When I start something new there is no stopping me.
I go to a Korean movie theater, I want to try them all.
AND when I see something that says "Gold Class" and the price tag for that movie is 30,000 won per person - well, I am intrigued to say the least.
In fact I was so intrigued that I bugged & begged Hubby to go to a 10:55PM movie with me just so we could try it out.
True Story.
10:55PM - That is in the evening folks - AKA - NIGHTTIME!
For those of you that know me you know this is well past my bedtime.
By the way, curfew for American soldiers that live on post is 1AM.
That's right you heard it directly from me - my 40 something Army officer of a husband has a CURFEW!
Crazy I know.

Anyway after a few minutes (he will say it was hours, but truly it was like 5 minutes) of me bugging him and calculating the time trying to convince him that he would be in on time and if not we could stay at our friends house if we didn't make it to the gate on time - he finally caved - like any good husband would do (anything to make me stop talking!)

For those of you that live here, you are going to thank me for being the guinea pig.

We bought our tickets on line here.
And we went a little early to figure it all out.
We picked our tickets up in the VIP line.
We got a super nice black envelope that held our receipt and we were directed upstairs to the VIP area.
This is the VIP lounge.
Very nice.
We totally felt like VIPs.

Only the 'cool' can enter.

Once we were seated in the lounge our waitress brought over a menu and ask us if we would like our complimentary snack and drinks now or when the movie began.  Here is the menu:

They also have another menu.  You can have lunch or a light dinner.  Prices were pretty average.  You can even order a bottle of wine for the movie if you so choose.

Hubby lounging in the lounge:

If you are in the lounge early, when it is time for your movie to start they come get you.

Inside the theater there is not a bad seat in the house.
 Each set of 2 chairs have a little table with a buzzer to call the waitress.  I believe you only have waitress service for about the first half hour of the movie.

Here is a sample of the complimentary snacks and drinks you get.
A bowl of nuts,  an egg tart each and a drink of your choice.
However you cannot get soda and popcorn.
If you want that you need to go downstairs and get that yourself.
(We did - what is a movie without soda and popcorn?  Come on now!)

What you are really paying for are the chairs.
The super comfy reclining chairs.
AND they will bring a blanket to you if you ask.
So, if you are at a REALLY late movie (say like a 10:55PM movie) and it is really boring, you might just be spending 30,000 won for a nap.
Good thing the movie we saw was NOT boring and I stayed awake the entire time.
(In case you are wondering we saw The Impossible - great flick based on a true story about the tsunami in Thailand back in 2004 - kind of hit home for us - we were in the same area of Thailand 5 years later, same dates, on vacation celebrating Christmas, 3 boys, they were missing a girl...anyway bring LOTS of tissues.)

All in all Hubby and I had a great movie experience.
Was it worth 30,000 won per person?
I think not.
If you are dating and you are trying to impress your date, do it.
Dive in and get the "Gold Class" package. 
Arrive early, enjoy the lounge. 
Oh, and you should probably spring for a nice bottle of vino too.

And yes, Hubby and I made it back to the gate with 10 minutes to spare.

We have them for lunch, we have them for dinner, we have them for snack.  Heck, we have even been known to have a cold one for breakfast.

Chicken cutlets ROCK and they freeze well.
I use them has homemade chicken nuggets.
Much better than that frozen crap you buy in the freezer section.

This is one thing every single person in our family will eat without complaint.
The only time they complain is when I don't make mashed potatoes and gravy to go with it.

OK.  Let's get started - what you will need:

(This is one of those recipes where I am guessing at the measurements!)

4-6 Boneless skinless chicken breast - sliced thin lengthwise (you can buy the thin sliced chicken breast or tenders, but I feel they are too expensive so I cut them thin myself.)
Your favorite paprika (I use smoked - thanks for sending it to me Lara!)
Salt
Pepper
2-3 cups of flour
3-4 cups of your favorite bread crumbs
3-4 eggs
2-4 cups of vegetable oil

Slice your chicken breast lengthwise into 3 pieces and then pound the heck out of them with a meat mallet. (OK...maybe not the heck out of them, but pound them enough to help make them a little more tender:)
When tenderizing place a sheet of plastic wrap over of the chicken to keep chicken juice from splattering all over you.

Sprinkle with a little salt, pepper and paprika.

Put flour, eggs & bread crumbs in separate dishes.
Scramble eggs.
Dredge chicken in flour.
Dip chicken in egg then coat with bread crumbs.

Over medium high heat, heat enough oil in frying pan to almost cover the cutlets.
To make sure oil is hot enough drop a little flour into pan, if it sizzles you are good to go. 
Add chicken one layer at a time like this:

Fry for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Cut them up into bite size pieces for you kids to eat as an after school snack.

** Sure you can cut the chicken up into bite size pieces in the beginning so that all pieces of the chicken is coated, but I feel that takes too long and my kids are just as happy to have chicken nuggets with a little chicken showing.  Sometimes when I have enough time I do it the right way, but not today.  :o)

To freeze: I let them cool first then I flash freeze them - I put them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, pop them in the freezer for 10 minutes and then put into a Ziploc bag to freeze.
(Flash freezing helps prevent things from sticking together.)

Yesterday I posted about my new favorite Café here in Seoul -
Rest with Coffee and Book Café.
A Dr. Fish café.
Here are a few notes from the café.
I hope you enjoy them as much as girl and I did.

This one tells you how to use the café.

Firstly.
This one is on how to use skin care fish:

Just more about how to use skin care fish.
Good stuff.

And last but not least, here is the warning on the toaster oven.
Please be careful.  You would not want to get damage of fire.

I am just going to claim it.
Rest With Coffee & Books is my hands down FAVORITE café I have been to so far.
I loved EVERYTHING it had to offer.
Books, internet service, a computer for people to use, comfy chairs, FREE bread and coffee, nice background music, waffles, coffee drinks of all kinds, gelato and of course, Dr. Fish to chew the nasty off your feet.   

The main room:

Need a book?  They have bookshelves full. 
They were all in Korean, so if you can't read Korean then bring your own book.

Self bar.
Gotta love it.

At the self bar you can have all the free bread and coffee you can eat and drink.
As long as you order 1 item from the menu.
They even have toaster ovens to toast your bread
AND
They give you butter and jam when you place an order at the counter.

Sampling of the free bread:
It taste better than it looks.

Girl said the hot chocolate is THE BEST she has EVER HAD.
In fact it was so good that she ordered a second one.
She told me that she wishes she could make hot chocolate this good.
Give her time and I'm sure she will. 

She is just so cute I couldn't help snapping a ton of pictures of her.

Don't worry, I'm not posting all the photos I took, only a few of my favorites.

She really is this sweet too.  She is a great daughter and sister to her brothers.
Plus she has an amazing heart.

I tried something new, a cinnamon honey latte.  It was very YUM.

I'm not sure if I have told you this or not, but Koreans are WILD about waffles. 
Just not for breakfast - they don't want them for breakfast. 
They only want them for dessert.

When girl and I were finished warming our souls and filling our bellies we were ready to dip our feet in a tank of little fishies to get our 'poor mans' pedicure.

First the lady comes over and washes your feet off.

And then it is time to dip your feet!

Ahhh, sweet little fishies.  This is no big thang.  We have done this before.  It tickles, but it is a good tickle.

And then....we decided to switch tanks.
OH MY GOODNESS.
I have NEVER seen Dr. Fish this BIG!
And ready...with mouths OPEN WIDE!

Sticking my heel in.

Oh my goodness.  This TICKLES and FREAKS me out a bit!
But I think I can do it....

...I only lasted for a little while before I had to take a breather....
I mean check them out.
Savages.
I'm kind of afraid they will take off a toe.
Girl doesn't want to have anything to do with this tank.

Going in again.
This time all the way.

OH MY GOSH...

This is really FREAKY!!
AND TICKLISH! 

I can't take it much longer!!

Feet out.
Relaxing.

Oh my gosh ~ that was crazy fun! 

We spent about 18,000 won on a latte, a hot chocolate, a chocolate waffle and 2 doctor fish.

There hours are 10AM-midnight everyday.
Credit cards are accepted.

I hope you have as much fun as Girl and I.

I think this would be an awesome place to have a date night.

I will try to do better this week.
No extra grease, no need to call the cardiologist today.
Remember when I posted Apple/Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats? 
You all loved them so much I thought I would give you my next favorite crockpot style steel cut oats.
Blueberry Muffin.
Oh Yum.
I think I might love these better than the Apple Cinnamon.
For real.
Although my children don't really like blueberries.
Can you believe that?

It is basically the same as the Apple Cinnamon recipe with only minor differences.

1 cup steel cut oats
2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen - I used frozen)
2 cups of your favorite milk - I use skim
1 1/2 cups of your favorite water :o)
4 TBL brown sugar
4 TBL butter
3 TBL 100% pure maple syrup (you can do this with only 2 TBL, but we like it sweet!)
1 TBL flax seed (optional of course!)
1/3 TSP salt

Toss everything in your crockpot (I didn't even stir it!)
Cook for 7 hours on low.

Wake up to a beautiful crockpot full of goodness.

Add a little brown sugar, granola and fresh blueberries on top and you have a perfect little breakfast!

***I put left overs in individual serving size dishes in the fridge. They last for about 5 days.  
To heat add a little milk, give a little stir and stick in the microwave.
They also freeze well!  

I'll just throw this out there for you....
Sausage gravy and biscuits are BAD FOR YOU.
All the grease from the sausage and then the extra grease that you add to the sausage to make the gravy is certain to start the clogging process of your arteries.
I put so much butter in my biscuits you should have your cardiologist on speed dial.
BUT if you serve fresh fruit or a green smoothie on the side, all is forgiven.
Right?
OK, maybe not.

Just don't have this often and you will be OK.
Maybe.
I'm not a doctor.
Don't take me at my word.

All I know is that every once in a blue moon my family (me) wants to have a little badness in our lives.
At least we aren't out committing crimes against the world.
Just our own bodies.
Plus Sausage Gravy reminds me of childhood.
Momma use to make this.
Only she made it with Owens Hot Sausage, as this is the ONLY sausage my Daddy liked.
If I could find Owens I would use Owens.
However I haven't lived anywhere that carries Owens for a long time.
I have to settle for Jimmy Dean.
Don't get me wrong, Jimmy Dean is not bad, he is just not Owen.

The Recipe:
Kind of- all measurements are APPROXIMATE.  You will need to judge for yourself...add a little more of this and a little more of that per your liking...  Yes, this is one of THOSE types of recipes.  Good luck.

1 package Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage (use Owens if you can find it)
4 TBL vegetable oil
3 TBL flour
1 1/2-2 1/2 cups of milk

Cook sausage over medium heat crumbling like so until done.

When sausage is completely cooked move all sausage to the outer edges of the pan.
Add vegetable oil - let it get nice and hot (medium-high heat)
Add flour
With a whisk combine flour and oil until no lumps appear.

Add milk slowly 1/2 a cup at a time whisking with each addition. 
Continue adding milk until the gravy is the consistency you like.

Add salt and pepper to taste.
Easy as that.  Really.
I promise.
Give it a try.

Pour sausage gravy over fresh baked biscuits.

And eat salads for the rest of the week to even things out.

Next time you are in Hondage or Gangnam make sure you don't pass up The Ho Bar.
This picture was taken in Hondage, but I saw one in Gangnam on Friday so this must be a chain.
And it makes me chuckle every time I see it. 

Yes, THUNDERS. Plural, plural.

Who knew Seoul had basketball?
We are racking up the 'first time' things even after living here for 2 years and 7 months total.  (Combining both tours.)
How fun is that?!

Last weekend we went to see the Seoul Samsung Thunders VS Jeonju KCC Egis
at Jamsil Basketball Stadium.
The Jeonju KCC Egis took the win 72-58

We were rooting for the Thunders who were wearing blue, but I got confused and took pictures of the Egis (what is an Egis anyway?) wearing white.  Whatever - I wasn't really there to watch the game, I was there for the experience.    And what a fun experience it was!

Don't you just love his face?  To me it says "oh, oh...I think it's gonna make it!"

This guy was GREAT!  I called him Spirit Guy - he totally knew how to get the fans going!  He would hold up a sign and everyone would start chanting something....then he would hold up another one and the fans would start chanting something different....then another one the fans would go wild!  If only I could read Korean. 

What basketball game is complete without a clown or two getting the fans going?
We saw him before the game making balloon animals for the children.

How cute are those cheerleaders?
Notice I'm taking a picture of the right team this time? 
FAIL...I was actually trying to get the cheerleaders when the basketball game got in the way of my shot!  :o)

The Thunder Bolt (??) Chicken came over to help out Spirit Guy!

Half time!

Oh look, I found another clown in the stands!

He came down and helped out Spirit Guy too!

Sometimes you just have to ask WHY?
And laugh!
A LOT!

Cute boy!  He was the only child that wanted to attend the game with us.
The others opted to stay home.
For real?
Are they really our kids?

Fans in the stands!

Me & my boy!

Basketball season runs through March 19th.
Click here for Thunders schedule.
We drove to Jamsil Stadium...super easy drive, just off Olympic Expressway (HWY 88)
Parking cost 4,000 won
Adult tickets were 8,000 won each and child's ticket was 4,000 won.
And guess what we had for snack....MEGA BOX popcorn! 
NO JOKE!
Awesomely, delicious movie theater caramel popcorn! 
Go figure!

OK, yes.
I have posted this before.
I thought you might have forgot.
It is so good I felt it needed an encore.
 Doesn't it look delicious?
It is.
Really.
Give it a try.
You won't be disappointed.

Funny thing....I was actually working on this post when I friend sent a note to me via Facebook telling me she had just tried this and her family loved it....in fact she said "I was a bit ticked off because Hubby said it was his favorite meal I've made in a long time... Wait, does that mean he hasn't liked what I've been serving? Oh well... It will go into our rotation..."

That made my day!  Thanks friend for sharing!

So here it is again for the second time around - with better pictures!

1 (2 ½ - 3 lb) chicken, cut up -
1  pound sweet Italian sausage - torn into bite size pieces (Hot or mild sausage works well too...just depends on your preference.)
2  large baking potatoes peeled and cut into bite size pieces
2 large bell peppers cut into bite size pieces (I like to use one red and one green - pick your favorites!)
2 small onions, cut up small enough so your kids cannot identify them
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice (San Marzano are the BEST if you can find them.)
½ cup olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Combine the chicken, sausage, potatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic in a roasting pan large enough to fit all in ingredients comfortably. 
Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice. 
Drizzle olive oil over the ingredients. 
Season with oregano, salt and pepper. 
Roast in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes. 
The dish is done when the potatoes are tender and the chicken pulls away easily from the bone.

Watch it disappear.

                                                                                    I hate to admit this....
                                                       It is something you might have a hard time believing.
                                                                                    I'm a little ashamed.
                                                                             You are curious aren't you?

Confession: This past weekend was the first time I have gone out into Seoul and watched a movie at a Korean theater.  EVER.

Seriously.

Shocking I know.

When we lived here before movies at the theater on post were FREE.  That's right, they were FREE!!  So we really had no reason to go off post and pay for a movie.

This time around the movies are not free. (Dang it...I really liked that perk!)
 
They are still cheap, ($5USD) but the movie theater is a 'post' style movie theater.  You know, 1950's auditorium style.  The post movie theater kind of reminds me of the auditorium from my High School, but smaller...not that I went to high school in 1950's, heck I wasn't even born in the 50's,  But I'm sure some of you know what I am talking about.  So anyway, since the movie theater on post isn't free anymore I don't feel as obligated to frequent the theater as often...and since the movies off post aren't much more money than the ones on post ($5 vs. 8,000 Won - or $7.52USD) and it is a MUCH NICER theater with ASSIGNED SEATS, cheaper drinks/snacks...PLUS you can get Jagermeister Energy drink at a movie theater in Seoul.  I mean really..what more can one ask for? 

I did a little research and I found out that the movie theater at the Coex Mall is supposed to be the nicest theater in all of Seoul....some say all of Asia.  I can't say as I haven't been to them all.  In fact I have been to none of them.  How about this...I'll let you know if I find a nicer one.

So, trying to see a movie here in Seoul is not as easy as in the states.  You don't show up 1/2 an hour before the movies start to buy your tickets.  You order your tickets online several hours or DAYS in advance to guarantee you get a good seat.   Seriously, people around these parts PLAN their movies outings.  I ordered our tickets online more than THREE HOURS EARLY and this is the text they sent me:

We had to sit on the 2nd ROW!!  NO JOKE!!  Did I mention I ordered tickets more than 3 hours in advance?

To order tickets online anywhere in Seoul go to this website:
Cine in Korea
and you will see how easy it is.
They like it if you have a Paypal account.

This is the entrance to the movie theater.

And then you have to go down stairs to get to the ticket box.

All Korean movie theaters have little ATM type machines where you can buy tickets and print tickets.  We tried to print out tickets there but I couldn't figure it out so I when I went over to the information desk to ask how to print out the tickets they ask for my ticket code and printed them for me.  Easy peasy.

After getting our tickets we headed over to the snack bar for some yummy popcorn and we were intrigued by what all they have to offer.  As you already know you can get Jager Energy drinks, but did you know you can also get a Jager combo for a mere 14,000 won! 

It seems a little crazy to me that the Jager combo is less expensive than the Asahi combo!

And check out their nonalcoholic combos - this has got to be the best kept secret in Korea.   They are AFORDABLE - for movie prices anyway!  2 pretzels, 2 sodas & a popcorn for 9,500 won!  I'm super excited about this!

We ended up buying a popcorn combo...2 types of popcorn, 2 sodas and a hotdog for 12,000 won!
That is right...2 types of popcorn!
Cheese and caramel baby!
I liked the cheese more and Hubby liked the caramel more.
He says it is because I am cheesy and he is sweet. 
I'm not sure I agree with that. 

Isn't this bucket of popcorn AWESOME!?! 
Oh and the popcorn.... 
A M A Z I N G ! !
It was so good I wanted to go out and buy butter popcorn when we finished this bucket, but I resisted.
This way I have another 'new' thing to experience the next time we go to a Korea movie theater.

OH....I almost forgot to tell you.
There was NO CANDY counter!
How great is that?