Tuyen's stream of consciousness

DMI STUDIO II

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

Any great moments in life goes with good food

Tuyen Bui

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

i havent been posting for a long time....this summer will be remembered, got engaged CHECK, got married CHECK! So the back to reality will be hard, we already received an email asking to find a thesis advisor! 

Medium is the Message has followed me along my life...and I found this BBC4 mini series narrated by Gillian Anderson (Yes X -files fans!) very refreshing!

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

We are not only WHAT we eat but HOW we eat too

Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

Your greatest creation is your life story

Jonathan Harris, artist and computer scientist

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

art is what you eat.

Rirkrit Tiravanija

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A food designer is somebody working with food, with no idea of cooking.

Inga Knölke, 1999

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

Dis moi ce que tu manges et je te dirai qui tu es.

Tell me what you EAT and I will tell you who you ARE.

I guess no matter what i do to avoid it everything brings me back to Food. Experiences with food, eating, experiences that requires all the senses in play.

Because my personal experience with food had been through my Mom's cooking but also through the travels I have made all over the worlds.

Comparing the McPork in Vietnam ( McDonald's just opened last year), McMaharadja in Delhi or the missing Cheese Burger in Tel Aviv.... it tells a lot I think about The country's culture and how people are eating.

I am not interested in making the food in itself - although i recently went back to  preparing my own Vietnamese comfort food for obvious reasons - but food as an excuse to discuss and connect with people. 

When i meet new people i love to ask them what is their favorite dish and what they like to eat. it helps me better understand who they are. If someone tell me his favorite meal is Cheese pizza and is not under 16, it makes me ask questions about education, how the person grew up, why they come up liking this. I like to understand.

I had a friend who is an expat and whenever he comes back to France he loves eating sandwiches. Yes, the traditional Jambon Beurre (French baguette with Ham and Cheese) because it reminded him schools vacations. So Food is also education, palate, curiosity and palate.

Lately i was craving for Vietnamese food, not the food you find in the restaurant.  the food you eat home. Asking my mom is a failure. Because I never took the opportunity to learn with her. So I keep watching youtube videos and recipes of how to do everyday Vietnamese dish - Com Binh Dan ( Rice of the People) 

I made caramelized pork & eggs  and Tofu stuffed with ground pork. Delicious!

Eating rice several times a week is not issue I feel healthier.

Before moving here I did some research about food in Boston. What is the special dish, etc. I was happy to learn that they're plenty of seafood in Boston... What a disappointment, it is still super expensive and not a everyday product.

Can we eat healthy and cheap?

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

Collaborative ...

Starting to get response from people receiving the HNY postcards I am still collecting how they are responding Facebook messenger, whasapp, iMessage, taking picture of their kids interacting with it.After watching the TED talk with Aaron Koblin, I feel I want to do a collaborative project. Where people from all over the world participate bit by bit or get a unique experience from their contribution or where they are located. Create a database of drawings, or words or personal stories, something simple and personal. What I like it that you can make videos without filming anymore. Using processing can create a really cool outcome. Interface is the message... Who knew...not McLuhan obviously.

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

The interface is the message

Aaron Koblin

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

DATA » STORY » MURAL

Yesterday was the painting process for the mural. Our ideas became a story and a design for a mural . In 90 minutes, we can get so much done. On the Design part, the painting was facilitated by Emily, who compiled our story into this cool and simple design. It was fairly simple but with impacting messaging. Food for Free is connecting healthy food and products to those who need it. Bridging the Gap between Waste and Want. As we continue to discuss some editorial choices, like what numbers to put on the mural, how the donors should be portrayed, the class was split into small groups and assigned different part of the mural to paint : the plums, orange, apples, roots, treehouse, trucks, etc. Again, I noticed that Emily was really into details. I love people who pays attention to details. She made slightly different colors and asked us to paint the shadows to create some volumes to objects. This is what makes a difference.

A difference between good and bad design then? My interpretation and what I appreciate is when people pay attention to details. Why certain colors have been picked,etc. the story behind the story. Sometimes the story behind, the message you want to convey is more impacting than the result itself.

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

To clarify, add detail.

Edward Tufte

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

Thanks Sara for this idea of taking a pic of your writing! It is sometimes faster than typing and much more aesthetic!

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

What I like about this data storytelling studio at MIT is that we get things done in such a short amount of time. 90min per session but I have the feeling that we have accomplished a lot. (In this case we are trying to come up with a visualization of a story for Food For Free association in Cambridge) The second thing that I appreciate is the collaboration. Every class we get to do something in common. Per small group and then all together. There is a feeling of ownership in what is being done. Everyone is participating. And lastly under those mini workshops, there is a true methodology applied and this give some thoroughness to what we do. In my future experience and projects I feel I need to work with people. I can't stay in front of a desk alone. Participation, collaboration, together. There is an excitement to go to class next time to paint a Mural! Low tech to show high tech? NOHITO NOthing Happens In The Office As a marketer this stays in my mind for forever when I attended some Sales Workshop. So I will go out (in the snow!) and get some inspirations!

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

Chúc mừng năm mới ! Happy New Year (in Vietnamese)

Today is Chinese New Year! Well, I should call it Tet in Vietnamese. As I was late for my traditional greetings cards I decided to go for a regular postcards this year. Obviously in a humorous way- Me, wrapped in an American flag blanket- What I like about doing this traditional exercice is the idea that the recipient will appreciate the thought and the effort into it. It is like a gift. and i am hoping in all the experiences i will do, provide this kind of feeling to people. Make them happy, in an easy way. Throughout the years, I managed to create some expectations sometimes ( for the long friendships mostly) as they are looking forward to it... it creates some kind of a group. 

With minimum means, I try to create maximum impact. 

MAXIMUM IMPACT WITH MINIMUM MEANS

[vizualize]

What -colour- is it?

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

what is cool? what i usually like is how form and content are mixed together. Le Fond et la Forme. and makes sense. I am sure this processing is not so difficult to do but you have to think about it!! Keep it simple. Cool is smart and simple!

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

Design is all about answers and Art is about questions.

Brendan Dawes

[tuyenisgoingbacktoschool]

I noticed it's been a week since i blogged. A little bit of procrastination (I changed the tumblr template ten times since i open the page), a little busy lately trying this class at MIT on data storytelling which is very interesting... (this will deserve another post...i know i digress...A LOT)

I remember Gunta said something about her experience and how you tend to partition some parts of your life. You have school, you have work, you have your personal life. Trying to make it one day after another, but it seems that when you decide to accept and embrace all of them, and let them somehow interfere, it should be ok.

My personal life is still quite new and I still adapt every day. New country, new city, new habits, new people. 

Kids are the most challenging I think. Especially when they are not yours and they are...American kids. My expectations are high and If i can give them a bit of Frenchness meaning the taste for food, and the curiosity I have for things and food that would be my greatest reward. Food is just an excuse to convey customs, habits and culture. 

I love that one of the kid liked the Vietnamese breakfast even though it is not the typical one, but there is some kind of pride that he liked the Vietnamese one. Never forget where you come from and be proud.