Big Island Mike's shave ice too expensive for you? Here is a pretty simple recipe for making your own for day 15 of Drewtober!

Here is my cherry, coconut, and banana interpretation (definitely my favourite flavours and not at all because I didn't have any other flavouring extracts or juices left).

Hi! Sorry if this is annoying, I’m shy and didn’t want to come off anon.😭 but I’be been following you for so long and love your blog. I’m going solo to Hawaii in February and I’m curious about what foods you think I should try? Thank you in advance. 🌴

Hii! You are not bothering me, thank you so much for following my page!<3 I will just share the things I like to eat and you can keep what sounds good to you. :)

I mostly eat Borinki food at home, which is Puerto Rican-Hawaiian fusion cuisine. I have some favorite fusion restaurants, but I'd rather not publicly disclose their names. If you're interested, I can share them with you privately!

Other than that I like

Manapua: steamed bun stuffed with filling, you can get pork, chicken, fish, sweet beans, veggies, sweet potatoes, or a mixture. My favorite are the spicy chicken and sweet potato or the plain vegetable from Sing Cheong Yuan, it’s a Chinese bakery in Honolulu.

Spam Musubi: spam sushi!! It’s two pieces of fried spam, usually teriyaki flavor, with sticky rice in the middle and wrapped in nori seaweed. I go to Musubi Cafe Iyasume, they have a few locations on Oʻahu and a variety of flavorful spam marinades and condiments from scratch. I get the teriyaki spam with avocado, they are $3 each!

Huli Huli Chicken: chicken marinated in soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup and pineapple juice. Really good and flavorful, most times this is the chicken that goes into the Manapua with veggies. I like it best that way.

Hawaiian chow mein: regular chow mein with light teriyaki sauce. I eat it with pickled pineapple and coconut shrimp. You can get it at almost any food truck on Hawai’i for 10-15$, they give a big serving with lots of vegetables. I always have leftovers.

I also like Lo’i Feke, which is Tongan🇹🇴, not Hawaiian but you can still get it on Hawai’i.😋 It’s tender chunks of octopus that get made with coconut cream milk and red or white onions, then cooked in an umu, which is a Polynesian earth oven. It’s often served with sweet potato or yam and I get a tortilla.

Furikake Mix: You can get it at snack shops and sometimes 7-11. It’s a sweet and salty baked mix with chips, cereals, pretzels etc and tossed with soy sauce, butter, and furikake rice seasoning (fish flakes, salt, herbs and seaweed)

Sweets

Fruits!!!: lots of fruits that you can’t really find on the mainland. It’s probably like 50% of what I eat, I’m obsessed with Haleʻiwa Bowls too when I have time to get there, or else I just make my own smoothie bowls. For fruits I love starfruit, abiu, dragonfruit, lychee, longan, mangosteen, passionfruit, star apple. Most fruit stalls/groceries have regular fruits too like apple, tangerine, banana, mango, plum and pear. I make korean hwachae once or twice a week if I’m home, which is a bowl with chopped fruit, milk and a carbonated drink. I do strawberry or banana milk+wild bill’s cream soda and put in lavender and hibiscus flowers for antioxidants! It’s my favorite thing to eat!

Fruit Sandwiches: I go to Mana and get the strawberry banana Oreo sandwich or blueberry marmallow sandwich. I eat them on the beach all the time.

Shave ice: Like a snow cone but 100 times better. I’ll eat any flavor any time any day lol. It was started by Japanese immigrants but there’s so many varieties now because all of the different ethnic groups. My favorite is my grandpas recipe from Puerto Rico, it’s made with Coquito, cinnamon, sweetened condensed milk, fresh strawberry syrup and a sweet Polynesian spice blend!

Haupia: coconut jelly pudding dessert or coconut cream jello bar. It’s a firm jello texture and served in a square.

Butter mochi: like a Hawaiian blondie with butter and coconut.

If you're on Hilo side, go to Three Ladies mochi! They make the cutest mochi and they taste better than in Japan in my opinion.

This is just stuff I like to eat. I rarely eat fish or red meat. I don't advocate for the consumption of raw fish, like poke, oysters, squid, or sea urchin like uni/kina, as it tends to make people unwell. Personally, I avoid ingesting raw meat, fish, or sea creatures myself because of parasites and intestinal worms. 😬

You'll discover way more cuisine from Polynesia and Asia once you get here! I suggest trying hole in the walls or food trucks for the most enjoyable meals, they’re often more affordable than upscale establishments and a great way to support locals.

I hope this helps. Please be kind to the land and wildlife, good luck on your trip!<3 :)

Hello dearest Overlord!! May we please have a continuation of that brilliant Chicago fic you gifted us? It was SO GOOD I can't stop thinking about it lol

Maya! I meant to have this done for your birthday but life... sorry! Either way! Happy belated birthday! I shall upload to AO3 tomorrow!

Previous

Rated: E

Ship: Geraskier

Summary: After a night of sweat and sex and sin, Geralt knows it's time to apologise for the harsh words. If only he could find the words to say (Yes i'm abusing TAD lyrics... oops)

CW: weapons kink, shaving kink, minor injury, talks of rimming, and general hoeyness.

______

Geralt stared up at the ceiling, counting the cracks in the wall. The room stank of sweat and sex, and a warm spicy scent that wafted from the bard that was curled up on his chest. The night before had been possibly some of the best sex in his long life, but it had been tainted with the worry that it was the only chance he would get. Jaskier was still angry, and rightfully so, but it meant that Geralt wasn’t sure if this was the last time he would ever see his most loyal friend and companion. His fingers were softly trailing down Jaskier’s spine, painting flowers into the bard’s bare skin. Geralt couldn’t bear to watch Jaskier sleep. He was too beautiful, even covered in sweat, drooling over Geralt’s chest. Geralt just knew that if he looked then he would never be able to let Jaskier go.

And he couldn’t keep the bard if he didn’t want to stay.

“I can hear you thinking,” Jaskier mumbled, shifting on Geralt’s chest to press a kiss to the exposed skin. “It’s very distracting.”

Geralt huffed a laugh despite his growing anxiety. “Distracting you from sleep?”

“Mhmm.”

They laid like that for a few more moments, neither quite ready to face the day yet. Jaskier seemed to be trying to fall back asleep but after a couple of minutes he groaned and rolled onto his back. He pouted as he looked up at the ceiling, his hair a ruffled mess from where Geralt’s hands had run through it the night before, and there were dark bruises littered all over his neck, creeping down his chest where thick hair covered the pale skin. A stark reminder of Jaskier’s masculinity despite the way he preferred to present to the world.

Geralt swallowed as his cock began to make itself known. It could easily be excused as morning wood if Jaskier had decided that Geralt’s crimes were too dire to forgive, but he couldn’t help but hope.

“It appears that despite my best attempts, I am awake,” Jaskier grumbled, pushing his hands through his hair.

“Hmm,” Geralt agreed, waiting for Jaskier to pass judgement before he really spoke.

“So… witcher,” Jaskier breathed, his voice guarded and cool, making Geralt stiffen as he prepared for the worst. “I think we can both agree, that was a rather fantastic evening of carnal delights.”

“Hmm.”

“But not even sex with dear Melitele herself would make up for, well, you know,” Jaskier rolled onto his side and peered down at Geralt with icy fire in those pretty blue eyes, “the whole ‘if life could give me one blessing’ thing.” Jaskier’s voice deepened in his impersonation of Geralt and his words were accentuated with a flourish.

“Jaskier-”

“I meant it, Geralt. I want an apology, a real one, or forget it. I can find inspiration elsewhere, and well.. I- you probably weren’t my friend at all if you can’t see that what you did was wrong. I may be a bit of a prick sometimes, but I deserve better, Geralt.”

“I know,” Geralt whispered, wondering when the lost puppy that had followed him for so many years had grown up.

How had he never noticed?

“I’m sorry, Jaskier,” he breathed, struggling to find the words to explain just how sorry he was, but hoping that the bard would understand. “I- I was… I,” Geralt growled and covered his face with both hands, his beard scratching at his calloused skin.

The world felt like it was against him as he tried to gather his thoughts, but before he could, Jaskier’s hands were covering his, gently pulling them off his face. “Breathe, darling.”

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I don’t have the words to put this right.”

“Then show me, dear heart.”

Geralt’s brow furrowed as he gazed up at the bard, shining cornflower blue eyes shimmering in the morning light, his fringe falling down to cover them. He looked beautiful. Geralt reached up to brushed the hair from Jaskier’s eyes but it didn’t work and they both chuckled as Jaskier huffed a breath to try and blow it out of the way. “How?”

“You can start by getting rid of that beard. You look very handsome but my arse itches like a bitch this morning,” Jaskier grumbled.

“You weren’t complaining last night,” Geralt teased.

“Well, I was hardly going to whine about it when you had your tongue up my arse!”

Just like that the ice seemed to have broken and Geralt smirked as he pulled Jaskier into a kiss; the taste was stale and unpleasant on Geralt’s tongue but he didn’t care, he was kissing Jaskier., The bard moaned softly into the kiss, shifting on the bed so that he was straddling Geralt’s hips. Jaskier’s fingers were splayed on Geralt's chest as he rolled his hips against Geralt’s erection, making them both gasp into the kiss. The heat from the night before was back, not blistering and blinding but a slow build of embers as they were once again lost in the taste of each other.

And Geralt felt… happy?

He couldn’t remember the last time he allowed himself to be happy. Perhaps at Kaer Morhen before he set out onto the path for the first time. Before he learned that witchers were no better than the monsters they hunted in the eyes of humanity. There had been some brief moments of happiness when he’d been beside Jaskier on the path, the quiet moments before they went to sleep but Geralt had always been plagued with guilt, worried that he would destroy the fragile being that trusted him.

Of course, his fears had become reality, but in spite of everything Jaskier was still here with him, his lips pressed against Geralt’s neck, hands carding through his hair. So, because of the unfamiliar lightness in his heart, Geralt decided to tease his friend, his love, his bard. He grinned as he captured Jaskier’s lips once more in a bruising kiss, fingers digging into the bard’s hips to hold him close, and then he rubbed his cheek against Jaskier’s.

“Oi!” Jaskier grumbled, sitting back on his heels and glaring down at Geralt.

“What?”

“That beard has got to go,” Jaskier muttered, rubbing at his cheek. “If you really want to do the whole ruggedly handsome thing, which by the way, I don’t hate, then I am showing you how to look after a beard. It’ll be as soft as a baby’s bottom.”

Geralt rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll shave.” Jaskier just grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “What?”

“Or…”

“Jaskier…”

The bard winked, his tongue flicking out to lick his lips in a way that really should be illegal. “If you trust me?”

“I do.”

“Then you’ll let me shave it off. I don’t have a razor but my daggers are plenty sharp enough?”

Geralt blinked, staring up at Jaskier as every single thought he’d ever had left his head. He was suddenly thrown back to the bard’s performance the night before. The way he’d moved, the touches to his skin, the frankly sinful way his body had looked in the corset and tights, an outfit better suited to a whore than a Viscount.

And his voice.

Dark, dangerous, calculating.

The same voice that usually held the warmth of the sun, turned to bitter poison as cold steel flashed in the candle light.

Geralt groaned, pressing his head into Jaskier’s shoulder, as the memory of the bard flipping the daggers in his hands with deadly precision, the edge of the blade glinting as he brushed it against his own neck. It was almost too much to handle, especially now that he’d had a taste of Jaskier, knew the filth the bard’s lips sang in the throes of passion.

“Oh, ho, ho!” Jaskier giggled, his fingers stroking through Geralt’s hair, sending a shiver down his spine. “You like that, don’t you witcher?”

“Shut up, Jaskier.”

“Oh no. No, no, no, I am loving this. I mean, I knew you enjoyed the show but I thought it was just the whole-” Jaskier cut himself off with a wave of his hands. “But it was more than that, wasn’t it, Geralt?”

Geralt was in no place to argue. His cock was impossibly hard and aching, trapped underneath his bard as he continued to roll his hips at a torturously slow pace. Jaskier’s cock was also hard as it moved against Geralt’s stomach, leaving a mess of precum on his skin. The sight made Geralt’s mouth water, and he was tempted to forget the whole beard thing, if it just meant that he could get his lips around Jaskier’s cock. Make his bard sing just like he had the night before, but before Geralt could think about manhandling Jaskier into the right position, the bard had leapt to his feet, leaving Geralt weak and wanting alone on the bed.

“Jask,” he breathed, watching the curve of Jaskier’s bare arse as he danced across the room.

“Be with you in a moment, darling,” the bard sang, sweeter than a nightingale.

And Geralt could do nothing but watch helplessly as Jaskier unsheathed the daggers from their holsters. The steel looked sharp and deadly. They were clearly very real weapons, not props, and Geralt felt his head begin to spin with lust. He had to remind himself to breathe, lest he pass out. Jaskier was too busy inspecting the blades to notice Geralt’s predicament, and he ran a long lutist's finger along the sharp edge of the dagger, hissing slightly as it cut into the skin.

“Sharp enough?” he turned to face Geralt, winking as he licked his lips.

Geralt nodded, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth. It was a miracle that Jaskier managed to still speak so eloquently even in the height of arousal, when Geralt could barely remember his own name.

“Brilliant!” Jaskier beamed, hopping back across the room without a care for the weapon in his hand.

He was a disaster.

Geralt honestly wasn’t sure how Jaskier hadn’t cut his own dick off. He clearly had no sense of self preservation, and yet Geralt was going to let him press that dagger to his throat.

Perhaps he was the idiot after all.

“Come now, Geralt, off the bed, I don’t want to get hair on the sheets,” Jaskier waved him over, flipping the dagger absentmindedly in one hand.

Geralt just scoffed. “I think there’s worse things on those sheets, Jaskier.”

“Sit!” Jaskier insisted indignantly pointing at the stool by the basin in the corner of the room.

There was no arguing with that, although Geralt did wonder if Jaskier would turn the blade against him, even in jest, and that thought had his cock throbbing. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so desperate, probably watching Jaskier perform, the searing jealousy as the fake Geralt and Yennefer lay their hands on Jaskier’s body.

Jaskier took no notice of his inner turmoil, of the raging fire burning inside him. Instead, he hummed an unfamiliar tune under his breath as he readied the dagger for its job. After the passion of the night before, the quiet intimacy was almost too much. Geralt just hummed as he settled into an almost meditative state, letting Jaskier move his head around as he needed to without resistance. The bard pressed his leg between Geralt's, staying still but keeping a gentle pressure on Geralt's cock whilst the blade moved methodically across Geralt's skin.

Every stroke of Jaskier's blade against Geralt's skin sent a wave of arousal through his body. He'd never seen Jaskier as anything more than an annoyance on the battlefield, and the calm stillness of the moment made him see his bard in a new light. He wondered whether Jaskier had been holding back on him this whole time or whether this skill with a blade was something he’d learned in their time apart. Without a witcher to protect him, Jasker had no doubt encountered no end of trouble. He’d ended up in the brothel after all… although it was like no brothel that Geralt had ever been to.

“You still with me, sweetheart?” Jaskier breathed almost silently, his lilting voice cutting through the cloud of meditation. Even in his meditation, his senses were locked onto Jaskier, ready to jump into action at a moment’s notice. It was an instinct he’d never realised he’d trained into being, it happened so slowly. One day he was wishing that Jaskier would finally get bored and leave, and the next, Geralt knew he would defend the idiot with his life.

But now it seemed Jaskier could hold his own, and that was just fucking hot.

Geralt didn’t know what was happening to himself. Everything he thought he knew was turning on his head, and he was somewhat irrevocably in love with the bard, he’d barely admitted was his friend.

By the time Jaskier was done, the blade smoothly gliding across Geralt’s skin, a finer shave than any barber he’d been to in all his years.

“Geralt, dear heart?”

“Hmm…”

“There you are,” Jaskier cooed, cupping Geralt’s cheek in his hands until Geralt let his eyes flutter open.

Jaskier was gazing back at him, his eyes blown wide and his cheeks flushed. The scent of arousal in the air made Geralt’s head hazy with lust. Before he could even think about what he was doing, Geralt knocked the dagger from Jaskier’s hand, the steel clattering as it flew across the room and bounced on the floor. The bard opened his mouth to protest but Geralt had been aching and hard for too long, and he was desperate to get his mouth back on Jaskier’s skin.

With a yelp, Jaskier was pushed back onto the bed, whining as Geralt teased the tight rim of muscle. Despite their long night of sex, Geralt would need to stretch him again, and he couldn’t wait. He’d found great pleasure in taking apart his cocky arrogant bard with both his tongue and fingers the night before, and he knew he would quite happily spend a whole lifetime doing it again and again. There was no better music than the noises Jaskier made when Geralt had his tongue lapping at the bard’s hole.

Without warning, Jaskier lunged to the edge of the bed, distracting Geralt with the curve of his arse so he didn’t notice what Jaskier was grabbing at until it was too late. The dagger was at his throat forcing him back onto the mattress, the tip of the blade hooking underneath that wolf medallion.

“Gotcha,” Jaskier winked, knocking all the air from Geralt’s lungs in less than a heartbeat.

“Jask,” he breathed, his words slurred as he struggled to see through the fog of lust.

“If I forgive you, witcher, do you promise not to throw me away like that again?” the bard’s eyes burned, but Jaskier saw through the mask to the scared little boy, one so frightened of being abandoned.

“Never again,” he vowed. “I swear.”

Jaskier let out a soft sigh and the tension visibly melted away from his body. “Good enough for me.”

And then he pressed their bodies together once more in a burning kiss that would stay with Geralt for the rest of his life.

Week 10/52: March 8th - March 14th 2021 | Ramen & Hot Pot! 

Watched A Silent Voice with bb this week and it was pretty good (although infuriating cuz That Bully™ JSHSJFHKS I WILL MURDER HER!!! >:( It’s that time of the year again where Hokkaido Ramen Santouka is doing 50% off ramen again LMAO so we went !! I got the shoyu ramen this time and it was very yum ^0^ ! Ended off the week with Dolar Shop!!!!!!! MY FIRST TIME HAHAHAH! It was nice to see Betty & Wing again hehehe but damn this was the most expensive meal of my life but the meat quality was SO good????? LITERALLY SO YUM!!!!!!!!! I like the hot pot base too. I got the tomato/spicy mix hehhehe. Also the free ice cream cone at the end was A+. Side note, the hot pot dipping sauce I mixed on this day was REALLY GOOD. I think I finally figured out my go-to formula!!!! We went to Leisure Tea & Coffee for dessert and they ordered this caramel flan/taro balls shaved ice and it was good omfg 10/10 would eat again. So nice to see my friends again after half a year :’( Miss the days when we would eat together after work constantly lol rip. 还是开心的～

tag 8 people you want to get to know better!

— tagged by @taeyongleee !!! but @taeks also tagged me in smth similar so i’m gonna combine them LOL ty loves 💞

favorite color: scarlet/crimson + any shade of blue bc i can’t decide lol

last song i listened to: to us by vixx :’) currently on my vixx marathon i cry

favorite musicians: (i’m gonna go from mostly music wise) vixx, n.flying, the rose, lucy, akmu, eric nam, taylor swift

last movie i watched: lol i deadass don’t remember ,,, does hamilton the musical count

last show i watched: go ahead / 以家人之名

currently reading: nothing really :( i tried starting the ballad of songbirds and snakes but i didn’t get too far without a physical copy

favorite characters: lan fan + greedling (fma), hiccup + astrid (httyd), cinder + kai (the lunar chronicles), karma + nagisa (assclass), anya + dmitry (anastasia), akame (akame ga kill) ,,, that’s all i can think of rn

pets: i had a few goldfish, a turtle, and a rabbit when i was younger

sweet, spicy or savory: aaaaaaaaaa i have a sweet tooth lol (but i love savory chinese food too)

sparkling water, tea or coffee: tea 🍵🍵🍵🍵🍵🍵🍵 deadass can’t do either of the others

currently consuming: nothing lol

currently craving: chocolate or mango shaved ice

— tagging @nfly5 @yngseungs @dongheonz @yeonhos @baejoonyoung @hwesung @youngjo @wooseoks 💞

no one asked for this but i’m feeling homesick (and hungry) so i’m going to list out foods you should try if you ever go to taiwan for vacation:

hot soymilk and chinese donuts (oil stick? is the direct translation idk aka you tiao)

braised pork rice (lu rou fan)

beef noodle soup!!! (niu rou mian) (the tomato based one is the best one)

sesame flatbread (shao bing) (so good on its own but w beef wowwww)

oyster vermicelli (mian xian in mandarin, mee sua in taiwanese)

scallion pancakes (cong you bing)

stinky tofu (chou doufu) (i know, but it’s good i swear)

boba (obviously)

hot pot (huo guo) (this is what i always want my parents to make when i come home for break :’))

little soup meat buns/dumplings (xiao long bao) (you could technically get this in america at ding tai fung (which comes from taiwan))

shaved/snow ice (xue hua bing) (the mango one!)

fish cake (tian bu la) (the english name is very misleading lol just imagine like.. a meatball made of fish i guess) (also the chinese name literally translates to “sweet, not spicy” and i’ve always found that funny)

marbled tea eggs!!! (cha ye dan)

pineapple cake (feng li su)

chinese hamburger (gua bao) (lol that’s just what my mom calls it)

three spice chicken (san bei ji) (direct translation is 3 cups chicken but it’s bc it’s referring to 1 cup of each spice so i changed it)

rice wrapped in bamboo (ba zhang) (idk if that’s mandarin or taiwanese lol) 

I can't think of anything specific to ask right now, so how about if you tell us what kinds of questions you haven't received yet but would really like to be asked? Anything that you would especially love the rest of the world to know about Mexico.

Ay Dios mío, imagine the posibilities. Ammm, the snack culture.

Your average mexican can make a botana out of anything.Thought usually not everyone has something “para botanear” on their kitchens, because there’s this amazing places called “tienda de la esquina”, there’s one almost on every block -or every two-, there you can buy groceries. But also is a paradise of snacks. Usually people eat lays (named here sabritas), sabritones (asorted snacks but they’re tangy and spicy), ruffles, rancheritos (small salty and tangy churros). Also you can buy cookies: príncipe (sandwich cookies, filled with chocolate), suavicremas (cookies filled with chocolate, strawberry or vanilla filling), emperador (also sandwich coockies but the flavor can be chocolate, vanilla or lemon), sometimes oreos. 

And there’s the famous “cacahuates japoneses” (peanuts covered on a dough that has some soy sauce on it, baked). 

Usually on the neighborhoods there’s always someone that sells the “tostilocos”, tostitos with cucumber cutted on dices, assorted salsas (valentina, english sauce, sometimes pico de gallo), pork curted skin, corn… or all of this on a big chicharrón (of flour, not the one made of  pork). 

 Sometimes also you can find people selling french fries or salchipulpos (octopi-sausages) with a lot of ketchup, mayo and mustard. And shaved ice (raspados) of almost every flavor you can think, even alcoholic flavors!. You can find also people selling mangonadas -mango popsicle with chamoy sauce- or just bolis -freezed  tubes with juice? I don’t remember the word on english-. 

Oh and there’s always to eat fruit as a snack: mango, cucumber, jicama, sometimes coconut meat, guamaras, carrots…. all of that with some salt, chile (tajin usually) and lemon juice. And you should drink the juice that ends at the bottom. Nowadays you can find places where you can buy a half of watermelon but filled with other fruits on small pieces, spicy candies and gummies -or even sweet ones- but your stomach will resent it. It’s not uncomon to know at least one person that has gastritis -and they still will continue eating spicy stuff-. 

There’s also the micheladas: beer with anything you can think of: clam juice, chamoy sauce, candies (both sweet and spicy), a lot of sauces to give flavor to it… even shrimps (thought you wouldn’t like to put all this list on the same drink, lol). It’s more usual to drink them while watching soccer on your house, but there are places that pride themself on making the most extravagant micheladas ever. 

We pride ourselves on having the best street food ever. And the best part is that some of this can double as normal food… except maybe the micheladas, because then you have a problem with alcohol, my friend.

‘96 Line- Travel Talk~ Translation from Japanese to English under the cut! Permission to use this translation for whatever you want, please make sure to credit me @captainoates​ 💖💖💖

Seventeen’s recommendations for South Korea and what Seventeen loves about Japan! Hoshi- Travel! Ahhh it’s nice, isn’t it? I heard a while ago that ST (Seventeen Magazine) readers have come to play in Korea often! Jun- I wonder what goes on abroad, what makes it fun, what is to eat, I’m really gluttonous (lol). Hoshi- I want everyone to taste delicious food in Korea, too. First of all, please always eat samgyeopsal*. Be sure to not overfill it when baking, so that the meat juice does not overflow. Woozi- My recommendation is kimuchichige*! it’s not as spicy as it looks and it warms the body up. Jun- If I can not handle kamujatan* or something spicy, the shopkeeper will adjust the spices, and I also eat plenty of vegetables, which are kind to the body. Wonwoo- If you eat bibimbap* too, you’ll feel great, stone grill is good and even ordinary bibimbap is tasty~ Woozi- Yukke bibimbap*, please! Jun- We love Japanese food as well. Sukiyaki, yakisoba, udon….. 💖 Hoshi- Sushi! Woozi- Ramen! Jun- Okonomiyaki! ALL- High tension laugh~ (TN: Basically means they’re all killin themselves laffin what funny boiz) Woozi- Yesterday it was sukiyaki! Jun- Sushi with meat as well! 💖 Wonwoo- Meat cutlets too! But I had mine cooked well, because rare is not good, it was delicious~ Woozi- Because of this feeling, every member gets fat little by little when we come to Japan. I will eat to much (lol) Hoshi- During our Japan concert I had four helpings of the catering ramen. Wonwoo- If you enjoy dining in Korea, do not miss sightseeing! I really want you to go to Hongdae*. It has a fun dense number of shops, and the atmosphere is also good. Jun- There are lots of cute dessert shops in Karoskill, with shaved ice and cake. Han River is also beautiful! Hoshi- Do you know Korean Kitamura Hanayura that is unique to Korea in Seoul? Wonwoo- it is a place where you can taste the historical atmosphere, such as the thatched roof houses in Japan. Hoshi- The photos are insane! Hanbok can also be rented. I also recommend Namyama Tower. Lover’s gather there at night for the view. Wonwoo- When going overseas it is good to take a lot of pictures, so that you can appreciate the country’s culture. I’d like you to see the old gate, Sunnomun* in Namdaemun. Woozi- I like Seoul, but also go to my home, Busan! You can swim in the sea and the scenery is the best. Summer is much cooler than Seoul and Winter is not as cold. Hoshi- We often come to concerts in Japan, but in reality I haven’t been sightseeing yet. We go to Donkihote every time! Wonwoo- I also bought what my friends requested, like Hadarabo (Japanese skincare brand), or phone screen savers and bought Seungkwan a diet supplement drink called ‘nakatta koto ni.’ ALL- (LOL) Jun- I am full of Umeboshi (sour plums)! Woozi, Hoshi, Wonwoo- (makes sour looking faces). Jun- Even though I offered it to everyone, they did not eat it at all! It’s delicious dudes~ *I don’t know Korean names too well so I’m going off how they are translated into Japanese ^^ TN: Thank u @tifani2h for a correction!

[96line Travel Talk]

Hoshi: Traveling! How nice~ Even though I just heard it now, our readers seem to visit Korea often! Jun: Speaking of what I enjoy most when traveling overseas, it’s eating ♡ I’m really, a glutton (lol). Hoshi: We’d also like everyone to try good food in Korea~ First of all, please definitely try roasted pork! Don’t keep flipping when you roast it, it’s better if you don’t let the juices flow out. Woozi: I recommend kimchi stew! It’s not as spicy as it looks, and it warms your body up. Jun: I’d probably recommend potato soup. If you’re not good with spicy food, you can also ask the store to adjust the spices, and they’ll put in a lot of vegetables which are good for your body. Wonwoo: Also try bibimbap~ Rice crisps are the best for hot-plates, but normal bibimbap is also very good~ Woozi: And please also try yukhoe bibimbap! Jun: We also like Japanese food. Sukiyaki, fried noodles, udon...♡ Hoshi: Sushi! Woozi: Ramen! Jun: Okonomiyaki! 96line: (lol) Woozi: We had sukiyaki yesterday! Jun: We also ate sushi with meat on top ♡! Wonwoo: And steak! I’m not too good with raw food, so I cooked it well done, it was still very good~ Woozi: Because of this kind of situation, the members all become rounder little by little whenever we come to Japan. Since we’d accidentally eat too much (lol). Hoshi: During our concert tour in Japan, when I ordered ramen for takeout, I’ve asked for an extra portion 4 times! Wonwoo: After enjoying good food in Korea, please also go sightseeing! I hope you will definitely try going to Hongdae. There are lots of stores, and the atmosphere is very good. Jun: There are things like shaved ice and cakes on Garasugil Road, and lots of cute dessert shops. Han River is also very pretty. Hoshi: Have you heard of Seoul’s “If it’s Korea then” it’s Bukchon Hanok Village? Wonwoo: It’s a type of house that’s called hanok, it’s pretty much like the straw houses in Japan, it’s a place where you can experience rich historic atmosphere. Hoshi: So it’s the best place to take photos! You can also rent hanboks. And I also strongly recommend N Seoul Tower. Couples who go to enjoy the night view gather there. Wonwoo: If you travel overseas, it’s very nice to take pictures that show the country’s culture. I hope that you’ll definitely go check out Namdaemun which has been around for a very long time. Woozi: Even though Seoul is nice as well, please also check out my hometown Busan~! You can go to the beach, and the view is also great. It’s cooler than Seoul in the summer, and in the winter it’s not that cold either, so you can go through it comfortably. Hoshi: Even though we often come to Japan for concerts, we haven’t been able to relax and tour around. But we always go to Don Quijote! Wonwoo: This time I also bought ‘Hada Labo’ and something like a screen protector for my friend. I also bought a weight loss supplement that Seungkwan is drinking called ‘Let everything disappear!’ 96line: (lol) Jun: I bought a lot of prunes! Hoshi, Wonwoo & Woozi: (makes sour expressions) Jun: Even though I shared them with everyone no one ate any. They’re very good!

Taipei, Taiwan

It wasn't quite the scheduled 15 hours and 15 minutes later that David and I arrived in Taipei. It's safe to say that the city has surprised me in many ways, although partially because I did so little research before arriving. In general the city is quite modern, safe and the people are extremely friendly; no one is trying to flog you things and people go out of their way to be helpful. There's quite a lot to explore here, just people watching and eating can keep you going but there's loads more too, much we didn't get to aswell.

Markets and Food

Two of my favourite things at the worst of times! The night markets, which are famous here, are an attack on the senses, with endless options for food and goods for sale, although that stinky tofu smell seemed to get more pungent in our noses as the days went by. Our favourites were Shilin and Roahe but we also spent a god bit of time around Ximending as it was close to where we were staying. It's a huge shopping area, not technically a night market but has lots of late night options. We got a couple of ideas from random blogs like Nick Kembels - Thanks Nick lol!

One of our main aims on this trip was to taste and enjoy lots of food, which we succeeded with in Taipei! Half the things we had, we didn't know what they were called or what was inside but I'll try to describe what to look out for.

Sticky rice hot dog - no idea what it should be called but the lady sliced a "roll" of rice down the middle, added two full spoons of garlic sauce (this taste lasted for hours!), some salad veg and some sort of sausage. Delicious!

Mango shaved ice- almost like shaved sorbet with fresh fruit and ice cream- they have loads of different flavours but mango is the original I believe.

Breakfast pancake type roll - we tried a few from an old lady's market stall, chopped up and thrown into a plastic bag. Some mix of egg, ham, spring onion with soy sort of flavours too, yum.

Chicken fried chicken steak - who doesn't love eating a wedge of chicken from a paper bag with a can of beer on a public bench ☺️

Pork intestine noodles - sounds bad, tastes good! Cheap and comforting.

Dumplings (Xiao long nap) - Kao-Chi on YongKang stret was excellent - lots of other restaurants/vendors in this area too.

Chicken cartilage - tasty, David was a fan but I just wasn't loving the texture

Spicy squid - Serving the full tail (Is it a tail?), tasty to share, one would be a bit much for me

Meat bun thing - we got one at one end of the Raohe night market, but saw versions of them a couple of places, basically a bun stuffed with some meat, maybe pork and some veg.

Some kind of fish balls with octopus pieces- They are cooked in a tray and the chef keeps rotating so that the outside is lightly crisp and the inside is hot and gooey. They are quite rich though, two was enough for me.

There were a few dodgey looking things we avoided like the sort of rice soup which I had a version of on the plane and I wasn't a fan but maybe some in the city would have been better. Lots of crazy things to try if you are adventurous!

Shopping

I genuinely don't think I've ever seen so many shops in my life. So many streets are lined with them, one after the next, often selling similar wares, and mostly with no customers inside! There was one street where almost all the shops were selling a vast array of dried fruits and/or nuts. In our stroll of this 500m or so stretch I don't think anything was being purchased! I mean it's just mad and also, how do these people make a living?! We also visited the 12 storey digital mall, a dream for gaming/tech fans I'd imagine. We messed around with a couple of games and massage chairs for an hour taking shelter from the rain.

Rain

On that topic, I can say in our short 5 days we experienced many types of rain, mostly thanks to the incoming Typhoon, Mitag.

Lovely slow rain - the drops are only about one per second and in the steamy heat of Taipei these were welcomed on our sweaty heads!

Umbrella rain - actually falls straight and you can stay dry under an umbrella. It's also warm so shorts and tee-shirts are preferred or else you will roast! We had about two days of this.

Irish rain - cold and windy, jacket required and only umbrellas of the highest quality stand a chance.

Biblical rain - Noting will keep you dry, the rivers that you are walking through will wet your legs and soak your shoes for two days.

Top tip: spare socks or shower shoes

Transport

The metro was excellent, it was super clean, air conditioned and there are toilets at every stop, incuding family/assistance one. Very handy when you've been wandering around markets for hours eating and drinking. We took the 1819 bus from the airport to Taipei main station on the way in which was quick at 5am but took the MRT back to avoid any traffic- cost 150 local each and took 35mins.

Sightseeing

We were staying near Lungshan Temple - the area is a bit run down or authentic/traditional according to guide books. It was good to explore but quite different to some of the built up areas around Taipei 101, which is very modern. From our hotel we could walk to some of the nearby sights- Peace park, Botanical Gardens and Liberty Square - which we later discovered is one of the main attractions in the city, featuring purple and orange roof tiles and a homage to Chaing Kai-Shek. (Later in the hotel I watched a great video explaining a short history of Taiwan/China and why the "country" status is so confusing!)

We also spent an afternoon at the Beitou hot springs . We went to the public ones which are cheap but David had to buy swim trunks on entry as they don't allow beach shorts. So bring your Speedos or similar! Nice place to relax a bit, not sure if everyone's cup of tea, but we enjoyed the experience and the thermal valley is quite nice also.

On our final night we did the elephant hike, which is basically a load of steps to viewing points. I'd definitely recommend this for the views of the city in darkness. But be warned, I got a few of bites in spite of repellant and pants being worn! Also something tickling my sandal clad foot turned out to be some GIANT cockraoch type being! I ran away so fast and I didn't even want to know but there were other tourists taking photos of it after I left so I don't think it was your average beetle! Ugh!

We didn't really get any chance to go further into the countryside as the weather wasn't great and we were so jet lagged but it sounds like there are loads of nice places to hike/beaches etc. not too far from the city.

Overall a great experience, lots of food, good value and plenty of places to explore and people watch. Thanks Taipei!

i was tagged by @trevorfindsthestrals (LOOK i finally got internet access on my laptop again!! Sorry it took so long) 1. Coffee or tea? tea, i had my first cup of coffee on like thursday last week 2. Black and white or color? black or soft, but not pastel, colours 3. Drawings or paintings? idk, whatever is more moving in that moment i guess 4. Dresses or skirts? dresses because i never know how to match with a skirt 5. Books or movies? how DARE you make me choose, i think books, but i wanna make movies (potentially havent really explored that yet) so it seems like the wrong answer 6. Pepsi or Coke? i dont drink fizzy drinks 7. Chinese or Italian? definitely italian on an everyday basis but i LOVE chinese too 8. Early bird or night owl? its almost midnight and i havent started my reading for tomorrow, that counts as an answer right? 9. Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate, unless its a milkshake 10. Introvert or extrovert? introvert, i don’t really like people 11. Hugs or kisses? ive never been kissed so hugs 12. Hunting or fishing? aesthetics of hunting but uh with fishing you can not put a hook on the line and just kinda sit there and chill without looking like the animal lover that your family judges you for being 13. Winter or summer? yes. idk im probably more of a summer person, but i also really like the implications of winter in that everything has to die in order to be reborn, plus i can’t really breathe in the heat, but i also have poor circulation in my extremities so the cold sucks ass 14. Spring or fall? spring, i like the crisp air of fall dont get me wrong, but the rebirth and the petrichor after a spring rain with a crisp breeze that doesnt chill you is just so relaxing 15. Rural or urban? i grew up in the woods so rural but i need to at least be kinda close to a hospital to avoid panicking  16. PC or Mac? pc 17. Tan or pale? is this preference, cuz i dont have one of those, but i am so white that i was the same color as my cheer uniform in high school 18. Cake or pie? cake, i dont like pie crust 19. Ice cream or yogurt? frozen yogurt tbh, it jsut tastes fresher and less heavy 20. Ketchup or mustard? my brother likes to mock me for how much i loved ketchup when i was like 7 as if it was yesterday 21. Sweet pickles or dill pickles? i dont like pickles 22. Comedy or mystery? can we do a hybrid where its like theyre fighting crime but have no ability to act serious, cuz im basically writing a comic book like that with @spectralflutterbeast 23. Boots or sandals? i live in a colder wetter climate so usually boots, but i love sandals 24. Silver or gold? i like white gold typically because its often a mix, it has the matching ability of silver with the warmth in color of gold 25. Pop or Rock? i grew up on steve miller and journey from my mom and simon & garfunkel from my dad 26. Dancing or singing? all i can think of is my shitty karoke the other night, so uh dancing, at least i don’t suck more at that when im drunk 27. Checkers or chess? checkers is easier and i could probably actually win, but chess is more likely to hold my attention 28. Board games or video games? we used to do family board game nights (im currently holding the winnign streak for clue because any games played without everyone dont count) (my extended family is also obsessed with card games, its how we bond, we talk shit and play cards) 29. Wine or beer? wine if i have to have one of these, i dont like fizzy stuff ever so no beer but wine dries out my mouth 30. Freckles or dimples? i have freckles, and i love it when people have dimples 31. Honey mustard or BBQ sauce? i guess bbq 32. Body weight exercises or lifting weights? idk what body weight exercises includes but i have always liked lifting weights, its something im fairly good at 33. Baseball or basketball? BASEBALL IS THE BEST I LOVE IT, i miss playing it so much but its been too long for me to feel comfortable joining an intramural team 34. Crossword puzzles or sudokus? sudoku...i think 35. Facial hair or clean shaven? preference right, um stubble.... im not big on full beards (probs cuz my dad has always had one, seriously pics from when he was 20 we are the exact same but he has a beard, he says he hasnt shaved his upper lip since he was 16) clean shaven is nice too tho 36. Crushed ice or cubed ice? i prefer no ice, but if i have to i like that ice you get in hospital cafeterias 37. Skiing or snowboarding? never been 38. Smile or game face? smirking, its the happy medium 39. Bracelet or necklace? i feel naked without any piece of my jewelry (watch on right wrist, a bracelet on my left, a necklace for me to fidget with, both sets of earrings) 40. Fruit or vegetables? fruit 41. Sausage or bacon? bacon 42. Scrambled or fried? scrambled unless its on toast 43. Dark chocolate or white chocolate? dark chocolate 44. Tattoos or piercings? i have two sets of piercings and i just got my first tattoo last month 45. Antique or brand new? antique unless its something i would feel like i couldnt be comfortable using, i always wind up with a very eclectic mix 46. Dress up or dress down? dress down, never really have a reason to dress up 47. Cowboys or aliens? cowboys, space gives me anxiiety 48. Cats or dogs? dogs 49. Pancakes or waffles? depends on who is making the pancakes 50. Bond or Bourne? uhhhh what 51. Sci-Fi or fantasy? fantasy 52. Numbers or letters? letters 53. Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? lotr tbh 54. Fair or theme park? fair, i grew up in puyallup (look it up, i can even sing the old theme song) 55. Money or fame? money, i want to buy my parents and aunt nice things 56. Washing dishes or doing laundry? laundry (no icky wet food pieces!) {this is what @trevorfindsthestrals had i just could not have said it any better myself} 57. Snakes or sharks? ummm snakes? cuz theyre smaller and i can run from them if theyre dangerous 58. Orange juice or apple juice? orange 59. Sunrise or sunset? sunsets seem more satisfactory to me 60. Slacker or over-achiever?.....i dont’ know how to answer this question 61. Pen or pencil? pencil, unless im worried about it smudging, then i bought some erasable pens for that 62. Peanut butter or jelly? peanut butter is more filling but i make jam every year so theres that 63. Grammys or Oscars? oscars 64. Detailed or abstract? why cant we do both, like a painting that is overall abstract but the closer you get the more you see the things that make it what it is, ya know, like life 65. Multiple choice questions or essay questions? idk multiple choice questions are harder to get wrong for not having enough info about a particular topic, but im good at and enjoy bsing things 66. Adventurous or cautious? i wish i was more adventurous but insecurities 67. Saver or spender? yes 68. Glasses or contacts? i dont wear either 69. Laptop or desktop? laptop 70. Classic or modern? what medium 71. Personal chef or personal fitness trainer? i would like a personal trainer until i get back in the habit of it and then i would jsut need a gym buddy 72. Internet or cell phone? cell since you cna get internet on your phone 73. Call or text? social anxiety so texting  74. Curly hair or straight? mine is beach wavy 75. Shower in the morning or shower in the evening? ive been showering in the morning because i like what it does to my hair 76. Spicy or mild? spicy please 77. Marvel or DC? wonder woman was my first favorite character, like about the time that bugs life came out because i obviously had two and the other was Flick  78. Paying a mortgage or paying rent? rent, i like assurance but i dont like permanence 79. Sky dive or bungee jump? never been but uh im not that trusting so i probably am jsut gonna go with a no 80. Oreos or Chips Ahoy? chewy chips ahoy 81. Jello or pudding? jello 82. Truth or dare? im a chicken so truth 83. Roller coaster or Ferris wheel? roller coaster, ferris wheels are all of the fear with none of the fun 84. Leather or denim? I NEED BOTH I CANT CHOOSE 85. Stripes or solids? stripes and fat people lol no, solids for me 86. Bagels or muffins? bagels probably 87. Whole wheat or white? whole wheat 88. Beads or pearls? pearls, my mother was a jeweler for 13 years, i cant not 89. Hardwood or carpet? hard wood in a hall, tile or linoleum in the kitchen and bathroom and then carpet everywhere else 90. Bright colors or neutral tones? uhhhh for what, cuz it really depends  91. Be older than you are or younger than you are? i want to be like 34, not rn obviously, im enjoying being 20 and stupid, but i feel like 34 is a good age, of course thats abotu how old my bros were when i idolized them so that might be reflective of that 92. Raisins or nuts? raisins, partially because every time my dad sees nuts he says nuts for the nutty and it has become a conditioned response for me now 93. Picnic or nice restaurant? picnic 94. Black leather or brown leather? brown 95. Long hair or short hair? mines somewhere in the middle 96. “Ready, aim, fire” or “Ready, fire, aim”? wtf does the second even mean 97. Fiction or non-fiction? fiction 98. Smoking or non-smoking? i have asthma 99. Think before you talk or talk before you think? i wish i could think before i talk more than i actually do 100. Asking questions or answering questions? i like to listen to people imma tag: @kiavachiisanoob @warriorsatthedisco @colecast1 and anyone lookinng for an excuse to do one of these

found another thing

have you ever had a conversation with a cab driver? Yeah but never one that was all that interesting do you have any shirts from vacation/tourist locations? Used to have a ton of them, but not anymore. I had one when I was a kid, it was from Oklahoma, and it was about tipping cows. That was cool lol. what is one place you would like to go back and revisit? Chicago. Haven’t been there in awhile. which would you prefer: a homemade gift, or a store-bought one? Homemade but obviously I’d accept store-bought ones. have you ever hugged a complete stranger? I’m not sure but probably not

when was the last time you were “under the influence?” Never how regular of an occurrence is this? Never what random acts of kindness have you engaged in lately? Sometimes I pick up trash from the ground. Idk what else do you know anyone who has never read the HP books? who? Probably plenty of people but I don’t care who. I’ve never read all of them myself have you ever had a relationship last for a year or longer? It feels like I have but I can’t remember what ended it, or are you still involved? *shrug* what kind of scented lotion is your favorite? I don’t care where’s the weirdest place you’ve stuck your used gum? When I was a kid I stuck it in someone’s car, she was pissed and made me clean it up what’s the best time you’ve had at a high school sports game? I went to a game with my dad, it was my high school vs. some school whose mascot was the Coyotes. But it wasn’t held at either high school, it was at our rival’s if you’re out late, where are you likely to be? Not likely to be out late do you ever visit your mall’s arcade (if it has one)? It doesn’t have one when was the last time you had hot chocolate? It was at school and it was basically hot water shirts with sarcastic sayings: yay, or boo? Yay. I want some. I have a baseball shirt that says “touchdown” if that counts if “yay,” do you have a favorite? ”Why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you could just be quiet?” (maybe not sarcastic but it feels like it) if you lost the use of your limbs, would you still want to live? Yeah I’ve got too much to live for, hope in a better future and of course being there for my girlfriend as examples what’s your absolute favorite topic to discuss? Anything I fanboy over

what is your least favorite topic to discuss? Uhhh personal things when I’m talking to people I don’t want to share them with when was the last time you played hide-and-go-seek? A couple years ago with my cousins where was your favorite place to hide? I never had one what is your opinion on psychics? real, or fake? Isaac Newton didn’t even exist he was just made up, so was physics have you ever watched “are you smarter than a fifth grader?” Yeah, I actually liked it when I was a kid how would you rank your “class participation” in school? It’s horrible in a group because I hate talking to people, but I still raise my hand in class so it’s not too bad have you ever cut your own hair? how about anyone else’s? A few times for myself, never for anyone else. You know how in books and movies there’s a trope where a kid cuts their own hair and it looks like shit? That never happened to me lmao. what is your favorite holiday treat? My grandmother makes these cookies called chocolate dogs and they’re delicious. I should ask her for the recipe so I can make some on my own. how many people have you emotionally hurt? Don’t have a specifically number but probably too many. I’m not the absolute worst person in the world but I’m kind of fucked up. I’m working on bettering myself and I’ve made some progress, but I certainly feel ashamed of my past. how many people have you physically hurt? I fought with my brother as a kid. But other than that not that many, I’m normally not physically violent. were these times intentional, or were they accidents/mistakes? Well both...I don’t want to go into detail :P what is the last thing you asked your parents to purchase for you? I asked for a haircut yesterday because I have no money. My dad gave me $40 and I have yet to use it. do you have any buttons or pins on your backpack? No but it would be pretty cool to have some.

if yes, what do they say? N/A what is your favorite kind of lunch meat? Ham. It goes well with cheese. And this weird spicy mustard we have in the fridge. do you know anyone who is truly obsessive compulsive? Not that I know of. have you ever been confined to a wheelchair? No. how many “top friends” do you have on myspace? ???

do you like oatmeal? It’s okay. I’ve never had good oatmeal though, just the crappy packaged kind from the store.

how many people are on your bzoink friends list? ?????? How old is this???? do you enjoy mainstream music, or prefer underground bands? Depends on what “mainstream” is. The Beatles are very popular but they’re not the top band of 2019. Anyway I like rock music so not very mainstream in the first place how many bands are you “friends” with on myspace? W h a t are you friends with more bands than individual people? meep

do you have a library card? do you use it? Yeah but rarely. I should use it more do you cuddle with your pet (if you have one)? Yeah I cuddle with my cat! He likes curling in a ball next to me when I’m sleeping :3 do you have any candy left over from halloween? I didn’t go trick or treating last year so no. I have some candy stored in my bedroom though. It’s mostly stuff I don’t care about but it’s still candy have you heard of paula godspeed? No have you ever made a bzoink friend test? I’ve never even heard of bzoink who has the best score on it? Jesus Christ himself do you think that you work better under pressure? It depends on what under pressure means. I work better when a deadline is coming up, and I buckle down and get to work. But I don’t work well when someone’s yelling at me to get stuff done, it just makes me stressed and I don’t work well when stressed.

or, do you ONLY work under pressure? Uh no what college did you want to attend as a kid? ASU was that still your choice when you grew up? I mean I’m 18 but I still feel like a kid, my plan is to go there after community college what sports star or athlete did you aspire to be like as a kid? I don’t play sports what has happened to all your old toys? We threw most of them out. But some of them, like my baby toys, were given to other people. when was the last time you shopped at a garage sale? When I was 10. I had a babysitter that liked garage sales have you ever thrown popcorn at anyone? I don’t think so but it sounds like something I would do haha

What’s your definition of weird? There are different kinds of weird. There’s weird as in, you’re different from other people, and there’s weird as in, you’re fucking creepy. The former is like people who like things that aren’t socially acceptable but don’t harm anyone, and the latter is when they do harm others, like pedophiles. I gladly accept anyone who’s weird as long as they’re not the harmful type. Do you use shaving cream? No because as of the time of writing I don’t need to shave. When I start testosterone I will When was the last time you cleaned your room? Is your room clean? I cleaned up a little the other day but it’s still messy Have you ever personally known any girl who shaved their head? Not personally. Have you ever known anyone who committed suicide? No, but that would devastate the shit out of me.

Have you ever tried to commit suicide? Yep. Have you ever coughed up blood? I’ve coughed up mucus with blood in it, but never pure blood How do you wish you could die? In my sleep. And also when just about everything I’ve ever wanted to do in my life has been fulfilled. What’s the longest phone conversation you’ve had lately? I haven’t had one lately. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My dad I think What were the last words you said? ”(Brother’s name), be quiet” Who was the last person you hugged? My brother Do you have any apps on your Facebook? If so, what? Don’t have Facebook What’s some of the worst pain you’ve ever felt? Woke up one morning and my abdomen hurt like crazy for unknown reasons, I didn’t even want to get up. What kind of mouse pad do you have? I have one of a tiger that I’m not using. What color is your mouse? Black and gray. Do you or have you ever had an eating disorder? No. Do you think you’re fat? No. Do you know any who might be anorexic? Do you know anyone who has bulimia? Not that I know of. Did you ever want a pony when you were little? Yeah, I was never crazy about it but I had a toy pony named Boots, named after a pony my grandmother had. What’s your favorite cheese? Monterrey Jack I guess What’s your favorite cake? Ice cream cake is the shit What are you having/what did you have for dinner tonight? I didn’t have much of a dinner but I stole some fries from my dad and I had a shake from Sonic. What’s your favorite dessert food? Brownies. With M&Ms. What’s your favorite candy? Snickers. Have you ever had a Nos? Wtf is a Nos?? How long have you been taking this survey? A couple hours on and off What are you listening to right now? Lazy Eye by Silversun Pickups. It reminds me of a friend I used to have. Our friendship died awhile ago, maybe it was mostly my fault for not maintaining it, but I still find it sad even though I haven’t talked to him in years. Still it’s a great song, I just felt like sharing that What is the closest thing to you right now that is alive? My family sleeping What’s your worst fear? Shitting myself. I’m not kidding it scares the hell out of me Are you an outcast? Absolutely. Do you exercise? Hardly ever. I walk occasionally and ride my bike infrequently, but that’s about all I do. I know I should exercise more but I’m not sure where to start Do you hate it when people repeat themselves? Only when it’s annoying Do you say like a lot? Yep What’s your favorite carnival food? (cotton candy, corn dogs, funnel cake) Fried Twinkies Do you have a good memory? In 5th grade we went on a field trip to St Louis. We went to this museum for kids and I had a lot of fun. The most I remember of it was that there was a slide that was dark and it sent you to a room, and it had a camera so you could see if someone’s on the slide. We flipped off the camera. Do you dislike writing school essays? Yes Are you a very open-minded person? I’m mostly open-minded but not as much as I could be. Are you modest? Yeah I think so What kind of guys/girls do you usually fall for? Funny, dorky, kind ones.

Do you skate? Not really Are you in a band? Nope Can you play the guitar? If not, what other instrument do you play? I wanted to pick it up a long time ago but I hate playing instruments. I don’t know how to play anything besides the recorder If you were to make it big with your own band, what would its name be? The initials of everyone in the band (idk) What’s your favorite kind of pasta? Spaghetti but I fucking love pasta Would you rather a friend come over to your house or you go over there? I go over there What’s the perfect first date? Cuddling and watching anime Have you ever had rabies? No Do you know anyone who ever had to get a rabies shot? No Have you ever gone hunting? No Ever eaten deer? Duck? Squirrel? How about lamb? No Are you a vegetarian? Nope, I love meat Do you know any vegetarians? What about vegans? Yes Do you know what a vegan is? How about fruititarian? Oh come on What’s your favorite search engine? Google Internet Explorer or Firefox? Safari or Firefox? Chrome Do you have hair in your nose? Who doesn’t?? How long, in miles, is the width of your fingernail? 100000000000000000000+ miles Are you a math wiz? Noooo What’s your favorite subject? Don’t have one What is your locker number at school? Do you have a lock on your locker? We don’t have lockers. Used to but we got rid of them Have you ever received a note in your locker? No Do you like to laugh? Definitely, but doesn’t everyone?

Damn it’s over? I want to write more even though I'm tired :<

six of the other favorites we’ve had the pleasure of enjoying during this taipei foodie trip! 1. the mango shaved ice dessert right across the famous tian tian li in ximending—the actual name of the place escapes me now but i now know how to go here by heart. loved this dessert so much, we had it almost everyday! 2. anyone who knows me well knows how much i love liu rou fan (minced pork rice) and the best i’ve had so far is at tian tian li, a simple food stall that’s known for their comfort street food. 3. dumplings at the original din tai fung! the world-famous brand got its start in a restaurant by xinyi road, so it’s quite a nostalgic experience to dine here. their drunken chicken seems to be more ‘drunk’ than the one in singapore too LOL 4. the brown sugar fresh milk tea i’ve had at shilin night market is the best of the best bubble teas i’ve had—and i think i’ve had thousands (used to drink it like water LOL). they use fresh mill instead of tea and the pearls lend the drink a very rich caramelized taste. wish i had more! 5. wagyu beef cubes at shilin night market—they’re also being sold in stalls around the city. choose a simple rose salt topping to truly savor its beefy goodness 6. we’ve definitely overdosed on niu rou mian (braised beef noodles) on this trip but we managed to discover another great bowl at niou dien beef noodles. listed on the michelin guide, these beef noodles’ spicy broth packs a punch, complemented by melt-in-your-mouth beef shank, tendon and tripe. YUM 😋 #foodgasm #notanotavacation #taiwan #miffyversary #miffyandbeefytrips (at Taipei, Taiwan)

What to Eat in Penang?

Countless choices for the hungry you are waiting as you step in to Penang. My priority in getting to this amazing island is indeed trying out their vast selection of delectable cuisine. It wouldn’t make sense coming here without having a food trip as Penang is considered by most people as the food capital of Asia!

For just a short 2-night stay, I was able to try some of the most recommended foods this island offers and I could say that they are some of the most unforgettable and delicious dishes I have ever tried in my life!

Below are just few of the reasons why Penang is considered as a food mecca:

  1. Char Koay Teow

Pad Thai is my most favorite noodle dish until I got hold of this one. Char Koay Teow is considered as the most-known street food in Penang.

It’s a noodle dish made out of flat rice noodles stir-fried in soy sauce with prawns, egg, bean sprouts, chili, and a lot more of the good stuff. I opted not to make it spicy though for my liking. It is typically served on a piece of banana leaf on a plate. I had this appetizing dish unexpectedly as I wander somewhere near the Clan Jetties. It was mid-afternoon and I was craving for a quick snack until I saw a food court across the street. It is being sold everywhere here though so you wouldn’t have a problem finding one.

  2. Curry Mee

Curry Mee is another noodle dish made with egg noodles in a coconut-based curry soup usually filled with pig’s blood curd, shrimp, fish, bean sprouts, chili, and more. There was a lot of texture and flavor going on with this dish making it loved by everyone.

It was too spicy for me (despite of not mixing that big lump of spices on the side) and eating it for lunch made me sweat buckets. LOL! But the egg noodle was to die for! It was perfectly cooked and I could easily finish that dish in an instant if it’s not just that spicy. XD

It is said that the best Curry Mee can be bought on the legendary stall near Kek Lok Si Temple, the Sister Curry Mee. This humble street stall owned by two sisters at the foothills of the said temple has been selling this amazing dish at this exact spot since 1946! If you’re fortunate enough, you might be able to see the both of them here as you dine in. Don’t be confused as you stepped in. Just grab a table and tell the staff how many bowls you want. I think they serve only one dish here. The stall across might offer you a drink to go with your spicy dish as Sister Curry Mee doesn’t have one.

Tip: Make sue to come early as they are only open from 7:30AM to 1:00PM. Please take note that they are closed every Tuesday.

  3. Bean Sprout Chicken

I had this unforgettable dish as I went back to my hostel. Hungry after a stroll under the heat of the sun around town, I had a quick snack in “Air Itam Famous Bean Sprout Chicken”. It was just a few blocks away from Apollo Inn.

I actually didn’t have high hopes with this meal as it just turned out spontaneous. But this was my first legit meal in Penang and I was grateful that it was. It was a remarkable start for my gastronomical experience. I ordered the original Chicken Breast with Bean Sprouts on the side and of course rice. This meal came cheap as it was only for RM10 (PHP134 / $2.5) with a Lemon Juice already included.

It’s like Hainanese Chicken but better as it comes with bean sprout to add texture to your meal and had a more evident flavorful thin sauce. The chili sauce on the side made it even better!

  4. Lor Bak

Lor Bak is perfect for friends as it’s a variety of fried stuff. Just have a stick or fork and munch all you want on that plate of goodness and slide it down with an ice-cold beer. I had this together with my favorite Char Koay Teow in a food court somewhere near Clan Jetties.

Lor Bak is a dish of deep-fried meats, tofu, and vegetables usually served with a chili or sweet sauce. Filipinos are not new to this as it just looks like a plate of fried street foods of Kikiam, Fishballs, etc. But still Lor Bak is not something to be ignored.

  5. Lok Lok

Lok Lok is an interesting variety of meat, veggies, and everything you can think of that can be skewered on a stick. It’s a shabu-shabu-like experience on the street. Just grab anything you want and dip it into that boiling hot pot until it’s cooked. A variety of flavorful sauces are also available; from sweet, to peanut-y, to spicy. Sticks are labeled with different colors to indicate price. Don’t worry if you already got lost of your count as this street food just comes on a cheap price.

  4. Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak is considered as the national dish of Malaysia but is well-known all throughout the Malay region. It’s a rice dish with a lot of flavorful sidings of anchovies, peanuts, boiled egg, curry, cucumbers, and traditional chili paste. It is so recognizable that you can even find this dish being served in fastfood restaurants.

I had my Nasi Lemak through Old Town White Coffee Restaurant in Penang International Airport while waiting for my flight back to Kuala Lumpur. It may not be the most authentic way to have it but it was still a good meal as it was indeed bursting with flavor. It’s like a party on a plate.

  5. Chendol

Chendol is your usual shaved-ice dessert that is perfect on a hot day. It is actually famous all throughout Malaysia and I even had one when I was in Melaka. It is somehow like Filipino Halo-Halo but has a more caramelly taste and is less complicated as it has fewer ingredients of red beans and chewy jellies. If Halo-Halo and Sagu’t Gulaman have a baby, it would be this one.

I had a bowl of this perfectly after my full day tour of Penang. I hurriedly went to Lebuh Keng Kwee which was just a few streets away from my hostel to see the competition between “Penang Road Famous Chendol” and “Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul”. This competition has been well-known and debated for the longest time as to who has the best Chendol in town. Since night time was already approaching, I didn’t see much of the competition and was greeted with a short line. As the stall names still confused people, they are just being recognized simply by the color of their bowls; either you’re for the orange bowl of “Penang Road Famous Chendol” or favors the blue bowl of “Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul”. I plan to try both but unfortunately, the other stall was already closing when I was about to finish my orange bowl.

It was simply refreshing. It was milky and interestingly bursting with caramel flavor. The mushiness of the red beans and chewiness of the jellies added more texture and flavor to the bowl.

  6. Teh Tarik

I love Milk Tea and as soon as I had a sip of that ice-cold Teh Tarik from Old Town White Coffee Restaurant, I loved it even more. Good thing, a new friend I met in Penang introduced me to this Old Town offering. It may taste like a usual milk tea for some but Old Town’s Teh Tarik really did stand out for me. It was creamy and had the suiting amount of sweetness. I love it so much that I had another one and bought a pack of instant powder mix when I was in Kuala Lumpur.

  This list doesn’t justify the great selection of delicious foods Penang offers. Dishes like Oyster Omelette, Asam Laksa from the famous “Air Itam Asam Laksa”, Char Koay Kak, Popiah, Koay Teow Th’ng, and even the local Durian are just some of the things I still want to try. As I only had 2 nights in Penang and budget is somehow an issue as well, I selected those that I found interesting and accessible. There’s definitely a reason for me to come back! 😉

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