I might be living in the bad part of town

I have been sick for the past several days. I woke up yesterday with wicked case of cabin fever. I just had to get out of the apartment. The weather wasn't the best but I decided to explore Dazhi to the east of Bei-An Road anyway.

I took a look at Google maps and noticed the Miramar Entertainment Mall. It looked interesting. It also didn't look too far away so I figured I could walk there.

I was just a few minutes into my walk when I began to realize that I might be living in the bad part of Dazhi. To put it another way, I definitely live in the old part of Dazhi. Once you cross Bei-An Road there are wide streets with artfully paved and tree-lined sidewalks. The buildings look new, with modern architectural designs and highly-desirable underground parking. All of the condo towers seem to have lively piquant French cafes and bistros on the ground level.

Gorgeously paved, wide, and landscaped streets in eastern Dazhi - but completely devoid of pedestrians.

The only thing that I would describe as a drawback to this new Dazhi is the lack of people on the streets. Widen the streets and make room for parking, and ... people tend to drive everywhere instead of walking. I was one of the few pedestrians enjoying those lovely streets. Where I live, everyone walks while they run their errands. There is life in the streets and laneways.

Two new towers under construction.

The first thing you notice about the Miramar Entertainment Mall is the big Ferris Wheel. You can see the top arc of the wheel above the other buildings from quite a distance. As I got closer I could hear music. Then I saw brightly-colored market tents set up by the mall's main entrance. I had to check that out! I thought it might be a Christmas-themed market, but sadly it was just a typical pop-up market of food vendors.

The Miramar Entertainment Mall and the big Ferris Wheel.

Pop-up market by the mall entrance.

Funny "hot dog" stall in the market.

The Miramar Entertainment Mall itself is a fairly typical Taipei mall - full of "branded" fashion stores. The Taiwanese are just crazazy for name brands. You name it, they want it: Dunhill, Aquascutum, DKNY, CK Calvin Klein, Anna Sui, Nine West, Guess, etc. The Miramar doesn't have the super high-end brands like they have at Sogo. Instead, they seem to serve the middle-range name brand market.

I've been looking for a handbag for a while because the clutch I brought with me to Taiwan is barely big enough to hold my wallet, phone, and company ID card. The problem - with me - is that I don't like overly-branded handbags. I also don't like blingy or "cute" handbags. I want something more unique and would prefer to buy something that is made locally.

On the second floor I found a small boutique for a brand called Partake. I didn't know this at the time, but Partake is a Taiwanese brand focused on designing handbags that are functional, stylish, and suitable for a variety of occasions. That's exactly what drew me to the boutique! I shocked the clerk by doing a bit of man-shopping and buying a handbag within 5 minutes of entering the boutique. She nearly fell over. I also didn't bargain with her, so she gave me a funny look and then suggested a lower price. (I figured that since it was a boutique in a mall with a fixed price tag that I shouldn't bargain, but it seems there's always room for a little negotiation.) Anyhoo, I'm very happy with my new handbag. My fashion instincts proved me right again!

My new handbag from the Taiwanese design firm Partake.

I was quite exhausted by the time I left the Miramar Entertainment Mall so I caught the MRT back to the bad part of Dazhi. In the eastern part of Dazhi, even the MRT stations are shiny and new! So pretty!

Jiannan MRT station in eastern Dazhi.