What do you like to do for fun?

• Let me guess...

• Coffee Shop

• Restaurant

• Karaoke

• Play Sports

• English Speaking Happy Hour

What do Americans like to do for fun?

• Coffee – on the go – Starbucks

• Restaurant, yes but expensive ($$$)

• Karaoke (bar)

• Play Sports (American Football)

• Vietnamese Speaking Happy Hour? (Xin Loi)

• Happy Hour

• Brunch

• House/Apartment Party

• Movies

Coffee Shop

• Dem ve (to go)

• Starbucks domination

• Intellectual Scene (meet professors/clients)

• Popular drinks:

• Hot Coffee (with milk/sugar)

• Latte/Espresso/Cappuccino

• Hot Tea

• Iced Coffee/Tea (Seasonal)

Restaurant

• Food = Expensive ($15 or 300.000 VND)

• Drinks = More Expensive ($5 or 100.000 VND)

• Must be 21 to drink alcohol

• Special Occasions (Birthdays, Meeting Friends)

• Busiest Friday and Saturday Nights

• Themed (Vietnamese, Spanish, BBQ, Organic)

• Tip (15% = Standard, 20%+ = Generous)

• Don’t Linger! (especially when busy)

Bar (karaoke)

• 21+ or Fake ID

• Friday, Saturday (sometimes Thursday) nights

• Also offer Happy Hours/Food during day

• Dive Bar ----------------------------------- Night Club

• Dive Bar = Chill, Billiards, Talk/Hang Out

• Night Club = Loud Music, Dancing, etc

• Karaoke at Bars (public, no private rooms)

Sports

• American Football (NFL) – Organized vs Pickup

• American Football (College Football)

• Basketball (NBA)

• Basketball (College Basketball)

• Baseball (MLB), sometimes AAA, AA, and A

• Hockey (NHL), More popular in North

• Soccer (MLS? Some International Following)

• Your Favorite American Sport?

Happy Hour

• Cheap Drinks from 5pm – 7pm

• Normally = $4-6, Happy Hour = $2-3 (plus tip!)

• Targeted for Young Professionals (after work)

• Meet friends, coworkers, clients

• Can get VERY busy

• Easiest way to catch up with friends during the work week (9am – 5pm Monday - Friday when people are often very busy)

Brunch

• Breakfast + Lunch = Brunch (11am – 2pm)

• More popular recently (especially with girls)

• Set Course (Eat as much as you want for $X)

• Bottomless Mimosas (Mimosa = Champaign + Orange Juice) and Bloody Mary (Tomato Juice + Vodka + Spices)

• Most popular on Saturday and Sunday Mornings

House/Apartment Party

• BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze/Beer) vs Open Party (drinks provided)

• BYOB party more common for apartments, more relaxed, maybe 30-60 guests

• BYOB host should still provide a case of cheap beer for guests who are rude/forgetful

• Open Party = 100-250 people, more common for houses, especially fraternity houses in college. Louder, crazier, more dancing!

Movies

• Group of friends go to the movie theatre / cinema on Friday or Saturday nights

• More common for high schoolers (who don’t drink alcohol as much as college students)

• Fun activity that does not involved drinking

• $10-12/ticket (it used to be $7-8 when I was growing up)

• What is your favorite activity?