Auburn and Blue

Blute – a place for being with a friend and flowers

19
Apr

Vented. Three deep breaths and I was ready to move on to more beautiful things in life!

Lately my posts have been dwelling on places in Seoul to visit because leaving the city soon is now top of mind for me.

I have been to many, but I have not shared any.

But it is not too late…..

Pity if you don’t live in Seoul to go to these places in person..but let your mind wander…and be inspired to go out in your own neighborhood to explore and enjoy places like the one I show you today  – Blute.

 

Oh, how I just  wish I was back there now for another dose of flowers, fun conversation with my friend, sipping our coffees and taking in the soothing sunrays !

Nestled in the heart of Hannamdong, Seoul, is this little cafe/ flowershop combo that just lures you in…

….and then makes you too lazy to leave.

It is a 2-room affair and very easy to just drive past and completely miss it…..

What beauty you then miss and what a pity that would be !

SO, be on the lookout for their sign on the side of the building.

 

You will not regret going in and treating yourself for an hour of bliss…just sitting around.

This was the perfect ending to a day of strolling the streets of Garusogil (told you here), followed by a fabulous lunch at Allo Papergarden (remember? –  here).

I do need to go back there one more time before I leave this beautiful city.

Hope you tell me if you’ve been, or plan to go !

If not – tell me about your favourite place to go re-charge your batteries !

For more on Blute – a fabulous farewell that was hosted by Yvonne and friends.  Feast your eyes on this, my friends !!

(photo: Moline)

One more sleep and then it’s Friday !!

What a wild, crazy week this was. I am looking forward to the weekend with our great friends flying in from overseas. Can’t wait !

What are you up to?

Ilze

Ahhh… what can I say….

18
Apr

I am a people pleaser. I am. My mom was one too.

It’s not always a good thing. So I am trying to be less of  that and more of this think-about-ME-FIRST kind of person.

But that is hard to do, because for me – it is truly important to see people happy. Especially if I can make them happy !

But being frustrated and stressed about a lot of things lately, having a lot to deal with……made me this person on facebook who started venting on my wall instead of enlightening people with lovely updates…

    

so, I figured it’s best I leave my fb page tonight for a while before it gets really ugly with all the bad things I want to say about the people who had upset me so much this week….

and rather go pin a few things on Pinterest.

Pinning and Blogging are my outlets for turning frustration into creation.

It works for me.

But before I left Pinterest to go to my blog, I spotted this one…..

A-ha !! See….

I always think I will have a bestseller blog if I could just speak my mind and put it ALL OUT THERE !!!!

Telling a few people exactly what I think of that stupid or inconsiderate thing they did.

As in “you watch your step, girl” or I will BLOG about you !!!

People would love to read all the saucy details of the things that make our blood boil.

Uuurrggghhh… I was ready to wring somebody’s neck today

…..and yesterday….

and the day before ….

and the other day…

and the other week….

Yes. That is not nice language.

So, I hope our relocation smooth out a little bit before this state of mind becomes a permanent persona of mine !

Sometimes I had the mental clarity to come up with a more sensible solution.

But some things were still a little hurtful and not so easy to just simply let go…

But.. what can you do….??

Why do some people choose nasty over nice?

Oh, I get it – they are all just trying to be helpful and put us up for success….

How nice.  Well, I have something to say to them too….

Remember I said I am a people pleaser and I also like to help people.

Yes – I found all these images on my Pinterest Board called Say It.

I just had a field day going through all the “advice” I pinned up there for myself to go pull up on a day like today .

My  friends had been a great support and cheering me on through this trying time and I do hear what they say…so I take their advice and I trust

But I’m a faithful girl and I know where the answers lie, too….

Do I even need to tell you the answer??

So, I had to accept a few things that are beyond my control…that in itself is a tough thing for me to do, but I know……

I already had too many candies tonight that I picked from the kids’ leftover Easter baskets !

 

Happy Pinning Everybody !

Sometimes it comes in SUPER HANDY !!! to get your thoughts and your ducks in a row again !!!

And to go take on life with a new perspective from the teachings through the journey !

The original sources for all these pins are on my board that you can find here.

Ilze

Allo – a place to eat in Garusogil

16
Apr

Today we talk about places to EAT or DRINK.

Actually, why not talk about that for the next few days ?!

In my previous post about Garusogil, that you can find here, I promised that I would tell you about the place my friend suggested we went for lunch. She had been before, loved it and could highly recommend it. I trust her opinions and now even more so, as they did not disappoint.

ALLO.

 

There are 2 levels but both has a cool vibe and cozy atmosphere.

(photo moline)

(photo moline)

(photo moline)

The kitchen is semi-open and it is quite fascinating to see the kitchen staff hard at work…having an amazing co-ordinated effort without hardly saying anything to each other.

So, when in Seoul and you take my advice on visiting the Soho district of Seoul, being Garusogil – do look out for Allo and stop by.

Everything made fresh and certainly a worthwhile stop for weary shoppers’ feet.

For more wonderful photos from my friend’s flickr account, peek here at Moline on Flickr.

You can find their address here.

When in Seoul, get some SOUL. This is one place where to find it !

 

Ilze

Crappy and Happy

15
Apr

Last night was happy.

Today is crappy.

Ask no questions. Hear no lies.

No, I am not trying to put it out there to attract an audience to lend me an ear for attention.

It is way too complicated anyway to explain.

So, let’s just leave it at that.

But.. last night when I came back after our night out, me and my son watched this video…
and it perfectly suited my happy mood.

 

So, I figured, maybe watching it again and sharing it with you out there, might turn crappy into happy again !

Hope you have a happy Sunday !

Tomorrow is another day….

Soon it will be time for me to boogy too, as we have many parties and gala dinners coming up in the next 2 months.
Oh, happy days to come.

Ilze

Spring is finally in the air…

9
Apr

Snow flurries still surprised us last week…but I finally think Spring is in the Air.

And to celebrate I found these on Etsy today.

Spring Flora by skippydesigns on Etsy.

Can’t wait for the Cherry Blossoms to appear here in Seoul.

How nice would this print be to have always in a room in dark winter days.

Spring Love Letter 10 X 10 Fine Art Print by BornBarefoot on Etsy.

or this one..

Urban Blossom 11 X 14 Fine Art Print by BornBarefoot on Etsy.

Isn’t this just too beautiful for words ?

Whisper Sweet Nothings Fine Art Print by BornBarefoot on Etsy.

oooh…and while we’re at it on ETSY FINDS ….

Passionfruit Marshmallows by whimsyandspice on Etsy.

A little sweet treat will also go down quite well on this Monday afternoon !!

Let’s hope Spring is finally in the air…and no Snow Surprises anymore.

We need to lighten our loads, lighten the mood and no better way than with the hope of Spring in the Air !

Ilze

My Thoughts Today

8
Apr

(photo taken in FIKA book and coffee shop, Doota)

I have many, many ideas….to my own dismay. So many that I make myself crazy trying to figure out ways how to carry out some of them.

I have many, many opinions….to other people’s dismay. Sometimes saying things that I don’t express well enough to make sense or place in context and might leave a feeling of discontent with people having not understood my intent. I apologize if I did that to you.

Is intention good enough to justify things?

I know exactly where I want to be in life.

I am not at that place right now. And I have not figured out the means to get to that place. Yet.

I live every day by itself. Take it as it comes.

Is that a good way to live? Do people rid themselves of all energy trying to always make it to another place than where they are?

Or is that the way to go?  Everything focused on tomorrow and never just letting it be for today?

Or maybe the danger lies in thinking you are fine where you are and not worried about tomorrow.

Or does the answer lie somewhere inbetween,…content with today, striving better for tomorrow. Is that possible?

Life is short. Live for today … or tomorrow?

I wonder about that today.

Are you at the place where you want to be in life?

 

Ilze

Stress and One Solution

7
Apr

Moving is stressful.

 

End of the story.

 

That was today’s post.

 

Seriously. I keep telling myself – it’s not that bad. How can it be listed as one of the top 4 stressors in life?. There is SO much more going on out there, that you feel almost silly being all tense about not finding “heaven” again – just in another country.

But somehow – even if you have experienced a few moves…it never really gets any easier. In fact, sometimes I think it gets harder, because …who knows….maybe because you grow older and different things become more important each time.

We had another house hunting trip this past week. Oh,the joys… NOT !?

Having my desk look like this for days…..Searching, filtering, considering which ones to view, was already exhausting. …..

How do you know which house is right?

When I moved the first time ever on our first expat assignment, a good friend wrote us a letter…I read it on the aeroplane as we left our home country and remember the tears flowing down my face. It was so honest and heartfelt..and at that point I did not yet know how true !

But one line in particular stood out…. “I hope you find a way to turn the new house you found, into a HOME” .

I always reminded myself about that….and the advice has been golden. I have loved every house we lived in since, because my mission in life as an expat was turning every house into a home.

I went looking for that letter again… in case there was some other advice I had forgotten.

So I got my old letter box out.

It was like finding a bag full or surprises …

I kept on digging and digging – reading feverishly through them…

untill they were all out on the floor…

.many of them in my mom’s handwriting…irreplaceable anyway since she passed away…

…so many from her… consoling me, congratulating me, encouraging me, being proud of me….

And then those old faxes from far off destinations from friends exploring the world…

A lot happened between that first letter from my friend on the aeroplane as I left my home country, and this one, 3 years later, and now 13 years ago, as I was about to get onto a plane again, leaving an expat destination…. with a friend pondering on how she felt about me moving….

And I discovered again the reason WHY we move….

…it is for the PEOPLE we meet…. changing worlds that would have remained the same had we not come into each others’ lives…

And that gave me the courage to pack up my letter box again… go back to the 60 plus pages of houses and face the frustating part of not knowing the outcome of the house hunting we did and the offer hanging in mid-air……and to not let the people in the process who work on my nerves get the better of me…..but to rather let the stress subside into a more positive realm of expat life…being the reasons why we keep on choosing it.

Did I mention that I never found the lettter I was looking for.

But instead, I found this one…yet another farewell note…as I was about to leave Moscow 3 1/2 year ago to move to Korea…. from where I am now about to depart again….

 

Thanks Ingeborg ! We did not keep in touch…but your note touched me today. And that is what those connections mean later on…

Reminders, lovely thoughts, sincere gratitude, well-wishes upon departures… That was my THERAPY today and it was a wonderful solution for a very stressful situation I feel pressing on me at the moment.

So, my advice to you…. when feeling STRESSED…. EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTED and disillusioned with some facets of expat moving….

Get out a box of old time memories – old letters in this case. And you will be reminded that in a time of lots of uncertainties where you try to find a new house…..you will re-discover that moving house and being an expat  is actually all about the people. The ones you will meet… the ones you will leave behind..

But I am pretty sure that reading through old letters….. will sooth your soul, even if you are not moving.. it must surely be a stress reliever in any situation. Just the thought of so many people caring…

We will find a house.

We will turn it into a home again.

We will make new friends.

We will not forget old friends.

If even sometimes just by an old memory box. Keep those memories !

I was going to throw my letters out in my scaling down efforts, but after this…decided to keep. I am just not ready yet.

For me, it was a Solution in a Stressful time !

If you are an expat moving – what things did you find that helped you relieve some stress during your move?  Let me know. I don’t get much letters these days. But I still love comments !

And if you are one of those not ready to throw out old letters and cards – check out this blog post from Simple Mom with a fun solution of what to do with them !

Happy Saturday Everybody!!

Ilze

Messages make my Day

22
Mar

Dear All of You – who take the time to read my blog, look at my photos, comment on my updates and all those other things that indicate that  you notice, you care and you share!

I love receiving your messages…. and again this week – so many wonderful messages received from friends, fans and family… be it about my blog, my health, my life… via comments here, a phone call, a text,  the many many e-mails and facebook messages on my wall as well as via my blog’s inbox.

And sometimes I wish I can share them with the whole world… like how this guy hangs out his messages of appreciative customers outside his restaurant in Hywha dong, Seoul.  Telling them that what they said, mattered…..

…and if this was My Life Wall this week, it would have looked like this too….

So, this post is simply to say – thank you all your feedback and input and support and love.

I totally love hearing from you. Keep telling me what  you think. I always love hearing from each and everyone.

It keeps me going !! Keeps me blogging.

The most public of them all is still via commenting on the blog right here…but if not, I still see them, and that is what matters.

Each message is special. Each message is individual. Each message is appreciated.

I just LOVE IT !

Now – do remember to check back for that post on the Fabulous places to eat and drink that I said I was going to share. Remember here.

Till then – keep well my friends !

 

Ilze

Garusogil – a Good Day out !

20
Mar

Keeping to my promise of a few weeks ago to show you more of the places I love in Seoul, I take you  today to Garusogil where my friend (meet her here ) and I went last week for a lovely day out.

We arrived early…..

Duty men around doing less glamorous jobs before the chic Garusogil clientele start to dress the pavements.

The promise of these bright lights woke up those of us who were still strolling the sidewalks drowsily.

Some however refused to show their faces all day long….

In Seoul, you can be sure that no matter how early you are on the streets, you will see some kind of photo shoot taking place…..before the day has even properly started !

…..always a stylist, a model, and a photographer…. guaranteed…..

Off course there is no better place to do a shoot than in the trendy streets of Garusogil. Where the young and affluent Seoullites hang out in the cool neighborhood of Apgujeong – dong.

It’s a feel good kind of stroll in the streets over there…with lots to feast your eyes on.

Around 11 am most shops were open and no doubt lured us in one after the other.

The late start is probably because there is also a lot going on at night.

But back to daytime, and you have no shortage of sights and sounds on the streets making up for the late start.

So many things to see and enjoy !

 

Who can be bored with Kate Spade in the neighborhood??

….and Marimekko….?!

From this point forward, it just got more and more bright and beautiful..

 

Yes – BRIGHT is certainly IN this season in Seoul !

But our day did not end here…

After a few purchases, we had thoroughly worked up an appetite and went to a fabulous place for lunch…and a darling little place later in the afternoon for a coffee. More on that in my next post !

If you still have not  seen enough of this trendy place … take a 2 minute break and enjoy this video that KimchiSeoul has posted on Youtube.

 

P.S  – did I mention that we sat next to CN Blue (music credit) on the plane from Hong Kong ?!  Yes people – K-pop is taking the world by storm ! Cute they were….

Hope you enjoyed that ! If you visit Seoul anytime soon – put it on your list as a must-go.

Did you see that windowcleaning-spraybottle on the Vespa at 00:35 ?  No…?? Watch it again. Love it.Come prepared.

Can’t wait to share with you the two spots Yvonne took me . Thanks friend for a lovely day out !

Have you been to this neighborhood? Do you like it… I mean ..just love it??!

Happy Trendy Tuesday Everyone !

 

Ilze

Becoming minimalist

12
Mar

 

Almost every day I drive past this garage in our neighborhood.

Clearly this owner has a car that …well… simply,  does not fit into the space provided for it !

I always noted it and it always made me smile…..but now – it has personal meaning to me.

I am having to move from an enormous house to a ….. well, nobody knows yet to which house specifically … but one thing  is for sure – it will be SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than our current home and it will most certainly not be sufficient to house all our ….by lack of a better word… STUFF.

Hong Kong is an island. There is only so much land to provide for all the eager inhabitants. Unlike Seoul where space is not an issue and we have the luxury of sufficient dwelling space…in fact, more than sufficient  – despite the contradiction in this photo.

It is totally consuming my mind at this point of our move…and I am thinking in every possible direction to deal with our belongings in an appropriate manner. Putting everything into our next home is simply not an option – unless we want to end up like the photo above.

I could off course go the Gary Chang route, but I just think I am not quite ready yet.
Have you seen this guy??? Crazy Amazing !!!!!!

Nope – just watched it again and decided….me definitely not ready yet. I do admire him though ! Instead..
I have decided to dust off the dream of becoming minimalist – an old dream that me and my husband shared –  waaaaay before kids …sigh…..

But although that will mean a serene, clean next home… it still does not take care of the logistics and nightmare of getting to that point in a very short period of time.

……Storing???……shipping elsewhere?????….selling?????…..

Yes. I am officially overwhelmed but still all excited about going minimalistic, especially after I found this  gem  here  which I believe you will find of great value too.

This is a blog by Joshua Becker  and struck a cord with me when I read on the first page the quote: “‘Cause the best things in life aren’t things”. How true.

After leaving him a comment, I was impressed with his prompt response and follow-up as he generously sent me his e-book for free. If you are interested – mail me and I am sure he would be more than happy to share with you too. Or go on his site, Becoming Minimalist and browse around for yourself. There is definitely a lot of valuable advice to go around for all!

I recently also listened to Graham Hill on his TEDtalk about Life Editing – Less stuff, more happiness. It was a little painful to watch at the time… but, it gave me some food for thought and yes, we need to hear all sides of the story ! The video would not embed but the link should take you !

Later this week, I plan to write to you about another particular post on Joshua’s blog that inspired me greatly.

But for now, I have to go read my e-book… learn a few things… look at my heart..and let go !

Have you done this before? A major scaling down….

Have you ever given something away which you regretted afterwards…or have you experienced the joy and freedom of weight lifted from your shoulders once your stuff has been set off somewhere else to find a new home !

Do Tell !! I need all the encouragement I can get in this journey.

Have a happy Monday. Lots of things ahead to do this week.

Hope you have a nice week ahead.

 

Ilze

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