Lately have been discussing with foreign friends why all Taiwanese friends need to catalogue every meal at a restaurant with a photographic ritual before eating, but we haven’t come up with a good answer. I almost died of starvation in Thailand waiting for my (Taiwanese) travel companion to get a good photo of our lunches (most Taiwanese need to photograph every plate on the table, not just their own).
Is this some throwback to a time when going out to eat was such a rarity that it needs to be preserved as such a special occasion or just because there’s all that space on now cheap memory cards in digital cameras so now we can just photograph any bloody thing we like for posterity?
[quote=“SugarBunz”]Lately have been discussing with foreign friends why all Taiwanese friends need to catalogue every meal at a restaurant with a photographic ritual before eating, but we haven’t come up with a good answer. I almost died of starvation in Thailand waiting for my (Taiwanese) travel companion to get a good photo of our lunches (most Taiwanese need to photograph every plate on the table, not just their own).
Is this some throwback to a time when going out to eat was such a rarity that it needs to be preserved as such a special occasion or just because there’s all that space on now cheap memory cards in digital cameras so now we can just photograph any bloody thing we like for posterity?[/quote]
Hey, sugarbunz,
I don’t know why they do this, but I used to do it on occasion when I lived in Taiwan, because I’m a VERY picky eater and wanted to show my family back home what I was actually eating–they still didn’t believe!
My friend did this when went anywhere ‘nice’. We went for lunch at one of the restaurants in 101, the day before I left Taiwan. She emailed me four photos; one of me, one of her, one of both of us taken by the waiter and one of the lobster we ate. I have the one of both of us framed but was unsure what to do with the lobster pic.
Always thought it was a bit odd, but I guess it’s just like keeping a journal. Not that I write about what I have for dinner. It would not be a slim volume.
[quote]but we haven’t come up with a good answer.[/quote]Japanese girls did it first is the answer, which begs a further and equally fascinating question (I really would like an explanation).
I’m ashamed to say I know this already. So, why do they have these blogs/sites? Is it a blog form of X-factor, where the winner gets to present their own cooking show on Japanese daytime tele?
My parents they always photograph every family eating occasion for some reason. It’s not that rare (like once every 6 months or so) and the food is always the same everytime. Really getting sick of all these photo thingies to be honest, and I really hate family eating occasion because there’s too much stupid rules. I much rather eat with a friend than with my family.
It’s a Taiwanese thing? I thought it was a foreigner thing. It’s always foreigners I see doing it. I once even saw a blonde woman putting her burger on the damn FLOOR in Carnegie’s so she could get a better angle. Madness. Maybe they’re afraid that if they mention it in their blog people will accuse them of lying unless there’s photographic evidence. “You did NOT get avocado on your burger! You’re a liar! I’m NEVER reading your blog AGAIN!”
That’s actually an improvement, often when I went out with locals they would take a group photo or two after we had eaten, with all the empty plates and dirty dishes in front. :loco:
The thing that’s always irked me about the excessive photo-taking of food or anything else is that it seems like people spend so much time taking pictures that they forget to enjoy themselves. Instead of taking pictures and having a memory of a nice evening, they have pictures to remind themselves of how many damn pictures they took.
[quote=“mups”]The thing that’s always irked me about the excessive photo-taking of food or anything else is that it seems like people spend so much time taking pictures that they forget to enjoy themselves. Instead of taking pictures and having a memory of a nice evening, they have pictures to remind themselves of how many damn pictures they took.[/quote]True that. Sometimes I find I enjoy things more when I forget to take my camera.
Still, in an art exhibition in the UK there was this piece taking up most of a wall, consisting of rows upon rows of passport pics of everything the artist had eaten in a year. I don’t know about the art aspect of it, but it was quite interesting. And the artist said it had helped him become more aware of what he ate, and he’d lost some weight as a result.
I can’t believe they allow photos in Carnegie’s now![/quote]
Sad old fat white men like me with no friends can do pretty much what they want in Carnage. So can the ladies. It’s a well-known fact. It’s why the financially challenged Canadian English teachers hate it so much. Eat your hearts out, you burger-eating, 7-11-beer-buying cheapskates. :roflmao:
I’m going there now. Late lunch. Venison cutlets and draught Guinness. For less than the price of a fish supper in Edinburgh.
[quote=“sandman”]
I’m going there now. Late lunch. Venison cutlets and draught Guinness. For less than the price of a fish supper in Edinburgh.[/quote]
Yeah, I’ve even seen Fortigurn taking pictures of his water glass. Foreigners are weird.
