I read this in the gym while leaning,
moments after I couldn’t stop beaming.
The messages you send every day,
continues to take my breath more away.
I am so so lucky I have you,
I still pinch myself if this is really true.
I hope I will not take you for granted,
or get used to being so enchanted.
I love you too Sweetheart,
may we never drift apart.
Sleep well,
Let your mind dwell,
I am so in love I want to yell!
Just some Haiku poem writing practice. From what I have read, Haiku’s are meant to be objective. But since I’m a rebel, I decided to combine my original thought of objective things “in the bedroom” and battles. How and what the? While I was about to finish the 3rd Haiku (Windows), something about light invading windows made me decide to convert it into a battle.
I mean, aren’t we all battling being inside right now?
– AVINA writes
Finite as it shuts
Limitless as it opens
The gate of two worlds
Perched in position
For the quivers to hang still
Holding day and night
Naked on both sides
Light and darkness infiltrates
A Pyrrhic once more
Many people love cats because they are cute, smart and always know how to share comfort their masters. In Vietnam, the Cat represents as 1 of 12 Zodiac animals and is honored for their friendship. I hope this little kitten will be a good friend that will always be there to share and listen to your stories. See you again soon at your island home!
Goats were one of the first animals to be tamed and herded by humans 9,000 years ago. They are very smart and curious animals. In Vietnam, people believe Goats one of the strongest of animals because they are known to climb mountains With this little goat, I hope you will always be ready to have fun in your climbs when exploring the world. See you again soon at your island home!
Monkeys are very smart in many ways and is the closest related animal to people! In Vietnam, people believe those born in the year of the monkey is always cheerful and happy. I hope this little one will be share cheeky smiles and laughter with you always. See you again soon at your island home!
Did you know that octopuses are famous for being one of cleverest of sea creatures? They have the ability to solve any problem and are also very creative. They can even blend into their surroundings to play hide-and-seek. I hope this cutie will remind you of Pearl Island. See you again soon at your island home!
Turtles have been around for 215 million years. These days, they live on every continent except Antarctica. In Vietnamese culture, turtle is a symbol for long life. They appear in many Vietnamese folktales as a good luck sign to last forever. I hope this cutie will bring you luck always and keep you safe when travelling around the world. See you again soon at your island home!
The Phu Quoc Ridgeback Dog like most dogs are our friends and famous for being smart and are protectors. In Vietnam, the dog is one of our 12 Zodiac animals because we believe that they will bring success and happiness. I hope this little friend will always protect you throughout your travels. See you again soon at your island home!
Have you ever seen a dragon before? Me, I haven’t but I believe that dragon has power and strength of the Sea God. In our Vietnamese culture, we honor the dragon for its power to call for rain at any time to help our farmers. I hope this this little friend will give you super strong powers. See you again soon at your island home!
Do you know that horses are smart and they never forget their way home or where they have been. Like this little friend, he’s always happy to come with you travelling. Honored as one of 12 Zodiac animals, I hope you will explore places around the world with this little one. But then come back to us as a second home to rest!
Ox is a powerful animal which helps many people to carry heavy things. This is why Ox has become the best friend of Vietnamese farmers for a long time now. I hope this little one will support and protect you wherever you travel.
Rats are survival spirits, they are adaptable and known in the animal kingdom to be invincible. The Rat is positioned as the first of the 12 Vietnamese Zodiac animals and I hope he will remind you of never giving up on your dream!
Dugongs are kind, friendly and very intelligent sea mammals. In VIetnam, dugongs are restricted mostly in Kien Giang and Ba Ria Vung Tau provinces, including Phu Quoc island. I would like to introduce you the little friend here to remind you of your island home and hope you come back soon.
In the countryside of Vietnam, we can hear the crow of the roosters every morning to signal that a new day has begun. The roosters’ crow has become a natural alarm for the Vietnamese people for a long time now. I hope this little one will help you wake up each morning full of energy to enjoy a whole day ahead.
Did you know that pigs are cute, clever, intelligent and adaptable to the environment. They usually live together and always protect each other. Please keep this cutie to protect mum and dad, brother and sister. I hope to see you back soon.
Tiger is the symbol of your year of birth, which represents for being quick, powerful and not afraid of anything even the lion. This little king of forest will make you brave and confident where you will no longer be scared of anything.
Which animal do you think this resort looks like? Yes, a giant starfish. Starfish has been given a nickname of “sunflowers under the sea”. I hope this little sunflower here will remind your holiday to Phu Quoc island and hope to see you soon.
The snake is the only reptile in the 12 Vietnamese Zodiacs and are known to be clever and patient. It is honored as 1 of the 12 Vietnamese Zodiac animals for its help to farmers to scare away pests. I hope this unique one here will protect you in all your travels around the world and we hope to see you soon.
Personalised cards to children for their farewell gift. The animals listed are part of the 12 Chinese zodiacs. An additional 4 sea animals were added that live around the resort island.
Content writing 100% original. Stories taken from folktales shared to my colleagues from generation to generation in Vietnam.
– AVINA writes
Ca Phe Phin Martini
Vodka, Vietnamese coffee, vanilla syrup
Circa 1960, Ca Phe Phin became popular in Vietnam where coffee
is not just a favourite drink, but a way of life. Vietnam is the 2nd largest coffee
producing country in the world following Brazil and along with this global impact,
the Ca Phe Phin Martini pays tribute to the worldly classic Espresso Martini.
Sim Royale
Sim liqueur, sparkling wine, calamansi juice
Sim fruit thrives in tropical climates such as Phu Quoc.
It is here that Mr. Bay Gao spent a decade to explore the fruit’s potential
to create the island’s famous Sim liqueur. To celebrate this local specialty,
our Sim Royale highlights the sweetness of Sim fruit offering a
Vietnamese innovation to the original cocktail.
Phu Quoc Bloody Mary
Vodka, Cointreau, tomato juice, Phu Quoc pepper sauce,
fresh lemongrass, lime juice
Phu Quoc pepper is known as the most flavourful and aromatic pepper in
Vietnam. Combined with the island’s renowned fish sauce,
this concoction highlights some of our finest local ingredients.
Chanh Muoi Margarita
Tequila, Cointreau, salty lime syrup, basil leaf, lime juice
Chanh Muoi (translated as salted lemon) has been used in herbal medicines
to help digestion as well as some other ailments.
The combination of chanh muoi and Tequila, a balance of sweet, salty,
sour and bitter will bring you a sensory experience.
Sunset Sling
Gin, Son Tinh Man Do liqueur, dry orange liqueur, bitters, rose syrup, pineapple juice
Sunsets in Phu Quoc are honoured by this take on the classic Singapore Sling.
Son Tinh Man Do liqueur showcases the exotic plums in the North
and in turn symbolises the unique Phu Quoc skies at dusk.
Dusk ‘N’ Stormy
Rum, fresh ginger, mint leaf, lime juice, soda
Ginger is well known as a popular spice in Vietnamese cuisine.
With its spicy and herbal aroma, it brings a cloudy twist transforming
the classic Dark ‘n’ Stormy into Dusk ‘n’ Stormy,
dusk being a celebrated occasion on Pearl Island.
Calamansi Mojito
Rum, apricot brandy liqueur, calamansi juice, brown sugar, mint leaves
Calamansi is a tropical fruit found in many parts of Asia and is abundant in Vietnam.
It has been popularly used in cooking and drinking. As a citrus fruit, calamansi juice
offers a crispy taste that is not acidic, and this special Mojito
will bring a burst of refreshment to the palate.
Pearl Island Iced Tea
Gin, Rum, Tequila, Son Tinh Man Do liqueur
Son Tinh Tao Meo, lime juice, vanilla syrup, soda
Sơn Tinh is Vietnam’s first internationally recognised and awarded liqueur,
as an original Vietnamese spirit category called “Rượu”. The combination of
traditional spirits and Son Tinh is what re-creates the classic to the Pearl Island Iced Tea, bringing a new powerful drink with a Vietnamese touch.
This cocktail concept and story content is 100% original.
The composition of ingredients of each cocktail were made by N.M.K
– AVINA writes
Chapter 1: The longest night
Stay awake Cuong, you need to stay awake.
You cannot fall asleep, if you sleep you will not see tomorrow.
The 12-year-old boy fought the force of self-talk in his head as if he was pushing it away with his bare hands and all his might. In order to obstruct the snake’s venom from spreading to other parts of his body, he could not lie down and had to stay upright until the morning. Leaning against the clay walls, it was surprisingly cooling against his body counteracting the poison. In the home, the windows were sealed with straw, so ventilation was a natural breeze. It was June, so trying to stay awake much harder with the rain, since it fell pitter and pattering against the steel roof therapeutically. His arm was still throbbing though Cuong could not confidently tell whether his arm was now numb or with searing pain. With an effort to change his focus, Cuong gazed over to his younger brother Dao who shared the same sheet-made bed. Although somewhat dispirited since Dao had promised to stay up with him, Cuong held onto his only positive thought which was that his only remaining sibling was by his side.
“Brother, wake up, wake up, are you there? Wake up!” Dao frantically demanded. He was shaking Cuong’s other arm.
“Yes, I am awake alright, knock it off”. Cuong mumbled. He adjusted his eyes to the dawn rays. He was still alive. He looked over to his arm, it was still swollen, but no throbbing as before.
“You look much better brother, mother is coming home today thank goodness you are ok”. Dao said longingly.
“Don’t tell her I got bitten by a water snake while trying to save your head in the creek. Just say its a spider bite”. Cuong instructed.
“She is going to know its a snake brother, it’s so obvious. Everyone in Vietnam can tell its a snake bite”. Dao protested.
“Should I tell her then that against her wishes you went into the creek again and that the current pushed you to the deep end and you couldn’t swim back? There are only 2 of us now, father is gone, mother has to travel far to work. It’s only me and you. If anything happens, she will blame me for not looking out for you.” Cuong lectured.
“Ok, ok boss”. Dao mumbled.
We need to do well in school, we need to study, we need to be careful. If we study well, we will get good jobs and we can look after mother. Mother is working to raise money for us to leave here, to get on those boats, to get to another country, to be safe. Cuong gazed at his brother wishing to share the thoughts but what would a 9-year-old understand?
This poem was written for a close friend’s wedding in which I decided to adapt from the famous book, The Art of War. This book was written by Sun Tzu who was an ancient Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher.
– AVINA writes
Love is,
An emotion too vast to articulate.
It is a realm,
Of giving and receiving.
A journey,
In which love finds you.
A choice,
So wondrous to behold.
There are 5 fundamentals
for the union of D and J.
For the making of sensibility,
and the assessing of compatibility.
His way
Her dictatorship
Longevity
Laughter
Loyalty
His way
Drives her nuts
She does not say
And he is oblivious
But they both know
And never give up
Her dictatorship
She’s a Truong,
Winter is coming,
When snow meets volcano,
Ready he must be
For the cycle of seasons.
Longevity
High school sweethearts
So cliche
Years of growing
Years of perserverance
To be continued
Laughter
He thinks he’s hilarious
She is sullen
But when winter has gone
Her polka face melts
Hysterics fill the halls
Loyalty
Both receive
Because both exhibit
In all relationships
marriage or not
This is unbreakable
Context notes: D and J are the first initials of the bride and groom. "Truong" is the surname of the bride.
When a thought is keyed,
the keys begin to dance,
the dance crescendoes,
unveiling the beholder of the thought.
“I believe that every subject can be written, articulated, and expressed in the form of letters.
A thought, a thing, an emotion and beauty are just some subjects to name a few.”
— AVINA writes
This is the first post on my new blog outlet to showcase some of my writing pieces. I’m just getting this new outlet going to share what I do in hope that readers will connect through the conversation of letters.
Whether it’s writing for concept presentations, a personalised poem for a wedding or re-creating a biographical fiction, I am open for collaboration. Will update further details soon.
AVINA writes 