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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for moon cakes. This is a non-Taiwanese one. It lacks the salted egg yolk and flaky pastry of the typical ones here. This one is mung-bean paste and pretty darn good. I much prefer these. #Taiwan #MidAutumnFestival #MoonFestival

A round pastry with a flat top on a plate. The top has some Chinese characters embossed on the top of the pastry. It is about 8cm in diameter.

The same mooncake cut open showing the thick filling inside. It's about 3cm thick.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Apparently, Red Wings are supposed to be slightly unpleasant to break in. I'll let you know in a couple of weeks (months?). 😁 #RedWing #RedWing9111

A pair of crossed legs and brown boots resting on a coffee table.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Our favorite beef noodle soup restaurant had a major fire last year. They've now reopened! #Taiwan #Taichung #BeefNoodleSoup

Two very full bowls of beef noodle soup. The noodles are thick cut, the beef slices are round and medium thickness, and there are scallions and leafy vegetables floating in there, too.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I bought this coffee grinder (1Zpresso J-Ultra) a few months ago. I've used it exclusively for single shots on my La Pavoni espresso machine, and it has done a remarkable job. Highly recommended! 👍 #Coffee #Espresso #1Zpresso #LaPavoni

A small coffee hand grinder in its travel case.

The same grinder lying on a table with the handle unfolded.

The same grinder standing next to a lever espresso machine on a counter.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Saying hello to Lithuania from Taiwan! 👋 #Lithuania

A stack of fifteen 100g jars of smoked Riga Gold sardines.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

I've posted about the (Spiced) Four W Daiquiri before, but that was with Foursquare Spiced rum. Very different flavor from this Cargo Cult (heavy vanilla), but both are good. The secret? Go heavy on the maple syrup to offset the grapefruit.🍹😊 www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/re... #Rum #Cocktails

A bottle of Cargo Cult Dry Spiced rum, a small bottle of dark maple syrup, a quarter of a grapefruit, and a cocktail in a very basic glass.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Just saw #TheOdyssey. Decent, but it was more The Dark Knight Rises than it was Oppenheimer. Pros: - the acting - practical effects - the sheer scale of it (go see it while it's in theaters) Cons: - too rushed - sound editing (typical Nolan) See the ALT text for more.

It was extremely rushed, with too much exposition at the beginning. Almost every scene/episode needed more development. Doing it justice would've required 4-5 hours, releasing it à la Dune.

The casting and acting are excellent. Matt Damon does a perfect job, and it succeeds particularly when he's suffering. The supporting cast is mostly flawless as well, and I'd like to see Oscar nominations for Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson.

But the flaws of the movie are Nolan's. In addition to the screenplay, you still can't hear all the dialogue. I saw it in Taiwan, and the other people in the theater could at least read the subtitles to know what the characters were saying. I think I missed a few plot points and emotional scenes because of that.

But, the sheer scale of it and the visuals are also on Nolan and his wife, who also produced it with him. What they did here is worth the price of admission alone. I bet we'll never see another movie like this again.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Your periodic reminder that Japanese snacks are next level (unless they have dried fish in them 😁). #Japan #JapaneseSnacks

A bag of salted caramel corn puffs (not popcorn, though).

Two small packages of Black Thunder chocolate. One is macadamia nut and the other is hazelnut and I want to say vanilla.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

My students have always had creative keychains dangling off their pencil cases and school bags, but these barrettes are something else entirely: a bessom, a stool, and a light bulb which changes color. #Taiwan

A barrette in the shape of a bessom in a girl's hair.

A barrette in the shape of a plastic stool in a girl's hair.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

If you're not making your daiquiris with funky Jamaican rum, you've been wasting good booze. Shame on you. 😞 That Mezan Trinidad 2009 is surprisingly good. A bit mild on flavor (not ABV), but good. I reserve judgement on the Cargo Cult until I've mixed more with it. #Rum

Three bottles of rum on an end table: Mezan Trinidad 2009, Cargo Cult Dry Spiced, and Mezan Jamaican XO.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

One thing I love about the ice-drip and cold-brewed coffee in Taiwan is the fruity, fermented flavor it has. It's almost like wine. #Coffee #Taiwan

A small cup and carafe, both filled with coffee, sitting on a bamboo tray, with a glass of water off to the side. Some scooters can be seen parked out the window in the background.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

TGIF, everyone! And TGTIATD! What is TGTIATD, you ask? Thank God tomorrow is a typhoon day. 😁 (Yes, I work Saturdays.) Stay safe, everyone! #TyphoonBavi #Taiwan #Beer

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

I kid you not, it's sunny and raining right now. #Taiwan

Intense blue sky; some clouds; a dense, Asian city packed with flat-roofed, 4-story, concrete houses; and a faint, low-arcing rainbow.

Blue sky; some clouds; a dense, Asian city packed with flat-roofed, 4-story, concrete houses; and a very faint, low-arcing rainbow.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

What do you do when it's brutally hot and humid out? Why, go for mango ice, of course. #Taiwan

A cubical dish, with a layer of shaved milk ice, a layer of mango, then another layer of the ice.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Taiwan has a bumper crop of mango this year. We've been gorging on them almost every day. Cheap and plentiful in the traditional markets, and they're even being exported to France and the UK. #Taiwan #Mango #Mangoes

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Excellent coffee at Manchill Roasteria, Taichung! Guess what that thing on the plate is. #Coffee #Taiwan

Frothy-looking iced Ethiopian coffee in a stemless wine glass.

A croissant completely covered in fine threads of caramel sauce sitting on a black plate.

A cold-brew iced coffee in a Collins glass.

A certificate from Échiré stating Manchill Roasteria uses Échiré butter.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Bit of a milestone. Keep in mind this is on a 175cc Kymco scooter. #Motorcycles #Scooter #Scooters #Kymco #Taiwan

The guage cluster of a Kymco Racing King 180, showing the tachometer, engine temperature, and speedometer. The odometer reads 70,000 kilometers.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Where there is Black Thunder there is happiness. #BlackThunder

A small bag of Black Thunder crème brûlée-flavored chocolate bars.

A small butter-flavored Black Thunder chocolate bar.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

SMEG, the newish owners of La Pavoni, want to force workers to relocate or else be laid off. Please contact SMEG ( smeg @ smeg dot it ) and ask them to reconsider. (Letter available in the ALT text of pic 3) Thank you! #Coffee #Espresso #LaPavoni #HandmadeInMilan #Italy #SMEG

A chrome La Pavoni Europiccola on a kitchen counter.

La Pavoni factory workers standing in front of their production facilities in Milan.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

Cynicism is cheap–you can buy it at any Monoprix store–it's built into all poor-quality goods. - Graham Greene, The Comedians #Books #BookQuotes #Quote #GrahamGreene

A page in a novel which contains the above quote.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

I don't normally eat out for breakfast. But, since I have family coming for Lunar New Year, I decided to check out a traditional breakfast shop near their hotel for them (details in the alt text). I'm still stuffed at lunchtime. #Taiwan #LunarNewYear #LNY

A fried egg, a scallion omelet, a danbing (rolled egg crepe), a veggie steamed bun, and a soup steamed bun (with ground pork), all washed down with fresh soy milk.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

There has been lineups outside of the banks all day. A run? Nope. Everyone is getting fresh, brand-spanking new bills to stuff into red envelopes. Lunar New Year is coming! #Taiwan #LunarNewYear #LNY

A bank with a very long line of people along the sidewalk.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

This is a tangelo (a honeybell orange). It is an absolute juice bomb. It was like peeling a water balloon–almost more juice than pulp. Tasty, though.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

I recently saw a post (if it was you, reply to claim your shout-out) about a Taiwanese corn snack called 乖乖 (pronounced "guai guai"). It means "obedient" or "well-behaved" in Chinese. People put them on machines to make them work properly. Here's the copier and water machine at work today #Taiwan

A water machine and photocopier, both with a packaged snack on top of them.

One of the snack bags. It's about the size of a small bag of potato chips.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

Post a perfect album from the '90s that isn't Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, or Alice in Chains. #Music @wilwheaton.net

Album cover of This Time by Dwight Yoakam. Dwight is standing in front of a large clock face with Roman numerals. He's wearing a cowboy hat, leather jacket with a tassel fringe, patched jeans, and cowboy boots. He's looking down, and the brim of his hat is completely obscuring his face.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

My student's hoodie today. I wish it were in my size. It could actually make me want to wear a hoodie.

A hoodie with the writing, "You learnd it right" written on it, where "learned" is also spelled incorrectly.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Two recent pictures of my wife. (Details in the alt text.) I'll be busy for the next little while, so I'll be less active online. It's not that I'm ignoring anyone.

$Two x-rays of the same shoulder. The top one shows a compound fracture where the collarbone is completely broken through into two parts, with the outer piece noticeably lower. The second one shows a metal plate and 9 screws joining the broken collarbone together. Everything is at the same level. For those wondering, she lost her balance while kneeling and moving around on the bed. She spent two nights in the hospital and was discharged on the third day. She has to wear a sling everywhere for two weeks except when lying on the bed. She can't lift her hand above her head tor 8 weeks, and no vigorous activity for 3 months.$

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

What are a couple of teachers going to do on a Teacher's Day long weekend? #Coffee

A slice of burnt-sugar Basque cheesecake and a brown-sugar steamed milk on a wooden tray in a coffee shop.

A layered cookie with caramel filling and a iced coffee on a tray in a coffee shop.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

And what better place for a teacher to visit on Teacher's Day than the Confucius temple. #Taiwan

A Chinese-style gate leading to the Confucius temple.

The Confucius temple in Taichung, Taiwan.

A closer picture of the Confucius temple

A side arcade of the temple with columns on the outside.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

If you see this, quote with a flower

A pink Singapore graveyard flower in full blossom. (For those reading this, I park my scooter next to a house that has this out front. It has a delicate, beautiful fragrance. I want to say a little like honeysuckle and jasmine, but those may be the only flower fragrances I know.)

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Post a killer you wouldn't run from.

Kate Beckinsale, in Total Recall, running with a gun.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

Coconut water, in the shell. Pull the tab (and straw) out, press the column in, insert the straw, drink. It's not bad. Pretty refreshing on a hot day.

A coconut with most of the round, green outer portion removed, leaving the portion containing the water. A column has been placed on top, which contains a pull tab and the straw.

Same as the previous picture, but from the back side which shows the instructions on how to use it.

The same coconut with the column pressed in and the straw inserted into it.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

I bought these a while back. I'm not sure if they're still in print. But, damn, are they ever hilarious, you know, should your sense of humor (and lack of human decency) lean that way! 😁 #Books

Two comic books by Andy Riley laid out flat. One is The Book of Bunny Suicides, and the other is The Return of the Bunny Suicides.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

In the vernacular of today's urban youth: New kicks! They are so sick! Yo' boy's got drip! 😁 On a more practical (ie. dad shoe) note, I'm surprised how much leather is on them. I'm curious to see how well they hold up. #Sneakers #Sneakerhead #Sneakerhead #NewBalance

A POV picture of my one foot on the knee of my other leg. The shoes are New Balance M1906FE.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

I am a man of simple tastes. Cheers! Enjoy your weekend, everyone! 🍻 #Beer #LaChouffe

A bottle of La Chouffe Blonde beer on a desk with some books in the background.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Crème caramel ice cream bar? Yes, please! #Taiwan

The wrapper for a crème caramel ice cream bar by Poki.

A Poki crème caramel ice cream bar on a popsicle stick. The top quarter is a dark brown, and the bottom is a pale golden color.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 13/07/2025

Martin Cruz Smith, one of the greatest, most literary Mystery writers I've ever had the pleasure to read, has passed away. Standouts from him were Gorky Park and Rose, but anything he published from 1981-2004 was really good. This is such a loss. #MartinCruzSmith #Books #RIP

A spread of Martin Cruz Smith books: Gorky Park, Polar Star, Red Square, Rose, Havana Bay, December 6, and Wolves Eat Dogs.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

"The world doesn't run on logic, it runs on the seven deadly sins and the weather." - Alan Furst, Red Gold #AlanFurst #Books

An e-reader with the above quote highlighted in the text.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Lychee are the most refreshing fruit on a hot, humid summer's day, yay or nay? If nay, must offer alternatives #Taiwan

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

Chinese dragons, a pond, and tea plantations at Qilintan near Lugu. #Taiwan

Two, colorful Chinese dragons facing each other next to a large pond with trees in the background.

Another angle of the same dragons, now with buildings and terraces of tea shrubs on the tree mountain in the background.

The same pond with buildings and terraces of tea shrubs on the mountain in the background.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

What are the chances of finding great specialty coffee in a small, tea-producing village (Lugu)? In Taiwan, I'd say pretty good. #Coffee #Taiwan

A free-standing coffee shop along the side of the road. Several cars are parked in front.

Two cups of iced Colombian coffee on a table and a crème caramel with a small scoop of ice cream on top.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

A lunch of fine, thread-like noodles, mushrooms, and barrel-roasted chicken. The wood for roasting the chicken in the barrels is longan (dragon eye). #Taiwan

A plate of very fine, thread-like noodles with another plate of various fried mushrooms in the background.

Half a roasted chicken, all cut up, on a plate with a small dish of pepper and a bowl of chicken drippings, both for dipping.

Three stainless steel roasting chambers, insulated with bricks and mortar, with a small pile of chopped longan wood in the foreground, and a larger pile in the background. There are several chickens off to the left, on individual vertical spits, each with a stainless steel bowl under them to catch the drippings.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

How's this for a lunchtime view? #Taiwan

Lush, tree-covered mountains all around, and a river at the bottom.

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Y Lee @ylee.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Expat life: Going half an hour in the opposite direction from my appointment in Taipei to get a croissant, bismark, & espresso, showing up with 3 minutes to spare. Then another 30 minutes in another direction for a burger, cinnamon bun, & espresso before catching the train back to my city. #Taiwan

A burger and salad on a cafe table, with an espresso to the side.

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