around town/hsinchu: longing for a little style.

In most ways, we really can't complain about our life here in Hsinchu, Taiwan. We've found a great apartment that we're making into a very 'us' home, we're eating delicious and varied local foods, we've met some fantastic people, and we're enjoying shopping for produce at the little market up the street from us. I am much happier settled here than I have been in a long time. But if I am allowed one complaint, this is it: I wouldn't mind being surrounded by a little more style.

I definitely don't mean that it's totally missing. I'm constantly checking out well dressed guys and girls, and there is some incredible shopping here. Where it's mostly missing is in eating out. Cafes in Taiwan seem to have missed out on some style lessons, particularly on the lesson concerning minimalism. As soon as we enter a new restaurant in Taiwan, we always glance around for the requisite tchochkes, and we are always disappointed to find them. And especially, I should point out, Christmas related ones. Even restaurants that serve great food seem to make a least one big misstep: a wooden Santa Claus, a kitsch statue of a man playing a saxophone. It's certainly worse here in Hsinchu, but honestly, I'm rarely that wowed by interior style in Taipei either. Anyway, it's all a compromise. I can eat fantastic local food here, I just can't do it in great surrounds. I'll just have to use my vacation time carefully, and hit up some style centers abroad.

Pictured above, sadly, is not in Hsinchu. It's Square One Dining, a cafe my sister introduced us to last time we were in LA. It had great coffee, a tempting brunch menu including muesli with seasonal fruit and decadent waffles, and a nicely styled patio. And on this warm late-September morning, I wouldn't mind being there now.

around town/cape town: Cookshop.

Regrettably late in our year in Cape Town, a fantastic cafe opened up just doors down from our apartment. Though perhaps it was a good thing; with Cookshop just down the street, we may rarely have ventured elsewhere.

Cookshop is an intimate cafe space, with a simple counter inside and breezy seating on the covered patio. The espressos and lattes are made with Organic coffee and the fairy cakes and muffins are tempting, but the main reason to come is for lunch. There is a daily buffet of creative salads, with option including mango and pineapple in a chilli dressing, or lentils topped with almonds and fresh herbs. Otherwise, go for one of the sandwiches on the board, like roast vegetables and hummus in a ciabatta, or free-range chicken on rye. The proprietress had formerly run a stand at the Neighbourgood's Market selling her own line of handmade mayonnaise, dressings and sauces, which have thankfully been incorporated into the sandwiches at Cookshop. Meaning that not only are the sandwiches assembled with care, but that the individual ingredients themselves were crafted with care, to great affect. I've never been a huge fan of mayonnaise, but I would gladly order another roasted aubergine sandwich just for the unbelievable rosemary mayonnaise that dresses it.

Located in Gardens, on 117 Hatfield Road, Woodstock, Cape Town. +27 21 461 7868. Open Monday to Friday from 7 till 4.

around town/cape town: Lola's.

Since first coming to Cape Town in 2004, Lola's on Long Street has been one of my most regular hangouts. And it's hard to say why, sometimes. The atmosphere is a little grungy, the food is often too salty or too greasy, and the coffee really isn't that great. But sitting out front, at a sidewalk table on Long, it often feels like being right at the centre of Cape Town, watching the whole city pass by.

around town/joburg: The Zone at Rosebank.

In some of my recent posts on Johannesburg (ok, all of my recent posts on Johannesburg), I've complained about the fact that so much of the city's social life takes place in malls. I feel I should point out here that I am not inherently opposed to shopping malls: I'll be honest and admit one of my favourite activities in Bangkok was spending a few hours worshiping at the commercial temples around Siam. But my complaint with Johannesburg's malls is twofold.

1) Malls are fine as one option, but in Johannesburg they are increasingly the only option. Following Joburg's 'white flight' from the city centre, its residents sought out a social life that was protected within thick walls. As a result, there are now very few places to stroll in Joburg unless you're in a mall-- the last real option for outdoor life, Melville, is getting increasingly sad, rundown and, allegedly, unsafe (The Bamboo Centre an exception).

2) Johannesburg's malls are on the whole rather boring, offering only the same chain stores and restaurants as every other mall.

So here's the closest thing to an exception: The Zone at Rosebank. If you have to spend time in a Johannesburg mall, make it this one. Because, while you'll find many of the same generic shops and restaurants as at the other malls (yes, they have a Spur Steakhouse), there are a few unique shops that make it worth a visit.

1) Sowearto- A play on the iconic township of Soweto, Sowearto offers t-shirts with a hip, Joburg style. Some are direct references on the city, such as the line of t-shirts featuring Joburg's skyline, or labels from traditional South African products, while others are simply fun, like those of label Mingo Lamberto.

2) Stoned Cherrie- All the clothing for sale at Stoned Cherrie is for the ladies, but still worth a stop as these dresses are practically works of art. Traditional fabrics are mixed with couture tailoring, for a distinctly urban take on African style.

3) The Space- The clothing is, again, all for women here (an annoying trend in Joburg shops), but The Space makes up for it with an incredible selection of home-wares. Items range from simple and classical to funky and irreverent, with a good mix of local designs and imported styles. A great place to find something unique for the home, or to pick up an alternative souvenir for a friend.

Now if only there was a more unique offering for a coffee after shopping. As it is, we'll skip the Spur and head to Vida.

around town/joburg: Bamboo Centre.

Though I'm always eager to find new hip places to hang out when I'm in Johannesburg, I always seem to end up returning to the same one: The Bamboo Centre in Melville.

The highlight of the centre is Service Station, which must be one of the best cafes in South Africa. It's all brick walls and concrete floors, and the large bank of floor-to-ceiling windows along the front look out over the lush leafy greenery of Joburg's artifical forest. This combination makes for the ideal spot to meet for a late breakfast (pictured above: fantastic salmon scrambled eggs with dill), or for coffee and an incredible baked good. Toward the back, past the towers of baked goods, there's a small deli, with local specialty foods, imported pastas, and a few choice design items for the kitchen. A meal here is so compelling, that one can almost imagine that this is how life in Johannesburg could be: urban and sharply styled, living a life that is surprisingly not closed off or barricaded in.

And after eating, you can continue the fantasy with a little browsing in the neighbouring shops. Love Books has a fantastic selection of handpicked fiction, cookbooks, and volumes on art and design, plus a huge selection of kids books so well illustrated that even adults will want to page through. Among the shops toward the back of the complex, Black Coffee is a well-known local fashion range (though nothing for men, as is unfortunately common in Joburg), and the Blooming Plate has a staggering range of interesting kitchenwares.

Altogether, a great one-stop spot to browse, relax, and enjoy a vision of urban, modern Joburg-- before returning to the reality of four-metre walls and barbed wire malls.

Bamboo is located at the corner of Rustenburg Road and Ninth Street, in Melville, Johannesburg.

around town/cape town: Climbing Lion's Head.

I really don't like workouts. My own mother goes to the gym just about every day, while I haven't visited one since I made a brief effort in college. More than the actual physical labor, I just really get bored with monotonous routines, repeated reps of the same dull activity. But when you eat like I do (last night's burgers and chocolate buttercream cake a good example) you have to do something. Thankfully, we've got Lion's Head.

Lion's Head is not only an iconic figure of the Cape Town landscape, it's also Cape Town's most attractive gym, where both local citizens and visiting travellers gather on the trail. It might be the ideal workout. The rocky path requires concentration, so it always stays interesting. And rather than spending that time in the sealed-off space of a gym, that time is spent connecting to the city in a very physical way.

We try to get up early (very early, the closer we get to the middle of summer), so that by the time the sun rises and starts heating the city, we're already it most of the way up the hill. The path circles the whole of Lion's Head once, so along the way it looks out over all the corner's of the city. We can peer down at the seaside villas of Camp's Bay, still sleeping in thick purple shadow, to the high-rises of the CBD, which have just begun to blush in the morning's light. The fynbos and flowers along the path change so much from one season to the next that the hike never gets routine or dull-- having taken a break from the hike due to the winter rains, we were surprised to find our once wide open path now crowded in with bushy shrubs and towering pink flowers. And when we reach the top, we get to have a moment to refresh in the cool breeze, to rest before starting on the way down. It's also the perfect moment to look out over the whole of Cape Town, just as the sun rises over Table Mountain and fills the city with light. It's an incredible feeling, being at the top of the city, seeing it all set out, curving below our feet.

And, hopefully, it goes some way toward making up for that cake last night.

around town/cape town: Bo Kaap.

If you're ever craving a good shot of colour while in Cape Town, a quick walk up the hill to the Bo Kaap should do the trick. The Bo Kaap, which literally means upper cape, has traditionally been home to the Cape Malay community. And while the area is experiencing the first pangs of gentrification, it is still a predominantely Muslim neighbourhood, where pastel coloured minarets of the mosques poke out above the houses. Aside from a scattering of shops and a few historic buildings, there aren't too many attractions in the neighbourhood other than simply strolling the cobblestone lanes. But while you're up there, it's worth seeking out a bite of Cape Malay cooking; a meal of bobotie at Biesmiellah restaurant, or chicken grilled right on the street, or a simply a warm koesister from a corner shop.

around town/cape town: Cute neighbours.

I'm taking these little guys as a sign that spring is really here. These goslings are residents of the Company Gardens, a large public park and botanical garden that sits across the street from my apartment. They're Egyptian Geese, a beautiful species of fowl with dark masks and brilliant green feathers on their wings, and one of Cape Town's most unusual avian residents.

And after this and Friday's post, I probably run the risk of becoming some sort of strange blog about cute fat birds...

around town/cape town: Good Neighbours.

Have you been to Cape Town’s Neighbourgoods Market? If you live in South Africa, you’ve got no excuse—it’s unquestionably the hottest spot to be on a Saturday. Held at the Old Biscuit Mill in Salt River, the NG Market is a sprawling complex of local designers, boutique shops, and hand crafted foods.

One half of the market is made of dry goods, and it’s a great place to come to see what South Africa’s local designers are up to. You can buy funky underwear or hip jewelry in the designer’s tent, seek our one-of-a-kind home-wares at Plush Bazaar, and browse among the charming textiles of local marvel Skinny Laminx. It’s a great opportunity to shop beyond the malls, and to meet the designers who actually make the goods on sale.

The other section of the market is a cavernous two-room spread of food sellers; the ideal place to enjoy breakfast, brunch and lunch on Saturday. The first room is composed mainly of food artisans, and contains a dizzying array of vendors. You can buy baguettes, cupcakes, cured meats, fresh fish, ripe avocados, tubs of hummus, either to devour on the spot, or to take home for an impressive weekend dinner. The second room contains vendors making more substantial meals. There’s an impressive range of offerings, including South African, Greek, Mexican, and Indian foods.

Where would I recommend eating? The Kitchen Cowboys make an incredible dry-aged beef sandwich; the more-traditional aging process creates beef that tastes exactly like it should. If it’s a sunny day, a bottle of Jack Black beer is ideal. The coffee at Origins is always worth the line and the wait—though you should really prepare yourself for that wait. And while I haven’t had them, the curries at Cumin always smell rich and tempting.

But if you’re coming by next Saturday, the only stand I can really urge you to visit, if I may be so selfish, is ours…

around town/cape town: Salomies at Victoria Food World.

When someone cares about the food that they’re serving, you can really tell. The people at Victoria Foodworld care. The first time we happened on their shop, we were ignorant about most of what they offered. What is a salomie? What is a gatsby? They answered our questions proudly—curry wrapped in a roti, and a long sandwich filled with meat and salad and fries, respectively-- and in almost poetic terms.

Most importantly, we could tell that they cared by how the food tasted. We had to wait, as this wasn’t simply fast food slopped onto a plate. It was carefully constructed in the secluded kitchen, from which we could just detect the fragrant scent of meat and spices. People wandered in off the street, buying bottles of cold soda, or single cigarettes. Finally, our food was set before us. We had each ordered a salomie; the golden rotis were set before us, filled with fragrant curry.

The salomie is a simple combination of three main parts: roti, curry, and salad (optional). Should any one part be lacking or mediocre—the roti dry, the curry commonplace, the salad wilting-- the whole composition will suffer. But every element was executed with precision. The roti was flaky and buttery, the curry so freshly made that seeds and pods of spice burnt as we bit into them, creating a mild fire that the crisp cucumber salad helped to cool.

“Do you work in Woodstock?” the proprietress asked us we paid the check on our last visit. No, but we’ll definitely come back for the salomies.

Victoria Foodworld, Main Road, Woodstock.

around town/cape town: heat wave.

Though we're still far from settled in, we have managed to start assembling something of a routine in our lives. We set the alarm at 5 three days this week, waking early so that we could climb Lion's Head under the coolness of dawn. Monday we found the mountain obscured by fog, so we had to make do with hiking through the drizzle to Signal Hill-- but Wednesday was perfect, and a cool morning breeze revived us as we made it to the top. This morning, however, felt a little different. Though we actually started our hike earlier, the air was noticeably hotter-- thanks to a little heat wave that's settled on the Western Cape.

The heatwave here is pushing the temperatures toward 40, and it's definitely having some negative effects, with wildfires ripping through the dry bush around the outskirts of town. Firefighters have managed to keep them in control, thankfully, though they have become overly exhausted in the process-- backup has been called from other provinces. While it may sound indulgent, we've decided to make the most of the heat-- by enjoying Cape Town's gorgeous beaches. Somehow the 40 degree weather doesn't seem so bad after coming out of the freezing surf to enjoy a granadilla popsicle.

around town/downtown hsinchu.

Though downtown Hsinchu is only occasionally beautiful, it is always visually engaging. The frenzy of shop signs, sidewalk t-shirt displays, and neon swathed teenagers zipping by on motorbikes-- there's definitely something inspiring in the visual barrage.

around town/bangkok: Vanilla Garden.

Scattered throughout Bangkok's moneyed neighborhoods, Vanilla outlets act as sanctuaries of domestic charm. Step in from the pavement or the crowded mall, and be treated to creamy lattes and decadent baked goods. Every aspect of Vanilla is perfectly styled, from the rich-as-chocolate interiors to the flour-dusted uniforms of the wait staff, making it the ideal setting for an afternoon escape. Vanilla Garden takes the idea of a retreat one step further. Located some distance down Ekkamai Soi 12, it's the most obscure branch, and the only one not designed to be approached by foot traffic. But step in through the garden gate, and you'll quickly forget the cab fare it took to get there.

Vanilla Garden is actually a complex, uniting three distinct shops in one lush garden. Where other Vanilla locations reflect European tastes, the offerings at Vanilla Garden are distinctly East Asian. There's Royal Vanilla, a retro dim sum and tea house; Vanilla Cafe, a midcentury Japanese style coffee house; and Sauce, a sleek two-floor bookstore. We arrived for a late lunch, and found the grounds buzzing, but not busy. Though the bento boxes and living-room style setting of Vanilla Cafe looked inviting, we were tempted instead by the menu at Royal Vanilla. With dark furnishings and carved wooden screens, the small interior of Royal Vanilla is meant to evoke 1920s China. The large glass windows facing onto the garden make it a particularly attractive setting. The selection of dim sum was good, if not overly extensive- we opted for several dishes, including red bean sesame balls, steamed pork buns, and Shanghai style dumplings. Though all of the dishes were brilliant, the highlights were a wrapped noodle filled with flavorful duck meat, and the lotus steamed sticky rice. Refreshments were just as interesting as the food, and included not only tea, but drinks like plum soda and soy-milk with ginger.

After lunch, we leafed through hardcovers in Sauce. Though there are a fair number of cookbooks among the dark wooden shelves, the store seems to concentrate on style and architecture-- in fact, it has one of the best selections of design books in Bangkok. We found books on California interiors, Calcutta cooking, and Chinese product design. In addition, it offers a small rane of Vanilla brand products, like funky aprons, stylish shopping bags, and dessert-scented handwash.

By the time we'd browsed through a dozen books on Vietnamese cuisine and tropical Asian architecture, we were ready for a latte at Vanilla Cafe. Housed in a refurbished 1960s home, Vanilla Cafe serves as the focal point of the garden complex. As attractive as the house itself is, the interior is even more striking, with mod Japanese furnishings, and bookshelves stacked with brightly colored comics books and plastic toys. The coffee menu is similar to other Vanilla outlets, but it also includes a long list smoothies and shakes, like red bean or nutella frappes. The dessert menu also covers a mix of Vanilla standards and Japanese treats, with banoffee cakes sharing shelf-spaces with dorayaki and mochi. After ordering a the counter, we took our lattes and brownie out onto the front porch, where two wooden benches were positioned to face the garden and the splashing fountain. It was the ideal spot to sit back, sip our lattes, and appreciate the escapist haven that is Vanilla Garden.

Why: It's worth the trip for delicious dim sum, tasty bento boxes, or decadent desserts in a relaxing and flawlessly-styled garden setting.
Where: #53 Ekkamai Soi 12. It's a fair distance from the Ekkamai BTS terminal, so it's advisable to either take a bus to Soi 12, or a taxi from the BTS terminal.
When: Officially open 11:00 to 23:00, but they may actually close at 22:00.
How much: Prices are moderately high for Bangkok, but well worth it. Dim sum plates from 50B, main dishes at both restaurants range from about 180-300B. Coffee drinks average 80-90B, smoothies and shakes are roughly double that. Desserts range from about 40B for a peanut-butter brownie to 90B for more elaborate cakes.

around town/bangkok: Chatuchak.

Being able to shop at Chatuchak market was perhaps at least a small part of the reason I wanted to come back to Bangkok. The first time I went, I had been in Thailand for less than a week- all of the people, the tight spaces, and the mountains of knock-off Puma sneakers were rather overwhelming. But eventually I relaxed, and ended up really enjoying the visual onslaught of the world's biggest market. This time around, I was more prepared. And even better, I was actually able to shop- required to, even- as I had a bed at home that needed sheets.

Chatuchak surprised me the first time I visited; I had been expecting the knock-off handbags and cheap t-shirts, but I wasn't expecting the rather chic outlets that have stands at the market. There are home stores selling expensive decor and hip linens, and stylish stands selling lemongrass candles and coffee soaps.
Though we were there ostensibly to shop, we likely spent more of our time eating. The market is a good time to try out new foods from the numerous vendors that are positioned at every intersection; though not all of these experiences end well (see: the fishball incident). While walking through the rather chic home wares section in the far corner of the market, we found a man selling home-made ice-cream popsicles from a cooler. He had several strange flavors, like durian and banana; Bordeaux selected black-bean, and I had coffee. Both were incredible: soft, creamy, and deliciously flavored. A bit later, we found a woman selling miang kham on a stick. These are little packages of coconut, peanuts, chili, lime, and dried shrimp, wrapped in a bitter green leaf. They're one of our favorite Thai snacks, and they worked perfectly as a simple, skewered treat.
Eventually, we decided to stop and rest for a real meal. We found a cluster of foodstands, and ordered at the one that had the strangest menu. Our meal was an odd but rather delicious salad. On the plate were several piles of ingredients: shredded papaya, raw green beans, strips of fried egg, pieces of caramelized pork, tiny chili slices, scraps of purple onion, and two big slices of cucumber, all circled around a mound of brown rice. We could then mix the ingredients in each bite, adding extra chili for heat or pieces of pork for flavor. Aside from the pork, it was all rather fresh, and had a lightness that worked well for the heat of the market.
We eventually found a few places selling nice linens, in simple, solid colors. We considered the sets from one stand, who sold sheets and pillow cases in fun, co-ordinating colors. In the end we instead selected our fitted sheet and pillow cases (in Thailand no one uses a flat sheet) from a cheap discount stall. We'd had enough of the market by that point, so we managed to find an exit and get out. We live on the other side of town, but thankfully it's just the opposite end of the skytrain line, so getting home was extremely simple. Once we had the bed dressed, we found that the fitted sheet was actually a somewhat dull mint-green. Thankfully, the pillow cases are a beautiful deep chocolate brown. Perhaps we'll go back to look for a new fitted-sheet (and a lot of other things) once our first real paychecks come in.

around town/los angeles: The Fountain Coffee Room.

I finally had breakfast at the Beverly Hills Hotel's Fountain Coffee Room, which had been on my To-Do list since I first saw the banana-leaf lined lunch-counter in the Wallpaper* Los Angeles city guide. Perhaps uneasy about the location (Beverly Hills isn't really my town), or the exclusive atmosphere of the hotel (would there be a dresscode?), I continually delayed going until today.
The setting of the Fountain Coffee Room, at the base of a curving stairway on the way out to the swimming pool and spa, seems almost incidental, and adds to the casual atmosphere of the room. The Fountain Room is small, truly just a long black lunch counter, lined with dark green vinyl stools. The fixtures and decor effortlessly evoke the late 1940s, when the Fountain Room opened, without seeming like either a stale museum piece or a plastic re-creation. Water and cream are served from silver pitchers, and coffee is poured into lattice-work porcelain cups, by a waitress in pink uniform and white apron. The understated fixtures are contrasted by the Fountain's signature banana-leaf wallpaper, which evokes an era when Los Angeles could still market itself as a subtropical destination.
Despite its location in the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Fountain Room is a casual spot, where the waitress has time to chat with hotel guests as the chef prepares their waffles. The menu is classic diner food with a few upmarket touches, such as a caviar and sour cream omelet, and brioche french toast, served with mini jars of warm maple syrup. While a coffeeshop with the history and style of the Fountain Coffee Room could easily choose to rest on its reputation, the Fountain continues to offer an impressive, well-prepared menu. So many old Hollywood spots have either been torn down (Schwab's Pharmacy), or been allowed to age gracelessly (Canter's) that it's nice to see one that still retains an aura of understated glamor.