Author: La Vie Partagée

Inside the Designer’s Studio: Jasmine Alexander

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As one of the world’s most established hubs for style and design, London is a city teaming with creatives who have made an undeniable mark on the world of fashion. I have been lucky enough to get to know one of the most exciting of these designers, making trail blazing contributions to the world of jewelry design: Jasmine Alexander. In top jewelry circles Jasmine is known for being a rebel. Similar to art icons like: Warhol, Dali and Picasso, she has thrown off traditional approaches to her craft, with amazing results. Taking a unique view of the natural world, she has created beautiful and innovative works employing techniques that have never been used. Her unique dedication to innovation is visible in her critically acclaimed piece, “Word to the Wise”: a ring commissioned by Gemfields (owner of the iconic Fabergé brand) featuring a never before seen ring setting, allowing the 3.85ct emerald to seemingly float between the wings, cradled by a platinum collet base that isn’t a collet at all but a smooth claw form giving …

Bánh Xèo / Vietnamese Savory Rice Crepes

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Bánh Xèo literally means “sizzling cake” in Vietnamese. The sizzling sound occurs when the rice flour batter is poured into a steaming hot pan to make a crepe. This crepe is then filled with pork belly, shrimp and bean sprouts served with lettuce, mustard greens and a variety of herbs. It is both healthy and decadent and a very popular dish among my cousins. The only problem is making the crepes fast enough to feed a large family. Every family has a crepe recipe and the selection of accompaniments. My family likes the crepe very thin and light so we use beer and water in our batter. This recipe is rated easy and makes 8-10 crepes depending on the pan size. Ingredients 1/2 lb of large shrimps 1/4 lb of pork belly 1 package of pre-mix banh xeo flour (combination of rice flour and regular flour) 1 can of coconut cream 1 cup of light beer  3 cups of water 1-2 cups of bean sprouts 1 yellow onion 3 stalks of scallions a pinch of salt …

Hotel Review: Lotus Blanc Resort (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

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On my recent 3.5 day trip to Siem Reap, I decided to check out a local boutique hotel instead of staying in better known international hotels. I combed through the offerings for 5 stars hotels on booking.com and other similar sites and decided to give Lotus Blanc Resort a try. I did not know what to expect from this hotel when I arrived in Siem Reap. There are some positives and negatives to staying at this resort. Even though the hotel is listed as a 5 stars establishment, it is really on par with 3.5 to 4 stars international rating. Overall, I rated this hotel 4 out of 5 stars as explained below. Website: http://lotusblancresort.com/ Room (3.5/5) The hotel was built approximately 10 years ago and recently changed owners.  All the rooms and public spaces were renovated two years ago.  I had the Landmark room that comes with a double bed and is very spacious. The room décor is a mix of modern with a lot of wood furniture that is typically seen at Asian resorts. Even though it was …

Spicy Beef Saté Noodle Soup

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Spicy beef saté noodle soup is a cross between phở and bún bò huế. It is not as well known as the two, but requires the same bone based broth. Spicy beef saté noodle soup uses pork neck bones and a surprising ingredient of chunky peanut butter. The spiciness comes from the chili oil where you can modify the heat according to your tolerance. This is a delightfully complex yet simple noodle soup that will have you sweating and enjoying the broth at the same time. This soup is especially good on a cold day. This recipe is rated medium and requires approximately 2 hours to make. This recipe serves approximately 6 bowls of noodle soups. Ingredients 2 lb. of pork neck bones 1.5 lb. of beef (eye round or top round) 1 package of pho of flat rice noodles (fresh if available) 3 tablespoons of fish sauce ¼ cup ground chili in soya bean oil (There are many different brands that have different level of heat.) ½ cup of dried shrimps 3 dried squids …

Pandan and Coconut Waffle / Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa

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A popular street food among the locals, especially children, is pandan waffle or bánh kẹp lá dứa. This waffle is flavored with pandan and incorporates coconut milk in the batter. It is usually eaten plain since the waffle is already sweeten. This dish makes an excellent breakfast or snack. This recipe is rated easy and makes approximately three waffles (6 inches in diameter). Ingredients 3 eggs 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter melted 2 cups of flour 1 cup of coconut flake ½ cup of sugar ½ teaspoon of baking powder ⅛ teaspoon of salt ⅛ teaspoon of pandan syrup ⅛ teaspoon of vanilla extract ¾ cup of instant evaporated milk ½ cup of coconut milk Directions In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Heat the waffle maker. Pour the batter evenly and cook the waffle to the waffle maker’s directions. For our waffle maker, it takes 3 minutes per waffle, 1.5 minutes on each side. Sprinkle some powder sugar and serve warm. This recipe is also the basis for our chicken and waffle dish. Click here …

Hanoi: My Picks for Hair, Nails and Spa

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Finding a good place for haircut or manicure can be daunting in Hanoi when you are only visiting for a few days. During our multiple stays in Hanoi, we tested several locations to find places that have a combination of quality service and fair price. Le Spa Du Metropole (Sofitel) Price: Expensive ($75+) Metropole Website This is one of my favorite spa and hotel in Hanoi. The design highlights the luxurious interiors with French Indochina aesthetics. The spa continues with the same decor but emphasizes more on relaxation as shown in the photo above. I sampled both facial and full body massage here which left me sleeping like a baby. The spa uses high end products including Clarins. The treatment costs approximately $80-$100. This is a splurge for those days when a touch of luxury is needed. Lavender Spa Price: Budget ($20+) 60 minutes massage is VND 520,000 vnd or approximately $23 Address: 28 Nguyễn Du Street Phone: 0433 899 999 (requires a reservation 1 hour in advance) This mid-range spa was recommended by my Hanoi friend.  This no frill spa …

Fried Chicken Wings with Nouc Mam Glaze

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Everyone loves fried chicken wings. Coming from a Vietnamese household, we created our own version with nouc mam or fish sauce. The crispy wings are tossed with a salty and sweet glaze made from fish sauce and butter. The wings are addictive and guarantee to be a hit at your next football party. We paired these wings with pandan waffle to make a delectable Sunday brunch dish. The recipe is rated easy and takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare. Ingredients 2 lb of chicken wings 1 cup of cornstarch 1 egg 2 scallions (white end parts), chopped 8 cloves of galic, minced ¼ of a yellow onion, diced 1 ½ tablespoons of butter ¼ cup of sugar ¼ cup of nouc mam or fish sauce for the glaze and 1 teaspoon for the marinade sea salt cracked pepper vegetable oil for deep frying Directions Wash the chicken wings with 1 tablespoon of sea salt to clean the smell and any slime off the skin. Mix well and rinse with water. Cut a slit through each …