3/26/2013

Seoul Metropolitan Library (city hall station) registration & info


I finally got my library card from Seoul (city hall) Library!


It took me long enough.. It's located in City Hall Station - where they renovated the old City Hall into a library.

The building is gorgeous - I didn't take any photos :(  but I surely will next time.

I was excited to browse around - but felt overwheming... they had upto 4 floors of books!  I gagad over the neatly stacked books and decor (they managed to make it look so chic and cute!).

I got 3 books (the max) and one of the books I've been wanting to read, "Hyo Je Chuh Ruhm" excited me!  I couldn't wait to read about this inspiring lady's life style & tips...




 The book opened up to these photos of her cleaning her garden grown veggies and pots - I'm already inspired~~


 "finding joy in little simple things"



 I love her simple life... simple home, food, thoughts..




 Sneak peeks of her house in Yongin (Kyungi) where resides with her pianist husband. 



She makes simple food.  And makes them nicely presented for her husband. 



simple food and seasonings right from her garden


 Her garden and healthy food tips



ahh - such a beautiful life




...what I want to be in 10 years~^^





Seoul Metropolitan Library info:

closed mondays and holidays



To register for a library card:  
  • You must be a resident of Seoul or work in Seoul. 
  • Have a valid ID (bring extra "proof" that you reside in Seoul if unsure - "utility bill")
  •  
Hours:
  • Weekdays: 9am~ 9pm (6pm certain floors)
  • Weekends: 9am~6pm

Additional:
  • You can borrow 3 books for 2 weeks and DVDs for one week.
  • There are tables avail if you like to study/read.
  • There is also a "media center" for internet/digital media.
  • Help desks/staff are everywhere!

The library is kid, study, couples friendly!  It's not a "serious" library - but rather where you can take a break and read or browse around.

The decor is cute and feels lively.   If you like books - it's worth the visit.  There's an "English" section on the 4th floor - which I missed because it was past 6pm.




Location:

CITY HALL station - follow exit signs to "libray", exit 4 (however, there are constructions going on, so you might have to go to a different exit - but just follow signs to "old city" hall once you get out of underground - or ask^^) , or walkable from Gwanghwamoon station.

Use naver map (app-iphone) if you need reference~^^



3/23/2013

Kkan-Bu Chicken! Newest favorite chicken place

yum yum yum
We found our latest favorite chicken delivery place!  KKANBU CHICKEN!

It's located in our apartment building - but we order it to be delivered..^^
Somehow delivery chicken tastes better, much better at home :D

wow wow wow - look at the size of the chicken cuts! 

crispy and yummy potatoes

It's "yang-nyeom" chicken for 17,000won and half an order of wedge fried potatoes for 6000won.  The quality of the chicken is really juicy and heavy(in weight)!

I've had some skinny Korean chickens before - but these are a lot bigger and heavier!  Very juicy and the sauce is delish!  Not too spicy and sweet~~

salt & pepper and "sauce" for dipping


KKANBU chicken is a smaller chicken place located in few locations across Seoul.  You can also dine in if you want.

But we prefer delivery ;)


Location for KKANBU CHICKEN in Gongdeok;

Get off Aeogae station (line 5, purple color) - exit 1 - walk down the road until you see a GS Mart on the corner - turn right to that road and keep walking up until you see a Raemian Apartment complex ahead.  The chicken place is located right off the left of the parking lot entrance to the apartment complex.

3/22/2013

My new health & food thing at the moment

Food/vegetable/fruit prices are ridiculously volatile in Korea.  A bundle of onions were almost 5500won, when it was just 4000won couple months ago.

I can't stand paying that much for basic veggies - there was even a recent case of theft of onions!  I hope the new government will do something about this like they are promising.

So anyways, we need our veggies no matter what - there's no escaping that.  So I came across drying veggies - supposedly it also allows more nutrients as it is dried.  You can google it more if you are interested^^

I came upon drying veggies like pumpkin, broccoli, leafy greens...

I started with pumpkins - I like to add them to "dwenjang jjigae", side dishes, and with rice.

getting some sun

I used to store them fresh on the freezer and they would take so much space!  Now it only takes 1/4 or less of space :D

It took about 5 days to completely dry them - you can also use the oven/crisper(?) - but I don't want to use anymore electricity.

It takes some space - but it's pretty seeing these heavy chunky yellow cuts transform to crispy leafy pieces.

dried pumpkin cuts



Guava tree & more - new additions

To celebrate the ending winter, I got a guava tree and plus+ 

 I ordered these online and came safely in one piece!  Korea has a very efficient and affordable shipping system(?) - you can order pretty much anything.

new addition - 3 year old guava tree

the "tree box"

the guava tree - looks healthy!

re-potting the guava tree
 
I also got these lovely "love chain"

These are my favorite right now!  so pretty~

"love chain"

I got this cactus guy for only 3900won!




3/03/2013

New president, Rodman in North Korea - end of February 2013

What a wholesome week of new and surprising events.

Korea now officially has a new president to run the country for 5 years.

Park Geun Hae parading in an open car

We will see how much (or not) Korea will change.



~*~


Rodman came to entertain and hangout with North Korea's leader KimJungEun.  For a country that teaches their kids to kill Americans - I see this event very mind boggling (it has so many - or not many meanings)  hmm hmm hmm

Rodman in North Korea


~*~




Exciting event.  I went shopping for a new cutting board.  I am replacing my "plastic" boards and replacing them with all wood for health reasons (BPA - hormonal..etc).   I found the cheapest and smallest wooden board for 7900won.  I got it and it is a piece of 7900won board...

Is BPA exposure a cause of autism spectrum disorder?

Dr. Liedtke's latter comment, of course, implies that widespread BPA exposure through food can linings, thermal paper receipts, plastic water bottles, and other sources may be a direct cause of the epidemic of neurodevelopmental diseases that are occurring all around the world. Such disorders include conditions such as Type I diabetes, Down Syndrome, and of course autism spectrum disorders, which have increased inexplicably by about 78 percent over the past decade.

"Our study found that BPA may impair the development of the central nervous system, and raises questions as to whether exposure could predispose animals and humans to neurodevelopmental disorders," added Dr. Liedtke. "Our findings improve our understanding of how environmental exposure to BPA can affect the regulation of the KCC2 gene. However, we expect future studies to focus on what targets aside from KCC2 are affected by BPA."

Even the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now admitting that predisposed genetic factors are more than likely a red herring when it comes to explaining away the continuing rise of neurodevelopmental disease. As quoted in a recent Huffington Post piece, Diana Schendel, a CDC scientist with the agency's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, admitted that the widespread assumption that autism is largely a genetic condition "was perhaps made in error."

Sources for this article include:

http://www.dukehealth.org

http://wunc.org

http://www.naturalnews.com/035452_autism_vaccinations_children.html





~*~



I saw this cute cartoon print/post on our apartment building informing the residents to check for efficiency of electricity in housing/apartments/buildings.  This is very useful to know because we highly praise efficiency - especially electricity - this info would be useful if you are considering moving/buying a new apartment.


We are lucky because we barely turn our lights/heater in our house - efficiency to the max - and our electricity/heating bills are much lower than what it could be.   Thanks to our "green" apartment building!




~*~



I think this was my first time having soju and lunch :)   Good kimchi jjigae and jjim at Seodaemoon (station).





~*~



These are my new additions to my nursery.  One day I want to build my own garden/green house/nursery of plants and trees :)  one day!



Those are some of the excitements for the past week (sarcasm not!).





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