Cleaning out the Closet

My style usually consists of one top and one bottom. That's it. I marvel at my friends here because they have mastered the art of layering. They've deduced it's because they are in cold areas and they can peel off layers as they get warmer.

I'm from Texas. I suck at layering.

Enter Gina Hessburg, stylist and chic closet organizer extraordinaire.


Without having to pay a cent, I was given a wardrobe facelift that made me marvel at all the options I didn't even know I had. It was like I had gone to Uniqlo and walked out with brand spanking new pieces!
I told Gina my clothing conundrums (I feel like I have just "outfits" and I don't know how to mix and match) and Gina whipped up vestment variations like the pro she is.

Treme: Instrument Promo

New culture of bacteria found in my fridge!

I did it guys. I took the plunge and excavated my fridge because I bought GROWN UP GROCERIES!!

That's right, Casey is turning a new leaf (is this still considered the New Year???). I spent 2 hours at Kim's Club and bought:

• Beef
• Chicken
• Lemon juice AND lime juice, soy sauce, black pepper, basil, pine nuts
  
• Cranberries
• pesto
  
• yogurt
• spaghetti
• HEINZ FRIGGIN 57!!!!! I literally jumped for joy when I saw this
• spinach. That's right. I bought spinach!

Notice there is an absence of cereal, ramen noodles, or any kind of junk food. I don't think this has ever occurred in a purchase before... (actually I'm omitting the beef jerky bites purchase because it was economical, 1 plus 1 (as they like to call the 2 for 1 deal in Konglish)).

Now here's the challenge that I'm giving you. Look at these ingredients and tell me what kind of meal I can make with all this stuff. The winner will receive my eternal respect and adulation.

With all of my new found treasures, I had to make space in my fridge for my food. Which meant that after all these months of growing fur that would make PETA proud, it was finally time to chuck:

• The freezer burned strawberries and onion skin I kept in the freezer to prevent from getting more moldy than they already were
• The grayish fuzzy salami that I hid away in my vegetable crisper (because, well, if you know me, I would never USE a crisper for its actual intended use)
• the two packages of green and black (once orange!) blocks of cheddar I stuffed behind my bucket of bacon grease
• My can of Philadelphia green/cream cheese
• milk (won't even tell you what came outta that carton)
  

Piano stairs

I knew my piano lessons would come in handy one day... Now where in SEOUL are they doing this?

SkinFood Pineapple Peeling Gel

My first entry in what may become a series heralding my love for Skin Food. Korea is the home of wacky stuff but this is something that the country got right. Koreans are OBSESSED with their skin. You can find a square mile anywhere in the city with about 5 different stores aimed at vain Korean women and girls who will splurge on anything claiming to make your skin whiter and brighter.

I scoff at most of these stores and stalls in the subway, but ain't no one getting between me and Skin Food. I saw Skin Food commercials during my first round in the ROK and couldn't tell if they were advertising actual food or not. This store puts both Bath & Body Works and the Body Shop to shame (though the Body Shop is stiff competition for Skin Food here in Seoul).

Skin Food offers the following and more: Cappuccino body scrub, celery gel wax, Gold Caviar collagen cream, broccoli sunscreen, papaya yogurt mask, black sugar face scrub, goat milk and lavender sunscreen (for babies), and, of coursem tomato whitening cream.

I've sampled a few of their products (which merit future reviews) but I'm excited about this product:


Recommended to me by my friend, Gina, SkinFood's Pineapple Peeling Gel sounds whack but pineapples contain AHA (alpha-hydroxy-acids) which aid in removing dead skin (increasing cell turnover = bright shiny new skin). When we think of peels we usually think of this:

Samantha after an unfortunate session with a skin peel.

But after I emerged from the shower my face was silky smooth.

The surprising part: There are no microbeads or exfoliating balls in the gel, unless they are microscopic. But after rubbing the gel on my face I noticed that it was actually taking off the dead skin!! Those of you who have gone to the jimjilbang for a scrub down will know what dead skin looks like, and I definitely had it when I was rinsing off my hands and face after a few minutes of massaging the gel.

Those of you lucky to be in Korea, I highly recommend this product!!!

Happy Easter Everyone!

On Friday we had our first field trip of the school year. Easter egg hunting at Yangjae Park. I had a blast with my Orange Owls and from the pics and videos, I think they did, too! Enjoy!!!

Harry and Minjae, the newest additions to Orange Class

Lauren and Joy, fraternal twins. This pic pretty much sums it all up

Minjae is the youngest ajossi (old Korean man) I've ever met!

Hearing Harry say, "Oh NO!!" Is just the cutest thing in the entire world!

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter!!