Huong Viet in Eden Center, Viriginia

So I came upon this place through a friend's strong recommendation. A friend who is super picky about food, a friend who has lived all over the world and tasted the locals of many places. He told me about Eden center, an asian oriented strip mall featuring restaurants and bakeries that gear towards the local Vietnamese population in Virginia. 

I have had a number of pho noodles in New York, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. But people always tells me that there are more authentic pho noodles somewhere down in California and Virginia. Well, I took the chance to try it at Huong Viet, and it was amazing.

We had their Cha Gio (Fried spring rolls with duck sauce), which was crispy and fresh. The pho noodles with chicken and egg noodles, which I see as a variation as the classical pho, was surprisingly good with tender chicken strips and chewy egg noodles. Their classic pho noodle with beef broth and pork, unfortunately, was almost as good as the ones I had in Maryland.

Cha Gio

Egg noodle in chicken broth



Rice noodle in beef broth

Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

The library of Congress is not a restaurant, and no I am not blogging about food today. But sometimes when one is tired of studying in one set environment, one tends to search for a brand new environment. Friends and I stopped by the main reading room inside the Madison building of the library of congress. After going through a series of security check, obtaining an identification card that are only used to enter the reading rooms, checked our coats and bags, we finally stepped into the main reading room. It reminds me of the center of a cross in catholic churches. We couldn't help but looking up at the arched vaults and the sculptures of gods that were overlooking at us. The environment was very serious, so serious that is was almost distracting. It was a beautiful room, but it definitely takes some time to get use to.

Raku in Bethesda, Maryland

A friend and I stopped by Raku in Bethesda Row at 10pm after some golfing. I have heard mixed reviews about this place.

Person A: Try their Chilean Seabass, it is only of the best dishes I have never had. I wish I could just order this dish as take out there everyday.
Person B: It is a chain, and the Raku in Bethesda is not as good as the ones elsewhere.
Person C: I heard from a friend that is not good, there are more authentic Japanese restaurants in Bethesda.
Person D: They are some awesome sushi!

Therefore, before I visited this restaurant, I remember this place as the restaurant with the most varied reviews. Also I had the longest time finding this place because they are smashed in between many other outdoor restaurants on Woodmont Avenue. Finally I spotted a small asian lady standing at the entrance of the restaurant, and this is it!

We sat down right before the kitchen was closing and ordered the Vegetable Shoyu Ramen. I am sorry to say that I did not enjoy it, the flavors did not stick out, and vegetables were almost raw. Next time I am going to go for the Chilean Seabass.

Patience is Virtue

"Patience is virtue."

This is what my friend told me the other day when I was expressing my confusions and concerns about my life. I am pretty sure that I have heard about it many times from other methods: people, TVshows, stories, etc. It is one of those things that I hear and believe it is obvious. It is also one of those phrases that rarely has came up when I actually needed a reminder.

"Think about it: you pretty much need to be patient for your whole life. You want to become whatever you want to be, but it doesn't come over night. You have to be patient and work for years and years to establish that goal."

I am not sure whether it is the way that she phrased her explanations, but I felt so enlightened after all of these words even through it's something anyone can come up with themselves.

Sichuan Jin River in Rockville, Maryland

Sichuan Jin River is a place we came up when we were desperately looking for places to eat. We knew we were located around the DC area, we knew we can't have too high to an expectation for authentic Asian food. And just like any Chinese restaurant, this place just makes me want to get out with its 99 cent store style ceilings and hipster yellow walls. 

Obviously the owner of this restaurant did not spent too much time on the interior decoration for this restaurant. I think he/she was hoping the food will make us go back. We went for which ever dish that stroke our fancy, especially the weird ones that we do not make on a daily basis.

Chili Bean Jelly Salad

Seafood with Tofu and Vegetable soup

Stir Fried Water Spinach

A bucket of rice! Cutest buck of rice I have ever seen.

Sichuan Style Pig Intestine

Sichuan Style Flounder

I really enjoyed my time with those dishes, especially the stir-fried water spinach -- tender and crispy, can only be done with industrial powered stoves. The food in this place is Americanized, but those slightly altered tastes were enjoyable.

Innate Disgust

I was flipping through science magazine the other day. My mind was not fixated on one particular thing, eyes were just glancing over pictures and diagrams to see what can grab my interest. I encountered a picture of the Chinese primier, Li Keqiang, talking with visiting intellectuals inside one of those governmentally built conference rooms. I stared at the picture of the famous Science editor-in-chief sitting on the typical red arm chair, facing Li. My anger began to rise.

I wasn't sure whether it was my innate disgust towards the Chinese government, or my dislike towards Chinese art and decorations -- I felt uncomfortable. I didn't like the say he was sitting, it reminds me of those Chinese politicians who slowly lost their sense of humanity once they gained power. I didn't like the fact that there was always women in the background of every picture of Chinese politicians, it reminds me of the polygamy that the Chinese society used to practice. I didn't like the fact that the room was overly glorified with colors of gold and red, they symbolize the conceited and narcissistic mind of people who treat themselves as emperors.

I was absolutely disgusted.

Storm Coming Ahead

Have you ever seen the storm coming, and were forced to cut some good times short? This past Saturday I was at a rooftop with friends in Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. As we were leisurely chilling in the pool, binging on barbecued ribs and chicken, those clouds you see below quietly swept over our heads. Before we could notice, winds were blowing at 50 miles per hour, plastic plates and party cups were jumping off the building, and barbecued smoked were smoking us. I took this photo for the city scene as we ran into our own safe caves.



Bright car lights dominate the city streets with the sun just about to shine on the other side of the planet. For some reason, I find it especially calming about those clouds. They seem like the climax in a movie, that would only lead to the greater goods afterwards. They put down a mark that leads to a happier ending, because only better things comes after the worst.