Hee-Ren is actually Hye-Ran. A small distinction.
We're at the rehearsal hall now. The actors are warming up (meditation, yoga, sun salutations), so I'm checking my email and getting my gear in order. Eli is building clown noses. He's kind of like a god here...
12 July 2009
our first dinner in Korea
Okay, so first, the sad truth is that there is no internet in my hotel room. As such, it’s very difficult to post photos on the blog. I’ll do my best, but I probably won’t get to post many photos until I get to Tokyo next week.
Tonight, after a relaxing afternoon at the hotel, Eli and I met Yosup, his wife Ju-Yah, and another company member Hee-Ren (let’s just agree that it’s okay that I’m butchering these names) for dinner at one of their favorite special-occasion restaurants. Eli met Yosup through Hee-Ren, whom he’s known for a few years, so for them, it was a nice reunion. Yosup picked us up at the hotel, and when we got to the restaurant, Ju-Yah and Hee-Ren had already ordered food. And so much food! Our table was approximately 6’x3’, and it would not hold all of the dishes of food that we ate. Let me see if I can remember all of the food on the table:
Three different kinds of mushrooms, red beans, pressed bean curd, bibimbap (a rice and greens dish), steamed bitter leaves, spicy squid, spicy grass, smoked duck, nasty meat dumplings, kimchee (spicy cabbage) dumplings, mochee (sticky sweet rice dessert, melon, steamed shrimp, spicy tofu, sweet pumpkin balls, soup, beer, ginseng, a cold noodle soup, and some other things that I’m forgetting.
The meal was unbelievable, and we had a great time. After dinner, we all walked to a supermarket (Ju-Yah described it as Korean Wal-Mart) to buy some groceries. That done, Hee-Ren took her leave, and Yosup and Ju-Yah drove us back to the hotel. I checked my email again, and then watched the Korea episode of No Reservations.
Unlike the Shanghai and Beijing episodes, the Korea episode does not mention specific restaurants. Instead, it mentions specific dishes and kinds of food. Sojou (rice liquor), korean bbq, spicy soup, kimchee, and fried unusual chicken parts all made the cut. Raw, still-wriggling, octopus tentacles made the cut (dipped in spicy sauce, of course). I’m looking forward to trying most of these things, with the likely exception of the chicken parts.
It’s 9.50pm now and I’m going to try to get a good night’s sleep. We catch a cab at 9.15 for a 9.30 top of day. We’ll meet for a few hours, and then start rehearsing at 1pm. Dinner at 5ish, and then rehearsal again from 7-9pm. Then... who knows? Sojou!
Tonight, after a relaxing afternoon at the hotel, Eli and I met Yosup, his wife Ju-Yah, and another company member Hee-Ren (let’s just agree that it’s okay that I’m butchering these names) for dinner at one of their favorite special-occasion restaurants. Eli met Yosup through Hee-Ren, whom he’s known for a few years, so for them, it was a nice reunion. Yosup picked us up at the hotel, and when we got to the restaurant, Ju-Yah and Hee-Ren had already ordered food. And so much food! Our table was approximately 6’x3’, and it would not hold all of the dishes of food that we ate. Let me see if I can remember all of the food on the table:
Three different kinds of mushrooms, red beans, pressed bean curd, bibimbap (a rice and greens dish), steamed bitter leaves, spicy squid, spicy grass, smoked duck, nasty meat dumplings, kimchee (spicy cabbage) dumplings, mochee (sticky sweet rice dessert, melon, steamed shrimp, spicy tofu, sweet pumpkin balls, soup, beer, ginseng, a cold noodle soup, and some other things that I’m forgetting.
The meal was unbelievable, and we had a great time. After dinner, we all walked to a supermarket (Ju-Yah described it as Korean Wal-Mart) to buy some groceries. That done, Hee-Ren took her leave, and Yosup and Ju-Yah drove us back to the hotel. I checked my email again, and then watched the Korea episode of No Reservations.
Unlike the Shanghai and Beijing episodes, the Korea episode does not mention specific restaurants. Instead, it mentions specific dishes and kinds of food. Sojou (rice liquor), korean bbq, spicy soup, kimchee, and fried unusual chicken parts all made the cut. Raw, still-wriggling, octopus tentacles made the cut (dipped in spicy sauce, of course). I’m looking forward to trying most of these things, with the likely exception of the chicken parts.
It’s 9.50pm now and I’m going to try to get a good night’s sleep. We catch a cab at 9.15 for a 9.30 top of day. We’ll meet for a few hours, and then start rehearsing at 1pm. Dinner at 5ish, and then rehearsal again from 7-9pm. Then... who knows? Sojou!
after a long flight, a lazy afternoon
After Yosup picked us up and drove us to Uijeongbu (a city north of Seoul, where we will be working), we spent the morning trying to figure out what to do. First, Yosup took us to see Tuida’s (pronounced ‘TEE-dah’) rehearsal space, which reminds me a lot of the SITI Company rehearsal space. There’s a common area, an administrative office, a small prop/mask shop, and a rehearsal hall. It’s lovely, small-ish, and very asian. The three of us had tea and talked about our work while we waited for the breakfast restaurants to open (we got to the rehearsal hall at about 6.30am). At 7.30, Yosup decided that it was time to find breakfast, but despite a lovely investigative drive into the countryside, none of the restaurants were open. So, we headed back to Uijeongbu, to a little bakery right near the rehearsal spaced. I had a peanut roll and a sesame seed donut with sweet pumpkin filling. Mmmmm.
After breakfast, we went back to the rehearsal hall to talk through what we could of the show. It’s always an awkward conversation to have because the artistic director is often a little bewildered by how little Eli and I have firmed up and ready to go. Of course, a big part of why we’re here is to experiment with what happens when you don’t plan too much, so we just talked about our initial ideas and how excited we were to try them out and then replace them with something more interesting!
Now, Yosup’s dropped us off at the hotel. It’s about noon now, on Sunday afternoon, and Eli and I have retired for the afternoon. I’m going to try to nap, and he and I are going to meet up at 4.30 to have a walk around the neighborhood where the hotel is. Then, Yosup will pick us up at 6.00 to take us to a nice welcome-to-Korea dinner. Then, sleep like an angel (who is jetlagged).
First impressions of Korea: it’s like New England without NYC or Boston. The cities feel like driving along the NJ turnpike – lots of urban-ness, some green, but mostly a hastily-assembled series of highways and buildings. When you get out of the city, however, the countryside turns into the Berkshire mountains. Huge green hills, winding roads, cafes and gas stations. Some places look like Pittsfield, but other places look like Stockbridge (an ASIAN Stockbridge, of course).
Okay, time to take a nap.
After breakfast, we went back to the rehearsal hall to talk through what we could of the show. It’s always an awkward conversation to have because the artistic director is often a little bewildered by how little Eli and I have firmed up and ready to go. Of course, a big part of why we’re here is to experiment with what happens when you don’t plan too much, so we just talked about our initial ideas and how excited we were to try them out and then replace them with something more interesting!
Now, Yosup’s dropped us off at the hotel. It’s about noon now, on Sunday afternoon, and Eli and I have retired for the afternoon. I’m going to try to nap, and he and I are going to meet up at 4.30 to have a walk around the neighborhood where the hotel is. Then, Yosup will pick us up at 6.00 to take us to a nice welcome-to-Korea dinner. Then, sleep like an angel (who is jetlagged).
First impressions of Korea: it’s like New England without NYC or Boston. The cities feel like driving along the NJ turnpike – lots of urban-ness, some green, but mostly a hastily-assembled series of highways and buildings. When you get out of the city, however, the countryside turns into the Berkshire mountains. Huge green hills, winding roads, cafes and gas stations. Some places look like Pittsfield, but other places look like Stockbridge (an ASIAN Stockbridge, of course).
Okay, time to take a nap.
11 July 2009
It's 5.30 am on Sunday in Seoul. We are on the ground, safe and sound.
It's 5.30 am on Sunday in Seoul. We are on the ground, safe and sound.
The flight was good, but very long. Eli and I were on a nonstop flight
to Seoul, and we both slept a good amount on the flight.
After the flight, we got scanned for temperature (they're still scared
of h1n1 over here), went through customs, got our bags (all of them!),
went through another security and another temperature scan, and met
our host Yosup, who picked us up in his car.
Now, the sun is starting to rise, but it won't be strong enough to
burn through the torrents of rain. So, rather than look at the
scenery, I'm typing on the iPhone.
I'll post this when I get an Internet connection, probably in a few
hours.
10 July 2009
off to points east!
Okay, so, I haven’t been blogging lately, mostly because there hasn’t been much to say. I got sick, I got better. I saw some friends. I exercised. I worked. I watched some TV.
I’m about to get picked up to go to the airport to take ANOTHER plane to Asia. This time, it’s South Korea first, and then Tokyo. Fortunately, all of the flights are nonstops, so I won’t have to change planes at all! One of the perks of living so close to a huge international airport.
I’ll be blogging while I’m there, so look for some posts (and photos!)!
I’m about to get picked up to go to the airport to take ANOTHER plane to Asia. This time, it’s South Korea first, and then Tokyo. Fortunately, all of the flights are nonstops, so I won’t have to change planes at all! One of the perks of living so close to a huge international airport.
I’ll be blogging while I’m there, so look for some posts (and photos!)!
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