I've been saving this footage for a year now! Can you believe it?! So last year, when I was in Korea, I took a ton of footage and this is something I wanted to save for the Fall time. The dessert place I had gone to was all decked out in Halloween decorations so I thought what better time than now to get this baby up! Here are the details of the day and where I went exactly!
So, let's start up with the beginning of the day. That morning, I had gone to the Dog Cafe. I wanted to get there nice and early so I could beat the other customers so I could get great footage for my video for you guys! However, to my dismay, it was closed :( I had already visited that same cafe several times (FYI, the Dog Cafe in Myeongdong doesn't open on time. haha.) and it was never open! Determined to get in, my mom and I ended up walking around Myeongdong and decided to get a snack in O'Shakes. I was immediately attracted to the store because #1 it looked delicious, #2 it was adorably decorated, #3 I could've gone for something sweet.
If you're ever in Myeongdong and decide you want to try this place out, here's the location!
Address: 11-26 Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
For those of you guys who like the pictures, here they are! Like I said, I was absolutely mesmerized by the beautiful and festive decorations. Plus, this place has several floors so there's lots of possibilities for seating!!
My dessert! Look how pretty it is!!
The floor that we sat on! There's an additional floor upstairs!
I hope you guys enjoyed my little post on O'Shakes! If you end up going or if you've ever gone, let me know!
So I went to a sheep cafe. That's right... you read that correctly. A sheep cafe. Sheep cafes are an actual thing in Seoul, Korea so you know I had to check it out. I went there with my friend Taryn and we went to the Thanks Nature Cafe in Hongdae. In the video that I made for The Travel Breakdown, you can see that we got a little lost trying to find it, so hopefully this blog post will prevent that for you if you're planning on going and also give you some quick tips! :)
Let's get to the Travel Breakdown....
Getting There
Ah directions. I'm terrible at them. I wish I was a better navigator but alas I am not. I mean I'm really bad... I'd consider myself directly challenged. Now that we've gotten that fact out of the way, let me tell you how we were able to find the Thanks Nature Cafe. Well, first of all, the Thanks Nature Cafe to me is a little hidden. From the street, you would almost miss it. You can see in the travel vlog that Taryn and I ended up wandering around Hongdae for about an hour. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed every minute and took advantage of being lost by shopping and eating along the way :) How did we finally find the sheep cafe you ask?! We asked someone. Around Seoul, especially in the tourist-y areas, there are people standing around with red vests. These people usually speak English, Chinese and Korean and can help you find wherever you're trying to go. Plus, they supplied us with a nifty map :D
Address:
마포구 서교동 486 서교푸르지오상가 B121 Seoul, Korea
Phone Number:
+82 2-335-7470
When you finally find the cafe, you'll see that it's actually below the street level so you walk down the stairs and see the sheep enclosure. BOY WAS IT STINKY! haha.
You'll see a menu at the base of the stairs before you walk into the actual eating/drinking area so be sure to pick something! This is like your entrance into the cafe. There are lots of lovely options though :)
Once inside, you can't smell the sheep. At least I couldn't and I have a very sensitive nose. See that order here sign? Yeah that's where you order. haha.
I really enjoyed the interior of the cafe. Let me take you on a little virtual tour, yes? :)
Around the cafe, they had adorable little sheep accents. I also loved how open and airy the cafe itself was.
They had magazines there for you to look and they also had a little charging station for phones! I didn't take a picture but take my word for it! I thought that was a very nice touch.
They also had lots of potted plants around the cafe.
Tips
-Don't overwhelm the sheep! They had an enclosure within the enclosure that you're not allowed to go into. You can enter the first gate, just not the second.
-We went during the week around 5pm and it wasn't too busy.
-It is a little stinky. haha. So be prepared.
-Don't be afraid to ask for directions! Like I mentioned, the people in the red vests are there to help. We would have never found the cafe had we not asked.
-Check out their Facebook for updates! You can also see cute pictures of them out for walks :D
Taryn got some type of carbonated blueberry drink and I got an iced caffe latte :) Delicious!
Well thanks for coming to the Thanks Nature Cafe with me!! Isn't this fun?! It's like you're with me going to all the fun places!! Don't forget to follow my blog for more of The Travel Breakdown and of course, beauty posts! Love you! :)
Dog Cafes. Seriously a dream that has materialized right in front of my eyes. I've heard about them and have always wanted to go so when I was in Seoul, I made a point to go! I mean, let's face it. Seoul, Korea is the mecca for themed cafes so naturally, dog cafes, cat cafes, hello kitty cafes, charlie brown cafes, reptile cafes...the list goes on... are very popular. If you're every in Seoul, please check out a few of these fun cafes. They're worth experiencing! Back to the Dog Cafe though...
Let's get to the breakdown...
My Experience
Ok, first let me tell you about my experience going to one of these because boy, it was a not easy for me! I was determined to go in the morning right when they opened because I wanted to be the first to play with the dogs. I figured they'd have the most energy then and that I would get some great shots for my youtube channel, The Beauty Breakdown, and pictures for this blog post. All of which happened and was great. However, the actual operating hours seemed to be...flexible to put it politely. I kid you not, I went to this dog cafe 3 times at opening hours and found it wasn't open! Why put hours on the door if you're not going to abide by them?! I finally got in... 2 and half hours after when they said they'd be open. Ugh. Well, I finally got in, applied the hand sanitizer they require you to use before entering, paid about $10 USD for a coffee (that's the entrance fee... you're required to buy one drink!) and got busy playing with some doggies :D. The dogs were all high energy! The man who was taking care of all the dogs was running around cleaning up after them because yes, they just go to the bathroom on the floor. But he was pretty on top of everything so surprisingly, it didn't smell. It smelled like cleaning supplies haha. However, the floor would sometimes be wet, which the dogs would tramp through and then jump on you. So you do get messy. Keep in mind, this is a dog cafe. Dogs are a little messy and they are easily excitable so be prepared. All worth it though :) The dogs seemed like they were really taken care of... and this is where I want to make a quite note.
NOTE: From what I could see, the dogs really liked the man working there and would get visibly excited when he walked by. One of the bull dogs had an eye infection and I actually saw the man working there tending to it and putting drops in its eyes. So, to me, it seemed like the dogs were well taken care of. Some of you commented that in my video that some of the dogs looked thin and under nourished. However, you need to pay attention to the breed of the dog. I think most of you were pointing to the afghan hound because it's spine was visible. But these breeds are naturally very thin and that's just a feature of these dogs. Please look up photos if you don't believe me! They had a back room, where people are not allowed to go and there was dog food a little place to lay down if they felt overwhelmed. No, I do not know how often they get to go out. But I will say, I don't think they live there. Actually, one of the mornings I went before it opened and I couldn't hear any dogs barking. So they were not there that morning and I'm assuming were taken home (or at least out for a walk). The other two mornings that I went before they opened I could hear the dogs barking. So it was obvious to me that the dogs get taken out. I know this was a little long winded, but please be aware that I wouldn't go to a business that was not taking care of their animals. To me, the dogs seemed really happy and well taken care of. No, I can not be certain but I'm comfortable with my observations. Anyways...
When you're done and ready to leave, they have a station equipped with lint rollers, wipes, fabric freshener, and hand sanitizer. So you can get fairly cleaned up. However, don't prepare to go to any hot dates immediately after because I did still feel like I needed to take a shower. Again, all worth it :)
How it Works
-You're required to use hand sanitizer before entering. Don't want to expose the doggies to a ton of germs!
-The entrance fee is buying a drink. It depends on what you order, but this usually ranges from $8-$10 USD.
-The dogs go EVERYWHERE. So keep your drinks and belongings high.
-Enjoy your time playing with the dogs :)
Tips
-Don't bring anything fragile. The dogs go everywhere including tables, seats, etc and they will get into your stuff if you don't keep an eye on it!
-Wear clothes you don't mind getting messy
-The dogs are jumpy and jump on you so keep that in mind if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.
-Be careful not to step in dog mess.. they do just go on the floor but the workers clean up right after.
-Try to go earlier or right when they open because I know these places get busy!
-I would hope I wouldn't have to tell you this if you're going to a dog cafe but BE RESPECTIVE OF THE DOGS. Don't get in their faces, touch them when they're eating (their foods in the back room anyways and you're not allowed back there), and leave them alone when they looked tired. You wouldn't want someone bugging you while you're tired and trying to relax right? :)
Location
There are several dog cafes around Seoul (there's actually two in Myeongdong where I was!) but here's the location of the specific one I went to.
중구 명동2가 32-2 경도빌딩 3층, Seoul, Korea 100-809중구 명동2가 32-2 경도빌딩 3층, Seoul, Korea 100-809
Conclusion
I had a BLAST. I think cafes like these are so fun and worth going to once in your life :) It was really nice getting a little break from the busy bali bali culture of Korea and playing with some cute dogs for a little bit :) Have you ever gone to one of these? I want to hear your experience!!
It's been a while since I've written one of these Seoul, Korean Shopping Guides. I love these, personally, and whenever I write about these... I miss Korea so much! I really enjoy shopping and am the type of person who can just wander around, look at stuff, and not have to buy anything. Well, that didn't happen on my last trip to Seoul, Korea (I bought a decent amount of things :o ) but hey, I guess it gave me more experience to give you tips and my guide on shopping in the Express Bus Terminal.
Let's get to the breakdown...
By the way, before I get to all the information, I'm going to actually write a separate post about shopping in Dongdaemun Market! I put them together in the video since I did it all in the same day, but I think it deserves a separate post :) And the pictures are blurry because I took it directly from the video. It's really hard to take video, talk, and take pictures all at once. So I hope it's ok :)
The Express Bus Terminal
Description
There are TONS of shops in this area! About 600 to be exact :D You could walk around for days and see something different I feel like. Here, you can find everything from household goods to shoes to bedding to beauty items! Yes, even beauty! This is a pretty good one-stop-shop kind of area if you only have a limited amount of time in Korea. However, be warned... underground shopping gets crowded!
Look how far back it goes! And this is in practically all directions!
Directions
Let's get some of the basic information out of the way. The address to the Express Bus Terminal for Undergound Shopping in Seoul is:
162 Banpo 4(sa)-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
To get there by the Subway: Line 3, 7, 9 at Express Bus Terminal, exit 8.
Excuse my crazy face! I put this screenshot in here because you can see the subway sign in the background. That way, you can see exactly where I came in from in the video!
Shopping Tips
Look how cheap you can find clothing for here!
I ended up buying this shirt for about $5!
Always bring cash! Most vendors in Underground shopping areas don't take card. Actually, a lot of "mom and pop" type of shops take cash only.
You don't necessarily need to know Korean in this area. You just have to walk up, take a look, and if you find something, give them however much it's marked! Simple as that. This is because most racks are marked so you don't have to ask how much things cost :)
I don't haggle in this area. This is because the items are already cheap enough! I honestly wouldn't even try. You might end up offending the shop keepers because the items are already a good deal!
Wear comfortable shoes! This particular underground shopping area is connected to Shinsegae, Megabox Movie Theater, and a couple other attractions! So there's lots to do and look at and you don't want to be bogged down by uncomfortable footwear.
There are some food court areas down there, but bring a snack! They are spaced out and sometimes a little bit of a walk to get to. Nothing is worse than being super hungry and not being able to find somewhere to eat.
If you're really looking for a good deal, you can always shop around. You'll actually notice a lot of shops carry some of the same items or items that look very similar so try to find the one the has the best deal!
You can find all kinds of stuff! Even items for the home :)
There you go! There's some basic information about shopping and navigating the Express Bus Terminal Underground Shopping in Seoul, Korea! I just uploaded a video where I take you around with me while I'm shopping there, so be sure to check that out above as well as subscribe to The Beauty Breakdown!
Welcome to The Travel Breakdown everyone! If you're confused on the concept (what the heck is The Travel Breakdown, is this a new channel, etc) please read this post! I explained the whole concept behind the new series to clarify for everyone what this is! Now that we've got that away, on to my experience visiting Cat's Attic in Gangnam, Seoul, Korea... Let's get to the travel breakdown.... What in the world is a Cat Cafe?! Oh, my friends, let me introduce you to the wonderful world of cat cafes. They're magnificent, trust me ;) Cat cafes are literally what they sound like. They're cafes you can go to where you can not only enjoy a lovely drink but also socialize with adorable felines. These are super popular in Korea because having a pet is somewhat impractical in Korea. While that's not to say people don't have pets in Korea, just think about it... why own a cat when you can just to a cat cafe, play with one for a couple hours, and then leave? In Korea, most people live in apartments and don't have the space or time to care for an animal. This is honestly why I think they're so popular. Plus, these type of places are awesome for photo-opts.
Where We Went In Seoul, there are several different chains of cat cafes. The particular one we went to is called Cat's Attic. They have several different locations, but the one went to is in Gangnam. Please refer to the map below to see exactly where and you can also go to their official website (or do some Googling) to find other chains and locations!
But are the cats taken care of? The cat cafe we went to seemed very cat friendly. Luckily, the cats had plenty of room to roam and lots of hidden places up and away from people just in case they felt a little overwhelmed. The cats all seemed pretty relaxed with the people and each other, which was pretty evident in all the sleeping kitties. I also noticed that whenever the workers walked around to brush or give the cats treats, they all perked up and seemed to really like the employees. The cats had fresh water and food available at all times and also an adjacent room with a litter box, which was only accessible through a little kitty door. I figured if they were really irritated, the cats could choose to go hang out in that room.
Rules to make sure the kitties aren't mistreated!
Is it clean? One concern I had in general was the cleanliness. Overall, the place was well-maintained and I couldn't really smell the litter box (if you own kitties like I do, you're very familiar with that smell!). Before going, I was a little concerned as to how hygienic it could be to combine drinks and cats, but you just have to watch your drink to make sure no kitties help themselves to a couple sips. I mean, let's face it, you're really going to play with cats, not to enjoy drinks! haha. Also, before you enter, you have to wear slippers they provide and sanitize your hands. I really appreciate that because it shows they make an effort to keep the facility clean and their cats healthy!
Tips and tricks Visit more than one If you're a cat fanatic like I am and you're staying for a while in Seoul, definitely check out more than one cat cafe. I went to about 4 (I know, I'm insane) during my couple weeks in Korea and each one was completely different. So if you have a bad experience at one and you're desperate to find a cat cafe you enjoy, try different ones! Don't wear black! You're gonna get furry when you're playing with cats. That's pretty much a no brainer. So try not to wear black because it obviously shows hair a lot more! I do want to note that most cat cafes have lint rollers/hand sanitizer/hand wipes available, so you can freshen up before you leave. I just figure it's always better safe than sorry! Go on a weekday These places get packed! I had the best luck going during the week instead of during the afternoon. That way, you can get the most out of your kitty time :D
So if you do end up going to a cat cafe, I hope you have lots of fun.. and no allergies :) They're a really cool place to visit so definitely check and see if there are some in your area or if there are some where you're planning on traveling too! Cheers :) xoxo, Morgan
