Don't get me wrong. I love Seoul, I really, really do. However, I'm finding that ... when I do spend time there ... there's just so much hustle and bustle and SOOO many people that Seoul just drains me.
Maybe it was the combination of Seoul and shopping. Because, we ALL know how much I just loooove shopping. Chyeah, right.
Today was a good day. Went to Itaewon and raided What the Book - came home with another Coelho book ("Zahir") and the seventh Harry Potter book (paperback!!!). Met Ellen and had lunch at a pretty decent Indian place - not gonna lie, I've had better (I think we both have) ... but ... it's the first butter chicken to pass my lips since being in Lacey with Nick and Hannah. Pretty sure that was in March or April. So, you know, totally worth it. And, just for the record, butter chicken is incredible.
Perused some stores in Itaewon with Ellen before we went our separate ways at Samgakji Station (삼각지) (of course, after picking up a jars of Nutella ANNNND Wasabi coated peas)- she headed back to 범계 and I went further north to 명동. I am in desperate need of clothes, haha. It's gotten to the point where I'm bored of my own wardrobe ... that's pretty sad (considering that has NEVER happened before). So, I was optimistic, and headed up to Forever 21. I figured that with three floors of clothing goodness, I would have to find something. Two hours later, I'm pretty okay with today's bounty (which included a pair of fishnet-esque, scandalous stockings that WILL be making an appearance at our next evening outing). And I'm going back to Seoul tomorrow with 규옥 언니 - probably 명동 again, maybe elsewhere - to look for more. Look guys, I'm shopping! For all of you who knew me back home ... you know that this is a milestone. Even more surprising? I'm buying GIRL clothes!!! GAHHH!
Now I'm in my apartment, too tired to upload photos (which, of course, include the butter chicken ... did I mention that it was pretty divine?) and too lazy to clean my apartment (PS I now have a bathroom light - after four months - and now need to retrain myself to close the bathroom door, haha ... TMI, I know). What's a girl to do?
Thank goodness for OCN (channel 28) showing "Deja Vu" for the thirtieth time this month.
::: EDIT :::
I didn't think my night could get any better ...
BUUUT thanks to Pho and Baskin Robbins cappuccino biscotti, it totally did ... thanks, guys!
::: SECOND EDIT :::
Can you believe it? It just got EVEN better! Was playing guitar hero with Evan, Trever, and Ellen at Trev's place, and my phone rang - it was 선형 오빠!!! Well, actually it was 성원 아빠 on 선형's phone, but it was so much fun! I hadn't talked to them in a REALLY long time, so today I texted 선형 out of the blue ... I guess he was trying to explain something to me, but he couldn't find the words, so when he was at his parent's house, he had his father explain it to me, haha. I loooove it! He's really busy, but maybe we can hang out in a few weeks ... or months, haha. I guess that's what happens when you both have "real" jobs - me being a teacher and him being a reporter. Awhhh well. And maybe sometime in the near future, I can go to 대전. That would be nice! (^_^)
Showing posts with label 명동. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 명동. Show all posts
Saturday, November 8
Sunday, August 24
Apple Candy, Pho, Baseball ... the list just keeps on goin'
This weekend, overall, has been a great weekend.
Friday night was POLY's semi-semi-(insert many semi's here)-annual dinner goodness. Our school directors took us out to dinner, and then, as is Korean custom, we ended up at a norae-bang. For those of you not in the know, a norae-bang is a karaeoke room. You pay X amount of dollars and rent a room with a screen, a karaeoke machine of types, and assorted percussion instruments for Y amount of time. Yes, it was amazing. Yes, I sang karaeoke (in a group). And yes, I laughed for unknown amounts of time while my two directors (Michael and Philip) wowed us all with their Korean rap skills. To sum up their performances in a word? INCREDIBLE.
Saturday started at noon - I met up with Heidi, Angela, Hannah, and Brian and the five of us went on an adventure to Insadong. After meandering through the streets for a while, we all came to the conclusion that we were hungry (minus Angela because she had to leave early) and that the apple candy I had, as delicious as it was, just wasn't going to cut it. So we kept on a'walkin' until we made it to Myeongdong (which, as we all know, is Marcie's very favorite place in all of Seoul). Found a restaurant called Pho Bay and ... oh goodness ... it was great. Not AWESOME, no. But it was still great. "Awesome" would have meant that each table was graced with a bottle of the sriracha (that fire-engine red hot paste) sauce instead of the weird gochujang concoction we were presented with. But still. PHO! :)
Then we wandered around Myeongdong for untold amounts of time, before eating AGAIN (don't worry, there was at least five hours between meal times) at a great restaurant with awesome chicken ANNNND a flat screen TV posted next to us so we could watch the gold medal baseball game (Cuba vs. Korea). We had to leave at the end of the eighth inning, but don't worry! Korean cell phone to the rescue!!! I whipped out my phone, and Brian and I could watch the game on the screen. It was awesome - when the Korea team made that final double play, the ENTIRE street cheered because EVERYONE was watching it on their cell phones. GREAT game by the way. :)
PS - Lotte Anytime mints are AMAZING. Just for future reference.
Sunday began at 11 - met up with the four PLUS Evan, and we headed towards the Express Bus Terminal and Shinsegae. Spent a few hours there with everyone - bought a new cd (YAY, Utada Hikaru!!!), and then returned to Beomgye. Spent an hour in Beomgye, and then hopped the airport limosine (not an actual limosine, but a really nice bus) to Incheon to meet Nico! The bus ride was only forty minutes - I was planning on an hour and a half - so I arrived early. Buuuut that was good because her flight was early too!
So now Nico is in Korea. That's pretty exciting, if I do say so myself. During the ride back to my apartment, I was trying to remember what it felt like to be in Korea for the first (or even the second) time. All I remember about it (arriving to work) was sitting in the back of Philip's car, answering the occasional question and being too shell-shocked to really say anything. Oh, and almost falling asleep. But that's normal, haha.
After getting back to my apartment and getting Nico settled (aka after she changed and then went to bed, haha), my phone rang. The number displayed was 000-0-0000, so I didn't know who it was and when I answered I was pleasantly surprised to hear from someone who I haven't talked to in FOREVER. Okay, "pleasantly surprised" is an HUUUUGE understatement for EXCITED OUT OF MY FREAKIN' MIND!
Needless to say, it was the best 23 minutes and 51 seconds (yes, I just checked the call log) of my entire week. :) So, thank you (in case you read this). It truly, truly, truly was a pleasure to talk with you again and hear your voice.
School starts this week for all of my friends back at good ol' Saint Martins. I'm a little bit sad, to be honest, that I won't be there. This is the first time in a LOOONG time that I will NOT be starting school in the fall. I can't believe that I've made it to this point in my life. I miss everyone dearly (as always) ... but I know that it's not for forever and we WILL meet again (starting with Hannah in December).
So yeah, that's all I've got pretty much. I have to get to work semi-early tomorrow (and by early I mean like, an hour) so I can make sure to finish all of my grading. No worries - I'm a trooper, haha.
PS - Good luck in your baseball game!!! :) Ganbattene!!! (please forgive my poor sounding-out skills when it comes to my limited Japanese, haha)
Friday night was POLY's semi-semi-(insert many semi's here)-annual dinner goodness. Our school directors took us out to dinner, and then, as is Korean custom, we ended up at a norae-bang. For those of you not in the know, a norae-bang is a karaeoke room. You pay X amount of dollars and rent a room with a screen, a karaeoke machine of types, and assorted percussion instruments for Y amount of time. Yes, it was amazing. Yes, I sang karaeoke (in a group). And yes, I laughed for unknown amounts of time while my two directors (Michael and Philip) wowed us all with their Korean rap skills. To sum up their performances in a word? INCREDIBLE.
Saturday started at noon - I met up with Heidi, Angela, Hannah, and Brian and the five of us went on an adventure to Insadong. After meandering through the streets for a while, we all came to the conclusion that we were hungry (minus Angela because she had to leave early) and that the apple candy I had, as delicious as it was, just wasn't going to cut it. So we kept on a'walkin' until we made it to Myeongdong (which, as we all know, is Marcie's very favorite place in all of Seoul). Found a restaurant called Pho Bay and ... oh goodness ... it was great. Not AWESOME, no. But it was still great. "Awesome" would have meant that each table was graced with a bottle of the sriracha (that fire-engine red hot paste) sauce instead of the weird gochujang concoction we were presented with. But still. PHO! :)
Then we wandered around Myeongdong for untold amounts of time, before eating AGAIN (don't worry, there was at least five hours between meal times) at a great restaurant with awesome chicken ANNNND a flat screen TV posted next to us so we could watch the gold medal baseball game (Cuba vs. Korea). We had to leave at the end of the eighth inning, but don't worry! Korean cell phone to the rescue!!! I whipped out my phone, and Brian and I could watch the game on the screen. It was awesome - when the Korea team made that final double play, the ENTIRE street cheered because EVERYONE was watching it on their cell phones. GREAT game by the way. :)
PS - Lotte Anytime mints are AMAZING. Just for future reference.
Sunday began at 11 - met up with the four PLUS Evan, and we headed towards the Express Bus Terminal and Shinsegae. Spent a few hours there with everyone - bought a new cd (YAY, Utada Hikaru!!!), and then returned to Beomgye. Spent an hour in Beomgye, and then hopped the airport limosine (not an actual limosine, but a really nice bus) to Incheon to meet Nico! The bus ride was only forty minutes - I was planning on an hour and a half - so I arrived early. Buuuut that was good because her flight was early too!
So now Nico is in Korea. That's pretty exciting, if I do say so myself. During the ride back to my apartment, I was trying to remember what it felt like to be in Korea for the first (or even the second) time. All I remember about it (arriving to work) was sitting in the back of Philip's car, answering the occasional question and being too shell-shocked to really say anything. Oh, and almost falling asleep. But that's normal, haha.
After getting back to my apartment and getting Nico settled (aka after she changed and then went to bed, haha), my phone rang. The number displayed was 000-0-0000, so I didn't know who it was and when I answered I was pleasantly surprised to hear from someone who I haven't talked to in FOREVER. Okay, "pleasantly surprised" is an HUUUUGE understatement for EXCITED OUT OF MY FREAKIN' MIND!
Needless to say, it was the best 23 minutes and 51 seconds (yes, I just checked the call log) of my entire week. :) So, thank you (in case you read this). It truly, truly, truly was a pleasure to talk with you again and hear your voice.
School starts this week for all of my friends back at good ol' Saint Martins. I'm a little bit sad, to be honest, that I won't be there. This is the first time in a LOOONG time that I will NOT be starting school in the fall. I can't believe that I've made it to this point in my life. I miss everyone dearly (as always) ... but I know that it's not for forever and we WILL meet again (starting with Hannah in December).
So yeah, that's all I've got pretty much. I have to get to work semi-early tomorrow (and by early I mean like, an hour) so I can make sure to finish all of my grading. No worries - I'm a trooper, haha.
PS - Good luck in your baseball game!!! :) Ganbattene!!! (please forgive my poor sounding-out skills when it comes to my limited Japanese, haha)
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