2014 Ignia Christmas Party

Cards in Foothill Park behind my parent's house

Hello very neglected blog.  I hate how writing has fallen so far down my priority list, but it comes with the sad reality of just being busier in life.  I picked up a second gig helping a friend out with his app which takes up a lot of my free time.  Work, try new places to eat, gig... there is little room for writing anymore.

But I happy that I have a few minutes to spare while I wait for 24 gigs of photos and videos to transfer onto my external and traffic to die down.  What should this entry be about?  The 12th Annual Ignia party of course!!

The Portland girls asked to get some authentic Vietnamese food so we gave my mom a break this year and headed to Pho Ha per Sandy's suggestions.  I usually get gifts for everyone from that year's travel, but I didn't have time.  Instead I decided to buy everyone dinner.  Everyone gave me a big thank you except Sandy.  She responded, "can I have a box sir?"  Which made me burst out into laughter.  I gave her a giant hug.

I pulled out lots of alcohol, but the majority of us just enjoyed some Bailey's hot chocolate.

I control the Secret Santa and rigged it so that you did not get the person you had up to 4 years ago!  We agreed that next year will authentically be random.  My secret santa was Alysia, she made it easy with a wish list of obscure things like measuring cups that include 3/4 and 2/3 cups.  Are you kidding me?  A sleep mask that I actually own and Rooibos tea.  I went to 3 stores to get her that!

Our traditional group photo.  We sat in the same spot as last year.  I wish we kept the order all the years, but it's okay.  My dad suggestion us make monster faces... lol.  Close enough

There's a gap in the group photo because Caitlin was missing.  She was celebrating in Idaho that year.  Nothing that FaceTime on the iPhone 6+ can't fix!  check out that group photo.  I'm printing this one for our families.

We're a silly group of people who enjoy playing board games.  This year we played the following:

Concept - Diana's new pretentious board game
Things - Where you write and guess who wrote what
21 - A drinking game where you assign a rule to each number

Next year we might mix it up by bringing plus ones.  Or maybe we should spare our significant others the awkwardness that is our forever in high school energy.

Oh and Diana and Myself finally won a game of SPADE!  YES!

Vietnamese Food - Amazing

Banh Khot @ Brodard in Westminster.  Thought people come to this restaurant for the Nem Nuong, the Banh Khot is also an amazing treat that's both amazing to look at and consume.  Banh Khot is pretty rare, so if I see it on the menu, I order it.

Banh Xeo @ Noodle Guy in Alhambra.  It's made from the same mixture as the Banh Khot, that's why they are both yellow.  I love eating this "vietnamese crepe" cambodian style in a bowl mixed together or viet style where you wrap it in large lettace leaves.  MMM

Pho @ Noodle Guy in Alhambra.  Pho!?  Duh, except this time it is with kobe beef.  Not on the menu and recommended by Johnathan Gold.  Order it and you'll feel a little elitist.  The broth was amazing and the meat was probably the most tender I've ever had from pho.  Probably from all that massaging.

Vietnamese Food - Family Style

Vietnamese food is usually single serving - Pho, Bun and Broken rice are all popular dishes made for one.  But when you have New Nuong - it's family style all the way which is my favorite way to eat.

We checked out Nem Nuong Khanh Hoa in the SGV which is famous for Nem Nuong.

These are the various pork that you can add to your spring roll with a ton of veggies to add.

Put it in the damp rice paper and roll like a burrito.  Jimmy had a little trouble so I rolled it for him.

You could also add Banh Hoi, which is compressed noodles or fried egg roll skins to add that crunch.

This was our appetizer, I always order it if it's on the menu - Banh Beo! YUM

Lots of sharing.  Love it.

I'm looking for other family style Viet dishes such as claypot fish, sour soup and Rau Muong (water Spinach) which my mom says is poor man's food in Vietnam, but is actually very expensive in the states.


Gotta share dishes!