quirky wanderlust

Quirky Wanderlust: Lines and Love at Din Tai Fung, Dongmen, Taipei

2017-04-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

A story in photos (Photos by Jules @ Quirkly Wanderlust):

Wow! Din Tai Fung at Dongmen is one popular place.

Is this crowd not a signal of something great inside?

My love for Din Tai Fung is already well know. Those bamboo steamers hold many amazing xiao long bao inside. Viking Bear and I try to patiently await!

Now it is time to enjoy! Yummmmmmmmmmmmm....

More visual delights await as we leave the store. So much so see, so want to long for. I'd like one of each, please.

Are these table card holders (for the restaurant) or little memo holders for office or home super precious? I am gaga over the cuteness.

Ooooooooh! BaoBao family mugs, too? Have they thought of everything?

With lots of love from:

Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust

Quirky Wanderlust: Herbes de Provence Popcorn

2016-08-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Herbes de Provence popcorn... My littles pick scallions out of their soup and even though green is a favorite color of theirs, they protest green veggies in foodstuff. I love veggies, fresh and sautéed, roasted and puréed... etc. so it pains me when they make faces and voice complaints upon seeing things not up to their green-free standards.

Interestingly (and ironically!), they have been obsessed with this herbed-goodness for the past two years. Our popcorn is not complete without herbes de Provence. Go figure!

If only they knew the ingredients included such green hued and plant based things such as fennel, thyme, rosemary, basil, parsley... And lavender... Can we keep it our little secret, please?

Okay, so the recipe is simple. We use our Presto plug-in/electric popcorn maker to pop the corn kernels, then add canola oil and the herbes de Provence (we currently have the purple Victoria brand below) and mix it all up with a big spoon. Then bon appetite... I get to enjoy my French flavor love (while my mind is transported to beautiful purple-hued fields in Provence) and the littles happily eat a delicious, healthy snack they helped make. A lovely win win, right?

With love from:

Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust

Quirky Wanderlust: Gracehome Rental Apartment in Taipei, Taiwan

2016-08-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

We feel blessed to have come across Gracehome in Taipei, Taiwan. Needing a cozy and convenient flat to call home for one month while in Taipei, we found Gracehome to fit the bill plus go above and beyond our expectations. Not only are the accommodations homey, cozy, clean and well kept, you have an excellent (kind, friendly, genuine!) host who checks in on you to ensure your comfort. You also have several safety features and are located in a convenient spot, really close to the metro, Da'an Park, 711, a local mom & pop noodle shop, a local breakfast sandwich & dan bing Taiwanese egg crepe making couple, grocery marts, Mos Burgers, Zhanlu Coffee, Cama Coffee... And quite near a massive, meandering open food market plus the famous foodie haven of Yong Kang Jie.

Here is a little tour of our apartment at Gracehome (there are a couple floor plans / styles to choice from, so keep in mind, these photos are from ours rental flat and each flat will have its own feel):

Right upon entering the flat (which has a security gate for our individual apartment), we had this excellent storage cabinet that we used for shoes on the bottom and mosquito sprays and bug band storage on the top.

Loved this cozy and stylish nook! Isn't the chair oh la la? A great spot for reading and relaxing, although, with the kids it was also a backpack prep place in the evening.

We were gaga over this big red phone!

One cellphone with a local Taipei number was offered as part of the rental. You can select to purchase a second one for the duration of your stay. We did as we figured each adult needed one. This was helpful when one of us made a grocery or dinner pick up run and needed to call the other with questions.

Great kitchen and dining space.

A big table with enough space for a meal plus the prepping of postcards and other writing activities.

Über swanky light fixture!

Cabinets which had tea and coffee sets plus tea bags, instant coffee packets, sugar, creamer, etc. for easy teatime access.

The kitchen has a stovetop / range, a microwave, a toaster style tray oven, an instant hot water pot, fridge, and many cooking pots / pans, utensils, plates, cups, bowls, etc.

Viking Bear and I were especially enamored with this drying rack. It can be covered so you don't see the dishes inside. Brilliant - and - convenient!

Our Chinese cartoon hang out space. A big screen TV and a cozy spot to curl up for screen time or to enjoy a good book.

The picture below is actually a lush, red sofa but the cover was added to make it more kid friendly. Perfect for lazy mornings and for quiet, wind down time before bed.

The master bed. Super comfy!

Bedside lighting. Lovely, no?

Also in the master bedroom is this great writing desk and storage space. Directly behind it is a Freudian sofa bed.

Great, spacious storage closet in the master bedroom!

Here is side one of the closet.

Side 2.

Side 2 has a full length mirror inside!

The master bedroom also has a storage security safe to keep valuables in.

There is additional space in the master bedroom for unpacking and packing up those big luggages!

Here is the bathroom area. The sink and some storage is outside of the bathroom proper making it convenient for multiple people to be getting ready in the AM at the same time.

Check out the green step stool. There wasn't a step stool when we first arrived but by the next day the Gracehome staff delivered this, having the insight that our littles couldn't easily reach the sink. During our stay, the Gracehome staff were constantly, proactively doing things like that made our visit personalized and special.

Toilet area.

The bathtub and shower.

Special Gracehome shampoo and bath / body gel.

Bathroom storage.

The wonderful laundry space. This area really made being abroad cozy and homelike. Having the ability to wash and dry our clothes conveniently in our own space was so great.

The instructions were in Chinese, but we received some help - the staff numbered the steps for us since we were initially uncertain of what to do.

Room to dry and iron clothes, too!

We had an amazing experience in Taipei and having Gracehome as our home away from home was a big element of our happiness while on this trip. We definitely would choose staying at Gracehome again.

For more information on Gracehome and to see my TripAdvisor review of this rental apartment / flat, you may wish to check out this link:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293913-d3579451-r398804625-Gracehome-Taipei.html#review398804625

Photos by Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust

Tamsui, AKA: Danshui

2016-07-29T01:54:00.001-07:00

At one end of the Taipei metro / MRT redline is a little riverside town called Tamsui, which has also been known as Danshui. It is located next to Danshui / Tamsui River.

It is actually only one metro stop past the Tapei Metro Guide's Metro Scenic Spots recommendation number 1: Mangrove Naturale Reserve (metro stop Hongshulin Station, exit 2). So if you are trekking to the nature reserve, definitely consider also making one additional stop at Tamsui.

Here are some photos from our two times to Tamsui:

Quirky Wanderlust: Din Tai Fung locations around Taipei

2016-07-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Unbeknownst to me as I began my love affair with xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung in Taipei, there are multiple locations of this fabulous, famous culinary establishment around the city.

Above is a queue forming outside Din Tai Fung at the original Taipei location in the Da'an District, No. 194, Section 2, Xinyi Road, Taipei City, 106. This is a tiny queue compared to others we have seen. Both times we have visited this location, we came at 9:45 am to be there for the 10 am opening and haven't had to wait in line.

Here (above) is an outpost of Din Tai Fung in the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi's A4 Store / Building mall food court! << Taipei Hsinyi Place>> How wonderful to see the chefs at work. Being able to see these xiao long bao masters as they create reminds me of my time at Paradise Dynasty. Plus, you can order take away.

Viking Bear and I've also seen the Din Tai Fung restaurant at Taipei 101 on the B1 level // main entry point straight across from MRT Taipei 101 exit 4 (photos below). When we first arrived there wasn't too big of a line but after spending some time in Taipei 101 and getting ready to exit, there was a huge crowd forming!

Getting out of the metro station and more than ready to visit the Taipei 101 building

Here is the outdoor signage of Din Tai Fung when you come out from the metro. Enter Taipei 101 to get to the restaurant entrance. However, you can view the chefs at work and dining room from the glass windows outside.

Signage 1.

Signage 2.

Just as you step in the entrance of Taipei 101, you see the restaurant and it's cute xiao long bao mascot.

This was around 3 pm.

When we left around 5:45 pm, the crowd was "wow"!

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Photos taken in July 2016.

Salt & Bread Russian Doll Babuschka Ice Cream, Taipei

2016-07-26T14:18:00.001-07:00

Meandering down Yongkang Jie frequently for our month plus stay in Taipei, we kept coming across the super cute Russian Doll Babuschka ice cream parlor, thinking how adorable and out of place the shop seemed. We were intrigued!

Later on, when we braved inside one late evening we learned this restaurant is called actually called Salt & Bread.

With the precious façade and cute signage we really didn't know what to expect on the inside...

Inside did not disappoint. The Russian theme continued inside in a very modern / elegant way (loved the painting wall decor and a nice number of the Russian nestled my dolls adorning strategic areas of the shop. It felt cozy and cool at the same time and my littles ones had tons of fun looking at everything with wonder.

Some Russian ice cream in the freezer.

Cakes and other desserts tempting the eyes and belly.

The ice cream we went with was: 1. A mix of green tea and vanilla; 2. All green tea and 3. An ice cream cake (top & inside are both ice cream!). That one had nuts and coffee so was definitely for the adults.

As for the green tea - I think our children wanted it only because it was green. It turned out being too powerful a flavor for them to eat too much, so Viking Bear offered to finish theirs.

Doesn't that all look so yummy?

Thanks Salt & Bread for the lovely family dessert night!

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Quirky Wanderlust: Eating at Oma Ursel's German Restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan

2016-07-25T20:30:00.000-07:00

To see the charm of Oma Ursel's façade, check out my photos here; these were from when we first found Oma Ursel's German Bakery at Yong Kang Street, No. 8, Lane 10, Da'an District. We discovered it after coming off Dongmen metro stop number four and walking around a bit. What a delightful discovery.

This is part of the little courtyard in front of the restaurant and bakery. So cute!

Here's a chalkboard outside like cafes and restaurants in Europe, but with Chinese characters - we are still in Taiwan after all.

Inside is equally as quaint and cozy. Entering the first floor from the terrace, you come across this selection of delicious looking bakery goods (I think in German you say "lecker lecker!") and assorted <<tempting>> spreads.

Hello breads! Hello cakes! Hello sweet delights! I'd love to try you all.

Hello herbed butter!

Hello sauerkraut, gherkin, and hazelnut goodness. I ❤️ all of you.

Once we made our way to the second floor, we came across this dining area, which had sketches showcasing German towns and architecture. The setting was elegant and cozy at the same time.

Waitress frock. And a room that was pretty much filled up by the time we got to the main entree.

Potato and leek soup. Very light and flavorful. Enjoyable start to the meal.

The super delish bread. Viking Bear went wild with the herbed butter.

Our pretty side salad. Loved the touch of walnuts and alfalfa sprouts for extra crunch and texture. I haven't been eating a lot of walnuts lately due to that being a severe allergy for one of my children, so it is a rare treat to have some. When we are eating together at home or out & about, I never select anything with walnuts.

Our waitress, Lisa, was most helpful and patient, answering questions about the menu and making recommendations.

Despite not being a big meat eater, I went with the following instead of the falafel, which jumped out as a yummy item for me. I would have enjoyed the falafel greatly but would have felt like I missed out on a true German experience, so I went with this with Lisa's recommendation: Meatloaf & bratwurst with fried Spätzle noodles. Of the two meats, I especially liked the meatloaf, loaded with mustard and sauerkraut. And the Spätzle were yummy too - with the chewy, doughy feel that is characteristic of these types of noodles. So unique!

And here is a German pork knuckle dish. The bone is where the meat was pulled; it was played this way upon arrival to our table. This also came with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut.

Bier time. Liking the Oma Ursel logo!

And of course, you must finish off such a meal with coffee and dessert!

Examples of the previously mentioned sketches of charming Village scenes in Germany:

And downstairs in the bakery area, cute display items in one of the windows:

We left Oma Ursel's with a special treat. Because we filled out the survey at the end of our meal, we were given a pretzel! It was so sweet of them and the Brezel was delicious. I shared it with my little ones after I picked them up from school.

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Sunmerry Bakery, Taipei

2016-07-25T01:49:00.001-07:00

I've come to enjoy Sunmerry very much. It's a bakery, similar to others around town, like I Jy Sheng. It has been convenient for us to stop by here in the Da'an Diatrict so it's been a nearly daily mainstay during our month in Taipei.

I love the logo / it seems so Scandinavian ... Danish to me.

You start seeing all these deliciousness around you and are wondering - where do I start and how do I select between all these pastries and freshly prepared rolls?

Well, first things first. Grab a tray and pair of your own personal tongs to use as you select items. Having a child with food allergies being able to use these individual tongs is something great so I don't have to worry about accidental contamination as much.

In the middle section are some cute yogurt / fruit / jelly jars. The jars are glass and come with a plastic cover. Perfect for reusing to pack lunch for work or to bring to a cozy picnic on the weekends.

Here is a ham & egg open face sandwich:

These rolls have tuna fish inside:

A very Asian option of taro (yum!!):

The yogurt / fruit jars up close:

Some beautifully designed cakes in the glass case:

A raisin bread roll?

Pork filled bread rolls:

Scallion rolls (love the contrast of the vibrant green against the dough!):

Lovely croissant sandwiches:

Egg salad sandwiches:

Apple filled pastries:

These were fresh out of the oven, right at the cash register!

More treats by the check out stand:

And advertisement to order your cake before Father's Day or Ba Ba Day (8 August is for Father's Day here since 8/8 is 8 August, BaBa is Dad, and Ba = 8).

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

After selecting your yummy items (tough to decide right?), you can touch the dragon for luck. Rubbing different areas imparts luck for different arenas of life including work, wealth, health and love.

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Chiang Kai-Shek Photo Shoot with Kids

2016-07-23T22:44:00.001-07:00

Found this cute post card of Doraemon at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial while browsing in the Ximen shopping district in Taipei.

My little ones love Doraemon and this was a perfect enticement for them to visit the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. They thought it was cool Doraemon had been there and wondered if they would see him on their visit to the same building.

It was a day that was not too hot, so we had time to take photos, walk around, admire the architecture, see the changing of the guard, check out the museum, eat snacks and search for Doraemon (who, by the way, was strangely nowhere in sight).

Heading to Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial with children is a great opportunity to talk history, enjoy the outdoors and to have quality family time.

For those with strollers or wheel chairs there is an elevator, so you can journey to the top of the monument (where the enormous statue is and the changing of the guard occurs, apparently every hour). Otherwise, you can choose to climb the stairs to the top.

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

MRT Taipei Arena Station Metro Art

2016-07-23T17:25:00.001-07:00

MRT / metro Taipei Arena Station has some cool artwork (it also has an awesome book lending machine!)

This is in the elevator that we took to exit the station / get to street level.

Love the Taiwan Black Bear artwork!

And when getting to our metro train when returning to the station, we came across this color 3-D piece of art.

Look at the lovely rainbow colors... As you get closer it seems more and more 3-D but at this point I thought it was a clever illusion.

What do you think?

At this point I'm realizing this is actually multidimensional! See the art truly popping out?

Major cool, right?

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Alleycat's Stone Oven Baked Pizza,Taipei

2016-07-23T04:45:00.001-07:00

We walked by this sign in the MRT Dongmen area // Yong Kang area many times but with the main part of the entrance shuttered up with metal paneling we thought we wouldn't get a chance to visit during our stay in Taipei.

Thankfully, one night this past week we saw it was opened so we headed down the steps (it is down stairs from the Main Street level - basement like) and set up reservations for the following night.

It was a nice surprise to find the restaurant was pretty quiet when we got there the next night. Traveling and dining with our littles is always a bit of an adventure. A restaurant with plenty of space is a good thing.

There are some cat themed artwork adorning the walls:

Another great thing: IKEA kid-perfect diningware plates and utensils. Yay!

Special bonus: Coloring papers and colored pencils (Madagascar on one side and Asian love Hello Kitty on the reverse - also quite appropriate for Alleycat's).

Now to the menu and what we ordered.

I was gaga over a few veggie options (Vegetariana; Pesto Forest) and a few seafood options (Napoletana; Biana Smoked Salmon; Pesto Shrimp; Pescatora) but having the littles with (some picky tendencies and one with allergies), we definitely had to get one super kid focused pizza: a Quattro Formaggio modified so that one half had pepperoni.

The adults had this, the Pescatora, which has shrimp, mussels, calamari and fresh basil:

A light, French beer with floral after tones for the Papa Bear:

More Alleycat's artwork:

And the real star of the restaurant, the actual kitty cat mascot:

The owner and staff were very friendly and we enjoyed our meal. We even got a special treat in getting to go to the back storage area to see the cat after she made a getaway from the main restaurant area. The little ones loved that part a lot!

Photos by Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust

Eating at Din Tai Fung, Take 2

2016-07-23T04:31:00.001-07:00

Walking past Din Tai Fung before its opening, I've come across this huge wall of Taiwan Beer on many a morning.

This is the location at No. 194, Section 2, Xinyi Road, Taipei City. At MRT metro Dongmen Station, exit 5.

Lovin' the team work and chain system to get those boxes of beer into the restaurant.

The cute Din Tai Fung xiao long bao mascot says "Good work, team!".

Before I first tried the food here (first time dining here being a few weeks back, at the beginning of July), I was enamored by the sleek dining area. Simple, cozy, casual elegance at its best.

I also enjoy the art on the wall. It works together so nicely with the overall feel and design of this dining room.

I wonder if these guys are specifically up for the Year of the Monkey?

Here is another vantage point of the upstairs dining area.

Another smart detail at Din Tai Fung is the use of these movable storage units at the end of your table. They offer these at the as storage for your bags, etc. What a brilliant idea to keep things organized, off the floor plus improve the look of the restaurant by minimizing clutter.

See? Great idea, no?

Viking Bear loves all the sweet little characters at Din Tai Fung. It is one of his favorite parts of visiting the restaurant.

The "spicy pickled cucumbers" again! What refreshing delights with the crispness and the vinegar. I don't notice heat or spiciness when eating them. The only hint of this is the color of the sauce.

Last time we didn't notice this... See the card with step by step instructions? Viking Bear and I really needed this!

It guides you on how to prepare for a f eat your xiao long bao appropriately. Step 1 is to get your dipping sauce ready. The wait staff brings a little dish with finely shredded ginger strips in it. To that, you add soy sauce and vinegar. The waitress and instruction card noted that the ratio favors vinegar (3 to 1) over the soy sauce. Good to know.

Then step 2 is to dip your xiao long bao in the sauce. Step 3 is the true "news to me" of how to eat a xiao long bao! It is recommended to but the xiao long bao in your spoon then use your chopstick to poke a small hole in it to release the broth. Previously I was making a small bit in the think dough skin and drinking the broth. This was problematic for the first couple of xiao long bao when the broth was super hot. Yay to learning a better way // the best practice. : )

Here are the vinegar and soy sauce nicely placed on the table.

The original pork xiao long hanlu big bao. Always amazing looking and delicious!

We also ordered a vegetable wonton soup for some added green goodness. Really enjoyed the wonton and the light, healthful feeling broth they came in.

Plus, we went with the green squash and shrimp xiao long bao again because I find the unique and fresh burst of squash flavor and texture with those superb.

Finally eating xiao long bao correctly. This is the view of it right after poking the skin with a chopstick and the broth being released into the spoon.

The squash and shrimp variety of xiao long bao that has me say "wow".

And dessert. Again, the eight flavor rice dish. The first ho of it a few weeks back, I though each of the colors / flavors was fruit. This time, one of the color bursts I ate was actually a bean! What a surprise!

Do you see the bean shape below?

Yum, yum!

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

For more xiao long bao dining snapshots, check out Paradise Dynasty (super cool and colorful xiao long bao!) and Din Tai Fung (my first time at this restaurant).

Rose House Tea House, Taipei

2016-07-22T06:15:00.001-07:00

The Rose House Tea House near metro / MRT Dongmen is fun to walk past during the day - the beautiful blue border, the Rose painting, and the elegant interior make for sweet dreams of British tea parties and European eats, while Taipei is grooving along adjacent to this gem.

See the rich, vibrant blue bordering the Windows?

And the wooden frame of the door? More allure abounds with the Tea & Art billboard to the left, however, of what it exactly saws, I'm not sure.

Cute street side signage.

Outdoor ceiling rose art.

Inside does not disappoint with the beautiful flowers, the tres chic decor and details (hello gold faucet in the WC, complete with duck motif), the plush red chairs, etc. Look at those lovely (and super organized and aligned) shelves!

Our table looked inviting upon our arrival, with a beautiful fresh pink rose and wine glasses adorning our place. With two hungry and restless little ones in tow we quickly requested if it was possible to remove those breakable items. Dining with children definitely changes the ambiance, hehe. It's usually more stressful to have beautiful glass items around than is the joy to use them, just because the risk of falling items is too great. We want to adept to stay on the good side of the restaurant.

Goodbye, Gorgeous!

The wine glasses were replaced with these cute paper cups. Ahhh, big sigh of relief. And they are pretty in their own right, too, no? Much better water glasses for little ones.

Here is entree number one, a pesto / clam combination. Nicely plated!

Check out the rose decor on the plates. There is also a little lovely floral painting by Robert Husng in the WC and on the wallpaper board decoration while waiting outside the WC.

A pumpkin and lobster bisque (yummy)!

A vegetable pasta with truffle oil. I could really taste the truffle oil in the noodles.

What we ordered for the children to share: spaghetti with meatballs.

Thankfully they had a children's bowl for our toddler! He had a bit of a meltdown and I had to take him outside for a breather ... the exchange of the glass plate for this more kid friendly option occurred while we were outside. Thank you insightful and considerate wait staff!

A really delicious mulled wine like fruity tea! Super yum!

See how elegant the set up is? Love the classy tea cup / plate.

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Zhanlu Coffee,Taipei

2016-07-21T02:37:00.001-07:00

Previously, I wrote about our experience at Mr. Brown's Coffee in Tamsui, Taiwan. We've also had a couple cozy coffee shop experiences in Taipei.

One cool spot is Zhanlu Coffee (albeit expensive as we are not members).

Walking around the area near Da'an Park (after coming off the metro / MRT Da'an Park station), you may come across Zhanlu Coffee, walking down some of the narrow streets. Streets which are filled with parked cars, motorcycles and bicycles. And these vehicles zoom past quickly, so as a pedestrian, a walk through these streets is a bit like a dance... Swaying to and fro, from walking down the street with awe of the surroundings, to shifting inwards near the parked vehicles to stay safe as the cars and motorbikes zip past.

Here's the view as you approach Zhanlu Coffee... Cool frontage, no?

And a more head on view of this coffee shop. Lovin' the wooden panels and the huge seating area outside.

When we first arrived there were several people smoking in the outside area, unfortunately, so we decided to head indoors for fresher air.

Actually, though, despite the terrace being so cute, being inside was a special treat, from the cute sweets, to the decor and the café vessels and tools of the trade, it was a visual delight.

Viking Bear and I are gaga over the vibrant turquoise vessel in the coffee prep area. Do you see it? You can buy it there (same color or a couple other options)... And we were tempted!

Here is coffee numero uno, a specialty drip style, where they prepped it in front of us... See below for the process in action:

Sugar and milk for added to the finalized drip created brew.

Hot water slowly added to the coffee in the filter paper above. Apparently, the fresher the coffee grounds, the more the coffee expands as the hot water is added.

After the coffee drips through into the glass carafe, it is transferred to your coffee cup.

I don't know what in the world I was thinking but I got way a head of myself and added the milk before ever testing the black coffee!!! At least I remembered to try it before adding the sugar.

Here's the second cuppa.

Zhanlu's coffee cup insignia.

Some delish looking desserts we admired from behind the glass but did not sample as we would soon be taking our little ones to a pizza dinner at Alleycat's, near the metro / MRT Dongmen station.

Rows of coffee beans! Ready for grounding...

Some cozy spots for conversation, self reflection, or a media fix (there are many charging stations for technologies).

Photos by Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust

Paradise Dynasty Xiao Long Bao, Taipei

2016-07-20T05:48:00.001-07:00

Walking around Breeze mall at the metro / MRT Taipei City Hall exit, we came across this, suddenly and by surprise. I had actually quickly seen a photo of these colorful xiao long bao on a blog a while back but didn't have an idea of the restaurant name or location. I just had the thought in my head that it would be cool to find this place whilst in Taipei... Thus, what serendipity!

Look at those beautiful colors - all coming from natural ingredients to create the hues (no artificial dyes / color drops).

And there was the enticement of limited time / limited supply, complimentary durian xiao long bao with purchase of the

vibrant eight treasures xiao long bao. My trusty travel companion was sold!

Visual of the signature qualities of Paradise Dynasty's xiao long bao.

Impressive store frontage. With limited real estate while walking around Taipei it is amazing to see the ingenuity and efficiency of restaurants making great use of available space to create restaurants and eating stalls. Therefore, seeing the restaurants in malls, it is wild to see the large spaces - such a contrast.

Elaborate signage.

Beautiful and massive dining area (this is only one section of the seating area / I think it would be considered the main part). Best part of this area is the wonderful view of the chefs at work.

Our fancy schmancy tea pot.

Chilled cucumber with minced garlic (are you seeing a trend here from our time at Din Tai Fung? Hehe.)

Viking bear says yum yum to the crisp and refreshing cucumbers!

He is especially in awe of the xiao long bao. The tray on the left are the traditional soup filled pork variety. The colorful ones on the right are the novel eight (8) treasures variety.

This instruction was on the table explaining what each of the colorful xiao long bao was made of. The friendly and attentive wait staff also gave us a little handheld card that detailed similar information to reference as we tried the xiao long bao. We also learned that you start from the center (traditional / original flavor), working your way around the outer circle, coming to the red spicy one last. This methodology is to help you best taste and savor each of the unique flavors.

As we only ordered only one tray of the eight treasures xiao long bao, we had to decide how to divide them up for maximum enjoyment. I was lucky to get to try the following: Beige - original pork version; Green - ginseng with spinach; Yellow - cheese; Grey - garlic; Red - spicy Szechuan sauce. I did great lifting up my first two dumplings while they were still super hot but by the third one, I sadly experienced some breakage and some of the soup leaked out. I was so nervous about my subsequent ones, I requested help to transfer them to my spoon!

The other colors / flavors are: Brown - foie gras; Black - black truffle ; and Orange - cod roe.

My favorites that I tried were the garlic flavored one (grey - aka: garlicky goodness!) and the spicy one (red). I feel those flavors burst from the xiao long bao in an exciting way. And the textures were really good, having a traditional feel to it with the addition of the exciting new elements. The cheese was okay - very soft and smooth, but I think I prefer my cheese on pizza ; ) versus in a xiao long bao and the green ginseng one - well, I was thinking it was supposed to be spinach flavored (somehow missed the ginseng part) and with that in mind, thought the flavor was really light and couldn't sense the spinach. Maybe had I known to watch out for the ginseng I would have been more skillful at tasting the full flavor of the green xiao long bao. And ascertaining the ginseng element. Wish I had a second chance with that one!

Here is the tray of the original soup filled pork xiao long bao. I think these were delicious but favor the pork ones from Din Tai Fung better. So does my trusty travel companion and Viking Bear. I think we would order two of the eight treasure xiao long bao the next time we are at Paradise Dynasty and leave the pork variety for another visit to Din Tai Fung. My travel buddy is more of a knowledge Chinese food connoisseur than I and he felt the skins and flavor of these are better at Din Tai Fung. But we both enjoyed the novel and exciting element to the colorful option here! So cool and unique!

We also got to sample the durian xiao long bao. The sign said complimentary but of limited supply and when we got to Paradise Dynasty and asked about these, we learned they were in short supply. Luckily they were able to round up five for us to try. The photo advertisement outside the store front showed six, but we happily accepted the five. These had no soup inside and were a creamy pocket of durian fruit. The durian was really unique and fun to try, but again, I seem to like the original style texture of xiao long bao over the creamy versions. It may be the contrast or maybe I'm just stubborn and stuck in my xiao long bao ways, hehe. ; )

Soup - see, isn't this seemingly a repeat of the types of dishes that accompanied our xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung?

And some views of the restaurant once it was a little more busy than when we first arrived. In addition to the busy and talented chefs, check out the wait staff outfits. I'm a fan of the period inspired frocks.

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust.

Quirky Wanderlust: The Unexpected Cuteness & Coziness that is Oma Ursel's German Bakery, Taipei, Taiwan

2016-07-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

Oh the cuteness! We came across this unexpected surprise of a German bakery and restaurant strolling around the Yongkang area after exiting the metro / MRT Dongmen station. It is situated close to the CNN approved shaved ice place, Smoothie House. << Here is the scoop from we dined at Oma's place days after discovering it: Eating at Oma Ursel's German Restaurant.>>

Check out the façade of the building - don't you feel transported to a quaint village in Germany, all the whilst in the hustle and bustle of Taipei? Oma Ursel's Germany Bakery is the name of this restaurant (it offers full meals too).

You are reminded you aren't quite in Europe with the signs predominately in Chinese.

Here's a big sign advertising some of the breads and sweets that are available. Apparently you can get gluten free options that are made using gluten free flour direct from Germany.

A super cute window, complete with cozy decor, cute critters, and brezels / pretzels.

Another Asian reminder - eight (8) or ba (Mandarin word for eight) is a popular number in Taipei. This number stands for / represents success so many people like to have it on license plates, addresses, or included in their phone number. It seems the more eights, the better.

Oma Ursel (Oma meaning grandma in German), Viking Bear and I are totally looking forward to dining at your precious, cozy German eatery in the heart of Taipei!

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Beitou Hotel

2016-07-19T15:44:00.001-07:00

After lunch we headed up in the hotel to go to our private Beitou Hot Springs water "bath house", which was a little room with its own hot spring bath tub.

Beitou Hot Springs, Taipei

2016-07-19T15:00:00.001-07:00

We arrived to the Beitou Hot Springs area of Taipei via MRT to Beitou Station and then transferring to a special train that only travels to Xin Beitou (Xin meaning new). My iPhone also calls out this area as either Peitou Hot Springs Museum (even though we didn't get a chance to visit a museum there) or Beitou District depending where I took each photo in the area.

We walked around the busier sections, including the hotel area for awhile before coming across the maps that directed us to the Beitou Thermal Valley, or the Beitou Hot Springs proper. The map

Also indicted a handful of other interesting and worthwhile places to visit but we didn't have much time so had to direct or attention to this main, must see natural attraction.

Walking towards the hot springs I loved all the little pictograph indicators that we were approaching a super hot, hotter than soup area.

Getting even closer and getting the reminder that this hot springs is more than just hot - it is an insanely high temperature water reserve, warmed naturally by the geothermal energy of a nearby active volcano!

Look at that steam oozing and bellowing out of the earth!

It was amazing to approach this as you could feel the heat amplify as you neared it. I've seen geysers in Yellowstone National Park (U.S.A.) and bathed in the Blue Lagoon (Iceland) ... Enjoyed and was in awe of my experiences with both places... And even though Beitou Thermal Valley you can't approach the hot spring water, it is impressive to think of how the earth is heating this water in this one particular spot.

Long ago in the past, when the Japanase were in power in Taiwan started developing this area with bath houses and hotels so these magical waters could be used (with the heat level of the water being reduced some but still very hot for a steamy, spa health-focused invigorating experience).

Upon leaving this natural area, I noticed this beautiful glassworks in a wall and enjoyed the reflection of the blue colors of the hot springs and the surrounding greenery on the pieces of glass in this urban artwork.

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Taipei 101 Building, Taiwan

2016-07-18T06:32:00.003-07:00

Here is a compilation of photos showcasing the Taipei 101 building which used to be the tallest building in the world. It still is a top ten contender in height and does currently have the fastest elevator. It's really fun seeing this building from different vantage points around town.

Taipei 101 as seen from Taipei City Hall Square area. July 2016.

Another view of the 101 building from around City Hall Square Hall. July 2016.

Taipei 101 as seen on a rainy afternoon from eslite tea room at eslite mall. July 2016.

Taipei 101 building from Shin M Mall (???)rooftop children play area, which was all covered up on a rainy day.

Taipei 101 as seen right before entering / after exiting building and near the MRT station. July 2016.

Top, top portion of the 101 building from the outdoor observatory. We were lucky that when we when up into the tower, this outdoor area was open (many times it is closed due to weather, etc). Riding the elevator down from floor 88 back to the food court on the B1 floor took 48 seconds. So fast! July 2016.

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Sun Yet-Sen Memorial, Taipei

2016-07-18T06:32:00.001-07:00

The man that ended the emperial system in China has a big monument in Taipei, Taiwan. You can visit it by traveling the Metro to MRT station Taipei City Hall or Sun Yet-Sen Memorial.

Quirky Wanderlust: Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

2016-07-16T20:30:00.000-07:00

A story in photos from visit to Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan. {Photos by Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust.}

Sacred Tree, Taichung, Taiwan

2016-07-16T15:57:00.001-07:00

Our weekend in Taichung was a beautiful, amazing whirlwind. One of the first places we visited after getting off the high-speed transit train (Taipei to Taichung with stops in between to drop off and pick up new passengers), was this Sacred Tree. I'm not sure of the official name, and the location - I'm not sure if it is still technically considered Taichung (you have to traverse lots of mountain roads and hilly places to get there, and seemingly end up far away from city life.)

The iPhone labels this as Shihgang District, so I'm assuming that is Shihgang District of Taichung. Anyone know for certain?

All the text descriptions were in Chinese so I'm not fully sure on the background on this sacred tree, but by the looks of it, this magnificent creation took root long ago.

It is seriously massive, with thick, thick branches speeding out across the ground. Can you even imagine how much this tree or even one of the huge branches weighs?

Up close, the tree has beauty, too. The moss that is inhabiting the spaces between the bark and the curves of the tree are all lovely.

Across from the tree is more signage, grandeur and standing in front of more wonderful views.

This was a wonderful little journey and what a special experience to witness such a graceful living monument.

Photos by Jules at Quirky Wanderlust

Vegetarian Restaurant, Taichung, Taiwan

2016-07-16T15:49:00.001-07:00

Quirky Wanderlust: Taipei Maokong Gondola

2016-07-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

A Story in Photos (Can you spot all the Bears?!) ... {All photos by Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust}

Hope you enjoyed the view! : )

Photos by Jules @ Lovely Las Vegas

Quirky Wanderlust: Maokong Gondola Mountaintop Tea Houses

2016-07-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

A story in photos ... from a lovely Taiwan adventure... {photos by Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust}.

All Photos by Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust

Hope you enjoyed the journey!

Sincerely, Jules @ Quirky Wanderlust