I am a hardcore Naruto fan – the anime is great – but I do not want to talk about that right now. What I want to talk about is how Naruto used to chow down on that ichiraku ramen (I’m sure those days are long gone as he is now married ?). I didn’t understand it, the Maruchan ramen is good, but not that good. Prior to eating at Okiboru, I’d never had ramen made by a professional chef. Truly it is a treat for the tastebuds. The ramen costs no more than $16.00 a bowl. Such a nice treat. They even have mochi ice cream desserts.
The ambiance is beautiful, the food is delicious, and the service is truly great. Just so you know I’m also a fan of their rice bowls.
The Buckhead ATL, Ga location is rarely packed. You can sit and enjoy for a while. Oh and did I mention that this chain of restaurants has received a Michelin star? ?
Check them out in the Atlanta Georgia area, NYC and LA.
You will not be disappointed. I thought that it was a great experience for my first time trying true Japanese ramen. ? share what you think about this spot if you’ve been.
I spent the evening at Jeju Sauna. I was once a regular here, but in the last few years have drastically tapered off, which is good for me. I think that we should allow for crowds to ebb and flow.
Though this spa has been around since 2005 in the Duluth area, it was popularized by the Real Housewives of Atlanta maybe 10 or so years ago. I will say that the prices have gone up to accommodate its popularity, prior to Covid19, entry was 25.00, afterwards, it has gone to 40.00. I’ve been to a few other spas in the US. They all have a similar feel, but are unique to their locations. Chicago, Hawai’i, New York, LA, allthat I can find in Georgia. Yeah, it was a real thing for me. Anytime I go to a new city, I try to visit the local spa, if available.
Jeju prefers that we limit picture taking, which is not so fun as the spa is beautiful, however, it is better to be respectful. See below for a few from the evening.
Check Jeju Sauna in Atlanta out if you’re looking for something fun and different to do for the day. $40.00 gets you in and you can stay for 24 HRS. You’ll get a wristband, an outfit to lounge around the spa in, and a toothbrush. Once you’re in the locker room, you can put your things away. You’ll quickly see how expansive and lovely the spa is. For the price, it is not too shabby if you ask me – gotta be ok with open bay sleeping, though, if you choose to stay for the entire time. Do be aware that there are portions of the spa that are nude, a la the traditional Korean spas, or kspas, as those closely acquainted with them like to call it. This only applies to the portion of the spa where people are bathing, the remainder of the spa is clothed.
I have a quick story, I was at Jeju and someone from Korea decided to randomly tell me about what the spas are like there. They said that it is customary for people to go to the spa every week, maybe even multiple times a week. The entry fee is less than 5 dollars! That’s kind of a cool little thing to know about their culture. I do want to make those of you that are unaware, there have been some issues with these spas stateside as it relates to prostitutionand otherquite sadthings, however. I really look forward to the day that evil leaves us. So sad that people can’t even go to bath houses in peace.
Anywho, I still think that checking them out is worthwhile, just be as safe as possible.
Pro tips for visiting:
Pack a spa kit for your visit. I take a quick trip to Dollar Tree and Marshall’s to stock up on necessary spa items (pedicure brush, scrub brushes, facial masks, hair masks) and put them in my spa basket for use. Marshall’s or TJ Maxx usually have some Dr. Jart face masks – I get these and use them at the spa as they make my visit feel more luxe. I also stock up on snacks and ensure that I have a refillable water bottle (plastic or metal, not glass) on hand. The spa charges for some incidentals, so having these on hand will make your end bill cheaper.
Go with a friend you trust. This can take the edge off for first timers. I mean a friend of the same gender as the male/female saunas are separate (nudity concerns)
Anticipate spending more the first few times you go. They offer so many services (pedicures, acupuncture, tiered body scrub services, vaginal steaming, authentic Korean eats). You’ll want to be sure you can cover a possibly heftier price tag.
Be courteous and respectful. All body types are on display and everyone is deserving of a safe space.
Do you have any tips for those new to the kspa life?
I liked this blog post and decided to share – luggage and lipstick does a great job of summing up the experience, too.
I’m really into this. I found him on TikTok a few months ago, nice to see that he is doing well. Made it on Colors. The beat is really hittin’. I’m pretty sure that he is a possible super producer in the making. Love the violin. I’ve listened to some of his other work, but it doesn’t resonate as much as this song. He has a really interesting background… I do kind of fear that these lyrics might be somewhat sacrilegious, so I may not continue to listen. I’m very open-minded, however, I do tend to steer away from listening to things like that. Check out some background on the song here.
Interesting that I like Lupe Fiasco so much, isn’t it? He is a well known Muslim…. he tends to be respectful, at least with his lyrics. 😉
Anyways, just wanted to share. I hope that Cain releases more with up beat tempos.
