At the beginning of the month, we came to Kaohsiung because of Mayday—it was our first time bringing our little one here, and also her first concert ever~ ^^ We really liked the hotel we stayed at this time: ‘Jia’s Inn’. A cozy space that’s pleasant from the inside out. The room had a great texture, and the lobby restaurant was even more charming. I always plan ahead, and since it was my first time chasing a Mayday concert, I genuinely thought there’d be no food available on-site.
The well-known Korean integrated café and leisure brand "Caffe bene (Coffee with You)" expanded rapidly after entering Taiwan. However, at the end of last year (2014), it was revealed that its Kaohsiung branch had withheld staff wages due to poor operations. The head office took over and addressed the issues, pledging to step up marketing efforts this year (2015). Recently, it was announced that the brand will invite its Greater China spokesperson, Kim Soo-hyun, to Taiwan on March 14 for a fan meet.
The land of Kaohsiung will soon feature what is claimed to be the largest sunflower maze in Taiwan. The Siaolin District Office has planted a sunflower field during the fallow period, and with the bloom season now in full swing, the towering 3-meter-tall “Siaolin Sunflower Maze City” will officially open to the public starting the 14th.
I had eaten at Yong Ji many years ago and have always had a good impression of their radish cake. Recently, the shop relocated, and a kind fellow diner let us know, which made us eager to revisit and relive the experience. But when we made a special trip there, we found they were closed for a day—a bit disappointing. Undeterred, a few days later, while we happened to be in the area, we dropped by for a meal.
Where to go for the holidays? The national airline celebrates the Lunar New Year by launching the “2015 Spring Festival Flying Sheep” campaign from 9:00 AM on February 13 to midnight on February 24 — a continuous 12-day event. Simply log in as a member to enter the lucky draw for great gifts, with prizes for everyone and the grand prize being a one-dollar flight.
This year, due to the later arrival of the Lunar New Year, cherry blossoms across Nantou have quietly bloomed before the holiday. The soft pink hues have adorned the entire region, heralding the arrival of spring. Shima Park in Lugu Valley has become a popular cherry blossom destination in recent years, featuring a wide variety of blooms. Striking Yama-zakura, Hamamasu cherry blossoms that traveled across the sea from Japan, and the elegant Formosan cherry all display unique beauty.
As the Lunar New Year atmosphere builds, the New Taipei City Golden Museum has begun decorating with strings of bright red lanterns to welcome the festival. Paired with the gradually blooming pink cherry blossom woods, visiting during the Spring Festival holiday offers a nostalgic blend of heritage sites and natural mountain scenery.
Universal Studios Japan’s “Universal Wonderland” has added new rides and undergone a major update across the entire area. It will reopen on Wednesday, March 18, 2015, with the concept of a neighborhood where global cartoon characters such as Elmo, Snoopy, and Hello Kitty live. It is a family-friendly zone featuring over 30 parent-child entertainment options.
The Taiwan branch of "Tetsu Men," a direct-operated store from the Japanese head office, has been open for a while at Eslite Spectrum Ximending Store 116 in Taipei. The menu is very simple, offering only pork bone ramen and oil-mixed dry noodles (油拌面), both priced at 100 NTD. If you’re worried about not getting full, you can opt for the larger portion of pork bone ramen at 120 NTD.
The Wuling cherry blossom season has officially kicked off today. To avoid overcrowding, the Ministry of Transportation has implemented a daily visitor cap starting today, allowing only 6,000 people per day—1,800 of whom include those staying overnight or camping, who must register their vehicles in advance; the other 4,200 visitors must take the farm’s designated cherry blossom shuttle buses.
Can you enjoy the culinary skills of a Michelin one-star chef for just a thousand yuan, and eat as much as you like? To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Taipei’s Xihua Hotel is launching the “Provence Spring Feast” at its B-one Buffet Restaurant from March 3 to March 31. The event features guest chef XAVIER MATHIEU, a French Michelin one-star chef, with each person paying just 1,100 NT plus 10%.
The Guam Visitors Bureau held a press conference today (13th) to announce a variety of international and local events throughout the year, ranging from overnight marathons, aromatic street food parties, indigenous cultural experiences to shopping festivals. Different themed activities will take turns to captivate visitors. Yan Defen, representative of the Guam Visitors Bureau Taiwan Office, said: “Although Guam is only about the size of two Taipei cities, it combines natural scenery with local culture.”
Although the weather is still cold, cherry blossoms have begun to bloom. To celebrate the season, Shindol has introduced a spring-exclusive “Cherry Blossom Banquet” set menu. Inspired by the concept of enjoying and celebrating cherry blossoms, they’ve created a brand-new eight-dish-one-soup “Cherry Blossom Set,” incorporating the unique flavor of cherry blossoms into the dishes. Each set is priced at NT$3,800. Additionally, Shindol has brought the cherry blossoms indoors, allowing diners to enjoy the view of cherry blossoms while they eat.
Fans of grilled sandwiches probably know about Fengsheng in Shilin, Taipei, but the long holiday queues can be off-putting. Recently, another uniquely named grilled sandwich spot has emerged in Taipei — “Senior 3 Xiaos,” which has rapidly gained popularity. Originally selling around 100 breakfast portions a day, it now serves up to 300 daily.
As Lunar New Year approaches, Checheng in Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area is gearing up to ring in the new year with excitement too! On the 13th, the “Xiong Wang Carnival” New Year opening event was held at the Checheng Timber Industry Exhibition Hall, where the adorable large inflatable mascots of the Xiong Wang family series made their cute debut!
In Taiwan’s travel map, there aren’t many opportunities to visit Changhua, and I probably only come here about twice a year. This time, I visited what locals say is the best restaurant in Changhua City, and that really raised my expectations!Upon arrival, I only knew it was called Fushan Restaurant, but when I got to the entrance, I realized it actually serves Japanese cuisine. From the outside, I thought it was just a place for sashimi, but it actually combines Taiwanese dishes, making it quite different from traditional Japanese food.
As Valentine’s Day approaches with its pink-hued atmosphere, to celebrate this romantic holiday, the New Taipei City Government will host a “Valentine’s Concert” in the evening at Bitan East Coast Square on Valentine’s Day. Meanwhile, the light show on Bitan Suspension Bridge will run from February 14 to March 15, with hourly shows at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM every night featuring the “Blossoming Splendor – A Riot of Colors” Spring Festival light display, allowing the public to enjoy a romantic Valentine’s Day while also soaking in the festive ambiance of the Lunar New Year.
Releasing sky lanterns is a signature activity in the Pingxi area, and the “New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival” has even been hailed by international media as a “must-visit in a lifetime.” This year’s event will take place on February 22 (the fourth day of the Lunar New Year), February 27 (the ninth day), and March 5 (Lantern Festival). The New Taipei City Government has prepared 3,600 lanterns for visitors to release for free. To celebrate the Year of the Sheep, the lanterns feature cartoon images of Pleasant Goat, adding a heartwarming and adorable touch.
When visiting the East District, you’ll probably crave brunch, a cup of coffee or afternoon tea, or want to meet with clients to discuss design projects—Café Marché in Taipei’s East District is a high-quality café that roasts its own beans. The space is spacious, the food delicious, the coffee excellent, with free Wi-Fi and power outlets, no time restrictions on dining, making it perfect for business meetings.
The Love River is a renowned tourist attraction in Kaohsiung and has always been a must-visit destination for experiencing the city’s harbor charm. Hsu Chuan-sheng, Director of Kaohsiung’s Department of Tourism, stated that to leave visitors with more beautiful impressions, they invited artistic mural painters to give a fresh look to the advertising walls along Hedong Road by the Love River (near Aolight). Centered around the “Gaobear Picture Book” theme, different walls tell different stories of Kaohsiung. On Valentine’s Day, the 14th, visitors who check in and like the site can be among the first 99 pairs to receive tickets for a ride on the Love River cruise.