5/1
Failing to catch any Zzs (unless you count the mosquito buzzing in my ear) once again, I get up around 6 am to the sound of my Costa Rican neighbors enjoying a rather noisy breakfast in the kitchen. I put myself together to the best of my abilities, laying out a newly purchased Shiba shirt and cream tinted pants. Looking slightly less like I had just crawled out of a thousand year old tomb, I steered myself in the direction of Starbucks.
Afterwards, I embark on my journey back to the vegan bakery, this time by memory. Although I walked quickly with the intention of saving my juice until I could enjoy it with my bread... it disappeared by the time I walked into the bakery. What a shame.
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| Fresh threads for the walking dead~ |
I crossed underneath the highway through the subway station, beginning to feel the grumbling of an unfed stomach. I contemplate my options for food briefly, before suddenly remembering a vegan bakery between my home and 홍대. 다브레드브루 was definitely one of two directions from my house... and of course I took the incorrect way first. realizing I had no idea where I was headed, I pull out my KaoMaps app and navigate my way in the direction I had just come from. Finally, I realize where I am and see the gorgeous blue sign of the bakery... only to realize its closed. Defeated, I settle to come back when they opened at 9:30, and would enjoy a coffee until then.
My morning ritual, I propped myself up at the window seat with a Venti 두유 latte. Because if you don't go big, go home.
A girl sits next two chairs across from me, and I retrieve the bag I had set in the chair in between us as an act of courtesy. She turns to me and thanks me and English, to which I smile politely in return. She then asks if she can set her bag in the chair and I nod and tell her to go for it in Korean. Making friends here has always been a bit difficult to me, as I never attended schooling here and had few opportunities to meet anyone. The exchange, although brief and unexciting, made me feel much more welcomed. I catch up on work, log in the previous days adventures, and before I know it, the clock is nearing 11 am. Packing up my things, I recall that I had forgotten to purchase a few makeup items the previous day at Etude House. I stop in, accidentally scoring on a 1 + 1 for exactly what I needed... Bling Bling Pens!!! Icall them Bingle Banglers since that's what I originally mistook the name for. These are an absolute must if you want your skin to sparkle and stand out from the rest. They come in a variety of colors, ranging from skin toned to blush red. I recommend them for any use, except maybe not on the lips. The red is great as blush and the cream colors are great for brightening the face.
I also stop into 다이소 for a few essentials. I score on some extra hangers for my apartment, gifts for my mom and grandmother back home, and a new set of earbuds. If you need good quality but on the cheap, I highly recommend 다이소. The birth child of a Dollar Tree and Target, 다이소 offers good quality items between 1,000 and 5,000 원.
The day is warming up, and I decide it is time for a early afternoon snack... mango and banana juice from 떼루와, the gay unicorn cafe.
As if by magic, there was a single package remaining of my all time favorite bread, 호박 고구마 빵. Its non-dairy, non-egg, and refined sugar free. I'm not vegan but I struggle with milk, and am not a huge fan of eating sugar. I also spot a small, chocolate bar sized pastry that is labeled 100% 쌀! In a variety of flavors, I picked the one that was most popular. I handed my baked goods to the cashier and inquired if the 쌀빵 was made without sugar as well. She peers at the label and giggles a bit.
She bagged my bread and I depart from the bakery in the direction of home. I take a moment to search what exactly I had just purchased... Mugwort.... Huh. Interesting.
I take the long way, going across a bridge that leads from my neighborhood to 홍대. On the way, I stop by 오렌지 마트, and pick up a few of my favorite groceries such as 오이, 새송이버섯, 깻잎, 단무지 and a bag of 참외. The lady working seemed elated that I could converse with her, even if at what I deem to be a kindergarten level, and sent me off with an extra melon.
At home, I finally enjoy my bread and a bit of the 단무지 while catching up on all of the Hotel Hell episodes that I couldn't watch in the states on Youtube because of copyright issues. After something around 8 episodes, I decided it was time to check on my grades for the final exams I had just taken in University before coming to Seoul. I pull up my grade portal, only to be met with...
A
A
A
IN ALL THREE OF MY COURSES.
Yeet, yeet, skiddly deet I was on my feet and walking down to No Brand Mart for a celebration treat.
This ultimately resulted in me accidentally buying a bottle of champagne.
Look, I'm no wine connoisseur. Reading Hangulized English is hard enough, but reading Hangulized Italian or whatever wine names are in? Forget it.
So I just picked one at random.
And some milk and yogurt and sparkling water.
And then went on my way home only to find that the bottle was corked with a champagne twisty thing. The only time I've ever opened anything alcoholic and sparkling has been airplane twist off sparkling wine. So you can imagine my innocence when attempting to open it.
So twist, twist, twist, and...
POP!
I pull back my head just in time for the cork to go sailing upward, nearly grazing my forehead as it knocks into the ceiling and champagne is sputtering out. I let out a small panicked scream and try to calm the fizzing by pouring it into a glass. It was too late. The champagne was everywhere.
With my mini celebration glass, I cheered to myself and resumed my Gordon Ramsey marathon, moving onto Kitchen Nightmares.
As six o'clock neared, I began to grow both tired and hungry. Still suffering from jet lag, I roll out of bed and wonder down the street to a small 만두 stand, 신촌귀일만두. I order a batch of 김치만두 and 흑미찐빵. The stand is noisy as steam sputters out of the stacked steel pans that the fresh dumplings were steamed in. The smell of dumplings wafts towards me as she sets the pans on the steamer. As she's packing my dumplings, I realized she had misheard my order over the racket, and had made 김치찐빵 instead of 김치만구. I giggle because the item isn't even on the menu. Not wanting the kind woman to feel bad, I order one more batch of 김치만두, and she suddenly realizes her mistake. I can't help but smile as she throws extra sides of radish into my bag, I can only assume as a condolence to the misunderstanding. Although I'm happy to eat 찐빵, it is quite filling and although I'm a confident eater... there was no way I could finish two helpings.
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| Top left - 흑미찐빵 Top right - 김치만두 Bottom - 김치찐빵 |
I head home, cozy-ing in for the night with my bread and dumplings.
A popping day, no doubt.
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