taipei times
P A G E 1 6 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2008
lovers can be notoriously picky promoting coffee as something exotic and said. “If you put it out [on the Internet] that you Coffee about what constitutes a good attractive. They created a foundation for coffee have obtained award-winning beans, you will cup of coffee, whether it be a tiny espresso culture in Taiwan.” certainly get coffee connoisseurs coming to or a big, frothy latte. To serve this growing Some of the coffee shops selected, such as your store to get a taste,” Cho said. “There is no crowd of coffee connoisseurs, a vast array of the recently opened Espressamente Illy in Taipei need to advertise.” coffee shops have sprung up around Taipei. 101, are relatively large commercial ventures An increasing number of coffee shops now As a result it has become increasingly difficult that are notable as much for their up-market roast their own beans, further diversifying the to tell the good from the merely indifferent, decor as their coffee, but many others are small options for consumers. “There are probably and the Taipei City Government, following operations run by people who have developed 200 to 300 establishments in Taipei roasting on the success of event such as the Taipei a fascination for coffee. “Running a coffee shop their own beans,” Cho said. “The advantage is International Beef Noodle Festival (台北牛肉 has become a dream for many people in Taipei,” freshness. Roasted beans retain their freshness 麵節), has initiated the “Coffee and Taipei, Cho said. for a very short time, just a few days. But Memory and Glory” Taipei Specialty Coffee This dream, which sometimes does not take of course, these small-volume roastings are Festival (咖啡記憶 臺北時光 — 2008臺北精品咖啡嘉 much account of knowledge or experience, sometimes less reliable in quality.” 年華) this year to celebrate Taipei’s burgeoning is probably why there are so many bad and The test ultimately is in drinking the coffee, coffeehouse culture. mediocre coffee shops around. One of the and this, of course, depends on who’s making The festival has been created in coordination reasons for the competition is to give some it. This afternoon at 1pm, a coffee brewing and with the recently established Taipei Specialty exposure to those establishments that manage tasting festival will be held at Taipei Water Coffee Association (台北精品咖啡商業發展協會) to stand out from the crowd. “The emphasis in Park (台北自來水園區) located at 1 Siyuan St, led by Cho Wei-min (卓偉民). One of the main these places is on the coffee itself, not on the Taipei City (台北市思源街1號). In addition to events of the festival was an Internet poll of marketing,” Cho said. the competition, there will be a concert by Taipei’s best coffee shops. This was followed “In this competition, we wanted to give band Nan Quan Mama (南拳媽媽) from 4:10pm, A whole lotta by a review by Cho and other industry judges to prominence to those establishments that Southeast Asian music, samba dancing and select the best 30 coffee shops in Taipei. represent coffeehouse culture ... that provide a lectures on fair-trade coffee and coffee culture. Most of the stores are boutique coffee place where people can relax and enjoy a cup There will also be plenty of coffee to drink. establishments. Selection was primarily based of something special,” Cho said. He added that The list of 30 coffeehouses that Cho and on the quality of the coffee, the professional professional knowledge about where the coffee his colleagues have come up with is far from knowledge of staff, as well as things such as beans come from, of different blends and of comprehensive, and many coffee lovers many hygiene, service and atmosphere. different preparations was what made people find a favorite establishment neglected, but it is “Chains such as Starbucks and Barista [西雅 willing to pay a little extra and helped these certainly as good a starting point as any when 圖咖啡] have done a lot to develop the growth smaller cafes survive. “With Internet ordering, in search of a cup of quality java. of coffee culture in Taiwan. They have put it is now possible to get high-quality beans a lot of energy into educating the public,” from overseas in relatively small amounts,” Cho Cho said in an interview at the association’s Tasting Room. “Because they are well-funded Latte chain stores, they can set up in busy areas,
The diversity of Taipei’s burgeoning coffee For your information: culture is being celebrated today with a coffee >> To see the list of Taipei’s best 30 coffee shops as named by industry judges, go to www.happier.org.tw/listTop30Store.asp brewing and tasting fest >> Information about the Taipei Specialty Coffee Association can be found at www.taipeicoffee.org.tw >> For more details about today’s coffee brewing and tasting festival at Taipei by Ian Bartholomew Water Park, visit www.taipei.gov.tw/cgi-bin/SM_theme?page=48aabe79 Staff Reporter
Get your java here. Photos: Ian Bartholomew, Taipei Times
[ FILM ] Ang Lee’s current project has a backstory of pure serendipity A chance encounter between the Oscar-winning director and Elliot Tiber resulted in ‘Taking Woodstock,’ which takes stock of the life of a closeted gay man
By Dan Bloom with James Schamus serving as the Ang Lee poses with his Oscar for Best Director using it for the movie as well. We “We could see a real ‘grass- with that he turned to Elliot, who Contributing Reporter, Chiayi independent studio’s CEO. Tongues for Brokeback Mountain. His next movie is are delighted.” roots’ interest starting to build was sitting across from him, and Taiwan-born Hollywood director are already wagging on blogs and set to premiere in June 2009. Photo: AFP The book’s narrative reflects a around the book,” Pomes, the gave him a sly wink.” Ang Lee (李安), 53, is tackling a Web sites about what Lee’s take young Elliot Tiber in his 20s who marketing director said. “Nothing really happened until new movie project, a comedy this on the Woodstock era will be like. the same earlier reservations he was on the brink of financial ruin “The audience was growing about five months later, when Lee time, about America’s famous The principal location shooting in had expressed before. at the time but who was also in week by week, and we felt we had finally read the book,” Shur Woodstock hippie music festival upstate New York is set to be com- “I decided that maybe it was a position to help held a sleeper title that had what it said. “Lee and Schamus felt there in 1969. Titled Taking Woodstock, pleted by the end of this month, time to take a chance with this pull off one of our took to turn into a winner.” was a movie here, and together the film’s screenplay was written according to Variety magazine, a kind of book, and since it was generation’s greatest How the book became a they went to upstate New York to by longtime Lee collaborator film industry publication. my company, well, I would do rock concerts,” Shur Hollywood movie to be directed by visit the Yasgur’s Farm site where James Schamus, 49, from a book In am e-mail interview about as good a job as I could,” Shur said. “I wanted to an Academy Award winner is also the Woodstock festival took place. by Elliot Tiber with the same title. how the book and movie sale came added. “So I called Elliot up and include some of the a story that Shur tells with relish. Elliot joined them there at the site, Tiber’s memoir was quietly about, publisher Shur, 62, explained said ‘Lets go for it.’” most important, yet “It will sound like a Hollywood and the project was in the can. The published with little fanfare in 2007 the book’s curious backstory. The book’s genesis was overlooked, facts of myth, but it really happened this agents finalized the deal, everything by a small publisher in New York, “Two friends of mine told me complicated. “The story he wanted the coming together of way,” he said. “Tiber was sched- was signed, and here we are. It but now the book, subtitled A True about a man they knew who had to tell was basically all Elliot, but the concert, and Monte uled to appear on a West Coast looks like Lee was right: in this Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a very interesting and unique to tell it in a manner that presented [Eliot’s co-writer], television show to promote the case, the next movie project really a Life, has become Lee’s entree ‘story’ to tell, and they asked me a balanced story in the way that I the brainchild of Square having also lived book, and while he was waiting in did just seem to come to him.” into the world of film comedy. to call him and see for myself was looking for meant calling in a One’s marketing director, through the period, was the green room to go on the show, When asked if he knew there It’s tentatively set for a premiere if the memoir project — still co-writer, Tom Monte,” Shur said. Anthony Pomes. able to do just that.” who should sit down next to him, was a movie in the book from the in New York on June 26, 2009 unwritten — would make a good “Elliot’s normal writing style “We had lots of titles in mind, The story follows Tiber, who is by pure chance, but Ang Lee.” very beginning, Shur said: “I’ll be — according to several movie Web book. After talking to Elliot Tiber, was very creative and stream-of- but Taking Woodstock seemed to gay but hid his sexual orientation It turns out that Lee was also honest with you. As we worked sites — near the 40th anniversary now 72, and listening to his story consciousness, but I wanted more fit best based on the story,” Shur from his family, and includes his scheduled to appear on that same on the book, I knew that Elliot’s of the 1969 Woodstock festival. The about Woodstock in the ’������������60s,����������� I told of a traditional story narrative. I noted. “We felt the title meant two participation in the Stonewall riot interview show to promote his story had the potential to make a three-day concert took place in the him that it would make a terrific had worked with Monte before, so things: Taking stock of your life in New York, which helped fuel the latest film, Lust, Caution (色,戒). great independent movie. It was middle of August of that year. book, but that our book company I signed him to put Elliot’s material and, in a sense, control of your gay-rights movement. “Elliot,” continues Shur, like no other Woodstock story Rudy Shur is the president of usually didn’t publish those types into the style I was looking for. destiny — and also taking the When the book was first “introduced himself and spent ever published. I believed that we Square One Publishers, a book of memoirs and that he would be “Joanne Abrams, my senior experience of Woodstock, and released, there were only a few the next hour chatting with him could find a small independent company in New York, which better off with a larger publishing editor, worked with Elliot to get his what that cultural event meant, reviews since Square One was not about his book.” producer who could turn the book bought the book and released it house that had more experience memoir into a more finalized form, with you for the rest of your life.” a large publisher and did not have “Well, when Lee went on into a film. However, in my wildest in 2007 without really knowing if and marketing clout.” and Monte did his magic with the “Woodstock was a moment the same kind of marketing clout the show, the host finished the dreams I would have never thought there was a Hollywood movie in it. Despite Shur’s advice to take his book, too. When it was done, Elliot of freedom as well as a coming as the larger book companies in interview by asking Lee where he it to be the likes of Ang Lee and But 10 months after publication, a book project to a bigger publishing approved, and we had our book.” of age for a new generation in New York. But the reviews were usually got his ideas from for his James Schamus, two Academy movie deal was signed with Focus company, Tiber kept coming back The title of the book, and the America,” Shur added. nevertheless positive, and slowly, movies, and Lee said that he really Award winners who would take Features in New York. Focus Fea- to him and Shur finally said that he movie, also has an interesting “So we used that title for the word of mouth began to spread at doesn’t go looking for stories, that on the project. So far, it’s been an tures is owned by NBC Universal, would take on the book, but with backstory. Shur said the title was book, and Lee and Schamus are book Web sites and blogs. they seem to come to him. And amazing ride.”