IN-N-OUT Burger

     Today was a big day for Californians! My friend invited me to an event that was held in Sinsa over on Garusogil! She, being from Cali, and being an omnivore said that the "comfort" fast food of Cali-kids is the burgers from In-N-Out Burger. This morning/early afternoon, the franchise came to Garusogil and specially prepared their "famous" hamburgers to growing lines of people. I don't think I'll ever understand the fast-food trend or comfort it seems to provide (and I don't want to), but it was interesting none the less to be part of all these eager people.
     My friend is a CA gal and she's been craving fast food, Western food, home-food (there's someone growing in her ^^*) and during class this am she texted me~ she invited me along and I got to witness a load of stoked Gyopos! I don't have much to say but here are some pics!

photo taken by VeganBeats

     The In-N-Out was set up inside Cork for Turtle (Mug For Rabbit) cafe and looked all diner-esque! (Is it bad that I just wanted to binge on coffee while people nommed on buns?!)

photo taken by VeganBeats

my friend's box of food~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

up close (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I was the only vegan around, I honestly felt a bit guilty for taking up a seat and stealing a bracelet for a spot, but...meh~
     The lines grew exponentially, we were only inside for maybe 20 minutes and by the time we left, the crowd was easily over 200 people! I heard it sold out...ehhh
     After fulfilling the cravings, my buddy and I wandered around and did some shopping...I bid farewell with a cheesy hat!~

glamorous~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

Tea, Tutoring, and Wine tasting~

     Most of you are aware that currently, I'm pretty much kicking it. ㅎㅎ Kicking it in the fashion of working every morning and tutoring through the evenings, so I am working, but getting to have a more relaxed (and productive) day time. So unbelievably thankful for that, I get more yoga in, more sunlight in my face...I'm feeling so much happier. I do miss my kids, but this structured and allowed me time has been doing me well.
     Most of my tutoring sessions happen in tea shops and cafes, which grants me all these opportunities to scope out new places! Remember Mug for Rabbit Cakery? I went there a bit ago with one of my students and it made a for a positive place to be productive, catch up, and relax! This time around in stead of coffees we both got teas, she got chamomile and I got....PUERH!!! Puerh is a Chinese tea that is perfection! Back when I was in China I consumed cupfuls upon cupfuls of this. It's woody, bodied, energy filling, and what relaxation is. I was in squeals about this find...I finished it too quickly, but felt a like I was back in the streets of Changchun. So happy ^^*

pourin Puerh~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

Puerh surprise! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     So, my students are such amazing people. I truly and genuinely love all of them, I'm really fortunate to have such great people that I get to meet so regularly! (I think I'm that all-lovey teacher eh?) After our tutoring session we went to a wine tasting! The wine tasting party is happening all this month from 6:30-8:30pm and last time we passed the venue we made a mental note to check this out!

buy them bottles~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

    The wine available for tasting are of course both whites and reds, from Chile, Italy, Spain, and France. They're all really yummy wines, nothing is too sweet, dry varieties! And the greatest thing (besides the consumption of wine) is that upon going to this event, you get a 50% discount on the wines you try. They're a bit pricey (40,000W a bottle) but yummy wine in Korea....jump on it!

wine wine wine (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     The wine tasting party is happening at a wine bar that's on the same street as both Oriental Spoon and Mug for Rabbit Cakery (parallel to Garusogil). If you're walking the street they are on, and just leaving from Sinsa station, it will be on your left about 100 yards before Oriental Spoon!

Day Off, Power On

     I love full, brimming, life-filled days~ Everyday I'm living, I'm alive, but I'm I really living it?! How many of us are. How often do you simply go-through-the motions, follow the patterns, droll through the day, meeting sunset asking "Where did my day go?" With all this daily free-time, I'm finding myself sickeningly bored of sitting around. I'm still heavily scheduled, zipping from one place to another, but I'm just following a schedule.
     Yesterday was a day off, for mostly everyone in Korea, and it was one of those rut-gutting, life bursting, "ahhh" days. I was thinking of sleeping in, but an early day provides more support for having an actual day. I left my place around 9 am and walked to the Galleria to meet a student for some tutoring action! It led to a lunch and coffee date at the Oriental Spoon and Mug for Rabbit Cakery.

photo taken by VeganBeats

     I've never eaten at Oriental Spoon before but I've heard positive things about it. There are only two vegan/vegetarian friendly dishes, the tofu salad and a spicy noodle salad...what do you think I chose?

photo taken by VeganBeats

     The setting was cute, very chic recycled~ cardboard menus, light wooden tight tables, very peace-y. All the interior colors were tan, dusty browns, and celery greens. The plates were clean and pure, my salad was plated on a long rectangular dish very symmetrically. Two big soft blocks of tofu, shredded romaine and iceberg lettuce with micro-greens, shaved red onions and shallots, quartered sweet cherry tomatoes, shaved cucumber, and a sesame based sauce/dressing. The softness of the tofu paired very well with the crunchiness of the veggies. It was light, a bit pricey, but delicious. 

light and pretty (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     After a light lunch, we both went to 'mug for rabbit cakery,' a modern and indie cafe that would be a perfect study and date space. The cafe smells like freshly ground coffee, offers a wide variety of seats, has great lighting (comfy snugly dark), lots of desserts (if that's your jam)~ the space is open, yet provides privacy and even some intimacy. Super fan~

Rabbit (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     We both got some americanos and just chilled~

coffee~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     The caricatures greeting me coffee loving self made me squeal just a bit~~

heya~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     After sipping on loads of coffee, I grabbed a bus and met up with the wonderful Mipa of Alien's Day Out for a mini-hike and catch up date! Namsan park is pretty close to Noksapyeong, so we trucked up Kyungridan and found all sorts of vintage shops, cute storefronts, and a little grocery store that is stocked with all sorts of wonderful things!

photo taken by VeganBeats

     Olea Grocery is not large, but for its size, it really does have a variety of things. There are loads of oils, maple syrups, teas (ahhhh), nuts, bakery goods...wine!! From the bottom of Kyungridan, you're going to walk straight up for about ten minutes, Olea will be on your right side!

photo taken by VeganBeats

wine~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

loaded fig pie (photo taken by VeganBeats)

NOT vegan, but darn purdy (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I found one of the best little surprises here too! GINGER ALE~~~ (get diet, get diet, get diet)

diet please~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I know I've lived here for a while, but the touristy Namsan tower things, I haven't done yet! The most reference I have to it, besides pictures and gazing up at it, is from Itaewon Freedom!

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     There were loads of people, couples, families, elderly grumpsters clucking around~ Mipa and I were on a friend date! Korea is so couple oriented...seriously! One popular stand was a cotton candy stand...this guy whipped them up so quickly, and with such grace~ 10 stars sir!

like a boss~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

candy..please (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     One popular lovey-date thing to do while at Namsan tower is leaving a love locket somewhere on the tower. All you see are canoodling couples, hand-patting players, and kissy critters...all wrapped up in one another, posing in front of their "locket of love." 

locket trees (photo taken by VeganBeats)

love love love (photo taken by VeganBeats)

photo taken by VeganBeats

     These lockets have a nice view overlooking Seoul, granted how covered in soot and dust they are...their grime has a bit of joy there eh?!

love notes, love lockets (photo taken by VeganBeats)

      I left something out there on that tower...maybe you kids will see it...

electric buses being charged~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Mipa and I walked for hours, explored new shops, new areas, caught up, and when the sun set...I felt great, a filled day....and I thought I'd sleep?!

This week, I'm only 8 hours in~

Here's to a wonderful weekend~~

Ending the Lunar New Year down by the river

     새해복 많이 받으세요!~
Happy Lunar New Years to everyone!

     Being Seoul-side, I'm counting this as my actually New Years. The state-side one was spent teary-eyed on a plane (with a bit more wine in my system and fresh memories seranading my mind). Due to the Lunar New Year, there is a mini-break/vacation happening for most of the teaching type and though not yet over (but close) this has been an AWESOME break!

     Friday was a gathering of some fine folk before Jaxs was peacing to the states for some well-deserved vacation time. The evening started in 신사 at a restaurant that I've been to several times before  (will write about it later) and wanted to share it with friends, turned out we all discovered it separately!

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     The staff knows what vegan is so they made up a HUGE vegan friendly spread (most of their banchans are vegan anyways!) and even whipped up vegan dwenjjang! What goes well with delicious Korean food when you're out with your friends...drinks~

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     After dinner we wandered over to a self-service bar and traveled down memory lane with a "classy" game of Kings....Ah, Jaxs~ this is the Cape!

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     After, some of us parted ways, either homeward bound or 이태원 where the evening was filled with gay clubs, dancing, more drinks and a wonderful lost walk with the ladies. 

photo taken by VeganBeats

      I've been in a rut of a bit...in that so bitter and on a fire-setted mood. I'm easily frustrated and finding myself jumping to swearing profusely by internal means. This break came at a very convenient and necessary time. 

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     I need more Han river walks to clear my mind...

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     The weekend only improved after this~

Apartamento

     After the art inspirations of last week, I wandered over to 가루서길 (Garusogil) to meet with some buddies for a few drinks and conversations. I've been tromping this street for a while now, and each time I fall a little bit more in love with it. I never thought it would happen, but this lady here is starting to like fashion! (Whaaa!!!) I've gone from skinny jean-cons-band tees to dresses and dare I say, heals.
     Garusogil is a strip lined with trees and loads of vintage, craft, and fashion-themed shops. But besides that, there are lots of cute restaurants, bars, and cafes. I've played in a bunch of the cafes but this time around I got introduced to Apartamento. (CNNGO review) This cafe/bar is truly lovely, it is located on the second floor and a lot of the tables lie next to wide windows overlooking the street. Apartamento is better known for their pizzas and rustic Italian cuisine, but I have to say I can only speak for their wine and mimosas for now...and for that, go!

mimosa ^^* (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     The drinks aren't on the cheap side (10,000W for wine-14,000W for other cocktails) but with the ambiance and general pleasure of the place, I think it's worth it. My mimosa was bubbly and tangy, and truly delicious. Last time I had a mimosa was when I was in the states, Christmas time 2010. It's been a hella while. My nana and I knocked back a bunch of these giggling like children while everyone drank alcohol-free cider and hot drinks. Ahh, nana, how we rage!
     One of the great added touches of Apartamento is the way they serve their water. It's in recycled tall glass bottles, very much like balsamic vinegar jars, or home winery bottles. They also give garlic bread twists (not vegan) but it was cute.

water and stix! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I don't have any pictures of the wine, but for 10,000W a glass, it wasn't bad at all. The red house wine was dry and full bodied...I've been falling in love with wine again~ missing VT.
Anyways...Apartamento is worth checking out...I'll be back for sure!

Twitter: @apartamento_bar
Directions: Sinsa station exit 8 (신사역 8번) walk straight and take the left onto Garusogil street. When you are next to the Tom'n'Toms, look across the street and diagonal from there in the 2nd floor you'll see Apartamento!