I like it in the city when two worlds collide

I’d been planning a Busan trip early this year, looking up accommodations with private pools and walking-distance access to beaches. I could sightsee a little and make sure I always had a great meal, but it was going to be a staycation above anything else. Maybe I could even write a little. 

Plans changed when my cousin decided to join me on this trip, and I chose Seoul (yes, again) instead so there would be way more places to check out since it was going to be her first time. 

May 27

We got in at 6 a.m. from a red-eye and couldn’t check in until 10 a.m., so we headed over to Yeouido Hangang Park. We sat at one of the tables outside the CU on the river cruise dock, which became another instant secret spot for me that I’ll be seeking out whenever I’m in the city. It’s cheap and quiet—in the morning, at least—and it brings you so close to the water. 

After settling at the hotel we set out for Anguk Station. Dotori Garden has been on my list for quite some time, but it was out of the way and not very accessible by train so I always put it off. I don’t know why I never noticed that they’ve had an Anguk branch all along, but I finally clued in and made sure it was the first place I went. 

On the way I got a Handmade Coke from this trendy cafe called Onion, which also had a lot of baked goods on display that looked delicious. The drink was light and super refreshing, made with coffee along with certain fruits, flavoring, and spices, and did taste very much like a better cola. I’m kind of craving it right now just typing this. 

I got some squirrel-shaped cookies, a cream cheese canelé, and of course a chocolate acorn madeleine. It was so soft and dense and rich. 

The whole place was absolutely charming. All of the customers were out in the garden, but there was this room just off the entryway that was empty but perfectly cold. Summer was already pretty much in full force in Seoul and I was happy to have my little treats while I got to cool off. We had to leave a little too soon for my liking, but when I’m back on a solo trip I’d love to just spend a whole afternoon here. 

We walked around Bukchon, stopping by an open house at the Traditional Culture Center. There were so many little shops run by artists and artisans, and I got a whole handful of art prints at this cool illustrator space. 

First-day eats: Bonjuk & Bibimbap Cafe’s jangjorim butter bibimbap, which is soy-braised beef with an insane, deep explosion of buttery flavor. A mini four-cheese “Chicago pizza” from 7-Eleven that was very good. And dinner at Sushiro, where my favorites were the salt and lemon salmon nigiri and the special unagi nigiri. We also tried the excellent mandu from downstairs. 

May 28 

We had lunch at Rolling Pasta, and I ordered the steak cream pasta. Just very nice, very decadent cozy coddle-y comfort food.

I was excited to go to the postcard store in Seongbuk, and even better, the fountain plaza was right by the subway station. We saw ducks and even a beautiful grey heron along the stream. I once again had to wonder what it would do for my mental health if I lived in a city with this much access to public parks and bodies of water and, like, just nice places to go for a walk and sit outside. 

But that wasn’t even the best part of this neighborhood. That would be Chaekbonyang, the cat bookstore a ten-minute walk away. It’s on a pretty steep slope, with a wooden gate that creaks open to signal your arrival. There are sweet little knick-knacks everywhere. You’re welcomed by the kind shopkeeper, who asks you to take your shoes off before you enter—and by the two resident cats. 

Haro, who has an adorable one-sided overbite.

And Hadong. 

I just know the book selection must be great and I would’ve loved to buy some, but there didn’t seem to be any English editions available. I bought a few souvenir cards instead with really cute art. 

I went off on my own so I could rest before going to the CGV across the street to watch Backrooms (it was so interesting to note some of the translation choices from the subtitles I could read and understand). We met back up later to have gelato for dessert. I got Fanta chocolate chip, which seemed to be vanilla with chocolate-covered bits of grape Fanta but kind of chewy but also crunchy and raisin-y? It was fine.

May 29

I noticed immediately that the Lotteria near the hotel, which is a major part of the reason I even stay there, was closed. I thought it was gone forever, but it was only being renovated and set to reopen in July. But still: that meant no quick saunters to simple, fuss-free cheeseburger bliss.

I had to go all the way to one station over for my fix. I ordered the burnt beef burger: squid-ink bun that looks like Rey’s portion bread (ugh just making a sequel trilogy reference makes me want to scrunch my nose up), cheese, bacon, caramelized onions, and brown butter oil. It was good, but I still like the classic cheeseburger better. 

I met up with Ate Inah in Gangnam at the Platform-L Art Center to see the Haruki Murakami exhibit. 

It was a very full, dynamic experience. They had us moving across rooms, crossing the terrace overlooking the open area, and climbing to the next floor. Whenever you think it might be over, you’ll be informed that the exhibit continues here, and now here, and now the basement, and now the other basement that wasn’t even accessible from the previous elevator. 

It featured art pieces by Korean artists inspired by his work, sections about how he lives (how he writes, his favorite meals, his affinity for cats, the places associated with him), and drawings by his late friend and collaborator Mizumaru Anzai. 

The centerpiece was easily this walk-on glass shelf full of books by and related to Murakami in lamp form. 

This section at the very basement was an interpretation of a jazz bar, with visual projections on the screen and curated music playing. Guests are invited to sit on the floor, including some bean bags, presumably able to stay until it was time to close. It reminded me of one of my favorite places that I came to collect when I was depressed and freelancing, a now-gone art gallery in Karrivin with a small theater that would play films and videos related to the current exhibition. 

We had dinner at Rentei, a quaint little izakaya-style joint specializing in udon. 

We sat at the counter and I ordered the tobiko cream udon. Cream-based noodle dishes with white onion  remain superior. 

May 30

Mint Choco World is another Seoul favorite that I’ve been putting off since it’s not as easy to get to and I was letting my social anxiety get to me. But today I finally bit the bullet. 

Half my motivation for going was getting to see all kinds of minty desserts they’ve thought up.

Ultimately I got a chocolate latte with mint soft-serve, an eclair, a dark chocolate cookie with the perfect hint of mint, and a mint chocolate Dubai chewy cookie. I’ve been a mint chip girl since I was little, so I loved everything. They’ve perfected mint chocolate like an art—none of it was cloying and it was always the right amount of sweet. 

The girl at the counter was very friendly and I just had such a nice time. It wasn’t too crowded, but I loved getting to watch couples and pairs of friends come in and enjoy their treats while wholesome pop of decades past (“I Just Called to Say I Love You”) played over the speakers.

Mint Choco World is in the Mapo neighborhood of Yeonnam, which I found trendy artsy and brunch-y. So many intriguing cafes and places to eat. On a Saturday afternoon there weren’t very many cars on the street, and the center of it is lined with trees. I’m definitely coming back.

I took a cab to the Olive Young across the street from my hotel to get something for a friend. On the way I was really craving a pizza, wanting to relive the four-cheese from 7-Eleven. And a short walk from Olive Young was this little kiosk selling takeout boxes of square pizza slices out of a window! I got the cheese and the garlic cream with potato fries (it was So Much in the best zaniest way and so soft to the bite). 

Ate Inah had also gotten me garlic bread with light, airy cream cheese from Garlic Boy at Gwangjang Market, and it was a dream. 

At around 8 p.m. I had this last-minute impulse to see the Han River at night, so I went ahead and did just that. The park was full of people holding picnics, but I walked past them all until I was at the edge of the dock. There were people on neon-lit jet skis splashing each other and doing tricks while the people beside me cheered them on. 

I put in my earphones and listened to “Safety Zone” (naturally), and then Adele’s “Hometown Glory.” The moment very much felt like the verse after the first chorus come to life—but also like the scene just before the song plays on Skins, when Cassie tries to belong on a night out by a river in a city very far from home. 

I met up with Ate Inah at around 10 so we could go for Korean BBQ. They had great mandu and mini burger patties, and of course the samgyeopsal and the beef paired with rice was phenomenal. I don’t think I’ve gone for K-BBQ in Manila in years, but I want to go again one of these days. 

I got too full too soon as I often do, but I couldn’t think of a better way to end our Seoul trip. 

I’ve been feeling blue; well, how about you?

It doesn’t seem like it based on my previous post, but I did make an itinerary for Osaka. Shops and exhibitions, places to eat, even specific spots I wanted to photograph—I just ended up managing to cross them all off in the first three days. I’d even penciled in day trips to Kyoto and Kishi Station and considered a day at Universal Studios just to ride Jaws again, but again, I honestly fumbled my planning somewhat and it ended up a little too cold for me to even fathom them.

But I set out for and sought after what I could, and I really had quite the perfect few days.  

My first order of business was another pilgrimage. A nondescript little tunnel next to an automated parking lot in a chic little neighborhood where university students gather in Americana-themed bars blasting Michael Jackson and whimsical cafes. It looks like nothing unless you recognize it from j-hope’s Hope on the Street docuseries, in which he spent his downtime in Osaka (where he’d gone for an award show) doing a few popping performances in various locations, one of which was this very spot. 

It was a fun little excursion, even if I spent most of it trying not to get lost in the massive underground mall in Umeda. 

Visiting a shooting location I’d only seen on my screen is always a little fantastic, but it was only made more surreal when two days later, a gigantic underground pipe rose 30 feet from the ground in Umeda. I saw a video on Twitter and immediately checked my gallery for a photo I’d taken, which depicted the exact same area. What were the odds? Roads were closed and it looked pretty scary to witness in person, so I was glad I made this my priority.   

Also: here I go with my Sophie Tajan crates again. 

The next day I walked through Minamihorie to visit two shops I’d learned about when I went looking for places to buy prints and zines. It was such a nice day. I turned a corner from the street of my hotel and the storefronts began morphing into something more and more offbeat. I love how accessible it was and how there was so much to see.

At Art House I went crazy picking out all the postcards I wanted, and I also got two zines. There was also a lot of original art, from drawings and paintings to handmade crafts like wood carvings, clay pieces, tiny plushies, and miniatures. The woman running the store was very nice, and one of the artists sitting at a table (I wasn’t sure if there was an event going on) gave me a chocolate cookie. Definitely a place I would’ve loved to become a regular at, and it reminds me of Cubao X the way it was in my memories.

It was quite a longish and intimidating walk to the second shop, but I found it calming. For the first time on any of the trips I’ve been on, I finally put my wool gloves to use. 

I passed this little community store selling vegetables in partnership with farmers, and I found it so wonderful that people of all ages were really stopping by and carefully choosing their veggies. 

It was nice to meander around the side streets of Osaka on a quiet weekday afternoon while everyone was busy at school or work. I passed two community parks on my way. There was a pretty large group of young women beautifully made up and all dressed up in kimonos, smiling and laughing as they held hands on the sidewalk.  

Book of Days is a pretty small room on the second floor of a walk-up, the shelves and tables lined with countless books and independent publishing on art and photography. I got a zine and a book and wistfully browsed the heavier one-of-a-kind publications that I couldn’t take with me.

I’d downloaded Uber and was considering taking one to my next stop, but when I went to check how to get there from where I was, I saw that the nearest subway station was five minutes away, and from there it was only one stop. 

 

When I got to Higobashi Station, I found it so cool, the way it was lined with these comfy seats so passengers could rest while they waited. Silly, but I thought I wouldn’t mind spending some time just in the station reading while it bustled around me. There were trains on both tracks, but by the time I thought to take a picture, they were already pulling away. 

I had gone to the Nakanoshima Kosetsu Museum to view their current exhibit “Journey to Masterpieces: Torajiro’s Dream, from the collection of the Ohara Museum of Art.” I felt so lucky to be able to catch it, especially when I learned of the works I would get to see, curated before his passing by Western-style painter Torajiro Kojima, whose own paintings were also on display.

When I got there I didn’t realize the true scope of what I would be in the presence of. It was overwhelming and magical. All these painters I only ever thought I would read about or see on a screen: El Greco, Raffaëlli, Pissarro, Cézanne, Degas, Matisse, Picasso. Name drops so unbelievable I sound like a character on a sitcom being written to sound cultured and smart. I didn’t know that “starstruck” could ever apply to inanimate objects, but that’s exactly what I was. 

The piece that really gripped me was this lithograph version of Edvard Munch’s Madonna.

And then there was Monet’s Water Lilies, seen on the poster for the exhibition and the only piece I really knew to expect. I was so emotional, there’s just no other way to describe it. Like with most of the paintings, I stepped as close as I could and examined every detail, trying to grasp the fact that these artists, these human beings, had once created every stroke of the brush with their own hands. They jumped off the canvas, their textures so real and so clear to me for the very first time that I could almost feel them at my fingertips.

I put on the piano version of “Fake Plastic Trees” from the Westworld soundtrack and just lost myself in that room until I had to go.

I bought postcards of my favorite paintings at the gift shop. (No prints of the Munch, sadly.) Also: I love this shot so much. 

I took a short walk by the river before finally letting myself have that Uber ride back to my hotel.