Seoul’s 5 Hot Hanok Cafes – 한옥 카페

If you love learning about new cultures, chances are you will love Hanok, a Korean traditional style architecture. Why are Hanoks so intriguing and beautiful? This style of architecture gives thought to nature and its surroundings. They are known for having an eco-friendly function and healing effects.

Raw materials such as timber, oil and rock are used in the construction of Hanok. Hanok’s have their own tiled roofs (Giwa), wooden beams and stone-block construction. Cheoma is the edge of Hanok’s curvy roofs.

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Seoul’s 5 Best Summer Chill Cafes’

Summer in South Korea is a time when a lot of us feel overwhelmed by the humidity and want to hide away at home, shaded away from the heat. Fortunately for you, Seoul is PACKED with great cafes perfect to chill in this summer. I scouted around over the last month (or more) to find my 5 favourite summer chill cafes. Ranging from aircons blasting to rooftop bars, you will definitely find good interiors, good coffee and good vibes at these cafes.

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Cape Town | Two Must Visit Cafes |

Hello lovely Byrds!

Today I thought I would share my two must visit cafes in Cape Town. Today is May 25th, Africa Day! Africa is the home of coffee and some pretty amazing cafes! Cape Town, aka, the Mother City sure raised some great cafe kids. Skinny Legs Cafe and Rosetta Roastery & Cafe are two must visits!

Watch the video below to see more about my fun time visiting both of these cafes.

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Happiness Is Home Made Jam / Spring Jam Recipe

YouTube video

Spring season in South Korea is by far my favourite. Cue blossoms, pretty colours and an abundance of strawberries. I was given a HUGE box of strawberries as a gift and even after enjoying plenty bowls of strawberry and yoghurt for breakfast, I was still left with too many strawberries. I dislike wasting fresh fruit so I decided to make strawberry and black currant jam. It was so delicious and I especially enjoyed slathering it on toasted bread with ghee and slices of fried banana.

Watch the video above for the recipe.

 

Happy jamming

xx

 


Foodie Day in Suwon / Cake and History

 

YouTube video

A slice of cake with a slice of history

What was meant to only be one cup of coffee turned into a foodie exploration of Suwon, South Korea. Coffee and sumptuous cake with the most AMAZING views ever of the Hwaseong Fortress (Unesco World Heritage Sight), followed by deliciously cheesy pizza and a beer.

First stop in Suwon, Cafe One More…

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Seoul Spring Blossoms/ Rose Mojitos / Bongeunsa Temple

Yay yay It’s FINALLY spring in South Korea. I arrived in Korea at the beginning of winter and my immune system went on strike. I’ve been so sick with all sorts of horrible things (Tinnitus, Tonsillitis, Bronchitis etc!) Thankfully I’m on the mend and this weekend was time for me to venture out in to the sunshine and smell the sweet aroma of newly blossomed blooms. After walking around Bongeunsa Temple, I opted for cake for brunch (obviously) and a delicious spring inspired beverage.

Watch the blog below to see all of the fun and beauty.

YouTube video

Cafe Able / Gangnam / Seoul


Café Able – Ugly but Sweet!

YouTube video

Saturday in Gangnam is always a great idea – there is so much to see, and do, Gangnam Style! A friend recently celebrated her birthday with brunch at Cafe Able, which boasts a fresh feel and great food. The café or, more suitably called, bistro, is situated in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam. The steak salad and creamy mushroom risotto I shared with the birthday girl was sublime. I luv luv their GINORMOUS coffee cups – think of all that brown gold in one cup! Yet, on the day, I opted for something without caffeine, (SHOCK horror!) but those who ordered a coffee said it was delicious.

The two storeyed building boasts minimal, but fresh, décor with exposed brick and pretty, floral, accents. I could so get used to lounging like les bourgeouise on the massive, plush bottle green seating while munching on the array of menu options, such as risottos, pizzas, omelettes, eggs benedict, etc.

If you value fresh, wholesome food then you will find dining at Cafe Able hugely satisfying. Their approach is one of focusing on the food, not the frills. Their signage even says, “Ugly but sweet.” Although this is a far cry from the truth, it is a testament to their unpretentious approach to quality and tasty ingredients. You do, however, pay a premium for the fresh and natural choices, with prices a little heavier than I expected (constantly converting Korean won into South African rands (in my mind) only makes matters a whole lot worse).

The harsh winter and lack of sunshine make the roof top garden at Café Able a little dreary and downcast (like me in winter – gimme some Vitamin D3 love). Apparently, it’s a lot sprightlier in other seasons (me too!). I’m planning to visit again in spring, and can already visualize myself al fresco, slowly sipping a massive latte.

Yummy looking crunchies and cookies can be bought as a take home treat, even though they are more likely to become ‘padkos’ (road food) on the journey home.

You can find Cafe Able at 12 Apgujeong-ro,14gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
How to get there: Take a train to Apgujeong station and come out at exit 5. Walk straight and turn left into the fifth road from the station (the one before Garosugil). Walk down this road for just over one block, and on your right you will find Cafe Able on the second floor of the building. Visit their Facebook page for more details: https://www.facebook.com/ableablecafeable/

You can watch the blog from my day in Gangnam above.

Be sure to subscribe to my Youtube channel: Cayly Robyn, and follow me on Instagram: @caylyrobyn for more travel food, coffee and culture adventures.

Baked Apples With Cinnamon & Date Stuffing

 

Byrd and Bean Baked Apples

Byrd and Bean Baked Apples

Byrd and Bean Baked Apples

Cinnamon-Spiced
Baked Apples

This recipe is one of my mother’s favourites. She often serves baked apples for breakfast, especially in Winter. You’ve got to make it to know just how good it smells, and tastes! This is simple, comfort food at it’s best. Baked apples will always remind me of my childhood.

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