A Stroll Along Samcheongdong, Seoul, South Korea

I think the best way to discover a city's hidden charm and best-kept secrets is to explore it on foot, at a leisurely pace, without a particular destination in mind. Walk through a city's hustle and bustle into perhaps its only quiet spot, or stroll along its empty streets on a lazy Sunday morning and suddenly find yourself in a quaint hole-in-the-wall, a perfect setting for a weekend brunch. Don't forget to arm yourself with a camera - you never know what you might find!

I did a lot of walking the two times I visited Seoul with friends, and one of my favorite places to explore on foot was Samcheongdong. The tree-lined streets, the pretty storefronts, and the fusion of modern and traditional details in the architecture were lovely to behold. It was nice to be surrounded with so much creativity, and to discover the quirky details that lurked in every corner. 

I took a lot of photos in Samcheongdong and these are my favorites. Hope you like them! On your next trip, set aside an afternoon or a morning to walk around the city you are visiting. Skip the tourist spots for a bit and live like a local. Don't forget to wear comfortable shoes!

4 Korean-Inspired Cafes in Manila and Ortigas, Philippines

My idea of the perfect lazy day is to spend it in a cute cafe. The coffee and the food don't have to be particularly spectacular - for a lazy day at a cafe, I find the ambiance to be of utmost importance instead: somewhere relaxing, with pretty interiors and good music (a cute barista wouldn't hurt either).

In spite of our hectic Seoul-all-you-can itinerary the last time we went to South Korea, we managed to find time to visit Jukjeon Cafe Street and Hongdae and explore a few quaint cafes, which I loved. I love Korean cafes. They're like Kpop idols - cute, sometimes quirky, and usually pretty. If it weren't impractical I would be happy to fly to Seoul for a long weekend and do nothing else but go cafe-hopping.

Seems I'm not the only one who's grown fond of Korean cafes, because currently there are four cafes in Manila that all have the cool Korean cafe vibe. Two are conveniently near my place which is perfect, and the other two are a bit of a drive but definitely worth it! Check them out under the cut, and maybe with some background music care of f(x) and EXO's D.O.? Enjoy!

Current favorite Kpop song. Squishy Do Kyungsoo FTW!

Breakfast at The Kitchen Table, W Hotel Bangkok

I love a good hotel breakfast - there's no other way to start the day right (except maybe a kayak trip to a nearby empty island, but then the hotel breakfast would definitely come after that). I love its seemingly limitless gastronomic possibilities, and always hope that it's an optimistic parallel to the day it headlines.

I had a great time staying at The W Bangkok, and one of the main reasons for my rather enjoyable stay was the breakfast at The Kitchen Table. Great food with a wide variety of options, the stylish presentation of the food and the relaxed yet posh ambience - I looked forward to waking up early every morning knowing I was going to start my day with a hearty meal. 

Explore a bit more of The Kitchen Table at The W Hotel Bangkok under the cut!

A Trip Back in Time Inside Simsimheon House, Bukchon Hanok Village, Seoul

One of the things I love about Seoul, South Korea (besides the fun dances and pretty boys of Kpop, naturally), is how it's managed to become a very cosmopolitan city without giving up its cultural and historical treasures to make way for modern ones. Seoulites have managed to find a way to keep a harmonious balance between traditional and modern Korea, and this is how we came to find ourselves exploring a beautiful, traditional house in the heart of Seoul on our trip last year.

We were only planning to marvel at the beautiful traditional houses in Bukchon from the outside because we knew most of the houses were privately owned and not open to the public, but luckily my friends chanced upon Simsimheon, a house you could visit in a guided tour for a fee (was it 10,000 KRW per person? I forget).

But the highlight of the tour for me was the plum tea they served us - best tea I've ever had, seriously! It also features in our Kpop-inspired Seoul travel video - have a look at the photos (and the travel video!) below!