Eats with Jeff #2: Fish and Chips

Fresh Fries Factory in Seomyeon

This was our first official time meeting with Jeff and essentially this was where Eats with Jeff began. He and I were messaging back and forth about some of the foods we love to eat and the places that we wanted to go. He mentioned Fresh Fries Factory, a fish and chips place in Seomyeon. I heard that it was a popular place with foreigners and I've always wanted to go.

I love a good fish and chips. I think that we didn't eat enough of it when we were in the UK, but I also didn't want to come back gaining all the weight I lost before we left. I'm always trying to find the foods that I miss and are hard to find. Although I love Korean food, sometimes you just want a taste of home.

Fish and Chips

Chicken and Chips

Sausage and Chips

I hate to say it, but Fresh Fries Factory was awful. It was really disappointing, because I wanted them to be good. When we glanced at the menu, I was really excited. They didn't just offer fish and chips they also offered other menu items. The three things that we all agreed we wanted to try were the fish, sausage and chicken. 

When everything came out, I could tell just by looking at it, it wasn't going to be what I expected. The fish looked okay, but the serving size was so small. It was mostly batter and very little fish. The sausage wasn't even sausage it was hot dog and not the good kind. The chicken was okay, but it was very similar to the chicken tenders you would get in elementary school. I was really disappointed and didn't even waste the calories on the chips.

Jeff, my bruv

Beef with Rice

Beef Bibimbap

After the seriously disappointing meal at Fresh Fries Factory, we were all still quite hungry. We walked around trying to find something to whet our appetite. We ended up at this beef and rice place that we saw on the street. We ordered beef bibimbap and beef with rice. It was pretty tasty although it's pretty hard to ruin beef and rice. The best part was that each meal was only around $5.

The lesson of this Eats with Jeff? Just because a lot of people frequent a place does not mean the food is good. Also, Korea always has something to offer if you've had a disappointing meal. 

Farewell Hwesik

One of the most important things about having a successful and happy life in Korea is having great co-workers. I've been very blessed thus far and I have worked with some amazing people. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and three of my closest co-workers, Kelly, Jenny and Mickey, left last month with the start of the new school year.

The Waygooks and Mickey Unnie

Boys

Kelly has been one of the best people to work with. She's been my office mate, my teacher and most of all, my friend. I couldn't have asked for a better person to work with. She's always ready to listen to me sing or complain. Any time I would go to her with a problem, she would always be ready to help. She's quite possibly one of the most selfless people I've ever met and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to work with her.

Jenny, Kelly, Mickey unnie, Me and Doug

Ever since I arrived in Busan, Kelly and Jenny have been there. They've been the two people that I've relied on the most. Jenny took care of not only me, but Markus too. She was the best co-teacher and always there whenever I had a stupid question. She always anticipated my needs and was always there to pick me up. She's amazing and when I think of Korea, I will always think of her. I'm sad that Jenny, Kelly and Mickey unnie no longer work with me, but I'm very thankful for the short time we had together. They made this crazy adventure worth it and for that I will always be grateful. 

Bayon Temple | Angkor Wat, Cambodia | 1 of 2

I have to admit that before I moved to Korea, I didn't know much about Cambodia. I think it's one of those countries that falls under the radar, especially when you live in America. It's so easy to forget that there is a whole other world on the other side of the planet. Before moving to Korea, I never journeyed to Asia, the closest I ever got was the Czech Republic. Thankfully, living in Korea has allowed us to explore other wonderful countries that I would never have the opportunity to visit.

Bayon Temple is one of the well known temples in the Angkor Wat complex. The most distinctive feature of Bayon Temple are the  many faces that cover the towers of the temple. It was built in the late 12th century, so many of the 216 massive faces have deteriorated over time. Despite this, what is left is truly breathtaking. I've never seen anything like it and it truly felt like I was stepping into unknown kingdom.

Homes & Masks | Harry Potter Studio Tour 4 of 6

Hagrid's Home

The other areas of the first studio had sets and props from other famous places in the world of Harry Potter. There were the homes of Hagrid, Sirius Black and the Weasley family. I will say that it's super awkward seeing this sort of headless mannequins dressed as all the characters. I do like that they had something, but seeing my favorite characters clothing without heads is slightly off putting.

The Leaky Cauldron

Weasley's Home

Sirius Black's Home

The second studio was filled with even more interesting things. The first part delved into special effects and showcased a lot of the monsters and makeup. It was crazy seeing how detailed and intricate the masks were for some of the characters. I'm pretty sure being a make-up artist for films like these is an awesome job. Although, I do think they could've displayed Dobby a bit better. It was a bit jarring seeing his head propped up on a desk. Poor Dobby, murdered and displayed for all the world to see. 

Westminster Abbey | London, England | 4 of 6

Unfortunately, we weren't able to make it inside Westminster Abbey. We visited on our last day in London and by that time, we were a bit tired of museums and things of that nature. Also, the £18.00 ($27) fee was a bit steep. Now, in hindsight, I regret it a tiny bit. I had the chance to see the beauty and splendor of the Westminster Abbey and I let my fatigue and an entrance fee stop me. Who knows when I'll ever be back in London, that's the thing about wanderlust. It causes you to want more and see more. Most likely, you'll never return to the places you've been because the world is so big.

I think while we were there I knew I would later regret not going inside and went a bit crazy on the photos. I only had the outside to take photos, but it was enough. Even though we weren't able to go inside, we were able to make it memorable. James, Ari, Markus and I found a nice grassy spot in front and sat for a bit. We had a nice chat and people watched. It wasn't how I thought I would remember Westminster Abbey, but it's still a nice memory.