So Simple 2 is a nominee for Best Infotainment Programme in Asia Television Award! It's a nice piece of news for our team. So Simple 2 is not only inspirational to our audience, but also for everyone's who's involved in the production.

Season 1 - Birthday Scene at Upper Pierce

Season 2 - The Familiar So Simple Tune

So Simple 2 - Nice Places And People

So Simple 2 - Peifen Speaks Japanese

美得简单是一种高境界。

Carole King sang in her song: "We had a moment... just one moment, that would last beyond a dream, beyond a lifetime..."

screen shots from So Simple 2

Some of you are still dropping by and emailing me about our show. Very nice of you. Thank you!

Little Pf is writing a little book about her little life.... all that she's seen and wants to see.

Good Taste

That Japanese guy in the background is selling organic food produce and yet he dresses so smartly and tastefully. It's such a visual treat living in a cool city like Tokyo. And especially in a neighborhood like Jiyugaoka, which feels like a Japanese version of London's Notting Hill.

好推荐

最近电台UFM100.3有个新的节目叫 "低空飞行", 我很喜欢。有知识感性的谈话，还有很多很好听的歌，很适合简单就是美的观众。如果周末星期六中午12点至下午2点你在家，不妨听一听DJ赵婉仪自然`舒服`丰富的聊天和播歌方式。

Love of A Family...

In ep 5, we featured this very likeable family who runs a restaurant called 乌树林in 台北桃园。Sammi, the daughter and also leader of the business, is such a dedicated and serious character and her folks charming in their affable and generous ways. 钟妈妈 made us the most delicious 过桥板面that was voted no.1 on our most likeable meals countdown, while 钟爸爸 insisted on buying us dinner at his favorite Hakka restaurant. We were totally blissed out.

http://wusulin.myweb.hinet.net/

大自然好去处

如果你喜欢大自然，来临的学校假期，不妨考虑去O'Reily's. 我们在简单的第一辑就介绍过。O'Reily's的节目表很适合一家大小同行。http://www.oreillys.com.au/

Talk About Cool...

Peifen can look pretty cool given her laidback and unassuming demeanour.

Different Cities, Similar Qualities

The sales person who works in Taipei Eslite Bookstore (right picture) seems to remind me of this other girl, Miyuki (left picture) who stays in Brown's Field in Japan. They're both young and share a certain cultured and charming disposition.

Uber Cool

Folks from episode 6 (Tokyo) - I thought their dress sense was so refreshing and their wardrobe so well put-together. Really inspirational.

Non-stop Blabbering

Some of you wonder how come I got so much about our show to blabber on even though it has long ago ended its run. Well, I took a lot of pictures during the course of production.

Acting Required

The filming crew is usually kind enough to make life easier for our subjects. In this case, we were shooting a midshot of Peifen (meaning from waist up), so she only had to pretend to be dragging the luggage. In reality, Peifen had to struggle with the weight of the bag during most of the off camera moments. But being her good-natured self, she never once complained. A hearty meal, comfortable sleep and a good laugh was all she needed to keep her in good spirit.

A Typical Scene

To fill you in on a typical shooting set, here's a picture of what the rest of us normally do when the camera is rolling. We would, by instinct, always stay out of the way of the lens. Sometimes even cramping into a small corner if we are indoors. If the space gets too impossibly small, we totally eject ourselves from the set.

TRULY Unbelievable

This picture of the train station in 高尾山 (featured in episode 6) reminds me of a very funny incident. We were outside a MacDonald's waiting for our translator when our cameraman, Goh, who had just "patronised" its washroom, excitedly announced a hard-to-believe discovery: "The toilet in MacDonald's could tell if you're a male/female!" Everyone gasped. One of us curiously walked into the toilet and shut the door and true enough, the "female" light above it lit up. "Aiya, the counter staff must have pressed a button." Some silly voice declared, with a tone lacking in self-defence. Was that me? The rest of us somehow believe Japanese are capable of all kinds of gimmicks, so we ignored that wimpy remark. Just then, our translator arrived and the first thing we asked her was "How did you guys do it?". She returned us a look even more astonished than ours. Keiko-san followed us into the fastfood store and watched with great anticipation as we sent our only male species to demonstrate the world's smartest washroom! Goh walked in, stayed 2 seconds and stepped out. The "female" light lit up. A few more takes but he remained a "female" Gasp!.......... "Look carefully at the lights, there is another one that says "male" and it is defective!" It was a smarter voice and it belonged to Peifen. She's right, there were 2 lights and the male one simply wasn't working. So only the female one would lit up. In other words, both lights would lit up no matter if it's a male or female patron. Well, that's the So Simple team in demonstration of how simple we folks are.

Good Leadership...

... makes a good team. Seen here with Zhang (三芝小猪）is our executive producer, Huifen. The team leader she is, she sets good a example for the rest of us. Kind and unassuming, she has made our working experience with her an edifying one.

Guys Behind The Lens

Two different cameramen, two different personalities. Kevin (picture left) shot the Taiwanese scenes and the indelible impression he left me was his agility on the rocky beach in episode 3 and 4, where Peifen and 小亨利 (the carpenter) were collecting woods. I have never seen such swift and effortless movements except in Kungfu movies. He has a more quiet demeanour compared to Goh (right picture), who is more candid and enjoys chatting and joking. Apart from their difference in personality, they are both skilful and responsible craftsmen.

Simple Moments

Our two very talented and resourceful team members, Qingfen (researcher/ producer) and Diana (researcher/ craftmaster). Their relentless and supportive effort made So Simple such a well-planned and memorable production for the rest of us. Even though it's been almost a year since it ended, we still constantly hang out to reminisce our wonderful moments. So Simple is not only a meaningful show on its own, it has also given the people behind it a great chance to bond and make friends.

Foreign Friends

We met a few really nice Taiwanese and Japanese animal friends during our production. Tell you how nice they were : the white and overweight-looking one (left), together with another white ragdoll, visited us every night in Brown's Field and actually slept beside one of our team members, Diana, who was feeling a bit unwell then. I would wake up in the night and see them each lying comfortably at her feet, as if they were guarding her. The gray and white handsome one (btw, I'm bad at telling cat breeds so I use colors and patterns to describe them) belongs to Kitta, the nice Japanese lady who designs clothes using natural plant dyes. The white dog (again, don't know what breed) lives in the tea plantation with its owner in Taipei. It was very friendly and acted like a host and would walk ahead of us as if leading the way. The kitten on the extreme bottom right with very intricate patterns I didn't get to meet, but I like its sad looking glassy eyes. Its owner are the skateboard artists.

A Very Nice Man

I saw a Taiwanese show on tv this evening and it was interviewing this patissier whom we also featured in episodes 4 and 8. Zhang is a kind and affable person whose passion and dreams are very inspiring. He shares a lot about his work here: http://happy3piggie.spaces.live.com/

个性小地方的快乐早餐

I was recently introduced to this song "Beautiful" by a DJ friend whose taste in music I like. I decided to put together some photos (things that make me smile) so I can share the song with everyone here.

Lost For Words

What would you do sitting there? I'd imagine not talking, just gazing, eating a hearty breakfast, drinking coffee or tea with milk, or reading a book about traveling. Something that makes me daydream.

Interesting Discovery

"One of the best ways to spend a Saturday afternoon in London is to crowd into bookstore/café Books for Cooks, a Notting Hill institution where you can browse thousands of international cookbooks and grab one of a handful of café tables to sample daily changing light meals cooked up in the open test kitchen in the back. French owner Eric Treuille runs this irresistable oasis for the cookbook lovers with his English wife Rosie Kindersley." http://www.thekitchn.com/

Impressive Sales Person

我们在台北敦南诚品书店拍摄的时候遇见这一位不但长得漂亮而且态度非常好`工作很尽责的售货员。她可以滔滔不绝`一字不漏的推销产品`清楚解说用法，同时语气温和`不忘笑容。过后看见她下班，还注意到她穿着很有个性`有品味。可惜节目缩短，播出后只看到她的手。其实台北有蛮多像她这样很难得的年轻人，至少在工作上，是认真对待的。是社会风气，还是文化熏陶？我想这类的年轻人，在我们这里，是可遇不可求的。

Yum yum...

... The longer I stare at this photo, the louder I hear the bacons sizzling, the egg yokes oozing and the juice of the tomatoes trickling. Even louder is the sound of Peifen's camera clicking away. Thanks to her I have this beautiful picture to share about our nice memory of our Brisbane experience. But also sad to say, good things don't last forever ( because they got gobbled up soon after this picture was taken).

Peifen is looking so sneaky. My guess is she must have stolen some tasty chocolate cupcakes from Mr Canele and is hiding them in her pockets.

Little Darlings' Grand Day Out

Perhaps some Singaporean moms would cringe at the sight of this. But I find it such a novel idea. We were filming Peifen buying bento in Tokyo when our camera caught this entourage of toddlers in a trolley. Don't you just feel like quickly grabbing one and run? Japanese tots remind me of cabbage patch dolls. Those puffy cheeks and beady eyes!

Tasteful Use of Red

Red is not an instantly likeable color. Love it or hate it, it just never fails to catch your attention. But use it appropriately, you get tasteful results (like this mailbox in Tokyo).

They Call It "Ice Stick"

Japanese have a strange way of calling things in English. But because their mistakes are often cute, you kinda forgive them. At least they have good taste and design aesthetics as an excuse. * I picked this up from a convenience store and but didn't get to taste it. Wished I did. Anyone's tried it before?

The Other Side

While the crew was filming the skateboard artists in their small and crowded studio, I took the chance to wander about the neighborhood. I also sat where Peifen is sitting in this picture and remember watching this friendly traffic control-officer holding his lollipop for the occasional folks crossing the streets even though there was hardly any traffic. The only vehicle that sort of constituted traffic was this middle-aged woman in a electronic wheelchair. Despite being wheelchair bound, the woman went about her business very effortlessly. I saw her leaving her house, rolling herself quietly across the street before entering a shop. In less than 10 minutes, she was out of there and on her way home. She even stopped for a moment to exchange a few words with the "lollipop" man. It was a simple neighborhood but it also felt so safe and comforting. http://www.harvest-re.com/index.html

Mother of all Zakkas

This very quaint store in the下北泽district of Tokyo is labeled the "mother of all Zakkas" in a book which I bought. I later "instigated" our So Simple team to visit the store and give it a little feature in episode 7, partly for a selfish motive to fulfil my dream of seeing it in real life. And it turned out to be not only a wonderful experience for those of us who filmed it, it also added a touch of nostalgia, full of old school aesthetic to our show.

http://www.mokuyohkan.co.jp/

Shinzi Katoh

Since I mentioned Yoshitomo Nara, I cannot leave out this other favorite Japanese artist of mine, Shinzi Katoh. His simple and affectionate illustrations have adorned many zakka items sold in Japan and Taiwan. Here in Singapore, you probably can find a small collection in a shop in Orchard Cineleisure.

http://www.shinzikatoh.com/english/index.html

ps: when you go to these Japanese websites, you have to excuse their strange English.

Yoshitomo Nara

In case you are not familiar with the name Yoshitomo Nara （柰良美智), after reading about the AtoZ cafe mentioned below, here's a piece of work by the famous Japanese artist. I am sure you must have recognised his style and his many popular illustrations. Take a look at his masterworks.

http://www.blumandpoe.com/yoshitomonara/

Cool Cafes in Tokyo

The Bio Ojiyan Cafe is in Harajuku at the end of Harajuku street.

"If you find yourself in Tokyo, one thing you'll quickly realize is that there is no lack of stylish cafes, and so new ones are now trying to push the creative envelope in order to stand out. Enter the recently opened AtoZ Cafe, a collaborative project between artist Yoshitomo Nara and design unit Graf. An unlikely rustic setting -- especially unlikely when you consider that the cafe is found on the fifth floor of a building in Aoyama -- welcomes you in what comes off as a sweet and homey environment, with the majority of the tables surrounding a "house" that acts as a sort of showroom/exhibition space for some of Nara's works. Add a well designed menu (decorated of course by Nara, and which you can keep as a souvenir) and tasty selections, and you get a new Aoyama winner in the cafe sweepstakes." - article from www.mocoloco.com/tokyo

Farm Work Abroad

For those of you inspired by our episode on Brown's Field in Japan, you might be interested to check out this website for a list of places you could experience farm work.

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/shortterm/farm_jobs_agriculture.shtml

Annecy, France

There is a city outside Paris, by a beautiful name Annecy. Every year in June, it holds the world renowned Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Which, sadly, is also a period you have to avoid planning your holidays there - no hotels would be available as they would all be taken up by the visitors attending the event. It is a very strange place where the old medieval architecture is right smack in the middle of the modern city. That is also the reason it is very poetically enchanting. Peifen and I could attest to that since we both had the chance to see the place last year, on our separate trips.

http://www.lac-annecy.com/index_gb.php

http://www.annecy.org/home/index.php?Page_ID=2

Great Western Market, Bath

This is a picture of the Great Western Market in Bath, England, which I took more than 10 years ago with a vintage camera. Bath is a city 2 hour away from London if you set out by train from the Paddingon Station, which children all over the world (I correct, children in the 90's and earlier) know by its famous Paddington bear, created by Michael Bond. The city has the only hot springs in the whole of Britain and was previously colonised by the Romans, hence the origin of its name. http://www.visitbath.co.uk/

Notting Hill, London

A hip London neighborhood. If you had seen the movie Notting Hill, starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, you would remember being mesmerised by this place. There is a carnival going on every August and it is a huge affair, though it kinda turns the usually quiet town topsy-turvy with its loud bang. If you are headed for London come August, don't forget to put it on your itinerary.

http://www.nottinghillcarnival.biz/

Random Recommendations

Starting from today, I'd like to share with those of you who still visit our blog, some random ideas and places which might be interesting and inspiratonal to you. And especially if you're taken with the obscure and non-mainstream stuffs - I think I might have quite a bit to show you. Some of them are stuffs I own/places I have seen while others I have researched for work/ interest/ possible future visits. Picture here is Pollock's Toy Museum in London. The first time I was in London, I did a research and stayed at a hotel near the museum just so I could visit it everyday.

http://www.pollockstoymuseum.com/

These very cool (and also expensive) accessories made from old typewriter keys were sold in Kurkku, a designer store in Tokyo's Harajuku. http://www.kurkku.jp/

Character People, Character Places

The skateboard artists in Tokyo.

http://www.harvest-re.com/

These belong to our profiles in Taipei.

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/bonnygb

http://blog.sina.com.tw/shan/

Little Pf is a multi-tasker - she flies, eats, reads, listens to music

and dozes off, all at the same time.

Little Pf, Peifen's evil twin

Little Pf was created to document our production journey in drawings. Peifen calls her her evil twin. In other words, she gets to live out her "inner evils" through Little PF. But in this picture, Little PF is harmlessly sitting in the neighborhood of the Tokyo skateboard artists (Episode 7) kindly feeding a stray cat.

Not The Usual

Making So Simple 2 has opened our eyes to many interesting things and places we normally wouldn't have discovered or included in our plans if we were to go on holidays guided by our "trusty" travel books (which mainly introduce the commercial touristy spots and things). The objective of the show led us to dip deeper and search for people who do things a little differently and yet are able to make an impact in our lives. People Tree in Tokyo Jiyugaoka is one of them. http://www.peopletree.co.jp/

Burger Hangout

Months after our return from Tokyo we're still talking about this great burger hangout. We only ate there once and the impression lasted since. Freshness Burger outlets are not as commonly seen in Tokyo as Mos Burger but we managed to find this one in the Harajuku District. It's one of those nondescript, neigborhood looking establishments but the food is good, judging by everyone's feedback. You may want to check out http://www.freshnessburger.co.jp/ for outlet addresses.

Caught the last episode of the repeat telecast of So Simple 1 last Saturday. Did anyone see it too? Nice right? I know, I know, being one of the production team members I shouldn't be saying this myself. But who can help it? I'm so beaming with pride, and humility goes on vacations, everytime I think or talk about the show.

But seriously, if you asked me, what is it about the show I'm so proud about, I tell you, one of the reasons is the fact that we managed to fight hard to pull a show which by industry standard was considered too niche. It was just not that kind of show that started with a commercial intention. We didn't set out to draw a big audience. We knew it wouldn't. But, what's most important is we managed to attract the right one. And that alone is enough to count as the best thing ever for a production.

台北诚品书店

Eslite 诚品 bookstore is easily one of the major attractions of Taipei. I'm sure anyone who's been to Taipei knows about it. For those who don't, our So Simple team strongly recommends the place. The bookstore is not only a delightful haven for booklovers, it also caters to shoppers looking for interesting gifts, stationeries and even fashion, depending on which outlet you go to. For So Simple 2, we visited both 敦南and信义outlets. This one in the picture is 敦南. Though older and smaller, it's not lacking in character and excitement. The other outlet 信义is newer and many times bigger. Yet despite its massive interior, no thoughtful details are spared. The store is amazingly well designed and conducive for booklovers. It is one of the most friendly bookstores I have ever been. The entire store is littered with seats at every corner, and you are even welcome to sit out on the steps. They just want to make you feel comfortable. And like their name in Chinese, they are also very sincere. Due to our busy filming schedules, 诚品turned out to be our favorite hangout whenever we needed to unwind after work. Reason being their late hours. Go check out the details at http://www.poeticlifejourney.blogspot.com/ if you are planning a trip to Taipei.

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions." - Albert Eistein

The Poetic Rides

During the making of So Simple 2, we were often on the road, traveling from one destination to another to cover the profiles who stayed in different parts of the cities.

And during many of the those rides, I was always wide awake and compelled to snap pictures of the irresistable views outside. At times, Peifen would oblige me. Or rather, she was daydreaming and lost in her own world, and I would snap some cool pictures of her.

(* Pictures clockwise from left : 1) on our way to Narita airport, leaving Tokyo 2) Peifen looking seriously lost in her own world 3) our first taxi ride from Brown's field to Kitta's cottage 4) Tokyo was drizzling as we headed for Jiyugaoka to film People Tree)

That day in Tokyo, while we were filming So Simple 2, I sat where Peifen is sitting in this picture. The spot was near the treehouse cafe featured in episode 7. It was in a very quiet and simple neighborhood, despite being smack in the middle of the city. The buildings, all not more than 5 storeys tall, were quietly leaning on one another. Looking neighborly, like old friends. The sprightly looking vending machines made passers-by stop in their tracks and take the time to glance over the neighborhood as they waited for their drinks. As I sat there with a can of warm milk tea in my hand, I noticed nothing special nor nothing shouting for attention. Yet, in that state of nothingness, there was a strong feeling of peace and comfort. And in that state of peace and comfort, I was able to see beauty in everything. That beauty which is introverted and diginified. And Tokyo has plenty.

Places We Stayed While Making So Simple 2

Big or small, pricey or budget, all these places we stayed while filming So Simple 2 were a wonderful and unforgettable experience. Many thanks to our supportive sponsors!

Some Fond Memories

You Don't Want To Miss...

the last episode of So Simple. No matter what you plan to do or where to go tomorrow, you have to remember to fit in a date with us at 9.30 or 11.30pm. You won't be disappointed. See you tomorrow!

ps: and thanks for reminding, Diet. Yes there's a re-run for So Simple 1 on Saturdays at 11am.