Day 4: Hot Springs in Beitou

The past few days have been full of movement and motion. I decided to take it easy today and relax with a nice dip in the hot springs in Beitou.

Beitou and Xinbeitou are just north of Taipei and they are blessed with natural, thermal mineral water that is both rejuvenating and beneficial. The whole city is enveloped in a shroud of mist from the hot springs that resembles a steaming witch’s cauldron. The water starts at 100° F and can get as hot as 110° F. The most famous hot spring is Thermal Valley and it is indeed quite an experience.

The hot springs are the perfect destination on a dreaded rainy day. The contrast of the heated pool and the cold rain splashing on your face is absolutely divine. After the bath, you feel better than new.

Feeling refreshed, I returned to the main city and indulged in Din Tai Fung, a famous soup dumpling restaurant that holds a coveted Michelin star. It is also one of the only places in Taipei that charges a service fee, but it is well worth it.

Every time I visit Taipei, I must have the original pork and the crab Xiao Long Bao. These juicy, hot buns are to die for and sadly, no Joe Shanghai or Nanxiang Xiao Long Bao can compare. Arcadia, CA has a Din Tai Fung, but I have yet to visit.

This time I tried a new version filled to the brim with rice and pork. Delicious is an understatement. I also helped myself to Dan Dan Mian, hot and sour soup, and a gluttonous rice ball.

Day 3: Day Trip to Jiu Fen

If you haven’t seen Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, I implore you to do so! It remains one of my favorite movies, thus I had to visit the town that inspired the movie’s scenery.

Jiu Fen is a mountain town In the Ruifang district just east of Taipei. In its glory days, there were nine families that lived there (Jiu) which subsequently became the name of the town. The town sits high up in a hilly terrain with myriads of winding roads and secret alleys. Jiu Fen overlooks the Pacific Ocean, offering stunning views.

The town is rich with history, as it used to be a prosperous mining town under Japanese control. Today, much evidence of Japanese influence remains. I made my way through the meandering paths and found countless cute coffee shops, delicious food stalls, and elaborate temples, just like Chihiro did in the movie.

Some of my favorite eats include these absolutely succulent chicken poppers, taro balls in red bean soup with mung beans from Ah Yi Tian’s pastry shop, and of course fish ball soup!

My day trip to Jiu Fen offered a nostalgic escape to a different time period. Although it lies less than 30 km from the modern city of Taipei, Jiu Fen preserves an antiquated feel that you cannot find in a metropolis.

Day 2: Elephant Mountain

Good morning friends! Jet lag plagues me…. But I’m channeling this into a positive and woke up bright and early to climb Elephant Mountain!

Elephant mountain is one of the four mountains that offer a view of Taipei and boy it is well worth it. First of all, let’s clarify that the path is (unevenly) paved so one does not need to wear hiking gear. In fact many locals will hike barefoot! Even though the steps are very steep, many elderly individuals will still make the climb.

I rewarded myself for this exercise with a reservation at Mitsui, the best Japanese restaurant in Taipei. Mitsui offers a full range of Japanese cuisine, from sushi, sashimi, to grilled meats and exotic fish. It did not disappoint.

I had the Nigiri deluxe, nine pieces of buttery goodness. It included sea urchin, salon roe, mackerel, fatty toro, sake, scallop, shrimp, and yellow tail.

Obviously, this was not enough for me. I also ordered the roast beef, roasted to medium rare perfection (I would have preferred wagyu beef, however, the restaurant served angus beef); the monk fish liver, a staple regardless of where I am; and to top it off, unagi-don, a healthy portion of eel rice bowl.

Overall, the meal was superb and the ambience was perfect. If anyone stops off in Taipei, these are two things I would put at the top of your list.

Day 1: Taipei & the Arts

Twenty hours, six movies, and three airports later, I’ve finally arrived to my hometown of Taipei!

My first stop: the Taipei Fine Arts Museum to see the retrospective of one of my favorite artists, Xu Bing. He is a well known print-maker from mainland China and I was fortunate enough to catch his Book from the Sky exhibit. What’s so special about the endless panels of Chinese characters? None of the characters actually mean anything. The characters are all beautifully written in form, but they lack semantic content.

I also got to witness the beauty of Xu Bing’s Tiger Skin Rug. Xu used 500,000 cigarettes and transformed them from toxic carcinogens to unique works of art. The result was absolutely stunning.

Post lunch, I decided to continue with the cultural enrichment and hike over to the Taipei Museum of Contemporary Art. I began to notice that museums in Taipei are often dedicated to only one or two artists, allowing viewers to see an artists holistic history. MoCA paid homage to Cai Zhisong, another mainland artist challenging the barriers of sculptures. His style borrows from eastern and western influences and creates a dialogue about human reflection. Here are a few of my favorite pieces.

Rodin Museum in Philadelphia

Although New York City is arguably the best city in the world, sometimes it’s nice to escape the big apple. So, I planned a weekend getaway and ran off to Philadelphia for the weekend. While Philly is only two hours away, it is a world apart.

The highlight of my trip was my visit to the Rodin Museum. The museum is actually an extension of three museums. It includes the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Perelman Building and the Rodin Museum. One ticket bought me admission to all three buildings for two consecutive days.

I initially became infatuated with Auguste Rodin while I was a research assistant at Stanford University. He has a very famous set of sculptures in the front of Cantor Arts Center. I followed his works to the Met and had been yearning to visit the Rodin Museum forever. This weekend finally offered the opportunity and I feasted my eyes on his masterful interpretations of myths and allegories.

My favorite pieces were The Kiss and The Secret. You may think art is art, go to the Met; but Philly’s Rodin Museum offers a more pleasurable atmosphere. It offered the ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. It provided a peaceful atmosphere that was’t crowded. I was able to stroll leisurely through the rooms and take as much time in front of pieces as my heart desired.

Sadly, the weekend didn’t allow for time at the Barnes Foundation, but next time it most certainly will! By the time I came home, New York was sorely missed. I helped myself to a few Krispy Kremes and settled back into the normal ebb and flow of NYC.

What did you do this weekend?

My favorite works from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, clockwise from top left:
Sunflowers, Vincent Van Gogh
Morning at Antibes, Claude Monet
The Japanese Footbridge, Claude Monet
Rain, Vincent Van Gogh