Gwangneung and British Culture Day

Today Lana and I visited Gwangneung, the Royal Tomb of King Sejo, of the Joseon Dynasty. It was a beautiful site in the mountains just outside her town. We originally went up on that bus route to visit a temple, but after getting off at the wrong bus stop we ended up at the Tombs--one of those happy accidents in life.

It was beautiful and so peaceful and Lana and I were the only people up there. Admission to the site was only 1,000 won ($1). It was really cold out but I cannot remember the last time I had been up in the mountains in the snow.

The site held the tomb of both King Sejo and his Queen, Jeonghui, buried in 1468 and 1483 respectively. This picture comes from the view at the top of the Queen's burial mound (the raised hill denotes a Buddhist burial ground).

Afterwards we went up the road to a ceramics store and a tea house. The tea house wasn't open, unfortunately, but it had some amazing ice formations and icicles. It was really freezing out. Also...the "Euro Castle Motel" was next door.

I then went with Lana and Steve to their classes--and taught the kids a little bit about British culture. We played games and watched a little Harry Potter...but the coolest part was our tea tasting and biscuit party. It was surprising to find out what teas the kids liked best. They smelled the teas and liked Celestial Seasoning's "Sugar Cookie Tea" and hated the smell of Earl Grey. But in the end Earl Grey was one of the most popular to taste! A fun day was had by all.

Tomorrow: DMZ trip!

xoxo,
Antonia

Korea, Day Two

Culture Shock. Its an interesting phenomenon.

In some countries the effect is subtle. England, for one, is very similar on the surface to the US. Both English speaking countries, similar customs and culture. Its funny--my firsts trips there felt no different than exploring a new city in the US--it was all about the sights, the attractions, and the funny things like "beans on toast." But I never felt like I was in another country, really.

Sometimes it takes time for those things to set in. When you spend a longer time in a country you begin to see the differences. When you can't get your brand of toothpaste at the store. Trying to make your favorite dish (mexican food) or going to the doctor for that pesky cold.

But then there are places you visit in the world where you obviously experience culture shock right away. To some degree I had it in France and Italy, but with all of the similarities between the languages, and after studying a bit of it, it was easy to get accustomed to traveling there. It also helped that most people spoke some English (except one village I went to in Italy), having my mother translate, or that I could deduce what was going on from the signs and layout of the places I went.

Korea is completely different. Walking down the street is difficult, in some ways, because there is nothing familiar I can latch on to. There are very few signs that are translated to English in Namyangju because it's a smaller country "village" (with high rise buildings). I am sure Seoul itself will be different. But I don't know what each shop is--I don't know what they sell, or what they say. It can be disorienting, frankly. I feel very fortunate that I am on vacation here and do not have to seek out the same things that I did in London. Those of you who know me well know that I am no good at learning new languages. Even when I try really hard, it just doesn't stick in my brain.

Today was great though. Simple--we went on the bus (!) to another town and Costco! Things were the same, but different. You could get completely Korean things there, but also Martinelli's sparkling cider and Kirkland Mac and Cheese. After that, I braved the cold (it was like 15 degrees fahrenheit) and took a walk by myself up a country road. Didn't get very far today, but it was very peaceful--different than the highways, or the downtown (it was market day. There were sharks for sale.) Here are some pics:

the view from the apartments

frozen river

very pretty blue

finally--the apartment. isn't it really awesome?! It has heated floors too. Which is a tradition, in fact, that goes back centuries--ondol heating. Although in the old days they used to light a fire underneath...

Its been a slow journey getting over my jetlag--everyone says going west is easier but I swear going east is! Each day we do a little more, and this weekend will certainly be a crazy one. More pictures in the picasa album.

xoxo,

Antonia

Unexpected Detours

Well dear readers, I apologize for the delay in blog posting. I realize its been two weeks now, and things have been quite hectic.

This morning I am watching my second sunrise is South Korea.

I know some of you must be thinking "wahhhh?" right about now. Well, I'll tell you: the first week of January was a bit of a bust. Passports, rejections, British consulate. Yeah. I had to leave my lovely home, friends, and family in London and make the long trek back to the states. And I had a lovely week there seeing everyone I love (there maaaay have been a surprise visit, which was difficult to plan to wonderful to do!).

But Seoul was calling, apparently. My friends Lana and Steve have been teaching English in a town outside of the city for over 5 months now. I thought that in my travels I would like to visit them, and I have been fortunate enough to have that now happen (and Lana and Steve are gracious enough to have me stay for 2 1/2 weeks). Even more exciting...next week the 3 of us are taking a whirlwind trip to Japan! Kyoto and Osaka, to be precise. I'm back in California permanently 2 days before I turn 24. And what a year 23 has been. A good one indeed.

So I have only been here for one day but Korea is crazy! For the first time I was seated in an exit row, where I learned that Flight Attendants play favorites. I got free ice cream, it was delicious. I also met a very nice military man stationed in Korea. He and the flight attendants gave me lots of cool advice on things to see and do in Korea.

Got ripped off at the airport with a $200 cab fare and a driver who didn't speak much English. Driving from Incheon to the town where I am staying was crazy--seeing the skyline, the blood red sunset. It was almost blade-runner esque. The lights at night are neon at night and look more like art to me. Lana and Steve were so welcoming, and their apartment is great. It's part of Lotte Castle, which is like their mega brand here. For more info on Korea, check out Steve and Lana's blog.

The view from the apartment.

 Lotte everything!

Sparkly wallpaper!

 The village

Mad Dog "British Pub"

Lotteria Ad Campaign

Home Plus Sells TESCO! Who knew?!

Awesome Monopoly Money.

Today we are off to Korean Costco, maybe pop by their work. Tomorrow I am going to help them teach the kids for British Culture day. This weekend will be the museums in Seoul and a USO trip to the DMZ. so exciting!

 Never did I think that in the course of four months I would be able to visit England, Italy, Korea, and Japan. I had hoped I might be able to but now that I am, it's just been the most amazing experience. Things haven't turned out the way I had hoped, but I am looking forward to a future working back in California, and until then, adventure on! I will be posting on the blog, I promise. And the future posts will probably be a little more eloquent--jet lag after traveling from England to California to South Korea in two weeks has been insane.

xoxo,
Antonia

Baking Adventures

There's nothing like waking up on a rainy day, warm and snug in your bed. That is, only when you don't have anywhere to go or anything pressing to do that day.

Today was a day like that for me. I woke up to the sound of steady rain outside my bedroom window. I opened the blinds but didn't even turn on the light. Instead, I lit my lovely smelling candles from IKEA--vanilla and berries--and decided to read by candlelight. I know, it's bad for my eyes, but it was just such a fun thing to do. I went to the kitchen, poured myself a big steaming cup of coffee, cut off a piece of my homemade banana bread, and shuffled back to my warm bed. I curled up with The Moonstone and made a lovely morning of it. Ahh...this is my favorite part of winter back home. And now I can officially say I am glad there is no more snow in London. I'm a rain kind of girl. It's less cold.

I did eventually go out. I spent time cleaning my room, running errands, even popped into Nero for a coffee and continuation of the mysterious disappearance of the moonstone, and got ingredients for...

CUPCAKES!

My wonderful roommates got me the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook for Christmas this year, and I decided to take a stab at their delicious, yet simple, vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting. I must say, they were delicious--not the same as getting them from the Hummingbird Bakery on Portobello Road, but much cheaper!

Now I am usually a modest person, but I do have to say I know my way around the kitchen when it comes to baked goods. I thought: Cupcakes? Piece of Cake!

Well...they aren't. First off--buttercream frosting is hard to make! Maybe if i had an upright (and very deep) mixer it would be better. but there was powdered sugar e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. (Sorry roomies--I cleaned it up!) the speed of our hand mixer goes from light speed--ludicrous speed, apparently. I tried a lot by hand. Same with the dough--they have you mix lots of dry ingredients with butter, without other liquid so you can imagine. My lungs are filled with flour and sugar. Buttercream frosting is also hard to spread--and the sprinkles didn't really stick to it.

Oh well. I now know I'd never open a cupcake boutique. I'm going to getter better at making them, though! New Year's Resolution! Let's just hope everyone thinks they taste all right.

Tomorrow: Borough Market with Angela. Expect a post.

xoxo,
Antonia

2 Days in the City of London

The past week has been a pretty hectic one, and I'll admit--I haven't had much time to go out adventuring in London. Not that I really wanted to--the after Boxing Day sales made Central London a madhouse. Previous to the holidays, I got a bit stuck in a rut. Kensington, Green Park, Picadilly, Oxford St, Covent Garden. I went to these places so often that I felt I needed a change.

So I decided yesterday that I would venture off the beaten path--well, off my regular pattern. Both days I ended up spending a lot of time in the City. For those of you who don't know, the City of London is only one square mile. The rest is actually a part of Greater London. Westminster, Spitafields, etc. Yesterday I had aspirations to go to Sir John Soane's Museum near Holborn. I got off the Tube and ended up very close it it--at Lincoln's Inn Fields--the largest public square in London (layout designed by Inigo Jones). Now I'm sure on a beautiful summer day it is green and lovely, but in the dead of winter it looked a lot more eerie. It seemed the perfect place to begin a mystery novel.

From there I'll admit I got lost. I couldn't find the museum, and as was my luck, I forgot to bring my favorite London map with me. So I decided to wander--the eastern part of the city was much less familiar to me. Perhaps I would stumble upon something new and interesting. I ended up wandering down Chancery Lane and ended up on Fleet Street. I even past by Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a famous pub. And I found views of the city and street I used in my Sweeney Todd research.

I ended up passing over Millennium Bridge and taking the long way back to the tube on the South Bank. I always love the walk along there.

Today it rained. It felt like true London weather. I took the Tube to St. Paul's Cathedral, and from there I walked to the Museum of London. Now of all the museums I have visited thus far, Museum of London is the most modern in look and feel. It only covers the history of London, from pre-modern to modern times. It is actually quite interesting; the place is very interactive. There are walkthroughs of city streets from the 1800s, clever video projections next to ancient artifacts. They even have some historical costume pieces. The place was much better at creating ambiance.

I wandered down the streets in the City, past Mansion House, and all the way up to Spitafields Market to take a trip to Absolute Vintage. It was still raining. Let me tell you--if you want a taste of old London, spend some time wandering around the City. The streets are smaller, the buildings older and dirtier. The place has the feeling of Sweeney Todd, or Oliver. Something from the pages of Sherlock Holmes or a Dicken's Novel. Of course, it is also a business center--so between the old buildings you get Pret and Nero, suits and black cabs. Easier to remember now that this is  a working city.

I won't be abandoning my favorite places, however. I have another date with the V&A (and their scones) next week.

xoxo,
Antonia

A Long(ish) Review: Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes

All right, I know I've been dragging my feet on this one--mostly because it's such a great exhibit and I wanted to do it justice.

Two weeks ago Will and I saw the "Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes" exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Unlike the regular museum, these special exhibits do cost money, but the ones at the V&A are especially wonderful and worth the cost. A few days prior we had seen the "Book of the Dead" exhibit at the British Museum. Don't get my wrong--it was a very interesting exhibit, with a lot of information. And I really do love studying ancient Egypt. But it just felt so...museum-y. Not engaging. Like a continuation of the fabulous Egyptian collection they have upstairs. It didn't really seem worth the money.

But the moment we walked into the Ballet Russes, we were floored. The V&A know how to put on a show.

Poster from 1909 production.

I didn't know much about the Ballet Russes--only what I had learned in history of design. For instance, it was started at the beginning of the 20th century. Stravinsky's input--Firebird and the Rite of Spring, was something I had remembered. I also knew of Paul Poiret and his "Orientalism" and the influence of the dress and costume of the group and the time period. But in the exhibit I learned so much more. About Diaghilev, about his tumultuous relationship with Nijinsky (both his lover and star), and about the other designers and collaborators involved.

The famous, talented, tragic Nijinsky

Diaghilev in 1924

Oh yeah...did you know Picasso did scenic and costume design? Because I didn't until I saw this exhibit. And some of his stuff was quite out there. Think giant cubist cardboard robot soldier costumes...

Oh and Coco Chanel made an appearance as a designer too...

But what I really appreciated was the way the V&A staff integrated all aspects of the production company into the exhibit. They had areas that focused, in depth, on the costume. On scenic design. On Diaghilev's personal history. A room about choreography, video interviews playing on the music and how it was so influential. Projections of different productions of Rite of Spring and Firebird. It also went in chronological order--telling the story so artfully.

I also learned more about Leon Bakst--particularly his costume design. I absolutely fell in love with his rendering style, and have certainly seen it before. Yes, some of the design became more and more abstract over time--with Bakst, and with Ballet Russes as a whole--but even with the pieces I didn't particularly love, I appreciated them all the same.

Bakst's costumes for Daphnis and Chloe

The famous rendering of Columbine. Sleeping Beauty, 1921.

Natalia Goncharova was another amazing costume and scenic designer from the company. It was so refreshing to see a female doing so much at that time period (along with the painter Laura Knight). Her scenic designs for Firebird were incredible. And the show stopping piece in the exhibition was an original drop from the production. Now, when you see a painted drop in a theatre, it doesn't seem that massive in comparison to the scale of the theatre. but take a 30x40' or so drop and put it in an exhibition hall in a museum. It is massive. It is spectacular.

A rendering that became the amazing drop.

The Scale. No, that's not me in the pic. Found it on the internet.

Can you imagine what a production meeting must have been like in a room full of these men and women? So much talent in one room. Yes, the collaborators came and went, yes, there must have been a lot of debate. A lot of arguments. But what they created was something incredible. I though I wasn't a fan of dance. I wrote off the design, to a degree, because it wasn't personally my favorite. But now that's changed. And I have a new appreciation for the Ballet Russes after seeing this exhibit. I am humbled.

Anyway, if you have a chance to see this exhibit, I say that it is a must. For those of you who don't, there is a fantastic publication on the Ballet Russes.

 

To all of you, Happy New Year (about 8 hours later, that is). I wish you all good health and the best of luck with all your endeavors. Next post: finally a review of Priscilla. One word: Sparkles.

xoxo,
Antonia