TAIPEI (9/4 - 9/6)

Hello again! Since I last wrote, a lot's happened in Taiwan. Allow me to catch you up... The morning of the fourth we walked outside of the hotel to find a bus waiting for us. Not an ordinary bus, but a karaoke bus. We didn't actually sing because all the songs were in Mandarin but we did use the microphones to discuss our highlights of the day! Our first stop was Yingge Ceramics Museum, a museum in the greater Yingge Ceramics district. The museum had some wonderful works, including some more industrial applications of ceramics in outlets and machinery. I didn't take a photo of the outlets but I did snap one of this beautiful red and blue ash glaze. After the museum, we went to the Tai Hwa factory, whose collection of ceramics rivaled that of the National Palace Museum. 

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to paint a teacup and saucer for around an hour. Despite knowing this time constraint, everyone at my table chose to paint something ambitious and we all stressed out in the last ten minutes. I had to abandon my idea of painting cats all over my mug and settle for just four little guys. It was harder than I imagined, and gave me a newfound sense of admiration for all the beautiful painted ceramics I had seen. When we finished at the factory, we took the karaoke bus back to Taipei—this time to Dot Design. Dot design was a small studio I mistook for a coffee shop at first glance. We were greeted with tea when we got in and I made a dash for the coolest looking chair in the room (the coral chair). The founder of Dot Design, Lance Han, was charismatic and walked us through the sustainable practices and products they had launched. They had an incredible amount of awards, no doubt for all they had done in the field of sustainability and their rather ingenious design. He told us of a very pretty Starbucks nearby which we didn't get to see as the bus had arrived and took us to SCU. After looking long and hard at our materials, of which there were a lot, we settled on the idea of doing a lantern. The red mesh bag, red strainer, and gold wire practically begged to be made into a traditional Taiwanese lantern. However, the lantern we made was far from traditional. The mesh bag was reminiscent of a fishing net and the strainer was often found at wet markets, or so we were told. Knowing this, we decided to lean into the fish vibe and make a lantern that changed the meaning from prosperity and fortune to shrimp! That night I had a bowl of shrimp dry noodles, something I think that was fitting. The next day was a full work day, which albeit stressful, was very rewarding. It was awesome to be back doing design work, especially on something as silly as a shrimp lamp. 

It was nerve wracking to go last, having to follow a genuinely innovative chair and a spice set that could go straight to market. Surprisingly, the judges loved our humble shrimp lamp, stating that it was very Taiwanese in execution and meaning. In celebration, we went to ACME for a brunch / dinner which had some of the best truffle fries and french toast I think I've ever had. With some recommendations from the SCU students and staff, we decided to have a night out on the town—first at Draftland and then Omni Night Club. Draftland was recommended to me multiple times and I'm glad I went, the cocktails weren't too expensive (by Seattle standards) and were served over a counter on the street. We marched 25 minutes to Omni where we remained until 3:30 am—at which point we got McDonalds and ubered home. Unfortunately for my free day, I woke up at two pm. I got a new MRT card (having broke the last one) and got a mani pedi by myself. Right outside of the salon was an amazing bun stand on the outskirts of the Shilin Night Market that I stopped at. Although it wasn't the craziest off day, it was relaxing and I got some much needed me time. 

Now that I'm out of Taipei, I feel it's easier to reflect on my time there. I wish we had more time, but the time we did have with the SCU students was incredibly valuable. Their knowledge of the country supported the observations I had made during my time in the city. Yiwen was an awesome teammate to work with and she recommended some delicious spots around their campus. Having talked and got to know the SCU students, I realized we're all alike as designers. Inspiration really comes from all around us, and the streets off Taipei are full of it. Tainan is up next, and I'm thrilled for all the new friends and new experiences. Cheers!