Dear friends,

It’s us, Nhà Có Hai Người (House of Two). The final days of the year always bring layers of complex emotions. There is joy and excitement, but also tenderness, nostalgia and sometimes a quiet sense of drifting as if we have yet to catch up with the rhythm of our own lives. This is when we want to care for our kitchens, our homes and the inner world of our hearts. It is also the most beautiful time of year to discover new flavors, listen to warm stories shared around the table and find serenity after a season filled with lively celebrations.

“Spice the Love” No. 2 from Nhà Có Hai Người is our invitation to step into the festive season with a touch of excitement and a touch of calm, ending the year in completeness.

Refresh the kitchen, refresh yourself

While watching “Good Witch,” I was charmed by Cassie, a character who seems to understand others through the simple acts of brewing tea or preparing a meal. We realized that cooking carries its own kind of “magic” when one knows how to observe and share.

My love for the kitchen did not begin with a passion for cooking. It began with the pleasure of savoring food. Over time, exploring ingredients and techniques became a small adventure that trained our palates and deepened our appreciation. In our kitchen, one of us enjoys discovering new dishes while the other loves the comfort of the familiar yet places great care in presentation. These two preferences complement each other and create shared joy. We love collecting cookware, dinnerware, decorations, planning table settings or hosting year-end gatherings. Each activity brings positive energy and turns the kitchen into a place filled with happiness.

Thinking back to my grandmother’s “magic” in transforming familiar dishes into something new, we learned to season differently, experiment with techniques and enrich everyday meals. And in doing so, we understood that refreshing a dish is also a way of refreshing ourselves. The kitchen holds joy, sharing and growth. It is where each person may create their own “magic” through creativity and love.

During these lively year-end days, a dish that is vibrant and full of flavor can lift the entire celebration. French fries topped with salted egg and beef is an ideal choice, delightfully crunchy, richly savory and festive enough to win everyone over from the first bite. It is simple to make yet striking enough for any table.

A cozy homemade BBQ can also become a highlight of the season, especially when the smell of grilled meat drifts gently in the air and the cheerful sizzling fills the evening. With a few favorite cuts, the right seasoning and enough time for slow grilling so each piece becomes tender and flavorful, you can bring the spirit of the holidays into your own home.

The spirit of renewal leads us to the story of Anaïs Ca Dao, a chef born in Paris to a Vietnamese and Dutch family. In each of her dishes, she tells her journey through an elegant blend of memories, technique and multicultural inspiration, turning the kitchen into a creative crossroads.

The tenderness of home

After nights of lively gatherings, the end of the year is also a time to return to family and preserve the traditions that shape us. Modern convenience may change parts of those rituals, yet the effort to keep warm family meals alive is precious.

When I was in elementary school, everyone was busy so we rarely ate together. I often had dinner early with my grandmother while my father waited to eat with my mother when she returned late from work. Only when I reached high school did I manage to wait for my mother so we could all have dinner as a family. Later, before we got married, he took me to visit his hometown. My favorite moments were the evenings when his father returned from badminton just as his mother finished cooking, calling everyone to the table. Dinners at his house always stretched long with cheerful conversation. His father would take out an old jar of rice wine, pour a full bowl and the whole family would clink glasses while eating. He told me they always waited for one another before starting a meal.

We have lived on our own for years but still try to keep this ritual of shared meals. On busy days we eat out or make something quick. On quieter days we cook many dishes and set the table beautifully. To me, talking around the table is a family rhythm, a bond, a shared breath. It is affection, care, guidance, connection, healing, forgiveness and longing.

This tradition is also the most precious gift parents pass down to their children. The story of Khánh Ngọc and Đức Bùi building a home for their son Bing Su reflects this. They hope every meal brings everyone together so their child grows up surrounded by warmth. I hope you will spend generous time with your loved ones during this season.

A holiday for the soul

Bringing joyful gatherings to a close is a chance to return to yourself. It is the perfect moment to begin a true holiday, not in a faraway place but in the quiet ease of your own soul.

Somewhere in this world, there is always someone who stays in one place and still feels light at heart, and someone who travels endlessly yet remains trapped in the chaos within.

Kafka, in Haruki Murakami’s “Kafka on the Shore,” also set out on a journey to find his mother and sister, and to escape a curse. He was pursued by a “sandstorm,” something that the character Crow, his alter ego, called destiny. In truth, that storm was Kafka himself, the inner turmoil he endured until it swept him away. In the eye of the storm, “there is no sun, no moon, no direction, no sense of time,” only disorientation.

Aren’t we, at times, also Kafka? In the midst of life’s clutter, have we not found ourselves lost in our own minds?

A free spirit is the guide for every journey. When we learn to create a “holiday of the soul,” any place can become an ideal retreat. And sometimes that place is nowhere else but home. Wherever you are, I hope that in these final days of the year, you can step away from the noise and fully savor your holiday within.

If this letter resonates with you or brings you something meaningful, feel free to share or forward it to friends and loved ones.
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