Random Painting Reminded me of Laos

Vietnamese Sandwich Lao Style

I was dying for Vietnamese Sandwich called ”bánh mì” and have no desire to drive 45 minutes to the store I figure I can come up with something close to the original.

Hawaiian Luau

Tropical arrangement how appropriate for the party.  My young sister throws this party she spent so much money on the decorations everything was ordered from Hawaii.  She orders a bunch of  plumeria flower “dok jam pa” for people who attend the party to make their own lei.

desserts table

Strawberry dipped with chocolate, Macadamia Nuts pie, Macadamia covered chocolate, Coconut cake with meringue yummy.  

 

 

Dork Jam pa

 

 

Sushi

My mom made summer roll for her it was a hit, a lot of people don’t know what they are. I’m very surprise her friends are not very adventures type of people. There were typical chinese food there  too I guess she tried to please everybody palate.

Fresh Summer Roll

 Fresh summer roll with sweet and sour peanuts dipping sauce

My mom, dad and brother

 Everybody all dresses in Hawaii outfit except a few people.

My mom and My sister in-law

Mom is buzz she can’t drink she thinks  if is sweet there ‘re not much alcohol.  Hahah

 

Sarah made lei for all the stuff animals LOL

I even made lei for my little monkey. 

San Diego, California

 

Glass district, San Diego

Perfect weather no humidity just right.  San Diego blue sky white fluffy cloud this type of weather reminded me of Xieng Kaung.  Another business trip, great city to be in. I just published a paper and presenting it this year national conference.  I won’t have that much free time but I will make the best of what I have.  

San Diego skyscraper from my hotel window

Gorgeous day too bad I have to be stuck in the conference room all day boo hoo…

Fish Taco

My first fish taco, the fish was well seasoned and perfectly grilled. The coleslaw has a zest of lime juice and oregano not the typical East Coast slaw loaded with heavy mayonnaise.  The slaw, salsa and the fish great combination after the meal.

 After my lunch I walked to the park and just enjoy the cool sunny day.  Some of the boats on the dock are gorgeous some have helicopter wow I’m sure that’s pretty pricy. 

At the marina over look the San Diego bay.

 

Navy Ship

I didn’t have that much time one hour lunch break almost over I have to head back to the convention center.  I would love to see inside that is  gigantic ship I think is bigger than T rec haha…….lol

A Giant life-size model of Life Magazine photo taken after the announcement of WWII was over

 

How appropriate a navy guy kissed a nurse. While I was trying to take this picture, there were couple boys looked under her skirt so typical.

 

"Typical tourist" do what a tourist do ride a tricycle

 This reminded of “Sam law” back home.

Sculpture along the park

 There were so many interesting sculptures set along the walking path there was never a dull moment I have walked way too far than I thought and time is not on my side I don’t want to be late for my own presentation. 

Interesting tree I’ll say

I’m not sure if this is the nature of how the tree grow or with the wind constantly blowing they all bended in some odd way  I was just amazed of how the trunk of the trees are so white.

From the convention center balcony

I made it back on time for the afternoon conference I snapped the last picture of the day.

Dork Huck

I have rarely see this flower I remembered as a child I would pick this flower and strings them together to make lei.

Water lily

My favorite flower every time I see water-lily, Claude Monet comes to mind.

 

 

 

 The meeting ended with fabulous dinner with my colleges I looked forward to next year meeting in San Francisco. 

 

 

 

Lao Cucumber Salad with Shrimp “Yum Maak Tang Gub Koon”

First Lao Resturant in DC Area- WOW !

My sister was down in Bethesda, Maryland for her work for two weeks.  She and I got together and decided to have some lao food that I recently discovered from googling. This place is actually a Thai restaurant but serves lao food with separated lao menu.  They also have buffet which doesn’t looked that bad. 

Fried calamari "Tau paa mirk" "

Lao Spicy Sausage "SAI OUA"

Som tum maak houng

 

Bamboo shoot salad "Soub Nor Mai"

 

Lao beef salad "Larb Sien"

 

My plated sticky rice, larb and soub nor mai

 

The service was really quick we got out appetizer within 15 minutes after we ordered.  The place was very quite when we were their. There were only couple tables most of them had the buffet, we ordered from the lao vs.thai menu.  They also have “Beer Lao”  I ordered dark beer lao but they ran out so I got diet coke but got caffeine free diet coke.  I didn’t have the heart to tell the waitress there is difference between “caffeine free ” vs “caffeine”. 

New Olreans

Beignet at Café Du Monde

People keeps telling me if you did not have a beignet you did not visit New Orleans. So what did I do?, the first thing in the morning I walk over to the french market and settle for high carbohydrate breakfast.

Beignet and cafe au latte

 

 I order a cup of cafe au latte and one order of  beignet come in three puff pastry loaded with powder suger.  It was yummy but not so good for my blood sugar it shot up above 140.  

Waitress at Cafe Du Monde

 

  I noticed all the waitress are all Vietnamese.  I won’t be suprise if Cafe Du Monde  open in Veitnam.  All the ladies were very friendly.

 

Raw Oyster

 

I loved both raw and cooked so I ordered 1 each.

Grilled Oyster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steam boat on the Mississippi river

The river reminded me of the Mekong River. Muddy just like the cafe au latte I had for breakfast.

Happy Chinese New Year!!

This year chinese new year and valentine falls on the same day, I’m being cheated.  Half amount on the red envelop and smaller box of chocolate.

 At my parents’ place every year he does this ceremony offering to his dad.  You noticed the large altar are set up with varieties of foods and fruits, sweets and items that his dad liked when he was still alive.

Reward or It Just Madness

I got this plant from a friend of a friend fifteen years ago. I didn’t think it would survive this long, since I had neglected to water it for weeks or even months. I don’t think I have ever fertilize it, I was ready to gave up on this plant,  then I have second thought I decided to give another year maybe. I gave it plenty of water.  Well, guess what ! two weeks ago this is what  I saw for the first time in fifteen years.Shock beyond shock, this plant decided to produce flowers when I’m was ready pitch in the dumpster. 

You’ll be the judge whether is worth the wait. I was alway wonder is desert plant since it can survive without water for so long.

In the mean time I am so obsessive with orchids.  I will do everything and anything to have this things flowers fertilized it, water it regularly, move it around the house to get the sunlight it needed, and even talk to the darn thing.   

This year it bloom alright, only one lonesome  stalk, usually it would bloom two or three stalks at one time.  I hope it last until new year.  

Behind the orchids is the plant that produce the star like flowers.  Most of the orchids plant are coming into bloom. Is it science or green thumb?  one wonders……..

The First Encounter Until Last Encounter Memories Still Lingering On……

The first time I have seen snow was January 1979, my family and I immigrate to the United States.  I looked outside the apartment and saw kids playing in heavy snow.  Sled riding down the hill on the church property it looks like they were having a good time, while I was inside trying to keep warm.

Real Life to Abstract: Taking Idea From An Old Master Pieces Capturing Lao Imagination

If ten people looking at one painting and ask to write a short description of what you see in the composition, you will get ten different answers….

for century artist’s had painted pictures in different form of mediums from tile, Paper, wooded board and canvas to name a few. It’s really depended on where and what the resource is available.  In Laos some of the artist choose a local product such Saa paper to express their fine skills on a medium,what many of us called “fine art”. 

Giving Thanks On Thanksgiving To People Back Home (Laos)

 As we celebrate thanksgiving with family here in United States. I am thinking back to Laos witnessing and experiencing  how less they have but yet they seem contented. Over the years I have the opportunity to made many great friends during my visits. I gained so much in sights of the lao rich history and traditions.  My grand  mother for instinct; she is in her late 90′s.  She doesn’t remembered  her day-to-day activity, but she yet  remembers her younger days, as I sat with her I asked her many questions. When she was a child what kind of games does she plays and how did she meet my grand father and was it an arranged marriage?  Her story was very intriguing and very sad since she loss her husband at a very young age.  She told me she has a lot of “boun” since she out lived all of her best friends and have many children, grand children and great-grandchildren to enjoy. I just hope she has the opportunity to see my nephew, he is the first great-grandson born in the United States.  I hope my sister make a trip to Laos soon.  

"Pra Ya noo Noi" at Wat Lao, Washington D.C

Laos Children Holds Great Future to Their Country or Just Follow the Path of Their Current Regime

This past weekends I had the opportunity to a look through old album.  Most of the pictures I took are children, I spend lots of time with children.  throughout my visits I always bring along children games that’s is creative, educational and very fun activity that they could still play even when I am no longer there. Gosh, it felt like it was just yesterday.

My sleeping quarter while visiting my grandmother at the country side, my bed is against the wall