crafty mum in changing places

Week in review - about the everyday

Sunday is a good day to resume the week. We have been busy with sleepovers, shopping for farewell-party-gifts, preparing healthy food, finishing knitting projects and gathering inspiration for our Paris trip.

The best thing I got was this Panda Bear:

It was given to me by Jakob, the little boy who grows up so fast and tries to be so cool these days - just like his older brother: 

Moritz still ponders on how to become famous and rich without doing nothing except lying on the bed and reading Donald Duck or playing Lego. Any tips from you would be highly valued!

The other thing he is awaiting impatiently is the new Angry Birds version

I finished some knitting I started in December. I thought it would be a good idea to finish this cowl before springtime.

Here are some close ups: 

It is so light and fluffy and soft and keeps me warm - I could wear it all day!

I also kept up with my healthy eating habit and even spruced things up there. More on Monday about that! This was a weekday lunch for me: fried potatoes, kale, beetroot salad, coleslaw and green tea.

And I took the little monster out shopping on the Namdemun market to get some farewell present for a friend who is leaving Seoul next week. She spotted something when we were there together and I went back to get it for her.

This boy loves to pose and he got himself a new bag. How could it be: Angry-birds related!

We spotted some astronauts where spectacles were sold and Jakob asked me if we could borrow then for his upcoming Astronat and space party.

At Lotte Department store, an incredible store like our German KaDeWe  (just see some pictures here) we spotted some unexpected but familiar ladies

... and some cute little monsters formerly unknown to us:

Around the corner everything was like normal: streetsellers offering pomegranates directly from their lorry

A few metres away from a French inspired bakery chain with a typical thing you need when opening a cafe in Seoul: Something French and a vintage inspired bicycle!

So back home we went to find a dog curled up in his basket

And some Paris inspiration and the dumbbells awaiting me in the bedroom

And today is a day for walking through the woods here

or curl up with a book and a tea here:

And maybe we even decide on doing both!

Have a great Sunday!

Yvonne

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seoul Markets - around Namdemun, or: Bring the Neon in!

Once a reader remarked my pictures of Seoul looked so European. That might be because Seoul is very much influenced by Europe, mainly France when it comes to shops and cafes. But there is also the other side of it: The colourful, kitschy, bright and varied scene of the street markets. 

Yesterday we went to Namdemun market because some moms from school are leaving and wanted to stock up upon crafty things from here. So we went to the street markets: a shopping paradise for everyone and it is really colourful and Neon:

So if you were looking for that: here it is:

You find almost everything out there in the streets and it reminded me of Istanbul a lot. When it comes to the markets Seoul is very much like Istanbul My vendours in Istanbul told me that but then I could not believe it!

Did you see the but-shapeing pants in the rear? Incredible! Did not even know it exists - but what do I know? 

I could not take pictures in the handcrafted section of the market because they fear being copied... What a pity. But I will try again!

Looking at all these things makes hungry and we had a typical working day lunch at one of the hundreds of food stalls ther: Bibimbap, hot soft tofu soup, swordfish, kimchi, seaweed salad, Korean omelette, raddish etc. It was delicious!

I just love this kind of food!

We ate in this shop and the lovely ladies on the picture were cooking for us. My husband would have had difficulties eating there but I just love to eat where  it is most unique and typical for the everyday-eating out. Also this reminded me of Istanbul and Brazil

Fish anyone?

I hope to have provided something more "exotical" for you today - other then the usual pictures I am posting. I will keep that mix up if you like. 

We are off to dinner to an Arabian restaurant today and I will be back later for another version of "French Friday"

See you soon!

Yvonne

Happy Valentine's day - same but different in Korea

I am sending you some Valentine-love from my Pinterest today:

You can find all the links for the photos on my Pinterest.

Here in Korea you will also find the shops full of things to buy for Valentine's Day. 

We were tempted by all the beauty packaging everywhere but finally settled taking these:

Yep, this has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ME WANTING TO LIVE HEALTHIER!!!!

But a fresh cream roll with strawberries inside and a crème brulée topping - come on!

But coming back to Korea and Valentin's Day. Yes, they are sending Cards and buying chocolate but there is also a typical Koren tradition: Doing something love- or couple-related on the 14th of each month. In February that means the man gets chocolate (ladies, sorry, our turn will be on the 14th of March...).

My husband forwarded me this list today when he surprisingly got chocolate presents at the office:

1/14 - Diary Day : Couple exchanges a diary 
2/14 - Valentine's Day : Women give chocolates to men
3/14 - White Day : Men give chocolates to women
4/14 - Black Day : People who don't have a girl or a boy friend eat ja jang myeon (noodle with black bean sauce) 
5/14 - Rose Day : Couple gives a rose 
6/14 - Kiss Day : Couple kisses 
7/14 - Silver Day : Couple exchanges silver rings
8/14 - Green Day : Couple goes therapeutic walk in the forest  
9/14 - Photo Day : Couple takes a souvenir photograph
10/14 - Wine Day : Couple drinks wine
11/14 - Movie Day : Couple watches movies 
12/14 - Hug Day : Couple hugs each other 

So there is something to look forward to...

I love the 14th of August: Couple takes a therapeutic walk in the forest - this is so Korean and I love it! We will be in Paris then I think. Maybe the Bois de Boulogne will be a nice spot for this...or Versailles someplace?

I am leaving you here for now with the chance of making your mind up what to do on these days. I think it would also be a nice thing to introduce to other cultures to celebrate one day of the month like this, don't you think?

Yvonne, waiting for her husband to come home to get some chocolate from his bounty!
 

 

Vapiano

Rumor was spread that a Vapiano restaurant exists in Seoul. Research found out that theere are even four of them! Our famiy love this Italian restaurant and so do our friends here. So we went to the Gangnam branch, the ten of us (4 parents, 6 children).

 

It is huge. Much bigger than the one we are usually going to in Hamburg. But it was cozy anyhow because they had so many separate corners where you did not feel like being in a huge restaurant.

The system was the same as in Germany and I love this open kitchen style self-service concept. You can exactly tell how much chili you want or what to leave out in the mixed salad...

Pauline has chosen a seat where she could see the city lights and the ice rink on the ground floor.

Have I told you lately that I love this city?  You can live traditionally Korean but also find everything you have in mind around the corner due to its internationality. That is what I love about these huge cities: You have everything, you can have your own personal village and the anonymity of a big city. And this city feels sometimes like New York and sometimes like the countryside and sometimes like being in a Parisian cafe or shop.

So next time there will be ice skating first (another inner city ice rink!) and Italian food later!

 

Today I took Markus to the Incheon airport because he travels to Germany. When driving home over one of these numerous bridges over the Han river I could see the mountains again. It is lovely to drive home into the mountains and into the Green with the city at your feet. And I keep telling the children daily how beautiful I think it is. And they think it is like a sermon and remind me that I already stated how much I love to drive home in the sunlight with the mountains in view. But one schould appreciate the daily things that make one happy. And yes, I am so thankful for that every day on my way back home!

Enjoy the beauty of the everyday!

Yvonne