Seoul is a hot mine of concrete jungle

I don't know how to describe such heat. Summer 2016 in Seoul has been one of the driest, humid, and hottest.   It's been hovering around 35 Celsius max for a few weeks now, which is not very normal for Summer in Korea.  At least we're not in Dubai or Singapore, I know I know, but to Koreans - who like to sweat - this is very unpleasant, especially when you come down to how much it costs to turn on their air conditioner at home.  

Currently there's a huge debate politically to cut energy costs for the regular folks.   At least I hope they ease the pain on energy bills in Summer.  

Our AC is on most days now since the heat wave which puts us to shame (Koreans are conservative on energy use).  I just find that the costs of being cranky and hot versus being cool and productive easily outweighs the extra chunk on electricity bill we'll be paying this summer.  Sitting there like a hot dog waiting to jump in an oasis of water makes you feel pretty desolate and desperate and that's not a good way to spend your days.  

Doing laundry in Korea and how to not stink up your clothes

Look up at a high rise apartment and you will easily spot a cart full of laundry being dried from a window.  

I take part in that free underwear peep show because I have no shame in hanging my delicates because things just need to be dried.

Thankfully - particularly the drying part has been easier nowadays for us because we have a nice window space and sun exposure.  The drying part is the trickiest.  Hang in out on a wet day and you risk stinking up your clothes to smell like sour milk.  Have you ever come across really soured smelly people?  Yeah those are most likely from their clothes and body odor, but most likely both.  I've been guilty in wearing a stinky shirt out before and it puts you to shame.  Can't imagine what others might have been smelling and the unpleasantness of it. 

Towels are especially tricky.  Some take it to the laundrymat but a good sunny day does it for us.  It comes once a week averagely - good day to dry towels day.  I can easy dry our sheets too now within a few hours in this summer heat.  No problem!

Also a trick would be to drizzle some hydrogen peroxide in the rinse cycle to disinfect any remaining nasties that can cause possible germ growth that would stink them up.  These are usually the dirtier loads.  I've noticed that they come out extra fresh and clean.   And it makes you feel so accomplished!  That fresh clean feeling goes a long way.

Laneige water bank gel cream review!

Summer makes my skin hot and dry and cranky and oily.  All at the same time sometimes.  It's not a pleasant season for my skin.

It flares up in heat because of the change of temperature which brings on pimples.  Sadly I still suffer from hormonal angry pimples even in my 30s. It's not nice of my genes to betray me.  I'm not the lucky genetastic Koreans that have flawless skin 365 days.  

I've found that this guy - specifically the gel cream really helps soothe and provide moisture.  I've already consumed a good bottle of it so fast!  It really helps soothe my skin and leaves it feeling moisturized without worrying whether it would break me out later.

I would say this is necessary for the summer season.  I would definitely not use this in winter because it's not heavy enough - but indeed perfect for summer and my cranky summer skin!

cows milk butter - check the ingredients

Of course, butter, is from cows milk!!! 

Or is it??!

you might be actually getting more than cows milk from that butter that you think is butter.

Let's not even begin with "I can't believe it's not butter" scam of a scam.  That thing is made from heart clogging vegetable oil - a no good "highly processed unnatural oil" - marketed to be healthier because it's from "vegetable" oil.   It's deceitful and wrong to market it "healthier" when butter is by far the more natural choice - you can make butter from scratch in your kitchen, then that's natural and a better choice to put in your body.  Anything highly processed can't be good for you.

"anchor butter" is our choice of butter! Because it's from 100% cows milk (not rats).

Compare this pure cows milk fat to "seoul milk"s brand "butter" below.   It looks like butter and it says it's butter, but is it really butter?

Check the ingredients and you can see that the second ingredient listed is "Palm oil". 

As you can see not all butter is from pure cows milk (plus water and salt are fine). 

You can get Anchor butter from specialty stores or online.  Emart carries pure milk butter from France(called "Isigny") that I like but it's on the pricier side.   

Check those ingredients folks!  I happened to find milk here with more than just milk - like additives and sugar added to it.  It surprised me because I've been so used to just getting milk for milk in korea, but with the numerous choices out nowadays, companies are adding this and that to regular milk for I don't know why.  Always best to double check!  ;)

Tuna mayo and Kimchi with rice

Pop a can of tuna

Drizzle a slab of mayo on top 

Sliced kimchi on the side

With a bowl of warm rice

Korean food 

That's what's for dinner 

We don't always eat bulgogi and grilled meat and 20 different side dishes with our multi grained bowl of rice.

A generation of too busy or food is nutrition nothing else folks opt for non frill foods can perhaps see the logic on popping a can of tuna with kimchi and rice.  I could eat this everyday, okay, every other day.  The tuna can get a bit fishy when you eat this 3 days in a row.  I've tried.

Seriously, a good kimchi goes a long way.  I am preacher of kimchi saves a day campaigner.  You can eat it as it is, sauté it with tuna, make it into a fried rice... Oh the possibilities.   

Although you don't want to eat a tuna can everyday if you're on the health conscious side.  Anything too much is no good.  Even the too good to be too much can be harmful, you know where I'm going! Yes, water; even water can be deadly when in excess.

One thing I can't get myself to do that I used to was eat ramen every day - that's when I thought every food item was good for you if it was made to be eaten, oh how naive of me.  I was eating off scrapped frying pan, ramen a day, to keep my chemicals levels in check when I first came to korea when I was in my mid 20s, wow that sounds so young.

Now I can afford not to eat ramen and upgrade to tuna cans. 

Life can take you places folks!