Taiwan 03/2012 - From Yilan to Jiaoxi 礁溪温泉

So after a good night's rest at 芯园宜兰民宿，here's how our breakfast looks like:

Super shiok please!  Dimsum, salad, wraps, fresh fruits and a big pot of porridge!  The breakfast was just awesome.  We could even ask for more without additional charge!

The weather was great too,  but we had to leave for our next destination.

So once again we lugged our heavy belongings and took a cab to a train station.  There are no buses in the vicinity so we had to pay NT200 to get to the nearest train station. There, we met this little gal. She was with her mom but were following us around. Haha so cute.

She especially liked Sis and even threw a tantrum when our train arrived and had to say goodbye.

Jiaoxi 礁溪 was only three stops down, and we walked to our hotel (Artspa Hotel). 

Our lunch was a simple noodle soup + seaweed.  There is NOTHING to shop for around the area. I think Sis and I spent most of the afternoon in the nearby supermarket for snacks instead. The pool/spa wasn't open until 5 or 6pm.

They have a huge outdoor spa and jacuzzi facility filled with natural spring water. My favorite is the hot stone 'bed'. I think I really did fall asleep there for a good 15 minutes or so.  I enjoy water activities but I don't like water massages, so I went back to my room before Sis did.

Even if I don't want to leave my room, guests can also enjoy the hot spa in the comfort of their own big-ass bathtubs.  I'm not quite sure how to use the smaller one though.

It was only a night's stay before we headed back to Taipei.

Read More

7-Eleven!

7-Eleven is your best bet whenever you need to get something in the middle of the night!

Just the other day I met up with my buddies at NEX for a movie and just as we came out of the theatre, there's 7-Eleven!

I don't even have to put in any effort to look for an outlet because it's so conveniently located!  The third floor 7-Eleven is the smaller outlet, and just a few storeys down at the basement, there's a bigger one. :D

I passed my camera to BFF 1 and henceforth began a fun journey in 7-Eleven.  It's unbelievable we can have so much fun even within the small outlet.

It began with me given too many options and not knowing which way to enter.




Left? Aiya right. Aiya left side got drinks!!  Just GO IN, it doesn't matter!!!


The awesome part about 7-Eleven is that there's ALWAYS some promotions, contests and even lucky draw going on at 7-Eleven.  Slurpee was $1/ cup that day, check out the family behind me queuing up to get their Slurpee fix!

I was wondering what to buy...

Looking high, looking low, looking for all the good lobangs~

... and in the meantime, BFF 1 caught BFF 2 "hanging around" the magazine section. What could he be looking for?  Could it be the attractive cover page of... FHM?

After much deliberation, he reaches out ...

... and starts flipping through the magazine there (eh not recommended)! -___- LOL Y MY FRIEND LIDDAT?

But hahaha, no lah, it was the Men's Fitness magazine (UK version sold in 7-Eleven!)
Earlier this month, I'd already gotten my bridal magazine so I didn't get one here.


BFF 1 shifted his focus back to me when I shouted, "EH COME OVER! GOT OFFER HERE!"

See!

See!  

See!


BFF 2 still wanna bluff me using the magazine. 




It's funny because he used to be a scrawny, awkward kid in class, always being bullied. Yet he's now really into exercising and working out to build bulk.  He has also become much more sociable over the years (decade! Lol).

Anyway, I decided to get chips since I wanted a tea-time snack. Fattening but hey, I don't eat that every day what!

Picked my favourite chips!


Moving on to get some drinks, and was wondering what to get...

Then I spotted my favourite Allswell drinks was having a 2 for $3 promotion. YESSSS.



 
Quickly grab liao. 





Ohhh and something else caught my eye as I walked over to the cashier.

Mini Lego figures and Hello Kitty notepad! I had no idea 7-Eleven bring in these cute novelty items too!

I laid my stuff on the cashier counter and realised that my bag was too heavy already, so I decided to put back the drinks (Sorry!).

Making payment, and kanchiong auntie is kanchiong. I can so foresee myself doing a lot more of shopping at 7-Eleven in the wee hours when I feel hungry, thirsty, or when I run out of toothpaste.  I'm certain that somewhere near my new place there WILL be a 7-Eleven.

And as I mentioned earlier, 7-Eleven hold contest too and the current one involves sharing my favourite country if I were to win the 7-Eleven Leading Brands Contest. 


Have you guessed it yet from my use of anime expressions in some of the photo edits? 

Here's another hint from the chips I bought:

It's JAPAN!

The last time I went to Japan I only get to go Hokkaido, and spent the last day in Tokyo.  I would love to go back there with my fiance and have a good time (him looking at Jap girls and me soaking up in everything kawaii).

There's the Hello Kitty Theme Park (or is it the Sanrio Puroland?), One Piece Restaurant (sigh, I know it's closed now but I can always go look for other pop-up stores!),  Cat Cafe, not to forget Tokyo Disneyland + Disneysea!

Kitty Land

One Piece Restaurant

Cat Cafe

Also, if I really get to go Japan, I will bug Alien to buy me my favourite Japanese fashion brand - Snidel!

So here's my proof of purchase:

:) COME COME LET ME GO JAPAN!  Just like how 7-Eleven is the leading convenience store in Singapore and Calbee the leading brand in potato chips, let me be the leading one who can win the contest!

/okendofshamelessplug

Read More

Taiwan 2012 芯园宜兰民宿

Overdue!!! Taiwan March 2012

Our trip to Yilan (宜兰) was one of the most memorable stops during our Taiwan trip this year.

From the city, it'll take about 1~2 hours drive out to the 'countryside'.  In fact, not many cabs were willing to take us out as they won't be able to get any passengers back to Taipei from there.  Besides, we had quite a bit of luggage with us.

We went by quite a few paddy fields and throughout the ride we just enjoyed the view.

Luckily for us, there was a cab uncle who could visit his friend there and agreed to take us there, for additional charges though. It costs us about NT1000+ (near to 2000) to get to our boutique 'hotel'.

芯园宜兰民宿 is privately owned by a family, who refurbished their land/house and made it into themed rooms/hotel.  The theme they work with is "Fairytale" [我的梦中城堡], it is evident and very consistent in both exterior and interior designs.


The entrance of the hotel facing a paddy field.  The air was good and the surrounding quiet, just the perfect spot for a quiet getaway.

At the "lobby", one corner was meant for customers to have breakfast or enjoy tea, while further down the corridor is a mini bar bistro.

To the right is a storeroom where customers are welcome to try out and borrow any of their costumes available to play dress up!  I picked up what I saw first, which is the giant Stitch hat.

Most of the dresses were a bit too long so we (Sis and I) chose about 4 outfits to bring back to our room.

There are 12 rooms in total, each with a different theme. The one we really wanted was already taken, so we decided on "Sleeping Beauty".

See, although the night's stay wasn't exactly cheap, it could accommodate all four of us and it's not just a tiny room we get, but more of an entire apartment.  To know what I mean, just go check out their site and look at the photo gallery. 

I would LOVE to stay in the Queen's Dome for my next visit there.   The bed looks SUPER comfy. Hahaha 
  

In order to reach our Sleeping Beauty Castle, we had to climb this flight of stairs! I wouldn’t be complaining, except that my luggage was huge and filled with shopping loots from the previous week. Lol. 

We also went around to explore the vicinity and found the Snow White’s abode (seven dwarfs behind!). 


My parents were exhausted so they watched TV and napped, while sis and I started our dress up and camwhoring.  

Sis explored the coffee machine and I sat in the bathtub (cute!). 

 
Our beds were separated from our parents, of course! We stayed on the second floor. :D
I love how even the coat hanger is so artistic.

We both didn’t look very good in this dress, but the back + train details were just so gorgeous!
Yes! We have a white wooden horse and a cartwheel bench just outside our room. 

An all-white gown, looks a bit like a casual wedding gown.

We spent the whole afternoon playing dress up and taking pictures lol.  Sis brought the curler so we just went completely had fun (and got my finger burnt -..-).  

Changed into a peach dress, and I have to act all dainty. Eee. Lol

In the evening, it was time to head out for dinner. Since we didn’t have any means of transport, we had to call a cab from the counter (NT20) to head out to the nearby market/central streets.   

We had a quick dinner at one of the stalls and then started shopping (as usual).  Saw Taiwanese stars filming for variety shows; got hungry, bought the 鸡蛋糕 and oh they were SO YUMMY. 

So that kinda sums up our first day at Yilan, away from the city’s hustle and bustle.  Lovin’ it. I would love to bring Alien there some day! 

Read More