Weekend Reads

There was so much good stuff to read this week! I’m giving myself a pat on the back since I had such a balanced mix of spending time with friends and family and work related events. Go me!

• I’m always hashtagging #livinahappylife but what if living a longer life is a result of living with purpose?

• The land of my birth has gotten some play, whether it’s a travel destination or what to do with one of its most basic food ingredients. Although I was born in Vietnam and returned in 2008, I have yet to make it to Hanoi. If you haven’t visited either, here are a few suggestions from Chef David Tanis – eating, going to market, and possibly learning how to cook a few Vietnamese dishes. Which leads me to my version of American ketchup, Vietnamese fish sauce! Here are 15 ways to use it in non-Asian cooking. I frequent Rappahannock Oyster Bar at Union Market and one of the shuckers gave me the secret ingredient for their mignonette sauce and it’s Red Boat fish sauce! No wonder I was eating the sauce by the spoonfuls!

• We have the Exorcist stairs in DC but these beauties would bring a spring to my step.

• GoT fans – who says newer is better? George R. R. Martin doesn’t seem to think so when it comes to his word-processing for his novels. DOS – it’s the key to all of those novels!

• So I just realized that I rarely post about surfing although I am both terrified and exhilarated whenever I get a chance to go (I’ve been fortunate to surf in Costa Rica, California & Hawaii and would love to add more to the list!). So here’s one for all of the surfers in my life – Carissa Moore has got mad skillz. Considering she’s won not one, but TWO Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) world titles in 2011 and 2013 both while she was under 21! I really love the music that they put to this video – inspires me to kick some butt!

• If you follow me on instagram, you’ll see that I take occasional photos of my neighborhood, Capitol Hill and I’m glad that the NYT decided to cover 36 hours in my ‘hood. I hope you’ll come visit!

• Kicking off Friday with flowers everywhere, 8 million flower petals to be exact.

Have a great weekend!

MXM