[Seoul: Ikseon-dong] Beautiful Hanok Cafes in Seoul

Posted on by Jamie Liew

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while I was in Seoul last autumn, I finally got to go to this new hipster-ish area near Bukchon Hanok Village; Ikseon-dong. unlike Bukchon, this place isn’t situated on the hill but all the homes here, like Bukchon are the only few areas in Seoul where people actually still live in Hanoks. while I have an obsession with Hanoks, I also love Hanok cafes because they seem to be Hanoks at its best.

I guess I was always very fascinated with these Korean traditional buildings because they are sturdy although built without nails, look absolutely phenomenal, normally have a 마루 (Maru; a flat elevated deck) in their yard where people can chill at and great great heating systems; the 온돌 (Ondol).

Continue reading “[Seoul: Ikseon-dong] Beautiful Hanok Cafes in Seoul” →

[Taipei: Dazhi] Indoor Picnic at Yellow Lemon

Posted on by Jamie Liew

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just a stones throw away from the hotel we were staying at– the Grand Mayfull Hotel, was this famous fine dining restaurant/desserant called Yellow Lemon. I was truly intrigued by their picnic styled high-tea set which I first saw on instagram and since it was so near to our hotel, we decided to give it a try.

Continue reading “[Taipei: Dazhi] Indoor Picnic at Yellow Lemon” →

[Taipei: Da’an] MUME (Asia’s TOP 50 Restaurants)

Posted on by Jamie Liew

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for my belated birthday celebration, we came to MUME, a casual European fine dining restaurant. this restaurant is humble yet under-rated as most of the fame goes to the contemporary and stylish RAW. I read online and MUME was often deemed to be better than RAW at most occasions. however, I cannot be certain until I try RAW for myself. MUME was actually recommended by my boyfriends boss who’s friends with the HK chef here. the chefs of this place have an impressive portfolio as they worked in famous restaurants like Eleven Madison Park (US), Quay (Aus) and even Noma (Denmark), which was four times world’s best restaurant!

Continue reading “[Taipei: Da’an] MUME (Asia’s TOP 50 Restaurants)” →

[HK: CausewayBay] Atum. a Desserant.

Posted on by Jamie Liew

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so what is a desserant? well, it’s exactly like the name! a restaurant that only serves desserts to fill your belly! I have always wanted to try having high-tea in one of HK’s many upper class restaurants, but little did I know.. it costs at least 200HKD per person just to have some scones, cakes and tea. super expensive especially for a poor student like myself. but since it was new years, my boyfriend wanted to let me try at least ONCE! (thank you boyfriend ^^) so we decided to head to the Avant-garde style Atum; where art becomes edible. or edibles become art? Continue reading “[HK: CausewayBay] Atum. a Desserant.” →

[Seoul: Hongdae] my favourite cake shop! Peony!

Posted on by Jamie Liew

OKAY. so there are a lot of nice places in Seoul but good cakes? well.. I’ve not had many good cakes in Seoul that doesn’t cost a bomb. I’m not saying that the cakes from Peony is very cheap but.. it’s average and yet it tastes sooooo heavenly! I love their cakes so much I queued for an hour to get their cake for my birthday last year. yes, their whole cakes requires queuing.

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SO! the bakery is named Peony. lovely name isn’t it? it moved from the old location to this new location still in Hongdae. near Hongik University! Continue reading “[Seoul: Hongdae] my favourite cake shop! Peony!” →

[Jinhae] Korea’s most beautiful place in Spring: Jinhae Cherry Blossoms

Posted on by Jamie Liew

it’s my 4th year here and I thought.. I might not be able to go to Jinhae next year since it’s going to be my last year and I might be busy. so.. I’ll just go there this year. some of my friends come here every single year but the jam and long hour bus ride is too tiring for me. unless I can afford a KTX ride, I don’t think I want to come to this festival again. 5 hour bus ride one way and the place’s pretty crowded. it wasn’t like super duper crowded. more of a bearable kind of crowded. but maybe because I went there at 630am in the morning and I left at 2pm.

but one thing for sure, the pictures came out really well. like, really really well. indeed the most beautiful place to be at during spring. the whole city’s filled with cherry blossoms as well! but I was too tired to explore it all… I only had 1 hour of sleep the night before hahaha.

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here’s my favourite shot! Neoh told me to “PRETEND TO LOOK AT THE FLOWERS!” I looked like a robot in the first few pictures and then it became better. Continue reading “[Jinhae] Korea’s most beautiful place in Spring: Jinhae Cherry Blossoms” →

[Seoul: Samcheongdong] the 2nd best place in Seoul 서울서 둘째로 잘하는 집

Posted on by Jamie Liew

the 2nd best place in Seoul is one of the oldest cafe/dabang around as they are open since 1976. although not as old as Hakrim Dabang, this is actually my.. 3rd time here? and my second post on it. the first post here.

ever since my good friend came with me 3 years ago and I’ve never once came here again since he passed away.. but it’s a cafe filled with our memories and the cafe stayed the same.

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located at the end of Samcheongdong street, the cafe isn’t difficult to find. Continue reading “[Seoul: Samcheongdong] the 2nd best place in Seoul 서울서 둘째로 잘하는 집” →

[Yokohama] Yoyoyoyoyokohama!

Posted on by Jamie Liew

it was actually my second time to Yokohama, the place where all imports and exports in Japan started, a very historical place especially for the development and growth of Japan. the first time I merely explored the place as I only “dropped by” after visiting Kamakura which was amazingly beautiful. so for this Tokyo trip, I spent one whole day at Yokohama.

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meet my tour guide for the day, probably the funniest man in Yonsei University’s language school — BOB!!!

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Honey Butter Chips and Christmas!

Posted on by Jamie Liew

if you follow Korean news or some idols, or live in Korea, I bet you know about this recent craze over this bag of 1500won chips called the honey butter chips. how did it started becoming so famous? well I’m not sure. but one thing I’m sure of is that Calbee is doing a good job in persuading everyone to long for it by making it a sacred item at the moment.

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but is this bag of chips really something new? well no it isn’t! guess what? it was on the Japanese shelves in 2012 as a limited edition item. it somehow got to Korea and that craze over it started. I have a feeling that it is just another marketing scheme made by the Koreans but yeah, it is successful every single time. they started selling these bags of glorious chips once again in Japan and I heard it will be on shelves only until.. March. so if you’re in Japan (these chips are just sitting there on the shelves. not very popular really. the Koreans are the ones buying most of them I guess haha.) you might want to try some and see what’s all that craze about. since getting it in Korea is nearly impossible for foreigners like us. Continue reading “Honey Butter Chips and Christmas!” →

[Seoul: Sinsa] Remicone

Posted on by Jamie Liew

HELLO MY DEAR READERS! I know it have been very long. I am still surviving. just done with my exams and I am here to introduce you a popular ice cream store in Seoul located at the “Paris” of Seoul; Garuso-gil, Sinsa-dong.

turn into the alley next to L’Occitane and you’d eventually find this unique ice cream store called REMICONE.

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and apparently, it’s by no-name. reminds me of spirited away. hahahahaha.

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so when you walk into the store you’d see pretty waitresses dressed in write. Continue reading “[Seoul: Sinsa] Remicone” →