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Molle Cafe Boutique

Seomyeon, Busan: Cafe Molle

Hello everyone! Here I am again, with another post! Seems like I'm actually going to be making a real effort to post more regularly now, and honestly... I'm just super excited to get back into blogging again! I know it's been way too long since I've been updating regularly, and I promised I would again... so stay and see what I've got in the works!

This past week was the Korean Thanksgiving celebration, also known as 추석 (chuseok). It's basically the lunar harvest festival where people will give thanks to their ancestors and spend time with their family, eating delicious foods or just spending time together. Obviously, I don't have family here in Korea, so I took this as a time to spend with my friends and roam around a little bit, though we didn't get too far from home... I did however, make a stop into Busan, which is always a treat. 

While in Busan, my friend and I were looking for a cafe, and we stumbled upon a cafe named "Molle" (몰레). Actually... more like I searched it up online and struggled to find it, but we finally did find it! Any of you who have followed my blog for a while, or know me, know that I have an affinity for beautiful cafes with little touches of personality and modern or vintage style. Also, anything with plants is a win in my books! Molle was a mix of all the things I love in cafe interior!

There was a lot of seating in this cafe. You could choose between sitting in a booth style, or sofas next to the window. There was a lot of natural light coming in from the windows of the cafe, which was something I really loved! While the view itself was nothing special, since it's on a side street with a lot of other cafes, the windows would be great for those who enjoy people watching!

Like I said before, there's honestly a lot of seating in the cafe. There's a "second" floor (it's like somewhat raised), which is where you order and they have the cake displays and whatnot. They also have some seating there, so you honestly don't need to worry about it, and the chairs all appear to be quite comfortable! 

There were also some nice little vintage touches in the cafe as well. The touch of the dried flowers alongside these other little knickknacks and really added to the atmosphere of the cafe! It's definitely a unique touch!

As far as the menu is concerned, they have a ton of cakes and beverages to choose from! Literally, there's so many choices! All the cakes are super adorable, too! I was pleased to see they had a carrot cake, since it's a classic! These days, a lot of Korean cafes have been carrying the carrot cake, which is a pleasant surprise to me! 

When it comes to beverages, they have typical menu items like caramel macchiato, lattes, cappuccino and various other coffees and teas. The "Fashion Hurts Ade" definitely also peaked my interest, though I didn't end up trying it! Definitely next time, though!

In the end, I got my usual vanilla latte and my friend had the caramel macchiato. I decided to try the "Rainbow Cheese Cake" and she had the tiramisu. I was really impressed with the flavour profile of the cheese cake! It was my first time actually eating one of these ever popular rainbow cakes, and I wasn't let down! It almost seemed like each layer had a slightly different, fruity flavour. I'm not sure if this was a trick of the taste buds or if they put some kind of flavouring into it, but I really enjoyed it. The cream cheese frosting also have a good ratio which made it pleasant to eat!

I did take a bite of the tiramisu, and it was a bit too dry and bitter for my tastes, but paired with a sweet coffee it would be a nice treat. My coffee was quite sweet, so next time I would definitely try pairing this cheese cake with maybe just a cappuccino. 

I was really impressed by this cafe, honestly! The service was good (they delivered it right to your table rather than giving you a bell that rings and you get it yourself), it was clean and everything was really cute! I would definitely want to visit this place again!

One of my favourite parts about Korea is the numerous cafes. This one certainly wasn't a let down! There's a lot of trends when it comes to dining here, and I think this "boutique" style of cafe is something that's really catching on, but I never get tired of it. If you're a person who loves aesthetically pleasing places and cafes, and enjoys eating cakes and such, I definitely would recommend this cafe to you!

The atmosphere was good and it wasn't noisy, so it'd be a great place to just sit on your own, read a book and people watch, or to visit with your friends!

Grand Jatte in Jinju

Hello all! It's been about a year since my last post... which I apologise for! Sometimes life just catches up with us, and we sometimes lose interest in or time for things that we love. I've had a post in draft for a good six months, but I never got around to posting it. Maybe it's because I spend the entire day at work staring at a computer screen, and have felt pretty uninspired. But, I'm back and hoping to continue documenting my journey in Korea and my finds! And maybe getting back to my passions, if I can! 

My friend Natalie introduced me to this adorable cafe in Jinju called "Grand Jatte". It used to have another name, I guess, but they changed it. It's a quaint cafe nestled on a corner on a backroad, with tons of plants and flower and an amazing atmosphere. Honestly, it is exactly the kind of cafe that I really enjoy going to! 

The cafe has two floors. There wasn't a ton of seating on the first floor, but there is a nice bench area where you could put together two tables if you wanted. We were a group of seven people, so she wound up pushing two tables together upstairs, though there was an extra long table with stools for larger groups (it was occupied at the time we went there). It was really cozy and the atmosphere was great for socialising with friends, or even for those studying there!

Along with many choices of drinks, there were sooooo many delicious looking desserts and treats to choose from! Unfortunately, we didn't try any but definitely a thought for next time!

The upstairs part of the cafe was pretty much what stole the show for me! There are giant trees and big windows to let in a lot of natural light. If you know me by now... you know I'm a total sucker for these kinds of "natural" incorporations in interior design. This one is definitely something special. 

I had a cafe mocha (obsessed!) there. Despite the warm weather, I was feeling a hot drink. The mugs were adorable and the coffee was really good! Definitely would recommend this place!

Like I said earlier, the cafe used to be called by another name. I guess "Cafe Maru". Anyway, this board really resonates with me; my life since coming to Korea is basically: No cafe, no life. I frequent cafes so often that it's something that really speaks to me.

Anyway, just one of the things I've been up to, obviously: cafe hopping! I'll hopefully get another post up soon to update on my skin care routine and some other fun stuff!

Green Green in Changwon

Green Green Cafe, Jungangdong, Changwon

My most recent hobby this time around has been looking up cafes on Naver (basically Korean Google) that have a good atmosphere, or are popular. I look up the location and "cafe" and search for blog posts about some nice places. Here, I'm going to share my experience at a pretty small cafe located in Changwon called "Green Green". 

A cute spot for a date

Green Green cafe is a pretty cute place. It was a bit hidden, and I almost didn't notice the sign out front, but it is very quaint and the overall atmosphere was nice. Actually, we were the only people inside the cafe for the majority of the time that we were there, but it really met my standards as far as cafes. I look for places with a welcoming, refreshing and modern interior that are quiet. There's nothing worse than going to a cafe and not being able to have a conversation or be able to think! My first impression of the place was really good. I thought it was cute and I loved the decor! Despite the dark green paint used as an accent, it was very bright and warm inside!

Plants galore!

Recently, I've grown to love plants. I always look at cafes with tons of greenery, and with a name like "Green Green", you definitely except to see some nature! I was not disappointed! There were lots of hanging plants and cacti as well as leaves and flowers in the cafe. It definitely met the theme and I loved it! I also loved the hanging lights. It made the cafe bright and matched well with the hanging plants. The menu is also a kind of chalkboard style, which I thought was really cool! I love that kind of style.

Sweet shelves!

Ignore my weird half-head in this shot, but this wall was literally one of my favourite parts of the cafe! I love shelves like this with plants. Different kinds of plants, cute light bulb style vases and potted cacti! So chic!

Cookies and Cream Frappunccinos

Now... the most important part! Even more important than the interior of a cafe is the menu, right? We ordered some cookies and cream frappuccinos, which I had seen on some other blogs and was actually advertised outside of the cafe. The presentation of them was adorable! I loved the leave shaped coasters, presented on the wooden board. It was very clean and super cute! As far as the taste, I wasn't disappointed! It wasn't too thick, it didn't melt incredibly fast, it was sweet and definitely tasted like cookies and cream! I loved that there was some ice cream floating at the top as well! Yum yum yum! Just delicious and 10 out of 10 would recommend this place to anyone living in, or visiting, Changwon!

For the love of greens!!!

Overall, I had a great experience with Green Green cafe! Definitely am going to be visiting there again! I think it would be a nice place to go and relax on your own, or have a nice afternoon date! 

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My Second Adventure

Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do (April or May 2017)

It's been a long time since I've posted anything here, but with the start of my summer vacation I've been feeling a bit inspired! Maybe it's all the shopping and the realization that I've accumulated a lot of lovely snaps over the past four to five months, but I realized how much I missed keeping a blog. It's a good way for expressing myself and I'm in need of a stable hobby... or something to urge me to get back into my old hobbies (be it photography or blogging).

This one is going to be a bit pic heavy - bear with me folks!

Stylenanda Pink Hotel - Pool Cafe (Myeongdong, Seoul)

Stylenanda Pink Hotel (Myeongdong, Seoul)

Myeongdong, Seoul (exit 6)

Here's some of my favourite snaps that I took while I was in Myeongdong, Seoul this past weekend. I visited the Stylenanda Pink Hotel. It was basically a pink lover's dream! The pool cafe was amazing as well! I wish I could explore that area some more, actually. There was a lot of people abd the street was bustling and the fashion was no joke. I'm not one for crowded places but I can appreciate the aesthetic of a place like Myeongdong. Definitely a recommendation if you're going to go to Seoul.

My travel school

Travel school, near front gate

When I'm not on vacation (or traveling between Changwon and Jinju on the weekends), I'm working at two elementary schools in Goseong (aka Dinosaur country). It's quiet, and pretty countryside, but my schools are quaint. The Korean style of school is so different from what I grew up in back home, and I'm not complaining about the set up. There's a real perk to working in a small school. Although I'm still struggling to learn some of the kids' names (not for lack of trying though)! 

Goseong

Every morning I walk to catch the bus down this street. Goseong has a lot of big buildings for the countryside, but it's also got some serious charm that I've been learning to appreciate! Even if I do try to escape on the weekend! 

Stylenanda Pink Hotel haul!

Couple shoes... well, my half anyway!

My new sheet! And my precious Apeach pillow!

June 6, 2017, my birthday cake

I've always been a big shopper, but everyone knows that since moving to Korea and having a stable income has really amplified that. Cosmetics are definitely my passion, as are shoes. So expect some more cosmetics reviews coming in the future... it's been ages since I've done one of those, right?! Anyway I recently bought a new sheet online as well and am just in love with it! Unlike last year, where I didn't really try to customize my apartment at all, I've been trying really hard to turn it into a home. I put up fairy lights, bought a few things to make it more into my style. Slowly, but surely, I am settling in. 

I may miss Jinju, and have grown to like spending my weekends in Changwon (more on that place later, I promise!), but I'm sure Goseong also has a lot to offer!

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Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival

October 2016: Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival

While I was in Korea, I wanted to experience as many cultural things as I could. However, I didn't actually make it out to (or properly document) as much of my time there as I was hoping to. I'll blame it on the fact that I wasn't feeling very inspired by my old Canon Rebel XS... which I received a good eight or nine years ago - although, I do admit I'm missing 50mm lens! That being said, the Lantern Festival is one of the few events that I didn't document on my mobile phone, so I've been very excited to share some photos with everyone... even if I am a good five months late!

To be honest... I think I actually went to the festival three times: Once to see the Drama Festival and play some games, then a second time to eat, play games (I was seriously obsessed with this one game where you scoop some kind of bug into a bucket of water and win a prize based on where it swims to), and see the lanterns. The third time was pretty casual, just walking around and looking at stuff. Of course, I visited with my friends, which is always going to make a great experience! I loved looking and seeing the history shown through the numerous lanterns... there were so many amazing things, and I took a ton of photos, but here are just a few of my favourites for you! If there's ever a chance in the future, I highly recommend visiting! And I hope I'll be able to experience more culture and festivals in Korea soon!

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