the best part of seoul

Pat bing su (팥빙수) is a delicious shaved ice dessert that’s especially popular with the Koreans during summer, and is a close cousin of the local, humble ice kachang. The shaved ice is topped with condensed milk, and then simply decorated with red beans. Nowadays, the more sophisticated versions include fruit toppings, green tea and other additions like jellys.

While pat bing su can be found nearly everywhere, Mealtop boasts perhaps of one of the best done ones around – the little café sells nothing but pat bing su and drinks, and there’s constantly a long line of customers waiting for a table. It was originally recommended by an acquaintance of mine (thanks SN!), then the Lonely Planet guidebook highlighted it as a “must visit” place, and then when our local Korean friends heard we went there, they nodded in hearty approval and agreed it probably served one of the best bing sus around.

If there’s only one thing I would ever return to Seoul for, it would be Mealtop’s pat bing su.

Mealtop Café
Top floor / Hyundai Department Store, Apgujeong
Nearest subway: Apgujeong (Line 3, Exit 6)

annyeongkyesayo

saying goodbye Seoul, and hello Singapore

Just got a thumb drive of my Seoul shots yesterday, so I’m still sorting slowly through them… but in the meantime, enjoy this lovely picture of the Namsan Tower at night. Doesn’t she just look like a UFO rising out of the darkness?

t minus x

After a whole year of travel sabbatical, I am so excited to be cancelling several items off my Wanderlust list this year.

First stop… guess where?

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re-Bonjour!

Yikes, it certainly has been a long time since I’ve written something in here, and I apologize! Life interceded and threw me several exciting things, both at work and at home (although the two are closely interconnected) and it’s taken up most of my time and energy and I’m somewhat happy to admit that blogging has taken a backseat. Isn’t that how life is supposed to be, anyway?

The good part is that the lack of time has prevented me from shopping too much, but the bad news is that I haven’t stopped completely either. And I haven’t been closely adhering to my closet plan, because I’m just too busy to think my purchases through and really plan for the season ahead. Dangerous, dangerous. I did manage to snap up three gorgeous impulse buys, which I totally love. They’ve taken to my closet like ducks to water, which surprised even me.

And now, it’s back into being banned for me – I’m planning a major shopping trip at the end of the year so I think I’m gonna save all the extra ammo for that. Just watch me!

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The Kult of Karl

To me, the Kaiser is one of those eccentric geniuses whom everyone puts up with because he’s just brilliant and blows everyone away, collection after collection. So of course, when I chanced upon the NAP x KARL collection, I fell in love with almost everything available (big surprise, huh?!) What I really love most is that the pieces are all within my price range (not outta this world price tags à la Chanel prèt-a-porter) and guess what – it’s mostly black and white, the perfect palette combination for my wardrobe.

  

And then there’s the super cute tees:

I haven’t done printed tees since well, forever, but I’m definitely giving these second thoughts. Thankfully they’re out of stock at the moment! My own package came in yesterday and I’m absolutely enamored by the little Karl silhouettes at the most unexpected places – on a button, at the bottom of a shirt. Such a fun little detail. Can’t wait for some other things to be back in stock and in my shopping cart!

Love this little detail!

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#FebPhotoADay

Because I’m such a sucker for photo challenges

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Friday Favorites: Lace, nude & a pretty Royal

I know I missed Friday Favorites last week, and I blame it entirely on a heavier-than-usual workload and the fact that I wrote most of my Nov & Dec FF posts in October. But it’s back, and I have a new style icon for 2012!

I know Kate – I mean, Catherine – Middleton has almost an equal number of fashion detractors as she has fans, but I am most certainly in the latter. I love the fact that she’s never over the top adventurous and that she’s always so appropriately dressed, even if she might be dowdy in the process. Better to err on the side of conservative than to accidentally do a Paris Hilton!

But most of all, I love that she’s wearing all the things I’m loving at the moment: lace, navy and nude. I got myself a black lace dress last Christmas, and nude Loubies are right at the top of my wishlist. I’d grab them in a heartbeat if they appeared anywhere in my size! (Why, oh why, are my feet of such a common size?)

HRH is definitely going to be appearing on future Friday Favorites, for sure!

Erdem Cecile dress / Nude pumps / plenty of burly bodyguards

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