커피! Part One

SORRRRRRYY!

So, my phone is practically dead right now.. Literally. I've been having so many problems with just trying to take pictures it's a little upsetting. So I've been using Sun's phone to take photos and getting the photos from her have been a tad difficult because of conflicting schedules ):

So, here,

사과를 받안줘

Please accept my apology/apple (apology and apple, same word, different context)

Hehe, I learnt that from Boys Over Flowers HEHE

BACK TO THE POINT:

FINALLY!

I've been to a handful of coffee places to be able to start talking about all some of them. I think...

So here's how I'm gonna do the reviews...

1. Coffee taste. 

Rating 1-6. 

1 = too bitter aka I like to call it Starbuck bitter (sorry Starbucks, your coffee isn't my cup. But I like your green teas though! So don't kick me out please?)

6 = Too sweet aka here, take some coffee with the sugar please!

2. Free trade/organic
Where is their coffee from? Is it free trade? Are they encouraging free trade?


3. Service
Service is SO SO SO important. Having worked in retail, being a promoter handing out flyers, and having parents in the food industry, and being a food junkie myself, I appreciate good service. I mean, who doesn't? (Assholes who sit 5 at a table to eat one slice of cheesecake, have 5 glasses of water and ask to split the bill are definitely not included in this mesh because y'all are evil and need to be sent to HumblePieCookingSchool and learn a thing or two about how to be human cause at this rate you're the devil's spawn)
So service very simple:
1 = awful (okay, this is for shop owners who also needa go to HumblePieCookingSchool cause you talk down to your customers and all. What reason? Maybe business is good and you forgot how to care for customers anymore)
2 = Not bad, but more work needs to be put in here. Okay, I'm not a fire breathing dragon (or crazy passive aggressive customers who send complaints the company's way even though in front of the server, I act like everything is dandy). This means there are one or two things that could have been better (maybe it was too slow and there was a huge hold up for no apparent reason or whatever it may be)
3 = Excellent. Nuff said.


4. Price 
1 = Too expensive. With the taste of the coffee, price is too high.
2 = Just nice. Not too expensive
3 = CHEAP ERMERGERD (okay overdramatized here but you get the gist haha) I mean who doesn't like to pay less for something right?


5. Miscellaneous
Extra stuff worth mentioning. Like service? (service in Korea means free stuff. I didn't know what it was til I got here. Koreans are pretty generous with service actually. Surprise!)





Let's start with..

Gridaggum 

They're at a bunch of locations, but at select places.

This specific one was near the City Hall. 

I also saw one in Shinchon (which by the way, you HAVE to check out when you go to Seoul, ESPECIALLY if you love drinking and eating, AND shopping. Their mall is kewl. Hehe. Not that I could shop much anyway but yeah!)

We went there because we heard that their coffee drinks were cheap.

I don't think the price we got was on the list (psst, it was cheaper)

What I noticed was cafe price lists are for sit in customers (though this clearly wasn't suited for sit in)

And to-go is usually bout $1 cheaper depending on where you go

coffee aside, they had a TON of other drinks that looked so yums!

these were our cafe lattes (they're double shots no extra charge woot!)

[check out the drink in the photo behind our coffees. Unlike some places that dramatize their photos of their food, the real thing looks JUST like the photo -]

here's a size reference.

Because they had bigger cups, they usually have 2 shots of espressos in their cups.

Coffee taste: 2. More on the bitter side, but not too bad. I think it's also cause I drank it over a period of like 2 hours? It was a busy busy day and we barely had time to stop and take a drink haha.

Free trade? I've no idea. I really wasn't thinking about it when I was ordering it but tbh, I highly doubt it is :/ You know how usually if a place is free trade, they'd make it super obvious? Not this one I guess. 

Service: 2. They were not as friendly (I guess cause they had some malfunction at the back) and was a little slow but nothing big to complain about (:

Price: 4! It was SUPER CHEAP. Exceeded the ranking haha.

Misc: double shots... uh, yes please? Plus, they're located in a few areas (: So plus!

NEXT

Beanstore

Apparently the CEO used to work for an NGO

and gives out free coffee to the NGOs nearby (that place is surrounded by NGOs)

they're at the Gyeongbokgung station (though you have to walk a little, really, a little)

Free Trade? YES!

Cafe Latte ^^

Syrup, sugars, and chocolate. 

FRIGGIN TRUFFLES UH YES PLEASEEE

Coffee taste: 3. For those of you who are familiar with Papa Palheta (famous for its CSHH store) in Singapore, then you'll know what I'm talking about. I guess in the US, a comparison that I'm able to make is that to Peet's coffee? I think. Coffee flavor is delishhhh. Not too strong (sugar added according to preference). 

Free trade? You betcha! Place is packed with displays of it!  

Service: 3. Not bad. Served, instead of having your mini UFOs and self pick-ups. It's a small store, so they know who ordered what (: And place had a pretty chill vibe.

Price: 3. A little bit more on the pricey side (sorry I forgot to take photos of it) but it's not at break-a-limb-expensive

Misc: FREE CHOCOLATE! One truffle for one drink. Hells to the ye! but if you take to go, you get 1,000 won back and no truffle. Personally the truffle is worth the stay hehe.

PS- I've to split this up cause it's taking too long to write one full post (I did not anticipate it and I've been busy working) so I'm splitting it up

Vent-(ew)ura.

A tad bit upset from some of the events that took place today.

Wanted to do a rant-and-run. But decided to save it for later.

Meanwhile, here's a parrot dancing to Gangnam style.

YOU KNOW YOU WANNA WATCH IT.

How cute!

The little fella even has a cute little mohawk.

Melted muh heartz. 

Samcheongdong!

Forgive my negligence!

I have been so busy, not necessarily in the way I had initially intended but busy nevertheless!

But yesterday I was lucky enough to have been able to go out to Samcheong-dong for some R&R and to do a little shopping. If you're wondering how to get there, it's really simple, just get on the Subway (Orange Line 3) and get off at Anguk. Exit 1 is where you wanna get off. If you get out and see the Jongno Police Station across the street, you're on the right track. Turn right once you get out the exit and you'll pass and Starbucks at one point (which will be on your right) and Olive Young on the corner. At some point you'll see (on your right) the entrance to the area (it'll be pretty crowded) so follow the crowd and keep walking. As you walk, you'll see street vendors selling little trinkets and things then as you walk, you'll start to see little cafes and small eateries  as the road kinda gets narrower.

As I was starving by the time I got there, I went into the first shop that caught my attention. It was upstairs and I had no idea what it was so I sat down and was given this menu. Then I saw the price and could not stomach it. So I left and I ended up here

Meok-shui-don-na

it had SBS on it so I guessed it was good?

Who knew, it was Toppokki made for sharing. Goddamn. 

But I was fucking hungry and toooo lazy to leave again so here's what I got:

Seafood and Beef Toppoki with Ramyeon, Fish Cake, and Eggs.

I think Emma'd agree wimme on this. 

Sad to say the least, I couldn't finish it completely. Dude, it was made for 2 or more! I finished the important ingredients though haha (like the fish cakes, seafood, meat, as much of the eggs as I could, and the veges). I felt like a boss eating it all on my own though ;) hehe. The couple that sat next to me didn't even finish HALF. Watching their figures maybe?

But of course all of that was followed by some walking around and shopping! Gotta sweat it all out. And sweat I did. Everyone did, in fact. It was hot and humid so of course beads of sweat would at definitely make its way at least to your neck. ANYWAY, enough about sweat.

Most of the things on sale were pretty cheap. 

Those pink ones remind me of the ones I had at Soka.

interesting name. Koreans really have a quirky sense of humor when it comes to setting up shop names

The shoes were on sale approx 20,000-30,000 on sale. Didn't bother looking at the non sale items.

I usually do not (or pretty much can't so why bother) roll that way.

My last stop was this vintage store to pick up some stuff I couldn't pay for the night before (we dropped by for a few seconds and I picked out a dress and a skirt) 

most of their stuff in the vintage store was 10,000 ₩ aka approx USD9/RM30

Seriously in love with this place.

In the end, my hauls for the day were:

a ton of jewelry I was too lazy to take photos of 

vintage skirt and dress 

from Retro Vintage

& these beauties from I ♥ Flat

They remind me of my late grandma. 

She only wore these kinds of shoes.

Here are some other shots of the shoes I thought you'd appreciate..

the insoles are pretty soft +1

the sole is pretty sturdy looking. When I wear them the bottom of my feet feel protected +1

not bad for 25,000₩ won't you say?

okay. Let's sum it all up.

My advice from this trip:

1. BRING CASH! This applies to whenever you leave your hotel room (ESPECIALLY if you're going shopping at places that isn't a mall). I mean unless money is no biggy and you don't mind getting charged at least an extra 10% with every purchase. Then in that case, don't. But realistically speaking, why pay that extra when you can pay for whats on the price tag alone?

2. When it comes to food, unless you have a pitless cove for a stomach, I'd suggest bringing a friend. As mentioned with the toppokki, I had to eat it all by myself and was not able to devour all the yummy desserts that tempted me and called my name like mermaids at sea. Pretty much everything except the chicken skewers (which I could not try cause broke as fuck and not hungry partially cause of the thin wallet) were made for sharing

3. Food aside, here's why bringing a friend/another person would be good: One, as mentioned above, sharing, less binging, more variety. Two, second opinions when it comes to shopping cause dude, most of the things there are so cheap/on sale that you literally wanna buy everything and it'll make you go broke in 5 seconds, not even kidding. Lucky for me, I had a small wallet, aka small-ass-budget so I had to control my own spending. Three, the photo taking! If, like me, you're vain (nothing wrong with that) and enjoy being in front of the camera, then your friend would do much much help. Vice versa. Win. Mother-fcukin-WIN. 

4. This point is quite important so remember this well: There is a small drink stall next to the restaurant Flora. You won't miss it. It has fruits in a cup on display and it's pretty red/pinkish on the inside. Take note of this place. You do not. I repeat DO NOT wanna buy anything from there. Heres why: I paid almost USD4 for a tea that didn't even have milk, honey OR sugar in it. I was not offered any condiments and the sad pathetic part of it all was when I asked for some milk, she told me that she'll only put in a little after showing me a sour face and then pretending to be confused. Trust me, you're not missing out on much if you're opting out of this place. With the money you're paying for "traditional Korean tea" (it was stuff you can make at home cause all you need to do is add hot water), you could probably save that money, add a couple more dollars for a sit in nice ice cold cuppa or shaved ice in an AC-ed (or heated depending on the season you're in) cafe that's round the corner. Seriously, refrain from that stall! You're not missing out on much.

5. When you reach Flora, you'll think you're at the end. But you're not. So cross the street, keep walking (follow the crowd) and go up to the Bukchon village (especially during sunset you don't wanna miss the view) and just slow walk. Its really chill and you get to people watch from an elevated view. It's like watching a live dollhouse! 

Like the escaping teddy...

I promise. 

And if you're feeling hungry by then, there's a ton of restaurants/cafes for you to pick from too!

Alright, I feel like I've regurgitated too much. Hope you took at least one thing away from this! :)

Watch out for my next post! I sense a coffee one coming! :) YAY!

I'm out.