All posts tagged: vacation

Taejongdae | a brief guide

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Beautiful views. Cool breezes. The smell of pine and ocean together. Taejongdae offers all these things and is a great little getaway in Busan. I was thoroughly impressed with the beauty and atmosphere offered here. Just like every tourist place in Korea, there were hundreds of people at the base of the mountain in the shops, buying souvenirs and coffee and  waiting to take the trolley up. But, if you walk up on foot, which is a reasonable incline but not taxing (I did it in flip flops), it is wonderfully peaceful (something rare and beautiful in Korea at times) and you can get much better views for a much longer time. The blue ocean views from the cliffs were very calming and we seemed to be the only visitors to the small temple on our way up. It is a charming place altogether. And one I would recommend. Taejongdae To get there: From Busan Station, take Bus 88 or 101 and get off at Taejongdae Cliff Bus Stop. Other buses bound for Taejongdae: No. 8, 13, 30, 88, or 101. …

autumn | design

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Nothing is like autumn. Saying adios to 90 degree heat and the ever persistent humidity that creeps into my hair sending it whisping all over my head like a maniac’s crown  gives me a renewed energy. Saying hello to crispy weather, comfort foods and colorful ginkgo leaves makes it all worth the torture. It is the best part of the year and the part I wait (somewhat) patiently for during those other three seasons. This autumn: I’ll be making amazing things in the kitchen (and probably some disasters as well 🙂 ). Going to new places (getting my Vitamin D). And getting the most out of this weather. My Pinterest page has exploded with ideas, itineraries and designing the most autumnist of autumns. I will rule Autumn 2016.     to make wild mushroom lasagna by delallo kimchi udon stir fry by pickledplum savory tomato tarts with goat cheese by yellow lemon tree weeknight vegetable curry by smitten kitchen portuguese chicken with crispy potatoes by feasting at home last but not least, korean spiced chili from hapa …

Chuncheon | The Home of Dak Galbi

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This has been a mean and petty summer. Nearly every day since  July has been blistering and it’s too hot to enjoy getting out of the apartment and brushing off the cabin fever. My school had it’s annual quick summer vacation and I took the time to go on a foodie adventure to Chuncheon, where one of my favorite Korean dishes, dak galbi, is said to have originated and pretend I was one of the castmates of my favorite Korean show, Tasty Guys. My plan was simple: eat too much and ignore the sweat beaming through my shirt. Tasty Guys is a reality eating show where 4 loveable comedians eat more food than you ever thought was humanly possible. It’s just…wow. They can really pack it in. So I visited a city based on food and I pretended to be a host of a Korean TV show. I think that’s totally acceptable, right? Luckily, there are several wonderful things to do in Chuncheon, which I will post about later, so we didn’t just eat all day. But, the food was …

Seochon-dong | Hanoks & Whimsy

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  Situated to the West of Gyeongbokgung, Seochon, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Seoul, is an obvious treasure. It’s name is simply, “west village,” but that doesn’t embody the liveliness and warmth that you can experience here. Seochon hanoks were under threat of massive redevelopment and destruction up until 2008. The concerned took measures to ensure the preservation of the hanoks in this area, like that of Bukchon, the hanok village on the other side of Gyeongbokgung. And we should thank our lucky stars that this beautiful area has been saved and updated so that generations to come can walk through the streets and buy up all the things. Or just look around, that’s okay too. 🙂 In Robert J. Fouser’s book, Hanok, The Korean House, he explains how this area is an example of the neo-traditional style, or the “mixed hanok.” This new genre allows for experimentation and, perhaps more importantly, the expression of the owner’s personality. Like the city of Seoul itself, they appear similar from afar but sparkle with the color of individuality up close. Not to …

Reminiscing | Seoul’s Cherry Blossoms 2014

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Seoul’s on the edge of Cherry Blossom season. A little honesty- after 4 1/2 years here in Korea, I’m over it. I do not ever feel like fighting the throngs of couples lining every street that happens to have these beautiful, delicate trees to get the perfect photo op. Seeing the cherry blossoms are  a bucket list item, for sure, but once you’ve dumped it in your bucket, it’s not worth being tangled up in the mess. Go see them once or twice and then, let the couples get their 100 pictures. In 2014, my sister and brother in law visited me in Seoul. Not only was I thrilled because it the one and only time anyone from back home has visited me here, but I was excited just to show them everything I loved about Korea. They arrived at the end of April so I told them we’d be lucky to see any cherry blossoms at that point. My sister really wanted to see the trees so I thought we would head to the National Assembly, where I …

Tamun Ayun Temple | Bali Temple Collection

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This gorgeous temple is the first blog in the epic trilogy I will write out the temples I visited while in Bali.  And it’s mainly epic, not because of my braggy writing, but because they are just beautiful without the need for hyperbole. 🙂 The Tamun Ayun is a large temple set upon an even larger, well manicured and lusciously green garden area.  There are pools of water and ponds to create an atmosphere of peace. The name Tamun Ayun translates to beautiful garden, and is so evident walking around and taking in the spectacular (albeit boiling hot) temple of worship. It was built in 1634 for the people of the Mengwi kingdom, so they did not need to travel far to another large, main temple. The temple has towering pagodas for worship inside the main courtyard, which cannot be entered unless it is a special, sacred holiday. But, it’s opened only for worshipers, not visitors. The view of it is enough and makes it all the more special that people can’t tramp all over the …

Sunshine, Sand and Private Beach Clubs

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What’s a beach club, you may ask? Only one of the most spectacular destinations to go on vacation. Honestly, before researching activities for Bali, I didn’t know what beach clubs were all about. It’s so much more than just spending the day on a beach. So much more. (Cue daydreamy music…) Picture this: You enter the club after paying a nominal fee, which includes your beach towel and a percentage toward food. Then you enter a pristine beach area, find your spot under an umbrella and begin your day. You can order drinks and food from the restaurant. You can snorkel, dive or participate in some other activities. You only need to bring yourself, a bucket of sunblock and a big bottle of water. Otherwise, you are taken care of for the day, eliminating the need to bring big, bulky beach bags filled with necessities. Sounds unbelievable, right? Your next beachy vacation needs to include a beach club. And, until then, please enjoy our trip to Finn’s Beach Club in Bali. It’s a private beach club …

La Vie En Rose | Garden Festival

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Last week Korea was gripped in an obscene panic due to MERS. I was off from school closings and reading a lot of bad news on the internet. My solution? Ignore it and hop on the subway to the 2015 Rose Garden Festival which is inside Seoul Grand Park. This was my first jaunt out this way save for a few years ago when I visited the MMCA museum in the area. Just on the outskirts of the big city of Seoul, the park is surrounded by mountains and (hopefully) fresh air. The place was surprisingly big. You could easily spend 1/2 a day out there just in the rose garden itself. There is also a lake, trails and a lift that will show you a bird’s eye view of the park. Of course, since it was the middle of the week (and possibly the MERS) the park was not busy and it was easy to get to the themed garden. It’s quite a walk and the summer is heating up, so if you are not …

A Tunnel of Persimmon Wine in Cheongdo

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Let’s just get this out there…the wine tunnel is not what I expected. Let me take you through my dreams of what the wine tunnel would be. There would be staff to greet my friend Phil and I at the  “door” and they would show us to a table in a vast cavern of the tunnel. We would have proper menus and table service. There would be adults in attendance, each quietly enjoying the selection of persimmon wine and it would be glorious. Glorious. You know, more like a vineyard or winery. Now I’ll explain what it was actually like.

|Jeju Island’s| Cheonjeyon Waterfall

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The Cheonjeyon Waterfalls are a beautiful, cool oasis on a hot Jeju afternoon. It’s an interesting walk to get there. You must cross the Seven Nymphs Bridge, Chilseonyeogyo (칠선녀교), which connects the Jungmun Complex to the waterfalls.  The bridge represents a folk tale in whcih seven beautiful nymphs descend from heaven each holding their own instrument. I don’t know what they do once they get there but they all stand and look pretty on a bridge now. The bridge also goes by the name Seonim.