<In the City> Spring Spell.

With the onset of spring in Seoul, the city is slowly draping and donning various colors and hues. In the meanwhile, I have officially lived another year in this world and blew out 26 candles. Nothing tangible has changed, and my days have been divided between a blur of work and a wish for spring mode.

Beauty can be found in everything, but nothing like the spring spell mesmerizes one's soul. The enchantment exuded by the theatrical arrangement of vibrant nature is, needless to say, captivating.

What has caught your fancy lately?

<photo by me>

<In the City> Homebody.

On perfectly London-esque overcast days, I feel this surging desire to just stay put in my bed all day, except to get some chamomile tea and dark chocolate and use the lady's room. Such longing is intensified when you must continue to go to work despite a severely congested sinus and insufferable sneezes.

Today is such a day. I wish to be just in bed all day. Alas, fast-forward 30 minutes from now, I will be madly sprinting out of my apartment, forgetful of either my cellphone or my wallet, furious at the elevator for not coming faster, exasperated at the continuous cold, cold weather. 

<photo by me>

<Out of the City> Tokyo, Japan: Two.

In contrast to the vividly dynamic and uniquely eclectic glitz of Tokyo, the city also embraces areas of simple serenity that are absolutely beautiful. I found the soothing spirits of these places quite indelible.

<photos by me>

<Out of the City> Tokyo, Japan: One.

Tokyo is like a facsimile of Seoul in more ways than one. In many other ways, the two cities wear completely different faces. Japan has been known to be very culturally similar to Korea, possibly due to the two countries' long, intertwined history.

What I find most charming about major Asian cities are their multitudes of layers.  It's as if you're gleefully pulling out an endless number of colorful sheets from a box. That and a million other reasons make traveling so irresistible.

So you are in Tokyo.  With the will of a tenacious tourist, you take that next step forward with your aching feet that even a pair of Nike cannot aid. Then, in a quick moment, you suck in a wisp of air and tilt your head ever-so-slightly. The glittering skyscrapers peel back to reveal the everyday lives of Japan. The backdrop paints a melted concoction of lights, people, and personality. As you wander around the city all day, you are constantly lost in various cultures and decades of time.

A collection of random shots of Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, and Shinjuku.

<photos by me>

<In the City> Happy Lunar New Year.

As the 'real' start of the year 2014, I am truly grateful for this 4-day Lunar New Year holiday after practically living at work for the past couple of weeks. 

I adore being rolled up burrito-style in my ultra-comfy Costco blanky, cooking ridiculous amounts of food for no reason, and doing a lot of reading in fetal position, so this weekend will definitely be dedicated to all these things.

I wish everyone ungodly amounts of good fortune and prosperity.

 :)

<photo by me>

<In the City> The Spankin' New Year.

A huge part of the Korean, as well as many other Asian countries', culture is food. People always believed that in order to live a bountiful life of prosperity, happiness, good fortune, and well-being, one must eat well. Thus, a grandmother's steadfast encouragements for seconds and thirds should not be denied. 

After a month of hiatus and as my first post in the year 2014, I wanted to share my first gimjang (kimchi-making) experience from this past November. It would be no understatement to say that in many ways, kimchi exudes the essence of Korea and its people. 

Kimchi is an aquired taste, yet once acquired, this baby will haunt you if you move to an area with limited Korean market access. There are infinite types of kimchi, variant on regions all throughout Korea. Traditionally, gimjang occurred in early winter time so the fermentation and the long-term storage of kimchi could happen in earthenware jars buried underground. In pre-refrigerator era, the frosty winter months mothered those kimchi jars in a healthy, crisp state until full consumption. 

Gimjang is an uniquely grueling manual labor. From the multiple hand-washing of cabbages (or whichever main vegetable you will use as your main ingredient) to the tedious seasoning preparation to the final 'marination' process, gimjang kimchi is smothered with time, love, and immense back-pain.

My mother's family lives in a picturesque house right on the outskirts of northern Seoul. The visit reminded me once again how delightful the countryside was.

While this gimjang tradition continues today, it definitely has dwindled. This is quite unfortunate as the taste of freshly homemade kimchi is indelible.

<photos by me>