9/29/2012

Happy chuseok!

The first day of Korean thanksgiving starts today~

It's so beautiful out~~~

Fried chicken Korean style - home delivery (NENE CHICKEN)

Koreans know a thing or two about their fried chicken!


There are fried chicken restaurants everywhere you go. And I mean everywhere. A block of space is Korea will at least have one chicken restaurant. Okay, maybe a bit of an over exaggeration.


Ascorbic acid powder

I was given a "vitamin gift" (very common to give "health goods" as gifts in Korea) and behold my newest vitamin, powdered vitamin C (ascorbic acid).  It's good for pretty much everything =P  Our body needs it.

But too much of this at once will give u diarrhea *.* I take one stick and divide the portions in two or three a day, with water.  It's very sour to the point of being bitter.  I'll try anything good for the body, especially for the skin :) 

What are you doing to better your health?

9/26/2012

Paleo diet

I've been experimenting with different diets this year for a way to challenge my body and to finally find the diet for a lifetime.   

The Paleo diet seems to be working for my husband and I (who's been deprived from eating meat due to my strive to cook mainly vegetarian meals and eating meat just once a week). 

With this new diet, I no longer have to count calories and fat and my husband can finally enjoy his meat!  But we're eliminating processed food and grains like bread, pasta, snacks/chips, and rice, which were basically our every day food.  But it's not as scary as it sounds. 

This is my paleo dinner plate tonight.  It's roasted chicken, pumpkin salad and sautéed kale and onions with vinaigrette and olive oil.  I try to keep my vegetables organic and cooked as little as possible.  I still drink coffee (mainly just black) and still enjoy my chocolate (mainly dark).  One of the biggest thing I've had to cut away from were my visits to Paris Baguette (bakery) and picking up baked goods for snacks/dinner.  No more processed food and grains.  The pros are that I have more energy and feel stronger.  My skin seems to be happy about all the fat its taking in too.


Basically, Paleo diet is eating "good quality meat"  (you know it~ no hormones, grass fed..etc etc) and organic veggies, and eliminating any processed food and grains (like rice and bread).  You eat veggies and pumpkin or yams (root vegetables) with your meat.   For dessert, I limit my sugar/chocolate/coffee and dairy (some do without any of these).

So far, I really really like this diet.  I've been able to eat normally and get pretty full and kept my weight the same after losing an amazing 4 kg in two weeks with Danish Diet.  You can google about Danish Diet, but I wouldn't recommend it for a long run.  It's a 2 weeks(more or less) program(?) to help you lose weight.  I tried it and it worked.   I still eat the "Danish Diet breakfast" consisting of a toast, 3 boiled eggs(more or less), a piece of fruit (orange/grapefruit~whatever you can find), and black coffee.  FYI, "black coffee" is in every meal in Danish Diet.  It couldn't be anymore suiting for me.  I think that's probably how I stuck to the program.  Oh, enough about Danish diet. 

Here's an easy introduction to Paleo diet,
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/10/04/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet/

But everyone is different.  Our bodies are different.  This might not be the diet for you.  I don't know if there's ever that one diet fit for every individual out there.  But so far, I like how my body is with the Paleo diet.  I also love being able to eat and finally enjoy meat, butter and eggs.  Eliminating processed food is probably the best thing for me as well.  Of course, I'm never going to be perfect.  So if someone offers me a good looking piece of chocolate cake, I will happily devour it.  And I still have a piece of toast in the morning :)  I'm going for the 80/20 rule.  20% eating what I want =D  And chocolate and coffee are not going anywhere! 

9/24/2012

Isigny butter

Korea has come a long way from "I can't find anything I want :(" to "they have this?!!~~(finally!)"

Korea is catching on with the gourmet scene and high quality organic goods. Just look at the butter variety in Emart (Gongdeok branch).  Btw, Emart is my favorite store :)  It's the "Target" of Korea.  They sell everything from grocery - home goods - furnitures - wine - beer - gourmet/foreign food.

I don't know what it was, but I gave it a quick scan.... I haven't bought butter or had butter on toast for the longest time.

Oh... French butter?!!! Made from 99.98% milk. I'm sold.

A good impulse buy nonetheless.  I really enjoy butter on toast now, but I will just have to tone it down on how much I slather on my toast... it's just so good~~ the melt in your mouth quality that makes you want more.

Chocolate goodies

Yes these are exactly what I need. There are days I can do without them, but my craving lately is anything but "I guess I can have one", to a "must have them now."

Hubs got them at a chocolate shop in Changi airport in Singapore. My favorite souvenir goods are anything edible, especially chocolate :).

9/19/2012

Ashley buffet restaurant (Gongdeok)

Only a few blocks down exit 3 off Gongdeok station, you will find the newly opened restaurant in this area.  Before this one was a SUBWAY(sandwiches) that just opened this summer (walk down exit 3 until you see it on your left, about a 5mins walk).

Gongdeok used to be kind of boring with just office buildings.  But just this year, a lot of new shops have opened down the road off exit 3.   Another Star Bucks, Ediya coffee, and the most exciting one for us, Ashley buffet!!!  We were diligently waiting for its opening as they were putting the store together.  And finally it opened on August. 

ashley buffet restaurant seoul
View to the salad bar (wine is on the left as shown here)

Gongdeok - beautiful day

After some grocery shopping at emart.

A photo moment after taking in a breathe of fresh air from a long hard duty of  grocery shopping~

9/14/2012

Cup of kopi luwak in gwanghwamoon

We had kopi luwak somewhere at a cafe in gwanghwamoon.

Deep flavors. Gotta love a good cup of coffee!

9/13/2012

Chung-gye-chun stream

Sometime around earlier this summer on Buddha's birthday.

LOCATION:  Gwang-hwa-moon station, exit 5.  Walk straight and at the end of the block and right across is the stream way. 

Youido park

One hot summer day, we took a sweaty stroll in youido park!

Other than being sweltering hot that particular day, I remember how lush and green the park was.  It was a nice but rather short break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

living and working in Seoul

My hubs finally started a blog about living and working in Seoul.

http://www.liveworkseoul.com/


A great post about IFC MALL and it's location,
 http://www.liveworkseoul.com/2012/09/international-finance-center-ifc-seoul.html


certified organic beef (non GMO) in Korea

It's hard to find grass fed beef in Korea.  But I found them at Emart (online shopping).

JJIM GALBI cut:
http://www.emart.com/display/item.do?method=getItemInfoViewDtl&item_id=8809193490030&ctg_id=6110795&shop_id=&from1=&from2=&emid=

L.A. GALBI cut:
 http://www.emart.com/display/item.do?method=getItemInfoViewDtl&item_id=8809193490061&ctg_id=6110795&shop_id=&from1=&from2=&emid=

BULGOGI cut:http://www.emart.com/display/item.do?method=getItemInfoViewDtl&item_id=8809193490016&ctg_id=6110795&shop_id=&from1=&from2=&emid=


There are also other organic meat/eggs here:
http://www.emart.com/display/category.do?method=getSCategory&ctg_id=6110795&emid=CTG_ITEM_02_6110795



9/12/2012

King Sejong - Gwanghwamoon

At a cloudy day in Gwanghwamoon. Located in Gwanghwamoon station, get off exit 2 (where you will find the US Embassy at the next block) and walk about a block until you see the statue on the middle of the road.

9/08/2012

Jubilee Chocolatier Cafe (Youido station)

We are in IFC mall at the moment. Hubs is getting his shoulder massage next door while i wait here at Jubilee cafe. It's a chocolatier cafe with chocolate, cake, coffee and chocolate drinks.


Late lunch at IFC mall

It's past 4 on a Saturday amd we haven't had lunch, so hubby and I hauled to IFC Mall to grab some grubs.

The food court here is amazing! They have variety of foods from Indian, Chinese, pizza, burgers, Korean, Thai and Japanese. It's pretty exciting to see all the variety and looks restaurant quality!

However, we weren't completely hungry enough for a whole meal, so we opted for some fresh salad(salmon for me, shrimp and mango for him), bread and cheese.

Yummmm~~~

9/07/2012

Organic korean jujubes 대추!

So I've been on a raw food experiment. What intrigues me are the raw dessert recipes~~~~ oh I am very excited to try them!

One of the main ingredients are jujubes 대추! So I ordered these yesterday and today they came! I opened them and found thank you notes and even complimentary veggies! What great service! These gestures gives me more reason to support the smaller organic farms!

The apple shaped logo is the ORGANIC 유기농 mark in Korea.  

If you want to purchase the exact jujubes, here is the link,



9/04/2012

IFC mall in Youido

Last weekend was the opening of IFC mall in Youido.

To put it simply, I like it lots! Location is perfect for us. And did I say, eateries galore?!!! I'm very excited and happy with the mall!  There are plenty of retail stores for the shopaholics and plenty more interesting eateries for foodies :D  It's a nice mix of both ends.  Obviously, I'm more excited about the eating part~

Indoor gardening in Seoul

I'm ready to say sayonara summer! But it just won't leave~~~ but I did part with indoor gardening for the season..

I had to put away the cherry tomato plants and eggplants bc of insects and they were slowly withering away from the lack of sun... my gardening stint got shortened faster than I hoped, but at least I got a handful of the tastiest tomatoes! No wonder people get hooked on growing their own food.

Peaches on sale!

Summer means seasonal peaches for affordable prices! I finally got a whole box of them for only 11,000won.

Interestingly, I had one that tasted like guava :). Quite happy with this purchase~.
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