TimeOut: I’m now in London
Hello everyone!
It’s been eight years since I’ve been in London and the only reason that I’m here is to see a lovely friend of mine, Alessandro C.
Yes, he’s Italian, delightfully so.
The perfect host he is as well as a world citizen who takes his time to discover simple, small things.
After we happily and aimlessly sauntered through Notting Hill last night speaking about life and the choices still left for us all to make, he suddenly said: “Felicia, you know, here we are walking through Notting Hill and the only problem that we have is deciding whether to go to Portobello Road or Brick Lane tomorrow.”
We laughed and smiled the smile of those who know how precious life is and how lucky we are to be living it on our own terms, come what may.
Enjoy and yes, I am definitely going to put some photos on hopefully when I get back to Paris on Tuesday.
Enjoy your life and all the great moments and people in it.
At home in Paris
Oui, je suis chez moi, à Paris!
Bonjour! Yes, I’ve been back in Paris since the 20th of June and I feel as I’d never left. The only thing that is new to me besides my current perspective of Paris is the new mode of public transportation: The Velib! Otherwise, the food, le feeling, my friends with whom I’m staying, still give me goosebumps and an even greater since of joie de vivre as before. I will not compare Seoul to Paris as there is no comparison. Each city has its dinstinct characteristics, but Paris…hmm Paris.
Photos are coming!
Bisous to everyone!
Pink and Domesticity
I am just a few days away from hopping yet another plane to visit with friends and family in Paris and London. I’ve been introduced to the word staycation over at Pret a Voyager and I really like the sound of it. However, more than discovering your own city like a tourist in lieu of crossing borders I also like the idea of a “mecation” that’s right, you heard it here first, a “mecation”. I guess that I’m having this mecation 24/7 as I am certainly not one of the millions of women who put other people’s needs and wants before there own. I learned a long time ago that in order to please and be of help to others you must first help and please yourself.
I’ve been in a lovely home for the past two weeks and have enjoyed every bit of solitude, neighborly visits, meeting new people and actually sleeping in a HOUSE and not a tiny, albeit cozy, studio in Korea. Sitting quietly, reading or watching dvd’s (foreign) or just getting some good telly in (thank you Bravo Network!) has done me a lot of good. I was a real lady of leisure but more than that it made me appreciate how comforting it is to see familiar faces and places, have a sense of place and home.
No matter where I roam I will always have the love and support of my family, friends and the beauty of Virginia. This is what keeps me keepin’ on.
One to Watch: Lola Akinmade
Lola and yours truly
Intelligent, beautiful, wise, so many words could describe Ms. Lola Akinmade but the one that stayed at the forefront of my mind while lunching with her was, inspirational.
I came across Lola’s blog, featuring her photography, published writings, camera tips, etc. last year and I’m hooked. What I like most about her blog is that not only does she inform me about lenses, her latest adventure, etc. but she inspires me to know more about a particular subject or point of view. She also inspires me to look that much more deeper into what I’m researching or photographing. I finally met her in the flesh last week when she so graciously treated me with a Welcome Back Lunch at Fontaine. As I am taking off for Paris and London this Friday and she to Sweden, I will keep her words of wisdom with me when I might feel a twinge of doubt about the path I’ve chosen: “You are already living life on your own terms”. So are you, Lola, and we’re all the better for it.
Her work can also be viewed on Gadling, Vagabondish and she is also a regular contributor at Matador Travel
Lola Akinmade, Photojournalist, Incredible Woman, my new friend.
Annamatic, like you’ve never seen her before!
Saying goodbye to Anna of Annamatic was unexpectedly difficult to do. Truthfully, Anna is one of the first true friends that I made while in Seoul and I’m so happy that she too considers me a friend. This woman is so talented, so generous with her time (she’s busier than a bee) and is a fount of useful, creative information and inspiration. She gave me great ideas regarding my first business venture, what else but A CAFE!
She truly worked her bronzed goddess reality (never fantasy) from her latest adventure in Palau! that I had to photograph her lovely brown legs next to our delicious chocolate Freddos that we sipped in yet another cool, quiet and tastefully decorated cafe in Samcheondong. Whew! Long sentence!
Anna, you’re the greatest! See you in September or maybe sooner!
Remembering the last days…maybe.
As a last attempt to seek in Insadong what I really didn’t need, I came across an alley that caught more than my eye. This tower, Jongno Tower is oddly shaped, quite a sight to see, very imposing on this crazy landscape called Seoul. It stopped me in my tracks. Even though I tried to walk away from it’s shape and splash of color, the “old school” swagger of the older Korean men milling around, I couldn’t resist. I’m glad to be where I am (on vacation) but there is something about Seoul that might have me return sooner than expected.
Did I really just write that? Ha!
The Portrait
After the striking portrait photographed at Atelier & Project in the previous post, I returned to Philippe (a dear friend) and this lovely portrait drawn by Matisse, hanging in Philippe’s home in Alexandria, VA.
The first time I entered Philippe’s home it was during a dinner party that he was having. Although I was engaged in witty conversation that night, I could very well have sat there alone with a great glass of wine, staring at this doe-eyed beauty, content and joyous, oblivious to all and everything surrounding pure soul.
Leaving on the midnight flight to Virginia
I took this photo at Atelier and Project in Apgujeong.
Well, I’m really flying to Virginia tomorrow afternoon.
Yes, folks, it’s that time again. I have come to the end of my contract with my present company and will gladly return to Virginia to escape Seoul’s nasty as hell humid summer. You know that I love this city but seriously I cannot deal with the “human titty” as my ex-boyfriend used to say, his jokes never amused me, hence his title of ex.
Anyhoo, I will be visiting my beautiful family and friends in ole’ Virginny’, hop over to London, then Paris and eventually back to Asia. My heart is racing!
Don’t think that I am leaving Asia. Oh no, I’m not finished here. I would love to either live in Japan, Hong Kong, Turkey, etc. Turkey is looking really good right now but the kindness of Koreans keeps luring me back to doing another year here.
I had the pleasure of having acupunture and moxibution practiced on me yesterday and dammit if I didn’t walk out of Dr. Royer’s office feeling like a million bucks! His expertise and charming, professional demeanor alone would be the reason I’d stay here. I’m so curious about Oriental Medicine now thanks to him and Nurse Eun Hye.
There are so many things to consider right now, so many important projects that I will start and complete when I get back. When I get back I want to considerably lessen my teaching hours so as to focus on creating timeless photos for my upcoming book, write more for the magazine, study yoga, etc. You see? Lots of things to do?
I leave for the summer with mixed emotions. I know that I will love seeing my family…for about three weeks, and then want to break the hell out of dodge! Ha!
Do you think living for many years in another country or countries actually turns you into a foreigner in your own country?
While visiting the States, I will make a conscious effort to discover it all over again. I hope that you will like what you see. The best place of where I come from is the ocean. If you love mountains, the ocean, laid-back folks, then you’ll like Virginia. I’ll show you my Virginia and maybe learn something new about my “home” in the process.
P.S. While traveling I will still connect to Korea. Korean neighborhoods are everywhere in the world, just like wonderful people like yourself.
Second Hotel: Originality in Apgujeong
On a hunt for some inspiration and less crowded streets to walk down, I headed to the one of the “Beverly Hills of Korea”, Apgujeong. In Shinchon (where I live) where neon signs and people seem to outnumber the very stars above, Apguejeong was a welcome respite even though it’s exorbitantly overpriced.
I followed the money and it led me to Second Hotel, where my wallet could breath a sigh of relief.
I was actually expecting to find a lounge located in a chicly designed hotel and what I found was a great concept, not like Colette in Paris, something even better, a collection of designers each sparking genuine interest and not just desire to acquire. Second Hotel’s greatest object is inspiration.
I was told that while First Hotel is actually in the works, the owners felt that they’d want to feature some friends and other artists they liked in an atmosphere that nurtures curiosity and not hyper consumerism. Excellent, because what je deteste the most are stores that tell me what I should buy, where, read, etc. If I want that I’ll look at television, all in the comfort of my brand new studio apt., thank you. Here you can find the latest in cycling gear for bike messengers, hip recycled Heineken classes, modern lighting and of course, great music.
I loved the shape of the building itself, the back of the building is all glass letting in the perfect amount of light, shadows here and there which only make shopping more relaxing and strangely enough, the objects more beautiful.
Songha Heo, Art Director at Second Hotel, invited me to their annual garage sale where some of the top designers, fashion editors and photographers attend to either sell or swap some pretty snazzy stuff, no doubt.
Many thanks to Songha Deo of Second Hotel. I hope to stay in First Hotel very soon!
Address:
Second Hotel
647 2, 3rd Fl. Sinsa-dong, Kangnam-gu 135-896
tel: 82 2 542 2229
