Let's Talk Basic Podcast

People have a lot to say about a lot of things, but especially about pregnancy predictions. Ways to predict if it's a girl or boy, things you should or shouldn't do, causes for miscarriages. This week we delve into all the old wives' tales we've been hearing, including Chinese superstitions and Chinese confinement practices! What is Chinese confinement? Well, tune in to find out!

What do side parts, pizza and Harry Potter have in common? Apparently all are uncool now. If you haven't heard already, there's a feud brewing between Millenials and Gen Zs. This week we take on some of the things Gen Zs are saying about millenials (as in us!) and we go through them one by one and respond to it. The gloves are off! Let us know what you think - we still love our Gen Zs, even if you think we're ancient. 

Alright, Bling Empire has hit Netflix and you may have heard of it or seen it popping up on your news feed or on Ellen. This week, Vee & Jo discuss our thoughts on the Netflix series, the characters, and the drama from our perspectives as fellow Asians. Can we relate? Check out this week's episode to find out!  

We're back this week to catch up about Season 25 of the Bachelor - Matt James! This is the reality tv fix we needed as we start 2021 and what a season it's been. We share our thoughts about Matt, what we think of the girls, and who we think will be in the top 3. Let us know if you agree and what you think! 

Despite this being the most repetitive year ever, you know it's coming - 2020 year in review! In this episode, Vee and Jo look back at what happened in 2020, what they've learned in their careers and in their relationships and what they've appreciated. It wasn't all bad! But let's say we're also looking forward to some new things in 2021. Wishing you all a Happy New Year!!

In this week's episode, Vee shares her COVID scare. How it went down, and what is the test really like? In an unrelated note, we are leading up to the holidays and we share our holiday plans (or lack of...?)  We want to wish you all a very, MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

After Vee's BIG announcement last week, we catch up with what's been going on with Jo in this episode and she's got a little announcement! Can you guess what it is? This week we talk about how she announced it to her family and the difference between Asian parents and White parents' reactions to news. We're looking forward to sharing all the details with you!!

After taking a break, Vee and Jo are back with Season 3! COVID has changed things for all of us, but we're still going through all the other things life throws at us. During our break, both Vee and Jo have gone through some big life changes. Today we talk about what Vee has been up to and her BIG announcement!! We can't wait to share it with you!

This week Joanne and her husband Tyler take over the podcast and do a recap of their trip to Canada's capital, Ottawa! They talk about what it was like to travel for the first time during quarantine, what they liked and didn't like about Ottawa, and what "crazy" experience they ran into while they were there. 

This week we are joined by a special guest and our favorite hair dresser LISA aka @BeautyOnTheGrind. We are so excited to catch up with her to see how this pandemic has affect small business and her plans on re-opening her salons! (all the girls are dying to get in her chairs). Join us as we get tips on how to keep our hair healthy, what products to use to keep our ashy colors and get latest scoop on what Lisa and her team have been working: (hint hint) It's another store!

Quarantining in a new “Ship”… so what are we? Believe it or not, it’s been almost 4 months since we’ve been in quarantine. Has the pandemic accelerated the “What are we” conversation? How are new couples navigating their new relationship while trapped in a condo/ house 24/7!? This week we are checking in with our favorite couple Jen and Mike! As you may remember, Jen and Mike went on a blind date set up by US last year. They have been isolating as a couple since March and we can’t wait to catch up with them and see what they’ve been up to.

Many people have been picking up different hobbies during quarantine. From making pasta, dalgona coffee, cookies and banana bread; we’ve seen all rage on social media. Today we invite our friend Deanna, from BakingInFashion.com, to share her love for baking which started PRE-quarantine, but the obsession has escalated exponentially since isolation. We ask her to share the most idiot proof recipe with us, and little tips and tricks that can’t be found in the cook books.  

We are just two weeks away from the official start of summer! So before diving into our “summer diet” (ice coffees & sangrias), we thought we would start by doing a little spring detox to get rid of all the toxins in our lives! Yes - we are talking about people & relationships that drain your energy and hinder your personal growth. Many of us hold on to bad relationships a little longer than we should, make excuses for disrespectful behaviour one too many times, and become afraid of sharing our real opinion in fear of how the other person will react. These relationships are draining and this week we share our own experiences being in them, and how we finally got out of them. We talk about when is a good time to end a friendship and how to do it. Have you been in a similar situation? Let us know how you got out of your toxic relationship! 

Online Dating is terrifying as is, but online dating during quarantine? – now that’s a whole other ball game! This week we are join our friend Kristy to chat about her online dating experience, and how it has changed during quarantine. She reveals what makes her swipe right, and spills the tea on WHAT NOT TO DO if you don’t want to be ignored.  Listen as we live vicariously through her dating stories, while she shares her best and worst date experiences with us! If you are in a relationship and want to know what the online dating scene is like, or single and ready find out how to navigate this crazy scene, you have to listen to episode!

 This week we take a trip down memory lane and look back at the inception of @letstalkbasic We discussed where we were when this idea was born, what steps we took to keep each other accountable, and reminisced about all of our favorite moments during this process. Somewhere in our conversation we realize that we come across many crises in our lives… is this just us? Or do you have monthly breakdowns too? Thank you so much for tuning in weekly!

This week we are joined by a special guest the only person in this world who knows all the intimate details about what Vanessa is really like - Kelly, Vee’s younger sisterKelly shares what it was like growing up in with Vanessa, why she hates mushrooms, and has such a love-hate relationship with basketball. Oh and the best part? Find out what provoked Vee to write letters to Kelly’s teachers and principal… You thought you knew Vee? Wait until you hear this episode… you may come out with a different perspective!

This week we are joined by a special guest and dear friend that we'll call "Basic Mom", to talk about what it's really like to be a mom! Needless to say we had many questions for her and luckily for us she leaves nothing off the table and tells us all the unfiltered truths about getting pregnant, mom-guilt, terrible twos and a lot that we have zero clue about. This basic mom gives us an inside look into how much they go through and remind us why moms are so important in our lives. Hope you enjoy this episode and wishing all the moms and mother-figures a very Happy Mother's Day!

Like many celebrations this year, Mother’s Day will also look a little different. In times like these we all need to be a little creative, go the extra mile to make our mamas feel loved! So this week, we go through a list of 10 ideas on how to celebrate our moms virtually! As we go through this list vetted by Queen Oprah, we quickly realized Mother’s Day is not “one size fits all”! Some of these ideas may work for your mom (Care package), and others may not (Memory Jar). At the end of the day remember that it’s the thought and effort that matters, and with moms - a little really does go a long way! We hope you can draw some ideas from our episode this week. We can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeves for your mom! 

This week we think about all of our bests! This includes best takeout place, best find this week (alcohol- related), best quarantine moment (Tyler-related), best purchase, and the best vacation spot we are dying to go visit after all this passes

It’s been a month since we’ve been living the quarantine life and just like the rest of the world, we have experienced our fair share of highs & lows. From getting excited about starting a routine for our new normal, to just being fed up with the entire situation… We won’t be sugar-coating it for you this week… (we are feeling a bit down) Join us as we compare what it’s like to hit the one month milestone for work, relationship and moving into a new home! – Let us know which one you think is the most exciting! 

Warning: Episode contains spoilers! This quarantine has sucked us into the “Joe Exotic” phenomenon. We really did not want to click on this Netflix series, but with not much to do, and constantly being bombarded with memes of Joe and Carol on IG, we finally caved.This week we do a deep dive of why we think this show is soo popular, who we think is the real “villain”, and which parts we think were the most outrageous in this documentary. Whether you are fascinated with the series, or still having second doubts about binge-ing this odd show, join us and find out where we think Carol’s husband really is! 

Are you in quarantine with your best friend? This week we chat about how grateful we are to have our BF/husband to rely on during this time of isolation. We discuss how being isolated at home and spending 24/7 together really does accelerate a relationship and wonder how many couples will survive this “challenge” ... this scenario reminds us of Bachelor In ParadiseOne of us reveals an extremely awkward moment during a conference call this week... trust me this one tops it all!

This week we chat about the small wins and moments of joy that we have encountered during the second week of our “new normal”Find out what we are doing to cope with boredom, stress and a whole lot of free time. One of us discovered boxed wine X2… while the other established a new found liking for cutting vegetables (listen to find out more)We hope you are all staying safe and healthy! Just remember to cherish this extra time with your family, pets, couch and Netflix. Because believe it or not the day will come when we all have to put pants on again.

Like many of you around the world, we are following safety measures, self isolating and being BORED AF. It is week 1 of self-quarantine and we are desperately finding new ways to entertain ourselves! This week we share our quarantine week 1 routine with you, what we have been watching, listening, cooking, drink etc. Hopefully we can be a source of support and entertainment for you during this time of uncertainty. Just know that whatever we are going through will eventually pass, and that we will get through this together as a community! Sending you sunshine, tulips and positive vibes

With the weather getting warmer, and the sun shining brighter, we know that spring is near! There ‘s nothing more exciting than seeing tulips in full bloom, but for some of us “Spring Cleaning” brings an odd abundance of joy… (ugh we are so old) Listen as we dive into our “strategic plan” on how to do spring cleaning the Let’s Talk Basic way. Laugh as we share some of the most embarrassing finds and take you through clothes we should have “donated” years ago! One of us is very passionate about this process while the other is less enthused… (can you guess who is more excited?) Let us know if you will be detoxing your home this spring!

This week we are diving into a topic that brings a BIG smile to our face… “Me Time”We love talking about it, but realize that we are terrible at scheduling it… can you relate?Every Monday morning when asked “What did you do this weekend”, we often follow with, birthday dinner, baby shower, bridal shower, engagement brunch, wedding (you get the point) We are so good at scheduling time with others, but feel guilty about scheduling time just for ourselvesListen as we reveal what we love to do during our “Me Time”, and give you tips on how to feel less guilty about saying “no”. Now go schedule some time just for yourself!

Many of you know our obsession with the ABC series The Bachelor! I mean we even did our own version of it (check it out on our IG TV). We were trying to refrain our thoughts on the show, but this season has been so ridiculous and drama-filled so we couldn’t not resist! Listen as we share our thoughts on Pilot Pete, the girls on this season, and what our predictions are for his final 3 contestants! (warning: if you are not caught up, there are some spoilers) Even if you don’t follow the series, this episode is entertaining and outrageous on its own based on how immature the contestants are this season!

Sometimes all you need is a big glass of wine a good friend, and a long ranting session… Join us and be a fly on the wall as we b*tch about the rough work week we both had and share some invaluable honest life tips. We hold nothing back, and share what really frustrates us, and wonder how some people just seem to always get away with things. Let us know if you can relate! You don’t want to miss this candid episode!

Do you ever feel like you & your partner are not on the same page? Have you left a conversation and wondered “WHY ON EARTH they are so upset!?”… well if you want to get to the root of it, have a listen to this week’s episode and learn all about the 5 love languages! We are joined by our friend & special guest CHRISTINA. Some of you may remember her from a previous episode “Interracial Relationships”. Listen as we discover our love languages, what’s important to us, how it impacts our relationships (including friendships), and what we are doing to overcome our flaws.

You hate it, you love it, or you don't really care about it... it's Valentine's Day! Do you want to feel the love? Join us this week as we talk about Valentine's Day, our opinions about it, what we hate and love about Valentine's Day and how we've spent it single or dating. 

Gung Hay Fat Choy! In other words, it’s RED POCKET season! Chinese New Year is always an exciting time for us! It’s a time filled with family gatherings and best of all? Red Pockets for those who are not married! What’s in this lucky red pocket you might ask? MONEY ☺ This week, we share some of our new year traditions with you- from the food we eat, what you have to say and predictions from our Chinese horoscopes! (We hope it’s good!)We can’t wait for you to hear all the great memories that are linked to this tradition!Thanks for tuning in and we wish you a happy and prosperous year of the Rat!

Turning 30. Does it sound exciting, daunting, or downright terrifying? This week Vee and Jo share our real thoughts about turning 30. This week we chat about our experience in our 30s and how FAR OFF we were in our “prediction” for ourselves. We get anxiety ever so often to when we think about topics like this - so if you ever have those feelings of doubt, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! . Whether you relate to us or you want to prepare yourself, this is a milestone episode you don't want to miss!  

This week Vee and Jo talk about the stories of how we "trapped" our men. We go way back to the begin and share how our relationships started, that defining moment when we realized we were stuck and how we got them to stay. We had two very different beginnings and two very different approaches, but somehow they've worked!    

New Year… New You?We can’t believe it’s already 2020! I hope you are all getting past the “Holiday Hangover” and getting back into the swing of things! Today we are debating about whether or not we believe in “New Year’s Resolution”One of us SWEARS by it and the other is just not convinced… can you guess which one believes in which? Join us as we talk about goal setting, keeping each other accountable and what we hope to achieve in 2020! Let us know what your thoughts are on this and what works best for you! Maybe we can keep each other accountable! Thank you for starting the New Year right with us!

2019 has passed so quickly! How have we changed since the year first started? Join us this week and Jo and Vee recap the 2019 year from the podcast to relationships and life in general. 

One more week until Christmas and we're continue with our holiday episodes. This week we're talking about cuffing season! How do you manage the in-between stage, and how do you survive if you're single through the holidays. Get cozy, and make sure you listen to this episode to get yourself ready for the holiday season and all the cheesy holiday movies you're going to watch. Happy Holidays!

This week we are joined by an uber special guest to talk about holiday traditions! Jo’s husband! From Karaoke sessions, to opening gifts at 6 am, all the way to elaborate talent shows, we talk about all the cute and absolutely ridiculous traditions that happen during our family gatherings! (& yes of course we gossiped about our aunts) We also took some time to discuss new couple traditions that we’ve started on our own.

Our holiday gift guide episode! Listen to hear what are the top things to get friends, family and significant others for the 2019 holidays! Christmas is SUCH a magical time- it REALLY is the most wonderful time of the year!  We will also be disclosing tips on what to buy your significant other, your siblings, parents, and the where to find BEST secret Santa/ Kris Kringle gifts!

The Let's Talk Basic BACHELOR FINALE is finally here and just in time for cuffing season! Mike has gone on three incredible dates with three beautiful and amazing ladies and in this episode, he has to pick ONE to continue a relationship with and calls her on the spot. Who will it be? Find out in this dramatic (and kind of awkward, cause real life) final episode of the Let's Talk Basic Bachelor!    

Last week we “Met Mike”, this week we are thrilled to introduce to you to our 3 lovely bachelorettes! These 3 ladies are all super eligible in their own ways! It’s safe to say that all of them have their SH*T together!- You’re welcome Mike! We went through these bachelorettes' bios line by line and were so intrigued by some of their answers, we had to call them for clarification. One bachelorette said she was looking for someone to try NEW things with her in ALL aspects of life ;) … (you can use your own imagination) while another invited her roommate to chime in to offer some REAL truths about what she thinks her friend needs in her life. HINT: apparently NOT a hippie with a man bun!  We can’t wait for you to get to know our wonderful bachelorettes!

Let’s Talk Basic will be trying something NEW this coming month! With our obsession/ addiction to the “Bachelor” TV series, we are excited to make our own mini-version and play match-maker for our dear friend Mike! We will be setting him up with some amazing women, and will be in charge of planning their fun-filled dates for him!  In this episode, we sit down with Mike and get to know him! And then things take a weirdddd turn and Vanessa reveals a secret about herself.

On this episode, we talk about the ENNEAGRAM. You may have heard us talking about our "numbers" in previous episodes, or from other people, and wondered what the heck is everyone talking about. It's like a personality system, similar to Meyers Briggs, that says everyone has a basic personality type that explains motivations and behaviours. We run through the 9 basic personality types, talk about what number we are (can you guess?!), and how we've seen it in our own lives, to understand ourselves better and the people around us.   

This week’s episode is extra fun! We invited our awesome friend Christina to discuss the UPS and DOWNS of being in an interracial relationship. Joanne and Christina both share their stories being Asian (Chinese and Korean) married to white guys. Join us as we laugh at embarrassing stories about their husband’s first meeting with their families, and learn about all the cultural differences they've had to overcome and endearing family traditions that they have adapted as their own. Trust us, you don’t have to be in an interracial relationship to enjoy this one, In fact you don’t have to be in a relationship at all! Because somewhere during our discussion we burst out into tears laughing about the confusion that Christina’s husband had during their traditional Korean wedding in which he had zero idea about what was going on. This is absolutely one of the funniest episode we have recorded thus far! We can’t wait for you to tune into this one!

Children… YaY or NaY? Kids are soooo adorable! From their cheeks, to their soft skin to the smell of their baby skin, everything about them is just (Heart Eyes)… but to choose a life without children and have extra cash to spend on vacation is undeniably an extremely attractive option as well! This week we dive into the YAYS and NAYS of having children and whether we see them in our futures or not! We have soo many fun stories to share about our friend’s kids, how our relationships have evolved with friends with kids, and what we “THINK” we would be like as parents… key word: THINK.

  Jealousy… it happens to the best of us and brings out WORST in all of us! This week we talk about this larger than life emotion that can sometimes takes over our mind, controls our behavior and leaves us thinking how in the world we got here in the first place!  Jealousy can come into play in all relationships- Yep that can includes your closest friends too! We will be looking back and laughing at all the moments of jealousy on our part and sharing how we got over it, and what was really going through our mind in those moments. *hint hint* it was likely our own insecurities and not knowing who we could trust.  Can’t wait for you all to listen to this relatable one (we hope) 

Cheating… have you done it? Have you experienced it and how do you define it?  This week we discuss a sensitive topic that often bring up many different emotions.  Whether you are on the receiving end of it, the one acting on it, the one who witnessed it, or the one comforting someone who has been cheated on… at the end of the day…it’s all heartbreaking and an emotional roller coaster. One of us has been through EVERY SINGLE ONE of the scenarios above… and let’s just say it’s not pretty and something that took years to process and understand! BUT if you are going through this now or helping someone through this journey… one thing we can guarantee, is that there is light at the end of the tunnel! :) 

You know what’s more nerve-wreaking than going to a job interview, public speaking, and getting your wisdom tooth removed COMBINED?! Meeting your boyfriend/girlfriend’s parents for the FIRST TIME! – who’s with us on this one!?Join us this week as we share embarrassing stories about our encounters and moments that sent us straight into PANIC MODE! What was supposed to be a relaxing couples weekend at the cottage, turned into a full-on family reunion… LOL With that said, one of us has become an expert at winning over the in laws, while the other has some serious work to do!

This week’s episode is going to be EXTRA BASIC! We invited our FIRST EVER special guest, a “Basic Bro” to get a male perspective on how to navigate the modern dating scene. This Basic Bro reveals EVERYTHING from... how long he waits to ask a girl our after swiping right, to where he takes his dates and even lets us in on the DEAL BREAKERS that will get you ghosted. And YES we were somewhat shocked with his answers… just goes to show how different men and women really are!

“Match made in heaven” “My one true love” – what do you feel when you hear those phrases? Are you making heart eyes? Or are you cringing with a questionable face? This week we discuss our thoughts on whether there is only ONE person in the world, that is completely made just for you! Take a second and look back at your first love, your most painful heartbreak, that guy you almost dated, and the person you should have given a second chance to. How would that have played out and impacted your life? Listen as we go back and forth on this topic and struggle to find common ground. One of us thinks there are 100s of people who we could end up with (Really? 100s!?) and the other truly believes that there is only ONE true love (Hopeless Romantic Much!?) Come along for ALL our “WHAT IF” moments- but make sure to DRINK UP!

The oldest child always sets the bar. Thank goodness they set it low! Who can relate!? Yep, this week we are talking about our siblings! Enemies or Besties? Take a guess! This is episode is one our favorites, because it brings back so many great childhood memories! We dive into all the funny moments when Joanne got bullied by her brother, and the strange mother-daughter relationship Vanessa has with her sister. Be ready to laugh at all the dumb things we did as a child, and learn how our relationships with our siblings have evolved over the years.