Amazing Seoul Food

Over the top metro-fabulous posh dining or subtle and satiating affordable Indian, I've got your order! Check out Gorilla in the Kitchen or Everest Restaurant, for morsels and more, drool and scroll below....

Okay so don't get me wrong, I've actually come to enjoy the spicy dishes of traditional Korean Seoul food but sometimes you just want the best of something else.

Mmmmm the two favorites by far, thus far are as follows:

650 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-Gu (at the gate of Dosan Memorial Park)
T- 82.2.3442.1688
www.gorillakitchen.co.kr

Gorilla in the Kitchen, which is apparently a celebrity purchase and showcase affair- some big names here went into restauranteering much like Leo DiCaprio did with the Standard. The decor and the menu are impeccable here though! My god, I died and went to stainless steel heaven with the most mouth watering concoctions I've tasted. Sweet potato is big here and luckily it's my favorite vegetable next to avocado and cucumber. It was a part of everything I ordered and then some...
Avocado, beet, sweet potato salad... best salad in existence of planet Earth




Of course I had to have the avocado and white chestnut latte, umm yum much?! And I would've had a chocolate souffle but I think my bank account would have squirted out a little saline tear if I added that to the financial damage of the bill. Dining at Gorilla is definitely a hefty ticket, it is Gangnam-Gu after all and it's hard not to spend atleast $100 on a meal.


Back towards my side of town, where I live and prosper... a two stop metro ride or 5 minute cab, down an alley and turn right to find it beaming at you from the second floor! It's only a few blocks down from the old gates just beyond the fashion mecca and stadium of Dongdaemun.

Chongro-gu, Changshin-dong 148-1
02)766-8850 011-233-8848
www.everestfood.com

Everest Indian Restaurant, where it's always a good time to eat....
it's dinner time somewhere!

Mmm Indian in Dongdaemun at Everest Restaurant is just what the doctor ordered if you dig Bali-wood back drop music videos, cool green and glitter walls, damn good curry, and a handful of Korean Buddhist monks sitting a table away.




Best Indian food that's melted in mouths- perfectly located in the heart of Seoul. They're open relatively late and run by an entire Nepalese family who are just lovely and so is their English!

Needless to say- I have become a regular avec and sans wig, they know me and I love them!

HvM- Apgujeong Saturday Splendor

Because Barry is fabulous and manages to continue to be even across the universe, I was informed of an art exhibit for Hellen van Meene here in Seoul of one of his collection pieces. Bless you and your taste my friend!
If you find yourself cocking your head thinking, hmm why does this "Hellen" sound familiar it could be for many reasons... For starters I mentioned her here in my blog a few weeks ago and promised to write about my art gallery excursion and failed to do so until now but Lady van Meene has been loved and taken on by the Art Institute of Chicago, the Guggenheim, and another relatively unheard of place in NYC - The Museum of Modern Art.

Arriving at Gangnam, we popped out of the subway not knowing which way was what. Luckily I had brought a map printed from the gallery's website but it proved to not be much help considering we were a bit far off the mark (about a 20+ minute walk).



Jess and I decided to have a go with a little Seoul sister help... as per usual I waltzed to an unsuspecting citizen and made a "help" face.





Outside a bank near the Sinsa station, these ladies stopped their banking and made phone calls on our behalf. Getting lost here is a common occurrence for Seoul-sters, even being lost in translation didn't seem to phase them. They literally put their lives on hold for upwards of 15 minutes only to finally explain with a finger "taxi"- I was happy to have my trusty phrase/translation booklet. However we decided to walk, and the ladies stood agog- walk???
Blocks upon blocks, on sidewalks that should have another name given the amount of motorcycles and cars we had to dodge, we strolled. Sinsa station to Gangnam-Gu just beyond Hermes... it was very Beverly Hills-esque.

Yes, we asked two more people for directions and made a left, then a left, and then yes, a left. We finally arrived at I'M ART gallery. I think I had a little shudder sigh... everything was so urban and clean and majestic. I was exciting to be art-ing it up again and it felt so familiar to my previous stateside Saturdays.








Gorgeous exhibit, plain and simple and of course, haunting. Hellen van Meene's work captures these awkward, slightly off youths in these inviting photographs that seem to evoke the cumbersome emotions deeply rooted in our adolescent minds. Her subjects are given no instruction which I believe adds to the substance of simplicity and eeriness.

untitled (none of her pieces are named), Hellen van Meene -I'm ART gallery, Seoul ROK

in world of pure imagination

Gi Hyun, Seo Yeon, Da Yeon, Ella, Jong Ha, Joo Young
of Cassiopeia Class

This is what lunch time looks like half way around the world, when my today is your tomorrow...

Being crowned Cinder Ella Princess Teacher was by far my favorite game last week, a close second to the new favorite past time- serving Ella Teacher fine cuisine ala colored blocks on bendy plastic plates ... in a world of pure imagination.

War Memorial Museum

The War Memorial lightly treads on the outskirts of the military base area in Itaewon among skyscrapers and cart pushers. As you walk up onto the heavily guarded vicinity you see a mound with two men embracing, everything went a bit silent. Inside the mound is a dome with many a mosaic inside as well as an honorary circle of U.N. nations involvement. Population, dates of occupancy, names of divisions... From Ethiopia to the U.S. of A.

It's amazing what this country has done for itself in such a short period of time, a worn torn shattered country divided by power and invasion.. within 50 years pulled itself up by the bootstraps to a world presence, one of the 10 leading economies no less. Three years of brother battles on common soil with so much at stake, everyone took a stand for their people, their land- children, men, women.

Outside of the museum stood the ghosts of war- immobile and yet formidable. Upwards of forty aircrafts, jeeps, tanks, howitzers, submarines, and more- from a multitude of nations, it became clear that the war may have been hosted by Korea, but many a flag had their presence at the table here in 1950-1953.

The infamous battle worthy "turtle ship"

Korea has had it's enemies and the enemy lines drawn and redrawn countless times. From Japan to Mongolia, China to Russia... not one century has gone by that they haven't been occupied or under some form of military duress. The War Memorial presented artifacts from hundreds and hundreds of years ago, military costumes (from everywhere, even the U.S Civil War attire- the blues and grays), weaponry, maps, documentaries, ships, murals, paintings, demonstrations- it was several levels of countless layers, so much to unveil, too much to take in. I'll be having to return again after I get my second wind.


The most indelible impression left with me on this day was actually via a conversation with Ok-Young (he likes to be called Ok, okay?!!), an 80 year-old Korean Vet. His grandson had a pension for weapons and was ogling around the corner just before we came into the parachute room of the museum.
Ok asked me where I was from and we spoke for just under an hour. The kindest, gentlest of souls... ha ha in Seoul no less. After handing me his card and being sure to know that I needed to call him Ok, okay? - we made plans for having tea and lunch soon. I adore him already...

Naked times, jjimjilbang...

And as if this day couldn't be more scrumptious, we decided to have our maiden voyage into jjimjilbang, the Korean spa/sauna.
Fork over the equivalent of $6 to receive your locker key and towels, get naked, grab your hand towel and scrub down with no shame in the hall of showers. Walking and flopping our way around without much fabric to cover up, we just had to roll with it and realize there was no judgment, just wonder. Our curves, a tad different than the other Korean ladies, we drew many a stare but got over it quickly when we submerged into a hot green tea bath!

What an amazing cultural treasure, it's such a treat to see women in a natural state just being and the humanness of it is ridiculously humbling and awe-inspiring simultaneously. Girls being scrubbed by sisters, mothers, grandmothers, friends... jiggling and wiggling in all the imperfect perfections. This is just the way it is and I have to say, I felt amazing.

The Korean ice cream after the igloo saunas and massage chairs was the cherry on top of my Sunday to be sure! Shaved ice, milk, bean paste, boki, cornflakes, yogurt and fruit- yum yum yum.

So needless to say I will be jjimjilbang-ing weekly... what a treat to bathe and sprawl like a goddess and do so with nothing but a tidbit of terrycloth and a smile? Sign me up, for six dollars, every Sunday!

Wiggin' out after many a pint

Not quite sure if this blog will end up being written by me as much as I'm being written by it. I love that I feel compelled to click click clack for you all so I'd best be getting out to the world and painting the town red- or green in this weekend's case! Between chasing the Guinness man and sucking down helium filled balloons, it was a good time had by our wee little gal group.
























St. Patty's day in Seoul was a strange site to be sure! Now, I know they love their beer and at times even a Guinness but there was no beer-dom in the streets not even behind a pint blimp. Wrapping around a city block over and over, spots of green and strange music concoctions of Korean drums and Scottish bagpipes- odd, very odd. The pubs were full and no one could grab a drink unless they were seated at a table. So after 30 minutes I got myself a 10,000 won Guinness and waited an additional 10 minutes for my special frosty mug request. The white froth atop the liquid splendor just made my the 1/4 Irish in me happy as a leprechaun. Might I add that I did a jig?





After the St. Patty's day parade antics, a bit of Guinness at a Texan pub, came home to prep for the mass birthday party of ladies at my school.
I believe I resembled some kind of leftover this morning, slightly drag queenish after wiggin' it up last night in Hongdae as my alter ego, Viv. It was an early night though, only out until 3:30am after a lot of mischief.

Cabbing in sardine-packed traffic, singing James Brown in the car making our cabbie steal a smile we arrived to Go-Go's and then Ska II downstairs.



All 19 of us had far to much fun, we were a colorful bunch to say the least. Dancing with cute Japanese boys to bad music at Ska II, had to leave in order to yuk it up at an 80's bar and I actually, gasp, got the entire floor to Electric Slide- can I tell you it was amazing!? What night can't end with a little Dirty Dancing soundtrack and Madonna? Working up a sweat in a wig is hard work, lemme tell ya!



Had to hurry home for a good night's rest as I'm heading for a little Buddhist temple love outside of the city. Two days of gorgeous sunshine and blue skies, a first in months! Yippee and I get to go monk it up on a Sunday in a new Seoul
search day.


After a ride on the green line and the blue, a cab ride too, we arrived at Hwayesa Temple. The International Buddhist Temple that offers lots of meditation retreats and hiking trails. What beauty to see. The edifices reached back in age to 1888 when they were reconstructed after a fire (they were originally built in the 1500s). The air was bitter cold and fresh, it tasted so good. The wind picked up the smoke from the incense burning on alters and the chanting hums of the monks in each little prayer house. Each of us girls just swallowed up the sights of trees, although barren, and the sunshine rays.

We followed our basking with a dharma session with a visiting Master who was really into smacking his wooden stick and kept mentioning 30 blows to give, Korean Buddhism is a tad different after all. Apparently there's a different speaker every Sunday and I'm not quite sure what to make of our slightly sadistic monk today. Nevertheless it was gorgeous day, filled with delicious slumber and sweetness at the base of the Seoul mountains- a nice change of scenery to say the least.

Tuesday night special

I managed to hit up over 30 places in 76 hours this weekend and I'm all tuckered out for the start of the school week.

More to come along with a bajillion images of my new kids of Cassiopeia class, Mexican cuisine gone wrong in Seoul (Margaritas=lemonade with a splash of shitty tequila), getting totally lost in translation, Gangnam (the Beverly Hills of Korea), art galleries featuring Hellen van Meene, Myeong-dong hectic neon shopping madness, War Memorial Museum, Dongdaemun shopping and ancient gates of 500 A.D., the best Indian restaurant EVER, etc...

Lots to tell, lots to show but for now feast your eyes on this:





It's official, I've gone Korean and let me say for the record that blondes do NOT have more fun!

Underground blissing out

Best dive bar I've EVER EVER been too is in the basement of Ann's apartment in Hyundae. Up from the neon, past the park, down a dark alley, step over the puddles of puke, down two flights of cement stairs and you're there.
Glass vendor fridges stocked with Cass, Budweiser, Heineken that you serve yourself like Barcelona tapas toothpicks- you're charged at the end of the night by the amount of bottles accumulated at your table.

The albums and poster paraphernalia of the Velvet Underground, Neil Young, the Pixies, Fugazi, Kings of Convenience, and Elliot Smith adorned the cranberry cement walls. Scratch paper and thick black drawing pens neatly placed at each table for sketching and thumb tacked pieces from previous patrons fluttered like moths beside the humidifier blowing in the distance as the music gets louder and louder and LOUDER until you have to drink more to drown out the noise.




Ann and her man sat chain smoking under a desk lamp along the wall of music where she played the most amazing set from her personal library. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Rolling Stones, Pixies, Gorillaz remixes I'd never heard before, Radiohead... it was in-fucking-credible!
I decided to slide through the chairs and trailing cigarette smoke to the music library and check out her next selection- write it down for Ann and if she's feeling it, maybe just maybe your musical taste will flavor the room.



I love that good music can cross any language barrier and you can swap cds (I'm making her a mix of The Airborne Toxic Event and some Rodrigo y Gabriela in exchange for what love my ears feasted upon).

So needless to say, I enjoyed the Hite, I mean night... being underground, undercover.

I came home and researched one of the bands that I got turned on and in to from last night and found a youtube blip with a live performance of the song. The Liars' "The Visit From the Drum" won't leave my blood, it just keeps tapping in my brain and i want to make my way back to the best little piece of underground, really underground bliss.

Please enjoy:

on the corner, all needs can be met

Ahhhh, convenience!

This city is completely built, structured and explained by the subway stops so you only need to know what exit is your's of the 12 there are per station- a bit tricky at first like Dick, Nixon people, I'm talking President Nixon "Tricky Dick" - get your minds outta the gutter!
Seriously though, how can I explain a city with no street signs and no addresses? You can't even hop in a cab with a hope in the world of getting anywhere if you don't know your Seoul Metro. You must explain what station and what exit to your driver and he will drop you there, yogiyo! Right here! The metro is where it is at though, clean and quick and well-lit for a lovely price of 1000 won each ride (or 900 won if you've got the nifty T-money card). Plus no nasty starts and stops like on the bus, they trains don't ride on a clutch in 1st gear my friends and is in fact so smooth, it's like butter or hmm maybe more udon noodle?






So ask yoursellf can my night get any better riding on the oh-so-awesome organizer of the city, the Metro-o-o? My T-card for the subway?- never leave home without it!














No! But maybe you're craving something a bit more as you come up above into the air?
I know! You want jeans?

No problem!

Hmm now that you're stylin' - what's next on the list?

You're still in the mood for maybe something more?

Something to quench your thirst or midnight snack craving?
Well, conveniently located on every block is Family Mart, where you can pick up a beverage, sausage, tofu, candy or 2000 won priced cigs (not that I'm smoking)!



















Every Family Mart comes equipped with joy!
You can experience the joys of milk, OJ, or a personal local fave...

Pre-packaged dried fish or squid jerky (ew!)












and for that time when you're in a pinch, throw down 7500 won for ....

"Soft cafe"- cotton/spandex sexiness in a box!