Craving Biscuits and Gravy: Online Grocers in Korea

Here in South Korea there is a small yet growing population of foreign food markets. Daejeon is actually home to two rather fine and fabulous small markets; one in Gung-dong and one near Daejeon station. Each provides goods such as cilantro, Thai basil, cheap whole cinnamon, dried chickpeas and other beans, etc. However, a bit of browsing and checking a popular site for expats teaching in South Korea, Melissa stumbled upon a motherload of information regarding foreign foods. The initial tip off covers the numerous foreign food stores to be found in Seoul as well as providing some links to delivery options in Korea for those expat souls who are living and teaching in small, less populated corners of the peninsula. Delivery options also offer a fabulous opportunity for those in larger cities who don't enjoy making their way to Costco because it's too far, too busy, too noisy etc.

Regardless of the reasons you desire some comfort foods from home, we at The Harrington Times have it under good authority that Melissa Harrington has been craving some biscuits and gravy, this comes mostly due to her grandmother's fine skills at whipping up a batch of this filling, comforting breakfast. This craving has Mrs. Harrington feeling particularly excited about The Underground Grocer who claims to sell two types of ground sausage. Other items foreigners may be excited about are: corn tortillas, refried beans, chickpeas, lentils, cardamon pods, salami, pesto, cous cous, and so much more. (Update March 2012: The Underground Grocer no longer exists at that link and we have yet to find a replacement. If you have any information on this shop, pleas leave a comment)

Another online grocer who delivers is Nice Deli a few highlights from their storefront: corn meal, various (yet not extensive) Bob's Red Mill grains and flours, oatmeal, fresh cilantro, pinto beans and pita bread just to name a few available items. Finally for online food stuffs there is EZ Shop Korea which is essentially shopping Costco online. Here you can find everything from English books and DVDs to deodarant, mate tea, canned pumpkin and cranberries, Athenos hummus dips, Spanish Jamon, ranch and onion dips and so much more.

Update March 2012: Things just keep getting better! Now for your foreign grocery needs as well as Ikea items and the like check out FatBag! A great mix of numerous items many expats crave and desire once they've settled in the land of fermented and spicy foods (which are oh-so-delicious-but-no-substitute-for-meals-reminescent-of-home). FatBag is completely in English and looks ready to provide a great, one-stop shopping experience for those of us more fluent in English and fine cheese than Korean and aged kimchi.

Turns out, being a foreigner isn't nearly as demanding of comfort food sacrifices as some have previously believed. Happy grocery shopping!

The Misadventures of Taiwan: Still Raining

Desperate for a sense of security in the form of hotel accomodation, Mike Harrington awoke on the morning of Thursday, January 26th and made his way to a cyber cafe to book 3 nights accomodation through Agoda. With only a few roadblocks, the Harrington's soon had accomodations at Paradise Hotel in the Ximending district of Taipei, near where they began their trip five days ago.

Since the rain had yet to cease pouring from the sky and hotel check-in was not until 3:00 pm, the couple opted to meander the impressive series of three underground shopping areas linking the central stations of Taipei's metro system.  The duo was impressed by the variety of shops and styles available to the Taiwanese customers and compared the claw machine shops, anime shops, rubix cube shops, hippie-style cloth shops, shoes, gadgets, cutesy clothes, etc. shops of Taiwan to the sock shops, cell phone and clothing shops that most often and abundantly compose the Korean underground shopping experience.

Additionally, the couple enjoyed spotting an area devoted to the practice and perfection of pop dance cheoreography as well as the infamous b-boying hip-hop moves, an area lined with mirrors and slowly filling with dancers of all types.  Fortunately, the dancers were not to be confined to this mirrored wonderland and the couple soon stumbled upon two Taiwanese rockin' out to a non-controller based video game of fashionable dance moves.



Finally, the hour came and the couple could relocate to the Paradise Hotel.  As for the name of the hotel, the only thing that was similar to paradise was the moisture and lack of ventelation lead to an impressive amount of mold which is likely to occur in, say, a Rainforest or Tropical Paradise.  Not to mention the exotic view of crumbling buildings set next to the scaffolding of new life, Paradise was perhaps a far cry.  Regardless, having a place to sleep indeed instilled a sense of paradise for the couple and so their arrival coincided with a bit of reading, rest and relaxation.

After a bit of a snooze the couple once again considered the rain factor and decided it'd be a great night to grab some quick grub from the street food vendors and head to the "Living Mall" in hopes of seeing Sherlock Holmes 2.  While out on the streets the duo snacked on a sad (but tasty) fried pork cutlet, sausage on a stick, Taiwanese green onion pancak and grilled green onions wrapped in thin slices of chicken or pork.

Satisfied, the couple made their way to the giant globe of a building described as the "Living Mall".  En route, they spotted a foreigner bar named 'Hell's Kitchen' which was advertising their Happy Hour specials.  Drawn by a good deal and cold beer the couple entered the Irish pub for a Carlsberg and live tennis on the tele.  Drinks finished the couple continued on their way to the 'Living Mall' where they took a few photos, watched a family set off some fireworks and eventually sat down to an action packed Sherlock Holmes.  In this way, another rainy day came to an end, leaving the Harrington's refreshed and geared up for the nexts days adventures (or misadventures as it were).

Thrifting in Daejeon: Daedong Beautiful Store

Perhaps the easiest of all Beautiful Stores to locate is that which is located at Daedong Station. Exit 6, walk straight a few hundred meters, look to your left, see the green symbol and you've succeeded.

Enjoy your thrifting adventures dear Daejeon readers, enjoy your adventures!

Don't forget to check out the Tanbang station store!

Thrifting in Daejeon: Youngmun Beautiful Store

Having acquired a car in Daejeon, the Mrs. had a couple opportunities to spot her favorite Korean store logo - that of the Beautiful Store, the non-profit, Salvation-Army/Goodwill type second hand branch of Korea. With a deep-seeded desire to frequent shops such as this to bolster the wardrobe and household goods of the Korean villa, Melissa made mental note of these new shops.

Wanting to spend some time with the ladies, enjoy some shopping and check out these thrifting joints, Melissa coralled some friends into a Saturday adventure of second-hand shop hopping. The crew planned to hit up the three known Beatiful Stores at Government Complex Station, Youngmun Station and Daedong Station. Unfortunately, the Governemt Complex Station store no longer resides at that station and may actually have moved to Tanbang Station...go figure. So it is in South Korea.

As always, shopping at the Beautiful Store yields great to little success, but is always enjoyable with the right set of friends, a coffee break and adventerous spirits.

If you want to make your way to the Youngmun Station Beatiful Store

Thrifting in Daejeon: Vintage

Thrifting in Daejeon is a well-established past-time of Mrs. Harrington as evidenced by previous THT posts. Most common to the thrift-store, second-hand scene in South Korea is The Beautiful Store (such as this in Daejeon, the one in Nonsan and a recently seen one in Seoul!) However, The Beautiful Store doesn’t have a monopoly on thrift stores in Korea and it’s a good, good thing.

Thrifting (near) Deajeon: The Beautiful Store, Nonsan

Following the festivities of Nonsan's Strawberry Festival a few of the Harrington's friends made their way onto a bus to go enjoy strawberry picking and eating. Stuffed to the brim with bibimbap and anticipating that they can participate in strawberry picking and eating next year, the Harrington's opted to wander around the town of Nonsan and see what there was.

The couple was not disappointed! A stroll through a traditional market resulted in the purchase of sesame leave seeds, a purchase which is extraordinarily exciting for Mike Harrington as he has a deep love for the bitter flavor of the sesame leaf. In addition, the Harrington's caught sight of a once-in-a-life-time performance which will later be showcased on this very blog. And, as if things couldn't get better, the couple miraculously stumbled upon another Beautiful Store which had a huge surplus of jeans. (For info regarding the 'first' Beautiful Store, go here.)

So it was, on April 9th the Harrington's took about 30 minutes to scour the racks of 2nd hand jeans and clothing and walked away from Nonsan's Beautiful Store 20,000 Won poorer but 6 pairs of jeans, one jean skirt, and three shirts better clothed (as is evidenced in the following photo).

Getting There: Daejeon to Nonsan via Seodaejeon Train station takes approximately 30 minutes and cost about 3,000 Won one-way. Once in Nonsan, grab a map and head toward the city center, the rest is pure luck ^.^ Or send the Harrington's a message and perhaps Melissa will accompany you.

To-Do List: Pungmul Market

Occassionally when browsing the internet whether it be on Facebook or expat discussion forums the Harrington's come across a few odds and ends that catch their attention (most often Melissa). In an attempt to remember these wonderful finds and perhaps share the goods with other human folk living in South Korea, some of those finds just might make their way into this bloggy space. To kick off the 'To-Do List', The Harrington Times brings you:

The Monthly Weekend Pungmul Market

Described as a folk flea market the event is held on the final Saturday of each month. Anyone in Seoul is invited to come check out the goods or contact Seoul Global Center in order to sell their own goods (second-hand or hand-made).

Knowing Melissa's particular fondness for second hand goods and thrifting it's surely only a matter of months before the Harrington's find themselves wondering the stalls of this folk flea market.

If you're living in Korea, have you been to the Pungmul Market? Impressions?
If you've never been - are you interested in joining up with The Harrington's?

Thrifting in Daejeon: The Beautiful Store

Update: November 7, 2011
This Beautiful Store location no longer exists.
Please check out The Beautiful Store - Youngmun
and The Beautiful Store - Daedong for your thrifting needs.

Those who know Melissa Harrington well know that in order to be well-dressed, she is in desparate need of second-hand and used clothing. Without such, Melissa would likely wear the same outfit daily or cause her loving husband to experience a heart attack as she pursued an acceptable wardrobe (this by no means is to imply Melissa is a fashion diva, however, the girl does enjoy some variety and practicality in her wardrobe).

Regardless of Melissa's personal style or preference for used clothing, the discovery of Korean thrift stores was nothing short of miraculous. Prior to arrival in Korea, Melissa had a conversation with a South Korean student at the University of Wyoming which resulted in Melissa learning that second-hand was not a popular concept in the land of Kimchi. A bit disheartened, Melissa held out hope that regardless of cultural norms, she could find one or two darling second-hand shops.

A bit of digging and investigating was needed, plus a good 'nose' for second-hand shops, before Melissa was able to discover not only one, but multiple thrift shops in Daejeon, South Korea.

It's Daejeon: Haleh's Korea Experience - Part 2

Still hoping to experience Daejeon for all her shining glory, Melissa and Haleh found themselves riding the subway to Jungangro Sub Station to enjoy some underground shopping as well as some above ground street vendors. However, Korea is a night-owl of a country and 10 am proved to be a bit early for exploring this nook of Daejeon. The girls had no problem purusing the shops of the sprawling underground shops, taking a few 'touristy' photos and spending some time in one of Korea's dear coffee-chains: Holly's Coffee.



A variety of coffee shop locations are perfect for winter days of touring in Korea



Above and Below ground there are many ways for visitors to be entertained.




Deliciousness is easy to find on the streets of a Korean city

The highlight of the day spent in old downtown however was the frequency and deliciousness of the foods available once this little Daejeon neighborhood began to wake-up. The ladies enjoyed freshly roasted chestnuts, walnut cookies, baguettes filled with meat and cabbage (imagine a runza but more amazing and cheaper), cream filled waffles and fresh squeezed juice, ALL for 10,000 Won combined - an average of 1,000 won per food item delighted in while shopping and meandering the streets. And, of course, the good food didn't stop there. The girls were able to join up with Mike Harrington after he put in a long day at Nameson Middle School and enjoy a Korean favorite of samgyupsal - three layer meat also known as the most delicious, thick and perfectly grilled pork belly known to man.



Samgyupsal



Groovy Ethnic Bar

Following dinner the group of three made their way to a reputable joint by the name of Ethnic Bar located in Dunsan-dong for a Korean-style Strawberry Daquiri (Soju and strawberries). The icy pitcher was enjoyed in the dimly lit cave-like atmosphere of Ethnic Bar providing the perfect closure to an all-out 'It's Daejeon!' Day.

An American Tradition makes it way to South Korea

Unintentionally, Melissa Harrington and some dear Daejeon girl-friends, found themselves engaging in a bit of a "Black Friday" sort of phenomenon after celebrating Thanksgiving. Having planned a shopping trip to Seoul for the Saturday following Thanksgiving, the ladies found themselves enjoying a full out Thanksgiving meal on Friday evening then re-uniting Saturday morning to board a train and take on Seoul's shopping scene with goals of Christmas gifts and unbeatable deals in their minds.

Seoul did not disappoint. Boarding the KTX, Korea's speedy train at about 9:30 on Saturday morning (fortunately, the crazy early morning hours of a traditional 'Black Friday' did not plague this five-some of ladies) the group arrived in Seoul less than an hour later. Hitting up Forever 21 and H&M the crew found some stellar deals and continued on with the day. Highlights of the shopping day included amazing Mexican food from Taco Amigo (located in Itaewon for those in the ROK), a trip to What the Book (also in Itaweon) followed by a bit of strolling around Insa-dong picking up a few souveniers and gifts for dear friends back home.

And the number one highlight, specifically for Mrs. Harrington on this shopping extravaganza? A pair of stellar brown boots. Price tag: W218,000 (US $218). Discount: 90%. Price paid: W21,800 (US $21.80). A stellar deal that easily compares to those found by many Americans on Black Friday. Overall, a successful and fully enjoyable shopping day in Seoul for five American souls.

Getting There/Away: KORAIL offers various train options. The ladies went via KTX (45 minutes) to Seoul and returned via Mungunghwa (2 hours). Once in Seoul their Subway System will get you just about everywhere you need to go.