THE LINE FOR THIS PLACE WAS SO LONG o.o
I met my friend Dajeong today for lunch at a place in Gangnam she described to me as kind of "unique"...didn't know if I should be scared or not hahah. Thankfully it turned out to be this AMAZING italian-fusion restaurant with a unique THEME. The food was also unique but in a good way :) I say italian-fusion because it was italian food, but not. Dajeong described it as Korean-ized, which I am now officially going to make a word because it describes so many things perfectly lol. There are so many foods and concepts here that I recognize but that are a little different, or tweaked, or something...it is because they are Korean-ized and totally awesome in general.
The line for the restaurant was so long!! The place was SO popular, I was really excited :) The line of people curved out of the restaurant and around onto the sidewalk and into the office building next door! 0.0 And more people came as soon as Dajeong and I took a place at the end of the line! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
The theme for the restaurant was "construction" I guess? It was very metal and factory-worker chic inside, with a very fun, laid-back but still classy atmosphere. I had noticed all the waiters seemed to be cheerful, attractive young men and I later found out why from Dajeong. She was telling me how this restaurant was really popular for women especially. I asked why, and she said it was like Coffee Prince: Restaurant Version; this restaurant ONLY hired good-looking young males :D AND IT TOTALLY WORKS. I couldn't believe I was sitting in a real life version of Coffee Prince hahah, and watching it's ridiculous success with my own two eyes. Why don't more businesses here do this? There's not really discrimination prevention laws here like the ones in America, so why not haha.
The line for the restaurant was so long!! The place was SO popular, I was really excited :) The line of people curved out of the restaurant and around onto the sidewalk and into the office building next door! 0.0 And more people came as soon as Dajeong and I took a place at the end of the line! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
The theme for the restaurant was "construction" I guess? It was very metal and factory-worker chic inside, with a very fun, laid-back but still classy atmosphere. I had noticed all the waiters seemed to be cheerful, attractive young men and I later found out why from Dajeong. She was telling me how this restaurant was really popular for women especially. I asked why, and she said it was like Coffee Prince: Restaurant Version; this restaurant ONLY hired good-looking young males :D AND IT TOTALLY WORKS. I couldn't believe I was sitting in a real life version of Coffee Prince hahah, and watching it's ridiculous success with my own two eyes. Why don't more businesses here do this? There's not really discrimination prevention laws here like the ones in America, so why not haha.
We ate our way through the pan cheese from each side and completely without meaning to, we ended up creating what looked like a slice of pizza!! When we sat back, pretty full, we looked down and realized we'd turned the fake pizza into some real pizza hahah. We ate a little more, making it a SMALLER pizza slice but this ended up being how we left it since we were stuffed. We cracked up over this for quite awhile too...yea. We're of the easily amused variety, clearly :D
Once inside, we ordered at a central ordering desk (think Stonefire) and in accordance with the construction theme, we received a construction hat with a number on it. We decided on a garlic bacon pan cheese (that's right, I said pan CHEESE, not pan pizza...details later) and spaghetti salad (can't believe this hasn't been invented and reached widespread popularity by now). They asked which general area we were sitting in, since the place was HUGE, and then gave us our hat.
S/N: This place really was gigantic, in terms of Korean restaurants over here. Most are small and narrow and go either up a floor or down a floor if they are "larger" places. This one was two stories, packed in with tables (all of which were full), and REALLY wide, so I was surprised at the scale of it all. Guess they need it to accomodate the flood of customers...and there's STILL a massive line outside!
The inside of this place is extremely lively and its fun just sitting in there. When the waiters come by with your food, they are loud and energetic and talk you through the food (which comes in big bowls that you share from; everything here is like Stonefire, down to the numbers on your table waiters use to find you to bring your food) and then give each person at the table a big high five!! HOW FUN :D Dajeong had called my attention to it earlier when a waiter was giving another table with a boy and girl at it, high-fives. I thought they had just told a joke or something, or they knew the waiter. So I was somewhat shocked when our waiter came, explained everything, and then energetically held his hand out to me for a high-five. No wonder this place is so popular with the women hahah. Whoever is the business owner is a smart cookie. And a rich one T.T
S/N: This place really was gigantic, in terms of Korean restaurants over here. Most are small and narrow and go either up a floor or down a floor if they are "larger" places. This one was two stories, packed in with tables (all of which were full), and REALLY wide, so I was surprised at the scale of it all. Guess they need it to accomodate the flood of customers...and there's STILL a massive line outside!
The inside of this place is extremely lively and its fun just sitting in there. When the waiters come by with your food, they are loud and energetic and talk you through the food (which comes in big bowls that you share from; everything here is like Stonefire, down to the numbers on your table waiters use to find you to bring your food) and then give each person at the table a big high five!! HOW FUN :D Dajeong had called my attention to it earlier when a waiter was giving another table with a boy and girl at it, high-fives. I thought they had just told a joke or something, or they knew the waiter. So I was somewhat shocked when our waiter came, explained everything, and then energetically held his hand out to me for a high-five. No wonder this place is so popular with the women hahah. Whoever is the business owner is a smart cookie. And a rich one T.T
OUR DELICIOUS FOOD. I don't know what kind of food they serve up there in heaven, but it's gotta be something like this spaghetti salad and bacon & garlic pan cheese.
The food was sooooooo yummmmmmmmmmy. I almost melted all over the table, it was so good. Dajeong I'm sorry I probably wasn't very good conversation, what with me stuffing my face as fast as I humanely could for a good 10 minutes xD The salad, while normal looking on top, had a bed of spaghetti underneath the lettuce that you mix up with the leaves. It had a sort of dressing on it that was really good, light but with a bit of spicy to it to keep it interesting.
The pan cheese was exactly what it sounded like. Like a pan pizza, but all cheese. Alllllll cheese :D In other words, MY FOODIE DREAM COME TRUE. I couldn't believe it when I started eating it and tasted it (you scoop it with a spoon btw). Now, everyone knows burnt cheese is pretty much the best thing on this planet, because it doesn't actually burn it just gets all crispy, golden-brown, and delicious. Yea well, this was AN ENTIRE PAN OF THAT DELICIOUS CRISPY, GOOEY CHEESE. WITH BACON AND ROASTED GARLIC CHIPS ON TOP OF IT. THAT YOU EAT WITH A GIANT SPOON OUT OF THE PAN. How the eff does life get ANY better than this, honestly? Can somebody tell me? Anyone, no? Didn't think so.
The pan cheese was exactly what it sounded like. Like a pan pizza, but all cheese. Alllllll cheese :D In other words, MY FOODIE DREAM COME TRUE. I couldn't believe it when I started eating it and tasted it (you scoop it with a spoon btw). Now, everyone knows burnt cheese is pretty much the best thing on this planet, because it doesn't actually burn it just gets all crispy, golden-brown, and delicious. Yea well, this was AN ENTIRE PAN OF THAT DELICIOUS CRISPY, GOOEY CHEESE. WITH BACON AND ROASTED GARLIC CHIPS ON TOP OF IT. THAT YOU EAT WITH A GIANT SPOON OUT OF THE PAN. How the eff does life get ANY better than this, honestly? Can somebody tell me? Anyone, no? Didn't think so.
Once I had calmed down enough for rational conversation (read: once I was completely stuffed and the food was taken away), we headed out to hit Innisfree and Aritaum in search of more face masks and some other stuff I wanted to take back home with me. It really helps having someone along who speaks both English and Korean fluently because then she could read me the labels on all the sheet masks and bottles I was purchasing when they didn't have English on them. Most of the time they do, but they don't put much information in English, just the bare essentials (like, This is a hand lotion. Or Face scrub for exfoliation). It doesn't tell me whats in it or what specific thing it is for (whitening, moisturizing, acne-prone skin). Having Daejong along is a god-send.
We stopped for coffee at a place called The Banana & Co, Today just seemed to be a day of both gargantuan proportions and extreme popularity because this was EASILY the most giant coffeeshop I've ever been in, United States and Korea locations both. We ordered our drinks on the first level when we walked in then started looking for a table. The decor inside was simple, cute, and a bit funky with splashes of color among the glass and black. Finding none on the first floor, we went up the stairs to the second floor. Finding none on the second floor, we went up to the third floor. Finding none on the third floor, we went up to the fourth floor. Finding none on the FOURTH floor, we went up to the FIFTH FLOOR. And finding none on the FIFTH FLOOR, DAJEONG WENT UP MORE STAIRS TO CHECK A FREAKING SIXTH FLOOR ATTIC AREA. Really?! A six-floor gigantic coffee shop?? WITH EVERY TABLE FILLED. Holy criminy, I seriously couldn't believe it. Every. Single. Table. In this massive place. On the higher up floors they had those cute Asian low tables where you take off your shoes before going up on the raised platform where the tables were, and sit on cushions.
We stopped for coffee at a place called The Banana & Co, Today just seemed to be a day of both gargantuan proportions and extreme popularity because this was EASILY the most giant coffeeshop I've ever been in, United States and Korea locations both. We ordered our drinks on the first level when we walked in then started looking for a table. The decor inside was simple, cute, and a bit funky with splashes of color among the glass and black. Finding none on the first floor, we went up the stairs to the second floor. Finding none on the second floor, we went up to the third floor. Finding none on the third floor, we went up to the fourth floor. Finding none on the FOURTH floor, we went up to the FIFTH FLOOR. And finding none on the FIFTH FLOOR, DAJEONG WENT UP MORE STAIRS TO CHECK A FREAKING SIXTH FLOOR ATTIC AREA. Really?! A six-floor gigantic coffee shop?? WITH EVERY TABLE FILLED. Holy criminy, I seriously couldn't believe it. Every. Single. Table. In this massive place. On the higher up floors they had those cute Asian low tables where you take off your shoes before going up on the raised platform where the tables were, and sit on cushions.
Admitting defeat, we began the long, long descent back down to Earth (aka the first-floor). Back on the first floor, we happened to see a small table right by the staircase that we immediately grabbed. Almost simultaenously, Dajeong noticed another staircase behind the one we had just come down on...one that went DOWN. HOMG THIS BUILDING HAS FLOORS BELOW US TOO?!?!?!? O.o
Dajeong also spotted another table that just opened up by the windows so we relocated to that one instead, just as our buzzer rang. We sipped our drinks and happily chatted for awhile now that we fiiiiiiinally had a table; I've really missed this girl!! :)
Dajeong also spotted another table that just opened up by the windows so we relocated to that one instead, just as our buzzer rang. We sipped our drinks and happily chatted for awhile now that we fiiiiiiinally had a table; I've really missed this girl!! :)
Dajeong asked me if there was anything else I was trying to buy while I was here and I mentioned I had wanted a rechargable battery, like the kind that you can pre-charge then carry around and charge your phone, ipod, tablet, etc. if they happen to die on you away from home? This had happened a few times to me during the days I was at the music broadcasting shows, due to lots of phone use talking to my friends and taking lots of pictures. And being without your phone, in a foreign country, all by yourself is just...not a good way to go, okay? For one, I can't even listen to music on the subway. Or take pretty pictures for you folks to see later. On another note, I can't call for help if I ever needed it or locate my friends if they're trying to find me. I also can't use my Jihachul app to find me a subway route to wherever I want to go either. So I really wanted a backup plan, in case this happened again.
Dajeong thought for a bit then took me to an Apple retailer called Frisbee (like I explained in my first trip's blog, there are no actual Apple stores here, only licensed retailers). After asking around, we found a selection of rechargable batteries, some only for the iphone, some big, some small. I settled on a slim, metal one that had a USB port; I wanted to be able to charge an appliance I had with me that needed it, not just my iPhone. This particular battery was super cool too, as it was multi-functional. It was also a flashlight, a pocket handwarmer (heated up like a mini-heater!), AND a rechargable battery. It had different settings you could click the top to, and different light colors it glowed for each function so you'd have to be blind and sensationless to mix it all up. Talk about a nifty thing to have in an emergency, ANY kind of emergency, huh? :D
When I opened the box later, I also realized IT COMES WITH ITS OWN SOCK COVER. I almost fell over, it was so cute and adorable and Asian and AWESOME. I actually just wasn't expecting it lol, it was so perfect for it.
Dajeong thought for a bit then took me to an Apple retailer called Frisbee (like I explained in my first trip's blog, there are no actual Apple stores here, only licensed retailers). After asking around, we found a selection of rechargable batteries, some only for the iphone, some big, some small. I settled on a slim, metal one that had a USB port; I wanted to be able to charge an appliance I had with me that needed it, not just my iPhone. This particular battery was super cool too, as it was multi-functional. It was also a flashlight, a pocket handwarmer (heated up like a mini-heater!), AND a rechargable battery. It had different settings you could click the top to, and different light colors it glowed for each function so you'd have to be blind and sensationless to mix it all up. Talk about a nifty thing to have in an emergency, ANY kind of emergency, huh? :D
When I opened the box later, I also realized IT COMES WITH ITS OWN SOCK COVER. I almost fell over, it was so cute and adorable and Asian and AWESOME. I actually just wasn't expecting it lol, it was so perfect for it.
Top left: waiting for the subway back home with all my purchases in hand! - Top right: colorful adorable hoodies at a street vendor's display! I wanted one so bad (I had seen them at other places around Seoul) but I have so many hoodies and jackets already...so I resisted. No mean feat, I tell you... - Bottom left: Can't forget about my favorite touristy thing to do here in Seoul...media pole pictures!! :D - Bottom right: a super awesome, artsy map of the area of Gangnam we were in. I'm assuming it was for tourists but it was so pretty it was like a work of art instead.
On the way back home as I walked through Gangnam station, I almost ran into this guy carrying a gigantic fistful of instant coffee packets clutched tightly in one hand, holding it out in front of him. He was walking like he was on a mission. Uh...okay?? Lol, I'm sure there's a really good story behind that...or he's just weird.
Back in my room I surveyed my purchases from today. I had several new types of pretty face masks to try with some new free Aritaum and Innisfree essence samples to try out as well. I also had picked up some green tea latte and green flake latte (with crispy brown rice in it) instant packets at Olive Young; since Dajeong knew about my green tea latte infatuation, she suggested I try out some instant brands to see if I liked one so I could bring it back with me if I wanted. She's such a good friend :))
I had also picked up this ADORABLE little black and tan knapsack for only 10,000 won!! I had seen this exact backpack in Myeongdong at a bag sellers place for like 60,000 won when I was there with Jess. Jess, do you remember it? I was holding two bags and asked you to check the price of this one (that I just bought today) that was hanging on the wall above you in that Myeongdong shop? I am definitely coming back to this store before I leave and picking up another bag...or two. Their bag designs here are seriously cute. The bag looks small in the picture, but its a nice size in actuality, and is more than big enough to fit all the stuff from my purse. I love when bags have zippers everywhere where I can put small things too <3
I had also picked up this ADORABLE little black and tan knapsack for only 10,000 won!! I had seen this exact backpack in Myeongdong at a bag sellers place for like 60,000 won when I was there with Jess. Jess, do you remember it? I was holding two bags and asked you to check the price of this one (that I just bought today) that was hanging on the wall above you in that Myeongdong shop? I am definitely coming back to this store before I leave and picking up another bag...or two. Their bag designs here are seriously cute. The bag looks small in the picture, but its a nice size in actuality, and is more than big enough to fit all the stuff from my purse. I love when bags have zippers everywhere where I can put small things too <3
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