Airplane Must Haves!

I have been fairly silent on the blog and I am more than a little annoyed at myself for not keeping new content coming in. A mini-resolution for my 2013 had been to make sure that the blog stays fresh and continues to grow. 

Whoops! 

Well, here is a little something to share! Tomorrow I will be hopping on a plane and heading to America! Hooray.  :)

I am so excited for a small trip home and even though it is only for a week I cannot contain my excitement. My husband only recently returned from a work trip that lasted a couple of weeks and so I am reluctant to leave him just yet, but this trip is a very important one!

I got invited to visit and meet with faculty at a graduate school that I am VERY interested in. I am keeping my mouth shut about the visit because I am one of those people who is a little TOO superstitious and I don't want to jinx it. I will blab all about it as soon as it all goes down, but until then mum's the word! ;)

As I am sitting here packing (or procrastinating about packing according to my husband, haha) there is a small army of MUST HAVE items that I am pretty sure I will implode without during the 14 hour flight back home (longer when you count the domestic transfers, booooo).

I wanted to share my must haves since I am being secretive about my final destination for the trip. Here is the basis for my sanity when shuffling between planes on particularly long airplane trips.

Here is a little about why I NEED these items...
Downton Abbey Dvd 1: Okay, so I am FINALLY getting into this show and I predict that as long as I have a power source the hours of layovers will just slip on by!

Taylor Swift Notebook: One of my bestfriends just sent me a care package with a Taylor Swift notebook in it and I plan on writing in it constantly during my trip. All thoughts must be worthy.
Kashi Honey Almond Flax Bar: Helps me cut down on eating random junk on the flight and in the terminals. So yummy!
Burt's Bees Lip Balm: I carry an endless supply of these little babies because I am constantly misplacing them and chapped lips are like a death sentence when traveling.
Iron Man Earbuds: These earbuds are the earbuds to end ALL earbuds! I wear them when I run and workout, and after trying about 5 different brands these are the BEST! They are super comfortable and great at keeping out noise. Perfect for traveling. :)

Toms: Comfy and slip-on. Need I say more?!
My beloved Macbook Pro: I would be a hot mess without my baby.

What must have items do you have when you travel? I hope you all have a wonderful week and maybe I will squeeze in a little updating, too. :) Wish me luck!

Shop Preview!

How has everyone's New Year been going? I hope that y'all are all knocking 2013 out of the park! I have been a busy bee lately and have been working on my New Year's resolutions like they are going out of style! I am really encouraged by the way this year is going and I have taken the "make it so" mentality to heart. 

Thanks, Jean-Luc!

In celebration here is a pretty shop preview to enjoy! Keep an eye out on the shop because these vintage beauties will be making an appearance very soon! :) You can find them and other great vintage clothing at our Etsy shop, Seoul Sold, here. I am really happy with my recent finds and I cannot wait to share them all! What do you think of the soon-to-be new additions? I think they are sweet and just in time for Valentine's Day!

Shop Preview!

How has everyone's New Year been going? I hope that y'all are all knocking 2013 out of the park! I have been a busy bee lately and have been working on my New Year's resolutions like they are going out of style! I am really encouraged by the way this year is going and I have taken the "make it so" mentality to heart. 

Thanks, Jean-Luc!

In celebration here is a pretty shop preview to enjoy! Keep an eye out on the shop because these vintage beauties will be making an appearance very soon! :) You can find them and other great vintage clothing at our Etsy shop, Seoul Sold, here. I am really happy with my recent finds and I cannot wait to share them all! What do you think of the soon-to-be new additions? I think they are sweet and just in time for Valentine's Day!

Things I love: Modcloth!!!

It has been over a WEEK since I posted....which seems like a lifetime, but it couldn't be helped. I caught a particularly nasty stomach flu and was down for the count all of last week. I didn't go outside or talk to anyone the entire time since I was so drained, and I cannot tell you how happy I am to be getting around again!

Hooray for health!

A while back....a VERY LONG while back...I was lucky enough to snap up one of Modcloth's stylish surprises! I had no idea what I would be getting and my mind ran rampant with what kind of goodies could be in store for me.

The long awaited day came and I won't lie to you. I was a tad disappointed...AT FIRST.

I ended up getting a sheer mustard yellow hi-low button-up top. I pulled it out of the box and was kinda of like...that's it? 

The top is soft and flowy, but I am not really a fan of flowy or baggy clothing because not too long ago I lost around 40lbs. When I lost the weight I had a wardrobe full of baggy clothing that didn't fit right. Because of my own history I was tempted to toss the item back into the box and call it a day, but I decided to REALLY look at the item and think about what it could BE.

Modcloth's stylish surprise challenged me to step away from my specific likes and to experiment with things I owned to create an outfit that I loved. It was really fun going through my closet with fresh eyes and on a mission. Overall, I would recommend the stylish surprise because you never know what you are getting and if anything it's fun to play dress up to find the right look.

Here is what I came up with. 

I really liked the top when I added it over a simple black dress with a crisscross back. When the weather is warmer I will be taking this look out for a fun date night look. 

I also wanted to try and play up the pretty color and collar of this top so I slipped it beneath a little peplum lace blazer that I own. I was really pleased with the pop of color and the overall look of the top underneath the blazer. This isn’t all I have come up with for this little number from Modcloth! I have some ideas of pairing it with a high-waist skirt and I can see it underneath a slouchy sweater as well.

When you feel like you have nothing to wear remember to look at your closet with FRESH eyes. With a little thought and some playing around you will be able to utilize pieces in new and interesting ways this year!
Keep your eyes open for a shop update in the near future and have wonderful day!

 

A Warm Weather Adventure: The DMZ

It has been snowy, icy, windy, and downright teeth-chattering weather in Seoul over the past few weeks. I have spent more time indoors, and have been missing the hot and humid days of summer that used to leave me soaking minutes after leaving the subway. 

In honor of my cabin fever and summer-lust I have been looking over photos from adventures in Korea that I had during the warmer months and here is one that I wanted to share.

The DMZ.

Even in South Korea the DMZ is made into a cute and adorable place.

When the weather was nicer I hopped on a bus around 8 am and took the 2 1/2 hour bus ride out to the DMZ to see why my husband and I were stationed here for 2 years. If most of you don't know my husband is a blackhawk pilot in the Army and I am his perfectly out-of-place Army wife. We really love living in South Korea and have done our best to embrace the culture and language of the peninsula. I took the trip to the DMZ because I felt like I had to go to the DMZ to actually understand why my husband does what he does and why we moved halfway around the world.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I went to the DMZ so I went with an open mind and heart. Our guide for the day was extremely well informed and I was not let down by the experience. 

What struck me the most was the hope and preparation for unification between the North and the South. The Freedom Building at the JSA (Joint Security Area), which was built to host reunification meetings between families split between North and South, was so big and so empty. At the time that the group I was with went through the building, we were the only people in the entire place and the desolateness of it was heart-wrenching. You could only hear the sound of footsteps echoing through the enormous building where families were meant to be hugging and smiling.  Another place that the emptiness really struck me was Dorasan Station, the very last station in South Korea before the DMZ. The station is empty and stands waiting for passengers from the North that never come. The only people who visit are tourists like myself.


The next most striking thing to me was the stand-off between the South and North Korean Army. It was heavy and intense with plenty of looks to kill. 

 
Here is the conference room that is shared by both North and South Korea for negotiations and meetings. The room is equally controlled by each country's soldiers and R.O.K. Army guards were in place to make sure that no one in our group got the defect fever. (At least that is what our guide told us ;))

The experience was educational and made the reason for leaving home for 2 years more tangible. I mean, I knew why we were here and had spoken to many Korean friends and acquaintances about it. Many of my favorite Ajusshis and Adjumas have shared stories with me about the war and divide that have left me tearful with a heavy heart. Living in such a bustling and vibrant city as Seoul it is very easy to forget about what happened and turn a blind-eye to the suffering. Going to the DMZ was worthwhile, I am glad to have done it, and I am eager to take friends so that they too can understand and really see a different side of South Korea.

If you ever have the chance visit the DMZ remember to go with an open heart.