In an effort to avoid this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95595486@N00/

the boyfriend and I have opted out of the Busan beach experience, and decided to head down to a less popular beach on Bijindo Island, a ferry ride from Tongyeong. 

The vacation starts Thursday and I'll be back in town on Saturday with pictures and posts on Tuesday!

Have a good weekend!

Dongdaemun Fabric & Craft Market: Embroidery Vendor

Art Cross Stitch: B5210

This little stand took some searching to find, but it was definitely worth it! Located on the 5th floor, Art Cross Stitch has everything you need to embroider. The couple who run the stand are very friendly, though their English is limited. You can find DMC 5 & 25 in the full range of colors here.

Namdaemun Flower Market

Flower markets are one of my favorite places to explore. The Namdaemun Flower Market has been on my mind for several months now. Many of my coworkers head out here on the weekends to pick up bouquet upon bouquet of freshly cut flowers. I finally made it out with my boyfriend this past weekend and picked up some lovely flowers!

It was a bit tricky to find, but we made it! It is located on the 3rd floor of the E-lengddang building. Here it is on the map with some photos to help!

View Namdaemun Flower Market in a larger map

Directions:

The easiest way to find the flower market is to head in through Gate 8 of the Namdaemun Market. Walk straight ahead from Gate 8 for about a block. You will reach a large intersection with Karl Optical on the northwest corner and a large, dingy white building on the northeast corner. Go into the white building (E-lengddang) and head up to the 3rd floor and voila!

We arrived in the early afternoon so I don't think the market was going full strength anymore. Still, there were  lots of flowers out.

These are the blossoms and greens I picked out!

Dongdaemun Fabric & Craft Market: Finding A Vendor

This takes time. A lot of time. If you are going for the first time, make sure you have at least a couple hours to burn and comfortable shoes. The first time I went, I was completely overstimulated. The market is bustling with porters walking sideways in the narrow passages and shoppers negotiating prices. The best way to get a feel is to go in with a goal - so you don't lose focus and turn into a zombie - and to be keep an eye out for things that interest you. That being said, there is a general order to things, though don't expect everything to be divided neatly.

Right before entering the building, you may see a guide to the market. It lists only the floor and the approximate materials available on each, but it does help a bit. Here it is with my personal notes added in italics.

B1: thread, bedclothes, handicraft, curtains, crochet material, sewing essentials, canvas

1: bedclothes, handicraft, curtain, vessel (this turns out to be kitchenware), suiting

2: silk goods, curtains, fabric subsidiary materials, cotton, linen, blends

3 & 4: fabrics, stuff (yes, it actually says "stuff."), denim, satin, twill, muslin

5: clothing accessories, beads, jewelry making material, jewelry, felt, quilting material, artificial flowers, embroidery material, leather, belts

Once you've found a vendor that you like, make sure to take a business card. Keep track of which card is which by writing what you got at each store on its card. Even if you can't read the Korean, you can always show someone the card and ask for directions next time you go to the market!

Here's a sample of my growing collection:

Dongdaemun Fabric & Craft Market: Prep Work

The Fabric & Craft Market is really a crafty person's dreamland. You can pretty much find anything there, but it does take a little more elbow grease than going to your local Joann's. The best way to get what you need in a situation where the sheer volume of stuff is overwhelming and you don't speak the language, is to put in some good prep work. With a little preparation and determination, let the crafting begin!

Prep Tip #1: Bring a notebook and a pen
I am a big fan of nonverbal communication. My boyfriend hates it, but in situations where the parties involved don't have a common language, it works. Draw a picture or make a gesture. And don't be afraid to repeat yourself a few times. Persistence, it pays off.

My trusty notebook and pen.

Prep Tip #2: Bring a sample or at least a picture
The best thing to do is to bring a sample of what you want. Bring a scrap of the cloth you want, or a bit of the thread. If that's not an option, download a picture of what you want onto your handheld device. Just remember that the vendors can show you something that looks the same, but it's up to you to judge whether it has the right texture or weight.

Prep Tip #3: Translate your shopping list
Go online and get your list of materials translated into Korean.  Google Translate does a pretty decent job of this.

Some drawing that helped me communicate.

With these things together, you'll be as prepared as you can be! Onward to finding the right vendor!

Kimchi Bokkeumbap

Still haven't purchased a rice cooker yet, but I managed to get my hands on some rice anyway. With kimchi still in the fridge, it is time for another attempt at Korean food. This time: kimchi bokkeumbap.

Kimchi bokkeumbap is just kimchi fried rice, so I didn't really need a recipe. I just kinda went with it.

Here's my version, made with the following:

1 egg
a bowlful of chopped kimchi, very sour
gochung to taste
two cups cooked rice
sesame oil
kim
chopped green onions

First, I fried my egg. The ajumas at my favorite diner do it in super hot oil sunny side up, but I am still not brave enough to leave my egg yolk jiggly on top. I did it easy over.

I put the egg aside and put the kimchi in the hot pan along with some gochung. I let it cook until the kimchi was pretty soft and then added some kimchi juice and the rice. Mixing it thoroughly, I let the rice and kimchi cook until the rice was soft.

I put the rice and kimchi on a plate, slid the egg on top, and sprinkled some kim and sesame oil on top. A bit of green onion, and it was ready to be eaten!

Next time I think I'll add some onions and some tofu, but even just like this, it was pretty delicious.

Dongdaemun Fabric & Craft Market: Getting There

It was back to the Dongdaemun Fabric & Craft Market for some more crafting supplies yesterday. I picked up some more embroidery floss, some elastic, and some very cute pink felt. I really love this market that is just bursting with possibilities. Suddenly all the crafts that I have been thinking about seem at my fingertips! So I've decided to do a series of posts about the Dongdaemun Market in hopes that you all will be able to experience the joy too!

Getting There:

Dongdaemun Market is located northeast of the city center, right by Dongdaemun, or the Great East Gate. The area is chock full of wholesale markets, but I am focusing on one particular building which I will refer to as the Fabric and Craft Market. You can reach the market by subway (Line 1/Line 4, Dongdaemun stop, Exit 9) or by taxi. All taxi drivers know Dongdaemun.

When you come out of Exit 9, walk towards the building directly to your left. There are several entrances on this side of the building. 

View Dongdaemun Market in a larger map

Getting to the market is the easy part. The difficult part is finding the item you are looking for and communicating what you want. But don't worry, I'll walk you through it. 

View From the Nest

The weather has finally cleared up enough for me to get a good picture. These past few weeks it has been raining, raining, raining - typical for the summer monsoon season here. To my surprise and relief, the clouds broke yesterday. 

This a shot of the setting sun glinting in the windows of far away apartment buildings.

This is what it looks like today. It is brilliantly sunny with some blustery winds to keep it cool.

Barbecued Fish in Hongdae

This little gem of a restaurant is one that I absolutely cannot leave out. I don't know the name of this restaurant in Korean - I'll try to find out - but among my friends it is simply called "The Fish Place." Located right outside Honggik University Station, it is very easy to find.

The restaurant offers two different types of fish barbecued on a charcoal grill right outside the establishment. The first fish on the menu is a bigger, drier fish with a more mild flavor, and the second fish on the menu is smaller, fattier and also more flavorful. In addition to typical Korean side dishes, each order comes with soup, wasabi to dip the fish in, rice and lettuce. (Their kimchi is always sour, perfect for cutting the fish flavor.) If you're lucky, some icy cinnamon tea will be available in the back of the restaurant for those who know to serve themselves!

I should add that the restaurant also serves some delectable donkatsu or pork cutlet.

Directions:

Take Exit 8 from Honggik University Station. Walk straight ahead, past the Lotte Cinema on the right, and turn right after the nearest Family Mart. It is next door to the Spanish tapas restaurant.



View Barbecued Fish Restaurant in a larger map

Introduction

Hello Everybody! My name is Serena Hsia. I am a graduate student studying Industrial Organizational Psychology in Seattle, Washington. For all the blank stares, it's the study of human behavior in the context of work. I have very little formal training in design or the arts so I can't promise mind-blowing sophistication; however, I can promise posts about inspiring works of art. I'm looking forward to balancing my super academic life with some good 'ol art. I love the DIY mentality and often take what  inspires me and turn it into fun mixed media and fixer-upper projects. I hope my on-the-fly creations inspire you to style your life with what you have on hand!

Scooter Hunt

I've never really been into motorcycles or scooters, but one of my friends lent me her scooter over the summer. Just so it doesn't sit around, she says. Well, I'm addicted. During the week, the little 50cc Daelim zips me around the neighborhood cutting errand time in half. On the weekends, my boyfriend and I hop on for breezy rides through Hongdae or Sinchon. It's pretty fantastic.

The summer is slipping by though, and pretty soon I'll have to give the Daelim back. After getting a taste for the scootering life, I don't think I can leave it behind! So the hunt begins.

The parameters of the hunt are the following:

1 mil won in funds
50cc (any higher and I'll need a license)
adequate storage
cute

Online research did not turn up much. I did find a few posts at dagSeoul.blogspot.com, though. The blog has a few good notes for a beginner scooterer. Gary Norris seems to have plenty of experience and some grounded advice. I just wish he'd post a bit more about scooters! Here is a link for a couple of his posts about scooters.

After reading what Mr. Norris had to say, I've decided not to stray too far to find a dealer. There is a little scooter dealer/scooter shop that sells scooters to quite a few of my foreign co-workers. From what I hear, they take excellent care of the scooters that they sell to school employees. Sometimes they even ride up to the campus to take care of minor issues. Considering that they also tuned up my borrowed Daelim for free, it seems to be the logical place to go to purchase one of my own. Maybe I can even sell it back to them after a year if I can't find a buyer of my own.

So it's still just research and speculations for now but in the next few days I should have more to share! Take a look at some of my hopes and dreams. Hope you enjoy. Have a happy weekend everybody!

Sym, Fiddle II, 2010

Daelim, Cordi, 2010

Daelim, Bonita

Daelim, Besbi

Kymco, People, 2011

Kymco, Yup, 2006

Sym, Mio, 2007

Aprilia, Mojito, 2006

Kimchi Chigae

Eggs and bacon are delicious, but you can't eat them every day. Since moving to my own place, I haven't done much cooking during the week. After two or three days of scrounging on scraps, I decided to put something real together: kimchi chigae!

I've been living in Seoul for about two years and I'm sorry to admit that except for one failed attempt at pajong, I haven't cooked any Korean food at all. Despite my blossoming love for Korean food, I just didn't feel the need to cook it at home when it came so cheap at the diners and eateries in the neighborhood. Last week I was blessed with an entire gallon ziplock full of delicious kimchi, though, and I had to do something with it.

After thinking it over - kimchi beokkumbap came to mind - I opted for kimchi chigae as I have yet to buy a rice cooker. A quick google search led me to this beautifully photographed recipe by freelance writer and photographer Marc Matsumoto who is, by the way, also a private chef.

The  most important ingredient in kimchi chigae is, of course, kimchi. And I had the best. Homemade by a bonafied grandmother, it was sour and juicy, and packed with flavor. It also had a fair amount of ginger in it which is not always the case in your average kimchi.

I didn't tweak the recipe much except for using bacon instead of pork belly. Since my bacon is strangely lean, I put some sesame oil in the pot before throwing the meat. Once the bacon, onions and kimchi were in the pot, a heavenly smell began to rise out of my humble kitchen. This recipe is pretty killer.

Here is how my kimchi chigae looked simmering away on my stove top.

I ate enough for two people and still had two servings left. If I could have eaten more, I would have. 

Embroidered Rug

One of the many projects I have begun to pass the long afternoons when I'm not teaching privates is a rug that is supposed to lay out in the sitting area. I picked up the materials for this rug out in the fabric market by Dongdaemun. It started out very simple. I love the look of jute rugs like this one found at Ikea.

Tarnby, Ikea

It is just too expensive! So I found some woven hemp fabric, much like what I imagine sackcloth to be like, and bought enough to cover my small floor. The stand also sold some thick twill strips that you would normally find as handles for tote bags and bought enough to trim the fabric. Attaching the two turned out to be very simple with the help of a handy dandy hot glue gun. I simply laid out the fabric, right side up, put some newspaper under the area I was working on, and hot glued the border onto the fabric. The corners were a bit tricky, but if you leave a few extra inches on one of the strips that meets in the corner, you can fold it over neatly and it looks quite nice. 

On the underside, you can still see where some of the newspaper got stuck; but I don't think anyone is really going to flip a corner to scrutinize.

Unfortunately, the hemp is pretty slippery against my floor. While tackling that problem, I decided that the very simple rug might be too simple. Picking up some embroidery floss I had laying around, I took a needle to it and came up with this:

This warranted another trip to Dongaemun - which is fast becoming my favorite wonderland - and I'll be working away at this for quite some time. This is one of the projects that I most enjoy, though, and I can't wait to see it finished!

Delicious Chilean Wine

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of picking up some excellent wine. Wines from Chile are some of my favorites and these two bottles are definitely on my repeat list!

Both of these happen to be Merlots, a wine I'm definitely taking a particular shine to.

Arboleda 2008, Merlot, Chile

The rough translation of Arboleda is "Grove." The label boasts of a full flavored wine with notes of black fruit and spice. It does not disappoint! I found it balanced and very full bodied, without too much tannin. To boot, on either side of the golden tree it reads "vinedos sustentables" which must mean that the wine is produced with sustainable practices. I found this beauty at the Hyundai department store. It's on sale right now for about 30,000, so get on it!

Montes Alpha 2007, Merlot, Chile

This second wine is from a label pretty popular here in Seoul. Montes Alpha makes quite a few good reds, though this is the first time I've tried their Merlot. A bit sweeter than the Arboleda, this wine is nevertheless very tasty. It is aged in French oak, so it has more tannins to its flavor, too. This bottle was a gift, but since this label is so popular it should be easy to find. 

Wines are a bit more expensive here in Korea compared to wine in the States because of the import taxes, but which bottles do you still splurge on? 

The Nest

I originally moved to Seoul with my family (my dad was working here as an expat for GE) but since they are going to be relocating to the States, I had to get my own place. The search was a bit difficult as I hardly speak any Korean at all! Craigslist didn't turn up much and I actually contacted a broker who helps foreigners out, but none of the places were right. In the end having a good Korean friend was the best solution as usually is the case here in Korea. We sat down in front of a laptop one evening and made a few phone calls to this and that real estate office. That Saturday, we were traipsing around the neighborhood peeking in on 6 or 7 units! They waste no time in Seoul. I was looking in the Yeonhui-dong area, which is near Yonsei University, EWHA University and Honggik University. Most were in older buildings, cramped and dark, so when the broker took us to a sunny studio loft in a newer building with huge windows on two sides and a gorgeous view my eyes pretty much popped out. As it turns out, a unit with the same floor plan was available on the 8th floor. After little debate, I told the realtor I wanted it that same day and put down the deposit a few days later. A time was scheduled for drawing up the contract and voila! I was set to go. I poured over design blogs for the weeks before my move in date and before I knew it, it was time to move in! Here are a few pictures for you to get an idea of the "before." They aren't great as they were taken by my cheap Korean phone, but there will be more and better soon!

Hello Hello

Hi Everyone, my name is Melinda Hsia and I am currently living and working in Seoul, South Korea. It has been two years since I moved to Seoul and began working as a preschool teacher's assistant and since then I have worked too much and indulged my hobbies too little. School has let out for the year, and with all this extra time on my hands I have decided to pick up some of the activities that used to make me so happy. This blog will be a way for me to keep my loves - mainly writing, crafting, and eating good food - alive and thriving! I hope you enjoy and please send any comments or questions my way. I will do my best to keep up!