Hamburger 주세요: Play Burger

Recently, the Harrington's brought to the attention of Daejeon Diners the fabulous Burger find: Ms. Jin's Hamburgers. However, some readers may not often find themselves in Gung-dong, or may be craving a tour of burger shops. If you just so happen to love exploring the world of Hamburgers, then we at The Harrington Times bring you yet another stellar find to satisfy the craving for a delicious burger: Play Burger.

Unlike Ms. Jin's, Play Burger is a franchise and may therefore be discovered in more than one nook and cranny of Daejeon and Korea as a whole. Nonetheless, should you spot this gem of a shop just at the time a burger craving hits you will not be disappointed! For an impressively fair price of between 7,000 and 9,000 Won a diner can enjoy a '100% Pure' burger + Fried Hash Brown Potato + Green Salad + Fountain Soda - that is a STEAL! AND, it's delicious!

Getting There: In Daejeon, a Play Burger has been spotted across the way from E-Mart in Dunsan as well as in Gung-dong on the opposite side of the river from Home Plus.

Story Time: Doggy Poo

Some days in the English language classroom/career provide more chuckles than others. Having received the request to assist both her elementary schools with their Reading Contest this Spring, Melissa Harrington sat down to read a number of stories ranging from Alice in Wonderland to The Little Prince. One title however, caught Melissa Teacher's attention and the story was far from disappointing. Even better than the story, were the accompanying pictures of the stories main character: Doggy Poo.

Doggy Poo

Once upon a time, there lived little Doggy Poo. He felt all alone. He felt no one wanted him. A bird poked Doggy Poo. "What’s this? Poo! Poo! This is Doggy Poo! Dirty!" said the bird. "What? I am dirty?" asked Doggy Poo. He was bitter, and he cried.

A lump of clay laughed at Doggy Poo. "What’s so funny?" asked Doggy Poo. "You. You are a doggy poo, the worst kind!" said the clay. Doggy Poo was hurt and cried aloud. "I am really sorry," said the clay. The lump of clay paused. "I may be more of out luck," said the clay. "I am from far away. In summer, I used to grow white potato flowers there," said the clay. "Why are you here?" asked Doggy Poo. "In my homeland, rain had not come for a long time. Everything dried out so fast. I was growing chillies, but I let them die. Now I am being punished," said the clay.

"Oh! Isn’t this from my land? I guess I dropped it along the way. I will take it back home," said a farmer. The
farmer put the lump of clay in his cart. The lump of clay was happy.
"
What am I good for?" asked Doggy Poo. "I’m just Doggy Poo," he wept alone. Winter passed and spring came. A hen and her chicks passed by and looked at Doggy Poo. "This is nothing. You can’t eat it," said the hen. "I’m not even good to eat," said Doggy Poo.

It was raining. In front of Doggy Poo, there was a sprout. "Hello star, what are you?" asked Doggy Poo. "Hello, I'm a sprout. I will become a beautiful dandelion flower one day," said the sprout. "Will you be beautiful like the stars in the sky?" asked Doggy Poo. "Yes, I will shine like them too," said the sprout. "How will you become like those stars?" asked Doggy Poo. "I will use rain from the sky and the warm sun," said the sprout. "I see," sighed Doggy Poo.

"But I need one more thing," said the sprout. "What’s that?" asked Doggy Poo. "I need you!" said the sprout.
"Me? How can that be?" asked Doggy Poo. "I need you to join me. Together we can become a
beautiful dandelion flower," said the sprout. "Really? Wow!" said Doggy Poo. "You need me to become a beautiful dandelion flower," said Doggy Poo.

Doggy Poo was full of joy. "I will join you!" said Doggy Poo. The Doggy Poo squeezed the sprout and gave it a big hug. "I am good for something!" said Doggy Poo. Everyone is always needed for something.

A Classroom Full of Monkey's

Earlier this week, Melissa Teacher found herself standing in front of a group of 17 2nd Grade Students acting like a Monkey. Actually, it was the other way around, 17 2nd Grade Students found themselves acting like Monkey's in front of Melissa Teacher. In an effort to teach this handful of young Korean students bits and pieces of the English language, Melissa Harrington has settled on a number of popular English children's songs which makes for straight forward lesson planning and plentiful opportunities to hear sweet little kiddos sing sweet little songs.

Readers who are often scouring the net for tips on teaching young children English in Korea very well may have stumbled upon this song lesson a few months ago. Knowing she wanted to begin working with numbers, Melissa happily drew on the wisdom of cohorts in the teaching business and went to work teaching Bongam Elementary Schools 2nd Graders: 5 Little Monkey's. If you're looking to do a similar lesson with your students, feel free to check out this PPT Presentation and don't miss out on using this worksheet from SukSuk.

Rainy Day in Galma-dong, Daejeon, ROK

Sunday March 19, 2011.

Jindo Island: Moses Miracle

Once or twice every month, Melissa Harrington takes a peak at the official Korea Tourism website. A recent look around the site yielded a pleasant little gem entitled: Jindo-Sea Parting Festival. An event which occurs due to the tides and lay of the land which exposes a causeway from Jindo Island to a near-by smaller Island. Legend has it, that Grandma Bbong was stranded on one Island while a tiger ran loose. She prayed to the gods of earth and sea to allow her to rejoin her community of friends and family on the other island and low and behold, the ocean parted and she was free to go. Recently, the event has been coined a second 'name' and is known as the Moses Miracle and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

For a myriad of reasons, the festival caught the eye and attention of Melissa Harrington and a bit of prodding and reminding of friends and husbands, she found herself in the company of 3 great companions and thousands of intrigued foreigners and Koreans alike.

The day was quite hazy and left participants yearning for blue skies, however, the ocean kept it's promise and opened up from one island to the next allowing each attendee of this 'cancelled' festival to trek across the ocean, harvest some seaweed or clams, and enjoy the lovely although hazy day. If you're reading carefully, or happen to live in Korea, you may have heard or realized that this event had been cancelled, by event of course, we mean the festival. Korea has had a recent outbreak of Hoof and Mouth disease which is taken quite seriously, so much so as to cancel festivals as to prevent traveling from one region to the next and spreading the disease. Fortunately, the ocean was still affected by tides, men still arrived to sell thigh-high boots and vendors still showed up to provide hodeok and other snacks for ocean walkers.

Jindo Island is located in the southeast corner of the peninsula and is Korea's third largest island. The trip to Jindo from Daejeon is not a short one and should be undertaken only by the strong of heart and butt muscle as sitting for such a length of time can be a bit draining. The Harrington's were fortunate to enjoy the convenience of a car while in the company of dear friends but would have happily boarded a bus in order to witness this unique event of the sea and the moon.

Getting There: The primary hub for Jindo Island is Mokpo. Mokpo is accessable by train and bus depending on where you are coming from. From Mokpo, make your way to the bus terminal and head on toward Jindo Island. Once on the Island you should see a tourist information center which can help with the last leg of the trip. Also, numerous buses make the trek to Jindo for this bus, so check out sites such as: Adventure Korea and Meetup.com to see if there's anyone else looking to head your way and enjoy the sights and festivities of Korea!

Celebrating 2 Months with Lady Annyeong

Today, March 21, 2011 marks the two month anniversary of the Harrington's sharing their home with a sweet 3.5 legged dog who answers to Lady Annyeong. In honor of her presence in the Harrington's '519' Apartment and on the pages of The Harrington Times, we bring you two videos showcasing Lady Annyeong on this day of celebration.

In the first video, enjoy the experience of coming home to Lady Annyeong as she sits, paws, sneezes and shows unabashed joy at the return of her beloved Mr. and Mrs.



Now, an opportunity to see Lady at play. For two months the Harrington's have tried to find a toy for Lady Annyeong that she would love and enjoy. Proving her loyalty to this family, Lady was not satisfied with any toy purchases but rather waited until Mr. Harrington managed to find a Tennis Ball on the street, free of charge. Even the Lady understand the value of a good dumpster find.

Iron Chef: Guinness - Celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Korea

Without knowing it, Melissa Harrington offered up a sort of 'Iron Chef' challenge to the regular crew of pot-luck attendees when she suggested the group celebrate St. Patrick's day by preparing only dishes which included Guinness. Fortunately, all friends were on board and when March 17th rolled around there was a feast to out-do all other feasts complete with dish after dish of tasty, Guinness-laden eats. The menu looked something like this:

Cheese and Crackers
Nutty, Beautiful Guinness Beer Bread
Deviled Eggs with a few spoons of Guinness Broth
Stout Shepherds Pie
Bangers in Guinness
Slow Cooker Beef and Guinness Stew
Guinness Floats
Chocolate Guinness Cake

And, it was all delcious. Absolutely. As always, each meal and event attended or hosted by the Harrington's is made phenomenally better because of the company with whom they enjoy the events.

Jindo Island: Photo Teaser and Youth Captured

A photo teaser regarding the happenings of the Harrington's and their dear friends the Callaway's on the weekend. Full story and additional photos to come, however for the time being, we at The Harrington Times leave you with a few photo collages of a great and glorious moment in Korean life.

This post also doubles for You Captures theme of Youth.

Youth ~ The Time of Life when one is Young

If you'd have been in the presence of Melissa Harrington the days prior to the Jindo Sea Parting or seen her at the event you would have recognized the youthful joy that is apparent in these photos. Not to mention, The Harrington's recognize that these days, are the days of their life when they are young and that means 7 hour road-trips with friends on hazy days, stopping in to eat favorite meals, grabbing ice cream and joining thousands of foreigners and Koreans alike to 'walk on water'. The Harrington's are happy to claim that they are making the best of 'this time of life when they are young'.

Friends of the Harrington's; H&K Callaway

Complete with Love Tees, The Harrington's

Jump Sequence

For more shots of Youth, head on over here. And for a more detailed recap of the Jindo Island adventure, check this out!

White Day - A Day for Love Squirrels and Love Rabbits

Those living in the Western World are quite familiar with Valentine's Day and readers of The Harrington Times may remember how the Harrington's celebrated their Valentine's Day in Korea as per tradition, although a few days late. However, what the Western World is missing out on is the knowledge and concept of White Day. Celebrated on March 14th, the male counterpart of a relationship is supposed to give his sweetheart a variety of chocolates, sweets, suckers, stuffed animals etc. (Traditionally, in Korea, Valentine's Day is when the female counterparts offer gifts of chocolates to their favorite men). Not skipping a beat, Mike Harrington offered his lovely lady some sweet gifts of chocolate acquired from the nearby convenince store GS25 (the same location where a month earlier, Melissa Harrington purchases some chocolates for the man she so dearly loves). To celebrate White Day then, Melissa worked hard on her Masters Course Readings while enjoying some sweet treats from a Love Squirrel and a Love Rabbit.

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #1 (and 1.5)

Readers of The Harrington Times, particularly those who were with Melissa Harrington on the night of the infamous 'all-night No-Rae Bang' might realize this series was mostly a reflection of Melissa's top no-rae bang pics and may or may not represent very well the pics and favorite songs of all no-rae bang contenders. This is most likely true in addressing the number 1(and 1.5) songs from last weeks Friday Night No-Rae. Having desired nothing more than singing two particular songs at a no-rae bang for nearly 6 months, Melissa Harrington begged the writers of THT to post the following two videos as her (hopefully others) favorite no-rae bang moments of March 4, 2011 so in at # 1.5 is Journey's (or Glee's, because the no-rae bang crew sounded that good) Don't Stop Believin' followed (or preceeded...) by #1 as Ace of Base's The Sign.

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #2

Getting down to wire, this evening, exactly one week after the famed night at the No-Rae Bang, we bring you the #2 pick from the No-Rae Bang; Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond...or the cast of Glee, you choose.

Looking Back: Sepak Takraw 25th Annual Kings Cup, Thailand

Using 'Blogger' as our platform, here at The Harrington Times, we can check up on statistics such as which posts recieve the most hits in a given day, week, month or over all time. The story with the third most views at THT is a story brought to readers in September of 2010; 25th Annual King's Cup: Sepak Takraw. It was, by far, one of the more amazing and enjoyable moments of the Harrington's time in Thailand during the hot and humid month of August. We expect, with the popularity of the original story, this video will come as a welcome addition to the Harrington's coverage of the King's Cup in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #3

Without hesitation and due to the 'warm-fuzzy' memories this song induces in the heart and soul of one Melissa Harrington comes #3: Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul & Mary. A song made popular in the heart of young Melissa because of her father on stage performances and occassionaly invitations to have his daughters to join him in a song about a Dragon and a little Boy.

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #4

If you want to truly understand the joy that is our #4 you must join the Harrington's and their friend Jennifer Mullen in attending an actual No-Rae Bang event. Coming in at #4, we bring you Roxanne

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #5 (and a Bonus)

Meeting us at the half-way point is a classic Karaoke song and, truth be known - the first ever Karaoke song Melissa Harrington sung (while sipping wine at a sweet little pub in Spain with some of the most fantastic companions imaginable). So, coming in at #5 is Gloria Gaynor with I will Survive.

In addition to No-rae bang song #5 we at The Harrington Times bring you an additional song that made it's appearance on Friday night. This song served no purpose other than to remind Mrs. Harrington of the University of Wyoming's Male A Cappella group: Happy Jacks. The following video is the group Mrs. Harrington imagined as her and good friend Jen botched their way through Baltimore's Tarzan Boy.

Fingers and Faces, Captured

Once again, the Harrington's have made their attempt at participating in a photography challenge designed by Beth at I Should be Folding Laundry. This weeks challenge was body parts. While The Harrington's would love to show you to lovely snout of Lady Annyeong, or the sweet smiles of their students, this week, readers must settle for fingers and faces.

The Mrs. at '519' Galma has been on a roll whipping up some delicious treats and snacks. Recently, a bag of multi-colored marshmallows were discovered in an underground-subway convenience store for less than two-bucks. The Mrs. didn't hesitate a single moment to purchase these treasures and pair them up with Korean Binch cookies (half cookie, half chocolate bar) to make some 'oven-roasted-Binch-S'mores'.



Marshmallow Fingers



S'more Fingers


Later in the week, the Harrington's made their way to their favorite coffee shop just 3 minutes walking distance from their front door, OEC Coffee. Here the couple did a bit of reading before meeting with a couple of Mr. Harrington's students to play a couple rounds of Rummi and offer the students a more relaxed environment to work on their English language skills. One huge benefit of the OEC is the sweet and talented Barista behind the counter who put together this work of art on Melissa Harrington's Caramel Cafe Latte.



Latte Face

Getting There: If you live in Daejeon, South Korea and want an opportunity to have a beautifully designed latte simply make your way to Galma Subway Station, exit #2 and right behind the Blue 24 you'll find the sweet and comfortable OEC Coffee! Good music, great hot choco!

Find more body parts here.

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #6

Taking up two positions on this top 10 list is TLC, this time with their ever popular song Waterfalls. In the shuffling process of large room to small room that occured on Friday night, Melissa Harrington and friends enjoyed the benefits of an increased song selection, making this TLC hit and the other an option which had never before been available. We at The Harrington Times hope the following video and lyrics strike a warm and fuzzy cord with readers at home as it surely did for Mrs. Harrington.

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #7

Rolling in at #7 is non-other than Dr. Dre feat. Eminem and Hittman with Forgot about Dre This spit fire rap comes in at number 7 simply because the shock present on one no-rae-bang-er's face as Melissa Harrington kept pace with the lyrics with surprising accuracy. Little did friends of the Harrington's in South Korea realize the Melissa's ability to recall songs from her freshman year and work-it out just as if she were young and 15 once again.

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #8

Coming in at #8 from Friday night's no-rae bang craze is The Dixie Chicks, Good-bye Earl.
Particularly enjoyable for Melissa and Jennifer hailing from the Cowboy State of Wyoming, the girls have a special love for pop country. Regardless of each 'singers' roots, this song filled a need for twang and a great story-telling song that can't be filled with any ole karaoke song.

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #9

The Beatles are always a win at the no-rae bang. Friday night no-rae bang brought forth this gem of a Beatles Hit and although not a particularly easy or comprehensible song to sing, the song fit the mood well and gave all attendees of the 'singing room' reason to chuckle and shout out: 'goo, goo ga - joob!' bringing The Beatles and their song I am the Walrus in at number 9.

No-Rae Bang Favorites II: #10

A few months back we reported on a no-rae bang (노래방) experience enjoyed by the Harrington's and some dear friends of the ROK. As luck would have it, that was only the beginning and a recent, Friday night outing (March 5, 2011) had Melissa and 4 friends singing their hearts out until 2 am. What started as an evening of 찜닭 (chim dalk: chicken in a spicy brown soy sauce with clear noodles) and dipped cones from McDonald's escalated into a night of 'singing' down memory lane, getting in trouble for drinking soju and moments later being rewarded for bad behavior with 1.5 hours of free singing room access (after already singing 2 hours and just purchasing an additional half hour). What's most important however, is what was being sung throughout this 4 hour time slot. Therefore, this week, we at The Harrington Times will post the top 10 songs sung during Friday nights no-rae bang extravaganza.

Coming in at number 10 is No Scrubs by TLC.
This song took the 3 ladies down memory lane and triggered middle school memories of making up dances for our own Melissa Harrington. If you can't remember the song or want to prepare yourself to sing this for your own no-rae bang adventure, have a look and listen right here:

South Korea; More than High-Speed Internet and Nation Builders

In his not-so-recent-yet-relatively-recent State of the Union Address, President Obama made a few references to the Republic of Korea. If you're interested in the specifics check out this post and this other one from The Waygook Effect.

However, we at The Harrington Times want our readers to know more about South Korea. The things the Harrington's know and love about South Korea, the things that make pestering friends and family to come visit worthwhile. Truth be known, South Korea is more than high-speed internet and nation builders, it's also gorgeous - majestic peaks, fall foilage, tradition, delicious food, bright lights and late nights and so much more. Don't believe us? Have a look-see of this video here and try to come up with one good reason you shouldn't be requesting to crash on the Harrington's couch.


Do You Know South Korea? from David Dutton on Vimeo.

Thanks to EatYourKimchi for introducing this video to KBloggers everywhere.

Hamburger 주세요: Ms. Jin's Hamburgers

Korea has some to-die-for food traditions that any foreigner ought to spend ample amounts of time devouring. However, there are occassions when samgyeopsal, dalk galbi, kimbap or bibimbap just don't strike the right cords. On those occassions, foreigners and Koreans alike, have a number of choices ranging from staying home to meet-your-own-craving to sampling a dish from an Italian or Western style restaurant. As healthy and true-bred Americans, the Harrington's occassionally want to feel that non-Korean craving with a good ole dose of Hamburger. Daejeon features a number of great burger establishments which may just be fortunate enough to one day earn their own post, however today's post, The Harrington Time's first hamburger post, is given to Ms. Jin.

Located in Gung-dong right behind Daejeon's major university, Chungnam National University, Ms. Jin serves up a mighty burger for less than 5,000 W, add fries and a drink for 1,500 W and you're looking at the perfect pre-bar hopping dinner, mid-bar hopping snack, or post bar-hopping munchy. Ms. Jin even provides an English menu for those foreigners who haven't quite figured out hanguel and the proper way to read:  햄버거. Favorite menu items for the Harrington's and friends have been the cheeseburger which is topped with an egg, shredded cabbage and pickles (sweet pickles, so if you don't appreciate the sweet pickle just let Ms. Jin know) and the chili burger which is surrounded by a thick, firery chili unlike any other. The menu also includes hot dogs of all sorts and a few more takes on the hamburger, if you're looking for a cheap yet satisfying burger, Ms. Jin's is the place to go.

Getting There: Best bet is to head toward Chungnam National University (중남대학교 - Chungnam Dae Hak-Gyo) by bus or taxi. Some buses which head that direction are: 102, 104, 105, 106, 108, 109, 113, and 706. Once you're near the University, wander toward the center of the Gung-dong neighborhood and look for a small shop as shown in the above photos. Across the way is 'Chicken Island' another small restaurant and many bars and no-rae bangs line the rest of the streets of this area, good luck finding the shop and if you need further directions of information give us a holler in the comment section!

In the Kitchen: February 2011

Banana Walnut Pancakes topped with Brown-Sugar Vanilla Yogurt and Maple Syrup

Sesame Leaf Beef Sandwiches served with 'not-quite' Pad Thai

'not quite' Pad Thai

Oreo Crumb Cookies

French Toasted Bagel Sandwiches

Once again, The Harrington Times brings you an overview of what was happening in the Kitchen of '519' throughout the month of February. Already, we've posted information regarding the accomplishments of the 'traditional' Valentine's dinner celebrated by the Harrington's as well as a delicious story regarding some mighty delectable pancakes. Today, we round off that story with a few more links to some of the tasty dishes making their way from markets and grocers to dining room tables in the land of Kimchi.

As time moves on, Melissa Harrington grows ever confident in her ability to use readily available ingredients in South Korea to throw together something mighty tasty. One ingredient Mrs. Harrington was excited to get her hands on were some clams. Having grown up in the land-locked state of Wyoming, such an ingredient was simultaneously a challenge and a thrill. With the sweet shelled clams Melissa threw together a Clam Noodle Soup followed a day later by a ROKin Clam Chowder that came together with it's fair share of substitutions.

Substitutions have been the key factor in many of the recipes coming from '519'. In her Not Quite Pad Thai, Melissa substituted, soy and vinegar for fish sauce and soju for lime juice and pulled off the stove top a dinner that was delicious, made even more so by the Sesame Leaf Beef Sandwiches served alongside the Thai Noodles.

Aside from these feats of substitutions, this month a few sweets, such as Oreo Crumb Cookies and Peanut Butter Blondies made their way out of the oven and into anxiously awaiting bellies. Other culinary feats include: Sweet Potato Burritos, Grape Flavoured Soju and home-made Chicken Stock.

To keep track of the Harrington's kitchen on a more regular basis check out: 519 Kitchen and get cookin'!

Looking Back: Here, There, Everywhere - Thailand

During the hot, muggy, humid, miserable season that is Thailand in August, the Harrington's managed to have a number of purely Thai Experiences. From avoiding the scams of Bangkok, to wandering the ruins of Ayutthaya, listening to K-Pop in Lampang, hunkering down in Chiang Mai and even a little rest and relaxation on the coast in Songkhla, the Harrington's had an eventful and memorable 2 weeks in Thailand during their World Tour 2010. Of note, was the numerous and various modes of transportation the couple enjoyed while touring Thailand, from ferries, planes and trains, to tuk-tuks and elephants, the couple experienced the widest array of transportation while in Thailand and managed to put some of those experiences together in a video compilation. Enjoy the many modes of transport as experienced by the Harrington's in Thailand.

Conquering the Claw, Capturing the Smurf

Every once in a while, a story comes around that is for a very specific audience. Occasionally that audience is friends and family who have known the Harrington's for ages, other times the audience is expats living life in Daejeon, South Korea. Today's story comes with a specific audience, a 'dedicated-to' audience. This story may be enjoyed by any and all readers, but is specifically dedicated to Grandma and Papa Cushing in Torrington, WY.

Korea is home to many wonderful and amazing things, especially those within the technological realm. One such wonderfully, amazing contraption is 'the claw'. Sightings of this dangerously addicting, money devouring machine occur regularly when one wonders the streets of South Korea. In an attempt to prove his ninja-like, claw-machine conquering skills and win over (for the hundredth time) the love of his bride, Mike Harrington would often slip in a 500 W coin  to the taunting machine, after a night out for dinner and/or a drink. Mike's skill at the claw was apparent as each and every attempt lead to snagging a little blue-faced Smurf for at least a moment. However, the claw is not so committed to releasing it's prisoners and would often let go of the poor toy before making it to the 'safety zone'.

After only a few attempts on various eves, Mike Harrington finally captured a Smurf which miraculously made it to the 'safety zone'. Unfortunately, in a rare bit of stubborn-ness, the 'claw' would not release the Smurf from it's grasp and the poor blue-faced toy dangled above the precipice of freedom. Reluctantly, yet without hesitation, Mike Harrington put in another coin which encouraged the claw to let go and allow the Smurf to enjoy a new life of freedom living in the Harrington's '519' Apartment, a constant reminder of childhood mornings spent by Melissa Harrington at her dearly loved Grandma and Papa's house.

Take that, Claw.

Sunday Coffee: February 2011

If you're living it up in Daejeon, South Korea there are a few neighborhoods you will want to frequent. Dunsan-dong or 'New' Downtown is a popular place for dining and boozing in the city as well as no-rae-bang, multi-bangs, coffee chains, and shopping. Eun-hang-dong or 'Old' Downtown is a bit the same with more access to shopping such as in the underground mall, at Zara or even a traditional market at the nearby Daejeon Station.

However, there's another area of town which ought to be frequented, and a prime reason for frequenting the area is to enjoy a mug or teacup of coffee with a dear friend or two. The area of town is known as Gung-dong and lies right near Daejeon's larger university, Chungnam National University. Numerous buses run in the direction of Chungnam and provide the perfect starting point for hitting up some fine coffee-house establishments. Recently, Melissa Harrington has declared Sunday's coffee day, and while the Mr. plays soccer, the Mrs. and a friend wander the streets before sitting down to a cup-of-joe, good conversation and/or a good book. We at THT will take a moment each month to give a little taste of the coffee experiences had by Mrs. Harrington and welcome any recommendations of coffee shops in Gung-dong from any of our readers.

La Botega Del Arte

Mochacinno

Just behind the university in one of the less lit up areas of Gung-dong rests this sweet little coffee shop. Beverages are served in sweet teacups by a sweet couple who appear to have a decent understanding of coffee and coffee culture. The shop is an ecclectic mix of cross-stiched hangings, modern art, chunky magazines, bird cages and kitchy odds and ends that allow patrons to feel at home and slightly entertained.

Noriter

Mint Mocha

Part of a smaller chain of coffee shops that has more character and appeal than common chains such as Angel-In-Us and Holly's coffee, Noriter means playhouse and each coffee shop has just that vibe. Patrons can choose to sit in a loft, at a table or hidden in a back corner while leaving a note in a nearby Nortier Notebook or simply adding your message to the many maintained on the walls of this dreams-really-do-come-true-playhouse-environment. Noriter is a favorite coffee shop for the Harrington's and their expat friends. As of this writing, there are two known Noriter's in Daejeon - one in Gung-dong near the CNA and Lotteria and another near Hannam University.

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