[Updated July 2017] Taipei has recently seen an explosion of bars coming on to the scene here. From beer gardens to craft beer houses, from speakeasies to glamorous lounges, from wine bars to whiskey bars. I am certainly not complaining, and my favorites among these many choices are: Alchemy (not that new, but nonetheless a…
Tag: wanderlust
Journey to Kinmen Island 金門: A Must in Taiwan
This past week I took a 3 day 2 night trip to one of Taiwan’s major outer islands, Kinmen Island. It was my first time to Taiwan’s outer islands. Kinmen is simply incredible, and has become my favorite domestic destination in Taiwan. Filled with history, tradition and true old-school Taiwanese flavor and friendliness, yet fully in…
[Updated] Review: Alexander’s v. Morton’s Taipei; U.S. Steakhouses Face-off in Taiwan:
[UPDATED March 2017] In the last couple of months two well-known American steakhouse chains opened their doors in Taiwan for the first time. One is Alexander’s Steakhouse from Cupertino, California* and the other is the famous Morton’s Steakhouse. When I heard about these openings I was rather excited but apprehensive as well because for…
Review: Paris 1930 Winter Black Truffle Tasting at the Ritz Landis Taipei
Last week we had dinner at the Paris 1930 Restaurant in the Ritz Landis Hotel, Taipei. They currently have their limited time Winter Black Truffle Tasting menu. The 11 course menu came down to around NTD$4200 (USD$125) per person without wine, which is more expensive than their usual offering and definitely expensive in Taipei but…
Review: The Tokyo Station Hotel, Tokyo Eats & Sites
My apologies, this is a bit of a belated guest post/review from my sister who stayed at the Tokyo Station Hotel in Tokyo, Japan in December 2015. December 9, 2015 The Tokyo Station Hotel just celebrated their 100th birthday on November 2, 2015. At a century old, the hotel is full of life and grandeur….
The Marriott Taipei and Garden Kitchen Restaurant
The Marriott Taipei [Scroll down if you just want to read about the food!] Taipei’s newest hotel had its soft-opening in July this year and will officially open sometime this month (at least from the last I heard). The Marriott Hotel Taipei is located in Dazhi, right by the Miramar shopping center and across the…
[Updated] Review: Restaurant Toh-A 桌藏 and 山海樓 Mountain and Sea House Vintage Taiwanese Cuisine
[Update] I just had dinner at 山海樓 Mountain and Sea House again the other night and it impressed me a lot more than my first visit. Everything we ordered, from stuff we’ve had before, to new seasonal creations, were all on point. The restaurant has recently gained a lot of popularity and as such its been…
Cuba: Traveling Back to 1950 for a New Hope With National Geographic Expeditions
Hola! I recently had the great opportunity to be a part of a National Geographic Expedition for the first time. We booked ourselves on one of the increasing number of “People to People” trips for U.S. Citizens to travel to Cuba in the wake of President Obama’s announcement to lift certain bans, including making it…
Review: Phulay Bay, A Ritz Carlton Reserve; How a Great Management Team Can Go A Long Way
Hello! This year for our winter family trip we opted for something closer to home that didn’t have a long minimum night stay. We chose to return to Thailand have not returned there for our vacations for over 7 years now. To switch things up, we decided to try a new spot in Thailand, having…
Review: China Airlines (CI) 777-300ER Business Class: Taking Taiwanese Aviation to New Heights
Hello Everyone! As a longtime China Airlines flyer, I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of their 777-300ER fleet since the airline announced their order for 10 77W. Starting in April 2014, CI began releasing images of their interiors for the new plane and when I saw what was in store, I was simply amazed….
23 Year Road Trip, Spanning 177 Countries, a True Wanderlust Fairytale
Hi All, I came across this story and video today of a man named Gunther Holtorf, who recently completed a 23 year long road trip across 177 countries on a Mercedes Benz G Wagon he aptly named Oto. He started off with his wife, who sadly passed away a few years ago but she insisted…
Rustic Luxury: Review of Six Senses Laamu in the Republic of Maldives
Happy Belated New Years 2014 and Happy Year of the Horse everyone! The Maldives Over winter break we went to the Republic of Maldives in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is a republic that consists of over 200 Atolls (coral islands), and many resorts that each occupy one atoll. It is an ever increasingly popular…
TheGastronomicTraveler 