Savoring Seoul with Alex~

     Before Alex got here, I was stressing~ I was to be the appointed "travel guide" and find places that may be of interest...I translate this into "food guide." Whenever I travel to a new country, I do MAJOR research, more because I'm interested but also because with this lifestyle, it's crucial. I create a food list where I get to experience the Country's cuisine. Alex did zip research~ Clearly my food preferences will differ from the bro, one he's an omnivore, two he likes hot foods and, three, his metabolism is MUCH better than mine... Where would we eat?!
     I know I'm a pickier vegan than most, I own this, but I feel like it's my responsibility to share Korea and its cuisine with those that make the effort to come to this country. Korean food isn't very well represented over the states, there's the Korea towns, New York, Boston, California...but other than that...even 비빔밥 is messed with!
     Luckily, I wasn't fully responsible for every meal, only maybe one per day...I hope I did okay~ I stick to my fruits, so all these cooked good gave me a whee Buddha Belly (it's there...I feel it!!) The following pictures are just things we ate, we savored Seoul~

latte and my Americano~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Coffee in Korea is stil not really coffee, it's weak, watered down, and mostly reaches a meh level...because of the fragile acidic waters, Alex and I hit up a lot of cafes, downed "caffeine" like it was....well water!
     전 is an easy "meal", it should be downed with some sort of alcohol, and I don't like eating it often...but it's a vacation. I steered as clear as I could from the flour based 전 and went with the protein packed and veggie studded 빈대떡! We got this one in 동대문 and both swooned over how beany it was and that crunch!!

빈대떡 from 동대문 (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     We also got treated to a buffet at the Hyatt...about 70,000원 for veggies...I ate til it hurt. I mentioned a while back how buffets are all around dangerous. As kids we ate at them to get calories in, and because...well we weren't the wealthiest. Buffets filled hungry kids tummies, provided more than enough calories to last day(s) and required little to no work. Sadly, I'm still in that survival mindset, it gets triggered at buffets. I travel back to when I had to fill myself up, get your moneys worth...and damned veggies for nearly $70.00....grumble.
     Thankfully veggies are loaded with fiber...
             ...yes, I just went there..

so much, so many greens...ughhhh (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I loaded my two plates with things I barely buy, can't find, and feel too guilty forking cash over for. Grapefruit (my FAVORITE), pine nuts (literally cups of these), iceberg (it's pricey here and I love it...I don' care if it's crunchy water), sprouts, arugula, artichokes, and sweet cherry tomatoes. Alex and I tumbled home, and went straight into food coma...

loaded plate~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Alex's final night was a family dinner at my uncle's house. The entire family gathered around a nearly 100% vegan spread of homemade greatness. Everything but the 불고기 (bulgogi) was vegan. My family is beyond accommodating and so very supportive.

widespread Vegan love~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I swear, every Korean meal resembles a U.S Thanksgiving, all these various plates of foods, colors vibrantly feeding your eyes...we all ate well and traveled back to a time when Alex and I were children, and these meals were shared in a tiny apartment in Boston.

so much Korean Vegan Noms~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Post dinner we got fruit...mangoes, apples, grapes~ Give me a mango any-day!!

fruits~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     My brother and mama Beats hadn't yet met my new cousin, he's all smiles now! I got him dancing with a little LMFAO...

wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle, yeah! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     He really likes "I'm Sexy and I Know It!"