Finally!! The Introduction Video of The Cat's Pajamas is out!!

Check this out!!

Such an adorable place with incredible people, isn't it??

No matter you're staying here or not,

just drop by our hostel sometime and have a cup of tea!!

Or maybe we can play TWISTER together sometime!!

MMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!

Did you see the Street Lunch Party today??

Did you see a lot of people were burning the stuff on the street today?

And a table with a lot of food?

Wonder what it's about?

It's the Street Lunch Party for the GHOSTs!!

And CONGRATs! That also mean we're half way to the end of the ghost month!

Here's the short introduction for Ghost Month (from: http://www.gio.gov.tw/info/festival_c/ghost_e/html/ghost2.htm):

"The Taiwan people refer to the seventh lunar month as "Ghost Month" , the first day of which is called the "Opening of the Gates of Hades" since it is believed that the gates of Hell are flung open on this day to allow the ghosts and spirits of the nether world into the world of the living for a month of bacchanal of food and wine. This earthly party comes to an end on the 30th day of the month, called the "Closing of the Gates of Hades" since the portals to the spirit world are shut once again on this day.

On the 15th day of Ghost Month, many people stay at home to avoid an unlucky encounter with a ghost out enjoying the Ghost Festival; and special care is taken to avoid walking near riverbanks where a water spirit may easily steal the body of the living."

So that's why people need to prepare a lot of food today for the GHOSTs,

just to make sure they won't get upset and bring them bad luck,

especially if you're running a business.

Got it??

But now some scholars say that the Ghost Month was made up by the first emperor of Ming dynasty. Why? Because the seventh month of lunar calendar had been considered the month of all the good luck, so this emperor didn't want people to share the luck with him. And later he lied to everyone that the seventh month of lunar calendar is the Ghost Month, then he can take all the good luck from other people and enjoy the whole month by himself. Isn't it cute?

Oh well,

if you can capture some guy without legs or head but walking on the street during the Ghost Month with your camera,

bring it to The Cat's Pajamas Hostel (Again, the BEST hostel in Taipei EVER!!),

we will offer you a free accommodation for 1 night (in the dorm).

Work hard on it, little kitten!!

We HEARTs TCP(2)!!!!-Sweet words from Sarah!!

Our another sweet guest-Sarah, wrote some sweet words for us on hostelworld.com!!

We miss you and please come back to us again, Sarah!!

"The place is really clean and comfy! stayed there for 4 nights and have nothing to complain so far. It is very near to the MRT station just 3-5 minutes walk away. Staffs are polite and helpful too. This is one of the best hostels I've ever stayed. Would definitely recommend this place to friends!"

Come back soon!! :)

The Cat's Travel Guide: Shi-da Night Market

*Why you should go to Shi-da Night Market?

Beside the food, Shi-da night market has a lot of cheap clothes, also some very stylish boutique shops as well. Also, because there are a lot of foreign students who come to Taiwan to study chinese around the neighborhood, there's also some decent and cozy bars inside the Shi-da Night Market as well. Shi-da Night Market has not only everything you expect from the night market scene in Taiwan, but also a lot of character, especially for young people.

*How to get there?

By Mrt

1.Take the subway to Taipower building station, and get out from Exit 3.

2.Turn right when coming out the station, and then a quick right again to reach Shi-da Road,

3.Walking down the Shi-da Rd., then you will see the night market on the right side.

4.Or you can just make a reservation at the best hostel in Taipei - The Cat's Pajamas Hostel, then our staff will take you to the night market and show ya'll all the good head you can get.

P.S

Like in other night markets, there are always some shops or spots you need to visit. Make sure you try the Curry Chicken Rice in this small Malaysian food vendor!! It's located at the end of Long-quan Street. It's not only cheap, but also bloody good!!

Night Owl (2) : Underworld

【Underworld】

Address: Shi-da road, No.45, B1, Taipei, TAIWAN (MRT Taipower Building station exit 3)

Entrance: 300 NTD for live band gig, including 1 drink.

Everyone has their favorite bar somewhere out there, and mine is this one- Underworld.

Underworld is not only a bar, but also one of the legendary live house for indie music scene in Taipei. If you want to listen some good local indie music, go to Underworld on every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, then you probably will find something new and interesting there; if you want to dance and party, they also make some theme parties sometime, such as : Hippie party, Gay party, Punk Rock party...... Even Underworld doesn't have a big dance floor and fancy interior design, but they have one thing which is pretty important and no one else can steal it from there- ENERGY.

Beside the live gigs and parties, on every Tuesday and Thursday, they also have Happy Hour like other places do - every beers buy 1 get 1 free before midnight. And of course, in such place with so much music going on, a good DJ is essential. Underworld obviously is not a place can only stick with one rule in every possible way, so they arrange a different DJ each night for you. No matter what kind of music you into, you can always find a night during the week with your favorite DJ spinning, and drink as much Taiwan Beer as you want.

So that's our Underworld: who told you that you can only party during the weekends?

~by Madame Megaconda

Meet our staffs in The Cat's Pajamas (2)

Lucas, our night guard in the Cat's Pajamas Hostel, who speaks fluent English and Spanish, and loves sharing good time with our guests. Come over to stay with us and let Lucas show you around!

We HEARTs TCP(1)!!!!-Sweet words from Eric Wu

Here's some SWEET WORDS from one of our guest- Eric Wu!!

We almost break down in tears when we saw this article!!

"My Experience at The Cat's Pajamas Hostel-

The first thing I noticed about The Cat's Pajamas is the cleanliness. Your hostel is, without a doubt, the cleanest hostel I have ever visited. I was also highly impressed by the charming decor: the furnishings were tastefully selected and contributed nicely to the ambiance without being overwhelming. Bravo! Overall, the hostel feels very clean and comfortable, and the extra amenities (e.g. free public computer and in-house laundry washer and dryer machines) are certainly appreciated. Most importantly, the staff are always cheerful, extremely knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful.

I was really glad to see the Fresh review and the Peng Si entry on The Cat's Pajamas Hostel blog (travelers always love having as many ideas as possible). Since you and your staff have such a rich knowledge about Taipei, how would you feel about holding a weekly "TCP orientation"? The orientation could serve as an opportunity for guests to learn practical information (how the bus system works or where to buy a SIM card) as well as cultural information (Taiwanese food and local Taipei customs). And of course, once guests start talking to the staff, they'll instantly see that everyone is friendly and speaks English.

You could even hold a combined game night/orientation, so that guests could play Monopoly or Jenga with the staff, and also have a perfect chance to ask any questions they might have about the city. People can sometimes be shy, and it would be a shame if some travelers never found answers to their questions simply because they were embarrassed to ask. The advantage of a scheduled orientation is that it would create a comfortable setting for guests to ask questions, while meeting the staff. To me, that kind of experience would make your hostel truly memorable.

It would be especially cool if you could organize some kind of Shida night market tour. Perhaps one of the staff members could take a small group and walk through the market, while briefly explaining the different types of food available. It might sound simple, but I personally feel that the night markets (Shida and Shilin) can seem overwhelming at times. Even though I had a lot of fun overall, there are so many unique varieties of food that I could not help but feel quite confused sometimes. Of course, it doesn't help that I cannot read most of the signs! I imagine that I am not the only person who has experienced this confusion, and I think a quick tour (say 30-60 minutes) could really make a big difference. And because the night market is close to the hostel, guests could always revisit and re-explore the market on their own time. Since this kind of event would clearly be above and beyond what is normally expected from hostel management, I think it would be appropriate to charge a small fee if there is enough interest (perhaps 50-100NTD/person).

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. Have a great week, Bevis!
Eric"

AWWWWW Eric!!

We got nothing to give it back to you,

but maybe a smile from Ma Yen will make your day!!

COME BACK SOON!!!!

Daily Life in The Cat's Pajamas (4)

We do miss our Catraoke Night!!

Karaoke is such a huge thing in Asia,

and you know what, you can just enjoy karaoke at The Cat's Pajamas!!

Oops, in our place we call it "CATraoke".

Come have fun with us if you ever have chance, and it's FREE!!

You probably can even win free accommodation for it!!

Night Owl (1) : Cafe Fresh

【Cafe' FRESH】

Address: 2F, No. 7, Jinshan S. Rd. Sec 2, Taipei, Taiwan.

Entrance: 350NTD plus 1 free dirnk

Since the gay culture start getting happening in Asia, also come with a lot of new gay spots in night life scene. And one of my favorite one in Taipei is this one- Cafe' FRESH.

Cafe' FRESH has been in Taipei for almost 10 years. The whole bar includes 3 levels. Level 2 has a big bar and some huge, cozy sofas for you to relax; Level 3 reminds me of the movie "Saturday Night Fever", a little bit futuristic but in some tacky way, which I think it actually pretty cool. And of course, the DANCE FLOOR. Level 4 is non-smoking area, but it has a tiny garden-liked balcony where you can smoke your ciggie, and have a sip of your cocktail, maybe start a conversation with a total stranger. That's a good thing about Cafe FRESH, everyone can find the place they can fit in,and you will always have your own corner with only you, or maybe another.

Another good thing about Cafe' FRESH is their cocktail. Comparing with other bars or clubs in Taipei, the price of cocktails in FRESH are not expensive at all, and also have a good taste. My personal favorite drink is Absinthe Mojito. Basically how they make it just replace Rum with Absinthe, and put a little bit more sugar inside to erase the bitter taste of Absinthe. And it turns out pretty good actually. Absinthe Mojito is always the first drink I need to order after I arrive the bar : a bit sweet, a bit strong. And if you can bottom-up really soon, then I'm pretty sure you won't be able to be yourself in the end of the night.

So wanna get some FRESH air on Saturday, release your diva deep inside?

Let's go to Cafe FRESH!!

~by Madame Megaconda

The Cat's Power!! - Unconstitutional: Federal Court Overturns Proposition 8, Gay Marriage Ban in California

The Cat's Pajamas believes in EQUALITY for everyone.

We saw the news about the federal court overturning Proposition 8 and we're really happy that a federal judge helped people finally take a giant step in the right direction today. Here's what just happened:

"On August 4, 2010, Federal District Court of Northern California Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the controversial Proposition 8, passed by California voters in a referendum in November 2008, was uncosntitutional. The ruling affirmed the plaintiff's claims that Prop. 8 violated both the 14th amendment's Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process clause.

Numerous findings of fact support the ruling made by Judge Walker. Nearly every piece of evidence and testimony submitted by the defense was ruled either unreliable or inadmissable. However, Judge Walker found compelling evidence from the plaintiffs that there was unequal treatment under the law. This finding is in addition to the on face reading of the text of Prop. 8, which is openly discriminatory. These findings of fact make the decision difficult to overturn in an appeal by the defense to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The 9th Circuit, on the other hand, is the least predictable federal appeals court and is notorious for unexpected rulings.

Judge Walker's ruling is stayed until later this week, and will likely remain stayed pending appeal by the defense. Until the appeals process is determined, and a possible hearing in the US Supreme Court, no new same-sex marriages likely will occur in California. A ruling in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals could spell the end of same-sex marriages bans in the Western United States. Should the US Supreme Court hear the case and affirm Judge Walker's decision, that decision could spell the end of bans on same-sex marriage throughout the United States and its territories. ~by Gregory Stevens"

This is definitely the greatest thing we've heard for days and days, and we hope this decision supporting equality will help us achieve the final goal of EQUALITY for all very soon.

The Cat's Travel Guide: Ping Si ( Ping Xi, Ping Shi)

*Why you should go to Ping Si?

The Sky Lanterns Festival, beautiful hiking trails with fresh air, and the Shifen waterfall. And of course, the old street and the small town atmosphere with a lot of delicious street food are also the reasons you should go check it out.

*How to get there?

By Train:

Go to Taipei Main Station and take the Taiwan Railways train to Ruifang station, then transfer the train to Ping Xi station.

P.S

If you ever come to Taipei during the chinese new year, then you shouldn't miss the Sky Lanterns Festival in Ping Xi. People have their wishes written on the sky lanterns, and release them to the skies. Have you ever seen thousands of sky lanterns floating in the sky? If you never see it before, then you need to come check it out!!

Meet our staffs in The Cat's Pajamas (1)

Mayen & Howie

Mayen, who always knows where to find a good restaurant and delicious cuisine in Taipei. Don't feel any shy to talk to him, especially when you are hungry and up for a good meal!!

Howie, the guitar/vocal of Macbeth, one of the coolest indie rock bands in Taipei, who is always friendly and willing to practice English with you! Come over to visit Howie in The Cat's Pajamas if you are up for some good music!