Teatopia

Time to Say Goodbye

After a wonderful visit here in Seoul, Korea, it is now time to say goodbye. I feel sad, but I know that 2 happy doggies await us when we return. It's been a wonderful learning experience for me and I feel that I am a better person for having come here. I am not, however, looking forward to the 30 hours journey home. *Grrrrrr* Oh well. Thank you to all of you who have shared my experience through my photos.

I will be posting the remainder of my photos when I return. They are the ones from the tea expo. :-)

Happy Birthday to my sister who is now 21!

Day 6: DMZ

I waited a little longer this time to post pictures, but we've been super busy trying to squeeze everything in! Two days ago we visited the border of North Korea. We took a bus for about an hour (the border is less than 30 miles away) and visited a few different places. We first went to a military area where we had to transfer buses. We looked around for a bit and saw the freedom bridge, where southern Korean prisoners returned home after the Korean war. Much of the bridge was blocked, but people had left wishes and prayers written on fabric at the gate. After boarding the bus, we went to a tunnel where the North Korean army dug to try to sneak into southern Korea. We had to take a tram down in the tunnel, which I would not recommend to anyone who is scared of small, tight spaces. The tunnel was so narrow that your arms hit the sides. Once underground, we were able to walk around a bit. We had to stop at the point where the North Koreans begin to control the tunnel. There are no pictures because we were forbidden to take them. Next, we went to an observation tower where we could see the border. The North Koreans have built fake "cities" to make their country seem prosperous. They have nice apartment buildings facing the border and they are completely empty. In the picture of me at the observation tower, you can see North Korea in the background. Next, we visited a train station in the works that will someday allow for transportation between the two Koreas. Currently, negotiations are underway to work out the details, but the station is pretty complete. I even got a stamp on my passport. :-) It was quite a day.

An Apothecary of My Own

I am so excited! I finally have an apothecary! It's pretty much what I wanted, but not exactly what I expected. This one is not an antique, but it has the old "look." It's dark wood with characters on each drawer and it matches our living room set, which is one of the main reasons we bought it. We are not shipping it, it will be checked as cargo for the plane and I won't have to wait! :-) I'm not going to put a picture up yet because I want friends and family at home to see it in the flesh first and also because I haven't taken one yet and it's been packaged for the trip. I will, however, be posting a picture of it fully stocked with tea when we have unpacked it at home.

YIPPPEEEEEEE!

Day 5: Happy Birthday Buddha!

We are lucky enough to be in Asia for Buddha's birthday! We wanted to visit a monestary, and when we found out that it was Buddha's birthday yesterday, we figured it was the perfect time. What an experience! We took an hour-long bus ride to the mountains just outside the city of Seoul and began the hour-long hike up the mountain to reach the monestary. On the way to the main temple, we found a small one along the path. We could hear chanting and gongs banging, so we decided to stop. I was excited and intrigued to watch as the monk chanted in front of a huge, gold Buddha surrounded by lit candles. We continued up the mountain, which was quite strenuous, until we reached the top ages later. It really was quite a workout. When we reached the top, it was almost like how I'd imagine Tibet is when you first approach. Think "Seven Years in Tibet" when Brad Pitt first enters the outskirts of the main city. We entered the gates and proceeded to reach the top, but first, before we could get to the main temple, we had to pass through shops and restaurants, almost like a little town. When we finally reached the temple, it was amazing, as you can see in the pictures. There was chanting and thousands of lanterns. We talked for a while with a Japanese monk who was kind enough to show us around. He also introduced us to the Cambodian head of monks (pictured in the slideshow). The Cambodian monk, who spoke no English, gave us a copy of his biography for free and autographed it with James' name. Probably the most amazing scene was upstairs in the temple where thousands of people were seated, shoes off, on mats facing an elaborate gold Buddha with thousands of candles. The altar was quite ornate. There was even a choir of Buddhist nuns. The monks would chant and the people would repeat the chant. We brought a videocamera and recorded much of the chanting and singing from the ceremony. Later, when it was dark, they lit all the lanterns and I felt like I was in another world. There I stood at the top of a mountain, in a monestary, in Asia, on Buddha's birthday, listening to chanting and breathing in incense. The walk back down was pretty tough and we were tired. If I'm not thinner when I return home I'll be shocked. I also had my first (and hopefully only) experience with a squat toilet. Believe me, that's all you want to know. All I can say is, men are really lucky.

Please excuse my grammer I finished posting the pictures at 4:30am. I'm pretty sure you'll find some errors.

Day 4: True Teatopia

Yesterday was a wonderful day! We went to Insa-dong, a district of Seoul known for its art and tea. I had hoped to find maybe a few tea shops, but what I didn't expect was absolute Hannah heaven. There were tea shops everywhere-- down alleys, upstairs, downstairs and even on carts on the sidewalk. We found "The Old Tea House," a tea shop I found on the internet before we left. It was so quaint and beautiful. There are pictures in the slideshow. The tea was not as I had expected-- they served what seemed like herbal teas. James had iced plum, I had jujube made from honey-soaked dates, Emily had iced cinnamon punch, and James' dad had double harmony tea, made from a variety of herbs. I was expecting green tea, but these types were pleasant surprises. We mostly shopped at tea shops and looked at art. I bought two Korean tea cups, a whisk for Matcha (powdered Japanese green tea), and Jasmine tea flowers that bloom when infused.

We walked around for hours trying to find the tea museum. Most places here do not have addresses, so it's hard to find anything. We finally found the museum and after looking at all the displays, we sat down to have jasmine tea.

Next was dinner at a traditioanl Korean restaurant. I had hot and spicy noodles. After dinner we went next door to Starbucks. :-) I had a white mocha frappuccino (something we don't have in the states) and I bought a mug that says "Seoul Starbucks."

I think yesterday was especially amazing because I saw a more modern part of Seoul. Think Lost in Translation-- the highrise buildings, the lights, and the flatscreen TV's advertising everything under the sun-- that's what it looked like. I just stood there, awestruck. Thank you God for this amazing experience.

In order to view the pictures in the slideshow you need to download the latest Free flash player. You can do so by clicking on the link below (labeled "Click Here"). Once clicked, you will be taken to the Macromedia website. While there, click on the "Install Now" button. Once installed return to this site.

Day 3: Shopping, Shopping, and More Shopping

Today was a day filled with shopping. We left mid-morning to go to Lourdes' apartment. Lourdes is Emily's friend (Emily is James' step-mom) and the view from her balcony was amazing. I have a few pictures of the view in the slideshow below. We set off via taxi for the busy Namdaemun market. It was the biggest market I've ever been to and probably the most crowded. Even on a Monday (a work day) the streets were filled with people buying and selling knock-off clothing and and accessories, food, dishes, and other products. It was hard to walk through the streets. As you can see below, often cars and mo-peds try to drive through the already crowded streets and it's hard to step aside. Emily and Lourdes are experienced shoppers and they took us everywhere- up and down the streets, up stairs, down stairs, and even underground. We visited the black market where I bought some new teacups (also pictured below). I had an exciting day. We had dinner on base at a Mexican restaurant. Tomorrow we have a few ideas of things we want to do. Now it's time for bed.

Adventures in Asia

Day 1: The Journey
We have arrived safely in Asia after a journey that seemed to last forever. It began at 3:00 am on the 21st when the alarm went off. After leaving the house at 4:00 am, we drove almost 2 hours to Montgomery, Al. From there we flew to Memphis and then after a layover, to Seattle. Three hours later we began a never-ending flight to Tokyo where we spent 3 hours shopping. I bought some Matcha which is pictured below in the slideshow. I can't wait to make some green tea ice cream! From Japan, we flew to Seoul where James' dad and step-mom met us and took us to their house. Thirty-two hours it took to reach our destination. We stayed up watching Korean TV before going to bed.

Day 2: Shopping in Itae-won
Today was a day of exploration. James' dad lives near Itae-won, a major shopping district. We set out today to search for apothecaries and I found several that were just what I have been wanting. However, we discovered that shipping one to the U.S. is not really an option, as it costs as much as the apothecary itself and you have to pick it up yourself at the port (probably New Orleans for us). So, we are going to buy one that can be taken on the plane. The stores here will pack them well and then you simply check it and possibly pay a luggage fee. We also had bubble tea at a trendy cafe and dinner at a neat Korean restaurant pictured below.

I will try to post info and pics at least every other day. Here is a slideshow of the pictures we have taken so far. (Thanks to my hubby for creating this slideshow on his sister's computer here in Seoul) Hope to hear your comments!

Our Trip to Florida

Well, we're back from our trip to Florida only to leave for Seoul tomorrow night. Whew! What a whirlwind week! We had a wonderful time and did almost every we had hoped to do during our stay. Here are some pictures from our trip. I will have more to post when I come back from Korea because some of my food pics were taken on my sister's camera and she's still at the beach. Actually, we had a nice, big group. We went with my parents, sister, and her friend, who really came as we were leaving. We stayed in a nice house with a beautiful view. We didn't want to leave early, but we have another adventure to come . . . But I do miss my family!

A view from our balcony

Me on the boat we rented

Joe's Crab Shack

Jam time at Joe's!

Joe's sign

My mom and James

Starbucks: One of my favorite spots!

Shopping in Water Color

The Water Color Market

Boat Trip

I am blogging from sunny Florida where we just returned from renting a speedboat! We flew through the choppy water, screaming and laughing. It is always the highlight of my trip every year. If you've never been on a speedboat, you must because it's better than any roller coaster I've ever been on! I've taken several pictures since we arrived, but I don't have any way of importing them onto this laptop my sister owns, so I will post pictures tomorrow evening when we get home.

So far, we've been to Joe's Crab shack to eat coconut shrimp, we've gone shopping, bought produce at the markets, gone to the movies to see Troy, and cooked out on the grill. Tonight we're off to a Thai restaurant and then to tea at Magnolia and Ivy. You can read about them and order tea here.

Happy Graduation to Me (almost)!

Tomorrow morning I will finally be graduating college after 5 long years that have seemed like an eternity! I'm excited and can't wait til I have that diploma in my hand. I still worry that I'll show up at 8:30 am for rehearsal and they'll say, "Sorry Hannah. We made a mistake. You need just one more class before you can graduate." I have been jerked around so much since transfering to this university and it really wouldn't surprise me, but I must think positively. :-) After we go out to a "graduation lunch," we will be heading to sunny Florida for five fun-filled days in the sun. Then back for 24 hours before journeying to Korea. Whew! It's a busy next 2 weeks! Just wanted to say good-bye for a few days to anyone who reads this, probably not too many people, but hey, it's a fairly new blog, right? I'm still hopeful that more people will find my little blog interesting. Anyway, I'll be posting pics of Florida for the 24 hours we're home before going to Korea and I'll be blogging daily from Korea.

The Wonderful World of Bodum

I am always in the market for anything tea-related and lately I have been wanting a Bodum teapot. For some teas, my lovely, little cast iron teapot is just perfect, but some are fun to watch unfold, such as jasmine pearls. I have been eyeing the Bodum teapots at a local coffee/tea place I love, but then I found this one online. It's the Shin Cha model and it's neat. James loves it too and I wouldn't be surprised if I get one for graduation. :-)

Update: My sweet hubby surprised me with a Sin Cha after my graduation on Saturday. I haven't tried it out yet because we left for FLorida right after, but I can assure you I will be making tea tomorrow. :-)

Cookin' for My Folks

Tonight I made potstickers (wotie), Tom Kha Gai soup, and a fruit salad. Ever since Stef taught me how to make Potstickers, I have been wanting to make them for my family. (The recipe can be found here on Stef's blog. by the way) The potstickers are filled with pork, scallions, glass noodles, and shitake mushrooms. The Tom Kha Gai is one of my mom's favorites and since we are leaving, I had to use up all my fruit, so I made a yummy fruit salad with grapes, blood oranges, mangoes, watermelon, and strawberries. I forgot to take a picture of it. We had a nice night. My family is so sweet-- they always brag about my cooking to everyone, which always makes me feel good. After dinner, we ate a store-bought Boston Cream Pie and drank Earl Grey Chiffon tea. Here are some pictures from tonight's meal:

Much Needed Trips

We are very excited about two upcoming trips this month. Next Saturday, immediately following my college graduation (whoo hoo!), we are leaving for Florida. We will be staying within walking disatnce of Seaside, a lovely artsy community in Florida. There, I plan to buy fresh fruit at the market, browse the wine shops, and maybe do a little antiquing. I am really looking forward to the eclectic shopping experience of Seaside. The shops are so colorful and inviting!

After staying in Florida for 4 nights, we will return home for about a day before embarking on a great journey to Soeul, South Korea where my father-in-law lives. James has been several times before, but going to Asia is a first for me. I can't wait to visit the open-air markets and eat Ramen soup in little noodle restaurants. Most of all, I can't wait to visit Seoul's popular Tea Arcade where I can try new teas and maybe purchase some pretty, new tea cups.

I will try to blog from an internet cafe in Florida, but I will definitely be blogging from Korea and posting pictures daily (hopefully).

Mike's Paninis

Last night we went to Stef and Mike's house and had a great dinner. Mike made us the best Paninis ever with portabello mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, prociutto ham, and dijon mustard. They were incredible and we pigged out! We also had a lovely fruit salad with mangoes, asian pears, apples, grapefruit, strawberries, and the juice from key limes. We decided to pour some of our wine on the fruit and that made it even better. Of course, tea was part of the night as well: Almond green tea, Japanese Wild Cherry green tea, and Ginger's Oolong.

The night was not complete without a bunch of laughs. We played a hilarious game of Cranium and Stef and I will be expecting a nice dinner from the hubbys soon because they lost. Hehe.

Down Home Cookin' with a Twist

Tonight I did some down home cookin', or my version of it anyway. Since moving to Georgia, I haven't cooked much like a Southerner. Tonight I made a good old Turkey meatloaf, some pole beans cooked with a ham hock, and some mashed potatoes-- purple mashed potatoes! (that's the twist) Even when I cook meat and potatoes I just have to throw something different in there. Lavender potatoes are just so much neater! And they are nice and creamy too!

Red Bananas and Purple Potatoes

Yesterday I went up to Atlanta with a friend to help her pick out furniture for her new house. Across from one of he furniture stores was an International Farmers Market. Intrigued, I asked her if she minded if I looked for a few minutes. Well, looking turned to buying and I came home with red bananas, purple potatoes, Thai chili peppers, Chinese chives, a Hawaiian plantain, and interestingly, a jackfruit. Jackfruits are something I have only read about until now and I was thrilled, until I decided to cut it open without first reading about it. It isn't ripe and now I've wasted it. I will buy another one next time I go up. I am so excited to try all these new things! Purple potatoes are buttery, like fingerling potatoes and they make an exquisite lavender colored mashed potatoes. The red bananas are similar to "normal" bananas, but slightly smaller. Lately I am on a craze to find rare things. My kitchen is so exciting right now!

My Wonderful Sunday

After a rather depressing entry on Friday, I am pleased to say that things have gotten much better. I had a good weekend. On Sunday, we went to Atlanta with Stef and Mike. They were going up there anyway for Stef's training, and we decided to hang out Sunday. We followed them up to Peachtree City first where we stopped at Tea Fusions, formerly Teavana of Peachtree City. As soon as the shop's new site is up, I will put the link on my blog. We enjoyed some lovely tea and Stef and I bought a lot to take home. Our husbands just watched as we bought more and more. (They think we have more than we could ever drink) Then we went to a Vietnamese grocery store where I finally got my Vietnamese coffee maker I've been wanting. Yeah!!! Then we ate a nice lunch at Penang, a wonderful Malaysian restaurant. Next we went to Ranch 99, an Asian market with lots of goodies. Stef was very helpful at Ranch 99. Although I knew what I wanted, I wasn't sure where to find it all. I bought lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, more tea, tea candies, and much more! Since then I have been able to make some good food I couldn't make before. Sunday night, after leaving Stef and Mike in Atlanta (lucky them), we came home and I made Tom Kha Gai. Then tonight I made a nice red curry. And I didn't mention all the wonderful tea we've been drinking. :-)

My new Vietnamese coffee maker making yummy coffee:

Thai Red Curry:

Posted by Hannah at 10:26 PM | Comments (3)