Turtle Melon Bread

How have I managed to live in Korea for 2+ years and never notice turtle melon bread before today? 

These pastries are just so darn cute, and after spotting them earlier at E-Mart (where else?!), I'm super curious to know what they taste like.

Readers, weigh in:  is turtle melon bread worth deviating from my South Beach Diet regime?

HK Kitchen Domination

Have just returned from E-Mart where I stumbled upon significant proof that Hello Kitty is indeed taking over the world. This display focused on her dominance of the domestic realm, specifically the kitchen.

How will I survive in America without easy access to an HK whisk? Or knife?! 

 

Kosney Cute

Kosney is one of the stores in Korea that I'll surely miss. We don't really have any shops like it in the States -or, at least, none commonly found. Along with Artbox, another favorite, it is an avalanche of sugary-sweetness. Cuteness to the extreme.

Incidentally, I'm completely within their target demographic. It's not like it's a Build-A-Bear or Disney Store. They've got clothes, accessories, stationery, home furnishings, candy, and more. In a way, it kind of resembles an Anthropologie, except Kosney's cute quotient is off-the-charts and unparalleled.

Ahhh, Korea. The limits of cute know no bounds here.

Namdaemun Generosity

We had such a windfall today with regard to our Seoul Station outreach, that I feel compelled to mention it here.

In short, there's a vendor in Namdaemun that I like to patronize. He's friendly, and his prices are fair. He's accustomed to seeing me pass by and/or through his shop on a now-weekly basis and is familiar with what we've been doing at the station.

Today we popped in to buy a bunch of gloves. Not only did he give us terrific pricing on 10 pairs, he also threw in -free of charge- five beautiful + warm, red-checked scarves. We were amazed at his generosity and vowed to return next weekend for more supplies.

After bringing the goods to new and old acquaintances at Seoul Station, I returned to Namdaemun to express our gratitude. Not merely in words, but also by dropping off a few beverages and, more importantly, spending more money in his shop. The hat pictured below is a new acquisition. And my niece REP is going to be getting a set of pink bunny earmuffs in her Christmas stocking...

Readers, if you're in the market for scarves, mittens, gloves, earmuffs, or hats, go to Yoo Seong Cap, easily accessed from Gate 8. Ask for Mr. Sim, and tell him Jennifer of Seoul Station sent you.

Yoo Seong Cap (Mr. Jeong-Il Sim, owner)

#36-1 D-dong, 33 Namchang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul

tel:  02.754.1936

mobile:  010.3715.3814

Korean Cosmetics Stores

Oh, how I adore Korean cosmetics stores!

They get me excited on multiple levels, but here are a few reasons:

1. free samples just for walking inside (window shopping okay, the girls exclaim to get you in the door)
2. super cute packaging
3. effective products at awesome prices
4. more samples with purchase

Tonight I stayed local in Kondae, but there were plenty of shops competing for my attention. Ultimately I spent the bulk of my time in Etude House. Can you blame me after checking out these pics...?!

roll-on perfume in citrus

 

 the best nail polish at the best prices!

nose hair trimmers

hair mask

Choco Pies

Oh, choco pies! How you confound me.

How can something so indisputably artificial-tasting still maintain an allure? Is it your new packaging which appeals to the American patriot in me? 

The cashier at E-mart smiled as she rang up the five boxes I purchased tonight (total pie quantity:  120). Wonder if she thought I was planning to eat them all? 

Hopefully I won't be eating any of them. My final lecture for each of my classes is coming up later this week, and I thought I'd go out with a sweet bang. Depending on whether I can work up the nerve, I may throw in a little Dead Poets Society desk-standing, too.

Bangsan Market

 

Bangsan Market is a baking depot in the heart of downtown. Just steps away from Cheonghyecheon awaits a haven for bakers. It's probably a very good thing that I only learned about it recently...

BD led a group of us on a tour of the market today. We visited over a dozen stores, but word has it there are well over 100. Products range from ovens, mixers, bowls, and cookie cutters, to ingredients including vanilla extract, chocolate chips, flour, and powdered sugar (though sadly no almond extract). There are also lots of cellophane bags, ribbons, and labels for wrapping up your baked goods. And for those into soap making, there are plenty of related products to be found. 

Bake, eat, and be merry!

 

 

Star of Wonder

Over the weekend while in Myeongdong, I snapped a photo of the Christmas tree in front of Lotte Department Store. It caught my eye for two reasons:

1. Christmas decorations are going up much earlier this year than in the previous two.
2. The star of David -initially I chuckled at seeing it atop the tree, but then I got to thinking... why not?! After all, Jesus was born to Jewish parents. Makes sense!

   

Ultimate Pepero Day

11.11.11

While you Spinal Tap fans are celebrating Nigel Tufnel Day, it's the ultimate in pepero frenzy over here. (How often do the numbers line up like this? Won't happen again until 2111.)

This is my 3rd Pepero Day since arriving in Korea. Maybe I'm more aware now, but it seems to be growing in commercialization. It's not just about the sticks anymore, as evidenced by photos I snapped earlier this evening at E-Mart, Tous Les Jours, and Bandi and Luni. 

So many ways to let someone know you:  love them/think they're cute/want to go out/appreciate their friendship...

Which would woo you?

 

E-mart's Bold Claim

I know in America we're accustomed to hearing companies proclaim Satisfaction Guaranteed, but for some reason seeing E-mart's twist on the verbiage made me laugh.

Strawberry Curlers

Having grown up with pink sponge curlers (you know the drill:  sleeping in them on Saturday nights, ready for church on Sunday), I have a visceral reaction when I see pink rollers -probably from bad memories of sleepless nights and those wild + crazy Miss Piggy curls. 

However, spongy strawberry curlers... totally different effect!

Which would you prefer?

Sock Drive

...give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.  -Mark 10:21b

Inspired by the accounts we read in The Irresistible Revolution and The Hole in Our Gospel (not to mention Jesus's own example and teachings), some friends and I have been contemplating ways to personally reach out to the homeless community in Seoul. 

Two weeks ago we began our now-weekly treks to Seoul Station where we visit with people and share food, clothes, and toiletries with them. We're learning as we're going. Fortunately one person in our group speaks Korean, and through her conversations with various individuals, we've gathered data on how we can better serve this community.

Our two previous visits were a little ad hoc, but since then, we've decided to focus each week on a theme. Right now we're collecting socks for our next visit (incidentally, the E-Mart by my place is having great deals on footwear; we got 19 pairs of socks for 28,000 won/$25):

In the coming weeks, we're focusing on:

• gloves
• scarves
• shoes
• coats + sweaters 

Wanted to get the word out there. If you'd like to join us or contribute in any way, drop me a line through the comments section, and I'll be in touch.

High Street Market

Gotta give a shout-out to High Street Market in Itaewon. It opened fairly recently and has quickly become a haven for foreigners. The store boasts its own bakery where you can actually buy, and sample, bread that tastes like real bread with -bonus!- authentic bread consistency, too.

The store has a deli section as well as several dry-food bins where you can buy things like black beans, lentils, and granola. It also has a decent wine section which includes baskets full of damaged label bottles that are greatly reduced in price.  

I won't mention what I go there for lest my staple items sell out before my next visit. But let's just say that if you've got cravings, chances are high that High Street Market's got you covered.

The Hole

I'm grateful to my parents for many things, not least of which is their introducing me to the joy of reading at a very early age. My love for books has grown immeasurably since.

And as a resident of Seoul, I'm grateful for free access to books in English thanks to the awesome book-exchange I've got going with some friends (side note:  What the Book? in Itaewon is a haven for English-speaking bibliophiles -a huge bookstore with hundreds of titles and a terrific staff who's willing to order books that aren't in stock.). 

I've just begun reading The Hole in Our Gospel. Using autobiographical anecdotes, Richard Stearns discusses the hole that Christians have in their lives, an emptiness that stems from ignoring the poor. He speaks from experience having gone from being CEO of Lenox, Inc. to heading up World Vision. I'm only 25 pages in and already am inspired by his story. 

I know this is going to be one of those soul-jolting, life-changing books -like The Irresistible Revolution- and I'm excited about the influences it'll have on my lifestyle and heart.

Medicinal Herb Festival

Last weekend, I had the chance to check out Seoul's annual Medicinal Herb Festival in Jegi-dong. It was a memorable experience.

The area is home to hundreds of herb shops, making it one of the more fragrant neighborhoods in town. I saw more ginseng in various forms than I've ever encountered and watched as vendors sliced and diced herbs for retail purposes. Oh, and it wouldn't be a Korean festival without the sound of samulnori drums.

However, the most memorable part was visiting Yangnyeongsi -Seoul's Herb Medicine Museum. My friend and I were treated to a 2-hour tour of the museum with our own personal guide, an older Korean woman with the knowledge base of a college course textbook. Her English was astounding, and we learned so much.

Key takeaways:

• until fairly recently (50 years ago), scraping one's unwashed scalp with acupuncture needles was a method for disinfecting them.
• many different animals, including deer, frogs, and bears, were used to make traditional medicines; this practice is now illegal, though still occurring in parts of Asia.
  
• since my body temp runs hot, I need to avoid white ginseng and stick to red or black.
• based on self-reported answers to a quiz, I was diagnosed Soyangin (healthy stomach, weak kidneys; aggressive and fun) and Taeyangin (strong lungs, weak liver; smart, initiative, masculine, impatient, and stubborn).

on cup:  "Hope only happens to the person who is hoping."