Shin Yeh (Taiwanese Cuisine)

Oops. Just realized I had forgotten to publish this post :X

For my sister's 1st dinner in Taipei, our old college friend A. and her fiance S. booked a table with Shin Yeh at their Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Branch (8th floor, building A9). As A. puts it, if you want to sit down and slowly get acquainted to traditional Taiwanese dishes before diving into the fast paced, rough and tumble night markets, Shin Yeh is a good start. Also, it helps that their website is available in English, providing a small glimpse of their extensive menu with names of some of the dishes in English!


There were actually 8 of us, with another couple and their young son arriving later in the meal. But by then, we had already ordered some 12 different dishes, with the waitress reluctant to keep taking our order because she thought we had ordered way too much. Actually, I have noticed this trend when dining out in Taiwan, that some waiters and waitresses don't just politely suggest you've ordered too much but will actively try to convince you to stop ordering LOL!

Had a bit of a bad hair night there...

National Palace Museum, Taipei (故宮)

The day after our day trip to Beitou, it rained again, so me, my sister, hubby, and his Japanese colleague A-san all agree this calls for indoor activity that is the National Palace Museum (故宮). My sister has already been to this museum once with when she visited Taipei a few years ago with a big tour group. However, their tour schedule was tight and so she pretty much rushed through just the lower two floors and didn't get to see the top floor.

Coffret D'Or 3D Glossy Eyes

Along with the Eye Appeal Shadows, I also brought these Coffret D'Or 3D Glossy Eyes with me to Taipei. I have 3 of these palettes, 01 Nudy Brown and 03 Urban Gray were bought shortly before leaving Japan, and 04 Pink Violet were purchase later, here in Taipei in fact. 

Like the Eye Appeal Shadows, these came without a compact, which is sold separately. Instead, they are packaged in a sliding clear plastic case that is slim and easy to pack. You just slide the eye shadow pan out of its lid and snap onto the compact and that's it. No dealing with messy glues at the bottom of either the pan or the compact. The eye shadows themselves have excellent staying power and did not crease on me at all throughout the day. Texture wise they are soft, smooth, and blends well, but again I think Coffret D'Or can do even better.

Coffret D'Or 3D Glossy Eyes in 01 Nudy Brown and 03 Urban Gray

04 Pink Violet

Divinia Deep Cleansing Oil

Third of the way through this bottle of Divinia Deep Cleansing Oil. Divinia is a Watsons store brand, although I'm not sure if it's available at Watsons throughout Asia or only at Watsons in Taiwan. This is my first Divinia product!

This Deep Cleansing Oil is actually packaged in a clear bottle with blue text. However, this one I bought is a Shizuoka Green Tea limited edition. The funny thing is that other than that round sticker at the top that simply says "Shizuoka Green Tea Limited Edition", nowhere else on the bottle makes a single mentioning of how this green tea is in anyway related to this product, whether being just a fragrance or is actually a part of the ingredient (I read the ingredients up and down!). Is it just the text is green or what?!?

Day Trip to Beitou, Taipei (北投)

While my sister was here visiting, hubby's Japanese colleague A-san also dropped in for a few days. Of course that gives us the most perfect excuse to explore Beitou's famous onsens, so we took off on a cool and rainy afternoon when the weather was just right to be soaking in a hot bath.

The train ride to Beitou is pretty straight forward. You get on MRT Red Line and get off at Beitou Station, then take another special touristy train to Xinbeitou Station ^.^

Day Trip to Tamsui, New Taipei, Part II (淡水, Picture heavy!)

Hey guys, running so behind on some posts here :( Sorry!

My sister came for a short visit earlier in the month and hubby and I took her to Tamsui again. It was her second time in Taipei actually. Two winters ago, she was still living and working in Japan and had been here on a group tour along with her colleagues and fellow teacher. However, her group tour had a super tight schedule full of "touristy" places, which didn't give her any time to explore the city on her own at all. So this was an attempt to chill out a little, taking time to leisurely stroll around, check out the shops, eat some snacks, play some games, etc. 

We started out with lunch at my favorite neighborhood's Fortune Garden. Then at the Taipei Main Station we met up with J., whom my sister used to tutor way back in high school. She's a Taiwanese native but went to high school and college in the US, in the same state and city where we did. Hearing of my sister's visit, she was ecstatic as they had lost touch for a while before finding each other on FB several months earlier.

The funny gold statue man was there again! ^.^

Canmake Cream Cheek Part II Clear Series

A few weeks ago when I was browsing the Canmake website looking for the new Cheek & Cheek 08 Love Trap Flower that was supposed to be released on October 1. Instead, I spotted these Canmake Cream Cheeks Clear Series.

Being a big fan of the Canmake Cream Cheeks, I started a frenzy search for any online retailer who carries these because, well, they haven't made it (still!!!) to the Taiwanese shore. I have to say, it's occasions like these that I feel thankful for Ebay, even if I loath it every other minute in between. Let's just say I, umm, stalked Alpha Beauty UK everyday and snapped these up as soon as they made their appearance. I don't care that they're marked up to about 2/3 the Japanese retail. I wanted these so badly. I must have them.

From left to right: CL01 Clear Red Heart, CL02 Clear Love Song Pink, and CL03 Clear Sunset. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Hada-Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Facial Cleansing Foam

More than 2/3 way through this 20g travel size tube of Hada-Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Facial Cleansing Foam that came with the Gokujyun Olive Oil Cleansing that I used up, umm, last August. I got started on this cleansing foam just two weeks ago after finishing up the Rosette Cleansing Paste Kaidei Smooth as the follow up cleanser after my cleansing oil (been using a new one for the past 10 day, will review soon!).

Caudalie Gentle Cleanser

A short and sweet review for Caudalie Gentle Cleanser. This is a 30mL travel size tube I brought with me among other things.

This is a very gentle milk cleanser that comes out of the tube in an opaque drinkable yogurt texture, not thick but not runny either. It constantly tricks me into thinking it will foam, going on with the slip of a liquid foaming cleanser, only it does not foam at all. It rinses well, much better than most cream or even milk cleanser, although not squeaky clean like a foaming cleanser would. It is scented with a very mild and unimposing leafy flowery scent that I do enjoy. My face does feel very clean afterwards without any tightness.

Coffret D'Or Eye Appeal Shadow

Did some, okay, a lot of shopping before I left Japan, and these Coffret D'Or Eye Appeal Shadows were among the last grabs because I knew I'd be sorry if I pass them up only to bleed for jacked up prices plus international shipping later T.T Out of the 5 available palettes, I picked 01 Sweet Brown, 03 Gray Silver, and 04 Nudy Beige. 

I don't know why it took me so long to warm up to Coffret D'Or. I honestly thought the brand was so ho-hum and after the Trance Deep Eyes, I didn't bother keeping up with it. Even with the Trance Deep Eyes, only last December did I finally review it, some 3 years after it was released, then the single Eye Colors this past May, and the Smile Up Cheeks just two weeks prior to moving out of the country. 

Eye Appeal Shadows in 01 Sweet Brown (top), 03 Gray Silver (bottom left), and 04 Nudy Beige (bottom right). All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

We got cabin fever! (Picture heavy!)

A few weekends ago hubby and I got a bit of cabin fever and so we went out for an afternoon stroll through town ^.^

It was about 2PM, and having only snacked a bit for brunch we wanted to find a place to sit down for another snack. We got off at MRT Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station and walked around. Unfortunately, the place we wanted to try was closed (Kiki's, many restaurants are closed between 2-5:30PM to rest) and so we went across the street to this Fifteen Pizzeria Napoletana. 

Fifteen Pizzeria Napoletana

Hubby was thrilled for a slice of pizza as he was starting to get homesick and, well, sick of Chinese food LOL!

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

Yep, it's time to share some humble opinion on this so touted the "miracle water" that is the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. This is the 75mL bottle I got from the same Aeon August Starter Set, and previously I posted a review for the Facial Treatment Clear Lotion, which is supposed to be used in conjunction with this essence for "best results."

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence 75mL

The August SK-II Starter Set I have comes with:

- Facial Cotton 90 sheets

- Facial Treatment Mask 1 sheet
- Facial Treatment Clear Lotion 40mL
- Skin Signature Cream 2.5g
- Facial Treatment Essence 75mL

SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion

I can't believe it's a week into November already!!! That makes it 3.5 months since I started using the SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion and this review is way overdue! This is the 40mL trial bottle I got from Aeon Shop's August Starter Set.

Each of the Starter Set goes for 6,720yen (~ US$85), however their calculated retail value differs each time since they feature a different sample product. The August set I bought has a calculated retail value of 12,252yen since it comes with a 2.5g sample of the Skin Signature Cream.

Aeon's August SK-II Starter Set: 

- Cotton 90 sheets

- Facial Treatment Mask 1 sheet
- Facial Treatment Clear Lotion 40mL
- Skin Signature Cream 2.5g
- Facial Treatment Essence 75mL

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow Part II

Stopped by Target for last minute, i.e. panic, shopping and spotted this Maybelline Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow palettes 55 Smokey Night and 85 Gutsy Green. These are limited editions I'd seen before on Citrine's blog, but since that was way back in May and having had 3 months to go still in Japan, I thought it'd be gone forever by the time I make it home in late August. Of course I snatched them both off the shelf but only brought 55 Smokey Night with me to Taipei ^.^

And then just now I checked Drugstore.com and they have all 3 limited edition palettes, 95 Coral Oasis, 85 Gutsy Green, as well as this 55 Smokey Night for $6.99 each plus Buy 1 Get 1 Half Off. Very tempted to get 95 Coral Oasis too but I think I shall refrain as it looks a bit too warm for me.

Brought this quad with me to Taipei because I needed a liner palette but had no space for a bunch of pencils and have no patience or time to sit there and pick the colors out of the rainbow I have. So ultimately, not only I had been eyeing this palette for so long it was also a super convenient buy. I was totally excited and very much looked forward to using it.

55 Smokey Night. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.