, with the right moisturiser, you will attain the long sought-after dewy effect seen on runway models. It's that amazing. Not to mention, there's UV protection which is always a plus! 

• HIGHLIGHTER: M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle

• I have only begun to use highlighters very recently so usually, I'll just stick to using it when I have an event at night because frankly, I feel like my face is too "made-up" for a casual-day look when I apply this to accentuate my facial features. In case you're wondering, I usually brush gently over the following on my face: brow bones, nose bridge, apple of your cheeks and forehead. Instant glow!

• EYESHADOW: Dior Travel Studio

• I actually use this Dior Travel Studio because I travel quite a bit and its just much easier to have one massive compact than a million pots of eyeshadow littered around my make-up bag. Besides, there is a great variety of shadows that's sufficient for casual day looks or sultry night looks. Like I said, I absolutely adore Dior. Their eyeshadows are great, the pigment is rich and it stays on all day without appearing dull or washed-out.

• EYELINER: Dior Crayon Eyeliner (Waterproof)

I have actually used this eyeliner for years and its been working so well that I would never consider switching to another one. Yes, yes, I'm incredibly biased but Dior cosmetics really are as wonderful as they seem.

• MASCARA: Lancome L'Extreme

• My absolute must-have mascara! I recommend this to everyone. In fact, it is so brilliant that my roommate actually rushed out to buy it. I kid you not, I have been searching high and low for mascara that doesn't appear clumpy and unnatural on my lashes and for the longest time (years and years, in fact), I have not found this miracle mascara. It was up to the point that I figured that there may have been something wrong with the way I was applying it or my lashes or something that I actually gave up on my search. Then, my mom gave me this one day after she bought a pack of three when she was travelling. Oh my God, I nearly swooned when I first applied it on my lashes. Flawless finish! I had instant dark, thick lashes WITH NO CLUMPS. -insert gasp-. This is amazing, seriously, I have no words.

• CONCEALER:  Chanel Correcteur Perfection

• WORTH the money. Literally, the best concealer ever. This is my life, especially now, during exam season. A little bit goes a long way and I love how it blends so seamlessly with my foundation. I've used concealers before where the colour stood out so distinctly after a few hours --- an absolute horror. This is definitely on my highly recommended list for a must-have in any make-up bag.

Some of you may notice that I don't have anything for lips and that's because I haven't really found a great lipstick/lip gloss to recommend yet. I am now in the market in search of a great nude lip but alas, nothing has struck my fancy. When I have found something great, I'll be sure to update this once again.

Thanks for viewing and I hope this is some use to you! 

With love,

Jeisa

the alexa chung addiction: nautical stripes

I'm not sure if anyone in fashion can quite get enough of Alexa Chung right now. I first found out about Alexa Chung in senior year of high school when my mom took home a tack of British magazines from work. I think Alexa was on the cover of an Elle extra pull-out magazine. And something about her smile, eyes, and (seemingly) very effortless pretty look made me wonder who she was. Back then, Alexa wasn't a host in MTV in the US, so fashion people in the US hadn't really put her under the spotlight.

Nowadays, it's like "OMG alexa chung is wearing clogs," and we're all told to run out and go get a pair of clogs. Well... we don't really have to buy clogs. Alexa's style is amazingly cute and simple, but I must admit, I don't find it as "effortless" as it may seem because not everyone knew to start off with the basics like cardigans, stripes, etc (haha, number one example: me!). There's so much to Alexa's closet, I don't really know where to start off! So, as I was flipping through an old copy of Teen Vogue from last year, I came across the photo of Alexa in overalls and a striped top (right) and I was like "ah! that looks like a signature alexa chung piece!"

So for my first post on Alexa Chung, I'll start with the nautical stripes.
photo: Alexa in very nautical blazer (left), Alexa designs for Madewell (launched the February in New York fashion week), and Alexa in short overalls and a striped top.

Firstly, the stripes are everywhere this season! I think H&M and Uniqlo have a whole section dedicated to stripes this season. You can get tshirts with simple horizontal stripes over it in almost every color. Next, I find it very similar to the one Audrey Tautou wore in Coco Before Chanel. Lastly, while looking through the selection of cut-off tees and long sleeve shirts at Cotton On Body, I found a shirt just like the one Alexa is wearing (which I gladly bought home after the 60% off Chinese New Year discount). Oh, and Alexander Wang has stripes in his Spring/Summer 2010 lookbook, some very awesome inner-turned-out wear (maybe I'll write about that next time).

So I guess what I'm trying to get at is how to dress simply for beginners and how dress like Alexa Chung? I'm not really sure. But I do love my stripey top like no other. I can wear it with jeans, both loose fit light colored jeans from the back of my closet, or navy blue skinny jeans. Since my top is a cut-off, I wear a black tanktop underneath (layers!). And as seen from Alexa (above), this would also go well with shorts and overalls. I think a black pencil skirt would do too. As for shoes, I guess blue, black or white wedges would work (and look very good with short skirts or shorts by making your legs oh sooo long.) Otherwise, flats or oxford flats (definately a thumbs up for oxford flats, I can see them taking over ordinary ballet flats this year, maybe) in the same shade of colors would do. Maybe I'll show you after I've tried out some of these ways of wearing my top.

...all for now!

manicures & pedicures at home?

Manicures and pedicures are addictive. But we all know that not everyone can afford those on a weekly basis. As such, many turn to home manicures as a viable option. The topic I'm mainly dealing with today is nail polish. Walk into a pharmacy or a department store and you will be floored by the variety of nail polish available for you to choose from. So how are you, as a consumer, supposed to know which brands are good and which aren't?

Through my teenage years, I've gone through many bottles and many brands of nail polish. I'll tell you, the best nail polish, in my humble opinion, is still OPI. Not only do you get your money's worth, OPI nail polish is the only nail polish I've ever applied to have lasted me more than 2 weeks. Everything else starts to chip before the weekend even begins.

Even more expensive brands such as Chanel can't compare to OPI. Granted, I'll give Chanel the credit that their shades are too gorgeous to pass up but Chanel definitely lacks when it comes to the long-lasting department. I'm such a huge fan of Chanel that it took me several stubborn attempts and failures before I finally had to grudgingly admit that Chanel's nail polish just wasn't performing as well as OPI. Its application wand is also a lot trickier to handle than OPI's, leaving my nails uneven and even streaky on occasion.

Another brand that is on my highly recommended list is Anna Sui. Not only will your nails smell ridiculously good, no seriously, it will, its fast-drying and long-lasting. This is due to the fact that Anna Sui infuses rose and peony extracts with its products. You'll look like an idiot smelling your nails but trust me, you won't be able to resist. Not to mention, the bottles are super adorable.

On several occasions, I've had friends and family members inquire how I keep my nail polish on for so long and the process that I use is no different than that of a manicurist:

1. Apply a base coat. I would recommend one that doubles as a strengthening coat as well. A MUST! It protects your nails whilst keeping your nail polish coats even. 
2. Apply the first coat of nail polish. Allow it to dry. Even better, allow it to dry overnight. It'll make applying and drying the later coats much easier.
3. Apply the second coat of nail polish. Allow it to dry.
4. Apply a top coat. This is ESSENTIAL to ensuring that your nail polish lasts longer. Do not miss out on this step!

EXTRA TIPS:

• To accelerate drying time, dip your freshly painted nails into a bowl filled with ice-cold water. I'm lazy so I just run mine under cold tap water for a few minutes and it usually does the trick. 
• To check whether your nails are dry enough so you can continue your daily activities, gently touch your nails together and if it still feels sticky, leave it alone to let it dry or you'll get massive annoying indents on your shiny nails.
• If you aren't so steady when it comes to giving yourself a manicure, no worries. Just make sure to cover all areas evenly and then use a Q-tip, dip it into a little nail-polish remover and slowly clean up all your mistakes.

Happy Home Manicures!

Until next time, darls!

nude or rouge?

NUDE or ROUGEnew trend alert?possibly.
The explosion of the statement red lips began several seasons ago, proudly exhibited by celebrities, models and socialites. Has the world now turned to barely-there nude lips?
I, myself, have always been fond of the nude lips, having been partial to dramatic eye make-up. As such, there's always a need of balance in everything in life, including make-up. Dramatic eyes go lovely with nude lips while vampy red lips should be paired with simplicity. The basic tips below will help you on your way to looking and feeling as glamorous as those celebrities that are rocking it on the red carpet now:

    how to wear nude lips?   

• Concentrate the heavy make-up on your eyes. Smoky eyes look amazing with a nude lip.
• Matte texture for the day; A hint of gloss for the night
• Nude lipstick/lip glosses come in an array of colours, it's important to pick one that will complement your skin tone, not wash it out or clash against it.

    how to wear red lips?    

• Keep the rest of your face as simple as possible. Hold back on the blush and the eyeshadow.
• The key tools to use to still dress up your eyes: Mascara & Eyeliner. Dark dramatic eyelashes and cat eyes (wing-tip eyeliner) will bring you to a full femme fatale status once paired with deep red lips.
• To accentuate your features without going overboard, use highlighters and illuminators sparingly.
• Keep things age-appropriate, keep in mind the glamorous pin-up look is not an everyday look so reserve it for a special occasion where you can make a grand entrance.

Leaving with a final note: Could the Twilight era have inspired us with this dark vampiresque look? 

Future trend alert? Yay or Nay?
Until next time lovelies!