Happy New Year, everyone!

The last few weeks of 2014 have been crazy, and I couldn't help but get swept up in the excitement for the festivities. It's been quite a while since I spent Christmas in the Philippines, you see. Even more than that, I got too excited about going to Seoul once again!

Needless to say, a huge chunk of that excitement was because I really, really wanted to experience snow! The first few days in Seoul had me stopping at whatever soft enough pile of snow I could find– not minding the fact that I most probably looked like an overgrown child. On our fourth day, I woke up early enough to catch a snow flurry. It was surreal: seeing tiny bits of ice fall and gently blanketing everything in soft, fluffy, powdery snow. It felt like magic. Despite it being quite an ungodly hour (four in the morning!), I felt that enduring the biting, frigid weather was all worth it.

Of course, I didn't go to Seoul just to see snow (or did I?). It is a must, must, must to go sight-seeing! Seoul has many sights to offer and it really is impressive how much of their history and culture they managed to preserve. In fact, my favorite thing about Seoul is how in the midst of all the modern high-rise buildings, palaces, gardens, and shrines are nestled peacefully.

During our family vacation in Seoul last June, we visited a couple of palaces, but there was so much more that we haven't been to. This time, we managed to visit all five of the Grand Palaces but my favorite has to be the Changdeok Palace.

Despite the freezing, below zero weather we had to brave through during our visit, there was something truly magical about strolling through the courtyards and feeling the ice crunch underneath my shoes. That and the cool crisp air with the too-gentle winter sun made the visit relaxing, yet invigorating. Truly conducive for an artistic soul! I can only imagine what it would be like to spend a day there and just write, write, write.

Located East of the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Changdeokgung Palace houses what many have dubbed as the "Secret Garden." Also known as the "Rear Garden", sits behind the main buildings of the Changdeokgung Palace and takes up two-thirds of the palace grounds! There's an extra fee to get in, but thanks to the voucher that came along with the Combo tickets we got for all the five palaces, we got in no problem! Everyone has to join a fixed tour, which I personally found enjoyable. The guides gave explanations as to what the smaller buildings inside the garden were for, and why the layout and architecture were the way the were.

There were five different "sites" within the garden itself, and getting from one site to another was a bit of a walk. There was plenty of going uphill and downhill because the garden itself was designed to be one with the natural configuration of the environment. They did give us time to just appreciate the surroundings and take photos.

And appreciate my surroundings I did. Even in the middle of winter when nearly all the trees have shed their leaves and plants are pretty much dead, the Secret Garden was nothing short of breath-taking. If I had the chance, I would like to go back during the spring just to see it with all its greenery!

We also went to visit N Tower. I'm quite happy that this time, we took the cable car up. It was a bit unnerving for me considering I have somewhat of a fear of heights but it was still way better than my last visit wherein my dad insisted that we take the stairs all the way up. 

Locks of love! To anyone who has watched a Korean Drama before, going to Namsan Tower and seeing all the locks of love is a non-negotiable part of the itinerary. I am no different. 

I left a lock of my own back in June, and I'm happy that I managed to find it again! (YOU SEE THAT, SEOUL? I TOLD YOU I'LL BE BACK!)  The lock itself has gotten a bit rusty, but it's still there, holding on. I can only hope that these won't collapse like the bridge in Paris.

I travelled with my younger cousins, so it's pretty much a no-brainer to go to Lotte World! That and the temperature was around -11 degrees centigrade. What better way to spend a freezing cold day than in an indoor amusement park? 

The indoor part of Lotte World would suit younger kids better, but it was still really enjoyable! All the rides, characters, colors, and energy really brings out the kid in me! It wasn't really as crowded as I thought it would be, but the lines were still pretty darn long. It's a good thing they had a Magic Pass system (similar to Tokyo DisneySea's Fast Pass) or else my younger brother and I wouldn't have been able to ride anything without queuing up for an hour. 

What would an amusement park be without the amusement park food? In Lotte World, I had my first ever funnel cake! Dios mio. Why have I never tried it before? It was really delicious, especially with the chocolate glaze. And it was really fun to watch it being made!

Shopping in Seoul in really fun, too! It's quite fun walking around and trying to pick out souvenirs and pasalubong. It's even more fun when shopkeepers give you discounts. :D 

We went to Namdaemun although I feel like I did more eating there than actual shopping. Street food is really hard to resist! Then again, what better way to immerse yourself in a culture than to partake in their food? Hotteok has to be my favorite Korean street food. It's like a pancake with a sweet, sticky filling. During winter, it's best to eat it when it's still hot off the griddle.

I did most (if not all) of my pasalubong shopping in Insadong. Though the weather was really chilly, there was still quite a number of people and tourists milling about! There were so many shops and stalls that it's hard to keep your head from turning! Though some of the stores had similar wares, it was still worth it to try and go into each and every one of them for the best bargain! We also went back to Insadong on our last day in Seoul for some last-minute shopping because it was a walking distance from the hostel we stayed at! So convenient!

It was really fun to end 2014 and begin 2015 in Seoul. My only regret is that I didn't get to try that famous Honey Butter Chips thing because it was always sold out. Then again, it does give me a reason to go back to Seoul!

Looking forward to 2015! Happy New Year, everyone!

photography seoul travel

Wednesday, January 07, 2015

If there's one thing that I know the Taiwanese do right, it's the food. Taipei has been dubbed by CNN as the "Gluttony City" and it's no wonder why: everywhere you go, there is always something good to eat. From street food to high-end restaurants – Taipei is a foodie's heaven. One of the foods that I always end up looking for during my visits is the beef noodles.

Of course, no visit to Taipei will be complete without trying Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup. Taiwan is well-known for beef noodles. In fact, there is even an annual Beef Noodle Festival held in Taipei. That being said, it isn't difficult at all to find a good noodle place in Taipei. After my favorite noodle house practically disappeared around two years ago, I think I've finally found a new favorite: Mazendo.

My dad and I tried out this restaurant at a whim, and both of us ordered their Red Roaster Beef Brisket Noodle Soup. I was intrigued by the chunks of tomato in the broth because it's not a usual ingredient in the beef noodle soup I've had before but a quick taste of the broth had me hooked. It's everything one would expect from Taiwanese beef noodle soup– savory, hearty. But this particular broth had an unexpectedly refreshing flavor to it, one I think I could attribute to the tomato. The noodles themselves were pretty standard– soft and not too chewy and the beef brisket was as tender and flavorful as one would expect from a good beef noodle soup!

We also had side-dishes, one of which was stir-friend cabbage. It was okay, a tad bit salty but at 70NTD it costs more than what it's worth. (That's only 20NTD less than my favorite biàndang!)

We also had an order of potstickers which I was really happy about! I'm not a big fan of potstickers because the texture doesn't really sit well with me, but this one was more than alright. Though the wrapper was a tad bit too thick for me, it had just the right chewiness. The filling was also delicious, juicy, tender, and not at all dry like most of the potstickers I've had before!

It's still a wonder why we ended up eating at this place– as it is located quite near my favorite American-style restaurant in Taipei, but it just goes to show that one should give new things a chance!

Until next time!

food taipei travel

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Hi everyone! It's been quite a while since my last post, but I'm back with another make-up post! I'm back in Taipei right now, so I thought it would be prudent to share what cosmetics I usually bring with me when I'm going to be out of the country for a certain period of time. Of course, it's a given that I'll be bringing my everyday make-up bag which I made a post about here. But if I'm going to be away from home for more than a couple of days, I like having the items that are almost always part of my usual make-up routine.

Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream in Natural Fair

This is my go-to base for everyday. I'm not a fan of foundation much because I find it to be too heavy on the skin. Before I discovered the wonders of CC Cream, I would use BB Cream from Etude house, but even then it would be too heavy on my skin and caused me to break out a couple of times. Admittedly, my skin is quite clear and doesn't need much coverage so I decided to give CC Cream a try. And from then on, it was love! <3 I love this one from Clinique. It provides light to medium coverage and gives my skin that dewy appearance. It's really easy to apply, the formula being neither too thick or too runny and doesn't streak no matter what I use to apply it with.

Guerlain Meteorites Blanc De Perle

My finishing powder of choice! A lot of people consider this a holy grail item, and honestly, I can see why. It leaves a really nice, smooth yet natural finish on the skin with really fine shimmer that makes your skin glow. Some people are bothered by the shimmer, but personally, I love it. I would bring it around with me everyday if I could, but movement tends to make the pearls break up and crumble and the container is a bit bulky, leaving me no choice but apply it at home before I leave and leave it at home. I'm thinking of finding a nice compact where I can place a couple of pearls in to make it a bit more portable.

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

This one holds a special place in my heart as it is the first eyeshadow palette that I ever picked out for myself! (Most of my cosmetics are gifts, you see.) You can even somewhat see how beaten up this particular palette is. The wide range of neutrals in both shimmer and matte make it perfect for everyday use or even special occasions.  I really love the matte shadows as they are really buttery and apply perfectly. The shimmer shadows aren't really easy to pack on the lid and tend to fall out, but this is easily remedied by using an eyeshadow primer.

Lancôme Colour Focus Eye Colour Quad in 4Romance

This is a very new addition to my collection – a gift I received from my mother recently. I've only used it twice before, and the pigmentation isn't at all that great and it takes quite a while to build up the color but the shadows are really smooth and feel very light on the skin. Despite the troubles I have with applying it, I brought it along anyway because I love how I can make a subtle smokey eye with it.

Maybelline Colorshow Crayon Kohl in Blue

I am a big fan of colored eyeliner and blue just happens to be my favorite! I don't use it everyday, but there are times when I'm too lazy to put on eyeshadow and I just apply a line of blue liner for a pop of color. Minimal effort, but still gives off the impression that I actually tried to make myself look presentable.

Real Techniques Starter Set and Silicone Eyeliner Brush

It comes with a carrying case! Isn't that reason enough to bring it around? Kidding aside, I put the most effort into applying eyeshadow when I'm doing my make-up, so having this set is a must for me.

From L-R
1. Silicone Eyeliner Brush
2. Accent Brush
3.  Fine Liner Brush
4. Base Shadow Brush
5. Deluxe Crease Brush
The set also came with an Eyebrow brush but I have long since given it to my mom because I don't do my eyebrows. 

The Silicone Eyeliner Brush is sold separately. Though the set comes with an eyeliner brush, I prefer the silicone one when applying gel or liquid liner because it allows for more accuracy and cleaner lines. Also, I find the Fine Liner brush to be a bit too tough and scratchy and is prone to irritating my lids. The other brushes are fantastic though. They apply eyeshadow really well and are really soft.

Bare Minerals Full Flawless Face and Flawless Face Brushes

These two brushes are extremely soft, pick up products really well, and buffs them on the skin wonderfully! I use the Full Flawless Face Brush to apply my Guerlain Meteorites. I've read that not all brushes can pick up the powders from the Meteorites well, but I've never had such a problem with this brush! I also use it sometimes to sweep away eyeshadow fall-out. I use the Flawless Face Brush with my Estee Blush (which I wrote about here). It does wonders at buffing the blush onto my skin! I've mentioned before that the Estee Blush took a while for the pigment to build up, but I've had more success with using this brush than any other brush I tried applying it with before.

Too Cool for School Milky Tint in Red

I always bring around the Milky Tint in Pink and use it more often but there are those times when I feel a bit more daring than usual. During these times, I feel like using this lip tint for a more in-your-face color on my lips. Here's a comparison photo:

Pink on the left. Red on the right.

 I rarely use it by itself– I usually use it with the Pink Tint for gradient lips. (Which I haven't learned to apply properly yet. Boo hoo.)

I would have added my Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner, but it has dried up and become unwieldy so I opted to leave it back home.

And there you have it! A run-down of my travel must-haves! Until next time! :)

beauty travel

Wednesday, October 29, 2014