In Defense of Andrew Zimmern

By: Joshua Samuel Brown
From the Editor, Voices From TaiwanLeave a Comment on In Defense of Andrew Zimmern

While Zimmern could have chosen his words (for which he’s apologized publicly) more carefully, taken in the context of the overall conversation it’s clear none of his comments were meant to disparage Chinese cuisine in America, or Chinese-Americans (in or out of the food industry). Zimmern’s respect for culinary culture and the people who work in the food industry is well-documented. As a journalist who has spent most of his adult life living in Taiwan and China and promoting their shared culinary and cultural heritage, I believe the social-media uproar over his comments are quite unjustified, and that his knee-jerk demotion should be overturned.

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Friday the Thirteenth in Taiwan

By: Joshua Samuel Brown
From the Editor, Voices From TaiwanLeave a Comment on Friday the Thirteenth in Taiwan

(4/13/2018) Today is Friday the thirteenth, a date most westerners associate with ill tidings, negative omens and bad luck in general. An entire blood-soaked film franchise is based on Friday the Thirteenth’s nefarious nature, and more than a few folks avoid traveling on the 13th day of any month that happens to fall on a Friday.

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“Baby, it’s cold outside!” Winter in Taiwan

By: Joshua Samuel Brown
From the Editor, Voices From TaiwanLeave a Comment on “Baby, it’s cold outside!” Winter in Taiwan

There’s no denying it – the mercury in Taiwan is dropping, especially up north. Even Siri is sympathetic. When I asked “What’s the weather in Taipei?” Siri responded in typical I-phone doggerel:

“Some bad weather coming to Taipei: Down to 9° Celsius today.”

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Cycling in Taiwan: An Embarrassment of Riches

By: Taiwan Scene
From the Editor, Voices From Taiwan, Leave a Comment on Cycling in Taiwan: An Embarrassment of Riches

While the mercury dips dangerously in North America and rises in other parts of the globe for the last weekend in 2017, the forecast ion Taiwan is for cool and mostly dry around the island, or as I like to call it, cycling weather.

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The Taipei Tai Chi Experience

By: Joshua Samuel Brown
From the Editor, Voices From Taiwan, Leave a Comment on The Taipei Tai Chi Experience

If you’ve spent any time at all in Taiwan or China, you’ve probably seen Tai Chi being practiced in parks, usually in the early morning by anything from single practitioners to large, semi-choreographed groups. For the past month or so I’ve been practicing Tai Chi myself three mornings a week, and I thought I’d use this week’s column to share my experience.

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Henry Rollins is in Taipei

By: Taiwan Scene
From the Editor, Voices From TaiwanLeave a Comment on Henry Rollins is in Taipei

Earlier today I was having a conversation with my colleague, April, Social Media Manager for MyTaiwanTour. She’d noticed that there had been a sharp uptick in recent weeks to people searching for the term DaDaoCheng, and was curious about why. She also noted that the area’s been increasingly packed with foreign travelers.

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