That's Where Seafood Comes From

It was another fast-paced week, but mostly due to the work, punctuated with a few visits to the wider world. It's been really rainy (like it's the rainy season, or something) lately, so some of the...er, usually outdoor creatures have been sneaking into our apartment. We've been seeing more creepy crawlies than usual (mostly bugs), but the one advantage to that is I finally captured Larry the Lizard!

Tail and all--I released him as far away as possible, and he hasn't been back yet!

10 minutes after my return from Larry's release party, I noticed this little guy inching across my desk.

We've all been working hard to turn Ping Ping's beautiful designs into reality. Here is the foundation of Nellie's costume; she created an amazing shape!

Va-Va-Voom!

Such an elegant silhouette

My little Hilda, in fitting #2, ready for real fabric next week!

On Sunday, we had the honor of going shopping in a traditional market with our cooking teacher, Angela Cheng. It was awesome!

The entrance to the market was a tiny alleyway--you would never see it if you didn't know it was there!

We had rice noodles for breakfast, here they are preparing it.

Next door was a lovely display of rooster testicles. Mmmmm, haha!

Breakfast! It was quite good, but not something I'm used to eating at 9am!

One of the many vegetable displays

The meat stands

Some live river fish

Pork legs and intestines ready for washing

They will kill, pluck, and butcher a chicken for you, right before your eyes--you know it's fresh!

Showing us the difference between a male or female crab; I think the males have white underneath, and the females have dark, and rounder belly armor.

The lovely fish display

The stall owner, haggling a price with a customer.

With a complete deadpan, Emily (a vegan) says, "She's telling that man, 'I'll go kill this for you now'," and just as Sweta says "What?!", we hear a loud THWACK, and Sweta's face was one of complete shock, and the woman put the still-wriggling crab back together, bagged him up, and sent him on the way with the customer. #Just another day at the farm/That's where seafood comes from.

The tofu stall

Many varieties! 

They took us to the back to see the "factory" where they make the tofu.

So many OSHA issues...haha!

This little guy's name is Lucky, and he did little tricks for us!

The fish ball stall

Giant fish! She was chopping away the whole time

The noodles stall

So many varieties of greens!

Taiwanese sushi--corn sushi and green onion sushi is new to me!

Look how close we are to the Taipei 101!

MANGO SHAVED ICE! I have been wanting this ever since I saw it on the Travel channel, and it was everything I dreamed and more!!

Last night, the UT contingent of Taiwan got together and grabbed dinner! We decimated that restaurant, haha!

That's all for now!

Catching up

What a week! There is a lot to catch up on so I’ll keep the text brief and the pictures many!

Millinery I Bonnet Final Presentation

I’m so proud of our students! There was some really strong, beautiful, and fun work for their first hat!

Throwing our best high-fashion and/or gangster faces. It's hard to look tough in a bonnet!

Alice's historical recreation!

Ares's bonnet--also an historical recreation. All of that roucheing is done over wire. This kid's got an eye for detail!

Vickey's Little Bo Peep poke bonnet. She looked adorable in it!

Sunny's box of chocolates! 

Pino's (her English name choice is "Pinot Noir") "reindeer from outer space"-inspired bonnet. If I didn't already love her for her name, this bonnet would've sealed the deal, haha!

My 25th Birthday

My morning started with this gorgeous piece of cake from Alice. Cake for breakfast! 

All of this mail from home came to me on my birthday and my mom's card made me cry!

Pinot gave me this clever advice bag, which was so sweet. She must know me very well already since these are the pieces of advice she gives me! I love it so much!

My students also brought me a little cake (a giant dark chocolate ho-ho!) and sang me happy birthday. I was too flustered to take a picture.

We went out for pizza and ice cream for my 25^th birthday—I’m 25 going on 7! We each ate a whole pizza, which was amazing by anyone's standards, and I went back for more the next day...

When I got home that night, I saw the card Emily made for me:

I don't know why, but it makes me laugh so hard whenever I look at it! Look at his stumpy little arms! 

Master Builder, Hilda, Fitting #1

I had my first official fitting as a UT (TNUA?) draper. It was very educational, and mostly successful, but a big reminder that you can’t know what will change in the fitting!

The shop in full swing with the entire crew at work.

In Other News:

Sweta got a scooter. She is a brave soul.

We discovered the shop dog, Joey (Chinese name, Bai-lan, which means "idiot." We prefer Joey), loves to have his butt smacked. He keeps nudging us with his nose to smack him on the butt, and when we do, his tongue sticks out!

I keep almost stepping on these GIANT slugs at night

Johan brought US a cake--he just found out he got into North Carolina School for the Arts' makeup and wig Masters program! We should have brought HIM a cake, but it was so beautiful, so we ate it anyway. ;)

On a clear night, you can see forever

And on a sunny day, it's the perfect lunch spot!