Blue Apron... One of the best things I've come across since not being able to eat out as much!

Sooooooo I finally decided that I really need to start blogging again.
I found that it was so much fun when I used to do it, and just lost my umph on my last trip abroad... Well here I am again, so let's see how this goes.

My posts probably won't be as often, but I promise to post anytime I head somewhere yummy that is worth checking out.

For this blog though I thought I would write about this fantastic little food delivery service that I started. Since I don't eat out as much this really helps because it keeps things fun, always different and let's face it the food is fantastic!!!  It also has me making food that I would have never had the guts to try before.  And they do look intimidating, but I promise they are pretty easy to make.
Hopefully some of you will check it out, because honestly it's the BEST!!!

Blue Apron
http://www.blueapron.com/

Blue Apron sends a box of 3 meals a week, all fresh ingredients and some of the most fantastic recipes I've ever tried!
I live alone, and would tend to waste half my groceries that I would buy for the week.  Or I would be running to the store 3 or 4 times to pick up what I was making for dinner.  And with working full time who has time for all of that?!

Well fret no more!  I now get a delivery once a week to my doorstep for the 3 meals that I can make whenever I want.
Some much time saved, it's truly a lifesaver!!!

This is the box that arrives for me every Tuesday... Oh did I mention you chose which day you would like your delivery?  How awesome is that?!

When you open the box you have a letter and the 3 recipes for the week.  All the food is stored in the cooler.

This was all the food that was in my box for the week.  Everything is labeled making is super easy a total no brainer!

Rice Flaked-Crusted Salmon with Miso-Smashed Japanese Sweet Potatoes & Mustard Greens

Chop and prep and it's ready for cooking.

Dinner is served!

Crispy Fish Tacos with Salsa Verde & Red Cabbage Slaw

Chop chop chop and you are ready to cook.  This is a lot of work, but it's part of the fun!  I mean I even made home made Salsa Verde!

Dinner is served!!

Pan-Seared Salmon with Arugula, Candy Striped Beets & Horseradish Sour Cream

Grains of Paradise-Crusted Steak with Preserved Lemon, Eggplant & Israeli Couscous Salad

Cuban Sandwiches with Sweet Plaintain and Kale Salad

Blue Apron has made me a better cook, and with becoming a better cook I love bringing my friends over to share this wonderful food with.
I hope that you try it and if you do please let me know how it is!!
Happy cooking!!!

XO Drea

Seoul, South Korea... My short and sweet visit.

So I started out the first leg of my trip in Seoul, South Korea.  I met up with a friend who's an English teacher here.  

My plan was to only go to Japan, but when we decided to travel around together he thought it was a good idea for me to also come experience South Korea since I was so close.

Seoul is a beautiful and lively little City with tons to see.  I was literally here for not even 2 full days... Needless to say I ran around like a chicken without a head and saw as much as possible. I'm literally going to need a vacation from my vacation...  But thats par for the course for sure!!

The one thing I already knew was going to be true is the Korean BBQ is on another level...  That's literally all I wanted to eat, and being here only a couple days that's all I did eat!  Well... Along with a couple other Korean dishes I had never had!  

Some random guy selling Korean wine in the middle of the little area we went to dinner... I guess he's some sort of Korean "celebrity" or "drunk" known for slanging his moonshine around town!

These were pics of the first night... At this time I had been up for literally 24+ hours... After dinner and a few drinks I was a zombie!  

We went to dinner in a cute little area called Hongdae. They have night shopping and this park area where everyone hangs out and drinks and there's music...  If I wasn't so tired I would have enjoyed this area more, but when I say zombie I mean zombie!  I could barely keep my eyes open!!

On our walk to the subway station we passed by the cutest little park... And they had those little lanterns everywhere!

Relief goods for disasters if they would get attacked... They have them in every subway station!

We are heading up to Namsan Tower today to get a Birdseye view of the city!  Walking through the little neighborhoods with all the art... I absolutely loved it!!

On the upper deck of the Namsam Tower there was this huge area like the love bridge in Europe... All the lovers would leave a lock ❤️

This part was considered the old town, Bukchon row... If I were to move here this is where I would love to live!!  The quaint area had some of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen... I could only imagine what they look like inside!

Convenient stores around the world crack me up the most... There was this whole row of what looks like hot dogs...  Maybe I should have bought one and tried it!!

We went to the Gyeongebok Palace... By this time we had been running around the city going on 8 hours plus... I was so tired but had to get a look see around.  The grounds of the palace are huge and all my feet could take was a few little areas.  I wish that I could take longer vacations and could experience the cities more...  However I am truly grateful for the experiences I'm given in life and I guess my short little vacations are much more than some people get to experience in a lifetime and I'm thankful for that. 

If you can I encourage each and everyone of you to try and live by one quote that I hold dead to my heart. 

Osaka, Japan... Adventures in Japan take 1

So to start out our adventure in Japan we started out in Osaka.  Soooo many people have said so many great things about this city, and I can totally see why!!

I'm pretty happy about starting out here first... It's like getting our feet wet before we jump in head first to the craziness of Tokyo!

First off I have to say... This subway system you have here is quite amazing, quite intimidating and is probably easy once you get used to it (I'm getting ready to leave tomorrow and I can say I'm not used to it yet ).  One thing though... Everyone is so willing to help you out if you have questions... Even if they don't speak a lick of English!  It definitely makes a big city like Japan a lot less scary!

The amount of people in the streets at certain hours of the day is so insane!!

There are tons of little areas or neighborhoods in Osaka that have themes.  Whether it be video games, electronics, shopping, entertainment… And it's lit up like Vegas, but Vegas on crack!!

It's actually not that bad… Right?!

This on the other hand… When I first saw this I wasn't sure what to press… Even when it's in English!  Too many buttons!!  Too many choices!!!

Our walk to the Sky Building

http://en/m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umeda_Sky_Building
The is the Umeda Sky Building that we were heading over to (I borrowed this picture from the internet since in the pouring rain it was really hard to get a shot)

This is a picture from the top over looking the city.

And it's hard to tell but these are 2 escalators, which go from one side of the building to the other… Free floating with only the glass that's enclosing it.  I was pretty queasy because you can essentially see all the way down.

Going down?

Looking up from the ground level, this is what they refer to as the Floating Garden.

The amount of people that are always out and about is soooo insane!!

I really wish they had udon like this in the states!!  Just watching them throw the noodles in water  and how they fished them out with these net like spoons.  I should have taken some pics but I was so starving I just grabbed the food and ran.  

http://www.osakacastle.net/english/
Osaka Castle… This place is beyond amazing!!  The grounds are so beautiful, even on a rainy, cold and gloomy day.

My Japan adventure is not over yet... Stay tuned as I have a few more stops before heading to the states again!