Welcome, honored guests, to Fat Joe's. Two years ago, my wife and I returned to her hometown of Ha Noi to get married. During that visit I fell in love. With my wife of course, but with also with a city and country that has one foot firmly rooted in and clinging to tradition, the … Continue reading Chào mừng quý khách!
The Travel Journal
Back in the act.
A long overdue "good evening!" to one and all. It's been a long two years, hasn't it? Worldwide Covid lock-downs and restrictions have pretty much kept the lot of us in our home countries. Quynh and I managed to sneak in a vacation to Italy back in November (JUST as the Omicron variant began to … Continue reading Back in the act.
Remember the time I won a poetry contest?
It's 3:11 in the morning. I'm wide awake, my wife is, uh... not snoring-- because she doesn't snore--, and I can't help but have the same thought everyone has at this hour: "Remember the feeling of visiting a city for the first time?" Everyone has that thought at three in the morning-- right? Joe Mollica … Continue reading Remember the time I won a poetry contest?
Stay-cation 2020
Top o' the morning, all! Being that Vietnam closed its borders to travelers from the US, Quỳnh and I now have 3 weeks of PTO to use. Bummer! Both of us have been 100 mph at work and were feeling pretty burned-out. We took last week off and enjoyed some time with friends, had some … Continue reading Stay-cation 2020
Hanoi Round 1: No sleep ’til Mai Dich
2017-Mar-09 01:30 ICT | Mai Dich, Hanoi, VN Ah! Hello, Southeast Asia! A rush of humid air rose to meet us as we moved down the skywalk towards the terminal. It was late at night (early in the morning?) and humidity had dropped to what I assume was a reasonable 400%. Noi Bai International Airport … Continue reading Hanoi Round 1: No sleep ’til Mai Dich
Hanoi Round 1: The Flight
2017-Mar-08, 10:00 CST, Somewhere over Guangzhou, China Twenty-two hours of flying is for the birds! I'm greasy, I think I stink, and both of us are bloated from cabin pressurization and lack of bowel movements. </griping> We just left our first decent layover in Tokyo. Being the busiest international airport in Japan I expected Narita … Continue reading Hanoi Round 1: The Flight
So long, 2019! Hello, 2020!
Hello and Happy New Year to one and all! This has been a fast-paced year for Quynh and I (didn't we just celebrate 2019's new year?) and 2020 doesn't look any different. I don't believe in making New Year's resolutions, but I *do* believe in reflecting on the past year and making adjustments for the … Continue reading So long, 2019! Hello, 2020!
“Joe! My MPGs!”
Hello all! I know I said I'd be posting an update Sunday night (I meant to! Honest!), but that pillow felt a whole lot nicer than I'd expected. Spoiler alert: I slept like a child. As our impromptu holiday drew to an end, I still had a few boxes left unchecked. Santa's Pub? Some other … Continue reading “Joe! My MPGs!”
If you are what you eat, I am everything.
Good evening, all! Do you know what's nice about Black Friday? Stores and restaurants are actually open! After a quick hotel breakfast, we made way to Bicentennial Park near the State Capitol Building. The park's carillon played the Tennessee Waltz; peacefully carrying across the plaza to all passers-by. I really enjoyed the sense of pride … Continue reading If you are what you eat, I am everything.
No plan survives first contact…
Operation Random City is on! After a white knuckle overnight Odyssey, full of gale force winds and swaying tractor-trailers, we pulled safely into the parking lot at Hyatt Place Nashville Airport. Though windy and dark, I-81's isolation from civilization lent us a beautiful view of the stars and an almost story book view of sleeping … Continue reading No plan survives first contact…
Thanksgiving Road Trip!
Hey, everyone! Quynh and I are readying up the wagons for a Thanksgiving pilgrimage to Nashville, TN in search of warmer weather and sights unseen. What's in Nashville, you wonder? I haven't a clue. Things I know about Nashville: Nashville hot chicken sandwiches? Dukes of Hazzard Museum (Though it took place in Georgia and filmed … Continue reading Thanksgiving Road Trip!
Nhà Hàng Joe Béo 