Prangster in Chicago

Slipping on the slope

The first morning I woke up in Taipei, it was 8am. Mum got up just a little before me. We had breakfast together and watched some morning news. The second morning, we both slept in and got up at 8:30. The third morning, I'd stayed up late the night before so woke up at 9...can you see the pattern here?

Fast forward to today and I can't believe that I WOKE UP AT NOON. Just in time for lunch. I feel so dirty. I really need to start setting my alarm before I turn into a total degenerate.

And I've got some photos I'd like to post but I forgot to bring my mini USB cable from Chicago so my camera and laptop are sad, lonely islands of technology.

I do have a great photo from my friend Brinky though. Look at this massive gingerbread house she made! Isn't it insane? Hi Jane! You look so tiny and cute!

2010 is gonna be the year of the stylish cat

I just ordered this 2010 United Bamboo calendar. It's even more ridiculous than the Japanese calendar I had in 2008 that had very detailed illustrations about the life cycle of poo.

All girls like shoes, etc.

 

This is a special post. One where I show you all the shoes I bought recently -- like in the past month -- and all the girls go, "Wooo!" and all the guys say, "Uh, you have a problem." You know the drill.

So the first pair are suede moccasins from Cole Haan. I wore them in Vegas last week and matched them with my other Vegas accessory, a bottle of Newcastle beer. When we walked by all the barefoot girls carrying their high heels, I bet everyone looked at me and thought, she is so freaking sensible.

Next to those are Clarks Wallabees, otherwise known as my elf shoes. They're also suede. I'll wear them out in Taipei when it's stopped raining, which could be tomorrow, or could be next year. In the meantime, I'll parade them in front of the TV in my pajamas.

Then it's my go-to winter shoes: Tretorn Skerry Vinters. I first got them in 2007 during my first Chicago winter, and they're pretty much the rain boot of my life. I love you, Skerry Vinters. Since I tear through a pair of them every year, these are my third. So cute with the stripe!

The last pair of shoes are the $390 Bettye Muller heels I got for $47 at Neiman Marcus Last Call. I'm glad they were a bargain because one day they will get their revenge by killing my feet and possibly drawing blood. But like, whatever. They're pretty.

And now I'm done. My feet are so spoiled.

Pick a tea, any tea

Eat! Eat! Eat! Drink! Eat!

Her first records

I haven't seen these records in 15, maybe 20 years. We thought they'd been lost forever. But actually they were in the time capsule underneath the bed in the study of my grandparents' apartment. All this time, that's where they were.
When I was a kid, I went through most of the drawers and cupboards in that study, thinking maybe I'd find the stash. Never did. I always got distracted looking through all the old family photo albums. That room really is a time capsule.
In the top one, her first record, my mum's only 18. What was I doing at 18? At 20? Nothing like this. I can't wait to listen to them.





I love how this one is so 70s. She should've been wearing dorky black-rimmed reading glasses.

Christine, this was the New Year's Day lunch you missed

The soup is missing from this shot. It was so damn delicious.

A morning run to the traditional market in Taipei

Knick knacks for your hot pot.


Noodle shop.


Taiwanese fruit is seriously delicious. This is one of my faves, called "lien wu" in Chinese.


This is how seafood is sold at the traditional market. It doesn't look very appetizing, but most of it comes straight from the seaside, so it's meant to be fresh. If you made a face looking at this photo, be glad I didn't take a photo of a meat stand. Or one of the chicken stand, where the chickens are so fresh they're not even dead yet.


Just some funny looking vegetables.

Wearing our uniforms

This is my dad in his company work shirt. He has a handful that he rotates through every week. I'm wearing my life uniform: a stripey top. Here we're eating Korean BBQ with my uncle. Looking at that menu makes me so hungry.

How similar are we looking these days?