Join me as we embark on a fascinating journey with my guest, Tommy Ngo, also known as Hai Ngo. Tommy, a native of Vietnam, shares his remarkable life story, from his early love for music and art, to his family's struggle during the Vietnam War and his eventual move to New York. Listen in as he recounts how his singing talent was discovered, his experience performing opera in small towns throughout Vietnam, and the effects of the Communist takeover on his family. Tommy also discloses the challenges he faced on his journey to the U.S. and his fruitful career in the high-end fashion industry, where he met his life partner at the Metropolitan Opera. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to create a gallery and luxury nail salon in Hudson, New York.
(0:00:06) - Tommy Ngo's Journey
(0:13:28) - Family, Music, and Coming Out
(0:22:16) - Vietnamese Culture, Religion, and Art
(0:35:36) - Love for Music, Culture, and Fashion
In this engaging conversation, we explore Tommy's family dynamics, his dedication to music and art and the significant role his father played in their immigration to the United States. Tommy opens up about his relationship with his brother, their shared experiences of coming out as gay and his plans to reconnect with family in Vietnam. His story is a testament to resilience, bravery and the transformative power of music.
Tommy provides a window into Vietnamese culture, Buddhism and his experience as a child with a vegan diet. He talks about his passion for painting and singing, and why he chose not to pursue a career in entertainment. His journey through the fashion industry reveals his adaptability, innovation and the influence of his Vietnamese roots. Listen to this episode for an inspiring story of overcoming odds, embracing identity and finding success in unexpected places.
--------- EPISODE CHAPTERS WITH SHORT KEY POINTS ---------
(0:00:06) - Tommy Ngo's Journey
Tommy Ngo shares his journey from Vietnam to the U.S., his career in fashion and music and his entrepreneurial venture in Hudson, NY.
(0:13:28) - Family, Music and Coming Out
Tommy Ngo shares his experience growing up in Vietnam, his passion for music, art and dance, his father's process to get the family to the U.S., his and his brother's coming out and his plan to return to Vietnam.
(0:22:16) - Vietnamese Culture, Religion and Art
Tommy Ngo's upbringing in Vietnam, Buddhism, vegan diet, Catholic church choir, karaoke, painting and singing are discussed.
(0:35:36) - Love for Music, Culture and Fashion
Tommy Ngo shares his journey in fashion, adapting to electric sewing machines, transitioning to his own business and the influence of Vietnam.
--------- EPISODE CHAPTERS WITH FULL SUMMARIES ---------
(0:00:06) - Tommy Ngo's Journey (13 Minutes)
Tommy Ngo tells me his fascinating story of growing up in Vietnam and eventually moving to New York. He was always passionate about music and art, and his older sister took care of the family while his father served in the Vietnam War. Tommy was discovered for his singing talent by someone in his neighborhood and he went on to sing opera on a circuit of small towns. He shares his experience of the Communist takeover in Vietnam and how it affected his family. He then talks about his journey to the U.S. and his career in the fashion industry, meeting his life partner at the Metropolitan Opera. Finally, Tommy speaks about his entrepreneurial venture, his gallery and luxury nail salon in Hudson, New York.
(0:13:28) - Family, Music and Coming Out (9 Minutes)
I speak with Tommy Ngo about his experience growing up in Vietnam and his eventual move to New York. We discuss his passion for music, art and dance, and the process his father went through to get his family accepted into the United States. We also explore Tommy's relationship with his brother, and how they both came out as gay in different settings. Tommy shares his plan to go back to Vietnam to celebrate his nephew's wedding and reconnect with his family.
(0:22:16) - Vietnamese Culture, Religion, and Art (13 Minutes)
I chat with Tommy Ngo about his upbringing in Vietnam and his eventual move to New York. We explore his background with Buddhism, his experience with a vegan diet, and his involvement in a Catholic church choir. We talk about his family's karaoke set-up and his passion for painting and singing, and why he ultimately chose not to pursue a career in entertainment. We also consider how the expectations of Vietnamese culture and his religion have impacted his life choices.
(0:35:36) - Love for Music, Culture and Fashion (9 Minutes)
I chat with Tommy Ngo about his journey in the fashion industry. He talks about his introduction to tailoring and his transition to higher end luxury salons. He shares how he has adapted to electric sewing machines and how his work in fashion has impacted his hands. Tommy explains why he decided to transition out of the fashion industry and into his own business. We discuss how his experience in Vietnam influenced his decision to pursue fashion and the importance of the cultural options New York has provided him.
Tommy Ngo on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/tommyhaingo/
Moving Along music by Eve's Blue
Contact: Christi Cassidy, christi@movingalongpodcast.com
[00:00:00] Christi: Welcome to Moving Along. I wanted to invite my friend Tommy Ngo to Moving Along because he has a fascinating story. He grew up in Vietnam, sang opera on a circuit of small towns in Vietnam, and wound up in the fashion industry in New York City, meeting his life partner at the Metropolitan Opera. Eddie Beaty was then production head for the Saturday afternoon Metropolitan Opera broadcast.
[00:00:34] Christi: Tommy spent a lot of time hanging around the Met, like so many opera fans do. Tommy is an artist and an avid home cook. He's legend on Instagram. He is also an entrepreneur with his own gallery and luxury nail salon in Hudson, New York, in the Hudson Valley just north [00:01:00] of New York City. Welcome Tommy.
[00:01:03] Tommy: Thank you for having me
[00:01:05] Christi: Tell me about your journey. How did you get to here?
[00:01:08] Tommy: Wow, this is a long, long journey however, . I came here with my fathers and originally we came here because my father worked in Vietnam War and then he serve in American side so they call it South Vietnam.
[00:01:25] Tommy: So, and after for a long time he went to a Communist prison and after that Americans government have the program kinda invite all bring all the veterans who served in Vietnam War to America. And I'm come along with him.
[00:01:47] Christi: And did you come to New York? Is that where you
[00:01:49] Tommy: came to? I came to New York and then I live in New York until now.
[00:01:54] Christi: So you came with your family. What about your mother?
[00:01:57] Tommy: My mother. Pass [00:02:00] away in 1976 a year after Vietnam War end. So I never had a mother since.
[00:02:08] Christi: Was your father in prison then? Yeah, in South
[00:02:12] Tommy: Vietnam. That's in the middle of Vietnam,
[00:02:14] Christi: but it was south Vietnam and North Vietnam were reunited in that same year, right? 1976,
[00:02:22] Tommy: yes. Basically the North Vietnam, we can call in the Communist country and, and when they take over entire Vietnam. So they owe the united Vietnam, yes. Uh, By the Communists.
[00:02:37] Christi: Mm-hmm. back then. So that's how you came here, but in Vietnam, you were singing right?
[00:02:44] Tommy: Yes, I was singing in Vietnam. I don't know why, but naturally I'm just love to sing and I love music and drawing and this and that, so I'm kind of a little bit different kids, .
[00:02:58] Christi: Did you have brothers and sisters?[00:03:00]
[00:03:00] Tommy: Yes, I have quite a few. I have two older sisters, and then I have another four brother, and I'm between of five brother.
[00:03:10] Christi: What did music mean to you as a kid growing up in your family?
[00:03:15] Tommy: Music is my joy. . When I listen to music, I'm happy. Any
[00:03:19] Christi: kind, every kind.
[00:03:21] Tommy: I like classical, but in Vietnam, you know, classical music seem like a little bit too I call it fancys, but but I love lot song. I love the song Meaning something for Life
[00:03:34] Christi: thing like that I like did everyone in your family appreciate music the way you did? And did you listen to classical music as a family?
[00:03:43] Tommy: I think they do too. But for me, you know, I'm a little bit more different than them because I I, I did always want to be happy and be entertained and love singing, love Clery. I can sing [00:04:00] up to the tree. I climb up to the tree and then stay up there and I sing with the air when I were young . So my neighbors in Vietnam back then, they are very, I mean they love it, but they think I'm a little bit different than another kids
[00:04:17] Christi: Is that how you were discovered?
[00:04:18] Tommy: I think I, I believe I had a good voice when I singing then. So that's how I made my joy. And I don't really know people like or not, but I just love myself for in that direction.
[00:04:33] Tommy: In Vietnam, in my culture, basically whoever older in the family take care the younger, so my sister can take care the business of, for the family business.
[00:04:44] Tommy: So that's how we have food for livings. So every day I just sing to put the baby into sleeps. And the one person who have a girlfriend in my neighborhood and [00:05:00] he work in to, I call him in Vietnam, they call him like the opera house or entertain center or a radio center or radio stations, whatever.
[00:05:11] Tommy: So he discovered I can sing I have a voice. So he. Come over and then he ask me to join the community. That's how he discovered me in the first. But before that, I had singing in the school. You know, when I'm in the school, I always joy or singing for the school competition.
[00:05:32] Christi: Oh, competition. Yeah. Not just like the chorus. No, no, no. Solo chorus
[00:05:38] Tommy: will be too fancy then. You know, they don't have black in the Uhhuh. Yeah. And unless you join the entertain center or radios center and, and then you can sing in the roof, but keep in mind, my father don't serve in Communist.[00:06:00] Direction after the war. , everything belonged to Communist.
[00:06:07] Christi: Right.
[00:06:08] Tommy: So my father counted not happy when he listened to the Communist music. I have to sing whatever the music then. Oh, I
[00:06:21] Christi: see. So , you were told what to sing and it was the Communist music. Yeah. Mm-hmm. . It wasn't like you weren't singing La Boheme
[00:06:29] Tommy: No. You were not allow singing the music before 1975. Because not the type, the music allowed to even listen legally. So, okay. So you sing whatever the people who write the music in that time talk about the country, new country, new whatever, but not think about before 1975. I see. Yeah, that's what they call all new.
[00:06:59] Christi: So [00:07:00] is that why your father didn't want you to sing with the opera troop?
[00:07:05] Tommy: Nope. But he had no choice because the mayor, you know, the people who, the mayor in town he want me to join it, so he come and talk to him. So I don't think my father say no. But however, when I join it and then my father can see me, you know, have a little talent, and then he let me go do whatever I want to do.
[00:07:29] Tommy: So that's how I start, have a little bit freedom singing and, and entertain and go to one village, to another village to perform for people. And then I learn some more music and work with the band . And then we start, have a competition and go to do a competition from one city to another city.
[00:07:53] Tommy: That kind things. So, however, I got a couple awards
[00:07:58] Christi: you did . Do [00:08:00] you still have them?
[00:08:04] Tommy: Does it like 40 some years ago?
[00:08:08] Christi: You must have been quite young when you were doing this.
[00:08:11] Tommy: Oh yes. Very young. I, oh my God, it's so young. Before high school even.
[00:08:15] Christi: Were you cast into various roles
[00:08:18] Tommy: You're talking about traditional opera, like in America?
[00:08:22] Tommy: No, we kind of don't have that. That's like kind of very fancy and, back then, no, we do like easy listening. How about say that music? Yeah. Okay. They call it easy listening. They do. And like, look like pop culture now, you know? So like the music like, Barbra Streisand or Sinatra, you know, that type the music, kinda love songs,
[00:08:48] Christi: standards
[00:08:49] Tommy: standard.
[00:08:49] Christi: Mm-hmm. , did you know how to read music or did you learn? I
[00:08:54] Tommy: did learn a little bit and then I worked with the bands and this and that, and we start, going [00:09:00] to do like weekend we do a ballroom dance. I have to sing whatever, type the music on, the music on you have to sing, Tango, rumba cha cha cha or you know, waltz, you have to know all of that
[00:09:13] Tommy: and you just come up and sing, you had to learn the song first. So I basically take more time to learn the songs than learn playing instruments. Oh. So that's why in this day I really not very good at all with the instrument, but yes, I know how to read music, basically.
[00:09:32] Christi: Tell me about the band. Was it a full orchestra? Was it a five piece or a 10 piece band, or?
[00:09:39] Tommy: I think five pieces, you know, like they have a whole set of the drums. And then a bass, and then a regular guitar, right? Mm-hmm. . And, and then they have a keyboard I think the piano o a little bit too fancy. If, they're in the hall or something.
[00:09:53] Tommy: They have a piano there, but they don't move in the piano around, you know? So the [00:10:00] keyboard. Two guitar, one bass, and the drums. Mm-hmm. . And sometimes they have a saxophone, you know, saxophone is easy, but I don't, they don't have a violin or viola or
[00:10:11] Tommy: Violin or something. A little bit too fancy then. Mm-hmm. back then, I don't think the kids really can afford to, study that kind of music yet. But the guitar or something like that, you can learn easier.
[00:10:24] Christi: Was it electric guitar? Yeah, an electric
[00:10:27] Tommy: bass and regular guitar.
[00:10:29] Tommy: And then electric guitar
[00:10:30] Christi: interesting.
[00:10:31] Tommy: Yeah, it's fun.
[00:10:32] Christi: Did you travel on a bus? Was there a bus that went from town to town or, yeah, .
[00:10:38] Tommy: The bus can be very fancy back then. Okay. So they have a kind of very cheap trailer. And then the hook up into the scooter. Oh, yes. Travel. We don't have a car, we don't have a bus or anything.
[00:10:54] Tommy: Oh, wow. So we're lucky we have a scooter all where everybody on the bike, , [00:11:00] bicycle. Okay. This is how in the small country living back then, you know, ,
[00:11:07] Christi: I confess when you first told me this story, I had this image, I don't know, like of, you know, just like a peasant country and you all walked from town to town carrying the instruments.
[00:11:19] Tommy: Look like a trailer that's very small local trailer. And, you know, they have a huge speaker.
[00:11:26] Tommy: They're the speaker and the amps of course. And sometimes they have a very cheap lighting, you know, they have to set up the tent and then I have a little bit lighting and, and then they set up the band. Very simple. This is not even, you go into a theater, you know, ,
[00:11:42] Christi: no, not
[00:11:42] Tommy: glossy at all.
[00:11:43] Tommy: But but, but is very natural. Very, very . Simple. But everybody have a good time because it's like entertains, like look like the best vitamins because nobody can get entertained all the time because we will work, work [00:12:00] for, for, for living.
[00:12:00] Christi: And people danced. And so dance
[00:12:05] Tommy: depend, you know, when you go into a universities or in the weekend you go into the hall and something like that.
[00:12:12] Tommy: Yeah. You can ballroom ballroom dance. Mm-hmm. very simple. But it'll have a nightclub like here. No, not yet. Not
[00:12:20] Christi: quite, not quite. How long did you do this for?
[00:12:23] Tommy: I do on and off. I do quite a few years. When, when I grow ups and and then I have a lot of friends also, even until now, they still have bands.
[00:12:34] Christi: In Vietnam?
[00:12:35] Tommy: In Vietnam, they still working on it. Actually, if you go onto my the YouTube no Facebook. So my friend in Vietnam, they, I think almost every weekend, you know, they just come over together and they have a keyboard or they have a guitars, and then they have, they basically, they drink and then they sing and they watch them.
[00:12:57] Tommy: Oh, all the times.
[00:12:59] Tommy: Wow. [00:13:00] Sometimes I even like. And then sometimes we even come and I say, oh, I really missed that.
[00:13:03] Christi: So your father, he had the option to come to the United States or. He applied
[00:13:12] Tommy: Yeah. When the book, the, the programs from the United States government, they kinda open and invite like I say, whoever service in the United States in Vietnam War, and then we applied and then we had to go to the embassy two interviews many times, you know, like they have to interview a big more than two times to be sure.
[00:13:35] Tommy: My sister could not come because she had already marriage. And so, so my sister and her family failed the interview. So that's why only five of us come along with my father. .
[00:13:51] Christi: And your sister and her family is still, still Vietnam. In Vietnam? Yeah. Do you, have you ever visited, do you visit
[00:13:58] Tommy: I [00:14:00] visiting them 17 year ago.
[00:14:03] Tommy: Wow. Yeah. Wow. I, I tried to go a few time a few years ago, but because the Covid and this and that, and my father pass away mm-hmm. . So, so, so we delay all that. So, but
[00:14:16] Christi: did your father die of Covid?
[00:14:18] Tommy: No, no. He died way before Covid. Oh, before Covid. Yeah. He died I think two years before Covid. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . And then after the he dies in couple years.
[00:14:27] Tommy: So I tried to go back to Vietnam to kind do a ceremony or a celebration over there. But, and then the Covid comes, so we, I didn't go yeah. So until now, actually I'm going.
[00:14:41] Christi: You are? That's wonderful. You say that you buried the lead, Tommy.
[00:14:47] Tommy: Yeah. All sudden interview. So funny. And you ask me, all ask me all this kind of memory. Oh my God, this is so much fun because I'm gonna take a lot of picture [00:15:00] and I hope I can put everybody together so we make, you know, like of course they, they, they gotta torture me to sing something, so I will, I, we recorded something so you can see. What I'm talking about.
[00:15:15] Christi: That would be so cool. Yeah, that would be very cool. Yeah. So is Eddie going too
[00:15:20] Tommy: Yeah, just me. Just you. One of my nephews. The last one in Vietnam be to my sister over there. Children each one have three kids. And this is the last one. nephews over there getting married.
[00:15:33] Christi: Oh, he's getting married?
[00:15:34] Christi: Yeah. Oh, nice. So there's a wedding celebration on top of it. Yes. Yeah. So you're gonna go for like a
[00:15:40] Tommy: month ? No less than 10 days. Uhhuh. , I call some of my friend and then we might have a little celebration or good time over there. Oh, that's so nice. I know. Very short time, but why not?
[00:15:54] Christi: I hope you record some stuff over there. Yeah. Like pictures and also the [00:16:00] music and whatever.
[00:16:01] Tommy: It's really fun. It's really fun. Yeah. I think that, you know, I think I'm very friendly. People seem, and then, and everybody, my over there seem like I'm a nice person and they're all, were looking for me to visit. Yeah, that's nice. All my family, they love all my brother. No doubt. Because you know, when you know one person with your friend, you know entire families.
[00:16:29] Tommy: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
[00:16:30] Christi: And are you like the only gay person in your family that you know of? Any of these nephews come out?
[00:16:38] Tommy: Actually, I have another brother also gay.
[00:16:41] Christi: Really? How did you find out or how did you discuss it with him? Is it a point of connection or is it, you
[00:16:49] Tommy: know, I never came out gay in Vietnam. I did not. I didn't come out until I came to United States. And after, so many year later and [00:17:00] then I came out I kinda know my brother was. , but in Vietnam, nobody mentioned about it. It's not a good thing to say back then you can hurt yourself. So one night I went to the nightclub an Asian club in New York. I walk in and walk around.
[00:17:22] Tommy: All of a sudden I see my brother. You
[00:17:25] Christi: saw your brother in a gay club. Oh my God. So he went out
[00:17:29] Tommy: before me. Oh. Because we were very quiet. We recently really don't live together. We live different building, but you know, so I saw him and I fly out night club, and I run home immediately. ,
[00:17:43] Christi: did he see you?
[00:17:45] Tommy: I don't think so. I don't think so. But you know, and, and then he officially have boyfriend or something like that. So, but we never talk.
[00:17:55] Christi: Do you talk now
[00:17:55] Tommy: They know because I, I also have a friend I bring home. I [00:18:00] introduced to my family, to all my friends say, here, this is, you know, Eddie is my friends.
[00:18:07] Tommy: or whoever else, you know, I, I, I don't hide. Mm-hmm. , but I don't tell,
[00:18:12] Christi: ah, I don't hide, but I don't tell.
[00:18:15] Tommy: I don't tell anybody. Mm-hmm. , I'm married to Ed. For many years I don't have a wedding, like everybody have family come in, you know, doesn't have a wedding.
[00:18:25] Tommy: But I know we are legal, but I basically, I never telling anybody about that. So whoever they understand, they ask me. I will tell them we are legal and if they don't ask me, can
[00:18:38] Christi: they, I'm not to talk about it. Right. So you think that's probably how it will be when you go back to visit too? Just, yeah. I don't hide, but I don't tell
[00:18:49] Tommy: Right. But a funny story is because people keep asking me , do you get married? Why do you get married? And I say, look, [00:19:00] I'm normal guy. Look normal. I'm Asian. I don't think I'm terrible. And I have a job, . I'm fun and everything. I don't marry a girl. What do you think? I don't open myself too much about it.
[00:19:19] Tommy: And they just say when you get married, they say, I don't know. Oh, I said, not yet. Oh, you know, I just cannot say I don't want to, or whatever, you know. So that's kinda, again, the religious something for, you know, the family but I just don't, I just don't answer directly. Mm-hmm. and say, oh, because I'm gay.
[00:19:43] Tommy: I mean, I'm not afraid to say it. But I'm not gonna say it. . But less and less, not too many people ask me that question anymore. They're waiting for Moham 30 years already. They hadn't seen me married. So why when [00:20:00] Right.
[00:20:02] Christi: Although I think it's my experience at weddings that that's when everybody looks around and says who's next?
[00:20:08] Tommy: But, you know, I'm. Smiling have to be charming and, and just telling them, you know, not yet. Uhhuh. , yeah.
[00:20:17] Tommy: In Vietnam, if I go over there because I go to a wedding, I think, you know, like I'm gonna see a lot, a lot of families there for sure. So we'll see. However, in Vietnam now they're very open. Gay is not a big deal anymore over there. I know they're not completely legally but they let you you can marry, you can, you can, you can have wow.
[00:20:40] Tommy: Marry, you can have a wedding. You can, but, but you are not legally signed the paper. Your husband and wife or the, the partners. Yeah. You can do whatever you want. You can have many whatever you want, but you don't go to city hall and sign the legal paper, you know, I marry you or not.
[00:20:58] Tommy: Right? Yep. So [00:21:00] that's, that's very open now. .
[00:21:02] Christi: Were you raised Buddhist?
[00:21:04] Tommy: I was raised Buddhist, yeah.
[00:21:06] Christi: And do you still practice?
[00:21:09] Tommy: No. ? No. I grow up with my grandma when I very, very young. I mean very young. I mean like six year old something. I really live with my grandma, Uhhuh . And she is the Buddhi practice.
[00:21:24] Tommy: And she a totally vegan. Vegan. Oh,
[00:21:28] Christi: really? Yeah. Oh.
[00:21:29] Tommy: So I live with her and I, my diet, vegan diet, like 10 years, long time, I don't know, 10
[00:21:38] Christi: maybe around, yeah. Is the wedding going to be a Buddhist wedding?
[00:21:43] Tommy: No, no. My sister. With her husband and his family is Baptists.
[00:21:51] Christi: Oh, Baptist. Oh my.
[00:21:54] Tommy: Oh my God.
[00:21:55] Christi: So he's Vietnamese.
[00:21:56] Tommy: Yeah, they're all Vietnamese.
[00:21:57] Christi: And he's Baptist. I, [00:22:00]
[00:22:00] Tommy: So, and I think he married the girl who also Baptist.
[00:22:05] Christi: Ah, I see.
[00:22:05] Tommy: So I think they going to do a tradition wedding at home like everybody else. And then they go to the church for the church service. And then they go to a reception. Uhhuh. . That's the plans.
[00:22:19] Christi: Interesting, interesting. When you came here, did you keep singing?
[00:22:22] Tommy: Yep. We came to United States and we stay in Queens in that I don't know if you know, in Linden Street.
[00:22:30] Tommy: And that's Ridgewood, Queens near Brooklyn. So that's, they have a whole group of the Catholic, Vietnamese, oh, Vietnam, Catholic, whatever we call it. And so they have quite a few families over there and happened. We lived in that section. They all Catholics, so every Sunday they go to the church, right?
[00:22:51] Tommy: So I friend with them and I had nothing to do. So they invite me to go to the church for Sunday for me, go to the church [00:23:00] because I have, they have a party after the church, right? Oh, oh, nice. You know, after the church, they go down to the basement, no, whatever the, and then they have food, they have a meeting, they all do kind of thing.
[00:23:11] Tommy: So hang out. So that's more fun for me than go to the church. I don't know anything about Catholic. Sooner or later. They need some people singing in the choir. , my friend also in the choir. Every kids, you know, they go to the church, they happy going to the choir to sing.
[00:23:28] Tommy: Right. So they invite me into the choir section to sing and I pick up the music and then I sing along and then all of a sudden they put me into the choir .
[00:23:40] Christi: Okay.
[00:23:41] Tommy: So sooner later I become a soloist .
[00:23:44] Christi: That's great.
[00:23:45] Tommy: We sing in Vietnamese.
[00:23:47] Christi: Interesting.
[00:23:48] Tommy: Yeah. Yeah. I'm very good in the Vietnamese music.
[00:23:51] Tommy: Mm-hmm. . Yeah. Like of course become my language so I can pronounce Right. And then the tone right. And everything. Right. Right. So,
[00:23:58] Christi: so you were accepted [00:24:00] and welcomed.
[00:24:01] Tommy: Oh yeah. They are more than welcome. For the Catholic community
[00:24:05] Christi: did they want you to convert to Catholicism?
[00:24:09] Tommy: What do you think?
[00:24:10] Christi: Yes. . I grew up Catholic, so I know it's any opportunity to have somebody come into the fold.
[00:24:18] Tommy: But I also have a girlfriend when I'm in the Catholic community. The priests he look like, he see, I have a girlfriend. Catholic. Yes, of course. He have to convince me, you, you should, you know start study and I did. . I did. I know everything. I know all the Bible, I know all the policy, whatever, you know Right. To be a Catholic, whatever, the Catholic stuff. But I didn't baptize Ah. Because he passed away
[00:24:53] Christi: the priest. So nobody else picked up the, it take a long time, the [00:25:00] mantle of converting.
[00:25:01] Tommy: Right. They take a long time to looking for somebody to replace. Oh, I see.
[00:25:06] Christi: Yeah. So,
[00:25:07] Tommy: So all the time they have some replace the community, start changing immediately. So most my friend moved to New Jersey, and some moved to Atlanta. And some move, you know, they move everywhere.
[00:25:23] Christi: They dispersed.
[00:25:24] Tommy: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And then the church have no more service in that my, where we are
[00:25:30] Christi: what happened to the girlfriend? She married, she married somebody else. .
[00:25:36] Tommy: Thank God. I don't wanna,
[00:25:41] Christi: I don't think you could have ruined somebody's life, but
[00:25:44] Tommy: No, you know, that's the problem, you know, because I know who I am.
[00:25:49] Tommy: So, and sometime, you know, I'm just feel so sorry for somebody out there, you know, like they don't have a choice. And you know, like you have to listen to your parent. [00:26:00] You marry, you have kids, but are you really happy for your own? So that's why I'm just saying, you know, lucky her or lucky me, you know, because sooner or later I don't think I will hide forever.
[00:26:13] Tommy: What my set, you know? Mm-hmm. . So that's what I mean by, you know, Lucky me. Yeah. .
[00:26:22] Christi: Did you keep singing? I
[00:26:24] Tommy: can sing sing in the shower. . ? No. My family, like, I mean my brothers now, you know how Asian or Vietnamese, every family's they have huge professional set of karaoke machine.
[00:26:42] Christi: Ah, the karaoke. Yeah. . So you sing?
[00:26:47] Christi: When did you start painting?
[00:26:50] Tommy: I was start painting quite a long time. At least. 15 years.
[00:26:56] Christi: 15 years you've been painting? Yeah. Yeah. Wow. And you, [00:27:00] so you were painting and singing at the same time? Well,
[00:27:04] Tommy: You know, you can sing
[00:27:05] Christi: anytime. . That's true. Okay. Fair. That's fair. But
[00:27:11] Tommy: you know, New York, it's not easy to be, to become somebody on entertain especially the Vietnamese.
[00:27:19] Tommy: If you want to be somebody, you want to be a professional singing or something you have to move to California. Oh. Because they have a huge communities there, like Orange County and LA or wherever. So if you really want to change in your career then you have to go over there, I always loved to draw. Always loved to draw. And then, you know, like I went and met Ed, right? So we went to we go on vacation every years to Provincetown most time. Oh, nice. So every year I love to have a souvenir, go to the [00:28:00] galleries and look at the painting.
[00:28:03] Tommy: And I love to have a one small piece, A box I can't afford a big one. You know, or buy something, you know, in Provincetown. So one day I look at so many painting and beautiful no can affords. . And
[00:28:18] Tommy: said, I'm gonna paint
[00:28:21] Christi: just like that.
[00:28:23] Tommy: Of course, we go home and then I start searching where I'm going to study
[00:28:27] Tommy: so back then I had a a little apartment in Westchester, where is my family business there. So I live there sometime and work for them while I'm went to school. Mm-hmm. I study in fashion there. Right. And I looking for some artists so I can paint learning, and then I'm, I move up to the country and then I found a few very nice teacher who also teaching still life [00:29:00] and landscape and this and that.
[00:29:02] Tommy: And then I start from there. I study quite a long time. . I didn't go to art school to learning how to paint, but don't forget my background. Also fashion, so I know how to draw fashion and fabric and, you know figures and everything. So color would make it kind of not that difficult to pick.
[00:29:23] Tommy: So that's how I start painting and includes my nature, natural nature, and I pick up very quick.
[00:29:31] Christi: Were these one-on-one classes or were they small groups?
[00:29:35] Tommy: Small groups. Especially when I went to the teacher in Great Barrington, Massachusetts he had very nice studio. He set up all the still lives set up and so usually come in there and then you just paint.
[00:29:51] Tommy: and then he walk around and he show you how to, and telling you what I see and how I see and he compare [00:30:00] between the still life setup and my canvas and to see what I'm missing, what I hadn't seen, how I didn't see. And that's how I learn really. Very good from him. Yeah.
[00:30:12] Christi: And is he still alive? Has he seen your gallery? He, you
[00:30:17] Tommy: know, I, we friend very long time. You know me, you know, like sooner or later you become my friends . So that's the way I go. So yes, he did see my work a lot. He's still alive, he's not that old. He still, I drive by house sometime.
[00:30:33] Christi: That's nice.
[00:30:33] Tommy: I love to study.
[00:30:35] Christi: You love to study. I was gonna say, and you're very prolific. You paint a lot.
[00:30:41] Tommy: Actually, I learn also for myself too. You know, that sometime I keep, when you have the basic and you know, the construction you just start from there, you know?
[00:30:51] Tommy: And I just learn and I step back and I say, Hmm, I don't think that's really good. And then I come back and then I fix [00:31:00] it or and I just say, you know, they need more or less. And yeah, you screw up a lot of painting for sure.
[00:31:06] Christi: When you studied in Great Barrington with that teacher, were you working in oil then or were you working in
[00:31:11] Tommy: I always work in oils.
[00:31:13] Christi: You do? And do you know why? I
[00:31:15] Tommy: just loved the oil smells and somehow I sat in my mind the oil painting always more valuable forever. And for me, you know, the richness and the quality. . You look at the older antique paintings, like hundredth years, something, they still look beautiful just because oils, I believe.
[00:31:37] Tommy: I love watercolor also. But somehow I just engage with oil. I know oil is, are very difficult to handle sometime, but I love challenge .
[00:31:48] Christi: When you came to New York, I can imagine you had quite a bit of culture shock.
[00:31:54] Tommy: Yeah. Yeah. I think the more difficult is the language.
[00:31:59] Christi: The [00:32:00] language. Mm-hmm. , had you had lessons before or
[00:32:04] Tommy: When I came to the United States? I can tell it's zero. None. None, none. None. Wow. None. I can tell.
[00:32:12] Christi: None. So did you go to school? I mean, did, how did you Yes. Art is a language also, that's where I was kind of thinking of this, of, right.
[00:32:21] Christi: Like a way, a bridge in, you know, even now,
[00:32:25] Tommy: you know, my English, not, not correctly, but I think it's cute. .
[00:32:30] Christi: That's
[00:32:30] Tommy: where I can get away with. No, I, when I, we came and then they have some kind of the communities English school mm-hmm. and you go over there and then you know, some teacher there. I think most volunteer and they're teaching you are basic.
[00:32:47] Tommy: Something very easy. The problem is when you go into that communities, everybody in the same level, they're all non English speaking, [00:33:00] so we all moving very slow because everybody's
[00:33:03] Christi: same. I understand. Yeah. So you could, you didn't have people who were more advanced, who were helping you, bringing you to the next
[00:33:12] Tommy: level.
[00:33:12] Tommy: Yeah. Come in, you know, that It's way too basic. Way too basic.
[00:33:18] Christi: So tell me a story. Tell me about getting on the subway and like . Tell me your first art gallery in New York.
[00:33:28] Tommy: You know I live alone most of the time. I came to together, to United States, put together with my family, my father and, and four brothers.
[00:33:37] Tommy: But sooner or later I have a apartment, just the building next door. Mm-hmm. , but this, but, but me.
[00:33:45] Christi: Still in Queens.
Right?
[00:33:46] Tommy: In Queens, yeah. Right in the, the building here and there. That's I. Love, like again, I love music. I love culture. I love arts. And I'm alone a lot. So I work all the time. Go to school, this and [00:34:00] that.
[00:34:00] Tommy: I always have a backpack the backpack with me. Talk about music. I don't understand English, anything, but I went to the music store. They have so many section, you know, you can put the headphones on. You listen to one tape to another, do the testing before you buy the tape, right? Mm-hmm. Thing like that.
[00:34:19] Tommy: And I buy cheap ticket to go to see every Broadway show. And the good thing about you live in New York, . It's true. Yeah. And then did go to every movie. and then go to the museum and they just like look at the painting, one painting to another. Back in the old days, even now, I have no idea who the artist, who is the famous, who are not famous,
[00:34:46] Tommy: I mean that kind of culture is way too fancy for me in Vietnam. Way too fancy. So that's why when I come to New York, I had a lot, a lot million, a lot [00:35:00] reason to learn and, and so many option to learn also. And the culture did come to me. I come to me, I come to them, they come to me. And that's how I never want to leave New York because it's a really good state.
[00:35:16] Tommy: It's a really good city. Especially Manhattan and yeah, that's the good place. I always buy half price ticket Broadway. I see. From one Broadway to another ,
[00:35:29] Christi: People who haven't been to New York, sometimes they don't understand that in New York, you can get the most expensive thing and you can get the cheapest thing of the same quality like half price tickets to Broadway.
[00:35:43] Christi: And some people know about it and some people don't. But you can see wonderful, wonderful stuff like for absolutely a fraction of the cost. So why fashion? Why
[00:35:55] Tommy: fashion? I love to study and I love to learn all the different things and [00:36:00] they work for so many different jobs.
[00:36:02] Tommy: So in Vietnam, I also learning how to be a tailor.
[00:36:07] Tommy: You know? So if you want to have a shirt or trousers back then basically they don't have them have jeans there yet.
[00:36:16] Tommy: So I take measurements. in your figures. Mm-hmm. . And that's how we start cutting the garment. Ah, and sewing one garment at the time, you know, whoever order it. I see that
[00:36:28] Christi: kinda tailoring. Yeah. That
[00:36:30] Tommy: kinda tailor kind. You can make, you know, like jacket, suits and everything. Mm-hmm. , but everything by hands, you know, like sewing not, not here, you know, like they have electric sewing machine.
[00:36:41] Tommy: Right. That one. You know, you can, use by foot. Right, right. They're really nice. I mean, I love it, but they're always from Singer, you know, that's the brands. Right. And you, you do by the pattern, you know, you tap, tap your foot and then you roll in your hand. That's how you sewing in back then. Yeah. Tap the machine.
[00:36:58] Tommy: By now I have [00:37:00] all kind automatic machine and everything back then is by hands by hand. And that's, I think that's why in this day still I'm very good with the hand work. I confess I'm very bad with the technology and computer work, you know, but I'm always a table.
[00:37:15] Tommy: What? And perfect. So I am very good with sewing and fabric and fashion Honestly, because I hang out with my friends and his family, have two sister and his mother. They're all in the tailoring business in Got it. Vietnam. And they came here before us and they all work in fashion.
[00:37:39] Tommy: That's how they draw me into a fashion world and so I applied to study in FIT and then I study and I'm working at the same time. Work in a different company, different people, and that's how I,
[00:37:56] Christi: I work in fashion. That's great. So that's [00:38:00] the Fashion Institute of Technology on Seventh Avenue, right?
[00:38:04] Christi: Yeah. Yeah. FIT. Yep. That's a very good school and. From there. You still sew, right? I'm still So you still sew? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you're still connected to it, but you got into the high-end luxury salon business right? In coordination with the gallery, so well
[00:38:30] Tommy: say so it's fine. Well, I mean, luxury enough because I'm, I able to work with my own one customer at a time, like, you know mm-hmm.
[00:38:42] Tommy: Yeah. That can be a luxury. Mm-hmm. , so,
[00:38:45] Christi: yeah. But it's a luxury for your customers and
[00:38:48] Tommy: the customer. Yeah, but not, luxury for me, . But yes, I'm very happy what I'm doing. But you
[00:38:55] Christi: deliberately left the fashion world.
[00:38:58] Tommy: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. A [00:39:00] couple reason I really don't want to work in fashion anymore. In the fashion world, my major is the pattern production. So, so my job is a more work by hands. Everything by hand. You know, you work in the form, you work in the mannequin, you're cutting, you ironing, you're sewing, you're stitching, you're pinning all day long. So somehow my hand is kind of little bit hurt when I working on that.
[00:39:29] Christi: Oh, like carpal tunnel tunnels. Oh
[00:39:32] Tommy: yeah. You're holding the pins all day long and sometime like that, and it kind of little bit, kind of numb my finger . So that's why I. Feel like, I mean, if I don't have another option, I have to work in the fashion for sure, because like everybody else.
[00:39:48] Tommy: But another option is because, you know, we have the salon to build with my brother, with my family, so that I, I have an option. Like I go [00:40:00] home and I work my own, then I have my own boss and that's why I didn't freak it out. I fake out from the fashion world. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. But not like I don't want to, but and you know, sometimes thing happen.
[00:40:12] Tommy: But another reason also is I, I love,
[00:40:17] Tommy: I love, I love fashion.
[00:40:19] Tommy: And then I come back and they do a freelance because I was supposed to work for the Met the Metropolitan Opera in the costume department.
[00:40:28] Christi: You worked in the costume department.
[00:40:30] Tommy: I was supposed to. And then the September 11th came.
[00:40:34] Christi: Oh.
[00:40:35] Tommy: So, and I already was a member of the union and everything.
[00:40:39] Tommy: Wow. But you know, after the September 11 came and everything changed, all the theater closed. And so after that, 10 year later, there not nothing to recover either. Even the Broadway show and everything, it take forever. You remember? So they, they, they, they don't hire anybody, you know? [00:41:00] Mm-hmm. the show never make.
[00:41:01] Tommy: So that's why I I changing the career a little bit there. And I work freelance in fashion and then work with my family salon, . . When I move up to Hudson and didn't know what to do because I was so confused, you know what direction I want, I come up here.
[00:41:19] Tommy: I really want my goal was open. The boutiques, ah, shop,
[00:41:24] Christi: oh, fashion. I, I
[00:41:25] Tommy: want fashion. Fashion, you know, like selling clothes, all galleries. Mm-hmm. . But, you know, 15 years ago, our Hudson not that
[00:41:37] Christi: Hudson was very different 15 years ago.
[00:41:40] Tommy: Hudson, my friends said, no, please don't. If you open the, the clothes store and then boutique store, I don't think you're gonna last.
[00:41:49] Tommy: And so I have nothing else to do. So I just said, you know what, I'm gonna open the salons try out and see if it doesn't work. It doesn't work.
[00:41:58] Christi: And did you envision it [00:42:00] originally as also a gallery in
[00:42:03] Tommy: the beginnings? I have luckily they have a salon. They have two, two windows, two section in one shop.
[00:42:13] Tommy: So I, I divide half of the salon and half of the little galleries and so I start from there.
[00:42:20] Christi: You have a very high end clientele who I have to say Yeah, right. . Yes. Well, do you think they're not so high end up here in Hudson?
[00:42:32] Tommy: I try to be basic
[00:42:37] Christi: Well, you have a lot of people that love you, that I know.
[00:42:40] Tommy: I, yeah. I'm very lucky.