I'm coming home
tell the World I'm coming home...
Can't get the J. Cole song out of my head. Like the Brady Bunch song while I was hiking, its subliminal message forced me to title this post as such. Also, why does "world" need to be capitalized in the lyrics?
My car had been making grinding noises every time I turned for months now so I wanted to take it home for my dad to fix. It's also been a while since I've been home and I missed Oregon. Sure there was the brief trip because of the $41.40 plane ticket to Portland last November, but prior to that I hadn't been home since Christmas 2009 (which I still haven't blogged yet, nor September 2009 neither). Even though my parents were just here for my niece's first birthday, it was the only time Gourmet Pigs was free to drive with me. I worked late the night before so I had to get up at 4 a.m. to do laundry, pack, and make a batch of Tuong Ot Xa (Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Sauce) for my parents. Can't bring them on the plane anymore unless I'm checking luggage, and you know that rarely happens anymore either.
After a late start, we finally started driving at 6:45 a.m. It was gonna be a long day.
Besides two trips to Oregon that I still haven't blogged yet, this sign reminded me that there's a funny little anecdote I still need to tell you.
Fifteen hours later, finally home! I told my parents not to wait dinner on me, but they did anyway. Awww.
Mom's bun bo Hue (Vietnamese Hue-style beef noodle soup).
Then after dinner, we drove across town to meet up with someone who ended up not being there when she said she was, and suddenly unreturned phone calls and text messages, then no explanation about the whole thing, we were too tired to do anything else but go home. I could finally rest. I was beat!
The next morning, my mom made fresh banh pate so (Vietnamese savory puff pastries). Homemade filling and homemade puff pastry, of course.
I limited myself to one because we were headed out to check off one of the three things Gourmet Pigs had on her list to do in Oregon.
...Back where I belong...
Sorry for the ear worm! I still can't get that song out of my head!
All Oregon posts can be found with the tag Series: Oregon, but I suggest reading this particular trip in this order:
I'm Coming Home
Bunk Sandwiches - Portland - Oregon
Horsetail Falls (Winter) - Columbia River Gorge - Oregon
Multnomah Falls (Winter) - Columbia River Gorge - Oregon
Wahkeena Falls (Winter) - Columbia River Gorge - Oregon
Bridal Veil Falls (Winter) - Columbia River Gorge - Oregon
Shepperd's Dell Falls (Winter) - Columbia River Gorge - Oregon
Latourell Falls (Winter) - Columbia River Gorge - Oregon
Crown Point Vista House (Winter) - Columbia River Gorge - Oregon
Nai Xao Xa Cuon Banh Trang (Vietnamese Sauteed Lemongrass Venison Rice Paper Rolls)
*****
1 year ago today,
2 years ago today, Chimichurri (Argentinian Green Sauce).
3 years ago today, Not Quite Corned Beef and Cabbage Sandwich and Coleslaw.
4 years ago today, celebrate your inner Japanese for St. Patrick's Day by making Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savory Pancake). There's a cute little travel anecdote to go with the story too.
That bun bo hue was sooo good, so were the puff pastry (no, don't tell me how much butter went in it). Tell your mom thanks again for cooking all that stuff! :)
ReplyDeleteGP,
ReplyDeleteHaha. I've seen the gads of butter to make it that flaky. My mom gave me some frozen ones so I'll have to make something with them!