Monday, July 30, 2012

Ready to go!

Three days to go and we're off to Europe for a month! I'm so excited to go back to Spain and just lie on the beach... Yesterday my husband and I went shopping for the things we need. I bought new make-up, bikini, cover-ups, summer clothes, new pair of sexy jeans, shoes and some tropical body lotion.


After hopping from one shopping mall to the another, we got so tired and thirsty so we decided to take a break at Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt- ice cream parlor.


I had vanilla and chocolate yogurt ice cream topped with chocolate sprinkles and jelly, so yummy and my favorite!
We have been talking about we should pamper ourselves before holiday so we went for a massage.
I went to Indochine Spa and since I'm a regular customer, I got a free coffee body scrub (from my frequent guest stamping card).  I had the traditional Indochine massage and it's WONDERFUL!!!





I love Indochine Spa because the therapists are really good, the place is very clean, the rooms are nicely decorated and the music is so relaxing. The people working there are also very professional and service is 5 star! After the treatment, they served a very smoothing tea and some dried fruits.
Price range at $25-$100, depending on the treatment.



Then we decided to have dinner at our favorite Indian Restaurant but when we got there, it was closed. We're a little bit early! Indian restaurants in HCMC are normally closed from 2pm-5:30pm. And since we felt so tired (or lazy!!!) after the massage we went home and ordered TUNA pizza instead...
We wanted to be healthy and stay fit for Spain...lol!!! ;)


Soo happy!!! :)

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Top 5 Travel Advisors for this Month

Soooo happy that SnappyGo.com made me one of their top 5 TRAVEL ADVISORS for this month... Couldn't ask for more, I feel so blessed... :) Thank You! :)


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Reunited! :)

Two nights ago, my husband invited a friend to come over to our place and have dinner. It was a colleague when he was first working (as a pilot) in Guernsey, United Kingdom. Now, this friend also works as a pilot for Vietnam Airlines. We had a great time sharing the good old jokes, he also told me how my husband was years ago. Really nice to see them reunited after many years of not seeing each other.
I'm also very happy that he likes the food we prepared for him. We made Nachos, Buffalo Wings and Fries. And will share to you my Nachos recipe, hope you like it.... :)


Homemade Nachos (Serves 3)
Ingredients:
1 Bag Doritos
1 Bottle Barilla Basilico Sauce (400g)
500g Minced Beef or Chicken (Vegetarian: Chopped Carrots)
2 Large Chopped Tomatoes
1 Large Chopped Onion
2 Tbsp Chopped Garlic
3 Tsp Taco seasoning mix
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
2 Medium Pickles (Chopped)
1 Cup Shredded Cheese
Oil
Avocado and Sour Cream (Optional)

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
2) Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft, (Add the minced beef until cooked), add chopped tomatoes and Barilla Basilico sauce. Add salt, pepper and taco seasoning. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 7 minutes, or until thick.
3) In a large metal bowl or heatproof bowl, arrange some of the Doritos chips, add some of the sauteéd sauce, add chopped pickles and onions, sprinkle some cheese. Arrange chips again on top, add sauce, add chopped pickles and onion, sprinkle some cheese. Repeat until finished.
4) Bake for 15 minutes, or until hot. Serve with Avocado or Sour cream.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Baan Thai Cooking School

When we went to Chiang Mai, Thailand last October, my husband and I enrolled in a Thai cooking class. It was a one day course with 5 Thai dishes that includes appetizer, soup, main course, curry and Thai dessert.
There were 3 choices for every dish and you can choose whatever you want to make.We went to the local market in Chiang Mai to see Thai vegetables, spices, seafood and meat. Then we shopped for the recipes of our chosen dishes (paid by the school).... :)
It was a fun experience and I really learned a lot from it.

















Here are the recipes of some of the dishes that my husband and I made...
Hope you enjoy! :)


Fried Cashew Nut with Chicken

Ingredients:
50g Chicken (Vegetarian: T.V.P.)
50g Cashew Nut or Almonds
30g Jelly Mushroom, slice into 1cm width (Can substitute any mushroom)
2 Baby Corns, slice into 1/2 cm width
1/2 Large Onion
2 Tbsp Spring Onion, slic into 1 inch width
1 Tbsp chopped Garlic
5 g Dried Chilli, slice into 1 cm width
1/2 Tbsp Fish Sauce (Vegetarian: Soy Sauce)
2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce (Vegetarian: Mushroom sauce)
1 Tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Oil

Method:
1) Put oil in the wok and stir-fry cashew nuts until brown.
2) Put the cooked cashew nuts into the bowl, leave the oil in the wok.
3) Fry garlic until golden.
4) Add chicken and fry until cooked.
5) Add mushroom, large onion, baby corn and dried chilli.
6) Put oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar.
7) add spring onion and cooked cashew nuts.
8) Stir until cooked. Serve with rice.



Fried Noodles Thai Style (Pad Thai)

Ingredients:
250 grams rice noodle
50 grams chicken (Vegetarian: T.V.P.)
3 Tbsp Oil
20 grams Chinese Chive or Spring Onion
1 tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Fish Sauce (Vegetarian: Soy Sauce)
2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce (Vegetarian: Mushroom Sauce)
1 egg
30 grams Bean Sprouts or Cabbage
1 Tbsp Chopped Garlic
50 grams Tofu, cut into 1 cm width cube
1/2 cup Water

Method:
1) Heat the oil over low heat, add gralic and fry until fragrant.
2) Add chicken, tofu and stir until the chicken is cooked.
3) Break the egg in and Spread the egg with chicken.
4) Add noodles and water, stir until tender.
5) Season with fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar.
6) Add the bean sprouts and chinese chives
7) Turn off the heat
8) Serve with fresh vegetables (Cabbage, Bean Sprout, Spring Onion)
    and you can add lime juice, topped with grounded peanut and grounded chillies.
    Season to taste.



Thai Spring Rolls

Ingredients:
100g Glass Noodle
100g Bean Sprout
50g Minced Pork (Vegetarian: Minced Tofu)
4 Chinese Chives
1 Tbsp Garlic
4 Tbsp Oil
1/2 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Fish Sauce (Vegetarian: Soy Sauce)
2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce (Vegetarian: Mushroom Sauce)
1/2 Cup Water

Method (Filling):
1) Put the oil in the wok, fry garlic until golden.
2) Add minced pork, fry until the pork is almost cooked.
3) Put fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar.
4) Add the glass noddles, bean sprout and spring onion.
5) Stir until the fresh vegetables are cooked, set aside to cool.

Preparation:
10 Spring Roll Wrappers
1 Beaten Egg

Method:
1) Place a tablespoon of the Filling on a spring roll wrapper.
2) Fold the sheet over the filling, fold about half a turn; fold in the ends,
    then roll up tightly, sealing the sheet closed with the beaten egg.
3) Deep fry in plenty of oil over a low heat until golden.
4) Serve with sweet chilli sauce.



Deep Fried Banana

Ingredients:
4 Bananas 
200g Coconut meat
1 Tsp Sesame Seed
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Sugar
100g Rice Flour
50g Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Water
1 1/2 Cup Palm Oil

Method:
1) Remove Banana Peel
2) Cut Banana Lengthwise into 3 pieces
3) Mix the rice flour, wheat flour, water, salt, sugar, coconut meat and sesame seeds together.
4) Put the Banana in and mix together
5) Deep fry in plenty of palm oil over a medium heat until golden.
    Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream.


Saturday, July 14, 2012

Walk- in Closet... :)

My husband and I are building a house in Sweden and I'm so glad to know that he's going to create a walk-in closet for me. I feel like the luckiest wife! :)
Ever since in high school, I've always wanted to have a beautiful walk-in closet. It doesn't have to be huge, just enough to decorate my clothes, bags, shoes and accessories. Some place in the house where I could go in, stay there for a while and just hang out with my stuff. It might sound weird but even though I have a small closet in Saigon, I always make sure my clothes, bags and shoes are well arranged. :)
I think most girls would yearn for a place where they could hide and praise their clothes sometimes. :)
Although my closet is not going to be as big as the rooms but enough for me to get in and walk around. So now, I am thinking what theme and decorations should I have. Been looking at these celebrity closets to get some ideas. But god, these closets are just too grand and glamorous!!!
Anyway I like Kim Cattrall's closet- not so big, simple yet very neat. What do you think??? :)


Paula Abdul's sacred place!

Mariah Carey's closet looks like a luxury boutique!!!

Nicky Hilton kept her closet neat and clean...

Eva Longoria's Texan theme closet...

Kimora's beautiful closet!



My fave actress Olivia Wilde has a glamorous closet...

Moulin Rouge theme for Christina Aguilera! :)



Designer Anna Sui's closet...

Kim Cattrall's...my favorite!!!

Maria Manounos's shoe closet...

Paris Hilton's closet!

Fergie's Huge closet!

Olivia Palermo's simple closet! :)

Stylist Rachel Zoe's closet...


Jessica Alba's closet...:)

Nicole Richie's closet...


Thursday, July 12, 2012

Amazing Chiangmai

My husband wanted to see north of Thailand so one of our holidays, we flew to Bangkok stayed there for a couple of days then took the night train to Chiangmai. Chiangmai is the second biggest city in Thailand. Unlike Bangkok, it's more peaceful and quiet.
We stayed for a week in Chiangmai and believe me, one week is not enough! There are so many things to do in Chiangmai and it's just incredible that this city has actually more to offer than Bangkok! The prices are definitely cheaper too. 
We went trekking in the deep jungle, cozied with the tigers, enrolled ourselves in Thai cooking school and saw how silver jewelry and handcrafted souvenirs were made.