Wandering Tales | Brunch & Ice Cream Bonanza in Fort Greene

9:46:00 PM mandy 0 Comments

If I am ever asked to say what comes to mind for "Fort Greene" the namesake park is the first thought. The second would be the high school I attended. After that...maybe the brownstone houses. Otherwise I would say that I am pretty unfamiliar with the neighborhood despite having visited regularly for 4 years.

It took graduating high school and college before going back to Fort Greene to do some exploring. Then again I wasn't that adventurous in high school. Whilst in college, being away from your old school and moving on was the idea. Now is the time to feel sentimental.
Walter's @ Fort Greene
166 DeKalb Ave Brooklyn, NY 11217
When we heard about the Ice Cream Bonanza at the Brooklyn Flea, Bestie C and I were signed up (figuratively speaking of course). Before filling out tummies with sugar, sugar, and more sugar, brunch in Fort Greene was our top priority in the morning.

We found Walter's via trusty Yelp the night before. Luckily we got there before it got really busy and were seated right away. Their brunch selection is small but I arrived knowing exactly what I wanted: the classic eggs benedict with grilled ham steak. It was definitely delicious, but between you and me I've had better (but that was all the way in Bellevue, WA). The other good part was trying a mimosa for the first time. I quite like this kind of bubbly fruity cocktail.

The Ice Cream Bonanza awaited us a few blocks away at the Fort Greene Flea. Our first choice wasn't a difficult one to make since not all the vendors were set up. MilkMade got the upper-hand and their ice cream flight caught us right away. I was happy since it meant not having to pick any one flavor. Everyone around us who saw our wooden rack filled with melting ice cream cones were intrigued. Especially the little kiddies who looked and pointed with jealous. Sorry parents!

L to R: Shooting the Pear, Amagansett Sea Salted Caramel, Rumble in Brighton, Rock Rock Rockaway Road, The Orchard
MilkMade - Ice Cream Flight $12 My flavor preference was:
1. Rock Rock Rockaway Road
2. Shooting the Pear or Rumble in Brighton
4. The Orchard
5. Amagansett Sea Salted Caramel

I am partial to ice cream flavors with a crunch texture, hence why Rock Rock Rockaway Road won number 1. The two tied came about because the last two just weren't my favorites. If you like lavender, floral-y flavored sweets The Orchard might be a really great choice. Compared to other lavender flavored sweets I have had I found this one the most tolerable and not overpowering (i.e. not like a candle). While salted caramel or anything caramel-y is one of my "go to" ice cream flavors, this one was just way too salty for my liking.


Bamboo Bites - Chicken Satay Sticky Rice $9 I don't know why but I think the both of us were half expecting the flea market to be part knick-knack vendors and part ice cream vendors only. When we were tempting everyone with our ice cream flight, everyone else's bamboo boats of sticky rice caught my eye. Good thing there were things other than food being sold at the flea market because I definitely wanted and needed the chance to walk off brunch & ice cream.

Maybe it is the Asian in me but I loveeeeeeeeee me some sticky rice! The flavors of this chicken satay sticky rice was really good. It is a little spicy but the (optional) hot sauce I think made it that much better. Bamboo Bites also sells this with other proteins (like pulled pork and tofu) and sweet varieties (mango and coconut) as well. Just hits all the right spots for me, definitely on my favorite food vendor list!



Monsieur Singh - Mango Lassi Push Pop $5 Monsieur Singh was the other item on Bestie C's "To Try" list for the day. I knew they were sold in Whole Foods so I was initially going to hold out on trying them. When I realized the brownie ice cream sandwich I really wanted from Luca & Bosco wasn't available, a mango push pop sounded suddenly so appealing. A mango lover is a mango lover. I am not one for things with mint or ginger so forget about having both in one food. But both of those ingredients were not too distinguishable for my palette. That's a plus in my books.

They also had a Passionfruit and Chia Seeds Push Pop which made deciding really difficult since I also like passionfruit flavored things. Bestie C opted for this one and said it was yummy. Maybe next time?


Fort Grace - Guava Mango Melon Sorbet $3 This was the dark horse of the day. We spotted their stand during one of our many strolls around the flea market and the bright personalities of the two ladies there got us intrigued. We had a sample of a couple of their flavors and were set to cleanse our palettes with Fort Grace's light sorbet. The other ice creams we had were great and all but after all that heaviness the refreshing sorbet just hit the spot.

Since this Ice Cream Bonanza thing was a special yearly event at the Brooklyn Flea, I am not sure if all the ice cream vendors will be attending the Fort Greene flea market regularly. But there are a bunch of other places where they may be: various Smorgasburgs throughout the city, Hester Street Fair, and other flea/food markets. Otherwise some vendors could be found at their physical shops or tracked down via social media.

If anything looked good, the hunt for ice cream is on!
Anywho...who knew Fort Greene had so much to offer?

Korea Diary | Gwangjang Market Eats (Day 6)

3:19:00 PM mandy 0 Comments

Oh the beautiful campus that is Yonsei University! My friends told me that this particular area is often used as a location for Korean dramas. Does it look familiar to anyone?



We started off our morning with an orientation for the YISS program. Since everyone was pretty unfamiliar with the campus the presenters shared their favorite cafeterias and overviewed where everything was at Yonsei. It was all helpful information since lunch time came right after.

Chicken donburi	Lemonade

My first school cafeteria lunch at Yonsei was at the Student Union building. I don't know what it is about fried food in Korea but it is so good! (You will see evidence of it in later posts.)

Even though the drink is called lemonade, it is more correct to call it lemon-ade. Yup, there is a difference. The lemonade that I think most are used to is made of lemon, sugar, and water. In Korea, any "ade" drink is actually made of a fruit syrup or juice and cider (a.k.a. Sprite). I actually like this kind of drink but it is definitely an easy concoction to make at home.

I still can't believe how many cafeterias the Yonsei campus had. Practically each building has some sort of cafe or cafeteria. The Student Union building even had 2-3 cafeterias! Plenty of variety to pick from because each cafeteria serves something different.


Gwangjang Market - Gwangjangsijang (광장시장)
88 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
After we all ran our errands (picking up shirts, paying any remaining fees, buying amenities, etc.), off we went to grab dinner. Our friends suggested this traditional market. The building has many food stalls and even clothing shops. There are many different dishes to try but a lot of the vendors also sell similar things.

Kalguksoo	Blood sausage & Pigs feet - Soondae & Jokbal	Spicy Rice Cakes - Ddeokbokki

I think we ended up picking a spot that seemed popular but had enough seats for our group. This might not be the best food available but the atmosphere and quick service just can't be beat. For those that want to get a taste of many different things going to the market isn't a bad idea since some portion sizes are on the smaller size and food is relatively cheap.


Perhaps the highlight of Gwangjang Market is the bindaetteok stands. They were many stalls grinding fresh beans and frying up perfectly portioned pancakes throughout the market.

Now that I am looking back at the photos I wish I can have some now. But I haven't heard of any place in New York City that sells these particular pancakes.

Rice Wine - Daebak Makkeolli	Seafood Pancake - Haemoolpajeon

The good thing about going with a group is getting to try a lot of food. Someone had a hankering for seafood pancake and off we went. We got ours at one of the sit-down restaurants inside the market. Makkeolli seemed to be a popular pairing with the pancakes so we got a bottle too. My friends and I agreed that we didn't particularly like the rice wine alone but when mixed with cider/Sprite it wasn't too bad.


"Ade" Stand
Apparently lemonade is a pretty popular drink in the summer. It is common to see people buy them in zip-lock pouches with straws sticking out a corner.

Marinated raw crabs side dish	Marinated little crabs side dish

Gwangjangsijang also has vendors who sell ready made banchan or side dishes that people typically have with their meals. If I was staying in Korea for a longer time and ate more where I stayed instead of eating out, many side dishes would have found it's way home with me.

While taking photos the ahjumma at the stand offered us to try the little crabs. I was hesitant at first but gave it a go anyways. It definitely wasn't as bad as I thought, just super crunchy. Have to try something new!

Current Faves | Underarm Deodorant Routine

11:37:00 PM mandy 0 Comments

Now that the summer season is in full swing, these two guys have been a lifesaver for me and my underarms.



Stick deodorants were a part of my routine since I first started to buy deodorants in elementary school. A teacher I had then gave us a talk about growing up and body changes. One of the things she mentioned was body odor and deodorants. Can you believe that happened 13 years ago?

Since then I have very diligently applied deodorant every morning. I tend to get smelly even if I don't feel like I am sweating a lot. Genes...what can ya do?



I forgot how long ago I decided to switch over to natural deodorant sprays but it has definitely been my staple underarm odor defender for at least 1 year.

The main reason why I changed from the traditional deodorants to this natural option was due to the yellow stains on my sleeved shirts. You know...those horrid patches where the shirt sits near your armpits! I've seen articles and tips where people use panty liners as protectors. But that idea never sat well with me. It would be an extra step in the day to remove the padding and I assumed having padding in the pits area couldn't be all that comfortable.

Even though the health trend is pretty strong nowadays, I didn't even know much about the supposed harmful things related to aluminum ingredients in the big name deodorants. This was solely an aesthetic reason.



The ingredients list on this is short but whatever is in there is effective. Few spritz on the left size, few spritz on the right side, and done! It may not block your body odor 100% but the smell is neutralized enough, at least for me, so that it isn't so offensive. I feel confident enough to even hold the over-head bars in the New York City subways when I am wearing a tank in the summer heat.

I didn't realize it before but I think the key player in the odor neutralizing is Sodium Bicarbonate a.k.a. baking soda. If you're looking into natural deodorants, it is probably better to go with one that has this ingredient in it.

Crystal brand's Body Deodorant Spray is one that I have used over and over again. It may be a little difficult to find in drugstores like CVS and Walgreens but some may carry it. If not try a GNC shop (that's where I found my most recent one). Otherwise natural supermarkets like Whole Foods also carry other brands of deodorant sprays as well.



The Crystal deodorant spray is scentless. The only scented deodorant spray I have tried is the Welda Citrus Deodorant. I found this one at Whole Foods when I was in need of a travel-sized deodorant.



For those that like a scent this may be the way to go but the ingredients list doesn't look as natural/minimal as the Crystal spray. This Welda spray has alcohol and fragrances as the top few ingredients. Those sensitive to these may want to skip it.

If I were to compare the two the Crystal spray is more deodorant like (neutralizes odor) while the Welda spray is more body spray like (adds a better scent on top). If you are looking for an anti-perspirant these probably aren't the products to look at.



After spraying my underarms, I like to go about my skincare and makeup routine to give the spray a chance to dry. Before changing into my clothes for the day I make sure to tap each armpit with this Etude House Put Your Hands Up Deo Multi-Powder (boy that was a mouthful).

I picked this up while in Korea last summer and am loving it. Even though the deodorant spray isn't tacky or anything when it dries, there is still the slight moist feeling sometimes when I don't wait long enough. The powder helps to set it much like how one would use powder to set liquid makeup.




The Etude House powder seems to have talc, silica, dimethicones, and other things I've heard that people could be sensitive to. But I am sure other powder products like talc-free baby powder will probably have the same effect as well. It is just that I really like this oversized puff applicator/container. It makes applying the powder a breeze. I will definitely be cleaning it out and reusing it after I use up the pre-existing powder.

For those who are feeling crafty there are many tutorials to make DIY natural deodorant sticks, sprays, and powders. I only recently found those out so I may or may not try it in the future. Will definitely share results if I do.

What's your deodorant routine like (if you don't mind me asking)?

Korea Diary | Last of the Jeju Field Trip (Day 5)

12:46:00 AM mandy 0 Comments

Onward to the last day in Jeju-do!


Before the busy morning of packing and checking out, we had another breakfast buffet to fill our tummies. Yes yes that is quite a plate full for the morning but I wasn't keeping a track of our itinerary. Better to stuff myself incase lunch was late, right?

Tip: Must try the Jeju tangerine juice! I think the brand that we had was Lotte. (Click here to see what it looks like.)

Jusangjeolli Cliff (주상절리) or Daepo Jisatgae (대포동지삿개)
2663, Jungmun-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do
제주 서귀포시 중문동 2663
The first stop of the day brought us to Jusangjeolli Cliff. The rocks near the water is the sight to see. Apparently the hexagonal shaped rocks were made as a result of the lava from the Halla Mountain. Nature for ya~

Jeju Circus World
214 Donggwang-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do
To be completely honest, I think I dozed off for a majority of the show. Tired me, dark setting, and comfy-ish chairs didn't go well together. The bits of the show that I did catch were interesting. I vaguely remember a motorcycle act where performers rode around a metal cage sphere and various acrobatics performances.

Mysterious Road or Dokkaebi Road (신비의도로)
2894-63, 1100-ro, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (Nohyeong-dong)
제주특별자치도 제주시 1100로 2894-63 (노형동)
When our tour guide told us to look outside, we were confused.
When she said water flows uphill here, we couldn't believe it.
When we all filed off our buses and watched the demonstration, we were intrigued.
The uphill seems slight but noticeable. Water didn't roll upwards quickly but it definitely happened. I have forgotten her explanation but the Internet says it's all but an optical illusion.




Many of us lost interest after we saw the evidence of water trickling uphill. Luckily there were food stands and souvenir shops set up to keep visitors' attention.


Halla Arboretum (한라수목원)
72 Sumogwon-gil, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (Yeon-dong)
제주특별자치도 제주시 수목원길 72 (연동)
The last attraction in Jeju that we visited. After taking a commemorative group photo we all went off in different directions to explore the arboretum. My newly acquainted friends and I chose to hike upwards. While it wasn't a long and strenuous stair climbing session like Sunrise Peak was, this trek was a pretty difficult one for me. I remember huffing and puffing the whole way up while everyone else was many many many steps ahead.

Chicken ginseng soup - Samgyetang (삼계탕)	Celebrity autographs

Even though I was super hot and sweaty whilst eating this lunch, it was too delicious to stay annoyed. This was actually my first time having samgyetang and I came back from Korea wishing I had more. Samgyetang is supposedly a really popular summer dish to help beat the heat. If I had to pick, I would gladly choose this dish to help me cool down over something super spicy.



Ginseng Wine - Insamju (인삼주) Our meal even came with a little tasting of the ginseng wine the restaurant makes. I am not sure if I disliked the ginseng taste or the alcohol taste but it felt strong! Then again I am a weak sauce when it comes to alcohol. The other tables in our group actually asked others to have theirs as well. To each their own?


On our way back to Seoul~ Gimpo airport was the first airport that I experienced walking on the tarmac. We exited via the moveable stairs instead of the typical boarding bridges. There were even shuttle buses to take us back to the airport gates. It's the little things that get me excited!


Nice to see you again Yonsei

While this was day 5 in Korea for me and Bestie, this day was day 1 for many other YISS summer exchange students. Dorm check-in was pretty hectic and we couldn't wait to settle ourselves in for the next few weeks.

Since Bestie and I were in SK Global House, our room had an en suite. I think all rooms regardless has a twin bed, desk, and small closet. The separate toilet and shower/sink area was a little weird to me but got to make do. We were glad to be rooming with each other since there was only a shower door and no separate "room" door.

Once we got acquainted with the new surroundings and bought some toiletries, our friends and I headed to explore Sinchon for dinner.

Tips: 

• Toilet paper is not included in the en suite style rooms. I packed a roll in case we needed to go right away. There are convenience stores downstairs of the dorms and nearby but since there are so many people at the dorms it could be difficult.
• Internet is accessed via LAN cable inside the rooms. Bring that extra one you have lying at home with you or buy one from the convenience store at the dorms for a few thousand won.

Since everyone was pretty worn out and hungry, we didn't go very far until we found Parmi. I was hesitant since Western foods in Korea tend to be altered to Korean tastes but Parmi was pretty good. Everyone agreed that even if it wasn't 100% authentic Italian food, it definitely wasn't Korean-Italian cuisine.


We spotted a street food stand on our walk back to SK Global House. Waffles? Ice cream? Together? How can we say no! This dessert cost ₩3,000 each for your choice of flavor. Looks like I went classic with cookie ice cream.

Home for my summer of 2015	Laundry pile in the male laundry room

I think the Spring session's international students must have left not long before we arrived. Snippet of what the end of our time at SK Global House would look like.