Random Thoughts

One thing I cannot resist is 雞蛋糕.  I don't think anyone can...

Everytime you pass by, you are hypnotized by its buttery smell.  Even if you do not feel hungry, you become hungry.  It tempts you, calls your name - till you finally surrendor, walk back to the street vendor, and say: "I want 3 please" or "老闆,我要3個."

You have seen how it's made a million times, but it never gets old.  You wait, patiently.

The moment the street vendor or 雞蛋糕先生 hands you the little brown paper bag, stuffed with your hot cakes, you can't help but feel a sense of happiness.  You know it's going to be goooooood.  A bite into the crispy skin, combined with hot chewy inside, is simply gratifying.

Who ever invented the 雞蛋糕, I give you all my respect.  This simple recipe is like Coca-Cola: timeless.   What a perfect marriage of taste, smell and texture... even the golden color.  The wonderful thing is, we are reminded for a brief moment, of the memories of our childhood...  how something so little and simple can make us feel happy and fulfilled.  so instantly.

Many of you may wonder what is it I do exactly.  In simple words, I link brands to designs.  Actually, I'm passionate about it.

I had the chance to work on exciting projects - such as this one: Chloe Cafe.  Initially what started as a simple crossover concept between French luxury brand Chloe and Dean & Deluca Cafe, turned into a 360 degree consumer experience.  We wanted to do more.  Integrating Parisian romance into the setting was not enough, we wanted to create a dream-like glimpse into Chloe's world.

That's when the theme "Je suis Chloe" was born - "I am Chloe."

Simple, yet powerful.   This statement, true to French authenticity and Chloe's identity, translated into an integrated whole of space design, limited edition items and advertisements.  During the month of April, Dean & Deluca @ Breeze Center was flooded with people, wanting to take part of this experience.  Tote bags sold at NT1,680 and 35 limited cups of coffee (that came with 'Je suis Chloe' mug) sold out daily just one hour after store opening!

From the white painted cat at the cafe entrance to all the custom-made furniture in Chloe's bedroom, we wanted to make every detail just perfect.  And so was this experience for me.

Couldn't get enough?  Watch it again!

This new Heineken ad "Walk-In Fridge" sure brings a refreshing taste to this sweltering, exhausting heat in Taipei.  Heck, lock me up in that fridge!  I too, would clap my hands, and jump up and down with joy!

... but seriously, if I really had to choose... I would still go for the walk-in closet (c'mon, tell me you are not drooling or 流口水'ing if you're a girl!)

I love advertising.  And best, I LOVE it when great minds get their creative juices flowing, and give birth to something completely random... and unexpected! This is the first commercial that makes me laugh out loud in a long, long time! 

What can I say, I give it A+.

Everyday on my way to work, I walk by this gigantic panel of LED tree, in the intersection of 忠孝敦化 in Taipei.  For once, I have decided to stop and take a good look at it, face-to-face. 

It's a grand art display of what represents peace, harmony and balance.  What else? In the core of Taipei, a city that never sleeps and keeps growing, the tree represents strength, steady expansion, solidity and foundation to our society. But I couldn't help but sense something troubling me inside... 

Perhaps there is a different interpretation? A different story.  Hmmmm...  As I stood still in the middle section of the road, I watched an ocean of people passing by me, wave by wave, in such haste to get to work.  Something about this imagery perplexed me - the busy people walking in a hurry and the large LED tree appearing almost invisible in downtown Taipei.

The mere contradiction to use LED technology to represent trees - the root of pure mother nature - seemed funny to me.  Especially the immense size of the "fake" tree magnifies this irony, this sharp unnatural contrast.  Could this be a reminder to us - in a society driven by growth, technology and efficiency - that we should occasionally stop and ponder the question:

"Where are the trees? Have we forgotten them....have we forgotten ourselves?"  

There is something simple, yet special, about drinking a cup of green tea.

Just holding it in your hands gives you a warm, tranquil feeling.  The very moment you take a little sip, you let the pure aroma infuse calmness into you.  It's a moment of peace, serenity...in which time no longer exists.  A moment of simple delight, where you slowly enhale life and temporarily allow your worries dissipate.  All senses enter a space of harmony and rejuvenation, making you feel whole again. 

slowly, take another sip.

Here I was, walking down the street on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.. then, suddenly I see... 

...OBAMA (with his "Colgate" smile) standing infront of a restaurant called MIAMI , with a sign around his neck "Welcome to Miami." 

Taiwanese people Rock ! 超酷.

Qui suis-je?

Grown up in Montreal Canada, I was used to the "joie-de-vivre" kind of lifestyle…with the small cafes (no Starbucks) on pebble streets, where you can sit for hours outside just gazing at the world pass by. La vie est belle.
I have to admit, life has changed significantly since I moved back to Taiwan couple of years ago.
But I fell in love with this world that never sleeps. So much energy.
So you can say that I am mix of both cultures - Taiwanese and French Canadian.

"I'm looking for love, real love – ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-kind-of-love.”

 That is my favorite line from Sex and the City. Brilliant.

Here is the thing: I once had a “BIG” in my life.He was JUST like BIG – completely addictive.I mean, I couldn’t get enough of this guy.I was the only one, as he put it, who was able to enter his bubble – or so I thought. The love was intense, but every so often, I would get pushed out. It seemed like a challenge at first, but the emotional roller coaster ride got too “exhilarating.”  Sounds familiar?  I felt out of breath or simply, distorted.But every second, I laid myself completely out there - open, naked, vulnerable.  What can I say, I gave everything that I am.

Yup, I got burned at the end.Maybe he was smart to build walls for that same reason.But maybe, just maybe, he was chicken shit.And maybe, I am just not built that way – I want to live it all.  No reservations.  Some say I was foolish or that I didn't know how to protect myself – “be more selfish,” they say.  But I have to disagree.  Being careful whom to fall for is one thing.  But loving without a discount tag is another.

Love really amplifies our emotions – everything, good or bad, is heightened it seems.  And the more intensity I experience, the more alive I feel.Looking back, I loved so passionately, felt so deeply, gained new senses, lost "so-I-thought-everything" - but at the end, I have grown. I never felt more real and honest with my heart. Fragility is a beautiful thing, I tell you.It’s a risky thing, but definitely worth risking.To love so freely feels dangerous, but amazing.No dotted lines in the middle - love can never feel more authentic.