As soon as I was able to shed my winter coat, I was roaming around like a crazed thing. There was so much to do, so much to see, and so much to eat! Even though I recently expanded my favorites post from 6 things to 9 things, I couldn’t fit everything I’ve enjoyed into this post. It just goes to show that I need to dedicate more time to posting more on my blog, but during this past April I had a wonderful time just immersing myself fully into life. Part of the reason why I packed my schedule full this past month was because I only have a few months left before moving to the States. The other part is because I am moving to a small town in Indiana. So before I settle down in the countryside, I want to get the most of the city so I don’t leave Korea full of regrets.
#1. Mother of Pearl Comb – After visiting David’s Bridal, BHLDN, and the bridal shop where I got my dress, I was still short a hairpiece to go with the veil, and wedding shoes. While I’ve still had no luck with wedding shoes, I did have this mother of pearl comb custom-made. It feels special to me because it’s feels like a blend between modern and tradition, Asian and Western.
#2. Korean Wedding Geese – A Korean wedding tradition is to have a pair of carved geese wrapped in silk. Korean geese are known to mate with only one partner for life. They will not find a new mate if their mate dies, choosing instead to stay loyal for a lifetime. The silk wrapping symbolizes a new home for the newly weds where they will prosper and have many children. You can find a pair of wedding geese if you visit Insadong in Seoul, but you’ll want to shop around before choosing one to buy. The most important thing to remember is not to get the ducks! Somehow ducks crept into the market as an alternative, but ducks will mate with multiple partners throughout their lives and are not considered to be the authentic wedding bird!
#3. Monoline Workshop – Every year, my calligraphy teacher Gyoung Hee Lee opens a calligraphy workshop in Seoul. This year she opened a Monoline workshop where I learned different lettering styles using a monoline nib. It felt like an extra bonus to learn a little bit of bookbinding on the side for a mini book project too!
#4. Casual Hanbok – The traditional Korean Hanbok is not very practical for daily life as they are quite expensive and aren’t the most comfortable thing to wear to work or school. Lately though, a lot of brands have started making cotton Hanboks for everyday wear. They come in lovely floral prints or deep colored solids and the skirts have been shortened to knee-length for a modern look! I hope more people start to wear the Hanbok in their daily lives as it’s such a lovely tradition that has virtually faded into the past.
#5. Floral Exhibit & Cafe Brinner – After spending an afternoon in a floral exhibit, I had a cup of hot grapefruit tea while I watched the rain drizzle down outside the window. It was one of the few times where the rain actually felt pleasant. Perhaps it was because I had a hot mug of fruit tea to warm me up, or perhaps it was because there was a little bit of green full of life right outside the window. Or maybe it was because I had that quiet moment, purely for my own self. To take things slow and to recharge in between the busy busy days.
#6. Seal Carving – It’s amazing how long you can put off things you want to try. It’s been around three years since the idea of trying seal carving first entered my mind, and I’m only now getting around to it. Seals are traditionally used for Chinese Calligraphy, Korean Calligraphy, and Korean Traditional Brush Paintings, but these days a lot of people have been making casual seals to use for Modern Korean Calligraphy. I squeezed in a one-day class in Insadong before meeting up with a friend for dinner. After a few different sketches, I settled on a design that has “Abel” written in Korean. I was actually really pleased with the way it turned out, and had a lot of fun carving the stone seal.
#7. Feminist Book Cafe – My friend Ally has been teaching a Feminist class at a Feminist book cafe called Doing. They have a wall full of books related to Feminism and also have stickers, badges, and postcards made by local Feminist artists. I had an amazing time while I was there and found three books that caught my interest. I highly recommend their fresh squeezed orange juice if you’re a fan of pulp. They also have glasses, making it one of the few eco-friendly places in Seoul where you can get a cold drink in something other than a disposable plastic cup.
#8. Tweed Jacket – Ten years ago, you wouldn’t have caught me dead in a tweed jacket. My preferred outerwear of choice was the oversized hoodie, and I shied away from pink and lace. Now I find that I don’t mind a little pink here and there, love certain types of lace, and don’t mind adding a bit of glam to my wardrobe. After searching high and low for the perfect tweed jacket, I found this one at the Yeoju Premium Outlets. I was really happy to find one in a brighter white rather than a darker black or navy, because I have a disproportionate amount of black and navy things in my wardrobe.
#9. Parmesan Chicken Sandwich – I’m a sucker for anything with a bit of tomato sauce, so I was all over this parmesan chicken sandwich. I split it with a friend along with a dish of poutine while at a Canadian friend’s birthday party. Once we were stuffed and full of birthday cheer, we went to enjoy board games at a nearby board game cafe. It was a perfect evening and confirmed my belief that the best kind of birthdays are the kinds with a group experience!
Your Turn ♥ What has been your favorite moment during this Spring? What is something that you’ve been meaning to try but have been putting off?
