Drinking (alcohol) in Tianmu and beyond

1. Hangout Cocktail Bar, recently opened to very good reviews.

111, Taipei City, Shilin District, 中山北路六段338號

2. To sit outside for a homely glass of wine, at the big square just north of TAS. (bring mosquito repellent, no seating indoors).

Le Sommelier (website here)

 3-81號面向天玉街38巷號 1 樓 

3. Lili Restaurant and Bar 

Good quality Tianmu restaurant with bar, comfortable indoor seating with tasteful arty interior.

Zhongshan North Road section 6 no. 760, Taipei City,  中山北路六段760號

 

4. Buy whisky from Taiwan's award winning Kavalan

111, Taipei City, Shilin District, 中山北路六段734號

5. For a swanky evening out, with cocktails further afield:

Closet Restaurant (pricey)

No. 15號, Lane 101, Section 4, Zhongxiao E Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, 106

Thanks to Taipei Expats blog  (click here)for the tip and photo 

6. Mellow Fields hotel serves very cheap cocktails until 9pm in their cafe/bar, open to the public, on the ground floor. It's not a romantic venue for a night out, but it is calm and pleasant with comfy chairs.

7. For cold beer, try Asahi Dry, a Japanese lager available in convenience stores and supermarkets, crisp flavour suitable for a hot summer's day.

Keeping cool in the heat of Taipei

If you are feeling too hot in Taipei, go to a department store: they have great air-con, and you can pass a little time strolling around. (See separate post on department stores). You can buy some clothes with thinner fabric while you are there. The cinema in Mitsukoshi store has fantastic aircon. Meanwhile: 

1. Make fruit smoothies at home

Dragon fruit and papaya are currently in season. Pop them into your blender with some ice. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt. What a colour! Guaranteed to put a smile on your face! 

Cultural note: MILK is commonly blended wih mango and papaya drinks in Taiwan. (I had it by accident, I admit it is delicious): if you don't want so much dairy, stick to fixing your own at home.

 

2. Go out for shaved ice or soybean pudding
A great Taiwanese summer cooler for sharing. 


No. 262-1, Dexing E Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

好奇營養豆花, 111台北市士林區德行東路262-1號

Or visit Yonkang Street (Dongmen MRT) for plenty of fashionable mango ice options. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3A. Go for bubble tea. 

Drink in at chunshuitang (underneath the cinema box office at Mitsukoshi department store, this company claim to be the original inventors of bubble tea. 

 

 

 

 

3B. Grab a take away from Milkshop  (No. 82號, Dexing E Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 11147), a successful chain which originated in south Taiwan.

4.  Cafe Rue

The Sicilian coffee (with lemon) is surprisingly acceptable and refreshing.
No. 2號, Lane 35, Section 6, Zhongshan N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

See also their other branch Cafe Ruelle. Both do very tasty toasted sandwiches, possibly the best in Tianmu.

 

PRACTICAL TIPS for surviving the summer heat/humidity

• Carry a small flannel/towel around with you for mopping the brow. Check out this novel kind of 'cooling towel' : soak it under the tap, rinse it out, fan it in the air and drape it around your neck, it does feel cool.  
• Avoid the heat of the midday sun. If possible, avoid being out and about between roughly 11am-3pm. 
• Take several showers a day.
• Buy clothing with thinner fabric (inc. linen and sportswear).
  
• You could do as the locals do (on condition of being immune to fashion considerations) and wear 'sleeves' (on top of your T-shirt/vest) to protect you from UV rays, especially if you are cycling around in the sun
  

Eating out in Tianmu

 

(See also 'Missing Western Food in Tianmu' and 'Eating like a local' and 'Seven favourite cafes').

For a 'safe bet' for a decent restaurant, head for one of the department stores. They have a food court (average meal $200 NT); plus a range of reassuringly expensive independent restaurants, all under the same roof. Japanese food is well represented: if you like sashimi or Teppanyaki, you will do great. Korean food also present. Noodles and rice dishes abound, as do braised fish. The Hong Kong style of Chinese cuisine, which we are familiar with in much of western europe, is NOT widely available in Taiwan.

1. Chunshuitang 

An excellent mid-price restaurant chain, underneath the cinema box office at Mitsukoshi. Famous for bubble tea and beef noodle soup. Pleasant view from the window tables. Open for lunch and dinner. Reduced food menu outside those times. Reservations taken. 

beef noodle soup at Chunnshuitang

world's smallest font in a menu at Chunnshuitang

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Ootoya, reliably good Japanese restaurant downstairs in Takashimaya, which has the benefit of taking orders via an electronic tablet on the table. Mandarin only, alas. You can try guessing which button to press, as I do: it adds to the entertainment value. The staff come to double check with you. 

 

3. Lili Art & Kitchen

Stylish evening with friends or a date, good bar and kitchen, art on the walls, quite classy.

Zhongshan North Road Section 6 no. 760, 111, Taipei City

中山北路六段760號

4. MiaCucina

If you are looking for healthy, vegetarian/vegan friendly, lunch and salads, this is worth trying.

No. 48號, Dexing W Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Din Tai Fung for world famous dumpling chain (also in Hong Kong, Singapore, etc) downstairs in Sogo. Reserve a table in advance or queue for ages at meal times. 

6. Baires ice cream

Voted one of the world's top 50 ice cream places. 

Zhongshan North Road Section 6 no. 760, Taipei City 111, T中山北路六段460號1樓 

 

7. Duomo Japanese restaurant

Cheerful vibe at this cute little Japanese restaurant, opposite Takashimaya. Reasonable prices, gets crowded. The best miso soup!

111, Taipei City, Shilin District, Lane 50, Section 2, Zhongcheng Rd, 2號1樓

8. Beijing-style Chinese restaurant Song Jiang Pie & Porridge 宋江餡餅粥

Try the circular pastry with chive and minced beef; hot & sour soup; spinach; fried rice; mushroom fried noodle; dumplings.  Eat-in or take away. Very popular place, best to arrive early.

 No. 2, Tianmu N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

 

 

Public swimming pools in Tianmu

 1. Keqiang Swimming Pool    克強公園游泳池

No. 2, Lane 55, Huangxi St, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

Currently undergoing renovation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Tianxi Swimming pool 

No. 170, Alley 3, Lane 219, Section 7, Zhongshan N Rd, Beitou District, Taipei City, 112 Small open-air pool, Procedure: go in, hand $60NT to the somewhat surly staff, swim. The pool is probably intended for local residents in the huge residential complex. But it is often empty mid-week, and they seem happy to have occasional customers, rather than to keep it empty. There is no kind of ID check. Ideal for small children.

Favourite Cafes in / around Tianmu

(See also 'Cake shops', 'Toasted Sandwich') Here is a mixture of artisanal specialist places, everyday places suitable for laptopping, and comfortable places.

1.  Changing cafe

Best. Coffee. Beans. In. Taipei. Don't start a conversation with the owner about beans unless you have 30 mins free! Sit in or takeaway.

112, Taipei City, Beitou District, Alley 17, Lane 114, Yuminliu Rd, 2-1號1樓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Old Hall Cafe

has very good coffee and is a good choice for buying beans. A few seats indoors. No. 9-2號, Yunong Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

 3. Louisa is Taiwan's answer to Starbucks. The coffee is very decent quality. It's a very good choice if you want somewhere affordable to work on your laptop. Food is OK, but no-one comes for the food, it's more like an affordable community centre / hangout / shared workspace (not necessarily quiet, bring headphones). Packed at weekends. This new branch is huge and has cool architecture:

No. 2號, Lane 141, Section 7, Zhongshan N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

This next branch has a great view from the top floor and is close-by to a great river walk toward Keqiang swimming pool and Zhishan MRT. No. 132號, Tianmu W Rd, Beitou District, Taipei City, 112

4. Lutetia (French style bakery and cafe) is run by a friendly local expat. If you are craving a European vibe, their first branch (turn left from TAS, walk 5 minutes down the main road) is your best bet Zhongshan Road Section 6 Number 442 Taipei 111台北市士林區中山北路六段442號. Quiche and salad set recommended. Second branch is opposite TES, peaceful.

5. Komeda's Coffee For a laptop session close to the MRT station at Zhishan, this Japanese chain is a very good solution, choose a table at the window in the front. Avoid at weekends due to atrocious service.

Zhongshan Road Section 6 Number 136, Taipei City, 111  中山北路六段136號

 

6. Supranormal Bakery Cafe

Fashionable, very small, expensive, busy

No. 39號, Section 7, Zhongshan N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Mellow Fields Hotel

No. 127號, Section 7, Zhongshan N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

Walk into the reception area (photo) and straight through to the cafe (open to the public).

Service is friendly and good. Drinks are good, as is the thick toast with peanut butter or chocolate spread. Very good value, highest Cost Performance Ratio of all these options! You could get a takeaway coffee from their cafe and sit in this gorgeous reception, feel a spaciousness which is often denied us in the cities.

 

 

Mellowfields Hotel, cafe

 

 

 

 

 

8. One floor underneath the cinema at Mitsukoshi, just as you come off the escalator, is an unobtrusive cafe that does good iced latte, big sofas, good cakes and suitable for chatting or laptop sessions.

Places to chill out in Tianmu: introducing 3 Department Stores and cinema

All over Asia, people love department stores, not least for the air-conditioning! Taiwan's department stores are mostly Japanese. In Tianmu you have a choice of three: here are a few suggestions of how to while away a couple of hours while you cool down. 

Sogo

The food court has a good view. Supermarket in the basement carries a decent range of international food and drink brands. Quality and price are both high. Pick up some clothing from Uniqlo upstairs, their range seems to be an unofficial uniform for blending in in Taiwan. If you have come from Europe, the fabric of your cotton clothing is likely much thicker than the local versions, so it's well worth investing in some thinner and cooler staples. Taiwan offers super-fashionable sportswear in very thin fabrics and Sogo is possibly the most stylish of the three stores. 

Mitsukoshi

Two Mitsukoshi stores side by side. The one further from the traffic junction offers a cinema on the top floor, which shows Hollywood and Asian films (alas not Bollywood). Cinemas have THE BEST AIRCON in Taiwan! You may need to take a scarf or socks! If you want to buy a ticket, but don't speak Mandarin, you could show a photo of the movie poster, and the sales person can probably figure it out. They will ask you where you want to sit, the default position in Taiwan is for everyone to sit in a group in the centre of the cinema. You can request a seat at the side or back; usually there are plenty of seats free for seat-hopping. Unless its the first weekend of some Marvel blockbuster when it might be absolutely packed.  

 

The restaurant just underneath the cinema ticket office is famous for bubble tea, and great beef noodle soup. Their menu shows english (in the world's smallest font). Go up to pay first when ordering. On the basement floor is a FNAC selling a few electronics. 

The food court here is small and not impressive.

Takashimaya

Situated beside the baseball stadium. A gigantic aquarium display is popular weekend attraction for kids. The basement food court is probably the best of the three department stores' food courts, and the supermarket is very good.

 

Piano Competition success

Many congratulations to my student Bunny Liu for winning first prize at an international piano competition in Los Angeles a few days ago, playing Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody 12!

Listen to my new video 1.57 of Student Recital highlights 2015!

Click here for YouTube link: Student Recital 2015

Or paste this in your browser         https://youtu.be/mb_1Ha0ELwk

Highlights of Student Recital 2015

"Artistic Expression in Contemporary American Piano Music"; Dr Heidi Lousie Wiliams, TNUA

A highly interesting lecture recital was given by Dr Heidi Louise Williams at the music department of TNUA (Taipei National University of the Arts) on Monday 18 May 2015. Entitled: “Artistic Expression in Contemporary American Piano Music: Insights for the 21st Century Performer”, the lecture recital included extracts from works by Charles Griffes, Ernest Bloch, Samuel Barber, George Walker and Daniel Crozier. Crozier's Aubade was written for Dr Williams.

Right: Prof Mei-Ling Wang, TNUA
Centre: Dr Heidi Louise Williams
Left: your intrepid reviewer MK


Dr Williams had a very warm, open-hearted and engaging spoken manner as she explained some of the recurring general themes in American music. The interest of the audience was piqued further by demonstration of use of the middle pedal in the Barber Sonata. (Afterwards I felt inspired to listen to Horowitz's recording of the Barber Piano Sonata, but - shock warning - Horowitz is definitely out-Horowitzed by pianist Terence Judd in what is an astonishing live recording of the Scherzo and Fugue (click here))

The piano performances by Dr Williams, which interspersed the spoken explanations, were all VERY WELL played on the resident Steinway Grand piano. Many were performed from memory (no easy task, particularly with contemporary music). The acoustic of the Recital Hall was excellent and one could not have a better room for such a lecture recital.
My only criticisms of the event are minor. A free printed handout was supplied, showing extracts of the music performed, together with handwritten comments by the piano teacher of Dr Williams: but these were printed so small they were almost illegible. As for the selection of works, everybody might have their personal preferences for American composers. I cannot help thinking that Alan Hovhaness, say, or George Crumb, both born in the USA may be more deserving of inclusion in this lecture recital than Ernest Bloch, who only took American citizenship aged 44. However this is admittedly a personal opinion. I very much hopes that Dr Williams will be brought back again for “Part 2”!

Very interesting dissertation from Dr Chi Lin about influence of Russian pianism on the Chinese teachers in Beijing. "Specifically, they stressed tone production. The transfer of arm weight to the fingers and the involvement off the wrists were the most important techniques advocated by the Russian teaching system...To produce a singing tone, the pianist must roll this weight from one fingertip to another while keeping the wrist flexible.... Within two years [1955-57], the Chinese pianists reached the highest performance level they ever had." The piano world is indeed a global village these days!

free download piano dissertation Lin

Maurice Emmanuel Piano Sonatines

Many years ago I received a request from the son of the composer Maurice Emmanuel to perform his Piano Sonatines. I duly learnt a couple and performed them, and very pleasant they are (if slightly forgettable, truth to tell). Emmanuel (1862 – 1938) studied at the Paris Conservatoire at the same time as Debussy, and in time became the teacher of music history to the great composers Olivier Messiaen and Henri Dutilleux. Emmanuel's works testify to a wide breadth of interests including folk music and Hindu chants. (French composer Jacques Charpentier's Etudes Karnatiques for piano are very interesting virtuoso piano works incorporating Indian modes – an uncommon interest –  perhaps an interest sparked by his teacher Messiaen, who in turn had been influenced by Emmanuel).

Anyway the purpose of this post is to say a big "Hat's Off!" to French pianist Laurent Wagschal who has recorded the Sonatines for Timpani label. 
I have never heard of Wagschal before, but his playing on YouTube is WONDERFUL! Such good sound. Such good fingers. Such supple technique. Also, Such a good piano, and Such good recording!
What a pleasure.
Whenever I am despairing of finding a living pianist whom I admire, one just pops up.
His playing reminds me of the sonorities and virtuosity of the wonderful blind French pianist Bernard D'Ascoli. 
Here is Wagschal's website
http://www.laurentwagschal.com/index.phpWagschal
You can buy the CD here (does anybody still buy CDs?)  http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Timpani/1C1194buy CD Emmanuel
Keep practising everybody!

pianist's wit

In addition to his concert tours, Paderewski was a popular speaker who was renowned for his wit, and was often quoted. He was once introduced to a polo player with the words: "You are both leaders in your spheres, though the spheres are very different." "Not so very different," Paderewski replied. "You are a dear soul who plays polo, and I am a poor Pole who plays solo."