花季冷泉會館 (Spring Hill Hotel)

高雄縣大崗山有一家2009年開幕的溫泉旅館, 今天跟我爸媽和他們的朋友一起去享受午後泡溫泉的感受. 我們的房間是專泡湯的, 沒有提共床過夜, 房間裡咖啡, 茶, 水, 應有盡有, 地面還是用木板鋪的, 裝潢散發著日式的風味, 而設備又有西洋的fu.

房間供我們用90分鐘, 裡面有分冷池跟熱池, 邊泡湯邊喝杯梅花茶 真是享受無比呀!

另外值得誇獎的是 它們整個溫泉區都很乾淨, 比起關仔嶺蟲蟲聚集的湯屋, 這裡真是舒服百倍. 泡完之後跟大家一起在外面涼椅下欣賞風景, 吹個微風, 聊個天, 讓星期天下午畫下了美好的句點!

Cite Paris (心巴黎)

Buffet style restaurant in Queena Plaza Hotel (桂田酒店). It had great atmosphere, live piano/singing, illuminated floors, and comfortable seating. The food is just like your average hotel buffet in Taiwan. Outside, trails intertwine the garden infused with tropical plants, waterfalls, and Japanese architectures and sculptures. It's a great place to take a walk at night!

Tasty and Cake

I'm in Taiwan from June 27 to September 2!

My parents celebrated my birthday yesterday. We ate at Tasty (西題牛排館). It was really good, and the service even better! The cake below was not a cake. It was made from a towel!

After, we bought a taro and pudding cake home and downed it...the next day because we were so full after the meal!

Toy Story 3

(Spoilers present)

I forgot how and when I first watched the first two TOY STORY films. I just know that I've seen them countless times, never got tired of them, and noticed more detail that I haven't picked up before. The first TOY STORY came out when I was 7, the same age as Andy in the film. Since then the films just stayed with me while growing up. And this second sequel sort of feels like revisiting an old friend after these years. After 15 years I had graduated from college. Similarly Andy, the owner of those toys, is going off to college and parting with these friends.

I collect a variety of toys...or, in a more non-childish way of saying, collectibles. They serve different purposes, whether to incite and practice our imagination, or to personally own a memory from certain media or places. Often there is a greater image behind the toy we see, and it is satisfying to have them around. This is why I "hang-out" with them again when I come home to the pile of toys that I haven't seen for an extended period of time. I kind of connect how the toys felt in the films, how they want to be played with and be there always for the owner. But there is a point in life where separation may become imminent, where a choice has to be made between lingering on to the past or moving on to a new one, and maybe onto a new cycle of life (there might be some Buddhist ideas here). Sheriff Woody in TOY STORY 3 has an epiphony that loving or staying loyal to someone does not mean to be physically with the person at all times. It may very well transcends space and time. Thus Woody made the decision to allow Andy to give him to a little girl. Sometimes letting go may be the best path to proceed. This is a powerful theme and idea that I can't even fully follow. I collect stuff because I am afraid of losing them and thus losing a part of my experience or memory. But new memories can't be create if one keeps on reminising at past ones right? (as cliche as it can sound...but true). I still am reluctant to throw some of my stuff away...sigh.

Oh right, the film...it is amazing. There are hundreds of other reviews that praise it in more articulate ways so I'll keep it simple. PIXAR team has again made a funny, creative, and thematically and emotionally powerful animation movie. It's amazing how emotional these films can become. In Japan, there is Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli. In U.S., there is Pixar. Good job Lee Unkrich and his team! I applaud them for giving an ideal example of a perfect trilogy (assuming this is the last one). Also, Pixar studios, Skywalker Ranch, and Studio Ghibli are three places I want to visit if they give out open tours...I know Ghibli does.

Now, time to do research on which new Toy Story toys I should get!

And happy Father's Day!

節慶連連

今年為了慶祝媽媽的生日, 我特地預約了Palace Hotel 的 sunday brunch buffet!
真的是飽餐一頓!

端午節到, 昨天我媽媽又開始包粽子囉!
端午節前一天大家一起包粽子(好啦只有我幫忙), 我的技術越來越厲害啦 哇哈哈! 可是粽子包完還是要經過媽媽的整形.
八寶粽...有肉, 香菇, 土豆, 鹹蛋, 栗子, 蝦米 ,干貝 ,糯米! 可惜這次的荷葉太小了包不大.
又香又Q料又多的粽子, 啊我肚子又餓了~

下個星期是美國的父親節, 又要怎樣過呢?

Commencement

The graduation for UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Sciences was yesterday. Mom, dad, big sister, second sister, and cousin Peter attended the ceremony. It didn't seem like an end or even that bitter sweet. Maybe it's because I'm still going back for graduate school. Thanks mom and dad, sisters and brother-in-laws for the continuing support and advices this past four years and the future years to come!

Congratulations, class of 2010 everywhere!

Splice

I just watched SPLICE this afternoon, and I think it's one of the better and intelligent science fiction movies in recent times. The plot: two scientists working for a private gene splicing company secretly create a hybrid between human and various animals. The movie narrates through the relationship between creators and the creation. It's also sort of a homage to "Frankenstein." The two lead scientists, Elsa (Sarah Polley) and Clive (Adrien Brody), are very intriguing in their character portrayals. Their creation, Dren (female), is also very well acted out by human/animatronics/computer graphics combination. Throughout the movie, we gradually feel a sense of sympathy, or actually ambiguous sympathy, towards her. The movie walks a thin line between letting us feel like she is being treated horribly, or feel like she is a threat to others and needs to be eliminated.

The movie gives us ethical and moral dilemmas of genetics without ever going too preachy. It also shows the process and roles of fatherhood and motherhood. There are a couple of really disturbing or sensual scenes, depending on how you look at it. The climax is a bit abrupt and could have been much better, but still fits within the structure of the movie.

On the last note, watch this movie with people from both genders. I think everyone will have interesting discussions about this film. The friend (a girl) whom I saw the movie with thought one of the scenes were morally wrong and absolutely disgusting while another scene she was okay with but I thought was more uncomfortable to watch.

In general it is refreshing to see something that is not based on a book, remake, or sequel! It's something that makes you think also about your own moral standards. I definitely recommend this one!

Spoilers to follow:

I found interesting that when Dren is a baby, Elsa is really protective of her while Clive tries to persuade Elsa to get rid of Dren. As Dren grows up, the dynamic begins to change as we see Elsa becoming more crazy and vindictive of Dren while Clive becoming more protective of Dren.

The whole gender and aggression change (female to male) that Dren went through in the last 15 minutes sort of ruins her character build up and disregards any relationship she had with Elsa or Clive. The movie could have been terrific, but still it is very good!