Travel notes, food finds, and everyday stories.
The first meal in a new place sets a small tone for the whole trip. Ours was in Sa Pa, with cool mountain air and a light rain falling outside, which is exactly the weather a bowl of hot pho was made for. We ended up at Nhà Hàng Thìn Oanh, mostly because it...
I asked my friend to tell the driver to slow down. Then I asked again. It made no difference, because he kept speeding up, and I was in the back seat of a car climbing a mountain in the dark, wide awake. That was the last stretch of a very long trip to Sa...
It’s been a while since I’ve written anything here. The past couple of weeks have been busy in that particular way that leaves no room for sitting down and actually gathering my thoughts. I’ve missed it, even as I let this space go quiet. But today isn’t just any day. Tonight we fly to...
I noticed them on my first solo trip to Bangkok in 2024, before I knew what they were. Small, ornate houses standing outside hotels, offices, shops, homes. Bright colors, pointed roofs, sometimes elevated on a single pillar, sometimes on several. Someone was clearly tending to them. Fresh flowers. Little plates of food. What looked...
When a place survives trends, tourism waves, and polished beach clubs, it usually means it understands something deeper than aesthetics. La Plage does not shout for attention. It waits. Set right on An Bang Beach, this long-standing, French-owned restaurant feels like a quiet refusal to rush. It was one of the original beachfront spots...
It was a warm afternoon when we arrived in Hoi An—a perfect time to wander through the Ancient Town, explore the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky ancestral house, and Phuc Kien Assembly Hall. By night, we had planned to catch the colorful lights dancing on the boats along the Hoai River. But the...
Landing in Da Nang, our first mission was clear: find an unforgettable dinner. Since our niece Jen was our local guide, we let her choose—and she picked Gáo Grill & Beer. This lively spot, with outdoor seating right in the city center, was buzzing even as closing time approached. The menu was slightly limited...