To the shock of none, the best place in the world to get a bowl of pho is Vietnam. My favorite country in SE Asia and one of my favorite countries in the world is the birthplace of this breakfast food.
But, I would be a simpleton to merely say, “Vietnam is the best place for pho” and leave it at that. Much like BBQ in the United States, the debate rages about which part of Vietnam makes pho the best. Is it in the north in Hanoi or the south in Saigon? How about a scolding hot bowl in the centrally located beach town of Nha Trang?
To satisfy your pho appetite, ThePointsOfLife set out on a journey all over Vietnam to find the best of the best of the best places to get pho in this new series. From Da Nang to Ha Long Bay to the next time I return, I am phoever searching for the next bowl.
Here’s a preview of what’s to come:
The journey began in SaigonWith some new friends at the Cu Chi TunnelsWith many pho restaurants along the wayFrom a Vietnamese cooking school in Hoi An…To the beauty of Ha Long Bay…ThePointsOfLife is phoever researching where to find that perfect bowl
I’ll start by saying that Seattle wasn’t my favorite city to visit. I stayed at the W Seattle and wasn’t all that impressed. I went to the Public Market and had the halibut and was not that impressed. I went to the Starbucks and…well you get the picture. Seattle because of its overcast, rainy climate just gives you a sense of bleh even on a sunny day. Perhaps that is why everything I did and saw deemed mediocre.
But then, on the rainiest of rainy days, I went to Seattle’s China Town. I’ve been to China Towns all over from China to New York and hands down my favorite is the one in Seattle. They had amazing xiao long bao, great Japanese sake, delightful dim sum, and, above all, the best Pho in just about all of the world. All great Asian restaurants have one thing in common: a lack of decor. Instead, the ambiance of a great Asian restaurant is in its simplicity: the stools, the uncleared tables, the questionable health inspection certificate.
Although, this post is supposed to be all about pho, I had the make some detours and pit stops along the way as everything looked and tasted so good.
Entrance to Food ParadiseAvenue’s literal translation in Mandarin is big street (the T looking character)On the way for pho my stomach was distracted by Ping. Who did not disappointIn need a break [and a drink] it was time for some Japanese Asahi and sakeAppetite restored, I made my way to the best pho restaurant in the world (apart from #1 on the list)Fried rolls, spring rolls, yum yum yumThe bowl came…And went…But I pressed onSum dim sum…And beer…Made the abs disappear
The best thing about a yummy bowl of pho is who you go with to eat that yummy bowl. I’m not sure how the tradition began but every time I went to Toronto to visit my cousins, I would always go for an extra large bowl before heading back to the States. Our restaurant of choice is Pho Hung and it is located at 350 Spadina Ave right in the middle of China Town.
Pho Hung: The best pho in Toronto
Whoever arrived first was responsible for finding a table as the place is always slammed, especially early Sunday afternoon. When everyone did eventually find parking and the group was reunited, we would all take a deep breath, laugh about whatever happened the night before, and drink the tea provided to help us with our ailments.
I was in charge of ordering and would scribble in chicken scratch too many orders of fresh spring rolls, fried spring rolls, some arbitrary dish, and, of course, enough bowls of pho turning a quick lunch into an enduring holiday dinner. The service is so so at Pho Hung so count yourself lucky if you order extra onions and the waiter returns with them. But, the service is not why we come. I, along with dozens of strangers, come for the atmosphere, the delicious food, and the warm feeling that comes from sipping a bowl too quickly while sharing a good time with your best friends.
Next time you’re on your way out of Toronto make sure you stop by Pho Hung then a nap before making the journey home.
I miss you man!The menuPho tai of courseThe spring rollsThe bowl
Cadillac is trying to build an American luxury automobile that competes with its European counterparts. The transition began with the development of the Escalade, the discontinuation of the STS and DTS, the transformation of the CTS, and introduction of the ATS. (The XTS is garbage in my opinion.)
As part of its marketing strategy, Cadillac has implemented a few gimmicks to promote the brand. The first silly idea is to move Cadillac’s headquarters from Detroit to New York City in attempt to exploit the cachet of the Big Apple to increase global car sales. This runs afoul to the Cadillac name itself. For those of you from Michigan, you already know that Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit, known today as Detroit. Why take the essence of what is Cadillac and transplant it to a city that has nothing to do with automotive? The reason is the president of Cadillac didn’t want to live in Detroit. But for the fact that nothing and no one who leaves Michigan ever comes back, I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years a new president of Cadillac returns to the Motor City, citing a need to get back to Cadillac’s roots.
Cadillac’s second silly idea is to partner with American Airlines to give first class passengers an Emirate’s style chauffeur service to the plane aboard a Cadillac CTS. I used to own a CTS and though the new ones are a lot nicer, make no mistake, the C in CTS still stands for Catera, a failed Cadillac brand.
Imagine being escorted to the plane in this baby! (Image courtesy of wikimedia)
And now for the third gimmicky idea; Cadillac is giving away 7500 AAdvantage miles for anyone that goes into the dealership for a test drive. For points people and for people who love going to car dealerships for fun, this is a great deal to top off your AA account and refine your bargaining skills. For Cadillac as a brand, this cheapens a product which is in need of subtle exultation not Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! disgraceful gratification.
Before moving to Mongolia, I had to part ways with my beloved Red Cadillac ATS 2.0 Turbo. Unlike the old CTS, the ATS was fun to drive, a beauty to behold, and a head turner wherever it went. At the time I was leaving, I literally couldn’t pay anyone to take my baby off my hands despite it being such a great vehicle. And now, I have to read story after story from blogger after blogger of test drives with my lost love, which are nothing more than sickening tales of a proud brand being pimped out in a miscalculated effort to sell a few vehicles.
The whole thing makes me sick.
To Cadillac, I say shame on you. To points enthusiasts, I say stop bragging about how you didn’t even take the car for a spin in the name of free points. Do the right thing: take her out for a real date, treat her right, then hold onto her forever. Don’t make the same mistake I did.
Pho Boston for just about everything: Pho the Celtics, Pho the Red Sox, Pho the Bruins, and but for Tom Brady being a Wolverine I’d say Pho the Patriots.
Apart from those negatives, I have to say that Boston’s pho is phoking delicious. After you curse Rondo at the Garden, boo Chara at the same, and give big Papi the bird at Fenway, head over to Boston’s China Town for some of the best pho you will ever have. The service at Pho Pasteur is efficient, the spring rolls are fresh and full of pep, and the pho is everything pho should be: hot to trot, rare but fair, and green but clean.
2013 MLB Playoffs: Scalped tickets for $25 eachHow’d I get my fingers on these Sox Championship rings? Apologies to my Tigers for this betrayal (incidentally Detroit lost to the Red Sox following my cursed decision)Go Wings Go! Red Sox and Bruins game in the same trip! Scalped tickets for $20 each.Heaven in BostonToo hungry to stop and try some exotic cocktailsOne of the best pho restaurants in the entire worldFresh spring rolls, fresh basil, tons of sprouts, and great peanut sauceLook at that distribution of tiny onions, green onions, tons of meat, and cilantro. I wish I was there now.
A visit to two new cities, Osaka and Kyoto, Japan for who knows what to kick start the Trip Reports section.
A stopover in Beijing for second hand smog.
I will be handing out plenty of business cards to unsuspecting tourists and locals alike in promotion of my book Everyone’s Advice Is Wrongthat is receiving all sorts of accolades by friends and strangers alike. A free preview is available on Amazon if you still have doubts.
Till then, keep churning, keep traveling, and keep enjoying the points, the points of life that is.
Last week I wrote about the impossible task of leaving Mongolia. I almost settled for a paid ticket that would’ve cost hundreds of dollars just to go to Hong Kong and Bangkok, places I’ve visited many times before. That experience, much like a heat check jump shot beyond the three point arc, made me question if I was as good a points redeemer as I have claimed to be.
Yesterday night, out of neurotic habit, I found myself searching for award availability on United, then LifeMiles, then turning to Kayak while trying to rationalize that a $718 roundtrip ticket from Ulaanbaatar to Thailand is not that bad.
Kayak presents it with a straight face making it appear reasonable that a flight within Asia in coach should cost this much.
The choices were get robbed of cash or get robbed on cash and points. The greatest points deal I could find was burning 7500 Avios, 20,000 LifeMiles, and 20,000 United Miles. The points bill, based on MileValue’s Leaderboard came out to:
$127 for Avios (7500*1.97 cents)
$300 for LifeMiles (20,000 * 1.5 cents, using pre-devaluation amount)
$360 worth of United (20,000 * 1.81 cents)
Total Points Value out of Pocket: $787
The cash component for the points redemptions that include taxes and close in booking fee was:
$39 for Avios
$64 for LifeMiles
$111.20 for United
Total Cash out of Pocket: $214.2
Total Spent: $1001.2
That’s over $1000 to fly coach! Because we all know that there are better redemptions for those mileage programs than simple routes throughout SE Asia, this is nothing short of a ripoff.
Not wanting to choose either option, I was ready to quit. Then suddenly, amazingly, everything became clear to me.
Honestly, I don’t remember why but I went to US Airways’ website grumbling about how they never should’ve left Star Alliance for American and Oneworld. Angry clicking here and there, I stumbled upon their codeshare partners page. And wouldn’t you know it, Air China, essentially the only airline out of Mongolia was on the list! Not only that, but somehow, magically, the redemption amount from Mongolia to Hong Kong was 25,000 roundtrip compared to United’s 40,000.
Wait, but that’s not all:
The redemption in business class was 30,000 roundtrip compared to United’s 80 [effing] thousand.
Wait, but that’s not all:
US Air allows a stopover on its rewards meaning I could swing by my favorite city, Shanghai, China without the hassle of applying for a visa, on Halloween weekend!
Excited, I did a quit dash around my apartment then went back to read more of the terms and conditions of this partnership.
And wouldn’t you know it? That’s not all:
By looking at Air China’s route map, I noticed they fly direct to Osaka Japan meaning that I could visit both Osaka and Kyoto for the first time in life instead of occupying Hong Kong for another weekend.
Could this be too good to be true?
For a brief moment, it appeared that it was. Checking the return flights from Osaka to Beijing en route to Ulaanbaatar, I was dismayed to learn that the flight from Japan landed at 11:20AM while the flight to Mongolia departed at 11:55Am.
Adrenaline flowing, I knew I could rectify this easily and found a flight that would arrive in Beijing the day before but leave early enough the next day to satisfy the 24 hour layover rule and, once again, comply with China’s visa regulations.
Moment of truth: I called US Air on the phone, gave the kind lady each of my flights one by one and was more than happy to pay the $75 close in fee and $50 call in fee.
The hangover of having to write one Hotel Review after another on Sin City was worth the effort as readers will not only have a guide of where to stay in Vegas but also a timeline documenting the transformation of this iconic American city.
Unlike many bloggers that issue the same review e.g., the check-in process was very smooth, I liked the soft toilet paper, I tried to give unique insight on each property useful for someone looking for a great time in Vegas.
28 hotels were more or less reviewed and in the end, unlike March Madness, the overall number one seed, Caesar’s Palace, carried the day.
So for one last time, I’m posting the recap of the entire tournament with the perfect bracket for all to see.
The official winner of the Vegas Knockout is Caesar’s Palace!
All hail Caesar’s Palace who beat out the number three seed Encore for the distinction of the best place to stay in Vegas. Overall, Caesar’s won out because unlike newcomers (see Cosmopolitan post), Caesar’s has proven time and time again it can withstand the test of time by adapting with the times.
Why is Caesar’s the best? First, and foremost, Caesar’s is right in the center of the Strip next to the Forum Shops and Bellagio, making it convenient for eating, drinking, and if you hit the jackpot, shopping. Next, Caesar’s is the birthplace of Vegas nightlife. Caesar’s had the first mega nightclub on the Strip called Pure to Vegas goers and Home Sweet Home to me and my friends. Although Pure is now closed, I am sure that Caesar’s will launch the next place to be tomorrow, thereby making it king of Vegas nightlife once again. While Caesar’s doesn’t have the greatest pool party, it does provide a relaxing, upscale atmosphere for a timeout after an evening spent blacked out. Most of all Caesar’s provides something that the new guys can never provide, timeless memories. My best trips to Vegas were spent with my best friends living like VIP by enjoying comped suites, food, drink, and eventful nights out, long before anyone made a movie about it.
Why is Caesar’s the best?Let’s start with the room, a 2 bedroom suite I could call home.Followed by the perks of being a diamond member VIPRed carpet access to Pure during NBA All Star Weekend (yes that’s an ipod shuffle)Great times poolsideEven while underwater from excess gamblingSkipping the lines that wrapped around the hotelFor bottle service comped by Big AlOpportunities to yell Detroit Basketball at Shaq falling the Lakers epic collapse the year beforeRemember when they were cool?Neither do I.All for the best memoriesAll hail Caesar!
The American way has gone from saving for a better tomorrow to kicking the can down the road for enjoying today. The deficit, the debt ceiling, and purposeless spending characterizes the US economy. No other country uses credit cards as much as the US and no other debt, besides student loan debt, is more attributable to the portfolio of the American citizen. Today, Americans buy the fast car, splurge for the nice watch, and opt for the swanky loafers in an effort to fool the world into believing that we are prospering.
Enter the Cosmopolitan hotel. From the outside, it along with the buildings within the CityCenter development are a stunning display of architectural might. Conceived during the real estate boom, the CityCenter and Cosmopolitan were the only projects to survive the real estate bust. By survive, I mean construction was completed and doors open for business. I do not mean turn a profit, something the Cosmo has failed to do.
But who cares? People come to Vegas to lose their own small fortune not worry about the misfortune of others. Why worry about the cost of the elaborate suite when you can have overpriced Hennessy at the Chandelier Bar? Why fret about dropping a few grand at the blackjack table when you’re living it up at Marquee by day and by night?
And for me, that’s what makes staying at the Cosmo special. Even if it is for only a few days, and even if the bank account is damn near empty, guests feel and are treated like celebrities. Bottles are popped, smiles are exchanged, and everyone is happy.
Don’t worry about going home empty handed, you and everyone else, including the hotel owners are doing the same. After all, it’s cosmopolitan to be broke so long as you dare not show it.
Yes I’ve seen the Bellagio fountains…from my 2 bedroom suiteA standard room? No, I need space to work.Wine and cheese snack? Just sign it to the roomI’ll have the lobsterBetter yet I’ll have more lobsterDay or night is a great time to spend money you don’t have at one of Vegas’ best club, MarqueeChampagne poolside pleaseHow am I going to pay for it all?Who cares, I’m at the Cosmo
