[Chengdu 成都] Five Elephant Coffee

Categories chengdu
[Chengdu 成都] Five Elephant Coffee

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Five Elephant

Add: 151-13 Shuangqiao Road, Chengdu / 成都市雙橋路151號附13號
Tel: (028) 6463 7466
Hours: 10am-7pm
Price: ~35 RMB/coffee
Visited: Aug 2017

Curiously, the famed Berlin coffee roaster Five Elephant has its one and only branch outside of Berlin in Chengdu, China, of all places. If you are wondering why, here’s a good read. While I wasn’t especially impressed by what I got that day (though it’s possibly because I used up my coffee quota at The Mondoli’s Blood earlier that day), it’s still a cute little shop worth visiting if you happen to be in the area.

柏林 Five Elephant 是非常有名的咖啡館，之前沒聽說在海外還有分店，沒想到居然在成都有一家。店裏的設計簡單舒服，用的自然是 Five Elephant 的豆子，雖然當天的出品沒有特別令人驚豔（也有可能是因爲在 The Mondoli’s Blood 已經用掉當天的咖啡配額了所以無法再 enjoy），不過小巧的店挺可愛，剛好在附近的話可以來窗邊坐坐。

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[Chengdu 成都] The Temple House 博舍

Categories chengdu
[Chengdu 成都] The Temple House 博舍

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The Temple House

Add: No. 81 Bitieshi Street, Jinjiang District, Chengdu
Tel: 28 6636 9999
Website: www.thetemplehousehotel.com
Price: from 1999 RMB/night
Visited: Jul 2017

Please note that this was a complimentary stay arranged by the hotel.

Before embarking on my spontaneous Chengdu trip last week, there were a number of things I was looking forward to – Sichuan hotpot, chuanchuan-er, and The Temple House. Not sure if you’ve already read my post on The Upper House in Hong Kong, but I was absolutely swooned by that hotel (details here). Needless to say, I had high expectations for The Temple House, part of The House Collective along with The Upper House and The Opposite House (Beijing).

請注意本次是酒店安排的試住。

上個月來了一場說走就走的成都行，讓我期待不已的除了火鍋和串串兒之外，還有衆多朋友一致推薦的 “博舍 The Temple House” 。不知你是否有看我去年入住 香港奕居 The Upper House 後寫的文章，總之當時體驗幾乎完美，讓我到現在都還念念不忘。不用說，這次旅行，對出自同一系列*的博舍期待萬分。

*繼北京的瑜舍 The Opposite House 和香港的奕居 The Upper House 之後，博舍是 The House Collective 的第三家酒店。

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After a 40-minute car ride from the airport, I arrived at the rather low-key entrance of the hotel. It blends in so well with its surrounding that if it weren’t for the hotel staff stationed right in front, I probably would’ve missed it. Entering the courtyard is like stepping back in time: built more than a hundred years ago during the Qing dynasty, the Bitieshi courtyard features traditional brickwork, wood carvings, timber ceilings and floors, step stones, flying eaves that have been preserved and enhanced. Beautiful in every aspect.

從機場坐車到位于太古里的博舍大約 40 分鍾。酒店入口低調，要不是有工作人員等候幫忙開車門拿行李，我甚至都沒注意到這裏就是大門。踏入擁有逾百年曆史、始建於清朝的筆帖式庭院裏，傳統青磚木刻、木造天花板和地板、石級、懸挑屋頂及飛檐都得到保留和翻修，四面的房屋將庭院合圍在中間，雖然位于繁華的商業區，卻鬧中取靜，怡然自得。瞬間，好感。

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[Hangzhou 杭州] Random

Categories hangzhou
[Hangzhou 杭州] Random

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Random

Add: D6, #7 Fenghuang Shanjiao Road, Hangzhou
Tel: 0571-8711 8620
Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm (closed on Mon)
Price: ~100 RMB/person
Visited: Mar 2017

My last stop on this trip to Hangzhou was Random, a cafe / select shop located in an old neighborhood not too far from the city center. Its stylish shop front is quite a contrast from the ruggedness surrounding it, making it almost pop out from the background. Though it took a while to find, it was certainly worth the effort…

從東信和創園離開後直奔這次杭州行的最後一個目的地 － Random。穿過鳳凰城山腳下的老社區，拉著行李有點迷路有點狼狽，心裏碎碎念著幹嘛要這麽折騰，不過抵達這三層樓的漂亮小房子時立刻覺得 “呼，來了真好”。大片玻璃的摩登感在老社區裏顯得有點穿越，通透設計讓室內輕盈明亮。這裏藏地有些深，不是個會在無意中經過的地方，客人應該都是慕名而來的吧？

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I first heard about Random at last year’s Design Shanghai, when Random’s founders Norah and Oliver invited me to their pop-up cafe at the exhibition. Though it was just a temporary thing, the cafe made quite an impression, and I’ve been meaning to go visit their actual shop in Hangzhou ever since then.

認識 Random 的 Norah 和 Oliver 是在 2016 年的設計上海，他們當時在展場裏開了個咖啡館，雖然只是爲期四天的快閃店，不過做得相當用心，去過之後一直想著哪天要到他們杭州本店瞧瞧。

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[Hangzhou 杭州] The 52 Space

Categories hangzhou
[Hangzhou 杭州] The 52 Space

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The 52 Space

Add: #52 Dongxin Creative Park, Liuhe Road, Hangzhou
Tel: N/A
Hours: 10am-6pm
Visited: Mar 2017

My last stop at Dongxin Creative Park is The 52 Space, a recently-opened gallery / cafe / photography studio / fashion boutique / barbershop. It’s called 52 because it occupies the #52 building in the creative park (why yes, very straight-forward), and is a collaboration between a few photographers and designers. The main space is a gallery and cafe acorned with a SMEG fridge, a vintage coffee grinder, and a motorbike on the wall.

在東信和創園的最後一站，來到新開幕的 The 52 Space，一家集展覽館、咖啡廳、照相館、服裝店、理發店爲一體的空間。叫做 52，是因爲它位于東信和創園第 52 棟（嗯，很直接）。幾位攝影師和設計師跨界合作，將大廳變成了咖啡廳和展覽館，不定期舉辦藝術作品展覽，也提供手沖咖啡。吧台裏有可愛的 SMEG 冰箱以及古董磨豆機，牆上挂著一台機車。

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[Hangzhou 杭州] Yuan Bai 元白

Categories hangzhou
[Hangzhou 杭州] Yuan Bai 元白

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Yuan Bai

Add: #31 Dongxin Creative Park, 139 Liuhe Road, Hangzhou
Tel: 0571 8997 8779
Hours: 11am-8pm (closed on Mon)
Visited: Mar 2017

#31 at Dongxin Creative Park is Yuan Bai, a show room for handmade ceramics, glassware, metalworks etc., by artists from China and abroad (mostly Japan). It’s beautiful space worth spending some time in, and if you are really into this stuff, Yuan Bai also opened a second showroom near the West Lake (#28 Jiangjun Lu, Hangzhou) that’s more easily accessible / closer to the city center. Happy browsing.

位于東信和創園 31 幢的元白是個手工藝品展廳，主旨是 “通過推廣器物的使用，將手藝人和設計師的心意傳達給使用者”。這裏有來自國內外的手工名家，傳統工藝品牌，設計師作品，種類涵蓋陶瓷、金工、木器、竹器、玻璃、織物等。燈光和陳列規劃都做得非常用心，是個值得慢慢品味的空間。順帶一提，元白剛開幕不久的西湖店看起來也美翻了，離市區也比較近，在杭州的可以去看看（地址：杭州市上城區將軍路28號）。

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[Hangzhou 杭州] Fnji Furniture 梵几

Categories hangzhou
[Hangzhou 杭州] Fnji Furniture 梵几

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Fnji Furniture

Add: #15 Dongxin Creative Park, 139 Liuhe Road, Hangzhou
Tel: 0571-8896 3099
Wechat: fnjiwx
Hours: 10am-6pm (closed on Mon)
Visited: Mar 2017

When Fnji first opened their living room in Dongxin Creative Park back in 2015, it was pretty much the only thing there. For a furniture brand to choose such a remote location, and to name their space a “living room” instead of a “show room”, you know it’s got quite a character. Last year, I fell in love with their beautiful shop in Beijing, so I made it a point to visit their Hangzhou location on this trip.

聽說 2015 年梵几在東信和創園開幕時，這裏就只有它一家店。會選擇如此偏遠的地方，又將展廳稱爲 “客廳”，這顯然是個很有自己個性的品牌。其實第一次接觸梵几是在北京， 當時就喜歡上了他們含蓄溫潤的風格。雖然杭州店不像北京店有甜點和咖啡（殘念），不過空間和家具都美，值得一訪。

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[Hangzhou 杭州] 23Lab Cafe

Categories hangzhou
[Hangzhou 杭州] 23Lab Cafe

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The 23 Lab

Add: #20, Dongxin Creative Park, 139 Liuhe Road, Hangzhou
Tel: 0571-8738 2230
WeChat: find23lab
Hours: 10:30am~6:30pm
Visited: Mar 2017

I first found out about 23Lab Cafe on Weibo, and it was love at first sight. I made it a point to visit this lush, green space on my recent trip to Hangzhou, and was delighted to discover that they not only sell plants, but also provide coffee and some simple pastries. For the afternoon, I went with a cup of Guatemala pour over and a piece of banana black tea chiffon cake, lovely and lovely.

一開始在微博上看到 23Lab 時簡直是一見鍾情，心裏默默記著下次到杭州時必須拜訪這綠油油的地方。23Lab 是由兩個熱愛植物的女孩子所打造的空間，郁郁蔥蔥地非常舒服，處處留流出她們的好品味；可惜不住在杭州，否則肯定要搬兩盆植物回家。這裏也有咖啡和甜點，嘗了一杯有焦糖和巧克力氣息的危地馬拉手沖，搭配香蕉紅茶戚風蛋糕，溫柔美好的午後。

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[Hangzhou 杭州] Amanfayun 法雲安縵

Categories hangzhou
[Hangzhou 杭州] Amanfayun 法雲安縵

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Amanfayun

Add: 22 Fayun Lane, West Lake Street, West Lake Scenic Area, Hangzhou
Tel: 571 8732 9999
Website: www.aman.com
Price: from 5865 rmb/night
Visited: Mar 2017

As Spring descends upon us, a get-away to Hangzhou – a city known for its beautiful West Lake, fragrant Longjing tea, and historical temples (and just a 50-minute train ride from Shanghai!) – seems almost obligatory. While looking up accommodations for this mini trip, I had my eyes fixed on Amanfayun, an Aman Resort restored from a centuries-old village surrounded by tea plantations and bamboo groves – sounds surreal, no?

這次杭州兩日小旅行，住在法雲安缦。與其說是因爲想去杭州而住安缦，更准確地說應該是因爲安缦而選擇了杭州。之前曾住過北京的頤和安缦，對這個酒店集團稍有了解 － “Aman” 是梵語裏和平、庇護的意思，而安缦酒店的特征，就是對甯靜、和諧、私密的注重，選址多在文化和曆史結合的地方，如坐落于麗江古鎮的大研安缦，與頤和園一牆之隔的頤和安缦，還有我這次入住，改造于古村落法雲村的法雲安缦。

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Amanfayun lies hidden in a valley to the west of West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famed for its idyllic scenery, and is surrounded by 7 temples – Yongfu Si, Lingyin Si, Faxi Si, to name a few. One cannot help but be effected by its calming ambience upon entering the site, and all worldly troubles, whatever they may be, are left at the gate.

酒店位于西湖西側的山谷之中，距杭州市中心20分鍾車程，是個在永福寺、靈隱寺、法喜寺等七座寺院庇護下的空靈之地。延續西湖畔傳統村落布局與氣息，酒店由幽靜石徑及蔭郁庭院交織而成, 踏入的瞬間就能感受到安詳和靜谧。

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[Taipei 台北] Cafe Megane 眼鏡咖啡

Categories taipei
[Taipei 台北] Cafe Megane 眼鏡咖啡

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Cafe Megane 眼鏡咖啡

Add: No. 6, Lane 52, Siwei road, Taipei
Hours: 10am~8pm (closed on the last Wednesday of each month)
Website: coffeemegane.com
Price: 200~400 NTD/person
Visited: Dec 2016

I had already blogged about Cafe Megane years ago. This low-key Japanese-style coffee shop, hidden inside one of the small lanes of Siwei Road, has always been one of my favorites in Taipei. Revisiting it years later, it was comforting to find it mostly unchanged. The interior is warm with dark wood and yellow lighting, doesn’t fit more than 20 even when fully packed, and there are indeed glasses everywhere (“megane” means glasses in Japanese). The coffee here is perfect, the onigiri delicious, and I heard the matcha waffles are amazing as well. If you are fortunate enough to be living in or visiting Taipei, do find a quiet time to enjoy a cup of coffee here.

其實早在 2011 年剛開始寫部落格不久時，就介紹過眼鏡咖啡了。這家隱藏在台北四維路某個巷子裡的日系咖啡店，低調而有個性，一直是我很喜歡的地方。好幾年後再訪，安心的發現裏面一點也沒變。內部的裝潢是溫暖的原木和黃色燈光，店裡坐滿了也只能容納十幾個人，小小的店內到處都可以看到眼鏡的出沒。這裏的咖啡完美，飯團好吃，聽說抹茶松餅也做得極好。如果你很幸運的住在台北或去旅遊的話，絕對要挑個人少的時候來享受一杯安靜的咖啡。

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[Taipei 台北] VVG Hideaway 好樣祕境

Categories taipei
[Taipei 台北] VVG Hideaway 好樣祕境

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VVG Hideaway

Add: No. 136-1, Jingshan Rd, Taipei City
Tel: (02) 2862 6488
Hours: 12-9pm
Price: 500-700 NTD
Visited: Dec 2016

This time in Taipei, I headed to Yangming Mountain to explore one of Taipei’s more popular cafe/restaurants, called VVG Hideaway. Online, this place has been described as “secret little white house nestled in the mountains” or “heaven-like dreamy secret hiding place”, which I found exaggerated to a point of being funny, but it is true that the photos look quite stunning. Though I was never a big fan of the food from VVG group, I was still willing to trek out there just to take a look at the space.

這次在台北，抽了一天上陽明山探了探當前人氣網紅店之一的 “好樣秘境 VVG Hideaway”。之前看到對這家店的描述，大多是 “坐落于山林間的秘密小白屋”，或著 “天堂般夢幻的白色秘境” 這類的。心裡想著這也太誇張了，不過看了照片後還是忍不住被吸引。雖然知道好樣集團出品的食物向來 “…”，不過爲了美麗的環境硬是要去踩個地雷 － 大概是這樣一個心態。

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To get to VVG Hideaway by public transportation, you need to take the MRT to “Jiantan Station” and hop on Bus #303 to “Qinshanli #2 Stop”. Personally I find that quite troublesome – apparently some people waited for an hour because they missed the bus – but if you happen to have a lot of time, or are lucky enough like I was to have a friend drive you, then why not explore?

如果搭乘公共交通前往，得坐捷運至 “劍潭站” 再轉搭 “303號公車” 在 “菁山里二站” 下車。個人覺得這太麻煩了（聽說有人沒看好公車時間，等了一個小時的），不過如果你剛好很閒，或著和我一樣幸運的有朋友開車載上山的話，倒不妨去瞧瞧。

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