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AsiaLIFE volume 30

24 front

6 News & Events

storyboard

14 Q&A with Thet Sambath and

52 The Power of Your Inner Circle

Rob Lemkin

54 Summer's Out for School

16 Radar 17 Streetsmart: Le Quy Don 20 Photo Essay: Fred Wissink In the front of the book this month AsiaLIFE Phnom Penh writer Nora Lindström interviews documentary makers, Thet Sambath and Rob Lemkin about their newly released Khmer Rouge exposé and Tom Maresca takes us on a stroll down eclectic Le Quy Don. Fred Wissink experiments with blurred perspectives in this month’s photo essay.

feature

56 Skeeter Beaters Brett Davis takes to the horse track; the importance of finding a mentor is explained; child psychologist Daniel Hanh shares tips to reduce back-to-school stress and Alexandra Karina fights off mosquitoes with a holistic approach.

style & design

24 The Measure of a Modern 30 Growing Pains

Beth Young teams with TNS Market Research to gauge the aspirations of Vietnamese youth, while Thomas Maresca investigates the opportunities that are available to them.

the Old

Moped memories are revisited; vintage store Con Qua Den on Nguyen Trai is explored, as is Tracey Kociuruba Fashion Gallery’s unique brand of classic and timeless Eastern European-inspired style.

back

106 Map

34 In Pursuit of Panduranga

Our man in Mui Ne, Adam Bray hunts down Cham ruins and Tom DiChristopher discovers a serious fear of heights while zip lining through a Laotian jungle on the Gibbon Experience.

40 HCM City Hideouts 44 Floral Flavours 46 Sterling's Saigon

64 The List 104 Spotlight 112 The Essay

38 In the Land of Gibbons

food

58 Out With the New, In With 62 Divinity by Design

Generation

travel

50 Place Your Bets

114 Pub Quiz To sign off, we capture a glimpse of HCM City nightlife in Spotlight and challenge your general knowledge in the Pub Quiz. And, Brett Davis muses about frequent houseguests in The Essay.

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47 Ala Mezon 48 La Cafeteria de L'Usine 49 Bottoms Up We search the city for its most atmospheric and tucked away cafés, bars and restaurants; scope out the market for a bouquet of edible flowers; check out L’Usine’s new eatery La Cafeteria and French-Japanese lounge Ala Mezon before putting away some Hanoi-style bia hoi.

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note from the editor

Tom DiChristopher

Mick Jagger perhaps said it best when he sang, “You can’t always get what you want.” This is something that Vietnam’s youth may find out in the coming decades.

In this month’s feature section, deputy editor Beth Young and contributing editor Thomas Maresca contribute complimentary articles on the wants of and prospects for teenagers growing up in post-doi moi Vietnam.

They are a generation growing up with unprecedented access to wealth and the world beyond Vietnam. Indeed, the country is often portrayed as the next Asian tiger, still catching up to Thailand and Malaysia but well ahead of Cambodia and Laos.

In the abstract, Vietnam is a land of limitless possibility. In reality, caveats and qualifications loom on the horizon.

Read together, Beth and Tom’s articles illustrate this. For example, teenagers expressed that parents often push them into “hot” (re: prestigious) jobs in the focus groups organized by market research firm TNS Vietnam that Beth attended. However,

Tom’s research and interviews turned up evidence that suggests degrees in these fields do not necessarily qualify students to perform in their requisite duties.

What’s more, cultural notions of prestige are contributing to an over-valuation of degrees. Meanwhile, Vietnam lacks adequate skilled workers in part because vocational school is undervalued.

If Vietnam is to take advantage of the “demographic bonus” Tom explores in “Growing Pains,” change needs to happen sooner than later. That might mean re-orienting ideas about how Vietnam can continue to develop

and break the trend in Southeast Asia of stalling at lower-middle income status.

To do that, Vietnam and its youth might heed the second part of the Stones’ refrain: “But if you try sometime well you just might find / You get what you need.” With too few spots available to college hopefuls, it’s impossible for everyone to get what they want. It would seem that only through thoughtfulness and creativity will Vietnam’s youth be able to work within the context of this singular moment in the country’s history and fulfill their needs.

AsiaLIFE Seeks Editorial Intern AsiaLIFE is seeking an intern to support our editorial team. Our ideal intern has an educational background and/or some practical experience in writing, can commit to regular office hours and has an interest in publishing as a career. Duties include

writing short copy and articles, researching, factchecking and proofreading.

Demonstrated command of English-language usage and grammar is a must. Please send resumes to tom@asialifehcmc.com with “editorial intern” in the subject line.

Brett Davis

Cover

Brett Davis has been peddling words in one form or another for over a decade to support various addictions. Chief among these are French restaurants, single malt whisky and his wife; although not necessarily in that order. Brett has written for newspapers, magazines and television news in Australia, China and Vietnam, and has been called "one of the best journalists in our family" by his mother. He was recently acquired by a stray cat named TC.

Art Direction - 365 Days Creative Studio Photography - Fred Wissink Model - Michael Studebaker

Lolita Guevarra Lolita Guevarra comes from California and returns to writing after years in academic publishing. Although she misses working with brilliant yet neurotic professors, she embraces her new challenges of learning Vietnamese and navigating traffic. Upon finishing a stint as the English editor with Vietnamese News Agency in Hanoi, she relocated to HCM City and continues writing freelance. Her musings on life can be found at tuesdayzgone.blogspot.com.

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Find AsiaLIFE articles on

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volume 30

NEWS Bright Sparks Programme at ACG International School

Mums and tots are invited to join the ACG Bright Sparks programme. Every Tuesday from 8.15 to 9.45 am Pinar Nicholson leads fun, interactive and educational sessions for children aged between 1 and 3. It is a friendly environment for your kids to play and for you to learn about your child’s educational development while meeting other parents, and always finishes with morning tea. Bright Sparks is a free programme and is held at ACG International School located on the EastWest Highway, An Phu, District 2. Visit www.acgedu.com.

District 8 Debuts

HCM City-based design firm District 8 is set to open on September 10. With a strong industrial aesthetic and a focus on customization, District Eight creates clean, modern interior spaces while handcrafting and restoring both vintage and contemporary furniture. District Eight strives to preserve historically significant buildings and objects while creating modern furniture and sculptures. Raw materials, natural patinas, solid wood, and cast-iron provide the basis for a furniture line that is finished with custom exposed hardware and sealed with household wax. District Eight is currently developing a line of production furniture and

lighting aimed at consumers who appreciate a vintage look but are unable or unwilling to spend the time needed to source original antiques or other architecturally significant elements. The studio is located at 343-345 Binh Dong, Ward 11, District 8.

Electrolux Brings Latest in European Design to Vietnam

Scandinavian company Electrolux has introduced its newest design—the black and glossy Ebony Kitchen Collection— to Vietnam. Embodying the Electrolux design philosophy, the

showpiece range fuses the latest in European design with contemporary Asian style. The Ebony Kitchen Collection features streamlined black glass elements and includes appliances like a side-by-side or bottom-mount refrigerator, premium oven with touch on glass and 10 multifunctions, induction or gas cook top, dishwasher and a canopy range hood. Each piece showcases the latest in Electrolux technology with touch electronic controls, smooth flat panel doors all completed with a sleek black finish and complemented with stainless steel handles. Rather

Exclusive Mooncakes at Hotel Equatorial

Fashion Label Bonita Debuts

Fashion designer Silvia de Britto was a stylist in Brazil before moving to Vietnam. As such, she understands the art of putting a stylish, unique and elegant outfit together and has fashioned her label Bonita with that in mind. Each piece is tailor made and attention to detail reigns supreme. The designer works with the client to determine size and to select the best fabric (colour and pattern) to suit the garment. Once all the details are confirmed it then takes five to seven days for the piece to be created. Bonita designs cost between USD $20 to $60.

Email silvietfr@yahoo.fr to request a copy of her catalogue.

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To celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival Hotel Equatorial will prepare high-quality boxes containing four mooncakes, priced from 360,000 to 760,000 VND. Customers can choose from eleven different flavours including pandan lotus, tiramisu, blueberry blackcurrant cheese, low sugar yam gingko, mixed spices, green bean, roast chicken, puree lotus, green tea, red bean or lotus cheese. Hotel Equatorial is located at 242 Tran Binh Trong Street, District 5. To order call (08) 839 7777 ext.

8000 or email dine@hcm.equatorial.com

than hiding appliances, the stylish layout of the Ebony Kitchen Collection encourages them to be put on display, as unique and confident statement pieces.

Email elizabeth.png-reade@ electrolux.com for details.

Asian Buffet at the Sofitel Plaza

Every Thursday, the Sofitel Saigon Plaza’s executive chef David Thai will prepare an Asian Buffet at the hotel’s Café Rivoli.

Specialities from across the region will be on offer like NasiGoreng from Indonesia, Tom Yam Kum soup from Thailand and assorted sushi and sashimi from Japan, as well as dishes like chilly crab, Indian lamb curry and roasted Peking duck. A selection of Vietnamese sweets and seasonal fresh fruits are included, too, along with free flow of house wines, beers and soft drink. The Asian Buffet costs 750,000 VND ++ for adults and 350,000 VND for children aged between 5 and 11 and is free for younger kids. For further information or bookings call 3824 1555 or email fb@sofitelsaigon. com.vn.

Mekong Creations Opens to Benefit Disadvantaged Families Last month, Mekong Plus, the parent NGO of Vietnam Quilts, launched Mekong Creations, a new brand of locally produced household and gift items that

provide sustainable income and employment for women from poor rural regions of Vietnam and Cambodia. The range of paper mache, silk, bamboo and water hyacinth products,

New Accessories at Little Anh-Em Concept Shop

Little Anh-Em Concept Shop—a children’s store that stocks an original selection of brands from overseas—has introduced French label Bakker Made With Love. The accessories range includes pencil cases and schoolbags that are perfect for stylish kids heading back to school.

Little Anh-Em Concept Shop is located at 37 Thao Dien, An Phu, District 2. Call 0917 567 506 or visit www.littleanh-em.blog spot.com.

Saigon Shooters Recruits Netballers

RENAISSANCE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SAIGON

“I chose RISS for British education at its best” Mr. Rick Yvanovich - CEO of TRG International, Parent of Safena Yvanovich (Age 9)

Renaissance International School Saigon (RISS) is one of the premier international schools in Ho Chi Minh City providing a high quality British/International education that leads to the IB Diploma Programme. Students are able to develop their full potential in a stimulating, challenging and supportive environment, capable of becoming leaders in the global community and experts in their chosen fields upon graduation.

PRE-SCHOOL - PRIMARY - SECONDARY

IB Scholarship 2010-2011 50% discount on school fees available to IB Diploma students satisfying the scholarship criteria.

Please visit our website: www.rissaigon.edu.vn for full details.

Registration is now open for

Academic year 2010 - 2011 Saigon Shooters Netball has started their season, and invites any girls or ladies wanting to give netball a go, improve their fitness and make great friends. Open training sessions will be held every week, and include fitness, ball skills, netball drills and social games. It’s a mixed league and tournaments and tours are also on the agenda for this year. Come along every Wednesday from 7 pm to 8.30 pm for practice at the AIS Sport Center (Thao Dien, District 2). The cost is 100,000 VND per session. Email saigonshootersnetball@gmail.com for details

Pre-schools ( ages 2+ – 4+) Primary (ages 5+ – 10+) Secondary (ages 11+ – 17+)

NGUYEN THI THAP CAMPUS - PRE -SCHOOL, PRIMARY & SECONDARY Address: 74 Nguyen Thi Thap Street, Binh Thuan Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam asialife HCMC 7 Tel: (84-8) 377 33 171 - Fax: (84-8) 377 33 176 - Email: admission@rissaigon.edu.vn

as well as items produced for luxury French brand Terre d'Oc, are available at a flagship shop at 141 Bui Vien that returns all profits to the villages both directly in the form of salaries and indirectly in funding for community development projects.

Mekong Creations focus is to provide rewarding employment, increase family incomes and improve conditions for children in these remote communities.

Vietnamese Champs Advance to Faldo Series Asia Grand Final

Seventeen-year-old Ngo Bao Nghi has earned herself a return trip to the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final by successfully defending her title at the Faldo Series Vietnam Championship, played at the Nick Faldo designed Ocean Dunes Golf Club in Phan Thiet. Last year’s winner from Vung Tau got off to a flying start in her title defense, shooting a first round 75 on the par 72 links-style layout to open up a three shot lead over the rest of the field. Ngo’s main challenge on a windy day two came from

Do Le Gia Dat, 16, who followed up his first round 78 with a 77 to finish on 155, but Ngo was able to hold on with a 79 to finish one better on 154 and reclaim the trophy. As winners of the Girls’ and Boys’ Under-21 divisions, Ngo and Do will travel to Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China next March for the fifth Grand Final, an R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking event hosted by six-time Major winner Sir Nick Faldo.

Gaya Introduces Mirror Collection

Lifestyle shop Gaya has introduced an eclectic mix of cut glass mirrored products in minimalist black or white. The collection is inspired by the paired down, clean lines and fresh look of contemporary European designs and includes 12 different mirror designs; five vanity table designs and headboards; and smaller items such as jewellery boxes, vanity cases or bathroom accessories including soap dishes and toothbrush holders. Prices are from USD $25 to $780.

Saigon Star International School to Open in October

Saigon Star International School will open its new campus in District 2 next month after relocating from its previous District 1 location. The school offers a Cambridge University approved British primary curriculum as well as an integrated Montessori programme for nursery and kindergarten. Qualified and experienced teachers and small classes ensure that individual needs are met. The new location will include a computer lab, library, science lab, swimming pool and large fenced-in play area. For details call 3822 0341 or visit www.saigonstarschool. edu.vn.

La Maison de L’Apothiquaire Relocates

Traditional French day spa La Maison de L’Apothiquaire has relocated from its premises in the Eden building to 100 Mac Thi Buoi. Now, the spa has even more products available, namely the Erbaviva line, which includes nourishing beauty essentials

for mothers to be, babies and customers with extremely sensitive skin. Erbaviva has a huge celebrity following and also makes aluminum-free organic deodorant and Japanese blotting papers.

New Brand Stocked at Muse Boutique

Muse Boutique stocks street fashion from famous brands like True Religion, Rock & Republic, Seven For All Mankind and Tbags and has now added Cheap Monday, a youthful and mischievous label, to its collection. Visit Muse Boutique on level 1 at the Saigon Center, located at 65 Le Loi, District 1.

Mekong Merchant Offers Hot Deal for Teachers

Teachers who present their school identification and fill out a form at the Mekong Merchant located at 23 Thao Dien, An Phu will be given an incentive card that allows them 10 percent discount on all food and beverage. The Mekong Merchant also has happy hour daily from 4 pm to 7pm.

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New Musical Talent at Purple Jade

They’ll be safe in our hands

Visit Purple Jade, located on the first floor of the InterContinental Asiana, and enjoy the musical talents of Canadian singer, Karen Manion—a performer who has graced stages from London to Niagara and across Southeast Asia. While she performs, your first cocktail at Purple Jade is complimentary and 15 percent will be deducted off your total beverage bill.

The InterContinental Asiana is located at the corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan in District 1.

Mooncakes at Windsor Plaza Hotel

Our smallest patients - respecting their needs is our biggest concern Our three Full-time Pediatric Specialists are on hand for all your childrens medical needs • Primary pediatric emergency responses • Routine childhood development assessment • Post natal examinations • Immunisation advice • Vaccination • Nutritional counselling • New mother support • Pre-school check-ups Family Medical Practice HCMC Diamond Plaza: 34 Le Duan Street, District 1, HCMC For appointments and emergency care 24 hours: (84 8) 3822 7848

Through September 22 the Windsor Plaza Hotel will prepare mooncakes. Fillings include white lotus seeds; green bean; coconut and green tea or more exotic flavours like shark fin or roast chicken. The mooncakes are 108,000 VND per piece.

Rich icecream mooncakes are on offer, too, for 48,000 VND each. Orders can be placed online at www.windsorplazahotel. com/mooncake.

www.vietnammedicalpractice.com

Your health. Our care.

• Emergency Medicine • Medical Evacuations • General Practice • Internal Medicine • Pediatrics • Obstetrics & Gynecology • Orthopedic & Trauma Surgery • Cardiology • ENT • Tropical Medicine HCMC • Radiology • Imaging • Ambulance Service • In-house Laboratory asialife • Acupuncture • First 9Aid Training • Child Birth Education • Saigon International Mother Baby Association • Medical Check-ups

EVENTS Thirsty Thursdays Tourism Industry Networking

Thirsty Thursday, Southeast Asia’s biggest tourism industry networking event, returns to HCM City on September 16, 6 pm at Roof Garden Saigon at Kumho Plaza (next to Intercontinental Saigon). The event, organized by Saigon Tourism Industry Networking Group and Travel Daily Asia, features complimentary beer provided by Tiger Beer, complimentary wine provided by The Warehouse and free snacks/soft drinks provided by the venue and sponsored by TRG International/eHotel Alliance. There will also be a lucky draw with prizes donated by Life Resorts, Victoria Hotels, Bhaya Cruises, Duxton Hotel, Petit Fute, The Boathouse and Come & Go Vietnam. Entrance is free of charge to anyone working in the tourism and hospitality industry, while non-tourism guests can enter for a nominal 100,000 VND fee. For more information, please contact Tim Russell on tim@comeandgovietnam.com, telephone 0903 393 723.

EuroCham Seminar on WTO & Vietnam

On Tuesday, September 7, Eurocham will host a seminar to demystify a major component of Vietnam’s impending World Trade Organization commitments for international businesspeople.

“CISG – The Rule of Law”

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focuses on the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), one of the most widelyrecognized conventions in the world with 74 contracting states.

While Vietnam will soon become a member of CISG, most organizations and enterprises in Vietnam don’t know much about the CISG. This half-day seminar will explain and introduce the main contents of the CISG. The

Clearance Sale at Tracey Kociuruba Fashion Gallery

Selected T-shirts, shorts, jumpsuits and dresses from Australian fashion designer Tracey Kociuruba’s last collection will be on sale for USD $5 to $15 on September 11 and 12.

Tracey Kociuruba Fashion Gallery is located on the 2nd floor at 43 Ton That Thiep, District 1.

event is free of charge and will take place at 11.30 am at Kim Do Hotel, 133 Nguyen Hue, District 1.

Jack Canfield Seminar at Equatorial Prolific author and success guru Jack Canfield will arrive in HCM City on September 29 at the Equatorial Hotel to present his

seminar “Breakthrough Results in Work and Life.” During the fullday event, Canfield will instruct the audience on how to apply his trademark concepts: The Success Principles and the Law of Attraction. The aim is to empower audience members to build resilience and develop the core competencies required to thrive and achieve peak performance

Unicorn Girls and The Melodramas at the Hard Rock Café

Through September 15, lady rockers, the Unicorn Girls will perform nightly (except Thursdays) at the Hard Rock Café. On September 2, UK-phenomenon, punk rock outfit The Melodramas will play with support from Vietnamese funk reggae band 6789. Entry is 100,000 VND. The Hard Rock Café is located in the Kumho Asiana Plaza (39 Le Duan, District 1). Call 6291 7595 or email info@hardrockcafe.vn.

even in the most challenging and turbulent times. Discounted group registration fees and halfprice scholarship packages for full-time nonprofit and education staff will also be made available.

Email itdhcmc@itdworld.com or visit www.itdworld.com for more information.

Villa Anupa in An Phu

Throughout September Villa Anupa Boutique will retails its products in selected locations in An Phu. A different country or region has inspired each collection and the venues have been selected to reflect this. The idea is to follow Villa Anupa on a worldwide expedition as the boutique travels throughout An Phu. Villa Anupa Boutique will display their wares from 9 am to 2 pm in the following locations: • Morocco collection: Wednesday September 1 at 67 Xuan Thuy.

• Bali collection: Friday September 10 at Saigon Village, poolside at the Villa Hotel, 195 Nguyen Van Huong.

•

French Riviera collection: Friday September 17 at Blu Bar and Grill Restaurant, 53 Vo Truong Toan.

• Indochina collection: Friday September 24, Saigon Village, The Villa Hotel.

Villa Anupa Boutique is located at 17/27 Le Thanh Ton, District 1. Call 3825 7307, email anupaboutiquevietnam@anupa.net or visit www.anupa.net for details.

CanCham Pancake Breakfast & Health Insurance Seminar

Alice in the Wonderland: The Charity Cabaret

On Saturday September 11 from 7.30 pm the Sheraton Hotel will host an Alice in Wonderlandthemed charity cabaret to raise money for a charity that is selected from a list of applicants.

There will be live entertainment from DanCenter and a DJ will play late into the night. Attendees are encouraged to come in fancy dress, however it’s not required. Tickets are USD $90.

For availability call 0908 360 004 or 0903 736 459, email charitycabaret@gmail.com or visit www.charitycabaret.com.

On Thursday September 9, the CanCham will host a pancakes ‘n’ Maple Syrup Breakfast and seminar entitled “Health Insurance: Do’s and Don’ts” at 7.30 am at Jaspa’s, 33 Dong Khoi, District 1. Gary E. H. Dawson, general director of Blue Cross Vietnam, will cover the best way for a person to use health insurance, some of the areas to consider when reviewing your insurance and the basics of what health insurance does and what it doesn’t do. All attendees must register in advance through the CanCham office by contacting Ms. Nhung at hcmc@canchamvietnam.org or 3824-3754. The cost is 200,000 VND for CanCham members, 250,000 for non-members.

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Black Virgin Mountain Hike

Oktoberfest at the Windsor Plaza Hotel

The Windsor Plaza Hotel and the German Business Association have teamed up to bring Oktoberfest to Saigon for the 19th year running. Last year’s festival saw over 12,000 guests converge on the hotel and this year organizers expect even more beer lovers to attend. As such, another day has been added to the festival. This year the event will run from 6.30 pm on Friday October 8 to Sunday the 10th and again from Wednesday the 13th to Saturday the 16th. Native Bavarian band, Trenkwalder will return for the third year to entertain the crowd with traditional songs and a delectable spread of German delicates like sausages, sauerkraut, pork knuckle and pretzel will be available. What’s more, each guest will receive a free souvenir beer stein. Tickets for Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday are 600,000 VND and Friday and Saturday costs 750,000 VND. Ages 18 and up only. For ticket information and volume discounts call 0904 909 633 or visit www.oktoberfestvietnam.com.

Vietnam Swans Grand Final Party

On September 25, Australian Rules football team the Vietnam Swans will host their AFL Grand Final Party at La Cantine Onthe6 (6 Dong Khoi, District 1). Kick off is at 9 am and the event includes drinks, Aussie meat pies and face painting for the kids. There will also be an auction and raffles.

A limited number of early bird tickets are available for 650,000 VND for adults and 300,000 VND for kids under 18 and can purchased at the Commonwealth Bank (65 Nguyen Du, District 1) or AUSTRADE (5F Landmark Building). Tickets at the door will cost 750,000 VND for adults and 350,000 VND for kids under 18.

Children under five can enter for free. For details call Jo on 0906 615 958, email vietnamswans@ gmail.com or visit www.vietnamswans.com.

On Saturday, September 25, outdoor adventure company Viet Adventure will host the 2nd annual Black Virgin Mountain Hike, a challenging trek through a rugged, outstanding landscape of bush land. The hike is open to experienced and novice sportsmen and women alike, with a pre-climb 25km mountain bike race on difficult off-road terrain open to skilled cyclists. The hike is being marketed as “an event without a trace,” with proceeds from the race going towards clean up on the mountain. Black Virgin Mountain is located in Tay Ninh Province, roughly 150km from HCM City. For event registration and details, visit www. vietadventure.vn.

Booking for private parties, weddings, and corporate events.

78 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Binh Thuan Province T: +84 (0) 62 374 1122/ 3 www.sankaravietnam.com

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Electrolux designers are inspired by your passions.

Electrolux Design Department

Pernilla Johansson

Your passion for serving only the freshest food is what inspires us to design better refrigerators. We take the time to deeply understand our consumers’ homes and lifestyles before we begin, creating new appliances that win your trust, and win you compliments.

View our online catalogue at www.electrolux.co.th Founded in Sweden

dispatches

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Travel Deal: Moviemaking Weekend at Opposite House, Beijing

The Deal: The Opposite House in Beijing has partnered with Apple and Canon to launch Suitcase Cinema, a weekend package through December that gives amateur moviemakers the resources to create their own films with the hotel as a backdrop.

The Setting: The Opposite House is located in Sanlitun Village—a vibrant new open-plan shopping, dining and entertainment precinct. The hotel’s studio rooms are decorated with natural wooden flooring and accentuated with subtle Chinese décor. The space, matched with the historical landmarks that surround it, provides a blank canvas for amateur film crews to bring their ideas to fruition.

The Verdict: The just over USD $400 price tag includes breakfast for two, bicycle rental, a limited edition Short Stays DVD featuring movies shot at the Opposite House by Chinese directors and use of the hotel’s Studio 70, fitted with a 24-inch iMac and Canon camcorder. For details, visit www.theoppositehouse.com. Beth Young

YourSingapore.com Launches

The Singapore Tourist Board has long hosted probably the best and most functional destination website in Southeast Asia, but STB recently transformed its web presence with the launch of a new brand: YourSingapore. Evolving from the UniquelySingapore.com portal, YourSingapore.com continues to offer comprehensive information, but the site’s new architecture incorporates more intuitive browsing via an eye-catching checkerboard gallery that highlights sights and attractions that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. The centrepiece trip-planning utility also contributes to a more convenient experience. Users can now save events and city listings while browsing, then navigate to the trip-planner and arrange selected items into an itinerary, with the option of dragging and dropping from saved and suggested listings windows. A mapping option also allows you to find attractions, shopping, hotels, dining and entertainment in the vicinity. Tom DiChristopher

Grease Hits Hong Kong

From October 4 to 21, the international cast of the West End production of Grease takes the stage at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts for a limited engagement of the much-loved musical. Featuring a 25-member cast, 142 costume changes and songs from both the original stage show and blockbuster film adaptation, this new production is a lavish revival of the classic 1950s tale of school days at Rydell High, where the T-Birds and Pink Ladies hold court as the coolest kids in school. It’s a rare opportunity to indulge in West End theatre without making the trans-continental flight.

Ticket prices start at HK $350 (USD $45), with shows held Tuesday through Sunday. Visit www.lunchbox-productions.com for more information. Tom DiChristopher

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Taipei Biennial 2010

Beginning September 7, the 2010 Taipei Biennial begins its two-month engagement at the Taipei Arts Museum. Since 1998, the Biennial has been organized by a two-person team comprised of a Taiwanese and foreign curator. This year, cocurators Tirdad Zolghadr and Hongjohn Lin abandon the traditional exhibition theme and seek instead to address the problematic nature of the biennial format with a programme that asks whether the format can be applied “more precisely, more effectively, for everyone involved." To provide an answer, the curators will involve the artists in a wider process as co-curators and seek to build on ideas and projects from previous Taipei Biennials. Throughout the engagement, independent spaces in Taiwan will host satellite events, and “critical companions” are invited to voice interventions. For more information visit www.tfam.museum.

Tom DiChristopher

Bangkok International Festival of Music and Dance

From September 11 through October 24, Bangkok hosts the 12th Annual International Festival of Dance and Music. Thailand’s premier international arts event, the festival will present 17 stage productions by artists and theatres from Argentina, Canada, Switzerland, Israel, Cuba, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Korea, Sweden and Russia. Among the performances are La Boheme, Cinderella, Swan Lake, A Christmas Carol and Carmina Burana.

In addition to ballet and opera, festival-goers can enjoy salsa, tango, jazz, modern and ethnic dance and classical music. Also premiering this year is Boris Tishchenko’s “Requiem Æternam for Princess Galyani," a special commission in memory of King Bhumibol’s elder sister, the festival’s patron until her death in 2008. For ticketing, schedules and more information, visit www. bangkokfestivals.com. Tom DiChristopher

Thet Sambath and Rob Lemkin A personal journey to uncover the horrors of the Khmer Rouge becomes a powerful, landmark documentary in Enemies of the People. Nora Lindström talks to filmmakers Thet Sambath and Rob Lemkin.

Enemies of the People is the culmination of years of hard work and gaining the confidence of former Khmer Rouge cadre. How do you feel now that it is done?

Thet Sambath: I feel very happy. When I got all this done I felt like we are all lucky to have these interviews from Khmer Rouge cadre and especially from Nuon Chea, Brother Number Two. If we had gone to trial without these interviews we would have missed all this information... I feel happy and lucky for all people.

Did completing the film and releasing it to the public bring you closure?

TS: Yes, it did. Everything that I have done is for the new generation and for the Cambodian people. When the people get more information good things between people can happen. Like reconciliation, people learn not to take revenge and instead people will find out how to resolve the problem. That is my dream for 16 asialife HCMC

the future. But at the beginning when I started investigating I just wanted to know what was behind the killing of so many people. The Khmer Rouge leaders, especially the top leaders, always refute that they killed the people. The Cambodian people are unhappy with the answers from the top Khmer Rouge. But because we get confessions from them, people can get peace.

The film features unprecedented confessions by former Khmer Rouge cadre, especially Nuon Chea. How did you manage to get them to talk?

TS: It was hard, I tried for many years. It was a step-bystep process. I’ve known some of these people for five or 10 years. I knew that these people had experience with the Khmer Rouge, that they killed people.

But they had never confessed, because they felt embarrassed and uncomfortable. But I knew about these people and that’s why I tried to get close to them.

When we get close to each

other and trust each other, then everything will come out, the truth will come out. So I got everything.

Rob Lemkin: In the film Sambath says many times “I am not from the court, tell me the truth.” For years people have been coming to the Khmer Rouge, from Pol Pot all the way down to the killers from the countryside, to say “I accuse you, I have evidence you did this”. And [the killers] immediately react to that by saying “I don’t know anything about it. I did nothing.” Sambath’s approach to the whole thing is completely different. His approach is very, very, careful, even respectful. Surprisingly respectful toward people who many in the world would regard as not worthy of any kind of respect. He does not come in any spirit of accusation. He comes in the spirit of trying to say, “I know what you were involved with was very great and terrible. Tell me what you know and tell what you did.” That is such a different

attitude from the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), which is a criminal justice procedure that simply seeks to get guilty verdicts. That is why that kind of process is extremely limited by comparison to the kind of work that Sambath is doing. My personal view is that the ECCC will do nothing towards socially reconstructing the country and that what Sambath is doing represents something far more inspiring and positive.

Was the potential of Sambath’s material immediately obvious to you?

RL: Sambath had started to film interviews with Nuon Chea and some other people who are in the film about one or two months before we met back in September 2006 when I came to do a film about the Khmer Rouge trial. Initially Sambath was working for me as a fixer, but over the coming months we joined forces. For a while I was still trying to do a film about the trial, but then

I became less interested in that. Then I realized Sambath had a relationship with Nuon Chea, and he told me about his relationship with people in the countryside, and I thought that was more interesting. So it wasn’t an immediate thing. It was gradual. After about seven or eight months from when we started filming, not with Nuon Chea but with the killers in the countryside, that’s when I realized we had a film. Because although the interviews with Nuon Chea are the ones that are newsworthy, the heart of the film really is the relationship with the ordinary people who were involved in this chain of killing.

The documentary has met with a lot of success, including winning the Special Jury Prize at Sundance and the Grand Jury Award at the Full Frame Documentary Festival. Did you expect so much international publicity and acclaim?

RL: To be honest, no. When we started right at the beginning,

it looked like it was just going to be a half an hour programme for British TV which would have been finished a long time ago. And maybe even forgotten about a long time ago too. Gradually, it became possible to widen the scope of the film so that it had more profound content. The universal aspect of the story—of good and evil, of repentance, of the horror of mass killings, and the idea of a victim coming to see the people who destroyed his world as a child and coming in a genuinely open and almost tolerant sprit in the interest of getting a deeper story, a deeper truth out of it all—that has got a wider theme. It’s not just about Cambodia and I think that’s why the film–in pretty much every country–has been so well received and won prizes.

The documentary’s screening in Cambodia took place just before Duch’s verdict was anticipated. Was this your plan?

RL: Yes. It was intentional to

have it around this time. The court has tried to subpoena the film as evidence in the case against Nuon Chea. We’ve resisted that and have come under some criticism from the court for that because I don’t think they have appreciated the nature of proper journalism.

When you have a relationship with someone who is giving you some very vital information, you get that information from the person on a certain basis. You can’t then turn around to a court process and hand over that information to them. They’ve accused us of letting the Khmer Rouge walk free. Our line would be that if you have 2 million dollars, which is 1.99 million more than we have, you can do your work and get your own information.

It’s not our problem if you can’t convict these people.

[The court] is not interested in reconciliation. They’re not interested in seeing this society go forward in any kind of way.

We’re showing it here now partly also because it is opening

next week in America, and we wanted to release it here before anywhere else because this is the most important place. We originally wanted to show it earlier but the government refused us permission. Ideally we would have showed it in a big cinema with thousands of Cambodians coming to see it, but we didn’t get permission to do that. In the future we would like to show the film around the Cambodian countryside. Even the guys who did the killings want the film to be shown all around Cambodia.

What do you hope audiences, especially Khmer viewers, will take away from the film?

TS: I think that after they see the film they will get some knowledge and some people can understand and they can feel better from the confession.

Because for many years it has been hard to get confessions, especially from Khmer Rouge leaders and the people who did the killings. I’m waiting for their reactions. asialife HCMC 17

radar The Selby is in Your Place www.theselby.com What can a spigot, doorframe or bookshelf say about the occupant of a home? A lot, thinks Todd Selby. Since 2008, Selby has been pulling back the curtain on some of the coolest living and working spaces in the world and building a name for himself as an alchemist of portrait, interior and fashion photography on his website www.theselby.com. The Details photo assistantturned-phenom began capturing friends in their New York residences, but once word got out, invitations from the hipsterati of home decor began pouring in. His portfolio has since grown to include spaces occupied by cultural luminaries like Tom Wolfe and Robert Longo and fashion icons such as Alexander Wang and Karl Lagerfeld. Selby’s approach has also earned him contracts with the likes of Louis Vuitton and high profile commissions, including a gig shooting New York Magazine’s entire 2009 design issue. Not bad for a dude with a camera. Check out @theselby for tweets on his latest home invasions. Tom DiChristopher

Fake AP Stylebook @FakeAPStylebook AP Stylebook: /n/ a guide to style and grammar that serves as the newspaper industry standard in the United States. Fake AP Stylebook: /n/ a Twitter feed that should be regarded as the standard for absolutely nothing—except linguistic one-liners, satirical citations and precedent puns. That said, you don’t have to know how to wield a semi-colon to enjoy Fake AP Stylebook.

Throughout the week, the Fake AP tweeters dispatch dubious advice along the lines of, “‘Men’s room’ should contain an apostrophe. And a urinal.” and “Remember to end every sentence in your sports column with a healthy ‘booyah!’” The advice is courtesy of the Bureau Chiefs (www.thebureauchiefs.com), a band of journalists, writers, artists, graphic designers and other like-minded satirists and pop culture commentators. For anyone who's ever wanted a view into editorial office culture, this is basically it, folks: jokes about homophones. (Maybe we should have gone into advertising. It looks so sexy on Mad Men.) Tom DiChristopher

ThinkGeek: Stuff for Smart Masses www.thinkgeek.com These days, geek is a lifestyle, not a putdown. ThinkGeek has absolutely everything for the discriminating techno-nerd. There are plenty of novelty items, like the Annoy-a-tron (six irritating sounds including cricket chirping and electronic grating), a BeerBot bottle opening T-shirt—even a whole section dedicated to zombies and bacon. There’s also an array of products on offer that could actually come in handy. The mini filing cabinet, which at a petite 6.5 inches can fit more than 800 business cards, is just one example.

Customers can also sign up for an incentive programme and redeem Geek points for dorky gadgets, apparel and edible treats (wasabi-flavoured gumballs, anyone?). There’s an interactive element, too. Readers are encouraged to send in their own Techie Haikus (Told my boss swine flu / but I really came down with / Modern Warfare 2) and self-portraits with ThinkGeek products.

Suitable even for non-geeks. Beth Young

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Le Quy Don packs a lot into a limited space—restaurants, sightseeing and a lively nighttime atmosphere among some beautiful old colonial homes. Thomas Maresca explores. Photos by Jay Zhang.

Le Quy Don extends from the northern end of the Reunification Palace a scant six blocks to Vo Thi Sau (where it meets the Women’s Museum, 202 Vo Thi Sau). Like other streets in this immediate area of District 3, Le Quy Don is home to a large proportion of wellpreserved old colonial buildings. It also stands out for its concentration of restaurants, including some of the most popular in town, and it shares a corner with one of HCM City’s top tourist attractions. A frenzy of construction is going on, with a couple of large new restaurants being built and residential buildings going up, so this information may be in need of an updating sooner rather than later. Like all of HCM City, really.

Mini-You 3 Le Quy Don Looking for a unique and slightly ridiculous gift for a friend or loved one? How about a miniature figurine in their likeness? All it takes is a photo, and in two to three weeks, Mini-You will supply a hand-sculpted, caricaturized version of your lucky friend, doing any of a wide range of activities—from watching TV to playing golf to chilling on a yacht to getting married. The choice is yours. Prices start at around 1.1 million VND.

War Remnants Museum 28 Vo Van Tan Probably the first stop on any tourist’s itinerary in HCM City, the War Remnants Museum offers a slightly faded but stillpoignant accounting of the war with America. The spoils of said war await visitors in the exterior courtyard of the compound, from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to an M-48 tank to a massive 155 mm Howitzer. The interior of the main building is devoted to photographs and artefacts of the war, with special emphasis on atrocities such as the massacre at My Lai and the damage done by Agent Orange (this used to be called the War Crimes Museum, after all).

The Requiem exhibit, a moving tribute to the photojournalists from every side who died covering the war, is a highlight.

A temporary exhibition, Vietnam’s Post-War Recovery, is currently on display, featuring before-and-after photos of cities and towns that were damaged during the war and have since been rebuilt. If nothing else, the museum is a powerful reminder of how far Vietnam has come since the dark days of the war.

WE Lounge 172H Nguyen Dinh Chieu Open for four months now, this slick glass-walled establishment features a ground-floor restaurant, a first-floor lounge, asialife HCMC 19

and a top floor entertainment venue. The restaurant, bright and decked out in futuristic white plastic, features several varieties of bun noodles at reasonable prices. The lounge goes for the opposite vibe—dark and sleek, with black furniture and moody curtains. The entertainment space holds performances on the weekends, usually of well-known Vietnamese singers such as Hoang Bach. Admission is 100,000 VND, or 200,000 VND for VIP seating. A glass elevator with views over the street transports visitors between floors. WE is affiliated with its neighbour further up the street, Pho Ta. Ngoc Suong Restaurant 17 Le Quy Don This seafood staple is celebrating its 55th anniversary, a rare feat of longevity for any Vietnamese institution. The original restaurant was started in Cam Ranh and there are now several locations around the country. The Le Quy Don location is run by the founder’s grandson Alan, who returned to Vietnam from St. Tropez nine years ago and brought some of the French Riviera back with him. Ngoc Suong is meant to evoke a Mediterranean open-air plaza, complete with canopied bistro fronts and an enormous wall-size print of a seaside promenade. Live seafood, music nightly and frequent parties and events keep the large outdoor space always lively and always full. A sister restaurant, Marina, 20 asialife HCMC

is right around the corner at 172 Nguyen Dinh Chieu and offers more of an indoor, fine-dining experience.

Pho Ta 12-14 Le Quy Don From the owners of well-known Bun Ta, comes the newer Pho Ta, specializing in—you guessed it— pho. This is no ordinary noodle soup, though—the menu is the creation of a celebrity chef, Dang Tuyet Mai. Mai is the ex-wife of Nguyen Cao Ky, who served as Prime Minister of South Vietnam from 1965 to 1967, and then as Vice President until his retirement in 1971. She was well-known as a glamorous figure in pre-1975 Saigon. After the war, Mai became a singer in the United States (her daughter is also a well-known performer in the Vietnamese series “Paris

by Night”), before returning to Vietnam to sing and make pho.

The restaurant is connected with WE down the street (“ta” means “we” in Vietnamese).

Nguyen Thuy Salon-Spa 18 Le Quy Don A cool and laid-back salon and spa catering to a fashionable local crowd. Three floors cover hair, nails, facials and spa and massage treatments in a pleasant space bedecked with natural woods and stone. A hair and nail package is 495,000 VND and a body spa package costs 627,000 VND. Their specialty is the candle massage, a wax treatment exclusively found at Nguyen Thuy (400,000 VND).

To create an even more inviting environment, the staff makes it a policy of not accepting tips.

Nha Tang Le 25 Le Quy Don Where do the powerful and well-connected go when they die? They make a stop here at Nha Tang Le, a viewing house/ memorial site for recently deceased VIPs. The massive structure blends temple architecture with Soviet-style grandiosity.

Spice Restaurant 27 Le Quy Don Get your toms, yams and kaengs at this popular Thai restaurant, open since 2003. The multilevel restaurant has a Middle Eastern tinge to the décor and features mosaic tilework (no apparent reason, but it’s an attractive enough space). The magazinelike menu features around 100 dishes, from traditional to more fusion-like creations; on Thursdays a lunch buffet is available for 100,000 VND. Duc Minh Art Gallery 31 Le Quy Don This small private museum holds pieces from the collection of Duc Minh (1920-1983), one of Vietnam’s first and foremost 20th-century collectors of art. The Hanoi-based Minh frequently lent pieces to the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts, but during many tumultuous years of war he was forced to keep most of his collection under wraps. As the museum’s biography rather poetically puts

it: “Like an underwater iceberg, [the collection] indolently drifted on to its destination against the current of time and worldly affairs.” Duc Minh’s collection, maintained by his son, has surfaced on Le Quy Don, where visitors can view and buy the primarily traditional works.

Dolezza House Fashion and Coffee 26A Le Quy Don The coffee part of the equation is closed indefinitely, but the fashion side of Dolezza is still going strong. With all designs by label owner Nguyen Thanh Van, Dolezza offers women’s wear in a range of colours from subdued grays to bright purples. Shirts, pants and dresses feature pleats, ruffles and lots of attention to detail. Sample prices: pants, 567,00 VND; top, 479,000 VND; dress, 789,000 VND. Au Manoir De Khai 251 Dien Bien Phu Set behind high walls on the grounds of a glorious old colonial mansion, Au Manoir de Khai is but one brick in the many-faceted Khai Silk empire of restaurants, fashion and retail and residential developments.

Traditional French cuisine is on the menu here, with prices to match the pumped-up luxury

of the setting. Set dinners range from USD $60 to $85. Seating is available in the outside garden or in the dark, plush, interior “with a hint of bordello style,” as their website advertises.

Quan Cay Tre 37 Le Quy Don This restaurant offers a quanlike menu, but in a much more stylish setting than the usual fluorescent lights-and-metal table aesthetic. Here it’s all about vines, exposed bricks, wooden beamwork and dim lighting, giving this indooroutdoor space a truly inviting atmosphere. One end of the restaurant features a lush bamboo garden (cay tre means bamboo). The house specialty is Vung Tau-style banh khot, mini savoury pancakes with shrimp.

Children’s House of HCMC / Hoang Thai Thanh Theatre 36 Le Quy Don By day, the Children’s House of HCMC offers classes, sports and recreational activities from martial arts instruction to chess clubs. In the evening, the main facility is a live theatre, with rotating performances twice a week of dramas and comedies and programmes for adults and kids. Tickets are 90,000 to 100,000 VND.

Meet Your Street

Le Quy Don (1726-1784) was a philosopher, poet, government official and one of the most prolific savants of 18th-century. His writings include Vietnam’s largest encyclopedia (the nine-volume Van Dai Loai Ngu), a 30-volume history of Vietnam through the Le Dynasty and a large collection of verse. Le Quy Don was born in what is modern-day Thai Binh Province, in the Red River Delta region. There are several schools named after him, including Le Quy Don Technical University in Hanoi, and a junior high school on this very street (2 Le Quy Don).

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22 asialife HCMC

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YOUTH THE MEASURE OF A MODERN GENERATION Young Vietnamese are growing up in modernity’s clasp——changing times that challenge their traditional notions about what they should and can desire. AsiaLIFE teamed with market research company TNS Vietnam to develop an understanding of what the new generation of youth really wants. By Beth Young. Photos by Fred Wissink. Breakout text courtesy of TNS Vietnam's Topline Findings.

asialife HCMC 25

Young people are UNCERTAIN of what the future could bring in terms of

entertainment. They are more reliant on BEING INTRODUCED to new things rather than seeking them.

In the summer of 2002, a prominent multinational company commissioned AsiaLIFE’s parent company, 365 Days Creative Studio, to produce a documentary called “Youth.”

The goal of the project was to determine what made young Vietnamese people tick, to gain an insight into their ambitions and aspirations. In essence, to find out what they wanted.

The agency’s creative director took to the streets of HCM City to find answers. He didn’t get many. As it turned out, the majority of young people he approached didn’t want much. They cited financial security and employment as priorities but were at a loss when asked what else they desired. The Survey Assessment of Vietnamese Youth conducted by the Government Statistics Office in 2003 backs up his findings. Then, 49.6 percent

Even after MOVING

out, children still expect to play a role in SUPPORTING their parents and broader family.

26 asialife HCMC

of respondents listed employment as their first aspiration and 23.6 percent hoped for economic and financial security. The creative director attributed the results to the fact that these kids didn’t know exactly what was available to them prior to the world wide web taking hold. Without a steady income, they couldn’t afford to indulge in expensive leisure activities and travel anyhow.

The proliferation of Internet access throughout Vietnam and increased exposure to foreign content has surely dared young people to think beyond a stable income and a nine-to-five job. What’s more, Vietnam’s movement towards middle income status means Vietnamese youth should have more access to money and therefore more choices.

AsiaLIFE teamed with TNS Market Research to do a re-evaluation, to gauge the perspective of Vietnamese youth today and to determine if any of these assertions stuck.

To do this, two focus groups were organized: one in HCM City and the other in Hanoi, each comprising six teenagers aged between 15 and 19.

The participants in both groups were diverse. They ranged from Class A economic backgrounds—that is their families earn 13.5 million to 20 million VND per month—to Class B, whose parents bring in an average 6.5 to 13.5 million VND, and the decidedly less wealthy Class C, whose households make do with 4.5 to 6.5 million VND. Most came from traditional nuclear families, but one girl from HCM City was an oddity—her parents were divorced.

On the whole, the Saigonese and Hanoians shared similar viewpoints. However, the southerners were considerably more

The family unit in Vietnam is central to DAILY LIFE and the core from which

a broader sense of COMMUNITY responsibility is derived. open about some topics—namely sex and relationships—than their conservative northern peers. Regardless, each member brought interesting and relevant ideas to the table.

And, with a population that reached 85.8 million last year, of which the United Nations estimates more than half are under the age of 25, understanding Vietnamese youth has never been more important.

FAMILY Familial ties run deep in Vietnam and the results from both focus groups reflected this.

Without exception, each of the participants feels obligated to “repay” their parents—for housing, educating and feeding them—by supporting them financially later in life. Many of the respondents, especially the girls, even felt the need to acquire a part-time job in addition to their studies to ease financial pressure on their parents.

While the sense of familial responsibility is overwhelmingly apparent, the boys especially also yearn for independence and wish to live outside the family home as adults. Dung, an 18-year-old boy from HCM City talked about his home where he lives with his extended family. He mentioned that living in such close quarters led to frequent and heated arguments between family members, adding that privacy was difficult to come by. He said that if he came home late he ran the risk of disrupting his family and getting in trouble.

Moving out, he said, would give him more freedom.

The girls were far more dependent on their parents, but most said they would probably move in with their husbands’ family after marriage. Loc, a 16-year-old high school student, cited her fear of ghosts as her primary reason

for staying at home until then. “If I move out I fancy I can die,” she said.

There’s a real tug-of-war taking place.

Young Vietnamese are split between traditional family loyalty and a desire for independence and freedom. Many spoke about moving into their own home after marriage and raising their own families, rather than living in a multi-generational household. Still, they appreciate the advantages of living at home, too, where responsibilities like household chores are limited and they can focus on their studies without worrying about money.

LEISURE An average Vietnamese teenager’s idea of fun may seem boring to a Western audience.

Think: lounging in cafes with friends, watching TV, riding motorbikes through the city and predominantly, surfing the Internet and playing online games. A couple of the boys play football, but primarily the recreational pursuits the participants in both the HCM City and Hanoi focus groups take part in are passive.

Income (or lack thereof) largely dictates what Vietnamese teenagers do in their free time, explaining the simplicity (and affordability) of their chosen leisure activities.

Travel is on the agenda for most of the Hanoians, while the HCM City residents are fairly content where they are. Two girls from the Saigon group expressed interest in travel (one to Thailand, whose “beautiful” beaches she has seen on TV, and the other to Singapore where her grandma has encouraged her to attend university once she’s completed high school). The rest though seemed fairly uninterested. The Hanoians all want to travel, some to outbound destinations like England (to watch football), South Korea and America. asialife HCMC 27

MARRIAGE is seen as

important for providing stability in life, as well as a sign of SUCCESS.

For them, travel is a representation of freedom and an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience. While each participant said they wanted to travel they were conscious that they may not be able to due to financial restraints. Also, travel is primarily viewed as a youthful folly, adventures that should be undertaken before settling down, if at all.

EDUCATION & CAREER PROSPECTS Young Vietnamese see education as a means to an end: with certification they will secure a lucrative position that will earn them money and ensure stability. This stability extends far beyond just employment. The participants also believe that a good job will lift their social standing and even improve their chance of meeting a suitable (note: successful and wealthy) partner.

These perceptions are perpetuated by parents who associate a higher education with success; as the only means to be successful. As such, Vietnamese parents encourage (even push) their children into studying courses at university that will lead to “hot” jobs in finance and banking, IT, medicine and law. While the participants in HCM City said their parents merely gave them advice about study paths, it’s easy to see that their caregivers have a big say in their choices. In Hanoi it’s even more overt. There, some of the participants knew exactly where they’d be working once they finished university, not just the field. Phuong, 19, will work at Techcom Bank. And the girl who sat next to her, Lien, 18, already has a position reserved for her as an accountant at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum when she graduates, thanks to her mother, who works there also.

It was interesting to see how their career aspirations changed when money was removed from the equation. They wanted to be actresses, and footballers, tour guides and air hostesses but dismissed them as childish dreams. One boy in the Hanoi group, Son, 17, wanted to be a football coach until his parents discouraged him. “They said if I studied at the sport’s university I wouldn’t 28 asialife HCMC

Young Vietnamese are PRAGMATIC about EDUCATION, often seeking courses which will provide JOBS IN LUCRATIVE industries. have a bright future. When asked to define “bright” he said “wealthy.”

As a whole though, the participants were pragmatic about education and the opportunities it will afford them. This pragmatism also translates into expectations about how they should be taught.

Most find the Vietnamese education system to be outdated and too theory-based.

They feel they have few opportunities for practical application. This goes hand in hand with their complaints about “old” teachers and lecturers who don’t explain subject matter properly and whose knowledge is perceived to be out of date. While the high school pupils seem to be relatively happy with the quality of education they are receiving, the university students are concerned that they won’t have the skills to perform in the workplace after completing their studies, primarily because the teaching methods their lecturers employ—often strict and didactic—are impractical. In addition, they say Vietnamese syllabuses are old-fashioned and promote “cramming,” that is, committing copious amounts of information to memory.

Still, they all view education as essential and pointed to a number of social evils that a lack of study could lead to: homelessness, crime and, interestingly, diseases like HIV. SEX & RELATIONSHIPS The moderator, 28-year-old Hieu An, skirted ever-so-artfully around the s-word before she dropped the bomb. Previously, there had been chatter about the importance of marriage and laughter about 16-year-old HCM City resident Trong’s desire to one day have a beautiful wife. But the talk quickly dissolved and all eyes averted downwards when Hieu An mentioned sex. Young Trong, in particular, appeared uncomfortable.

The Saigonites recovered quickly and put forward their opinions about pre-marital sex.

Loc, 16—who works as a promotion girl at a supermarket after school—said she believed sex before marriage was acceptable and was largely circumstantial. She explained this by

adding that she may have sex while under the influence of alcohol. The two girls sitting opposite her, however, 19-year-old university students Hue and Nhi noted the value of a woman’s virginity. They also said that premarital sex was a Western activity, and one that Vietnamese need not follow.

The boys referred to sex before marriage as a “movement,” that more young people aged 14 to 15 were indulging in. They seemed to think it was OK as long as the couple were mature enough to cope with the consequences and considered the health issues involved. They also had no problems with couples living together before marriage, in order to get to know each other before taking the plunge. Still, they said the likelihood of them living with their partner before marriage was slim.

The Hanoians were a different story and bound far more by convention. Each participant said that sex before marriage was unacceptable, a response that TNS Market Research consultant David Watts said could be attributed to the importance of “keeping face” and upholding one’s reputation in the north. Most thought it was OK to kiss their boyfriend or girlfriend, but anything more intimate took the relationship to a new level.

They believed that if a young couple has sex, they should marry one another. The youngest participant Dung, 15, said he thought young couples could live together before marriage as a way of gauging their compatability. When prompted for more information though, he said it wasn’t something he would do, but he believed it was acceptable behaviour for others.

Marriageable age varied by gender, not so much by location. While all participants said they would get married, males opted to wed later in their mid-30s, and females said they expected to walk down the aisle in their mid- to late-20s. This makes sense as the boys view themselves as the future breadwinners of their families, and want to marry only once they have a stable job and adequate finances.

Everyone said without hesitation that they would have children. In both cities having children is perceived as a way to continue the family lineage. Both the Saigonese and the Hanoians said they’d like to have one to three kids in the future. The group from HCM City couldn’t really explain how they had arrived at the figure, but the northerners pointed directly to Ho Chi Minh’s teaching as their source. “That’s a statement of Uncle Ho,” they agreed, referring to the government’s two child per family policy.

FUTURE AMBITIONS All of the participants yearn for material possessions—fashionable motorbikes in the immediate future and cars and villas as adults. One boy, 19-year-old university student Tu, who aspires to be a millionaire, even wants to own a private plane. To afford the lifestyle they desire they need money and it is apparent that cash underpins every critical decision they make.

Their ambitions reflect the change in Vietnam’s society. As the nation becomes more affluent they anticipate that their quality of life will improve. They expect Vietnam to develop exponentially and can foresee better education and healthcare systems, plus greater collective knowledge, awareness and understanding. Yet, they are also aware of the pitfalls of rapid expansion—increasing population, industrialization, rising land prices and a widening of the gap between rich and poor. Ironically, they can also see the cons of living to work, the very lifestyle they are gearing themselves for—the degradation of the family and reduced social life. And with multi-generational living situations on the downward slide, they predict a diminishing sense of community and social responsibily.

Recurrent throughout the entire project was this sense of confusion. Vietnamese youth are torn between a desire for progress and modernity, yet they are worried about what may be lost if the country’s traditions are not maintained. They’re still not exactly sure what they want. asialife HCMC 29

GROWING PAINS As Vietnam enters middle-income status and begins the most demographically favourable period in its history, the time to make a dramatic socioeconomic leap is fast approaching.

However, a serious skills shortage is raising questions about whether Vietnam can take advantage of its golden opportunity.

By Thomas Maresca. Photo by Fred Wissink.

Vietnam is a country of the young. Its median age is a tick above 27, and its youthful energy, optimism and spirit is apparent. Here in HCM City, an enthusiasm—even a boisterousness—is impossible to miss throughout the cafes, clubs, shopping centres, schools and workplaces of this developing metropolis.

The feeling can be summed up in one word: potential.

That potential is not simply a matter of perception. Statistically speaking, Vietnam has entered a “demographic bonus” period: an era when the working-age population is double the number of dependents.

This period, which comes only once in a nation’s lifetime, is considered a golden age for development. While a greying nation such as Japan (where an estimated one in four will be 65 years or older by 2025) is facing what some call a “demographic time bomb,” Vietnam is looking forward to the chance for tremendous growth.

There are certainly positive signs: relatively stable macroeconomic factors, a sense of optimism and enthusiasm for the future, a booming technology and consumer industry and a healthy flow of foreign direct investment.

And yet, concerns abound as to whether Vietnam will be able to realize its potential.

Numerous factors have the potential to put a damper on Vietnam’s growth, from lack of infrastructure to policy missteps.

Perhaps the greatest concern is skills. Will the Vietnamese workforce have the necessary skills to take advantage of the possibilities that await? The country is already running a deficit in vital areas, from technical ability to managerial acumen to more elusive workplace “soft skills.” Many observers are worried that this lack will derail Vietnam’s ascension into the upper ranks of developed nations.

Employers, educational institutions and aid organizations, both local and international, have been trying to address this skills shortage. The question is whether their efforts will be enough.

Middle Income Trap From one of the poorest countries in the world 30 asialife HCMC

just 20 years ago Vietnam has reached the World Banks’ benchmark for middle-income status. Annual income per capita grew from less than USD $100 dollars in 1990 to about $1,200 this year, while the poverty rate fell from 58 percent in 1993 to about 12 percent in 2009, said a World Bank report.

Taking the next step is even trickier.

"Many countries have been reaching the middle income status from lower levels, but very few countries [succeeded] in moving to high income," according to a study by Le Kim Sa, of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS).

Much of Vietnam’s growth to this point has relied on low labour costs to build exportoriented and labour-intensive industries such as textiles, garments and footwear. But as the country moves up the value chain and produces more techonology- and capital-intensive products this can’t remain a competitive advantage.

Ultimately, Vietnam is going to have to be able to compete with its productivity and skills, not just with cost. And while employment levels are high, Vietnam’s productivity remains extremely low relative to its neighbours. The country’s productivity is equivalent to 1/5 of average productivity in ASEAN countries and 1/10 of Singapore’s level, according to the report on Vietnam’s labour and social trends by the International Labor Organisation (ILO).

At a recent conference organized by VASS, its president, Do Hoai Nam, warned that the strategies that have gotten Vietnam this far won’t suffice for its future development.

"Vietnam has just got out of the list of poor countries and its achievements are not really sustainable," Nam said.

So what happens next?

In one scenario, Vietnam is able to generate the kind of highly skilled workforce that will attract partnerships and investment with other developed nations and create enough jobs to satisfy the expanding workforce. More employment means more tax revenue, which can improve health, education and other social services. Greater savings and investment

will help further drive productivity growth, competitiveness and economic development.

In another scenario, Vietnam falls into what analysts call a “lower-middle income trap.”

Firms don’t invest or expand because there aren’t enough skilled workers, and workers don’t acquire skills because there aren’t enough jobs to go around. Such a country stays on the low-skill and low-tech end of the global economy indefinitely. And with all the new people of working age that will continue to flood into the labour market in the coming decades, the demographic bonus becomes a burden instead of a boon, as unemployment becomes a major issue.

In regional terms, it’s the difference between leveling out economically the way Thailand and The Philippines seem to have done or becoming the next Taiwan, Singapore or South Korea.

Technical Difficulties The skills shortage cuts across numerous sectors. One particularly acute shortage is found in skilled industrial labour in areas such as manufacturing and the export sector.

A recent survey by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) found that 40 percent of manufacturing and export-oriented firms, including state-owned enterprises, identify the lack of skilled labour as a moderate or severe constraint to further expansion. According to MOLISA, skilled workers currently comprise just 13 percent of the labour force.

The pinch is particularly felt among foreigninvested projects, which are still having a hard time finding enough workers. Paradoxically, as MOLISA points out, unemployment rates remain high in some areas that have a huge demand for workers. Dong Nai, where there are many FDI projects, falls short of 20,000 trained and manual workers every year. In HCM City, 23,000 people have lost their jobs so far this year, yet the city is still looking for 61,000 new employees.

“Vietnam’s long-term prosperity and development depends on its increasing competitiveness in regional and global markets, and

"Many countries have been REACHING the middle income status from lower levels, but VERY FEW COUNTRIES [succeeded] in moving to high income." Le Kim Sa if it is to expand as an industrialized country, it must develop highly skilled industrial workers,” according to Wendy Duncan, principal education specialist in the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Southeast Asia Department.

So how does Vietnam address this issue?

The major bottleneck is coming from the lack of effectiveness of vocational training schools.

The schools are simply turning out too few trained workers and focusing on occupations and skills sets that are mismatched with the requirements of the more dynamic industries.

Making matters worse, the number of students entering vocational schools has been decreasing dramatically. An alarming half of vocational schools’ students drop out, and one of the primary issues keeping students away is that they cannot transfer their credits to continue studying at the university level.

For its part, the ADB recently launched a $70 million project to improve vocational training in priority industries. The project will fund training programmes in public and private vocational colleges in automotive technology, electrical and mechanical manufacturing, hospitality and tourism, information and communication technology and navigation and shipping industries, all of which currently lack sufficient skilled workers. Around 24,000 students are expected to benefit from the programme, with about 25 percent of them women and members of ethnic minority groups.

University Blues Another reason that vocational schools are less attractive to Vietnamese is more culturally ingrained. “Vietnam is like China. We worship degrees,” says Vu Thi Phuong Anh, director, Vietnam National University-HCMC's Center for Educational Testing and Quality.

Indeed, of the many challenges facing Vietnam’s workforce, a desire for a university education is not one of them. Last month, 1.9 million high school seniors in Vietnam took a college admissions test, even though new enrollment is limited to around 500,000 students. The limited capacity of Vietnam’s higher education system gives even middle-of-the-road universities Harvard-like acceptance rates.

“There’s just a huge hunger for education,” says Graeme Domm, director of Communications, RMIT University Vietnam. RMIT, a Melbourne-based university that started asialife HCMC 31

“The CONSENSUS is that the state educational system in Vietnam produces techcapable, theoretically sound GRADUATES. It doesn’t produce people with workplace skills, the soft skills to function in a work environment.” Tim Mullet operating in Vietnam in 2001.

Once a student receives a placement in Vietnam’s state universities, however, there’s hardly a guarantee that what he or she learns will be useful at the next level. Vietnam’s universities generally lag well behind those in the region, not to mention the world. A recent university rankings released by Quacquarelli Symonds lacked a single Vietnamese university among the top 200 in Asia.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Education has been extremely forthright about the difficulties it is facing. A report last year was particularly blunt: “[T]ertiary education is facing major challenges: the governance over the universities and colleges is slow to change, unable to meet the demands of training quality improvement for the whole system, and unable to promote the creativeness of the teachers, managers and students. The quality of the human resources is a prolonged weakness of the whole system of economy.”

That’s not to say Vietnamese universities have not taken steps forward. In the last 20 years, the number of universities and colleges has more than tripled, from 101 to 376, and some innovative partnerships and programmes have been developed.

VNU’s Dr. Phuong Anh last year invited assessment teams from ASEAN University Network (AUN) to evaluate one curriculum of the Hanoi National University and three curriculums of the HCM City National University. All the programmes received good results, and have been recognized as meeting ASEAN standards, on par with regional universities.

Still, only 15 percent of young people are studying at universities, half that of Thailand and a third that of South Korea.

Dr. Phuong Anh, who has been in the higher education system for 13 years, and was one of the first generation of Vietnamese to earn a PhD from an international university, can’t help but feel a little wistful, despite her efforts and optimism: “Things aren’t changing the way we expected them to change,” she says.

Some supplemental efforts are promising. The World Bank recently provided $180 million in loans to help Vietnam build the Vietnam-Germany University (VGU) in HCM 32 asialife HCMC

City, with a stated mission of becoming a world-standard university in Vietnam.

And RMIT has been expanding its offerings to include several areas of need in Vietnam’s workforce. This year, the school will be offering a Masters of Engineering programme, the first of its kind in the country. Intel, which is opening its largest testing and assembly plant here and has struggled to find skilled labour, is a major supporter. The tech giant is offering 20 full scholarships, and will also be supplying $210,000 for a new specialized electronic and computer engineering lab.

Help Wanted Once young Vietnamese people make their way through the traditional education system, they’re finding a whole new world waiting for them in the workforce, one for which their schooling has frequently left them underprepared. One study from the Ho Chi Minh University of Pedagogy, found that 50 percent of graduates have to be retrained, and a World Bank study found that figure to be 60 percent.

The areas in particular that stands out for employers and recruiters are management skills. Chris Harvey, General Director of Vietnamworks.com, an online employment service, says that, “There’s a shortage of management talent. Companies are looking for leadership—the ability to recruit, motivate, organize, delegate, create effective teams.”

Harvey’s solution within Vietnamworks.com is to “hire people with great attitudes and potential and spend a lot of time growing and training them.” Most international, brandname firms similarly do a great deal of training, which is why, Harvey says, they receive more applications than local companies.

Tim Mullett, director, International Management Initiative for Vietnam (IMIV) notes that there is also a lack of what can be called general workplace skills.

“The consensus is that the state educational system in Vietnam produces techcapable, theoretically sound graduates. It doesn’t produce people with workplace skills, the soft skills to function in a work environment.” These include attributes like critical and creative thinking, taking initiative, problem

solving and teamwork—the vital tissue that keep a company functioning smoothly.

The IMIV, a non-profit initiative within the VinaCapital Foundation, recently began offering a series of management training programmes, delivered by proven international education institutions such as Singaporebased SIM Professional Development. The IMIV's long-term goal is to establish an independent not-for-profit management institute and there is an associated education initiative within VinaCapital to establish a top-level international MBA programme in Vietnam.

Licensing for such an institution is a lengthy process, however. Other programmes are available in Vietnam as well. For instance, the PACE Institute of Directors, a group of Vietnamese business executives, operates the Institute for Potential Leaders, a free-of-charge training course for young businesspeople.

Again, it’s certainly worth keeping in mind how far Vietnam has come in a short time.

Anyone who has lived and worked in Vietnam for a few years or more can attest to the levels of professionalism and competence that young workers are displaying in ever greater numbers. And as more young Vietnamese study internationally and work with international companies, they are exposed to standards and practices that are valuable assets to the country. There are also any number of dedicated and talented people within the system with ideas that can help take the country forward.

It’s just a question of how far and how fast.

Despite the many ad hoc responses to Vietnam’s skills shortages and the steps the country has taken, ultimately, a systemic problem is going to call for systemic solutions. The demographic bonus is coming, and the potential to jump ahead or languish remains very much in the balance.

“The shift is definitely happening,” says Mullett. “Whether it’s happening fast enough to catch the wave, I don’t know.”

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asialife HCMC 33

New discoveries suggest the kingdom of Champa’s architectural origins may in fact be buried in its final refuge: modern-day Binh Thuan Province.

Adam Bray hits the road to find the origins of this much misunderstood civilization and the birthplace of classical Cham architecture. Photos

by Adam Bray and Fred Wissink.

I drove north from Phan Thiet early in the morning toward the mountains. Last year a villager told me about some ancient Cham temple ruins submerged at the back of a reservoir in the foothills of the Central Highlands. “It’s only visible for the last month of dry season” he said. “The rest of the year it’s under water.”

He told me the name of the nearest village, but it didn’t appear on any maps. I decided to just head north and ask people along the way. “Do you know if there are any old collapsed Cham towers in the area?” I would ask the rice farmers in Vietnamese.

Over and over again I received the same answer, “There are no Cham temples out here.

You must go to Phan Rang.

That’s where Cham people come from.” It was both a bizarre and frustrating response, 34 asialife HCMC

considering there is an obvious Cham tower in Phan Thiet—Po Shanu—and there are Cham residents living throughout this area. I’ve long marveled at how little knowledge or interest the villagers have in a kingdom that once laid claim to the whole area. But then, scholars and archaeologists hadn’t paid much attention to Binh Thuan Province either because until last year there were only two documented Cham temples found here. Binh Thuan, known as southern Panduranga by the Cham, was considered the place where the Cham sought refuge after the kingdom was overthrown in the 15th century.

Inexplicably, however, the province’s two documented templetowers have long been regarded as the oldest known Cham ruins in Vietnam.

Just before sunset, with a few tips from the farmers, I finally

arrived at the correct village and turned my motorbike north between the mountains and down a dusty trail. I was delighted to find an elderly Cham man standing by a shack at the end of the road. I explained my mission and to my great surprise he knew exactly what ruins I was looking for. He led me across a rocky floodplain to the edge of a river leading to the reservoir.

Ancient red bricks, encrusted in clam shells, lay strewn about two temple foundations.

“About 15 years ago the one-armed man came,” said the old man. “He had a group of six men that dug here. They took away cartloads of statues, iron implements, steles with writing and even some gold.” I cringed.

This wasn’t the first time I’d heard of “the one-armed man.”

Villagers at other ruin sites told me how this gold shop owner vandalized and robbed

archaeological sites all over the province.

Champa: A Jumbled History Under Contention The Cham are a semi-matriarchal ethnic group whose oncegreat kingdom encompassed all of Central Vietnam and at times portions of Laos and Cambodia. Their kingdom, known as Champa, was a contemporary rival to Angkor, China and the Vietnamese.

Georges Maspero’s The Champa Kingdom: The History of an Extinct Vietnamese Culture (1928) was long considered the definitive version of the history of the Champa Kingdom. He proposed that the single, united Champa kingdom began in the 4th century, at that time known as Linyi by the Chinese, and was slowly driven southward through five principalities by the Vietnamese. Beginning in In-

Photo by Fred Wissink

In Pursuit of Panduranga

Looking up inside Thap Po Dam Tower

New discoveries suggest not only that Panduranga may have developed independently during the earliest days of Champa, but that it may in fact be the earliest seed of Cham culture in Vietnam.

drapura (near modern Danang), they retreated to Amaravati (Quang Nam Province), the Vijaya (26 km from Qui Nhon), then Kauthara (Nha Trang), finally seeking refuge in Panduranga (Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan provinces).

Within Maspero’s history is a poorly-explained account of the abandonment of Indrapura and the holy city of My Son during the 8th and 9th centuries and the subsequent relocation to Panduranga and Kauthara by

Champa’s rulers. All of the earliest known Cham temples are located in Panduranga and date from this period. The surviving temples at My Son were all built after Maspero believed the capital shifted back to Indrapura, a century later. There are older rudiments attributed mostly to the Linyi period in My Son but they are not vestiges of classical Cham temple-towers.

However, Michael Vickery’s 2005 working paper “Champa Revised” throws that all out

the window. Vickery asserts that Champa was a loosely affiliated group of perhaps three autonomous principalities, each developing independently and in parallel, with their own respective ruling elite. Vickery argues that Maspero’s assertion that Champa evolved from Linyi is pure “historical fiction” and points out that much of his history is based on unfounded assumption, misunderstandings, myth and all-too heavy reliance on skewed ancient Chi-

Thap Po Dam Tower

nese and Vietnamese histories.

He seems to imply a much later emergence of Cham—perhaps in the 7th or 8th century. Vickery maintains that the shifting pre-eminence (and subsequent decline a century later) of Panduranga in the 8th century (and again in the 11th century) is due to changes in trade routes and not migrations of royal families and capital cities.

I agree with Vickery. Newlydiscovered temple ruins here in Binh Thuan Province suggest a continual prominence of Panduranga as an active religious realm from the earliest days of Champa. I’ve located clusters of temple ruins in the north of the province, which point to the possibility of a holy city. Likewise, the little-known ancient Cham citadel wall surrounding the town of Song Luy in central Binh Thuan is incontrovertible evidence of an impressive military or royal presence in Panduranga.

Even more exciting however, are the recently disclosed discoveries of more than a dozen Sa Huynh sites by the government. The Sa Huynh culture (known chiefly for its use of burial-cremation jars and intricate jewellery) is one of the earliest known civilizations in Vietnam, dating back up to 3,000 years. It’s largely believed that the Sa Huynh are ancestors of the Cham.

All of these exciting new discoveries suggest not only that Panduranga may have developed independently durasialife HCMC 35

Po Shanu Tower

Po Adam-Hung

The remaining artefacts have been ravaged so aggressively in the last 20 years that there will soon be nothing left worth saving if they are not immediately placed under protection.

ing the earliest days of Champa, but that it may in fact be the earliest seed of Cham culture in Vietnam.

Panduranga Revisited Until recently, the only known Cham towers in Binh Thuan Province were Po Shanu in Phan Thiet, and little-known Po Dam near Phan Ri. Po Shanu is the oldest known Cham tower, yet it’s often overlooked in age-style comparisons between towers because it inconveniently looks as much like a pre-Angkorian Khmer temple of the Funan Kingdom as a Cham temple. Po Dam, only thought to be a little older, is similar in style to Tha Hoa Lai in Phan Rang. Interestingly, Hoa Lai has long been disowned by the Cham, who claim it is a Khmer (Angkorian or Funan-era) temple.

Last summer Phan Thiet’s provincial museum made a small announcement about a 9th century temple ruin discovered in the far north of the province, on the road to Dalat. As usual the nearest stated village didn’t appear on any map, so I set out with my 36 asialife HCMC

friend Hung to find it, again by asking locals. In the process of my search I would accidentally find two undocumented temples. Then after finding the government’s temple, I located the fourth, “Reservoir Tower” described previously.

Strangely, only two of these four temple sites are in view of running water, and none are on pronounced hilltops. If the locations were forested at the time of construction, no view of the countryside would have been afforded. This is very unusual for Cham temples anywhere in Vietnam, except for the holy city of My Son. The first temple that I found I named Po Adam-Hung in jest.

The main tower shaft, with tall, smooth walls, penetrated down into the centre of a mound. It seems as though the temple roof collapsed outward and formed the mound around it. Beside it is a smaller building, still apparently intact but buried in the mound. Along it is a trench and another wall, as though forming a hallway.

The second undocumented temple site, which I tentatively

named “The Farmer’s Tower” (it sits in the middle of cropland), is about a 15-minute drive away. It consists of multiple structures, all entirely collapsed but one. Three outer walls remain, hidden by trees and vines.

Bricks and an undecorated lintel lay strewn upon the ground.

The third set of ruins, announced and excavated by the government, is all but collapsed, save the foundation, and questionably dated by authorities as 9th-century. This temple is about 20 minutes drive north from the others, at the foot of the mountains.

These ruins, together with Po Shanu and yet another badly degraded ruin on the edge of Phan Thiet, all lay within Binh Thuan’s central Quao River Delta. I don’t believe that it is a coincidence that these, Champa’s oldest known towers, are in such close proximity to the elder Funan ruins in Cat Tien National Park. I believe that Binh Thuan’s ruins may represent a transition between the Funan and Cham architectural styles, and that there are probably many other vestiges

here with transitional styles that are yet to be discovered.

In addition to these seven towers, sources have confirmed the existence of at least 10 more ancient Cham temple sites in the province, as well as numerous shrines and the ancient Cham citadel of Song Luy. Among these are the newly discovered temple sites in the districts of Muong Man and Binh Tan, which display remarkable similarities in size, complexity and sophistication to principal temples in the holy city My Son. All of these temples are loosely dated from the 8th to 9th centuries.

Champa’s History at a Precipice From these discoveries, I conclude that Panduranga was much more actively settled in the early days of Champa than previously thought. "The riparian Cham cities of Phan Thiet and Phan Ri both have Cham and Sa Huynh relics in the vicinity that suggests they may be among the oldest and longest-continuously inhabited cities in Vietnam (2,500 years)."

The Brick Builders Hindus believed that their deities resided on Mount Meru, in the centre of the universe. Champa, like other Hinduized cultures, built their temples as mini replicas of this abode. Eastward-facing Cham temples were usually built on mounds or hilltops overlooking moving water.

Much like earlier Funan temples, but unlike Angkor monuments, Cham towers were constructed entirely of red bricks. Mortar isn’t visible on the outside of a Cham temple. This gave rise to stories by the Vietnamese that the bricks were only air-dried before set in place, and then covered with a resin before the entire tower was baked in situ by a giant bonfire. In reality, a loose mortar can be found between inner brick layers. Further, ancient kilns where the bricks were baked prior to temple construction have been found outside Phan Thiet.

Last Cham Kings Crown

With several temple ruin sites recently discovered—ranking among the oldest—it seems that Binh Thuan Province may have been the birthplace of classical Cham architecture, likely influenced by the neighbouring and elder Funan Empire.

Unfortunately the remaining artefacts have been ravaged so aggressively in the last 20 years, by both professional temple

robbers and local farmers, that there will soon be nothing left worth saving if they are not immediately placed under protection.

Cham temples often served as tombs for the kings of Champa, and the Cham were notorious for hiding gold and jewellery under tower foundations, as offerings to the god-kings buried there. This has always

made them a target of choice for robbers, who also carry off valuable statuary, lingas (phallic representations of Shiva) and steles bearing the written history of the king to which the temple was devoted. Tomb raiders (and farmers demolishing temple ruins to clear land for crops) may have done nearly as much damage to the sum total of Champa’s relics in the last 20

years as all of America’s bombs at My Son. At the moment, no one is paying attention. “We don’t really care about the collapsed Cham ruins far in the countryside” an assistant at the Ministry of Tourism told me. “The country just restores and protects the big beautiful temples near the highway—the ones that tourist like and are easy to access.”

Another quality development by

Asia Life August 2010.indd 1

23/08/2010 05:02:15

asialife HCMC 37

In the Land of Gibbons The Gibbon Experience gives adventure travellers the opportunity to live in the trees and soar through the jungle canopy of northwestern Laos.

Tom DiChristopher takes to the sky on one of the conservation-oriented project’s three-day treks.

Photos by Fred Wissink.

The zip line is still buzzing when I grasp it to lock my trolley into place. The velocity of its last passenger reverberates through my arm and rattles my nerves. Moments ago, our guide Boonpeng led the first flight, followed enthusiastically by my girlfriend Sarah and her sister Ryann’s boyfriend, Josh. Now Ryann, a pair of British travellers and our second guide, Nuon, are waiting for me.

It dawns on me that a zip line platform a few hundred metres above the jungle floor is a bad place to realize you’ve wildly underestimated your fear of heights.

And this is just the start.

We’ve signed on for a threeday trek and aerial adventure through northwestern Laos’ Bokeo Nam Kan Nature Reserve called the Gibbon Experience.

During the trip, I will not only tackle a network of zip lines, I’ll also be sleeping in a tree house. At present, however, I’m just trying to take the first step.

With panic and humiliation tug-of-roping me back and forth between fight and flight, I try every trick in the book: check that

safety rope. All systems are go.

I lumber forward into a foetal crouch and an instant later the harness kung-fu grips me in all the wrong places. The zip line sings in my ear as I pick up speed through the corridor of foliage breezing past. Then, the sun pours over me and warms my skin. I wrestle my eyes from the trolley and gaze out over the mountains. Light and shadow colour them into a patchwork of camouflage. Below the Nam Nga River is just a ribbon, its flow almost imperceptible. Out here in the open, with nothing to measure my speed against, time and space calcify. I feel like I’m passing through a postcard.

Then, the foliage whips by once again and the screeching zip line drops a few octaves. I slow to a stop a few metres from the landing platform, turning to pull myself hand over hand. With my feet back on solid ground, I holler across the chasm. “OK!” In the Trees After tackling another series of zip lines, we try our hand at a new challenge: docking in a tree

Since visitors stick to the trails, cables and trees on the outskirts of the forest, their impact on the environment is minimal. my trolley’s wheels are aligned, give its rubber tyre brake a test squeeze, retighten my harness, triple-check the carabiner on my 38 asialife HCMC

house. Boonpeng looks back and says “brake” before leaping into another of his carefree madman launches. When it’s my turn I

follow suit with another graceless plummet, peering ahead until I see it in the distance— like a hamburger balanced on a toothpick, a gazebo-like structure suspended in the trees.

“Brake! Brake! Brake!” yells Boonpeng. I heed his warning and glide into the cramped landing platform beneath the tree house. Off to the side, our bathroom occupies little more than a balcony. Up above, the space is wide open, giving us 360-degree views of the mountains and forest. There’s even a makeshift kitchen with a gas range and sink. A resident cat paroles the tree house for forest rats that might scurry across the cables.

We have everything we need to indulge our Swiss Family Robinson fantasies, save coconut bombs and a cross-dressing cabin boy.

While the accommodations make for a fantastical getaway, they’re also integral to the Gibbon Experience’s overall mission. The project is named after the black-crested gibbon, a highly endangered primate that occupies parts of the 123,000 hectare Bokeo Nature Reserve.

The gibbons’ habitat is itself under threat, as well. Travelling through Laos, the sight of mountainsides clear cut for lumber is all too common. Laos lost 6.8 percent of its forest between 1990 and 2005 to slash-and-burn agriculture, logging, fuel wood collection and fires, according to United Nations FAO statistics compiled by conservation website Mongabay.com.

In 2003 French ecotourism company Animo planted the roots of the Gibbon Experience in a bid to conserve Bokeo’s mountainous deciduous forest and generate income for local villagers, who work as patrol guards, guides, builders and cooks. Today, it maintains six tree houses and a network of zip lines. Since visitors stick to the trails, cables and trees on the outskirts of the forest, their impact on the environment is minimal.

Over the next three days, however, I would learn that lowimpact travel can come with a high-impact workout.

On the Trails By many standards, the Gib-

ders. The harness weighs me down. Sweat streams down my forehead. Boonpeng and Nuan regularly update us. Three more hours. Two more. One more. I’m not sure if it’s helping. It always seems like we should be closer than we are.

When we finally reach the first zip line, I clip in without a thought and jump. It seems I’ve found a cure for my acrophobia: exhaustion.

Among the Gibbons I had been under the impression that zip lining at night was forbidden. So I was more than a

see where I’m falling.” And then I’m gone, praying that the zip line’s song will rise and fall as it should. Up ahead, something glimmers. Boonpeng and Nuan have lined either side of the landing platform with candles, turning it into a backwoods tarmac.

Hours later, we arrive at the tree house. The residents—an older couple and their grandson—wake up and we introduce ourselves awkwardly, like squatters. Over breakfast, we compare our travails. And then, somewhere out in the trees, the first calls drift across the expanse:

More gibbons join in, and soon the clarion becomes a chorus, the calls overlapping from all sides.

bon Experience is rugged. Our journey from the border town of Houayxay had set the tone.

We crammed into the bed of a songthaew with rucksacks, rations and a rotating cast of local commuters and spent the next three hours clinging to the truck’s canopy as it pitched back and forth along dusty, cratered switchbacks. Once we reached the staging village of Baan Toup, we had only 15 minutes to size up the outgoing group—filthy and exhausted, but in good spirits—before hitting the trails.

Those first hours passed quickly as we took in the sights and sounds of the jungle. Giant fan-like ferns glowed electric green in the sun. Knotted, vinewrapped tree trunks spiraled skywards. Bent and broken bamboo formed archways and scaffolding overhead. Birdcalls so absurd they seemed artificial echoed in the canopy, while the chomp chomp of termite feasts crackled underfoot.

Just when exhaustion had set in, we arrived at a craggy cove along the Nam Nga River fed by a small, tiered waterfall.

Boonpeng and Nuon disap-

peared briefly to arrange lunch, but soon joined in, scaling the rocks and leaping into the chilly pool. This outdoor amenity is included in the Waterfall Experience option, and while cooling our aching muscles, we were glad we’d booked it. Later we were perhaps less pleased with ourselves; the Waterfall Experience also entails considerably longer daily hikes than the Classic Experience.

Our second morning, however, the troops are showing fatigue. Sleeping accommodations are sub-optimal. The mattresses are thin. In place of mosquito nets, thick sheets hang from the ceiling, leaving two options: sweat it out or contend with mosquitoes. Most of us are working on about a half night’s sleep, and now we’ve got to hike to the next tree house.

With muscles sore from yesterday’s hike and too little sleep, the day’s trek is arduous.

We labour up steep, swerving paths, and then jog spaghettilegged down again. The process repeats itself over and over in a cruel, Ecsher-esque cycle. My backpack digs into my shoul-

little surprised when Boonpeng informed us yesterday evening that we’d be zipping out at 4 am.

The gibbons get up early, you know.

We’re running behind, staggering around by flashlight when we hear it: a loud crack in the distance. Boonpeng suddenly looks uncomfortable.

“Poachers?” I ask. “Hunters?”

“Yes,” he says. “Or rangers.”

No matter. The shots are far off and a more frightening prospect is at hand. We’ve got to launch into pitch black nothingness from what everyone has agreed is the most unnerving platform, literally a plank suspended about half a metre from the edge of the tree house.

Josh and I are last out, and he graciously let’s me go first. I step out on the plank and shimmy into sitting position. “If I fall,” I tell him, “at least it’s too dark to

Whoooooop! Whoop! Whoop!

Whoop! More gibbons join in, and soon the clarion becomes a chorus, the calls overlapping from all sides.

A reverent, church-like silence falls on the tree house. The morning is cool, and the fog rolls off the valleys, hovering among the hilltops. Everyone gazes out, looking for signs of the elusive gibbons. They never come into sight, but when we get back on the trail to Baan Toup, their calls still lilt through the air like a farewell as we prepare to return to civilization.

The Classic and Waterfall Experiences are €180 (USD $231) for group accommodation, inclusive of meals and snacks. The more private Spa Experience is €250 (USD $321) and includes massage. For more information, visit gibbonexperience.org.

asialife HCMC 39

HCM City Hideouts

Beth Young searches high and low—in Saigon’s many hems and alleyways, up above the streetscape and in the least obvious places—to find the city’s best kept secrets: its tucked away cafés, restaurants and bars. Photos by Fred Wissink.

HCM City is a labyrinth of backstreets and crumbling terrace houses with winding staircases.

Sometimes tucked away in these unlikely spaces are craftily refurbished bars, restaurants and cafes; hidden gems that are designed to be stumbled across.

They’re not see and be seen joints; rather they provide visitors with a respite from HCM City’s frenetic pace, somewhere to sit quietly and soak in the often eclectic and ambient surroundings.

40 asialife HCMC

Hideaway Café 41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 3822 4222 www.hideawaycafe-saigon.com Hideaway Café is a sprawling French colonial villa, hidden down an alley off Pham Ngoc Thach and shaded underneath the umbrella of a huge, knotted tree. Hideaway isn’t a newbie, but it’s one of the best, a plaudit that the mixed foreign and Vietnamese crowd will attest to. The café is so big, and has enough sections that privacy

isn’t an issue. The main structure has dining areas downstairs and upstairs, both decked out with comfortable lounges.

There’s also a balcony positioned beneath the tree’s leafy canopy. Another room above the kitchen has a lofty feel. With wooden floors and beige canvas cushions on low-lying lounges and classic board games like Scrabble, Articulate, Monopoly and Cluedo, it’s extremely conducive to relaxation. Teamed with the rustic finishes and worn furniture, Hideaway has a casual air. It’s the type of place you can put your feet up on the couch without fear of reproach.

The menu is great, too, and the English breakfast (80,000 VND) is a winner.

Cooku Nest Café 13 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 2241 2043 Not so much tucked away as camouflaged, the Cooku Nest Café, is a blink and you’ll miss it sort of place. Constructed entirely from wood panels inside and out, the cuckoo clock that presides over the front door and the cut out timber

Himiko Visual Café

Himiko Visual Café

bird motif positioned outside are the café’s calling cards.

A relaxed space with an attic upstairs, it’s a cool hangout for arty, young Vietnamese, who sip at tra da and ca phe sua da for hours on end. A ladder-like staircase (shoes are politely left at the bottom) delivers patrons to the loft, where seating is at ground level on comfortable paisley-patterned cushions. By day, pleasant, elevator-worthy songs play, but at night, the nest is transformed with live music (mostly the jazzy strains of saxophone, guitar, violin, cello and mandolin). The entertainment is cheap, too. Instead of paying at the door, the ticket price is tacked at the end of your bill. An iced coffee is 30,000 VND usually, but 50,000 VND if accompanied by a band.

Casbah Lounge 59 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 8382 4130 Casbah is a Mediterraneanthemed lounge positioned midway along a tiny hem suitable only for single-file traffic.

Though it’s located right in the heart of the city, Casbah feels

L’appartement

Cooku Nest Café

worlds away, especially on the rooftop terrace: a luxurious space complete with private curtain-enclosed day lounges, rattan chairs and a view of the street below. Downstairs, the vibe is Arabian nights. Royal blue and turquoise green accents pop against the dappled beige walls and the sweet scent of shisha fills the air. Though the stained glass windows allow some light in, it’s quite dark inside—a perfect lunchtime respite from the bright Saigon sun. Casbah hosts belly dancing classes every Thursday to Sunday from 8.30 pm, as well.

No payment is required; simply purchase a glass of wine or a cocktail from their wide selection.

Himiko Visual Café 324bis Dien Bien Phu, D10 www.himikocafe.com Himiko Visual Café is all about aesthetics. Located in a wide alley off busy Dien Bien Phu, the entrance is unassuming. As soon as you enter though and are greeted by three life-size naked statues, it becomes apparent you’ve found the right place.

The staircase is dingy, but the space it leads to is downright eclectic. Filled with art created by owner Nguyen Kim Hoang, including busts and paintings displayed in shadow boxes, it’s a feast for the eyes. And that’s exactly Hoang’s goal. In Japanese Himiko means “the child found fire,” and the café’s primary purpose is to give young artists a playground to nurture their own creative spark. For patrons interested in grabbing a bite to eat there’s a limited menu of Vietnamese cuisine, namely banh mi op la (bread with eggs) for 29,000 VND and noodle soup with rare beef (31,000 VND). Drinks are plentiful and include coffee, smoothies, juices and cocktails.

Hoang appears to have a fondness for rum, too, for the spirit can be added to anything from ca phe da (32,000 VND) to lemon juice (32,000 VND).

L’appartement Level 1, 95 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 7300 8077 L’appartement is tough to find.

Take a wrong turn in the courtyard where it’s located and you

can easily find yourself climbing a winding staircase all the way into someone’s very Vietnamese abode (at least I did). For those adept at following signage though, hunting down this Parisian-style cake parlour and café shouldn’t be too difficult.

Just across the hall from Yoga Living, L’appartement (known simply as the Cake Studio) is a welcoming space with a large open dining room, bright ‘breakfast’ type nook with bay windows and a colourful lounge area that houses a massive red sofa. The menu isn’t anything to write home about, but all the usual suspects are there: coffee, juices and some Vietnamese specialities. Desserts are made fresh daily and the cake of the day goes for 45,000 VND. Things Level 1, 14 Ton That Dam, D1 Tel: 0904 141 714 Things Café is as gorgeous as it is unexpected. Located on the first level of a ramshackle and massive Vietnamese apartment building, a stroll past the labyrinth of homes is required to reach the respite of Things. asialife HCMC 41

Laura’s Secret Room

L’appartement

Laura’s Secret Room

In contrast to the dingy surrounds the café is bright and breezy thanks to hardworking ceiling fans and generous use of lemon yellow paint. What makes it even more special is owner Thuy Minh’s request to her friends to donate their old things. As such, the space is adorned with an eclectic mash of decorations: a rusted old typewriter, a four-poster bed and a black and white photograph of Charlie Chaplin, among others. There is a set lunch menu for each day of the week—bun cha and bun thit nuong on Monday (55,000 42 asialife HCMC

VND), bun bo and goi cuon on Tuesday (55,000 VND), beef on Wednesday (75,000 VND), salad on Thursday (65,000 VND) and a rice dish on Friday (70,000 VND). Breakfast including bacon, ham, pate, butter, bread and coffee is available for 85,000 VND, too. What’s best about Things? It’s not overdone. It’s just perfect.

Acoustic 6E1 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, D3 Tel: 3930 2239 www.acoustic.com.vn Walk into Acoustic of an afternoon and you could very well

find yourself listening to pop star and 2007 Vietnam Idol finalist Thao Trang jamming with her band like I did. A favourite haunt for Vietnamese music lovers and singers alike, Acoustic’s location at the end of an alley off Ngo Thoi Nhiem doesn’t deter revellers from coming out in droves and it’s easy to understand why. It’s cosy and intimate with plenty of comfortable seating right in front of the stage. A palette of warm beiges comprises the colour scheme, which is complemented with black details. As well, live bands perform each night, singing both Vietnamese and English numbers. Acoustic has another location, too: The Factory, at 102 Mac Thi Buoi in District 1.

Warda 71/7 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3822 Out of sight at the back of an alley off bustling Mac Thi Buoi is Warda, a Lebanese lounge, bar and restaurant. Downstairs the space is separated into

two sections across the hem: a Bedouin tent filled with padded bench seats and obligatory Middle Eastern-style throw cushions on one side and the bar and restaurant on the other.

Upstairs, the beaded curtain room is perfect for a private dinner party. The menu is a high point, especially the choice of hot mezzas: couscous battered eggplant fingers with chilli and tahini sauce (65,000 VND) and Egyptian havashi—grilled pita bread with sautéed spiced minced lamb (88,000 VND). For the indecisive a hot mezza platter (188,000 VND) is the way to go. The spread includes kebeh (burgur coated minced lamb, onion and pinenuts), tomato calamari, sambousek (ovenbaked filo pastry filled with goats cheese and spinach), and grilled spicy chicken plus flat bread, tahini and hummus. For dessert, I can personally recommend the hot chocolate and fig pudding: a melt-in-your-mouth delight that erupts with gooey goodness once pierced (85,000

VND). Shisha in all flavours is on offer, too (188,000 VND).

Laura’s Secret Room 11 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3509 9018 The vivacious Laura is a young Vietnamese woman with bouffant curls and tattoos and her bar has the same extravagant flair: think Marie Antoinette; feather boas, fake turf-covered walls and electric-blue flashing fairy lights. It’s quite a hike to her Secret Room (past a fairly underwhelming and smoke-filled lounge) but it’s well worth the exercise. For on the fifth floor is an ultra-pink terrace that affords a birds eye view of the city below. It’s a tiny space, but thankfully few people take advantage of it, and as a result it’s generally very quiet. Somehow, Laura manages to fit a live Filipino band up there on Thursday nights from 9 pm and bellydancing performances are coming soon. It may be located sky high but that doesn’t mean the prices are. A Corona goes for 30,000 VND: very reasonable indeed.

Princess and the Pea

Princess and the Pea 63/85 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 0936 353 179 or 0983 455 549 I love Princess and the Pea. Themed around the story and tucked away down a shoulderwidth hem off Pasteur, and up a winding set of stairs, it truly has a fairytale quality. Illustrations from children’s books like Alice in Wonderland line the aubergine-hued walls, alongside unique wooden cut outs shaped like lamps and topped with fabric shades. A bedroom nook to the café’s rear houses the princesses’ bed, too—11 mattresses that are piled atop each other on a heavy timber base. The sleeping quarter also has a mirrored vanity table (which young Vietnamese girls use as a photography prop) and an adjoining library filled with books.

Seating is on the floor on purple cushions alongside cute coffee tables set with black and white shots in the centre.

The food menu is limited but drinks are plentiful. The apple and lemon juice (39,000 VND) is sweet and refreshing.

Princess and the Pea

asialife HCMC 43

Bong Bi Pumpkin flower

Bong He Chive flowers

Bong Sung Water Lily

Bong So Dua Pair chopsticks flowers

Bong Dien Dien Sesbania sesban flowers

Bong Thien Ly Fragrant cynanthe flowers

Bap Chuoi Banana flower

44 asialife HCMC

Floral Flavours

..........................................

Floral arrangements that pair perfectly with Vietnamese cuisine. By Beth Young. Researched by Stephy Thai. Image by Johnny Murphy.

Few Westerners scope out their local marketplace in search of edible flowers to bulk up their meals. Vietnamese, however, view the following flowers as delicacies. As such, these blossoms make appearances on special occasions like Tet, birthdays or the anniversary of a loved one’s death. Lack of celebration shouldn’t be a deterrent though.

While some are seasonal, most are available year round and it’s definitely worth tempting your palate with these petals.

Bong Bi Pumpkin flowers Bong bi is the male part of the pumpkin and as such the delicate yellow-hued flowers don’t bear fruit. The blossoms, however, can be boiled or fried and added to any number of Vietnamese dishes. Boiled bong bi is sweet with a slightly bitter aftertaste. To balance the flavour top it with braised fish or meat sauce or a spicy chilli and soy mixture. Otherwise, the blossoms are a great accompaniment to soups and garlic stirfries. Fried bong bi stuffed with finely ground shrimp, squid or lean meat and seasoned with green onion, salt, pepper and fish sauce, is purportedly the best way to down pumpkin flowers. The dish named bong bi nhoi thit chien is common in Southern Vietnam and Hue and is often prepared on special occasions like Tet or to commemorate a death. Bong bi are

seasonal so be sure to grab a bundle if you see them.

Bong Thien Ly Fragrant cynanthe flowers Bong thien ly come in two varieties: lemon-yellow and ivorywhite. Both are known for their tendency to share their sweet and fragrant scent when night falls and regardless of colour, are shaped like miniature wind chimes. The plant’s roots have medicinal properties and are said to heal bites and clear up urinary problems. The petals, however, are sweet and mild in flavour. Bong thien ly soup— the flower’s most common guise—is extremely simple to make. Soak bunches of the flowers in water to ensure all dirt and insects are removed then separate them. Cook the blossoms with minced meat, pounded field crab and ginger and soy sauce-marinated stirfried beef. The result is a fresh and light summer soup. Raw bong thien ly is also added to steaming hotpots.

Bong He Chive flowers Bong he may be tiny but their healing properties are renowned. Cooked together with tofu it makes an antfebrile soup to relieve fevers and when stirfried with a chicken’s internal organs (heart, liver and gizzards) and saffron the miniscule buds help to soothe a persistent cough.

Bong So Dua Pair chopsticks flowers Bong so dua are crescent-shaped white or purple flowers, whose petals sometimes curl downwards to resemble a pair of chopsticks—hence the name.

These blooms are an acquired taste and one that fans can’t get enough of. Bong so dua blooms in October at the same time that linh fish is in season, giving rise to a soup that mixes both ingredients: canh chua ca linh bong so dua. To cook, rinse the flowers, then submerge in tamarind-flavoured boiling water together with the fish. Add spices to taste and lashings of crispy Vietnamese greens like ngo gai and rau om. Be careful not to overcook the flowers.

They should be a little on the crunchy side. Ca loc boc bong so dua hap (steamed ca loc fish with pair chopstick flowers) is another popular dish.

Bong Dien Dien Sesbania sesban flowers Mekong Delta residents eat bong dien dien raw or in sour linh fish soup. Otherwise, they eat the bright yellow flowers with bun mam (vermicelli noodle soup) or banh xeo (rice pancakes) and make dua chua (pickled vegetables) or goi (fresh spring rolls) with them.

Bap Chuoi Banana flowers Known in the south as bap chuoi and in the north as bong

chuoi, this purple flower is multi-purpose. It is used as a key ingredient in sour soup with shrimp, fish or eel and can be fried for a tasty treat. Most commonly though bap chuoi can be found in goi bap chuoi (banana blossom and squid salad) To make, cut the flowers into thin slices and soak them in water with a little lemon or vinegar. This will prevent the petals from discolouring and releasing any sap. After drying, mix with shrimp, boiled meat (either chicken or duck), rau ram (fragrant khotweed), onion and peanuts. Dress with fish sauce combined with sugar, lemon, garlic and chilli. Banana flowers also go nicely with bun rieu (crab meat noodle soup), bun bo (beef with vermicelli) and lau (hotpot).

Bong Sung Water Lily Bong sung grows in any body of water, be it a pond, lake or canal, swamps or ditches (the latter, decidedly less appetizing). There are two varieties of bong sung: the large red-purple lotus and its smaller cousin the wild water lily, which is white.

Bong sung is an exception to the other flowers mentioned here: its petals aren’t edible, just the stalk. Chunks of water lily stem (peeled and soaked first) are used as an ingredient in sour soup; eaten raw with braised fish and pickled in vinegar.

asialife HCMC 45

Indiana Jones and the PP Juice Cafe Think of the times when travelling abroad you've come across fractured English menu items. I recall Beef in Wild Battle, Grilled Moose Bleeding, Lower Bowel Stew, Naked Crab. And how about other fractured English? I once bought a T-shirt proclaiming, “Inmutation is your sweetness: US difference of information!” I wore it proudly on the streets of Saigon. I saw another traveller wearing the message, “Put your main thing here.”

Now you know I am an adventure eater. And drinker.

Pride myself on it. Made money on it. The New York Times dubbed me “Indiana Jones of

It was because there is a pedestrian bit of knowledge I have that made it inevitable that I should have a drink at the PP Gastronomy” for my willingness to go anywhere and court any danger for the sake of a new gastronomic experience. And I was doing it long before that fat guy on the Discovery Channel.

So how do you think I felt when, recently, I was tooling along Vo Thi Sau boulevard and I saw a new juice bar? Now I must tell you that juice bars are a regular feature of the landscape here in Vietnam. You can imagine that freshly squeezed tropical fruit juices are a very popular daily indulgence in these parts. And you would be right about that.

We have no need for Coke or 7-Up here abouts. We got 'em, 46 asialife HCMC

but we don't need 'em.

But to my tale. I was on a motorbike of a recent evening, on my way to who-knowswhere. I rounded a corner as I sped along from some folderol in District 3, and there I saw it. A new juice bar. Bright blue neon lights proudly announced its name: “PP Juice.” Yep, you got that right, PP juice. As I zoomed by, I swore that I must soon return and enjoy PP Juice. I must tell you that it is a very attractive juice bar. Situated at the confluence of two of the city's more attractive thoroughfares, it features a wide-screen TV at which football fans and others may gather and an alfresco setting that gives a lovely view of life passing by. How can you not like it?

So I had to go to indulge in PP Juice, hadn't I? Yes, I had. But there was another reason I had to go to PP. It was because there is a pedestrian bit of knowledge I have that made it inevitable that I should have a drink at the PP. So I told Constance (that's the mem-sahib, you know), “Let's go!” And so we went to PP. When we arrived, I said, “I'll have the papaya!” I'm very fond of papaya. It's delicious and good for the digestion, too.

I have it often here. And so I had PP papaya. Isn't that fun to say, “PP papaya”? It falls out the mouth quite easily, doesn't it? “PP papaya!” Ha Ha! PP papaya. And it was good, too!

Oh, but I forget that pedestrian bit of knowledge that made my visit inevitable. Well, without making a fuss over it, the Vietnamese word for papaya is “du du.” Yes, it is. Now, you know that I have eaten and drunk many a strange thing, but this time I can truthfully say that when I went to PP, I had a good du du.

-Richard Sterling

Ala Mezon When Frenchman Albin Deforges was approached by his Japanese business partner Tabo Ichikawa regarding an idea for a restaurant, he could only think of one thing: home. Drawing from his own pleasure of entertaining friends at his house, Deforges settled on naming the venue “Ala Mezon.”

The correct spelling should be “a la maison,” but Deforges chose a phonetic version in an attempt to attract all nationalities. "If I spelled it the French way,” he says, “only French people will come, and I do not want that." “A la" was altered to “ala,” a Japanese word used to express excitement.

Though each of the four floors is decorated along a different

A new restaurant and bar serving a rotating menu embraces the idea that home is where the heart is. By Lolita Guevarra. Photos by Fred Wissink.

theme, the underlying thread is comfort, emphasized by Japanese accents, contemporary furnishings and a menu of home style Eastern and Western dishes.

Patrons enter through a dark red entrance hall and walk up a fluorescent lime green stairway to the bright orange second floor, which houses the main bar and a lounge exhibiting Deforges’ personal photographs and those of Japanese photographer Naoto Ohike. The third floor features the girls’ room, pink from the walls to the furniture, including a bathroom decorated with female Japanese manga characters. Across the hall is the boys’ room containing a large flat-screen TV connected to an

Xbox and Wii. Its bathroom mirrors Deforges' own adolescent bedroom with walls plastered with surf, snowboard and skateboard stickers. Whereas the "kids" may play on the third floor, the adults can relax and enjoy the view at the fourth floor rooftop terrace.

Deforges and Ichikawa constructed a one-page menu revised every three to four days with simple but innovative preparations. Alternating appetizers include risotto balls with rice and mushroom, grilled fish maki (both 90,000 VND) and a rotation of crepes. There are only two main courses: either a rice or noodle dish, such as pork katsu with olive and tomato sauce over penne (mains range

from 90,000 to 120,000 VND).

Also provided are two choices for dessert with a chocolate option always listed. Deforges is proud of the Marquise de Martine, a dish named after his mother that pairs assorted fruit with an egg-based cream topped with uncooked pieces of chocolate (60,000 VND).

Ala Mezon will open for lunch this month with two bento box options and additional Japanese and Western dishes. Since food and drink are served until 1 am, you can stroll in when you’re looking for a late-night bite or last-minute night cap.

10 Chu Manh Trinh, D1 Tel: 6291 0447 Open daily 5 pm till late. asialife HCMC 47

La Cafeteria de L’Usine Peek through the windows that look in on L’Usine and an eclectic crowd can be seen lounging in the space’s forefront, mulling over their computers, brainstorming with coffee in hand or sitting quietly to the side deep in thought. L’Usine—a contemporary lifestyle outlet that retails in fashion and homewares and displays art—is named for the French word for "factory," and its recently opened eatery, La Cafeteria, is gaining a reputation among creative types as a space conducive to manufacturing ideas.

Tib Hoang, L’Usine’s marketing and public relations manager, agrees. “This space is very inspirational,” she says of the high-ceilinged structure that’s 48 asialife HCMC

been designed to emulate an old-style Indochine garment factory. In fact, the designer, Darren Chew, who created the furniture to match—including tables propped up with antique sewing machine stands—also created the menu. “He’s a multi-purpose man,” Hoang laughs.

Chew worked as a chef and barista in Australia and helped friends to set up Jed’s Food Store, an iconic Jamaicaninspired café at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, before moving to Vietnam a decade ago. It was his idea to add La Cafeteria to L’Usine on the proviso that an emphasis was placed on quality over quantity. “The [plan] from the outset was to keep the menu small and tight and everything

An eclectic eatery that's conducive to creativity. By Beth Young. Photos by Fred Wissink.

we do, we do well,” he says.

The end result is a testament to this philosophy. There’s a compact selection of fresh-cut sandwiches, stuffed with fillings like Vietnamese caramelized pork and herb with lime dressing (75,000 VND); mushroom and olive stuffed chicken with roasted lettuce, tomato and aioli (95,000 VND); and lamb loin with baby beet, feta cheese and rocket (115,000 VND). Plus good, and reasonably priced, strong coffee (40,000 to 50,000 VND).

The breakfast options, available all day, are tempting, too.

Diners can take the healthier route: a sunrise drink with mango, banana, yoghurt and berries (70,000 VND), or opt for wholesome, comfort food, like

the breki burger—a bun topped with a poached egg, spinach, hollandaise sauce and either bacon or mushroom (75,000 VND).

Aside from the food, another aspect that lends La Cafeteria its appeal is the staff. Whether it is Bao Ngoc, L’Usine’s in-house designer; Ann Nguyen, who is in charge of the gallery; or Hoang herself, each member of the team greets and interacts with café patrons. “You often see me serving customers,” Hoang says. “It’s all good. We like it.” As does La Cafeteria’s expanding following of designers, artists and writers.

151/1 Dong Khoi, D1 (entrance via the street-level Art Arcade) Tel: 6674 9565 Open daily 10 am to 10 pm

Bottoms Up One of the great pleasures of northern Vietnam is a cool, refreshing glass of bia hoi on a warm day—or any day, for that matter.

Often, the fresh, unpasteurized beer is enjoyed in a small establishment consisting of a keg of beer and a few plastic chairs on a sidewalk. The brew is delivered to these venues every morning, and bia hoi aficionados will tell you that it is best drunk as soon as possible after it is made. If this means downing a few frothy ones before getting to the office, so be it. Fortunately bia hoi is a light, easy-drinking larger with about three percent alcohol content.

However, the genuine article is something not commonly

It was bottoms up for Brett Davis at Hanoi-style bia hoi, Huy Beo. Photos by Jay Zhang.

available here in HCM City unless you know where to look.

One place where it can be found is Huy Beo at 54 Mai Thi Luu, just off Dien Bien Phu in District 1. This three-level establishment is somewhat removed from the sidewalk plastic stools, yet it still has a simple and relaxed feel about it.

It is a Friday afternoon when AsiaLIFE visits and the place steadily fills with a goodnatured, overwhelmingly male crowd. The top floor has an open-air section, which affords a nice view of the traffic rushing by on Dien Bien Phu. Straight away we get down to business and order bia hoi.

The key to good bia hoi is the freshness, and the product

served at Huy Beo is as authentic and tasty as it possibly can be because it is flown from Hanoi each day. The beer is served in a two litre steel jug immersed in a bucket of ice water. A jug will set you back 100,000 VND. A light gold in colour and with a minimal, foamy head, the beer goes down as smooth as silk and has a crisp, almost tangy finish.

What would a bia hoi session be without some appropriate beer snacks? Huy Beo has a surprisingly extensive menu, although if you don’t read Vietnamese you will need some assistance. We began with cubes of fried tofu (dau hu chien gion) accompanied by bowls of fish sauce and shrimp paste for

dipping. This was followed by fried eel (luon chien gion). The approximately 15cm long eels are fried whole and the dish is topped with crushed peanuts, slivers of onion and chopped, fresh green leaves. Rounding out our order was that everpopular beer food, fried squid (muc chien gion).

As the sun set over HCM City and another working week, it was difficult to think of a more pleasant way to spend a few hours. It is hard to beat the combination of fried food, good conversation and above all good beer. Just remember to take care on the stairs on your way out.

The bruise on my backside will remind me for sometime of the pitfalls of beer and inattention. asialife HCMC 49

Founded under the French, HCM City’s Phu Tho Race Track still attracts crowds eager to make a buck on the right horse.

Brett Davis learns the ropes from some old hands.

Photos by Fred Wissink. ot far from the entrance to the Phu Tho Race Track in District 11 is a new high-rise residential and retail development called Flemington. I take this to be a good omen for the day ahead, Flemington being the most prestigious racecourse in my native Australia and home to the Melbourne Cup, one of the world’s great horse races.

The Saigon Racing Club holds meetings at Phu Tho every weekend, and I have never been shy about taking up the opportunity to hand my money over to the bookies. When I was a child my father would take me to the races and I inherited his love of horses if not, unfortunately, his punting nous.

I buy a form guide at the gate for 5,000 VND and it’s double that for admission. There appear to be several thousand people in attendance on a warm and

50 asialife HCMC

humid Sunday afternoon with dark storm clouds swirling in the sky.

The crowd is dressed for the weekend, very relaxed. This is different than race meetings at home where men wear a jacket and tie while women don a hat and a nice frock. Not to be denied the style to which I am accustomed, I seek out the ticket window for the VIP area and pay the 50,000 VND entry fee before making my way to the glass-enclosed, air-conditioned space on the top floor of the grandstand.

Built in 1932, the grandstand is an elegant, if gently decaying, art deco masterpiece. The Phu Tho racetrack was the brainchild of three Frenchmen named Lorenzi, Gayllet and De Montbeziat, although there had been race meetings held in the area since the 1890s. Racing ceased in 1975, but resumed again in 1989, with some of the facilities at the

track upgraded in 2004.

Settled in the VIP area—one of those recent upgrades—with a couple of cold beers in front of me, I turn my attention to the form guide. It is a fairly simple affair with details of each runner’s last four starts: finish, weight, distance and time. The form gives tips with handy stars placed next to the main fancies.

The more stars, the more the horse is favoured.

At the betting window I’m told the minimum wager is 10,000 VND and the maximum 30 million. I start at the modest end of the scale and choose the 10 horse, a firm two-star favourite according to the form.

Things don’t start well. My horse misses the start by a couple of lengths and the jockey uses up a lot of gas to have him up with the leaders at the back turn. As they come into the home straight the runners are veering all over the sand track.

The jockeys are doing their best to urge their mounts, wielding the whip with a strange over-hand windmill motion.

My horse has nothing left in the tank and fades to finish midfield. The form guide can be a devious mistress, but I guess that’s why they call it gambling and not banking.

Down in the public galleries and among the proliferation of food stalls, the crowd is quickly back to the task at hand, heads bent over form guides in an attempt to divine the winner of the next race. Searching for some inspiration of my own,

I wander down to one of the atriums where the serious horse players seem to hang out. The binoculars are always a giveaway. A lean, middle-aged man with a mustache and glasses comes and introduces himself as Phuc. I ask if he comes to the races often and he tells me he is here every weekend. He could be just the guy I’m looking for.

“Who do you like in the next?” I ask.

“The number three if it is a slow race. It will stay at the back and finish fast. The number five is a young horse so it would be good if they go fast,” he says.

staff were running across the infield towards the prone animal. It is always a terrible sight.

I found Phuc and asked him what happened, although I had a pretty good idea.

He tapped his right knee with his hand and said “broken leg.”

“Will they destroy the horse?”

“Yes.” Injuries like this happen in racing the world over, yet it is always a profoundly sad and distressing thing. Soon enough the unfortunate creature is moved onto a float towed by a tractor and taken away.

Meanwhile the runners in the

The form guide can be a devious mistress, but I guess that's why they call it gambling and not banking.

Given that the general race tactics I have seen so far amount to “Go like hell and hope for the best,” I plump for the five horse.

As the runners roll down the home straight the jockey doesn’t even require the whip, riding number five hands and heels to the line to win by four lengths.

God bless you, Mr. Phuc.

I was so busy cheering my horse home I didn’t realize until it was pointed out to me that another of the runners was down on the track just in front of the starting gate. The horse appeared to stumble out of the gate, tottered for a few steps and lay down. The jockey was not hurt. Attendants and veterinary

next race are parading in the mounting yard.

Later I went down to the stables where the grooms were washing down the horses from the previous race or saddling up the runners in the next. The horses looked small, little more than ponies. Beyond the stables was another public area with more food stalls and more betting windows. I was surprised to see some of the horses, the bridle ropes held by young boys, standing among the crowd. The informality of the track here is something very different to other racing countries but it certainly makes you feel involved.

Down by the rail near the finishing post I watched the runners in another race come past while talking to 58-year-old Nguyen Ky. He has been coming to the races since he was a boy, when he was brought along by his father. Ky says there have been many changes at the track over the years, including the crowd.

“There are less people than years ago, not so many young people,” he says.

The runners file past us on the way back to the mounting enclosure. The jockeys, wearing outsized silks and their faces splattered with mud from flying hooves, seem impossibly young to ride with such fearlessness.

Ky does not really share my concern, telling me they are at least 15 or 16 and have to undertake a course and train for many months before they can ride in races.

The rain starts to come down more heavily. Before I take my leave and head back to the stand I ask Ky what horse he will bet on in the next. He thinks the number 11 is a good bet. Sure enough the number 11 horse gets up to win. It seems a little local knowledge is a valuable thing.

Horse racing in Vietnam is not the social outing it is in many other countries. Here it is all about the business of wagering on the right horse. But it has been a good day, and as I make way towards the exit I remember that it is always fun to walk away a winner. asialife HCMC 51

the Power of your

Inner Circle In the first in a series of articles based on Citynetevents.com’s Meeting Point networking and seminar nights, Paul Wong of Radical Coaching explains why mentors are the key to your success and happiness and how to find the right ones. Edited from the seminar by Tom DiChristopher.

Consider the following: World tennis number one Rafael Nadal was mentored by his uncle Toni Nadal since the age of 12. Bill Gates had a number of mentors: Ed Roberts, “the father of the personal computer”; his parents; and Warren Buffet. Google founders Larry Page and Sergei Brin point to Stanford professor Rajeev Motwani as their mentor.

That these champions in their fields became great isn’t a coincidence. In Good to Great, author Jim Collins asserts that great companies understand mentoring, noting that almost 90 percent of leaders who made their companies great came from within the company over a 10- to 20-year period.

Why is mentoring so important? In order to succeed we need people. More specifically, we need the right people who will help us become the right person. The people who help us become that person are known as our inner circle.

Identifying Your Inner Circle An inner circle is comprised of a number of people in a mentor/ mentee relationship. A mentee, or protégé, is someone who is committed to cultivating relationships that will help him or her learn, grow and succeed. A mentor is someone who is committed to guiding a mentee with all he or she knows. Think of it as concentric circles, with yourself positioned at the centre.

The outermost circle is made up by distant mentors. These are people we admire from a distance. They may be people of the past or who are still alive today. We value their thoughts, ideas and opinions and allow 52 asialife HCMC

them to influence us. There are certain bloggers and newspaper columnists you read. You prefer certain authors over others.

You might admire some hero from the past, like Abraham Lincoln or Ho Chi Minh. These, you could say, are your distant mentors. By reading their work or studying their lives, you’re allowing them to influence you.

If we are being intentional about it, we should ask, “Are they really helping us to be who we are meant to be?”

Distant mentors may be people with whom you have a very distant relationship. Maybe they live abroad and you just email them once a month or once every three months. You might turn to a distant mentor for advice every now and then, but you need to communicate and make sure the relationship is still there. You’ve got to keep

"Mentoring is actually doing business. You’re exchanging very, very powerful information with one another." in touch, even if you’ve got nothing to ask. Even if you’re quite far away, ask if there’s anything you can help him or her with. Instead of emailing, give that person a call. The telephone always beats email.

Closer to you on the concentric diagram are your peer mentors—people who are like-minded. For example, you

love entrepreneurship. You’re just fascinated with what it takes to be an entrepreneur. You read books by Warren Buffet and Donald Trump. So you look out for people on your level to whom entrepreneurship appeals, as well. You want the same thing and you’re willing to help one another to achieve it. You can learn from them and they can learn from you. Those are your peer mentors.

Peer mentorships work best in groups. You slowly form your relationship with them and then start a group that meets regularly. You can start that process in your own company. You see a few guys who really want to learn and grow. They want to be successful and you want to be successful. That’s the common ground on which you can start building a peer mentor group.

It’s not only about learning together. It’s about providing support and encouragement.

You all want to be successful, but the truth of the matter is there are going to be challenges in life. There are days when your customer, your boss— somebody—does something that makes you lose your confidence. You can go back to your peer mentor group and talk it out. Peer mentors are really comrades.

Closest to you on the concentric diagram is the master mentor—the person you want to be like. Sometimes a master mentor is very hard to find.

Most people don’t even know who to look for.

The key to finding a master mentor is to look for people who simply care about you and sincerely want to help

you grow. A master mentor is someone who has integrity and is willing to tell you the truth, someone who has humility and also wants to grow. Choose very wisely; it’s not a decision that you can make and change every three months. A mentoring relationship will not happen like that.

Take it slowly. You can’t build an inner circle in one year. It’s taken me almost 10 years to find the right people. It’s like King Arthur building his knights of the round table. I don’t think he put out an advertisement saying, “I want to recruit 12 knights.” He knows who he’s looking for. He builds his table over a long period of time, and then he builds a strong relationship with them. That’s how it’s done. It’s a long-term art.

Four Steps for Approaching a Mentor The peer mentor group is actually easier to form. There are a lot of stories of how just with peer mentor groups alone, people have really progressed in their careers and in life. If you really want to start somewhere, start at the peer mentor level. At least if you have the humility to listen to someone at your level, you can be sure that when you approach a master mentor he can sense your humility and be more likely to help you also.

However, humility alone won’t do it. You need a strategy.

The first step is to be intentional. Being intentional entails having a plan to approach a potential mentor. Let’s say we are working at the same company, and after working together for a while, I notice that I can learn

"The key to maintaining your relationships with mentors is structure.

Remember, building relationships is tiring."

a lot from you. I want to have a plan to be friends with you, whether it’s just walking right up to you and asking you to lunch or signing on to some project or volunteer work you’re involved with. Try to find common ground and start there.

The next two steps are closely related: build friendship and build trust. Consider what author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar says: “If people like you, they will be friends with you. If they trust you, they will do business with you.” Mentoring is actually doing business.

You’re exchanging very, very powerful information with one another and building a long-term relationship on commitment and trust. Spend time and build friendship first. Then, find out if you can add value to your mentor’s life, even if it’s helping with the small things.

Every time you’re helpful, you build trust. And then you reach a stage where you are ready to pop the question: “Would you mentor me?” If the trust is right, you are most likely to get a yes.

If the trust is not right, you’re building up the rejection.

The last step is to be transpar-

ent. That means making the relationship official. It’s really like dating. A lot of people go into what I call subconscious dating.

They go to events and spend time together, but they don't acknowledge their relationship until a third party asks, “Are you dating?” In subconscious dating, you’re just drifting, going with the flow. Mentoring is not going to happen like that. You can’t just drift into a mentoring relationship. You’ve got to be very intentional and say, “I want to go there, and I see you want to go there too.

I admire you. I think I could learn a lot from you. Could you be my mentor?” Without that conversation, it’s not going to happen.

The key to being intentional is making sure your three levels of the inner circle are aligned in regards to how you are connected with these people.

The relationships don’t have to be 100 percent identical, but they’re aligned on what matters the most. When inviting mentors into your life, you should consider three questions: Where are you headed (your personal vision and mission)? What mat-

ters to you (your value system)?

Who can help you?

Making Mentorships Work The key to maintaining your relationships with mentors is structure. This is where most people fail. They’re really excited about it, but then after two months, after pouring their whole heart into it, they get tired. Remember, building relationships is tiring.

That’s why you need some kind of realistic structure, whether that’s meeting once a week or once a month. Peer mentorships are best if you can meet in groups, but master mentors you need to meet one on one. For both master mentors and peer mentors, eat with them once a week. Everyone has to eat, so pick a lunch day. That way, it’s there and you don’t have to think about it anymore.

Every Wednesday, we have lunch.

What’s going to happen at Wednesday lunch? Have a plan, and take it in small chunks of time: We’re going to read this book and discuss it for the next three months. Don’t say, “We’re going to do this forever. We’re

going to look at each other and challenge each other to be successful.” It’s going to get boring.

Whatever you choose, stick to it.

There are a few signs of a healthy mentoring relationship.

You and your mentor should be close, but you needn’t be best friends. A mentoring relationship should be interdependent, not over-dependent. Your mentor is an advisor, not an IT Helpdesk. Your mentor should draw you closer to your spouse and family, not away; be aware that a spouse or partner can feel neglected if he or she perceives that you can’t talk to them about things you can talk to your mentor about.

Everyone has some sort of an inner circle. The key is how intentional we are in building our inner circle and surrounding ourselves with the people who will influence us to be the best we can be.

Is your inner circle helping you become a champion at home and at work? If the idea is new to you, you can begin taking a deeper look at your inner circle today and start building one that will truly help you be the man or woman you are meant to be. asialife HCMC 53

Summer’s Out for School Many families experience a rough patch during the transition from summertime to school days.

Daniel Hahn, school psychologist, explains how parents can help educators set their children up for success in those critical first weeks.

Photo by Fred Wissink.

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During the first weeks of the school year, our goal as educators is to make students feel comfortable at school as quickly as possible. However, we enter the new term knowing that some students get used to new situations very quickly, while others need more time to adjust.

We also know that both of these reactions are normal.

As we begin the school year, parents can partner with us to ease students through the process by establishing at-home schedules and keeping lines of communication open with children. Remember, few of us do well with split-second changes. Talking with your children about the ways that life will change as we transition from vacation to the school year provides an opportunity for you to explain your expectations and for them to speak about any anxieties they may have.

Here are a few tips on how to alleviate the stress that often accompanies the return of the academic year.

Scheduling for Success Placing your family on schedules with regard to bedtimes and meals is a critical first step.

A good night’s sleep is essential to optimizing school performance. The suggested amount of sleep for elementary students is between 10 and 12 hours per night. Certainly students will at first find it difficult to adjust to the new bedtime. Evening activities like brushing up on academic skills and family reading will assist your child through the transition. Evening reading time in particular provides academic enrichment and

Expect that you may initially encounter tears or misbehaviour after school. These are common stress-related responses may hasten sleep. Decreasing the time allotted for television, movies and video games may also prove an effective signal of the return to school responsibilities.

Dealing with Dawdling With regard to the logistics of the morning routine, it may be helpful to view yourself as the "getting out of the door" coach.

Consider having your children make choices about tomorrow’s school clothes at night. In addition, choosing a pre-set, easily accessible place for backpacks may ameliorate the morning rush. As the year begins, you may find your youngster making less than positive comments about getting up early or going to school. It is best to ignore any negativity. Instead, direct the morning routine with a smile on your face. Keep reminders brief and to the point ("Shoes."

"Backpack.") or consider using open-ended questions ("What do you need to do next?"). If dawdling persists, use natural, logical consequences. Wake them earlier if they need more time. If they speed up their routine, then allow a later wake up. You can also follow through with an earlier to-bed time.

Don’t bribe your children; allow them to earn privileges for demonstrating responsibility.

Employing Incentives For the more forgetful child or one who has difficulties with settling into a routine, a star chart may be helpful. A star chart is essentially a checklist of those morning tasks organized on a grid of lines divided into days of the week. They can be

photocopied and put on a clipboard and placed in a prominent place in your home. Once the child completes the tasks, they can be checked off (or you can use a smiley face). Children can earn extra privileges or a toy based on their performance.

Oftentimes dawdling is simply due to younger children having not yet internalized a sense of time. The use of a kitchen timer, for example, can be helpful.

Easing Academic Anxiety Many children may experience anxiety about the bus, their classmates, their teacher and how they will perform in school.

This is normal, and reassurance from parents is key to increasing their confidence. If your child in some way indicates concern about the school year, provide an opportunity for them to talk about their feelings. Ask openended rather than yes/no questions. Use reflective listening and paraphrasing, and be empathic. Acknowledge their feelings and offer encouragement.

Reassure your child that his or her classmates are all trying to settle in after summer and/ or get used to a new school. Be aware of your own feelings and anxieties as children often reflect parental concerns. Exude confidence when you say goodbye to your children.

stress-related responses. Do not overreact unless patterns of behaviour persist after several weeks. Be proactive and talk to the classroom teacher and school counselors. Many students are over-scheduled, and it’s important to help them pace themselves during the beginning of the school year, especially while it is still hot and humid. Consider minimizing home and extracurricular activities during the first part of the term if necessary, and allow time for free play. Increase responsibilities and activities as your child settles into the school routine.

As we progress through the school year, your child’s teacher, counselor and administrators all work together to support the academic and emotional development of students. Best of luck to you and your family with the 2010-11 school year!

Coping with School-Related Stress If you haven’t already, state your expectations for behaviour and completing class/homework assignments. Expect that you may initially encounter tears or misbehaviour after school. These are common

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Skeeter Beaters Unconventional weapons and holistic household approaches in the war against mosquitoes. By Alexandra Karina. Photo by Fred Wissink.

I’m the biggest mosquito target in my family and among my friends. I hate the little buggers with a vengeance—and vengeance I do take. I recently spent a good half-hour hunting down the eight mozzies throwing me a housewarming party.

DEET-based OFF! bug spray and I were best buds until I became wary of chemical sprays. I’m inhaling more than enough toxins strolling down Hai Ba Trung, thanks. Since we’ve parted ways, I’ve tried just about every DIY mosquito solution under the sun in find-

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ing my ultimate combination for effective mozzie protection.

Wearing loose-fitting long-sleeve tops and pants in light, breathable fabrics, using citronella candles and incense, avoiding bananas—all common advice that work to an extent.

Beyond those basics, however, there are many weapons you can add to your arsenal in the fight against blood theft.

Avoid Mosquito Attractants Dark and bright clothing and accessories attract mosquitoes

from a distance. Red, blue and black are particularly eye-catching to the hungry swarms.

Fruity and floral fragrances are the equivalent of hanging an “All You Can Eat” sign out for mozzies. While perfumes do so most effectively, shampoos, lotions, sunscreens, deodorants, cosmetics, detergents and various other products in your hygienic arsenal are potential attractants as well. The scents may seem subtle, but they’re capable of

hooking skeeters by the nose from 20 to 35 metres away once activated by your body heat.

there, particularly if the pile contains gym shorts or evening wear.

bloodsuckers breed in the still water, and the fish love feeding on mini mozzies.

Heat brings mosquitoes a-calling due to the infra-red radiation your hot bod gives off. If you’re on the go, splash your skin with water to take off a few degrees.

Netting is one of the most effective weapons in the fight against skeeters. Why stop at the bed, though? For a DIY window screen that works with Vietnamese windows, cut and fit netting over the iron bars and fasten the four corners with screws or adhesive hooks.

For better protection, tape up the sides that won’t get in the way of accessing the window.

If you’re renting a room in a house that’s ridden with the buggers, consider a DIY bedroom door screen.

Geckos are my favourite pets in Vietnam. They never demand attention, make a mess or leave me with a huge food bill—they feed on mozzies!

Perspiration paints a huge bulls-eye on your body, both due to the increased humidity enveloping you and the chemicals in your sweat. If you just can’t acclimate to the tropics, consider prescription-strength deodorant/antiperspirant.

CO2 is released in larger amounts after exercise and in hot weather. Candles and incense also give off CO2, so reach for a citronella-scented one.

Fans keep you cool on the cheap while keeping mosquitoes, which can only fly at 8 mph at best, at bay.

Damp, cool areas and standing water are notorious mosquito hangouts, since the buggers become dehydrated easily. Keep those bathroom doors closed, and look for pits and shallow surfaces during the rainy season.

Essential oils including citronella, eucalyptus, catnip, tansy, rosemary, lavender, basil, thyme, peppermint or garlic keep mozzies at a distance.

Include them in your garden or arrange them in potted plants to create a natural mozzie barrier in and around your home. Steep the herbs and flowers in vodka for a room spray or in a carrier oil such as soybean oil for an anti-skeeter skin spray. Several other plants will keep mozzies away, but not all are safe to use as sprays.

Dirty laundry contains your sweat and chemical scent, so don’t be surprised if you find the vampires congregating

An aquarium or a fish pond of fathead minnows, guppies or mosquito fish will keep mosquito levels down. The

Lactic acid also releases after exercising or consuming foods high in salt or potassium (hence the advice to avoid bananas).

Fortify Your Home

Bite First Aid Baking soda mixed with just enough H2O to make a paste is all it takes to bring swelling down and stop the itch. If you have bites that have scabbed over from relentless scratching, don’t be surprised if you find the closed wounds covered by crystallized, amber-hued beads after a few hours; the baking soda will draw the toxins out from under the scab.

Meat tenderizer can neutralize allergic reactions to the mosquito’s anticoagulant. Ironic to be using meat tenderizer after having been made a meal of.

Tea tree essential oil, calamine lotion, cortisone cream, antihistamine meds and ice packs can help sooth the itch.

Smack yourself to get the blood and antihistamines flowing.

Compress and release the bite area to help the toxins disperse.

Fight the urge to scratch. You’ll make things worse.

Stay hydrated, as dehydration will magnify bite reactions.

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Out With the New, In With the Old

A new shop on Nguyen Trai introduces vintage to HCM City.

By Tom DiChristopher. Photos by Fred Wissink.

In a city obsessed with labels— particularly those sewed, bejewelled or imprinted on the latest brand apparel—Con Qua Den (Black Crow) is a bit of a black sheep. The little boutique aims to introduce a new word to HCM City’s fashion lexicon: old.

Occupying a first floor space in a brutalist apartment block on Nguyen Trai and Le Loi streets, Con Qua Den has quietly been building a name for itself among artists, creatives and advertising professionals as HCM City’s premier—and perhaps only— retailer of vintage clothing and accessories.

Proprietor Hoang Minh is herself a graphic designer and refugee from the advertising world. She traces her retrophilia back to her youthful fascination with icons like Audrey Hepburn and Dolly Parton. But it wasn’t until university, while researching costumes for a film project, that she became aware of the concept of vintage in the context of fashion. For many Vietnamese consumers, she says, vintage remains unheard of.

“They think you have to wear new things,” she says. “They can’t imagine how you can mix the old things and new things.”

Con Qua Den has everything you’d need to challenge that mindset. Scattered around a homey space furnished in dark woods and decorated with quirky bric-a-brac are fashion items from days past. A high58 asialife HCMC

waisted dark blue shirtdress patterned with bright daffodils costs just 425,000 VND. Bags generally range from 1.5 to 2 million VND; a Fossil satchel purse was priced at 1,499,000 VND on Con Qua Den’s Facebook page. The stock of sunglasses tends towards starlet shades from the likes of Nina Ricci and Christian Dior, but Hoang will also select no-names that simply strike her fancy. Wallets, shoes, jewellery, belts, hats and scarves are also available for the detail-oriented throwback artist.

What Hoang doesn’t find herself on eBay is purchased and sent from the United States by her collaborator, who searches through estate sales, garage sales and flea markets for remarkable items.

Hoang says she doesn’t yet have a large expatriate clientele for a simple reason. “There’s that old saying: selling fish to the fisherman,” she says.

However, for those who head to Bangkok night markets or tote an empty suitcase to Singapore to satisfy their retro shopping pangs, the arrival of Con Qua Den could take some of the travel out of supporting a vintage lifestyle.

145/14 Nguyen Trai, D1, 1st floor (entrance at 141 Nguyen Trai) tel: 6291 0985 www.conquaden.com Open from 9.30 am to 8 pm daily

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he Australian fashion designer, Tracey Kociuruba draws inspiration from her Ukrainian heritage and her newly opened boutique on Ton That Thiep—beautifully refurbished to resemble an elaborate Eastern European cathedral—pays homage to her family’s background. Her designs—classic, timeless pieces with intricate hand-spun details—evoke snapshots from a more elegant age, albeit with a youthful edge. asialife HCMC 61

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Styling: Tracey Kociuruba Makeup: Bui Ba Tuoc by Make Up For Ever Model: Joanna Oshima Photographer: Fred Wissink Tracey Kociuruba Fashion Gallery, 2nd floor, 43 Ton That Thiep, D1.

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Philippine Airways 229 Dong Khoi, D3 Tel: 3822 2241 www.philippineairlines.com Operates daily service from HCM City to Manila, offering fare options through the PAL Econo Light Class.

listings

hotel & travel

Thai Airways 65 Nguyen Du, Tel: 3829 2810 29 Le Duan, D1 www.thaiair.com Bangkok-based airline connects twice daily between the Thai capital and HCM City and Hanoi. Multiple daily flights are also operated from both to Phnom Penh and Phuket.

AIRLINES Air Asia 254 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3838 9810 www.airasia.com Asia’s largest low-cost airline operates one daily flight between HCM City-Hanoi, as well as international flights to Bangkok, Phuket, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur.

Cathay Pacific 72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 Tel: 3822 3203 www.cathaypacific.com Hong Kong-based airline makes three flights daily to HCM City and two flights daily to Hong Kong’s international airport.

Fares start at about $300.

Jetstar Pacific www.jetstar.com Budget branch of Australian Qantas flies into Can Tho, Danang, Hanoi, Hai Phong, HCM City, Hue, Nha Trang and Vinh and operates cheap flights from HCM City to Siem Reap and Bangkok. Check out Friday Fare Frenzy online promotion from 2 to 5 pm every Friday.

Malaysia Airlines www.malaysiaairlines.com Offers daily flights from Hanoi and HCM City to Kuala Lumpur for about $200 round trip, with four economy class fare levels: low, basic, smart and flex.

escape

VASCO Vietnam Airlines office, 116 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3842 2790 www.vasco.com.vn Though it’s primary business is cargo shipment, Vietnam Air Service Company (VASCO) flies daily from HCM City to Con Dao and makes connections to lesser-known cities like Ca Mau, Tuy Hoa and Chu Lai. Buy tickets at the Vietnam Airlines office.

Vietnam Airlines Hanoi: 94 Tran Quoc Toan Tel: 942 0848 HCM City: 116 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3832 0320 www.vietnamair.com.vn The domestic route map is extensive, with several flights daily between major and less touristed cities throughout Vietnam. Flies internationally throughout Asia and to Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, Sydney, Melboure, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

CON DAO ATC Hotel 16B Ton Duc Thang Tel: 06 4830 666 Rustic little 4-room, family-run guesthouse in converted French administration building. Rooms are simple, with exposed

Con Dao Resort 8 Nguyen Duc Thuan Tel: 06 4830 949 www.condaoresort.com Modern hotel with 45 rooms and seven villas set on 2km of private beach. Onpremise facilities include restaurant, bar, beach-view swimming pool, tennis court and volleyball. Organizes outdoor activities and tours.

Saigon Con Dao Resort 18-24 Ton Duc Thang Tel: 06 4830 155 www.saigoncondaoresort.com Opened in summer 2009, Saigon Tourist’s 82-room hotel has a restaurant, swimming pool, tennis court and health club with sauna. Another 30 villas are available in the adjacent sister hotel, a renovated colonial-era administration building. Tours organized by hotel.

DALAT Ana Mandara Villas Resort & Spa Le Lai, Ward 5, Dalat Tel: 063 3555 888 www.anamandara-resort.com Luxury 35-acre resort encompasses 17 restored early 20th-century villas and 65 rooms set in the rural highlands. La Cochinchine Spa offers wide range of treatments. Le Petite Dalat Restaurant serves Vietnamese and fusion cuisine.

Heated swimming pool, art gallery and cooking classes in organic garden.

Blue Moon Resort & Spa 4 Phan Boi Chau Tel: 06 3578 888 www.bluemoonhotel.com.vn An attractive 65-room, country-style resort with extensive gardens for strolling or al fresco dining, as well as restaurant serving local Dalat dishes. On-premise bike rental, fitness centre, sauna and indoor heated pool.

Mercure Dalat 7 Tran Phu, Dalat Tel: 063 3825 777 www.mercure.com Built in 1932 as the Hotel Du Parc, this

144-room resort pairs French colonial architecture with modern amenities. Cafe De Le Poste serves French home-style, international and Vietnamese cuisine.

Facilities include tennis court and sauna Sofitel Dalat Palace 12 Tran Phu, Dalat Tel: 063 3825 444 www.accorhotels-asia.com Stately lakeside hotel was built in 1920s and retains the period’s aesthetic. It encompasses 38 rooms, five suites, a gourmet restaurant, brasserie, piano bar and Larry’s Bar. Golf can be arranged, and there’s tennis, boules, snooker and billiards on premise.

activities Phat Tire Ventures 73 Truong Cong Dinh Tel: 63 3829 422 www.phattireventures.com Runs guided trips for hiking/trekking, mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking and canyoning in the highlands surrounding Dalat. Also operates mixed trip adventure packages and ropes course set among pine forest with 100+ metre Flying Fox zip line.

Dalat Easy Rider Tours 70 Phan Dinh Phung dalateasyriders@yahoo.com www.dalat-easyrider.com Ride pillion with English-, French- or German-speaking tour guides on motorbike adventures that start in Dalat and snake through mountains, jungles and deltas, lasting anywhere from three to 21 days. Trips terminate in Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hanoi, Mui Ne or HCM City. All hotels and entrance fees included.

HANOI Intercontinental Westlake Hanoi 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 04 6270 8888 www.intercontinental.com Located on the waterfront with contemporary Vietnamese design, restaurants, business services, fitness centre including exercise classes and pool.

take flight with travel promotions around the region

Furama Resort Danang Through December 31, Furama Resort Danang is offering a two night, three day package for USD $185 ++ per person for twin share or $320 ++ per package for single use. The deal includes accommodation in a Garden View room, daily buffet breakfast, round-trip airport transfers and in-room Internet access.

Stay an extra night (single $165 ++; double $185 ++) and receive a complimentary set dinner at Don Cipriani’s. Call 511 3847 333/888 or visit www.furamavietnam.com.

Evason Ana Mandara & Six Senses Spa Through December 19, one night at the Evason Ana Mandara & Six Senses Spa begins at USD $180 ++ per night for a Garden View room and includes a daily breakfast buffet; shuttle bus airport transfers; welcome drink and fruit basket and complimentary use of internet, 64 asialife HCMC

rafters inside and balconies outside. Bungalow accommodation is also available.

bicycles, steam room and sauna.

Rates are subject to a 5 percent service charge and 10 percent tax and a surcharge of $50 ++ per night is applicable from September 1 to 4. Call 58 3522 222 or visit www.sixsenses.com/Evason-AnaMandara-Nha-Trang/index.php.

Victoria Hoi An Resort Through September 30 the Victoria Hoi An Resort is offering two special summer promotions. The first: stay three consecutive nights and receive one free night for single bookings and the second: pay USD $110 ++ per night and receive one night stay in a superior room and daily breakfast for two people.

Call 0510 3927 040 or visit www. victoriahotels-asia.com.

Princess D’Annam Resort & Spa Until October 31 the Princess D’Annam Resort & Spa, located in Binh Thuan District, will offer a

Getaway Package. For USD $733 guests will receive two nights in the Mandarin Suite (suitable for single or double occupancy); a welcome drink, cold towel and bottle of sparkling wine on arrival; a Vietnamese or Western three-course set dinner; one-hour Vietnamese massage and in-room Wi-Fi Internet access. The rate is subject to 5 percent service charge and 10 percent government tax. Call 62 3682 222 or visit www.princessannam.com.

Ana Mandara Resort Through October 31 the Ana Mandara Resort in Dalat is offering extra bonus nights. Stay five nights and pay for just four; stay seven and pay for five; stay 12 and pay for nine and stay 14 and pay for 10. Each deal includes a 50-minute Vietnamese body scrub for two.

Call 63 555 888 or visit www.anamandararesortdalat.com.

Hanoi Hilton Opera 1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3933 0500 www.hilton.com Housed in a colonial-style building that complements the adjacent Opera House, this luxury hotel features modern amenities, business services, outdoor pool and fitness centre. Vietnamese specialties are served at Ba Mien, and Chez Manon does Japanese and pan-Asian.

Melia Hanoi Hotel 44B Ly Thuong Kiet Tel: 04 3934 3343 www.meliahanoi.com Located in the city centre with 306 comfortable guestrooms elegantly decorated, complete with a host of modern amenities. Dining includes Asian cuisine at El Patio and El Oriental, snacks at Cava Lounge and tapas at Latino Bar. Mercure Hanoi La Gare 94 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3944 7766 www.accorhotels.com Situated in the Old Quarter with 102 bright, spacious and modern rooms, Brasserie Le Pavillion restaurant serves Vietnamese and international cuisine.

Nikko Hotel 84 Tran Nhan Tong Tel: 04 3822 3535 www.hotelnikkohanoi.com.vn Luxury hotel offering spacious rooms, elegant furnishings, international fine dining from Europe, China and Japan.

Sheraton Hotel Hanoi K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 04 3719 9000 www.starwoodhotels.com “Resort within a city” boasts 299 spacious guest rooms with panoramic views, fitness centre, international restaurant and Hemisphere Vietnamese restaurant.

Sofitel Metropole 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3826 6919 www.sofitel.com Located downtown. Colonial-style hotel with well-regarded restaurants/bars serving French & Vietnamese cuisine, plus Italian steak house.

HO CHI MINH CITY Caravelle Hotel 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 www.caravellehotel.com One of the city’s most prestigious venues. Features a casino, Reflections Restaurant and al fresco 9th-floor Saigon Saigon Bar. Equatorial 242 Tran Binh Trong D5 Tel: 3839 7777 www.equatorial.com/hcm On the intersect of 4 districts, with 333 rooms, Orientica Seafood restaurant and bar, Chit Chat cafe, pool (swim-up bar), gym.

InterContinental Asiana Saigon Corner of Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9999 saigon@interconti.com www.intercontinental.com/saigon 305 rooms/suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, five restaurants/bars, meeting/ banquet facilities, spa/health club and lounge with panoramic view.

Mövenpick Hotel Saigon 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 www.moevenpick-saigon.com 251-room Swiss chain hotel with Nishimura Japanese and Lotus Court Chinese restaurant, Sundeck poolside bar, Qi Spa, conference/banquet facilities.

New World Hotel 76 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3822 8888 www.newworldsaigon.com Located in the city centre, with gym, outdoor pool, tennis court, event space and Dynasty Chinese restaurant.

Park Hyatt 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com Luxury colonial-style hotel includes 21 suites, lobby lounge with live music, Xuan Spa, pool, gym, international dining at Square One. Renaissance Riverside 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033 www.renaissancehotels.com 349 rooms/suites with panoramic views over Saigon River. Conference/banquet facilities, rooftop pool, gym, two restaurants.

Sheraton 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 www.sheraton.com/saigon Luxury downtown hotel with Level 23 bar, Mojo cafe, Li Bai Chinese restaurant, fine dining at The Signature on the 23rd floor.

Sofitel Saigon Plaza 17 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3824 1555 www.sofitel.com/2077 One of the city’s top hotels with in-room Wi-Fi, two restaurants with international cuisine, two bars, six conference rooms, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre.

Thao Dien Village 195 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 3744 2222 www.thaodienvillage.com Colonial-style boutique hotel and spa with fine dining on the banks of the Saigon River in expat enclave.

Windsor Plaza 18 An Duong Vuong, D5 Tel: 3833 6688 services@windsorplazahotel.com www.windsorplazahotel.com Located in a main shopping hub. Four restaurants, modern discotheque, conference centre, casino, health club, shopping centre, supermarket, Chinese restaurant.

activities Saigon Scooter Centre 25/7 Cuu Long, Tan Binh District Tel: 4848 7816 www.saigonscootercentre.com One-stop rental service with a wide selection of scooters/motorbikes available for around town travel or long trips Vietnam Vespa Adventures 169 De Tham, D1, Pham Ngu Lao Tel: 3920 3897 www.vietnamvespaadventures.com Headquaters located in Cafe Zoom.

Offers 3-day trips to Mui Ne, 8-days to Nha Trang or half-day tours of HCMC on classic Vespas.

HOI AN & DANANG Cua Dai Hotel 544 Cua Dai Tel: 0510 3862 231 www.cuadaihotel-hoian.com Open and airy rooms are tastefully decorated and overlook the garden and pool.

Located roughly between Old Town and Cua Dai Beach. Bicycle rental arranged.

Green Field Hotel 423 Cua Dai, Hoi An Tel: 0510 863 484 www.greenfieldhotel.com Mid-range hotel with simple but spacious rooms overlooking the garden and pool.

Rates start below US $20 per night.

Located 400 metres from the Old Town.

Le Domaine de Tam Hai Resort Tel: 0510 3545105 www.domainedetamhai.com Occupying an island close to Hoi An, the resort features 12 villas, a private beach, and two restaurants serving French and Vietnamese cuisine.

Life Resort Hoi An 1 Pham Hong Thai, Hoi An

Tel: 0510 3914 555 www.life-resorts.com Within walking distance of Hoi An. Rooms are chic and minimalist, offering all the mod cons. Two restaurants, two bars and an outdoor pool.

Nam Hai Tel: 0510 3940 000 www.ghmhotel.com Luxury resort accommodation from single villas to sumptuous five-room dwellings with private pools. Facilities include 8 private spa villas; 3 beachfront swimming pools; library; and tennis, basketball and badminton courts.

Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa Cua Dai Beach Tel: 0510 3927 040 www.victoriahotels-asia.com Set on its own stretch of beach with 105 rooms spread through a traditional fishing village design of small “streets” and ponds.

activities Hoi An Motorbike Adventures Tel: 0918 230 653 www.motorbiketours-hoian.com Two-wheeled tours of the Central Highlands, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Monkey Mountain and more on a fleet of Minsk dirt bikes and fully and semi-automatic motorbikes. Customers can drive or be driven on half- to five-day trips.

Mango Cruise info@mangorooms.com Chef Duc from the celebrated Mango Rooms restaurant and his wife Ly offer a cruise down the Thu Bon River, complete with a meal from a menu created by Duc himself.

Phat Tire Ventures 619 Hai Ba Trung Tel: 0510 391 1700 www.phattireventures.com Offers rappelling and rock climbing at Marble Mountains, as well as walking and mountain biking excursions, from two-hour countryside trips to two-day cycling trips to Hue. Also does cultural and historical tours and car trips to My Son Holy Land.

Vietnam Sailing 88 Nguyen Thai Hoc Tel: 0918 255 521 www.vietnamsailing.com Foreign-operated company operates chartered coach or private tours to Cham Islands aboard a Corsair Sprint 750 Trimaran. One-day cruises or twoday excursions with beach camping by campfire are available.

HUE Celadon Palace Hue 105A Hung Vuong Tel: 054 3936 666 www.celadonpalacehue.com Grand building inspired by Indochine Nobel House with panoramic views, international restaurant, lounge/bars, pool, ballroom and wedding planning.

Imperial Hue 57 Dang Dung Tel: 054 3522 478 www.imperial-hotel.com.vn Opulent high-rise hotel with panoramic views of the city and Ngu Binh Mountain.

Facilities include swimming pool, gym, Royal spa, Prince Club casino and business centre.

La Residence 5 Le Loi Tel: 054 3837 475 www.la-residence-hue.com Former governor’s residence on the banks of the Perfume River is now home to a boutique resort where art deco meets Indochine. La Parfum restaurant serves local and international dishes.

Facilitiesa include spa, saltwater pool, tennis court and fleet of bicycles.

Mercure Hue Gerbera 38 Le Loi Tel: 054 3946 688 www.mercure.com Overlooking the Perfume River, this

centrally located hotel has 110 contemporary rooms. Local Hue cuisine and international fare served at Le Bordeaux, and drinks served up top at Sky Bar or in the ground-floor Lobby Bar. Pilgrimage Village Resort & Spa 130 Minh Mang Tel: 054 3885 461 www.pilgrimagevillage.com Boutique resort with hut, bungalow and villa accommodation draws on natural environment and local culture. Features Vedana spa, two restaurants serving Vietnamese & Western food and imported wines and three bar/lounges.

NHA TRANG Evason Hideaway at Ana Mandara Ninh Van Bay, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa Tel: 058 3728 222 www.sixsenses.com/hideawayanamandara An island hideaway accessible only by boat, 58 private pool villas, international and local restaurants, wedding services, water sports and scuba diving.

Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 3522 222 www.sixsenses.com/evasonanamandara Beachside resort set in 26,000 square metres of tropical garden, with 74 guest villas, three restaurants, Six Senses Spa. Novotel Nha Trang 50 Tran Phu Tel: 058 625 6900 www.novotel-nhatrang.com Each of the 154 rooms has a terrace with seaviews in this modern hotel located in the city centre. The Square serves international cuisine in a dining room overlooking the bay.

Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa 26 - 28 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Tel: 58 388 0000 www.sheraton.com/nhatrang Luxury hotel with 284 ocean view rooms, six restaurants and bars, club lounge, infinity edge swimming pool, spa, yoga studio, cooking school, Sheraton Adventure Club and (connected at) Link@ Sheraton.

Sunrise Beach Resort 12-14 Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 3820 999 www.sunrisehotelvietnam.com Private beach resort equipped with gym, fitness centre, outdoor pool and water sports.

PHAN THIET Full Moon 98A Nguyen Dinh Chieu Tel: 062 3847 008 fullmoon@windsurf-vietnam.com Resort set in a private garden with lovingly decorated bedrooms and terracotta-tiled bathrooms. The grounds include a good Vietnamese restaurant, pool and kitesurfing school.

L’Anmien Beach Resort Mui Ne Beach, KM10, Ham Tien Ward Tel: 062 3741 888 www.lanmienresort.com Beachfront resort with 90 fully equipped rooms, business centre, spa, fitness centre and outdoor pool.

Princess D’Annam Resort and Spa Khu Hon Lan, Tan Thanh, Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan Tel: 062 3682 222 www.princessannam.com Located on Ke Ga Bay with 57 exclusive villas, eight swimming pools, two restaurants and 1,800 square metres spa complex.

The Sailing Club 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3847 440

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www.sailingclubvietnam.com Open bar overlooking the sea, spacious rooms, restaurant, swimming pool and day spa.

Shades Apartment Khu 1, Ham Tien Tel: 062 3743 237 www.shadesmuine.com Design-led boutique hotel that uses minimal materials and draws on natural textures to achieve a sense of timelessness. Serviced apartments are soundproof with blackout curtains. Pool and beachside veranda outside.

Victoria Phan Thiet Resort and Spa Mui Ne Beach Tel: 84 62 3813 000 www.victoriahotels-asia.com Located on a private beach, 60 cosy bungalows, natural spa experiences among other great activities on offer at the resort.

activities

C2Sky Kitesurfing Sunny Beach, 64-66 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Tel: 0916655241 www.c2skykitecenter.com Operates two schools roughly 500m apart, staffed by IKO-certified instructors.

Offers a half dozen course types, as well as instructor training. Equipment rental and repair.

Forester Spa & Mini Golf 65 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Tel: 062 3743 447 www.forestrestaurant.com Terraced nine-hole miniature golf course with distinctly Vietnamese terrain: rice paddies, palm trees, stilt homes and a fish pond.

Jibes Beach Club 84-90 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Tel: 062 3847 008 www.windsurf-vietnam.com IKO-licensed kitesurfing centre offers highly structured kitesurfing classes taught by experienced watersportsmen.

Also offer windsurfing lessons and retails in watersports equipment (bodyboards, kayaks, surfboards, windsurfs).

Mui Ne Beach.net www.muinebeach.net Informative website run by local writer Adam Bray covering news, events, community/environmental issues and more in Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. Also issues safety advisories regarding crime and tour bus accidents.

Mui Ne Cooking School Sunshine Beach Resort, 84 Tuyen Quang Tel: 062 383 0755 Al fresco classes begin with a trip to Rang Market and focus on the provincial cuisine of Binh Thuan, like crepes with beef or seafood and seafood salad.

Surfpoint 217 Nguyen Dinh Chieu www.surfpoint-vietnam.com Offers private and group kiteboarding courses and equipment rental (from $40-50/hr). Also runs group and private surfing lessons, as well as kayaking trips to Song Quao Lake.

WindChimes School Saigon Mui Ne Resort, 56 Nguyen Dinh Chieu www.kiteboarding-vietnam.com Surf school situated on 235m of beach offers kiteboarding, windsurfing and surfing classes in multiple languages taught

by IKO-certified instructors. Equipment rented and trips organised. Satellite school at Bamboo Village Resort.

PHU QUOC

La Veranda Ward 1, Duong Dong Beach Tel: 077 3982 888 www.laverandaresort.com Set amid tropical gardens along a beach.

Features a highly-rated spa, beach grill,

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Vietnamese, Asian and European cuisine.

Mango Bay Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 0903 382 207 www.mangobayphuquoc.com Low-cost seaside resort with ecological outlook promotes nature activities, forest walks, snorkelling, open-air seafood restaurant. No TV or telephone.

SAPA

Victoria Sapa Resort Sapa District, Lao Cai Province Tel: 020 0871 522 www.victoriahotels-asia.com Mountain chalet perched over the village wth cosy but modern guestrooms overlooking the lawn and garden. Ta Van restaurant overlooks Mount Fansipan and Ta Fin bar has a stone hearth fireplace.

Connection from Hanoi by private train.

SCUBA DIVING Note: AsiaLIFE only lists dive centres recognized by international dive training programs, such as the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) and Scuba Schools International (SSI). We strongly advise against diving with unaccredited dive centres in Vietnam.

Rainbow Divers 55 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6825 www.divevietnam.com Diving tours and career/instructor development offered by Vietnam’s first PADI centre. established in the mid-90s.

All courses can be started at the state-ofthe-art dive centre in An Phu, from beginner pool work and theory to divemaster and instructor certification. Operates dive centres in Nha Trang, Whale Island, Hoi An and Phu Quoc.

Octopus Diving 62 Tran Phu, Nha Trang 058 826 528 www.divenhatrang.com PADI/SSI dive centre based in Nha Trang and affiliated with the Sailing Club Co., with additional centres in Mui Ne and Hoi An. Offers a range of services, including children’s Bubblemaker classes, courses in specialised techniques and divemaster certification.

TRAVEL AGENTS

Buffalo Tours Suite 601, Satra House, 58 Dong Khoi D1 Tel: 3827 9170 www.buffalotours.com Tailor-made itineraries, community-based tourism, cultural tours, adventure trips, golfing and premium trips offered by locally run and well-respected travel agent.

Exotissimo HCMC: 20 Hai Ba Trung St, D1 Tel: 3827 2911 infosgn@exotissimo.com HANOI: 26 Tran Nhat Duat St, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3828 2150 infohanoi@exotissimo.com www.exotissimo.com French-owned agency specializing in flight bookings, package holidays and a range of well-run cultural and historical tours of Vietnam and Southeast Asia. iViVu www.ivivu.com Offering the traditional services of a travel agent – airline tickets, tours, packages and hotels - as well as tips and up-todate travel news on Vietnam.

Trails of Indochina 10/8 Phan Dinh Giot, Tan Binh Tel: 3844 1005 www.trailsofindochina.com Specialists in custom-made tours offering cultural and adventurous experiences throughout the region. Exclusive resources and locations.

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Bread & Butter 40/26 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3836 8452 Lunch menu of American classics (California burritos, po boy sandwiches), Brit pub dinner (bangers & mash, fish & chips) and Sunday evening roast. Serves Huda Beer from Hue. Closed 2:30 pm to 5 pm and Mondays.

listings

food & drink

Bernie's Bar & Grill 19 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 2684 Serves a solid menu of certified Angus and imported Aussie steaks, fresh pasta, thin crust pizza, sandwiches and mains in an old school steak house setting. Drink menu includes smoothies, cocktails, premium wines and spirits and Saigon's largest martini. 

BAR RESTAURANTS Ala Mezon 10 Chu Manh Trinh, D1 Tel: 6291 0447 www.alamezon.vn Colourful four-storey venue serves fusion French-Japanese cuisine, as well as cocktails and wine by the glass. Space spans a restaurant, lounge and main bar and spacious, airy rooftop. Open 5 pm to late.

Alibi 11 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 3240 Hip without being showy, this versatile venue has a pleasant front porch, stand up bar and comfortable lounge seating with bright, warm décor and great tunes.

Drinks list is extensive and the food menu boasts French-style mains.

feast

Buddha Bar 7 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2080 An Phu institution serves up tasty meals and good drinks in a friendly, chilled environment. Plenty of room to relax inside or out, plus a pool table on premise.  K Cafe 28 Do Quang Dau, D1 Tel: 3913 4673 www.kcafevietnam.com This down-to-earth bistro-bar is a haven for French-speaking emigrés looking for an alternative in the backpackers’ area.

Prop up the bar with a beer or Ricard, or tuck into the tasty Gallic fare. Good atmosphere for conversation.  La Habana 6 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5180 www.lahabana-saigon.com

This charming little place has seating indoors and outdoors, upstairs and downstairs to fit your dining pleasure.

Relaxed environment with frequent live music. Offers Spanish and Cuban fare including paella and a tapas fiesta comprising three plates. Open late daily.

Le Pub 175/ 22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1 www.lepub.org One of Pham Ngu Lao’s favourite watering holes, Le Pub also has a good menu of well-executed pub grub and international favourites. Hearty breakfast is available all day and specials are offered daily.

Peaches: The Curry Pub Sky Garden 2, S57-1, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5410 0999 Serves up dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia with a focus on healthy preparation and fresh produce.

Mogambos 50 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 1311 This restaurant has been around since the mid-1990s, which offers an insight into its enduring quality. Specializes in American grain-fed steaks, hamburgers and salads served in a pleasant atmosphere. 

Phatty’s 46-48 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 0705 www.phattysbar.com Jaspa’s Steve Hardy and Ben Winspear’s sports bar has five widescreen TVs, a large drop-down screen and lots of pub grub and beer for fans looking to take in a game or two.

O’Brien’s 74/A2 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3829 3198 A large Celtic-style pub popular with media types that has an interior done in brickwork and wood, and an upstairs dining area. Draught beer is happy hour between 3 pm and 7 pm. Great pizzas.

Qing 110 Pasteur, D1 www.qing.com.vn Sophisticated downtown bar just off Le Loi specializes in Asian tapas, Asian/ South American fusion dishes and a few delectable deserts. Variety of good wines by the glass or bottle.

Pasha Bar & Restaurant 25 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 08 629 136 77

Sheridan’s Irish House 17/13 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 0793

broaden your palate with promotions around town

Yu Chu The InterContinental Asiana’s signature Chinese restaurant, Yu Chu, will offer a tempting set lunch through September including a Shanghai dumpling portion, choice of noodle dish, dessert of the day and tea for 180,000 VND ++ per person. Yu Chu is located on the first floor of the InterContinental Asiana and is open daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 am.

Call 3520 9999 or visit www.intercontinental.com/saigon.

Lobby Lounge From September 6 to 12 the Caravelle Hotel’s Lobby Lounge will serve Pain Perdu Brioche—French toast made with bread soaked in cinnamon, eggs milk and sugar—for 118,000 VND ++ per person. Many toppings are available, including warm cherry stew and macadamia nut icecream; sautéed apples and vanilla bean anglaise; and mango sherbet. Call 3823 4999 or visit www. caravellehotel.com.

Pasha Bar & Restaurant Enjoy a three-course set lunch, including coffee or tea, from 11 am to 3 pm for just USD $7.50 at Turkish restaurant Pasha. Also, on Tuesday kids eat free from a selection of pizza or pasta, coke or ice cream. Pasha is located at 27 Dong Du, D1.

Kabin Chinese Restaurant Through September 30, chef Yeung Loi Ming will prepare Peking duck at the Kabin Chinese Restaurant located on the first level of the Renaissance Hotel.

A whole duck costs 350,000 VND while a half duck is 199,000 VND. Kabin is open for lunch from noon to 2.30 pm and from 6 to 10 pm for dinner. Call 3822 0033 or visit www.renaissancesaigon.com.

Restaurant 19 To celebrate the 65th Vietnamese National Day on September 2, the Caravelle Hotel’s Restaurant 19 will prepare a large selection of carving stations and cooked-to-order fresh seafood for 930,000 VND ++ per person.

The price includes one glass of Mumm Champagne and unlimited margaritas, martinis and house Italian and Spanish wine. Call 3823 4999 or visit www. caravellehotel.com.

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www.pasha.com.vn Turkish–Mediterranean restaurant located in heart of HCMC serves halal and high quality food with ingredients imported from Turkey, Spain, Singapore, Egypt, New Zealand, Japan and France.

Long happy hour half price by glass.

Various shisha flavours.

Atrium Café The Legend Hotel’s Atrium Café has opened a juice bar. For 60,000 VND per glass the staff can prepare a healthy concoction from its selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, including mango, pineapple, pear, pomelo, orange, apple, passionfruit, watermelon, celery, carrot, tomato, cucumber, bitter melon and capsicum. Call 3823 3333.

Basilico Each Saturday in September, Basilico will serve up an Italian feast including boscadola soup, spaghetti bolognaise and much more, including free flow of Prosecco for 500,00 VND ++ per person.

Saigon Saigon Bar Enjoy Burger Night on the rooftop at the Caravelle Hotel’s Saigon Saigon Bar from September 13 to 26. Choose from the classic beef burger to the fisherman’s choice (tiger prawn and king crab), or the vegetarian with tomato and buffalo mozzarella with crisp garden greens, onion rings and basic pesto from 212,000 VND ++ per person. Call 3823 4999 or visit www.caravellehotel. com.

Shang Palace Restaurant Through September 30 the Norfolk Mansion’s Shang Palace Restaurant will serve up Oriental favourites as part of its Famous Chinese Food Promotion. Available for USD $5 to $15 ++ per dish are Shanghai-style braised pork ribs with Chinese wine, Chao-Zhoustyle pan-fried eggs with oyster, Hang Zhou-style deep-fried grouper fillet with pine nuts in sweet and sour sauce, plus many more. Call 3823 2221, email reservation@shangpalace.com.vn or visit www.shangpalace.com.vn.

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imbibe

street gourmet

"Champagne" on the Cheap

By Beth Young France may be famous for its expensive champagne, produced exclusively in the region it’s named for, but Italy takes the award for delivering considerably cheaper sparkling substitutes.

Meet Prosecco, a sweet, refreshing and bubbly drop. It may not have the same complexity as its posher cousin, but it fulfils all requirements otherwise, according to Billy Dela, sales and marketing manager at Bacchus Corner.

Traditionally an off-dry wine (slightly sweet) that goes through secondary fermentation in stainless steel tanks, Prosecco is now being fermented inside the bottle by some vintners, in exactly the same way champagne is aged.

Pointing at the Zonic Prosecco he stocks for 400,000 VND, Dela says it’s a fantastic alternative to champagne. And with similar properties and the requisite fizz, it would take a discerning drinker to tell the difference.

What’s more, the cork pops off with the same effect.

The price tag is a bonus, too. “Almost for the same price you can have two Prosecco,” Dela says, noting that champagne begins at 650,000 or 700,000 VND for the most basic brands. For a light indulgence, a 175ml bottle is also available for just 90,000 VND. It’s multi-purpose, too.

While few tend to mix wine, Prosecco makes a perfect base for cocktails. Most notably, Prosecco pairs with peach

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puree to make the Bellini, a cocktail born in Venice and enjoyed throughout Italy. Dela compares the combinations spawned from Prosecco mixtures to sangria or calimucho (cheap red wine and coke).

“When you drink [them] you feel the heat of the wine,” he says, adding that the soda helps the alcohol to go down twice as easy. Adding a splash of Cassis de Dijon—a berry-flavoured liqueur—to a glass of Prosecco works just as well, giving the wine that extra pep.

Another Italian contender is Moscato D’Asti, a sweet, sparkling white that’s proving popular with Vietnamese women. Low in alcohol (only 5 percent), the Moscato D’Asti is light and zesty with melon, nectarine and fresh blossom tones.

It’s not for everybody though and neither is it Dela’s first choice. However, he notes for novice wine drinkers, it’s a fantastic starting point. Better yet, the Moscato D’Asti, which retails for 300,000 VND (Bacchus Corner stocks the Castello de Poggio variety) is a steal compared to the Chateau Guiras, a similar French champagne that sells for 3 million VND. Best teamed with dessert, it’s a delicious and crisp after-dinner treat that won’t break the bank.

Cheap and refreshing, both Prosecco and Moscato D’Asti are ideal antidotes to HCM City’s oppressive heat.

“You drink [them] and you feel ‘aaaah,’” Dela exhales. “Everybody loves bubbles.”

Banh Nam Banh nam is a Hue specialty.

It is a soft thin cake made of rice flour and topped with ground shrimp and green beans. It is wrapped in a banana leaf (la chuoi), which is folded to make a rectangular-shaped parcel. Banh nam can be dipped in fish sauce (nuoc cham), a slightly spicy and sweet mixture with hints of garlic.

Banh nam should be eaten warm—that’s when it is tasti-

www.sheridansbarvn.com Cosy Irish pub with authentic Irish decor, a pleasant atmosphere and regular live music. Wide range of classic pub grub, East Asian dishes and a fantastic breakfast fry-up available from 8 am.

Storm P Bar & Restaurant 5B Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3827 4738 www.stormp.vn This friendly hangout is a favourite with both the Scandinavian community and English-speaking expats. Offers Danish cuisine to go with the drinks.  The Tavern R2/24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, D7 Tel: 5410 3900 Boasts good international food, a pool table, dartboards and sports coverage on large screens. Outdoor seating on mutiple levels. Second floor sports lounge hosts DJs at the weekends.  Vasco’s Bar 74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 2888 Chic bar decked in deep reds that gets packed to capacity on weekends. Open Monday to Saturday with live music on Fridays. Food menu by chef with over 10 years experience at La Camargue.

Also does excellent pizza.  ZanZBar 41 Dong Du, D1 Funky, modern interiors and varied international breakfast, lunch and dinner cuisine. Imported beers, cocktails, gourmet espresso coffee, and happy hours make ZanZBar a great after-work spot. Open late.

CAFES Annam Cafe 16-18 Hai Ba Trung Cosy corner cafe with free Wi-Fi over-

est. And a hint: after unwrapping your banh nam be sure to keep the leaf on hand. It will help absorb some of the treat’s greasiness. Prior to eating pour the dipping sauce over it and when it hits your mouth don’t chew too fast.

Enjoy the feeling of the rice flour dissolving: greasy and fragrant! Banh nam can be found at most Vietnamese restaurants for about 20,000 VND per portion. Stephy Thai

looking Hai Ba Trung. Serves a slate of gourmet sandwiches, coffee and wine.

Bobby Brewer’s 45 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3920 4090 70 Nguyen Cong Tru, D1 Tel: 3821 8100 86 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 6299 1990 www.bobbybrewers.com This is an attractive fast-food style coffee shop with friendly staff and good lattes. All the coffee is roasted on the premises and there are comfortable couches and travellers aplenty making it a chilled place to hang out.  Bull’s Cafe 113C Bui Vien Street, D1 Tel: 3836 1925 www.bullcafe.com.vn MotoGP-themed lounge serving up coffee, smoothies and cafe house special, fruit cocktail.

Cafe Terrace Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 This funky café is frequented by trendy types attracted by the leather lounges, outdoor terrace and 52 non-alcoholic fruit concotions.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 12-14 Thai Van Lung, D1 94 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 Nowzone, 235 Nguyen Van Cu, D5 Metropolitan Bldng, 235 Dong Khoi, D1 International café chain with a wide variety of coffees and teas, as well as light snacks and food. Also sells freshroasted coffee beans and tins of whole leaf tea.  Illy Café 111A Pasteur, D1 Tel: 2220 2388 Fax: 2220 2389 Grand View, Shop SA1-1, SB2-1

Nguyen Duc Canh, D7 Tel: 5412 3292 Fax: 5412 3293 Serves authentic Italian coffee.

Jubarcalypse 35 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 7930 Jubarcalypse has an interesting underground design. Playing jazz music, it’s the perfect place to re-energize with a refreshing selection of juices and snacks.

Loaves and Fishes 5 Street 11, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3547 0577 Coffee house on a side street near Riverside Apartments serves up drinks and serves the full line of Western-style baked goods from Harvest Baking.

Mojo 88 Dong Khoi, D1 www.sheratonsaigon.com A top-end cafe with an attractive interior, outdoor terrace at street level and comfortable lounges upstairs. Good business coffee or lunch venue.

Nirvana 14Bis Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3910 0745 Pleasant retro-styled cafe with outdoor water features and welcome modern touches like free Wi-Fi. Live music at night.

Paris Deli 35 Dong Khoi, D1 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3821 6127 Grand View Building, Nguyen Duc Canh, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 412 2179 Petite boulangerie/cafe decked out with French-style furnishings. Offering tasty French and international dishes with a range of lunchtime specials at reasonable prices.

Une Journee A Paris 234 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3827 7723 15B Ngo Quang Huy, An Phu, D2 Tel: 0128 608 9551 A Parisian-style café that serve French cuisine, coffee and pastries like fondant chocolat, baba au rhum and tropezienne. Free Wi-Fi. Open Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm.

X Cafe 58 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3914 2142 212 A2 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3925 9307 Bright, spacious foreign-run cafe decorated in the style of an Alpine chalet.

Popular with local makers and shakers, has a great open-plan upstairs area and two outdoor terraces. Regular live music and homemade ice cream. Nguyen Trai location includes children’s playground.

Catering available.

Zenta 41 Mac Dinh Chi, D3 A large, extravagant, kitsch cafe with several rooms resembling airport departure lounges. Customers, though, tend to gravitate to the more attractive outdoor terrace with its pond and waterfall-style water features.

CHINESE Chop Chop Chinese Delivery Tel: 3826 9135 SMS: 09 3836 3030 www.chopchopvietnam.com American-style Chinese delivery service brings classics like General Tso's chicken, moo shu pork and beef with broccoli to your door. Open seven days, 11 am to 10 pm.  Dragon Court 11-13 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3827 2566 Open until 2am, this vast, no-frills eatery gets packed with hungry locals who

savour generous portions of tasty dim sum. All the Chinese staples are here.

Expect a good feed for under 100,000 VND per person.

Dynasty Restaurant New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3822 8888 Fine Chinese dining in an opulent restaurant reminiscent of the Middle Kingdom’s imperial days. Delicacies clock in at 500,000 VND, but most dishes fall between 80,000 to 180,000 VND. Huy Long Vien 99 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3823 7799 www.huylongvien.com A magnificent Chinese restaurant with a leafy slate-tiled courtyard, Chinese lanterns and a labyrinth of water works.

Lunchtime dim sum is 120,000 VND, while the a la carte menu runs higher with Chinese specialties such as Peking duck for 400,000 VND. Kabin Renaissance Riverside Hotel, 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033 Elegant dining space with beautiful decor and great views over the river offers extensive lunch and dinner menus featuring authentic gourmet Cantonese and Szechuan dishes and an assortment of dim sum at lunchtime.

Li Bai Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 Imperial-styled restaurant named after a famous Chinese poet. Excellent lunch time dim sum buffet for USD $17.00.

Nightly à la carte menu with dishes going from 100,000 VND. Ming Dynasty 23 Nguyen Khac Vien, Phu My Hung Tel: 5411 5555 Decorated in Ming Dynasty-style; offers 100 dim sum varieties and 300 dishes prepared by a chef from Hong Kong.

The restaurant’s Imperial Buffet costs USD $39 per person and includes free flow of wine.

Ngan Dinh Chinese Restaurant Windsor Plaza Hotel, 18 An Duong Vuong, D5 Tel: 3833 6688 Beautiful wood paneling, colourful hanging lanterns and a sparkling mineral gallery make for a relaxing dining experience at the Windsor. Feast on roasted Pi Pa duck, giant grouper and steamed king prawns. Be sure to check out monthly specials.

Ocean Palace 2 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3911 8822 Both traditional and trendy Chinese dishes are prepared by chef from Hong Kong and served in an opulent 280-seat dining room in this restaurant opposite the zoo. Intimate private rooms and larger party rooms available for booking.

Shang Palace Restaurant Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3823 2221 www.shangpalace.com.vn An upscale Chinese restaurant with a spacious and welcoming atmosphere.

The menu boasts a wide range of Hong Kong Cantonese cuisine, including both dim sum, a la carte and set menus, regularly changed by the creative chefs.

Thao Li Restaurant Grand View C, Nguyen Duc Canh, Phu My Hung Tel: 5412 5999 Daily Dim Sum Buffet costs USD $9.90 per person, starting from 11 am. The daily A La Carte Dinner Buffet costs $14.90 per person; includes more than 55 dishes.

Truyen Ky 261B Dao Duy Tu, D10 Small homestyle Chinese restaurant specializing in the salty Hakka cuisine of

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southeastern China, including tofu and chilis stuffed with fish paste.

recipes Mee Goreng Mamak with Grilled Scallops serves 2 | prep time: 10 minutes

Yu Chu InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 dine@icasianasaigon.com Specializing in authentic Cantonese and Peking cuisine. Award-winning chef prepares dishes including handmade noodles, dim sum and wok-fried items.

Wide selection of live seafood. Five interactive kitchens.

DESSERT PARLOURS Bo Gia (The Godfather) 29 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 20 Ho Huan Nghiep, D1 299 Nguyen Van Troi, Tan Binh Does brisk lunchtime trade with its selection of more than 25 ice cream favours and Vietnamese noodle and rice dishes.

Ciao Cafe 40 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 With a number of branches downtown (21 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and 26 Tran Cao Van, among others), this popular cafe offers a mixture of food, drinks and books. Boasts about 20 ice cream specials and serves crepes, sodas and shakes.

Fanny Ice Cream 29-31 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 1633 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 www.fanny.com.vn Tranquil open-terraced heaven for icecream lovers. Menu contains fresh fruit, ice cream, sherbets and sorbets (coconut, caramel and Bailey’s ice-cream and mango sorbet are standouts). All you can eat first Friday of the month. 

Electrolux designers are inspired by your passions.

Elevate a simple noodle stir-fry by using one luxurious ingredient. This recipe uses scallops to spruce up the humble mee mamak.

4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 onion, sliced 1 packet yellow noodles 2 eggs 8 scallops 2 cups assorted vegetables (choy sam, tomatoes, cabbage) 2 pieces fried tofu, cubed 2 tbs cooking oil Seasonings: 1 tbs dark soy sauce, 2 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tbs pounded dried chillies, 2 tbs tomato sauce ONE Heat oil in wok and fry onions and garlic. Once fragrant add in seasonings.

TWO Throw in noodles, tofu and vegetables. Mix well. Stir in Electrolux Design eggs just before switching off the heat.

Department Pernilla Johansson

THREE Your passion for each serving side) only the and freshest food with is what noodles. inspires us to design better Grill scallops lightly (1 min toss refrigerators. We take the time to deeply understand our consumers’ homes and lifestyles before we begin, creating new appliances that win your trust,

For more information contact Elizabeth Png-Reade at and win you compliments. elizabeth.png-reade@electrolux.com View our online catalogue at www.electrolux.co.th

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Ministry of Food 30 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3827 7898 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Two-floor dessert house specializing in Italian and Japanese treats serving a wide array of ice cream flavours using milk from Japan’s dairy capital. Also serves sandwiches and bento boxes.

New Zealand Natural 3rd Floor, Parkson Department Store 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 4th Floor, Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan 1st Floor, Saigon Superbowl, 843 Truong Son, Tan Binh www.newzealandnatural.com Serves flavours ranging from chocolate ecstasy, fruits of the forest and boysenberry dream by the scoop.

Yogen Fruz 118 Pasteur, D1 106 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Panorama Apartments, Ton Dat Tien, Phu My Hung, D7 www.yogenfruz.com Frozen yoghurt parlour is decked in mod-meets-IKEA decor and serves no-fat, and low-fat fro-yo blended with fresh fruits, as well as soft serve and smoothies.

FRENCH Annamite French Restaurant 21 Tu Xuong, Ward 7 D3 Tel: 6277 8332 annamite-restaurant.com The new VN restaurant area of D3 opens a classic French dinning option, led by ex Caprice chef. Snug atmosphere with a classic touch . French favourites such as escargot in garlic butter, Pan fried goose froie gras, duck in port wine, poached river sole with saffron sauce and classic flambé crepes.

Au Manoir de Khai 251 Dien Bien Phu, Q3 Tel: 3930 3394 This top-end contemporary French restaurant is set in a picturesque colonial villa with a lush courtyard and a lavish interior. Full of private rooms and opulent lounge areas, this unique eatery is the brainchild of Vietnamese fashion guru Hoang Khai of Khai Silk fame. Offers up dishes such as lobster consomme, panfried duck liver, salmon medallions with Moet and escalope de foie gras.

Jardin Delice 4 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 4722 Located in a beautiful French villa with a swimming pool and spa open to diners, Jardin Delice specializes in high-end French cuisine. Hip setting provides a mish-mash of colourful glass plates, chairs and massive paintings.

La Bordeaux F7-F8, D2 Road, P25, Binh Thanh Tel: 3899 9831 www.restaurant-lebordeaux.com.vn French fine dining in an elegant, intimate loft space with dark wood and linendraped tables. Expect simple, classic dishes prepared to perfection. Rotating seasonal menu.

La Brasserie 61 Hung Gia 2, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5410 4317 www.labrasserie-hcmc.com Contemporary French restaurant and wine bar with outdoor seating and wine cellar stocked with more than 650 wines. Features classic French fare like sliced raw beef Carpaccio with Parmesan cheese and grilled beef fillet served with French fries and vegetable gratin.

La Camargue 191 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3520 4888 Boasts a reputation for excellence in fine dining for more than 10 years. Modern French and Italian cuisine is served in a colonial-style alfresco dining space.

An extensive wine list allows diners to choose the perfect pairing.

La Fourchette 9 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3829 8143 Rustic downtown restaurant, with a good longstanding reputation for serving good traditional French fare at reasonable prices. Open 12 am to 2 pm and from 7 pm to 10 pm.

La Nicoise 42 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3822 8613 Small French-style bistro, with pretty mosaic tiled bar and tables. Offers a good range of teas, coffees and espresso-based drinks. Lunch menu changes daily, but always encompasses traditional French food. Open until 10 pm.

Le Jardin 31 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3825 8465 This delightful restaurant in a picturesque garden setting is open for lunch and dinner and serves excellent French food at reasonable prices. Main courses cost about 60,000 VND and a carafe of house wine costs 50,000 VND. L’en Tête 139 Nguyen Thai Binh, D1 Tel: 3821 4049, 0903 188 091 This stylish bistro and gallery serves up a large selection of French fare representing an excellent selection of classic French fish and meat dishes, as well as international cuisine. Live music on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 8 pm.

Olivier Restaurant Level 2, Sofitel Saigon Plaza, 17 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3824 1555 Imaginative French cuisine cooked up in a blend of classic and contemporary. Executive Chef Martin Becquart

prepares a solid but creative selection of French favourites with an extensive range of fish and meat dishes.

Sesame 153 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Binh Thanh Tel: 0989 765 472 A self-styled hospitality school for disadvantaged children, Sesame gives practical experience to its students through its operational restaurant. Serving a mixture of French and Vietnamese cuisine.

Ty Coz 178/4 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3822 2457 Homely and attractive venue specializes in classic French cuisine. Does excellent three-course business set meals for and sells carefully selected seafood.

INDIAN Ashoka 17/10 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 1372 33 Tong Huu Dinh, D2 Tel: 744 4144 S9-1 lo R13 - KP Hung Vuong 2, D7 Tel: 5410 1989 Ashoka is one of the city’s most popular and enduring Indian restaurants with a reputation for good food and service at a reasonable price.

Ganesh 15 - B4 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3822 3017 Casual dining with takeaway available, Ganesh serves up both North and South Indian culinary traditions. Very reasonably priced, with vegetarian curries from 40,000 VND and chicken dishes from 64,000 VND.  Mumtaz 226 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3837 1767 Reasonably priced north and south Indian fare in a clean, light and spacious setting. Vegetarian curries go for around 30,000 VND while meat dishes cost between 45,000 VND and 55,000 VND each. Excellent kebabs.  Saigon Indian 73 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3824 5671 Popular venue with an enormous menu.

Serves both southern and northern Indian dishes like tandoori, biryani, dosa and idly snacks, plus a wide range of vegetarian dishes. Offers a set lunch menu. Cater service is available.  Tandoor 74/6 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3930 4839 www.tandoorvietnam.com Part of a chain of restaurants covering Hanoi and Saigon, Tandoor features a large selection of standard northern Indian dishes, including a good vegetarian selection. Excellent cheap set lunches and reasonable prices all around. Will organize catering for events. 

INTERNATIONAL

Al Fresco’s 21 Mac Dinh Chi D1 Tel: 3823 8427 27 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3822 7317 D1-23 My Toan 3, D7 Tel: 5410 1093 400 Nguyen Trai, D5 Tel: 3838 3840 www.alfrescosgroup.com Theme restaurant boasting a range of Tex-Mex, Italian and Australian-style BBQ dishes. Huge portions and tasty Australian ribs coupled with a good atmosphere and helpful staff. Good lunch menu.  Amigo Grill 55 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3829 0437 Outstanding steaks made with Australian, U.S. and Argentine beef, served in a cosy, family-friendly environment with large tables and banquette seating.

Dishes like leg of lamb and seafood are also on the menu. Open 11 am to 11 pm.

Au Lac Do Brazil 238 Pasteur, D3 Tel: 3820 7157 36/19-21 Pham Van Nghi-Bac, D7 Tel: 5410 5566 www.aulacdobrazil.com A Brazilian barbecue restaurant that takes meat seriously. The mixed grills and rodizio are fantastic and served in generous portions. No meat-eater should miss the churrasco: 12 cuts of meat carved at your table, plus unlimited salad.

BoatHouse’s sister eatery for take-away and delivery service. Offers coffee, breakfast sandwiches, juices, smoothies, pre-packaged salads, sandwiches, burgers and fish and chips.  Byblos Restaurant & Shisha Lounge 11 Ngo Duc Khe, D1 Tel: 3825 7781 www.byblos.com.vn Downtown restaurant serves a menu of Lebanese starters, salads and mains served in a casual dining room. Catering available. Events and weekly belly dance show hosted.  Cafe Evita 230 Nguyen Van Huong, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3512 3888 Academic-themed menu at this outlet near the British International School includes meals like The Principal, a triple-decker club with fries and salad and burgers that range from First to

Fourth Grade. Also has a wood-fired pizza oven.  Casablanca 58/9 Thanh Thai, D10 Tel: 3862 8859 Moroccan cuisine from merguez to pastilla served in an intimate, attractive dining room. Owner/chef trained at Morocco's finest hotels and caters to guests' every need. Reservations required.

Cepage Lancaster Building 22 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8321, 3823 8733 www.cepage.biz One of the city’s premier venues, Cepage delivers an up-market bar, wine lounge and restaurant in one sleek package.

Sells several wines by the glass with several hundred bottles to choose from.

Mixes some of the city’s best cocktails.

Au Parc 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 Lavishly decorated brasserie borrowing from Moroccan and French styles and popular during lunchtime with expats.

Specializes in Middle Eastern and North African food. The salad menu is a favourite, and a great range of lush smoothies and juices are on offer.  Black Cat 13 Phan Van Dat, D1 Tel: 3829 2055 628 An Binh, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3898 9837 Tiny but popular District 1 restaurant serving up an excellent selection of Western and Vietnamese fare and an extensive range of sandwiches and burgers. The District 2 location also features a slate of sushi and Mexican food, and the District 7 outpost has a full barbecue menu.  BoatHouse 40 Lily Road, APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6790 Riverside restaurant with umbrella-shaded tables spread across outdoor deck and small indoor dining room. Serves remarkably fresh and inspired dishes made with choice local and imported ingredients—favourites include the sirloin burger and pan-fried fish and chips.

BoatHouse Cafe 37 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 9182

Best in Italian Cuisine.

Extensive Wine Collection.

79 Hai Ba Trung D1 Te l : 0 8 - 3 8 2 3 8 9 9 8 w w w. p o m o d o r o - v i e t n a m . c o m

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Cham Charm 3 Phan Van Chuong, Phu My Hung Tel: 5410 9999 The highlight of this upscale, beautifully decorated Asian restaurant is a special seafood buffet that includes Portuguese oysters, Alaskan crab, lobsters, sushi, sashimi, Japanese-style seafood, Langoustine prawns, American Angus beef and much more. Errazuriz wines are also included in the buffet. Part of the Khai Silk chain.

The Deck 38 Nguyen U Di, D2 Tel: 3744 6632 Serves upmarket takes on regional specialties made with fresh local and imported products. Well-designed, minimalist dining space and bar on the river are a serious draw.

The Elbow Room 52 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3821 4327 elbowroom52@yahoo.com American-style bistro offering a wide range of appetisers, soups, salads, sandwiches, mains and desserts, plus an extensive wine menu. Open daily 7.30 am to 11 pm. Breakfast served all day.

Gartenstadt 34 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3822 3623 Opened in 1992, it’s the first venue in town to offer German food with specialities such as pork knuckle and authentic German sausages prepared fresh each day. Also offers imported German draught beer.

Gia Dining Room 5A Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3827 9399 www.giadiningroom.com Serves a mid-range slate of mainly grilled Western mains, single-entree Asian dishes and wide range of soups, salads, appetisers. Three intimate dining spaces pair modern design with Indochina-era sophistication. Extensive list of Old and New World wines.

Good Eats NTFQ2, 34 Nguyen Dang Giai Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6672 Easteran and Western dishes are low in saturated fat and made from all-natural ingredients. Organic vegetables, herbs and spices accompany meals. Even the French fries are healthy.  Halal@Saigon 31 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3824 5823 www.halalsaigon.com Serving up a range of Vietnamese and Malaysian dishes prepared according to halal guidelines including ban xeo, pho and roti chennai and seafood favourites such as shrimp, squid and mussels.

Hard Rock Cafe InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 www.hardrockcafe.vn Popular theme restaurant/live music venue serves large portions of pub fare including salads, fajitas and burgers.

Rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia adorns the walls in classic Hard Rock-style and the rock shop sells themed shot glasses, T-shirts and jewellery.  Hideaway Cafe 41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 3822 4222 www.hideawaycafe-saigon.com Stylishly decorated and relaxing restaurant and cafe serving an eclectic range of tasty European-style food. Dine al fresco in the charming courtyard.  Jaspa’s 33 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3822 9926 www.alfrescosgroup.com Unpretentious brasserie-style restaurant specializes in Australian-influenced international fusion cuisine. Full range of

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drinks including Australian and French wines and good cocktails. Hosts monthly Spam Cham networking event.  Juice 49 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3829 6900 Bright and stylish deli-style restaurant serving salads, sandwiches, quiches and meat pies with French fries and potato salad. Also has daily lunch and dinner menu. Excellent smoothies and juices, as well as novelty drinks like wheatgrass shooter and Cannonball cocktail.  Kita Coffee House 39 Nguyen Hue, D1, Tel: 3821 5300 Four-level restaurant serving a wide menu of mains, pastas, salads, sandwiches, soups and appetizers for lunch and dinner, as well as a variety of coffee and fresh fruit juices. Includes a bright ground floor cafe, sophisticated Old World second floor bar and rooftop dining. Also in Vincom Center.  Market 39 InterContinental Asiana Saigon Ground Floor, Corner Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 dine@icasianasaigon.com Seven interactive live kitchens offering French, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cuisines, including a bakery, French patisseries, pancakes, tossed salads, grilled steak, seafood, wok-fried items, noodles and pasta dishes.

Mekong Merchant 23 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 4713 Set in a courtyard, this rustic Australianstyle brasserie has brought modern international cuisine to suburban An Phu. Popular for weekend brunches.

Weekly specials and seafood flown in from Phu Quoc.  New York Dessert Cafe (nydc) Restaurant and Cafe NOWZONE 235 Nguyen Van Cu, D1 Metropolitan 235 Dong Khoi, D1 Parkson Flemington 184 Le Dai Hanh, D11 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 The Crescent. Phu My Hung, 107 Ton Dat Tien, D7 New York themed menu offering a wide selection of Western dishes and desserts, including a variety of cheesecakes.

New York Steakhouse & Winery 25-27 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3823 7373 New-york@steakhouse.com.vn www.steakhouse.com.vn Chic dining venue designed in a classic New York City Art Deco. Open every day until late. Specializes in certified U.S. Black Angus steak, and features a fully stocked wine cellar. Guests are invited to bring their own wine on BYOB Mondays.

Orientica Hotel Equatorial, 242 Tran Binh Trong, D5 Tel: 3839 7777 www.equatorial.com/hcm Top-end seafood and grill restaurant boasting modern decor. Good service and excellent food presentation make this a pleasant alternative to the downtown scene.

Pacharan Tapas and Bodega 97 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 6024 This tapas restaurant and bar serves up superb Spanish fare crafted from authentic imported ingredients. The exclusively Spanish wine list is extensive and Sangria is half price during happy hour from 5 pm to 7 pm and all day Wednesday.

Pinocchio Restaurant Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1

Tel: 3993 9199 Email: info@pinocchio.vn A quiet place in the Vincom Center to indulge in pizza, pasta, salad and international and Vietnamese mains for a reasonable price.

street gourmet

The Refinery 74/7C Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 0509 Authentic bistro with cane furniture outside, informal indoor restaurant section and a bar area. Cuisine is light, modern European. The menu spans a price range to suit most budgets.

Reflections Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 Contemporary fine dining that combines Asian flavors with classic Mediterranean cuisine in an ambiance of understated elegance and European style. Special culinary events include guest chefs from Michelin-star establishments around the world. Private rooms are available.

Com Tam Broken rice (com tam) is one of the most popular dishes in Southern Vietnam, especially in HCM City. As its name suggests, broken rice is made of rice that is broken.

Traditionally it is a breakfast dish, but now many Vietnamese enjoy it for both lunch and dinner.

Com tam needs sweet fish sauce (nuoc mam ngot).

It really makes the dish.

However, other accompaniments—grilled pork chop,

omelet, shredded pork and skin (bi) and Chinese sausage—are entirely up to the diner. Com tam appears everywhere from roadside inns to luxurious restaurants and an average plate goes for 20,000 VND. The price depends on how much rice you want and what delicacies it is topped with. Com tam is a uniquely Vietnamese dish and one that you can’t leave HCM City without trying. Stephy Thai

Riverside Cafe Renaissance Riverside, 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033 International venue opening onto the bustling river sidewalk, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and particularly noted for its sumptuous buffet selection which combines Asian, Western and Vietnamese cuisine.

Sandals 93 Hai Ba Trung, D1 www.sailingclubvietnam.com Casual dining in evocative 3-floor space with blonde wood accents and cosy seating throughout. Kitchen turns out elegant and inspired fare at surprising value for money: meal-sized salads; filling burgers, wraps and sandwiches.

Signature Restaurant Level 23, Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong

Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 Fine dining with panoramic views over central HCM City. Food is stunningly presented, top-end European cuisine with Asian influences cooked by German chef Andreas Schimanski. A la carte or five-course set menu available.

Skewers 9A Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 4798 www.skewers-restaurant.com Rustic Mediterranean restaurant where subtle colours and exposed brickwork combine with jazzy tunes. Serves tabouleh, falafel, couscous and kebab. Highly rated for its grilled meats, bread and dip combos, soups and pastas.  Square One Park Hyatt Saigon, 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3520 2359 Specializing in high-end Western and Vietnamese cuisine, Square One serves charcoal-grilled meats and seafood, as well as steamed and wok-cooked Vietnamese fare.

Texas BarBQ 15/1 Le Thanh Ton, D1 The flavour and feel of the Wild Wild West is evoked by both the food and décor at this perennially popular eatery.

Quarter rack ribs are a mainstay. .  VillaFB 79 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1 Tel: 3823 3822 www.villafb.com Refurbished villa with a spacious designled indoor dining room and an elegant enclosed courtyard. Serves bun noodle dishes for breakfast and lunch before switching to a menu of Eastern and Western fine dining for dinner.

Warda 71/7 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3822 Chic, middle-eastern themed eatery

Our Ingredients Are Imported

Doner Kebab, Shish Kebab, Homemade Kofte, Homemade Turkish Pide & Pizza’s

SHISHA BAR & TURKISH FUSION CUISINE

call 0907129430 / 08 629 136 77 25 Dong Du, D1, HCMC WWW.PASHA.COM.VN asialife HCMC 75

swathed in oranges and reds serving Lebanese cuisine prepared by Damascan chef, Nouman. Mezze and tapas are the main draw, but you can also puff on hookas post-meal.

Xu Saigon 71-75 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 8468 www.xusaigon.com Inspired restaurant with an F&B director with a passion for mixing Vietnamese cooking with flavours and styles from around the world. Sleek but sparsely designed, the restaurant serves nouveau takes on Vietnamese cuisine.

ITALIAN Basilico InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Ground Floor, Corner Nguyen Du and Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 dine@icasianasaigon.com Contemporary and casual trattoria-style restaurant specializing in authentic Italian dishes and homemade desserts. Woodfired pizza oven and a wide selection of Italian wines.

Centro Caffe & Ristorante 11-13 Lam Son Square, D1 31 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 This is home of Illy coffee in Vietnam.

Offers modern and traditional Italian cuisine in three central locations with lunchtime set menus and regular wine tasting evenings. Good spot for business coffee meetings.

Da Vinci’s Pizza 001B Hoang Dieu, H1, D4 Tel: 3943 4982 Wide variety of brick oven pizza, calzones, spaghetti, subs and sandwiches.

Pizzas come in medium and large sizes and pay homage to Italy with names like Verrochio, Pompeii and Assisi.  Good Morning Vietnam 197 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3837 1894 Popular authentic Italian restaurant with additional outlets around the country.

Specializes in thin-crust pizza, pasta and a range of Italian dishes. Good selection of Italian wines. 

freshest and finest ingredients around to produce some superb dishes.

Pendalasco 87 Nguyen Hue, D1, Tel: 3821 8181 One of the city’s oldest Western restaurants, Pendalaso serves a wide range if Italian favourites, as well as remarkably authentic crispy, thin-crust pizza.  Pepperoni’s 111 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3920 4989 Attractive pizza and pasta restaurant from the same chain as Al Fresco’s.

Good cheap buffet lunches on weekdays and all-round large and tasty portions.  Sarpino’s 125 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 7788 Tasty American-style pan pizza in a pleasant and fresh Italian-themed environment. Four sizes available, from personal to extra large, with a large range of toppings. Also serves pasta, soups, wings and salads.  Scoozi 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3823 5795 Italian pizza restaurant affiliated with Centro Caffe serving tasty gourmet pizzas prepared in a wood-fired oven. The delicious creations restore one’s faith in HCM City’s ability to turn out a quality pie. 

JAPANESE Dragon Hot Pot 122-124 Ho Tung Mao, D1 Tel: 3915 1001 info@dragonhotpot.vn Japanese hot pot restaurant serving motsu nabe, Japanese barbeque and lots of sake and shoju.

K Cafe 74 A4 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 5355 Small, cosy and cheery, this café is noteworthy for its cracking hand rolls.

Salmon skin rolls are also a treat. The assorted sushi and sashimi, tasty and beautifully presented, costs around USD $8. Leave some room for homemade yoghurt.

La Hostaria 17B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 1080 Rustic eatery specializing in top-end traditional cuisine from various regions in Italy. Main courses from 130,000 VND with daily specials on offer. Serves excellent pizza. 

Kuru Kuru Sushi 129 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3824 3566 Sushi restaurant with colour-coded menu and items served from a rotating conveyor belt. Helpful place mats in both English and Vietnamese break down prices and explain how to choose your food. Very affordable prices.

Opera Ground floor Park Hyatt Hotel, 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 Slick, contemporary eatery with exposed brick and glass. The space revolves around an island kitchen from which chefs produce gourmet Italian fare. Internationally trained chefs work with the

MOF – Japanese Sweets & Coffee Level B3-17A, Vincom Centre, 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 30 Le Loi, D1 Refined Japanese café specializing in unique desserts and food. Focusing on use of organic products, this casual eatery has a comprehensive Japanese

LOUISIANE BREWHOUSE Beachside Nha Trang Asian & Western Cuisine Swimming Pool & Private Beach www.louisianebrewhouse.com.vn

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dining menu along with a wonderful selection of sweets and offers possibly the most divine and delectable gelato in HCM City.

offers a wide range of Japanese dishes.

The yakitori station grills up fantastic steak and quail’s eggs, and the chilled udon noodles are also a standout.

Nishimura Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 Exquisitely prepared sushi and sashimi from a globetrotting chef with three decades’ experience. A wide range of cooked dishes and monthly meal promotions are also available. Set lunches cost about USD $15.

KOREAN

Okinawa Yamaneko 13/1 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8433 www.yamaneko-vn.com Part restaurant, part Japanese pub serving up a variety of Okinawa favourites like sashimi with sea grapes, namakari and goya champuru plus sushi and soba.

Sakae Sushi Nowzone @ Royal Centre, Level 4 235 Nguyen Van Cu, D1 Tel: 3504 0054 Healthy, affordable and quick service kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi makes for a fun dining experience. Extensive menu also includes beef, chicken and vegetarian options.

The Sushi Bar 2 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8042 3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3911 8618 This brightly lit Japanese-style restaurant serves over 40 varieties of sushi at reasonable prices. Sit at the sushi bar or in private rooms upstairs. Open until 11.30 pm, delivery available on request.

Popular with expats and locals alike.  Zen 20 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 0782 Located amid the sea of Japanese restaurants on Le Thanh Ton Street, Zen

25 Si 8A/6D Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3824 6921 Traditional Yasik-style drinking restaurant.

Winter and summer scene murals fill the walls of this dual level eatery. Large menu with favs like budae jjigae, a mix of chilli paste, Spam, hot dog and tofu, as well as super spicy duruchigi.

Hana 8 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5588 Japanese-Korean fusion in the heart of District 1. Contemporary decor with a private, yet open feel. Broad menu including cooked and raw fish and traditional hot pot with fish eggs, rice and vegetables.

Kim Bab Chun Gook R4 42 Hung Phuoc 2, Phu My Hung Tel: 6296 9057 Korean boonshik/snack food eatery serving up a wide variety of light but substantial foods including dumplings, rameyon and fish cakes.

furniture. Authentic Thai cuisine prepared by two Thai chefs. Food is tasty but less spicy than you’d find in Thailand.  Little Manila S2-1 Hung Vuong 2, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5410 0812 Small, no -frills eatery with outdoor and indoor seating located on a quiet street. Serves a range of dishes from the Philippines (pictured on menu for those unfamiliar) and draught San Miguel.

The Red Dot 21 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 5123 Aptly titled, this Singaporean restaurant serves decent chicken rice, char kway teow, chili crab, and a handful of Malaysian specialties.  Sawasdee Saigon 102 - 104 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3925 7777 Authentic Thai cuisine in a warm, friendly atmosphere.  Satay House 35 Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3822 1727 Bright and rustic, this Malaysian-run place specializes in Halal food. Chicken and asam fish curries are must-tries. Its famous satays are equally delicious. 

Kumdo 6A Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 3824 3253 Korean beef barbecue served in small, welcoming dining rooms with barbecues built into tables. Large selection of raw meat specialties.

Thai Express 8A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 6299 1338 www.thaiexpress.com.vn Modern restaurant with a massive menu of Thai specialties served in moderate proportions. The menu inludes chef’s recommendations and background on Thai cuisine. Warning: some dishes will test your tongue’s threshold.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN

VEGETARIAN

Lac Thai 71/2 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 7506 An elegant restaurant tucked in an alleyway and decorated with art-deco

An Lac Chay 175/4 Pham Ngu Lao, D1 Tel: 3837 0760 Apropos of the backpacker district, this

little restaurant offers no frills and a vast menu. Though meat dishes are available, it specializes in vegetarian Vietnamese and quirky “backpacker favourites.”  Hoa Dang 38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1 Swish vegetarian restaurant on a quiet street that serves up nutritious dishes, including meatless versions of bun bo, pho and steamboat. Cosy bar serving non-alcoholic drinks, fruits and other sweets.

Saigon Vegan 378/3 Vo Van Tan, D3 Tel: 3834 4473 Rustic vegan restaurant with extensive menu of healthy food at moderate prices. Lots of tofu dishes and soya chicken/beef, soups, banh bao and more. Also has a kids menu.

Tib Chay 11 Tran Nhat Duat, D1 Tel: 3843 6460 Intimate spot with a big menu of Vietnamese vegetarian appetisers, salads, soups, rice/noodle mains and desserts Viet Chay 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3526 5862 Upscale vegetarian restaurant specializes in fake meat dishes. The attractive dining room is suffused with natural light.

Located within the walls of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda.

VIETNAMESE Cha Ca La Vong 3 Ho Xuan Hung, D3 Tel: 3930 5674 36 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3915 3343 Two HCM City ouposts of the legendary Hanoi original serve only one dish: the eponymous and delicious cha ca la vong, fish pan-fried at the table with turmeric and dill and served with cold noodles and peanuts.

111A Pasteur, D.1, HCMC Tel: (08) 22 202 388 Fax: (08) 22 202 389 Grand View, Shop SA1-1, SB2-1 Nguyen Duc Canh Blvd, D.7, HCMC Tel: (08) 54 123 292 Fax: (08) 54 123 293

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Com Nieu 19 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 6288 The house specialty, com nieu (smashed rice), comes with a shattered-crockery and flying-rice show at this well-known restaurant, prominently featured in Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour. An extensive and tasty selection of southern Vietnamese cuisine rounds out the menu.

Hoa Tuc 74 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 1676 This comfortable high-end restaurant serves traditional Vietnamese fare with a contemporary, classy twist. Expect to find your local favourites as you’ve never experienced them before. Beautifully plated, this is Vietnamese cuisine at its best.

Hoi An 11 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 7694 Fine dining Vietnamese-style courtesy of two sumptuously decorated colonial villas, a bamboo-clad walled courtyard and a menu spanning the three main regions of Vietnam. Specialities include abalone soup and a raw fish salad. Four VIP rooms.

Lam Nuong Nam Bo 285/C145 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D10 Tel: 3862 2569 Warehouse-sized quan well-regarded among locals serves everything from beef, chicken and fish to porcupine, weasel and field mouse. Great destination for intrepid gastronomes. Has standard hot pot, rice and noodle dishes too.

Mandarine Restaurant 11A Ngo Van Nam, D1 Tel: 3822 9783 Fine dining Vietnamese-style courtesy of two sumptuously decorated colonial villas, an antique wooden stair and a menu spanning all regions of Vietnam.

Traditional music performances are available for dinner.

Marina 172 Nguyen Dinh Chieu tel: 3930 2379 www.ngocsuong.com.vn Swish seafood restaurant with al fresco and indoor seating and a vast menu of up-market Vietnamese dishes. Features 10 set menus at varying price scales.

where are you going tonight?

Nam Phan 34 Vo Van Tan, Q3 Tel: 3933 3636 Well known at its previous corner location on Le Thanh Ton, Nam Phan continues to serve modern Asian cuisine including asparagus and crab meat soup, stewed bellyfish in pineapple and grilled duck breast in orange sauce. Set in a restored colonial villa, the interior is alive with reproductions of Cham-era bas-reliefs and is inspired by Euro-Zen. Nghi Xuan 5/9 Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3823 0699 Located down an alley just past Hai Ba Trung, featuring an attractive open first-floor and upstairs dining rooms with dark wood furniture and carved woodwork. Serving Hue staples, crab and prawn spreads and an impressive array of wines and cocktails.

Papaya 68 Pham Viet Cham, Binh Thanh Tel: 6258 1508 www.chi-nghia.com Hanoian classics mingle with new interpretations created by Chi Nghia, whose experience and dedication to clean, fresh ingredients set Papaya's menu apart. 10 am to 11 pm, 7 days.

41 Dong Du, D1, Tel 3822 7375

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Ngon Restaurant 160 Pasteur, D1 The long lunchtime queues tell the story: good food at low prices. More a food

court than a restaurant, this has become a major favourite for its airy decor combined with cheap and tasty noodle, rice and other standard dishes.

Quan Nuong 3T Barbecue 29-31 Ton That Thiep, D1 A favourite with both locals and expats, this rooftop restaurant above the Temple Club offers an extensive menu of meat, seafood and vegetarian dishes. Try the beef wrapped around tasty melting cheese or deliciously fresh skewered prawns.

Son Ha Garden 147A Hai Ba Trung, D1 Spacious and airy restaurant sculpted from bamboo with an open kitchen.

Serves a range of affordable local favourites family style, as well as Vietnamese desserts including homemade yoghurt.

Temple Club 29 – 31 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3829 9244 This high-end restaurant attached to an elegant lounge bar is a must-try for its art deco atmosphere as much as for its food. Mains go from around VND80,000 to VND150,000.

Tib 187 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3829 7242 100 Nguyen Luong Bang, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5413 6868 www.tibrestaurant.com.vn Popular up-market dining spot serving Hue cuisine in an attactive dining room that draws on traditional architecture.

Call for reservations.

Tib Express 162 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 Tel: 3822 5038 Serves a large selection of Tib’s Huefood menu in a more casual dining rooom and at significantly lower prices.

Specializes in bun bo Hue.  Wrap & Roll 62 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 4030 SA1–1, My Khanh 1, Nguyen Van Linh, D7 Attractive downtown venue that brings street-style food into air-conditioned and uncluttered comfort. Choose prewrapped appetisers such as the cha gio (spring rolls) or roll-it-yourself mains with ingredients like pickled shrimps, beef on sugar cane, fish, grilled eel and pork. 

nightlife BARS & LOUNGES See bar restaurant listings for more popular watering holes.

Acoustic Bar 6E1 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, D3 Tel: 3930 2239 A Volkswagen Bug tries to scale the wall outside this well-priced music venue popular with college-age Vietnamese and the occasional expat.

Amber Room 59 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 6291 3686 info@theamberoom.com A true London meets New York lounge, with chilled out tunes during the day and more funky vibes at night. A pleasant meeting place for drinks and a bite to eat.

Boston Sports Bar 28/2 - 28/4 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 6656 6338/6656 6328 Sports bar featuring North American food. Satellite TV, free pool and darts.

Catering services and private room available for parties. Open 24 hours. 

Ciao Lounge 2nd Floor, 74-76 Nguyen Hue, D1 Trendy and attractive lounge bar with a mixture of retro and modern decor and a pleasant atmosphere to boot. A great escape from central Saigon but quite touristy.

Cranberry Café & Pub 45 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3914 0991 Upmarket,quiet lounge great for private parties. Brickwork and cranberry-red chairs speak to the bar’s name, with a cocktail range and Tigers in blissfully frosted mugs.

Level 23 23rd Floor, Sheraton Hotel 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 One of the best views of the city from this upmarket terrace bar and lounge.

Excellent cocktails don’t come cheap but the atmosphere is great with live music throughout the week and a live DJ every Monday.

The Library InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 dine@icasianasaigon.com Unwind with a glass of wine or a cup of tea. The Library provides a welcoming atmosphere for those in search of calm, comfort and personalized service.

M52 Bar 52 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 6726 Sparsely-appointed venue with reasonably priced drinks noted for packing a punch. Owners Annie and Ms. Van are never too busy to check on their patrons, and the busy bartenders are quick with a smile.

Number Five Bar 44 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 6300 Number Five Bar is older than it looks, having formerly been located at 5 Ly Tu Trong. The bar attracts a regular clientele of established expats.

Park Lounge Park Hyatt Hotel 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 Elegant lounge bar, with classic songs played every night by international musicians. The salubrious surroundings are matched by the range of the drinks, with vintage wines from USD $6 to $10 per glass. Tiger is $4.50 a bottle.

Purple Jade InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 Chic lounge blends the stylistic influences of contemporary design and opium dens. Hosts live music and serves special drinks, including Shaoxing and Maotai rice wines and an exclusive selection of luxury spirits.

Q Bar Opera House, 7 Lam Son Square, D1 With low ceilings, intimate cubbyholes, colonial arches, gold paint, ultraviolet lighting and clubhouse beats, this is a bar that has a reputation for being a place to be seen. Great outdoor terrace and late-night indoor opening.

QD Bar & Lounge 138 Ton That Dam, D1, Tel: 3821 5338 Sophisticated lounge with New and Old World wines served by the bottle or glass, modern decor and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Ton That Thiep.

Saigon Saigon Bar 9th floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 Popular bar usually packed out with tourists and business travellers searching for some delicious cocktails and a great view of the city skyline. Cuban band Warapo plays every night except Monday from 8.30 pm until late.

Samsara Club 131 Dong Khoi, D1 A laid-back cosmopolitan drinking and dance venue with comfy lounge chairs around low-lying tables and an island bar bedecked in extravagant whitefeather decorations. Pink neon gives the joint a contemporary edge.

T&R Tavern 57 Do Quang Dau, D1 Classic expat dive bar with pool table, darts and comfortable yet simple decor.

Daily happy hour and sportsfans can catch games on the big screen.

Vibe Billiards & Lounge 102 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1 Tel: 3925 2599 Sleek bi-level lounge with Scandinavian design, Bansky-esque murals and top-notch billiards and snooker tables, paid for by the hour. Hosts league play, half-price Mondays, ladies’ nights and DJ events.

Voodoo Lounge 92 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Voodoo paintings adorn the white walls at this small, attractive bar south of Sunwah Tower. A daily happy hour, plenty of stool space and a pair of dartboards make it a good place to grab a drink.

Yoko 22A Nguyen Thi Dieu, D3 Tel: 3825 1901 Compact and popular joint with nightly live music boasts a refreshingly eclectic range of Western styles, with most songs sung in English.

BREWHOUSES Alderbrau 98 Nguyen Du, D1 Small brewhouse decorated with antique brewing miscellanea, with an enclosed garden for outdoor swilling the small range of house brews and bottled imports. The kitchen dishes up sausages, German fare, and Vietnamese dishes.

Gammer Czech Beer 107 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 8619 www.biatuoitiepvn.com Attractive, multi-story Czech beer hall furnished with heavy wood and outfitted with a few flat screen TVs tuned in to sports. Dark and blonde beers are available, as well as a full menu of Vietnamese food from mussels to rabbit.

Hoa Vien 28bis Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3829 0585 www.hoavien.vn Expansive beer hall serves up pilsner beer crafted from malt, hops and yeast from the Czech Republic. There’s also a large food menu and imported Pilsner Urquell.

Lion Brewery 11C Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 8514 Microbrewery featuring traditional German brew technology and German fare like pork knuckle and wurst. Good spot to meet friends and enjoy a hearty meal and a whole lot of beer.

NIGHTCLUBS Fuse Bar 3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 A popular bar that plays primarily hiphop music. Every Tuesday Fuse hosts a ladies night where women drink for free and two bottles of wine can be purchased for 2 million VND. Lush 2 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3824 2496 A large and lavishly decorated bar and

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OPEN 24/7

club popular on weekends. Good DJs playing the latest in beat-based music and the city’s beautiful people add to the sights and sounds. It’s on-par with Western clubs in both ambience and drinks prices.

Velvet Bar 26 Ho Huan Nghiep, D1 Hip-hop and Viet trance club with both bottle service and bottle beer that isn’t prohibitively expensive. Circular center bar is ringed with tables, and VIP areas and sofa seating line the walls.

Where the game’s always on!

28/4 Bui Vien Str. Pham Ngu Lao Ward, Dist 1.

Phone: (08) 665 663 38 - (08) 665 663 28

at home BAKERIES Crumbs 54 Truong Dinh, D1 Tel: 3825 7199 www.crumbs.com.vn info@crumbs.com.vn Eat-in bakery offering a wide range of muffins, whole-grain breads and pastries. Many of the breads are dairy-free, baked fresh daily with unbleached white flower, no added sugar.

Harvest Baking 30 Lam Son, Tan Binh Tel: 3547 0577 harvestbaking@yahoo.com This authentic bakery offers a range of specialty baked goods for delivery.

Offering bagels, scones, breads, desserts,cakes, tarts and more.

Chocolate fudge cake and cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing highly recommended.

Pat A Chou 65 Hai Ba Trung, D1 188 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 25 Thao Dien, D2 The home of the long and crusty baguette. Supplies many restaurants but also sells wholesale. The miniature patisseries such as crème brulée and cheesecake are worth a taste. Opens at 6.30 am.

Schneider’s Finest 27 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 1998 www.schneiders-finest.com Traditional German bakery bakes 45 different kinds of breads, rolls and baguettes and a wide range of danishes, pastries and cakes. Catering available.

To find us, walk through the arch at 74 Hai Ba Trung and discover our beautiful secluded courtyard.

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Telephone 3823 0509 Open 7 Days

Sesame Bakery 153 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3518 0897 Located in the premise of the Hospitality School of HCMC, Sesame Bakery provides practical experience to its students. Wide variety of French pastries, loaves, baguettes, cookies at very competitive prices. Special order & delivery available.

Tous Les Jours 180 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Part of the Korean bakery chain, Tous Le Jours stocks a superb range of freshly baked good from sugary treats like pain au chocolat to superior quality baguettes and loafs.

Voelker 17 A7 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 7303 8799 39 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2 Tel: 6296 0066 Small bakery turns out sweet and salted pies and mousses in addition to baguettes and a range of Western sweets.

CATERING Au Parc Catering Services 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 Catering services available every day of the year for birthday cakes, dinner parties, wine tastings and corporate events.

For a custom-made quotation e-mail auparc@hcm.vnn.vn or call Quynh on 0908 196261.

Saigon Catering 84 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 8388 Provide services of catering, banquets, event planning, BBQ’s, daily deliveries and cocktail parties. For a custommade quotation e-mail SaigonGG@ gmail.com or call Huong on 0913 981128.

The Caterers 46D Vuon Lai, Tan Phu Tel: 3816 2901 sales@thecaterersvietnam.com.vn www.thecaterersvietnam.com.vn Catering company offering extensive services from location sourcing, décor designing and food catering. All functions can be catered for, from low-key barbeques at home to full-blown weddings and parties.

Xu Catering 71-75 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 8468 www.xusaigon.com From the brains behind Xu Restaurant and Lounge comes this new catering service, promising the highest standards in service. Everything from the menu to the comprehensive bar service and the staff is tailor-made to your specifications.

COOKERY CLASSES Caravelle Hotel Cooking Classes Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 Full-day Vietnamese cooking classes for groups of up to 20 people. The classes include a visit to the market with the sous chef. Costs USD $45++ each for a minimum 10 people.

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Saigon Cooking Class by Hoa Tuc The Courtyard, 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 8485 i.briosca@saigoncookingclass.com contact@saigoncookingclass.com Cooking classes available from Tuesday to Sunday 10 am-1 pm/2 pm-5 pm. Students make an entire meal that includes traditional dishes like pho and cha gio, as well as more creative fare.

Conducted by Vietnamese chef in English, Japanese or French on request.

Cost is $45. Market visit with the chef on request.

cold cuts, smoked sausage and a range of cheeses at very reasonable prices.

Vietnam Cookery Centre 362/8 Ung Van Khiem, Binh Thanh Tel: 3512 1491 Well-known Vietnamese cooking classes with half-day and more indepth eight-day courses. Students work in a comfortable kitchen area with their own stove and workspace. Eightday course costs USD $160.

Organik 11A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 090 273 3841 arlene@organikvn.com www.organikvn.com Online grocer based out of Dalat selling a range of organic vegetables and groceries, as well as imported all-natural products such as cereal, soymilk and tea. Operates a retail shop in An Phu.

GROCERIES

Phuong Ha 58 Ham Nghi, D1 Tel: 3914 1318 A mini-supermarket that sells an extensive assortment of imported packaged food, cheese, meat, fresh fruit, vegetables and fine wines.

Annam Gourmet Market 16-18 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 9332 41A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2630 SB2-1 My Khanh 4, Nguyen Duc Canh, D7 Tel: 5412 3263 / 64 www.annam-gourmet.com Boutique grocer with wide selection of foreign foods; Annam-brand coffee, tea and spices; and household products.

Wine and premium beer, full deli counter, produce, dairy-frozen and baked goods on second floor. Cosy café serves coffee, drinks and sandwiches.

Au Parc 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 A fine deli counter displaying a wide selection of cheeses, roasted vegetables, dips and some tempting sweets. The shelves along the side wall also showcase a solid selection of dried goods and some imported condiments.

Classic Fine Foods 100 Xuan Thuy, D2, Tel: 3744 2717 www.classicfinefoods.com Luxury food primarily imports for wholesale, but also takes orders for its range of dry goods, cheese, meat, poultry and seafood from private clients.

Future Sense 284/9 Nguyen Trong Tuyen, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 6099 Ice cream home delivery service featuring banana-on a stick, Ola premium ice cream and frozen yoghurt and I’sa ice cream, all produced with European technology and imported ingredients.

Gastro Home Delicatessen 100 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien Ward, D2 Tel: 6281 9830 Deli filled with fresh French-inspired delights ranging from salads to fish and vegetarian, meat and poultry dishes.

Open 7 days from 9.30 am to 9 pm.

Grand-Place Chocolate 1A Me Linh Square, Room C4, D1 Tel: 3823 4068 www.grandplacechocolate.com delivery@grandplacechocolate.com Belgian chocolate manufacturer offering high quality chocolate for professionals and chocolate lovers. Chocolate available in 1kg blocks or 2.5kg buttons.

Free delivery.

Kim Hai Butchery 41 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D1 Tel: 3821 6057 or 3914 4376 Excellent chilled imported beef, lamb, veal and other meats sold at reasonable prices.

Le Cochon D’Or 32 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3829 3856 French-style charcuterie selling quality

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Metro An Phu, D2 Tel: 3740 6677 www.metro.com.vn Warehouse wholesaler located just off the Hanoi Highway in D2 between the Saigon Bridge and the tollbooths. Sells bulk food, fresh fruit and vegetables and meat, as well as paper products, cleaning supplies, housewares--basically everything.

Veggy’s 29A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8526 Sky Garden Pham Van Nghi, Bac Khu Pho, D7 Riverside Apartments 53 Vo Truong Toan, Thao Dien, D2 Popular expat market with a huge walk-in fridge area stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products and a range of meats. Imported canned and dried foods, wines, beers, soft drinks, spirits and snacks also available.

LIQUOR & WINE Bacchus Corner 158D Pasteur, D1 Reliable wine and liquor store owned

by Tan Khoa Wines with a good range of spirits, whiskies, wines and more all at decent prices. English-speaking staff can help with selections.

Connoisseur 7 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 224 6324 A decent range of wines from both old and new world vineyards lines the walls in this intimate store. Monthly offers on new arrivals are often a good deal. The staff are helpful, but little English.

Red Apron 22 Chu Manh Trinh, D1 Tel: 3823 0021 Large wine and spirits wholesaler, with 90,000 bottles stored in its five locations around the country. Sells wine from all around the world, particularly France, Chile, Italy and Australia. Exclusive distributor of such fine brands as Taittinger Champagne.

Tapas Wine 2/3A Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 2201 0909 www.tapaswines.com Home delivery service that specializes in Spanish wines. Check out the website for a full catalog of their wines, as well as reviews by brand.

The Warehouse 178 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 8826 924 Tran Hung Dao, D5 Tel: 6261 1525 www.warehouse-asia.com One of the city’s premier wine distributors, The Warehouse is an aptly named, stylish wine store that stocks a full range of both New and Old World wines, sparkling wines, Champagne, spirits, imported beers and accessories. Provides advice and delivery service.

listings

culture CLASSES AngelsBrush by Vin Tel: 0983377710 Shyevin@mac.com Oil painting course gives learners the opportunity to work from the different objects; explore different mediums, materials and techniques; and interpret line, tone and colour. Instructor works with students on individual basis.

Creative Writing Classes Tel: 090 448 2957 kate_orson@hotmail.com Writer Kate Orson teaches creative writing courses for fiction, non-fiction and travel writing. Beginners and experienced writers are welcome.

Helene Kling Painting 513 An Binh, Street 12, D2 helene_kling@yahoo.com French painter Helene holds classes in oil painting at her beautiful river-side home on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday’s between 8 am and 1 pm for adults and Monday and Friday afternoons between 3 pm and 6 pm for children.

Printmaking alphagallery@bluemail.ch Classes are held at Alpha Gallery taught by the gallery owner Bernadette Gruber, who offers the chance to learn monotype, intaglio and etching techniques.

CINEMAS Bobby Brewer’s Movie Lounge 45 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3610 2220 86 Pham Ngoc Thach info@bobbybrewers.com Popular top-floor home cinema showing movies five times a day on a large screen. Email for the latest schedule.

Tel: 3822 7897 LotteMart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, D7 Tel: 3775 2520 www.lottecinemavn.com Modern cinema with four-way sound system. D7 location houses luxury theatre Charlotte with 32 seats and eight sofas. me phim HCM City-based film initiative that provides support to local filmmakers and hosts regular film screenings/discussions. Email dduukk@gmail.com for information or join the Facebook group.

Megastar Hung Vuong Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, D5 Tel: 08 2222 0388 CT Plaza, 60A Truong Son, Tan Binh Tel: 6297 1981 www.megastarmedia.net State-of-the-art cinema complex screening the lastest blockbusters with plush, reclining seats. All movies shown in original language with Vietnamese subtitles.

GALLERIES a little blah blah OUT-2 STUDIO, L6 FAFILM Annex 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 albbsaigon-2010.blogspot.com Operates as an engine for contemporary art by organizing projects, exhibitions, screenings and talks. Runs one major art project each year and a reading room with more than 1,000 texts on art, design and creative culture. Free for everyone and open Tue to Sat 10 am to 6 pm.

Blue Space Contemporary Arts Center 97A Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3821 3695 bluespaceart@hcm.jpt.vn www.bluespacegallery.com Busy, working gallery with easels propped up outside situated in the grounds of the beautiful Fine Arts Museum. Holds regular exhibitions by local artists.

Duc Minh Gallery 31C Le Quy Don, D3 Tel: 3933 0498 Housed in an opulent colonial mansion, private museum and art gallery showcases the private art collection of Vietnamese business tycoon Bui Quoc Chi. Containing more than 1,000 pieces that range from traditional to contemporary.

Cinebox 212 Ly Chinh Thang, D3 Tel: 3935 0610 240 3 Thang 2, D10 Tel: 3862 2425 Cinebox cinemas show both original language films with Vietnamese subtitles and the dubbed versions.

Galerie Quynh 65 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3836 8019 www.galeriequynh.com The city’s only international standard gallery, housed in a modern, two-floor space. Organizes regular exhibitions featuring established, emerging local/ international contemporary artists, publishes original catalogs in both English and Vietnamese.

Future Shorts futureshortsvietnam@gmail.com www.futureshorts.com/vn Vietnam branch of the international network screens foreign and local short films around town. Events often incorporate other media and elements, including live music, performances, installations and discussion. Submissions accepted.

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum 97A Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3829 4441 btmthcm@hotmail.com Institution housing contemporary/traditional works by Vietnamese and foreign artists. Pieces date from as early as the 7th century. Includes Vietnamese antiques, art crafted by the Cham and Funan peoples.

Galaxy Cinema 116 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3822 8533 230 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3920 6688 www.galaxycine.vn Large, modern cinema that shows the latest foreign releases in English (with Vietnamese subtitles).

San Art Independent Artist Space 3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 0898 hoa@san-art.org www.san-art.org Artist-run, non-profit exhibition space featuring contemporary work by young Vietnamese artists. San Art hosts guest lecturers and curators. A reading room of art books and magazines is open to the public.

IDECAF 31 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3829 5451 French cultural centre and cinema theatre. Showcases French movies with English and Vietnamese subtitles. Also hosts movies and documentaries from a number of overseas film festivals.

Lotte Cinema Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1

TuDo Gallery 53 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 0966 www.tudogallery.com Hosting permanent exhibitions of works by the city’s artists, Tu Do deals in oils, silk paintings and lacquerware. More than 1,000 pieces on show.

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listings

sports & leisure Sport Street Huyen Tran Cong Chua, D1 between Nguyen Du and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Services include mending and restringing broken tennis rackets. Products range from badminton birdies and rackets to basketball hoops, free weights, roller blades, scooters, soccer jerseys and all manner of balls.

Trophies & Custom Signage Street Le Lai, D1 between Truong Dinh and Nguyen Thai Hoc Offers custom engraving on trophies and plaques made of plastic, wood, metal and glass.

CRICKET Saigon Cricket Assocation Social cricket league plays 25 overs a side matches Sunday mornings at RMIT’s District 7 pitch. Season runs November through May, with friendly games throughout the pre-season. Practice on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons.

Australian Cricket Club Terry Gordon terrygordoninasia@yahoo.com.au saigonaustraliancricketclub@yahoo.com www.saigoncricket.com English Cricket Club Richard Carrington Richard.carrington@pivotalvietnam.com info@eccsaigon.com www.eccsaigon.com Indian Cricket Club Manish Sogani, manish@ambrij.com United Cricket Club Mr. Asif Ali, asif@promo-tex.net keshav.dayalani@rmit.edu.vn

DANCING DanCenter 46/2 Nguyen Cuu Van, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 6974 www.dancentervn.com Modern, centrally located studio with foreign trained dance instructors. Classes for kids age 5+ in jazz, ballet, hip hop and tap dance. Classes for adults in yoga, jazz, hip hop, salsa, belly, tap and capoeira.

Salsa Dancing at La Fenetre Soleil 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D1 Tel: 0909 365 525 Every Thursday from 8 pm with Urko and Fred, with a total beginners workshop starting at 8.30pm (minimum 10 people required; 50,000 VND with a cocktail). Followed by social dancing until midnight.

Salsa Dancing at La Habana 6 Cao Ba Quat, D1 www.salsaigon.com salsaigon@gmail.com Six-week salsa package at 350,000 VND for single persons and 550,000 for a couple, run by Urko. Lessons every Tuesday (beginners L.A. style at 7.30 pm; intermediate L.A style at 8.30 pm).

Registration required.

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AIS Sports Centre 36 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6960, ext 126 sportscentre@aisvietnam.com www.aissportscentre.com Features six-lane, 25-metre pool, basketball and netball courts, astroturf hockey/football area and outdoor gym equipment. Available for party hire, with BBQ included on request. Membership packages available. Kids swim club and adult masters programmes. Rainbow Divers offers scuba diving courses for children and adults. Free morning yoga.

California WOW Xperience Parkson Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, D5 28/30-32 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 6291 5999 The world’s biggest fitness centre chain is one of Saigon’s most modern places to get your sweat on. Located in Hung Vuong Plaza, CWX offers a huge workout area and all kinds of classes including spinning, KickFit, yoga and more.

Caravelle Club Spa 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 Modern and stylish gym with lots of cardiovascular machines and free weights.

The swimming pool is a great place for a dip, and the massage parlour, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi are there for winding down.

Christophe Guillemin Tel: 0909 365525 azia_shop@yahoo.fr www.azia-shop.com French fitness instructor offers his training assistance both at home or in your gym to help with everything from weight loss to muscle building. Also does cardio training sessions at An Phu swimming pool on Saturday at 11 am.

Curves 15 Trinh Van Can, D1 Tel: 3821 0319 www.curvesvietnam.com Curves is a women’s only fitness franchise with over 10,000 locations and four million members. The centre offers a famous 30-minute total body workout that they say will burn up to 500 calories.

Features training on ‘double positive’ resistance equipment.

Diamond Plaza 34 Le Duan, D1 The city’s largest department store has a well-equipped gym with steam room, jacuzzi, massage parlour and swimming pool. The gym costs from USD $90 per month.

Diamond Way Buddhism Meditation Group Tel: 093 804 3753 Email: SaigonGompa@gmail.com www.diamondway-teachings.org Meditation group using methods of Tibetan Buddhism. Diamond Way or Vajrayana Buddhism guides practitioners to experience the nature of their own mind to reach Enlightenment.

Equinox Fitness & Leisure Centre Equatorial Hotel, 242 Tran Binh Trong, D5 Tel: 3839 7777 Decent-sized 3rd-floor gym with modern cardio and weights machines, sauna, steambath, jacuzzi, and large 4th floor pool great for swimming laps.

Hollywood Fitness World H3 Building, 384 Hoang Dieu, D4 Tel: 3826 4639 One of the latest & best workout environments in the city, suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Personal training is offered.

Erick Tony Varin, Fitness and Swimming Instructor Tel: 0939 026 540 Erickforcearca@hotmail.com French instructor offers individual adapted programmes at home or at your gym, including weight loss, muscle gain, athletic training and post-traumatic

treatment. Swimming and aqua aerobics classes for groups or individuals are also offered.

classes. Also specialising in therapeutics and restorative yoga. Patricia has been teaching yoga in Saigon since 2002.

John Huy Tran, Fitness Instructor Tel: 0983 789 318 jht_fitness@hotmail.com Canadian fitness professional certified trainer with over 10 years’ experience in the fitness industry, dance and sports.

Can provide training tailored to individual needs.

Renaissance Hotel Health Club 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033 Stylish health club with gym, swimming pool, steam room, massage parlour, pool-side bar and an outstanding view of the city. Costs USD $140 a month, or $10 a day.

K1 Fitness and Fight Factory 346 Ben Van Don, D4 Tel: 0918 337 111 www.teamminetti.com Fitness centre teaching English and Thai boxing, karate, Vietnamese martial arts, judo, fencing, grappling, and mixed martial arts with classes for both adults and children. All training conducted by a professional foreign instructor.

Saigon Fitness Club New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3822 8888 The modern Nautilus-equipped gym is staffed by highly-qualified instructors to cater for your fitness needs. Features a swimming pool, floodlit tennis court, golf driving range, jogging track, sauna, and massage rooms.

L’Apothiquaire Fitness Centre 64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181 www.lapothiquaire.com Internationally-certified teachers offer daily classes in Sivananda, Iyengar, Power, Yoga, Abdo-Pilates, Taebo and Aqua-Aerobics. Peaceful swimming pool, sauna and steam room.

La Cochinchine Rex Hotel, 146 Pastuer, D1 Tel: 3825 1812 (ext 7477) New and affordable fitness centre located in the heart of the city. This gym has a wide range of weight machines, as well as many cardio machines, including treadmills, cross-trainers and bikes. A good variety of classes are available, including yoga and aerobic dance.

Legend Hotel Fitness Centre 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang, D1 One of the best hotel fitness centres.

Very well-equipped gym with cardiovascular and weight machines, along with a circular swimming pool and massage parlour. A three-month membership costs USD $400++.

Michelle Lloyd Yoga Tel: 0909 64 8193 michelleglloyd@gmail.com www.michellelloyd.com E-RYT200 certified yoga instructor offering Vinyasa yoga classes at various locations around the city. Private and corporate yoga programs available. Contact Michelle for more information on her current schedule and special events.

Nutrifort 2B1 Chu Manh Trinh, D1 Tel: 3825 8560 news@nutrifort.com/www.nutrifort.com Comprehensive health and fitness centre offering customized exercise, nutritional counseling to members. Specializing in weight loss programs, core/body alignment training with Pilates equipment.

Healthy snacks available.

NTFQ2 34 Nguyen Dang Giai, D2 Tel: 3744 6672 ntfq2@nutrifort.com/www.nutrifort.com First boutique, purpose-built fitness and wellness centre in Vietnam. Offers personal training, small group classes, specialized treatment and healthy dining at on-site restaurant Good Eats.

Park Hyatt Fitness Centre 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 Luxury health centre with the full range of facilities including swimming pool, steam room, jacuzzi and fitness centre. Threemonth peak membership costs USD $810++ and off-peak is $450++.

Patricia Romero, ERYT200 Phu My Hung, An Phu Tel: 090 387 2832 saigonease@yahoo.com Alignment-based yoga classes that infuse elements from the Ashtanga and Iyengar traditions. Group and private

Saigon Yoga Somerset Apartments 8A Nguyen Binh Khiem, D1 Tel: 090 835 2265 www.saigonyoga.com info@saigonyoga.com Yoga and pre-natal yoga classes held downtown and in D3. Taught by experienced, certified instructrs from the U.S. Class size limited to 12 students. Reservation is requested to ensure a space.

Private group and pre-natal classes of up to 8 by appointment.

Sheraton Fitness Level 5, Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 sheraton.saigon@sheraton.com www.sheraton.com/saigon Sheraton Fitness features a team of trained professionals and new Technogym equipment. Members have full use of leisure facilities and receive discounts at hotel bars and restaurants and Aqua Day Spa. Star Fitness Gym Manor Apartments, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0255 This 1,600sqm gym is apparently the biggest in Vietnam. Has a good range of machines for any type of workout.

Membership involves one time entry fee plus monthly subscriptions and gives free access to regular fitness classes.

Sofitel Saigon Plaza Fitness Centre 17 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3824 1555 Small but well-equipped gym with helpful staff and quality equipment. Membership costs USD $700++ for six months and $1,300++ for a year. Also runs a number of fitness classes including yoga.

Yoga & Meditation Centre 335 Dien Bien Phu, D3 Tel: 3929 1706 www.ymc.org Professional team of Western and local teachers show you how to practice a combination of yoga and meditation with a range of classes such as Hatha, Yin, Vikram, Ashtanga yoga and Pilates.

Yoga Living 95 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 098 880 4598 info@yogaliving.com.vn www.yogaliving.com.vn Yoga studio offering hatha, vinyasa, power and ashtanga yoga. Schedule can be self-made by members.

FOOTBALL & RUGBY Australian Rules Football Tel: 093 768 3230 www.vietnamswans.com vietnamswans@gmail.com The Vietnam Swans play regular international footy matches around Asia. Training sessions are held weekly in HCM City (2.30 pm Saturday, RMIT D7) and Hanoi (midday, Saturday, UN International School, Ciputra). All skill levels and codes welcome.

Les Gaulois de Saigon www.gauloisdesaigon.com info@gauloisdesaigon.com A new team of French footballers, the side invites players and their families to come and join in their friendly training sessions, where everyone can get together and enjoy the sport while making new friends. Contact Sebastien on 0919 691785 or Romain on 0908 060139.

Song Be Golf Resort 77 Binh Duong Blvd, Thuan An Tel: 0650 3756 660 info@songbegolf.com www.songbegolf.com Located 22 kilometres from the city centre, the premier golf course in the area features an 18-hole, 6,384-metre course.

Also has tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a gymnasium.

RMIT Vietnam sports.recreation@rmit.edu.vn A new player on the SIFL scene with a team made up of students from the University. They have their own football ground on-site consisting of two brand new pitches. Contact Landon Carnie.

Vietnam Golf and Country Club Long Thanh My Village, D9 www.vietnamgolfcc.com This facility consists of two courses of 18 holes each, one of which is designed in a more traditional Asian style, and the other in international style. Has other attractions such as boating, tennis and a restaurant area.

Saigon Raiders jon.hoff@saigonraiders.com Sociable football side who are always on the lookout for new talent for their weekly matches and training sessions. The team participates in the Saigon International Football League and also has regular fixtures against local teams in the outlying provinces and also participates in international tournaments.

Saigon Rugby Club Tel: 0903 735 799 www.saigonrfc.org saigonrugbyfootballclub@yahoo.com Social, mixed touch rugby played every Saturday afternoon for adults at RMIT from 4 pm until 6 pm. Regularly welcomes visiting teams and tours the region for men’s contact and women’s touch rugby tournaments. Beginners welcome.

Saigon Saints chris@saigonsaints.com www.saigonsaints.com Expat football club of all ages, which has been running since 1995 and plays in the SIFL. Regularly venture on international tours especially to Bangkok and Manila and play in other local and international tournaments. The players train weekly, and new players are encouraged to join.

GOLF Dalat Palace Golf Club Phu Dong Thien Vuong, Dalat Tel: 063 3821 101 dpgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com The most beautiful course in Vietnam, combining the crisp mountain air with an environment of stately pine trees.

Overlooking Xuan Huong lake, the 7,009yard course is an enjoyable challenge for golfers of all levels.

Dong Nai Golf Resort Trang Bom Town, Trang Bom Tel: 061 3866 288 / 3677 590 www.dongnaigolf.com.vn Large golf resort with 27 holes, plus a villa complex, bar, sauna. jacuzzi and billiards.

The resort sits on 160 hectares of land in Dong Nai Province, about 50 kilometres from the city. Membership starts at USD $2,000 a year.

Ocean Dunes Golf Club 1 Ton Duc Thang, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3821 995 odgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com Designed by Nick Faldo, the 6,746-yard par-72 course winds through seaside dunes, with the variable coastal breezes changing its character each day. An enjoyable and eminently playable course and has become a favourite venue for expatriate tournaments.

Saigon South Golf Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phu, D7 Tel: 5411 2001 sgs.golf@yahoo.com.vn Nine-hole mini golf course and driving range set amongst attractive gardens just behind FV Hospital. Membership starts from USD $700 for 6 months. Visitors’ greens fees for a round of golf are around USD $16 before 5 pm and $19 after.

Club, shoe and umbrella hire is also available.

LEISURE

Phun Runners www.phun-run.com info@phun-run.com Running group that meets Sundays at 7 am for a scenic run around Saigon before breakfast. Great way to explore the city, meet fellow runners and get fit for future events. Check website for rendezvous points.

Saigon International Dart League www.thesidl.com A highly popular group in town, the darts club runs a competitive year-long league for 16 pub-based teams. There are some excellent players in this sociable and international group. See website for details of how to join and latest 180 scores.

Saigon International Softball League sisl@saigonsoftball.info www.saigonsoftball.info The league plays slo-pitch softball every Sunday (usually at the Taiwanese School in Phu My Hung) and always welcomes newcomers.

Saigon Pony Club Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, D2 Tel: 0913 733 360 A standout facility offering pony rides, riding lessons, horse clinics and pony rentals. Also hosts events and birthdays.

Senior Expat ChitChat Weekly “Coffee Talk” meetings among seniors at the Palace Hotel Café (56 – 66 Nguyen Hue, D1) each Tuesday from 10 to 11.30 am. The informal group is for local expatriates and English-speaking foreign travellers who meet to share experiences and make new friends. Call club organizer Sheldon Pruss at 0932 031 837.

Squash The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 2098 ext 176 www.thelandmarkvietnam.com One of three squash courts in town.

Membership is open to non-Landmark residents and drop-in players. Lessons and racquets are available for additional fees. Balls are provided. Book in advance or phone for further information.

Ultimate Frisbee RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, D7 www.saigon-ultimate.com Join in this exciting popular sport every Sunday afternoon from 3pm to 5pm in Saigon South. Pan-Asian competitions also organised for the more experienced.

Contact David Jensen at 0909458890 X-Rock Climbing Phan Dinh Phung Sport Centre 75 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 Tel: 6278 5794 503A Nguyen Duy Trinh, D2 Tel: 2210 9192 www.xrockclimbing.com Offering safe and professional climbing for anyone aged 4 and up. Featuring mountain climbing routes rated from beginner to advanced, climbing and belay-safety courses and training, birthday parties, corporate team building. Excellent facilities for children and annual membership for kids.

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listings

health & beauty ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE American Chiropractic Clinic 8 Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3930 6667 www.vietnamchiropractic.com A chiropractic, physiotherapy, foot care clinic staffed by American-trained chiropractors speaking French, English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. Treats back pain, neck pain, knee pain, also specializing in sports injuries, manufacture of medical grade foot orthotics.

Ciro Gargiulo CARE1 Executive Health Care Center The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0757 care1_reception@vietnammedicalpractice.com www.care1.com.vn A holistic approach is used by this acupuncturist and traditional medicine practitioner to rebalance the body’s energy fields. A wide range of ailments are treated including back pain, allergies and insomnia.

Institute of Traditional Medicine 273-275 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Dr. Le Hung is the man to see at this wellestablished traditional hospital & training centre. He speaks good English and provides excellent treatments in a clean environment. The Institute also provides acupuncture lessons at USD $30 per day.

Osteopathic Medicine/Physiotherapy – David Truong Tan Tel: 0903 09 81 24 www.osteopathy-vietnam.com French-trained osteopath and physiotherapist specializing in the treatment of back pain and muscular, ligament and joint problems using a holistic approach and gentle manipulative techniques.

Consultations available at International SOS in District 3 and Nutrifort in Districts 1 and 2.

Theta Healing – Jodie Eastwood Tel: 091 859 1933 www.thetahealing.com A unique energy healing technique for mind, body and spirit. Jodie is a UK qualified practitioner based in HCM City.

Traditional Medicine Hospital 197 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Friendly staff speak little to no English at this well-known ad spotlessly clean hospital offering treatments that combine traditional Chinese medicine with modern knowledge and expertise.

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COSMETIC TREATMENT Cao Thang Lasik & Aesthetic Clinic 135-135B Tran Binh Trong, D5 Tel: 3923 4419 A modern clinic offering a comprehensive range of optical services. Specializes in LASIK correctional procedures, costing from USD $700 to $1,100 for both eyes.

English spoken. Open seven days a week.

FV Hospital Cosmetic Surgery 45 Vo Thi Sau, D1 Tel: 6290 6167 6 Nguyen Luong Bang, D7 Tel: 5411 3366 www.fvhospital.com International-standard cosmetic procedures from simple dermabrasion and

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chemical peels to collagen injections, nose and eye shaping, liposuction, and breast enhancement. Procedures carried out by French and Vietnamese doctors using the latest equipment.

Parkway Shenton International Clinic Suite 213-214, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Owned by the Singapore-based healthcare giant Parkway Holdings, this aesthetics clinic offers a range of both surgical and non-surgical treatments including dental reconstruction.

DENTAL European Dental Clinic 127 Dien Bien Phu, Dakao, D1 Tel: 3823 8680 Expat English and French-speaking dentist. Performs full range of dental treatment including whitening, aesthetic fillings, porcelain crowns, full ceramics, veneer and orthodontic treatment. 24hour emergency line: 0909 551 916 or 0918 749 204.

Koseikai Dental Clinic 3rd floor, 21 Nguyen Trung Ngan, D1 Tel: 3910 6255 info@koseikai.com.vn www.koseikaidentist.com A member of Dental Clinic Vietnam, provide full range of dental services with the latest in technology, delivery of laboratory work and new technologies now available.

Starlight Dental Clinic Dr. Philippe Guettier & Associates 3 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3822 6222 doc.linh@gmail.com With 10 years’ experience providing dental treatment to expat and Vietnamese patients, this well-known dental surgery is staffed by both foreign & local practitioners. Au fait with the latest treatments and techniques, the surgery prides themselves on their high standard of equipment & sterilization.

Westcoast International Dental Clinic 27 Nguyen Trung Truc, D1 Tel: 3825 6999 71-79 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3825 6777 info@westcoastinternational.com www.westcoastinternational.com Canadian-run dental clinic staffed by French, Japanese, English and Vietnamese speaking dental professionals.

See Medical listings for hospitals with dental services.

HAIR & SALON Anthony George for London Hair & Beauty FIDECO Riverview Building 14 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6475 www.aglondonsalon.com.vn Top British stylist George brings his unique flair to hair in District 2. The modern, stylish and professional salon is host to a staff of professionally trained beauty therapists. Uses Dermalogica, Schwarzkopf and L’Oreal products. Shampoo, cut and blow-dry starts at USD $26; mini facials from $12.

Jasmine 45 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3827 2737 jasminespa@hcm.vnn.vn Friendly and efficient staff offers haircuts and a wide range of services including waxing, manicures, pedicures and other beauty treatments. Skin renewal facial, salt or rice body scrub & deep tissue massage costs USD $98 Le Brian Salon 201 Calmette, D1 195 Nguyen Van Hoang, D2 Vietnamese-American hairstylist with dual locations, offering a full range of hair services, as well as professional make-up application.

Lloyd Morgan International Hair Studio 234 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 090 8422 007 International stylist Lloyd Morgan is one

of the best in town. He’s been in the business for over 30 years and brings his expertise to this established, top-notch salon.

Qi Spa 151 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 1719 Caravelle Hotel Tel: 3824 7150 Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, Tel: 3997 5437 High-end salon and spa offers the standard range of services in a calming atmosphere with good service. Waxing, nail services, hair dressing as well as luxurious facial and massage treatments on offer.

Souche 2nd Floor, Saigon Trade Centre 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 0372 A top-end beauty salon using the Dermatologica line of skincare products.

Specialises in personalized facial care treatments from USD $30 and medicated acne treatments from $40. Waxing and other aesthetic services are also available in a pleasant atmosphere with excellent service.

Sunji Matsuo Hair Studio Saigon Paragon, 3 Nguyen Luong Bang, D7 Tel: 5416 0378 Celebrity hairstylist Sunji Matsuo’s Singapore-based hair salon has a variety of hair services including scalp treatments, rebonding and hair extensions.

The Salon 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3822 9660 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3821 6394 Reliable haircuts from well-trained stylists at this local salon with multiple locations.

A haircut starts at USD $28 for women and $22 for men.

Venus 41 Nguyen Trung Ngan, D1

Tel: 3829 6298 French Vietnamese stylist Sandrine Nguyen trained with worldwide academics Toni & Guy and Vidal Sassoon. With more than eight years experience, she offers haircuts for men from USD $10 and $20 for women. Special services are colouring and highlights.

tice.com www.care1.com.vn Sister clinic of Family Medical Practice, CARE1 is an executive health care centre offering comprehensive preventative-care checkups in a modern and professional setting. State-of-the-art technology provides fast and accurate diagnoses.

Vietnamese physicians. Offers quality services, comprehensive patient care and is particularly well regarded for its maternity care. Full array of dental services from examination, cleaning and whitening to fillings, cosmetic procedures and implants. 24-hour emergency line: 3411 3500.

YKC Beauty & Hair Studio 219 Dien Bien Phu, D3 Tel: 3829 2791/3827 5194 www.ykcspa.com Popular among the expat community, the salon is run by Toronto trained mother and son duo Cindy (owner) and Ky The Guy (hair stylist). Offers a full range of spa and hair services and has a second hair salon located in the Park Hyatt Hotel.

Centre Medical International (CMI) 1 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3827 2366 www.cmi-vietnam.com Located downtown next to the cathedral, the centre provides a high standard of medical care from qualified French and Vietnamese physicians. Its range of services include general and tropical medicine, cardiology, gynaecology, osteopathy, pediatrics, psychiatry, speech therapy and traditional Eastern medicine.

International SOS 167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3829 8424 www.internationalsos.com Globally-renowned provider of medical assistance and international healthcare.

Specializes in offering medical transport and evacuation both within and outside of Vietnam for urgent medical cases.

Foreign and Vietnamese dentists. Has multilingual staff.

YKC Esthetics & Hair Spa 219 Dien Bien Phu, D3 Tel: 3829 2791 An excellent salon with a following of expat regulars. A Toronto-trained motherand-son team manage YKC’s staff and offer the full range of services from facials, body therapy, waxing, nails to cut, color and highlights.

MEDICAL Australian Clinic & Pathology Diagnostics (ACPD) 273-275 Ly Thai To, D10 Tel: 3834 9941 www.australianclinic.com.vn Services include general outpatient healthcare, corporate / visa healthchecks, X-ray, full laboratory and in-house pharmacy including specialist medical services covering cardiology, paediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, orthopedic and dermatology.

CARE1 Executive Health Care Center The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0757 care1_reception@vietnammedicalprac-

Columbia Asia Saigon Clinic 8 Alexandre de Rhodes, D1 Tel: 3823 8888 Respected multi-specialty clinic with foreign and local physicians. Doctors on call 24 hours a day. Standard check-ups cost between 400,000 VND and 800,000 VND. Family Medical Practice HCMC Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 7848 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Leading international primary healthcare provider, with a 24-hour state-of-the-art medical centre and highly-qualified multilingual foreign doctors. Extensive experience in worldwide medical evacuations with car and air ambulance on standby.

Also in Hanoi and Danang.

FV Hospital 6 Nguyen Luong Bang, D7 Tel: 5411 3333 www.fvhospital.com A foreign-owned international-standard hospital with a mixture of French and

Victoria Healthcare International Clinic 79 Dien Bien Phu, D1 Tel: 3910 4545 www.victoriavn.com Well-regarded clinic offering general examinations, and specializing in women’s health, paediatrics, digestive diseases and internal medicine. Offers a membership programme. Open seven days a week. Doctors on call 24 hours.

NAILS Nghia Beauty 20 Phan Boi Chau, D1 Tel: 3829 2688 Located next to the Ben Thanh Market, clean efficient and friendly staff service your hands and feet with a range of treatments while you relax in a comfortable atmosphere.

Nail P.KH 51 Nguyen Huu Cau, D1 A well-known local place with a number of manicure stations and an extensive range of services. A mani-pedi with polish starts at 40,000 VND.

Reasonable price

79 Dien Bien Phu St., Da Kao Ward, Dist. 1, HCMC Tel: (84 8) 3 910 45 45 (10 lines) - Fax: (84 8) 3 910 33 34 135A Nguyen Van Troi St., Ward 12, Phu Nhuan Dist.

Tel: (84 8) 3 997 45 45 - Fax: (84 8) 3 997 99 79 Email: info@victoriavn.com - Website:www.victoriavn.com

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OPI 253 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 International brand of nail care offering a variety of treatments from standard manicures at 50,000 VND to the whole host nail services such as acrylics, powder gell, cuticle treatments and French polishing.

Quang Qui’s Nails 146 Le Thanh Ton, D1 242 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Locally popular spots with low prices and good service, offering anything you could possibly want for your nails.

SKINCARE Avon 186A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3930 4018 www.vn.avon.com HCMC branch of the world’s largest direct seller of cosmetics occupies the ground floor of District 3 villa, selling brand names like Anew, Skin-So-Soft and Avon Natural.

AZIAL and rendez-vous Eden Mall, 106 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3824 3579 www.azial.com www.naturalrdv.com All-natural skin and body care products free from synthetic ingredients. Made with freshly extracted Aloe Vera gel and enhanced with therapeutic-grade essential oils. Found in many of the best-known spas in Vietnam.

The Body Shop 87 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3683 www.thebodyshop.com Internatioanl cosmetics retailer with strong commitment to environment sources natural ingredients from small communities for its line of more than 600 products.

Dermalogica Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 0372 www.dermalogica.com U.S. brand of cleansers popular among skin care professionals. The line of toners, exfoliants, moisturizers and masques are engineered by skin therapists to be free of common irritants, and the company is categorically opposed to animal testing.

The Face Shop 294 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3820 2325 598B Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 Tel: 3832 2095 94 Nguyen Trai, D5 Tel: 3923 9868 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 www.thefaceshop.com Local retailer for the South Korea-based international brand of natural body, bath and skincare products. The company pairs variety with value, offering hundreds of products for different skin types. Also has kiosks at Co.op Mart in Phu My Hung, Diamond Plaza and Zen Plaza.

L’Apothiquaire 64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181 www.lapothiquaire.com info@lapothiquaire.com French-made natural products for all types of skin. Also offers exclusive natural Italian skin, body and hair care from Erbario Toscano. Available at all L’Apothiquaire outlets.

L’Occitane en Provence New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 French cosmetics company with a 30year history offering a range of bath and massage oils, essential oils, body and hand care products are especially well known. Also has outlets in all the major downtown shopping malls.

Sian Skincare Laser Clinic 71–77 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel:3827 6999 info@sianclinic.com www.sianclinic.com Skincare laser clinic offering the latest in non-surgical esthetic treatments including Botox, laser, acne treatments, hair loss regrowth, hair removal, skin rejuvenation and anti-aging treatments. Led by Dr. Tran Ngoc Si, a leading esthetic dermatologist from the hospital of Dermatology of HCMC.

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Yves Rocher 16-18 Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3824 8782 www.yves-rocher.com Small centrally located boutique retailing in French brand of botanical fragrances, face and body care, cosmetics and antiaging solutions.

questions for the coiffeur

SPAS Aqua Day Spa Sheraton Saigon, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 Recently revamped luxury eight-room spa with a holistic approach to treatment, using natural Harnn products plus hot stone therapy and seaweed treatments.

Belissima Spa 3rd Floor Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3272 8682 Well known in Hanoi and now available in HCMC, Belissima offers range of facial treatments, body therapies, and hand and foot treatments as well as special packages such as Coffee and Chocolate Body Toning Treatment.

Henni Biscoe NTFQ2 34 Nguyen Dang Giai, D2 Tel: 0126 874 9596 henni.biscoe@gmail.com Physical therapist from the UK offers personal training and therapeutic massage, including deep tissue/sports and pregnancy massage.

Jasmine Spa 45 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3827 2737 jasminespa@hcm.vnn.vn Friendly and efficient staff offer haircuts and a wide range of services including waxing, manicures, pedicures and other beauty treatments. Skin renewal facials, salt or rice body scrub & deep tissue massages from USD $79.

La Maison de L’Apothiquaire 61-63 Le Thanh Ton, D3 Tel: 3822 1218 64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181 info@lapothiquaire.com www.lapothiquaire.com Traditional French day spa in colonial villa with professional therapists and state-ofthe-art treatments. Complimentary use of swimming pool, sauna and steam bath.

Has fitness centre and organic garden restaurant and offers gentlemen’s care.

Winner of Guide Award 2005-2009. Also offers exclusive natural Italian skin, body and hair care from ErbarioToscano.

NTFQ2 Spa 34 Nguyen Dang Giai, D2 Tel: 3744 6672 Therapeutic massage with a focus on sports massage to increase circulation, remove lactic acid build-up, restore flexibility and relieve back pain. Also offering Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage to reduce tension and reiki treatments.

Renaissance Riverside Spa 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033 No-frills Vietnamese, shiatsu and aromatherapy massages from USD $22 plus a room dedicated to foot massages from $18 at the atrium level. Also has sizable steam and sauna rooms at the club Spa Authentic at Thao Dien 195 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 3744 6453 Located on the banks of the Saigon River, offering day spa and fitness facilities with a riverside pool.

Xuan Spa Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 Beautiful spa with highly rated Swedish massage and water therapy including the unique 60 minutes Vichy shower to soften and smooth skin or the Indian Shirodhara with special oil for 45 minutes. Spa packages aimed at rejuvenation, calming, and hydrating are also available.

By Lloyd Morgan Q. I’m currently growing out my hair. What can I do to tidy it up throughout the process?

A. Try a texturized cut. This is an internal cut that will leave much of the existing length.

The stylist will pick up the already layered sections and snip pieces of hair from the section, moving horizontally across. This can be done in a brick-like movement (up and down) or straight across.

Either method creates a layer within a layer and, in most cases, gives movement and increases body. However, the effect depends on the length of the existing layers. If the layers are too long, it will only give a more textured effect— defeating the purpose.

Q. Every time I get highlights, my hair feels dry. Why is that? I’m assuming that my stylist only colours my regrowth.

A. The stylist is probably overlapping too much on the already lightened blonde hair.

There are a few ifs here. If the stylist is using bleach, then he or she should be especially careful not to touch the bleached areas, as this will cause breakage. If your hair is really blonde, it will be more susceptible to breaking than if it’s closer to a gold tone. Also there will be less breakage if the stylist uses a high lift tint—but regardless, overlapping shouldn’t happen. If the breakage keeps occurring, then change your stylist.

Q. Is leave-in conditioner OK to use, and how often should I use it?

A. This depends on how dry and thick the hair is. Usually leave-ins are not as heavy as normal conditioners, but as with all topical approaches, the product will eventually build up and weigh the hair down. In some cases, it will make the hair look dull and feel gluggy.

This of course depends on how often you use it.

Many people living in humid climates over-wash their hair, as it always feels sweaty and dirty. When you over-wash, shampoo builds up and dries the hair out over time (usually because it’s not rinsed thoroughly enough). But remember that the dirt and sweat builds up only around the hair line.

Here’s a little trick. As soon as you’ve wet your locks, apply a cheap conditioner from the top of the ear down to the ends. With the conditioner still in, apply your good shampoo (not a cheap one) to the top of your head and proceed to wash. The conditioner will gently cleanse the mid-lengths and ends, moisturize and act as a barrier so that the suds won’t get sucked into the already porous areas of the length when you rinse.

Lloyd Morgan runs the Lloyd Morgan International Hair Studio at 234 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2. Contact him at 0908 422 007 or lloydskate@ hotmail.com.

listings

family ACTIVITIES Alpha Gallery 10 Chu Manh Trinh, D1 Printmaking classes for both adults and children run by Swiss artist Bernadette Gruber. Six-week courses start with the basics and swiftly move students towards producing proofs and final prints from copper plates they have created. Freedom of expression is encouraged and other mediums are also explored.

Conservatory of Music 112 Nguyen Du, D1 The established training centre for professional musicians offers private piano and violin lessons to foreigners in the evenings.

Helene Kling Painting helene_kling@yahoo.com Offers classes in oil painting to both children and adults for 150,000 VND and 300,000 VND respectively. Classes are paced to suit each student.

Rubba Duckies Swim School rubbaduckiesswim@hotmail.com Parent and infant water familiarisation classes in a group environment from six to 48 months. Classes take place at Somerset Apts., D1; Riverside, D2; APSC, D2 or AI D2 and D3. Email for schedule.

Saigon Movement An Phu Tel: 098 702 7722 saigonmovement@gmail.com Sports and creative movement classes for kids 2 to 11. Classes improve children’s total body awareness through a variety of games and sports-based activities. Phu My Hung schedule starts in September.

Saigon Pony Club Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, D2 Tel: 0913 733 360 Close to X-rock climbing centre, kids from three and upwards can ride one of the stable’s 16 ponies. Lessons with foriegn teachers last 45 minutes and cost 350,000 VND for kids from age six.

SaigonSports Academy An Phu and Phu My Hung Tel: 0862 819 790 info@saigonsportsacademy.com Sports academy founded by pro tennis coach currently offering tennis, football, basketball and swimming training to kids 4 to 18. Professional coaches integrate international concepts and systems to draw out athletes’ natural abilities. Also operates a youth football league.

The Performing Arts Academy 19A Ngo Quang Huy, D2 Tel: 090 339 0675 info@paa.com.vn www.paa.com.vn Enrolling aspiring learners 6 and up for instruction in guitar, singing, piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone and drums. ABRSM qualified. Group dance and drama session also available. Offering Tiny Tots music enrichment & dance program for ages 3-5.

Tae Kwondo BP Compound, 720 Thao Dien, D2 and Riverside Villa Compound, Vo Truong Toan, D2 phucteacherkd@yahoo.com Private and group classes are run after

school three times a week by the friendly Mr. Phuc. Anyone over the age of five is welcome to join in the course, which costs USD $50 for 12 classes/month with a $25 fee for non-members. Contact Mr. Phuc directly on 0903 918 149.

BABY EQUIPMENT Baby 66B Cach Mang Thang Tam, D10 A large store stocking a good range of baby needs, including toys, buggies, cots and bottles. Prices are reasonable.

Babyland Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Quality products including car seats, buggies, prams and travel cots and a good selection of baby toys. Carries Avent bottles and sterilizer sets, and a small range of educational books. Prices are higher than the other places, but so is the quality.

Maman Bebe Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 8724 www.mamanbebe.com.vn Stocks an assortment of modern strollers and car seats. Also sells various utensils and practical baby products. Small selection of clothing for ages newborn to 14 years.

Me & Be 230 Vo Thi Sau, D3 40 Ton That Tung, D1 141D Phan Dang Luu, Phu Nhuan 246 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 101-103 Khanh Hoi, D4 287A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan The closest thing to Mothercare the city has to offer. Stocks a substantial range of apparel for babies including bottles and sterilizers, cots (including travel cots), clothing, toys, safety equipment and more, all at reasonable prices.

Me Oi 1B Ton That Tung, D1

A small shop adjacent to the maternity hospital bursting at the seams with everything you need for your baby. Clothing, footwear, bottles, nappies, nappy bags and toys all at reasonable prices.

New Parent Street Nguyen Thong Street, D3 between Ly Chinh Thang and Ky Dong Street.

An interesting array of baby formula and hard liquor. A one stop shopping cluster for first time parents.

EDUCATION ABC International School 2,1E street, KDC Trung Son, Binh Hung, Binh Chanh Tel: 5431 1833 abcintschoolss@vnn.vn www.theabcis.com UK standards-based curriculum awards diploma with IGCSE’s & A Levels certified by Cambridge Universit examinations board.

From playgroup to pre-university matriculation. Served by 80+ British teachers. Good facilities and extra-curricular activities.

ACG International School East West Highway, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3747 1234 www.acgedu.com Part of the Academic Colleges Group’s international network of schools, ACG offers comprehensive education from kindergarten to senior high school and a range of extracurricular activities. International curricula (IB PYP and Cambridge International Examinations).

The Australian International School Saigon Cherry Blossom 1 & Lotus 1, APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6960 enrolment@aisvietnam.com www.aisvietnam.com An international curricula and PYP/MYP candidate school. Senior students follow IGCSE and Cambridge A levels. Only school in Vietnam authorized to deliver

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University of New South Wales Foundation Studies grade 12 curriculum. Wellresourced classrooms, highly trained and experienced expatriate teachers, outfitted for academic, sport, creative activities.

British International School An Phu Secondary Campus 246 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 3744 2335 www.bisvietnam.com With campuses all over the city and expansion underway, BIS offers a mixture of both English and International curricula-based education alongside excellent facilities and extra-curricular activities. Senior students follow the IGCSE and IB programmes.

International School HCMC 28 Vo Truong Toan, D2 Tel: 3898 9100 www.ishcmc.com One of 136 schools around the world to be accredited as an IB World School.

Offers all three of the IB programmes from primary through to grade 12. The school is fully accredited by CIS and NEASC and has a strong focus on community spirit and fosters an awareness of other languages and cultures.

International School Saigon Pearl 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh District Tel: 2220 1788/89 www.issp.edu.vn Opening in August, 2011, the single purpose-built campus will cater for nursery through grade five. In the second year, sixth grade will be added. ISSP’s long-term strategic plan includes complete middle and high schools. In the spring of 2011 ISSP will host the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (the largest American accreditation agency in Asia).

Accreditation will allow children to easily transfer to schools abroad.

The Little Genius International Kindergarten 102 My Kim, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5421 1052 Kindergarten with U.S.-accredited curriculum, modern facilities and attractive school grounds.

Montessori International School 42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, D2 Tel: 3744 2639 www.montessori.edu.vn Montessori utilizes an internationally recognized educational method which focuses on fostering the child’s natural desire to learn. The aim is to create an encouraging environment conducive to learning by developing a sense of self and individuality.

A wide array of curriculum/extra-curricular activities are on offer including Bilingual programs.

Renaissance International School 74 Nguyen Thi Thap, D7 Tel: 3773 3171 www.rissaigon.edu.vn IB World school, one of Vietnam’s international schools operating within the framework of the British system. RISS provide a high quality English medium education in a stimulating, challenging and supportive environment. The purpose built, modern campus has excellent facilities.

RMIT 702 Nguyen Van Linh, D7 Tel: 3776 1369 Australian university located in District 7, offers a highly regarded MBA and undergraduate courses in various fields.

Saigon South International School Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, D7 Tel: 5413 0901 www.ssis.edu.vn An International school environment offering an American/international program in a large, spacious campus, to children from age 3 to grade 12. Great facilities, extra-curricular activities and internationally trained teachers giving unique opportunities to learn.

Saigon Star International School 172 Nguyen Van Thu, D1

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Tel: 3822 0341 www.saigonstarschool.edu.vn Offers a British primary curriculum approved by Cambridge University and integrated Montessori programme for nursery and kindergarten. Qualified, experienced teachers and small class sizes cater to individual needs and abilities.

Singapore International School (SIS) No.29, Road No.3, Trung Son Residential Area, Hamlet 4, Binh Hung Ward, Binh Chanh District Tel: 5431 7477 www.kinderworld.net Students play and learn in an environment where the best of Western and Eastern cultures amalgamate to prepare KinderWorld’s students for today’s challenging world drawn from both the Singapore and Australian curriculum. The school offers International Certifications such as the iPSLE, IGCSE and GAC. Smartkids 1172 Thao Dien Compound, Thao Dien Ward, D2 Tel: 3744 6076 www.smartkidsinfo.com International child care centre offers day care and pre-school to children from 18 months to 6 years old. Fun and friendly environment focuses on learning through play.

ENTERTAINMENT Diamond Plaza 34 Le Duan, D1 The top floor arcade and bowling alley is bound to keep your little ones entertained for hours with an impressive array of video games. Some child-friendly dining options too, with Pizza Hut on hand, a KFC and a New Zealand Natural ice cream concession.

Gymboree Play & Music Somerset Chancellor Court 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3827 7008 www.gymboreeclasses.com.vn The Gymboree Play & Music offers children from newborn to 5 years old the opportunity to explore, learn and play in an innovative parent-child programmes.

Parkson Plaza 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Arcade game after arcade game line the top floor here with a bowling alley and a decent food court thrown in on the floor below. A good place to take the kids after trawling through Parkson’s numerous concession stands.

Vincom Center 72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3936 9999 A six-storey shopping centre that houses the world’s most famous luxury brands plus more than 250 fashion retailers and various restaurants. Each level has a coffee corner to help weary shoppers recoup while looking over the city. Open daily from 9 am to 10 pm.

PARTIES Beatrice’s Party Shop 235 Le Thanh Ton, D1 A lovely little shop selling everything you need to throw your little ones a good party.

A catalogue of entertainers showcases a number of party favourites such as magicians, circuses and more.

Nguyen Ngoc Diem Phuong 131C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 A curious shop stocking a range of handmade fancy dress costumes such as masks, superman outfits and much more.

The stock changes seasonally, so this is a good place to stock up on Halloween, Christmas and other holiday-specific party costumes. Prices are also on the cheap.

The Balloon Man Tel: 3990 3560 Does exactly as his name suggests – balloons. Great service has earned this chap a reputation around town for turning up almost instantly with a superb selection of balloons. Also provides helium balloons.

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ask auntie emily

Coaxing Coordination

By Emily Huckson Dear Auntie Em: My 4-year-old son’s hand-eye coordination seems to be underdeveloped.

He gets very frustrated when trying to write his name or use a paintbrush. Do you have any ideas on how to improve these skills?

- Catch The Ball!

Dear CTB: When in doubt about your child’s abilities, the very first thing to do is make sure they are physically and mentally capable, so go and see a doctor.

Assuming everything is OK, remember that the general list of development stages for children is just that—a general list. Not every child will develop at the same rate. The goal of both parents and teachers is to understand the capabilities and needs of the individual and use strategies that will lead to success.

Your son is having problems with holding pencils and other tools. Are they the wrong size?

Beginning with fatter crayons, pencils and brushes and then moving on to finer ones will give your son more confidence. Check with his teacher to make sure there is an assortment of sizes available at school.

Weak pincer muscles (the area between the thumb and forefinger) may be the problem.

There are many games you can play with your son that will strengthen them. Grasping and manipulating games in particular are great, as are sorting activities. Recently I

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found a variety of cute animalshaped plastic clothes pegs at a CitiMart that are perfect for sorting. Pegging items onto a line will also strengthen his pincer muscles. Playdough is also a great way to strengthen that area. Eventually you could move up to modelling clay, which is a bit more difficult to manipulate. Making bread together is a great activity, too, as he'll use these muscles to knead the dough.

Try puzzles that have a little grasping knob on each piece.

These are great for encouraging hand-eye coordination.

Most early learning classrooms should have a variety of them.

Ask to borrow one or two of the simpler ones, and each time your child accomplishes one, borrow another more difficult puzzle.

I may get some flack about this, but video games are also excellent for honing hand-eye coordination. Choose games that are age-appropriate and educational.

Another hint that a mother shared with me: Teach your child how to use chopsticks.

She attests that it not only improved her son’s hand-eye coordination and dexterity, but was also a fun learning experience.

Last, but not least, always remember to give your child plenty of encouragement and praise!

Email your questions about childhood development to auntie-em@asialifehcmc. com

listings

living BUSINESS GROUPS AmCham New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 323 Tel: 3824 3562 www.amchamvietnam.com AusCham TV Building, Suite 1A, 31A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3911 0272 / 73 / 74 www.auschamvn.org British Business Group of Vietnam 25 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 8430 execmgr@bbgv.org www.bbgv.org CanCham New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 305 Tel: 3824 3754 www.canchamvietnam.org Eurocham 257 Hoang Van Thu, Tan Binh Tel: 3845 5528 www.eurochamvn.org German Business Group 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 www.gba-vietnam.org Singapore Business Group Unit 1B2, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3823 3046 www.sbghcmc.org Swiss Business Association 42 Giang Van Minh, Anh Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6996 Fax: 3744 6990 Email: sba@hcm.vnn.vn www.swissvietnam.com Hong Kong Business Association New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 322 Tel: 3824 3757 / 3822 8888 www.hkbav.com NordCham Bitexco Building, 19-25 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3821 5423 www.nordcham.com

CAMERAS Hung Hai 75 Huynh Thuc Khang, D1 A good place to purchase hard-to-find gear and some rare equipment, mainly auto focus lenses.

Le Duc 5B Huynh Tinh Cua, D3 A shop for all your professional accessory needs. From lighting equipment to tripods and reflectors, the shop offers the best equipment and service in HCM City.

Pham The 11 Le Cong Kieu, D1 An authorized service centre for Nikon camera that also specializes in repairing all camera makes. Measurement equipment and spare parts also available.

Shop 46 46 Nguyen Hue, D1 Small shop run by photographer and collector. The owner’s more collectible pieces are pricey, but entry-level manual

focus SLRs from the 70s and 80s are affordable.

COMPUTERS Computer Street Luong Huu Khanh, D1 between Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Trai This stretch of District 1 is literally wall to wall with small shops selling computers, printers, monitors and everything computer related, more so toward the NTMK end of the drag. iCenter 142A Vo Thi Sau, D3 Tel: 3820 3918 Professional, polished Apple retailer and repair centre with an attractive showroom featuring some of the latest in accessories and audio. English-speakers on staff. Honours Apple service plans.

Future World 240 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 Authorized reseller of Apple computers and products, as well as some off-brand items like headphones. Excellent service and English-speaking staff. Accepts credit cards.

Phong Vu Computer 264C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3933 0762 www.vitinhphongvu.com The biggest and busiest of the PC stores in town. Known for good, efficient service, in-house maintenance and aftersales repair on the second floor.

SYS Vi Tinh Saigon 96C Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D1 www.vtsaigon.com A superb place with an excellent reputation for after-sales service with competent English speaking staff and a wide range of products and services.

Freeware and shareware also available on the store website.

CONSULTING Concetti 33 Dinh Tien Hoang, D1 Tel: 3911 1480 www.concetti-vn.com Consulting and research company for technology transfer and investment.

Embers-Asia Ltd. Level 9, Nam Giao Building, 80-8 Phan Xich Long, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3995 9163 www.embers-asia.com With a focus on experiential learning, Embers-Asia has been creating and delivering high-performance training and development solutions for corporations, embassies, international schools and NGOs throughout Southeast Asia since 2002.

Ernst & Young Saigon Riverside Office Center, 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3824 5252 www.ey.com Professional service firm specializing in advisory, assurance, tax, transactions and strategic growth markets.

Flamingo Corporate Services Indochina Park Tower, Room 606, 4 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 2240 9662 Email: info@flamingovn.com www.flamingovn.com Specializes in business immigration, providing services like visas, work and resident permits, police clearance, APEC cards, authentication and legalization of work experience certificates and degrees in Vietnam and abroad.

Grant Thornton Saigon Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 9100 www.gt.com.vn International business advisors specializing in auditing, management consulting, corporate finance, risk management and information technology.

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IF Consulting IBC Building, 3rd Floor 1A Me Linh Square, D1 4th Floor, 5 Ba Trieu Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi Tel: 3827 7362 Fax: 3827 7361 Email: pascal@insuranceinvietnam.com Private insurance and finance.

finance

Indochine Councel Han Nam Building, 65 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3823 9640 www.indochinecounsel.com Business law firm specializing in legal services to corporate clients in relation to their business and investment in Vietnam.

Inspired Image 42/2A Ho Hao Hon, D1 Tel: 091 635 2573 www.inspiredimage.co.uk Image consultant and personal stylist.

Previous clients include business leaders, TV presenters and busy professionals.

Phuong Nguyen Consulting TPC Business Center, 92-96 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3829 2391 www.pnp-consulting.com Specializing in business facilitation, conferences, education counselling, market-entry research and IT/business consulting.

Swim with the Fishes

By Paul McLardie The holiday is over and it's back to work. I’ve just returned from a great week in Nha Trang learning to dive. As this was the first time for me, I found it amazing. But it also got me thinking. Why do small fish protect themselves like they do, and can we learn any financial lessons from them?

Schooling. Small fish group together in a school to protect themselves from larger predators. They swim around with no real direction or leadership.

In these collective groups, they feel safer than they would out on their own.

In investment terms, schooling can be seen as following the crowd rather than stepping out on your own.

This can be dangerous, as you are putting your trust in others who know and maybe understand less than you do.

These are the people who sit down with friends over a beer and listen to investment tips and advice. It goes up, down and round in circles.

Not a very stable investment environment.

Anemones. Instead of schooling, clown fish of Finding Nemo fame swim inside the tentacles of anemones for protection. By using a large hiding place, the clown fish can get on with their lives not having to worry much about larger predators. This may not seem like such a grand gathering, but using

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the established anemones as protection reduces each clown fish's risk.

The anemone is the large financial institution offering different types of investment and savings products to meet your individual needs. It offers knowledge, protection and most of all, flexibility. It allows individual investors to change their plans as and when needed.

Cleaner Fish. Everyone needs cleaning once in a while, even fish. Cleaner fish stay close to larger predators, cleaning the parts that the bigger fish can’t get to.

Big risk for a small fish. The predator can eat them whenever it wants, but the small cleaner fish know this is the risk they need to take.

In investments, cleaner fish are people who are not deterred by the risk of an investment. They only see the reward at the end. It can be considered very short-sighted to lay all your investments in high risk areas, but the rewards can be spectacular.

You just need to be aware that your money may get consumed without any prior warning.

So what sort of fish are you? To me, it’s always best to find your inner Nemo.

Paul McLardie is a partner at Total Wealth Management. Contact him at Paul. mclardie@t-wm.com.

Rouse & Co. International Abacus Tower, 58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3823 6770 www.iprights.com Global intellectual property firm providing a full range of IP services including patent and trade mark agency services.

Star Management Limited 92-96 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3897 2765 www.starlimited.com Business advisory services for companies investing in Vietnam, business project advancement and a range of business development services.

Total Wealth Management 66/11 Pham Ngoc Thac, D3 Tel: 3820 0623 www.t-wm.com Specialists in selecting and arranging tax-efficient savings and pension plans for expatriates. Offers councel on private banking services, wealth protection in offshore jurisdictions, currency risks and hedging strategies.

Towers Watson Vietnam (formerly Watson Wyatt and SMART HR) Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue, Suite 808, D1 Tel: 3821 9488 Global HR consulting firm specializing in executive compensation, talent management, employee rewards and surveys, HR effectiveness and technology, data services and total rewards surveys.

DECOR Antique Street Le Cong Kieu Street, D1 between Nguyen Thai Binh and Pho Duc Chinh A variety of antiques and faux antiques from Thailand, China and Vietnam including silverware, compasses, lighters, brass knockers, urns, vases, abacuses, religious and pagan statues, candlestick holders, furniture and watches.

Anupa Boutique 84 Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3915 1473 Retails in unique and affordable range of console and coffee tables, trays, mirrors and lamps in a range of different textures such as leather resin, bamboo and walnut.

Asian Fish 34 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Boutique-style arts and crafts store selling locally made gifts and souvenirs, all designed by the Japanese owner. Products include clothing, bags, crockery, sandals, chopsticks and jewellery.

Aquarium Street Nguyen Thong Street, D3 between Vo Thi Sau and Ly Chinh Thang Dedicated street has everything one needs to display fish: tanks, decor, feed, filters and the fish themselves.

Budget Housewares Street Corner of Pasteur and Nguyen Dinh Chieu Stock up on shower heads, kitchen supplies (juicer, spatula, grater, etc.), coat racks, clothes hangers, pots, pans, champagne flutes, bowls, coolers, trash bins, ironing boards, magazine racks and the like.

Chau Loan 213 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3825 7991 Gallery based in a colonial shophouse stocking mainly Vietnamese-themed oil paintings and images of Buddha. Also deals in better-known reproductions.

Decosy 112 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 9917 Producer of a large selection of European styled furniture and interior fittings, specializing in wrought iron and patine (distressed) wood finishes. Also stocks a wide-range of decorative accessories, crockery and fixtures. Custom design services available upon request.

Dogma 175 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3836 0488 www.dogmavietnam.com Located upstairs from Saigon Kitsch, this art gallery deals in Vietnamese propaganda posters, apparel, accessories and random paraphernalia. Large prints are sold at USD $60 each and small prints cost $25.

Minh Boutique 15 Nguyen Thiep, D1 Lacquerware pieces, tea boxes, teapot warmers, ice buckets and sake drinking sets all handmade in Vietnam. Also sells a range of silverware, egg holders and ice tongs.

OUT-2 STUDIO L6 Fafilm annex 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3825 6056 STUDIO@OUT-2.com www.out-2.com Studio space for independent designers to showcas their wares, sell their work and meet with clients. Open Monday t Saturday 10 am to 6 pm.

Phuong Mai 213C Dong Khoi www.phuongmai-gallery.com Gallery specializing in original oils by Vietnamese artists. The works here are a mish-mash of styles but do contain some standouts, particularly well-known local artists La Hon, Quy Tam and Pham Trinh.

Sapa 125 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Offers a better selection of hill tribe handicrafts than most of its rivals.

Concentrates mainly on the hand-woven clothing of the indigenous tribespeople of the region. There is also a line in ladies’ shoes and the standard range of silk wraps and bags.

Son & Then Photogallery 94 Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Adorning the walls of this gallery-cumcafé are a number of photographs by local photographers mostly focusing on tasteful female nudes. Smaller prints start at USD $20 while larger works can reach $500. Framing, consulting and delivery services are also available.

Vietnam-Quilts 64 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3914 2119 www.mekong-quilts.org NGO enterprise specializes in quilts and sells a range of appealing handmade products created by underprivileged women in Binh Thuan Province.

ELECTRONICS Hi End Audio 84 Ho Tung Mau, D1 A standout that stocks the very latest and greatest in home entertainment. Retails in everything from giant plasma-screen TVs to audio equipment. Most top brands are available.

AustinHome 20 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3519 0023 Outstanding quality and style for your home. The shop says its products are hand-picked by an American furniture expert from the best factories in Vietnam.

Upholstery, accessories, antiques and more.

iDEAS Shopping Centre 133-141AB Cach Mang Thang Tam, D3 The largest of the electonics stores along the street, the three-storey iDEAS sells every type of electronic and home appliance imaginable. Offers proper warranties. Staff speaks some English.

Catherine Denoual 15C Thi Sach, D1 Tel: 3823 9394 Beautiful showroom with clean lines and a sumptuous array of bedroom products including bedside lamps, linens, pillowcases and duvet covers.

Nguyen Kim Shopping Centre 63-65 Tran Hung Dao, D1 Tel: 3821 1211 www.nguyenkim.com Stocks DVD/CD players, cameras, TVs, hi-fis and more from Sony, Sanyo, Panasonic, Philips and other major manufacturers. Also a good place to pick up electronic kitchen supplies like coffee makers and rice cookers, as well as large and small appliances, from hot water heaters to regrigerators.

Phong Vu 125 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D1 Tel: 6290 8777 www.vitinphongvu.com Two-storey electronics store retails in international products conveniently grouped by brand. Carries computers, home audio, printers, hard drives and more, as well as a variety of mobile phones, handheld electronic devices and accessories.

Savico 117 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 7993 One-stop electronics and home appliance superstore. All products have a one to three-year warranty.

Tech Street Huyen Thuc Khang Street between Ton That Dam and Nguyen Hue, D1 Sells compact discs, DVDs, electronic money counters, video games and systems, Discmans, mp3 players and portable DVD players.

FURNITURE Appeal 41 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 5258 A small, upscale shop that offers modern accents for the sleek dining room. The colours of the over-sized vases and fruit bowls are either glistening red or lacquered black.

Decosy 112 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 9917 Producer of a large selection of European styled furniture and interior fittings, specializing in wrought iron and patine (distressed) wood finishes. Also stocks a wide-range of decorative accessories, crockery and fixtures. Custom design services available upon request.

El Gallery 23 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3824 8306 Traditional decor with a modern twist.

Offers a variety of mid- to high-range furniture, rugs, lighting, art and accessories from around the world, plus interior design services. Also imports furniture to Vietnam for export to Europe and the United States.

Esthetic 2B Ngo Van Nam, D1 Tel: 3910 1996/7 Design and manufacture as order with a mixture of antique and modern furniture.

Friendly staff speak excellent English.

Furniture Outlet 3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 2243 7955/3911 0104 Wide selection of well-crafted and carefully constructed pine wood pieces at good prices, aimed at customers craving a taste of Europe.

Furniture Street Ngo Gia Tu, D10 between Ly Thai To and Nguyen Chi Thanh Very affordable furniture can be found on this stretch: couches, mattresses, desks, chairs, etc. It often takes some looking to find a gem. A connected sidestreet, Ba Hat, features woodworkers’ shops.

Gaya 1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1 Tel: 3925 1495 www.gayavietnam.com Four-floor store featuring the work of foreign designers: home accessories and outdoor furniture by Lawson Johnston,

Established since 2001 Design, Interior/External Decorations of High Quality Wood Products Manufacturing for Export, Construction Projects, Retails,...

Copy-Antique Productions, Modern Designs and Made to order More than 10 years experience Devoted premium services/after sales services, every time, every where

linens by Corinne Leveilley-Dadda, furniture and lighting by Quasar Khanh, laquerware decor by Michele De Albert and furniture and decor by vivekkevin.

Linh’s White 37 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 9863 Furniture shop that focuses on solid wood furniture and decorative items ranging from pillows and lamps to bedding. Also offers kids’ furniture and custom pieces.

Mantra 84 Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3915 1473 www.mantravietnam.com Tables, photo frames, trays, stools are just some of the elegant vivekkevin items you will find at Mantra. If you’re looking for items that use Vietnamese materials but have a modern contemporary feel, Mantra is it. New items received daily.

Rare Decor 41 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 2284 137/1 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 6304/5 Leading home furnishings company in Vietnam, supplying high quality, unique products. Also offer custom made furniture, accessories and lighting for commercial projects and home use.

Remix Deco 222 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 Tel: 3930 4190 www.remixdeco.com Boutique furniture store in sprawling white with modern furniture including sofas, tables and seating from around the world.

Featured designers include Le Corbusier, Ray & Charles Eames, Philippe Starck and Ludwig Mies Van der Rhode.

Shop 63 63 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 3898 2821 Large, serene antique shop specializing in furniture in French colonial, Asian and art deco styles, as well as lamps, vases and other home décor from around the world.

Also carries small collection of original paintings, fashion and jewellery.

The Furniture Warehouse 3B Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 6657 0788 namtran121@yahoo.com, ttpnam@ webtnl.com Offers a range of reasonably priced Italian, European and French colonial sofas, indoor/outdoor wooden furniture, lighting and interior décor, as well as custom designs based on clients’ specifications.

All at international quality export.

The Lost Art 31 Nguyen Cong Tru, D1 Tel: 3829 0134 Extensive product range as well as comprehensive interior design service, from initial conceptualization to design, manufacture and installation of unique products.

The Sixty Three 63 Xuan Thuy Ward, Thao DIen, D2 Tel: 0938 485 211 www.let-us-do.com New show room concept store of architectural and interior design collective ‘Let Us Do.' Specializes in unique and original furnitures, interior decoration, lamps and women’s fashion and jewellery.

Thien An Furniture 90A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3910 5650 A range of beautiful furniture with a distinct traditional flavor from colourful silk lampshades, wooden carved beds, screens, chests and more.

LEGAL Allens Arthur Robinson Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 1717 www.vietnamlaws.com Australian law firm for law translation services and legal advice on foreign investment and business in Vietnam.

Baker & McKenzie Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 5585 www.bakernet.com International law firm providing on-theground liaison and support services to clients interested in investigating, negotiating and implementing projects in Vietnam.

Frasers International Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 2733 www.frasersvn.com Full service commercial law firm providing international and Vietnamese legal advice to both foreign and local clients specializing in transactions in Vietnam.

Indochine Counsel Han Nam Building, 65 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3823 9640 www.indochinecounsel.com Business law practitioners specializing in mergers & acquistions, inward investment, and securities & capital markets.

Limcharoen, Hughes and Glanville Havana Tower, 132 Ham Nghi, D1

2B Ngo Van Nam, Dist.1, HCMC (Near the Mandarine restaurant) Tel: (84 8) 3910 1996 / 97 – Fax: (84 8) 3910 1995 Hot line: Ms. Nhat Thu Director - 0903 849 232 Email: esthetic@vnn.vn Website: www.estheticfurnishing.com.vn

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Tel: 6291 7000 www.limcharoen.com Full service international law firm with head office in Thailand. Main focus on real estate in Asia.

One of the best and most diverse selections of lamps in town with everything from the ordinary decorative lotus silk lamp to more inventive and original designs in lacquer and silk.

Lucy Wayne & Associates 17 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3824 4395 www.lwavietnam.com Law firm providing legal services across the board from entertainment and environmental law to health care and real estate.

Treasure Light 18A Bis Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3822 4315 www.treasure-light.com High-end lighting shop specialising in fine lacquered lamps. Designs are sophisticated and minimilast. Wide selection of table lamps, wall lamps, floor lamps and ceiling lamps.

Phillips Fox Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 1717 Full service law firm providing legal services in healthcare, education, crime, banking and hospitality among others.

Pricewaterhousecoopers Legal Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3823 0796 www.pwc.com/vn Part of a network of international legal and financial advisors, PWC gives both specialist and general legal advice with a focus on mutli-territory projects.

Rรถdl & Partner Somerset Chancellor Court 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3824 4225 www.roedl.com European legal firm assisting foreign investors with structuring/establishing companies, investment projects, and mergers & acquistions.

LIGHTING Caodong Design Boutique 37bis Mac Dinh Chi, D1 207L Vo Thi Sau, D3 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Spanking new store with a range of beautiful items ranging from interesting lighting with decorative table lamps with hand-painted paper shades and some lovely leather boxes and gift ideas.

Light House 92 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D1 Tel: 3914 2662 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Small retail shop is packed with ceiling and wall light fixtures, and a good selection of desk and ceiling lamps. Most of the stock is decidedlly modern and sleak.

Luxury Light 1483 My Toan 1, Nguyen Van Linh, Phu My Hung, D7 For those who really want to bring a touch of luxury to their homes, this place deals with Italian imported lighting from the ultra - modern to the traditional Murano style chandeliers. Extremely expensive reflecting the quality of the design and workmanship.

Mosaique 98 Mac Thi Buoi, D1

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MOTORBIKES Automotive Street Ly Thai To Street, D10 starting at Dien Bien Phu and running southeast Services include mending motorbike seats and sound system installation.

Products range from zebra print motorbike seat covers to car and motorbike tyres, hubcaps, rims, subwoofers and sound systems by Xplode.

Bike City 480D Nguyen Thi Thap, D7 Luxury motorcycle shop carries a range of accessories, including apparel. Sells Vemar helmets, a brand that passes rigorous European Union standards.

Protec Helmets 18bis/3A Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 248C Phan Dinh Phung, Phu Nhuan 417B Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 American nonprofit manufacturer makes helmets with densely compressed polystyrene shell with ABS, PVC or fiberglass exterior, available with polycarbonate shatter-proof shield. Lots of options for kids.

Zeus Helmets Founded in Taiwan to manufacture cool, comfortable helmets that meet worldwide safety standards. Basic models feature thermo-injected shells constructed from lightweight ABS composite with interiors lined with moisture-absorbant brushed nylon. Shops selling authentic Zeus helmets are located on Pham Hong Thai near Ben Thanh Market.

REAL ESTATE CB Richard Ellis Me Linh Point Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3824 6125 www.cbre.com International property consultants and developers with both commercial and private properties for sale, lease and rent.

Chamber Property Consultants Tel: 0168 349 9991 www.chamberproperty.com Chamber Property Consultancy has more than 100 houses and flats available for rent in HCMC. Contact them today for more information.

Diamond Plaza 34 Le Duan Street Tel: 3822 1922 lntdung@diamondplaza.com.vn Located in the heart of District 1, connected to Diamond PLaza. Services 1- to 4-bedroom apartments with gym, swimming pool and panoramic views of the city.

EasySaigon.com www.easysaigon.com Real estate website helps expats find apartments in HCMC. InterContinental Asiana Saigon Residences Corner of Hai Ba Trung & Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3520 8888 saigon@interconti.com www.intercontinental.com/saigonres Contemporary residential space in the heart of the major business and cultural area in District 1. There are 260 one, two or three-bedroom units plus health club and outdoor swimming pool.

Namhouse Corporation 24 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 0989 007 700, 0989 115 511 www.namhouse.com.vn Provides rental properties, construction services and interior decorating. Supports professional services and after-sales.

The Nest Tel: 090 319 8901 (Laurence) Tel: 090 793 3000 (Thuong) laurence@thenest-vietnam.com thuong@thenest-vietnam.com www.thenest-vietnam.com Real estate agent maintains a well-organized and frequently updated website listing apartments, villas, townhouses condos and offices. Renters/buyers can receive regular updates via email.

Nguyen Du Park Villas 111 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3822 0788 www.ndparkvillas.com.vn Boutique residence of fully-serviced, luxury downtown apartments designed to combine the atmosphere of a villa with ranges in size from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom duplex units.

Platinum1 Star Building, 33 Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3911 8193 www.platinum1corp.com Your one-stop agency for housing and office space in the city with pre-viewing selection before the visit and full support throughout your lease.

Riverside Apartments 53 Vo Truong Toan, D2 Tel: 3744 4111 www.riverside-apartments.com One of the first luxury serviced apartments in town located next to the Saigon River set in lush tropical gardens.

Saigon Village 523 To Hien Thanh, D10 Tel: 3865 7249 www.saigonvillage.vnn.vn Fully furnished villas and apartments in a tranquil, leafy complex cordonned off from the pressures of HCMC.

Hotline: 0917470058 leasing@sherwoodresidence.com www.sherwoodresidencecom Sherwood Residence is a luxury serviced apartment property and the first property certified by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Modern living spaces meet prime location, comfort and class with 5-star facilities and service.

Snap Tel: 0989 816 676 www.snap.com.vn Online Real Estate service providing information on rental properties exclusively in District 2. Full listings online.

RECRUITMENT First Alliances #609, Saigon Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 2080 Fax: 3910 2079 www.firstalliances.net cv@firstalliances.net As Vietnam’s most established recruitment consultancy, First Alliances operates across all major industry sectors and at all levels of seniority. Also providing HR outsourcing solutions for staffing and payroll,overseas employment and education services.

HR2B / Talent Recruitment JSC Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, D3 Tel: 3930 8800 www.hr2b.com HR consulting advises businesses on how to improve employee productivity.

The search team specializes in matching senior level Vietnamese professionals and managers to top level opportunities in both major cities.

Mekong Emerald Talent Recruitment 68 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1 Tel: 0938 001 509 www.mekongem.com Offers comprehensive manpower services including executive search and selection, employment outsourcing and HR management in a wide variety of industries.

Navigos Group 130 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1 Tel: 3825 5000 www.navigosgroup.com Recruitment agency offering a complete portfolio of HR services including executive search, HR advisory, training, online recruitment, and print recruitment advertising.

Opus Vietnam 2A Rolanno Offices, 128 Nguyen Phi Khanh, D1 Tel: 3827 8209 www.opusasia.net Established in HCMC in 2005, Opus services local and multinational companies seeking to recruit high quality personnel.

An Associate of Horton International, one of the world’s leading search groups with over 30 offices worldwide. For more info contact info@opusasia.net.

Smart HR Capital Place Building, Suite 601, 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3823 5828 www.smarthrvietnam.com Human resource consultants specialising in job search and selection, and human resource management.

Savills Viet Nam Level 18, Fideco Tower, 81-85 Ham Nghi, D1 Tel: 823 9205 www.savills.com.vn Savills Viet Nam is a property service provider that has been established in Vietnam since 1995 offering research, advisory services, residential sales, commercial leasing, asset management, retail advisory, valuation, investment advisory and more.

TMF Vietnam Saigon Trade Center, Unit 2811, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 9229 / 9222 hang.bui@tmf-group.com www.tmf-group.com With more than 3,300 professionals working out of 86 offices in 65 countries, TMF provides independent accounting and corporate secretarial services to companies worldwide.

Sherwood Residence 127 Pasteur St., D3 Tel: 3823 2288 Fax: 3823 9880

Vietnamworks.com 130 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1 Tel: 5404 1373 www.vietnamworks.com

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people matter

Excellent section on advice for jobseekers focusing on topics such as resume writing, cover letters, interview technique and more.

RELOCATION AGENTS Allied Pickfords Satra Building, Room 202, 58 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 0122 5141 848 aurelien.jouve@alliedpickfords.com.vn http://vn.alliedpickfords.com Moving and relocating services company specializing in business and office moves.

Overseas and specialist movers also available.

Asian Tigers Transpo International Room 201 and 202, 216 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 Tel: 3930 9484 Tel: 3945 0891 matt.king@asiantigers-vietnam.com www.asiantigersgroup.com International moving agency, homesearch, orientation, settling in programs and work permit assistance.

Closing the Deal

By Gary Woollacott Here’s an often overlooked aspect of recruitment: closing the candidate, using the company’s resources to make sure that the best candidate accepts the offer and starts work. So much effort goes into identifying the right candidates, wooing them, creating exactly the right package and so on, that some fundamental elements can still be forgotten at this critical stage.

Taking the candidate’s point of view, he or she is going to be concerned about some or all of the following: the extent to which candidate and employer share common values and ambitions, the effect of changing jobs on the candidate’s home life, the latitude the candidate will have on the job, short- and long-term financial incentives and company-specific cultural considerations that will determine whether the candidate actually enjoys coming to work.

An employing manager—or better yet, his or her superior—who takes the time to address each of these points is going to have a greater success rate in securing talented individuals. And, of course, what the employing manager tells the potential employee must be truthful; we have all heard stories of people who have been misled at the recruitment stage.

When the hiring process is tarnished by mistruths, it won’t take long for the truth to be

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discovered and you may find that the star recruit quits just as quickly as he or she arrived.

Worse, the reason for the sudden departure will spread around the market. That kind of gossip doesn't do anyone any good, and rumours of a bad employer who misleads recruits will get around quickly.

This will undoubtedly lead to difficult times when candidates refuse point blank to consider a certain employer: they all know what happened to their colleague when he or she went there. You get the idea.

What it comes down to is honesty in the recruitment process. If there are skeletons in the cupboard, bring them out and explain them. You don't want your new recruit to find out unpleasant history at the water cooler on his or her first day. Take the time to bring people on board properly— with respect—and you will have better results. The best candidates always have other options. Smart employers need to make sure they are the first choice.

As usual, let me know if you have any particular topic you would like to see covered here.

Gary Woollacott is the chief representative for Opus Executive Search in Vietnam and Thailand. He can be reached at 3827 8209 or via gary@ opusasia.net. Opus is an associate of Horton International.

listings

Crown Worldwide Movers 48A Huynh Man Dat, Binh Thanh Tel: 3823 4127 www.crownrelo.com International moving company serving diplomats and private customers, employees and expats, providing domestic and iternational transportation of household, office and industrial goods.

JVK International Movers Saigon Port Building, 3 Nguyen Tat Thanh, D4 Tel: 3826 7655/6 chris.honour@jvkasia.com www.jvk.com International agengy with a full range of services including sea/air freight services and worldwide transit coverage.

Mekong Emerald (MEK) Relocation 68 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1 Tel: 09800 1509 www.mekongem.com Full range of services including pet move/ care, car rental, pre-move consultation, cross-cultural training and visa/immigration support.

Resident Vietnam 187/9/1 Bach Dang Street, Tan Binh Tel: 3848 8443 / 3848 8285 www.residentvietnam.com Specializes in immigration management, destination services and cross-cultural training and car leasing assistance.

Santa Fe Relocation Services Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, D3 Tel: 3933 0065 www.santaferelo.com Provides a range of services including home/school search, language/cultural training, tenancy management and immigration/visa support.

STATIONARY Custom Signage Street Le Lai, D1 between Truong Dinh and Nguyen Thai Hoc Offers custom-designed signs and custom engraving on trophies and plaques made of plastic, wood, metal and glass.

Fahasa 40 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3822 5796 Bookstore chain carries an expansive stock of office and home stationary; a onestop shop for basic needs.

Pi-Channel 45B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3822 0253 www.pi-channel.com Boutique shop carries up-market collections of pens and notepads, as well as desktop organisers, clocks, calendars and frames. Corporate services offered.

Stationary and Printing Street Ly Thai To Street, D3 starting at Dien Bien Phu and running southeast More than 25 stores providing photocopying services, from business cards to flyers and colour prints to invitations.

fashion ACCESSORIES Accessorize 48 Dong Du, D1, Tel: 3822 1081 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 www.monsoon.co.uk/icat/accessorize Fashion-forward accessories including necklaces, handbags, wallets, flip-flops, sunglasses, hair accessories, belts and more.

Alfred Dunhill Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 A timeless style in male luxury providing formal and casual mens accesories tailored for the discerning man. Also stocking handcrafted leather goods.

Anupa Boutique 17/27 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 7307 anupaboutiquevietnam@anupa.net The ever-changing boutique retails in the elegant design of anupa accessories made from high-quality leather. Collections available range from men, women, executive, travel, spa, yoga, board games, boxes and semi-precious stone jewellery.

Collection changes on weekly basis. Also carries childrens wear, toys, furniture and homewares.

Bally Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue, D1 Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 www.experience.bally.com Flagship store in the Rex Hotel providing luxury Italian-made accessories for men.

Among these are shoes, belts, wallets and a collection of male jewellery.

Banana 128 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Women’s accessories and more, from bags, clutches and belts to clothes and jewellery, all at reasonable prices.

Cartier Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan This well-known designer brand displays a wide range of accessories for men. Famous for its watches, Cartier also stocks pens, key rings, belts and sunglasses.

Cincinati 177P Dong Khoi, D1 www.cincinati.vn info@cincinati.vn Vietnamese brand of genuine leather bags, shoes, accessories and personal goods for men and women such as notebooks for a classic vagabond look. Quality leather from crocodile, horse, snake and fish made with excellent local craftsmanship.

Cleo-Pearls 30 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, D2 Tel: 091 3587 690 Jewellery designer Birgit Maier operates Cleo-Pearls from her home, specializing in necklaces, bracelets, earrings, key holders and bag accessories. All pieces created with gemstones, fresh water pearls and beads.

Coconut 100 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Bags of all shapes and sizes rule the roost in this small shop. Made of silk and embroidered to the brim, these unique bags start at about USD $30, and many are suitable for both day and night.

Creation 105 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3829 5429 A two-storey shop selling scarves, intricate handbags (from USD $30), tailor-made silk dresses and tops. Has a wide range of materials on the second floor. Prices start from $65 for an ao dai with simple embroidery.

Deanh Jewellery Eden Mall, 106 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3827 6039 Gorgeous selection of gold accessories imported from Turkey and Italy. Also has a selection of simple ring designs to set your precious stones in.

Gallery vivekkevin FAFILM Building, 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 6291 3709 info@vivekkevin.com www.galeryvivekkevin.com Handcrafted pendants, necklaces, rings and bracelets. The gallery’s focus is on design, craftsmanship and finish, as well as educating clients on the intricacies of each piece.

Gucci 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 6688 Located on the main shopping street in HCMC, this flagship store brings Florentine fashion to an array of luxury leather goods such as briefcases, luggage and a selection of men’s shoes for office or more casual occasions.

Ipa-Nima 85 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 3652 New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai Well-known Hanoi-based fashion brand.

Founder Christina Yu is a former lawyer turned designer who produces eclectic and eye-catching handbags. Also stocks costume jewellery and shoes.

J. Silver 803 Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, D7 Tel: 5411 1188 Make a statement without being ostentatious with handcrafted silver jewellery from the boutique store. Expect big, interesting pieces that are simple yet glamorous.

Laura V Signature 11 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 7304 4126 www.laurav.net Vintage designs aplenty with everything from jewellery and hair accessories to funky styled sunglasses, umbrellas and colourful maxi dresses.

Lovely Lien Jewellery 20 Le Loi, D1 A small and unassuming jewellery store with beautiful and reasonably-priced necklaces, bracelets and earrings. You can also bring your own precious stones or ask the designers to make something unique for you.

Louis Vuitton Opera View, corner of Dong Khoi and Le

Loi Tel: 3827 6318 Designer brand name housing traditional craftsmanship of luxury leather goods for men and women. An array of bags, wallets, cuff links and watches are available.

Mai O Mai 4C Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3829 4007 A superb little place with beautiful jewellery and accessories to suit all budgets. Silver necklaces, bracelets, rings and more in both classic and imaginative designs, as well as gorgeous hand-embroidered bags.

Mont Blanc Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan Notable for fine writing instruments, Mont Blanc also houses cuff links and other male accessories Therese Jewellery Sheraton Hotel, 88F Dong Khoi, D1 www.theresejewelry.com Small, glitzy retail outlet. Sells everything from diamond earrings to gold and silver wedding rings. Of special note is the selection of jade Buddhas in varying sizes, with the larger ones costing USD $250.

The friendly staff speak excellent English.

Houses & Villas For rent in Dist.2, HCM: An Phu, Thao Dien, & Tran Nao

Save time: See all pictures & details online.

Updated daily.

www.snap.com.vn

Scorpion Vincom Center B1, 70 - 72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9889 www.scorpionbag.com Selling high-end leather products for both men and women, including shoes, handbags, belts and other accessories.

Features a variety of leather in bright colors and styles.

Tic Tac Watch Shop 72 Dong Khoi Tel: 0838 293519 www.tictacwatch.com Elegant show room displaying some of the world’s most recognized Swiss brands such as Rolex, Tag Huer, Baume & Marcer, Omega and Hirsch. On-site watch repair service and complementary watch evaluation available. Also carries a small collection of vintage Rolexes.

Tombo 145 Dong Khoi, D1 Of all the embroidered and sequined bags, shoes and tidbits (or “Zakka” shops) that can be found in Dong Khoi, this shop’s has products that are prettier than most.

Shoes can be custom-made and the sales staff is friendly.

Tumi Rex Hotel, 151 Nguyen Hue www.intl.tumi.com Tumi houses an opulent selection of Italian-made luggage geared towards men. Briefcases, messenger bags and backpacks are among those on display.

Umbrella 35 Ly Tu Trong, D1 and 4 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 6276 2730 www.umbrella-fashion.com

112 Xuan Thuy Ward Thao Dien District 2 Ho Chi Minh City Tel/Fax. (+84) 8 62.819.917 shop-hcm@decosy.biz

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sartorial conundrums

Sophisticated boutique showcasing a diverse range of imported women’s accessories. Also houses women’s garments from office wear to cocktail and party creations.

Luggage Street Le Lai Street, D1 between Ben Thanh Market and Truong Dinh.

Duffle bags, backpacks, messenger bags and carry-on suitcases are all available on this stretch of District 1.

ACTIVE WEAR China Beach Surf Club Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Stocks famous surf and surf-inspired brands like Reef, Rip Curl and men’s wear from Volcom. It has everything you’d need for a visit to the beach and more. There are string bikinis, tees, board shorts, caps and thongs, just to name a few.

The Return of the Navy Blazer

By Luis Antonio Torres Gentlemen, this week I am answering a question that was emailed to me on the nature of the navy blue blazer. The question: “How do I choose the proper cut, for example DB (double-breasted) or SB (single-breasted)? What is the real colour navy, and what can a good blazer be paired with?”

Here are my answers to the gentleman who wrote in.

Right now, we are being informed that the best way to trick out your wardrobe is by returning to the tried and true.

Serious, stylish clothing with a slightly dandyish bit of colour is enjoying an uptick. This includes dressy dark suits, pinstripes and double-breasted silhouettes with elegant and sophisticated shirts and ties.

About four or five seasons ago (about a year and a half in human time), tradition was still looked on as a commodity of décor. Now, it seems to be returning in earnest. Witness the growing number of blogs concerned with American Ivy League style, to name but one example.

The blazer is back in fashion and this time around in decidedly luxury fabrics— featherweight worsted cashmeres for those going for top-shelf quality. Options are also available in denim, raw silk, linen and cottons for the warmer climates. For those who really are looking for something smoother and lighter, 9-ounce versions are available, although an 8-ounce tropical hopsack worsted or fresco (open weave) cloth

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can’t be beat.

No question about it, the blazer is the most international, civilized, easily adaptable, all-purpose and essential tailored garment in the wardrobe. The multipurpose jacket can be worn with a classic polo shirt, jeans and loafers or with a pristine broadcloth dress shirt and tie, dark grey worsteds and suede shoes; virtually anything in between works when it comes to the bottoms: twills, gabardines, linens, fine whales, khakis.

Regardless on how a man is going to wear his blazer, there are three important considerations to keep in mind when we’re talking about the real thing: the fabrics, the cut and the buttons. Fabrics for cooler-weather jackets mean flannel, twill or cashmere. For warmer weather dressing, lightweight cashmere, silk, linen, serge or tropical worsted weaves. And of course, the true colour is navy blue.

True navy blue falls between the almost black of midnight blue and a simple dark blue.

So the next time you’re out visiting tailors or searching for a great blazer, make sure the tailor knows his cuts and forms, the fabric compositions and origins and the quality and the construction of the garment.

Luis Antonio Torres is a designer and the creative director of Massimo Ferrari Bespoke. Email your sartorial conundrums to a.torres@ massimoferraro.com.vn.

Pinko Rex Hotel, 146-148-150 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3827 2240 Spacious and simple store displaying women’s sportswear imported from Hong Kong and China. Body lotion and perfume imported from America.

Roxy and Quiksilver Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 The original active living and extreme sports brands, Roxy and Quiksilver products combine form and function. Choose from outdoor gear to cool indoor clothes.

TBS Sports Centre 102 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan This store stocks a range of good sports clothes and equipment from big name brands such as Puma, Adidas, Ecco, Nike and Converse.

Volcom Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Chic and funky ladies’ apparel brand from America. Lots of tank tops, minis and shorts for day tripping with girlfriends or lazing on the beach.

READY TO WEAR unisex 2bling 246 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan Specializes in urban streetwear, with a range of t-shirts, sneakers, baseball caps, hoodies and more. Tees are both imported from around Asia and designed in-house.

BAM Skate Shop 174 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 0903 641 826 In addition to a range of decks, wheels and trucks, this small shop is stocked with bookbags, skate sneakers, track jackets and t-shirts emblazoned with your skateboard company of choice.

Bo Sua Local Streetwear Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9599 www.bosua.vn An offshoot of the Boo street-style skater fashion brand made popular in Hanoi, this brand translated as “Cow Milk” features fun colourful t-shirts, women’s casual wear and sneakers that celebrate the quirky street life of Vietnam. “ello 263 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan This tiny little shop on Phu Nhuan’s hipster fashion strip is stocked with some of the coolest trend items in HCMC. Carries a frequently refreshed selection of T-shirts, skinny pants and women’s tops.

FCUK 127 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3914 7740 www.frenchconnection.com

Trendy UK brand with a selection of fashion-forward dresses for women and smart workwear and funky casual wear for men, all at middle-market prices.

Hagattini 1A Pham Ngoc Thach, D1 Tel: 2244 8105 www.hagattini.com Vietnamese brand housing clothing for all occasions. Normal to office wear, casual to party outfits using materials imported from Hong Kong and designed and made in Vietnam.

Konheo 32 Dinh Tien Hoang, Binh Thanh Tel: 6653 4187 info@konheo.com www.konheo.com Founded and run by a group of local Vietnamese guys, this T-shirt store flaunts simple-cut T-shirts with playful prints and humorous printed texts. Also does custom made t-shirts for 160,000 VND. Levi’s Flagship Store 19–21 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3500 1501 The 320-square-metre retail space spread over three levels offers the city’s largest and most exclusive collection of Levi’s bottoms, tops and accessories.

L’Usine 151/1 Dong Khoi, D1 Lifestyle store and cafe housed in a period building restored to evoke the aesthetic of an early 20th-century garment factory.

Carries an exclusive, frequently refreshed line of imported men’s and women’s fashion, including T-shirts and footwear, and a range of unique accessories. Entrance via the street-level Art Arcade.

Lu.Xu.Bu 320 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan Well known among the HCMC hipsterati, this trendy shop is mostly given over to T-shirts (many by young, Bangkok-based designers), but also carries jeans, button shirts and more.

Miss Sixty & Energie 13 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Local outlet of the Miss Sixty brand hugely favoured by Hollywood’s young starlets.

Also stocks clothes from its men’s label, Energie.

Orange 238 Pasteur, D3 Funky little boutique carries unique accessory pieces a good selection of T-shirts with quirky, unique graphics for very reasonable prices. A smaller outpost is located at the corner of Pasteur and Le Thanh Ton in District 1.

Rok Factory 382 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan www.rokexchange.com Small shop founded by local artist/ photographer carries streetwear for the rock-oriented lifestyle, including T-shirts, hoodies, socks and accessories.

Replay Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 116 Nguyen Trai, D1 187 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3925 0252 Wide variety of shoes, clothing, denim for teens and university-age men and women.

Carries boots, sandals, pumps and sneakers at mid-range prices.

Runway Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9988 runway.sg@global-fashion.vn Massive and minimalist design-led interior lets ultra high-end designer garments stand out. Carries men's, women's and children’s clothing, swimwear, shoes, accessories along with home décor. Brands include Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, Sergio Rossi and Eres.

See By Harajuku 130 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 Tel: 090 986 8622 Small, friendly store stocking both men’s and women’s streetwear, channelling Japanese and Korean fashion trends. Bright and funky T-shirts and maxi dresses, as well as accessories and footwear. New stock every month.

Versace 26 Dong Khoi Designer brand in men’s formal wear.

Houses suit jackets and trousers, shirts as well as an array of men’s accessories.

Also stocks womens clothing and shoes.

VOV Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 403 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan www.vovietchung.com Retail base for Vo Viet Chung, one of Vietnam’s best-known designers. VOV is known for blending traditional form with contemporary cuts, colours and textures.

men Lucas 69A Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3827 9670 Fashion store housing contemporary designs in casual, office and evening wear imported from Hong Kong.

Massimo Ferrari 42-A1 Tran Quoc Thao, D3 Tel: 3930 6212 Bespoke menswear shop also boasts its own brand of contemporary preppy attire tailored for the tropics. Carries a line of European-quality shoes, bags and accessories designed in-house, as well as exclusive Orobianco unisex bags, designer fragrances and eyewear.

Mattre 19 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3925 3412 This local men’s clothes shop has some funky tops and jeans for more fashionforward males. Apparel in sizes that fit the typical Western man’s frame are often available. Another store is located on Hai Ba Trung and Ly Tu Trong Milano Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi www.milanogoods.com A conjoining shop with D&G offering a selection of men’s shoes and accessories with a sideline in women’s clothing. D&G provides a collection of menswear, from casual jeans and T-shirts to uniquely designed suit jackets.

Mizada 150 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3822 2508 mizada07@yahoo.com An A-to-Z collection of men’s clothing with an influx of new fashion arriving on the racks regularly. Carries smart, casual shirts, trousers, jeans and jackets, as well as bags and scarves.

New Urban Male 226 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3824 4416 www.newurbanmale.com Caters to a wide range of consumer tastes from beach duds to streetwear. The goods include international men’s brands such as Havaianas, C-IN2, Jabs Waterboys, Rebel Jeans and aussieBum. Also carries men’s grooming products.

Timberland Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Sells everything the brand is known for, from heavy-duty boots to tops and trousers that are both smart and casual.

The emphasis is on muted tones and unobtrusive logos for men who don’t like to show off.

women Axara Vincom Center B1, 70 - 72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 21 Nguyen Trai, D1

Tel: 3993 9399 www.axara.com Carries women’s clothing suitable for work, weekends or evening. Luxurious fabrics and simple cuts and styles all at reasonable prices. Also carries handbags and accessories.

Balenciaga Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue Tel: 6291 3572 Sporting modern shapes and elegant items crafted from natural, raw and artificial materials.

BCBGMAXAZRIA Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 American brand sells women’s day dresses and tops, evening gowns and wear-to-work attire in many prints and colours. Also carries a small selection of accessories, sunglasses and watches.

Bebe Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3914 4011 www.bebe.com An international brand that specializes in contemporary, modern tees and sexy, elegant dresse, tops and party attire.

Bon Mua Boutique Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9888 www.itamoda.com.vn Luxury women’s clothing store with racks organized by designer. Carries small collection of unique pieces from designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Alberta Ferretti, Blumarine, Valentino, Philosophy and Brunello Cucinelli.

Caro Zen Plaza, 54-56 Nguyen Trai, D1 Local designs and tailoring of elegant tops and dresses with a distinctly Eastern influence. Provides a range of attire for both the office and a night out. The friendly staff is eager to help find an outfit for any occassion.

Chloe Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 6291 3582 Parisian-influenced fashion house specializes in simple, traditional designs with a feminine and fashionable twist. Jeans, satin dresses and a wide array of accessories are on display.

Contraband Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Ready-to-wear brand for hip, modern women. Range includes office wear to evening wear. The collection is updated each month with new international trends.

Dieu Thanh Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 140 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 5851 www.dieuthanh.com Experienced tailor shop also carries its own line of clothing. Once specialized in swimwear and cotton clothing but has expanded to sell business suits, evening dresses, luxury fabrics and accessories.

ER-Couture Boutique 43 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2411 www. er-couture.com erolskov@er-couture.com Exclusive Scandinavian brand offering designer garments. Versatile fashion for women in European sizes 34-44. Each style is released in limited quantities and can be tailored to individual taste.

Esprit 58 Dong Khoi, D1 Outpost for the international brand of colourful, preppy men’s and women’s casual wear.

Etam 188 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Famous all over the world for their French style. There’s a large range of shirts, T-

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femme fashion

shirts, dresses and more. Also available in Zen Plaza and Diamond Plaza.

Gaya 1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1 Tel: 3925 1495 Carries a range of couture and pret-a-porter garments and silk and organza dresses in vibrant colours created by Cambodiabased designer Romyda Keth.

Geisha Boutique 43 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 8272 enquiry@geishaclothing.com Facebook: Geisha Boutique Australian fashion label offering a contemporary range of casual and evening wear with an Asian influence. Printed tees, singlets, shorts, skirts, jeans, summer scarves, dresses, silk camisoles and satin maxi dresses.

Tracey Kociuruba Fashion Gallery 2nd floor, 43 Ton That Thiep, D1 Australian designer Tracey Kociuruba creates intricately embellished statement pieces in her Easten-European inspired shop slash studio.

Falling for Fall

By Adrian Nguyen Fall is here at last, and it’s that time of the year to try on new trends, create some new looks and reinvent yourself.

The weather might not be changing much here, but that shouldn’t stop you from being fashionable. Here are a few starter tips for the season.

Camel Classic. Camel is an important trend this season.

This time around, you can even go head-to-toe camel: evening dresses, skirts, blouses, tailored pants, shoes, hats—just go for it! It’s not often that you can rock a head-to-toe look, so if you’re into it, now is the time.

Sixties Siren. The mini is so yesterday; it’s all about longer hemlines and fuller figures this fall. The 60s silhouettes have swung back into modern times, so get your Mad Men DVD and start looking for the same thing Joan is wearing!

Amazing Lace. Lace always brings out the sexiness in a woman, and season after season lace can be found somewhere in designers’ collections. This fall, mix sex-appeal with elegance.

Instead of opting for a dress that screams, “look at my junk,” go for a subtle lacey top with a jacket and tailored pants and red-hot lips. It’ll work—whatever it is you’re working for.

Gentlemen’s Club. This look is all about the juxtaposition of

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masculine tailoring with softer, womanly lines in jackets, pants and even loafers. To pull this look off you need to inject your femininity into the outfit, for example, by pairing your tailored pinstriped jacket with a strapless floral underneath.

Drape It. If you’re into high fashion then this should be your way to strut through fall.

Draping is simply making a multi-layered masterpiece from a simple piece of fabric.

Opt for hand-made fabrics— they always have that luxury feel, and of course, a luxury price tag, too. But who cares about money when you want to project sophistication.

Leopard. What’s fall without some animal prints? Currently, leopard is having a major moment. The classic way to wear this is to limit yourself to one print per outfit, but the modern rendition allows you to just put everything on and call it a “style.” I still prefer the old way; it was so fabulous when Audrey Hepburn accessorized her red-hot coat with that leopard pillbox hat in the movie Charade in 1963.

That should be enough tips for you to get started for the season, so dress up, take some pictures and send them to me!

Adrian Nguyen is a designer and the owner of the Valenciani brand. Email your fashion questions to Adrian. ngn@gmail.com.

Kiwi 74/1 Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3822 1191 Small and intimate shop with a modern collection of fashion items geared towards the young and active urban female. The showroom has a wide collection, from casual clothing to office wear.

Kookai Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi French brand stocking classic, feminine, styles with a twist. Gypsy day dresses and classic little black dresses at mid- to highrange prices are perfect for twenty- and thirty-something women.

La Senza 47B–47C Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3925 1700 65 Le Loi, Saigon Centre, D1 Tel: 3914 4328 www.lasenza.com Boutique carrying a wide range of bras, panties, pyjamas, accessories and lounge wear.

Labella 85-87 Pasteur, D1 This three-storey shop will take care of all your wardrobe needs: affordable clothes, shoes, bags and lingerie, all well made and fashionable.

Le Samedi 21 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3925 5013 Boutique retailing in clothes imported mainly from Italy and France, from cocktail dresses to chiffon skirts.

Lulu Lacy www.lululacy.com Boutique label featuring retro designs in high-quality fabrics. Website frequently refreshed with latest offerings, including maxi-dresses, tailored blouses and shorts.

Shop online or request a party at your house.

Mai Lam 132-134 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2733 www.mailam.com.vn Boutique store housing an eclectic mix of vintage designer clothes and accessories made in Vietnam. Specializing in handsewn, multi-dimensional embroidery, the re-design of the traditional ao dai and an army vintage collection.

Mango 96 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3824 6624 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 A favourite with fashion-conscious women, this mid-range store stocks clothes from simple tees and jeans to evening wear.

Marc Jacobs Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue , D1 Tel: 6291 3580

This spacious shop with high-ceilings carries up-market clothes, shoes and accessories from the internationally recognized designer brand.

Minh Hanh 24 Dong Khoi, D1 and 114B Nguyen Hue Tel: 3824 5774 www.mhminhhanh.com Hand- and machine-embroidered fashion made from natural fabrics and materials wed traditional Vietnamese elements with modern trends. Local celebrities frequent this shop.

Muse Boutique Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Boutique store carries well-known international brands like Miss Sixty, BCBG, Rock Republic, True Religion, Tbags and Killah.

Nang Boutique 181 Dong Khoi, Room 209, D1 iheartnang@gmail.com Houses an assortment of mix-and-match skirts, floral dresses, chiffon lace-trimmed gowns and accessories, such as hats, shoes, bags, scarves and jewellery.

Ngan 23 Ly Tu Trong, D1 The Ngan collection includes high-quality evening gowns and swimwear made locally. Also stocks a new line of men’s casual wear.

Nino Max 189B Hai Ba Trung, D1 A local popular brand of active-casualwear t-shirts, jeans and khakis. Local pricing. You can also find their other outlets in Zen Plaza and Diamond Plaza.

Peacock 35 Ton That Thiep Tel: 3829 7045 Moulin Rouge-themed boutique housing an interesting selection of women’s clothes designed and produced in Vietnam, including dresses, shirts and t-shirts, as well as jewellery.

Rana Abodeely Villa Anupa, 17/27 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Tel:3825 7307 Luxury resort wear in soft, feminine styles.

Made with 100% Vietnamese silk with signature glass bead detailing. Comfort, ease and elegance are the main forms of the collection.

Shae 101-103 Nguyen Trai, D1 www.shaeny.com New York brand housing streetwear such as cardigans, dresses, shorts and accessories.

Signature Boutique 154 Dong Khoi, D1 Houses some of the world’s most recognized luxury fashion brands: Roberto Cavalli, Versace, D&G and Missoni.

Song Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 76D Le Thanh Ton Offers women’s fashion designs by Valerie Gregori McKenzie, including evening dress, tops and hats.

Tracey Kociuruba Fashion Gallery 43 Ton That Thiep in District 1, 2nd fl.

Tel: 3915 3242 www.traceykociuruba,com Eastern European-inspired fashion boutique with eclectic yet elegant designs with intricate hand-spun details—50s-style jumpsuits with bustier necklines, silk kaftans and high-waisted shorts and skirts.

Valenciani Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3821 2788 66-68 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 7302 4688 valenciani.sg@gmail.com www.valenciani.com Homegrown luxury boutique carries silk

dresses, velvet corsets, chiffon shawls and a range of accessories, all designed in-house.

CHILDREN Children Planet 90 Vo Thi Sau, D1 Mid to high-range prices for quality apparel, imported material from Singapore.

Offering from the age of 5 to 14 years old boys and girls.

Dabs Kids Fashion 222 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 A good selection of both casual and formal clothing for kids aged five to ten.

Party dresses, simple T-shirts, trousers and more are all good quality and very reasonably priced. Backpacks and other accessories are also on sale.

DLS Paris 17/5 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 A superb range of unique and beautiful clothing for young children (from newborns to pre-school age) at high to midrange prices. The quality compensates for the price. Bedding, baby equipment and furniture and organic and natural supplies also kept in stock.

Little Anh – Em 41 Thao Dien, D2 A French brand made in Vietnam offering a wide selection of colourful, simply packaged and thoughtfully collated “sets” of garments for girls and boys from newborn to 10 years old. Lifestyle pieces also available include sleeping bags, bedroom accessories and bags.

Ninh Khuong 44 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 7456 83 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 9079 220 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3920 3224 222 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 Tel: 3930 9183 www.ninhkhuong.vn Well-known hand-embroidered children’s clothing brand using 100% cotton. Newborn to 10 years old (girl) and fourteen years old (boy). Also stocking home linens.

Prices are reasonable.

Small is Beautiful 227 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 38 23 87 54 contact@smallisb.com www.smallisb.com This newly opened boutique aims to be the chic shop for kids in the city. There is a selection of brand name clothing, accessories and creative toys. Clothing comes from international designers such as Baby Dior, Sonia Rykiel and DKNY. Tuti Bella Vincom Center, 70 - 72 Le Thanh Ton,

District 1 75 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 49A Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3993 9088 www.tutibella.net Self-described as a “chic and trendy children boutique.” Carries high-end causal clothes, formal wear, shoes and accessories for ages 1 to 12 years.

SHOES Aldo 157 Dong Khoi, D1 Offering a wide selection of affordable footwear from mid- to high-range prices.

Carries office-appropriate and party-ready heels and flats, as well as a range of accessories and bags.

Catwalk 80 Pham Hong Thai Tel: 3829 6819 www.catwalkshoes.com Carries a unique range of Spanish shoes and bags.

Mix of imported shoes and locally made footwear crafted from Australian leather for men and women as well as imported ones. Sizes from 38 to 42 for men, and from 34 to 40 for women.

Tan Dinh Market.

Spools upon spools of fabric manufatured locally and abroad, with more than ample variety of textures, colours and materials to choose from.

TAILORS

Massimo Ferrari 42-A1 Tran Quoc Thao, D3 Tel: 3930 6212 Traditional Italian sartorial techniques are employed to offer a full wardrobing service and custom tailoring for men.

Stocked with imported fabrics primarily from Italy. In-office and workplace fittings available.

Dzung 221 Le Thanh Ton, D1 One of the most reliable and respected men’s tailors in town with prices and production time to reflect the quality of the workmanship. Shirts start from US $30.

Thuy Nga Design 7 Lam Son Square, D1 Conveniently located at the Opera House, this local boutique is a one-stop shop for both men and women. The range includes clothes, men’s and women’s accessories and costume jewellery.

Dieu Thanh 140 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 5851 www.dieuthanh.com Experienced tailor shop specializes in swimwear and cotton clothing, as well as business suits, evening dresses, luxury fabrics and accessories.

Fabric Street Hai Ba Trung, D1 across the street from

Charles & Keith 10 Mac Thi Buoy, 18-20 Nguyen Trai Tel: 3925 1132 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 www.charleskeith.com Singapore brand housing youthful and trendy shoes of a contemporary, high fashion design.

Converse 186 Hai Ba Trung, D1 148 Nguyen Trai, D1 122 Ba Thang Hai, D10 Tel: 3827 5584 www.converse.com.vn Sells iconic Chuck Taylor, Jack Purcell and All-Star sneakers and Converse brand clothing and accessories. Also at department stores around HCMC. Dr. Marten’s 173 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3822 4710 Air Wair sandals and shoes here feature the classic yellow stitching and chunky rubber soles. Also stocked with clothes and accessories by Replay and Kappa tracksuit tops.

Nine West Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Stocks an extensive range of designer footwear for women. Handpicked by a global community of independent trendsetters and stylists.

Sergio Rossi 146AB Pasteur, D1 Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue, D1 World-renowned Italian brand stocks a diverse European-style collection of upmarket shoes and bags made of quality materials, from crocodile and python skin laterals to garnishings of Swarovski crystals and colourful beads.

Star Polo 97B Nguyen Trai, D1

LINH‘S WHITE PLEASANT LIVING MINIMALISM 37 THAO DIEN (OPPOSITE AN PHU SUPERMARKET) 67 XUAN THUY - DISTRICT 2 PHONE: (84) - 62819863 - 62818488 E : linhnguyen@hbdecor.com.vn

- www.linhfurniture.com

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DISTRICT 4

boxoffice

Miley Cyrus stars in the comingof-age story The Last Song, a film adapted from the novel by Nicolas Sparks (The Notebook).

Following her parents’ divorce, 17-year-old New Yorker Ronnie Miller (Cyrus) becomes estranged from her father (Greg Kinnear), who has relocated to the quiet Southern beach town of Tybee Island. Hoping to help her overcome her anger, Ronnie’s mother sends Ronnie and her brother to Tybee, where she learns lessons about life and love on the brink of adulthood.

Art imitates life in Grown Ups, as former 90s Saturday Night Live Cast members Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider reunite to play a group of old friends who get back in touch 30 years after winning a junior high basketball championship. Reflecting on their deceased coach’s advice to live their lives like they played the game, they are forced to confront their failures and move

forward by re-learning the lessons of their past.

In Charlie St. Cloud, Zac Efron plays a young man caught between a new love and an old promise. After his younger brother Sam dies in a car accident, Charlie becomes reclusive and gains a reputation among his small port town as an eccentric.

What his neighbours don’t know is that Sam visits him to hold him to a promise: that Charlie would play catch with him every day until he left for school. When he begins to fall for Tess, the new girl in town, Charlie must decide whether to let the past go and sail away with Tess or give up his future to honour his promise to Sam. Following up on his success with Passport to Love, Vietnamese-American director Victor Vu brings suspense to Vietnamese theatres with the Hitchcockian thriller Giao Lo Dinh Menh (Inferno). When Manh (Tran Bao Son) awakes from a surgery to

treat injuries sustained in a car accident, he cannot remember who he is. Taken in by his wife, mother, best friend and underworld co-workers, Manh soon begins to suspect that his reality is anything but. With a mysterious stalker on his trail, Manh must uncover the secret behind his accident and his reconstructed appearance.

Based on a story by M. Night Shyamalan, Devil puts new fear into a common phobia.

Five individuals find themselves trapped in an office elevator, but one of them is not who they say they are. As a terrifying series of events unravels in the enclosed space, it becomes clear that one of them is the devil himself.

With nowhere to run, the elevator car is soon consumed with paranoia.

Based on the memoir by Cherie Currie and executive produced by Joan Jett, The Runaways tells the true story of the two rock icons and their band-

mates, whose brief career from 1975 to 1977 was as groundbreaking as it was tumultuous.

Though marketed as underage sex objects, The Runaways gain a following on the merit of their music and become the first all-girl act to break into the world of hard rock. The biopic traces their rise from the suburbs of California to the arenas of Japan, serving as historical document and cautionary tale.

In the fourth film in the series and the first shot in 3D, Milla Jovovich reprises her role as the superhuman zombie-fighter Alice in Resident Evil: Afterlife.

On a mission to Los Angeles to find signs of human settlement, Alice reunites with an amnesiac Claire Redfield (Ali Larter), who last appeared in Resident Evil: Extinction. Together with a band of survivors, they take the fight to those responsible for the zombie outbreak, the Umbrella Corporation and its mastermind, Albert Wesker.

opening dates CINEMAS C: Cinebox

www.cinebox212.com.vn

G: Galaxy

www.galaxycine.vn

L: Lottecinema

www.lottecinemavn.com

M: Megastar

www.megastarmedia.net

T: Thang Long

www.giaitrithanglong.com/ cinema

108 asialife HCMC

September 2 The Last Song September 3 Grown Ups September 10 The Runaways Charlie St. Cloud

September 17 Inferno Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D September 24 Devil

The information on this page was correct at the time of printing. Check cinema websites for screenings.

bookshelf Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error

Fat Vampire: A Never Coming of Age Story

Kathryn Schultz

Alex Rex

Ecco/Harper Collins

Balzer + Bray

Being Wrong, penned by journalist Kathryn Schultz, takes a stab at unveiling why mankind insists on being right, can’t cope when proven wrong and feels the urge to say, “I told you so.” According to Schultz, “We can’t enjoy kissing just anyone, but we can relish being right about almost anything.” In the first section of the book Schultz conducts a scientific tour of everyday wrongs, touching on optical illusions, memory failures, neurological deficits and irrational beliefs. She then explains how they arise, get perpetuated and most importantly, why it is so difficult to see them for what they really are. The second half serves up personal stories as evidence, including a case study that documents a sexual assault victim whose mistaken testimony sent an innocent man to prison—an example of just how serious being wrong can be.

Illustrator turned author Alex Ray’s take on the current vampire craze is a unique one. Rather than a dashing and handsome Twilight-esque figure, the protagonist of Fat Vampire is a 15-yearold nerd named Doug, who is turned into a bloodsucker before he has a chance to lose some extra pounds. As a result, he is forced to walk the earth for all eternity as an overweight and unattractive loser. Working with what he’s got, he sets out in search of a gothic chick keen on the undead, but on his quest falls in love with Sejal, an Indian exchange student. To make matters even more complicated, the star of Vampire Hunters—a TV show that finds and kills vamps—is in hot pursuit of Doug, determined to stake him on air to boost ratings. Throughout, Doug tries to adapt to vampire life, with only a copy of Dracula as his guide.

Super Sad True Love Story

The Fever: How Malaria has Ruled Mankind for 500,000 Years

Gary Shteyngart

Sonia Shah

Random House

Farra, Shah & Giroux

Lenny Abranov, a 39-year-old of Russian heritage who has a bald spot shaped like Ohio, lives in author Gary Shteyngart’s futuristic America, an image-focused nation crumbling in debt and reliant on China’s financial assistance. Abranov is what’s known as an “ancient dork.” He likes books of the non-digital variety, referred to by his contemporaries as “printed, bound media artefacts.” In contrast to his health-conscious peers who are in constant search of immortality, his cholesterol levels promise an early end. Regardless of his downfalls, Abranov meets and falls in love with Eunice Park, a 24-year-old Korean American, who’s just graduated from college with a major in images and a minor in assertiveness. Park does her best to mould Abranov into a prime specimen worthy of her attention. However, the pair soon discover that despite the world’s infatuation with beauty and longevity, there’s still some value in being a real human being, flaws and all.

The title of Boston-based investigative journalist Sonia Shah’s malaria exposé reads like a horror story and it’s not far off. The Fever chronicles the infectious disease across the ages. It’s a bug that has killed more people than any other natural force, and has mutated to the point that it’s become resistant to many modern medicines. Throughout, Shah details malaria’s many casualties and, curiously, some of its advantages. While the mosquito-borne virus claims an estimated one million lives per year, in Julius Caesar’s time an outbreak on the outskirts of his empire helped to protect it from intruders. Shah also explores the disjuncture between the West’s effort to eradicate malaria and the developing world’s reluctance to consider it as anything more than a common cold. She goes further, explaining how insecticide-doused mosquito nets donated from the West are often used to catch fish. Shah touches on this and much more in a fact-based journey that is neither dry nor too scientific.

asialife HCMC 109

soundfix

by John Thornton

album review

ARCADE FIRE THE SUBURBS Win Butler and his enigmatic troop have delivered what could well be the album of the year.

Nine months into 2010 and The Suburbs stands head and shoulders above any other major release so far. Why? Simple. The chemistry of the album is right.

The number of songs and overall duration (16 tracks, 60 minutes,) bestows the record with an epic grandeur, while the sequencing of the songs (you will not hear a stronger opening trio to an album than “The Suburbs,” “Ready To Start” and “Modern Man”) is precisely mapped and perfectly paced. It rises when it needs to rise and falls when it needs to fall. However, it’s the concept that seals the deal.

The best albums are the ones that manage to speak to you on a personal level while remaining universally relevant. Hence, Arcade Fire’s ode to bittersweet, suburban childhood memories, modern anxieties and middleclass dreams both realized and unfulfilled, penetrates the soul with an undeniable truism.

110 asialife HCMC

KLAXONS SURFING THE VOID For all intents and purposes, Surfing The Void isn’t exactly the album Klaxons wanted to make. The three-year gestation period of the follow-up to the 2007 Mercury Prize-winning Myths of the Near Future has been frustrating for the (now) quartet. Early efforts with Tony Visconti and Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford were rejected by the band’s label for being “too experimental.”

Bizarrely, Nu-Metal production guru Ross Robinson (Limp Bizkit, Korn, Slipknot) was drafted to oversee Klaxon’s transition from uncontrollable prog-rock experimentalists to space-pop titans in a similar mould to Muse.

The result is a compromise as intriguing and hypocritical as the Tories and Lib Dems sharing the reigns of power in the British Government. Sometimes it actually works (“Echoes,” “Surfing The Void,” “Venusia”), other times it doesn’t (“Cypherspeed,” “Extra Astranomical”) and never could. Overall, Surfing The Void suffers from an identity crisis that has Klaxons confusing their strengths and weaknesses. As they say, you can’t please everybody all of the time.

INTERPOL INTERPOL The fourth album by the New York-based post-punkers is largely a massive disappointment. Considering this is the last Interpol record to feature bassist and creative lynchpin Carlos Dengler, a final and grand gesture was expected.

Indeed, a return to the stylistics of their benchmark debut was even claimed by Paul Banks in interviews anticipating the release of this record. Apart from Daniel Kessler’s reverb-drenched guitar tone and Dengler’s throbbing bass, there aren’t many similarities to be found with the spellbinding brilliance of Turn On The Bright Lights. Much of Interpol feels weighed down by a sense of lethargy. Gone are the moments of stark beauty and frenetic blasts of rhythmic dynamism. Too many tracks, such as “Memory Serves” and “Safe Without” plod along aimlessly.

There’s a lot of scene setting but little in the way of pay off. Even standout tracks, “Lights” and “Barricade,” sound average in comparison with former glories like “NYC,” “Evil” and “The Heinrich Maneuver.”

DJ SHADOW THE DJ SHADOW REMIX PROJECT The remix album, aka the last chance saloon for once great artists now bereft of inspiration and looking to others to reignite that old creative spark that once burned so brightly. Funny then that DJ Shadow should release an album consisting solely of fan-made remixes. On the whole, most of the remixes are pretty good, particularly FUSO’s stuttering glitch-dub take on “Midnight In A Perfect World,” Economic’s smoked-out version of “What Does Your Soul Look Like? Part 2” and Tiger Mendoza’s “Missing On The Motorway,” which successfully blends Shadow’s “Blood On The Motorway” with “Missing” by Everything But The Girl. However, bearing in mind that DJ Shadow had the final say on the remixes that made it onto the album, it’s mind boggling that Ruby My Dear’s and NiT GriT’s awful drum ‘n’ bass remixes of “Building Steam With A Grain Of Sand” are included. In any case, let’s hope that these remixes inspire DJ Shadow to rediscover his mojo.

xoneFM top ten

endorsed

Official xoneFM Vietnam Top 10 this last

week week

title

artist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 3 2 5 6 8 4 10

9

7

Something Bout Love If I had You Doi yeu Chay theo anh mat troi The Mirror Suy nghi trong anh 5:00 pm Bang Bang Bang (Radio Edit) Billionaire

10

9

Dynamite

David Archuleta Adam Lambert My Tam Lan Trinh Lil' Knight Duy Khoa Lieu Anh Tuan Mark Ronson & The Business Intl.

Travie McCoy feat.

Bruno Mars Taio Cruz

title

artist

US Top 10 this last

week week 1 2 3

1 2 4

Love The Way You Lie Dynamite California Gurls

4 5 6 7

5 9 7 8

8 9 10

3 6 10

I Like It Teenage Dream Cooler than Me Dj Got Us Fallin In Love Mine Airplanes Ridin Solo

Eminem feat. Rihanna Taio Cruz Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dog Enrique Igleasias Katy Perry Mike Posner Usher Feat Pittbull Taylor Swift BoB feat.Hayley Williams Jason Derulo

title

artist B.O.B Feat Harley WIlliams Eminem feat. Rihanna Florida Feat David Guetta Yolanda Be Cool & D Cup Ne-Yo Travie Mc Coy feat Bruno Mars Saturdays BoB feat. Hayley Williams Eliza Doolittle Wanted

UK Top 10 this last

week week 1

NEW

Airplanes

2 3

2 1

Love The Way You Lie Club Cant Handle Me

4

4

5 6

5 6

We No Speak Americano Beautiful Monster Billionaire

7 8

3 7

Missing You Airplanes

9 10

9 8

Pack Up All Time Low

The Radio Dept.

By Tom DiChristopher I was first exposed to The Radio Dept. in 2006 while watching Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. The use of New Order’s “Age of Consent” in the teaser trailer had roped me in, and I left the theatre eager to explore the rest of the film’s soundtrack. The Radio Dept. track I recalled (“Keen on Boys”) fit squarely among the mélange of 80s post-punk and New Wave bands. Having heard just a clip, I assumed they were lesser-known contemporaries of Coppola’s other muses: The Cure, Bow Wow Wow, Siouxsie and the Banshees, New Order, Adam and the Ants and Gang of Four.

Turns out they weren’t. The Radio Dept. first formed in Lund, Sweden in their current incarnation in 2001 with Johan Duncanson on guitar/vocals, Martin Larsson on guitar and Daniel Tjader on keyboards.

The trio self-released their first EP and a couple of 7 inches in 2002, before Labrador Records backed their acclaimed first LP, Lesser Matters, in 2003.

By now, some reviewers have written off the too-easy nu-gaze label and denounced comparisons to Pet Shop Boys and My Bloody Valentine as lazy. While Duncanson’s ethereal vocals were submerged beneath the fuzz of instrumentation, The Radio Dept. weren’t just rehashing the lo-fi indie pop of the early 90s shoegazers. Tracks like “1995” wedded sparse form and content to produce ambiguous, dreamy songs that resonate like forgotten memories recalled (“1995 is cutting

classes / It’s sitting over coffee talking indie treats”).

What Duncanson, Larsson and Tjader were doing was sublimating their reminiscence of post-punk subgenres into songs so convincing, they seem of the time.

A three-year gap between LPs would set the pace for the band’s output, but they kept fans happy with two satisfying five-track EPs that played like companion pieces to Lesser Matters. Coppola plucked two songs from these for her soundtrack: “I Don’t Like It Like This” from This Past Week and the title track from Pulling Our Own Weight.

Synths and guitars emerged out of second LP Pet Grief, particularly on the tracks “What Will Give?” and “Tell.”

These are spacious songs out of which Duncanson’s vocals emerged with more fidelity.

Still, there was some backlash; The Radio Dept. is at their best when lyrics are abstract rather than playfully trite (“Betrayal is always sad / Needless to say what you could have had”).

Fans waited four years before the next LP, Clinging to a Scheme, came out this spring. “Heaven’s On Fire” and “This Time Around” are almost disarmingly up tempo, though tracks like “Video Dept” root the album to The Radio Dept.’s early work. It’s a logical progression—and a improvement upon—Pet Grief, but it also taps into the resonance of Lesser Matters and its satellite EPs. Hopefully it won’t be another four years before the follow up.

asialife HCMC 111

Hosting pains are a right of passage for expatriates in Southeast Asia.

Brett Davis goes through his. eing away from home, it is B nice to receive things from our old life: a letter, a postcard,

some favourite foodstuffs, a drunken buffoon.

This can be a slippery enough town at the best of times when it comes to the path of overindulgence, but nothing tests your powers of restraint like a houseguest on holiday.

Hazy though my memory might be, I have calculated that in the last six months my wife and I have had seven people stay at our home. It has felt at times as if we were running a hostel. All we needed was a pool table and some bad 1990s dance tunes. I thought perhaps things were getting out of hand when I began collecting pamphlets advertising interesting attractions and leaving them around the apartment.

The main problem of course is one of synergy, if I may borrow a bit of managementspeak wankery for a moment.

Your beloved houseguest is in Vietnam, on holiday; and you are not. Needless to say, those on holidays and those going about their everyday lives have different priorities. They want to have fun and party 112 asialife HCMC

constantly, while you just want to get through the working day, watch a DVD and go to bed.

We had a couple of guys visit a few weeks ago, my wife’s old high school friends. It was like resurrecting the ghosts of Jim Morrison and Charles Bukowski. I did not think it humanly possible to consume alcohol on that scale. How do you know when you are past this kind of behaviour? Here’s a tip: If you have to ask “Am I too old to have beer for breakfast?” you are too old to have beer for breakfast. At least if you intend to do it more often than a once-a-year trip down youthful inebriation lane.

Before I start to receive hate mail from friends and family, I would like to make the point that it is always fun to have visitors, and despite the damage to the liver there are some unexpected benefits.

If you spend any amount of time in a place it is easy to become complacent and overlook the things that make it special.

But when you are showing someone around your town you see it with fresh eyes and remember a bit of the magic you felt when you first arrived.

Vietnam is an exotic destination and can feel a little overwhelming to someone just stepping off a plane. The frenetic pace of traffic, the language, sounds, smells all assault the senses. So it can never fail to impress your visitors as you display your mastery (at least as far as they are concerned) of this strange environment.

I have a theory though, that what impresses many visitors about our new life in Vietnam comes down to simple economics. In Australia or the UK for example, the cost of living is stratospheric, and I don’t just mean in comparison to Vietnam. The last decade or so has seen a number of factors, such as a skyrocketing housing market, combine to make it harder and harder to live the life we want to. Most people’s credit card bills are a testament to this.

So it is not really surprising that our visiting friends want to get in every beer, cocktail and meal they can manage while here. Then gleefully tote up the bill and think about what that same evening would cost once the holiday is over.

It has felt at times as if we were running a hostel. All we needed was a pool table and some bad 1990s dance tunes.

this month in history

NZ Gives Women the Vote, Vietnam Airlines Plane Crashes, New York Times Published and more September 3, 1997

Vietnam Airlines Plane Crashes Enroute to Cambodia A Soviet-era Vietnam Airlines' plane, Flight 815, crashes in a rice paddy just 800 metres short of Phnom Penh’s international airport. Only the tail section of the plane and a portion of the fuselage remain intact. All six crewmembers die, along with 65 passengers. The lone survivor, 1-year-old Thai boy Chanayuth Nim-Anong, escapes with a broken leg, but his mother dies. His father is waiting for the pair when he sees their plane plummet and explode on impact. Other Phnom Penh residents and police officers also witness the crash and converge on the scene to rifle through the victims' pockets and steal whatever luggage they can.

The cause of the crash remains unknown.

September 9, 1976

Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong Dies Founder of the Chinese Com-

munist Party, Mao Zedong, dies at 82. In 1949, he became the chairman of the People’s Republic of China and quickly began implementing flawed policies, most notably the Great Leap Forward in the 1950s.

Though the campaign’s goal was to increase industrial production, it sparked a nationwide famine that killed an estimated 10 to 35 million people. The Cultural Revolution, which began in 1966 to topple Chairman Mao’s political opponents, caused innumerable deaths, as well. Most famously, he ordered troops to break up the Tiananmen Square prodemocracy demonstration with force. Hundreds of protesters were killed, sparking international outrage and sanctions. Still, the Chairman continued to rule China until his death.

September 18, 1851

New York Times’ First Edition Published Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones found The New York Times, nicknamed the “Gray Lady,” to provide an alternative

to the partisan newspapers that dominated the city’s journalism at the time. In 1896, Adolph Ochs takes over the reigns and the paper’s slogan “All the News That’s Fit to Print” is coined. Ochs made it his business to establish The Times as an international standard publication, lowering the cover price to 1 cent and in doing so tripling circulation within a year, and pushing advertising revenue way up. The New York Times is still regarded as a newspaper of record.

September 19, 1893

NZ Gives Women the Vote New Zealand becomes the first country to allow women the right to vote. The Electoral Bill, signed

by Governor Lord Glasgow, is a turning point for women worldwide. Kiwi ladies first vote in the national elections on November 28, 1893, and their counterparts in Australia, the United States and Great Britain follow suit in 1902, 1920 and 1928, respectively. While opponents worry that drunken male voters will harass the ladies at the polling

booths, the election is described as the “most orderly” ever held. As the first to enfranchise women, New Zealand becomes known as a trailblazing and progressive nation.

September 26, 1960

Fidel Castro Gives Longest UN Speech Notoriously long-winded public speaker Fidel Castro gives the longest speech in record before the United Nations, winning him a Guinness Book of Records title. Lasting 4 hours and 29 minutes, the lengthy spiel is primarily concerned with the United States’ interference in Cuba. He gives an even longer speech (7 hours and 10 minutes) in 1986 at the third Communist Party Congress in Havana. In a completely unrelated matter, Castro indirectly earns another record for a cow called Ubre Blanca, or “White Udder.” The cow, which is subsequently used as a propaganda tool to promote collectivized agriculture in the 80s, produced 110 litres of milk in just one day.

asialife HCMC 113

pub quiz Thoâng tin du lòch vaø vaên hoaù ôû Vieät Nam ASIALIFE HCMC Chòu traùch nhieäm xuaát baûn: Nguyeãn Thò Thanh Höông Bieân taäp: Nguyeãn Vónh Trung Söûa baûn in: Löu Thuûy Trình baøy: Coâng ty TNHH QC TM DV Ba traêm saùu möôi laêm ngaøy Bìa: Coâng ty TNHH QC TM DV Ba traêm saùu möôi laêm ngaøy Nhaø XuaáT baûn toång hôïp TP. Hoà Chí MINH 62 Nguyeãn Thò Minh Khai, Q1 ÑT: 38225340 – 38296764 – 38220405 – 38296713 – 38223637 Fax: 84.8.38222726 Email: tonghop@nxtphcm.com.vn Website:www.nxthcm.com.vn - www.fiditour.com

world history 6) In what U.S. state was John F. Kennedy assassinated?

7) Israel gained control of the Gaza Strip, West Bank and Golan Heights during what 1967 conflict?

8) Between 1963 and 1965, Singapore was part of what country?

9) The period of strikes in England at the end of 1978 that helped put Margaret Thatcher in power is referred to as what?

10) From the 13th to 16th century, the Aztecs occupied what modern-day Latin American country?

sports 11) Would a male or female gymnast perform on parallel bars?

12) What Latin word for “boat” now commonly refers to a boat race?

13) Of the eight teams that have won the FIFA World Cup, how many have only won once?

14) How many strokes under par is an albatross, also known as double eagle?

15) What Olympic sport combines fencing, pistol shooting, freestyle swimming, horseback show jumping and cross country running?

american directors 114 asialife HCMC

geography 21) Santiago is the capital of what South American nation?

22) In what Italian city would you visit the Uffizi, the Pitti Palace and il Duomo?

23) How many states make up the U.S. region of New England?

24) What sea is situated on the west coast of Thailand?

25) The Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers converge in what East Asian nation?

number 1 in the 1970s 26) “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” was the only #1 that what legend scored in the 1970s?

27) What female-fronted band had its first #1 in 1978 with “Heart of Glass”?

28) What ode to an older woman off Rod Stewart’s Every Picture Tells a Story hit #1 in 1971?

29) Styx scored its first and only #1 with what song, named after a term of endearment, off Cornerstone?

30) “The Long and Winding Road” was the Beatles second #1 in the 1970s off what album?

365 Days Advertising Trading Services Co.,Ltd 140 Hoa Lan, P2, Phu Nhuan District Tel: +84 8 3517 2208 Director: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@threesixfive-days.com

Managing Editor: Tom DiChristopher tom@asialifehcmc.com

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Pub Quiz Answers

1) What is the nautical term for the rear of a boat?

2) Members of the OPEC cartel export what?

3) In a four-part choir, which vocal range is second highest?

4) How many months of the year have 30 days?

5) A joule is a measure of what?

Thöïc hieän lieân keát xuaát baûn: Coâng ty TNHH QC TM DV Ba traêm saùu möôi laêm ngaøy In laàn thöù nhaát, soá löôïng 4000 cuoán, khoå 20,5cm x 27,0cm GPXB soá: 579-10/CXB/160-48/THTPHCM Ngaøy 16/06/2010 In taïi Coâng ty ITAXA, ñòa chæ 126 Nguyeãn Thò Minh Khai, Q.3.

In xong vaø noäp löu chieåu thaùng 09/ 2010

1. stern 2. petroleum 3. alto 4. four 5. energy 6. Texas 7. Six-Day War 8.

Malaysia 9. The Winter of Discontent 10. Mexico 11. male 12. regatta 13. three (England, France, Spain) 14. three 15. pentathlon 16. Citizen Kane 17.

Stephen Spielberg 18. The Hurt Locker 19. David Lynch 20. Spike Lee 21.

Chile 22. Florence 23. six 24. Andaman Sea 25. Bangladesh 26. Paul Simon 27. Blondie 28. “Maggie May” 29. “Babe” 30. Let It Be

general knowledge

16) What was Orson Welles' first feature film?

17) What iconic American director broke into the mainstream after directing Jaws?

18) Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win an Oscar for best director in 2009 with what film?

19) What art house director began his career with the experimental student film Eraserhead?

20) What director promoted Nikes as Mars Blackmon?

Actual Size 1.5 kilos (3.3 pounds)

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