December's things to do

Sitting right in front of Sangsu Station, Mère Picon has already captured the hearts of many foodies. Having worked at a renowned French restaurant in Korea, the owner/chef Aly (Jiyeon Jeong) prepares easy bites that wonderfully go with wine and beer.  Mère Picon’s fish & chips was simply... perfect. The meat was particularly thick and juicy, the fried batter light, soft and crispy, while the potato sticks and wedges served on the side really complimented the whole dish. I give this a big thumbs up.  The Gorgonzola Mère Pizza with apple slices on top was a great light dish too. It uses citron honey instead of regular honey, so you get that little sweet and sour kick with it. We also ordered Squid Ink Paella in Mom’s Stone Pot and Mulle à la Bellgium as well, and they both were delicious. The best part of it was that the prices are reasonable compared to other bistro pubs in the area.  Mère means mom in French, and Mère Picon “Picon’s mom.” Just like its name, the ambiance here is is warm and comforting. The chef welcomes guests with a bright smile. Though it was a random Tuesday night, the bistro pub seemed pretty busy with more than 10 people chatting and sipping wine. As I was leaving, I looked around the pub and without hesitation I knew Mère Picon will be my pick for my end-of-the-year gathering.

Brooklyn the Burger joint, already famed for their succulent patties and rich milkshakes has recently started their fourth branch in Garosu-gil – this time making it a 24-hour, 7-days a week venture. Walk inside and you’ll immediately be struck with the retro American ‘50s style interior, fully furnished with plush mint green booth seats and chairs by the bar. Bite into a steak fry even before your burger comes out and the perfectly cooked, golden color will have you realizing that the actual food is itself more impressive than the interior. Burgers come available in five or seven ounce servings. While our personal favorite’s the classic “Brooklyn Works” (a classic offering of American cheese, bacon, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles and homemade sauce), the restaurant does offer a variety of more creative burgers. Two talked about burgers are the cheese-oozing C.R.E.A.M (Cheddar Rules Everything Around Meat) and a crispy fish fillet burger called the Big Fish. However, perhaps the most important piece of advice we might be able to offer today is: save room for dessert. Brooklyn the Burger joint may be a burger joint, but they have 43 different milkshakes and ice cream variations that will definitely make you regret not having a sweet to top off the meal. The aroma of the Nutella and Burnt Marshmallow makes it one of the most popular dessert options but those eating to start out the night, several drinks like the Pepsi Vodka Float offer alcoholic variations on your favorite...

Remember the scene in the romantic comedy About Time, when a girl and a boy first encounter each other in complete darkness. A similar total-darkness experience is available in Seoul, unfortunately, its concept is not about finding your one true love. Rather, Dialogue in the Dark (located in Bukchon) is an awareness raising exhibition. It was created in 1988 by Andreas Heinecke as a result of a life-long search for answers to the question, “On what ground do we judge people and feel inferior or superior?” Interestingly, it was an acquaintance who had lost his eyesight in a car accident that helped Heinecke realize not only the answers to his question but also his fascination of the world of blind people. In order to confront this prejudice about blindness, Dialogue in the Dark was started, in a small warehouse. Now, this exhibition has over 130 locations in 20 different countries with over 9 million visitors. Once inside, you will be stripped of all possible lighting devices (phones, watches, etc.) and will be ‘blind’ for 100 minutes. You will listen to the directions of the ‘road master’ and utilize a white cane to navigate rooms of different themes; leaves, forest, using wind to rotate a sailboat in the right direction, matching smell and touch with places and objects, etc. Dialogue in the Dark isn’t just about being blind; it’s an experience that will indulge yourself in all your other senses. For safety issues, only visitors between the age of 9 to 70 are allowed, with...