-
The Parsley Seed Energy Serum By AwakeAsleep: The Best Anti-Aging Serum I’ve Tried
I CANNOT live without this Parsley Seed Energy Serum by AwakeAsleep. Seriously, it might be the first time I’ve ever fallen in love with a serum. My dry skin has found this extremely hydrating and it is definitely one of the best anti-aging serums I’ve found. If you haven’t heard of parsley serums or AwakeAsleep, you’re probably not alone. I was gifted this product at an event and it was the most intriguing out of the products I received. I mean.. parsley seed in a serum?? What’s that about? While most people think of parsley as a garnish on a dish that they may or may not want to eat,…
-
Where To Stay In Hongdae: From Hotels To Guesthouses & AirBnbs Too!
Hongdae is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Seoul, Korea and it is one of the best areas to stay in Seoul too. There's nightlife, things to do at all hours, plenty of places to eat and fun too. Here are the hotels in Hongdae, guesthouses, and Airbnbs you should check out if you're coming to Seoul.
-
Wish Formula: The Fermented Hydra Ceramide Lotion & Essential Toner Review
I’ve got a few Korean beauty brands that are my go-to for various reasons and Wish Formula is one of them. While I reach for Troiareuke when I want to clean my face, I reach for Wish Formula when I want to nourish and hydrate my skin. Almost everything I’ve tried from Wish Formula has been great but these two products have by far been the best for my dry skin. I’d never heard of fermented skincare products prior to using these but after, I definitely looked into them more. The Wish Formula Fermented Hydra Ceramide Lotion and the Fermented Hydra Essential Toner are currently my essential skincare products producing…
-
SlowBox: The CSA To Use In Korea
Slowbox is a service that delivers produce direct from local farmers to consumers throughout the country of Korea. I’m always on the lookout for ethically-sourced produce and I used to always head to local farmers markets like Mangwon Market since we lived so close. However, since moving and only having the large brand grocery stores within walking distance now, Slowbox has been an amazing option for us for more than a year now. Slowbox is a community supported agriculture (CSA) program that sources their produce from small family owned farms around Korea and you can meet their farmers right on their Slowbox Instagram page. Here’s what you’ll find in this…
-
My Allbirds Shoe Review: The Tree Skippers & The Wool Runners
In a continuous endeavor to be more sustainable, shop from more eco-friendly brands, and reduce my waste, I was pretty stoked when my mom gifted me a pair of Allbirds two years ago. She gave them to me because they were the most comfortable sneakers she’d ever worn, but I was ecstatic when I learned of their eco-friendliness. From that first wear, I was hooked. I wore that first pair of sustainable footwear almost exclusively for months. My first pair, the Allbirds Tree Skippers, took me through two springs and summer and then when it got chilly this past autumn, I got my second pair, the Allbirds Wool Runners to…
-
Daffodils In Korea: Yoogibanggaok In Chungcheongnam-do
Seosan, just a couple hours south of Seoul down in Chungcheongnam-do, is one of the best places to visit in Korea in the spring. There are numerous gorgeous flower spots in the area and one of them is the daffodil covered mountain in Yoogibanggaok (유기방가옥). The daffodils, in their sheer number in this one spot, are an absolute must see. In my many years of living in Korea, I haven’t seen this many daffodils anywhere else. There are of course other yellow flowers that bloom each spring like the Japanese dogwood, sansuyu, in Icheon and the rape seed flower fields that are practically everywhere including the hidden island of Ulleung-do,…
-
Nammireuksa Temple: The Largest Seated Buddha In Asia Is In Jeollanam-do, Korea
I have definitely visited my fair share of Buddhist temples in Korea. I love visiting the temples honestly. They are calming, always quiet, and while many people see a few and think they’ve seen them all, I never think that and have definitely been able to find unique aspects of every one I’ve visited. One such trip to Jeollanam-do had us passing by Nammireuksa Temple (남미륵사) and while there really was nothing else in the area to see, I couldn’t resist a stop. This temple in Korea really does stand out from the rest in a few ways for me so I wanted to do a whole post so more…
-
The Majang Suspension Bridge & The Cafes To Visit There Too!
There are so many things to do in Paju, an area just northwest of Seoul in the Gyeonggi-do province and visiting Majang Lake is definitely one of them. Majang Lake was probably not on most peoples’ radar until a couple years ago when the longest suspension bridge in Korea was opened. This beautiful suspension bridge spans the water from what forested side to another that features an observatory. There are numerous gorgeous cafes and restaurants to stop into too. It’s a great area to take a day trip from Seoul and it’s pretty easy to get to as well. Looking for something to do this weekend? This is the spot…
-
Guide To Korean Teas: What They’re Good For & When To Drink Them
While most of the world views tea as a beverage made by putting hot water on some type of leaf, Koreans seem to make tea with anything and everything they can put hot water on. Hot water on flowers? Why not? Hot water on some roots from the garden? Definitely. Because of this, traditional tea houses can have long rather substantial lists of teas. It can be overwhelming. It took me forever to remember the names of the Korean teas that I enjoyed and go figure, I often forget when it comes to seeing boxes of teas in the market. Since I’ve taken numerous a tourist to a traditional tea…
-
B39 In Bucheon: The Art & Culture Space To Check Out
I LOVE checking out how older factories are being given new life as cafes or restaurants and seeing how old military bunkers in Korea are being given new life as culture spaces for local communities. The new art and culture spaces that are being given back to the community are really intriguing and are definitely great places to see in Seoul and its suburbs. This city is always adapting and changing and as factories close, something else must take their place. Recently, we visited Bucheon, a suburb of Seoul in Gyeonggi-do and stopped into the Bucheon Art Bunker B39 (부천아트벙커 B39). Just opened in 2018, it took an old garbage…
-
The Seoul City Tour Bus Guide: What To See & Do When You Hop On Hop Off
If you’ve never joined a City Tour Bus, Seoul is the place to do it. City Tour Buses are a great way to see a city and not have to worry about transportation. See the hot spots of Seoul from the upper level of a bright red bus. I rode my first City Tour Bus in New York City and absolutely loved the experience. It’s just something that is so touristic and fun. Don’t waste money on taxi fares and buses. Don’t get confused in the subway. For your first trip to Seoul, take the time to ride this bus and get views of the city while getting a lay…
-
Jangheung: The Secret & Wonderful Place To Take Kids North Of Seoul
On the way up to Majang Lake one time, I took a road through Jangheung and saw lots of colorful facades, interesting signs for art spaces and places, and gardens and so it was put on the list for the next trip out. We’ve since been to this area at least three times and we love it. If you’re looking to take an adventure with your kiddos and want to find a best kept secret, this is the area to go. It’s fun and full of hidden gems. Plenty more that we haven’t yet visited. Here are some great things to do in Jangheung. Also note, this is Jangheung-eub in…
-
Pela Phone Case Review: The Eco Friendly Compostable Phone Case
I have now had my Pela phone case for almost one year (51 weeks to be exact), and I wanted to do a review. I purchased this with my own money because I was looking into ways to be more sustainable and continuing my push into eco-friendly living. When I found this sustainable phone case which promotes itself as 100% compostable and eco-friendly, I was ready to try it. Check out my Pela phone case review to see if a sustainable compostable phone case is right for you. While I don’t think I’ll ever be able to have a completely waste free lifestyle, especially not here in Seoul, Korea, I…
-
Dalgona Coffee: What It Is, Where It Came From, & Why What You’re Making, Isn’t It!
When you could just make a cup of coffee in less than five minutes, why not spend the next twenty to thirty making dalgona coffee? While Koreans know what dalgona is and where it started, most foreigners don’t despite the challenge’s viral success. I was recently invited out to a cafe in Seoul that makes legit dalgona coffee based off of real Korean dalgona and, surprise!, it is NOT what you’re making at home. They wanted to get the word out about dalgona and asked me to help. Spoiler: The coffee you’re whipping is actually based off an Indian coffee drink, not Korean at all. Mind blown? Yeah, let’s get…
-
What To Do At The Sulwhasoo Dosan Flagship Store In Seoul
Sulwhasoo (설화수) is a Korean luxury skin care brand that is renowned for high quality herbal medicine based products and the Sulwhasoo Flagship Store (설화수 도산 플래그십 스토어) is an absolute must visit for not only KBeauty lovers but any tourist in Seoul interested in unique experiences that you can only have here. After trying my own collection of Sulwhasoo products, I can honestly say they are worth the money and I’ll be a loyal customer forever more. Not only that, but the flagship store is just stunning so any reason to go back there again and again… and maybe again. The flagship store is gorgeously Instagrammable and did you…
-
Stay At Home Activities For Kids
As a creative person myself, I have loved instilling the love of creation in my daughter. We have spent hours together cooking, dancing, crafting, and learning of course. It’s amazing how much can be learned in more fun and inspiring ways. Whether you’re homeschooling or just have the kids home for the summer, these are great stay at home activities for kids. Great things to do with kids on rainy days and great things just to do together. Here are some of the programs we LOVE and some other ideas too! (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after…
