That means I’ll have to get my butt to Taipei on weekday…Hmm, don’t think my boss would like that. Or should I start a branch in my neck of woods!!! 
Hsintien mostly. Lots of hills with hiking trails, very pleasant.
So, any suggestion about a meeting, Vincent, Rascal and all the other posters? How about a hike on a weekend? Is there any other fun place to meet? Would you prefer weekends or evenings during the week (I guess most of us are working during office hours, aren’t we?)? Just ending up in a park might be a bit boring.
Oh, and I’d love to go to the movies with somebody, for a change. It’s very convenient to hop over to the small 100 NT$ cinema across the street from my apartment. But I’m always on my own there, getting annoyed with all those Chinese coming and going, changing seats and making noises with these awful plastic bags (these things should be forbidden in cinemas). At least, now, they keep the entrance doors closed during the movies. You can still stay for the next film, but you won’t get disturbed by a constant flow of newcomers anymore (except for those that come through the exit). What’s on in Breeze Center at the moment? That was actually the very first cinema I went to here in Taiwan, and I was delighted to find something just like at home: Popcorn on the outside, movie trailers, more or less interesting ads and people who laughed at the right moments of the film (and turned of their mobiles before the film started).
Anybody interested?
Iris
Iris, sure, movies sound fun. I’ve only seen one movie so far here - Lois & Stitch. Don’t ask me why I went to see THAT movie or how was it - I fell asleep. 
I’m not familiar with Taipei yet, but tell me where and when, I’ll try to accommodate the majority. 8)
Cheers,
The only places I’ve been to have been in Hsimenting, the Breeze Center and the small place in Kungkuan. As I live in Kungkuan, those there are the most convenient ones for me to go. As I work close to Ta-An MRT, Breeze Center is not far either. Hsimenting is a bit out of the way, but not much of a problem to get to. What about the other posters?
Some of the Hsimenting theaters obviously tend to show different films than the usual Hollywood mainstream once in a while. I usually check the program in the China Post as they list the program of single cinemas (unlike the Taipei Times that lists the most common films and in which theatres they are showing).
Iris
Count me in. Any place within Taipei city limits will do for a movie, as well hiking sounds good!
Yes, but we have to get started at some point.
What about Friday night or the weekend?
Which one? Movie? Hike? And who is in?
Iris
Weekend will be fine, just make sure it’s not 7am in the morning (middle of the night in my time zone). 
This Friday night isn’t suitable for me, but the following weeks should be ok, too.
If cinema - what movie?
Applies to me as well 
Saturday, I can only take off after noon, as I “love” to watch my cleaning lady (watch her because every other weeks she “forgets” that I told her not to clean the bathroom with the shower and and spill water all over my imported Persil and my imported Waeschestaender). Sunday would be fine for me all day. The two weekends afterwards, I will be busy.
[quote=“Rascal”]This Friday night isn’t suitable for me, but the following weeks should be ok, too.
If cinema - what movie?[/quote]
We could always go during the week. If it’s just the two of us, I guess Breeze would be most convenient. I’m just trying to check the China Post entertainment guide, but as usual, it’s awfully slow. And it looks like they don’t have the theatre listing anymore on the web, just a few movie introductions. Do you know what’s on? You’re right next to it, aren’t you?
Or are you interested in exhibitions? There is an exhibition in the MOCA on “Architecture for the New Millennium - A Retrospective of Works by Architects Frank O. Gehry, Frederick Fisher and More”. It’s on until Sep, 29, and I meant to go there before I get visitors next Thursday. But I can always go on my own, for example Saturday afternoon, and we could do some hike or something on Sunday. Anybody else want to join???
Iris
Did I scare anybody away? Am I being too fast? I don’t bite, I’m not desperate, I’m just trying to make some useful suggestions here. Where are all these people who wanted to meet?
Well, I guess my weekend will pass, with or without hike etc.
And as I’m not easily bored, I’ll probably have a good time as well.
Iris
[quote=“Iris”]Did I scare anybody away? Am I being too fast? I don’t bite, I’m not desperate, I’m just trying to make some useful suggestions here. Where are all these people who wanted to meet?
Well, I guess my weekend will pass, with or without hike etc.
And as I’m not easily bored, I’ll probably have a good time as well.
Iris[/quote]
What’s up Iris. A hike sounds real good to me, seeing as how I hiked a mountain close to where I stay this morning and last night. I plan on making it something I do regularly. Movies sound good too. I haven’t lived here long so street names and cities don’t mean much to me now, but I’m not afraid to ride a bus or the mrt to meet some where. For a general idea as to where I am, I live close to the yungchun stop on the blue line (mrt). All I got is time right now cause I don’t have a job yet and I haven’t start classes anywhere. I’d send you my cell phone number but I can’t remember it, if you drop me an email I can send it to ya later today.
I hope I don’t scare anyone away.
Casey
Iris,
Love to join you folks, but I’m being shipped to the States soon. I’ll check the site again when I return.
You guys have fun out there,
Crunchnumber:
I’ll probably be around for a while 
Just drop me an email when you come back to see how far we got with the “Lonely hearts - no pubs” meeting thing.
Have fun in the states.
Iris
Next weekend will probably be better for me, too.
I went to Breeze for lunch, movies currently shown from today onwards:
Road to Perdition
About a Boy
Spy Kids 2
Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Austin Powers 3
Sex and Lucia (start 14.9.)
Alternatively I suggest the Living Mall cinema if we decide to go for a movie, it’s pretty good and not that many people when compared to Warner Village (i.e. shorter queues).
As I said, I won’t have time the next two weekends. But I wouldn’t mind going to the movies before next Thursday, if anybody’s not too tired after work.
I’d probably join for everything except Austin Powers.
Iris
Even going to the cinema together means meeting up somewhere beforehand.
I know it’s now short notice, but if anyone’s around this Sunday (15th), how about meeting at, say, Grandma Nittis (coz it’s reasonably well known) off Shida at 3.30-4pm for very late lunch/early evening snack. Those who want to go on to a cinema afterwards can, those who suggest something else can do so, etc, and those who just want to hang out for a few hours can also do so. Or if anyone has other suggestions for a relaxed, open venue where you can eat as well as drink, feel free to suggest it. I’ll be there anyway, so if anyone wants to join, please come along.
Apparently the hashers have this meeting every Friday night at a particular pub; they don’t all go every Friday but at least they know that the meeting will happen, and they can go along if they feel like it. That’s the best way to get these things started, knowing that there’s no obligation to turn up, keeping it relaxed and if a good group gets together, all the better. My vote would be to keep a group like you’re proposing as informal, so why not start with this Sunday and see how we go?
Cheers,
Gaynor
Wow, finally somebody’s getting something up. It just really was very short notice. I would have met you guys, but I was too embarrassed to walk around the tables at Grandma Nittis and ask every other foreigner if he happened to be Gaynor.
Could we do that again, with longer notice? Like, say, in three weeks? Saturday or Sunday would be fine for me, and Grandma Nittis is convenient enough for me, as I don’t live far away. Maybe we could figure out how to recognize each other, there really are a lot of foreigners there.
I’d be happy to join you
Iris
Hi Iris,
Actually, I mentioned to a couple of the key staff in there that if anybody was looking for a ‘gaynordewit’ (my name’s Gaynor, by the way, and I’m female!) or anything to do with Oriented - old names die hard! - to point them in my direction. A friend of mine joined me, but I do accept it was short notice for the rest of you. That night was the first time I’d logged on to Orientedgue for months!
Anyway, it doesn’t need to be any more formal than that - just pick a place to meet and preferably eat/drink, see who turns up and go from there. I’d be happy to meet in the same place again next week, Saturday if that’s easier for people.
Or I too would be interested in meeting up in HsinTien somewhere and going for a mini-hike in the surrounding countryside - I work in HsinTien but barely know the place!
Cheers,
Gaynor
Hi Gaynor
Sorry about the name
Actually, I asked some of the staff at Grandma Nittis (including that woman behind the counter who seemed important) whether there was somebody from Segue or Oriented there, but nobody seemed to know what I was talking about.
I’ll be busy the next ten days (until the 29th), but I’d love to join you afterwards. I can always come to Hsintien, I’ve never been there, and I live close to Kungkuan MRT. Can I just drop you an email as soon as my visitors have left?
Thanks
Iris
Hi Iris,
No problem; obviously a couple of waiters didn’t inform all of them, despite my request! I didn’t see Rainbow (the owner) in there when I walked in, otherwise I would definitely have mentioned it to her. Oh well, never mind!
Let’s definitely make the exciting world of Hsin-Tien our next venue in a couple of weekend’s time - now, where’s that member who goes walking in the hills around Hsin-Tien, we need some input from them! Hill-walker, are you out there…?!
Please feel free to drop me an email if you’d like to meet up at any time; address is gaynordewit@yahoo.com
Cheers,
Gaynor