Cordoba

I still love this picture! It was a drizzly day when I went to Cordoba (around November 2012!), but it was still such a beautiful little place. I chose to go there over Sevilla because I was in the midst of learning all about the caliphate of Cordoba, and I was determined to go. It's a beautiful place, and if you do a trip to Spain, you should do Andalucia and hit Sevilla, Cordoba, and Granada. 

[Style Files] The Artist in Autumn

Fall is officially here! My Artist side is thrilled. I imagine using those kimono-esque robes from summer for lazy weekends while sipping tea and reading. I picture trying to elongate a few summer favorites from shorter skirts to open toed shoes by pairing them with cozy sweaters and huge, knitted scarves. I can't wait for apple picking and trying to carry as many pumpkins as I can. Curling up with my dog, hair in a loose braid or a messy bun, and taking walks while the trees turn colors. Images of cider, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and more dance in my head. Fall to my artist side is the definition of coziness.

Some Purchases...

So, I've been doing some shopping. Online that is. I know I'm not going to fit into 99% of the clothes in Korea, plus I'll be trying to save while I'm there, so I've been doing some, ya know, pre-shopping. The upside to getting a bajillion e-mails from my favorite sites is that the come with announcements of sales--usually pretty good ones. I thought I'd take advantage of working some extra hours recently to stock up on some essentials. Notice everything I've gotten is pretty neutral and easy to mix and match. I've been trying to take a cue from Un-Fancy and pare down my wardrobe, particularly because I'll be trying to fit it all in two 23 kg suitcases!

Steel City, USA

Hello! If you've been following me on Instagram, you already know I've been away for the weekend to Pittsburgh, PA! It's about a 4 1/2-5 hour drive from where I live, and my big and her boyfriend are attending graduate school up there. Since my start date got pushed back to October, I thought, "Why not visit them?" I haven't had a full weekend off since graduating college, so I made sure to take off for a full four days to enjoy this trip. My friend, Mallory, also my big's sister, drove us there and back! We spent the weekend relaxing, actually, enjoying some sights and shopping, but we also enjoyed being together since I hadn't seen any of them since early summer.

Here's some of my recommended places:

• Eden's- for brunch! It's 100% a granola type of establishment, but it's so good. Our waitress was the absolute sweetest as well. I got the omlette of the day with vegan toast and a vegetarian (or vegan?) sweet chili soup as well as a green juice called Praying Mantis. 
• Double Wide Grille- We went here twice! The first time I got their jerk chicken pasta and the second time I got a pulled pork sandwich. Both were delicious, but let me warn you against the pasta if you don't like spicy. My mouth was slightly on fire.
• Sake- For sushi! It's in the Southside area, and it's usually pretty quiet, so they get everything to you super fast. Definitely get the mochi green tea ice cream for desert! And I also got the Phoenix roll and a spicy salmon roll for lunch. If you go at lunch, the rolls are 50% off.
• Mt. Washington- You can either go on the incline or just drive up yourself! We drove up, and it turns out it's free roadside parking on Sundays! This is the place where you're going to get gorgeous views of Pittsburgh. It kind of reminds me a bit of going to Montemarte to get the best view of Paris

There were some cute shops we saw, but a lot was closed by the time we could go! We did shop at some more generic shops (Old Navy, Francesca's, etc), but there were some pretty good steals. I'd like to go back in the future, but, of course, I won't be able to for at least a year! 

[In the Mix]: September 2014

It's starting to get a little colder here, and I'm just getting antsier by the day! Luckily, this month should go by pretty fast because I'll be finishing up at my retail job and visiting with friends (like this weekend!). Here are some of the songs that have been on my playlist for months or I have just discovered. Over all, it's a pretty eclectic mix!

Anyhow, I'll be in Pittsburgh for the weekend! I'm roadtripping with Mallory, and we're going to visit my big/ her sister! AKA I'll be reunited with my little Kittain. ;)

So Good- I just love Jay Park's voice! And this has a little bit of a retro feel to it (or something along the lines of MJ's "Love Never Felt So Good"). It's just a fun song to play with the windows rolled down! 

Shake It Off- Because, haters gonna hate hate hate. 

물 한잔- This was B1A4's comeback song, and it's just such a fun song! It's a good one for running and the gym as well. It translates, I think, to "A Glass of Water." 

Break Free- As much as her brother irritated me on "Big Brother" when he started blatantly lying, and I really want her to change up her facial expressions, I love me some Ariana Grande music. This took me a few listens to get into, but now I can't stop listening! "This is the part where I BREAK FREE" 

Mamacita- Oh, SuJu. Even with the "shut your tongue" line, I do love this song. Kyuhyun Oppa fo-evs. 

I Swear- Now that I think about it, the tune of this song is kind of perfect in terms capturing that end of summer vibe. 

All About that Bass- I love this song! It's so catchy, and it has such a good message. You can take offense to the phrase "skinny bitch" all you want, but if you think about it, it's not being rude to thinner women. It's only insulting if you're thinner and you're a bitch about it. (Think about how the book Skinny Bitch differentiates between being a Skinny Bitch and a skinny bitch!) 

들리니- Jessi's voice is amazing. This song is catchy in its ballad form. The guys are on point. More please! Also Jessi was too freakin' cute on "After School Club." 

Fireball- You know I love me Pitbull all day, erryday. I wish I could go to a concert! 

Crazy Dreams- My favorite CU song. Actually, I also LOVE the ballad version from "SMASH." 

Holler- Comeback, comeback! Their whole album IS AWESOME. My two favorite members plus the best SNSD vocalist (who I also love!)? TaeTiSeo is fantastic, and I agree, they do have a unique sound to them! 

Anaconda- This song kind of frightens me a little, but I can't deny how great of a workout song it is. 

Tiny Little Bows- This so brings me back to metro rides in Madrid! 

Rather Be- Allison put this on one of my mix CDs a while ago, and it has started playing at work! Such a good song. 

I Did It- I'm just discovering SPICA, and I can't get over their voices! I want to listen to everything from them, and I hope they do more English songs. 

I'm Fine, Thank You- Such a sweet song and poignant when you think of what's happened with Ladies' Code. My prayers are with them and the deceased. 

She's Mine- Another good gym song, especially Eli and AJ's rapping!  

I Got U- This is another Allison remix song that's been popping up everywhere lately! I swear, girl has a future in DJing if the lawyer thing doesn't pan out.

What have you been listening to?

Irene Kim

{via}

The last time I had a girl crush on a model was probably Analeigh Tipton when she was in "America's Next Top Model" or Miranda Kerr right when she was becoming more famous. I usually don't follow model careers all that closely because a) my interest in fashion is always changing and b) I tend to follow stylish people whose body types come closer to mine (at least in height!). However, for fun I started watching this web series called, "K-Style," and I've developed such a style crush on the one host, Irene Kim! I actually think all three hosts are hilarious (and their camera skills are definitely improving episode by episode), but I just found Kim to be so energetic and funny. I think she appeals to my artsy side while the other host, Sarah Kate Watson-Baik, appeals to my jet-set side.

The weird this is, I have no desire to emulate her style or beauty tendencies whatsoever. I think they look fabulous on her, and every picture she just looks so cool, but I know if I tried any of the trends, I'd look atrocious. Watson-Baik's style is actually closer to how I'd dress. But there's some enigmatic about her, and I can't wait for her to get more famous so there's more English articles dedicated her style. She just looks like the girl you wish you could hang out with--whether it's going shopping or drinking or dancing at night! She makes tie-dye hair look cool!

{her twitter & instagram: ireneisgood} 

I follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and her blog for style inspiration...

[The Traveling Teacher] On Getting There

PART II

{via}

So, my plane is booked, a meeting with my provincial office is set, and my agenda book is filled with last minute get togethers and appointments. The last time I talked about teaching abroad, I had reached the point of having my contract in hand. Let's just say the next few parts go a lot faster and are a lot easier than the first half! Right now I'm patiently waiting until I get to start packing my bags, which (in case you're counting) is exactly one month from tomorrow. EEK!

Anyhow, the visa process:

1)  Look up where your Korean Consulate is. I knew from Spain that mine was most likely in New York City, but it's pretty easy to check where you consulate is. Google your state and then Korean Consulate. The NYC Korean consulate's page, bless their heart, is tricky to navigate, so it took some patience and googling to figure everything out. From here on out everything is going to be based on my experience with the NYC Korean Consulate, but from talking with my friend from LA, I've found her experience to be similar.

2) Gather (more) documents. Okay, so there's lists everywhere of what you need and don't need. I personally traveled to NYC to get my documents in instead of mailing, so that, in a roundabout way, made everything a little faster. Here's what I brought:

• My contract (signed, sealed, delivered)
• My notice of appointment
• E-2 Visa Application
• Passport sized photograph
• Consulate Checklist (I don't even think I needed that...)
• My Passport

I did not need, as I read beforehand: a VIN (my notice of appointment replaced that) or a sealed transcript. I did have to pay $20 for the return envelope (in cash only). 

3) DON'T FORGET: Make copies of your contract and NOA because you're not going to get them back.

4) Tell you agency you've got your visa! Guys, my visa was literally in my hands two days after I applied for it. 

5) Book flight. So AT booked my flight via Orange Travel. I had to pay upfront with reimbursement from my school later on. Let's just say, it's gonna be a loooongggg flight. I start here at 6 am on a Monday and will arrive at my guesthouse Tuesday night.

6) Prepare! I asked for my itinerary post-flight before I paid for my flight, but either way works. Basically, I'll be flying into Incheon Airport and then boarding a bus for Jeonju. Then I'll take a taxi from the bus station to my guesthouse. I will then take a taxi to the provincial office Wednesday morning! Huzzah!

I'll let you all know more about how I'm preparing later as I actually start, ya know, preparing! There's some technical and technological things I've got to figure out as well as, the most important thing in my life that's not breathing, my clothes. I've been skimming out my wardrobe in preparation for this move as well as just skimming through all the junk in my room in general! I've also been reading up (kind of) on my province and on Jeonju, and I'm seriously excited!!

Never Forget

Currently I'm...

My pup, doing what she does best... Lounging around the house

• Reading... The Book Thief by Markus Zusak // Also submissions to a certain literary magazine...
• Playing... Nothing, actually! I deleted all games off my mom's iPad and my iPhone. There's too much to do and see in the world than to waste time on a game. 
• Watching... "Discovery of Love." The next in my K-drama addiction (it's like I'm making up for not watching a single one in 2013 and the first half of 2014!). It stars Jung Yumi and Eric Mun, but it also has two favorites, Sung Joon ("I Need Romance 3") and Yoon Jin Yi ("Gentleman's Dignity"). 
• Trying... to not implode from knowing that I still have four weeks until my departure!
• Cooking... Eggs. Powerballs. 
• Eating... Power Balls. I'm so addicted, it's not even funny! Also, if you're near a Steak & Fries franchise, get the Chicken & Fries bowl. So delicious. I ask for no cheese on my fries to make it healthier. It's actually not too bad besides the fries!
• Drinking... Water. I'm so dehydrated lately. Also that free iced coffee I got because the Eagles won. Thanks, Dunkin!
• Tweeting... About something different every time. K-dramas, K-pop, hurricanes, drinking coffee too late... You know, riveting stuff.
• Crafting... Well, not crafting, but knitting a huge scarf for myself!
• Going... to Pittsburgh next weekend to visit my big! Her sister and I (who is also my friend) are driving up and giving ourselves a mini-PA road trip along the way.
• Loving... Taylor Swift, or T.Swizzle. I've been a fan since 2007 when I was fifteen. I feel like a proud parent watching her grow and knowing just how genius she really is...even if I'm actually three years younger.
• Hating... Racism, domestic violence, general intolerance, ISIS, Hamas, hypocrisy... 
• Discovering... How bad my scribble handwriting is.
• Enjoying... The weather as it cools down. Also iced pumpkin lattes.
• Thinking... How terrible my sleeping schedule is (AGAIN!)
• Feeling... Content, if not thirsty for some adventure.
• Hoping (for)... A lot. Generally hoping my friends and family continue to be safe! My little is in Baltimore, do you know how terrifying that is?!
• Wearing... Right now, a spirit jersey with my sorority on it and high school sweatpants I stole from my sister. Earlier, I did have on a dress from work, so I was presentable!
• Listening (to)... So much music. I already have a solid September playlist!
• Celebrating... Chuseok! Not really since I'm in the US and my family isn't Korean or Asian. But Happy Chuseok, everyone!
• Smelling... The new MK Rio de Janeiro scent. What do you think of it?!
• Thanking... God, of course! (Always!)
• Considering... Taking an extensive trip back to WAC for a last minute visit before I take off for a year (or more ;)).

[TV Talk] A Gentleman's Dignity

I have so many TV Talks to get to! I still have a "Game of Thrones" post on standby and, of course, "True Blood" has mercifully ended its run. However, before I get to my American TV shows, I've got to cover the two Korean dramas that have stolen my attention these past few weeks. First up is "A Gentleman's Dignity" or "신사의 품격" from 2012. It was my first time watching a drama on Netflix, and if I didn't find this particular drama so amusing on its own, I don't think I would have stuck with it. I love ya, Netflix, but when I watch "Orange is the New Black" or "House of Cards," I have a whole bunch of friends in real life and on social media to talk to. When it comes to K-Dramas, I have no one really, and my BFFs become the comments that appear above the screen on Viki. Half the time, the commenters make the show for me!

That being said, I absolutely loved this drama. It makes reaching my thirties and even forties kind of exciting, especially if I can manage to make lifelong friends like this bromance pictured above. AGD comes from the same writer behind "Secret Garden" and "Heirs," Kim Eun Sook, and while a lot of reviewers have had issues with her writing before, I really haven't had too much to complain about (considering I loved "SG" and never finished "Heirs"). I find her pop culture references and characters funny. This drama, as Drama Beans put it, is sheer fluff, and I absolutely love that quality about it. I'm all for serious dramas that at least try to wrench my heart out, but I've become fairly cynical in my #ForeverAloneness. I don't want something fantastical at this point (aliens, Hallyu stars, singers, composers, first love effects...), and I don't need a huge conflict in order to be interested (secret murderous brother, secret murderous mother, evil competition, angry mother-in-laws). While all of the AGD plot is pretty trivial, it's the most realistic I've seen a drama be in a while (that's a stretch to relate a K-drama to reality, but there it is).

Okay, so the summary: The drama centers around four forty-year-old men who have been friends since high school. The main lead is Kim Do Jin, played by Jang Dong Gun, Korea's George Clooney, in his long awaited return to the small screen. Do Jin owns an architect company, and he is relatively wealthy and secure in his playboy tendencies. He falls for Seo Yi Soo (Kim Ha Neul), a thirty-something Ethics teacher at an all boys high school. Yi Soo is friends with two of Do Jin's friends, Choi Yoon (Kim Min Jong) and Im Tae San (Kim Su Ro). Yoon is a successful lawyer, and Tae san is Do Jin's business partner and co-CEO of their architect company. Yi Soo also frequents a cafe owned by the fourth part of the bromance, Lee Jung Rok (Lee Jong Hyuk). Jung Rok owns said cafe as well as a bar, but his money comes from his older wife, Park Min Sook (Kim Jung Nan), who owns a ton of buildings in Gangnam. Yi Soo has an unrequited crush on Tae San while Tae San dates her roommate and best friend, Hong Se Ra, a pro-golfer nearing the end of her prime. They are joined by Tae San's much younger sister, Im Meahri (Yoon Jin Yi), who is fresh from college in the US and still holding a candle for Yoon. Oh, and throw in CN Blue's Lee Jong Hyun as Collin, one of the F44's son, and Kim Woo Bin as a rebellious student who has a crush on Yi Soo.

Basically, if you were to make a chart to connect everyone, you'd have one. tangled. web. Nothing ever veers too serious (no first loves making a comeback, no angst that lasts more than an episode), and while there are admittedly some flaws (the lack of maturing in Meahri, Yi Soo's odd tendencies, Do Jin's weird possessiveness, the lack of sex despite the constant hints and jokes about it), this show was worth it. Watch it for the hilarious laughs (Yoon's fangirling over SNSD's Soo Young is the highlight), Yi Soo's fantastic outfits (which I will compile!), and for the need to feel okay about growing up. All I know is, when I marry, I hope I marry a guy with a bromance like these guys.

TL;DR Just go watch! It's a whole lotta fun wrapped up in good style. My favorite couple is Yoon Oppa and Meahri. I don't know if its from one too many Victorian Novels, but I wasn't put off by their 17-year age gap (19 for the actors!). In fact, ladies of my generation, sad eyed Kim Min Jong is still unmarried!

[The Insta Life] End of Summer

I kind of feel like I've been on auto-pilot mode this latter bit of summer. After all, it's killing me how long I'm waiting to get to Korea, and the only way to cope is going into auto-pilot mode with work-working out-eating healthy-Korean dramas. There have been some fun moments, though, and of course, I've documented them via Instagram.

1. After the Storm- While my mom was bringing me home from work, there was a storm that blew through and did some garden damage to our house. It didn't do anything too bad, but the lilies near our mailbox took the hit the most. However, I thought it was just so pretty that a full lily was lifted up and out into the road. I even had my mom drop me off at the bottom of our driveway so I could go out and pick it!
2. let's be frank- I wrote extensively on this stuff the first time I used it, and I still stand by the stuff! It's fantastic. I haven't seen the disappearance of stretch marks or anything, but I haven't been using it religiously as I'm supposed to. I really like combining it with my Italy cloth. I take a bath, use my cloth, and then the scrub. I then put on Aveeno lotion all over and slip into fitted yoga pants and a long sleeve T-shirt. My skin feels amazing.
3. Sista Sista- My sister had a moment of nostalgia and decided we should get matching Alex & Ani bracelets (more on that brand later). We got the Arms of Strength bracelets in silver for its meaning and the fact that 20% goes towards a breast cancer research and awareness foundation (my sorority's philanthropy!). Also, we both have these MK watches, so we had to add them in ;).
4. Family Pic- My cousin had a thirtieth birthday party, so all the family gathered for it. I actually had work all day and drove straight there with my siblings! Let's just say I was exhausted by the night's end.
5. Cronut Making- You can read about that here. I've made them another time since, and they're still delicious. 
6. Polka Dots- I do love my meemers. We fight all the time, but we're pretty funny. We always say we should have a show like "Kourtney & Khloe." She's three years younger than me, but you'd think she was three years older! We were trying to decide who we'd be Elsa or Anna, but we decided we'd be a mix of both. Although our brother says I'm Elsa because I spend so much time in my room, but Kenz says I'm socially awkward like Anna, so who knows? Also, in my defense, I spend all my time in my room because no on wants to watch K-dramas with me! Anyhow, we planned this picture and made our mom take like a trillion haha.
7. Da G- I wrote about my day to the amusement park here, but I didn't add this picture with my G-little! I used it to wish her happy birthday. I love her to death, and I feel so bad we all left her at college. My big and I graduated, and my little did a 3-2 program with nursing, so she graduated earlier than normal. She's got a semester of being family-less before she hopefully gets her own little! 
8. Power Ballz- I'll have this recipe up soon! I got it from Eat Your Kimchi, and they're so good. Like I eat them all the time. 
9. Oatmeal- I also seriously love good oatmeal. I'll post a recipe for this too. I've also been drinking a lot of mango juice in the morning, though I definitely need a caffeine pick me up most days. I think I'm going to look into espresso makers in Korea. My go to drink is an Americano with two shots of espresso, skim milk, and some sugar.

Hope everyone returning to school is enjoying it!

POOPED

Hope you all had a nice Labor Day Weekend. As you know from past posting schedules, I usually disappear a bit around holiday weekends. And it is not because I'm out celebrating or BBQing or meeting up with friends. It's because I work retail, and these are our busiest days. Case in point, I worked Thursday-Monday, and I. am. pooped. Regular posting to resume soon! I'm working on some meaty posts (and trying to be better about editing my own posts *cough*). I rested today (i.e. I slept in, finally went to the gym after the weekend, and got back to some healthier eating), and I've begun organizing myself somewhat. I leave for Korea in a month and eleven days! I've got more on that soon! Part 2 of getting there will be up shortly. It's surprisingly much shorter and easier than I anticipated!

Even if I was running around with shoppers, I hope you all enjoyed your weekends off! Shout out to my friends that started school this past week, and my little on her first day at nursing school!