Bottoms Up - Tea Purple

With so many coffee shops in Korea, it's always nice to be able to find a tea shop. My favorite Korean tea chain is Tea Purple. With actual tea leaves and not those made of powder or bagged leaves, the fresh scent in each cup of tea leaves the mouth watering for more. For those who are looking for something more modern, there are a handful of milk tea and frappe choices as well. 

Averaging $5-6 per drink, it is a must visit for anyone who is looking to dodge a coffee shop in Korea. Going with a group of friends who are looking for coffee? No problem, they also have a selection of coffee and fruit drinks to accommodate all taste buds. One recommendation that I must make is the Milk Tea Frappe along with the Choco-chip Cheesecake. It is a twist to the traditional cheesecake and milk tea by having a blend of sweetness. 

I am definitely a big fan of Tea Purple and just can't get enough of this spot. It's grown to be a weekly visit for me with wifi and a great setting. Next time you're in town, be sure to try a specialty tea drink! With locations all across Seoul, the most popular spots are in tourist areas which include my one favorite in Gangnam from exit 11.

Beauty Pick Me Up - Face Shop Vitamin Power Essential C

Packaging is one thing that automatically catches my eyes and makes me interested in the product. This Vitamin Water resemblance toner comes in three different forms with the selection of Vitamin B, C, and E. Extremely easy to use, simply pat on clean skin to moisturize, soften and increase elasticity. Each is formulated with a concentration of different types of vitamins, depending on your skin type. For those who have troubled skin with random breakouts, go for Vitamin C. For those who have more oily skin, Vitamin E is your choice and Vitamin B for those who have dry skin. It is one product that works extremely well with my skin and I will purchase again. There is an amazing smell that I love to throw on my face everyday and I absolutely love the packaging. It is the perfect gift to give to others!

Story of My Life - Jeju Travels

Labeled as the Hawaii of Korea, this island South of Seoul is only and hour away by plane. With constant flights almost every hour of the day heading out, it is practically recommended for a weekend trip. Although a weekend in Jeju is not enough time, and it is recommended to stay a week, it is still worth the mini weekend vacation.

Jeju is known for their many beaches and awesome views. With regular sandy beaches as well as black sand beaches, the view that surrounds the beach is phenomenal. This includes the highest mountain in Korea, Hallasan. I didn't get to hike the mountain this time, but I will return again to do so.

The several famous attractions in Jeju Island include the lava caves which is great for a hot summer day. The caves are dark and cool so you will stay refreshed. The one tip is to bring and umbrella or rain coat because the caves are dripping with cold water.

Another popular tourist spot for many is Loveland, an exhibition like the Sex Museum, but with a handful more of statues and figures to see and take goofy photos of. It definitely is not a place for children, but there are children walking around there. Next door to Loveland are a few museums to explore as well.

For those traveling with family, the field maze is recommended for running around and getting lost. It is a human maze made of plants that children absolutely love running through. One last recommendation for Jeju is to eat black pork. This meat can be cooked up in a variety of ways, which includes BBQ. This pork is the famous eat, but some restaurants may still have the fur of the pork on the meat so be mentally ready!

Nonetheless, it is a must visit for anyone who is traveling to Korea, especially those on vacation. It is the ultimate honeymoon spot and a place for couples. With so much to do in Jeju Island, it is recommended to stay around for a week. I will make a few trips back to knock out a few other things that are on my list, including the highlight of the year, Jeju Olle's Walking Festival which is the peak time to visit Jeju Island.

Story of My Life - Blind Restaurant

One of the newest trends in dining is to eat at a Blind Restaurant. Yes, a blind restaurant where you eat in the dark as if you were blind. There are a few around the world which include Hong Kong, New York, San Francisco, London, and one in Korea. With one in Seoul of the Kongdae area by Konkuk University, it is a popular spot for couples to attend for a new style of dating, but it is recommended for all to experience in order to heighten their senses.

The restaurant is known for the experience to dine in the dark, but it is also known as the restaurant of tears. Why? The restaurant provides you with the opportunity to write a letter and read it before the end of your dinner. It is a great surprise to those who are dining with you. Most of the time, these letters are those of love, apologies, and expressing yourself in ways that you were not able to before. I definitely recommend doing this without letting the others know. It may be at little creepy at first if you are laughing up a storm with your friends and all of a sudden you hear this voice that starts to talk. You'll know when it's coming though because they change up the music to some slow jams so it gives you some time to give your friends a heads up that someone will speak. Unfortunately for my group of friends, we were too wrapped up in chatter that I couldn't warn them ahead of time. 

In regards to the dinner, it consists of two different courses, a silver (chicken) and gold (beef) which differs in price. It is a four course dinner with a salad, appetizer, main course, and a dessert. The food was absolutely delicious which I did not expect since I thought we would be paying for the experience instead. Each week consists of a different theme. The one I experienced was a space theme where you are "blasted off to space" for your dinner with music in the background. There is a selection of music that plays throughout your dinner so you are not constantly listening to space music or eating in the complete silence. Nonetheless, if you go with a group of people, you will probably chat up a storm that the other tables can hear you so the music is a good call. 

So how does this happen? When entering the restaurant, you are situated in a dimly lit room before lead into the dark room where you consume your dinner. After given the basic guidelines and instructions, you are then to line up and walk in a straight line lead by a staff with night goggles. They test your sense of touch before bringing you into the dinner room, and you are then sat down with a plated salad to start the meal. It is a perfect way to bond over conversation with your friends or your other half. Over an hour and a half dinner, you are given a pen and paper to write a note in the dark. It's definitely funny to see what you wrote after! For writing in the dark, I think I did a pretty good job. 

Dining with a handful of good friends, this experience was definitely memorable. It was quite a challenge to eat in the dark without making a full mess or having to eat off of the plate, but we did a good job cleaning our plate as claimed by our waiter. The best part of the dinner is being able to share laughs and tears with my girls. I recommend it as something to do once in your life and test your dark dining skills!

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - Patisserie

When visiting Hong Kong, it is a must to visit the neighboring islands, especially Macau because it is the mini Las Vegas. When in Macau, I stumbled upon Patisserie-practically the best cafe in Macau, is located in the basement floor of the Macau Tower. This cafe is my all time favorite for having all of the must have desserts which include cakes, macarons, ice creams, egg tarts, breads, candies and so much more! With every type of food being on point, it is a must visit for all individuals. You will be able to find your sweet tooth satisfaction or even something to satisfy your stomach.

The must have is the Portuguese egg tart which is served hot and fresh. A few additional recommendations to make is the blueberry cheesecake which lives up to its name with a creamy cheesecake texture full of taste infused with blueberries. The red velvet is another popular dessert and it is on point with a moist red cake, but there maybe a little too much cheese cake frosting which can be overpowering for many. Furthermore, macarons and other freshly baked pastries are available as well. 

Patisserie is actually a cafe for all three or even four, five meals of the day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea time, desserts, can all be consumed here. Every meal is filling and on point, a great place to visit when in Macau.

Korean Traditional Eat - Barley Rice Cake

This soft and chewy Barley Rice Cake is a traditional Korean yum. A bit on the bland side, but it is perfect for those who like the dduk texture which is a chewy noodle. With a bit of barley flavor, this soft rice cake is made by a pouring a barley mix into a small pan. It is best when consumed fresh and warm, when each mold is still in place before sticking to one another.

With no filling, many love this cheap eat for its dough texture.  It is a perfect and cheap snack for all, especially because it is made of healthy grains, it is a low calorie snack. 

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - Sweet Soup

This peculiar Chinese dessert to some is a soup which is usually consumed after dinner. Served both hot and cold, it is a sweet tooth satisfaction on my boat! With a variety of choices which include the most popular of mung bean, red bean, tapioca, tofu, and a handful of others, it is a must try for all. When visiting Hong Kong, I actually had sweet soup every night. 

This extremely cheap eat can be found almost everywhere in Hong Kong. The best part about it is the convenience of this sweet soup which can be found out in the streets. My absolute street food yum is the tapioca soup which is boiled in coconut milk, usually consumed cold or on the cooler side. My ultimate favorite hot sweet soup is the rice balls filled with sesame or peanut paste. The texture is like mochi balls, but it may be too strong of a taste for some because it is boiled in a ginger soup. Nonetheless, sweet soups are a different kind of dessert, but absolutely tasty!