Of course, when I'm blogging, it may appear to you that I'm a chatty person. In life, I'm pretty darn quiet UNLESS I feel safe around you. Also, my lifestyle is pretty out-of-the-world compared to your average teenager. I sleep at 10pm and wake up at 5-6ish. Plus, I am not sociable in terms of drinking, clubbing etc. How is that to start with?
I do not know what to expect from this trip. I do not know what will come. I've spent 5 hours, writing out the places I should dine because meals are not really provided. I've also spent my time googling up for directions. I am more excited about getting my arse to Jillian Wright Clinical Skin Spa than Le Benardin. My acne is pretty bad at the moment that it occupies my mind 50 percent of the time. This is dreadful.
I do not know much about the subject. To prep myself, I leafed through the pages of my rather fancy looking reader with Obama's face on the glossy cover. I realized how some people saw the dream in an optimistic way and how others felt that it was only meant for those who were in the upper echelons of the society. Nonetheless, The Pursuit of Happyness tells me that it is possible to experience social mobility if one works hard enough. But will hard work and diligence be enough to transform one from a piece of rag into dollar bills?
Speaking of which, I've spent two hours watching the aforementioned movie because I needed somethingvisual to get a "feel" of my subject. After watching it, I realized that the reason I would be in US! is to g et a feel of what is it like to be living in the myth called the American Dream. However, I beg to differ. I feel that the American Dream is not American at all. In fact, it is a universal dream that everybody wants a slice of. Everyone wants to be treated equal. Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone wants nice manicured lawns in front of their garden, with freshly painted fences and a cute dog in their family of three.I don't see how is it American. What I see is everybody's dream.
Enough of the pep talk. You'll get more of it as I am in the States. Yes, people. I will be blogging still. I feel that I should share a piece of this dream to everyone who is reading this. Sharing is caring.
My parents have left Melbourne. For me, them coming, is like a beautiful dream. We chatted a lot. I slept better than usual despite having to cook for my parents and clean up the house before I leave to the States. Also, I played the role of the tour guide. I was a little more occupied than usual but I was very happy. I also brought them to Thanh Nga 9 , their favorite Vietnamese joint.
Still as beautiful
Seafood Coleslaw
Vermicelli sheets with grilled pork balls (MUST ORDER!)
My vermicelli sheets come with a plate of lovely, fresh greens and fish sauce dressing
My mom's huge bowl of mudfish soup with rice vermicelli.
The mudfish soup came with a plate of finely chopped greens and generous amounts of Thai BasilAs usual, Thanh Nga 9 did not disappoint. The seafood coleslaw was superb and only prepared from fresh ingredients. The prawns, squid and bits of scallops were done just right. Not too raw or overcooked. The dressing had a lovely balance of saltiness, sweetness and acidity. The pungent fish sauce captured my senses, and each spoonful of the dressing only left me wanting for more.
For a change, I ordered Banh Hoi, which is woven rice vermicelli. There were a few toppings to choose from. I had grilled pork balls because they sound awesome. I loved every component of the dish. The rice vermicelli tasted like rice vermicelli but the texture made a huge difference. It had more bite to it.The grilled pork balls reminded me of Chinese Barbecued Pork and went perfectly with the vermicelli sheets. In my opinion, the best way to eat it is to combine the pork, the rice vermicelli sheets, a piece of veg and dip everything in the fish sauce. The way the flavors meld together makes it a joy just eating it!
My mom had the traditional mudfish soup with rice vermicelli. Initially, she thought ! there wa s only going to be fish in the soup but the dish came with generous amounts of pork pieces, prawns and of course, fish. To eat it, one adds in the greens, lemon juice and chopped chili. This will give the soup more zing to it. I enjoyed the dish. I felt that the soup was incredibly sweet from the stock and the basil gave it a herbier taste.
Overall, it was a great dining experience. If I was asked to name a favorite Vietnamese restaurant, it would be Thanh Nga Nine. :)
Little things:
-Cuisine: Vietnamese
-Ambience: Very neat looking
-Service: Prompt and friendly
-Portions: Generous. We ordered a salad and two mains to be shared between three people
-Budget: CHEAP. 33 AUD for 3 people!
-More information:
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