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.
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| 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?
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| 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.
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| 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~
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| Rabbit (photo taken by VeganBeats) |
We both got some americanos and just chilled~
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| coffee~ photo taken by VeganBeats |
The caricatures greeting me coffee loving self made me squeal just a bit~~
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| 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!
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| 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!
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| photo taken by VeganBeats |
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| wine~ (photo taken by VeganBeats) |
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| loaded fig pie (photo taken by VeganBeats) |
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| 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)
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| 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!
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| photo taken by VeganBeats |
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| 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!
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| like a boss~ (photo taken by VeganBeats) |
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| 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."
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| locket trees (photo taken by VeganBeats) |
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| love love love (photo taken by VeganBeats) |
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| 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?!
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| love notes, love lockets (photo taken by VeganBeats) |
I left something out there on that tower...maybe you kids will see it...
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| 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~~
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