Weekend 48 of 52.

Lunch at Loving Hut, Bake Sale to benefit Asan Animal Shelter, Soul Underground Session with Film Star

Some promising weather news: it has reached above 30 for the last two days, which means one layer of pants and only a coat instead of a coat stuffed with hoodies and lighter jackets. What happy news. Our weekend could not actually have happened without this most brutal Seoul winter, as we spent Saturday at a bake sale raising funds for dog houses and medical care for the little frozen pups at the Asan Animal Shelter. We pre-ordered a box of cookies, brownies, muffins, bread, which secured the donation of a dog house. It also secured for us our only chance of buying anything. By the time we got to the cafe after eating lunch, every last item for sale had been purchased, and I think people were eyeing my box hoping I wouldn't show up.

Lunch we had at the Loving Hut Buffet, the delightfully militant vegan restaurant with its 24/7 propaganda TV that we went to for the first time so long ago. I'm pretty sure everyone who takes the time to read the subtitles on the propaganda TV thinks it's hilarious. We saw some Koreans chuckling to themselves, while we were openly cackling. At the time, we were learning how to delete memories of bad past lives with our computer souls, while clinging to the hope of one day owning our very own UFOs. I don't know what that has to do with veganism, but somehow both will save the planet.

And we ended our Saturday back at Soul Underground to play another show. Our final Korean show before our journey to the New World is this Saturday, and then Dan is letting me rest for a while. Thanks, Dan.

Weekend 8 of 52.

Children's Grand Park, Seoul Forest, Loving Hut, PC Bang, Bau Haus Dog Cafe, Bistro Corner

This was a weekend for birthdays. My birthday was on Sunday, and Teresa's, a teacher, was on Saturday. Also on Saturday, an all day training seminar for some of the teachers, including my husband, so Teresa and I joined forces and went to Children's Grand Park and Seoul Forest together. I mentioned Children's Grand Park when Dan and I found it a weekend or two ago, but this time I had my camera and actually explored the park, which contains a zoo, a botanical garden, pony and camel rides, and an amusement park, all for no entrance fee. We thought it was pretty amazing. We tried to go to Seoul Forest afterward, because Teresa thought a friend had recommended it, but what she really had recommended was a foresty area along the Cheonggyecheon Stream. Seoul Forest, especially after Children's Grand Park, was not pleasant but not impressive.

For Teresa's birthday dinner, we were back at On the Border for Mexican food. This time with a whole group of people. We definitely had a fiesta, if you know what I mean.

Sunday was my birthday, and Dan and I went to the Loving Hut restaurant in Sinchon. Next door to that was a PC Bang, an arcade, where we played Street Fighter, and I excelled as Chun-Li like I always do. We ended up going over to Gwanghwamun to a bookstore and to try to find Insa-Dong. We did not make it to Insa-Dong, but we found ourselves down a pretty path between two stone walls, which would have been prettier if I'd had a better attitude, but sometimes you get sick of walking two full days in a row.

After a nap, we went to the Bau Haus Dog Cafe! And it was wonderful, and we are going to make every final Sunday Schnauzer Sunday (which totally works because there was a sleepy Schnauzer there). A dog cafe is a happy place where you can bring your dog to play with resident dogs and otherwise, where you should order one drink per person, where you should bask in the happy atmosphere. The best part about the dog cafe is that it is the shortest walk from our house. It was only three blocks away. We ended the weekend at Bistro Corner and ate ribs and fries and a cheeseburger.