Journey into Travel

29/11/2023

Twenty years married. Congrats to us and our journey together. What a ride!

27/11/2023

13/04/2023

An interesting chicken, unique to Vietnam. Have you seen one before? I have and I thought, wow is something wrong? And now I know….

10/04/2023

Damn impressive. Time to “travel!”

01/03/2023

It’s happening!

🥰 Soft Open March 3 🥰

It's happening! The soft open of Hoi An Pilates Boutique in Old Town, Hoi An.

Learn more and see a tour: https://youtu.be/ZE0-nzsxklU
See the schedule and book: https://bookwhen.com/hoianpilates

What you need to know:
👉Sessions are semi-private (up to 5 people) for personalized attention
👉March: Sessions are JUST 250k each or buy 3 get 4
👉Sessions for every mood, level, and population
👉Strong focus on quality, safety, and functional fitness
👉The fundamentals series starts Monday the 6th (8 sessions over 4 weeks)
👉Private Reformer available

Why do we do Pilates? For improved posture, decreased low back pain, increased spinal mobility, muscle flexibility, improved muscular endurance, joint range of motion, balance, body awareness, pelvic control, and bone density.

Have questions? Send a message here or on Whatsapp +84912594390. Thanks!

01/03/2023

It’s Wednesday which means our day off from work. Not 100% but we’re not slinging bagels and coffee to tourists. I’m up much earlier than I want to be because this cat loves to jump on the toilet and sing opera. He takes breaks to fight with the door. The other one is in the other bedroom because these two fight like cats, true siblings. So as I lay here regretting too much wine on our “Friday night” and contemplating making it to yoga at 8:15, I have a scarf. Sometimes I get the head end, sometimes the butt, but this morning I’m happy with the side. It’s cute to watch his twitchy little bunny tail. Hopefully daddy AKA “Bagel Dave” is getting some much needed rest. ❤️

This is our Hội An life. What a difference 5 years makes. Thanks for following our adventures all the time, journey into travel family. 🙏🏽

11/02/2023

Babies. Travel flashback. Hawaii. 2006.

10/02/2023

Happy hour, Hội An style. Imported wine and cheese for $25 followed by street meat for $3. 😂 That’s how we roll.

08/01/2023

We are busy cooking, baking and testing for some upcoming launches, and Cali Cat is Sous Chef. ❤️

I still can’t believe we have two cats and zero dogs….

01/01/2023

Our 2023 New Year party started at 6pm and for some, lasted to 4am. It was a success!

Chef David made delicious heavy hors d’oeuvres which everyone raved about, and then we had Negronis, wine, potato chips and smoked cheese to keep us going, and ended the night with plenty of sparkling wine and cake.

It was a mix of friends, friends of friends, and the weather was just chilly enough to seem like winter.

Since it’s Vietnam, karaoke started at about 10pm and let’s just say, even the haters picked up the mic at least once.

After the 2023 toast with cheers and hugs, the dance party started…

Thanks to everyone who showed up to support us on this very special night of celebration and transition to new adventures in 2023.

26/12/2022

I'm at it again! Here are my top spots for dining (and drinking) in Da Nang. What did I miss?

Meg and her husband David Le are seasoned restauranteurs who have lived and worked in Hoi An for three year. Here, she shares her top foodie picks as well as your new favourite spots in Danang.

11/12/2022

‘‘Twas quite a memorable weekend in Bangkok with this crew.

😝 2 vomits
😝 2 lost credit cards
😝 Fancy cocktails with a view
😝 Smashed in tuk tuk rides
😝An unexpected dance party at a club
😝Dine in the Dark
😝A really wrong way driver that nearly made us miss the…
😝Sweaty Maroon 5 concert
😝A proper Sunday brunch
😝Lots of meat on a stick

It was beautiful weather and so great to be in a big city for a short time. Now it’s back to rain, quiet, no traffic, and our serene farm town life.

Until next time Thailand…

27/11/2022

I’ve officially lived in Vietnam for 3 years. It is such a pleasure flying around.. Why?

Here are my
1. You can book your flight that day; you can even show up and buy a seat.
2. No liquid limits. Bring your water bottle, toiletries, bottles of liquor, hot soup, a kiddy pool, whatever.
3. The tickets generally stay between $20 and $50 each way. No gouging.
4. Domestic airlines like .airways (my favorite) allow 23kg for a standard checked bag.
5. Have extra baggage? No problem. Check an extra bag at the counter for about $5. Not $150.
6. Airport pho 🍜
7. Water fountains and free water on board for a one hour flight.
8. They give you the aisle and emergency row without having to ask.
9. No fear of violent or belligerent passengers; most people mask up without being asked.
10. No one eats smelly food on the plane
11. No screaming little babies. Or big babies.

Ok that was eleven. 😀 What has been your experience traveling in Vietnam? What did I miss?

22/11/2022

True story: This sub 8 lb kitty loves to sleep on me as I’m his person. Chest, legs, lap, armpit…. Since we’ve been back from the USA in June, he’s slept as my little spoon almost every night. 🥵

It’s a privilege to be chosen by a cat, but especially one with such a history of both trauma and resilience. One day I hope to write a children’s book about him.

He is seen here contemplating life, and making sure that I see his position in Le family. On the piano is the first picture of mom and dad in 1999, next to a picture of Gracie dog (yes that’s a tiny rice hat on her). 🍚

I’ve already told him that he will get a tattoo portrait on my left forearm, like his big sis dog. 🥰

What I don’t have a picture of, is me waking up to his brown eye 👁 pressed against my cheek, way too close to my kisser. We slept like that for a while I guess. Awesome. Extra face washing today.

I have a cold and slept on the couch, and I’d like to think he was trying to heal me through his purrs… or maybe he thinks he has a magical butt.

Regardless, I think it’s safe to say that he feels comfortable with me. I’d call that a cat rehab win. 😂

13/11/2022

Saturday evening at home with my girlfriends. I made lasagna!

Always a blast with these two… 🥰🙏🏽

13/11/2022

Journeying back into travel, Hà Nội style. 🍜

We’ve got some exciting business things happening and so we decided to take a mini-vacation north, before things get wild. We were hoping for slightly cooler weather, but were happy for one blue-sky day. If you don’t know, the pollution is quite terrible but this is supposed to be the best time of year.

We stayed at Hotel Marvelous for three nights in the old quarter, and the location was excellent. We got to use Chase credit cards points for the 4-star hotel which was quite a help. ($236) Breakfast was included and the fluent staff was really amazing. Our flight from Da Nang on Bamboo cost us just $125 total.

We spent our time walking around, eating Hanoi foods, and trying out various cocktail bars. Our favorite was definitely . It was like a natural history museum!

While we love the cats, it was amazing to get uninterrupted sleep, as well as afternoon naps. The new trend of sleep wellness getaways is something we can get behind.

Hoi An has the country’s best banh mi, but Hanoi has diversity of cuisine, and arguably the best dishes. Cha ca, bun cha, pho cuon, nem cua…. Yum!

What’s your favorite spot in Hanoi? And if you haven’t been yet, when are you coming to visit? 🌞

02/10/2022

June 2019 compared to today. Our road trip through the country Georgia is one of our most memorable travel experiences. We decided to drive to the Russian border, and let’s just say, there were no refugees on foot at the time. Our heart aches for the torment these people feel who are fleeing the Putin dictatorship. And who knows what awaits those in independent Georgia.…

Yes, travel is about food, culture, and scenery, but it’s so much more. Empathy and social connection are so important to maintaining our humanity in these turbulent times. I remember the khinkali, but more importantly, the conversations that led to feelings of commonality. ❤️

29/09/2022

Typhoon Noru was supposed to be a category 4 but luckily weakened to a 2. The rain started during the day as we prepped, but the winds didn’t pick up until the evening.

We made short rib with polenta and had a nice bottle of wine over candlelight. We went to bed at 9:30 and then at 11 the power went out. Things really picked up and we were up and out through the night.

The doors rattled, and we had a small leak in our bedroom, but besides that we were ok. There was no thunder and so the cats were completely fine, although crazy Cali continued to want to go out.

She had to settle for sitting on the porch, and eventually in the door frame because of the rain. We wonder what she thing about…

Meg did some storm watching with Sai and enjoyed a 3am cup of coffee and peanut butter croissant snack over a book. We shook our heads at the Darwin Award nominees out with their flashlights.

By 7am there were signs of life in the form of birds chirping and motorbikes going by. We booked water for pre-found coffee, and ate yogurt parfaits.

The landlords and their kids came over to clean up (still not finished) and we cleaned off our house exterior and porches. The windows looked cleaner than before!

The real work for us was waiting at the restaurant… We spent the day cleaning and a little help from a couple of friends. We were able to get it clean enough to have about 10 people over for candlelight drinks, leftovers, and our famous vegan cheese fries.

Safe to say that beach and pool season is over. I’m starting to make a typhoon prep list because I’m sure we are not done with this…

21/09/2022

What started off as The Lazy Baker is something new….

If you don’t know the story here it is: after two years of traveling we needed to find a place to set down roots for a bit. Turns out that it’s going to be a big bit longer…

One day David decided he wanted a bagel. Mind you be has never baked anything, or worked in a restaurant. He started making bagels at home just for us, then started giving them to friends, who then said that he should consider selling them, which he did from our house for a few months. (Home businesses are completely normal in this country which is great for innovation and side gigs, due to the lack of regulation and oversight).

Once customers started asking for sandwiches David was looking to expand and an opportunity to invest and partner with our neighbor across the pool came to bear. Let’s just say the rest is history and has been successful for two years and allowed us to stay in the country while many were kicked out.

The feedback has been amazing. Word has spread throughout Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, and there have been many a bagel mule, traveling around with a b***y of delicious carbs.

The next phase of our F&B adventure…we’re happy to announce the official launch of . For those connected to North Carolina, you will recognize the homage to Dave’s hometown of Wilmington, and the place where we met in high school. Extra bonus points for those who can figure out the mascot… it was a Port City Bagels all along, but now it’s official.

This is the first step of many, and for now our bagels are still available in our restaurant on a separate menu, but stay tuned for what’s to come. We have seen in our short time in Vietnam that the opportunities are absolutely endless for those who are committed to this economy. Cousin in Saigon has been a wonderful cheerleader and bagel pusher, and we know she will be especially happy.

So for now, a follow on Instagram and TikTok, as well as a like on Facebook, would be super appreciated. We have purchased the domain but nothing is there yet. We need more investors. 🙂

19/09/2022

A lovely Sunday afternoon with my girlfriends. 💕

13/09/2022

Beautiful mama all ready to find her Korean boy toy. 😂

12/09/2022

We’ve had good weather and have spent our days walking around the city. Since it is Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), many places are closed, but people are out. We’ve hit palaces, museums, and cute neighborhoods.

One of the highlights was mom’s hanbok rental and stroll around the 17th century Bukchon village. I’ll do a separate post on that because it was so darn cute. 🥰

Overall we are loving Seoul! It’s a huge city with a great subway system, arts, diverse food, friendly people, parks, and a great mix of modern and historic.

We are spoiled with the prices in Vietnam, so we are getting used to paying basically USA prices here. We have to carry around Won, which includes coins, and not all places accept foreign cards. There are a lot of expats and tourists, including Americans. You still run into 🇺🇸 USA- Korea friendship celebrations, including flag waving and music.

We’re also enjoying the longer days now we are away from the equator. That’s good because we have three days to do a lot more eating, shopping, and spa time.

These late nights and comfy beds are leading to late starts…it’s nearly 12pm and we’re still in bed! It’s nice to have a break from the early morning kitties and Dave is enjoying lounging in bed with the start of 🏈 season. Life is good.

09/09/2022

Our first trip since November 2019! We took a noontime 4 1/2 hour direct flight from Da Nang to Incheon today for about $120. As I write this it’s 9pm and we are on the train to the city. I can almost taste the cocktail waiting for us… 🍹

It’s been an uneventful but long day. Luckily the plane was very empty so we could nap. 😂 T’way is a low cost airline and nothing is included, although mom got away with extra kgs in her bags.

We skipped the peanut butter squid snack because we didn’t have any Won or USD, and they don’t accept non-Korean credit cards. So sad.

It was a long walk (and train) to immigration and then a long line. The entire department was (under)staffed by women. By the time we got to baggage claim, our bags were sad and orphaned.

Then it was off to the COVID test center, NOT conveniently located by the way. We dragged our luggage to another terminal to get in the test line. Yay lines! Fill out a paper, go to a computer to enter info, go to pay line, and then the most exciting part…

You have to shimmy your nose up to a window where a very “over it” young woman stuck her arms out through the window into huge flailing, rubber gloves. Think: Mean Girls meets Lost in Space meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre. 😆

What if you’re short? Or tall? She really jabbed that thing into your brain, and I walked away feeling assaulted, but laughing. It was organized and weird.

We all pre-tested this morning so hopefully all comes back negative. If not, our week in Korea will certainly turn eventful, and not in a good way. Results should come in at midnight.

Can’t wait to eat lunch at 11pm….

04/09/2022

First, we have 500 followers here on Facebook. 👏👏👏👏👏

Second, we need all 500 of you to tell us...👉 your #1 MUST...
🤓 see
🎧 do
🥢eat
🍺drink
...for Seoul. We will have 6 full days. Go!

30/08/2022

Four and half years away from the city is a lot… I’ve only been to two on this list. What’s your favorite Seattle spot?

Seattle is filled with food from all corners of the globe; here’s where to eat when you’re in town.

29/08/2022

We are enjoying our voucher to near Tam Ky in Quang Nam. Gotta love a staycation… 😝

It’s a great deal that got us 5 nights, breakfast, a massage, and transport, for just over $300. It’s still COVID time, so the resort is quite empty.

We love that they upgraded us to junior suite and that we can see the ocean from our king-sized bed. And wow those blackout curtains are amazing!😴

While we live close to the beach in Hoi An, we don’t live within walking distance, so this is a treat. We started the day with an early morning swim, did some work in the room, got our butts kicked by Armin at the beautiful outside functional training gym this afternoon, had a sunset wine, and will end the night with a massage.

The super well-equipped gym is on tomorrow’s agenda before our leisurely breakfast. They do a fantastic job with the baked goods… Gotta have balance! 🏋🏽

I do wish that the pool was temp controlled and that they would let Dave choose their music. 😳 Always room for improvements.

28/08/2022

The imperial city of Hue is just a few hours from Hoi An, but worlds away. It was the perfect weekend solo escape.

I chose and it was the right decision. While there is a lot to see in the city, my goal was to relax at the resort. I’ll see the tombs another time…

The grounds were absolutely spectacular. Luscious, well-maintained, and a perfect backdrop to the calm my mind, body and soul was craving. 🌸

Tai chi and yoga, followed by a leisurely breakfast, pool time, and strolls were just what I needed. With the package deal I received spa credit, and I went three times! The first night was a foot massage, then a massage, and finally a scrub on the last day. One of my favorite parts of the stay was the private facilities post-treatment. Hot whirlpool bath, cold whirlpool bath, steam room, cold whirlpool bath, repeat. Heaven. 😌

Vietnam is unfortunately not known for hospitality and customer service, but this place was great. I would absolutely return for another weekend escape. Put it on your list.

28/08/2022

For Dave’s actual birthday we went to the Cham Islands off the Hoi An coast. He has not been diving since he learned in 2019 and never had the opportunity to take the quick ride to the small fishing village.

A couple close friends joined us for the boat excursion, beach day, and a great happy hour and dinner on the water.

The folks at Monkey House took great care of us for the evening, and we all enjoyed an escape from Hoi An life. One of the best parts about Cham is that you get to experience great sunsets. Not too shabby!

I think it’s going to be tough to top this birthday... Life’s too short to not get out and enjoy it.

28/08/2022

Good thing we took pictures so Dave can remember his 44th birthday party. 🎉 😂

It was a hot 🥵 afternoon rum drinking session at Vietnam’s only distillery, about 30 minutes out of Hoi An, right on the ocean. Most had never been, so we had a fun out of town adventure.

We had the rap-filled drunk bus, and the after party at , complete with a magician. 🪄 There was cake from but we didn’t have time. Too much rum to drink. We managed to squeeze in a few spring rolls and the charcuterie and cheese board I made was a hit. 🍖

Thank you everyone who came to celebrate Dave’s big day, and “suffered” through the menu of rum drinks. 🍹 Turns out Dave only drank the Negronis. Typical.

Thanks for hosting us . Next time, we will need to have a sprinkler, or at least a hose. 💦

18/08/2022

It's a sign! 🤣Time to visit us in Hoi An! Did you know that we became restauranteurs? Make sure to give us some love at Veranda Food and Drink.

Now with even more signage 📢

While we love our cute lit-up small circle sign, it was time for a curb appeal upgrade. Ta da! ♥️

The secret is out: we have some of the best playlists in town to go along with our amazing food, drinks, served with a friendly smile. And now we are even easier to find in An Bang. 👀

But don’t worry, once you cross through our door, you will still find our peaceful little gastogarden by the sea.

Haven’t been to Veranda in a hot minute? Take this as a sign 😉 that it’s time for a visit.

👍🏽Mention this post and get a special treat, next time you dine in or take away.
Eat | Drink | Relax 📢 Veranda

18/08/2022

Anybody else? 😄 Super excited that we have booked tickets to South Korea! We have never been there before, and this will be our first international adventure since November 2019.

13/08/2022

Journeying back into travel…. I (Meg ) decided to take a weekend solo trip to the imperial city of Hue. The train from Da Nang cost 190,000 VND (approximately $8) and was delayed 90 minutes. So what should have taken 2 1/2 hours took a wee bit longer. The route goes through the famous Hai Van pass, and so it was definitely one of the more interesting train rides of my life.

The station had one track, and was air conditioned,
and full of snacks. You can get a full on home cooked Viet meal right on the track. I ignored the request to remove my shoes in the bathroom…😂

When we finally got onboard, the air con was off and so I was very thankful I brought my fan. I packed an apple and bagel from Veranda Food and Drink (Vietnam’s best bagels), but the hot, steamed corn, boiled eggs, and fruit were tempting.

The train was quite slow so I tried to enjoy the scenery and ignore the sounds (no one uses headphones here) and smells (turns out smoking AND durian are permitted) around me. The seats were automatically lounged which was nice. Unfortunately, there was no cell or wifi service and so I had to repeat some podcasts.

Overall an ok ride, especially for the price. You can book tickets online, the announcements are in English, and everything is well-marked. Not sure what the sleeper cars look like, but not sure I would choose that over the cheap flights around the country.

Travel here is so easy. You can just show up and buy a ticket. That said, the train home was booked and so I have alternate plan for my voyage back to Hoi An.

What has been your experience with Viet train travel?

12/08/2022

A blast from the past came though Hoi An on holiday this week. Xenia worked at my business school in Barcelona so we met 15 freaking years ago! I love staying in touch with awesome people I’ve met throughout my life. We had a great time catching up despite the rainy weather. 🌧

It’s amazing to have borders open and to see some familiar faces roll in. There’s a lot to see in this beautiful country, and you’ve got two tour guides just itching to show you around. What are you waiting for? The big crowds are sure to return soon so don’t miss the chance for peaceful travel. 🇻🇳

How many times have I heard someone say that they regret not visiting us in Barcelona, Seattle… we all know this is a crazy time we’re living in, so don’t wait. Live that life!

29/07/2022

Feeling quite chuffed about our Thursday night Paint and Sip at the awesome .hoian.

We opted for still life with fruit.🍍Mine is “Pineapple Conga” and Emilie’s is “Let’s Pine.” Both are available for purchase. 😂

What a fun way to spend a couple muggy hours on a muggy Hoi An summer eve. I do love to paint…. Did I mention it was muggy? 🥵

What should we paint next week?

26/07/2022

Evening stroll near my house.

24/07/2022

It was a beautiful day to “get out of town” down south to the Hoiana. We celebrated lost loved ones, survived the water slides, ate a Latin American buffet, and enjoyed every minute of our time together. Nothing completes a night like a stop at the local karaoke club. It was mom’s first, and definitely not her last time.

Cheers to and not wasting an opportunity for connection and fun. ❤️

20/07/2022

Team Le is sidelined with injuries. David’s broken arm and torn hamstring, and my bulging disc. Dammit! The good news is that a physiotherapist appointment costs about $10, and you can get anything you need at the pharmacy. I just picked up a muscle relaxer, “aspercreme,” and an anti-inflammatory for just under $6. No prescription. And notice that you can just get a single blister pack, and don’t have to buy the full package. You could literally buy a single pill if you wanted to.

Most days, I really love this place, and this is one reason why. ❤️

I know you appreciate this topic. If these injuries happened to us just six weeks ago while we were in the “good ‘ol” USA we would be screwed.