transformations, of palaces and hair

Two Sundays ago, some sprawling streets became massive sidewalks because…

…광화문 (Gwanghwamun), the main gate of 경복궁 (Gyeongbokgung), Seoul’s biggest historical palace, had completed reconstruction and was opening to the public. Finally.

[dog] days of summer

This is the entrance to one of Seoul’s most reputable… dog meat restaurants.

…which I went to with my Seoul-residing, former South Korean diplomat-grandfather.

반친구들끼리… my classmates & I

Yesterday, at the Ewha Korean Language Center quarter’s ending event, the most important thing was certainly not the certificate (or free pen).

It was having a last little bash with my classmates, who I didn’t know existed 10 weeks ago and have since spoken awkwardly with, horribly misunderstood, eaten with, sung with, and 배가 터지도록 웃겼다 (laughed so hard my stomach almost fell out). A lot of that has to do with my two teachers also, one of whom was the funniest teacher I’ve ever met (pictured).

As the quarter went on, fewer and fewer rounds of people came to class… especially the last week, post-final. But me, being a total nerd, got a special stamp for full attendance; I honestly didn’t want to miss my chance to see these girls while I could. After all, the 12 of us gathered from at least three different languages and countries and totally different life situations. Some are in college, some are in grad school, some are married, some are looking for work in Korea, one just loved KPOP… It was really a convergence of craziness.

Definitely encore.

Once aware of their existence and simple-enough accessibility, “Go To Jazz Club” shot straight to the top of my list…

And then my friend totally came through for me when she changed our Friday night plans to take me to a club she was acquainted with. My FIRST jazz club! 대당해, 정말.

족발

WHAT IS THIS. 

Ice-cool relief, done perfectly right

In the presence of the world’s many horrible fake-fruit, ice-cream-smothered, and syrup-drenched shaved-ice creations you’ve no doubt seen and perhaps tried, Korea’s 팥빙수 (pat-bing-su) remains the cool summit of them all.

Shaved ice (빙수), red bean (팟), milk, rice cake and a dash of roasted grain for thickening is all this treat needs and should ever have. You can’t even find it in LA’s Koreatown – my investigation several years ago totally failed. But at Caffe Bene, currently one of Seoul’s hottest cafes, it’s done very, very right (also at popular bakery Paris Croissant), much to the satisfaction of my darling Tiffany and I.

view from the Ritz

For the rest of the world, Seoul doesn’t have its Eiffel Tower, yellow taxi, or historic sphinx (at least not yet, considering the government’s various city branding campaigns). It has a river (formerly disgusting, currently way cleaner), but not one that is pictured on postcards, majestically winding through the city. No, you won’t find the “Miracle on the Han” high on the list of dreamers who want to get out and “see the world.”

But, much like my relationship with this city over the past decade of my life,  Seoul is evolving and unfolding every day, faster than you can say… um, “rice cake.”