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!

Product Review - Clio Kill Slim Eye Liner

Drawing a perfect line is extremely difficult, especially with thick brushes. It is difficult to find a thin brush, especially one that works well. My recent discovery, a makeup store centered around club wear and makeup all night, Clio, has one of the thinnest bristles I have ever found. With a 0.1 mm brush, it allows for any thin design made around the eye area or any other areas for a specific design. It is probably one of the best thin liquid eyeliners that actually works. 

Clio's makeup is targeted to those individuals who are constantly out pulling all nighters. The makeup is known to last throughout the day, into the night, and fights against the heat and sweat. It is one of the makeup brands that are starting to make a stand in Korea. 

Story of My Life - Taiwan Travels

Taiwan has been nothing but amazing for me. My one week trip, which should have been so much longer, was just a week of eating and adventures with a group of close friends. Okay, maybe I stretched the truth a little, it was more eating than anything else! I mean you can't blame me because the food was just so good. From the Taiwan delicatessens to the random street finds, I think I spent 80% of my time eating. Even at all of the tourist locations, there were so much good eats that we would walk a few steps, grab a new goodie and munch our way down the rest of the street. I would've put on a lot more weight had I not walked everywhere instead of taking a cab, but I'm glad I was able to eat everything on my list of foods.

The number one thing for me was definitely bubble tea. Where can you find bubble tea in America for a dollar? The price of bubble tea in Korea is so much more expensive, but the problem is the authentic taste. I think I had at least two or three cups of bubble tea everyday which is probably a bad one week diet, but I just had to get in as much as I could before the week was over. Thank god I am going back to America soon to my favorite bubble tea store. In addition to the amazing bubble tea, fresh soy bean milk is a must. It is the perfect breakfast drink to have with a hot steam bun or even the rice porridge (congee and youtiao, a fried dough). There is of course the regular mill tea and coffee (it is pretty difficult to find a coffee shop in Taiwan, but they're there). If you're looking for a Taiwan drink that is special to their culture, try the almond milk. You can find a few stores around tourist areas that ground up a fresh cup of almond milk.

In regards to food, there is just too much to talk about! Starting with breakfast, there are so many types of steamed buns to have. These buns are made with a white dough and stuffed inside with all types of flavors. Sweet buns like my all time favorite sesame and red bean, vegetable buns, plain buns, meat buns, and a mix of flavors is one breakfast favorite that costs less than a dollar! There are also a handful of pastries and breads to have for breakfast. Bakeries are everywhere in Taiwan like they are in Korea, but you'll find a lot more different kinds of bread and creations because there are less chains in Taiwan.

If you're not a breakfast person, you can wait for dimsum which is a collaboration of breakfast and lunch tea time that I suggest going with a big group of people. The reason for this is that you want to sample all different kinds of foods. The suggest and number one restaurant in Taiwan is Din Tai Fung which can be found in Korea as well, but going to the one in Taiwan is the number one tourist and local thing to do. There are a handful of chains around town, be sure to make reservations so you can skip the long wait. Although there are no reservations on the weekends, we definitely got lucky and got a table within 10 minutes without the need to share our table with others like they do in Chinatown.

For main entrees whether for lunch or dinner, Taiwan is known for their beef noodle soup. Beef is a very big dish in Taiwan and it is pretty much delicious at every place! Another is their egg noodle soup which is noodles topped with an egg and a signature sauce. Of course every restaurant differs, but it is worth trying because the noodle is freshly made. Another must have, which is my all time favorite is the minced pork over rice. Marinates diced pork meat with some vegetables mixed in is topped in a bowl of rice that is too amazing to pass.

Now you can also get full the way I did everyday without having to sit down at a restaurant by eating all types of street food. You'll be surprised at what you'll find in town! A few of my recommended street foods are the Ro Yuan (a mochi dumpling that is filled with meat and topped with an amazing sauce), Coffin Bread (bread that is stuffed in the center), Gua Bao (a plain steamed bun topped with Taiwanese kimchi, pork meat and a sweet powder mix, flattened fried chicken (literally a whole chicken that is flattened, battered, and fried), Chinese sausage on a stick (a lot sweeter than American and Korean sausages).

For those who are more ballsy and are willing to try the weird foods of Taiwan, stinky tofu, pig intestine, duck blood (I prefer this over pigs blood because its a lot more smoother), ostrich skewers, and all the other random stuff you'll find. I'm sure this is not my complete list of weird foods in Taiwan, but you'll be surprised at what you'll actually enjoy without knowing what it is. Knowing what I was consuming, it tastes a lot better than I imagined. My motto is you only live once, when is the next time you can try a delicatessen, who can actually say they were able to eat all these weird foods? Don't limit yourself!

My all time favorite now, sweet dishes! Everyone knows I'm all about snacks and sweets. I am the one crazy girl to go shopping with my local Taiwanese friends and fill up two carts of junk food to bring home! The number one sweet dish in Taiwan is the shaved ice which can be topped with almost anything you desire. Another favorite is the sweet soup (usually hot) which is made with a variety of beans but usually red bean and filled with all kinds of sweet goodies. My one favorite is this tapioca-Mochi like dish. Be sure to also have the variety of Mochi, Dduk filled cakes that Taiwan offers. You'll find both sweet and salty flavors. There are also a handful of Chinese cakes which is just a soft dry bead filled with all types of things; the most popular is pineapple, but there are also red bean, lotus seed, meats and others.

Other than being the ultimate food heaven, Taiwan is also the place to get dolled up. Korea is one place for beauty, but I think you'll be surprised at what you can find in Taiwan. False lashes, lash extensions, high heels, short skirts, big circle lenses, crystal acrylic nails, make up everywhere you go. I definitely fall under that category because I finally got my permanent eyeliner tattoo and lash extension as well as a handful of other pamper me pretty services!

You can find the most dolly services in Ximen which is like the Myeondong of Korea. It is definitely worth it to check out this area and shop around. Stores open around 11 and into 11 pm, but be sure to haggle when making purchases. There is also a very famous rice noodle spot that has been around for years, you can't miss it with all the tourist and locals standing around front to grab a bite. Within close proximity to Ximen, you can also find the Red House for art which is a bit hidden in a side street after the police station.

A train ride away is also the Longshan Temple, Taipei Main Station underground shopping, and a handful of other malls. The other must visits in Taipei include Taipei 101, which used to hold the worlds fastest elevator, the Taipei Zoo which you can visit via gondola, the memorials, and of course the best clubs in town are in the area much like the Gangnam of Korea. Luxy, Myst, 18, these are the places you wanna go on a weekend. Be sure to also booze off the flavored beers which is more like a flavored soda with alcohol. You can find those at the 7-11 for a cheap price. Enjoy!

Road Trip - Ocean City, Maryland

I apologize for my absence these past two days. I tried to fully absorb my mini vacation by living the best of it. It was one unforgettable vacation in a super size white van packed with sardines as well as great food but also a dramatic experience with a few racist security guards at Fager’s Island. It definitely doesn’t outweigh all the great people I met, including the bartender and this one security guard at Fager’s Island.

To make up for my absence, this will be one blog full of pictures and the 411 of my weekend! Feeding off of my last blog about Fisher’s Popcorn, we had a group dinner at On The Bay which consisted of three dozen crabs, oysters, scallops, shrimp, calamari, and I always need bread so I had to order a crab cake sandwich. This place is absolutely delicious with freshly cooked crabs and an extremely friendly staff that made our dinner pleasurable. I love the family environment here.

Friday night was loads of fun at Seacrets and Faber’s Island (which encouraged us to go back another night—we were tricked). The one place that is a must visit when you’re in town is Seacrets. I was advised to visit it both during the day and at night for a change of crowd and party, but we were only able to go at night which wasn’t bad. This Jamaican infused entertainment center contained various locations of partying which is a must go to. Be prepared for a floor of sand in certain locations.

Saturday consisted of a lovely morning at the beach which helped to clear up my psoriasis. Lunch was a whole bunch of random goodies from the boardwalk which included the one and only place for pizza cones at Tiki Sunrise, the best fries from Thrashers (which always had a long line), and of my favorite—ice cream at Dumser’s Dairyland (creators of the original orange ice cream). Eating so much requires a little work out playing volleyball of course.

Dinner was a great grand seafood buffet at Phillip’s Seafood Buffet. Phillip’s Seafood is an extremely well known restaurant in Ocean City, but of course being the fat asses that we were, we could not give up a buffet. Unfortunately for me, the $45 meal wasn’t worth it because I don’t eat a lot. I was smart this time though, to fill up on oysters, crabs, king crabs, only seafood! The one thing I do not recommend getting is the pasta. Not only does it fill you up quick, but it is not good at all.

After a dramatic night at Fager’s Island, Sunday consisted of a brunch at Anthony’s Carry Out, a very well known sandwich spot. A must order in my opinion is the Reuben sandwich which consists of tender meat, much better than the advertised roast beef in the window. I found that to be a lot drier than it appeared, even with the salty gravy sauce that came with the sandwich.

Ready to leave Maryland, we had one last group activity with Laser Tag at Planet Maze, a location that has miniature golf, indoor playground, arcade and a laser tag room that didn’t look so great, but was a heck of a lot of fun! I never played at a place that has a home base where your opponents can attack for extra points and you must run back to home to get recharged if and when you die. Definitely worth it for the price, too bad we were so tired we only played to games for $15 per person.

The very last thing that is a must mention is that we had to leave Ocean City with a bang. Our bang was three bushels of crabs from On the Bay. Yes, we loved it so much, we all grabbed crabs to go back home with. Over 200 crabs, we left a mark with the locals hyped with us. They were so amazed at the number of crabs that were on the table, they suggested for the group photo. Great people!

Overall, Ocean City was a much needed mini vacation. With all the drama, it was a great time, but I probably won’t return anytime soon. There are many more locations that are awaiting my hungry stomach and energy! Any recommendations for next road trip?