“Where are you from?” Here’s the medium-length version of my complicated answer to this simple question: Born in Vancouver to a Canadian father and a Taiwanese mother. Moved to Taiwan at nine months, where I lived, apart from two years in Beijing, until I was 13. I then joined my sister at a Canadian boarding […]
Monthly Archives: July 2013
Get Out // A day trip to Lübars, a historic Berlin Dorf
Even the most die-hard urbanite comes to crave a bit of bucolic respite every now and again. Nothing quite like the curative qualities of fresh air, rolling green landscapes, and the smell of animal manure. Luckily for Berliners, this city–ever full of surprises–hides a quaint, well-preserved historic village within its borders. First founded in 1230 […]
Cafeteria Culture // Lunch at the Rathaus Kreuzberg Kantine
For much of my teens and twenties, I was a passionate vegetarian. What made me finally give it up wasn’t a hankering for bacon. It was because I was moving to the Czech Republic, a country where the food culture is so grounded in meat I knew I’d be missing something if I turned down […]
Subterranean Subterfuge // Berlin Wall escape tunnels from Treptow to Neukölln
Curiosity is a highly underrated virtue. Especially in a city like Berlin, where curiosity–along with an observant eye–is frequently rewarded by an unending array of things to discover. Amazing things, beautiful things, tragic things–or oftentimes, a combination of all three. On a recent meandering walk through one of my favourite neighbourhoods for just that kind […]