Country Casuals

A former U.S. State Department Security Officer has a safety message for business travelers and advice for tourists with a solution for everyone carrying a smartphone, a passport, or a wallet when on the road. His name is David Bowers and his message is the Everyday Carry Shirt. David Bowers created a solution on how to […]

Chioma Ebubedike-Igbokwe, a fashion entrepreneur, writer and activist for Early Skill Development and Child Protection Rights, offers style guide for the Yuletide period.

  As Term 4 is coming to a close, I thought it would be an ideal time to reflect on how I have got to where I am today. No, not my journey across the world to Australia, but my journey through a mountain of paperwork and applications and websites to allow me to teach […]

#ReleaseDay #1001DarkNights #DiscoveryBundle #HeatherGraham #CDReiss #KristenProby #LilianaHart #DarcyBurke   We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the newest 1001 Dark Nights bundle! Introducing Discovery Author Darcy Burke, the Bundle contains 5 novellas, including novellas from New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Heather Graham, CD Reiss, Kristen Proby, and Liliana Hart! Grab your copy […]

Imagine answering 9 out of 10 questions on a test and still receiving a perfect score.  You didn’t earn that perfect score, but you’re getting it none-the-less. That’s basically what’s happening with the College Football Playoff Committee and Notre Dame this year, and that’s ridiculous. Before anyone gets too bent out of shape, I realize […]

For Elise Yuna Shprecher Characters: Elise: a teenage girl in her sophomore year; has shorter hair and wears “boyish” clothing Lowell: the same age as Elise, and attends the same school Elise I.: is a new student at the school Lowell and the other Elise attend and is in the same grade; has long hair […]

I live in Ireland, but I’m headed home to Texarkana. I said a version of this last week waiting in line for a flight to Dallas from Philadelphia with a fellow TXK-an, statistical anomaly thy name is airport, and was treated to wry side eye and a comment about getting out and being dragged back. […]

I came to the Holy Land praying for a growth spurt. Not a physical one, hoping to become six-foot-six. Nor a spiritual one, as a trip to the Holy Land might suggest. Rather, I am praying for a growth spurt in cultural awareness and understanding, creativity, imagination and character. A growth spurt of person. I […]

Armstrong No sports fan likes to find out that an adored athlete has used performance enhancing drugs. Not only have the non PED using athletes been cheated, but the fans feel like they’ve been cheated as well. After it’s revealed that an athlete has been abusing PEDs, almost all personal accomplishments will forever have an […]

One of the things that we do during our travels is to try and capture images of local life and not just photographs of historic sites that we see. We often take tours where we drive through various areas of cities on our way to our intended destination and often these glimpses into the real […]

“Please stand clear of the doors. Por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas.”- Monorail Announcement If you’ve ever heard that announcement before, that means you’ve been on the monorail at the Happiest Place on Earth. About the Monorail For those of you that don’t know, the Monorail is a transportation option available in the Magic […]

Banh Mi My Tho is not, technically speaking, a restaurant. There are no servers. There are no tables, not even one in front of the shop facing the parking lot, where you can gobble your banh mi while watching the traffic on Valley Boulevard. It’s also, for the record, absolutely terrific — a journey from the suburbs of Alhambra, to the back street of Saigon or Hanoi, where there would at least be one of those ubiquitous, low blue plastic tables, with milk crates to sit on. At Banh Mi My Tho, you order, you receive, and you take your food home or, if you can’t wait, to your car. And chances are good, you won’t be able to wait. For the food at Banh Mi My Tho is … wonderful. This is a market, and a menu, that carries you far away, a transformative experience. If you are of the banh mi persuasion, you know that they’re everywhere, including various chains that serve nothing but. And too often, this Vietnamese-French creation is desultory — a joyless sandwich of this and that. But not at the deeply entertaining Banh Mi My Tho. Place your order at the counter with an extremely friendly and helpful lady, who apologizes for the food coming out a bit slow; it’s all made to order. Browse the shelves of imported items and grab-and-go snacks. And watch the life of the community swirl through, most everyone known to the owners, chatting about what to get, family, friends, whatever. This is small town Vietnam/America in a minimall. The food is more than worth waiting for. The shredded chicken banh mi (banh mi ga) is worth the wait, the chicken tender and tasty, the toppings fresh and, in the case of the sliced green peppers, fiery. There are 13 banh mi, ranging from a more traditional ham cold cuts model, to ones packed with sardines in tomato sauce, pulled pork and vegetarian ham. And just as good, and perhaps even better, are the numerous rice plates, which do indeed take awhile to come out. I ordered the half chicken with steamed rice, which I expected to come topped with a pale, freshly boiled, white chop chicken. Instead, the chicken was deep-fried into a state of amazing crispitude. The skin was like a chicken shaped potato chips. Even the bones were crisp — and crunchy tasty! I had to wait till I got home to wolf it down. The aroma drove me half mad. But in a good way. With locations in Alhambra and City of Industry, The Congee specializes in the rice gruel called congee, served with many flavorings, in a casual setting. (Photo by Merrill Shindler) Just down the street from Banh Mi My Tho sits an eccentric row of easy-dining, mostly Asian restaurants — Kiki Bakery, Ding Tea, Crepe Luv, Kang Kang Food Court — and a rice porridge obsessed eatery called The Congee (with a second branch in City of Industry). Or at least, the name suggests that The Congee is obsessed with rice porridge — that’s what congee is, after all. But since congee is actually about a quarter of the menu, this restaurant could well be Congee Etc. Or Congee and Friends. Friends that include a section of pan-fried rolls and dumplings, non-noodle soup, noodle soup, lo mein, and stir-fried vegetables. They make for a full, if pretty casual, Chinese café meal. But with a name like The Congee — well, attention must be paid. (You don’t go to Lawry’s The Prime Rib for the fish dishes!) And congee is a dish that — a bit like Vegemite and Spam — is something you love or hate. It’s found all over Asia, in some two dozen rice-based countries, where rice gruel isn’t just a breakfast dish (anyone remember eating Cream of Rice as a child?), but a course at every meal, with dozens of toppings. There are just 11 at The Congee, ranging from the simplicity of congee with chicken, congee with ginger and scallion flavored beef, and congee with shrimp … up to a mixed seafood congee, an abalone with chicken congee, and a preserved egg with shredded pork congee. More great eats: Festive holiday dining in the Los Angeles area I liked my bowl of chicken congee. But as often happens, I could only eat half of it. This is a ridiculously filling dish (described by my daughter as being like eating Spackle, which to the best of my knowledge, she’s never actually eaten). And anyway, I wanted to leave room for the wonton with oyster sauce lo mein, and the old fashioned wonton soup. With some oyster sauce vegetables for good measure. And the spicy salt wings too. But the congee was as good as congee gets. Which, within the parameters of rice porridge, can be pretty tasty. Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Send him an email at mreats@aol.com. Bahn Mi My Tho Rating: 3 stars Address: 304 W. Valley Blvd., Alhambra Information: 626-289-4160, www.banhmimytho.com Cuisine: Vietnamese When: Breakfast, lunch and early dinner, Tuesday through Sunday Details: Soft drinks; no reservations Atmosphere: Small minimall Vietnamese market and takeout shop, with a good-size menu of some of the tastiest Vietnamese casual eats around, and lots of locals who stop by for a sandwich and some rice dishes. Prices: Under $10 per person. Suggested dishes: 13 Banh Mi Sandwiches ($4.30-$4.75), 10 Rice Plates ($6.60-$7), 10 Rice Stick Plates ($6.60), 6 Flour Sheet Roll Plates ($6.60), Curry Chicken ($6.60) Cards: Cash only The Congee Rating: 2 stars Address: 19 E. Valley Blvd., Alhambra; 18226 E. Gale Ave., City of Industry Information: 626-284-2722 (Alhambra); 626-964-1388 (Industry) Cuisine: Chinese When: Lunch and dinner, every day Details: Soft drinks; no reservations Atmosphere: Duo of super casual San Gabriel Valley cafes, specializing in the rice gruel called congee, served with many flavorings, along with noodle soup, lo mein and more. Prices: Under $10 per person Suggested dishes: 11 Congee Bowls ($3.50-$8.25), 3 Panfried Rolls ($6.50-$8.25), 12 Noodle Soups ($4.25-$8.95), 7 Soups ($7.25-$9.25), 9 Lo Meins ($4.95-$9.25) Cards: MC, V What the stars mean: Ratings range from 4 stars to zero. 4 stars is world-class (worth a trip from anywhere). 3 stars is most excellent, even exceptional (worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California). 2 stars is a good place to go for a meal (visit if you’re in the neighborhood). 1 star is a place to go if you’re hungry and it’s nearby. Zero stars is not worth writing about. 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Banh Mi My Tho is not, technically speaking, a restaurant. There are no servers. There are no tables, not even one in front of the shop facing the parking lot, where you can gobble your banh mi while watching the traffic on Valley Boulevard. It’s also, for the record, absolutely terrific — a journey from the suburbs of Alhambra, to the back street of Saigon or Hanoi, where there would at least be one of those ubiquitous, low blue plastic tables, with milk crates to sit on. At Banh Mi My Tho, you order, you receive, and you take your food home or, if you can’t wait, to your car. And chances are good, you won’t be able to wait. For the food at Banh Mi My Tho is … wonderful. This is a market, and a menu, that carries you far away, a transformative experience. If you are of the banh mi persuasion, you know that they’re everywhere, including various chains that serve nothing but. And too often, this Vietnamese-French creation is desultory — a joyless sandwich of this and that. But not at the deeply entertaining Banh Mi My Tho. Place your order at the counter with an extremely friendly and helpful lady, who apologizes for the food coming out a bit slow; it’s all made to order. Browse the shelves of imported items and grab-and-go snacks. And watch the life of the community swirl through, most everyone known to the owners, chatting about what to get, family, friends, whatever. This is small town Vietnam/America in a minimall. The food is more than worth waiting for. The shredded chicken banh mi (banh mi ga) is worth the wait, the chicken tender and tasty, the toppings fresh and, in the case of the sliced green peppers, fiery. There are 13 banh mi, ranging from a more traditional ham cold cuts model, to ones packed with sardines in tomato sauce, pulled pork and vegetarian ham. And just as good, and perhaps even better, are the numerous rice plates, which do indeed take awhile to come out. I ordered the half chicken with steamed rice, which I expected to come topped with a pale, freshly boiled, white chop chicken. Instead, the chicken was deep-fried into a state of amazing crispitude. The skin was like a chicken shaped potato chips. Even the bones were crisp — and crunchy tasty! I had to wait till I got home to wolf it down. The aroma drove me half mad. But in a good way. With locations in Alhambra and City of Industry, The Congee specializes in the rice gruel called congee, served with many flavorings, in a casual setting. (Photo by Merrill Shindler) Just down the street from Banh Mi My Tho sits an eccentric row of easy-dining, mostly Asian restaurants — Kiki Bakery, Ding Tea, Crepe Luv, Kang Kang Food Court — and a rice porridge obsessed eatery called The Congee (with a second branch in City of Industry). Or at least, the name suggests that The Congee is obsessed with rice porridge — that’s what congee is, after all. But since congee is actually about a quarter of the menu, this restaurant could well be Congee Etc. Or Congee and Friends. Friends that include a section of pan-fried rolls and dumplings, non-noodle soup, noodle soup, lo mein, and stir-fried vegetables. They make for a full, if pretty casual, Chinese café meal. But with a name like The Congee — well, attention must be paid. (You don’t go to Lawry’s The Prime Rib for the fish dishes!) And congee is a dish that — a bit like Vegemite and Spam — is something you love or hate. It’s found all over Asia, in some two dozen rice-based countries, where rice gruel isn’t just a breakfast dish (anyone remember eating Cream of Rice as a child?), but a course at every meal, with dozens of toppings. There are just 11 at The Congee, ranging from the simplicity of congee with chicken, congee with ginger and scallion flavored beef, and congee with shrimp … up to a mixed seafood congee, an abalone with chicken congee, and a preserved egg with shredded pork congee. More great eats: Festive holiday dining in the Los Angeles area I liked my bowl of chicken congee. But as often happens, I could only eat half of it. This is a ridiculously filling dish (described by my daughter as being like eating Spackle, which to the best of my knowledge, she’s never actually eaten). And anyway, I wanted to leave room for the wonton with oyster sauce lo mein, and the old fashioned wonton soup. With some oyster sauce vegetables for good measure. And the spicy salt wings too. But the congee was as good as congee gets. Which, within the parameters of rice porridge, can be pretty tasty. Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Send him an email at mreats@aol.com. Bahn Mi My Tho Rating: 3 stars Address: 304 W. Valley Blvd., Alhambra Information: 626-289-4160, www.banhmimytho.com Cuisine: Vietnamese When: Breakfast, lunch and early dinner, Tuesday through Sunday Details: Soft drinks; no reservations Atmosphere: Small minimall Vietnamese market and takeout shop, with a good-size menu of some of the tastiest Vietnamese casual eats around, and lots of locals who stop by for a sandwich and some rice dishes. Prices: Under $10 per person. Suggested dishes: 13 Banh Mi Sandwiches ($4.30-$4.75), 10 Rice Plates ($6.60-$7), 10 Rice Stick Plates ($6.60), 6 Flour Sheet Roll Plates ($6.60), Curry Chicken ($6.60) Cards: Cash only The Congee Rating: 2 stars Address: 19 E. Valley Blvd., Alhambra; 18226 E. Gale Ave., City of Industry Information: 626-284-2722 (Alhambra); 626-964-1388 (Industry) Cuisine: Chinese When: Lunch and dinner, every day Details: Soft drinks; no reservations Atmosphere: Duo of super casual San Gabriel Valley cafes, specializing in the rice gruel called congee, served with many flavorings, along with noodle soup, lo mein and more. Prices: Under $10 per person Suggested dishes: 11 Congee Bowls ($3.50-$8.25), 3 Panfried Rolls ($6.50-$8.25), 12 Noodle Soups ($4.25-$8.95), 7 Soups ($7.25-$9.25), 9 Lo Meins ($4.95-$9.25) Cards: MC, V What the stars mean: Ratings range from 4 stars to zero. 4 stars is world-class (worth a trip from anywhere). 3 stars is most excellent, even exceptional (worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California). 2 stars is a good place to go for a meal (visit if you’re in the neighborhood). 1 star is a place to go if you’re hungry and it’s nearby. Zero stars is not worth writing about. [related_articles location=”left” show_article_date=”false” article_type=”automatic-primary-section”]

Banh Mi My Tho is not, technically speaking, a restaurant. There are no servers. There are no tables, not even one in front of the shop facing the parking lot, where you can gobble your banh mi while watching the traffic on Valley Boulevard. It’s also, for the record, absolutely terrific — a journey from the suburbs of Alhambra, to the back street of Saigon or Hanoi, where there would at least be one of those ubiquitous, low blue plastic tables, with milk crates to sit on. At Banh Mi My Tho, you order, you receive, and you take your food home or, if you can’t wait, to your car. And chances are good, you won’t be able to wait. For the food at Banh Mi My Tho is … wonderful. This is a market, and a menu, that carries you far away, a transformative experience. If you are of the banh mi persuasion, you know that they’re everywhere, including various chains that serve nothing but. And too often, this Vietnamese-French creation is desultory — a joyless sandwich of this and that. But not at the deeply entertaining Banh Mi My Tho. Place your order at the counter with an extremely friendly and helpful lady, who apologizes for the food coming out a bit slow; it’s all made to order. Browse the shelves of imported items and grab-and-go snacks. And watch the life of the community swirl through, most everyone known to the owners, chatting about what to get, family, friends, whatever. This is small town Vietnam/America in a minimall. The food is more than worth waiting for. The shredded chicken banh mi (banh mi ga) is worth the wait, the chicken tender and tasty, the toppings fresh and, in the case of the sliced green peppers, fiery. There are 13 banh mi, ranging from a more traditional ham cold cuts model, to ones packed with sardines in tomato sauce, pulled pork and vegetarian ham. And just as good, and perhaps even better, are the numerous rice plates, which do indeed take awhile to come out. I ordered the half chicken with steamed rice, which I expected to come topped with a pale, freshly boiled, white chop chicken. Instead, the chicken was deep-fried into a state of amazing crispitude. The skin was like a chicken shaped potato chips. Even the bones were crisp — and crunchy tasty! I had to wait till I got home to wolf it down. The aroma drove me half mad. But in a good way. With locations in Alhambra and City of Industry, The Congee specializes in the rice gruel called congee, served with many flavorings, in a casual setting. (Photo by Merrill Shindler) Just down the street from Banh Mi My Tho sits an eccentric row of easy-dining, mostly Asian restaurants — Kiki Bakery, Ding Tea, Crepe Luv, Kang Kang Food Court — and a rice porridge obsessed eatery called The Congee (with a second branch in City of Industry). Or at least, the name suggests that The Congee is obsessed with rice porridge — that’s what congee is, after all. But since congee is actually about a quarter of the menu, this restaurant could well be Congee Etc. Or Congee and Friends. Friends that include a section of pan-fried rolls and dumplings, non-noodle soup, noodle soup, lo mein, and stir-fried vegetables. They make for a full, if pretty casual, Chinese café meal. But with a name like The Congee — well, attention must be paid. (You don’t go to Lawry’s The Prime Rib for the fish dishes!) And congee is a dish that — a bit like Vegemite and Spam — is something you love or hate. It’s found all over Asia, in some two dozen rice-based countries, where rice gruel isn’t just a breakfast dish (anyone remember eating Cream of Rice as a child?), but a course at every meal, with dozens of toppings. There are just 11 at The Congee, ranging from the simplicity of congee with chicken, congee with ginger and scallion flavored beef, and congee with shrimp … up to a mixed seafood congee, an abalone with chicken congee, and a preserved egg with shredded pork congee. More great eats: Festive holiday dining in the Los Angeles area I liked my bowl of chicken congee. But as often happens, I could only eat half of it. This is a ridiculously filling dish (described by my daughter as being like eating Spackle, which to the best of my knowledge, she’s never actually eaten). And anyway, I wanted to leave room for the wonton with oyster sauce lo mein, and the old fashioned wonton soup. With some oyster sauce vegetables for good measure. And the spicy salt wings too. But the congee was as good as congee gets. Which, within the parameters of rice porridge, can be pretty tasty. Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Send him an email at mreats@aol.com. Bahn Mi My Tho Rating: 3 stars Address: 304 W. Valley Blvd., Alhambra Information: 626-289-4160, www.banhmimytho.com Cuisine: Vietnamese When: Breakfast, lunch and early dinner, Tuesday through Sunday Details: Soft drinks; no reservations Atmosphere: Small minimall Vietnamese market and takeout shop, with a good-size menu of some of the tastiest Vietnamese casual eats around, and lots of locals who stop by for a sandwich and some rice dishes. Prices: Under $10 per person. Suggested dishes: 13 Banh Mi Sandwiches ($4.30-$4.75), 10 Rice Plates ($6.60-$7), 10 Rice Stick Plates ($6.60), 6 Flour Sheet Roll Plates ($6.60), Curry Chicken ($6.60) Cards: Cash only The Congee Rating: 2 stars Address: 19 E. Valley Blvd., Alhambra; 18226 E. Gale Ave., City of Industry Information: 626-284-2722 (Alhambra); 626-964-1388 (Industry) Cuisine: Chinese When: Lunch and dinner, every day Details: Soft drinks; no reservations Atmosphere: Duo of super casual San Gabriel Valley cafes, specializing in the rice gruel called congee, served with many flavorings, along with noodle soup, lo mein and more. Prices: Under $10 per person Suggested dishes: 11 Congee Bowls ($3.50-$8.25), 3 Panfried Rolls ($6.50-$8.25), 12 Noodle Soups ($4.25-$8.95), 7 Soups ($7.25-$9.25), 9 Lo Meins ($4.95-$9.25) Cards: MC, V What the stars mean: Ratings range from 4 stars to zero. 4 stars is world-class (worth a trip from anywhere). 3 stars is most excellent, even exceptional (worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California). 2 stars is a good place to go for a meal (visit if you’re in the neighborhood). 1 star is a place to go if you’re hungry and it’s nearby. Zero stars is not worth writing about. 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