A Healthy Dose of Too Good To Be True - Jinyangho Healing Center

 Kate, Lotte and I wanted to try a new place for a very informal bible study. Kate threw out a couple places, one of which was called Jinyangho Healing Center. I thought it sounded like a place Abe might like to visit at some point, so we landed on that destination to see what it was all about. When we got out of the car it felt a bit abandoned because no one was in sight.

 There were several buildings and we wandered about them all and poked our heads in, but no one was around. Kate found a number to call right at the same time that ST, the man who we rent our car from, called me. I always worry when he calls that I have gotten a speeding ticket or a parking ticket or something foreboding. He usually just wants to know if he can take my car to wash it. The problem was that he had just washed my car a few days ago. As I hesitantly answered the phone, ST hesitantly asked, "Are you at a...farm, or something?" I replied with about as much confusion, "Yes, I am? We came for coffee but we do not see anyone here." 

Telephone numbers are located on the windshield of cars here. That way you can call someone to have them move their car or let them know you had a fender bender, or whatever. The owner of this place had called 'my car' about it being parked there. I guess she must have came out to look for us as we were wondering around trying to find someone and we missed each other.

Anyway, I got on speaker phone and between ST, Kate, the owner and myself we figured out that the owner was glad we were there and she wanted to treat us to a coffee experience. We agreed and it was on like Donkey Kong!

The afternoon transpired into a memory from my childhood when we were at my Grandma Evelyn's. Us kids had brought some things to sell at her garage sale. Grandma left us alone for a short bit, and while she was gone Aunt Janet stopped by and took me out to grab a treat. Marsha and Steve were so mad that I left them alone to do work that when I got back they told me that they had a lady stop by and they showed her around and the lady bought everything they showed her. But Marsha and Steve only showed them their items and not any of mine. It sounded too good to be true, and it turned out it was. Once my siblings realized that Janet and I brought them back a treat, too, they told me the truth, which was that none of it had happened; there was no lady who appeared and magically bought everything they showed her. This story reminded me of the imaginary shopper that bought everything in sight. I was that shopper at the Healing Center, except instead of buying everything, I kept getting everything for free. It sounds too good to be true, like Marsha and Steve's make-believe story. Except this day it really did happen.

First 계자윤 Gyejayun, the owner, motioned for us to sit at a brightly colored table outside and took our picture.

Next she led us into her cute little coffee house and asked what flavor of coffee we wanted. 

I did not have the heart (nor the Korean words) to tell her that I do not like coffee. She and her employee 최예원Yewontoo brought us a cute little tray with a coffee grinder and a pot of hot water and a filter and an empty carafe and coffee cups and ice bottles.

We put began grinding our fresh coffee beans. 

Kate and Lotte thought it smelled wonderful; had I been a coffee drinker I am sure I would have thought so, too.

After we made one pot, Gyejayun jumped in with a second pot and made us more coffee. Then Yewontoo brought us a couple plates of fruit, most of which she had grown in her garden.

We all sat and talked via Google Translate as we sipped our coffee and snacked on our fruit. We learned that she was only open by appointment (which we obviously did not have), but Gyejayun had time for us and she was glad to make memories with us.

The Healing Center offers coffee, an art class, a cooking class, foot soaking, possibly more. As we were admiring the art pieces, the ladies asked if we had time to make one.

Feeling bad to take something else for free, we declined, stating that we would come back one day to make something. Then they asked if we wanted a foot soak. 

Koreans are some of the most kind and generous people you will ever meet. I am pretty sure they are offended if you turn them down (which we already had with the art project), so we said sure, we would love a foot soak, because, who wouldn't want a foot soak?!

The Helaing Center does cold soaks in the summer and hot soaks in the winter.

This is the view. Not too shabby.

Some lavender and salts were added.

We sat and enjoyed the view, the iced coffee, and the company. (You can see I did not drink much of my iced coffee, but you get the point. The ambiance was lovely.)

After we had soaked for a bit, Gyejayun came over and told us to wait while she baked us some vegan bread in their tutorial kitchen. From scratch.

Look at these cute little tiny bread pans in the oven.

The ladies made us each two little loaves of vegan bread, plus a watermelon smoothie. One loaf was summer squash, and one was lemon wheat. 

Yewontoo, Trish, Lotte, Gyejayun

Such pretty presentation! 

As we were eating our bread and drinking our slushee, they brought each of us a little package of chestnuts. FYI, you see chestnut trees here, and I can't see one without singing in my head. 

{ 🎵 Chestnuts roasting on an open fire... 🎶  }

We promised to return, bringing more friends in tow. Later that evening Gyejayun posted about our day on her Insta.

[August 20]