Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Hotel Lobby

Imperial Palace Hotel The Imperial Palace Hotel has recently invited Martin Todd Kindleysides from Australia as its new assistant executive chef. Previously Kindleysides was an executive chef at the Sheraton Hotel and O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in Perth. In 2007 he was invited to the Kobe Sheraton Hotel in Japan for an Australian food promotion and participated in various events for Australia’s prime minister and other VIP guests. An acclaimed chef, Kindleysides won the 2007 ACF Salon Culinaire and the Australia Hotels Association Awards in 2007 and 2010. He plans to present his new culinary creations at the Imperial Palace Hotel based on his diverse background and experience. For more information call 02-3440-8000. Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Have a night of fun at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill’s S.O.U.L party, specially prepared for single ladies and gentlemen. From 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on April 22, the hotel’s Moroccan-style pub Sirocco will be decked out with good music and food to enjoy with an entrance fee of 60,000 won that includes a welcome drink, unli

Apr 7, 2011By Kim Rahn

Say cheese at Blooming Gardens new cheese bar

By Han Sang-hee Popular Italian restaurant Blooming Garden opened its latest branch near Cheonggye Stream in Seoul early this month ― a “cheese bar.” One may wonder if there really is such a demand for cheese in the middle of a newly-built fancy restaurant, but before making any judgment, have a seat. As soon as you walk into the restaurant, the cheese bar catches the eye ― the seats face the chefs, who prepare cheese dishes to order. The specialty is the ``cheese course’’ (35,000 won), which is comprised of dishes made with the restaurant’s cheeses and is only available at the bar. For starters, the chef whipped up simple stuzzichini dishes with mushrooms and celery root, which was nutty with a sweet kick, and pancetta with honey mascarpone. The mascarpone, an Italian triple-cream cheese made from a special type of sour cream that is also the main ingredient for tiramisu, was light, soft and sweet ― everyone on the table scraped it up to the last bit. The primo piatto, or the first main course, was one of Blooming Garden’s specialties ― short pasta with

Mar 31, 2011

Hotel lobby

InterContinental The Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas’ Blush Bar & Lounge offers free flowing wine and draft beer along with assorted side dishes between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays. Up to 20 kinds of buffet dishes are presented, including salads, cherry tomatoes, broccoli dipped in various dressings, homemade assorted sausage and ham, and a cheese selection. Six different types of wine are available, and the buffet menu may change on a daily basis. The promotion is priced at 28,000 won. For more information, call 02-559-7619.

Mar 31, 2011By Kim Rahn

A trip around South Jeolla Province

By Han Sang-hee The breeze may still be a bit chilly, but the southern part of the Korean peninsula is already welcoming spring. Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, is not only getting ready for the flowery season, but also Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea, with neighboring cities Gwangyang, Gurye and Hadong joining in. In line with various preparations, the organizing committee of the expo has designated 393 restaurants, shops and lodging houses in 16 cities around South Jeolla Province and has also came up with a list of 50 tourism courses offering a full experience of landscapes, food and culture. The Korea Times followed a travel course recommended by the expo committee last month, and indeed had a treat. The first stop was Gurye, which is famous for the annual ``sansuyu,’’ or Japanese Cornelian cherry, festival. The festival was canceled this year due to damage from foot-and-mouth disease, but this has not stopped the bright yellow flowers showing off their colors. The area is also famous for its various types of “wild” vegetables, which can be enjoyed at a designated res

Mar 31, 2011

27-day festival on Peace Island for New7Wonders of Nature

By Ko Chang-hoon The World Environment and Island Institute (WEI) at Jeju National University are inviting 400 students to enter its 27-day program on the “Peace Island of Jeju,” which has been nominated for the New7Wonders of Nature accolade. The program is called ``Let’s Talk about the World Environment, Islands and Global Peace’’ and will run from July 25 to Aug. 20 on the beautiful triple-crowned protected island. Jeju was made a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve in 2002, followed by its inclusion as a place of World Natural Heritage in 2007 and most recently became a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2010. Students will spend two weeks exploring this unique environment through encountering the 7 ``jewels’’’ of the New7Wonders of Nature. The jewels include the ascent of Mt. Halla and experiencing its breath-taking volcanic landscape, exemplified by the summit crater-lake Baeknokdam, which presides over 40 volcanic cones. Another jewel is Seongsan Ilchulbong, or the ``Sunrise Peak,’’ an archetypal tuff cone formed by hydro-volcanic eruptions on the shallow seabed about 5,0

Mar 24, 2011

Gangnam: Where beauty gets lift

By Kim Rahn All the nation’s trends and advances in the industry of physical beauty and aesthetics start in Gangnam-gu, the district where everyone is gorgeous and made up. Both men and women flock to the area to enhance their appearance, as more than half of Seoul’s plastic surgery and skin care clinics, or 430 among a total 819, are located in the district, especially within the so-called “beauty belt” that stretches from Sinsa-dong to Apgujeong-dong. The highly skilled doctors and the wide range of treatments are well known and reputable, even overseas. About 16,000 foreigners came to Gangnam in 2009 precisely to get major or minor beauty surgery and skin care services. Tourist and cultural attractions situated nearby also lured and facilitated a massive influx for mainly medical tourism. World’s famous beauty belt Cathy, a Chinese woman from the U.S., was consulting with a plastic surgeon Shin Yong-ho at BK Dongyang Plastic Surgery Clinic near Sinsa Station on Tuesday morning. Unsatisfied with her small eyes, she flew to have double eyelid surgery here. “

Mar 24, 2011By Kim Rahn

Hotel Lobby

Millennium Hilton Come feast on an array of local delights at Orangerie, the Millennium Seoul Hilton’s buffet restaurant during the month of April. The Korean cuisine promotion will feature specialties from eight provinces across the Korean Peninsula, including wrapped kimchi from Gyeonggi Province; acorn jelly and potato pancake from Gangwon; Melanian snail soup from Chungcheong; spicy beef soup from Gyeongsang and lastly seaweed soup from Jeolla. The entire peninsula will be represented as dishes from provinces in North Korea are also on offer such as beef and shrimp pancakes from Hwanghae; cold noodles from Pyeongan; and fermented flat fish from Hamgyeong. Lunch is priced at 55,000 won and dinner at 60,000 won. For more information call 02-317-3143.

Mar 24, 2011

Traditional paper morphs into versatile artwork

By Chung Ah-young Appearing as a guest in a recent TV show to support director Im Kwon-taek’s current film, “Hanji,” actress Ye Ji-won showed off her “hanji” (traditional Korean paper) craftwork. In the movie, Ye plays a hanji artist who breathes new life into the tradition and she said the role inspired her to learn the actual process of making hanji. After Im’s 101st film was released, the craft of traditional paper-making and other handicrafts are receiving fresh attention not only because of the master director’s inspiring touch but also for the timeless beauty and practicality such artwork imbues. The paper is now being rediscovered by fulfilling present-day needs. Hanji is made of mulberry trees known as “dak” which are native to Korea. Hanji is a versatile, durable and resilient material that can be oiled or lacquered and made waterproof. As it is breathable, it is said that the paper can be preserved for some 1,000 years. In ancient times, use of hanji was limited to making lanterns, window paper, fans and baskets as the paper was very rare and expensive. But now

Mar 24, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Check in for cultural experience at hotels

By Kim Rahn Hotels these days are not places offering only bed, food and beverages. They are becoming places of total leisure and cultural complexes, providing programs and even art pieces to satisfy guests’ aesthetic palate. Some hotels have artwork produced by world famous artists. If guests don’t just pass paintings and sculptures displayed in hotels and pay a little more attention to them, they may find surprisingly valuable works by artists such as Paik Nam-june and Pablo Picasso. Gilbert & George at InterContinental In the lobby of Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, the “Britishers” (2008) by British artistic duo Gilbert & George is displayed. The collaborative team depicts the human body, and other artistic works including movies, photos, drawings and performances, as sculpture. Through these “sculptures,” they have demolished the border between art and life, and between different forms of art. The winners of the Turner Prize from the Tate Gallery in 1986 represented the United Kingdom at the Venice Biennale in 2005. They also held a retrospective e

Mar 17, 2011By Kim Rahn

Fresh seasonal dinner at Ananti Club

By Lee Hyo-sik Welcome spring at Ananti Club Seoul, located in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, just a 40-minute drive from southern Seoul, as a ``fresh market’ dinner will be offered in which chefs grill a customer’s choice of meat, seasonal seafood and vegetables on March 19 and 26. A range of live performances are expected to entertain diners as they enjoy their custom-made meals. The club is Korea’s first family-oriented, elite golf resort where fathers can play golf, while their kids and wives enjoy a range of activities at the club house and other facilities. Dining experiences will feature a wide array of locally-produced fresh food, including webfoot octopus, eggplant and pumpkins. ``On top of amazing food ingredients, we will also stage fantastic live performances. First, on March 19, a live acoustic guitar performance will surely entertain our customers, followed by a rollicking duo concert featuring folk and modern-rock songs,’’ said Sante Ahn, general manager of Ananti Club Seoul. The following week on March 26, under the theme of ``Blooming Green,’’ a f

Mar 17, 2011By Lee Hyo-sik

Travel & Food

Travel & Food

Hotel Lobby

Say cheese at Blooming Gardens new cheese bar

Hotel lobby

A trip around South Jeolla Province

27-day festival on Peace Island for New7Wonders of Nature

Gangnam: Where beauty gets lift

Hotel Lobby

Traditional paper morphs into versatile artwork

Check in for cultural experience at hotels

Fresh seasonal dinner at Ananti Club

Most Read in Lifestyle