Sunday, April 18, 2010

You're still somewhere in town


On a rainy day, we took the bus to Dong Dae Moon market area. Basically, it's the garment and fashion district. Most shops are wholesale only and there are parts that only open late at night. We bought a few necessities and ate lunch. The thing about most Korean restaurants is that you have to take your shoes off, too. I kept forgetting that. I know there are some restaurants in Los Angeles Koreatown that are also designed this way, but it was inconvenient for me since I was wearing big boots and it was a hassle to take on and off. Plus, the seating is different. But it was still charming.












Korea University campus and students on a rainy day

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Trying hard just to show 'em what you're made of


When we got there, we were so jetlagged and couldn't adjust that well to the new time zone. So we decided to spend our first full day just sleeping in and walking around the vicinity of where we were staying. Everything seemed so charming and it felt surreal to me. I really couldn't believe I was there. For lunch, we just had to try the McDonald's in Korea. We got a bulgogi burger and spicy chicken tenders. They even deliver. For dinner, we went to this "bin-dae-dduk" restaurant where a lot of old men drink alcohol and smoke while eating delicious Korean pancakes. It was yummy. We drank coke.









Monday, April 12, 2010

It's like running away with the wind in my face


Part 2 of Insa-Dong. Seriously such a charming spot. I really loved this place. I wanted to go back and buy more stuff since I hardly bought anything, but I couldn't squeeze it in. Also, it was raining. We walked around with our umbrellas. Since I'm a California girl, the weather felt so cold to me and I was wearing so many layers. I really liked the items in the picture below. They were really unique one-of-a-kind pieces incorporating legos into the brooches and cell phone charms.

Delicious rice cookies that taste like sweet air with a hint of ginger and chewiness.





A cute accessories shop selling mostly really cheap fashion jewelry which is so much fun and I, of course, bought this super cute necklace that looks like skater-meets-goth.




Beautiful traditional mother of pearl shell artworks on jewelry cases and such



Then, we went to Starbucks to have coffee. The good thing is that if you are going to drink at the shop, they serve your coffee in real mugs. Also, in Korea, you must separate your trash (liquid, cup, other trash).

Sunday, April 11, 2010

You're taking toffee with your vicodin. Something sweet to forget about him.


It's been a while, right? Well, I was on Spring Break and took a short vacation to Korea. It was an amazing, soulful, trip with so much meaning and it filled a hole in my life. March has been a really difficult month for me. So I really needed this getaway. Also, I had never taken a full 5 day vacation from work and I've been at that company for almost 3 years now. Not going to talk about work. Okay, I took so many pictures that editing them is going to be insane. Here is the first batch for you to enjoy. If you are going to visit, I highly recommend this place, although it's known for being a tourist attraction. The place is called Insa-Dong and it's a little shopping mall with souvenirs, arts&crafts type unique jewelry and accessories, yummy restaurants, even a Starbucks, and modern art galleries. I absolutely loved this place! More pictures coming soon.