Backpack vs. Rolling Luggage

After scrambling through the airport with a 40-pound backpack, a daypack and a personal bag, we started to feel we might have bitten off more than we could chew (or carry).  Did we really need a laptop, two cameras, a video camera, music devices, fully stocked medicine bag, vitamins and a full box of Emergen-C?

As we were standing in line to check our bags, a man in front of us commented how one of our packs looked like it weighed more than Anne.  We quickly realized we were the only two people checking in backpacks and they were the only backpacks at the luggage carousels, which made it easy to spot them.  

What were we thinking?  That’s when we remembered the time we took the airport shuttle from LaGuardia in New York, which drops us off at the Port Authority (crazy busy) and Mike had a backpack and I had a roll bag.  If it weren’t for the kindness of several New Yorkers I don’t know how I could have made it up the stairs and out into the bright lights, big city.  Thank goodness for SE Asia massages, we’re gonna need them!

Switching Blog Gears

We originally started this blog as a way to keep everyone updated on the progress of our business and about our much-anticipated trip to Asia.  Now that we are officially on our 4-month long journey, we thought it would be beneficial to re-introduce ourselves in hopes it may explain the random postings about the things we find interesting.  Of course we will continue to write about all the food we try and drop hints about the type of food out business will be serving. 

First up is Anne.  I received my Masters in Business, with a focus on Pacific Rim economies and businesses, which included an intensive study of Asian cultures, politics and socio-economics.  This will explain my random input, observations and opinions on the people, culture, politically driven differences and societies of the countries we’re visiting.  I am Vietnamese so I will definitely have an insiders’ take on what we see, hear and eat in my native country.  This should explain some of the random statistical information I will undoubtedly include in some of the postings, such as did you know that Japan’s ethnic make-up is something like 99.9% ethnic Japanese.  That’s not the exact statistic, but it’s something crazy like that.  So this means a HUGE majority of the population maintains the same cultural identity, same ethnic understanding of what is culturally acceptable, same background, same history and same cultural experiences.  Imagine if in the US we were all ethnically the same, we all grew up with the same foods, our parents sang us the same lullabies, we all spoke the same language at home and celebrated the exact same holidays and celebrated them in the exact same way.  This will explain some of what I will mention about Japan.  I also fascinated by engineering feats and inspired by interesting and beautiful architecture.  I love street fashion and how climate dictates what we wear. 

Next up is Mike.  My interest in Asian cultures started with its cuisine, especially after my first experience with good sushi and a piping hot bowl of pho.  I have worked as a sushi chef for two top sushi restaurants in Portland and found sushi’s artistic nature to be a good fit for my constant need to express myself.  I am a musician so being drawn to all things expressive; individuality and inspiration come natural to me.  Besides being emerged in Vietnamese culture due to my beautiful Anne, I am most interested in cultures that are rooted in tropical climates.  This may help explain my love of late hot nights when the weather cools down and people come out of their houses and move about the town. This is my first time traveling to Asia and I am excited about being emerged into cultures that are relatively new to me.  I have always had an interest in Japanese art, particularly the vivid colors and the calm sense of movement.  I am an avid cook and look forward to exploring the numerous wet markets, local delicacies and all the street food.  I want to explore the regional offerings of each country, the freshness, the seasonality and enhancing my palette in order to develop and refine my recipes for Buddha Bellies.  I am inspired by all the oddness life has to offer.

Buddha Bellies Bon Voyage

Survival

On the first official rainy autumn day of the year, I came into work to see my calendar had already been switched to November.

Oh to survive the next two weeks!

On to something

This fall I went to a Halloween potluck.

We were asked to bring one dish to share.

It was quite the spread.

There wasn't a chip in sight.

Little did we know, prizes were given to the best savory and the best sweet items brought.

Guess who won for best savory?

Little ol' me.

Maybe there's something to this buddha bellies

My prize for best savory item

Monumental Birthday

Anyone who has a birthday on Halloween usually has a spooktacular birthday celebration. But this year it's a monumental birthday, in that Mike has to work for the first time ever in his life, on his birthday.

So no dressing up or carving pumpkins But here's wishing you a wonderful birthday anyways Love

Hats, Shoes and Gloves

Hats, shoes and gloves - oh my! The bbq and patio furniture has been put away for months. The garden has been harvested. Now it is time to put away our summer clothes and pull out the cool weather items - or is it? The weather has been absolutely beautiful, allowing fall to fully arrive and be enjoyed.

We feel so lucky to be here to enjoy it.

So for now we will pull out the winter clothes to stay warm, but all the while knowing the hats, shoes and gloves are only temporary.

Buddha....Where's My Bellie?

After over 5 years of opposite schedules, different days off and seeing each other either early in the morning or late at night, excited doesn't begin to explain how we feel about spending the next few months alone and constantly around each other. It will be a good time to see if we can be around each for more than a few hours at a time and actually talk face to face and not via text or instant messaging. But for now our schedules are on fever pitch with Mike working 10 hour days for the next 14 consecutive days.

Even the cat misses him

Rolling with the Homies

We're getting our fill of all our favorites before we hit the road. And being the Mikexican that he is, a good al pastor burrito always hits the spot, so we headed to King Burrito. It may be out in No Po (North Portland), but believe us it's worth it. I have yet to eat a quesidilla that has avocado sauce, not guacamole - avocado sauce; that is not completely soaking in grease by the time you reach the last piece at the bottom! I have the feeling we'll be rolling with the homies quite a bit until we leave.

P-Town Props

We thought with the Northwest rain upon us, we would be even more ready to start our travels. But the glorious fall weather has us only feeling lucky to see the autumn in our glorious town. The farmers' markets are in high harvest mode and the variety of great produce available during this time of year makes us anxious to hit the wet markets all over Asia. We continue to be busy with travel research. Not only does Portland have a fantastic library system as seen from above, but p-town public television is also fantastic. To add to our over-anxious excitement to hit the road, OPB is broadcasting a travel series by Rudy Maxa which is really great! His recent show about Bangkok, Thailand made us drool for days. Try and catch his show if you can - the open air market in a little town outside of Bangkok, which refused to move when the government wanted to continue the railway line is worth seeking out his travel show for that alone. I found the "train runs through it segment" on Youtube! Check it out! If you are lucky enough to live in P-land his series airs on Fridays at 6:00pm on OPB. Have a great fall everyone, the crisp autumn air has us longing to rewind and start our summer all over again!