Author: La Vie Partagée

Duck and Bamboo Vermicelli Noodle Soup / Bún Măng Vịt

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Duck and bamboo vermicelli noodle soup or  bún măng vịt is a permanent fixture at my parent’s weekend dinners. This simple and rich vermicelli soup is a dish that one will not find at a restaurant. This is comfort food at its core. A whole duck is boiled for 45 minutes to create a fragrant and rich broth. The duck is then cut into bit size pieces and ready to be dipped in a garlic ginger fish sauce. The bowl of noodle soup is topped with bamboo shoots simply sauteed with some seasoning and a salad of lettuce, cabbage and mints. This is a meal that is best served with family and friends as you’ll guarantee to fight over the meatiest parts of the duck. This dish takes 1 – 1.5 hours to prepare. The recipe serves approximately 8 portions and is rated medium in difficulty. Ingredients: 1 whole duck 1 package of dried bamboo shoots (If you don’t have this, you can use the can version.) 8 tablespoons of fish sauce (for broth and …

Must Do’s: My Virginia Beach Experience

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I remember going to Virginia Beach for the first time when I was in elementary school. Back then, the oceanfront boardwalk did not even reach its current length and there were only a handful of upscale hotels. The city has invested heavily to make VA Beach a family beach destination. I have fond memories of my parents giving us a few dollars to take the trolley up and down Beach Street USA, to window shop along the main street stores and to watch the free entertainment on the other side of the beachfront properties. The boardwalk expanded to its current 28-feet wide and 3 mile long pathway with a separate bike lane over the years. Each night, one could hear live music from the various venues along this pathway. It has become a tradition to have our family reunion in VA Beach for the last 20 plus years. There are a few things that my family love to do and this is my list of the Must Do’s in VA Beach. Activity: Wake up early in the …

Fish Taco with Tumeric and Dill

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Tacos are very popular in the states and the trend has been to mix the Mexican traditional taco with Asian ingredients. This combination have been a huge hit with a fusion of Korean bbq and Mexican food. This trend inspired  me to create a Vietnamese version of the fish taco based off of a traditional northern dish comprise of fish with turmeric and dill or  chả cá thì là. This recipe change the traditional sauce and the accompaniment to create a fusion fish taco. I tested this recipes on 4 teenagers and they could not get enough of it. This is a bonafide crowd pleaser for your next gathering. This recipe serves 6 and is rated medium in difficulty. This recipe takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare and require marinating the fish for at least 1 hour. Ingredients: 2 pounds of tilapia filet or any other firm white fish of your choice 2 large bunches of dill 3 stalks of spring onion 1 tablespoon of lemongrass 2 tablespoons of minced garlic ½ of diced yellow or …

Weekend Unexplored: Lisbon, Portugal

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I recently had an opportunity to visit Portugal for a long weekend this past May. Portugal, over the years, has steadily become a travel destination for those that have visited other major parts of Europe and are open to explore smaller capitals. Lisbon is an easy destination to get to, especially with the increase in low cost carriers that service it. I had the weekend planned for good weather; unfortunately, I arrived into Lisbon on Saturday morning to torrential rain. I rearranged my schedule accordingly and had a good first visit to Lisbon despite the weather. These are the highlights of my 1.5 days in Lisbon. Day 1 (Saturday): Arrived in Lisbon to pouring rain Lisbon International Airport is a small international airport so it was not difficult to get out of the arrival terminal. My sister met me there and found a Starbucks right at Arrivals  (outside of customs) with free Wi-Fi to wait for me. This is also a great spot if you need to meet up with other folks flying in from other …

Lobster Curry Bouillabaisse 

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Lobsters is a treat anytime of the year, but more so in the summer when they are abundant. I grew up eating lobsters boiled and served with butter. As I got exposed to more cuisines such as New England seafood stew and French bouillabaisse, I can’t help but play with lobster and the Vietnamese flavor profile. My mom and I came up with this recipe using our love of lobster and traditional curry soup blend with some western influences. Try out this crowd pleasing lobster curry bouillabaisse at your next gathering. This recipe is rated easy and take 30-45 minutes to make. Ingredients: 2 lobsters (1.5 lbs each) 1 14 fl oz can of coconut milk 1 14 fl oz can of chicken broth 1 teaspoon of minced ginger 3 teaspoons of soy sauce 3 tablespoons of Madras curry 2 tablespoons of sake (Kwang Tung Miju – Chinese Sake) 2 large shallots (4 halves) 4 Scallions 2 tablespoons of red onion 1 tablespoon of minced garlic 4 red Thai chili 4 yellow sweet peppers 1 …

Inspiration: Airstream Makeovers

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Airstream is an iconic American brand of luxury campers. The shape of an Airstream dates back to the 1930’s and was immensely popular in the 1970’s. It has been recently popular to see Airstream converted into permanent second homes in the country. In today’s post, I will share two amazing makeovers to inspire everyone to rethink the old Airstream’s potential. I first saw this video on this Airstream makeover in 2015 at House & Home website and was amazed by how this 210-feet trailer transformed into an enviable weekend getaway. The owners bought an old Airstream and gutted it down to the frame. After they proceeded to paint everything white and streamlined the decor in a modern aesthetic. They used this camper as a sleeping quarter and built a huge deck to house their outdoor living and entertaining space. There was even a shed that served as a guest bedroom. I did more research on this topic and found Auto Camp, a boutique hotel made of renovated 1960’s and 1970’s Airstreams by Hoffman Architecture. The …