Cornelian cherry(산수유 in Korean) trees are one of the first to let people know spring has come. Festivals to enjoy their yellow blooms are held in some cities including Gurye and Icheon late March. These spots are crowded with people on weekends who want to see, smell, feel, and touch spring.
I chose to enjoy the blooms in my neighborhood, mostly in Asian Park and Hangang River Park. The trees just began to blossom, but I could feel spring is close to me.
Peonies are one of my favorites of all flowers. They evoke so many different emotions: elegant but voluptuous, secretive but showy, shy but bold. They hide themselves in round, tight buds. Once they begin to open, the layers of petals expose their hidden stories. How charming! They are also one of the most expensive flowers at a flower market! I am pleased to watch some of them growing in nature. The peonies here are different kinds.
When I have appetite for fried rice noodles, Noodle Box is one of the places I go to. This casual eatery offers Asian fried rice noodles and fried rice. As the name indicates, the food is served in a square box, which customers can open on the spot or take away. Noodle Box runs dozens of stores in Seoul and other cities in Korea. I usually go to the store located in Samcheong-dong in Seoul, a popular neighborhood of cafes, galleries, and handicraft shops. The last time I visited this place, my friend and I had Mi goreng(a kind of fried noodles, popular in Indonesia and Malaysia), Thai fried rice, Thai chicken wings and two bottles of beer to cool down. The stir-fried noodles and rice are a little spicy and sweet and totally delicious. I usually go for spicy cuisine when I order main dishes in a restaurant. This set of dishes including beer come at a reasonable price of 21,500 won. The single dish of noodles and rice is usually priced at around 7,000 won.