Running All Over Taipei

So after the round for the top 20 spot on the competition, the producers of the show announced that our next round required us to dress up in a costume and to choose a song that could depict the costume's significance. So basically, everyone's like "F*ck, what do we choose?"

So I immediately started getting my creative juices flowing, and decided to dress up as a clown and sing a song called "Laughter" which is actually a sad song about a person who jokes around to mask how sad he really is over a break-up. ddrammaatic, yeah I know. I didn't want to just opt out the easy way and rent a clown outfit (partly cuz they are all ugly). I wanted to be a somewhat, fashionable clown, if that even exist. But before I get to my journey of searching the perfect non-scary clown outfit, let's take a look of some random pics....

This is one of THE most random pieces of art work i've EVER seen, and it's in a random little section of Taipei Main Station. It's a naked human body with a HUGE bird head with water pouring out. Everyone that walks by it looks at it with a cocked eyebrow and confused look and even slightly distance themselves from it because it's so EFFING CREEPY

On the MRT (metro) and taking a shot of the tracks. I don't know why, but I just liked the way it curved.

One of my morning creations. Open faced omelette (aka not skilled enough to close the omelette) with chicken breast and broccoli, doused in ketchup

This is Khee-Zhang, another contestant on the show. She is Korean and just started learning to speak Mandarin last year. She is extremely hard-working and is in top 18 with me at the moment. I sometimes feel like I have a barrier with singing Mandarin cuz it's not my first language, but she has it even harder. Khee sings with a lot of emotion, one of her main strong points and something I hope to learn from her.

A popular dessert in Taiwan. It looks nasty (and I admit I'm not too used to it yet) but it's taro (fucking DELICIOUS) sweet green beans, red bean, and other unidentified things over shaved ice.

So anyways, ON to the JOURNEY OF THE CLOWN!! My first stop is 2% (a Hong Kong based clothing store) to look for clothes....but this was the CLOSEST they had that would work. And it was like 3000NTD (100US) FUCK that, that's too expensive. SO obviously this journey is going to be a lot harder than expected...

Lunch time with Liz, another contestant on the show. She speaks Mandarin BETTER than me!

This is Nicole, a new good friend of mine. She's deliciously cute and has a great personality, just exactly the kind of person I get along perfectly with. Here we are afternoon teaing (and into evening obviously) at a popular cafe called The Spot

The cafe sitting area

The cafe store. Filled with lots of cute items

A special event the cafe was holding consisted of writing post cards with Taiwan scenery on the card faces to anyone in Taiwan, and they'll send it for you. Nicole and I wrote one to each other. ahaha we're such nerds. It hasn't come in the mail yet....

Cheeessyyy smile

The front of "The Spot" cafe

Since I'm unfamiliar with Taipei's areas for shopping for small dolls and art/crafts supplies, I asked Nicole for assistance. She recommended we take a look behind Taipei Main Station (Exit Y-11 Area) because there are a lot of stores that sell random art/toys/craft supplies. Here are some bears that I thought were perfect for my clown design....

(Nicole thinks they look more like cats)

My ideal dinner: Dumplings. I could eat these EVERYDAY. Fuckiingg amazing. My favorite dipping sauce is a combination of sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, mashed garlic, and red chili pepper paste. SOOo goodddd

So anyways, I only had one week left before the costume round, so where was I going to look for the materials I needed for my costume? GOooood question...

So, researching online for Taipei arts and crafts stores, I found a few places and decided to check it out...

Let's start in the North-western district known as Da Zhi. According to a website, there is supposedly an "arts and crafts" store in this area.

After going to the posted address which was 8 years out-of-date, I called and found their new location. YES! Found it! Bet they'll have the things I need! Let's go inside...

BIGGGGGG LET DOWN. It wasn't an Arts and Handicraft store at ALL. I was a souvenir shop filled with 6 old ladies who were DESPERATE for customers. Seemed like I was their first customer in 5 years, they were practically trying to sell everything to me with sad puppy eyes. To be polite, I asked for a business card, and she gave me 20...

That's how unbusy they were. I managed to escape with a few items I could use....but I admit, I bought a magnet just cuz I felt bad for them. Damn me and my soul

This is a random dark and grungy looking section under Taipei Main Station. I just took a picture cuz I thought it looked really sketch. My next stop was a section behind Taipei Main Station which sells all types of art supplies. Exit Y11 to Y18

Just behind the station is a store known as Little Bear Mama DIY (do it yourself). I hit jackpot! Got most of what I needed in this life-saving store. Little trinkets, beads, buttons, you name it. They have a lot of interesting things here and nice workers.

Near exit Y11 is the section of art supplies. Every store has different specialties (a lot of them are hair ties and accessories) Found more needed items here as well... Hm....what could my costume look like ...? are you ANXIOUS to know?? hhaha

Now, I needed my actual COSTUME. Where was I going to find something "clown-ish"??

Well, I knew i should start looking in the clothing mecca of Taipei:

Wufenpu Fashion Area near Houshanpi MRT station

Wufenpu is seriously every clothes whore's dream. ANYTHING you need, it will most likely be here. Only problem is...

It's a labyrinth

Not even kidding. There are soo many alleys and lanes. I got lost here at least 5 times. But after endless turns and comparing of clothing options, I found items I needed. My clown costume was almost complete!!!

Look at all those clothes...

So last stop was Ximen, the "young" part of town. There's a lot of good food here and young people everywhere. They also have a lot of costume stores. Got my clown nose, gloves, and hat and then headed home to work on my design...

So.. *drum roll please*...are you readddyyyyyy?

TA-DA!!

Cuteness ALL overrrr! haha The actual making of the costume took a lot less time than I thought. After about 2-3 hours of organizing, placing, sewing, and safety pinning, I created my costume.

The sleeves (made out of female leg socks)

The dolls and trinkets I bought at Dazhi and Taipei Main Station

My hat! There's a little bear there sipping wine as well. ahahha You can tell I had a lot of fun

Other side of the hat

So everything looked amazing together, which was a relief because I wasn't sure if things were gonna come out looking alright together. I'm so glad they did though!

Change of Subject: So went to go see my friend Ai yi Liang (Ive Liang) sing at her job in China Pa, a lounge bar in XinYi District. She is there every Wednesday night starting at 10:30 to 11:15. She is also in the competition I'm currently in (Super Idol) and is very well received for her confidence and unique vocals. You should definitely give her a listen!

The songstress ready for the stage

Got to see my favorite friends, Rose (you know her from Super Star Avenue 5) and Simoneee (star in the MAKING, you'll see her soon!)

I am really sad because Simone (on the right) is my best friend here in Taipei and she is leaving me for China this Friday. Her choice to move back is definitely one that is better for her, but it's hard for me to know that I will not be seeing her anymore after this week. So for the next few days, she is sticking with me no matter what!!! I will miss the shit out of her :( SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE!!!

Pictures with Wang Jing Han, another contestant on the show. I leave you with this final picture of my outfit the wardrobe director gave me for the latest round on the competition.

Yes, Ladies and Gentleman, you have the MAN SKIRT

When I first saw it, I was in shock....

"I'm seriously, going to wear....a skirt??"

But the more I looked at it, the more I liked it. Also, I don't think many guys can pull off a man skirt, so it's fine to give it a try. We'll see how it looks on TV in 3 weeks when the episode airs...

Well, time to go practice....

Please don't stop the music......

Mid-October Check-in

Well, as many of you know, I have made Top 20 in my singing competition. It has been a wonderful journey thus far and I've learned a lot, not only vocally and performance, but also a lot about myself. Competitions force you to dig deep into yourself and fight your inner demons of insecurity, mentality, self-esteem, and scariest of all, your emotions. Facing these first is the hardest part, and I am currently in the midst of slowing fighting my way up and freeing my mind of all the shackles and fears that have been weighing me down. Each time I perform, I feel myself getting stronger and more confident. It truly is a wonderful feeling and I am glad that I have this opportunity to grow.

Another thing that has helped give me the strength to carry on is my family and friends. My mother has just recently started using the internet!! My auntie got her a computer so she can talk to me via cam. To see my mom after a year of not seeing her, is probably one of the happiest things I've felt in my life. We chat almost every night, and she's really looking good! Starting to exercise more and looking great at her age! This is an example of a conversation we have, my brother is there as well. We really are a close-knit family haha:

My brother is such a loser

So, on the subject of friends, one of my great friends, Alice, from Hong Kong, came to Taipei to come watch me perform on the show. That particularly day, the recording was 12 hours long and I felt terrible for making her and my relatives sit there just to watch me sing. But, the support is undeniably helpful.

So after a days of rest, Alice and I decided to go hiking at Yan Ming Shan, national park/mountain of Taiwan.

Last time I came with my friend Anson (also a Hong Konger-seems I only hike with Hong Kong people) and we went a different route. This time, Alice and I chose a harder path, climbing up Mount Cising.

Alice and I spent 3 hours non-stop climbing up stairs to the top of Mt. Cising.

This is my lunch. Steamed Chicken, broccoli, tomatoes, and eggs. I eat at least one steamed meal a day to lower the calorie counts and just to eat healthier. It really does help lose weight and feel good to not eat heavy-tasting foods every meal.

We reached the top! Taipei's tallest mountain peak at 1120 ft. Mt. Cising

Definitely worth it. Great air and great view of mountains and Taipei City in the distance

Got a shot of a butterfly

This is near the passageway to Mt. Cising East peak. I thought this area looked mystical in some way. Just my wild imagination.

View of the climb to Mt. Cising from Mt. Cising East Peak.

From the East Peak, you can see a clear line separating an area with no clouds and an area condensed with clouds. I think it looks like a separation between heaven and mortal world. ahaha

Scientifically, I think it's just cuz the area with the clouds is in a lower terrain, so there's more cooler air, causing there to be more clouds. (Just a guess, but I like the first theory more, sounds cooler)

The clouded area is where we ended our hike, and it was really rainy and damp :P

Cool view

Below is Mt. Cising Park and more hiking trail options at Yan Ming Shan

Found our way to Fantasy Mirror Lake. It wasn't that pretty, but supposedly has Taiwan's last population of Isoetes living in the waters. The government has made this tiny lake the designated preservation area for the aquatic plant species.

So after our hard climb, Alice and I checked out Shilin Night Market to eat all the famous Taiwanese snacks.

Oyster Pancakes: Made with eggs, flours, and a jelly-like substance, tiny oysters are mixed in with lettuce and smothered in a mildy-sweet sauce. Simply amazing

Our favorite of the night: Stinky Tofu. A lot of people are turned off by the smell, because honestly, it IS very Stinky. But the taste is amazing, especially when combined with the sour pickled cabbage and hot sauce. HEAVEN. In the 4 days Alice was in Taipei, she had is at least 4 times. That's how much we love Stinky Tofu. Just cover your nose!

Bitter Melon Juice. Bitter Melon is, well...bitter, but it's really good for your skin. I used to not like it when it's used in cooked dishes, but I'm starting to like the taste. As juice, they add honey to the mix so you don't taste the bitterness as much. An enjoyable cool drink on hot days.

These types of BBQ stalls are very popular in Taipei. You just choose ingredients you want grilled at a cheap price, and you get yourself a good quality meal.

We chose Chicken hearts and Squid

Chicken hearts are SOOOOO YUMMY. They are very chewy and have a very amazing taste I can't describe. A lot of people are surprised I eat innards because usually people from the states don't touch things like pig intestines, kidneys, and chicken hearts, but i LOVE these things

MY FAVORITE dessert of ALL time: Mango Ice. Fresh sliced mango pieces over shaved ice and covered in mango syrup and condensed milk. NOT healthy, but AMAZING. So who cares?

Strawberry ice. A good second, and alternative during non-mango seasons.

Alice! Thanks for coming to Taiwan to support me!! Had a great time with you!

This is a shot of a lunch I had a Phat Burger in Taipei. The burger was alright, VERY juicy, but I thought the portions, especially the fries, were not that big. However, the restaurant proudly boasts freshly made patties and hamburgers. Give it a try if you'd like, but I enjoy Forkers more. This was the Phat Mexican Burger. Jalapenos, bacon, and spicy mayo

Was invited by my friend Stefan, who comes to the recordings everytime to support, to his friend's BBQ. They were all shocked by the amount that I eat. -___-

"wow...you really DO eat a lot....how do you stay so thin?"

The BBQ was outside Doopey (the guy on the left)'s mom's restaurant.

Our damage. Greatt foooodd.

Alright, well, spending the next few days getting over my cold (almost gone now) and practicing for the next two rounds. I hope to get my outfit completed soon and I'll show you the final product once it's done! Take care all! Have fun and be safe!