Friendsgiving

Isn’t this the best time of the year? Ah, yes! The time when you get to sit around the table breaking bread, sharing good stories and memories, joy, love and indulging in wayyyyyy too much pumpkin pie with loved ones (wait, maybe the pie part just applies me?).

Before I really get into this post, I’m sure you are a tad confused as to what holiday I am referring to with the Christmas tree photos and then the pumpkin pie comment. Just to be clear it’s Thanksgiving, or Friendsgiving as we’ve been calling it. Mr. B decided he wanted to be festive extra early this year and put the tree up to enjoy during our Friensdgiving too (What a softy).

When we moved into our new place we made a deal with one another that we’d host more friends and share our space with them as much as possible. We love whipping up fun and exciting things for our friends to try, so Thanksgiving certainly wasn’t any exception to the rule! While most celebrated on the actual Thanksgiving day, we moved our dinner to the weekend so that we could share and prepare it with our dear friends from all over Korea.

Whew…. What an outstanding spread! I’m pretty sure the pilgrims would have been pleased.

Think: Deep fried turkey (can you believe my very first experience? So very un-American of me), ham, mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry relish, stuffing, homemade macaroni and cheese, broccoli casserole, baked corn, roasted carrots, homemade spicy pumpkin soup, a cheese platter, pesto bread, homemade honey crisp vanilla bean applesauce, pumpkin pie, freshly baked carrot cake and a pear tart. Ohh and of course a plethora of adult beverages to sip on. (You are now having a food coma)!

We celebrated our dear friend Mandy’s birthday too, what a good sport she was about the cake!

The next morning we continued with a farewell Friendsgiving breakfast. A little bacon, eggs, croissants, sweet-potato hash browns and fresh fruit before our friends hit the road.

I hope you and yours had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday feast as well!

Backpackbees

Namae Beach, South Korea: Colors on the coast

The other weekend we skipped town and hopped down to Seoul and on over to the beach! It was so relaxing! Absolute. Best. Decision. Ever. (Thanks for the invite Mr. B)

There were so many fun fall colors to soak up, the gorgeous fall sun rising while I strolled along the beach in the morning, spicy seafood soup (jjambbong) to slurp up, and scuba diving to be done!

I travel the world and the seven seas.
Everybody is looking for something.
– Sweet Dreams – Eurythmics

^I love how the persimmon tree matches the rooftop of a Korean home.

Views in Ilsan, South Korea

Recently I took my very first public trans bus adventure from Uijeongbu Station to Ilsan to spend the day with a good friend of ours. Thankfully the journey was quite uneventful and I made it there with no hiccup (THANK YOU KATYA AND THE SEOUL BUS APP).

Ilsan is a beautiful city located just northwest of Seoul in Goyang city. I visited Ilsan twice prior when I first got to South Korea. Once was to visit the gigantic convention center called the Kintex, and the other time was to go to Costco before one was built much closer to us. Both trips never really awarded the opportunity to get out and see the city and explore a bit.

When I stepped off the bus I immediately took notice of a beautiful lake surrounded by walking paths and park. I lucked out too because Katya was just as eager to get out for a walk around the park as I was. Katya explained to me that the lake park is a very popular spot in the city and is known as the garden city. There were so many people out being active walking, jogging, spending time with their families, biking, skateboarding, snapping photos for blogs and magazines and yet it didn’t feel crowded one bit. It was a feeling you’ll seldom get to experience in Asia.

It was a wonderful fall day spent strolling around the lake park admiring the views, checking out the local Cafés, mall, restaurants and indulging in some frozen yogurt. I highly recommend a day trip to the area if you ever are looking for a new place to explore while in South Korea.

Thank you for hosting me this weekend Katya you are such a dear friend!

Seoul: Jacoby’s Burger

(A bit delayed on posting this one Ooops…)

This weekend, THIS WEEKEND!! OoOoOhhh, it was soooo good! So so very good. It started off with a meet up with our good friends, making the aquaintance of a new friend visiting from Hong-Kong, taking in those beautifully fall colored leaves, and food…food…and more food (come to think about it, I think I strolled rolled around Seoul).

The weather was PERFECT! Just the right amount of fall crispiness to help cross off this white girls fall to do list. ha-ha! (Come onnn how true is this list??)

Anyways, our good friends recently raved about a burger joint in Seoul that we needed to check out. The reviews were a bit dodgy online, however they were mostly about the staff ignoring them, attitude etc. So what the heck, why not give it a try? We ended up in the area with a hefty appetite after taking in all those beautiful fall leaves.

The restaurant is Jacoby’s Burgers located just north of Noksapyung Station in Seoul. Don’t be fooled by the typical restaurant look from the outside, Jacoby’s has quite a unique menu that serves juicy burgers a la carte, pasta, vegetarian burgers, onion rings, freshly cut french fries, salsa and beer. YUM-YUM-YUMMM! Plus they so kindly held the side of attitude when we went, so the overall experience was pretty freggin fantastically delicious.

Usually I’m the kind of gal that would order a big ‘ol burger, but my friend Mandy told me that Jacoby’s makes a pretty mean veggie burger made with red-beans. It sparked my interest and I decided to give it a whirl. Now I was left with the harder decisions, to add bacon or not? decisions, decisions…. I know all the vegetarians are cringing out there. Sorry.

WOW! The red-bean burger was surprisingly flavorful with a nice little spicy kick. I’d absolutely order it again, but my eye is also on the gut buster burger. Speaking of the gut buster, our table was right up front where we could watch all the burger creations come out of the kitchen. Watching people’s eyes and mouth’s drop open as the gut buster burger landed on their table was priceless! Lordy! Look at that thing!

Across the street from Jacoby’s we giggled as we checked out the Camping Company Restaurant. This is urban camping at its finest! We’ve got to go back just go giggle as we grill…totally worth it!

Eventually we made our way to Insadong that afternoon and we found out that it just so happened to be Makgeolli (Korean rice wine) day. We cheers the occasion and ordered a roadie, the adios mother. Whew! Quickly found out why it was named that…talk about a nice adult beverage concoction.

Another fun-filled adventure in Seoul for the books!

DIRECTIONS: Out Noksapyung Station exit #2, walk straight down to the Kimchi pots. At the pots, take the road up to the left. Jacoby’s Burger is just up the road on your left.

45-6 Yongsan-dong 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Savory: Yuca Home Fries

Wait…. hold the press…. Can you really make home fries without potatoes?

Yes.

Have you ever heard of yuca root? Perhaps casssava might ring a bell? Still no?

No worries…. Me too, until recently when Mr. B and I stumbled upon some waxy yuca for sale. I’ll admit I had seen it there before, always curious and pondering as to what it was and how someone would prepare it.

We used our trusty source Google. (Go ahead Google it too). We found out that there were some surprisingly outstanding benefits to eating yuca root. For starters it’s a great source of vitamin C, phosphorous, and calcium. Yuca is also high in fiber and plays a crucial part in good intestinal health. Can’t get better than that, right? Wrong, it gets better!

My fellow followers, the tasteeeee! It was just AS GOOD as the typical American carbolicious comfort of home fries we grew up on. If it wasn’t for yuca being a tad bit starchier, I honestly don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference.

We recently bought a griddle for our teeny tiny Korean stove top. Essentially this griddle is for a grill, however it works quite nicely for us in our kitchen. Sunday morning came around and we thought how perfectly the new adventures of yuca and the new griddle would work together.

We really do not have a recipe per say. Just treat yuca like you would a potato. Get rid of the waxy exterior, process in a food processor, or chop by hand how you’d like your home fries. Next heat up some safflower oil, or your favorite oil on your griddle, or large pan and fry those babies up! Don’t forget a side of bacon and dippy eggs with cheese too.

Looking back, thinking about the incredible aromas wafting from our kitchen, it was as if we were in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Triple D!) grease splatter and all. We like to keep it rather authentic like that. HA-HA, yeah our good friends know that only 5 seconds would pass and Mrs. B would be running around like a mad woman wiping it up immediately.

Have you ever made or tried yuca? We’d love to know some recipe ideas if you’d be willing to share.

Backpackbees

Seoul: Enchanted Flower Garden

I recently the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, also called the DDP (see prior post) and sought out the enchanted flower garden exhibit located on the roof of one of the buildings.

I was immediately drawn to the exhibit, because of a photo taken of a woman making her own path through the exhibit of flowers. Don’t ask me why, but I thought to myself,”Surely that isn’t the path you’d take through something like that”. “Why would she do that and go directly through the exhibit like that?” You’d need to see the photo to know exactly what I’m talking about, but humor me and use your imagination here.

When I finally made it to the exhibit I was snapping away, watching various couples and families throw their kimchi fingers in the air, kiss, hug, pose, etc. I saw most of these couples and families stay on the outside border of the exhibit, but noted a few that made their own random path right through the flowers for the perfect photo, like the women in the photo I mentioned.

……But why?

Here is why…. Because we all are on our own paths in life. I’ve learned that to get the most of your own path in life, you need to be happy for others on their own path. Even though we find ourselves comparing sometimes, no single path is right for us all. Think about it…Does it matter that they are going a different direction than you? Does it matter that they are making their own path through the enchanted flower garden of life? No. So when it comes to your own personal path, why let others paths discourage you?

The takeaway is simple, we all need to encourage, celebrate and support our friends, co-workers and families on their own path through the enchanted flower garden we call life.

Enjoy the views and don’t get discouraged on your path!

Backpackbees

Information:
The Dongdaemun Design Plaza- D section design lab, take stairs to top
Cost: Free, reportedly there only until November
Subway stop/ exit: Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 1

Seoul: Dongdaemun Design Plaza

When in Seoul, take metro line 4 and exit at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station exit 1. As soon as you exit, you will find yourself standing inside a futuristic looking space, but don’t worry your subway ride didn’t send your straight into a sci-fi movie. No, you’re in Dongdaemun Design Plaza, also referred to as the DDP.

At first you might feel like you are going to get lost within the structures. You just might, but I encourage you to do it! Get lost and discover the plaza from all the interesting and unique angles! After you get completely lost and find your way back to my blog, message me and let me know what you thought.

Backpackbees

Bangkok: What To Order

You knew I couldn’t resist… we are foodies through and through! We feasted on some rather delicious Thai food while we were in Thailand! These were just a few of our favorites shots.

Poo Phad Pong Karee – Stir-fried crab with yellow curry sauce

Stir-fried Scallops with Black Pepper Sauce

Som Tam- a salads of shredded green papaya with lemon dressing, tomatoes, chilli and dry shrimps

Pad Thai- stir fried rice noodles with egg, bean sprouts, and ground peanuts

*Not included in photos:

Tom Yam Khung Lai Sua – Spicy Toger Prawns soup with lemongrass, galangal and mushrooms
Pad See Eew- Stir fried flat noodles with egg and vegetable

What are your favorite Thai dishes? Share! We’d love to order them and maybe even try to cook them too.

Backpackbees

Bangkok: Wat Arun

Screen Shot 2014-10-19 at 6.54.20 AM

When looking through my guide books and researching Thailand I came across Wat Arun, or Temple of Dawn. Wat Arun is located on the Chao Phraya River and is easily accessible by water taxi… well, that is if you make it off at your dock. Mr. B and I couldn’t stop laughing because this water taxi was no joke. You heard the whistle and saw that we were pulling up to your dock, you better believe you butt better be at the back of that boat ready to basically leap off onto your stop, otherwise they were pulling away and you were staying on for another stop or so. Seriously!

Wat Arun stuck out to me because of its overall beauty. It is over 70 meters high, and decorated with tiny pieces of multicolored glass and Chinese porcelain that make up various patterns. The steps are very steep and slick. It was raining when we arrived so we did not make it to the top as I had planned.

It is gorgeously at night!

Oh, ladies don’t forget your cover up too!

Backpackbees

Information:

From Sapphan Taksin boat pier take a river boat that stops at pier 8.
From pier 8 take a small shuttle boat from one side of the river to the other side.

Bangkok: Extraordinary Elephant Day Trip

Before going to Thailand I knew that I wanted a day with elephants somewhere and sometime in my life. The Thailand trip popped up and I immediately ran the thought past Mr. B. Mr. B was great typing away on his computer and of course agreed, not really knowing what he was agreeing to. His exact words as I recall, “Find it and books it.” Me: “REALLY?” “Yep, book it.” I spent all night searching for the perfect tour with great reviews, that met our time frame and location. I came across many different site but Bangkok Day Tours Co Ltd seemed to really strike my fancy, so I took a leap of faith and booked it.

We received a confirmation e-mail almost immediately providing details about the pick up time from our hotel, the daily schedule, change of clothing, etc. I was like a giddy little child at Christmas. I was SUPER excited to get to spend time with the elephants, just like when I was a child. (Ask my grandparents about it sometime).

We were picked up at 7AM by our driver Lim, who by the way is an EXCELLENT driver! This man will get you from point A to point B on time without a delay. We got outside of the city of Bangkok and got to see another yet another side of Thailand that we really enjoyed.

We started off the trip by visiting the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. I’ve read that people complained about the vendors hooking their boat and pulling them into each stand, but Mr. B and I really didn’t mind it because once you said no thank you, you were immediately released and they were onto their next boat. I mean really you have to know going to a market like this that it would be vendors that want your money. After all, they make a living off of tourist and locals spending money. We really just enjoyed the boat ride through the marketplace. Each stand was really clean too! I think that our favorite was the vendor that hooked and pulled us in and wanted Larry to see a really big snake. We laughed so hard! Yeahhhhhh……

*Our boat guide

We got back onto the road and headed towards our next destination. Along the way Lim provided us with snacks. Uncle Bob I took this photo for you because of the brand… do you recall ever seeing these when you were a distro for Lays? We really liked them, but I think we are bias living in Korea and all.

We picked up our guide Moe along the way. We went to the Bridge over the River Kwai. Moe was so kind and asked us if we wanted some photos together on the bridge. Moe explained the background about the bridge and it being a very strategic railway linking Thailand with Burma. We discussed how during the construction of the bridge over the Khwae Yai River thousands of POWs lives were tragically taken. Honestly, I felt bad smiling for photos on it or near it.

We got back on the road and drove to lunch at a Local Thai restaurant. There wasn’t anything special to write home about. I think the restaurant was known for tour groups to stop at and really emphasized American food so that people were not turning up their noses at the unknown local Thai cuisine. Mr. B and I joked that we were going to go to the backside where it looked as locals were eating and order, but we didn’t. We did eat most of the Thai food and got some googly eyes from other foreigners there thinking what in the world are those two eating. They just didn’t know what they were missing out on.

*The highlight was the deep-fried coconut bananas!

We drove some more and finally arrived at the Elephant camp where we got to Bathe and ride the Elephants in the River Kwai. Our guide Moe took the camera while we were with the elephants and snapped away. It started to rain when we got there and for some reason it made me more nervous because I knew we were heading to the river, but in the end the sun came out and it was an absolutely incredible memory that we will both look back on and smile. (Especially knowing that Mr. B was JUST as nervous as I!)

Backpackbees