Coffee in Seoul - Day 5

Despite the totally bizarre circumstances under which I was able to extend my stay in Seoul, I had a fantastic weekend!
(...and that's all I'll say about that) ;P
Friday, after settling into my new digs, I enjoyed some hardcore R&R. I don't think I was even aware of how exhausted I was. I curled up in my bed and ZONKED.
I woke up completely disoriented and unusually agitated about being in the hotel room.

I felt like the room was filling with smoke and I was slowly suffocating. Looking in the mirror, my own reflection seemed to mock me. I had to get out of there immediately. I called up a new girlfriend - one of the stylists from the shoot with whom I'd really hit it off the day before. We agreed to meet up around Sinsa Station for dinner, shopping, and wherever else the night led.
We shared a (huge) Vietnamese meal, and embarked upon an almost manic shopping spree. Popping in and out of boutiques, lured in by colorful SALE signs, trying on clothes, accumulating cute little bags on my forearm - it was a sweet catharsis from the intense anxiety I'd been feeling all day.

Pit stop on our evening walk

I really wish I could remember the name of the neighborhood my friend took me to next. She wanted me to experience a different side of Seoul - not the typical scene for a Friday night. Instead, we headed north to an area filled with art galleries and elegent little shops in more traditional Korean architecture. Everything looked so delicate, even the stores - they didn't feel "open for business." I thought the entire building would shatter like glass if I dared to cross the threshold. The streets were quiet and only sprinkled with other stollers - it was a very romantic place to just walk and observe (and slowly bake in the heat). We passed a beautiful school, some government buildings, and a palace. All of this felt very familiar, like I'd been there before - but that's impossible, right?

We took a break at a nice cafe with an amazing outdoor seating area. We spent a long time chatting...about countless topics. I couldn't decide if my friend was super easy to talk to (pleasant a person as she is), or if I was simply eager to unload my thoughts on anyone willing to listen. In any case, the smoke that threatened me inside the hotel room had begun to dissipate. I was enjoying myself.
Then, I was in the mood to dance. Surprise, surprise. We weren't really dressed for a full-on dance club, so we wandered into a nearby jazz club instead.
Now this was really interesting. The entrance to the club was hidden in an alley - shadowed, shabby, and completely unassuming. But what was waiting inside was one of the coolest spots I've ever seen. The space was tight, but the vibe was chill and relaxed. There was a live trio playing...and they were actually really good. The guitarist was amazing, and there was a woman on the upright bass (you know I love a female on bass)!
I won't start my rant on the metaphysical merits of jazz...but I'll just say this trio seemed to be playing out all the emotions I'd been carrying with me all week. It flowed from excitement to dejection to panic to fury to reluctant acceptance and back again. Maybe I didn't really need to dance. I just needed to feel it in my bones... that, and a white russian in my tummy.

An underground gem

I wasn't ready to call it a night (and I wanted to avoid that hotel room as long as possible, so we decided to head to Dongdaemun for some 24-hour shopping action. I couldn't believe this place. It was huge and there were people everywhere! Women pushing babies in strollers, couples enjoying street food, groups of kids running around - it seemed like the only thing NOT there was the sun.
This place could be very dangerous. Without a mall closing time, how would my mother know when to go home?

My head nearly popped.

Anyway, I was instantly in the spirit. We refueled with Americanos and dried squid to snack on, and I tore through that place like a whirlwind (wink wink, Indiana Christian Academy).
Shopping can be a little uncomfortable for me in Seoul, I've discovered. Being an American (ESPECIALLY a Black American), I don't dig the tendency for store employees to hover all up in my personal space while I'm browsing. I think they're trying to be attentive and mean no harm, really. But with all that pressure, my shopping muscle just can't get it up. An employee's hot breath on my neck has quite the opposite effect, and you can be sure that whatever I was considering for purchase will be promptly returned to the racks. Fortunately, I found a few places that gave me space, and I came away with quite a few cute little items (even a couple of awesome Engrish shirts).

Alas, the night had to end eventually, and soon I was back in my hotel room. I was tired enough to keep the impending agitation at bay. It was, after all, a super fun day!
I am so very blessed.