the calm before and after the storm

London before and after the olympic opening ceremony felt like London during Christmas - the airport and the streets were quiet. The Hyde Park at noon was peaceful and the Tube was exceptionally empty. Every now and then you would spot a crowd of olympic games visitors, a uniformed London 2012 volunteer, some related street artists or buses of athletes. 
Much more often, you could embrace the city almost by yourself!

Ps: Christoph Niemann at Abstract Sunday Blog is covering the olympic games.

Maangchi's Bibimguksu

I am a big fan of Maangchi. It is such a pleasure to see how this energetic lady brings people together from around the globe to exchange their cuisines and to learn about Korean food.

Because my mum never wrote down a recipe and because in former times, i wasn't interested into her cooking (it would be Korean food anyway at any time...), I now gladly take all the reliable recipes that i can find.

Bibimguksu is the go-for-dish when i don't want to cook but eat well (which is almost always the case).

Kimchi and toasted sesame seeds should be prepared ahead.

I took rice vermicelli (the ones that are only soaked in hot water) but thin wheat noodles (Somyun) would be authentic. I replaced lettuces for cucumber but would have preferred the latter if in season.
Carefully handle the amount of Gochujang - the hotness can differ a lot according to each brand (the one in the photo is rather mild).

belated happy new year and some blog finds

With a little view from the Namsan park where you can overview the majestic scenery of Seoul I want to wish everybody a truly happy new year!

I wish to make more steps towards a joyful and healthy every-day (I still repent of having had merely extinct fish last year...) and seek inspirations in the city.

Instead of formulating boring resolutions I would like to introduce you to some blog personalities that I have been reading for years now. The most rewarding thing in blogging and blog-reading for me is that you can find the people that can inspire and motivate you from all over the world!

Just before the last year came to an end I ran my first 20 km course - at the coast of Dadaepo in Busan. It has took me quite long to become a passionate jogger (a couple of years to be honest) but I think for every person who loves watching cities and who likes to be outside it is the best sport - you always get another point of view when passing by the neighborhoods by running.

For example, by way of this you can overview the Hudson River Park, the Gardin Luxembourg or the Englische Garden much faster when traveling ;)

This fall I would like to participate at my first half-marathon in an acceptable time. And in this regard Cate (from Cate's World Kitchen, Bay Area) is my role model. Not only does she hold astonishing private records at different running races but she also writes a beautiful vegetarian food blog and is a fancier of korean cuisine. And contrary to some German female politicians and Prenzlauer Berg Mamas swaggering about they too, at the age of 40, have offsprings, Cate shows how to manage family, work, healthy and delectable cooking and fitness without being any pretentious.

Less organized but very hilarious is Emi Guner (from letters from the end consumer, Stockholm). Beautiful mother of three beautiful kids, I owe her my favorite quote on consuming:

"I used to think buying things made me happier, but then I noticed that it was the buying, not the owning that seemed to do it for me and how ridiculous is that? Consumerism at its most laughable state..."

Apart from that Emi likes to cheer up her readers to run - by individual training, group challenges (would have loved to join her berlin vs. london challenge but lacked the technical equipment...) or by way of her authority ;)

Finally there is Maria (from Scandi Foodie, Sydney) who is assiduous, highly professional and talented in presenting healthy cooking as well as an ecologically sound lifestyle.

So happy 2012!

And btw, male bloggers are welcomed to this list ;)

favorite links

Without context let me throw in some of my revolutionary finds in the www :)

1. Rare touching historical photographs of Koreans. Rare because they belong to the Cornell University Library. Touching because these people before the industrialization era (for Koreans that was only 100 years ago) look so innocent, vulnerable and still jauntily.

You can find personal captures here together with more sources. (Btw altough its name indicates a different cuisine missboulette is one of the finest Korean food and culture readings out there, check it out!).

2. Any idea, where and how I can get to see the episodes of Kimchi chronicles? I am desperate to see Hugh Jackman's kitchen and watch him cooking Kimchi. I really am.

3. I have a dream dish that after a lazy summer at the cooking front, I will make true. Promise.

4. Ms Maangchi, the Youtube cooking star with a big sense of humour, will be on a global tour beginning this fall. If you want to learn Korean cooking from her in person, sign up now. She is from Busan, where my family comes from as well and maybe that's why I totally agree with her recipes.

The Abstract City by Christoph Niemann

If you have a heart for NYC and Berlin and if you want to have a refreshing view on the little everyday moments that in the end make up city life, you will enjoy Christoph Niemann's illustrations.

Formerly NY, now Berlin-based Niemann is an attentive observer with a pure approach and a big sense of humor. His techniques may be not as varied as it may appear at first glance. Most frequently he points out the components that makes a city distinctive, deconstructs them to their very core and illustrates them by charts that are already familiar to the viewer from a different context.

Niemann's blog has changed its name from the "Abstract City" to the "Abstract Sunday" after having moved to the NYT Magazine though I think that the original one was more to the point.

His picture story I lego N.Y. is a masterpiece of non-cartoon, minimalistic illustration.

More pictures can be found in the correspondent book.