This Time in Seoul

Thank God for Sundays. Seriously.

I get so excited when Sundays come: What exhibit am I going to see, what new dish of anything will I try today, and more importantly, WHERE am I going to eat?! Today’s answer was milk tea at Cafe 62-16 and a croque monsieur at MMMG, both in Samcheong-dong.

This milk tea was created by owner Lee Seung-Ae of “62-16″, it’s delicious and the croque was THE BOMB. I really don’t eat cheese that often but today it reminded me of home and dammit’, I was hungry.

I really do think that I could open up a successful cafe, lounge either here in Korea or in the States. The U.S. really doesn’t have a cafe culture and that’s a shame. I mean, can you really be nice and cosy in say, Starbucks? I don’t think so either.

MMMG has a colorful little website that informs you of their history, locations and products. 

Enjoy the process!

MMMG, located left of exit 1 at Anguk Station, Orange line 3.

Shadows and light, pleasing colors harmoniously reside aside each other at Cafe 62-16, by TeaStory.  I found this place on my way to shoot a traditional teahouse for a magazine and actually found this more appealing. I’m very aware of light and how important it is to how I respond to a space. I really enjoy the shadowy, slightly darker feeling that resides upstairs. If you want to sit alone, you don’t have to be in a dark corner, you can sit in a space with less light but still feel and see the light that streams in from another part of the room. All doors are open, which makes it cool enough to NOT turn on the a/c (well for now at least) and the added bonus of having delicate, vibrant flowers placed just so throughout the cafe brings much added vegetation to this concrete city. This place is like a painting. 

The owner, Lee Seung-Ae is also the proud owner of The Tea Museum in Insadong, another place that I recommend. She has style and makes the best milk tea I’ve ever tasted and I don’t even like milk, NOR, milk in my tea. A winner!

Tip: Get there early to beat the crowds, to get a seat out on the terrace or one of the balconies. Personally, I prefer l’interieur.

Cafe 62-16 by TeaStory, Samcheon-dong, on the main “strip”

Call: 02 723 8250 for more specific directions.

While on the metro this Sunday morning, my phone rang and lo’ and behold it was my mother! She simply said that I’d been on her mind (we’re always on each other’s minds and hearts) and that she had to hear my voice. I really needed that and it’s feels so good to know that we are still here on this earth together, laughing and surprising each other as the days go by.

Mama, these flowers are for you. They almost match your beauty. Almost.

Love you always,

Your loving daughter

They don’t have this in the States.

I was introduced to Paht bing-soo by a friend of mine who wanted to give me a taste of Korea before I moved to Seoul. Initially I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the dessert, then later confused with the mix of ingredients: shaved ice, lots of fruit, syrup, and red bean paste. I ate a couple of spoonfuls before it melted into a sloppy soup of sugar.

Well today, after photographing a new addition to “the strip” in Samcheon-dong, Cafe 62-16 (a new favorite!), I gave bing-soo another try. This is Green Tea Bing-soo and and I love it. It’s real green tea, shaved ice, red bean paste with almonds, cashews and hazelnuts! Simply delicious, and dare I say, nutritious? Ha!

Order one, it’s big enough for two to share on a bright and sunny day like today.

Enjoy!

It’s just as appealing to people watch in Seoul, South Korea as it is in Paris, France.

After having a great time with Anna of Annamatic (She’s so cool) at Cafe 62-12 today, I spotted this lovely deviation from the norm. Ladies and Gentleman, I bring you the Giggle by Yamaha!
In person this scooter seemed well built, solid, sweet and petite. It’s sits slightly lower and is wider, because of this design perhaps it hugs the road more than your average scooter. I particularly like the large side-opening boot! I can just imagine myself riding around Hongdae or Sinsa-dong, Macbook Pro on board, livin’ la vida loca!

I’ve just read about its features and it gets even better folks:

“Taking the accolade of being one of the world’s greenest scooters, the 2008 Yamaha Giggle minimally environmentally harmful as well as highly practical - and good looking to boot! With naked handlebars, boxy bodywork, and bright colour schemes you won’t fail to stand out from the crowd on this smart Yamaha scooter.”

Sounds good to me! Here they are in black, and yellow:

P.S. If you’ve already purchased one, please share with me and other readers how it performs. Thank you!

P.P.S. I also found some groovy videos featuring the Giggle on youtube, of course.

The quote above was taken from: P&H Motorcycles

I couldn’t resist. I have a lot more but will not bombard you will endless brilliantly hued tiles. Enjoy.

Also, please go to

I don’t really care for carpets unless I’m in an old stone farmhouse in Bourgogne.
Thailand has the most amazing colors and most of the time you’re walking on them. Tiles in the temples, in beautifully weathered restaurants or hotels, everywhere.

Seriously considering Buddhism these days.
During one of my last days in Thailand, I visited the Indian market to pick up some more gorgeous sarongs and floor length dresses. Feeling oh so hungry (when wasn’t I feeling this way?) I found this gentleman creating offerings in front of the food stall I was investigating. He looked so peaceful, so determined amidst all the traffic whizzing by him, the calls from nearby kiosk owners, etc. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I loved the color of his skin, similar to my own and his hands…how he created beautiful offerings made of various types of flowers, all the while balancing a cigarette. Quels yeux!

Another gem in Buam-dong (just across the street from Life is Suddenly cafe) is aptly named Espresso Coffee Academy. Yes, you may take a course in the cult of coffee here. Justin and I decided to venture upstairs to see where the magic beans rested and they were oh so patient with us snapping away, taking brief pauses to just take in their aroma, as well as the haze of light that was created from a mixture of coffee, dust and nostalgia. My friend Anna told me that she ordered a White Wine Cafe con leche there and became, um, tipsy afterwards. I’ll definitely order two of these when I go there again tomorrow. It’s a bit of a hike from Shinchon where I live but damn, it’s worth it folks. It is owned by Korea’s top coffee connoisseurs, Ma Eun-Sik. No more needs to be said.

Where: Buam-dong, very close to Gyeongbok-gung Station.