Halloween is right around the corner and you still don’t know what to dress up as. You’ve been to the costume stores in Ximending (西門町) on Hanzhong Street (漢中街) and the good ones are already spoken for. It’s time to get creative on the aptly nicknamed Halloween Street, a block northwest of Taipei Main Station. This two-block area on Changan Rd (長安路) between Chongqing North Road (重慶北路) and Chengdu Road (成都路) boasts 14 stores that sell a variety of Halloween supplies ranging from disco wigs to swords filled with fake blood to superhero costumes for toddlers.
The Holiday House (節慶屋) at 95 Changan W Rd (台北市大同區長安西路95號), tel: (02) 2559-4897 is geared more towards women with the requisite flirtatious Little Red Riding Hood and risque female versions of Captain America costumes. Prices are between NT$499 and NT$599 for adult costumes and NT$100 less for children. Unfortunately, the Holiday House seemed like a Christmas store moonlighting as a Halloween shop.
A few steps down the road is Lucky House (吉祥屋) at 109 Changan W Rd (台北市大同區長安西路109號), tel: (02) 2550-0262. At first, the list prices on everything seemed to be a bit higher than the Holiday House, but soon the owner came over and started offering better deals. She turned out to be a spirited bargainer and a costume that contained a hat, wig and sailor’s dress went from being NT$970 to NT$750 with a few clicks on the buttons of her oversized calculator. Eventually, a price of NT$700 was settled on, but not before using the time-honored pretending-to-walk-away tactic of negotiation.
Photo: Marcus Aurelius
Technically not on Changan West Road but worth mentioning because it’s very visible from the intersection at Changan and Taiyuan is Party World Thematic Warehouse (派對世界) at 63 Taiyuan Rd (台北市太原路63號), tel: (02) 2559-9758. This two-level shop had the widest selection of all with kids’ costumes, fairy wings and tons of pirate paraphernalia. One of their specialties is all shapes and sizes of mylar balloons, which ranged in prices from NT$100 to NT$450 filled with helium. Overall, Party World would be the first place to shop to decorate for a Halloween party.
A few other tips for this area would be to do a walk through of all of the stores before making any purchases. Never pay the actual price on the tag for anything if it’s over a few hundred dollars. Add items together and ask for a group discount. If you want to dicker with the salespeople, they are more willing to cut down the prices, but do it out of earshot of other customers. Also, try to go at a time that is less busy. Every night from now until October 31 will be crowded with people looking for last-minute costume ideas. A stroll through in the early afternoon is recommended.
The Taipei Times will have complete Halloween coverage — from bars and clubs to dance halls — in next Friday’s Features section.
Photo: Marcus Aurelius
That US assistance was a model for Taiwan’s spectacular development success was early recognized by policymakers and analysts. In a report to the US Congress for the fiscal year 1962, former President John F. Kennedy noted Taiwan’s “rapid economic growth,” was “producing a substantial net gain in living.” Kennedy had a stake in Taiwan’s achievements and the US’ official development assistance (ODA) in general: In September 1961, his entreaty to make the 1960s a “decade of development,” and an accompanying proposal for dedicated legislation to this end, had been formalized by congressional passage of the Foreign Assistance Act. Two
Despite the intense sunshine, we were hardly breaking a sweat as we cruised along the flat, dedicated bike lane, well protected from the heat by a canopy of trees. The electric assist on the bikes likely made a difference, too. Far removed from the bustle and noise of the Taichung traffic, we admired the serene rural scenery, making our way over rivers, alongside rice paddies and through pear orchards. Our route for the day covered two bike paths that connect in Fengyuan District (豐原) and are best done together. The Hou-Feng Bike Path (后豐鐵馬道) runs southward from Houli District (后里) while the
March 31 to April 6 On May 13, 1950, National Taiwan University Hospital otolaryngologist Su You-peng (蘇友鵬) was summoned to the director’s office. He thought someone had complained about him practicing the violin at night, but when he entered the room, he knew something was terribly wrong. He saw several burly men who appeared to be government secret agents, and three other resident doctors: internist Hsu Chiang (許強), dermatologist Hu Pao-chen (胡寶珍) and ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin (胡鑫麟). They were handcuffed, herded onto two jeeps and taken to the Secrecy Bureau (保密局) for questioning. Su was still in his doctor’s robes at
Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the fairest Disney live-action remake of them all? Wait, mirror. Hold on a second. Maybe choosing from the likes of Alice in Wonderland (2010), Mulan (2020) and The Lion King (2019) isn’t such a good idea. Mirror, on second thought, what’s on Netflix? Even the most devoted fans would have to acknowledge that these have not been the most illustrious illustrations of Disney magic. At their best (Pete’s Dragon? Cinderella?) they breathe life into old classics that could use a little updating. At their worst, well, blue Will Smith. Given the rapacious rate of remakes in modern