Wednesday, January 16, 2013

soko, saranghae



Over the second weekend of November, the family got together for a few days with Taylor's mom during her visit to K-land. Definitely a very cool lady and is now known as Mama Lindman in our circle.

Friday night, I met up with Jaimes and Erick for some late night hangs in Hongdae. 
We checked in at a Japanese tapas bar called Kyoto (교토) - a multi-level space constructed almost entirely of wood. 

Their very very sad idea of a caprese salad - cream cheese cubes in lieu of fresh mozzarella, ouch.
Hearts
Vintage Japanese ads plastered to the walls
The kitchen is open for viewing and is located in the very centre of the restaurant
What did I tell you about all that wood?
Everydrink is Illuminated

We stopped by an eclectic cafe for some chit chat and drinks to end the night.

Canada!
Cheshire Cat?

The next day, we ventured over to the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art to check out the Anish Kapoor exhibit and meet up with the rest of the gang.

My friends are cooler than yours.
Twinsies
Mirror, mirror - a preview of what was to come?
Vertigo V & VII, 2012
Tall Tree and the Eye, 2009
Sky Mirror, 2009
Emmers engrossed by ancient Korean art
Tea set
This painting was incredible up close. The attention to detail was unreal - the age spots and freckles, the wrinkles around his eyes, the grain of the mesh of his headpiece, each fine hair of his beard...
Museum go-ers
Cave, 2012
Untitled, 1990, fiberglass and pigment
Do you see the lump in the wall?
Museum attendant and Yellow, 1999
My Red Homeland, 2003, wax and oil-based paint
Space as an Object, 2001

After a thorough peruse of the show, we took to the streets of Itaewon for some lunch and some browsing.

Seolleongtang (설렁탕) - ox bone broth-soup, so good
Press play
Nerding out with our cams
Post Poetics - cool mag/publication shop
It's Nice That!
Cool looking dude dropped by
And I had to take his picture
Zacpot
Traditional masks
Not-so-traditional masks
Steep alleyway hills
You really are.
A friend of Emily's cousin owns Magpie Brewing Co. so thanks to that tip, we stopped by and tried their staples, a pale ale and porter, as well as a sampling of experimental beers (including one of mushroom variety, earthy and interesting). A start-up by Erik and Tiffany, a couple of expats who saw a niche in Korea's otherwise mediocre beer market, Magpie is a cozy hidden gem and is definitely worth a visit if you miss sipping on a good brew. The two also host Semipermanent, a smartly entertaining web series about life living abroad in Seoul.


For dinner, Lisa took us to okitchen in the heart of Itaewon - artfully plated Italian-French dishes galore.

Lisa fits right in, don't you think?

Post dinner, it was still a little too early to head to the party venue so we stopped for some coffee and guess who made an appearance?

Hey Ted!

We topped the night off at Cakeshop, a small basement hiphop club in Itaewon.

Uh oh
Yesss! Mama joined in on the action
Fam photo!
Bottle serviiiice


Dance floor darlings
Lol... Tay's open lap invitation to Jaimes?
Cupcakes! The place is called Cakeshop after all..
Work it gurrrl
The damage

The following morning, we were treated to a lavish brunch at the Park Hyatt by our adopted mama. We spent a leisurely three hours in a room tucked away amongst the glass wine cellars. We felt spoiled rotten.

Ha!
As if all this wasn't enough.. Lisa brought us all presents! Divine dark chocolate, by the way. 
Funny book of hilarious and bizarro postcards
Food coma
I have to put together a collage of all the Kevin + maps photos I have..
Aaaand the bow tie was untied

Thanks for spoiling us all weekend Lisa! Love, your Seoul kidz 

Spotted a certain Jaimie in the reflection
Looking back on brunch...
Cutie
Erick and his awesome Gentle Monster glasses
Run!
$$$

As we began to part ways, I tagged along with Jaimes as she went for her first haircut in Korea.
VIP treatment awaited us at one of the Juno Hair locations in Gangnam.


Here are some snaps from the tail end of the weekend, before hopping on a bus back home.


Gangnam has one of the strangest mixes of architecture I've seen in Korea.

The black building in the centre is a serious real-life optical illusion. It takes a while for it to "make sense" as a three dimensional structure.
The invisible tower
Erick told me to take this one. I like.
Underground mall ceiling, shot by Erick
Rest stop at Twosome
Jaimie spotted this gem of a still life/real life. Grim.

Getting.... there.... albeit.... painfully... slowly......

Jaimie's photo show in Sancheong is up next. x


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