KQED "Newsroom" host Thuy Vu is responsible for keeping Bay Area residents abreast of global affairs every Friday night. The three-time Emmy award-winning journalist, who has covered everything from the devastating legacy of Agent Orange sprayed during the Vietnam War to the impact of Burning Man on the Bay Area arts scene, let us in on some of her favorite places in the City. 

In 1975 Vu fled a devastated Vietnam with her family and lived in two refugee camps and a church-sponsored home in Minnesota, before moving to San Jose. She got into journalism at UC Berkeley, where she started writing for the Daily Cal and hosted a news show on KALX Radio. After graduating, Vu landed her first reporting job at KQED Radio, followed by stints at National Public Radio, KPIX-TV, KTVU, ABC7, and CBS5, where she co-hosted the popular lifestyle program “Eye on the Bay.”

In addition to her work duties at KQED, Vu is also Vice President at Amusing Quest in Palo Alto. The tech startup strives to make booking kids’ parties and entertainers as easy as booking travel or restaurants online. “We’re not solving world peace, but we’re hopefully helping to create peace at home by making party planning hassle-free for busy parents," Vu said.  

The journalist also actively supports her community as a member of the Asian Pacific Fund’s Advisory Council and by emceeing and speaking at charity fundraisers. When she’s not immersed in work, she likes to take her daughter to parks, children’s museums, and the library so they can both get in some reading.

Here we ask the Bay Area news icon seven essential questions about her life in San Francisco: 

1. What neighborhood do you currently call home? Would you ever move or are you happy in your 'hood?  

I live primarily in Silicon Valley, but work in San Francisco and always stay in SOMA if I need to spend the night.  It's a dynamic neighborhood with lots of good restaurants within walking distance.

2. What's your hands-down, absolute favorite thing to eat in SF?

Steamed dim sum platter at Hakkasan. The black pepper duck dumplings are divine, so good I could eat a whole platter of just that! I usually get a Bird's Eye Margarita to go with it. The chili infused mezcal gives the drink a devilish kick.  

3. What's your perfect night on the town?

Comedy show with friends at Cobb's in North Beach, walk to Park Tavern for dinner afterward, then drinks at Cavalier in Marianne's if we have any energy left. 

4. When you need a low-key afternoon, where do you go for down time

Tiburon, but stop first in San Francisco at Minamoto Kitchoan on Market for mochi flown in from Japan or Socola Chocolatier for cognac truffles. Then head to Caffe Acri in Tiburon for a latte to go with my sweets and stroll along Shoreline Park. The views of the bay are magnificent, poetic, and an awesome reminder of how lucky I am to call this region home.  

5. What's your favorite place to go on a day trip from the city?

Napa never disappoints. I always enjoy visiting the wineries and seeing what makes each place unique, from the bigger wineries like Turnbull to something smaller like Alpha Omega. And for the perfect finish—dinner at Bottega.  

6. Quick-fire round

Burrito or Burger: Both. Double-patty burger at Super Duper or sushi burritos at Sushirrito

Presidio or Golden Gate Park: Golden Gate Park

BiRite or Mitchell's: BiRite

Bike or MUNI: Neither. Walk. 

Fort Mason or Dolores Park: Fort Mason

The Independent or the Fillmore: Fillmore

Baker Beach or Ocean Beach: Ocean Beach

7. Three words that describe your life in SF?

Vibrant, intellectually-engaging, food-centric