Happenings in October - AVENE Cleanance A.H.A Exfoliating Serum + iVegan

Tuesday 8/10/24

I am already familiar with the AVENE Cleanance range as I am currently using Avene Cleanance Cleansing Gel and Cleanance Comedomed. Hence, adding AVENE Cleanance A.H.A Exfoliating Serum to my routine felt like the perfect complement to complete my skincare set. Thanks Daily Vanity for introducing the product.

AVENE Cleanance A.H.A Exfoliating Serum is suitable for people with sensitive, blemish-prone skin. Its lightweight, watery texture infused with Avène Thermal Spring Water, feels incredibly soothing upon application. 

The serum absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving behind a hydrated, dewy glow without any greasy feeling. The serum is free from fragrance. I noticed it effectively soothed redness and did not trigger any breakouts or discomfort. It’s the perfect addition to my skincare routine.

Saturday 12/10/24

We went to Starbucks for dessert where I had Buttery Scone. It was crispy on the outside and buttery on the inside, with the Lurpak butter adding extra fragrance.

Sunday 13/10/24

Journey to east for iVegan at i12 Katong a health-conscious restaurant offering natural, delicious plant-based whole foods free of MSG and refined sugar. Their dishes use olive oil and pansalt.

Thanks GF for inviting me along to join her and K for the lunch, good opportunity for me to pass her recent overseas souvenirs.

The Crispy Veg Maki was the nicest among the dishes I tried, it does not lose out to the Japanese maki. Made with cucumber, carrot, red cabbage, nori, tomato salsa, vegan mayo and BBQ sauce, it was bursting with flavour.

With the growing demand for vegetarian dining, restaurants are getting more creative with their menus, and I would not mind eating vegetarian more often if it is this delicious.

Seoul (South Korea) Day 2: Namsangol Hanok Village + Namsan Seoul Tower

After returning our hanboks, we walked back the route toward the Ginseng Chicken Soup area, trying to look for suitable places for lunch along the way but none caught our eyes, so we ended up back at Seochon Hanok Village for a late lunch. 

It was already 2.40pm by the time we settled down for Salon de Donkkasu. This small yet popular eatery was nearly full and we were lucky to get a table immediately.

We were given a complimentary soup after placing our order, it was creamy and tasty.

The menu was simple with only seven options, most of which were pork except two with fish. I got Pork Tenderloin Cutlet at ₩11,500 (or S$11.31). The cutlet was coated in a crispy crumb layer that provided a satisfying crunch, revealing lean meat inside. It paired well with the sauce and rice.

Salon de Donkkasu (Tonkatsu Salon)

20 Jahamun-ro 7-gil, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea

Operating hours: 11.30am to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm from Mon to Fri, 12pm to 10pm on Sat and Sun

It took us 20 minutes to walk to Gwanghwamun Square to see the statue of King Sejong. He was the fourth monarch of the Joseon Dynasty and regarded as one of the greatest rulers in Korean history.

We were at Gwanghwamun Station (Purple line) and needed to head toward Chungmuro Station (Orange line). We purchased EZL Card for public transportation at a convenience store for ₩5,000 (or S$4.92) each and topped up money to take train.

It was nearly 5pm when we reached Namsangol Hanok Village. Since it was along the way to Namsan Tower, I decided to drop by here and explore.

Namsangol Hanok Village is a recreated village featuring historical traditional houses, pavilion and  garden from Joseon era, giving visitors a glimpse into Korea's past. Admission was free which attracted many tour groups to visit.

It was a relaxing spot, allowing us to bask in the ambiance of the recreated village, which felt like stepping into an ancient garden surrounded by natural beauty.

The village would have felt more charming place if I had not already visited the palace. After the palace, the buildings here seemed quite similar. Hence, I decided to skip the structures and focus on exploring the beautiful garden instead.

We just stayed for 15 minutes in the village and quickly made our way out for next schedule.

Namsangol Hanok Village

28 Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea 

Operating hours: 9am to 8pm from Tue to Sun

We boarded bus 01B in front of Daehan Theatre at Chungmuro Station Exit 2, heading to Namsan Tower. The journey was just five stops with a fare of ₩1,400 (or S$1.38). The entire bus was packed with people heading to the same destination as us, we stood throughout the way.

We arrived at Namsan Seoul Tower at 5.35pm, just in time for the sunset. Being an iconic location that appeared in many K-dramas like Boys Over Flowers with its memorable cable car scene, it was a popular attraction among tourists.

Even before reaching the tower, the view was already spectacular with the entire city in a panorama. At every turn, the scenery was breathtaking.

We spent a few minutes admiring the stunning view of the city, dotted with many buildings, before heading up the slope toward the tower.

Namsan Seoul Tower is a communication and observation tower, standing at a height of 236m. From restaurants and cafes to souvenir shops, there are plenty of ways to spend your time here.

The view from the base of the tower was just as beautiful as the one from the observatory. In my opinion, visiting the tower was not necessary to admire the cityscape. We spent two hours here but only 15 minutes at the observatory.

We made our way down to the steep slope to the bus stop for bus 01A, I slowed my pace to descend carefully. When I glanced back, J was lagging even further behind, moving so slowly that I could not help but calling him "ahjussi."

Namsan Seoul Tower

105 Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea

Operating hours: 10am to 11pm

There was a long queue for the bus and we only managed to get up by the third bus, standing throughout the journey with a standard fare of ₩1,400 (or S$1.38) for four stops to City Hall.

By the time we alighted, it was about 8.10pm and we wanted to find a place for a light dinner but most of the restaurants here were already closed.

We stopped by GS25 convenience store and picked up some grapes, sweets, and cookies for munching during the trip.

We were happy when we spotted Dunkin' Donuts, thinking we could settle our dinner here. Unfortunately, their selection was limited at this hour.

We picked up two plain scones and two cookies at ₩13,600 (or S$13.37) for our breakfast tomorrow as we will not have time to hunt for food in the morning.

With limited options for a light meal at 9pm, we ended up at A Twosome Place again, visiting this cafe twice in a day. I skipped on street food because I needed a place where I can sit down to rest while having the food.

I had Egg and Ham Muffin at ₩3,900 (or S$3.83). It was like a classic breakfast muffin which was simple yet satisfying, just perfect for a late night meal.

There were a variety of seating options for both small and large groups. We chose seats on the same level as the counter, making it convenient to take and return our tray. It was a relief to sit down and relax, we ended up chilling here for 40 minutes.

A Twosome Place 

Myeongdong Daeyeongak Tower, 97 Toegye-ro, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea

Operating hours: 7am to 11pm from Mon to Fri, 8am to 11pm on Sat and Sun

We were back at our hotel after 15 minutes walk. It was a tiring day with lots of walking, can't wait to head back to the room and rest.