Taiwan 2013 Travelogue: Hualien | QixingTan 七星潭

It's been more than half a year since I last blogged about my Taiwan trip and the last post was about Taroko Gorge National Park, click HERE if you haven't read it. So backtracking a little, I'm finally back with a new post on another scenic spot in Hualien  and hopefully I'll able to finish blogging about my whole trip soon. 

So after visiting Taroko Gorge, our driver drove us to QiXing Tan Beach which took about half an hour or more. Located 15 mins from Hualien City, it is a costal stretch made up of stone pebbles, forming a crescent moon shape cradling the Pacific Ocean. The name QiXing Tan literally means “Seven Stars Lake” in Chinese, it is named such because there used to be seven real pools of water in another location but the Japanese needed to use the site and filled the pools. The people were forced to relocate to the area now at the north of Hualien City. These people called themselves the ‘Qi Xing Tan residents’ and thus the area became known as ‘Qi Xing Tan’. 

The moment we arrived, we were welcomed by the strong wind. I ran down the stairs and raced myself towards the beach cause I was so excited to see the magnificient blue ocean. What sets it different from other beach is that it's a beach filled with huge pebbles rather than sand. So it's not the usual kind of sandy beach, don't worry about getting sand in your shoes (: 

I built a pebble snowmancastle! 

Such tranquility (: and I love the fact that it's so clean! 

Just look at the long stretch of pebble beach facing the Pacific Ocean and trust me, this is just a quarter of it. You can even see the great green mountains and twisting highways afar. I can just stand there for hours, enjoying the cool sea breeze and admiring the endless ocean view into the horizon. 

Since it was quite windy that day, the waves was strong too so no one was in the water. You could be easily swept away by the waves, I kid you not.  

It is a touristy spot but even the locals love hanging out here in the evening. I doubt it will ever be crowded since the place itself is so huge. The family and I had a really great time just chilling after a tiring afternoon in Taroko Gorge.

And slowly, the sun began to set.

It's definitely a must visit place if you're in Hualien. 

Qixing Tan Beach
Hai An Road, Xincheng Township,
Hualien County, Taiwan.

On an unrelated note, I just realised that I didn't take any selfie at QiXing Tan. Cause my camera battery died at Taroko Gorge so most of the photos are taken with my phone and my front phone camera kinda sucks so yay no selfie HAHAHA and oh, you can actually go whale-watching in Hualien too! Available only from April to October and since we were there nearing the end of Nov, no whale-watching for us, boohoo T__T More info about whale-watching in Hualien, HERE. 

Later on, the driver made a detour to a local fishing market nearby Qixing Tan (like 5 mins away) for us to try out fresh sashimi before dropping us off at the night market.

Fresh seafoooooooood everywhere. 

And this my friend, is a Sunfish or also known as Mambo fish (曼波魚), one of the heaviest fish in the world as it can weigh up to 1000kg. To be honest, I've never seen a fish this huge in my life. Mambo fish are in high demand because they cannot be reared commercially due to its large size and the inability to adapt to manmade environment. All parts of the fish, from the fins to the intestines are edible, and with its high collagen content. It is a  famous delicacy in Hualien but of course I didn't get to try it.

One of the many vendors that sell fresh sashimi. 

A plate of fresh salmon sashimi for NTD100, real sweet and juicy! 

So, that pretty much sums up my evening in Hualien! Sorry for the abrupt ending hurhur Next up would be about Stone Minsu that I stayed for a night in Hualien, stay tuned :D

xx

Happy 30th Anniversary, AsterSpring!

For the past three decades, AsterSpring has been caring for your skin’s health through pampering and rejuvenating beauty rituals enjoyed in sensuous and luxurious surroundings. Having touched more than 10 million faces with thousands of professional hands, this trusted brand has grown from strength to strength. Congratulations to AsterSpring in celebrating its 30th anniversary this year as an icon of beauty and well-being! 

Designed to be a sanctuary of health, AsterSpring, formerly known as Leonard Drake, made its debut at Imbi Plaza, Kuala Lumpur in 1984 to cater to a growing market of professional women. Driven by a passion to deliver exceptional service through an assortment of treatment options, Leonard Drake set up its first flagship store in Bangsar Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur in 1992. In 1998, it expanded to Penang, followed closely by Johor before evolving into skin health management expert, AsterSpring. During that time, AsterSpring grew across national borders to Singapore in 1994, and Hong Kong and Thailand in 2001. By 2004, its mother company, Esthetics International Group (EIG) was listed on the main board of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. Year 2012 marked the launch of AsterSpring Signature Centre in KLCC, Kuala Lumpur and a year later, the beauty chain continued its expansion plans to Melaka and Alor Star.

Today, 30 years later, AsterSpring enjoys a presence in more than 70 centres across four countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand. Believing that nothing but the best will do for its customers, AsterSpring uses Dermalogica, the number one professional skin care brand worldwide to improve skin’s well-being. A personalised consultation by trained therapists is employed to determine the skin type and concern of every new customer to AsterSpring. Treatments are then specially customised to treat and meet the needs of each individual. Backed by 30 years of experience, state-of-the-art equipment and breakthrough technology, AsterSpring has created 246 specialised treatment options to deliver optimum skin results to any and every skin type and concern.

Every AsterSpring therapist is meticulously trained to master techniques that deliver precise treatments with detailed attention, to provide an experience that goes beyond beauty. Each therapist learns to develop skilled hands that deliver results while enhancing customer satisfaction under the guidance of experienced senior therapists. All AsterSpring staff are fully dedicated to their customers and seek to surpass customers’ expectations by giving thought to even the tiniest detail when engaging with their customers. So much so that many customers have turned into firm friends with their therapists whom they trust with their face knowing that these expert hands can bring healing and transformation to their skin, resulting in satisfied smiles and happy faces every time.

We’re definitely looking forward to another 30 years with AsterSpring and more innovative products and therapies from the brand such as the AsterSpring V-Lift Facial Therapy. The AsterSpring V-Lift Facial Therapy which is a non-surgical way to lift, tighten and tone skin aims to tackle sagging skin caused by the natural ageing process, hormonal trigger and bio-chemical reactions. Using patented Ionto-Sono® technology from Germany to accelerate collagen production, the therapy strengthens weak connective tissue to lift and firm skin from ‘U’ to ‘V’ in just three sessions. Within the next three years, AsterSpring aims to add another feather to its cap with a breakthrough expansion of 30 more beauty centres regionally bringing the total to 100 beauty centres around Malaysia. As the staff and management team continue to strive for perfection and aim for higher standards of excellence and quality, they are ready to go above and beyond to meet customer’s expectations and stay ahead of the competition. 

Celebrate AsterSpring’s 30th anniversary and enjoy an exclusive AsterSpring membership and a special welcome gift with a minimum spend of only RM500 on any promotional package including service treatments and products. 

For more details regarding all AsterSpring treatments, products, and promotions, feel free to check out; their website, www.asterspring.com or their official Facebook page,  www.facebook.com/AsterSpring or you can give them a call a AsterSpring Customer Service Careline (603) 7809 6777 from Mondays to Fridays from 10am – 5pm.

xx

Wow Chicken Korean Restaurant @ Sri Hartamas

Ever since I first tried Korean Fried Chicken earlier this year, I've been addicted to it. And sometimes I even have sudden craving for it at odd hours, blame those Korean shows I've been watching. No, normal fried chicken or KFC doesn't count cause nobody, I mean nobody does it better than the Koreans. So, my usual makan kakis and I decided to hunt for korean fried chicken this time round. To be honest, I think we had enough of Korean BBQ. 

After much research, SieYii found this Korean restaurant in Sri Hartamas that serves korean fried chicken. Definitely a plus point, cause it's near to us! So we went there for lunch.

I love their quaint interior, unlike the typical korean restaurants I usually go too. 
They even have these brick partitions for more private dining experience, now you can savour your fried chicken with your hands without worrying having strangers staring at you. 

Long tables to accommodate larger group of people.

Kimchi Fried Rice -- RM15
Kimchi Stew with Rice -- RM15
Both dishes come with a fried egg and side dishes.  

To be honest, both the kimchijiggae and kimchi fried rice were quite a let down considering that I'm having it at korean restaurant but... the fried chicken was daebak, I tell you! We ordered the whole chicken combo set (RM45) that comes with 5 pieces of drumstick and 5 pieces of chicken wings in two different flavours.

Original flavoured Fried Chicken. 

Garlic with Soy Sauce Fried Chicken; this is actually their new flavour. 

The first thing that caught my attention was the size of the fried chicken, they were HUGE compared to the ones I had before. Their fried chicken offers you eggshell-thin, ultra-crisp crust around a drippingly juicy and tender interior. Orgasmic on every bite and the taste was memorable! Those were thin, perfect crisp fried chicken, I must say. Even the original ones were so damned good  on their own without any sauce. The ones with garlic and soy sauce were even better especially if you're a person who loves savoury food. The portion was a tad too much for the three of us but we still managed to wiped the plates clean without a slightest tinge of guilt :D 

I wouldn't say they are the best in town just yet but I'm sure they are the best I've tasted so far.
The total billed came up to around RM80+ for 3 pax, pretty reasonable. 

More photos of the interior and exterior;

So, look out for the white signboard with korean letters!
I'll definitely come back for more finger licking goodness with a larger group the next round :D 

They actually provide delivery service within places that are accessible within 30 minutes (too awesome!) and the best part, they are open till wee hours in the morning, so you can get your korean fried chicken fix even for supper! Sounds yummmm? Totally!   

Wow Chicken Korean Restaurant 
66 Jalan 25/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas,
50480, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel No: 016-283 1001
Operating Hours: 11.30am - 2.00am (Closed on Sundays)

P/S: Do let me know if you know any korean restaurants that serves good korean fried chicken too. I'd love to try them all!

xx

Curated Clothing — Just For You!

" I have enough clothes and shoes. I don't need to go shopping " said no woman ever. Instead, all woman will always complain that they have nothing to wear and that includes me. Yet the thing about shopping for clothes in the mall is that the chances of you bumping into someone who have the same clothes as you are pretty high. So I guess online shopping is still a big hit among young female adults cause nowadays it's cheaper to shop online and you can shop for unique pieces that you can't get in Malaysia. 

Introducing you Curated Clothing, a newly opened blogshop based in Malaysia where all fashion pieces are curated with the utmost care and taste.  

It was started up by three friends who met on Tumblr across the globe and created by their love for Tumblr and fashion. Eventually they have decided to bring in and share stylish pieces that they specially handpicked from all over the world to you. Their range offers many inspired pieces from brands like Zara, NastyGal, Asos, Stylenanda and also from a number of underrated designers from Korea, UK and US. 

As you can see below is their current summer collection, vibrant and mostly printed that comes with the latest trends. Definitely my type of fashion; I was already spoiled with choices and wanting more!

Just so you know, this is an pre-order site which means the pieces are unlimited for orders YAY no worries of  non-restockable sold out items. And as for now, they only ship locally in Malaysia. Besides that, every 10% of their monthly revenue will be contributed to charity! Isn't that great? So while you're shopping at Curated Clothing, you're doing good deeds at the same time (: 

I am the most indecisive person ever so it's difficult for me to choose one favourite piece from the collection so I came up with three of  my top picks instead. The Floral Skort was more of a love at first sight to me, I knew I wanted it the moment I saw it. The Zara inspired plain skort has been a trend for a while, the floral prints definitely makes this piece more edgy and unique. Secondly, you can never go wrong with crop tops in summer, so I wanted this super adorable Pineapple Crop Top. Just so you know, pineapple print is an thing now! Last but not least, it would be the Lace Back Romper. I have never really have a full-white outfit, so I thought it would be interesting to try out a relatively different style (: 

So for those of you who are trend conscious and on the hunt for budget-friendly apparels, Curated Clothing is definitely the ultimate choice (: Be sure to follow them on Facebook (HERE) and bookmark their site, http://curatedclothing.shoppy.my/ for the latest and trendiest updates! Updates would be available weekly, so do keep at eye. 

Til then, happy shopping girls! 

xx

Take Astro with You Whenever You Go!

I guess most of us are familiar with Astro, even I myself grew up with Astro. Those good ol' childhood days where I'll spent most of time watching cartoons on Disney Channel and The Cartoon Network. I remember watching sports and documentary channels with my dad, Singaporean dramas with mum and singing along to music videos (more on checking out male artists haha) with my elder sister on MTV and V Channel back then. Those bonding sessions wouldn't be possible without Astro, I must say. Ever since I left home for uni, I never really get to watch Astro anymore cause I don't own a  TV in my hostel so I'm so glad that they come up with Astro On The Go that allows me to watch Astro without the need of having TV. Remember the Astro On The Go's Campus Roadshow that I blogged about earlier this month? Well, I had the chance to check out what it is all about myself the very next day at KBU International College. I felt that it's a really good move since most of the university students these days would not have access to TV, so by having Astro On The Go, we can still catch our favourite drama, movies and football matches at our comfort. 

The Astro On The Go booth at the KBU main entrance.

Basically, the campus roadshow is all about getting to know more about Astro On The Go and you can sign up for free with the assistance of the crew. Besides that, there were lucky draws as well where you can stand a chance to win yourself one month of FREE access to the premium content of Astro On The Go. Since it's the World Cup season, they are giving out some World Cup limited edition merchandise too! Not to forget, there were free goodie bags too :D

So of course I didn't miss out the opportunity to register an account for myself since it's for FREE! #typicalmalaysian HAHAHA All you have to do is just to fill up some basic details and you're done. 

Once you've registered yourself, you'll receive an email to activate your account. Once activated, you can log in and use it right away. You can watch via the website itself on your laptop or you can just download the app from App Store or Google PlayStore on your phones or tablets.

Trying my luck and as usual luck is never on my side when it comes to lucky draw, so I got a yellow ball that says thank you instead LOL

The following week, I headed to HELP University to join in the fun again! I guess I'm starting to develop uni-withdrawal syndrome HEH

Maybe I should give that lucky draw another try again? HEH

There was a great response from the crowd and I like the fact that they are really outgoing; going all in to win the merchandise back home.

Students after students signing up for Astro On The Go. 

And not to forget the lucky draw too!

The enthusiastic guys, showing off their juggling skills. C'mmon show us what you've got ┌(˘⌣˘)ʃ 

The happy faces! ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ

How bout one for the selfie album, say cheeeeese :B And guess what, this afro guy, Ross was actually featured in one of Jinnyboy's World Cup Video skid, such a small world!

It was definitely a fun-filled afternoon with the students and fellow bloggers, Nicole and Khai as well. 

So what are you waiting for?
With Astro On The Go, you can now watch Astro regardless of where and when, cause you can take it with you wherever you go! Sign up today for more priviledge :D 

I guess most of you would be wondering what are the channels that you will be able to watch on Astro On The Go. So basically, the basic access to Astro On The Go is FREE for everyone. If you're just a free user, you'll be able to watch Astro Awani, first episodes of shows and dramas, selected movies and LIVE sports without paying a cent. But if you're an existing Astro customer (or if your parents are) that subscribe to Super Pack, Multiroom, Sports Pack or Value Pack, you will be able to watch for up to 30 channels including Astro AEC, Astro Ria Plus, Astro Awani, Astro Shuang Xing, Astro Bella, Astro TVIQ, CNN, Asian Food Channel, MTV, Cartoon Network, One HD, TLC Animal Planet, and many more.

For other Astro customers, you will be able to have access to Astro On The Go for only RM10/per month. And as for  non-Astro customers, fret not, you will still be able to enjoy more channels with no contract or installation required by paying only RM5/day or RM10/month depending on the selected channel and packages you choose or you could just subscribe to single pay per view content like EPL matches, live events and movies for as low as RM3. That's still pretty affordable, no? 

For more details on the channels and packages available as well as the payment details, you can always visit onthego.astro.com.my to find out more.

Thanks to Astro On The Go, I can now enjoy the latest Korean and Hong Kong dramas (guess what, they even have Astro On Demand!) anywhere and anytime at my own pace cause it's all lined up for me on both my tablet and smartphone, how convenient! Forget about live streaming World Cup matches during the wee hours cause I can watch them on Astro On The Go as well :D

Now, this is the epitome of a world-class couch potato, my friend. Something I'm really good at, as you can see especially now that I'm unemployed at the moment HAHAHA at least I have myself occupied, all thanks to Astro On The Go.

Speaking of which, I should get back to my korean reality shows and checking out the World Cup latest matches' highlights;

And while I'm at it, don't forget to sign up at https://onthego.astro.com.my!

xx