We found ourselves with just two days in Saigon so we crammed the food in, starting with a motorbike food tour from XO Tours. In 4.5 hours, we zipped through 6+ districts in Saigon and ate at three restaurants. We also (separately) sought out the most famous pho and banh mi spots in Saigon, tried… Read More Two Days in Saigon – A Food Guide to Ho Chi Minh City
The cooking class at Sompong Thai Cooking School was a highlight of my Thailand trip! I love Thai cuisine and dabble with Thai flavors in my cooking. I make a mean Tom Kha Gai (coconut galangal chicken soup), so I was super excited to optimize that dish and learn a few others in this class.… Read More Sompong Thai Cooking School, Bangkok (Honeymoon Pt. 5)
My favorite dining experience in Thailand was at Gaggan, a modern Indian restaurant in Bangkok. Gaggan recently climbed to #7 on the World’s 50 Best list, and the chef was featured on the Netflix series Chef’s Table. We had a new tasting menu, introduced just 15 days prior to our dinner. The menu was unique… Read More Dinner at Gaggan – Bangkok, Thailand (Honeymoon Pt. 4)
We enjoyed a day-long Ayutthaya tour and river cruise while visiting Bangkok, Thailand. Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam Kingdom back in the 14th-18th centuries, and the impressive ruins hint at the grandeur this once was! The city is located 80 km north of Thailand – about a 90-minute drive, which made for an easy… Read More Ayutthaya Day Trip and River Cruise from Bangkok (Honeymoon Pt. 3)
While in Phuket, we went on a fun speed boat tour of the very scenic Phang Nga Bay. In eight hours, we hit up six diverse stops in the Bay, including canoeing, caving, and of course beaching. Oh yes, we also did a sail-by of the famous James Bond Island, but thankfully didn’t go ashore… Read More Phang Nga Bay Speed Boat Day Tour (Honeymoon Pt. 2)
Greetings from the married side! After a magical four-day celebration in Carmel Valley, CA, we packed our bags and went to South East Asia for an 18-day honeymoon. We started with a relaxing three days at the luxurious Banyan Tree Phuket. We stayed in the Spa Sanctuary area, where each private pool villa comes with unlimited massages(!) and 6000 sq.… Read More A Luxurious Stay in Phuket – Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary (Honeymoon Pt. 1)
In contrast to my recap of the most memorable dishes this year, it was surprisingly easy to pick my top three favorite restaurant experiences. 2016 was a weak year for new restaurants in the Bay Area, so the standouts were established, proven destinations. Excellent food was just the baseline, and what made them my favorite is a combination of uniqueness and personal… Read More 2016’s Top Three Restaurant Experiences
It seems like 2016 was a tough year for most people, including myself. World news and politics aside, it was stormy in my own life at times. But I now find myself at the end of another year, reflecting on the many positive moments. One of my favorite memories was sitting on a pebble beach near Hualien, Taiwan, watching… Read More 2016’s Most Memorable Dishes
I had a grand total of one birthday party as a kid and it was a joint celebration months ahead of my actual birthday. I’m also not one to expect extravagant gestures. Having said that, it does feel nice to be spoiled once in a while. My birthday this year was all that and more,… Read More Surprise Birthday Trip – Dinner at Alinea 2.0 and Drinks at The Aviary
Now that we are solidly in the second half of 2016, I’ve been reminiscing about the previous six months. With all the travel, change, and excitement, it feels like a full year already! One of my favorite days was a sightseeing car trip along the north coast of Taiwan. I’ve been to Taiwan about six times… Read More A day trip along Taiwan’s north coast