Ex Marks the Spot Quotes

“Do we create art for the world, for ourselves, or for our longevity?”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“The columbarium is completely different from Yangmingshan. There are no employees at the front, no niches that open, no keys. Instead, the niches are sealed off and covered with marble plaques. I try not to deflate as Xander leads me directly to Wei Li’s plaque, carved with his name, dates, and Beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather. This won’t be like my last columbarium visit, where the hunt items were in the mementos section.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Go to gymnasium!”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Then Xander angles the magnifying glass so it concentrates the sun onto the pan. Pan + Sun = ? We’re about to find out.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“He hands me the magnifying glass, but I shake my head. “You do the honors.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“I greet Xander when he shows up on the football field with the cardboard dog.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Meet at the high school football field in an hour?”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Clutching it tightly, I pull out a silver pocket watch. The same sun design is carved on the front, a matching set with my mom’s necklace.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Lilliput is so much smaller than I remember, which makes sense—I was so small the last time I was here. We’re standing in front of the outdoor play area, which has two swings, a slide, a sandbox, and a homemade wooden playhouse. Surrounding that are benches, a water fountain, and some trees and shrubbery. I’m not sure how busy Lilliput is nowadays, but no kids are currently playing. Maybe because it’s too hot and they’re inside.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“whoever invented luobo si bing is a genius. Seasoned julienned strips of radish stuffed into a flaky pastry with a juicy inside that’s reminiscent of soup dumplings—I will be fantasizing about these for years to come. I’m told that not all luobo si bing come so soupy,”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“the crispy skin and moist, perfectly seasoned meat are wrapped in a thin bing with scallions, cucumber, and tianmian sauce.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Peking duck and luobo si bing turn out to be my favorite foods ever.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“never eat Cheetos with her fingers again,”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Two days before we leave, Xander helps me pack up Gong Gong’s belongings to mail back to the US. My original strategy was to simply seal up the boxes they came in, but Xander insists I ship my dirty clothes (which are lighter) while keeping the most valuable items on me (photos, jewelry, art supplies, and any paintings that can fit in my luggage).”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Over the next few days, when we hit the clubs at night, I bust out my nerdy dance moves without worrying how I look. Meanwhile, Daphne and Jax nail the latest TikTok dances, and Yang shows off his popping and locking skills. At karaoke—which I prefer, not because I like singing but because it’s more intimate—Trisha joins me in belting pop songs while the Northwest girls dance backup. Jax, Brett, Yang, and Xander sing a boy band medley accompanied by semiaccurate dances, with Felix joining in on the last one.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“At the New Taipei Gold Museum, Xander spends the first few minutes telling us how we’re seeing real offices, living quarters, processing plants, and gold-mining equipment.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“The day after we get back is a beach outing, and I jump in with gusto, borrowing a swimsuit from Trisha and packing up some of my favorite snacks.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“As we sip chrysanthemum-tea juice boxes on the train, Xander says, “I can’t believe our grandfathers hid who they were for so long.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“On the main strip, we fill up on delicious street food, including fried cabbage buns, fish rolls, and mochi. And as we sit on a bench and munch away, we brainstorm.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“I sit on a bench near the water and drink in every detail. Lalu Island is visible in the distance, separating the lake into its crescent-moon and round-sun shapes. The real sun reflecting on the water lights it up as if by magic.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Especially when I see the shining Sun Moon Lake comprised of indescribable shades of teal. The surrounding mountains and trees are reflected in the clear, rippling water, and the air is filled with the chirping of birds. My god, would he have loved this.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Sun Moon Lake, or 日月潭. A beautiful alpine lake right in the middle of Taiwan, so named because the east side is in the shape of a sun and the west side a moon.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“boba milk tea.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“The zongzi is a pyramid-shaped bundle of sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves. Opening it feels like unwrapping a present. My chopsticks spear through to discover Chinese sausage, pork, salted egg yolk, pickled vegetables, mushrooms, and dried shrimp in the center.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“The gua bao is a white fluffy bun filled with tender pork belly that looks almost identical to the jasper one sitting in a glass case on the other side of the island.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“I end up in a café a few streets down with a picture menu on the wall.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Jian Hong Dian?” he asks, already shuffling. He taught me Jian Hong Dian, or Pick Up Red Dots, earlier, in which the objective is to, of course, pick up as many red cards as possible.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“train to Taichung.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Taichung.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot

“Kaohsiung.”
― Gloria Chao, Ex Marks the Spot