Cookies!

Last night, I made these delicious chocolate chip & oreo cookies! Thanks to this pinterest link! They were so easy to make, and even passed the Aaron test!  He's picky with sweets, but said I nailed it! :)

Seriously, run to your kitchen and make these NOW! You'll thank me later!

Saturday sewing party

After leaving lunch with Emo, we started thinking up ways to pay her back for her generosity. We decided to make a warm bed for Serry for the winter months. Since the weather has become colder, Serry has been sleeping on a bath mat instead of the cement floors in the shop, but we thought a nice homemade soft bed would be a good treat for her and would show our appreciation for lunch today.

So, I got right to work! Luckily I still have my school's Home Ec sewing machine which made the project much faster and more professional looking.... and yes, I sew on the ground.  Always have.

I used a fleece blanket I already had but didn't really use anymore, and some stuffing from my old comforter.  The only thing I actually bought was a zipper!  This was my 1st project with a zipper. The darn thing took me 4 times to get it just right, but I've figured out how they work now!  I finished off the bed by personalizing it with Serry's name, in Korean, with some cream faux fur material I had.

Aaron and I gave Emo the bed tonight and she was so appreciative and thought it was so sweet that we had homemade it and personalized it!  Serry sniffed it for a while and wasn't an automatic fan, but I'm sure after she sees what a good night sleep she'll have on it, she'll love it!

Lunch with Emo

In Korea, "Emo" means something much different than in America. The word "Emo" actually means "Aunt/ Auntie" and is used loosely between the natives. For instance, Aaron and I go to visit Serry, our favorite neighborhood dog about 3 times a week. The lady who owns the shop where Serry lives has taken Aaron and me under her wing, so we call her "Emo," or aunt. She's always so generous and offers us free drinks when we sit and visit with Serry and has recently been cutting up apples or persimmons for us everytime we come.

On Thursday night though, our Emo asked in Korean if we could have lunch with her on Saturday (today). We of course agreed, fully realizing there wouldn't be much conversation going on, since she knows less English than we know Korean. Good thing is, Koreans don't typically talk during meals anyway, so there were no awkward silences.

We met Emo at her shop at 1:00pm and the three of us walked about a 1/4 mile to a Samgyupsal (pork) restaurant where she ordered about $50.00's worth of food!  We were shocked to say the least!  This is a single woman who runs a shop the size of a walk in closet... but she was dead set on making sure we ate enough to be full, and we were unbelievably thankful for her generosity.  This was just the first round of meat that was cooked at our table...

She also ordered 3 rounds of shabu shabu, raw meat, egg noodles, and bean sprouts that are boiled in flavored broth.  This was my 4th dish that she poured for me!

By the end, Aaron and I were bursting at the seams and she was smiling, happy that she had treated us to a nice lunch and filled our tummy's with yummy food!

Thank you Emo!  We love you!

Winter stroll

Aaron and I went on a little winter stroll through Nampodong tonight to check out all the new Christmas decorations that have been set up throughtout the area!

There was free hot cider being given out to shoppers, couples walking hand in hand, little bundled up kiddos standing next to the lights while their parents snapped away on their cameras...

... and a huge stage set up right in the middle of the street where performers sang and danced their hearts out in front of thousands of passerbys!

As if that wasn't enough entertainment, at 7:00pm sharp, artificial snow fell onto the street for about 5 minutes!  It was so fun and felt a little like a real snowfall... a soap snowfall that is!  Regardless, for a California girl like me, the faux snow was just fine!

We ended the night with dinner at Thursday Party, a new foreign bar that just opened last night!  While I'm not a fan of the freezing cold temperatures that have suddenly swept over Busan, I DO LOVE all the Christmas cheer and the fact that I have a great guy to snuggle up to on winter strolls!

So proud!

Aaron recently submitted one of his photographs to San Francisco based 

WIRED MAGAZINE.

My older sister Amy, who works for the magazine, asked Aaron if he'd like to take some photographs for an article they're running on the newly finished Busan Cinema Center Building. He of course jumped at the opportunity and went 3 times, just to make sure he got the perfect picture.

This afternoon, Amy e-mailed to tell him that the editor loved his photo and chose it to run with the full page article in the February 2012 Issue!

I am so proud of you Aaron!  

Congratulations on your 1st magazine publication.... on your first try too!  Not to mention, it's the # 1 design and photography magazine in the world!!  Heeelllllooooo!!!

** and of course a special thanks to my sis for the heads up!