xxxscoff “scoff the world” 這帽子的主理人是 @yongpyokim 是認識好幾年的韓國友人，是以前主動寫信洽談的合作品牌vibate 而熟識，到現在又有了新品牌誕生 @x.x.x.scoff_korea 這次DT 也主動詢問，才得知這是他自己的品牌，回想以前下單的金額不算太多，但DT 人非常的好，總會用他僅有的中文說，我愛台灣，還有珍珠奶茶好喝。還記得當初幾年前第一次洽談合作時，是約在星沙洞還未建立好的公司也就是現在的店面，他說雖然你們訂單沒有算很多，但是沒關係因為我很喜歡台灣而你們也很有誠意，所以合作沒問題的，想當初我跟波波兩人矇矇懂懂的飛韓國就知道有多久以前的事情了。 這次店裡 @symphonytaipei 引進了這品牌，除了帽款本身獨具特色，流行性豐富，搭配他強大公關能力，套裝服飾，價格也比以往親民，整體性看起來更完整，想不買都很困難了，最主要是帽型真的也是我目前人生當中戴過的版型裡面最喜歡也最合適，加上made in Korea 品質沒有問題的，先撇開我的髮型不說。 這次聯繫也是相當熱情，原本還要視訊？但我真怕尷尬，所以沒接到（笑）他也提到台灣只有我們代理販售，所以喜歡的朋友可以來店試試看了，當然我們網站也有可選購。 姑且不管未來銷售量與後續發展，但至少這一份情誼相當難得可貴，也希望疫情早點過去，實在是很相當懷念韓國。 帽 @x.x.x.scoff_korea 上衣/褲子 @fashionkilla_select 項鍊 @niro.srdpty 攝影 @kelly_thxkelly_

Expectations tend to run higher when a great night out to mark a birthday is at stake (in this case, it was for my god-daughter/niece @yujunn_ who turned 22). The restaurant has to have a winning hand of great food, fabulous drinks, comfortable ambience and impeccable service. That’s why I picked @cutbywolfgangpucksg. I knew we’d be in the excellent hands of Executive Chef @gregabess and his team. Shortly after we had settled into our seats, warm cheesy gougère arrived. We all loved them but the birthday girl, most of all. Setting the tone for the evening were the first two snacks which sent us over the moon. I could’ve inhaled three of those buttermilk chicken sliders - they’re real flavourbombs with jalapeño aioli, jalapeño slices, pickle and honey. Not to be outdone was the apple apricot compote-dotted pork belly braised with Chinese spices and glazed in hoisin - it melted like butter in the mouth. I washed them down with the refreshing gin-based “London Calling” cocktail. When the bread basket arrived, I attempted to not scoff too much but it was hard. The olive ciabatta, onion focaccia and German pretzel were a formidable trio of temptation. In order to taste more items, we shared the appetisers. I chose the Maryland Blue Crab Cake with heirloom tomato relish and basil aioli (Yujun is a fiend for crab so I knew it would be up her alley), the Big Eye Tuna Tartare in wasabi ginger, served with thin, spicy togarashi crisps (surprisingly, this turned out to be her favourite), the brightly herbaceous Vietnamese-Style Beef Carpaccio plated with crunchy beef tendon, nước mắm vinaigrette and holy basil (my favourite!), and the Asparagus with Poached Egg on thin toast with mushroom marmalade, a lipsmacking bacon vinaigrette and bacon slice. What has always impressed me at CUT is the attention they pay to the smallest details. Like serving us hot plates to eat our main course off. @kndherb used to rave to me about the Rotisserie Baby Chicken at CUT, and of course I’d eaten it before but it was particularly well executed that night - immensely juicy, tender and flavourful. And let’s not forget those meaty chanterelle mushrooms. ⬇️Continued in Comments⬇️

It has always been difficult for me to discuss the oppression of Asian-Americans, mostly due to the anticipated impending invalidation. Not many people know this about me, but I was actually born in Alabama and raised in the South (yeehaw 🤠), where you’re expected to thank people when they say, “It’s ok, I basically see you as white”. With the only form of conditional acceptance being the erasure of my culture, I learned to associate being Asian with deep shame. Such microaggressions and forms of blatant racism were not uncommon. The first eye pull, the first “ching chong”, the first “go back to where you came from”. These are all things that hurt initially, but grew to be forms of interaction I expected. This was just the way the world worked for people like me. I didn’t know of an existence outside of Other. So when I started getting comments calling me a virus at the start of quarantine, I wrote them off as new forms of the passing jokes I knew all too well, never expecting that small seed of Anti-Asian sentiment to grow into what it is now. Are you scoffing? Usually when I’ve gotten this far in discussing Anti-Asian racism with most groups outside of my own, I’m met with a scoff. Once, it was followed by a tirade on how Asians are actually the most privileged group (it's also worth mentioning this came from a white person). It’s disappointing to see how many so-called “antiracist” individuals have remained silent despite pleas for solidarity from the Asian community, but it’s understandable. Doesn’t excuse the complacency in the dehumanization of an entire race, but it’s understandable. Such widespread ignorance and genuine belief in the model minority myth has made it difficult to have productive conversations with non-POC and non-Asian POC alike. To speak up is to be invalidated. But the numbers don’t lie. Anti-Asian hate crimes have increased by 1900% over the past year. The man who shot and killed 8 people was on his way to Florida, where my family resides, before he was arrested. I can’t help but wonder how many headlines it’ll take until I see a name I recognize. (continued ⤵️)