Paying the Phone Bill

My friend and I walk to the KT building from work to pay our phone bill. We always take the same route and stop at the same stores.
Narrow one-way street:
Walk-up coffee on the one-way street:

Outdoor refrigeration (Not 40 degrees F, however...thank goodness!):

Upscale, modern buildings smothering old charm:

One of many convenience stores where I buy my popcorn. Many stores have plastic lawn chairs and tables for the customers:

Finally, KT Plaza, where we waited a mere 10 minutes:

The infamous double barber shop poles. I've heard that double-poled places are off limits. Are the rumors true?

Family Mart, where we always buy grain drinks and chat with the clerk in English (he likes it):

We added a new stop on our route - a Tous les Jours bakery:

The store was warm and buttery. I have a mild butter phobia and didn't last long.

Trays and tongs to select baked goods. Should tongs be used for wrapped items?

Recently we learned that we can pay our phone bill at any convenience store, not just the KT store. We decided to walk there anyway. Habits are hard to break!

Gyeongbok Palace - Starch Attack

On Sunday we returned to Gyeongbokgung for an English-language tour. I enjoyed walking around the King's Quarters barefoot. Food venders lined the palace's exterior wall:

Chestnuts are a nut by nature but not by nutrition. The chestnut's high starch content rivals that of the potato. It's low in fat and a good source of vitamin C and iron. A 100-g serving has 201 kcals, 45 g carbs, 1 g fat, 3 g protein, 47% of vit C, and 12% iron. For comparison, 100-g of baked potato contains 21 g carbs.

Another vendor actually sold potatoes (and grilled squid):

The potatoes reminded me of the greasy potato sticks my sister loved as a kid. Do cold, thin-cut, oily fries taste good? Crusty, thick-cut, seasoned steak fries with a ramekin of ketchup sound better to me!

En Route to Okinawa

Eric took a business trip to Okinawa last week. He called it the "hidden Hawaii of Japan." Sounds tantalizing! Even though these photos aren't Korean, I like the fact that he took them just for me.Eric survives on curry pork cutlets every time he races Ironman Japan: A Korean food court listed cutlets as "Western food." I would never consider a cutlet an American food, though we do have some breaded meats that resemble cutlets. The breaded pork and rice combination seems like an "Asian food" to me.

Myeongdong Shopping Break

Saturday's cool weather was perfect for outdoor shopping at Myeongdong. My friends and I rested at a cafe. Like European cafes, Korean cafes sell alcoholic beverages AND teas. I opted for the citron tea (yuja cha). Made from the lemon-like yuja, this tea is a comfort drink for the sick. Sweetened with sugar and honey, it's the perfect mix of sweet and sour. The marmalade-like mixture is sold in jars. I love the chewy rinds that lurk at the bottom of the glass. My friend wanted a sip. She has a jar of citron tea at home, but they use it on toast, not as tea!
We also ate complimentary snacks:

Peanuts with sweet, seaweed-infused sticks. I love the sweet-and-savory taste of Korean snack foods.

On the other hand, I do not like the buttery, light nature of Korean cakes. Looks pretty, though!

Tandoori Tofu

I saw this over on Mango Power Girl: Tandoori Tofu Kebabs

Who says only meat eaters have fun barbecuing?! These Tandoori Tofu Kebabs are so flavorful and easy to make that even tandoori meat lovers will happily eat them!


I used:
1 block extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chana flour
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon freshly grated garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru powder (a blend of ground cumin and coriander seeds)
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
salt to taste
rock salt and lemon to garnish

Trying this one now, because she's right, why SHOULD only carnivores get to have barbequed yum?

I'm using regular flour because I can't see buying a whole package of chickpea flour for a spoonful, and I'm also just adding cumin and coriander, instead of dhana-jeeru powder.

Unrelated: I think extra-firm tofu and tofu skins are delicious, and I also like super-soft tofu in smoothies. But everything in the middle is just weirdly squishy and not something I like.

Via Mango Power Girl: Tandoori Tofu Kebabs.

Water Fountain at National Palace Museum

This week we perused the National Palace Museum for our Sunday afternoon activity. It contained documents and other items from the royal family. As you can see, we were among the few people there: I loved the water machines with the paper cup dispensers:

The "cup" was actually a two dimensional envelope that can be filled with water. Trouble is, I had to refill it ten times to satisfy myself!

Lost Cakes

I love Lost. And cake. So a Lost cake is all kinds of awesome, even if no one invited me to the party.

I don't know if I could munch on a mini Hurley or Sayid, though.

Via Dispatches from the Island.