tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56958798216585047492024-03-13T19:44:25.606+09:00A Seoulful LifeLiving creatively in Seoul, Korea with a bit of soul searching in between.Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-88804495381275806192011-11-11T16:31:00.000+09:002011-11-11T16:31:32.838+09:00A Jeju-ful Weekend (2) - Sangumburi Crater
When you're a city bumpkin like me, being surrounded by nature and nature only is something to relish. The fact that you can breathe in air that smells of nature is itself a blessing. It's almost like medicine that takes away all the ills and strains that come from city life.
Jeju-do is abundant in untouched nature. I'll probably say this a million times over, but it is truly a beautiful Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-42074416829546603032011-11-09T02:26:00.000+09:002011-11-09T02:26:01.252+09:00A Jeju-ful Weekend - Vote for Jeju!I've been blogging all year long for the Korea Blog, the accompanying blog for Korea.net, the official site for the Republic of Korea. (Sounds rather heavy written down like that.)
At the end of October, several of the Korea Blog's Worldwide Korea Bloggers and I had the chance to visit Jeju-do (Jeju Island), courtesy of KOCIS (Korean Culture and Information Service) who runsSuzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-35351264053880362642011-10-09T10:53:00.000+09:002011-10-09T10:53:08.761+09:00Happy Hangeul DayOctober 9th marks the 565 anniversary of the proclamation of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. The major portal sites changed their logos accordingly for the occasion.
Naver has an animated logo going on - something which I don't know how to capture.
Daum features King Sejong.
As does Nate and Yahoo! Korea.
And Google Korea opted for a simple logo in traditional tricolor.
I wrote a long post Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-44022575466811223592011-09-25T15:28:00.002+09:002011-09-25T15:30:23.870+09:00Sit and think
What I've been doing too much of during the past several weeks, if only to hold on to my sanity.
"No Parking""No Drinking and Singing"
Don't stay still, keep on moving.Don't play around, there's work to be done.
Sometimes I wish I wasn't a responsible adult.
Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-17925929732783777332011-08-23T00:33:00.000+09:002011-08-23T00:33:00.801+09:00Summer with Cocoa...the spoiled rotten 11 year old family poodle.
I spent more than half of August at my parents' place doggysitting while they were on vacation. Cocoa spent more than half of that time either sleeping or napping. Both of us were pretty tired of the rain.
He finally got a haircut after my parents came back. I'm back home, trying to catch up on work, only to discover that my desktop is dying. Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-20306092810724118682011-07-28T09:24:00.002+09:002011-07-28T09:40:26.927+09:00It's not raining, it's floodingWe have had more than a year's worth of rainfall in the past month. Half of it seems to have fallen in the past two days, and more is falling today. When the guerilla rains started most thought it would last for about a day but it has been storming nonstop, complete with thunder and lightning.
The first day I cancelled my evening appointment and hurried home to avoid the pelting rain. The next Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-30014973066649346362011-07-04T11:56:00.000+09:002011-07-04T11:56:54.942+09:00Urban poetry
Seoul Metro has poetry printed on most of the safety doors on the platforms. Some poems are good, some are puzzling, some are thought provoking. This one spoke to me that day. I wish I could translate it to exactly convey the feeling, but poetry really doesn't translate well unless in the hands of a brilliant writer.
"Empty Thoughts" by Jung WijinUpon the swift steed called timeI furiously ran
Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-54107700232110508932011-06-29T08:00:00.000+09:002011-06-29T08:00:53.355+09:00Rainy day bus stop
Seoul Express Bus Terminal. (Yes, I go to that neighborhood a lot and not only because Shinsegae Department Store's wine shop has a good selection and friendly staff.)
It has been raining constantly for the past two weeks. Monsoon season gets pretty dreary but I find myself filming rainy moments more than any other.Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-52465767102823314852011-06-19T14:44:00.001+09:002011-06-19T14:50:05.730+09:00Sweet pudding at Les Fruits N*
When you're on a sweet kick and get tired of ice cream, there are many alternatives: cake and pastries, patbingsu, and puddings. Les Fruits N* is a pudding and dessert specialty cafe at the Samsung Town building in Gangnam.
There's a selection of various puddings,
cakes and pastries.
Sweetness paired with bitter coffee is the best.
The pudding is the chilled variety, not the creamy softSuzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-72203160260946821482011-05-29T12:55:00.001+09:002011-05-29T13:05:21.581+09:00The Seoul of my youth is fading away...
The underground mall at the Seoul Express Bus Terminal is closing for year long renovations on May 31st, 2011. The mall has been around forever; it's been over 30 years since it has opened and I have no recollection whatsoever of it ever having closed down for a long period of time.
Like the renovations being done at Gangnam Metro Station, the mall is certainly to resurface bright and shiny, Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-90620041633244903112011-05-11T22:09:00.002+09:002011-05-11T22:10:25.186+09:00Baskin Robbins Favorite * D café in GangnamIt's getting hotter. Spring rains fell on the country during the long holidays from Children's Day to Buddha's Birthday, and after the rain completely evaporates I'm pretty sure spring will unceremoniously succumb to summer.
I'm currently on a sweets kick. (Lethargy makes me crave sugar like no other and if this isn't the season to be drowsy and lethargic, I don't know what is.) My current Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-33093998351556995222011-04-28T15:25:00.003+09:002011-11-09T02:29:36.195+09:00After the rainThe cherry blossoms fall.
I did manage to catch glimpses of the blossoms before they passed; my apartment complex is full of them and my parents' neighborhood (where I spent most of April doggysitting) is also lined with cherry trees. Which is good for me, since I didn't have time nor the energy to haul my exhausted self to the flower festivals this year.
My apartment complexSuzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-61694206233968275472011-04-05T08:57:00.000+09:002011-04-05T08:57:40.442+09:00Winter seaSince spring seems to be finally here I'm saying goodbye to the long(est) winter.
Gyeongpodae, Gangneung, Gangwon Province, last winter.
The waves say hello, goodbye.
This couple made a pretty picture.
My shadow likes to stretch flat and long.
My friend Hannah likes to leave footprints in the sand.
The waves hug the beach and disappear slowly.
Listen to the waves.
Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-63631158900284535162011-03-31T15:48:00.000+09:002011-03-31T15:48:38.530+09:00Last day of MarchHow time flies.
Bring on April, I'm ready.Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-12803998036249292632011-03-20T01:13:00.000+09:002011-03-20T01:13:48.919+09:00Baa baa, sheep!
To be honest, that's what I feel like these days. That's how the media is treating the public. Like clueless sheep. I know I'm not the only one annoyed at the media in the aftermath of the Japan earthquake. I want to know why some channels decide to hype things up and blow things out of proportion while feeding off from unreliable sources. What happened to Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-75743343281357483862011-03-17T21:11:00.000+09:002011-03-17T21:11:31.486+09:00Coffee in Ilsan - Cafe Lugo
Since spring has decided to downplay its presence, I have no qualms about posting pictures with the remnants of winter blatant in the background. (With a Christmas tree to boot!)
I found this coffee shop by accident; needing a caffeine fix while shopping at the New Core outlet in Ilsan, I just ventured into the restaurant zone and there it was.
The lighting of the coffee shop was Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-29790984831704462272011-03-15T01:46:00.000+09:002011-03-15T01:46:34.178+09:00HeartacheHaneda airport, October, 2009
I go to Tokyo almost every year. I have friends and acquaintances who live there. There are memories that lurk in various corners of the city, where my stories have been written and told.
Like most people, I have spent the past few days glued to the news of the terrible earthquake in Japan. Even after hearing news that those I know were okay, my heart sank lower and Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-88098930317319492072011-03-09T02:21:00.000+09:002011-03-09T02:21:01.877+09:00Hiking in Jirisan - Dullegil #3Korea is blessed with many beautiful mountains. Among those mountains, Jirisan is known as the mountain to conquer if you're a serious mountaineer. The mountain is an enormous organism of hills and valleys, with fantastic views from all angles.
I had a go around Jirisan last winter; not proper mountain climbing, but just a simple hike. The Jirisan Dullegils (지리산 둘레길, "paths that follow the Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-74323924064509054032011-03-04T21:01:00.001+09:002011-11-09T02:30:08.964+09:00When you're too lazy to read...... just listen. (Even if the speaker is a repetitive, apologetic, ummm-er.)
Video clips from January and February.
Related detailed blog posts at: http://blog.korea.net/Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-62232852235982869032011-02-24T03:27:00.000+09:002011-02-24T03:27:31.610+09:00Dinner at Gina'sWhen you're a foodie and wino, your friends tend to be foodies and winos as well and when you have classically trained ex-chefs in your regular group? Well then, it's paradise for us who aren't.
Gina invited us over for dinner on a Friday night.
Beautiful table setting.
Her homemade olive tapenade with sliced baguette.
Yummy! (Gina sells her tapenade by the jar and it's worth Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-7388422089908657332011-02-09T17:05:00.010+09:002011-02-09T17:42:16.012+09:00Back to real lifeMum's seafood tteok mandugukThe Seollal holidays have passed and gone yet my body is still stuck in holiday lethargy. My brain, on the other hand, is overcompensating for the hours it was underused so consequently the mismatch between mind and matter is stressing me out to no end. I need a holiday from the holidays, how typical.What I've been up to: Family New Year lunch with tteokmanduguk and Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-73177732485578031772011-02-02T16:38:00.007+09:002011-11-09T02:30:29.503+09:00Rabbit, Rabbit Hite beer promotion display for the Year of the Rabbit
Remember the saying, "Chase two rabbits, catch none"? Well, do I really have to mention how ancient history that is? In this day and age of multi-everything, you can't do anything without chasing two (or even more) rabbits at once. Of course, you need to have the goods and skills to catch 'em, but that's totally something you can work on.
Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-1275336180835068962011-01-26T18:28:00.006+09:002011-01-27T22:29:32.995+09:00A cup of coffee at Leina'sA real cup, that is. Because sometimes you want your coffee in something other than a paper disposable or a mug.Despite my being a serious wino, if push comes to shove, I'd choose coffee over wine any day. I'll never, ever, ever be able to stop drinking coffee. It's what wakes me up in the mornings, what comforts me on gloomy days, what accompanies me on the all-nighters I spend writing, what Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-21471249928157105022011-01-20T07:56:00.002+09:002011-01-20T07:58:18.890+09:00An evening walk in the snowIt has been freakishly cold and snowing a lot in Seoul lately. I took a short clip on a snowy evening, walking in Apgujeong. Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695879821658504749.post-65702922162214294002011-01-17T18:20:00.012+09:002011-01-17T21:13:35.405+09:00Rock islands in the south sea - HaegeumgangDown south of the Korean peninsula lies emerald waters adorned with weather-worn islands of rock cliffs and pine trees. This natural spectacular wonder is familiarly called the Hallyeosudo (한려수도), i.e. the Hallyeo Waterways, and formally Hallyeohaesang National Park.As 2010 was drawing to a close, I made a trip to breathe in the cold winter sea and reflect on the passing year.(Click on picture Suzy in Seoulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12856429336143081394noreply@blogger.com2