NO FEE: Good Housekeeping Writing Contest

Writing and Illustrating

New Writing Contest: “All About Love”

Tell us your tale — a first crush, an old flame, a treasured friend or family member, a passion for a special place…

HOW IT WORKS
Starting June 1, 2014, email your story of 2,500 to 3,000 words to lovestorycontest@goodhousekeeping.com, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win $2,000 and possible publication in a future issue of Good Housekeeping or on goodhousekeeping.com. Be sure to provide your full name, phone number, and mailing address both in the email and on the submission itself.

DEADLINES
Entries must be received by midnight September 1, 2014. One entry per person allowed. Submitted material cannot be returned or acknowledged. Winner will be notified by March 1, 2015.

ELIGIBILITY
Contest is open to anyone age 21 or older who is a legal resident of the United States, the District of Columbia or Canada (excluding Quebec).

PRIZES
One…

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going green in lala land :D

Since returning from Seoul, South Korea, to lala land (aka LA), I have been on a green vibe. This is my journal on going green in lala land.

My Second American Life

Since returning from Seoul, South Korea (which is a fascinating city) to lala land (aka LA), I have been on a green vibe. From green smoothies to green-friendly transportation, I’m starting this second life with an eye towards natural living (yeah, yeah, I know some people hate LA bc of our perceived phoniness) . Thus, the next step is learning how to grow my own greens.

After my first class at the Learning Garden in Venice, I have been reading to build my foundational knowledge in gardening. In class, Teacher David gave us the 12 Points to a Better Garden. Now as I read additional gardening sources, (O Magazine article about Oprah‘s Hawaiian farm and Michelle Obama‘s “American Grown” kitchen garden book), I see the 12 points everywhere. Three points stand out in being important in gardening. First, variety is good for…

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going green in lala land :D

going green in lala land 😀.

[tea house] Too luxurious… Parlour Haute Cou-tea @ Itaewon, Seoul

Looks super cool. If I were in Seoul, I would definitely try it out^^

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The uber luxurious tea house Parlour Haute Cou-tea (http://www.parlour.co.kr; and is it just me or the place’s name is really corny -.-) has been my to-try list for quite a while. I was blown away by beautiful~~~~ pictures of Parlour’s interior on Korean food blogs. Yet, I always felt like I was not ‘cool enough’ to visit such a fancy, extravagant, upscale tea room :-s After my visit to Parlour yesterday, I am quite certain that I don’t belong to that kind of lavish, expensive life anyway >v<

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[tea house] A beautiful tea house: Trinitea @ Edae, Seoul

Seoulites & Cafes

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I must say that I have been spending lots of time looking for nice cafes/tea houses these days. The weather is just too nice to stay at home, yet it is SO sunny and hot that I feel like spending my afternoon in a spacious cafe/tea house with lots of windows and space would be the only sensible thing to do. Fortunately, the Sinchon-Edae area is just packed with numerous cafes/tea houses, among which a few stand out for me when it comes to space. Trinitea is one of them.

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Spring in Sillim

As the college town of SNU, Sillim has a lot of indie cafes as well as all the big chains. Leave any exit of the station and you will find a cafe perfect for your mood. I have explored many of them as a local. I also use these cafes as rewards for biking along the stream (see Spring in Sillim Part 1). Lovin Spring in Seoul ♥

Spring in Sillim: FB photos

Perfect Flower Cafe

“…We spent the afternoon stopping to smell the roses, as they say. And what a lovely smell and sight was given at the Goyang Int’l Horticulture Expo. If you are looking for a way to enjoy spring and don’t mind a 1-2 hour trip outside of Seoul, I highly recommend a trip to Goyang.” Sunday is the last day ^^

Perfect Flower Cafe: FB Photos

[cafe] A must visit cafe for Coffee Purists: Coffee Temple @ Digital Media City, Seoul

SEOULITES & CAES: THIS DEFINITELY LOOKS AND SOUNDS LIKE A COOL CAFE^^

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Did you know that you can actually have a cup of supreme coffee–full-bodied, fresh, made-by-award-winning-baristas–right here in Seoul? I, for one, never actually cared about coffee before. That bitter, brown, liquid! I only buy coffee (=buy a seat) when I go to the nearby Caffe Bene for my lengthy studying sessions. ~4000 KRW for a feeble, brown, not even really bitter americano! In a country where Starbucks and Caffe Bene dominate the coffee scene, in a city hosting tons of cute little cafes caring about decor rather than their drinks, COFFEE TEMPLE, I believe, is THE place for not only coffee purists, but also for those who have been dulled with bad brown liquid for so long that they will find Coffee Temple’s java is liquid gold.

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Spring Nights – The Sand (Sinchon)

“…a cool cafe to finish writing “Pop Song,” my great American novel, ojala. After visiting the puzzle cafe, My Secret Mate, I came across The Sand, but it was crowded that day. So, I sought it out this week after getting a recommendation. It was a good decision. I liked the spring time music, the dim lighting, the warm atmosphere, the large, floral painting, and the happy waitress who welcomed me as soon as I stepped in, as though she was aware of my upcoming arrival. The strawberry frappe was sufficient for a lackadaisical night or night of writing greatness, lol. “What makes for a cool cafe?” a friend asked me recently. She seemed slightly disappointed that I didn’t have a set answer. But there’s no checklist and practical protocol. There’s only a feeling. I have always been a “vibes” person. People and places give off vibes and if you can read them well, life becomes easier, less complicated. With so many things to stress out about, why not allow your innate senses to guide you on the more minor things? My motto in life…”

The Sand (Sinchon): FB photos & reviews

Directions to The Sand: “Walk straight for 150m. Turn right between Etude House & Paris Baguette. At the Y-junction, go left and head straight for 200m, looking out for both located on right side.” Pass Cafe Chloris and The Sand is on your left.

Dalki Little Farmer Cafe For Kids

Seoulties & Cafes: For those of you with kids^^

Jenonymously

Hidden away at Seoul’s Olympic Park in Songpa-gu is the most entertaining and comical play-and-eat restaurant for kids.

It was purely an accident that I found a flyer with information about this place. The Global Village Center translated the flyer and told me that the Dalki Cafe was in Olympic Park.

I have to admit that I love this idea of a play-and-eat restaurant that takes the food preferences and comfort of adults into consideration. Chuck E. Cheese pales in comparison to Korea’s restaurants for kids.

So, on a recent field trip to Seoul Olympic Museum, I asked around about the location and was pointed to the cafe which was just beyond the winged Olympic Park landmark.

The atmosphere inside the restaurant was warm and inviting. Lots of natural wood makes the space feel very organic.

Tables were available with chairs or on the floor with pillows.

An admittance…

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