[Hikari's Bar Diary] A Trip Home and Way Too Many Drinks 2023/10/29

As I mentioned in Friday's chat, at this age, when I finally manage to get together with friends, I really don't want to go out for a big dinner. Instead, I'd rather find a coffee shop where we can just sit for hours and focus on catching up... even if 80% of what we talk about is just pure nonsense. XD

A brown sugar latte.

The rich aroma of caramelized brown sugar.

A thick layer of milk foam paired with a perfectly balanced sweetness.

Mingling with the fragrance of the milk.

It hits the taste buds and goes down smooth.

Satisfying my cravings, but definitely adding to my waistline.

I told myself I was cutting out sweets... but the second I went back to Taichung and met up with friends, I broke my rule immediately. What the heck happened to my diet? Is the only way to lose weight to just stop seeing people altogether?

A regular iced latte.

No sugar added.

Just the pure aroma of coffee blending with the richness of the milk.

The slowly melting ice.

Watering down the coffee.

Making me seriously rethink the value of this drink...

This trip back to Taichung was mainly for work and to meet up with the SODAART team. After wrapping up business, we headed over to an old-school Taiwanese tea house. Have you guys ever been to a traditional bubble tea shop? Unlike today's increasingly upscale cafes, a traditional tea shop is supposed to be cheap—a place where you can grab a massive drink, sit back, and talk for hours. Spots like that are getting harder and harder to find.

A classic shaken black tea.

Paired with a quick snack.

It's the simple pastime and romance of a bygone era.

Getting so lost in conversation that we lose track of time.

It's a rare luxury.

Though the caffeine overload guarantees I'll be tossing and turning tonight.

So here's the takeaway, guys: if you have a bunch of back-to-back hangouts at cafes, remember to order something decaf. Otherwise, you'll end up exactly like me—spending a two-day trip to Taichung completely unable to sleep...