Beauty Pick Me Up - Skin Food Egg White Pore Mask

The Skin Food Egg White Pore Mask is loaded with albumin that consists of amino acids which is actually recommended for those with sensitive skin. It is a product that helps to close the pores of your skin and promote elasticity while retaining moisture. Being one of the best selling mask products at Skin Food, it was a definite pick me up to hopefully help promote clearer skin. On a fresh clean face, pack on a thick amount all over the face, avoiding the mouth and eye areas. After ten to fifteen minutes, simply wash off with lukewarm water. For those with extra sensitive skin, removing it within ten minutes is recommended. Even within ten minutes, those with sensitive skin may feel irritated and a red color which will diminish over time. After a few uses, the skin will adapt to the product and will not be as red as initial use. Within the first few uses, after washing off, a brighter skin is immediately visible. With use over time, the skin actually tightens. Be sure to use it at least three times a week, especially during the summer time to balance the sweat and oil retained on the skin from the hot weather. 

Restaurant Review - 하동관 Traditional Korean Eat

One of the oldest restaurants, one hidden treasure, can be found in Myeongdong of Seoul. The big shopping area has more to offer than just beauty goods, it's a great place for food as well which includes one of the oldest restaurants this city has to offer. 하동관 opened back in 1939 and has been in business since. their specialty dish for just $10 is 곰탕 which is thinly sliced beef served over a bowl of rice that is embedded in soup. Top with your own greens garnish, add a bit of salt and pepper and you can enjoy this traditional Korean eat. This popular lunch spot closes at 4:30, caters to all of the local business people and tourists that come to get a sample of their goodies. With unlimited soup, kimchi and radish to enjoy with your food, it is the one recommended place to visit for an authentic and generation going lunch. Service is extremely quick because they only have a few number of dishes on their menu. Because it is a quick service get in and get out kind of restaurant, you must pay before getting your dishes to facilitate the speediness and efficiency of the restaurant. 

Address: Jung-gu, Myeongdong-1-ga 10-4 (서울시 중구 명동1가 10-4)

From 명동역 Myeongdong Station on the blue Line 4, take exit 8 and make a left at the first block. Go straight for about 5-6 blocks and the restaurant will be on your right.
From 을지로입구역 Euljiro Ipgu Station on the green Line 2, take exit 5 and make a right at the second block. Follow the straight path on the left and continue on your left until you see 하동관 on your left with a traditional and black interior.

Bottoms Up - Twosome + Coffee

Teddy's Twosome + Studio is an upgrade from A Twosome Place coffee shop that is the place to go for their signature black toast sandwich that looks like burnt toast. For just an average of $5 per menu item of sandwich and coffee, the menu is not limited to just these two delicious choices. The coffee shop offers an open fridge of pre-made sandwiches, soups, salads, yogurts, pastries, and many other desserts that are ready to be picked up and prepped to be served on a plate for your satisfaction. 

Teddy's black toast is served on a plate with melted cheese and heated filling. It is the perfect place to grab a quick and even healthy bite. Themed around music, this cafe differs from the rest with more upbeat music playing at a louder frequency. Promoted by Big Bang, this more urban coffee shop is the place to go to for hip hop and up tempo music, mostly American, to bump to over a cup of coffee or brunch. This urban cafe offers three floors of black and white themed seating as well as an outdoor setting for nice weather. 

It is extremely popular among college students being that is it located right next to Hongik University, but it is also the spot to go to for many tourists as well. Because of the environment, it is a location recommended for grabbing food and or chatting with a friend. This would definitely not be the location to go to if you are trying to get some work done! Located from exit 9 of the Hongdae train station on line 2 (the green), it is located across the street from Nescafe and Starbucks. The easiest, but longer way to get there is to go straight from exit 9 until the light. Take a left and go straight to the end (you'll be facing Hongik Univeristy). Take a left at the light when you see the grey buildings of steel (do not walk past the gates) and the cafe will be on your right. 

There is a second branch in the Garosu-gil shopping area of Sinsa-dong. Straight from exit 8 of Sinsa station on line 3, take a left when you reach Tous Le Jours bakery on the corner. Go straight along Garosu-gil shopping street and you will see Twosome + Coffee on your left within a block's radius. 

Story of My Life - 11 Street to the Rescue

Feeding off of my last blog about 11 Street online shopping, I recently made a purchase for a set of dumbbells and a heart rate monitor to track my progress through the workout. It was about time to actually pick up these two items. The best part is the free shipping that comes with this easy purchase! 11 Street makes it online to filter out the items that you want with free local delivery. Most products ship within two days of time if it is located in Korea. Unfortunately for me, the heart rate monitor is taking over a week because it is coming straight from a factory in China.

Nonetheless, the information given from the website is on point with high satisfaction from almost all customers. 11 Street makes it easy to shop while living in Korea and for those who want Korean products for the simple fact that absolutely everything is on this website. Day to day groceries, everyday clothing for all occasions, shoes, beauty goods and so much more. This is the one website that makes any busy life a lot easier, coming from a true New Yorker. 

The best part is being able to get "mileage" for your purchases which you can use towards future purchases. Although it is not a big amount, it sure adds up. For those who are making everyday purchases to have your everyday essentials available for you when you come home from a long day of work, that number will make a big difference in the end. In addition to this, 11 street offers a small monthly promotion with mileage for general customers who use their website. This is definitely another bonus to join on the website and make your life easier. 

My Current Obsession - Skin Food Grapefruit Nail Polish Remover

I am totally obsessed with Skin Food's Grapefruit Nail Polish Remover for the simple fact that it does it's job and it smells great. I hate the awful smell of chemicals that linger in the garbage can after removing nail polish and Skin Food's amazing product literally smells like grapefruit. It's such a fruity aroma that makes me want to actually sniff the product all day, which I probably shouldn't. Unlike acetone, like any other nail polish, it simply takes time to remove and it doesn't dry out the nail at all. This is one cheap pick up that I definitely recommend, totally worth the measly $2! It is a constant repurchase for sure!

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - The Cupcake Factory (Seoul)

The Cupcake Factory (not a branch of the NY version) is a hidden treasure in Hongdae of Seoul that is baking up cute cupcakes that are extremely moist and flavorful. This small shop offers the traditional vanilla, red velvet, and cookies and cream flavors, but they also break away from the traditional kinds and bake up their own which include, but not limited to cappuccino, mint chocolate, and my all time favorite is the midori with no lime. 

The Cupcake Factory offers one of the moistest cupcakes I have had in Korea. The midori with no lime was actually a great compliment of a vanilla cupcake-like base with a lemony frosting. It was a great compliment of tangy and sweet fluffy icing to the cake. Unfortunately, I could not say the same about the mint chocolate. The one thing that was different about the mint chocolate cupcake is the fact that the mint icing is light in taste initially, but the mint flavor kicks in after a little. The mint flavor can be a bit overpowering because it really does taste like mint and doesn't quite compliment the chocolate cupcake. Furthermore, the cupcake base was a bit dry to taste which is one thing I do not recommend.

Although the cupcake shop is small in size, the pink interior offers a cute seating area in the back to enjoy your cupcake. The Cupcake Factory offers a handful of drinks to order as well and enjoy in a seating with pillows under a tree of yarn. It is extremely girly in decoration and a great location to visit with a group of girls. Cupcake are priced at $4 a cup which is average for Korean standards. To find this hidden location, turn into the only street where Baby Gorilla and Club Naked in Hongdae is. You will see it on your left: bright and pink.

Address: 364-11 Seogyo-Dong Mapo-Gu
Phone number: 82 2 337 4585
website: www.thecupcakefactory.com

My Current Obsession - O'Sulloc Natural Green Cleansing Foam

From the Jeju tea garden that has been around since 1979, the O'Sulloc Natural Green Cleansing Foam uses organic green tea leaves in their face wash that is great for anyone with sensitive skin. Drawing and retaining moisture, green tea leaves help to detox the skin and remove any toxin. Thing includes removing make up residue and pollutants to purify the skin while simultaneously retaining moisture. Not only is it made with organic green tea leaves, it captures the sweet fragrance of citrus flowers that helps to refresh the skin and keep it young. Green tea is a great food good that is great for your whole body and being able to utilise that on a face with psoriasis is my big approval.


This O'Sulloc Natural Green Cleansing Foam feels a little harsher than other products because it is thicker. The cleansing foam isn't like other foams where it's bubbly and made of a water base, but I am in love with the product and absolutely recommend it to anyone with trouble skin. It is definitely a purchase that will be made again because of its cleansing effects.

Story of My Life - Manila Philippines

One of the best thing about living in Seoul is being able to travel to the surrounding Asian countries, even if it's just for a weekend. This past weekend was a quick trip to Manila, Philippines to explore the food, culture and of course lifestyle. Of course, there was barely any sleep involved, maybe two hours in total for the whole weekend. At the very minimum, sleeping on the plane before working a full day.

Filipino is one of the things I grew up on personally with friends that introduced me to the culture in high school. Living in Seoul, it is impossible to find good and authentic Filipino food so taking a trip to Manila for the weekend was totally worth it. The first stop after being picked up at the airport is definitely a food court to pick out all the goodies along with a fresh coconut! Dessert definitely involves halo halo which is a mix of varieties depending on where you get this from, but it's pretty amazing everywhere you go. 

In addition to food, shopping is definitely a must in Manila. In many places, other than the big department stores, bargaining is HIGHLY recommended. Although prices are so low, it is still possible to bargain them to be even lower. I didn't push it to much for the simple fact that they're trying to make a living too! On the topic of everything being so cheap and affordable in Manila, getting pampered is a must on my books. For ten dollars, even less, you can choose between a facial, eyelash extensions, manicure, pedicure, and even a massage. For me, all of the above was a must in a less than 48 hour time period! 

Nightlife is also a recommendation in Manila. Being lucky to have friends that live in the area, getting  super VIP access to the best clubs just made my one night in town. The number one club, right across the street of the airport is Republiq, located in the Resorts Casino and Hotel building.  Next door to Republiq is Opus, and going around town visiting Palladium is also a recommendation. One thing that is special about Palladium is the service of a mini container of cranberry juice with your cocktail, definitely something that I haven't seen elsewhere in the world!

Purchases of souvenirs are also recommended. Although the most popular souvenir to get from the Philippines is dried mangoes, I recommend the dried green mangoes! They are my ultimate favorite, tart in taste and chewy, just like regular dried mangoes. Many of my students who are not a fan of regular dried mangoes definitely like the green mangoes so that's sure of a winner! I think the best part of being in Manila is also the option of going to the Duty Free that sells Reese's and all these other foreign goods!

Still, with all the good things, there are a handful of things that were difficult to accept about Manila. Many things seemed to have been a culture shock which includes walking around barefoot, eating with your hands, a jitney bus that locals travel on, the selling of practically anything and everything you can think of in the streets to people driving by, and probably the worse for me to see was little kids asking for plastic bottles from cars.

Nonetheless, it is a great place to go and visit for a vacation. Although many people don't consider Manila to be the best place in the Philippines to visit, it is recommended. I am glad I didn't skip it and go straight for the islands like many said!

Bottoms Up - Chloris Tea & Coffee

Chloris Tea & Coffee is a more traditional looking tea location recommended for brunch. They offer a more tasty and blend of traditional tea in their drinks which is something different than what you find at regular coffee shops in Korea which comes from a tea bag. With so many drinks offered, the most popular is the milk tea selection, which also includes the Milk Tea Snow Blossom which can be shared between two. 

This open window second floor cafe offers food along with their tasty tea and coffee drinks allows you to take in the breeze of the outdoors. It is one of the best places to people watch since it is on one of the busier streets of Hongdae. For a more calmer environment from the overwhelming number of Hongik University students, Chloris Tea & Coffee is definitely the place to go to hide from the loud, busy life.

Straight from exit 9 of Hongik University station, take a left at the light. Pass one intersection and it will be in the middle of the block on your right after Ho Bar and before the Lotteria store.

Address: 마포구 서교동 358-18 (홍대점, 지오다노 2층), 서울특별시

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - ChouChou

The main attraction at ChouChou is the Japanese hot cakes. It is a soft warm and fluffy cake and pancake-like pastry that can be topped with both sweet and salty goodies. Of course not both mixed together, but you can definitely get two different orders, a lunch and a dessert in one store. For my selection, I went with the seasonal blueberry yogurt hot cake. A freshly cooked Japanese hot cake is served next to a bed of yogurt cream, blueberry cream, and a sweet blueberry jam. There is also a jar of maple syrup or honey, but I don't think it is necessary for the simple fact that the creams and jams are sweet enough.

Hot cakes are a little expensive for what many can consider a simple pancake at an average of $8 per plate, but it is definitely worth trying. It is different than the other desserts that are available in Korea and being able to try a pancake with a twist can be satisfying from time to time. 

The cafe also offers a wide selection of drinks to consume with your hot cake. It is the perfect place to lounge out on a date or even hang out with a group of friends who share the hot cake. With three floors of seating and open seating at the very time, the cafe is opened 24 hours which is perfect for anyone who is out partying late in Gangnam. With bright lights, it is an attraction that you can see from down the block, but the best part is being able to sample Japanese goodies all year around. 

Take exit 9 from the Gangnam station on line 2 and go straight when you exit to the street of food.After walking three blocks down, chouchou will be on your right past the Starbucks.

Restaurant Review - VivaPolo

VivaPolo is an Italian restaurant in Garosugil of Sinsa-dong that creates an urban touch to their dishes. Their creativity revolves around their pasta dishes where a whole crab is served on top of a plate of spaghetti. VivaPolo is one of the fewest restaurants in Seoul that serves up a tomato meat sauce. The most common in Korea is a cream sauce which is available at VivaPolo as well. The suggested dish is a seafood bread bowl where cream pasta is served inside a baked bread by removing the inside. 

Dishes range from the price of $16-20. Portions are considered to be small in size, but are extremely filling. It is the one recommendation to be made for anyone looking for a full on Italian meal in Korea with dishes full of flavor.

Straight from exit 8 of Sinsa station on line 3, take a left when you reach Tous Le Jours bakery on the corner. Go straight along the famous Garosu-gil shopping street until you see Viva Polo on your left. It is upstairs on the corner after walking about four or five blocks down.

Street Food Yum - Hoddeok Revisited

My all time favorite street food yum and Korean traditional eat is the sweet Korean pancake, Hoddeok. You can find this sweet tooth satisfaction in the streets at an average price of $1, sometimes even less! Because there are so many different stands to purchase this from, everyone has their own take to it. The more recent stands are turning this flat, doughy pancake into a more fluffy, bread-like eat. This stand in Kongdae offers fluffy bread that is cut in half and filling is added before handed off to guests to enjoy. This breaks away from the traditional way of filling a dough with a pine nut based syrup and thrown in a flat pan of oil to cook. Nonetheless, it is still my favorite traditional Korean eat and I just can't get enough of it!

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - chocolatyum

chocolatyum is an extremely small and cozy location in Hongdae where they bake all things chocolate which includes cakes and cookies. It is a popular spot to visit for anyone looking for a quick sweet pickup. Because the location is extremely small, there is always a crowd of people exploring the many baked goods and trying to find someone to cater to their taste. Some of the goodies are able to hit the spot and be on point, but there are a few sweets that are not recommended which include the freshly baked Peperro sticks. Nonetheless, it is a place to visit to pick up something sweet.

From exit 9 of the Hongik station on line 2,  go straight until you hit the light. Take a left at the light and go straight you come to a Taco Bell and Tony Moly. Take the street (or following one on you right) and go straight until you reach the next intersection. At the first intersection, take a left and go straight.

Address: 서울특별시 마포구 서교동 358-125

Korean Traditional Eat - Jumok Bap 주먹밥

My all time favorite Korean tradition eat is the Jumok Bap 주먹밥 which is a rice ball with different kinds of fillings depending on the restaurant and what you order. My all time favorite is tuna and anchovies which I just can't get enough of! This rice ball is topped with either sesame or dried seaweed and maybe a touch of other delicious ingredients. The best part about this fun eat is that is is extremely cheap, usually just a measly $1 will provide you with a pretty filling rice ball (or two) depending on the location. It is definitely on the top of my list for best eats in Korea!

Korean Traditional Eat - Kalguksu Noodle Soup 갈국수

Kalguksu is a traditional Korean eat that is usually enjoyed as a seasonal dish. There are many different takes on this traditional eat. It basically consists of wheat floor noodles that are made in a chicken broth usually. Additional ingredients of cucumbers and a handful of other vegetables are added in and the soup is topped with a meat of your choice. The popular consists of seafood, beef, and chicken. 

Depending on how are you consuming this dish, it can be served as a single serving per person or it can also be served with a bowl of soup over an open fire shared between a table. Ingredients are then added as you consume, to your liking. This is rather important for those who are eating beef because leaving the beef in for too long can result in an overcooked and extra chewy slice of meat. Many people strain away from this by cooking their beef slices as they eat. If consuming beef, it is recommended to go with the beef base broth which provides a better enhancement to your taste buds than the common chicken broth. 

Story of My Life - Korean Online Shopping

Being abroad, getting certain items is definitely difficult, especially foreign items. As a lucky discovery and one of the hottest websites in Korea, 11 street definitely makes my life easier. It not only offers foreign items, but it also provides international shipping for anyone who is looking for true Korean products.

My first purchase was for Herbalife which has been hitting the market hard as a diet option in America and definitely in Korea. Although in Korea, they offer the Korean version of the product, it is still the same as those abroad, but in the Korean language. Because it is a Korean website, most information is written in Korean, but there are several English translations that help facilitate the ordering process.

I am in love with the easy click-through from beginning to end that allows for easy ordering. They even tell you how much additional each items is when clicking to order. Simply add it to your cart and checkout as a whole when you are ready to. I think one of the best parts about the website is the quick shipping. Average for most stores is a day and a half, max at two and a half days shipping. Korean service is just that amazing!

11 Street makes it that much easier for getting foreign products, Korean products, all mixed in one. It is the one recommendation I make for anyone who is looking for anything and everything shipped to your door within a few days! Most companies even offer free shipping, now that's a deal.

Restaurant Review - L&B's Spumoni Garden

L&B Spumoni Garden

2725 86th Street

Brooklyn NY 11223

(718)449-1230

The one place to go to to get your sicilian pizza fix is L&B's Spumoni Garden. A well known pizzeria and restaurant in the Brooklyn neighborhood, it has also been featured in a handful of media as well. Spumoni Garden is the place go to for outdoor seating, family enjoyment, and of course food. It is the perfect combination of pizza and homemade spumoni with a history over 70 years. 

Once you try a slice of their sicilian pizza, you will definitely go back for more. They break away from the traditional round pizza by baking up square pies all day. The fluffy bread is the one pizza restaurant that you will probably want to eat the crust as well. Although many visit Spumoni Garden for their extremely cheap $2.25 sicilian, the home made spumoni is to die for. Many locals make a drive by just to pick up a cup of spumoni, like myself. When ordering out, it is also likely to order a quart for delivery (maybe not sharing), but for enjoyment. You can't visit L&Bs without having both the speciality sicilian and a cup of spumoni. You'll regret it if you do!

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - Lee Saem Cupcake

Lee Saem Cupcake who's motto is "life is just a cup of cake" is one of the most popular cupcake locations. In fact, it is the most popular location to go to for cupcake in Itaewon. This small little white shop is hidden in a little alley from the Itaewon station in the basement floor. Once discovered, you will find yourself in a cupcake fairytale, surrounding by all things cupcakes and picnic seating to enjoy your cupcakes. With a small number of seating, it is recommended to grab these goodies to go.

Lee Saem Cupcake offers one of the more moist cupcakes in Korea. Offering traditional flavors as well as more creative ones, cupcakes are paired with a different kind of icing and sprinkle. The matcha cupcake is extremely bold in green tea taste which is recommended for anyone who is in love with green tea, sprinkled with a light touch of matcha powder. The blueberry is one of their best sellers and extremely fruity. It takes you back to being a kid because they sprinkle it with candies that pop in your mouth, just like the childhood favorite of Pop Rocks. The classic vanilla, which is the sweetest of them all, is topped with a mix of white and chocolate cookies which is the one recommendation to make. 

Address: 93-28 SangSu-dong, Mapo-gu
Phone: 010 7112 6770

From the Itaewon exit 2, go straight and follow the curve around at the bottom of the hill. Take a left at the dead end without crossing the street (follow the hill). After two blocks of going straight, Lee Saem will be in a small block on the left after the turn.