The European Christmas Market in Seoul: Too Odd to Be Truly Disappointing

By Earl on Dec 11, 2011 | In living, Fun, food | 2 feedbacks »

Last week I went with My Bish (Abigail Flores) and her sister and her friends to the European Christmas Market. When you're an expat in a generally non-Christmassy country, you look for events and activities to provoke that holiday spirit and this looked like it was measured to size. Took the #143 trunk bus to Hyehwa and then took the subway to Hansung Dae station (I know we could've taken the bus all the way to Hansung Dae station but I was following, not leading.) Right out of the exit was the market  straddled between one block and the other on the river overpass. Maybe fifteen yards at the most, with a small stage , a few pedestal tables, and the booths. The massive expanse of nine booths and yes, you read that correctly. Nine. As in "before ten" and "after eight". So tiny. I wasn't really hungry but I thought there would be a variety of beer and some lovely Christmas spirits available. Sadly only one booth had beer and another had spiced wine, and none of the remaining seven had any spirits at all. Two booths had some non-consumable items for sale, nutcrackers and cookies. What should've been a market was really more like a small mini-stop. I know that reads redundant but if you took a mini-stop, reduced it, and then filled it with a dozen Europeans serving food, you would have the correct ambiance. When we were on the far end, Maria told Bish that she was going to walk around the market again and the Bish said "See you in three minutes." No hyperbole whatsoever.

Here is the view as you exited the station.

Here is the view from the other end.

Like the euro, this market has fallen on hard times. The market was sponsored by the Global Village and it looks like they spent a lot of money with tents, stage, and Christmas tree, but I think they could've spent the money better elsewhere. The food, with reports of it being tasty, was overpriced and small, with most items being 4000 won. Here's my Bish with her sandwich:

As you can see, that's an awfully small sandwich with the only love being some spicy mustard. Here is Naomi with her lentils and hunk of bread:

The lentils and sausage was also 4000 won but with no bread.

That photo was taken before Maria (one of Bish's friends) started eating. Four ounces of lentil soup, three ounces of Italian sausage, 4000 won. The pleasure of ripping off tourists and expats desperate for a little slice of home--PRICELESS!

Afterwards we went to the Philippine market that is on every Sunday in Hyehwa. Big plate of pancit and lumpia shanghai for 4000 won, Much better pricing for street food. Of course you have the odd things that come in the Philippine market.

Me: Is this sausage longanisa?

Woman: It's chorizo.

(I start to walk away)

Woman: But the sausage becomes longanisa.

Me: What do you mean?

Woman: When we make it, it's chorizo but after you wait, it becomes longanisa.

(yeah, right)

Have Yourself a Merry Ex-Pat Christmas

By Earl on Dec 3, 2011 | In living | Send feedback »

The Christmas season is upon us once again and for some of you spending the holiday season as an expat is very much the norm but for others this may be the first Christmas away from your family and friends. For those people, their holiday routine is displaced and stress sets in, disconcerting themselves and those around them. We can all see the holiday decorations, especially since they were up well before American Thanksgiving, and the holiday music has been in full swing in the department stores and your friendly neighborhood Lotteria (but you don’t know that because no expat really eats there). People from back home have sent the emails asking why you aren’t coming home, parents and friends have sent their overseas care packages, and holiday themes are in running in every TV show you watch. All these things may actually stress people instead of comfort them. The holiday doesn’t have to disappear for you just because you aren’t home. Korea is different than home and you have to learn that how you spend your holidays here are different as well. The Harajuku Cafe would like to recommend some ways to make your holidays memorable and full of that holiday spirit that you may feel is lacking.

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Throwing Parties

By Earl on Sep 10, 2011 | In Fun, food, cooking, dining | Send feedback »

I'm throwing a party this coming weekend; the first real party I have thrown in this apartment. It's a lot of work but I like throwing parties. I like seeing a lot of the people I know all in one place; this really is the thing I like about throwing a party. A person knows many people but how often do they see so many of them in one place. There's also those two people that you know that you think would also be great friends but getting them together is difficult unless you throw a party and they come.

Here is my standard party announcement:

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Kids Run. Everywhere.

By Earl on Sep 8, 2011 | In Education | Send feedback »

 

 

KIds running, always running.  I think one of the first signs of mental maturity is that they stop running everywhere.

 

Playing at Santa's with Phil Gaita

By Earl on Aug 15, 2011 | In On the web, music | Send feedback »

On August 6th I got to play with Phil Gaita at Santa Claus. Every first Saturday of the month, Santa's hosts an open mic. In the middle of it all, there is one showcase act that plays a 20~30 minute set; in August that was Phil and myself. I really enjoyed playing at Santas having never done it before. The  open mic there traditiionally hosts people who don't play out much at all, people just getting their chops in order. Even a venue like Santa's intimidates them. Though I've never performed there before, I have been there several times and I liked watching people perform, the slight nervousness of the performers, and the high fives they get from their friends when they finish. Despite Santa's reputation as an expat bar, a fair number of Koreans take a set in this open mic.

These are the videos I posted on Youtube. Enjoy.

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