Ok, not really.  But out of 4000 shops, guess how many kitchen shops there are?  Actually, that’s sort of difficult to answer.  There were a few restaurant supply-ish shops that sold industrial dough mixers and cotton candy machines… but I only found ONE shop that sold things a home cook might use.  And it was a very small shop.  And I bought nothing there.

Really big metal spoons.  HOW USEFUL.

Now I do realize that I could have missed some kitchen-related shops, as there are 4000 shops and I’m sure I didn’t see them all.  If anyone has insider information on where more kitchen shops are, please tell me!  Sadly, tragically, depressingly, I don’t think there were any more because I asked approximately 3000 shop owners if they knew of any kitchen shops and they all referred me to the one I had already been to in EAI04.  I was hoping to get a decent Chinese chopping block, some wooden spoons, and I had my fingers crossed that I’d find some dolsot bibimbap bowls.

I feel a tangent coming on.  Sorry. 

Basically I’m in love with bibimbap.  If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re stupid really missing out.  

Rice is put in a stone bowl, and topped with various things like carrot, spinach, mushrooms, seasoned beef, chili paste, etc.  Then it’s topped with a raw egg yolk or a sunny-side-up egg.  The stone bowl is heated until the rice starts crackling on the bottom.  You mix the egg yoke with the hot rice (which cooks it) and the bottom of the rice is all crispy and it’s seriously delicious.

I’ve been asking the manager at the Korean restaurant I go to to let me buy 2 bowls from them, and haven’t had any success yet.  I want to cook it at home!  Everyday of my life! (This is a huge hint to the people in my life that are obligated to buy me a 2 Christmas gifts.) 

Although Dragon Mart disappointed me with their lack of kitchen stuff, I definitely didn’t leave empty handed.

I love saunas and always daydream about having my own, and now I do!  Sure it’s a little weird looking, but nothing beats the feeling of sweating out all your toxins using nothing but your own body heat!  And it’s good because the sweat smell stays locked in so I don’t have to smell my own BO.

I also got a few Spongebob pens and notebooks because I think they’ll add a nice childlike, cheerful feel to my office. 

Just kidding!  Here’s what I did get…

I got a bonsai tree for $5, some coconut deep-conditioning hair conditioning conditioner for $10, 7 nail polishes and an emery board for $20, 2 new kitchen rugs (any rug is a kitchen rug when you put it in the kitchen) for $25, and…

thanks to Lindsay, I bought SEVEN dresses.  I’m going to Thailand and Cambodia at the end of the year and they’ll be perfect for that trip.  They’re lightweight and will pack easily and even if they fall apart after one wash, they were less than $50 for all SEVEN dresses!

Although I’m a little confused by the care instructions on the very shiny tag.

Seeee how shiny?!

Seriously though, this is what I was talking about…

Machine wash it and hand wash it but it’s dry clean only and you shouldn’t dry it and you should dry it on low and you should dry it on modium to high.  Modium.

I’m conflicted.

And panicked because one of the dresses is in the washing machine right now.