Rooftop Glory

Alas, something very fulfilling. I was sitting through a training session last week and thought, "Okay. No more bland summers." To associate Korean summers to hot, humid, unbearable, humid, humid and humid for another passing season was going to make me very unhappy. So I decided to put my leisurely pursuit of "event planning" to use and incorporate food, summery decor, and my very quintessential rooftop. And so, just a few text messages + creative ideas later, I opted for a mini rooftop dinner party.

"Dancing in the moonlight" (my ultimate summer feel-good song) was playing all morning and afternoon. I made a quick run to "Daiso," the Korean version of "Discount Dollar," and picked up some mason jars because as every artistically inclined person knows, mason jars make everything that much cuter. And of course, on the way home these white beauties caught my eye and to my demise, I bought a massive bunch of flowers for only 4,000 won (equivalent to $4, what a steal!)    

The menu? Grilled brats with onion and bell pepper + chicken pesto pasta + stuffed avocados + salad and sangria with fresh fruit. My favorite part of the menu was the avocados, inspired by my sister, Faith Koh. (Weren't they so pretty?) And, I was well-pleased with how the mason jars had visually spruced up my sangria to make it fit for a casual summer. I'll be brutally honest, good food with bad visuals to me is just bad food. I'm glad it all somehow worked out. On a slight tangent — there is a market strip I swear by with vegetables par excellence in quality and price (Mangwon Station line 6)! 

This must will happen again. If I could somehow make it my job to plan and conceptualize "neat dinner parties" for a living, I wouldn't refuse a buck for it. Ideating, creating, and executing definitely brings me fulfillment. Next time I'll hopefully take ideas and catapult them onto the next level of execution. Some lights and music to compensate for the not-so-great view, and...maybe some dancing in the moonlight perhaps? 

Summer Sunbathe

Summer weekends aren't half as bad in Seoul when 1) it's not raining and 2) you have a sizable space —aka the rooftop — overlooking the city. This was the first saturday in months were I did not have practice of some sort or work calling at my mornings. Summer seems to be rather accommodating and the rain seems to be holding up (thank God!). Seoul, so far so good. I will not complain.

Chicago Bound

Here's my final flush of Chicago photos from last month. I'm certain that these photographs do not do the city justice that it deserves, but, Chicago is a beautiful place and it has graced me with such a sweet, sweet time. Unfortunately I have to admit that the longer I stay in Seoul, the more foreign home feels. Yikes. Never the less, Chicago will always be the city I love. Enjoy the photos! Notable places: 1. Western Brown Line / 2. Au Cheval / 3. Sol Cafe / 4. Urban Outfitters Downtown / 5. Wrigleyville / 9. Glazed n' Infuzed 

Weekend Bliss

My weekend consisted of coffee (when is coffee ever not in the picture?), riveting conversations, and the combination of all that and more, which brought forth a whole lot of unprecedented inspiration. I met up with my friend Tina on friday afternoon— talented calligrapher and creator of Page7inc (check her work out @pg7inc) — which had me sitting at my desk for the rest of the night trying to experiment with typographic art over Emile Sande and some wine.

Exchanging heartening words over coffee is always inspiring. But then there are the lattes against the glass table — something about the lighting + the color scheme that always makes my sit-downs enlightening. And then of course the beautiful summer sky, the childhood pastels of cotton candy, and all the hours in between with people that had really cut the cake. With a lot more time on my hands, I've allowed myself to lean into creativity by being inspired by whatever comes my way. And let's just say....It's been opening up my curiosity to unexpected channels, channels I never even knew I'd have any interest for, but have interestingly enough kept me intrigued. Not sure if the images do any justice, but for your viewing pleasure, enjoy the photos.

The Coffee Studio

It would be putting it mildly if I said I love, love, love brick walls. Brick is everything for interior perfection, and as you can tell, I snapped away to my heart's content @ The Coffee Studio in Chicago. First morning in Chicago was a pleasant memory. I dragged Faith (sister 1) out of the house to keep me company while I exposed myself to authentic American coffee and my new Strengths Finder book. (Her entire outfit from head to toe was thrifted btw. She is skilled!) I can't recall much about the coffee because my eyes kept wandering around the high-ceiling space. I don't remember feeling so simultaneously excited and inspired by something as simple as an interior assortment of colors, lights, and furniture. But that's what most likely made my 2 hours at The Coffee Studio impressionable. My one and only regret is forgetting to pick up a bag of Intelligentsia roast—aka absolutely exquisite, top-draw coffee beans, my favorite coffee ever. To all my friends in Chicago, drink up for two please!

Chicago Brunch

I'll let the photos do the talking, but let me just say Yolk (located in 3 different joints across the city) left me with a full stomach and a happy heart. The most impressionable experience for me was the "Very Berry French Toast" which, come to think of it may have been my favorite thing I ate this trip. Fresh berries and oats all over the perfect french toast...exceptionally delicious!  

White Button Down + Khaki

It's really hard not to take an "ootd" shot in the middle of Sinchon when a friend is this photogenic. The oxfords, the glasses, the brown paper bag and the coffee in his left hand...what a perfect set up! Plus, he certainly has the perfect shade of blonde to compliment the cool tones of his fit. Go Lee, go! #ootd