Mindfully Together

Vancouver: Date Night

2012-02-28T18:38:00.002-08:00

This coming August, Dzung and I will be celebrating our 4th year wedding anniversary. In total, counting the time we spent dating, we've been together 7 years. Seven years and we still like each other...most days.

I'm amazed at how simple common place things, like going for a walk or sitting together quietly reading books, can be so filled with joy when you experience it with someone you love, whether that be your partner, a friend, or a family member.

Simple things are great, but fancy events can also be nice. Recently we went on a fancy date. We got dressed up and went to a restaurant that we've never been to before. Then we went to the opera (thanks to Dzung's boss for giving us tickets). This was the first time for me at the opera and I'm surprised at how much I liked it. I liked the costumes, the drama, the singing.

Another great thing, is that we ran into people we knew throughout the night. This use to happen to us in San Francisco because we lived there for so long and had so many great friends. I feel blessed that we are starting to have that same feeling in Vancouver.

Here's to more dates and simple things and more first times.

The best pizza ever

Yummy antipasta dish at Nicli Antica Pizzeria

The view of the stage from our seats

text by Ly

Haiku on the Seventh Mindfulness Training: Dwelling Happily in the Present Moment

2012-02-12T14:01:00.000-08:00

living joyfully

every moment, a smile

the ground of my peace

______________________________________________________________________________

Notes about the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing
For the past year or so, I have been training as an aspirant for the Order of Interbeing. This order was founded by Thich Nhat Hanh during the Vietnam War, as a community of mediation and Engaged Buddhism to bring mindfulness to the real problems and suffering in the world. The order is founded on the practice of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings.

As part of my training, my mentors have invited me to reflect and express my personal practice with each training, through photography and writing. I will be periodically sharing these expressions on this blog.

Instead of going in order (first through fourteenth training), I decided to start with the seventh training. To me, the seventh training is the heart of the fourteen trainings, and the foundation upon which the others rest.

Here is the seventh mindfulness training in full:

The Seventh Mindfulness Training: Dwelling Happily in the Present Moment
Aware that life is available only in the present moment and that it is possible to live happily in the here and now, I am committed to training myself to live deeply each moment of daily life. I will try not to lose myself in dispersion or be carried away by regrets about the past, worries about the future, or craving, anger or jealousy in the present. I will practise mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. I am determined to learn the art of mindful living by touching the wondrous, refreshing and healing elements that are inside and around me, and by nourishing seeds of joy, peace, love and understanding in myself, thus facilitating the work of transformation and healing in my consciousness.

- text and photo by dzung

Vancouver: Eagles at Centennial Beach

2012-02-05T21:19:00.000-08:00

Centennial Beach is another jewel within a thirty-minute drive of Vancouver. We took advantage of a sunny winter day to explore. Centennial Beach has calm waters, and a wonderful view of Mount Baker, Washington, across Boundary Bay.

The most magical thing about this area is the wildlife. We saw seven wild bald eagles during our trip. When I was a child, I spent hours and hours daydreaming about flying like an eagle. To spend an afternoon in the land of eagles was a boyhood dream come true.

These two young eagles were experiencing a bit of sibling rivalry

This adult eagle spent all afternoon chilling on this branch

Bald eagles usually mate for life

In addition to eagles, we saw herons, other birds of prey, and lots of ducks and sandpipers. None of this was too surprising, given that we were just a few miles from the amazing Reifel Bird Sanctuary. We kept our eyes peeled for the elusive snowy owls that are occasionally sighted here, but it was not to be today. Maybe next time.

Heron doing slow walking meditation

Come visit us, we would love to take you to this quiet and magical spot and watch the eagles soar.

(Note: To see any of the photos larger, click on the photo once to go to the flickr page, then click again to view large)

- text and photos by dzung

On the Eve of Lunar New Year 2012

2012-01-22T20:27:00.000-08:00

Since moving to Canada, I have missed celebrating two Lunar New Years with my family. Last year, we had just moved to Vancouver, I was starting a new job and could not take the time off. This year because of poor planning on my part and some other circumstances, we didn't make it home.

All day today, I thought about how much I wanted to be with my family. I thought about how the preparations, the rituals, the feast, the smells, the traditions of Lunar New Year are some of the pieces that make up my identity as a Chinese person.

I've been culturally lazy. I've relied on my parents to always be there to cook the traditional foods, to prepare the family altar, to buy the firecrackers, and all the other things that they do to give me a sense of culture, a sense of self.

I need to step it up. These traditions have to be lived or they will not be passed on to the next generation. Dzung and I are committed ourselves to being more culturally active in this new year. Next year I'm definitely not going to miss celebrating Lunar New Year with my family, I'm definitely going to be there.

Here are some pictures that my brother, Tony, took today. I'm really glad that my niece and nephew have my parents there to make those traditions and memories together.

Jenny, Tony, Eli, Adri

My beautiful mom with her grandkids

Jenny and Eli paying respect to the ancestors. Yes that is a chicken on the altar, the ancestors have to eat too.

Knitting

2012-01-18T21:22:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot of knitting lately. Thanks Sophy for re-introducing knitting in my life this past summer. Knitting can be like a meditation. Knit one, purl one. While I knit, I try to relax my fingers, my shoulders, and just breath. I love that feeling of accomplishment and completion when I finish a project. I wish other aspects of my life were this easy.

Here are some pictures of a cowl I made for my sister and the family dog, Toph.

Charlotte, North Carolina: New Year, Old Memories

2012-01-06T20:28:00.000-08:00

We returned to Dzung's childhood home to pass the holiday season with his mom and sister. Much time was spent around the house- cooking, cleaning, playing music, and sharing in old memories. Our special task for this visit was to sort through thousands of old slide photographs that Dzung's dad took over the span of 50 years. Mom wanted us to sort through and have the important slides digitized. She borrowed a slide projector, and we sat looking through some amazing photographs over the course of three days .

Many of the images were tourist shots that Dad took of buildings, statues, and street scenes. These were taken when he was traveling for work and on family vacations. Many of the images were of young Dzung, cute as a button. Something I found amazing was how all-american Dzung's childhood was. He played soccer, went to Boy Scout camp, dressed up for Halloween, and liked guns, cars and tanks. Another thing that was very apparent from the pictures was the happiness and joy in Dzung's childhood, and how much quality time his parents spent with him.

We also learned from some photos taken in the late 1950's to early 60's, that Dzung's dad was a handsome young man and a sharp dresser for his time.

There are some very lovely images of his young mom, beautiful and serene. We were moved by how obvious Dzung's dad was in love with his wife and knew how strikingly pretty she was. This love came through in how he captured her on film.

We selected about 700 slides to keep, and we will share some choice ones once we get them digitized.

text by Ly, photos by Dzung

Chanukah (Hanukkah) at the Moishe House

2012-01-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

My amazing friend Kiki lives in Moishe House Vancouver, a co-op that supports young Jewish folks to be leaders in their community and build bridges across different faiths. Kiki is amazing for a couple of reasons; she's warm, she's super creative and smart, she's American, and she's from the Bay.

I, along with several others, got invited to celebrate the Festival of Lights or Chanukah or what is commonly known as Hanukkah. We had crispy latkes, we played dreidels, and sang traditional and not so traditional songs. I was especially moved by the explanation of why the candles are lit on the Menorah, which in short has to do with God's grace and love for the people. I loved that Kiki and the other young Jewish folks there sang blessings while they lit the Menorah.

Thanks Kiki and housemates for hosting such a lovely celebration.

text and photos by Ly

Vancouver: A Chronicle of Lost Items for 2011

2011-12-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

A negative habit energy of mine, that I am constantly trying to transform, is forgetfulness. I am forever losing track of things, setting things down and not picking them back up, and making appointments that I flake on.

I remember when I was maybe 6 years old. My family had only immigrated to the U.S. in the last two years. We were at the immigration office. We were about to receive our green cards. Although, I was young, I understood the significance of the day. Stubbornly, I wanted to hold my own paperwork. When it came time for our family to go to the clerk window, I had lost my paperwork. That day everyone got their green cards but me.

Throughout the years, I had worked certain systems or sayings into my head to help with my forgetfulness. For example, when I leave the house, I chant "keys, wallet, phone." (Dzung taught me that mantra.)

But sometimes, I feel like I'm in a losing battle with myself. I have lost several items this year. In listing them here, I'm hoping next year the list will be shorter:

Things I Lost in 2011:

-my blue hoodie that mom gave me
-a water bottle
-a black yoga mat
-a black bathing suit
-2 pairs of warm winter gloves
-very warm winter hat
-my green lunch bag
-2 nice glass tupperware containers
-a fancy hair clip
-a credit card

there's probably lots more, but I can't remember the rest.

text by Ly

Me in grade school

Planting Seeds: Mindfulness with Teens

2011-12-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

teaching mindfulness
embodying presence
being peace
with teenagers
is a practice
of watering seeds
and a delight to see
how the flowers bloom
sometimes in beautiful, inspiring,
and surprising ways

last week
a fifteen-year-old girl told us
that her best friend was really stressed out
about school
overwhelmed
exhausted
she pulled her friend aside
sat down with her on the floor
put on a guided meditation recording
and taught her friend
how to come back to the present moment
breathe
and take care of the body and the mind

last night
i ran into the mother
of one of my former patients
who i hadn't seen in about six months

she said

   "i wanted to let you know
   that my son is still practicing
   he does walking meditation
   he breathes
   it even helped him get through
   a really difficult medical procedure last week
   it works...."

today, one of our teens
asked to bring a friend
to the next mindfulness session
she told us

"mindfulness has really helped me
and i think it would really help her, too"

last weekend, we hosted
our first half-day of mindfulness
a mini-retreat
inviting our teens
to practice a continuous meditation
coming back to the present moment
breathing
smiling
in every moment
in every activity

i can't wait to see
what flowers bloom next

See me previous blog posts on mindfulness with teens here and here.

Recordings of guided mindfulness meditations (sitting meditations, body scan meditations) that we use with our mindfulness with teens programs at BC Children's Hospital are available for free download at the Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre website. Please feel free to check them out, and pass them along. (They're good for adults, too!) This is a work in progress, and we'll be adding more as we develop our programs. There is also a recording of an educational session, in which one of my former patients shares courageously and movingly about her experience learning mindfulness to handle stress and pain.

- Text & photos by Dzung

Philly: City of Brotherly Love

2011-12-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

I have fond memories of Philadelphia from when I lived there from 2000 to 2004 during medical school. I had found Philly to be a really down-to-earth, unpretentious town with great culture and friendly people.

Apartment buildings in downtown Philadelphia

I was recently back in Philadelphia to work on a video textbook for the American Academy of Pediatrics. It was my first visit back since 2004, and it reminded me of what I loved about Philly in the first place.

Downtown skyscrapers

I enjoyed a morning stroll around my old neighborhood, Rittenhouse Square. The streets were intimate and walkable.

Cafe at Rittenhouse Square Park. I used to walk by here all the time.

Church in sunlight

I felt charmed by the old-world architectural details, the brick and brownstone lending dignity to the dwellings

Detail, brick building

Brick homes in Rittenhouse Square neighborhood

Grand brownstones near Rittenhouse Square

Philadelphia is steeped in music, especially classical music and jazz. There is a deep hip hop and R&B tradition in Philly as well.

Curtis Institute of Music, one of the country's oldest music conservatories

Mozart Place, I love this

A heartfelt thank you to my old friends for a warm welcome back, and I'm looking forward to seeing you all again next time!

See more photos on my Flickr set.

- Text & photos by Dzung

Vancouver: Back to Reifel Bird Sanctuary

2011-11-28T16:46:00.000-08:00

Reifel Bird Sanctuary. A truly magical place on the water's edge, home to millions of feathered friends. Ly blogged about her trip to Reifel earlier this summer. She took me back on a cool fall day, as immense clouds floated overhead and flocks of geese began their migration south by the thousands.

These ducks walked right up to us, expecting us to feed them, and were fairly confused when we didn't!

We also saw herons in flight, cranes by the water's edge, a spectacularly colored wood duck, and a dove, the living image of peace.

See more photos at my Flickr page.

- Text & photos by Dzung

Vancouver: Lighthouse Park

2011-11-27T21:43:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about living in Vancouver is all of the amazing hiking nearby. Being able to get to nature in thirty minutes, where the mountains meet the forest meets the ocean meets the sky, reminds me of how lucky I am to be living in a place like this.

In September, during the last days of summer, we took a trip to Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver. After a nice easy hike through coastal rainforest, past Douglas Firs and Hemlocks, the trail leads us to an old lighthouse whose history goes back to 1874. The current lighthouse was built in 1912.

After exploring the area around lighthouse, we decided to hang out at the beach for a bit, soaking up the sun and watching boats come in and out. Vancouver's downtown skyline beckoned peacefully in the distance.

-Text & photos by Dzung

Portland, Oregon: Two Days of Exploration

2011-11-15T12:19:00.000-08:00

"The essence of jazz is about being present, and about trusting."

"Music is more about life, than it is about music."

-- Herbie Hancock
Portland, Oregon (November 11, 2011)

Last year when we made our relocation trek from Los Angeles to Vancouver, we pit stopped in Portland to sleep and refuel. We told ourselves that the little we saw of Portland was worth more exploration.

Finally, this past weekend, we decided to go back. Much of it had to do with Herbie Hancock, a living jazz legend, who was playing with the Oregon Symphony on Friday night. Most of you know, Dzung is a huge jazz lover and by osmosis I've become a moderate jazz lover. Herbie Hancock was amazing. It amazes me that people can move their fingers so accurately and independently of the other fingers.

Another aspect of visiting was catching up with some Bay Area friends who had relocated to Portland. It was interesting to commiserate over all the mix emotions of leaving the Bay Area. I guess it's hard for those of you who have never lived in San Francisco or Oakland to understand the connection or the appeal of that area. There is some intense pull that the Bay Area has for Dzung and I, which has to do with the people and the landscape. But there are also some push factors.

Being in Portland, hanging out with old friends, made me think about the idea of home. We've explored this issue before on the blog and obviously it comes up for me a lot. Is it a physical place or a state of being? Maybe just like jazz, "home" is about being present, about trusting.

Portland street scene.

Portland has tons of really amazing food carts. We only got to try three of them.

Dzung at Powell's Bookstore, which is a block big store, we could have spent the entire day there.

A river runs through the heart of Portland, which gives it a nice feng shui feel and also lots of interesting little bridges.

See more photos at Dzung's set on Flickr

- Text by Ly, Photos by Dzung & Ly

Galiano Island BC: Checking in with Nature, Checking in with Self

2011-10-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

I first discovered yoga at university. I took a semester long course with a classy lady in her 60's that could bend and stand on her head with the ease of a 5 year old. Since then, I come back to yoga in times of high body stress and tension. This last year in Vancouver, I consistently have had a yoga practice and I've notice a difference. Not only does my body feel a little lighter, my mind also feels less stuck. When my favorite yoga teacher, Alex announced that she was hosting a yoga retreat on a nearby island, I quickly talked Dzung into going with me.

There is apart of me (the holding, tense part of me) that thinks, "it's not okay to go on a retreat, when there is so much happening in the world, it's not okay to take such a privilege when the people I serve would never have such a chance, it's not okay to spend money on myself."

Checking in with myself, with Dzung, and with nature, I realize that voice is not useful at all. How am I to serve others when I am tense, tired, tight, and especially when I have no compassion for myself.

Dzung's work schedule has been super packed of late. It was so nice to be able to slow down together. I loved watching the wonder in his face as he walked along the beach on Galiano taking pictures. I love watching that playful spirit of his and I saw it being rejuvenated over the weekend.

What I learned over the course of the weekend and as we launched right back into our busy lives, retreat is important. It doesn't have to be as fancy as going somewhere, it can simply be taking a walk at a nearby park, just as long as I'm taking the time to treat myself kindly, to rejuvenate my stores of energy, and to connect with nature so that I can continue to do the work that is in my heart.

See more photos on Dzung's set on Flickr

- Text by Ly, Photos by Dzung & Ly

Busy Fall

2011-10-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

The weather has turned here in Vancouver. The leaves are yellowing and falling away. We brought out our rain boots, scarves, and down filled jackets from the back of the closet. The thermostat has been turned on.

I never really thought about how busy Fall can be. It makes sense though, this is the time of year when school starts back up, this is the time of holidays, travel, feasting, harvesting, storing, getting ready for the winter.

Dzung and I have been very busy with work, school, and volunteering. We have also been feeling emotionally charged by all that is happening in the world (Occupy Wall Street, earthquakes, death row activism, environmental activism).

To remind myself not to take everything too seriously and to stop and breath, I wanted to share these pictures with you.

Vancouver: The Life of a Bird at Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary

2011-10-02T22:36:00.000-07:00

I have fallen in love with bird watching. Our friends Genny and Tivon (avid birders) introduced me to Riefel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, which is a short 20 minute drive from Vancouver. Reifel is situated on Westham Island, just west of the community of Ladner in the Municipality of Delta, British Columbia, Canada. It consists of nearly 300 hectares (850 acres) of managed wetlands, natural marshes and low dikes in the heart of the Fraser River Estuary.

The two times we have gone out there I have seen the following birds: sandhill cranes, blue herons, bald eagle, chickadees, mallard ducks, wood ducks, Canadian geese, great horn owl, Red-winged Blackbird, Red-Tailed Hawk, Green-winged Teal duck, Northern Pintail duck, and more I can't remember.

Seriously this place is beyond beautiful. Every season there are different birds flying through and hanging out. Come visit me and I'll take you.

pictures and text by Ly

Genny feeding chickadees from the palm of her hand.

A bird blind that overlooks this beautiful waterway. You climb inside and stay quiet and hope to see birds doing their thing.

A roosting box for the wood ducks.

These two lovebirds in the background were hamming it up.

This is a very high lookout tower, where you get a sweeping 360 of the sanctuary.

Our lovely friends Genny and Tivon. As you can tell from Tivon's face, he had a wonderful time and raspberries for lunch.


Heaven on earth for the birds.

Vancouver: Beautiful Bowen Island

2011-09-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

The Pacific Northwest feels like a sacred place where the ocean kisses the earth. The area is blessed with hundreds of islands, large and small, meandering along the Pacific coast like sparkling jewels on the water. These islands add to the stunning natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. The thousands of miles of shoreline have nourished animals and peoples for thousands of years, and have contributed to the closeness to the seas that is still deeply woven into the culture of British Columbia today. There is also a deep First Nation's history tied to these island, that we are just beginning to learn about.

One of the closest of these islands is Bowen Island, just a short 20 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. Our wonderful friend Jeanie lives on Bowen Island, and she invited us to spend a day with her on the island.

Bowen Island is known for its laid-back artist and hippie vibe, and its family-friendly culture. The island is also blessed with several beautiful small retreat centres, tucked into the woods, that offer sanctuary and peace for the soul.

We're going to another island (Galiano Island) in about a month, and will post pictures then. Anyone interested in investing in a vacation home on any of these islands, we can live there year-round to keep it maintained for you and when you come to visit we'll share :)

Text & Pictures by Dzung Vo.

Vancouver: We Survived the Grouse Grind

2011-09-07T21:42:00.000-07:00

When summer hits the city of Vancouver, it seems like everyone is outdoors. People take advantage of the spectacular weather to do all sorts of physical things like: sailing, kayaking, biking, swimming, and climbing really tall mountains.

Grouse Mountain Gondola, the easy way up!

Grouse Mountain, with an elevation of 4039 ft, is a 20 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. During the winter season you can go there to ski and enjoy other snow sports. In the summer, you can do the Grouse Grind. The Grind is a steep trail that climbs 2,799 ft over a distance of 2 miles to the summit.

The Grouse Grind Trail, looking down

It's like a hardcore stairmaster, through the woods. According to the website, if you are relatively fit, it will take you 90 minutes to do the Grind. The record is 25 minutes.

While our family and friends were visiting, so we decided to go. Our local friend Brian, who is amazingly fit, was our guide. Brian clocked in first, around 1 hour. Tony made it in second, around 1 hour 10 minutes. I made it to the top in 90 minutes. Sophy and Young Whan came in shortly after. Dzung and Ylan made it in 2 hours. (Note: That's because I was carrying all the camera gear! - Dzung)

Ylan at the halfway point

The views at the top were amazing. If you come visit and want to do the Grind, I'll meet you at the top. I'll take the gondola up, while you hike it.

We made it! Ylan, Young Whan, Sophy, Dzung, and Tony at the Summit. (Photo by Brian Napolitano)

The reward: View of Vancouver, the Georgia Straight, and Pacific Ocean from Grouse Mountain

- Text by Ly, Photos by Dzung

Vancouver: Wild Blueberry Picking, Secret Location

2011-09-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

Our wonderful friends, Genny and Tivon, took us to pick wild blueberries today.

Dzung and Tivon picking wild blueberries

Blueberries are native to North America, but I think they grow especially well in the Pacific Northwest. All summer long, we have been enjoying fresh blueberries at the local farmer markets. So when Genny suggest we go to pick wild blueberries, we agreed. She took us to a hidden spot. The "No Trespassing" signs (in English and French!) marked the entrance. We navigated our way through some thick underbrush, to the wild blueberry fields. The berries were just ripening this weekend.

Vine-ripened wild blueberries

You'll have to come visit us at the end of next summer to pick blueberries at this top secret location.

Ly filling our basket with wild blueberries, yum!

Mindfulness with Youth in Beautiful Banff

2011-08-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

Our young people are our most precious resource and most wonderful gift. How inspiring it is to be able to offer the gift of mindfulness practice to our young people, to promote their strength, resilience, and positive youth development in order to cope with the stress and trauma of growing up in this world. (See my previous blog post on my work in this area).

Conference attendees practicing mindful stretching. Photo from mindfulnessinstitute.ca

The First International Conference on Mindfulness with Youth in Banff, Canada, was a historic gathering of about two hundred educators, health providers, researchers, and parents from all over the world. The air was filled with passion, enthusiasm, and love. I enjoyed the melding of a professional conference, with the atmosphere of a mindfulness retreat. This really reinforced the importance of starting with my own mindfulness practice, in offering it to our youth. Western science is starting to catch up with ancient wisdom, and I am encouraged how quickly the research in this field is growing, which will enable practitioners to move our work forward. Becoming a part of this fast-growing movement gives me a lot of hope for our future.

The conference setting in spectacular Banff, Canada, added an element of beauty and drama to the event, and I was lucky enough to have a chance to go hiking before the conference started.

Mountain road in Banff

View from Tunnel Mountain trail, Banff, Canada

- Text & Photos by Dzung

Vancouver: Open Mind, Open Heart with Thich Nhat Hanh

2011-08-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

The retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh and the fourfold sangha, on the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, was the flowering of much hard and loving work. The theme of the retreat was "Open Mind, Open Heart."

Thich Nhat Hanh leading walking meditation

About eight hundred practitioners from the Pacific Northwest and around the world spent five days together practicing and cultivating the art of nourishing our joy, and embracing our suffering with compassion. We practiced following our breathing and being fully present in every moment, during walking, sitting, eating, and listening and speaking.

The sangha practicing walking meditation through the UBC campus

Dharma family walking joyfully

Sister The Nghiem, with an offering of music and song

Thich Nhat Hanh (or "Thay," which means teacher in Vietnamese), embodied a deep mindfulness and compassion, particularly with the children. Thay's dharma talk on August 13 was a deeply moving meditation on touching our true nature. "If you touch your true nature, all of your afflictions - anger, fear, and hatred - are no longer possible. If we have right view, all of our thoughts will be right thoughts, all of our actions are right actions, and we can only create peace and happiness."

Thich Nhat Hanh, inviting the bell of mindfulness with children

Thich Nhat Hanh, practicing walking meditation with children

Wearing my father's ao trang (grey practice robe), I felt that he was truly alive in me. I know that I am his continuation, and I aspire to continue him beautifully.

At the panel presenting the Five Mindfulness Trainings

I was so grateful to be able to share this experience and practice with my loving family and some of my dearest friends. Family and community practice has brought a deeper, spiritual dimension to my most cherished relationships. Helping to organize the retreat was a practice in breathing and smiling to "joyful chaos" (as my mentor Jeanie put it), and balancing serving the sangha, taking care of my family, caring for my own energies, and nourishing my joy and mindfulness so that I could offer it to others. This is a practice in which I still have much to learn.

Relaxing mindfully

Tammy and Ly, practicing mindful knitting

Quynh, Tammy, Young-Whan, Sophy, Mom, Tony, Ylan, Dzung, and Ly

Practicing with my brother Tony was particularly joyful for me, sharing with him the opening of his heart into the art of mindful living. It was like watching a wondrous flower bloom right before my very eyes.

Tony arriving in his true home in the here and now

I know that for at least some of the friends and family I connected with, this retreat was a life-changing experience. I am sure that there are many more beautiful flowers blooming this very moment. I bow with gratitude to all beings, past present and future, for making this wonderful event possible.

- Text by Dzung, photos by Dzung, Ly, and Tony

PS-- See more photos on my set on Flickr, and in the Vancouver Sun. Thay's dharma talks from the retreat are archived at Plum Village Online Monastery.

Tony's Little Dog

2011-08-16T22:19:00.000-07:00

This past year, my father impulsively came home one day with a stray puppy. He did not ask my mother or my brother whether they wanted a dog. I'm pretty sure he didn't think about any of the details like who would train and care for the dog. He just brought it home. It was rough going for the first month or so with my mother constantly trying to give the dog away.

Fortunately for the dog, my brother Tony fell in love with her. He named her Toph, after an anime character. These past two weeks, Tony has been visiting us in Vancouver. Throughout the trip, he thought about his little dog. He even sent her loving kindness for whatever anxieties she might be feeling from his absence.

In my mind, Tony being the youngest child did not have something he was responsible for, whereas we older siblings felt we were responsible for him. I love watching this nurturing dimension of my brother develop and grow through his caring and thoughtfulness about his dog.

Thank you Toph for letting us hang out with Tony. He's a great brother and friend. We know you missed him while he was gone, just like we miss him now that he has left Vancouver.

This is a screenshot of Toph, as Tony and I were skyping with her from Vancouver.

Vancouver: Festival of Lights

2011-08-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

Every summer, Vancouver hosts an international fireworks competition called the Festival of Lights. This year, it was China versus Spain versus Canada. Over the span of a week in August, each country displays their power and artistry in pyrotechnics. It seems like the entire city comes out to watch, filling the bridges, beaches, and sidewalks.

This year, we were able to catch Spain's display from a cozy perch on the Granville Bridge. Highlights were swirling figures, smiley faces, and a heart with an arrow through it.

August would be a great time of year to come visit us in Vancouver. Every weekend there are festivals happening throughout the city, and the weather in August in Vancouver is simply perfect.

Seattle: Our Favorite Spots

2011-08-02T22:18:00.000-07:00

Lucky for us, Dzung's mom and sister came to visit us in Vancouver for two weeks. They decided to fly in and out of Seattle, so we got to visit what is easily becoming one of my favorite American cities. I love that Seattle is so close to Vancouver (a beautiful 2 1/2 hour scenic drive). I also love that Pacific Northwest feel of water, light skies, bike lanes, and lush trees.

Here are some our favorite spots in Seattle. We've been several times now to each of them, but they don't seem to get old and I always learn something new.

Seattle Public Library
Designed by Rem Koolhaas in 2004, this is seriously the hippest library I have ever been in. The detail to design, color, function, and style in this building is mind blowing.

Exterior Detail, Seattle Public Library

Dzung and Dzung's Mom, inside Seattle Public Library

Dzung and Ylan, inside Seattle Public Library

Ylan, Dzung, and Dzung's Mom, inside Bright Yellow Escalator, Seattle Library

Dzung in Red Fourth Floor Hallway, Seattle Public Library

Pike's Place
I know this is a huge tourist trap, but I love the food, fish, and flowers.

Mom and Ylan

Olympic Sculpture Park
There is something really satisfying about being able to enjoy good art for free. If you're cheap like us, you can skip going into the museum and just wander through the garden. The landscaping has been designed into three distinct areas that pay homage to the ecologies of the Pacific Northwest. Tons of big and small scultpures are sewn across the grounds. There is also the bonus of looking out over the beautiful Puget Sound, with Mount Rainier rising magestically in the distance.

Dzung walking through "Wake" by Richard Serra

Detail, "Wake" by Richard Serra

Mom, Dzung, and Ylan at Olympic Sculpture Park

Mount Rainier with Snow in Late July

We're enjoying time with family in Vancouver now, so there will be more post to come.

- Text by Ly, Photos by Ly and Dzung

Charlotte: Photogeeking

2011-07-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Caution: This post may be of interest only to photography nerds!

Photography has been a wonderful creative practice, stress relief, and source of joy for me for the past five years, ever since Ly re-introduced me to the world of photography. In addition to sharing on this blog and on my flickr stream, I've been fortunate to share my work with "Colors of Compassion" (documentary film about a mindfulness retreat at Deer Park), The Mindfulness Bell (Community of Mindful Living magazine), and two upcoming books from Parallax Press (publisher of many of Thich Nhat Hanh's books).

Detail of Bamboo Pole in a Garden, Charlotte NC. Canon XSi + 135mm f/2L @ f/2.0, 1/4000 sec, ISO 100

As part of continuing to improve and grow in photography, I've invested in two new lenses, which I just received and have been playing with this week. I've gravitated towards prime lenses -- which, unlike the more common zoom lenses -- have a fixed focal length and cannot zoom in and out. Given the seeming inconvenience of that, why would I prefer prime lenses over zoom lenses?

Well, for one thing, I love the incredible control over the depth of field that I can get with a good prime lens: razor sharp exactly where I want it, with beautiful, dreamy bokeh (out-of-focus areas) everywhere else. The flip side of this is that it can be quite tricky to nail the focus exactly where I want it.

Bamboo Poles in Garden, Charlotte. Canon XSi + 135mm f/2L @ f/2.0, 1/2000 sec, ISO 100

Flower Experiencing Impermanence. Canon XSi + 135mm f/2L @ f/2.0, 1/320 sec, ISO 100

Our Adoptive Cat, Tigger, in Charlotte. Canon XSi + 35mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/250 sec, ISO 100

Tigger Chilling on Ylan's Knee, Charlotte. Canon XSi + 35mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/250 sec, ISO 100

Another thing I love about prime lenses is that they let in more light, which makes low-light photography possible, like photographing indoors without flash. This is great for candid photography, capturing those special moments of daily life with the ones we love.

Ylan in Charlotte. Canon SXi + 35mm f/1.4L @ f/2.8, 1/200 sec, ISO 800

Grandmother in Charlotte. Canon XSi + 35mm f/1.4L @ f/2.0, 1/125 sec, ISO 400

Mom in Charlotte. Canon XSi + 35mm f/1.4L @ f/2.0, 1/125sec, ISO 400

These are just a few test shots I took in the first few days after getting these lenses. I'm excited to continue to explore the creative possibilities with these. I look forward to continuing to share what I find with you.

- Text & Photos by Dzung

Note: To view these images in larger size, click on them once to go to the image page on flickr, then click again to view larger.

UPDATE: July 7, 2011

I've added a few new photos from a recent photowalk in Vancouver with my new lenses. I'm just blown away by the bokeh-liciousness!

Flower #2, Vancouver. Canon XSi + 135mm f/2L @ f/2.0, 1/200 sec, ISO 200

Lavender Buds, Vancouver. Canon XSi + 135mm f/2L @ f/2.0, ISO 200

Flower, Vancouver. Canon XSi + 135mm f/2L @ f/2.0, 1/200 sec, ISO 200

Vancouver: Richmond Summer Night Market

2011-06-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

One of our dear friends from San Francisco came to visit. We had a great time showing him around, which made us feel like we are settling in to our new home. On his last night here, we took him to Richmond's Night Market.

Korean Drumming Performance. There was an incredible amount of energy and passion here.

Richmond BC is essentially a suburb of Hong Kong. One of our favorite things about Richmond is the Summer Night Market. Similar to summer night markets all over Asia, this one is filled with yummy street food, arts, and music performances. There are also stalls with people selling all kinds of random knicknacks for super cheap.

The food stalls at the night market

Of course, we were most interested in the food! We wandered around from stall to stall, sampling yummy (and cheap!) Vietnamese Banh Cuon, hurricane potatoes (basically a single potato, carved spiral-shaped into one big french fry, with tasty toppings), grilled corn on the cob, boba tea, meat on a stick, and dim sum. What a treat!

Cooking dim sum and noodles

Making hurricane potatoes

This bus sold all kinds of deep fried stuff

Song-Ho and Ly enjoying hurricane potatoes

The Richmond night market runs every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, all summer long. I'm sure we will be going regularly. Who wants to join us?

- Text by Dzung & Ly, photos by Dzung

Vancouver: Canucks Fever

2011-06-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

Vancouver has been in the grips of Canucks fever for the past month or so.

Canucks fans on Main Street, after a playoff finals victory a week before the riots

And on Wednesday night, after the Canucks lost in game 7 of the Stanley Cup final - the fever turned ugly.

For our friends and family who have asked - Ly and I were nowhere near downtown during the riots, and our (physical) safety was never at risk. Thank you all for asking and checking in with us. That said, I am left feeling heartbroken, disturbed, as well as embarassed and saddened for my now hometown.

Before moving to Vancouver, I was never a hockey fan. As a newcomer and an expat, I felt the need to learn more about Canada's (unofficial) "national game." I must admit that I was getting a bit of Canucks fever myself, feeling some Vancouver pride. But, starting about a week or two ago, I was starting to feel uncomfortable with the intensity of the atmosphere. Facepaint, flag-waving, blue and white jerseys everywhere. I felt a certain kind of intoxication around the playoffs, accompanied by perhaps a kind of nationalism or "tribalism," that did not feel right in my gut.

What is it that professional sports brings out in us? What seeds are being watered?

How might those seeds manifest, particularly for our sisters and brothers who are already suffering with anger, depression, alienation, substance abuse?

Are the riots simply a result of "a few bad apples," or do we have some collective responsibility?

Are we attempting to fill some deeper hunger or longing by getting into sports so intensely?

Why do we get so emotionally attached to (and spend so much money on) multimillion dollar athletes and sports teams, while our neighbors are homeless and starving?

Why is hockey so violent? And why is it that (some) Canadians, who pride themselves on being nice and polite, are so intense about hockey?

When we get "caught up" in sports, do we risk somehow losing ourselves?

Why are sports so strongly associated with alcohol?

What would it look like to enjoy sports mindfully?

What does the Fifth Mindfulness Training*, on mindfulness of consumption, offer us as we look deeply into our relationship with sports?

I am continuing to sit with this and look deeply into it, and also sit with what my own role and involvement in this has been. For now, I pray for peace and healing for the people of Vancouver who have been suffering during this time.

- Text & photos by Dzung

* The Fifth Mindfulness Training: Nourishment and Healing

"Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and conversations. I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment. I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth."

http://www.deerparkmonastery.org/mindfulness-practice/the-five-mindfulness-trainings

Vancouver: Welcoming in the Summer

2011-06-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

Apparently, it's been an unusually grey and wet winter, and an unusually long spring rainy season in Vancouver. Coming from sunny California, we are so ready for some summertime, which finally arrived in June.

The entire city is embracing summer in Vancouver! The beaches are packed, people seem happier and lighter, and the sun doesn't set until 10 at night.

On summer days, Vancouver feels like a magical city, tucked into a lush, green, sunny paradise of ocean, forests, and mountains.

Ly and Metta dipping their toes into the ocean at English Bay Beach.

Carving a Pineapple, English Bay Beach picnic. Notice how most of us are still wearing long sleeves.

Skyscraper in Gastown.

View from Granville Street Bridge.

See more photos on my Vancouver set on Flickr.

- Text by Dzung & Ly, photos by Dzung

Mountain Lamp: Day of Mindfulness

2011-06-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

mountain lamp

tucked into the foothills
of the lush pacific northwest
protected by mountains
kissed by fog
blessed by orchards, gardens, and towering evergreens

nourished by practitioners
living and working together
as a sangha
dwelling deeply and joyfully
in every moment

Outside the Meditation Hall

Morning Dew Collecting on Leaves. (Photo idea by Kim Boivin, thanks, Kim!)

More Morning Dew on Leaf

Asparagus growing tall in the garden

Tracey, with Brother Phap Ho and Brother Phap De (visiting from Deer Park Monastery)

Orchards, Mountains, and Fog

Bodhisattvas: Justin, Tivon, Genny, Bethan, Jan, and Thay Vo Ngai

Practicing Stick Qi Gong

Old friends and brothers, catching up over tea

Early Morning Fog

Trees behind the meditation hall

Order of Interbeing Gathering.

Order of Interbeing Gathering

Mountain Lamp Community is a small meditation practice center in rural Washington state, near Bellingham. Mountain Lamp is about a 90-minute drive from Vancouver or Seattle. They offer teachings, retreats, and days of mindfulness throughout the year. See the Mountain Lamp website for more information.

See more photos on my set on Flickr.

- text & photos by Dzung

Vancouver: Hiking in Deep Cove

2011-06-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

Many of our new friends here in Vancouver have been telling us that a short twenty minute drive from downtown Vancouver, we will find good hiking, a lush temperate rainforest, and kayaking in Deep Cove. So we tagged along with some of them to enjoy a beautiful day there.

Deep Cove is located in the traditional clamming and fishing area of the Squamish Salish native nation who lived and still live in this area for thousands of years.

The hike through temperate rainforest to Quarry Rock.

The hike to Quarry Rock.

There were many streams and waterfalls along the hike, run off from Mount Seymour, which is just above.

The amazing view from Quarry Rock.

Yes, I am wearing those flower power pants. These once belong to Dzung's mom, I'm guessing their circa 70's or 80's. I felt it was appropriate late spring hiking gear.

See, I'm not that way off with my pants. We found this lovely rose pair at Metrotown Mall after our hike. I just need to wear my pants with a lighter color top and some heels and I'll be so hip.

- Text by Ly, Photos by Dzung

Victoria: Exploring A Beautiful Coastal Town

2011-06-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is our last bit of commentary and pictures from our trip to Victoria. Victoria is the capital of British Columbia. It's weird to us that Vancouver, with a bustling international airport, major downtown core, and international feel, is not the capital. Instead the quaint island town of Victoria, that you either have to ferry or hire a sea plane to get to, is the capital.

The image above is of the Inner Harbor. You're looking at The Empress Hotel, very fancy and colonial feeling. Behind the frame of the image, is the Parliament building, which is guarded day and night. Lucky for us, one of the guards on duty that night was a history buff. He told us about the story and symbolism behind each statue and architectural flourish.

On Vancouver Island, where Victoria is located, are many farms and vineyards. We stopped at this apple cider farm to do a tasting.

The mountains in the background of this picture are in Washington state. Victoria is a short ferry ride to Seattle and Port Angeles in Washington.

There are many more islands to explore in Vancouver. We been told Salt Spring Island and Bowen Island should be next on our list. Let us know if you want to come island hoping with us.

Victoria: Butchart Gardens

2011-05-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

I haven't made up my mind whether or not Butchart Gardens is a must see when in Victoria. It's a massive garden with different sections like the a rose garden, a Japanese garden, a English garden, etc. Even though the entrance fee is pretty high and you have to ferry over to Victoria and then drive about 30 minutes outside of downtown Victoria to get there, over a million people visit the gardens each year.

The Butchart family made tons of money mining cement back the in early 1900's. The wife of the original Mr. Butchart had some time and dough on her hands and decided to hire garden designer Mr. Isaburo Kishida to create a Japanese garden for their house, which was next to the quarry and factory for the cement. After the quarry was exhausted of all cement, the wife created this massive sunken garden. Over the years generations of Butcharts have added to the garden things like fountains, carousel, etc. The garden has remained in the familyand is open year round to the public.

English Daisies

Tulip

The sunken garden viewed from above

As you can tell from the pictures, the gardens host some wonderful flowers and plants. There's something very beautiful about manicured gardens. We didn't get a picture of this but there where some beautiful terraces and archways with perfectly sculpted rose bushes.

But I also love wild beauty. Below is a picture of the hillside we use lived next to in San Francisco. As you can see it was a craggy hillside ever blooming with wildflowers and tall weeds. When I see wild spaces like this, I immediately think "a fairy or gnome must live there" and imagine all kinds of magical creatures frolicking in the undergrowth.

Wild hillside in San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood

What do you think? Which would you prefer in your backyard? A well manicured garden or a patch of wildness?

- Text by Ly, Photos by Dzung & Ly

Victoria: Royal British Columbia Museum

2011-05-04T22:38:00.000-07:00

Even though I spent a semester studying in London, even though I now live in a British Commonwealth country, I just don't get British sensibilities. [note: I don't understand how Ly can say that when she is such a Jane Austin fan. -dzung] At the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria the displays were made up of things that were once alive and are now pickled and stuffed. Visually the displays were eye catching, but viscerally I felt like I was walking through a tomb. Being at the museum made me realize what a hippie earth loving Californian I am at heart. Of course I drew a comparison between this museum and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, which has many living things breathing, flying, and crawling around.

Am I making a sweeping generalization about British sensibilities and the natural world? According to a friend (who is from Australia, another British Commonwealth country) this is the Brit way.

Stuffed waterfowl

Preserved fishes

- Text & Photos by Ly

Vancouver: Seaplane Adventure to Victoria

2011-05-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

We spent a lovely long weekend on Vancouver Island in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Since Victoria is on an island, there were several modes of transportation available. We could have driven our car to the ferry station and ferried the car across. We could have taken a bus and ferried across. Instead we decided to cross over on an old fashion seaplane, the kind that lands and takes off in the water.

It felt like an anachronism, a step back in time to an era when propeller planes ruled the skies. The smell of oil and fuel, vibrations, analog dials and controls worn to a shine from decades of use.

The flight was a short 25 minutes ride through glorious blue skies, low over the Gulf Islands and we landed in the inner harbor in the heart of downtown Victoria.

Take off from Vancouver Downtown with view of Stanley Park in foreground

Detail of propeller and seaplane nose, in Victoria's inner harbor

Over the Gulf Islands

Landing approach to Vancouver downtown and waterfront

Dzung in the cockpit, living out his boyhood airplane pilot fantasies

Seattle: Our Next Door Neighbor

2011-04-10T22:17:00.000-07:00

Tulips at the Flower Market, Pike Place, Seattle

In the 7 months we've lived in Vancouver, we've driven to Seattle three times. The distance from Seattle to Vancouver is about a 2 1/2 hour drive. In many ways, Seattle and Vancouver feel like sister cities. We love Seattle for its great markets, yummy food, and cool people. We spent an afternoon wandering around Capitol Hill and downtown, hitting up Elliot Bay bookstore, enjoying yummie Vietnamese food at Long's, and stopping to smell the tulips at Pike Place.

Victrola Coffee Roasters, Capitol Hill, Seattle

Another great thing for us is that some of our dearest friends live in Seattle, so it's worth the short drive to be able to enjoy being with friendly faces. And with springtime in the air, the kiss of fresh sunshine on our cheeks - it's hard to imagine a better place to be.

If you're thinking of visiting us, Seattle is definitely worth a stop-over.

Los Angeles: My Baby Cousin, Audrey Jade

2011-03-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

I spent last weekend in Los Angeles visiting my aunt, uncle-in-law, and new baby cousin: Audrey Jade. She is quite the miracle-- amazingly small, beautiful, and barely a month old. Holding her felt epic in many ways. I'm the oldest grandchild, she's the youngest at number 19. Her mom is the youngest sibling in my mom's family, my mom is the oldest sibling. She is a direct manifestation of my aunt who I've know most of my life and who's like a big sister to me.

Audrey: my little rabbit cousin

Look how tiny she is.

Meeting my baby cousin also made me think about family and the possibility of Dzung and I having kids so far away from family (if we ever end up having our own). I'm grateful for my childhood filled with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and noisy family gatherings. Although dysfunctional at times, nothing beats the laughter, good food, and happy moments shared as a family. I can't picture raising a child in a nuclear family setting, just parents. How sad to think that my child will never know how it feels to be scolded and supported by his/her auntie. How sad to think that my child will not spend lazy Saturdays at grandma's house.

Dzung grew up in a different milieu. He did spend most of his childhood with just his parents and an imaginary friend. His sister wasn't born until he was 14. He only saw relatives during the holidays.

Not that one way is better than the other, cause we both obviously turned out okay, but raising kids on your own is hard.

Lots to think about, I guess...

Vancouver: Alaskan King Crab Season in Richmond BC

2011-03-20T21:51:00.000-07:00

I spent Saturday evening with some friends in Richmond BC, a hop over a short bridge from Vancouver. (Thanks, Pei-Yoong, for organizing this!) Richmond is a predominantly Chinese city and home to some of the best Chinese food in North America. This is in large part because many of the top chefs from Hong Kong ended up in Vancouver after the transition to China. (Too bad for Hong Kong!) Even Ly likes the Chinese restaurants around here, which is lucky for me because she never wanted to go out for Chinese food in San Francisco. "It doesn't compare to my mom's food," she would always say.

Alaskan King Crab season is a near-religious event in Richmond. We ate at Shanghai River, one of the most popular places in town. I had been here once before for dim sum, and the Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai-style soup dumplings) were heavenly. But tonight, I was on a mission, saving my stomache for Alaskan King Crab three ways.

My first impression: I couldn't believe how huge the crabs were! Ours weighed in at over 11 pounds.

Our waiter displaying an 11-pound Alaskan King Crab

And it only got better from there. Next stop: Alaskan King Crab, steamed with garlic. It was moist, juicy, buttery heaven on a plate.

Up next: Crab noodles served in the shell, and fried crab with garlic and chilli peppers. I especially liked the fried crab dish, with a perfect blend of flavors bursting in my mouth.

I barely had room for the Peking Duck served two ways. But I managed at least to try some. I had never been a big fan of duck before, but this dish made me a convert.

The other fun thing about Shanghai River is that you can watch the chefs preparing the food.

Needless to say, I'm coming back. Who's with me?

Vancouver: Aboriginal Youth Against Violence

2011-03-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

One of our major adjustments in moving to Vancouver, is shifting our mindset to a very different set of social justice issues and activism. The history and discourse around race and ethnicity is very different in Canada, and we are still just starting to learn about it.

One thing that is abundantly clear to us, though, is the history of oppression and struggle of the Aboriginal (First Nations) peoples in Canada. They have had their lands and cultures taken, and this history has very much continued to today. Both Ly and I work in the Downtown Eastside, which is a gritty neighborhood in Vancouver with a large urban Aboriginal population. The high rates of poverty, illness, and violence in this community is heartbreaking. At the same time, the courage and strength of the people, especially the women and the youth, is inspiring. Deeply connected to the strength as well as the suffering of her ancestors, one young woman told me, "I'm healing the present in order to heal five generations forward, and four generations back."

We spent a recent Thursday evening at Rhizome Cafe, a cozy little spot with fair trade organic coffees on the menu, and community building social justice events on the calendar. We watched a ten-minute film made by the Urban Native Youth Association, on healing violence within the aboriginal communities. Then we were mesmerized and inspired by drumming and singing. (Click below to watch a video clip.)

From the event description:

Kwam Kwum Qulumuy (Strong Young Women) is a group of Aboriginal women who came together to raise awareness about violence against women and children. Join them to celebrate the launch of their 10 minute anti-violence video, which features positive messaging aiming to keep young women safe and remind them how important they are and that they are never alone. Please join us in celebrating this accomplishment and come see the beautiful short film shot on location at Musqueam Reserve and Capilano College. Kwam Kwum Qulumuy is an anti-violence project supported by Urban Native Youth Association and BC Women’s Hospital Health Centre Aboriginal Program.

Biggest Bug Bite In the World

2011-03-03T22:23:00.000-08:00

For the record, Dzung did not want me to post this entry and thought that the subject matter was too gross.

A couple of weeks ago, while taking the trash out, something, most likely a spider, bit me. I did not notice that I had gotten bitten, until I came into the house that there was a small red bump on my arm. Went to bed that night, everything was fine. Went to work that morning, everything was fine. Over the course of the morning, the bite became a huge swollen angry oozing infection.

Called Dzung who said, unless you are having trouble breathing, not a big deal.

It was very cool to see my forearm swell to twice its size. The weird thing was that it didn't really hurt at all, just looked ugly.

PS: Is this inappropriate information for our blog?

PSS: These pictures were taken a week after the bite, the bite look ten times worst the first couple of days.

Birthday Online

2011-02-20T16:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my brother Tony's birthday. He turned 23. Even though we were over 1000 miles apart, I was able to sing him happy birthday and share a meal with him, virtually.

Vancouver: A Sunny Break

2011-02-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

The rain and gray skies started in September of last year. In November it was novel because it snowed. In December, I was too busy with a new job and holiday travels for the weather to bother me. In January, it finally hit me. Every morning I woke up to gray skies and light drizzle, making me feel heavy and dull. My wardrobe consist of rain boots and outer clothing made of gortex, making me feel plastic-y and claustrophobic.

And just when I thought I would go mad from the constant pitter patter, we had a gorgeously sunny day last week. Dzung and I took full advantage of the day by spending it outdoors. My Californian brain couldn't comprehend why it was so sunny but still so damn cold, a brisk 35 degrees. I loved every moment of it.

Vancouver: Pho Ga

2011-01-23T17:59:00.000-08:00

One of the things I love the most about going home to visit my family, is learning new Vietnamese recipes from my Mom. I've made it a goal to never leave my mom's home without at least one new recipe. This one is pho ga, or chicken rice-noodle soup.

Pho ga is classic Vietnamese comfort food. It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And, it's much simpler than the beef version (pho bo), which basically requires simmering the broth all day, or even overnight.

If my mom's version is a perfect ten (which it pretty much is!), I'd score my first try an eight. Not too bad. Thanks, mom!

- text & photos by Dzung

Vancouver: Hong Kong Cafes

2011-01-22T21:18:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons why some people call this city "Hongcouver," and Hong Kong cafes is one of the yummiest reasons. Hong Kong cafes are a weird mix of Chinese food, late-night diners, and British comfort food-- if your Chinese grandma made British comfort food that is.

One of the all-time classic HK Cafe dishes is baked pork chops over rice. Think fried pork chop, rice, smothered with cheesy tomato sauce. It's like your Chinese grandma's version of lasagna. We've tried a few versions, and so far the one at Gloucester Cafe on Cambie Street is our fave. Luckily for us, it's just a ten minute walk from our house!

Baked Pork Chop over Rice

We enjoy the fusion of flavors, especially this doozy of a dessert. Cubed toast is basically a loaf of fluffy Chinese white bread toasted drowning in condense milk topped with a slab of butter. So good!

Cubed Toast

- text by Ly & Dzung, photos by Dzung

Vancouver: Winter Solstice Festival

2010-12-31T21:53:00.000-08:00

There is something magical about winter solstice in the Pacific Northwest. Something about the soft light glowing from the sun at this time of year, obliquely through the atmosphere, painting the landscape in pastel shades. Or maybe it is the peoples' response to this shortest day of the year, celebrating the cycles of nature, of rebirth and renewal.

The 17th Annual Winter Solstice Lantern Festival brought the city together, illuminating six different neighborhoods with intimate mini-festivals of lanterns, music, dancing, and community. My evening started by joining a procession of lanterns along the Yaletown waterfront, culminating in a performance of fire dancing at David Lam Park. I could hear the distant sounds of drumming from a sister procession on the opposite bank of False Creek.

Afterwards, the crowd gathered in Roundhouse Community Centre, where the evening was started by honoring the First Nations, the land ancestors if this area.

Squamish Nation singer and drummer Cease Wyss

The welcoming ceremony was followed by an evening of art, music, and dance, honoring the diverse cultures and communities that make up Vancouver. Although the celebration went late into the evening, there were many child- and family-friendly activities included as well.

Young musicians

Chalk drawing for the young and the young-at-heart

We were mesmerized by aerial dancers

Aerial dancers Kira Schaffer and Alison Payne

And enchanted by Indian classical dance

Shakti Dancer

Dancing and music
A deeply human response
To the rhythms and cycles of nature
The dance of earth, sun, sky, and ocean

- text and photos by Dzung

We Heart our Family and Friends

2010-12-29T05:45:00.000-08:00

As the year draws to an end, we just want to say thank you to our friends and family for being there for us through this intense time of transition. We appreciate the many Skype conversations, the phone calls, and actual/planned visits.

We're starting to settle into our new lives here in Vancouver: meeting and making new friends, discovering good places to get a bowl of pho, work and routine. But we would not have been able to do it without the steady stream of Skype dates to keep us going.

Let's keep it up in 2011. Skype us, one of us is always signed on to Skype.

Here are some highlights of talks we've had. Shout out to folks that we did not get shots of: India, Sophy and Young Whan, Marilyn, David. I also missed an epic shot when we were down in LA with the Hoang/Hong family skyping with the Vo family in Charlotte.

My siblings being weird:

Jim, Ly, Kai (I love technology, not only are we skyping here, but Jim is showing us a cute picture of Kai sleeping on his phone):

Ylan and Mom:

Elijah:

Vancouver: Mindfulness with Adolescents, A Dream Coming True

2010-12-14T21:34:00.000-08:00

Amazing.

I just finished giving my first eight-week "Individual Modified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Adolescents" cycle. I have long had a dream to teach mindfulness practice to adolescents suffering from chronic illness and chronic stress. With my position at the British Columbia Children's Hospital--and the luxury of having a more functional health care system with sufficient time to spend with my patients and explore issues deeply--I have finally had a chance to start making this a reality.

My first patient was a courageous young woman suffering from chronic pain as a result of an accident a few years ago. Today, as a course wrap-up, I asked her to reflect on her experience with learning and practicing mindfulness.

I found myself deeply moved by what she shared:

    "I still have the pain, but I'm so happy now because I don't have to get stressed out by it anymore."

    "I don't mind having my pain anymore, because I'm not suffering from it like I was. Now, I can
    even smile to my pain."

    "I have more energy now. I didn't realize how tiring it is to be suffering all the time."

    "I've learned to see my reactions to situations, and not to hang on to them."

This experience makes me feel a bit like an undercover bodhisattva. A monk disguised as a doctor, offering ancient dharma practices in the language of modern medicine.

Deep bow to my teachers, spiritual and blood ancestors, and sisters and brothers in practice. You are all alive in me, here and now. I hope to continue you beautifully.

- text & photo by dzung

Vancovuer: Cooking Together

2010-12-06T22:16:00.000-08:00

Hey Friends and Family.

We have been away from the blog in the last month or so because life has gotten insanely busy. In November alone: one of our lovely friends from the Bay came to visit us, we went to Seattle, we went to Los Angeles for Thanksgiving, I got a new job, we took cooking classes together, we've been teaching mindfulness on Sundays to a Vietnamese Buddhist youth group (Gia Dinh Phat Tu), badminton on Fridays, and the list goes on and on.

Someone said to me that Fall is suppose to be a time of slowing down, storing up for the winter to come, taking stock of the year that is about to past. It's hard to slow down in a new place. I think we've wanted to do as much, see as much, be open to as much stuff in Vancouver as possible, in the hopes of feeling more at home. I'm grateful for all the new friends we've made and the community connections we're hooked into, but its time to get ready for winter hibernation.

What better way to do that then take all that we learned from our cooking class and make each other yummy dishes? So Dzung and I have been taking this six-week long series of fundamental cooking skills with Chef Eric, the best French chef ever. The class is very hands on, with lots of insightful cooking techniques, easy recipes, and snarky French humor. We now know how to ciseler an onion, make stock from scratch, serve up paper thin crepes, and wow you with random food and kitchen knowledge that we didn't have before.

Another reason to come visit us in Vancouver (after our winter hibernation): taste food made with our new and improved cooking skills!


There was a mirror above the chef's station so that at our own stations we could follow along with what he was doing.

Not a very good picture, but I'm holding a apple tart and Dzung is holding creme brule that we each made from scratch!

Vancouver: First Snow

2010-11-23T21:12:00.000-08:00

after living in california
for so long
i had forgotten
the quiet beauty
of freshly fallen snow
and the excitement
of waking up to that first snow
waiting outside my window

-from Dzung's perspective

I've never been so cold in my life. Growing up in California, I'm so used to wearing t-shirts and shorts that having to put on a sweater and a jacket and a hat and a scarf and gloves, makes me feel claustrophobic. Walking down a sidewalk has become a hazard because the snow has melted and frozen up again into ice. I do like how beautiful everything looks. That song "White Christmas" has been playing nonstop in my head since the first day of snow.

-from Ly's perspective

Richmond, BC: Badminton and All Things Asian

2010-11-14T19:14:00.000-08:00

Last Friday night, Dzung and I were invited out to Richmond for dinner and badminton. Richmond is a suburban city right next door to Vancouver. According to wikipedia, Asians make up half of the population of Richmond, but I think its much much more than half. There are tons of Asian shopping centers, restaurants, and businesses. There is a crazy huge mall called the Aberdeen Centre that has a two-story Daiso (Japanese dollar store). People who've spent a lot of time in Hong Kong say that parts of Richmond feel just like Hong Kong. We've barely begun to explore all that Richmond has to offer, so we'll definitely have more post about our adventures there.

After dinner at a yummy Chinese restaurant with the unlikely name of Michigan, we went to the Ace Badminton Centre for organized fun. I never played badminton growing up, in fact I was not athletic at all. Actually, I just discovered badminton two years ago, when I helped out with the girls' badminton team at the school I use to work at. By helping out, I basically watched and cheered the girls on.

Many of you know that in the last couple of years, I've been exploring my athletic side. I learned how to swim and play tennis. I'm not very good at either, but I like to think that I'm healthier and have better reflexes for my efforts. As you can see from the pictures below, I have a long way to go. There were some very embarrassing shots of me ducking from the birdie, that for self preservation, I decided not to include.

Guemes Island, Washington: Weekend Getaway

2010-11-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

Much love and appreciation to Matt and Cy for inviting us to their cozy little cabin on secluded Guemes Island, Washington. We enjoyed a lovely weekend getting to know this little spot of land in the San Juan Islands, in the Puget Sound, about halfway between Vancouver and Seattle.

Cy was quite the mushroom hunter. We had a tasty snack of jewel-studded puffballs. The first time for both of us: finding, identifying, then cooking a mushroom!

We went for a lovely hike and were rewarded at the peak of the island by sweeping vistas of fog-shrowded, lush, Pacific Northwest beauty.

Hiking the cool, misty trails of the island, we were expecting to see fairies. We had to settle for deer and wild mushrooms instead. Ly's convinced there were fairies about, just hiding behind fallen logs and being shy.

- text & photos by ly & dzung

Vancouver: Burritos and Race

2010-10-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

It is the end of October. Dzung and I have been away from San Francisco for four months. That's four months without a Mission burrito. Four months without a weekly trip to: Taqueria Cancun, or El Farolito, or El Metate.

Having lived in and around the Mission district for so many years, we easily walked to the nearest taqueria and had our fill of cheap, tasty wrapped goodness aka a burrito.

We've tried very hard to find a replacement here in Vancouver, but it's nothing but burrito badness. What makes the Mission burrito so good? Is it the San Francisco tap water? Is it that there are actual Latin folks making the burritos? Is it because California was once part of Mexico?

The lack of tasty burritos, actually speaks to a bigger issue of racial diversity here in Vancouver. Yes there are tons of Asian folks here. On the subway, you can hear an array of Asian languages from Cantonese to Tagalog to Punjabi. More than half the city looks like me, but where are all the brown and black folk?

Having grown up in LA and then in SF, I can't help but feel that something is missing from the cultural landscape when I don't hear Spanish spoken on the sidewalk, when I don't bump elbows with black and brown folk on the bus, when reggaeton and hip-hop aren't blasted from car stereos.

And when I can't find a decent burrito.

Vancouver: Appreciating Fall

2010-10-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

walking around our neighborhood
enjoying every step
feeling grateful for the colors
and wind of change
that fall brings
in vancouver

- text & photo by dzung

Steveston Village: Quaint Port Town

2010-10-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

Dzung and I spent a nice afternoon exploring Steveston Village, an old cannery and port about 20 minutes outside of Vancouver. It was a quiet, fall afternoon - the weekend of Canadian Thanksgiving - so there weren't too many tourists around.

This used to be the major fishing port in North America in the 1800's, with 45 different canneries in operation. Now there are two canneries left, which have been made into museums. Like many industries during that time period, folks of color were the backbone of the operation, doing the hardest and dirtiest jobs. In the case of Steveston, the work force was made up of Japanese, Chinese, and First Nation peoples.

Now, Steveston Village is a small town dependent on tourism and people wanting an easy commute into the city. The cool thing is that there is still an operating Fisherman's Wharf. Everyday, fisherman bring in their fresh catch for sell, and you can buy fresh salmon, tuna, and octupus right off the boat.

We had some of the best fish and chips ever, at Pajo's on the wharf.

At the Murakami House and Boatworks, we got to learn the story of an amazing Japanese Canadian family, a family history intertwined with the heritage of Steveston and the fishing industry in the Pacific Northwest. Asayo Murakami, the matriarch of the family, arrived in Steveston in 1924, from a small town near Hiroshima. She came as a picture bride, but upon arrival in Canada, her first impression of her intended husband-to-be was, "This man from the picture, as soon as I saw his face, I knew he was not my type... I didn't even want to look at him."

A liberated and modern woman, she ended up marrying someone she loved instead! She worked at the Phoenix Cannery to pay off her debt from the immigration, and was later sent to an internment camp during World War Two. In 1998, Asayo's granddaughter, Ohama, and family recreated the original family garden, and brought Asayo back for the first time since 1942. Asayo Murakami passed away in 2002, at the age of 104.

Vancouver: Izakaya means "Yummie" in Japanese

2010-10-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

OK, that's not technically true.... Izakaya is a type of Japanese restaurant that's really popular in Vancouver, serving small plates. Kind of like Japanese-style tapas.

Tonight we went to Guu with Garlic, one of the better-known Izakaya places in the West End, a downtown neighborhood populated with more than its fair share of ramen joints and young hip Asian Canadians.

Snapper carpacio with wasabi dressing

Honey baked pork with rice

We give this place an A for atmosphere. The staff love to let out expressive shouts out as they greet customers and do their work. A plus for Ly was that there was tons of cute Japanese boys working behind the counter.

We got there right as they opened at 5:30pm. Lucky, too, because by 6 o'clock, it was packed, with a line out the door and around the corner!

Grilled mackerel and fried shredded daikon

Skewered scallops & enoki mushrooms wrapped in bacon

Calamari, izakaya-style

Easily one of our favorite spots to eat, anywhere. This pretty much sums it up:

- written by Dzung, photos by Dzung

Vancouver: Cellar Jazz

2010-10-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Wow.

Renee Rosnes
Steve Nelson
Peter Washington
Lewis Nash

Killin' it at Cellar Jazz

Renee Rosnees Quartet, taken with my iPhone

I love small, intimate spaces like this to see music. What a privilege to be able to see world class musicians like this, up close and personal.

With its intimate setting, great music, and friendly community vibe, Cellar Jazz is fast becoming one of my favorite places to see live music, anywhere.

Vancouver: Nitobe Memorial Gardens

2010-10-09T09:52:00.000-07:00

We spent a lovely afternoon nerding it out at the Nitobe Memorial Gardens located at the University of British Columbia's campus. This traditional Japanese garden and tea house is all about the details. In the garden; every plant, stone, line of elevation, basically everything you see was put there with a specific meaning: to tell a story of the cycle of life. In the summer months you can participate in a traditional tea ceremony, where women in beautiful kimonos serve you little snacks and strong green tea. The tea flavor is intense and taste like algae (at least with my unrefined taste buds).

The Nitobe Memorial Gardens, yet another reason to come visit us!

Vancouver: First Visitor

2010-10-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jessica for helping to break in our guest bedroom and being our first house guest. This past weekend, Jessica drove up from Seattle, where she is in residency training.

We had yummy Hong Kong style food, rich creamy cupcakes, a walk along the Seawall, some window shopping in our neighborhood, and we even managed a yoga class together.

Look at these pictures, doesn't it make you want to come and visit us?

Vancouver: Mushrooms and Tree Swings

2010-09-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

One of the things we love most about Vancouver is that it is so walkable and bikeable. Kind of like San Francisco, except it feels safer, and cleaner. Our new neighborhood is great for walking. There are three parks within 5 minutes from our apartment. Dzung walks to work, which takes him about 10 minutes. There are two okay grocery stores 10 minutes away. The public pool is 20 minutes walk, but a 10 minute bike ride away. We can also easily hop on the underground and be in the downtown core in about 8 minutes. And if anyone ever comes visit, you can take the underground directly from the airport to our apartment in about 15 minutes.

Since I'm doing alot of walking through our neighborhood, I've noticed an abundance of tree swings in front yards and public sidewalks.

I've also noticed all kinds of beautiful wild mushrooms sprouting up everywhere.

Tree swings and wild mushrooms -- it all seems almost too wholesome to be true? Or is it?

Vancouver: Advertizing for Asians

2010-09-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

I'm really digging how many Asian people live in Vancouver. I think it's around 40% of the population. Not only does that mean lots of yummy authentic places to eat, it also just makes me feel more visible, more at home. If you are Chinese looking and you walk into a Chinese restaurant, the default language you get greeted with is either Mandarin or Cantonese. I pretend I know what's going on, it makes me feel like an insider.

Check out these ethnic looking mannequins.

The other thing I've noticed is that ads and billboards around the city feature more Asians and are sometimes directly in Chinese or Vietnamese or some other Asian language. I know the ads are just trying to make me buy into the whole consumer culture, but there is something to be said about advertising that looks like me and doesn't play into stereotypes. I remember one year this huge billboard above Niketown in San Francisco had this very offensive image of an Asian woman in a suggestive pose with dragons and Asians motifs surrounding her. That ad was not for me, it was for people who have fetishes for Asian women.

Mother Mary is wearing an ao dai.

Vancouver: A little bit of California

2010-09-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

Something I love love about California is all the wild poppies everywhere. Poppies along the I-5. Poppies on sidewalks and hillsides. Poppies at the beach. Seeing a poppy, always makes me think about a couple of things:

1) Learning about California state history in the 4th grade.
2) Sunshine.
3) Oakland gardens.

I was so happy to run into this small bunch of poppies in the sidewalk here in Vancouver. If Dzung and I ever have our own garden, you bet we'll have poppies in them.

Vancouver: Half Day of Mindfulness

2010-09-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

We've been exploring meditation with different sitting groups in Vancouver. Today we went to a half day of mindfulness with the North Vancouver sitting group. A very lovely couple opened up their home for sitting, walking, dharma sharing, and yummy food and drinks. They live right by an amazing river, that has real salmon and trout swimming through it. Practitioners from all over the area joined us, including two nuns from a nearby Vietnamese temple.

embracing the rain

refreshing

life giving

nourishing the lush green face

of mother earth

It is starting to be Fall here in Vancouver. Leaves on the ground, raining overnight, warmer jackets during the day, and the smell of damp earth in the air.

Vancouver: Farmer's Market

2010-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of the things we have missed the most about our life in San Francisco was checking out the local farmer's markets. There was the Alemany market, our Saturday morning standard, a diverse group of customers and great, cheap food, mostly organic. Then there was the Civic Center market, in the heart of downtown San Francisco, much more urban feeling and with the same great food. And of course, there were the East Bay markets, with a much more hippie vibe to them.

So this weekend we decided to check out the Vancouver farmer's market scene.

Eggplants, peppers, greens, a feast for the eyes

We checked out the Troutlake farmer's market, in the Commercial Drive area of Vancouver. The market was a feast for the eyes, with many varieties of tomatoes, eggplants, and green beans.

It's hard not to compare it to our old favorites in San Francisco, so I won't even try. What we noticed on the one hand was less in the way of Asian vegetables, and Asian farmers for that matter. We did notice much more in the way of certified organic produce. There were also some things that were not available in the Bay Area markets, such as free-range, organic meats, including chicken certified by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (is that an oxymoron???)

Learning all about local varieties of heirloom tomatoes

This return back to one of our weekly, comforting rituals has helped us to start to feel more "at home" here in Vancouver.

Can't wait to start cooking. Yum!

Vancouver: Wreck Beach

2010-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

By the University of British Columbia, at the western tip of Vancouver, you can take 475 steps down through a dense, lush rainforest, to a gorgeous place called Wreck Beach. The sand is soft and light, a dramatic wall of trees overlooks the beach, and on sunny days there's a spot for nude sunbathing (if you like being naked outdoors). In fact, Wreck Beach is Canada's only clothing-optional beach. When we were there last Saturday, there wasn't much in the way of nude sunbathing, more like families and newly-moved-in college students.

The stairs were very steep.

I have always been drawn to the coast. There is something about being on the oceanfront that makes me feel a great sense of wonder and peace. Something about the vastness of the water, and the sky, and the churning of the ocean. Always changing, yet always retaining an essential essence. Maybe it reminds me of who I am, where I've come from, where I am going. Maybe it reminds me of something about my true nature, in the ultimate dimension. An individual wave is always a part of the greater water from which it came.

Missing My Family

2010-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's been one month into our new lives in Vancouver, and I miss my family and friends. I've lived away from home since I was 18 years old, but living away from home in another country feels different somehow -- I can't articulate it right now, but it feels different. I think I need to splurge and get international calling on my cell phone. Waiting for folks to come online to chat on Skype is nice, but I miss my daily calls to bug one of my siblings.

Here's what a typical phone call consisted of, which was insignificant and often mundane. But if you can't be mundane with your family, what's the point?

me: yo wat up?

sis or bro: nothing, what are you doing?

me: walking home from work, what are you doing

if one of the sisters: answer was usually "homework"

if bro: the answer was usually "art stuff"

if other bro: "chillin"

me: okay well i'll call you later

sis or bro: okay bye

I just have to remind myself that family and friends are just a short plane ride away. Also it helps to remember the Buddhist concept of no coming and no going. This song by Thich Nhat Hanh in the Plum Village tradition helps with that:

no coming, no going

no after, no before

i hold you close to me,

i release you to be so free

because i am within you

and you are within me

cause i am within you

and you are within me

This picture was taken when we were in LA earlier this summer visiting with my folks, it's a photo of Eli (my nephew) at his soccer practice. Notice how all the other kids are completely off task and building the structure WRONG. But not Eli, not only is he the first done, he's also like "bam!"

Eli on task and proud of it.

Having pictures of family and friends also help ease the missing, especially when their personalities get captured in the image.

Dear family and friends, don't forget to keep us in the loop, email us, write us, call us on Skype, hit us up on Facebook, call our Canadian cell phones for free from Gmail, send us pictures, and cheesy x-mas cards. It helps us stay connected.

Vancouver: Our New Apartment

2010-09-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

Remember the great view from our old apartment in San Francisco, where you could see Twin Peaks, Sutro Tower, and the tops of the Golden Gate Bridge? We got spoiled from having that view. I seriously didn't think we would find a place with a comparable view in Vancouver, but we did.

View from our livingroom window of North Vancouver and the mountains beyond

Kitchen

Livingroom

Our meditation area in the livingroom

Another View of the Livingroom

Ly chilling in the living room. The furniture is the landlord's.

Good news is there is plenty of space for hosting family and friends. We have an extra bedroom/office, a livingroom with a sofa bed, and a finish attic that can sleep 4 to 5 people comfortably. Bad news is there is only one bathroom, but the bathroom has heated tile floors!

We spent a frenzied 48 hours unpacking, this is what it looked like:

So who's going to be our first visitor?

Vancouver: Lake Swimming

2010-09-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

We just moved into our new apartment and our internet is not working properly. Every little step we make towards feeling more settled here, we encounter something new and unexpected. Relocating to a new country is HARD.

To ease a little of the stress, we have been spending some time exploring the city of Vancouver. Most recently we heard about lake swimming, 45 minutes away from the city center at Sasamat Lake.

This was the first time I have ever swam in a lake. It was alot warmer than I thought it would be. I swam close to the shoreline because 1) it was warmer in the swallower bits and 2) I couldn't judge the depths of the water further out, which made it scary and unknown.

Maybe this is the challenge for my life right now, which is to push past my boundaries of what it is I know and just dive in to what I don't know. Maybe I need to trust that I'm a good enough swimmer that no matter how deep, I will still make it back to the shore whole.

P.S.
1) Yes I am swimming out in public with my one piece on, totally not sexy, but it makes me feel more athletic than I actually am.
2) Dzung spent the entire time on the beachy shore reading magazines and napping, what a lazy bum.

Vancouver Food: Phnom Penh Restaurant

2010-08-31T16:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a serious contender on our quest for the perfect pho: Phnom Penh in Vancouver's Chinatown.

This place has been around for a while, and has won all of the foodie awards in town. They bill themselves as Cambodian-Vietnamese. On the menu, there is no "pho" - only "Cambodian Beef Noodle Soup." However, our waitress spoke Vietnamese, and when I ordered "Pho" she knew exactly what I was talking about.

The pho itself was served in a smaller bowl - the way it's done in Hanoi, not supersized the way it is done in Orange County, California. The broth was simple and beefy, the noodles were well-cooked, and the meat portions were generous.

Before

After

We'll definitely be back!

Skype: The Best Thing Ever

2010-08-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

I love technology. We have been using Skype to keep in touch with friends and family. I've been stalking my sisters on the web and waiting for them to come online to get them to Skype with me.

I love my sisters, our random silly conversations have been keeping my spirits up. Thanks Jenny and Annie.

Both Dzung and I have Skype accounts, give us a ring next time you're online.

Vancouver: Things We Enjoy So Far

2010-08-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

Sunsets from the Cafe deck at Jericho Sailing Centre. There's something about the late evening sunsets, and the long and soft quality of the light, that makes it magical.

The big, open skies and giant puffy clouds of the Pacific Northwest summers.

Pacific Spirit Park, on the campus on the University of British Columbia

The immense and wild nature reserves, lush and green, right in the city. We've seen rabbits, bats, squirrels, woodpeckers, and great blue herons. We're told that bald eagles and wild coyotes are not uncommon sightings in Vancouver!

Inukshuk Rock Sculpture, English Bay

The beaches. With the warm and sunny days that we've been having, it feels like the entire city left work early to enjoy the sand, ocean, and mountains.

Vancouver Food: Quest for the Perfect Pho?

2010-08-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

It's on: the quest for the perfect Pho! So far we have tried 2 different pho restaurants in Vancouver, neither worth writing about.

Ly Hoang in front of Pho Hoang on Main Street, Vancouver

We may not find something like our beloved Turtle Tower in San Francisco. Authentic North Vietnamese, Hanoi-style pho is hard to find outside of Hanoi. That said, we'll be happy to find something with a pure, not-too-heavy broth, fresh noodles cooked just right, and quality cuts of meat. With all of the Vietnamese restaurants in Vancouver, it will be an adventure!

Stay tuned...

Vancouver Food: Japadog

2010-08-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

Did you ever think of putting bonito flakes or seaweed on a hot dog? How about wasabi mayo?

Japadog on Robson Street in downtown Vancouver would convince the most skeptical skeptic.

Ly's choice on the left: Tonkatso Hot Dog (Fried Pork with cabbage and wasabi mayo)
Dzung's choice on the right: Terimayo Hot Dog (Beef with Teriyaki topped with seaweed)

Super Yummy

Vancouver: First Impressions

2010-08-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

Jericho beach

We’ve been in Vancouver for about three days now. Things we’ve learned so far:

A lesson in cultural competence: Even though everyone speaks English, and the people in the city look like people in the Bay (diverse, lots of Asians) – there are some subtle subtle cultural differences that belie the similarities on the surface.

Vancouverites take pride in being relaxed and laid back. Someone who lived most of his life in Los Angeles put it like this: The difference from east coast to west coast in the US, is like the difference from California to Vancouver. For example, on a nice day it’s not unusual for workers to clock out at 3pm and leave work early to enjoy the beautiful weather and great outdoor spaces that Vancouver has to offer – miles of gorgeous beaches, huge urban park with old growth evergreens.

Stanley Park

Canadians love “process.” You can’t jump the queue, you can’t be missing paperwork, you have to go through the proper process. We experienced this in many places: The Canadian border, the bank trying to open an account, even the cell phone store trying to get a cell phone!

Stanley Park

Portland: Ota Tofu

2010-08-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

On the way from California to Vancouver, we stayed a night in Portland with our friend Kim Ota, who used to live in the Bay Area, but moved back to Portland less than a year ago to help with the family business. Kim is a part of the amazing legacy of Japanese in the United States. Kim's family own and operate Ota Tofu, which has been making tofu in the Portland since at least 1911.

Ota Tofu was believed to have been started by Kim’s great-grandparent’s generation. Two Ota brothers starting making tofu in Portland's first Japantown. It is unclear when the business was started, but the oldest documents are from 1911. So they have been making tofu for at least 100 years.

Her family was sent to internment camps during World War II. A sympathetic white landlord kept the space and equipment. After the war, Kim’s family came back and was able to restart the family business.

Currently Kim, her mom, her dad (who is like a master tofu maker), a cousin, and a handful of non-related employees make up the whole operation. They make fresh daily batches, and sell mostly to local grocery stores and restaurants.


Kim explaining to us the tofu making process.

The fresh fried tofu was excellent, softer and more flavorful than the usual store-bought fried tofu. There is a secret ingredient that they add during the tofu making process that makes the tofu fluffier when it is fried. The best thing is that they used non-gmo soybeans and mostly organic.

This new batch of soybeans will get soaked overnight to be made into tofu the next day.

We made an excellent veggie meal that evening with soft tofu, fried tofu, and soy milk. We enjoyed the meal so much more knowing where it came from: a simple, but powerful, story that is part of American history, and speaks to the resilience of Japanese Americans.

Try Ota Tofu next time you are in Portland, and tell your friends!

LA: Being a Tourist in Your Childhood Hometown

2010-08-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's fun to be a tourist in the town you spent your childhood in. To explore it with Beginner's Mind. To see it with fresh eyes. To spend an afternoon with your now-adult sibling. To show it to someone you love.

We spent a fun afternoon at the Getty Center, a huge museum and research center in the hills above LA. There was a pretty cool exhibit on documentary photography since the 1960's, as well as an interesting exhibit by the 17th-century French painter Gerome.

Our sister Annie played tour guide, thanks Annie!

Have you ever been to a museum where the art was fairly interesting, but completely overshadowed by the architecture and design of the museum itself? The Getty Center is one of those places, a study in grand modernist architecture.

The architect, Richard Meier, loves to work in white, to the point of obsession. The Getty Center design was based on a series of cubes and lines and angles and strategic curves, with patterns and details that were a language unto themselves.

We learned that the main building material was travertine stones from Italy - the same stones used to make the Coliseum in Rome. Each stone was actually an ancient fossil, and was a kind of work of art in itself.

Richard Meier liked to use design elements to frame certain views.

The landscape was also carefully planned to complement the buildings.

The gardens. So different from Versailles, where we just were a few weeks before!

The best part is that admission is free. The only charge is parking, which you can avoid by taking public transportation. All in all a great way to spend an afternoon in LA!

SF to LA: Road Trip Down the I-5

2010-08-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite spots on the long and arduous drive down the I-5 from San Francisco to Los Angeles is passing the windmills of Altamont Pass. I've done this drive many times; during my childhood to visits family in Sacramento, during my fours years at Mills College in Oakland, and now with Dzung to visit family in LA. Dzung thinks this is a ugly and not very interesting drive, especially the smelly spot about halfway down that stinks of cow manure. I think its fascinating to see all the farmland and pastures that are only made possible by pumping water from elsewhere. It makes me think of consumption, human manipulation of the earth, and how unsustainable California is. It also makes me think of the great wealth that California has through the production of these goods. Where does all that money go to?

However as a child I didn't think about any of these things, I imagined those soft rolling hills, golden in the summer and lush green in the spring, as hibernating dragons laying next to each other, with their tails and heads tucked under the other's protective arms.

During our drive down to LA the temperature rose to 100 degrees* by 1pm, which was predictive of the weather awaiting us in LA.

*That's 100 degrees Farenheit. Soon we're going to need to learn to think in Celsius??!?

More Photos on Flickr

2010-08-06T18:23:00.001-07:00

I've posted more photos to my flickr page. Click on the links to view the photo sets:

France, 2010

Plum Village, 2010

We would love to hear what you think!

Plum Village: I have arrived, I am home

2010-08-05T22:24:00.000-07:00

Dzung had been to Plum Village twice before, but this was Ly's first time. Plum Village is a monastery and meditation retreat center in southern France, dedicated to the practice of mindfulness in the tradition of the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The schedule included formal sessions of sitting meditation, walking meditation, working meditation, and dharma talks. More importantly, we practiced mindfulness in every moment -- touching the joy of life that is available by dwelling deeply in each present moment, and working to transform our habit energies that bring us suffering and take away our freedom. All supported by an international community of laypeople, and monks and nuns whose wonderful freedom and happiness, fruits of their practice, gave us confidence on our own practice.

Insights and practices we take with us:

1) Not waiting for happiness but knowing that I have all the conditions to be happy right now. Not allowing the past or the future prevent us from being truly free and happy here and now. That is the meaning of "I have arrived, I am home:" the practice of not waiting to arrive, but arriving deeply in our true home, the present moment, in every moment.

2) "This is a joyful moment." The fifth mantra, which is a sentence uttered with concentration and mindfulness, that can transform a situation. We love practicing this mantra in moments of togetherness with each other, friends, and family. By shining a light on the joy available by being fully present with those we love, it brings that much more depth and joy to the moment.

3) "I see all children as flowers." The best way to love them is to water the seeds of happiness and freshness in them, to allow their "flower-ness" to manifest.

3) Go as a Sangha. It is so much easier to eat mindfully, walk mindfully, breathe mindfully, when a sister or brother next to you is doing the same, inspiring and supporting you. A sangha, or community of practice, is so important to support and nourish us. We are so grateful to the sanghas which have nourished us in the Bay Area for the past six years (Hella Just, Center for Transformative Change, San Francisco Buddhist Center, East Bay Meditation Center, San Francisco Zen Center, Green Gulch, Spirit Rock). We will definitely seek to join and practice with a sangha in Vancouver, and wherever life takes us in the future.

4) No Mud, No Lotus. Just as the lotus needs the dirty mud to transform itself into a beautiful flower - we are grateful for our suffering, which teaches us and gives us an opportunity to practice compassion and move towards more freedom.

5) "I am Here for You... I know that you are here for me, and it makes me very happy." The first and second mantra, to express when we are truly present with a loved one. The best gift that we can offer to those we love is our own presence, and our own happiness.

6) Great Happiness of the Heart. Ly formally received the Five Mindfulness Trainings with the dharma name, Great Happiness of the Heart. Her dharma name, given to her by the nuns, truly reflects her deepest aspiration. Dzung was so proud of her for her courage in practicing to transform habit energies of consumption and suffering; as well as her wisdom in knowing to be gentle, nonjudgmental, and compassionate with herself as she works to change her habit energies.

See more photos on my Flickr page.

Arles: A Journey Through History

2010-08-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

Arles is a small town in Southern France steeped in ancient history. Founded by Julius Caesar over 2000 years ago, it still retains an ancient feel with Roman and Medieval monuments, buildings, and ruins still being used and lived in today.

Roman Arles
1) the arena (which is a Roman coliseum): still being used for bull fights and fake gladiator fights
2) the Thermes of Constantine (a huge Roman bath house): kind of like the ruins of Sutro bath in San Francisco, but about two thousand years older
3) the theatre (which is a outdoor amphitheater): only a small fraction of the theatre still stands, but locals continue to hold performances and concerts at this site. During the middle ages, locals simply used the theatre as a quarry to get stones from to build other buildings!

Medieval Arles


Ceiling in Chapel of Musee Reattu

Musee Reattu: a modern art museum housed in mini castle that belonged to the Knights of Malta

Art in Arles
1) Vangogh stuff: Many of Vangogh's masterpieces were painted in Arles and the surrounding area, this is also where he cut off a bit of his ear and handed it to a prostitute for safe keeping. We would stroll down a street and all of a sudden there would be a placard annoucing that the ordinary bridge scene in front of us was painted in vibrate colors and strokes by Van Gogh. Literally it was like walking into a painting.
2) Van Gogh was not the only artist that made Arles their home, Picasso and Gauguin both lived here, as well as a number of artist we didn't know about.

Our favorite part of our 3 day adventure in Arles
1) Exploring the city with our dear friends Sophy and Young Whan who were also traveling across France.

L-R: Young Whan, Sophy, & Dzung at the Theatre d'Arles

2) The best pizza and dessert we have ever eaten in our entire lives. (PS-- Anyone know where to get a good ice cream profiterole in Vancouver?)

Versailles: A Matter of Interpretation

2010-08-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

We spent an afternoon at Chateaux Versailles, the opulent palace and ornate gardens outside of Paris that became the center of political and upper-class social life in 17th-century France. A lovely afternoon, but one that left us with many questions:

The gardens were beautiful, but does one person, even the King, really need a private garden the size of (the immense) Golden Gate Park in San Francisco?

Did I read that right: the palace cost about one fourth of the entire annual economy in France at that time?

Is it surprising that Marie-Antoinette was so deeply unhappy with her privileged, isolated life that she had to construct a fake, Disneyland-style farm "village" to spend her days?

In the end, we couldn't help but wonder: is Versailles a monument to grand French culture? Or a case study in opulent, elitist excess?

France: They really do say "Voila" in Paris!

2010-08-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

In June, we were informed of a lengthy delay in our immigration paperwork. We decided to turn that unexpected delay into an opportunity, and make a last minute trip to France to visit Plum Village, the mindfulness practice center in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

Since Ly had never been to France, we decided to spend the first part of our trip in Paris. Our plane into Paris was struck by lighting, although we didn't realize it at the time. All we knew was there was a flash outside the window close by, a loud thunder, and the plane shook momentarily. The flight attendants smartly kept it cool and quiet until after we had landed.

Now we can finally truthfully say that we've been struck by lightning!

Anyway, once we recovered from some brutal jet lag, we fell in love with Paris. We did all the usual tourist stuff: Tour Eiffel, Louvre, walking the Seine, riding the Metro, windmills at Montmartre, Musee d'Orsay, Left Bank, Notre Dame.

Here are some of the things we loved most about Paris:

1. Cafe culture: In the US, coffee is a drug, and the main purpose of a cafe is to serve the drug as quickly and efficiently as possible. Fast in, fast out. In Paris, cafes are like the communal living room, a gathering spot for friends, coffee, food drink, life. No laptops. Two-hour stays are the norm.

2. Boulangeries are incredible! A top-notch bakery in the US, like Tartine in San Francisco, is basically an average neighborhood boulangerie/patisserie in Paris.

3. Kids playing: Laissez-faire, like the kids pushing around toy sailboats with a stick at the pool in Luxembourg Gardens. A lazy, low-tech, non-mechanized way to let them be. No Nintendo DS's.

4. Everyone is more stylish, especially men. Way more fashion boutiques for men. No wonder that The Sartorialist loves to shoot street fashion in Paris. Never in San Francisco.

5. Everything is hella old. The entire city is like a museum, every building some historical site or monument. I wonder if people in other parts of the world have a greater appreciation for history, and where they come from, because they are surrounded by it. Likewise, are Americans so under-educated about history because everything in the US is so new?

San Francisco: Things We Miss

2010-08-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

You all know the song I Left My Heart in San Francisco. I've always liked it, its the hella old senior citizen in me, but its really how I feel.

View of Sutro Tower and La Mission in morning fog from our old apartment in Potrero Hill

Here is a small list of things we love to do in the Bay. The list can go on and on, but we tried to be succinct:

1) Hanoi style pho @ Turtle Tower in the Tenderloin

2) Bento box lunches @ Njiya Market in Japantown

3) The bike ride through the Embarcadero, past Chrissy Fields, and over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.

4) Hiking Land's End

5) Tennis at any number of the public courts in SF

6) Alemany Farmer's Market on Saturdays

7) The Civic Center's Farmers Market on Sundays when we missed the Alemany one

8) The view from our Potrero Hill apartment that overlooks the Valley that makes up La Mission with Twin Peaks as the crown

9) Sunday night sangha with Hella Just and Compassionate in Oakland

10) Checking out books from any San Francisco library

11) Lunch at Vik's Chaat House in Berkeley, the yummiest Indian food cafeteria style

12) Brunch @ the Ramp, breakfast lunch bar right at the waterfront

13) Fried chicken @ Hard Knox Cafe, authentic soul food by a bunch of Asian Americans

14) Being naked @ Harbin Hot Springs

15) Egg tarts @ Golden Gate Bakery in Chinatown

16) Swimming laps @ Koret Gym USF

17) Climbing over the ruins of Sutro Baths

18) Soaking and getting scrubbed @ Imperial Spa in Japantown

19) Reading anime at Kinokuniya Bookstore (only Ly)

20) Browsing through the used books @ Green Apple, possibly the best book store in the world

21) Open studios in the Fall where you can be a voyeur in artist studios

22) The outdoor labyrinth @ Grace Cathedral

23) Cheap ear acupuncture at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine

24) The huge Friends of the SF Public Library sale @ Fort Mason

25) Meandering through the residential streets of San Francisco especially in the Mission

26) Watching an indie film @ Asian American Film Festival

27) Artwork by emerging Asian American artist @ Apature hosted by Kearny Street Workshop, the oldest API arts organization in the US

28) Star glazing @ Chabot Observatory in the Oakland Hills

to be continued...

San Francisco: Saying Goodbye to the Bay

2010-08-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

Buddha in the Greenhouse at Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center

L-R: Sophy, Young Whan, Ly, Ly, Jim at Chez Panisse Cafe

For the past month or so, Dzung and I have been saying goodbye to our dear friends, favorite hangout spots, and our much loved city. We also decided to finally do all those things we said we would get around to when we have more time. It took our leaving the city to realize that there is no time but now to participate fully in life. In our defense, sometimes there wasn't much time left after coming home from a long day of work to get up and do something else. But on closer reflection, I realize that some of it has to do with where we decide to put our energies. Thirty minutes not on the internet can mean 30 minutes spent on a lovely evening stroll through a neighborhood or park you love.

Here is a list of the things we did in June that we never did all the years we lived here:

1) Dinner at Chez Panisse:
simple, natural and elegant, lives up to the hype

2) California Academy of Science:
Ly went with her family, great family place; Dzung went with some guy friends for the Thursday 21 and over night, what a scene

3) Sunday Program at Green Gulch Retreat Center:
A real bay area treasure

4) SF Giants Game at ATT Park:
even though it was raining and Ly had a fever, it didn't spoil the views or fun

5) SF Symphony at Davies Center:
Ravel and Stravinsky, beautiful music, we felt rich for one night, sitting behind Dzung was a lady with snowy white hair who dropped her jeweled flask, presumably filled with spirits

Keeping Track of Time

2010-06-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Dzung and I decided to start this blog so that we can share this new adventure in our lives. With the help of this blog, phone calls on Skype, facebook postings, emails, and face to face visits, we want to make sure our connections with you continue to grow and nourish all of us. Please keep us informed about the happenings in your lives.

Much love,

Ly and Dzung