Magical New York: The Land of Factory outlets

Aaaah, New York. *STARRY-EYED* The branded goods paradise.

The land to have the ONLY CHANEL outlet in the world. Although it must be said that the goods in the Chanel outlet were pretty ghastly. Vomit green clutch, anyone?

Woodbury Common Premium Outlet
If there is one place you must go to before you die, this is it. A branded goods paradise, with Chanel, Dior, Burberry, Tod's, together with the more down-to-earth stuff like Adidas, Nike etc. This is seriously a shopaholic's paradise on earth.

Important things to note before you go:
(1) Register as a VIP member for free on the website http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=7
(2) Print out the coupons, especially the one that entitles you to a free VIP coupon book upon arrival
(3) Print out the map and mark out the stores you die-die must go, and the route to take. This is very important! The place is HUGE and you don't want to waste time trekking cross-country.

How to go:
(1) The BEST way will be through driving, because then you can dump your copious purchases in the car at regular intervals, instead of lugging your 10kg of loot everywhere. But then, rental and driving in NY is not really convenient for tourists, so the next best way is...
(2) Take a tourist bus! Just take the subway to Port Authority and buy tickets from Gary Line or Shortline. NOTE that you can buy the cheaper ticket, because the more expensive tickets are actually inclusive of the VIP coupon book (which you already have for free!) Take note of the first bus there and the last bus back. You should aim for the first bus so that you don't have to queue for the really popular stores e.g. Gucci.

Upon arrival:
(1) Immediately CHOPE a locker! This is for whole day rental, so that you can dump your backbreaking purchases into the locker and carry on shopping crazily.
(2) GO SHOP!!!

Additional TIP: US has a couple of holidays that are important for shopaholics to note e.g. Fourth of July Sales, Thanksgiving sale which is crazy... the outlet opens at midnight! And there's additional discounts on top of existing discounts!

Jersey Gardens

Another must-go!!! Very different from Woodbury but equally satisfying. This is the less-branded outlet mall but notable outlets include Abercrombie & Fitch, Forever 21, H&M, Bath & Body works and Victoria Secret, which is seriously crazy! Buy lingerie and their lotions, sprays, makeup to your heart's content, cos it's all cheap, cheap, cheap. I bought like 15 bottles of lotions and sprays :D I also scored Aldo boots and Nine West heels for only USD20 each!

How to go:
Cheaper than Woodbury because it's served by normal buses. Take the subway to Port Authority and buy a ticket from the automated machine for New Jersey Transit Bus #111 or #115. Follow the directions to the busstop.

Upon arrival:
Show your passport at the concierge to obtain a free booklet of savings. But actually, the booklet is not that great. But the things in the mall are already crazy cheap anyways! :D

Additional tip: This place is an enclosed shopping mall, so it's good for winter/ summer, where you can just hide in the air-con, compared to Woodbury which is in a village-style format.

Some pictures of my loot:

Awesome Bangkok: Part 2: Food!

T & K Seafood
I haven’t been there before but lots of people have raved about it… the recommended stuff are the curry crabs, tom yam soup, shark’s fin soup, bird nest etc. Can check out the outlets at http://www.somboonseafood.com

Zen Japanese Restaurant and Fuji Japanese Restaurant

Yummy and cheap bento sets, sashimi, scallops etc. Can be found at most of the major shopping centers.



Street food
The yummiest food are by the street... just choose a stall with lots of people and you get to get delicious salf-baked fish for only B50, scrumptious Phad Thai for only B20, and mango sticky rice! Hmmmmm....

Awesome Bangkok: Part 1: Shopping

Markets/ Squares

Chatuchak Weekend Market
BTS Mo Chit
First, print out an online map from http://www.guidetothailand.com/thailand-activities/shopping-chatuchak.php… and arrange to meet your friends at the clock tower if you guys get separated in the hot, sauna-like maze of shops. Go in the morning to beat the heat and the crowds… lots of T-shirts, sundresses, bikinis, slippers, accessories… and unique stuff you will never find again! Must try the coconut ice-cream! It comes with peanuts and free coconut juice ^^

Siam Square
Lots of local designers’ shops, but relatively more expensive. There are supposed to be quite a number of photo studios where you can take makeover photos as well… I’m excited to check that out the next time I’m there! ^^

Suam Lum Night Market
Switch at BTS Sala Daeng to MRT Lumpini
Full of shops selling clothes and accessories… more expensive than CTC market, but less squeezy and hot.

Sampheng Market in Chinatown
Lots of shops selling wholesale accessories, stationary, party stuff, fabric, toys etc .. should go with friends so you can buy enough to get the wholesale rate.

Pratunam Market, Indra Square
Lots of shops selling clothes, hats, belts and random stuff…

Cheap chocolate fondue from Swensen in Indra Square^^

Memorial Bridge Night Market
It’s also pronounced “Sa-parn-put” market, has lots of cheap clothes but the locals only speak Thai… closed on Wed.

Khao San area
This is the classic backpackers’ scene with cheap T-shirts, people braiding hair, banana pancakes etc.

Baiyoke Sky Tower area
There’s an early morning market (until around 20am) which sells lots of clothes and a night market which sells super yummy food and clothes. If you are staying in either Baiyoke Sky Hotel or Baiyoke Boutique Hotel, you also get to go for the buffet dinner at Baiyoke Sky at only 450B… and enjoy the night view of Bangkok.

Awesome Bangkok: Part 1: Shopping

Aahhhhh Bangkok. The land of awesome cheap shopping. There's a severe lack of pictures because in my 3 trips, I was too giddily shopping to take pictures ^^

Malls / Department stores

Platinum Mall
My favourite place in Bangkok! Full of shops selling lovely sundresses, adorable T-shirts, pretty bags… I can spend 2 consecutive days here in complete bliss… with occasional trips to the upstairs food court with yummy Pad Thai.

MBK Shopping Center
BTS National stadium
This is a huge shopping centre with lots of shops selling shoes and bags at 199B. The Japanese department store Tokyu, also holds fairs selling cheap, cheap Triumph/ Wacoal underwear. There’s a great food court upstairs selling gorgeous mango sticky rice, fried oyster omelette etc. There’s also Coca and MK Steamboats for big eaters ^^ You can also buy foodstuff like durian chips, pork floss crackers etc.

I miss mango sticky rice from MBk^^


29 Plaza
Connected to MBK through the 2nd floor, this tiny building has lots of manicure and pedicure places… a full set of nail art starts from only 200B!! Super pretty and worth it, even though the places are very cramped and it’s like a conveyor belt system.

Central World Plaza
BTS Chit lom/ Siam
There’s a cinema and Isetan with fairs selling cheap, cheap Triumph/ Wacoal underwear. Lots of girls like Naraya too, but I don’t really like the flowery designs.

Sparkling korea: Part 4: Miscellaneous

Official Korea Tourism Website

The website is super useful! You can request for a booklet and map to be sent to you for free! You can also book a goodwill guide for free! http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto

Filming Locations

Famous Korean movies' and dramas' filming locations can be found at http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/CU_EN_8_5_1.jsp. The Cofffee Prince shop was overpriced, but still adorable.



Changdeok-gung Palace

If you have limited time, just visit this palace... the largest and the most beautiful. The entrance fee is only W3,000 and you get to dress up in traditional Korean hanbok for free! With the palace as the setting for the photos, you'll really feel like a princess in a Korean drama ^^



N-Seoul Tower

It's possible to either take a cable car or walk up 2km. You should walk, because you get to take photos at a very scenic spot halfway up the hill.


There are martial arts performances on top of the hill sometimes. There's also a food court, the teddy bear museum and the famous locks from “We got married”!


DMZ Tour

Just sign up with any domestic tour agency... the tour is quite interesting as you get to walk through the low tunnel dug by the North Koreans, and glimpse North Korea.


Suwon Folk Village

Take a 1 hour ride on the subway to Suwon. The folk village is very big, and was the filming location for “Jewel in the palace” and “King and the clown”! There's really fun places to take photos e.g. in jail cells, being caned in front of the magistrates' court. There's also performances like see-saw jumping, tightrope walking etc



Jimjilbang!

I went to the 7 storey Dragon Hill near Yongsan station with some newly-made friends. There's ginseng bath, jade bath, charcoal sauna, ice room, games room, movie theatre, swimming pool etc… all for just W 12,000! Be warned about trying to crack a hard-boiled egg on your head though ^^

Tax Refund

Only need to spend over 30,000 won in a receipt! You can even claim for groceries^^ Do claim so that you can pay for excess baggage charges.

Sparkling korea: Part 3: Accommodation

I recommend Yim’s house! Only W 33,000 for single room with cable TV, fridge, hair-dryer, private bathroom, with an amazing location (very near to Changdeok-gung palace, and can walk to Insadong, Myeongdong etc).

Reservations can be made at http://www.seoulbusinesshotel.com/

Sparkling korea: Part 2: Shopping

Other shopping tips

Grocery shopping

There's a supermarket, Emart at I'Park Mall, at Yongsan station. There's tons of seaweed, and you can buy korean plum wine (with gold flakes!) for just W 6,000!

Facial products


Face Shop, Etude House, Skin Food, Laneige are all more than 50% cheaper than in Singapore! Tony Moly and Innisfree are pretty good too. And all of them give lots of free samples!

Underground shopping

There are a lot of underground malls, so if you see an entrance, go for it! Underground shops tend to be cheap! Even subway stations have lots of shops, with good deals!

Sparkling korea: Part 2: Shopping

Factory outlets

Yeoju premium outlets

Take the subway to Express Terminal Bus station, buy a bus ticket to Yeoju on the Yeongdong line bus and get off at Yeoju Terminal. The ride takes about 1 hour and 30minutes. Cross the street and take a bus to the outlet. Almost everyone at the bus stop gets onto that bus.

The outlet is actually very small, compared to the dizzying awesomeness of America's factory outlets. Only worth it if you really want to buy branded stuff from Burberry, Coach etc, or sports stuff from Adidas, Nike etc.



Gasan Digital Complex Station

Exit from the subway station towards outlet shopping at Mario mall and Fashion Island... it's mostly korean brands, but there's some international brands too. You can get a tax refund from Mario mall if you spend above W 30,000.

Sparkling Korea: Part 2: Shopping

Can go.

Hongdae and Sinchon

This is also an university area, but the shopping is not as fun as Ewha's.


The Hongik market on weekends is tiny and not really worth going.

Namdaemun market


This area is full of wholesale malls and markets, but the clothes are v auntie-style. The market is full of fake LV etc.

Apgujeong

This is the posh part of Seoul, lots of plastic surgery clinics and luxury stores.



COEX mall

Quite a big mall, with the usual brands. It also has the COEX aquarium, where a scene in "Kim Sam Soon" was filmed.

Sparkling korea: Part 2: Shopping

Must go!

Ewha’s women university

This is an awesome shopping area! Full of shops selling skirts at W 5,000 and dresses at W 10,000! And there's lots of salons... haircuts at only W 15,000 and highlights at W 50,000!



There's Hello apm here too... it's smaller than the one at Dongdaemum, but I found a Mango sale in this one!! There was a concert outside Hello apm! And they were going out free popcorn and cotton candy ^^

Ewha's women uni is so pretty!



Express bus terminal station

Also known as the W 5,000 to W 10,000 underground heaven! Full of shops selling clothes from W 3,000 onwards, necklaces from W 3,000, earrings from W 800, bags & shoes from W 10,000... there’s also a Tony Moly outlet here (about 10% - 20% cheaper than the normal outlet).

It's a great place for rainy days, because when it rains in Seoul, it really rains for the ENTIRE day.

Sparkling Korea: Part 2: Shopping

Must go!

Myeongdong

I love Myeongdong! I can just wander around happily in this very festive shopping area, which has tons of shopping malls, streetside stalls etc. You MUST GO to the 3-storey Forever 21, where prices are about ½ of Singapore’s! And Migliore! The awesome wholesale mall! You can take a break from shopping to visit the gorgeous Myeongdong cathedral... look at the rainbow! ^^Dongdaemun

Dongdaemum has a lot of wholesale malls... the must-gos are Hello apm and Migliore (can’t remember whether the Dongdaemum one or the Myeongdong one was nicer, so you must go to both!).
There's tons of streetfood stalls outside Doota mall as well, so can eat on the go and continue to shop, shop, shop^^Sometimes, there's free concerts on weekends too!

Sparkling Korea: Part 1- Getting around

Aaah, Korea, a giant shopping mall. It is currently at the top of my favourite shopping cities around the world. *LOVES KOREA SO MUCH*

Part 1: Getting Around

Incheon International Airport
After landing, the best way to get to Seoul is by limousine bus. After exiting the airport, there are counters to buy bus tickets. The very comfy bus will cost only around W 12,000, compared to W 60,000 for a taxi. There are many bus routes, which stop at various locations, including hotels. Check out the nearest stop to your hotel at http://www.airport.kr/airport/traffic/bus/busList.iia?flag=E&fake=1142381787184. Alternatively, you can be like me and take a bus to the vicinity of your hotel, and take a cab for the rest of the journey.

For k-pop fans, check out the buses, which have pictures of cute boybands plastered all over!
Korea is so awesome! ^^

Gimpo Airport
This airport has Korean budget airlines flying to Jeju... can buy return tickets for around W 130,000 from Jeju Air. Just queue up at the ticketing counters. You can reach the airport on the subway, and it will take around 1 hour from town (e.g. Myeongdong area).

KTX train
Take the subway to Seoul Station to take the train to other places in korea such as Busan, Gwangju etc. You can buy the tickets online at http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/eng_index.jsp.

Subway
Buy a T-card from the subway station or any convenience stores, and use it like an ez-link card. You can top up the value at any of the easy-to-operate machines at the subways. Koreans are wonderfully gracious and will queue up at the doors, and chivalrous korean guys even offer seats to ahjummas!

If you're bored, there's also eye candy on the trian ^^


Taxi
Their taxi drivers are all equipped with phones, so you can give them your hotel's phone number, and they will call them to get exact directions. Taxis are really cheap! So if you're travelling with a couple of friends, it's very convenient. But beware of jams.

Introduction

There is one great love in my life.

SHOPPING.

When I travel overseas, the first (and sometimes, only) priority is shopping.

And when I return to reality (& work), I will cheer myself up by just looking down at what I'm wearing... because memories of my hedonistic travels will flood back, and my mood is lifted instantaneously upon seeing:
- Top: KRW 5,000, from random shop in Migliore, Korea
- Skirt: KRW 30,000, from Mango, Korea
- Watch: HKD 400, from City Chain, HK
- Shoes: USD20, from Nine West, NY
- Bag: USD900, from Tod's, NY
- Hair: KRW 65,000, cut and highlighted in Korea

And so, because another great love in my life is research (yes, I am v nerdy ^^), I have decided to share my v detailed shopping tips to all girls who love to shop around the world.