Fatty Tuesday: Fish Pic

This is a bit of a cop-out, I know and I'm sorry, but I have a good excuse (#firstweekofwork). Here's a pic from another yummy fish-and-chips meal we had at The Sailors this past weekend. (I promise we eat Chinese food too.) 

So we went to a flea market...

...and we picked up some succulents, a pair of earrings, and a ukulele. Because every household should have a ukulele.

The flea market was actually pretty cool. It was attended by locals, as opposed to most other events we check out that are usually crowded with expats. There were cupcake bakers and jewelry makers, vintage clothes and printed tees. We'll see what goodies we come home with next time.  

P.S. It doesn't look as if Hong Kong will happen this week. Crazy ticket prices and bad flight times. Another time! 

Zhoumo kuaile!

Happy weekend, all! I just started mine the right way -- with a foot massage :).  

Tonight is teppanyaki (if you don't know what that is, think: Benihana's, the original) with friends for all-you-can-eat-and-drink (sounds dangerous). And the big goal for the weekend: finding a battery for my watch (these things aren't as obvious in a foreign country). 

I hope you've enjoyed this week's recap of last week's trip to Korea. Remember to check out pics here. And stay tuned 'cause next week may bring us to Hong Kong! 

Impressions of Seoul

I really liked Seoul. Our friends said it reminded them of Montreal; we thought it was similar to Tokyo. It had great energy, and its people seemed friendly and sophisticated. But what struck me the most was the insane amount of coffee shops in the city. Every other storefront was a coffee joint, and not just Coffee Bean or Starbucks, but Korean chains like Holly's, Angel-in-Us, and Tom n Tom's (and several others with random names). Apparently I'm not alone in my observation.  

The majority of our first day in Seoul was spent at Changdeokgung Palace where we frolicked in the bitter cold (it was freezing, literally) -- photos here (along with a few taken in Dalian) -- and then ventured over to Insadong, a maze of small, pedestrian streets filled with shops and restaurants. We explored different neighborhoods, had beers in each, and went back to Gangnam (yes, Gangnam; cue Psy), known for its after-work drinks/dinner hangouts. 

The next few days were spent in the mountains. We had taken a $15 bus from Seoul to Yongpyong -- this all took a good amount of research, by the way, but we figured it out (and by we, I mean Mike). Remember, none of us speaks or reads Korean (and it's nothing like Chinese, in case you thought it might be). Yongpyong was the bigger mountain, but we stayed in Alpensia, at the Intercontinental, one of only two hotels we could find and book online. It was cold and the snow was pretty hard-packed, but overall the conditions were good and it was great fun to be in the mountains. 

We packed our last day in with more sight-seeing (the museum; see below) and shopping (though we didn't buy anything) and eating (which I think I covered in my last post) -- oh, and drinking (Soju is my new favorite beverage).    

Fatty Tuesday: BBQ and Bibimbap and More

We ate well in Korea, and although I can't say that it's my favorite cuisine (sorry, Rich!), it was fun being adventurous with food and trying new dishes. 

Our first night, while awaiting the arrival of our travel buddies, Mike and I went to a BBQ spot recommended by our hotel. Instead of BBQ, though, we got a Korean version of hot pot (= various ingredients cooked in boiling broth; the Chinese love it). By the way, this is a frequent occurrence in Asia -- when you don't read or speak the language, and you rely on pretty pictures for ordering, you get lots of surprises when the food comes out. Even though it may not have been exactly what we had expected, it was good! The meat was perfectly marinated and made for a delicious soup at the end of our meal. All of the side dishes were fun too, but, I must admit, I didn't love too many of them (cold soup and iced noodles, for example, and kimchi, of course -- which, I found, I'd prefer to handle in small doses).   

While exploring the city, we happened upon some awesome street food. Not sure what all of it was, but  what we did taste was fantastic -- a fried potato on a stick, some kind of donut with a sweet, nutty filling (not pictured; I was too distracted by its yumminess to photograph it), and kimchi fried rice (served from inside a small hut; bottom photos).

There was some tofu soup -- but I must admit, I like Tofuya's better (our spot in LA) -- and there was some bibimbap, but the highlight meal was our last one in Seoul. After some quick research, we decided on Gae Hwa Oak. It was an adventure finding the restaurant (and we only found it thanks to one very nice Korean cab driver), but when we did reach it, we stayed for hours. We were treated to nine courses (I think, 'cause we lost count after a while), made up of dishes with several ingredients I wasn't familiar with. There was some kind of crunchy root vegetable topped with seaweed and egg white (which rendered it somewhat slimy, but somehow, we couldn't stop eating it); abalone (which I'm not sure I'd order again); there were several different kinds of kimchi, served with thinly sliced pieces of beef and chunks of pork belly; perfectly grilled vegetables; and, marinated meats that could sway the strictest of vegetarians. It was fantastic, more so for the experience than the taste for me, but the perfect end to a great trip. 

First Stop: Dalian

We're back from our week-long vacation for the Chinese New Year holiday. It was a fun trip, but I wouldn't call it relaxing. We were on the go: Saturday, we traveled to Dalian; Monday, we flew to Seoul; Wednesday, we took a bus to Yongpyong/Alpensia, the mountains of South Korea; Saturday, we took a return bus back to Seoul; and, on Sunday, we took two planes back to Shanghai.

I'll get to Korea tomorrow. First up was Dalian where we celebrated the Year of the Snake with Mike's mom. You think there are fireworks for the Fourth of July? You ain't seen (or heard) nuthin'. I didn't get photo or video evidence myself, but my friend in Shanghai did --

Besides the fireworks, CNY traditions include fish for dinner, which, Mike's mom told us, you don't finish -- some must be left over for your ancestors -- and dumplings for breakfast. 

Other highlights of the Dalian leg: a few hours at Happy Snow World, two bunny skiing/snowboarding slopes that warmed us up (slightly) for the trip to the South Korean mountains; and, Teddi, my mother-in-law's dog, who knows how to give high fives, and when you hold her front paws and count to three, lifts her hind legs to be picked up and carried like a baby.

As a side note, I really liked Dalian. It was nice to see the ocean and a couple of mountains (nature!), and I'm looking forward to going back in the summer and enjoying some beach time, Chinese style (minus the face mask). 

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Happy Chinese New Year, all! We're off to Dalian tomorrow, Mike's parents' city, where we'll spend a few days before heading to South Korea. After two days in Seoul (should we go to the DMZ? Not to be confused with the DMV), we're off to the mountains for a few days of riding (happy husband!). 

We're currently researching activities and restaurants (tofu soup, bibimbap, and BBQ), but I must admit, I haven't focused on the trip much. I have news to share! When we get back from Seoul, I'll officially be a working woman again. Although I'm sure I'll quickly miss my days as a housewife, I'm excited for the experience of working abroad. It's something I've always wanted to do. And in case you were worried, I am going to keep the blog alive, though I may not post as often. At the very least, I'll keep the "Fatty Tuesdays" going, because, let's face it, we'll continue to be fatties, job or no job.  

You won't hear from me next week, but until the next post... Gong Xi Fa Cai, Xin Nian Kuaile, and Happy New Year!       

The New Year is coming!

Excitement is building here in Shanghai as the Year of the Snake quickly approaches. Stores and restaurants are beginning to shut down for the holiday, and a few fireworks have gone off in the evenings this week.  

Here are some fun CNY facts thanks to expat magazine That's Shanghai:  

Fatty Tuesday: The Sailors

So I know I told you I'd have a Chinese meal in anticipation of this week's Fatty Tuesday, but instead, I'm going British. (I'm sure I've had Chinese at one point in the last seven days, but the fish and chips stood out and I had to report back.) 

We spent our Saturday running errands around our 'hood and ended up on Yongkang, a small, planter-lined street we frequented on bike rides, crowded with small coffee shops, bars and restaurants. If it weren't for the laundry hanging outside of windows and locals walking their dogs, you'd hardly know you were in China. 

Among the bars is Dean's Bottle Shop, a tiny space (the size of a walk-in closet) with imported alcohol -- everything from Dos Equis to Maker's Mark -- and a few beers on tap, run by a Mexican guy named Nacho (yes, really). After a visit to Dean's and a couple of beers later, Mike and I cancelled the fancy dinner reservations we had made and wandered across the street to The Sailors for fish and chips. 

Representing in Shanghai on
Superbowl Sunday

Like its neighbors, the place is small and has about five tables and six bar stools. We ordered the platter -- perfectly fried, not-too-greasy, almost tempura-style pieces of sea bass, flounder, shrimp, scallops and calamari, and fries, of course. And a caesar salad, just to balance things out (though I'd skip it next time, or choose a different one). I don't usually go for fish and chips -- I think the dish can easily end up as a greasy mess on a plate -- but Sailors hits the mark and satisfies that pub food craving. 

P.S. I'm now catching up on all of the Superbowl commercials we missed while watching the big game, which aired here, but with ads for hotels in Macau and Bali instead of commercials for Doritos and beer. FYI, thanks to the die-hard Niners fan I live with, we woke up at 5 a.m. (okay, 5:45 a.m.) on Superbowl Monday and trekked in the rain (okay, the light drizzle) to get to Big Bamboo for a $20 cover that got us free-flowing coffee and a breakfast buffet. Not exactly beer, chips and dip, but it did the trick for us expats. Next year, Niners. Unless it's the Patriots.    

Zhoumo kuaile!

Happy Superbowl weekend! SFers, check out this article on locally sourcing your party (chips fried in duck fat with yuzu aioli -- what?). And go Niners!   

In fun China news, I read this week that the Chinese version of Friends premieres next month. The show is big among young audiences here, to the point of obsession for one fan who recreated the show's fictitious cafe, Central Perk, in Beijing -- as recently chronicled by NPR. And now there's one in Shanghai. The title of the show's Chinese version? "Planet Homebodies." Not too sure what to make of that... Here's a look at the "similarities."   

Source: danwei.org