Nell
has a passion. Faced with a sea of mass-produced,
look-alike products, she set out to build a home
for products and people of unique spirit. Situated
in a house just off of Jing Cheng Road (across
from La Bodega), Nell's is recognizable for its
green garden and cozy nook look. Over nearly two
years, her project has expanded and grown in interesting
directions:
Nell's Shop (1F)
The starting point of Nell's Great Project, the shop
features a wide range of goods including jewelry, clothing,
incense, decorations, lamps and so forth. Most items
are bought by Nell on her travels and many of the goods
are handmade works from Southeast Asia. Nell's shop
also supports some local artists, displaying their
works for sale in shop area.
Nell's Gallery (2F)
While
the shop helps to keep Nell's Home and those who make
the products afloat, the gallery puts on shows of artists'
works for the benefit of the Taichung arts scene. Shows
run for several weeks (for details of upcoming shows,
check Arts & Culture "What's
On" listings on pgs. 52-53 of this magazine).
Rooftop Theatre (3F)
Introduced
by COMPASS last summer, the Rooftop Theatre on the
top floor is a performance space and classroom for
a variety of alternative and grassroots activities.
There is a reasonably large performance space and a
lighting booth. The seating area uses cushions in place
of chairs, which is comfortable and relaxing as long
as the crowd isn't too large. Current classes include
yoga and capoeira dance. (See Arts & Culture "What's
On" for upcoming performances.)
Nell's Cafe (outside)
The cozy enclosed garden entrance is the setting for
the cafe area, and is the perfect setting to look over
your purchases or discuss the art, show or class you
have just experienced. A range of teas and coffees
are available at a reasonable NT$50 to NT$60, bottled
beers are NT$90, and smoothies are NT$60. The food
menu includes bagels and cream cheese (NT$50~65), sandwiches
(including a sub sandwich set for NT$120) and variety
of rice and noodle dishes.
