AsiaLIFE HCMC 37

st

AsiaLIFE volume 37

22 front

06 News & Events 10 Dispatches

food

40 Sterling's Saigon 41 La Villa 42 El Gaucho

13 Street Smart: An Duong

43 Cuc Gach Quan

Vuong 16 Q&A with Dr Le Van Duc 18 Life Down the Lanes

on the cover

storyboard

style & design

CJ Bikes 46 Canvassing the City

22 Keeping Silent is Dying: Talking About Domestic

48 BIS Art Show

Violence in Vietnam

50 My Future's So Bright

28 Madames of the Metropole 30 A Restaurant is Born

back

34 Social Climber

getaways

44 Behind the Design:

54 The List 94 Spotlight 96 Street Guide 106 Pub Quiz

36 The Starman 38 Turning Asian Stereotypes Upside Down

30

38

Cover Art Direction Johnny Murphy Photography Fred Wissink Model Hanh Trinh Nguyen

asialife HCMC 3

note from the editor

Brett Davis

Domestic violence is an issue that defies cultures and geographic borders. Like countries the world over, it is something Vietnam is grappling with.

There are cultural and social aspects to Vietnamese society that keep domestic violence a hidden issue, and one that lawmakers see as a family matter rather than a legal one. In recent years this has begun to change with the adoption in 2007 of the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control, and the 2006 Law on Gender Equality.

There are also initiatives by Vietnam Government departments, United Nations agencies, NGOs and local non-profit groups to provide material and counselling support for domestic violence victims, and education and

awareness raising campaigns across the broader community.

In our cover story this month we take a look at some of the steps being taken to address the issue, beginning with the first major survey into domestic violence against women in Vietnam conducted by the General Statistics Office and the World Health Organisation.

This is a very sensitive topic, and I would like to thank all those people who assisted AsiaLIFE with this month’s cover story.

I would like to make particular mention of Duong Thi Qui, who bravely shared her story of the violence she endured, and eventually escaped from.

Elsewhere this month we meet two other fascinating individuals.

First, we profile a young Chilean

Grace Lewis After spending five years wearing navy polyester to support her travel habits, Grace Lewis traded her flight attendant wings for a wedding ring and a new set of adventures. Her background is in music, but she prefers to entertain with tales of travel and real life mishaps. The Atlanta native specialises in international hair disasters, and, thanks to Saigon’s heat, is learning as much as she can about white wines.

man who has taken on a lifetime of adventure and challenges in his 21 years. On top of studying at RMIT University Vietnam, Paul Massad has turned his love of climbing into a business by opening his own climbing gym.

In an extract from her memoir and cookbook, well-known Hoi An chef, restaurateur and cooking school proprietor Trinh Diem Vy describes the determination and hard work that was necessary to fulfill her dream of opening her own restaurant.

Finally, a small correction to part of last month’s cover story on parenting in Saigon. It was reported Allyson Keane’s daughter Baillee was six years old when she is in fact four. Although if you ask me she doesn’t look a day over three.

Next time you're across the border, check out the latest issue of AsiaLIFE Cambodia or download it from www.asialifeguide.com.

042011 ISSUE52

Cambodia

The guide to life in the Kingdom

Jade Bilowol After working as a journalist and PR practitioner for a decade in Australia, Jade Bilowol jettisoned corporate life Down Under for HCM City's cheap street-side eats and scooters. Despite her intentions to work less and take pleasure from the simple things, she soon found herself again working full-time and then some. She now lectures with RMIT University Vietnam's Professional Communication Program. A stint in hospital suspended her relationship with street food but she's slowly getting back on that wagon.

4 asialife HCMC

www.asialifeguide.com

Find AsiaLIFE articles on

Citibank PremierMiles Card

NEWS

EVENTS

Operation Smile’s Auction and Dinner Park Hyatt will host Operation Smile’s art auction and gala dinner on Saturday, May 21.

There will be a silent auction, live auction, and a raffle. Tickets are US $100 per person (each table will fit 10 people) and include a cocktail reception, gala dinner, free-flow drinks, and live music.

For more details contact Julie on 0913 966131 or Dung on 0908 783 293.

Mozart & Vivaldi at The Conservatory of Music The International Choir and

6 asialife HCMC

Orchestra of HCM City will perform Mozart and Vivaldi classics from 7.30 pm on Friday, May 27 and Saturday, May 28 at the Conservatory of Music in District 1. Proceeds will benefit needy children in Vietnam through Loreto Vietnam Australia Program and Poussieres de Vie (Dust of Life). Advanced group bookings are being taken now.

Tickets are 300,000 to 450,000 VND, with a limited number of balcony tickets for 100,000 VND, and will be available from the Conservatory at 112 Nguyen Du, District 1, and at Mekong Merchant at 23 Thao Dien, An

Phu. You can also order online at hcmcchoir.com or via email at tickets@hcmcchoir.com.

ANZAC Friendship Weekend

Aussie Rules football team the Vietnam Swans will host their annual ANZAC Friendship Weekend in Vung Tau from April 23 to 25 to honour lives lost in war. The weekend includes an orphanage visit, the Vietnam Swans verses Hong Kong Dragons match, and gala dinner as well as battlefield tours to Long Hai Hills, Long Tan Cross, Nui Dat (Australian logistics base)

and the Long Phuc Tunnels.

There will be an ANZAC dawn service, and a live telecast of the Collingwood verses Essendon ANZAC match.

Celebrate Trish Franklin of Loreto’s 60th Birthday Trish Franklin of the Loreto Vietnam Australia Programme will celebrate her 60th birthday on Saturday, April 23 from 6 to 10 pm. The party will be held at the Australian International School campus on Pham Ngoc Thach, District 3. Call 0913 803 517 or 0903 735 799 if you’re interested in attending.

Swing to Swim Charity Golf Day

On May 14 in Hoi An, the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia will host the Swing to Swim Charity Golf Day at Montgomerie Links. The golf day immediately follows the three-day world conference on drowning prevention in Hoi An. More children die from drowning than road accidents. For details email jon.tomlinson@montgomerielinks. com.

KITCHEN Delivers

Orders can now be placed for frozen ready meals and home-

made sausages with KITCHEN/ Jonty’s Bangers by phone on 0974 444 001. Orders can be placed from 9 am 5 pm, daily, and will be delivered within four hours. The special offers and discounts on kitchen.net.vn only apply to online orders, though.

Bazaar at The Deck

On Saturday, April 23 from 9 am to 4 pm, The Deck will host a bazaar where local manufacturers will display accessories, children’s clothes, cards, silk, jewellery and more. Some of the proceeds will go to IMMF and The Love Team Vietnam. The last bazaar in

KOTO Founder Honoured as Global Leader

The World Economic Forum has named Jimmy Pham, founder and CEO of KOTO (Know One, Teach One), as a Young Global Leader for the work he has done in lifting Vietnamese youth from poverty. KOTO, a not-for-profit hospitality training organisation, has trained more than 300 disadvantaged Vietnamese youth in its Hanoi and HCM City training centres.

Besides hospitality training, the 24-month program provides accommodation, food, medical care, and English and life skills training—all free of charge. At KOTO’s restaurant in Hanoi, trainees work to gain practical experience and all profits support the program. KOTO will open a restaurant in HCM City this year.

They’ll be safe in our hands

Expat Community Raise Money for New Zealand Relief Effort HCM City’s expat community have banded together to raise money to support the relief effort in Christchurch. About US $64,000 was raised at a charity auction and raffle held at the Caravelle Hotel attended by 500 supporters. Close to $33,000 was also raised at the 12th Annual New Zealand Wine & Food Festival last month.

November raised more than US $1200. A jazz band will play in the afternoon and there will be special prices on food and drinks. Admission is free. For details contact bazaar.at.mm@gmail.com.

Best of Asia Short Film Screening

On April 7 from 7 pm the 48 Hour Film Festival will host the “Best of Asia” 2010 Short Film Screening in HCM City. Fifteen specially selected films by Asian filmmakers will be screened. The

Our smallest patients - respecting their needs is our biggest concern

venue is yet to be determined.

Call 0903 151 874 or visit 48hourfilm.com or facebook. com/48hourfilmVN for details.

Night at the Moulin Rouge

On May 14 from 6.30 pm, the Vietnam Charity Fund and FV Hospital will host a Moulin Rouge themed charity ball. At this year’s ball dinner and cocktails will be served and there will be live entertainment. The fundraiser aims to bring together Saigon's philanthropic support-

Great Deals at Muse Boutique

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

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 • Radiology • Imaging • Ambulance Service • In-house Laboratory • Acupuncture • First Aid Training • Child Birth Education • Saigon International Mother Baby Association • Medical Check-ups

Muse Boutique is a multi-label boutique, stocking internationally well-known casual brands for men and women. Now, Muse is offering gift vouchers worth 300,000 VND for the first 20 customers who bring this news clipping into the store on level 1 of the Saigon Center at 65 Le Loi, District 1.

ers with medical and corporate leaders to support the Children of Vietnam's mission of providing highly specialised surgeries to underprivileged children with birth defects or congenital diseases.

Sponsorship opportunities are available starting at US $4,000 for gold level and $7,000 for platinum level. Contact Ms Kim at 0903 035 030 for details.

Red Cross Vietnam Raises Funds for Japan

Through April 15, Vietnam Red Cross will coordinate a fundraising campaign to mobilise resources to assist those affected

by the quake and tsunami in Japan. In HCM City, contributions can be made at 201 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1. For details call 3839 1271.

Family Medical Practice to Welcome Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist Back Family Medical Practice is pleased to announce that Dr Robert Riche, specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, will be returning to Vietnam and will practice from early this month. To make an appointment or for further information please contact Family Medical Practice at 3822 7848.

Dylan plays HCM City

The legendary American troubadour will play his first ever Vietnam show at the campus of RMIT University Vietnam on Sunday, April 10.

Local promoter Saigon Sound System General Manager Rod Quinton said he expected all of the 8000-plus tickets for the show to sell out.

“We have had a very enthusiastic response from both the expatriate and local Vietnamese communities since we announced the show.

“This is a landmark event in the development of the live music industry in Vietnam, and I believe it will help pave the way for more major international acts to visit these shores,” Quinton said.

Dylan’s Asian tour will also include his first shows in mainland China, as well as stops in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

General admission tickets are available at 900,000 VND and a VIP package for 2,500,000 VND. Tickets can be purchased via saigonsoundsystem.com or in HCM City at Juice (49 Mac Thi Buoi, District 1), The Boathouse (40 Lily Rd, APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien, District 2) and Boomarang (The Crescent, Phu My Hung, District 7). Corporate bookings can be made by calling 0907 539 239.

For details on getting to and from the show, along with all the other information concert-goers should be aware of, visit saigonsoundsystem.com.

dispatches

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Eat, Pray, Love

Do as Elizabeth Gilbert does in her popular book-turned-film Eat, Pray, Love and take to Bali for a spiritual adventure.

The package includes a visit with Ketut Liyer, the medicine man Elizabeth befriended as well as accommodation in a four-star hotel in mystical Ubud. And instead of travelling to an Indian ashram, yoga and meditation practice will be offered each morning. Likewise, there will be a dinner at a local Italian restaurant, to satisfy the “Eat” section of the book.

The tour runs June 20 to 27 and costs just under US $2000 based on double occupancy. Visit spiritquesttours.com/balispirit2/ for details.

A Charitable Trail

Gather a group of four and head to Japan from May 13 to 15 to compete in the annual Oxfam Trailwalker. The 100 km trek between Odawara City and Lake Yamanaka must be completed within 48 hours and requires an extremely high level of fitness. To qualify, teammates must start together, stick together and finish the grueling course together.

To register, teams must raise at least 120,000 JPY (about US $1,500) to support Oxfam’s work in overcoming poverty and injustice. In previous years the donations have been used to implement projects in the world’s poorest regions and provide vital relief following natural disasters and conflict.

For details visit trailwalker.jp/en/.

Boppin’ in Borneo

Borneo Jazz is set to take place May 12 to 15 from 6 pm till midnight at Miri Resort City, Sarawak. The annual event, until this year known as Miri International Jazz Festival, attracts performers from across the world, including France, the US, Brazil and China.

The organisers say the outdoor event will go on rain, hail or shine so bring a blanket to sit on and a raincoat in case of unpleasant weather.

A one-night pass costs 60 RM (US $20) for adults and 30 RM for kids ($10) and can be purchased at ticketcharge.com.my.

10 asialife HCMC

Phnom Penh Events & Openings Download the latest issue of AsiaLIFE Cambodia at www.asialifeguide.com.

Tribute to the Cambodian Masters

One of Cambodia’s most spectacular music events to date, the BosbaPANH Tribute to the Masters Concert took place in Siem Reap on February 25 and 26. With Bayon Temple illuminated in the background, local and international musicians paid tribute to the great masters of Cambodian music, spanning the past 900 years. Centred on 13-year old soprano sensation, BosbaPANH, the musical extravaganza featured a broad range of songs from composers such as Sin Sisamouth, Ung Chinary and King Father Norodom Sihanouk. Classical and modern dances were also part of the three-hour programme. Guests included Khuon Sethisak, a Cambodian tenor, Sarah O’Brien, a leading Hollywood studio composer and cellist, and Em Theay, a master of Cambodian classical dance, the last surviving dancer of the pre-war Royal Court. Cambodian-American Laura Mam and her band, the Like Me’s, joined BosbaPANH for “Refugee”, a moving song about the rift between Cambodians in exile and those living in the country. The show closer presented BosbaPANH performing “Nine Million Bicycles”, singing while simultaneously riding a bicycle through the audience. The splendour of Bayon and the talents of the performers left a lasting impression for all who attended.

Rainforest Under Threat

Illegal logging is threatening Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains, home of one of Southeast Asia’s most well preserved rainforests. According to Wildlife Alliance, a DC-based non-profit focused on rainforest and wildlife protection, loggers are ravaging the Southern Cardamom Mountains for Thailand Rosewood, a timber coveted for luxury furniture which can sell for US $7,000 per cubic metre in Cambodia and around $25,000 per cubic metre in China. Using portable saws and working at night, loggers are part of a powerful, interna-

tional network able to source and smuggle across borders. In 2010, rangers seized 302 cubic metres of illegally logged timber, of which 85 percent was Thailand Rosewood. For more information about Wildlife Alliance and efforts to combat illegal logging in Cambodia, visit wildlifealliance.org.

Fly with Greater Ease

Remembering to bring enough cash to pay the departure fee has been an annoyance to many a flier in Cambodia. As of the first of April, the Passenger Service Charge will be included in international air tickets for passengers departing from Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, announced the Société Concessionnaire des Aéroports. The rates will remain the same, at US $25 for adults and $13 for children under age 12. The inclusive charge is effective for tickets purchased after January 21 for travel starting in April. The travelling process just became one step easier.

Turn Up the Toones

On March 5, Tiny Toones released their premier album with a launch party at Meta House. The event celebrated the release of Generation Z, a collection of 17 songs from students and staff in Tiny Toones’ music department.

A local NGO, Tiny Toones is a drop-in centre for disadvantaged youth in Phnom Penh. In addition to free education in Khmer, English, computer studies, and hygiene, sex and drug awareness, the centre also offers free hip hop music, dancing and art classes. The music department focus includes DJing, lyric writing, rapping, singing and music production. Learning how to tell stories through music is seen as a positive form of expression for students who have been traumatised from a difficult upbringing, spurring a process of healing.

The new album is entirely composed, performed and produced

by Tiny Toones, with all proceeds benefiting the running of Tiny Toones and those involved in the album.

12 asialife HCMC

Street Smart

an duong vuong district 5 Nhan 394 An Duong Vuong This might not be the prettiest place on the street, but it is clearly the one-stop shop for all your sewing machine needs. The family has been doing business here for 30 years selling and repairing machines of all types. Their machines range from those designed for personal use to embroidery and specialty types for retail use. Most are imported from Australia, Taiwan, and Korea.

All repairs are done here, and they can also order any parts you may need.

Ngoc Hanh 22 An Duong Vuong The first thing to catch your eye when you pass Ngoc Hanh is all the beautiful precious stones— quartz, jade, and amethyst, to name a few. Inside, the walls

Grace Lewis heads down District 5’s An Duong Vuong and finds quirky cafés, the mother of all sewing machine shops and mechanics galore. Photos by Eunji Chung.

are lined with tasteful carvings and statues in the Chinese style, including dragons, lions, pigs, horses, and Buddhas. The goods run the gamut from goodluck trinkets to show-stopping sculpture. Or, if you love plants, but can’t keep them alive, Ngoc Hanh has the perfect solution: the leaves of their bonsai trees are made of gems. Necklaces and bracelets range from 200,000 to 1 million VND. Tram Anh Tea and Coffee 56 An Duong Vuong Tram Anh has been providing HCM City with Dalat-grown coffee since 1988, offering whole beans and ground coffee, filters, and condensed milk. They also carry a wide variety of loose and bagged teas only sold through Tram Anh, including lotus, bitter melon, artichoke, jasmine, chrysanthemum, balsam,

apple, oolong, and cloranthus.

A wooden tea chest with eight flavours can be purchased for 300,000 VND. Come into shop or lounge at one of their tables for a cup.

Handmade Café 80 An Duong Vuong If you aren’t careful, you might miss the narrow, brick walkway lined with hanging orchids that leads back to this interesting café. And missing it would be a shame. Newly opened, the café has a soothing feel, and, as you might guess from the name, all of the décor is handmade—from pottery and ceramics to artwork made of wine and beer bottles.

Hand-woven pictures from northern Vietnam decorate the cream coloured walls. By offering origami and other folding paper games, Handmade Café hopes to be a place people will asialife HCMC 13

think of not just to have a drink, but to gather with friends to create.

Mot Bon Mot 141 An Duong Vuong At first glance, Mot Bon Mot may seem like a regular convenience store, but it can only be described as a fruit/gift basket superstore. When you first walk in, a staff member will greet you with a bag. They are there to carry the fruit you select, and then wrap them in the basket you choose. Grapes the size of ping-pong balls, perfect Washington and Gala apples, oranges, and mangoes are just a few examples of the fruit available. If you’re looking for something a little less healthy, you can choose from toffees, butter cookies, chocolates, wine and spirits. Not in the mood to 14 asialife HCMC

decide? Pre-made baskets are available. You can order over the phone and have them delivered. Empty baskets are also available from 40,000 to 90,000 VND. Visit 141freshfruits.com Nghi Khang My 78 An Duong Vuong In a city where it can be difficult to find suitable bedding, Nghi Khang My offers high-quality, stylish options. Imported from Taiwan, the bedding sets start at 2 million VND. Choose between attractive floral prints—bold reds, pinks, and purples, or simple yellows and white—or more masculine patterns in blues, browns and greys.

NGHIA Beauty Supply 49 An Duong Vuong If you are looking for salon quality products for your own

home, NGHIA Beauty Supply has just about everything you could need to stay wellgroomed. They sell professional grade manicure equipment, hundreds of nail polish colours and brands (including OPI), foot smoothers, and callous scrapers and there is someone to sharpen all your tools on the spot.

Blow dryers, curling and flat irons, bleaches, false eyelashes, professional hair scissors, and tweezers are also on offer.

Everything Auto East end of An Duong Vuong, between Tran Phu and Nguyen Van Cu Whether you have a motorbike or a car or are looking to buy one, An Duong Vuong has all that you are looking for. The four long blocks on the eastern end of the street from Nguyen

Van Cu to the Tran Phu roundabout have everything from high-end auto salons to shops carrying bumpers and seat covers, tires and rims. Whatever your car or motorbike may need, it can surely be found on this street.

Co Do Restaurant 361 An Duong Vuong On a busy street like An Duong Vuong, stepping inside Co Do Restaurant is like being transported far away from HCM city's chaos. The interior

is simple and elegant with tray ceilings, hanging lamps made of iron and canvas, and artwork in the Imperial style. The owner and chef are both from Hue, and have been providing authentic food from the region for more than a year. With four floors, Co Do Restaurant can accommodate private dinners and meetings for up to 50 people. All entrees are under 135,000 VND. They are open 10 am to 10 pm and also have a restaurant in District 1. Visit nhahangcodo. vn

asialife HCMC 15

Dr Le Van Duc 16 asialife HCMC

The much-loved Dr Le Van Duc has helped bring thousands of babies into the world, in some cases delivering the children of two generations of the same family. Photo by Fred Wissink.

Why did you decide to specialise in gynecology and obstetrics?

After graduating from university in 1988, I wanted to work in neurosurgery at Cho Ray Hospital, but I was told I had to wait three months. During this time, I worked for Hung Vuong Hospital. There I found it was easy to work in obstetrics and gynecology.

Actually, I think it makes me very happy when I can see the newborn babies every day.

How many children do you think you have delivered during your career?

There are many people asking me this question but I can’t remember. I think I have delivered about 10,000 babies altogether up to now.

deliver the baby of a couple and then many years later I help deliver that child’s baby.

Your wife is a midwife; what is it like to work with your spouse?

My wife is a midwife with 25 years experience in this field.

Currently, she works with me at Hanh Phuc Hospital. With her experience, she plays a very important role whenever I need help. For instance, she can work fast and deal with anything that happens in the delivery room.

Some of my friends and colleagues think we shouldn’t work with each other. But as for me, I think it is so easy to work with her. She understands me and everything I do, and she knows everything I need to prepare before every birth.

Do you stay in contact with the families of children you have helped deliver?

Many of the families that I have helped deliver children keep in touch with me. They usually come to visit me and my family on Doctors’ Day (February 27) or New Year’s Day. Some families, about four or five, I’ve helped deliver two generations. Firstly, I helped

You have children of your own? How old are they and what are they doing currently?

I have two children, a 22-yearold girl and 16-year-old boy.

My daughter is studying at the Language University and my son is in the tenth grade.

I don’t think my son wants to be a doctor. He told me that my job always keeps me busy, that I have to do operations all night

and then I get back home for only 10 minutes before I have to go back again to the hospital.

It’s not good at all when I have no time for my family. Actually my son wants to be an architect.

What is your philosophy on parenting and what are some of the principles you have tried to instill in your children?

In my hometown and in my time, parents didn’t ask their children what they wanted to do in the future. Parents just made their children do whatever they thought was best for them. My parents wanted me to pursue a medical career because at that time in Hue, being a doctor or teacher were the best jobs everyone wanted their children to have. I thought I would like working in agriculture, but I needed to obey my parents. Fortunately, when I decided to study medicine, I found I naturally fitted in.

As for my son, I will never force him to do anything. I just guide him and help him to pursue whatever he likes. I think it’s better for him.

Your job must keep you very busy, but what are some of the

things you enjoy doing when not at work?

Working full-time for Hanh Phuc Hospital, it can be difficult for me to have time for my family. But at the weekend, when I have time, I take my children to go shopping, drink coffee or play tennis and swim.

Sometimes we go to the beach at Vung Tau or Phan Thiet. In the summer holiday, we travel abroad to America and Southeast Asian countries, or go to visit my parents in Australia.

You now work at the new Hanh Phuc Women's and Children's Hospital. What sets this hospital apart from other medical institutions in HCM City?

I consider Hanh Phuc Hospital as my family because I feel very comfortable here. I have many chances to discuss everything with my superiors or the CEO on how to get better care for the patients.

I’m proud of working in Hanh Phuc, which is the first Singaporean-standard hospital in Vietnam. It is well-equipped with modern facilities and offers a comprehensive range of high-quality health care for women and children. asialife HCMC 17

Freek Drent is a Dutch visual artist who studied at the Willem De Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. In the more-than two decades since then he has worked around the world producing collages, installations, video productions and digital art. After finishing an artist’s residency in Beijing in 2008 he moved to Vietnam

18 asialife HCMC

where he now lives. His current focus is on photography where he records scenes of daily life in the city’s hidden, gloomy alleyways. Photos from this series will form part of an exhibition running from July 9 to August 19 in the Der Aa-Kerk, Groningen, the Netherlands. More of his work can be viewed at freekdrent.nl.

asialife HCMC 19

20 asialife HCMC

asialife HCMC 21

22 asialife HCMC

Keeping silent is dying: Talking about domestic violence in Vietnam

Text by Beth Young and Brett Davis. Photos by Fred Wissink.

“I think women who suffered from violence should raise their voice and ask for help or counselling.

It can vary case by case, but we should not keep silent. Keeping silent is dying.”

This from a Hanoi woman interviewed as part of last year’s National Study on Domestic Violence Against Women in Vietnam. One in three women reported they had suffered physical or sexual violence at the hands of their husband some time in their life. This number rose to 58 percent when taking into account psychological abuse.

The research team interviewed almost 5,000 women between 18 and 60 years of age. The study was conducted by Vietnam's General Statistics Office and the World Health Organisation.

WHO Health System Team Leader Dr Graham Harrison said Vietnam was not alone amongst nations grappling with the issue of domestic violence.

"While there are cultural elements that make addressing the issue a challenge, steps are being taken.

“Domestic violence is a problem but it is basically a silent problem. Because of community attitudes it can be difficult for victims to speak up or get the help they need,” he said.

Harrison said the survey would help formally address the issue of domestic violence, raise awareness in the public consciousness and determine what services were needed.

“A lot of the women interviewed provided an opening, some light, into a hidden aspect of their lives. Often they had never spoken of these things before they were interviewed.”

In the north much is being done to raise awareness of domestic violence. For example, in Ninh Binh Province the Swiss Cooperation Office is working with the local People’s Committee and Women’s Union to conduct focus groups with both victims and their abusers.

The goal is to facilitate discussion about the root cause of the violence and to educate both men and women on what their rights are. The first phase began in 2003, and the asialife HCMC 23

A Victim’s Account:

DUONG THI QUI’S STORY

Photo by Eunji Chung

24 asialife HCMC

I got married when I was 28, now I’m 53.

The happy times ended quickly, when my husband began to drink heavily. We would fight a lot when he was drunk. Sometimes he would hit me. He would beat our five children, too. Other times he chased me with a knife and once he threw a knife at me. Luckily it missed.

Things got really bad in 2004. He would beat me every day, again and again. One day I was boiling water at the stove. He was drunk and he picked up the pot and threw the water over me. My eldest son was standing nearby and the water also burnt his leg. My husband tried to run away and even though my son was hurt he held him back with the help of our neighbours.

I was taken to hospital and my husband was sent to the police station where he was given an official warning. They also made him sign a document promising that he wouldn’t

hurt me anymore. Because my injuries were so severe, he had to go to court. While he was waiting to go on trial we still lived together but he continued to beat me.

When the case went to trial in 2005, I was granted a divorce and my husband was sentenced to nine months in jail. I haven’t seen him since and he has nothing to do with our children.

It was a tough decision to divorce, but I had to. I couldn’t stand him anymore and I had to think of my children. My family stood behind me, especially my mother. My neighbours were really supportive, too, as they’d seen how badly my husband treated me for so many years.

More can be done to prevent domestic violence in HCM City but the government tries its best. My ward’s People’s Committee helped to raise about 18 million VND to help me buy a new house after I left my husband.

second, which started in 2007 will finish this summer. So far, these sessions have proved successful.

Hanoi also has an official shelter for battered women. The whereabouts of the Peace House is kept secret to ensure the residents’ safety. It has a kindergarten for young children and the women are taught skills to help them find employment and become self-sufficient in the future.

Rather than just providing respite from an abusive environment, the Peace House gives women options. They can decide if they want to return to their husbands or build a life on their own.

According to the HCM City Women’s Union, Peace Houses will be built around the city sometime this year. For the time being, Buddhist pagodas like Tin Cay Cong Dong in Tan Phu District provide women and their children with shelter.

These are rather ad hoc setups. Head nun Tung Tinh said when a victim seeks help from the pagoda the police aren’t called and they aren't taken to a doctor or hospital. The women generally stay until the husband decides he’s ready to apologise for his actions.

Tinh will question him and if she deems his apology to be sincere she will allow the wife to return home.

Tinh downplayed the severity of the violence that these women are subjected to, saying she had never seen any injuries worse than a bruise. However, a group of elderly nuns who live behind the pagoda were more forthcoming. One revealed they had recently cared for a woman whose husband had broken both her legs. He apparently beat her after finding out she was having an affair.

The Law on Domestic Violence Prevention

and Control that was enacted in 2007 has forced local government to seriously address the issue.

Duong Thi Nguyet is vice president of the Ward 14 Women’s Union in District 11. She is in charge of the ward’s efforts to address domestic violence. She said that each ward’s People’s Committee has a similar department to address women’s issues.

Currently, Nguyet provides victims with shelter in her own home, however she said this was only a temporary measure. The People’s Committee have purchased a block of land where a proper shelter will be built, but more money is needed to complete the project. In the meantime, she does what she can, providing financial help to women who’ve left their husbands until they can get back on their feet.

Le Trang is also a passionate advocate for domestic violence prevention. She is behind the Soul Nation Project—an initiative that seeks to change behaviour in young people through music, dance and other art forms.

Popular Vietnamese celebrities act as the project’s spokespeople at concerts like the one hosted at Thu Duc University at the end of last year. The message is simple: men and women are equal and gender-based violence is wrong.

“Education plays an important role and this is where Soul Nation comes into the picture,” Trang said.

An advertising campaign was also developed by the Grey Group, for a consortium of partners including UN agencies, Vietnamese Government departments and NGOs, aimed at the perpetrators of domestic violence. The television spot featured a woman removing the doors and window shutters from her asialife HCMC 25

house so neighbours could see what was happening inside.

Grey Group Associate Creative Director Rajib Gupta said they tried to communicate the message that if it was not alright to engage in this behaviour in public, then why think it is OK at home.

“We tried to find something different, and a big issue in Asian countries particularly is loss of face. People may not see you but if a woman goes out in public with bruises on her face, people know where they came from. It is not her that is losing face, it is you.”

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime also conducts awareness raising 26 asialife HCMC

campaigns in the community. These efforts include assisting to produce a national TV series on domestic violence called Breaking the Silence, and holding a writing competition for members of the news media to encourage more reporting on the issue.

“The review committee judging the competition was overwhelmed by the response with over 1000 entries received,” UNODC Country Manager Zhuldyz Akisheva said.

The UNODC has also been working on training local law enforcement officers to better equip them to respond to domestic violence cases. Akisheva said the agency had worked with 186 police officers since 2008 in ‘Train the Trainer’ sessions.

A Professional’s Recommendations

“The aim is to create a pool of trained, competent law enforcement officers who can in turn train their peers,” she said.

“Our experience is they don’t know how to apply the law, identify if it is an administrative or criminal offence, gather evidence or talk to the victims.”

Akisheva said the general mindset of police was that domestic violence was not a public issue but rather a family issue.

Nguyet of the Women’s Union was of a different opinion. “If you are suffering violence, you need to fight against it, not keep quiet like the old days.

“We need to show the men that they can’t beat their wives. It’s not their right.”

Martin Donnelly is a practising counsellor with more than 20 years experience. He has worked with both victims and perpetrators of domestic violence in the United States.

Though he has only lived in HCM City for a year, he believes that the general attitude towards domestic violence is similar to that held in the US about 60 years ago.

“It was very much accepted that it was OK for a man to hit his wife,” he said. “It wasn’t seen as abuse.

“I’m pretty sure that something similar is operating in Vietnam. From what I’ve seen there is a very strong sense of male privilege here.”

In Donnelly’s opinion, for real change to occur this attitude needs to shift. And to really effect change, boys and men need to be educated.

This is especially important since last year’s National Study on Domestic Violence Against Women in Vietnam found that boys who saw their fathers abuse their mothers were far more likely to beat their own partners in adulthood.

Donnelly believes young men need to be taught how to control their responses. They need to learn to recognise when they’re about to lose it and walk away before it’s too late.

To really curb domestic violence, though, he suggests using the media. While the government has teamed with various NGOs and creative agencies to develop advertising campaigns and even a 10-episode television show aired in 2009 called Breaking the Silence, Donnelly suggests a more long-term approach.

He cites one example that has worked well in South Africa—the long-running and very popular soap opera Soul City, which broaches deeply sensitive social issues like HIV and AIDS in a dramatic yet entertaining fashion.

“That’s where I’d put my money,” Donnelly said, “in producing a well-written soap opera with characters that viewers can relate to.

"This is a problem that can only be addressed on a societal level and that’s where I would start."

asialife HCMC 27

Ha (left) and Nhung have been friends for more than 30 years.

Best friends and colleagues for more than half their lives, Le Thi Bao Ha and Nguyen Kim Nhung call the Hotel Metropole Hanoi their second home.

By Beth Young. Photos by Fred Wissink.

Madame Ha flicks through the journal that houses the keepsakes she’s gathered since beginning work at the Hotel Metropole in 1978. In one photograph, dated 1995, she poses with George Bush Senior and his wife Barbara. A secret service agent loiters suspiciously in the background. The first lady has even left a note. “Thank you for your superb hospitality,” it reads.

Over her shoulder, Madame Nhung, Ha’s best friend and colleague of more than three decades, watches on. The pair shriek with laughter while remi28 asialife HCMC

niscing and the slightly-moreserious Nhung firmly sets the record straight when Ha adds a little extra colour to her stories.

Ha begrudgingly lets her. After all, they’re practically sisters.

Their relationship began in 1976 as students at a tourism school in Hanoi. Ha was 18, Nhung just 16. “I was the youngest,” she says. “Everybody called me em be—the baby.” Now, as manager of the Metropole’s Vietnamese restaurant Spices Garden, her employees call her mother. “All the hotel staff they call me and Madame Ha me,” she laughs at

the irony.

Once they’d finished their studies, the girls were assigned to work at the Metropole. Then it was known as the Thong Nhat or Reunification Hotel, the name it assumed when French colonial rule was put to an end.

When they started in 1978—Nhung as a waitress at French restaurant Le Beaulieu and Ha as a tour organiser— times were tough. The American War was still a vivid memory and with the new government much had changed. The hotel was also in a state of disrepair, a far cry from the splendour

the Metropole had come to be renowned for since it opened in 1901.

Ha recalls rats running across the grounds and inside Le Beaulieu. Police were stationed all over the hotel, as well. “There were policemen everywhere, watching everyone. We had to control ourselves when they were around,” Nhung remembers.

Following the war, the majority of the Metropole’s guests were Vietnamese government officials or diplomats from Communist countries. And many foreign embassies worked out of

The Madames on Nhung's wedding day.

the hotel since their headquarters had been destroyed in the conflict.

Ha remembers these VIPs well, especially one who drank three quarters of a bottle of wine before telling the sommelier it wasn’t to his liking, and another who would steal magazines from the lobby. She relishes retelling how she put those very important people in their place.

Over the years Nhung and Ha have witnessed firsthand the Metropole’s transformation from post-war dilapidation to modern-day grandeur. They have undergone significant

changes themselves. While Nhung now runs Spices Garden and Ha is the room service manager, they’ve worked in every part of the hotel, even in security.

When Accor took over in 1992 and began the renovations that would restore the Metropole to its former glory, Ha was made the hotel’s first Vietnamese manager. It’s an honour she is still proud of.

Since Accor’s accession, the hotel has changed yet again.

Not only has a new, more modern wing been added to the historic original building, the

atmosphere is decidedly different, too.

Nhung and Ha say tourists have replaced diplomats and more Vietnamese guests are coming to stay in the hotel and dine in its restaurants. Service is better, as well. “Staff attitude has improved,” Nhung says.

The Madames’ friendship has evolved, too. Though they began as classmates and went on to become co-workers, they now consider each other family.

Ha puts it best. “We’ve been together for more than half our lives,” she says with Nhung’s hand clasped in hers.

Though Denis Groison was raised above the pastry shop his parents owned, he desperately wanted to pursue a different line of work. He chose biochemistry. After four years of study, he decided instead to learn the science behind authentic French cooking.

He moved to Hanoi a year ago with his Vietnamese wife. The couple met in France, where she’d been living for a decade.

Prior to taking on the chef de cuisine position at Le Beaulieu—Vietnam’s oldest and most prestigious French restaurant—Denis worked in Singapore at Raffles Hotel.

Since arriving, he’s shaken up Le Beaulieu’s fine dining experience and made it much less formal. He says eating was traditionally a shared experience in France, similar to the way Vietnamese families still enjoy meals together. So he’s fused simple French cooking with fresh local produce and more communal dishes to encourage a return to those times. And, he adds, to embrace the local culture.

“We are in Vietnam, and the traditional Vietnamese style of eating is to share,” he says.

What’s important to Denis is retaining the spirit of classic French gastronomy. Fusion’s not his game, but he’s happy to substitute authentic ingredients with what’s available locally in a pinch. One dish he prepares demonstrate this best: homemade mushroom ravioli encased in wonton skin and topped with a tiny quail egg. Voila.

asialife HCMC 29

Renowned Hoi An restaurateur and cooking school owner Trinh Diem Vy risked everything to pursue her dream of owning a restaurant. In this excerpt from her new memoir and cookbook Taste Vietnam she reminisces about the early days.

After my wedding in 1990, I continued to work at the tailors who had given me an apprenticeship the previous year. This was a decent way for me to earn money and contribute to my new family. The workshop was also in close proximity to my parents’ restaurant, which meant I could continue to help them out during lunchtime hours.

At this time doi moi had been in effect for four years. While 30 asialife HCMC

my parents’ restaurant had been busy at first, their business was suffering by 1990. While the government encouraged private enterprise, times were hard and most people didn’t have the capital to start new businesses.

Also, small towns like Hoi An couldn’t compete with the larger cities when it came to production and distribution.

As a result, many young people moved to Saigon in search of work. Hoi An became quieter

and trade in the market was slower so people had to watch their spending.

My parents’ restaurant was the only one in town but people could no longer afford to buy daily lunches. My parents had grown weary with work and no longer had the energy or saw a future in the business, so they made the decision to close the restaurant. This affected me profoundly.

I asked Father if he thought I

should stay in Hoi An. He was wise in giving his advice and reflected on all the times we considered leaving Hoi An or had even attempted to escape and yet remained here. He believed there was a reason for this and that I should wait to see what direction the town would take under doi moi. Father told me I should follow my heart, that there was potential in the town and if I decided to start my own restaurant business, I

Vy (centre) with her family.

would have his and Mother’s support.

After my talk with Father, I started looking for a venue that would be suitable for my own restaurant. I didn’t want to take over my parents' space as the location wasn’t so easy for people to find. I saw the old police station garage on the main street of Tran Phu was being renovated and would soon be made available for rent. This was perfect! Its central position would guarantee passing trade as well as regular business from the market. I knew that if I acquired the building, my business would be a success.

When the building went to auction, there were numerous bidders and the price rose quickly. I had taken part in the first round but eased off for a

outside, however, I remained calm and told the auctioneer that I would return soon with the money.

Straight after the auction, I went to see my parents. They asked if I had succeeded in getting the site. I replied quietly that I had. They knew something was wrong but I told them everything was fine, that I was sorting it out. At that time I was literally wringing my hands with worry—it was then that I also noticed the shiny new wedding ring on my finger. Its worth in gold would be enough for the deposit. I made the decision to pawn my wedding ring so I could open the restaurant.

My instincts told me this was the right choice to support my family. After paying the initial rent, I had 5,000 VND (back

I was literally wringing my hands with worry—it was then that I also noticed the shiny new wedding ring on my finger. few rounds, thinking if there were fewer bids the price might stabilise. Then it dawned on me that I may never find a location like this again. I felt in my heart that it was the right place. I also knew that if I couldn’t get a location near to the market then I would lose all my old, loyal customers and if I wasn’t on the main street, I would not be visible to new clients. I had to have this building! Suddenly, to my surprise—and everyone else’s— I put in a bid that would close the deal. As soon as the words exited my mouth, I panicked, thinking, “Oh my goodness, how am I going to pay the deposit? I have no money!” On the

then this was US $0.50) leftover, which wasn’t enough to buy a day’s worth of food for a family, let alone an entire restaurant of people. But I wasn’t worried about getting supplies, I knew that I would be able to get food from the market vendors as they all knew and respected my parents. I focused on getting the restaurant ready for launch.

I went to the fortune-teller who told me that the next auspicious day for opening was in three days. While renovations were almost complete, the workers said it would be another week before everything was finished. I pleaded with them to finish it on time.

Fortunately, in the Vietnamese culture, we place great value on the astrological charts and so the workers promised to get it done.

Meanwhile, my brother and my parents helped to paint the interior and we placed bamboo mats up against the walls. All the equipment from my parents' restaurant was also brought over to the new space.

On the opening day, I went to the market early and placed a food order with all the vendors, requesting that they allow me to pay them at the end of the day.

Since I had worked in the marketplace all my life and they had supplied my parents for years, they accepted the arrangement in good faith. At 10 am, Mother placed an offering in front of the restaurant doors and we lit firecrackers for good luck. It was April of 1992 and I had a restaurant. This was my dream: the one I believed would help resolve my family’s struggles.

The day before opening I had also cycled around town, visiting factories and businesses and letting old customers know

about the new restaurant. This proved to be a very good move as on my launch day there were many familiar faces inside. Even though it was the first day of business, the restaurant was nearly as busy as my parents' restaurant had been during its peak period. I still feel so much gratitude for the people who turned up that day and showed me their support.

After the launch, business seemed to improve each day with a mixture of old and new customers. Suddenly it was the winter of 1992—six months had gone by in a flash! I remember this time vividly because I went to check my money belt to see what the situation was with the accounts. I was astonished to see I had made the equivalent of $100 profit. This was a lot of money back then! I was sure I had made a mistake and counted again. It was correct.

My first instinct was to walk to my parents' house. On the way I kept thinking about how Father had agonised about asking for a loan from a relative asialife HCMC 31

in the United States to help pay for my wedding. He had been tormented by the need to make the request and it had kept him awake at night. When he did receive the reply, I could see from the disappointment in his face that they couldn’t help.

This added to his embarrassment. I wish I had made this

32 asialife HCMC

money back then to save him from all the unnecessary stress and shame he felt.

It was dark and so I was using a flashlight. When I arrived, Mother called out in concern.

As I entered, I almost knocked her over in excitement. When I showed her the money she reacted in disbelief, asking whose

money it was. Then she checked my accounts book to see which suppliers I owed money to and also came to the same realisation. A smile crept over her face and I found myself beaming back at her. I had accomplished what I had set out to do. This money would be more than enough to pay for my brother’s

and sisters’ schooling and would help both sides of my family with the bills. I felt both a sense of relief and of pride.

I had been right to trust my instincts and start the restaurant business.

To buy a copy of Taste Vietnam visit restaurant-hoian.com.

FAMILY SUMMER HOLIDAYS (Applicable for Vietnamese nationals and the Expatriates in Vietnam)

Price: US$ 188++/ night for Garden view room US$ 240++/ night for Superior Sea view room US$ 290++/ night for Deluxe Sea view room US$ 340++/ night for Deluxe Beachfront room US$ 365++/ night for Ana Mandara Suite

.. .. .

Including: 1 night stay at Evason Ana Mandara Daily breakfast buffet Refreshing welcome drink and fruit basket Round trip shuttle bus airport transfer Free internet facilities These rates are subject to 5% service charge and 10% tax.

Terms and conditions *Valid from 6 May, 2011 to 31 August, 2011 *Based on twin share and minimum stay 2 nights *Whole family will be maximum 2 adults + 2 children under 12 years old, sharing per room

Tel: E-mail:

+84 58 3 524 705 Fax: +84 58 3 524 704 reservations-nhatrang@sixsenses.com

34 asialife HCMC

HCM City’s newest rock climbing guru is a fast-talking Renaissance man. By Frances McInnis. Photos by Fred Wissink.

His compact body slides up the wall and across the ceiling with impossibly smooth movements.

An arm extends, a knee bends and, somehow, he propels himself up to his goal: an electric blue rock climbing hold in the shape of a telephone. Hanging upside down like a fly on the ceiling, he pretends to make a call, laughs, and then drops lightly down to the mats below.

Meet Paul Massad, the 21-year-old owner of Push Climbing. Push is Vietnam’s first gym dedicated to bouldering, a style of rock climbing done over crash pads without ropes or harnesses. Massad, who punctuates his speech with quick grins, swear words and sips of strong, black iced coffee, says he and other bouldering enthusiasts are the most laid-back segment of the rock climbing community. “It’s easy.

You go out and you do it. A mat and two people, that’s all you need. No ropes, no anchors,” he says. “I’m lazy.”

Well, not quite. Opening a business in Vietnam as a foreigner requires quite a bit more than a few mats, and older, more experienced entrepreneurs have been stymied by licensing snafus and language barriers.

Massad tackles those challenges the same way he climbs: with

unbending tenacity and a bit of grace. “It’s all patience,” he explains. “You’ve got to be willing to wait, to sit down and wait for the licenses, to bargain the prices.”

Making the feat yet more impressive, Massad opened the gym in less than six months, all while taking a full academic load in the Public Relations department at RMIT. He barely slept for months before Push opened in December.

But that punishing pace is routine for Massad. He seems to have more energy than normal humans, and, having barely begun his 20s, has already done more than most octogenarians.

He has worked as a candy salesman, a motorcycle mechanic, a helicopter tour salesman and an office drone. He’s been a supermarket bagger, a commercial fisherman and a kebab shop owner. He’s been an ESL teacher and a dive instructor, and has lived on four continents.

Massad attributes his willingness to take risks and try new experiences to a childhood in Chiloe Island, in southern Chile. Living in a community of only 300 people, his American father and Chilean mother let him set his limits. “You could go anywhere and it was safe.

My parents always gave me

the liberty to do as I pleased: to roll on the ground, climb trees, eat anything, come back with scratches and bruises.”

The family moved to Alaska when Massad was 15, and it was there that he started rock climbing. At first it was stress release—he was only sleeping two hours a night back then too, bagging groceries at a supermarket chain called Alaska and Proud, starting a kebab restaurant and attending school.

Soon, he was a fixture at a local climbing gym, heading out to local mountains with other regulars whenever he could.

After the family moved to Nha Trang last year, Massad missed rock climbing. (“My hands went soft,” he says shaking his head mournfully.)

He planned a trip to Japan to satisfy the craving, and trained to climb Mount Fuji solo at dawn. Alone with a bottle of Jack Daniels at the summit, he watched the sun go up. “I was breathless. It was an epiphany moment,” he says with uncharacteristic solemnity. Then he grins and adds, “It was just like The Lion King.”

He hit several bouldering gyms in Japan, and was gratified to find they were packed, with experts and amateurs.

“Everyone having a good time,

fat, short, skinny, tall. It didn’t matter at all if you’re good or bad. Then I clicked. This might work in Vietnam.”

Indeed, Vietnam’s karst limestone formations produce the stalactites, caves and pockets that make for exciting climbing and the sport has exploded here in the last few years. Tourists and expats flock to Halong Bay and Dalat, HCM City now boasts two vertical climbing walls, and teams from across Southeast Asia converged on a peak in Phu Yen province in late March for the country’s first international rock climbing competition.

But local residents have been slower to embrace the adventure sport, says Massad, and this is where his ambitions lie—to bring Vietnamese into the global climbing community. “Climbing is a means to communication where you don’t need words. It’s a feeling that you’re part of community.

Climbing here, or in Japan or in the US, it’s all the same.”

“Still, it’s not easy to have people try a new thing, especially where they are committed to their own culture and traditions,” he says. “It’s going [to be] a lot of work.”

Somehow, I think he’s up to the challenge. asialife HCMC 35

An astronomical tour of the galaxy is not normally on the menu at even the most upscale resorts. However, there is one man whose job it is to break down the mysteries of the heavens to even the most uninformed guests, such as Brett Davis.

Dr Parag Mahajani looks like I imagine an astronomer should look. He is wiry and bespectacled, and possessed of a natural intelligence. He also has the enviable role of travelling the world to enlighten the guests of the Six Senses resort group on matters astronomical and astrological.

He was recently at the group’s Ninh Van Bay resort, near Nha Trang, to give a series of lectures and host a special dinner with a menu themed on the four elements of the zodiac.

His lecturing style is entertaining and informative, weaving in equal part of zodiac lore with hard astronomical science in order to keep both the skeptic

36 asialife HCMC

and the believer intrigued. But make no mistake where this man of science stands on the issue.

“I personally don’t believe in astrology, but it is fun, you know.” He compares it to watching a film, “I don’t believe the movie is real, but I can still enjoy watching it".

Mumbai educated, Dr Parag continues to write books and articles, and gives lectures around the world. Inspired to study astronomy after seeing Hayley’s Comet in his last year of high school, the drudgery of pure academic research was not for him.

“I found academic life boring.

I don’t want to sit in front of a computer all day, I like being

out, talking to people.

“There is a huge gap between researchers and the common people. I want to be the link between researchers and nonastronomers.”

By all accounts, guests have responded enthusiastically whenever Dr Parag has conducted lectures. “People really love it,” he says of the astronomy sessions. “It is intellectual luxury.”

It is this combination of learning while enjoying premium hospitality that makes for such a unique and enjoyable experience. Dr Parag spent three months in consultation with the resort’s head chef to design the menu for the zodiac dinner.

Each course of the dinner had

to represent one of the four elements of the zodiac: fire, water, air and earth. For example, the water signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces were represented by a crayfish tortellini, while the earth signs of Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn took the form of Black Angus Beef with a potato puree and braised morning glory.

The following evening, guests were invited to gather on a jetty protruding from the rocky beach to study the moon and stars under the doctor’s guidance, while tasting a selection of organic wines from Europe, Australia and South America. Intellectual luxury seems a very appropriate term for it.

Guests at the Six Senses

group’s resorts must appreciate the pairing of refined surroundings and child-like wonder you get from looking through a telescope at the stars. In addition to Dr Parag’s lectures and trusty telescope, the two flagship resorts in the portfolio—Soneva Fushi in Maldives and Soneva Kiri in Thailand— have their own permanent, fully-functioning observatories.

Like all of the Six Senses properties, Ninh Van Bay is designed to blend in with the environment by using natural materials for construction and maintaining a focus on sustainability. This includes making their own drinking water to reduce the need for plastic bottles, to growing much of their own fresh produce on the island.

General Manager of Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Wayne Lunt says the company aims to be "de-carbonising", or being a negative emitter of carbon, by 2020. “It is difficult to do as a resort, but that is why we have started forests in Thailand to

offset our carbon footprint.”

Lunt says adhering to the resort’s values of complementing the natural environment is not always the cheapest way to do things, but that it is something people appreciate in this day and age.

The resort's villas are barely visible, scattered amongst the trees and perched over rocks along the crescent-moon shaped bay. Each has its own infinity–edged pool and spacious living area with an enormous day bed. Inside your own private oasis it is nearly impossible to see your neighbours and certainly creates the impression you have this tropical paradise all to yourself.

Six Senses has what it calls its ‘SLOW LIFE’ philosophy: Sustainable – Local – Organic – Wholesome Learning – Inspiring – Fun – Experiences. With activities like studying the stars in idyllic surrounds, while enjoying wonderful food and wine, it is a philosophy they are very successfully putting in to practice.

asialife HCMC 37

There’s more to the ramshackle beach town of El Nido, on Palawan Island in The Philippines, than a sweeping seascape of limestone islands and hidden beaches, as Jade Bilowol discovers. Photos by Landon Carnie.

Flanked by two thick slabs of timber joined at a 90-degree angle before her, diminutive Filipino bartender Anjelyn leans towards us and blurts out, “Not many foreigners can speak English!” To emphasise her point— and confirm she’s speaking about her white customers—she rests her eyes on a Muscovite she only minutes ago poured a San Mig for.

This moment encapsulates what makes The Philippines pleasantly surprising. The country takes Asian stereotypes and turns them upside down. The Philippines is in Asia but if you speak English you’ll find you’ll be greeted with polite, warm responses in lieu of blank stares.

After all, this is the world’s third largest English speaking nation, 38 asialife HCMC

stemming from 45 years of United States rule.

Anjelyn is one of the countless smiling, happy-go-lucky Filipinos who make this country so inviting. While it was an obscenely large crab that initially attracted my travel companion Landon and I to the ‘Balay Tubay’ restaurant, Anjelyn and her friendly co-workers’ infectious personalities lured us back.

After a second consecutive night of fresh seafood and good wine Anjelyn invites us to El Nido’s main Balay Tubay—a live music venue. El Nido is located near the northern tip of Palawan. It’s a small yet thriving beach town, most of which is sandwiched between towering, jagged limestone cliffs mottled with vegetation.

There are two Balay Tubays in town, both owned by the same person, who cheekily introduces himself as “Bong”.

Filipinos love to come up with quirky names for themselves.

For example, Jejomar is derived from JEsus, JOseph and MARy (The Philippines is a devoutly Catholic country).

Bong explains his ancestor Sabas “Tubas” Robles erected Balay Tubay in 1931, before it became a secret meeting place for the guerilla resistance against Japanese occupation forces in 1943. It was demolished in 2004, before reincarnating at its current locations, the larger of which showcases local musicians who play a mixed bag of rock, reggae and local numbers seven nights a week.

We eventually pull ourselves away from the live music at 2.45 am, mounting our hired scooter for the short ride to our beach shack tucked away from El Nido’s main beachfront. As we retire for the night, we look out at the silver sheet of water, shimmering under the moon’s glow. Beyond are the dark silhouettes of limestone islands, in a horizon almost identical to that of Halong Bay, yet even more pristine.

Scuba-diving and snorkeling are very popular in these parts with a range of boat tours on offer to take you to isolated bays and golden beaches. Further north at Busuanga Island, there’s said to be some of the best wreck diving in the world. Dozens of Japanese Navy ships sunk by

The long and winding road to El Nido

the United States during WWII sit on the ocean floor just waiting for divers to explore.

If you’re prone to get seasick in a bath tub like me, never fear. Just make sure you are equipped with some cash as El Nido, while tourist-orientated in so many other ways, has no ATM. The closest ATM is located eight hours’ drive south in Puerto Princesa, Palawan’s capital. Cash permitting there are plenty of wonderful places to eat, drink and relax, or treat yourself to a massage or natural facial. Obviously you can enjoy El Nido’s beaches for free and meander through its streets or embark on hiking and climbing trips.

In our final hour in El Nido we wander down the beach to

the Greenview Resort for breakfast. The owner Paul reckons almost all the people who come to Southeast Asia and visit the Philippines leave it until last on their itinerary. “Once they’re here, they wish they had put it at the top and allowed for more time”. I’m not sure about the accuracy of his figures but I get his point. It’s definitely a country that catches you unawares and disarms you.

We farewell the dogs, cats, bearcat and large native pig, which also call the Greenview Resort home before jumping on our Honda XRM for the long ride back to Puerto Princesa. I am good at vowing to return to impressive holiday spots but with El Nido, I know I’ll be back.

The night is pitch-black yet I cannot remove my sunglasses as they are obstructing a relentless torrent of bugs flying into my face. We’re cursing the dusty, rutted road our scooter is bouncing along, and we’re cursing ourselves for not starting this ride earlier in the day.

Departing Puerto Princesa at 12.30 pm north to El Nido proves not to be our brightest move. But in our defense we’d been advised the trip would total five hours on a road, “that’s fine”.

The first two hours are smooth and scenic. When we stop for fuel at Roxas, some locals encouragingly tell us we’re “halfway” there. But soon we hit dirt and after a few hours it dawns upon us this halfway mark is definitely in regards to kilometres.

“I wish they weren’t so friendly and would stop saying hello so I don’t have an accident,” Landon, the driver of the bike, remarks as yet another enthusiastic “hello” rings out from yet another gorgeous child. But the friendly people and electric-green countryside become increasingly blotted out in clouds of dust as the road further deteriorates.

The longer we ride, the seemingly shorter the gaps between oncoming vehicles that leave a massive dust-cloud in their wake. The trip goes on and on.

Things start to feel bleak. I’m tired and I want to be in El Nido. Now. My backside aches so much the rest of my body has grown numb. We ambitiously saddled a lot of baggage on our motorbike and the bones in my arms, after hours of clinging on to several bags, feel brittle. It takes another two hours after darkness descends to reach El Nido. And due to the Lunar New Year it’s high season here, so we’re in for another fight trying to find accommodation.

Eventually we’re settled on a wooden balcony overlooking a secluded beach away from the main part of Barcuit Bay. An Aussie couple starts up a conversation with us and we soon establish we all reached El Nido via motorbike. “There would be people who would underestimate the time it takes to get here and have to drive at night—that would be so bad,” one of them says. We begin to explain our 7.5-hour ride…

asialife HCMC 39

Lucky Beef Parts In 1999 a restaurant opened at 31 Ly Tu Trong in District 1. Its proper name was Quan Luong Son. But expats and tourists alike called it Bo Tung Xeo, after its signature dish. It's a bit like Korean barbeque. Although instead of a gas fire built into the table, Bo Tung Xeo features a charcoal brazier brought to the table, upon which you grill your own beef and veg. It's hot and smokey but, hey, it's also festive and delicious. Of course you walk out with your clothes and hair smelling like grilled meat, and some people think that's a bad thing, but I am not among their number.

Same-same with garlic. When it comes to either garlic or barbeque, too much is not enough!

Well, so say I. But to my tale.

Quan Luong Son, or Bo Tung Xeo if you must, was a beer-gardeny sort of joint. Big, rambling, part of it in a patio open to the tropical sky. (So what if you get a little rain?)

Fish tanks full of fresh seafood waiting to leap into your mouth lined one wall. And happiness and hubbub and bubble and bustle floated on the air along with the pungent, beefy smoke and shouts of recognition and bursts of laughter and squeals of kids on a night out with the folks. It was a favourite and perennial of my former publisher, Lonely Planet. Indeed, the LP Vietnam entry was blown up to about 100 times true size and plastered to the eastern wall.

But I digress.

And then, in 2008, for reasons best not delved in to on this page, the venerable haunt suddenly ceased. The smoke 40 asialife HCMC

cleared, the shouts echoed away, the sizzle ceased, and the mirthful place was no more. But hallelujah! The Smokey Lady has returned! And she is at her old place and just as seductive as ever.

She's in an old colonial structure across the street from what was originally a French hospital. Indeed, the restaurant was actually an annex to it back in the Gaullic days. The moulded, butter-yellow walls have aged well, and reflect a golden light, giving the scene what we can call a cool warmth.

competitors have got nuttin' on the mutton; and the penis and ball might be an acquired taste, but give it a try. Hey, don't be a wus. Be bold!

And one last thing, about the Bo Tung Xeo. The term translates loosely as “lucky beef parts”. And such they are.

They are small, tender and juicy parts of bovine, and you are lucky if you eat them. But the term “bo tung xeo” also refers to something else. Something a bit darker than the starlit sky above the open patio. It refers to an ancient form of torture.

Bo Tung Xeo. The term translates loosely as “lucky beef parts”. And such they are. They are small, tender and juicy parts of bovine, and you are lucky if you eat them.

It looks warm, but feels cool.

The atmo is the same, the menu is the same. It's as though she just took a long nap.

So let me tell you a little about the menu. In addition to the smokey meat and the swimmingly fresh fish and the crisp vegetables, the tasty treats include: fried scorpions (the sauce is piquant without being overpowering); the crocodile is one of my faves (and is guaranteed not to have killed or devoured any humans, at least none of my acquaintance); the crickets are crunchy (low in cholesterol, high in protein); the snakehead is rather pedestrian (but some people like it); the nearest

A torture in which the victim, be he rich man, poor man, beggar man or thief; spy, rebel or assassin, was strapped to a butcher's table. Then slowly, inch by inch, little parts of his body were sliced off and fed to the baying hounds. Perhaps a slice an hour, perhaps a slice a day. It would depend on the torturer's agenda. If all that was required of him was a confession, then the miscreant might leave minus a steak or a couple of chops, maybe a little bacon.

But otherwise, it was Death by a Thousand Cuts. Muhuhahahaha!

Bon appetite, and hope to see you there.

La Villa La Villa’s high-ceilinged dining room, complete with majestic timber staircase, is all elegance.

A vase of fresh-cut flowers in the centre of the space offsets the all-white walls, as do antique-style chairs and a black Eiffel Tower print.

The real treat is outside, though: a lush garden filled with tropical ginger and lantana, shaded beneath a huge mango tree. A young grey parrot called Lila perches on the lowest branch, welcoming customers to the restaurant that doubles as her owners’ home.

Chef Thierry Mounon and his wife Tina live on the top floor of the two-storey pale pink villa

A French fine dining experience in An Phu. Photos by Fred Wissink.

just off Thao Dien. Thierry grew up in the south of France and says his vision was to recreate an opulent villa like those he used to admire along the French Riviera.

Likewise, the compact menu he’s created brings other memories to life. One appetizer, the caillette (US $12), is a special recipe his great grandmother passed on to his grandfather. Pork, liver and sage are combined to make a fist-sized meatball, which sits in a rich tomato sauce. When sliced in half, a hunk of goat’s cheese oozes from its core.

Another starter is Fine de Claire oysters ($10) served on ice

with green caviar and shallot vinaigrette. This particular oyster was initially imported from France and is now farmed in Nha Trang. Slightly saltier than the average Vietnamese variety, the texture is also decidedly less chewy.

The mains take a little time but they’re worth the wait. One dish, a traditional fish stew or bouillabaisse ($40 including French cheeses and dessert) must be ordered one day in advance. The Australian rack lamb with orange sauce ($30) and the cobia fish cooked in crab bisque with mushroom, cheese and truffle oil-infused mash ($20) come a little quicker.

For dessert, Thierry has a secret weapon in the kitchen.

His pastry-chef godfather has travelled especially from France to create treats like the flaky custard-filled millefeuille ($10) and the doughnut-y peche briochee ($9).

After spending time with Thierry it’s no surprise to find an extended family member working in the restaurant. After all, a trip to La Villa is also a trip to Thierry’s home.

14 Ngo Quang Huy, Thao Dien Ward, District 2.

Tel: 3898 2082 Open Wednesday to Monday noon till 1.30 pm; 7 pm till late asialife HCMC 41

El Gaucho Specialising in great-quality steaks and hearty and filling Argentinean comfort food, it’s best to visit the newest restaurant in the El Gaucho chain on an empty stomach.

With 45 outlets preceding it, the Saigon establishment follows the same formula as its counterparts. The menu is mostly the same except for some additions to cater to local tastes, and the décor has the same rustic feel that can be found worldwide.

In HCM City, though, the design seems very fresh. The downstairs is small and cosy and backed by the gleaming stainless steel kitchen. The upstairs is bright and airy with a fantastic 42 asialife HCMC

An Argentinean steakhouse with plenty of meat on the menu. Photos by Fred Wissink.

heavy-wood bar and outside terrace that overlooks leafy Nguyen Sieu.

The food is just as impressive.

To start, crusty white bread is served with a side of slightlyspicy chimichuri (40,000 VND).

Similar to salsa, the zesty sauce is made from diced capsicum, onion, parsley and olive oil. Next out is the very substantial Argentinean beef soup (65,000 VND).

Almost like a stew, the broth is thick and rich with chunks of tender beef and potato, and butter beans.

Homemade chorizo (120,000 VND) and a spicier sausage called salchicha (120,000 VND) are available, too. Both are

savoury and fragrant. The beef empanada (95,000 VND) is also homemade. Minced beef is encased in fried pastry to make a parcel resembling a pasty, albeit of a more exotic variety.

It’s during the main course that El Gaucho’s emphasis on deluxe cuts of premium imported beef becomes clear.

Cooked medium rare, the prime Black Angus rib eye (550,000 VND/250g or 750,000 VND/350g) is unbelievably tender and flavoursome. The side of macaroni cheese, rough-cut chips and sautéed mushrooms are tasty, too.

The hamburger (250,000 VND) again showcases a commitment

to top-quality meat. The 350gram patty, also medium rare, is thick and juicy and complemented by a generous stack of tomato, lettuce, onion and mayonnaise.

One thing seems almost certain: a trip to El Gaucho is sure to satisfy HCM City’s most carnivorous residents. And with another location set to open at The Crescent in Phu My Hung on June 1, and perhaps more in the near future, El Gaucho certainly has Saigon covered.

5D/104 Nguyen Sieu, District 1 Tel: 3825 1879.

Open daily for breakfast 8 am to 11 am, lunch 11 am to 2.30 pm, dinner 3 pm till late

Cuc Gach Quan Go to Cuc Gach Quan and you’ll wish you lived there.

Tucked behind a half-open gate on Dang Tat, the restaurant is a series of nooks filled with deep, leather chairs, salvaged-wood tables and armoires stacked with blue-and-white china bowls. Head up the ladder-like staircase to find a bedroominspired second floor, featuring a canopied bed for lounging and a spectacular terracotta tile ceiling.

“The main idea was to recreate a home,” says owner Thai Tu-Tho who bought the colonial mansion with her partner, architect Tran Binh, to supplement

Family-style Vietnamese food served in artful surroundings. Photos by Eunji Chung.

their first restaurant on Thach Thi Thanh. (Incidentally, Tran’s assiduous redesign—and the fact that his architecture firm occupies the top two floors—is responsible for the restaurant’s nickname of “Architect’s House” among HCM City’s expats.) “The two of us live far from our families, and we’re not the only ones in Saigon away from home. This is for people who miss the taste and simplicity of family-style food.”

Even those who didn’t grow up in Vietnamese homes will appreciate the Southern dishes cooked with care by chef duo Co Diep (vegetables and salads)

and Chi Bay (meat and stir fries). Sipping on fresh fruit juices that arrive in glass bottles with whimsical rolled-leaf stoppers (55,000 VND), we sample cuon diep or lettuce rolls with prawn (60,000 VND), each bearing an orange prawn trussed on the top.

The homemade tofu also impresses—we marvel a deep-fried version topped with crispy chilli-fried lemongrass (65,000 VND). As good as it is, though, it’s forgotten as the thit kho trung—stewed pork in clay pot—arrives at the table (75,000 VND). Pieces of pork and a hardboiled egg bathe in

a rich, brown salty sauce and conversation stalls apart from an occasional grunt of delight.

Unlike the set menu on offer at the Thach Thi Thanh location, the menu here is extensive to the point of bewildering; if you’re feeling overwhelmed, the staff will happily provide recommendations or even choose your entire meal. All you need to do is grab a pair of chopsticks out of the can at the end of the table and make yourself at home.

10 Dang Tat, District 1 Tel: 3848 0144 Open daily 9 am till midnight asialife HCMC 43

Behind the Design:

CJ BIKES

Two guys with a passion for motorbikes are helping people unleash their inner Easy Rider. By Brett Davis. Photos by Fred Wissink.

Saigon is a motorbike town.

Even if you arrive here with minimal or even no previous experience, it doesn’t take long to get caught up in the excitement and feeling of freedom that comes with riding a motorbike.

Once you are at that point, it is a short step to casting admiring glances at some of the cool rides you see around town, be it a tricked-out retro scooter, a restored vintage classic or a mean chopper.

Canadian Jason Steiner and business partner Chuong Tran are helping make some of those two-wheel dreams come true through their custom motorcycle business CJ Bikes. The pair and their team of mechanics and painters have turned out about 35 custom built and restored bikes in the company’s 18 months of existence.

The enterprise came about when Steiner was looking for 44 asialife HCMC

someone to help him restore an old bike, and found the small workshop on Nguyen Van Cu on the border of District 1 and 5. “Chuong and his guys did a spectacular job,” Steiner says, and the idea for the business was born.

Still operating out of that same workshop and with a sales office at 114 Bui Vien, the guys keep some bikes in stock but usually start from scratch with each customer. “People can come to us with an idea or a picture, whatever they want really we can do it,” Steiner says.

The bikes are stripped down to the frame and rebuilt. From there you are really only limited by your imagination and your budget.

Gas tanks, exhausts, tires, fenders, handlebars, tail and shocks can all be tinkered with.

At present they must build off existing frames, but are looking for welders with the necessary

expertise to enable them to build frames from scratch.

Often the raw materials they begin with are bikes like the Honda CD, Magna or Daelim.

The latter are good for rebuilding into roadsters, which are the most popular type of bike the shop is producing.

Steiner’s own bike was purchased as more or less a complete wreck after it had been involved in a crash. The engine was in good order but the rest was completely rebuilt at the shop.

“A lot of people want something different and we can do that for them. We are also seeing a lot of people who are just tired of scooters and want to move up to a real bike.”

About 60 percent of the shop’s customers are foreigners, but the local market is growing.

Steiner says as young Vietnamese guys begin to earn more money, they want a bike that

sets them apart from the crowd.

“They maybe don’t have the ability to buy a big-money bike direct from the factory but they can spend a few thousand dollars and we can make something spectacular for them.”

You can get a good custom bike for around US $3000, although the guys have done bikes up to about $9000. Steiner says all their bikes have a one-year service warranty on engines, and they pride themselves on their after-sale service.

“We will go out to customers’ homes to help them out with problems, even something as small as not knowing how to use the choke or getting the bike started using the kick start.

“A lot of people come here not knowing much about bikes but they really get into it.”

For more information visit c-jbikes.tumblr.com asialife HCMC 45

Abstract artist Nguyen Trung observes Saigon with a keen eye, taking in every nuance, then reflecting the city’s essence back through his paintings. Beth Young visits his studio. Photos by Huynh Ho Quang.

In 1959, Nguyen Trung, then 19, created his first artwork. It was a figurative painting that depicted Saigon. A touch over five decades later, the city still features heavily in his art and in particular served as the inspiration for his latest body of work “Grey White Black”. Using only the three colours, Trung sought to translate his personal observations of Saigon on to canvas plus a sense of nostalgia for another city he loves—Paris.

While the darker shades represent HCM City and what Trung calls its “graffiti”—the marks and scratches etched into the walls of old buildings and weathered alleyways, the white symbolises the snow he first saw in France. “It left a great impression on me,” he says, adding that the memory was triggered when a friend from the US sent a photograph of an American winter wonderland.

This image was the impetus for “Grey White Black” and also signalled the end of a six-year absence from the public sphere since his last exhibition “Blackboard”. The reason for the break: a complete lack of inspiration. But with a whisper of the past Trung’s passion was restored and the city again became his muse.

46 asialife HCMC

To communicate its frantic energy Trung uses atypical tools. Paintbrushes the size of small brooms line a patch of wall in his crowded studio along with a selection of rollers. A plastic container of rusty nails and an antique porcelain bowl filled with corks lie among the countless tubes of acrylic paint. According to Trung, they can

“Using my hands to paint gives me freedom to express myself.” all be used to create art. Still, his favourite tools are his hands. When elbow-deep in a project he says he can best express himself.

With a career spanning half a century and punctuated by French colonial rule and the American War, Trung has become one of Vietnam’s most well-known and collectable artists. His style has evolved over the years, but the use of a subdued palette

has remained fairly constant. While he has plans to use even less colour in the near future, he predicts that one day he may inject his work with shocks of red or yellow.

He does make one promise, though: there will be no repeats. His work may continue to tell a story of Saigon but that tale will be reworked, taking on a totally different aesthetic each time.

asialife HCMC 47

Kirsty Josephine Proud Vandalism Acrylic paint on canvas

Tran Kieu Tu Minh

Pham Ngoc Minh Khanh

Natural Beauty: Glamour Lino print & mono print on paper

Bend & Shift Oil paint on canvas

At the end of April some final year students at the British International School will be showcasing artwork undertaken as part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

The students were able to work in any visual medium and used techniques such as oil and acrylic paints on canvas, linoprinting, monoprinting and 48 asialife HCMC

etching. Other students produced sculpture, installations and digital art.

The school’s Head of Art and Design Richard Harper said the students had to develop their own thematic approach and ideas for their work.

“I was there to guide them but they really had to undertake some personal investiga-

tion to come up with their ideas.”

An exhibition for students and parents will be held at the British International School later this month. Following this some selected works will be displayed at the restaurant and gallery space FLOW in District 1 from Friday April 29 to Sunday May 1.

Mac Hoang Cuc Phuong

Kyoung Eun Park

The Harmony Acrylic paint on canvas

Not It Watercolour and coloured pencil on paper

Bui Thanh Truc

Da Eun Oh

Nguyen Phan Tu Bao

Tempting Digital painting printed on board

Road to the City Acrylic paint on canvas

In My Eyes Oil pastel on paper

asialife HCMC 49

MY FUTURE' S SO BRIGHT

I GOTTA WEAR SHADES Styling by Hanh Edbrooke and Anthony Thong Nguyen Photos by Fred Wissink Eyewear Plaza: 33 Nguyen Du, D1 Jess Luxury Eyewear: Vincom, Parkson, Diamond Eyewear Hut: 1 Truong Dinh, D1, 15-17 Truong Dinh, D1, 169 -171 Duong 3/2, D10, 101-103 Nguyen Trai, D1, Vincom, Tax Plaza, Diamond

50 asialife HCMC

Nike 4,100,000 VND

Givenchy 5,900,000 VND

Timberland 3,600,000 VND

Ermenegildo Zegna 5,900,000 VND

asialife HCMC 51

Charriol 4,830,000 VND

Escada 4,250,000 VND

Dior 5,550,000 VND

Dior 5,000,000 VND

52 asialife HCMC

Zegna 5,270,000 VND

Ray-Ban 4,000,000 VND

Levi's 1,900,000 VND

Tom Ford 8,500,000 VND

asialife HCMC 53

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.

listings

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.

hotel & travel 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.

Air France 130 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3829 0981 ext. 82 Fax: 3822 0537 www.airfrance.com.vn An airline with a vast and effective global network. Now flies direct to Paris.

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.

escape

Royal Brunei Level 4, 129A Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3914 6868 www.bruneiair.com Royal Brunei provides scheduled service across Asia, the Middle East, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

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.

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

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.

On-premise 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.

Six senses Con Dao Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao District, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, Vietnam Tel: 06 43831 222, Fax : +84 64 3831 456 www.saigoncondaoresort.com The first five-star resort in this unspoilt archipelago, Six Senses Con Dao's 50 villas sit along a mile of sandy beach, sheltered by green forested hills behind and with stunning vistas of the sea Each villa also has its own infinity-edged swimming pool.

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.

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

To celebrate Easter, La Residence Hotel & Spa will include a 60-minute aromatherapy massage for two, welcome fruit basket, chocolate bunny and daily buffet breakfast with rooms for US $98 ++ per person (based on double occupancy).

Valid until May 30. Call 54 3837 475, email resa@la-residence-hue.com or visit la-residence-hue.com.

two nights for the price of one, or three nights for the price of two plus one 60-minute body treatment per person at Vedana Wellness. The 27-hectare property, located on the edge of a lagoon between Hue and Hoi An, combines contemporary high-end living with traditional and modern therapies like meditation, Reiki, tai chi and yoga. Visit vedanalagoon.com.

InterContinental

Saigon Park Hyatt

Through May 8, Spa InterContinental will offer a rejuvenating facial treatment for 1,650,000 VND ++ per treatment. First, pure rosemary concentrate is applied to deep clean and purify the skin. Then, rosewood oil and neroli oil is applied. Fifty percent discount for second person. Call 3520 9999.

Until September 30, the Vedana Lagoon will offer a special opening promotion:

54 asialife HCMC

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.

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

take flight with travel promotions around the region

La Residence Hotel & Spa, Hue

Vedana Lagoon

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.

Xuan Spa is now offering its signature Absolute Sanctuary package for 2,080,000 VND ++ per person. The package includes a 25-minute orange scrub, 45-minute aroma massage, 40-minute facial and a healthy smoothie. Call 3824 1234 or email saigon.park@hyatt.com.

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay

Join yoga instructor Michelle Lloyd and massage therapist Sarah Martin for a three-day wellness retreat from May 20

to 23. Single occupancy in a hilltop/ spa suite villa starts at US $1,290 ++ and includes three nights accommodation, airport transfers, daily vinyasa flow yoga and relaxation sessions, a massage therapy session with Sarah and three organic meals per day (a interactive raw cooking class is included, too.) Guests can choose from a daily 60-minute signature massage or body scrub, as well. For bookings, email reservations-ninhvan@ sixsenses.com.

Hotel Equatorial HCM City

The Hotel Equatorial is now offering guests “cash back” incentives. The hotel will give guests US $40 credit that can be spent at the bar, in the restaurants, on internet, treats from the mini bar or a massage at the spa. Half of the unspent credit will be paid back to guests. The promotion applies to rooms starting from US $138++ per night. Call 3839 7777 ext. 8086.

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.

Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi 83A Ly Thuong Kiet Tel: 3822 2800 www.moevenpick-hotels.com Conveniently located in the heart of Hanoi’s business district, a 40-minute drive from Noi Bai International Airport and only 5 minutes from the city centre, Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi is the latest five-star hotel in town, tailored to meet the needs of discerning guests and especially corporate travellers.

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

56 asialife HCMC

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.

Möevenpick Hotel Saigon 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 www.moevenpick-saigon.com Has 278 well-appointed rooms/suites, five restaurants/bars, meeting/banquet facilities and a shopping arcade as well as a popular e-gaming centre.

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.

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

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.

Palm Garden Resort Hoi An Lac Long Quan Street, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An Tel: 0510 3 927 927 www.palmgardenresort.com.vn Set on 5 hectares of landscaped tropical garden in an enviable beach location, the Palm Garden Resort offers an exceptional green environment with over 400 species of palm trees and plants along the famous Cua Dai Beach in the UNESCO-recognized world heritage site of Hoi An Ancient City.

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.

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. Hon Tam Resort Representative Office Level 1, 68 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3822 0632 sales@hontamresort.vn A boutique eco-resort set on Hon Tam Island, located off Nha Trang.

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.

Romana Resort KM8, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3741 289 www.romanaresort.com.vn 10 beachfront villas and 18 hill villas with private pools and all the mod cons.

The Sailing Club 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3847 440 www.sailingclubvietnam.com Open bar overlooking the sea, spacious rooms, restaurant, swimming pool and day spa.

Victoria Phan Thiet Resort and Spa Mui Ne Beach Tel: 84 62 3813 000 www.victoriahotels-asia.com

asialife HCMC 57

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.

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 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 banh xeo (crepes with beef or seafood) and goi hai san (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, 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 Chau Long Hotel 24 Dong Loi Tel: 020 3871 245 www.chaulonghotel.com Mid-range hotel with wraparound construction offering panoramic views.

Rooms in the newer wing are more attractive, with dark wood furnishings and polished hardwood floors.

Topas Eco Lodge 24 Muong Hoa Tel: 020 3871 331 www.topasecolodge.com Overlooking the Hoang Lien Mountains, Topas is comprised of 25 white granite and golden hardwood lodges powered by solar energy. Premises include restaurant in traditional Tay stilt house, and Topas offers a range of outdoor activities, including mountain biking and trekking.

58 asialife HCMC

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 mid90s. All courses can be started at the state-of-the-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.

VUNG TAU Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa Ho Tram Village, Xuyen Moc Tel: 06 4378 1525 www.hotramresort.com Located about 45km from Vung Tau in the Phuoc Buu Reserve Forest, Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa boasts uniquely designed bungalows and villas.

River Ray Resort 159-163 Thuy Van Tel: 06 4362 8888 www.imperialhotelvietnam.com Victorian-style hotel with 152 rooms, outdoor pool, shopping mall and fully serviced gym.

TRAVEL AGENTS

Buffalo Tours Suite 601, Satra House, 58 Dong Khoi D1 Tel: 3827 9170 www.buffalotours.com Tailor-made itineraries, communitybased 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 SD5-2 Grand View, Nguyen Duc Canh, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5412 2761/62 pmh@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.

USD 225 net/ Mandarin Suite/ Night.

Validity: From 10 Jan until 2011;30except 30 Apr - 2 May 2011.

Validity: November 2010 Rate is valid for Local Residents and Vietnamese living oversea visiting Vietnam.

Terms & Conditions Apply.

For minimum 10 rooms paid will get 1 FOC room with breakfast Please ask for Weekday Special Offers.

and good drinks in a friendly, chilled environment. Plenty of room to relax inside or out, plus a pool table on premise. 

listings

Cafe Latin 17 Dong Du, D1 In its third location, this expat favourite continues to deliver good food, an extensive drink list and a comfortable atmosphere. Two levels to watch sport on or simply unwind. Said to serve the best chicken parmigiana in Vietnam.

food & drink 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 5A Nguyen Sieu, 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.

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.

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.  Buddha Bar 7 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2080 An Phu institution serves up tasty meals

feast

Corso Steakhouse & Bar Norfolk Hotel, 117 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Located in the chic Norfolk Hotel Corso Steakhouse & Bar is well known for its steak imported from the US and Australia. Good destination for both lunch and dinner.

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.

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. 

InterContinental Asiana Saigon’s signature Chinese restaurant Yu Chu is offering a special all-you-can-eat dim sum promotion for 300,000 VND ++ per person including iced or hot tea. The deal is available noon to 2.30 pm daily.

Call 3520 9999.

Every Friday night, starting March 11, Basilico will prepare a meat or seafood barbeque platter for two for 999,000 VND. The platter includes a rack of lamb, beef skewers, cutlets and tenderloin or a selection of lobster, salmon, tiger prawn and squid. A mixed platter is also on offer. Call 3520 9099.

60 asialife HCMC

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

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. 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.

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.

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

broaden your palate with promotions around town

Yu Chu

Basilico

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.

Nineteen Restaurant

On Sunday, April 24, Caravelle Hotel’s Nineteen Restaurant will host an Easter brunch. For 1,144,000 VND ++ per person, the brunch includes a salad bar, barbeque station, choice of soups, appetizers and a range of traditional main courses like roast turkey, duck and rabbit. Call 3823 4999 or visit caravellehotel.com.

The Deck

The Deck has launched its new lunch menu, Tall Orders. Available everyday from 11 am until 4 pm, different set menus including options like Asian fusion dim sum, yakatori chicken leek skewers and Peking duck fillet pancake roll are offered starting from 190,000 VND ++ including a pot of tea.

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 overlooking 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.  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.

Cay Da Cafe Ground floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon

253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 118 www.moevenpick-saigon.com Stocks the Moevenpick’s chef’s most delicious cakes, pastries, ice cream and sandwiches.

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 An Italian-style coffee bar that serves Illy—a world-renowned espresso blend.

Makes classic coffees like the cappuccino as well as innovative alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. Also serve light Italian cuisine and desserts.

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.

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.

That’s Café Rivergarden, 170 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 The Crescent, 103 Ton Dat Tien, Phu My Hung, D7 Hailing from the U.S., That’s Café is a new Khai Silk initiative. Claiming to provide the best coffee in town in a comfortable and friendly atmosphere, it’s a great place to hold a business meeting or catch up with friends.

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 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. Lotus Court 1st floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 168 www.moevenpick-saigon.com Dim Sum and exciting Cantonese cuisine in a unique and elegant setting.

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

asialife HCMC 61

imbibe

street gourmet

Kiwi Quenchers

By Grace Lewis Everyone who likes white wine knows that New Zealand’s Marlborough region produces some of the world’s best specimens. But, if you’re looking to branch out, you might consider trying something from Ohau Vineyards, says Billy Dela of Bacchus Corner.

The vineyard is the first in what will surely be New Zealand’s newest wine growing region in the lower North Island. The Ohau River has been depositing gravel for centuries producing the stony yet fertile soil that grapes need.

All three of Ohau’s wines— Ohau Gravels Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Woven Stone Sauvignon Blanc—are already award winners, having been recognised at the 2009 New Zealand International Wine Show, the 2009 Romeo Bragato Awards, and the 2009 Air New Zealand Wine awards.

If you are already a white wine lover, Dela says Ohau Vineyards' sauvignon blancs share the same passionfruit and citrus flavours that the Marlborough region is known for. For a heavier white, try Ohau Gravels Pinot Gris. It pairs well with fruits, cream, and chocolate.

Ohau even has a HCM City connection: Peter Healy, the vineyard’s marketing manager, lived in Vietnam for many years as the former New

62 asialife HCMC

Banh Tai Yen Zealand Consul General.

Still, white wine in Vietnam can be a tough sell. Historically, HCM City’s Vietnamese population prefers heavy, red French wines. Bacchus Corner took a big risk recently by offering a wine tasting dinner to foreigners and locals solely featuring white wine. Dela and his colleagues knew the decision was potentially a dicey one, but, with the seafood pairings, guests responded with enthusiasm.

Another way Bacchus Corner is encouraging locals to step out of their wine comfort zone is with their single tasting machine, which allows potential buyers to try wines instore. The devaluation of the dong has caused wine prices to climb, putting the range of New Zealand whites from 370,000 to 860,000 VND. For a beginner white wine drinker, spending 580,000 VND for a bottle of Ohau’s Woven Stone Sauvignon Blanc or 680,000 VND for Ohau Gravels may seem like a big commitment.

But, when you are able to have a glass of an entry level wine and then compare it to a mid-range wine like Ohau, the difference in quality is evident.

So, the timing is right; Bacchus Corner is introducing Ohau Vineyards to Vietnam just as locals are realising the attraction of white wine. After all, nothing beats the heat like a cool white wine.

Banh tai yen is a subtly sweet cake that is made completely from rice flour and quickly deep-fried in hot oil until it has turned dark brown and puffs up around the edges. Tai yen translates to "swallow’s

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

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

nest", which the treat, with its curled-up sides and soft middle, resembles.

Banh tai yen is a favourite snack for locals and can be found all over the city for about 5,000 VND. Stephy Thai

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.  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.

cost about 60,000 VND and a carafe of house wine costs 50,000 VND.

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.

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.

FRENCH

Agapéstro River Garden, 170 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 0903 669 252 Serves fine French cuisine originating from all over France—particularly seafood and dishes prepared from foie gras.

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, pan-fried duck liver, salmon medallions with Moet and escalope de foie gras.

Cote D'Azur 12T3 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Da Kao. D1 Tel: 3911 5473 www.cotedazur.vn Authentic French cuisine in delightful surroundings, the brasserie's menu offers delectable dishes. Cote d'Azur's ambience gives it a homely feel and it also offers catering services.

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

INDIAN

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.  Indus Indian 2G Thi Sach, D1 Tel: 3521 0326 A003 KP Hung Vuong 1, Phu My Hung D7 Tel: 5410 0947 indusindian-saigon@gmail.com Wide range of Indian special across the board from North to South: Dosas, Idly, Vadai, Tandoories, veg & non veg curries... Catering and home delivery is also available.

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.

Au Parc 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772

asialife HCMC 63

Out of stock, out of excuses

If we don’t take tuna off the menu, it will be off the menu forever • Overfishing, intensified by pollution and climate change, is the main cause of our oceans' degradation with tuna at the forefront of destruction.

• Tuna, specifically bluefin, are close to extinction, on a par with pandas, rhinos and tigers.

• Although one of the fastest animals on the planet, reaching speeds of up to 90km/hour in long distance oceanic migration, they cannot escape the weapons of mass destruction - trawlers, commercial long line fishing vessels - and man's voracious appetite for sashimi and steaks.

• A third of their population is depleted annually along with significant by-catches of sharks, dolphins, turtles and rays. Their spawning age is 8 to 9 years and conservation is prevented by a lack of protected spawning grounds, inappropriate management, poaching, corruption, rising market values and short term benefits to relatively few people.

• As bluefin stocks drop, greater pressure is put on albacore, bigeye and yellowfin species. All tuna are warm blooded and their meat spoils easily while albacore tuna has relatively high levels of mercury.

Join the worldwide campaign to take bluefin tuna off all menus and let them grow to breed and avoid extinction

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 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 Ke, 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. 

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.

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.

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. 

Cafe Saigon Ground floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 234 www.moevenpick-saigon.com An international buffet with unique food concepts that is perfect for gathering family and friends.

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 drinks including Australian and French wines and good cocktails. Hosts monthly Spam Cham networking event. 

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.

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. 

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.

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. Set dinner everyday from 5pm. 

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,

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

asialife HCMC 65

cuisines, including a bakery, French patisseries, pancakes, tossed salads, grilled steak, seafood, wok-fried items, noodles and pasta dishes.

recipes Smoked Salmon with Scrambled Eggs serves 2 | prep time: 5 minutes

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.

Smoked salmon for breakfast will give you a jolt of Omega-3 fatty acids first thing in the morning. With fluffy scrambled eggs, it’s a breakfast of champions.

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.

4 slices smoked salmon 3 eggs 1⁄4 cup milk 2 tbs cream A pinch of salt 1 tsp butter ONE Beat all ingredients in a bowl except for salmon.

TWO Place frying pan on low-medium heat and pour in egg mixture. Stir continuously to fluff up eggs.

THREE Remove eggs from heat when the sides are medium cooked. This ensures smooth and soft scrambled eggs.

FOUR Lay smoked salmon on toast or bagel and lay scrambled eggs on top.

TIPS A good way to ensure your eggs are cooked just the way you like is to add a bit of cold milk once you have desired consistency. The jolt of cold milk will stop the eggs from cooking further.

TRY THIS Replace the cream with 2 tbs evaporated milk. This makes richer and creamier scrambled eggs.

For more information contact Elizabeth Png-Reade at elizabeth.png-reade@electrolux.com

Recipes provided by

66 asialife HCMC

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.

Pizza Hut (For delivery)Tel: 3838 8388 www.pizzahut.vn The world's largest pizza retaurant chain has 10 dine-in locations around HCM City serving up pizza, pasta, chicken wings and much more in a family-friendly environment. Delivery is also available through the PHD service which has the same Pizza Hut 30-minute delivery policy or your next pizza is free.  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.

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 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 Baby Spoon Cafe & Restaurant Head Office: 47 Phan Chu Trinh, D1 Tel: 3822 3356 Fax: 3822 3357 SB 2-1 Parkview, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5412 0145 Level 3, Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 While Baby Spoon is primarily Italian, a vast selection of international cuisine is served in this Japanese-inspired restaurant.

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. Wood-

fired 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.  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.  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 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.  Pomodoro 79 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 8998 A family-oriented Italian restaurant serving traditional fare are surprisingly reasonable prices. Offers daily lunchtime specials and has an extensive wine list.

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.  Villa Romaine Thao Dien Village 195 Nguyen Van Huong D2 Tel: 3744 6857 Set on the banks of the Saigon River, Villa Romaine offers traditional Italian pizzas and pastas in an alfresco setting with an excellent wine list. Open till midnight Sunday to Thursday and till 1 am Friday and Saturday.

JAPANESE Chiisana Hashi River Garden, 170 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6683 5308 0903 669 252 Serves authentic Japanese cuisuine including sashimi, sushi, tempura, sukiyaki and shabu shabu.

Dragon Hot Pot 122-124 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3915 1001 info@dragonhotpot.vn Japanese hot pot restaurant serving motsu nabe, Japanese barbeque and lots of sake and shoju.

Iki Ground floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 127 www.moevenpick-saigon.com A Japanese restaurant that turns the notion of the common hotel sushi eatery on its head thanks to an affordable menu and a fun atmosphere.

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.

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 dining menu along with a wonderful selection of sweets and offers possibly the most divine and delectable gelato in HCM City.

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.

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.  Tama-Gawa Thao Dien Village 195 Nguyen Van Huong D2 Tel: 08 37446857 Anh Phu’s only Japanese restaurant, Tama-Gawa serves fresh sushi and

asialife HCMC 67

OPEN 24/7

other delicacies. Set lunches begin at 120,000 VND. Zen 20 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 0782 Located amid the sea of Japanese restaurants on Le Thanh Ton Street, Zen 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.

KOREAN

Where the game’s always on!

NFL, College Football, NHL, Football, Rugby and More.

Takeout and Free Delivery.

28/4 Bui Vien Str. Pham Ngu Lao Ward, Dist 1.

Phone: (08) 665 663 38 - (08) 665 663 28

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.

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.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN Chaba Thai Thao Dien Village 195 Nguyen Van Huong D2 Tel: 3744 6857 Cosy restaurant nestled in the middle of Thao Dien Village offering authentic Thai food. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Lac Thai 71/2 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 7506 An elegant restaurant tucked in an alleyway and decorated with art-deco 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

68 asialife HCMC

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.

Thai Village Sharksfin Restaurant 38 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3825 6706 Restaurant serving authentic Thai-Theochew cuisine including their specialty: whole braised shark’s fin in clay pot.

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.  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.  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.

VEGETARIAN 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

street gourmet

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.

Lang 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.

Chao Muc Chao muc or squid porridge is a savoury delicacy. Shredded dried squid, which has been soaked in water and a little white wine bulks up the dish. In addition to the squid and coagulated blood clots (huyet), the

dish contains finely sliced pigskin, dried shrimp and finger-shaped soufflé batter (chao quay). Egg yolk, bean sprouts and shredded ginger are also added. A bowl goes for about 30,000 VND. Stephy Thai

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.

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.

VIETNAMESE

Cha Ca Viet Nam River Garden, 170 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6683 5308 0903 669 252 Serves Hanoi specialty Cha Ca—turmeric grilled fish with noodles and dill.

Cha Ca La Vong 3 Ho Xuan Huong, D3 Tel: 3930 5674 36 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3915 3343

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.

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.

Ngon Vietnamese Thao Dien Village 195 Nguyen Van Huong D2 Tel: 3744 6857 Located at the picturesque Thao Dien Village, Ngon offers authentic Vietnamese cuisine including alfresco cooking and dinning with traditional music on Thursday nights and traditional water puppet show on Saturday nights.

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.

Papaya 68 Pham Viet Chanh, 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.

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.

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. 

asialife HCMC 69

never too busy to check on their patrons, and the busy bartenders are quick with a smile.

nightlife BARS & LOUNGES See bar restaurant listings for more popular watering holes.

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.

Bar's bar 47 Phan Chu Trinh, D1 Tel: 3822 3352 Up stair and same entrance with Baby Spoon Restaurant, opposite Benthanh Market. This cozy bar serve it's customer with Jazz music and great drinks.

Japanese Sake also available. Open from 6pm till late. 

Italian & French Chefs Free Delivery

11 Le Thanh Ton, D1, HCMC Tel. 08.38247446

Boston Sports Bar 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. Takeout and free delivery. Open 24 hours.  Cloud 9 2bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, D3, HCMC (Corner of Turtle Lake Roundabout & Tran Cao Van), Tel: 0948 445544 Recently opened with beautiful déco, this rooftop lounge bar has its stunning views at night. Live DJ, great cocktails and desserts. Open 6pm till late. 

Italian Chef Wood-fired Pizza Oven Free Home Delivery

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.

86 Le Loi, D1, HCMC Tel: 08.382.44286

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

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 white-feather decorations. Pink neon gives the joint a contemporary edge.

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.

BREWHOUSES Alderbrau 98 Nguyen Du, D1 Small brewhouse decorated with antique

LOUISIANE BREWHOUSE Beachside Nha Trang Asian & Western Cuisine Swimming Pool & Private Beach www.louisianebrewhouse.com.vn

70 asialife HCMC

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 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.

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 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.

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 custom-made 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.

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.

Vietnam Cookery Centre 362/8 Ung Van Khiem, Binh Thanh

asialife HCMC 71

Tel: 3512 1491 Well-known Vietnamese cooking classes with half-day and more in-depth eight-day courses. Students work in a comfortable kitchen area with their own stove and workspace. Eight-day course costs USD $160.

GROCERIES

47 Phan Chu Trinh St. Ben Thanh Ward D1 HCM City w w w. b a b y s p o o n v n . c o m

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.

Classic Fine Foods 17 Street 12, D2, Tel: 3740 7105 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.

Gastro Home Delicatessen 100 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, 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.

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 cold cuts, smoked sausage and a range of cheeses at very reasonable prices.

La Dorée 216 Ly Tu Trong, D1 65 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3822 1718 Reminiscent of a luxurious Parisian bakery, La Dorée prepares and serves a variety of colourful breads baked with green, beige and brown buckwheat seeds plus baguettes, fougasse, le dieppois sandwiches and le montagnard. Must-try desserts include tiramisu, chocolate mousse and Monté Carlo.

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

72 asialife HCMC

meat, as well as paper products, cleaning supplies, housewares--basically everything.

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. 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.

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.

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.

VINE Cellar Door 41 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 2284 A popular wine stockist with a very wide selection of labels from around the world for those who are serious about their vino. A range of fine cigars also available.

listings

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.

culture

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.

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.

Helen Kling Oil Painting 189/C1 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 0903 955 780 hk.painter@gmail.com/helenkling@ yahoo.com www.helenkling.com Helene is a French painter who teaches beginners (children and adults) various techniques and the art of working with different mediums. She is also a fantastic tool for advanced artists who are looking to increase their creativity. Both day and night courses are available. Helene has a permanent exhibition at FLOW, located 88 Ho Tung Mau, D1.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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 Tel: 3822 7897 LotteMart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, D7

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

FITNESS & YOGA 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

74 asialife HCMC

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.

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.

Daphne Chua Tel: 012 6662 6467 yogadaphne@gmail.com www.daphnechua.com Classes taught by a Yoga Alliance certified teacher from Singapore that focus on breathing and body awareness, combined with fluid movements to perfectly balance body and mind. Hatha, Restorative and Vinyasa classes are offered in group and private sessions.

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.

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++.

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 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.

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++.

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.

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.

Saigon Yoga Tel: 090 835 2265 info@saigonyoga.com www.saigonyoga.com A yoga centre with highly qualified instructors offering hot yoga, Hatha Flow, restorative yoga, kids’ yoga, pre and postnatal yoga and injury rehabilitation.

Also does corporate team building and yoga teacher training as well as organising yoga retreats.

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.

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.

L’Apothiquaire Fitness Centre 64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181 www.lapothiquaire.com

Soham Yoga Studio & Boutique 84T/4 Tran Dinh Xu, D1 Tel: 3920 5813 Soham offers Vinyasa Flow, Sivananda

and Power yoga all taught by Yoga Alliance certified instructors. Soham's boutique stocks high-quality yoga products from Manduka and Jade as well as locally made yoga accessories and international yoga publications.

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.

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.

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 7,009-yard 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 6,746yard 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.

SaigonSports Academy League Tel: 093 215 3502 greg@saigonsportsacademy.com www.saigonsportsacademy.com 12-week, 5 a side community football league with Adult, U18, U14, U10 and U7 divisions. Matches held at Thao Dan Stadium in District 1. Corporate, local and expat teams compete in adult division with cash prize for champions.

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.

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.

LEISURE Hash House Harriers www.saigonh3.com Running club that meets every Sunday at 2 pm at the Caravelle Hotel to go on a run in different locations out of town with their traditional balance of exercise and beer.

Phun Runner info@phun-run.com Social running group that meets Saturdays 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.

Rangers Baseball Club Isao Shimokawaji isao.shimokawaji@sapporobeer.co.jp A baseball club always looking for additional players of any age, race or experience level. Plays Saturdays or Sundays, often against Korean or Vietnamese teams.

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.

Certified by ISO 9001:2000

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.

GERMAN

HIGH-TECH DENTAL CLINIC

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.

ACCADENT DENTAL CLINIC

161 Dong Khoi 15 Le Loi St, Dist. 1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Phone: +848 38 22 88 00 Fax: +848 38 22 35 22 email: info@accadent.com www.accadent.com O P E R A

V I E W

B U I L D I N G

S A I G O N

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 Vietnam Hobby Brewers hobbybrewer.vietnam@gmail.com www.hobbybrewer-vietnam.de.tl Small group of beer enthusiasts gather bi-monthly at microbrewery to talk beer, share brewing tips and sample homemade suds. The group is keen on taking on new members with an interest in learning how to brew.

Vietwings Paragliding info@vietwings-hpg.com Promoted by a local advertising executive turned test pilot, paragliding, hanggliding, trike plane can be performed in several locations across southern Vietnam including Dalat, Phan Thiet, Tay Ninh. Call Loco on 0903 825607 for more information.

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.

asialife HCMC 75

questions for the coiffeur

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.

By Lloyd Morgan Q. Do clothing designers have much impact on the hair industry?

A. I’ve always thought that fashion and hair complement each other. No great dress is complete without a great hair style. I’m sure hair stylists and fashion designers are influenced by each other to a point, and by working together they can come up with a complete look.

A great deal depends on who’s wearing your creations, be it hair or clothing—a statement is made when people of importance start wearing your designs. And that includes a great do.

Q. If you’re pregnant is it OK to chemically straighten your hair?

A. Absolutely not. Ammoniabased chemicals are used in the straightening process and they must be left on the hair for an extended period of time—far too long to be considered safe during pregnancy. Inhalation of these vapours is potentially very dangerous.

As for colouring, there’s no medical proof it is dangerous during pregnancy. I have given pregnant women

76 asialife HCMC

highlights and colours, but err on the side of caution by staying a couple of centimetres away from the roots. If you’re worried though, I would steer clear of chemicals all together while pregnant.

Q. I had a dark colour put over my lightened hair and it seems to be going red.

Why? A. It depends on how light you were before the darker colour was put over the light colour and if the colourist used any red-toned colour to warm up the dark-toned colour.

Maybe the colour was not strong enough, lacking the required depth. If the peroxide was too strong, this could result in red tones coming through, as well. (It should be between three and six percent.)

A consultation with a good colourist is advisable before you jump in for a complete colour overhaul.

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.

Institute of Traditional Medicine 273-275 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Dr. Le Hung is the man to see at this well-established 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.

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 17 - 17A Le Van Mien, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 0918 749 204/08 3744 9744 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 0916 352940.

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 & International Team of Dentists 2Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, D1 Tel: 3822 6222 doe.linh@gmail.com With 14 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.

Tu Xuong Dental Clinic 51A Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 2049/050 drhung01@yahoo.com www.nhakhoatuxuong.com Provides general and cosmetic dental services at reasonable prices. Specialises in implants, orthodontic treatments and making crowns and bridges. Staff are professional and speak English.

Westcoast International Dental Clinic Ben Thanh Clinic, 27 Nguyen Trung Truc, D1. Tel: 3825 6777 The Practice: Level 1, 71-79 Dong Khoi, D1. Tel: 3825 6999 info@westcoastinternational.com www.westcoastinternational.com Westcoast International Dental Clinic provides quality dental work, combining state-of-the-art techniques, a talented and highly skilled team and affordable prices.

See Medical listings for hospitals with dental services.

HAIR & SALON

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.

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.

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

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,

COSMETIC TREATMENT

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.

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@vietnammedicalpractice.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.

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.

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 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.

Hanh Phuc International Women & Children Hospital Binh Duong Boulevard, Thuan An, Binh Duong Tel: 650 363 6068 www.hanhphuchospital.com Managed by Thomson Medical Singapore, Hanh Phuc hospital provides a comprehensive range of facilities and service for primary to tertiary healthcare, focus in Obstestrics & Gyneacology and Paediatric. Soft opening was on the 3rd January 2011.

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.

Victoria Healthcare International Clinic 135A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3997 4545 79 Dien Bien Phu, D1 Tel: 39104545 Well-regarded clinic offering general examinations and specializing in pediatrics, digestive diseases, cardiology and women's health. Offers a membership program and cooperates with most insurance companies in Vietnam and abroad.

Open with doctors on call 24/7.

New Pet Hospital 53 Dang Dung St, D1 Tel: 6269 3939 This veterinary hospital is equipped with the state-of-the-art equipment including digital X-ray machine, color-ultrasound machine, inhalation anesthetic system and blood analyzer. It also provides boarding and grooming services.

Saigon Pet 33 Street 41, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 0909 063267 A veterinary clinic run by a UK-trained vet.

The clinic provides diagnostic surgical and laboratory services as well as per grooming. Saigon Pet is affiliated with A.R.C Vietnam, a volunteer organisation dedicated to preventing animal cruelty, which also rehabilitates and finds homes for abandoned animals.

NAILS Nghia Beauty 20 Phan Boi Chau, D1 Tel: 3829 2688

asialife HCMC 77

MONTESSORI Early Childhood Program International & Bilingual (English and Vietnamese/ French/or Mandarin)

Outstanding indoor & outdoor facilities.

After school activities for children 3-10 yrs: Music, PE, Art & language classes (English, French, Mandarin Chinese). www.montessori.edu.vn info@montessori.edu.vn

Tel: 37442639 - 38783164 0903 858659

City, Marianna owns the excellent experts in Aesthetic Medicine and the modern technologies such as Laser, Botox, Filler and all solutions can help you more beautiful and younger day by day.

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.

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.

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.

Infant & Toddler program: for children aged 6 to 17 months Kindergarten program: for children aged 1.5 to 6 years Half day and full day

Thao Dien Campus: 42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, Dist.2, HCMC An Phu Campus: Ground floor, Block B, An Khang/Intresco Apartment (Behind Metro supermarket Dist.2, HCMC)

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.

Montessori International School of Vietnam

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.

The Body Shop 87 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3683 31 Nguyen Trai, D1 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

La Maison de L’Apothiquaire 64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181/3932 5082 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.

L’Apothiquaire 100 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Parkson Saigon Tourist Plaza Parkson Hung Vuong Plaza The Crescent, 103 Ton Dat Tien, D7 64A Truong Dinh, D3 07 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3932 5181/3932 5082 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.

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.

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.

Marianna Medical Laser Skincare 149A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel:3526 4635 www.en.marianna.com.vn Professional Laser Clinic in Ho Chi Minh

78 asialife HCMC

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.

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 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.

ask auntie emily

listings

BABY EQUIPMENT

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.

Meddling In-Laws

By Emily Huckson Dear Auntie Em: My husband and I always look forward to visits from our parents. My in-laws visited us for a month and they get along with our three-year-old like a ‘house on fire’. To him, they are the best toys in the house!

It is wonderful for my son to have such a great relationship with his grandparents while living so far away. However, my mother-in-law is causing a problem. Although I appreciate her time and love that my son feels so connected to her, I don’t appreciate her contradicting me on discipline. When I give him a ‘time out’, she takes his side and asks me to give him a second chance, even when she’s witnessed bad behaviour that she knows I will not tolerate.

- In-Law Interference Dear ILI: This is oh-so delicate, since you don’t want to offend her. Still, I can guess you have already talked about your ideas of child rearing as you say she knows about behaviour you will and will not tolerate, so you do need to address it. Talk to your spouse about what you have in mind and then either together, or on

80 asialife HCMC

your own, find a moment to discuss it with your mother-inlaw. You might say, “When you step in and take the kids’ side, I feel as though my authority is being questioned. And I think it’s confusing for our son. If you feel I’m not being fair with him, I’d prefer to talk about it privately with you. Can we try that?”

In general, when it comes to friends and relatives with whom you spend a lot of family time, it’s good to share your beliefs about discipline do's and don’ts and, together, come up with an approach both sides can live with.

And if you feel your in-laws understand and accept your methods, you can trust and respect the way they might discipline your children. You may even give her permission to discipline your kids when you’re right there in the room.

For parents-in-law from either side, though, you are perfectly correct in standing your ground and saying, “You already raised your son, now let me raise mine!”

Email your questions about childhood development to auntie-em@asialifehcmc.com

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.

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

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).

Australian International School Early Childhood - Primary Campus Cherry Blossom 1 & Lotus 1, APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6960 Middle & Senior Campus East - West Highway, D2 Tel: 3822 4992 enrolment@aisvietnam.com www.aisvietnam.com A leading co-educational day school with dedicated Early Childhood, Primary, Middle & Senior School campuses. IB World School, students follow the PYP and MYP Curriculum. Senior students follow the IGCSE – Cambridge A Levels. AIS is the only School in Vietnam authorised to deliver the University of New South Wales Foundation Studies GRADE 12 Curriculum

(UNSW). Focus on academic excellence, international student body, superb facilities in quiet residential settings, qualified expatriate staff, range of co-curricular sport, creative, academic and musical activities and languages. Scholarships available.

British International School Primary Campus 43 - 45 Tu Xuong, D3 225 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 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 curriculabased education alongside excellent facilities and extra-curricular activities.

Senior students follow the IGCSE and IB programmes.

Canadian International School SC 39, Panorama Building, Nguyen Duc Canh, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5412 1549 Residential Quarter 13C, Nguyen Van Linh, Phong Phu Commune, Binh Chanh www.cis.edu.vn cis@cis.edu.vn The first Canadian international school in Vietnam offers classes from kindergarten to grade 9 for local and foreign students.

Teaches core Ontario curriculum and awards Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), recognized by universities worldwide. Vietnamese programme taught by local teachers.

German International School 257 Hoang Van Thu , Tan Binh Tel: 7300 7257 info@giss.vn / www.giss.vn A bilingual school with native German and English teachers. The language program is followed in both German and English, alongside the German curriculum. Extra curricular activities are available for all primary school students.

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 longterm 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 International Program 42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, D2 Tel: 3744 2639 Bilingual Program 28 Street 19, KP 5, An Phu, D2 Tel: 6281 7675 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

asialife HCMC 81

27 June ~29 July th

th

Kindergarten Crèche / Primary / Secondary IELTS Preparation Programme

Enrolments are open now (08) 3747 1234

Please contact Reception for more information

www.acgedu.com

East - West Highway, An Phu Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel: (08) 3747 1234. Fax: (08) 3747 1235. Email: acgvn@acgedu.com

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 Kids Centre 104A Tran Quoc Toan, D3 Tel: 3932 5579 saigonkidscentre@yahoo.com An international childcare centre for children aged between two and six years old.

Offers a homely and warm environment for children to play and learn.

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 Residential Area No. 5, Thanh My Loi Ward, D2 Tel: 3742 STAR Fax: 3742 3222 enroll@saigonstarschool.edu.vn 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 44 Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 2807 Ground floor, Somerset Chancellor Court, 21 - 23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1. Tel: 3827 2464 The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh. Tel: 3514 3036 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, D2 Tel: 3744 6076 26 Street 10, D2 Tel: 3898 9816 www.smartkidsinfo.com An international childcare centre that provides kindergarten and pre-school education for children aged between 18 months and 6 years. A fun and friendly environment, the school focuses on learning through play.

Stamford Grammar 214 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3930 7343 4Bis Phung Khac Khoan, D1 Tel: 3822 3339 www.stamfordgrammar.com enquiry@stamfordgrammar.com International kindergarten following a

asialife HCMC 83

Singapore curriculum for children from 18 months to 6 years of age. Taught by Vietnamese and native English-speaking teachers. Outdoor play areas, swimming pool, music and art & craft rooms where students can play and learn in a safe environment.

The American School 172 - 180 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 3519 2223 info@tasvietnam.edu.vn An independent and private collage preparatory school with a highly individualized and personalized program, The American School of Vietnam offers a strong, US based curriculum for Kindergarten through Grade 12.

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.

Vinpearl Games Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Features fun and games for a wide range of ages. Air hockey, sports games and traditional arcade video games and a small children’s play place.

PARTIES A2 196 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Well-known toy shop that also does a substantial line in fancy dress costumes and partywear. Also has a concession at An Phu Supermarket.

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.

84 asialife HCMC

listings

finance

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 Citibank Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, D1, HCMC Tel: 3824 2118 International Center, 17 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi Tel: 3825 1950 Citibank Vietnam offers a wide range of banking services to both consumer and corporate clients. Services include corporate and investment banking, global transaction services, and consumer banking. In Vietnam for 15 years, Citibank has a presence in both HCMC and Hanoi.

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

CAMERAS 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.

The 6300 Percent Miracle

By Paul McLardie From a low point of under US $0.50 a share to its recent price near $30, US company Human Genome Sciences (Nasdaq HGSI) rose a very impressive 6300 percent in the past two years. To find out what you could have done to be on that train you first need to find out how this meteoric rise took place.

Human Genome Sciences made a Lupus drug called Benlysta. Many people did not give it a chance. The naysayers doubted that the drug would test well or be passed by the Food and Drug Association. It did both.

This is not a case of, “If only I had bought Google or Casio when I had the chance”, of things looking clearer with hindsight. In fact, the possibilities of individual investors having shares in HGSI are slim.These will have been taken by large institutional investors and specialist speculators.

Moreover, the share price will not stay that high, as there have already been concerns about the usage of the drug for certain people, and other large Biotech com-

panies such as AstraZeneca are already at stage two of development of drugs that will compete with Benlysta.

So what do you do as the personal investor? Get on the next band wagon? First of all, you need to understand the first rule of this type of high-risk speculation: You will lose. Only use money that you can afford to lose. It is much better to leave this type of dealing to the large institutions that have the backing of billions of dollars or to specialist investors that know a specific part of one industry inside out.

Take it on the chin. The vast majority of people will never be able to take this much risk. It is much better to congratulate people who have. It is the same as winning the lottery. We all know people that play the lottery, and some people have won small prizes. But do you know anyone that has hit the jackpot?

Paul McLardie is a partner at Total Wealth Management. Contact him at Paul. mclardie@t-wm.com

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

International Management Initiative for Vietnam (IMIV) info@imiv.org www.imiv.org The International Management Initiative for Vietnam (IMIV), a non-profit initiative within VinaCapital Foundation that promotes excellence in business leadership and management by bringing to Vietnam proven international executive education and professional development programmes.

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.

Prism Information Technology Services Level 4, YOCO Building, 41 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3829 6416 info@prism.com.vn A foreign-owned information and com-

munications technology company that offers value-added IT solutions. Enables local businesses to attain and maintain international IT standards to be more competitive in the marketplace.

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.

Total Wealth Management 66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, 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

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.

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.

Under new ownership & management

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 plasmascreen TVs to audio equipment. Most top brands are available.

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.

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.

asialife HCMC 85

people matter

Tech Street Huynh 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.

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.

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.

Staff and the Big Picture

By Gary Woollacott Recently I was meeting a friend for lunch at a five-star hotel. He wanted to make sure he was in the right place and asked the receptionist to call me. The phone rang as I was approaching reception, so I said, “Don't worry, I’m right behind you. Hang up”.

We were about to leave when the receptionist asked for $1.75. “Don't worry,” I said, “we are eating here”.

She insisted we pay, even though I argued about the cost of the call to them, and that we planned to spend money. My friend told me to stop complaining; he would pay. I was annoyed, so when he paid (and got a receipt!) I said we could eat anywhere in the city but not at that hotel.

I was still steaming later, so I called the expat GM, thinking that he could use it as a training opportunity. The $1.75 they received led to them losing out on us spending around $100, plus all my other visits in the normal course of a month or three— including a corporate visitor for two nights. Small stuff in the scheme of things, yes, but there's a principle involved.

The GM (I know him well) was in a meeting and his PA took my message: a complaint and a training opportu-

86 asialife HCMC

nity. He didn’t call back, and that was three months ago.

I haven’t been there since then. And I’m telling everyone this story. We all know that not every message gets delivered; the PA may have lost it, or forgot. I called again and was told the message had been passed to the HR director. She rang back a few days later, and they have also very kindly sent me a lunch voucher for two.

My point—and it’s taking a while to make—is that it’s important to train staff, to empower them to make decisions based on the overall benefit to you and your business. Don't train them to follow a procedures manual that ends up alienating your customers. This isn’t an easy thing to do, but if your business is to succeed then you have to.

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 +84 8 3827 8209 or via gary@opusasia. net. Opus is an associate of Horton International.

Esthetic 11 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 7371/7372 Fax: 3514 7370 esthetic@vnn.vn www.estheticfurnishing.com.vn Design and manufacture as order with a mixture of antique and modern furniture. Friendly staff speak excellent English.

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, 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.

Tran Duc Homes 33 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 7300 0777 Level 5, Wonderbuy Center, 27b Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 6291 8485 B2-25, Vincom Center, 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9700 Wood solutions partner for high-end residential and resort projects. Experienced in manufacturing and installing wooden modular housing, interior fittings and contemporary indoor and outdoor furniture.

LEGAL

Frasers International Unit 1501, 15th Floor, The Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi, 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.

Limcharoen, Hughes and Glanville Havana Tower, 132 Ham Nghi, D1 Tel: 6291 7000 www.limcharoen.com Full service international law firm with

head office in Thailand. Main focus on real estate in Asia.

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.

Rödl & 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 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 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.

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.

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.

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

advisory, valuation, investment advisory and more.

www.namhouse.com.vn Provides rental properties, construction services and interior decorating.

Supports professional services and after-sales.

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

Sherwood Residence 127 Pasteur St., D3 Tel: 3823 2288 Fax: 3823 9880 Hotline: 0917470058 leasing@sherwoodresidence.com www.sherwoodresidence.com 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.

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.

Vietnamworks.com 130 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1 Tel: 5404 1373 www.vietnamworks.com 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: 3823 3454 kevin.hamilton@alliedpickfords.com.vn www.alliedpickfords.com With more than 800 offices in 45 countries, Allied Pickfords is one of the leaders in worldwide removal services. In Vietnam services include overseas relocation, domestic and office moves and storage.

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.

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.

STATIONERY 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 one-stop shop for basic needs.

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

11 Nguyen Huu Canh, Ward 19, Binh Thanh Dist, HCMC

More than 10 years experience

Website: www.estheticfurnishing.com - Email: esthetic@vnn.vn

Devoted premium services/after sales services, every time, every where

Tel: (84 8) 3514 7371/7372 - Fax: (84 8) 3514 7370 - Hotline: Ms Nhat Thu (Director) 0903 849 232 88 asialife HCMC

listings

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), tailormade 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.

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.

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 handembroidered bags.

Mont Blanc Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan Notable for fine writing instruments, Mont Blanc also houses cuff links and other male accessories 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

femme fashion

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 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.

Summer Style

By Adrian Nguyen Summer is here again; you know it when you hear Fantasia singing her summertime hit on the radio repeatedly.

And for a fashionista, another season means another update for the wardrobe. I don’t know about you, but I’m loving the trends this season and can’t wait to rock them.

Cocktail Not your regular strawberry mojito, darling. This season, designers are bringing all kinds of flower and fruit prints into the world. Fashion never looked so delicious! At the top of my list are the citrus prints from Stella McCartney and Moschino, and the cactus prints from Jean Paul Gautier.

Colour clash No more dark and wintery colors for this time of the year, so get out there and find the brightest, most in-your-face colours and mix them all up together in one outfit. Clash them to the max, and don't be afraid to go crazy. You can’t do this all the time, so you might as well go for it while you can. In fact, we love this trend so much that we’ve made a whole collection out of it. So, you can come to our store and go crazy mixing and matching there—while stocks lasts of course. These coloured babies are flying off the shelves.

Like a virgin Colour is not your thing and afraid you can’t pull it off?

You’re in luck this season because white is still so very in, too. Top-to-toe white, offwhite, lace, cotton, silk, short, long, corset, bikini—anything

90 asialife HCMC

ACTIVE WEAR goes. Put them together with some silver accessories and, out of nowhere, you’re the trendiest person in Mekong Merchant for Sunday brunch.

Even though I have to say it’s not so hard to be the trendiest person there on any given day. If you don't know what I’m talking about, check out Dolce & Gabbana—they have an all white collection this time around.

Visual effects I know, you’re thinking, “White is boring”. Well, rock this season’s stripy trend then.

Unlike last year’s navy-onwhite stripe, this year it’s all about mixing things up: big with small, thick with thin, and even vertical with horizontal. Prada, Sonia Rykiel and Celine are my favourites, so check them out for reference.

Made in Asia Now you must feel like you’re in heaven, living in Asia while “all things Asia” is one of the major trends. Louis Vuitton was heavily injected with an Asian feel, while John Galliano and Philosophie have some of the best Chinese collar dresses around.

There are more things to say but my space here is limited, so go get a copy of Elle Vietnam this month; they have a wonderful extra book filled with local designers’ takes on trends as well as addresses for you to go wild for the weeks to come.

Adrian Nguyen is a designer and the owner of the Valenciani brand. Email your fashion questions to adrian. ngn@gmail.com

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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-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-aporter garments and silk and organza dresses in vibrant colours created by Cambodia-based designer Romyda Keth.

Geisha Boutique 85 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3829 4004 This Australian fashion label offers a contemporary range of casual and evening wear, with an exotic Asian influence. Styles, using natural fabrics, include printed t-shirts, singlets, scarves, silk camisoles and maxi dresses.More than just a clothing store...upstairs is a quaint café with comfy sofas and more.

Open 8am – 10pm daily.

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 high-range prices are perfect for twentyand 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

Mekong Creations specialises in unique locally produced household and gift items, including papier mache, silk, bamboo, and water hyacinth products.

Mekong Creations also produces items for luxury French brand Terre d’Oc and has permission to sell these designs locally.

Mekong Creations is a project of parent NGO Mekong Plus, that supports community development programmes in remote villiages in Vietnam and Cambodia. The key objective is to generate employment for women. All profits from products sold are returned to the villages. Mekong Creations focus is to provide rewarding employment, increase family incomes and improve conditions for children in these remote communities.

Our producers are trained in production techniques for their field and supported in design and marketing

by Mekong Plus. All products are made in the villages allowing more time to be spent with families.

asialife HCMC 91

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

Boutique carrying a wide range of bras, panties, pyjamas, accessories and lounge wear.

Labella 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

CHILDREN

Debenhams Vincom Center, 70 - 72 Le Thanh Ton, District 1 A superb range of unique and beautiful clothing for young children (from newborns to 12 years old) imported brand from UK. High to mid-range prices.

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.

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.

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.

DLS Paris 17/5 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, 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 mid-range 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.

112 Xuan Thuy Ward Thao Dien District 2 Ho Chi Minh City Tel/Fax. (+84) 8 62.819.917 shop-hcm@decosy.biz

92 asialife HCMC

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.

REVE Villa Anupa, 17/27 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Tel: 3825 7307 High-end cashmere, lace, and cotton clothes designed by a French mother/ daughter team. All pieces are handmade and tailored for infants to kids 2 years of age.

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

Catwalk 80 Pham Hong Thai Tel: 3829 6819 www.catwalkshoes.com Carries a unique range of Spanish shoes and bags.

Charles & Keith 10 Mac Thi Buoi, 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.

TAILORS 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.

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.

Fair Fahion 69/20 Duong D2, Binh Thanh Tel: 3899 4198 www.fairfashionvn.org A non-profit retail store offering ready-towear and custom-made fashion. Dresses and formal gowns for women, suits and shirts for men, made by highly skilled former sex trade workers trained to haute couture sewing levels.

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.

Uyen 13 Nguyen Thiep, D1 An excellent option with English-speaking staff and a good selection of fabrics (although the price takes a dip if you bring your own) and some off-the-rack staples to copy. Reasonable prices.

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

asialife HCMC 93

Battle of the Bands Photos by Fred Wissink.

94 asialife HCMC

365 days communications' Sixth Anniversary Party

asialife HCMC 95

1 h in Ch

an h

D

h in

PHU NHUAN Ng uye nV an

Huynh Va n Ban

h

nD

yn Hu

inh

Ph u

ng

Tro i

Tran Quang

B

Ph a

hV an B

Ng

Dieu

Na m

Tran Quang

T han g on g Qu y

Ly Ch inh ng

en Hi g on hu oi .T hu .C Ng

Ph u

n

Bi e

Ng uy en Th ien

en uy Ng

n So

e uy Ng

Th ua t

Pha

To

nh

ity rs al ve tur es i Un f Na nc o cie S

Ha

M hi nT

h in

K

nh Cha iet V m

Ng

ng Tro inh nB Tra

u Ph

96 asialife HCMC

uo An D

g uon ng V

r che Tea ining Tra ersity v Uni

Cu

n

DISTRICT 5

Van

an To

an Tr

n uye

ng Pho

g on Vu ng u H

Di

V

Ba nC o

Ly Tha i

E

Thanh

Qu ye n

en uy Ng

V C u M hu on ar o ke i t

Do

inh

V

Ca oT ha ng

District 11 2km

B

Ng uy en Th o

g2 han 3T

Tra nM

en Di

o Xu Tu

DISTRICT 10

D

u Sa

en

Lan Ma n Spo Anh g Th ang Leis rts & Tam ure Clu b

ung

i Th Vo

Ky D

inh

Tru on gD inh

on g

Th

H Hoa

Tran M

Cac h

Van Dang

en uy Ng

C

n Tra

Sa inh Train igon Quy Sta en tion

Tan Binh 0.5km

h

nS y

n Dang Tran M

Ky K

Le V a

Dieu

Tran V a

Nh Tran

Nguyen Du C4, D3, D4 Nguyen Hai Tu B4 Nguyen Hue D4, D5 Nguyen Huu Canh B2 Nguyen Huu Canh C5 Nguyen Huu Cau B3 Nguyen Khac Nhu E3 Nguyen Khoai F3 Nguyen Ngoc Phuong B5 Nguyen Phi Khanh B3 Nguyen Sieu C5, D5 Nguyen Son Ha D2 Nguyen Tat Thanh E5 Nguyen Thai Binh D4, E4 Nguyen Thai Hoc D3, E3, E4 Nguyen Thi Dieu D2, D3 Nguyen Thien Thuat D1, E1, E2 Nguyen Thong C1, C2, D2 Nguyen Thuong Hien D2 Nguyen Trai D3, E2 Nguyen Trung Ngan C5 Nguyen Trung Truc D4 Nguyen Truong To E4, E5 Nguyen Van Cu E2 Nguyen Van Hai B3 Nguyen Van Lac B5 Nguyen Van Thu B4, C3, C4 Nguyen Van Troi B1 Pasteur C2, C3, C4, D4 Pham Hong Thai D2, D3 Pham Ngoc Thach C3 Pham Ngu Lao D3, D4, E3 Pham Viet Chanh B5 Pham Viet Chanh E2 Phan Dinh Phung B2 Phan Ke Binh B4 Phan Van Han B4, B5 Pho Duc Chinh D4, E4 Phung Khac Khoan C3, C4 Suong Nguyet Anh D2, D3 Tan Vinh E4 Thach Thi Thanh B3 Thai Van Lung C5 Thi Sach C5 Thu Khoa Huan D4 Ton Duc Thang C5, D4, D5, E4 Ton That Dam D4 Ton That Thiep D4 Ton That Tung D2, D3 Tran Binh Trong E1 Tran Canh Chan E2 Tran Cao Van C4 Tran Dinh Xu E2, E3 Tran Hung Dao D4, E2, E3 Tran Khac Chan B3 Tran Khanh Du B2, B3 Tran Minh Quyen D1 Tran Minh Quyen C1 Tran Nhan Ton E1 Tran Nhat Duat B3 Tran Phu E1 Tran Quang Dieu B1, B2 Tran Quang Khai B3, B2 Tran Quoc Thao C2, C3 Tran Quoc Toan B2, B3, B2 Tran Van Dang C1, C2 Truong Chinh C3 Truong Dinh C2, D3 Tu Xuong C2, C3, D2 Vinh Khanh E4, E5 Vo Thi Sau B3, C2, C3 Vo Van Tan C3, D2, D3 Vuon Chuoi D2 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh B4, B5 Yersin E4

Airport 3km

ng Ho Le

3 Thang 2 D1 Alexandre de Rhodes C4 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan C1, C2, D2, D3 Ban Co D1 Ben Chuong Duong E4 Ben Van Don E4, E5 Bui Thi Xuan D3 Bui Vien E3 Cach Mang Thang Tam C1, D2, D3 Calmette E4 Cao Ba Nha E3 Cao Thang D1, D2, E2 Chu Manh Trinh C4, C5 Co Bac E3 Co Giang E3 De Tham E3 Dien Bien Phu B4, C3, C2, D1, D2 Dinh Cong Trang B3 Dinh Tien Hoang B3, B4, C4 Do Quang Dau E3 Do Thanh D1 Doan Nhu Hai E5 Doan Van Bo E4, E5 Dong Du D5 Dong Khoi C4, D4, D5 Hai Cua B5 Huynh Tinh Cua B2 Huynh Van Banh B1 Khanh Hoi E4 Ky Con B3, C3, C4, D5 Hai Trieu C5 Ham Nghi D4, C5 Han Thuyen C4 Ho Hao Hon E3 Ho Huan Nghiep D5 Ho Tung Mau D4, D5 Ho Xuan Huong C3, D2 Hoa Hung B1 Hoang Dieu E4, E5 Hung Vuong E1 Huyen Tran Cong Chua D3 Huynh Man Dat B5 Huynh Thuc Khang D4 Ky Dong C1, C2 Le Cong Kieu D4 Le Duan C4, C5 Le Hong Phong D1 Le Lai C3, C4, D3 Le Loi D4 Le Quoc Hung E4, E5 Le Quy Don C3 Le Thanh Ton C4, C5, D3, D4 Le Thi Hong Gam D4, E3, E4 Le Thi Rieng D3 Le Van Phuc B3 Le Van Sy C1, C2 Luong Huu Khanh D2, E2 Luu Van Lang D4 Ly Chinh Thang B2, C2 Ly Thai To E1 Ly Tu Trong C4, C5, D4, D5 Mac Dinh Chi B3, C4 Mac Thi Buoi D5 Mai Thi Luu B4 Mai Van Ngoc B1 Me Linh B5 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia B2, C2, C3, D4, E4 Ngo Duc Ke D5 Ngo Thoi Nhiem C2, D2 Ngo Van Nam C5 Nguyen Binh Khiem B4, B5, C5 Nguyen Cong Tru E4 Nguyen Cu Trinh E2, E3 NguyenDinhChieu B4,C3,C4,D1,D2,D3 Nguyen Dinh Chinh B1

A

Di en

Street Guide

2

yen Ngu

DISTR Trai

3 4th Floor ONG&ONG Building 159 Phan Xich Long St Ward 7, Phu Nhuan District

Ca u Ng .H uu

V

iN

Tru on g

gh ia

TranQu

iS

Ph am

DISTRICT 3 Le Q

au

Hu ye n

uy o en Th Ng on g

ieu Ch

Tu Ly

Tam

en uy

i Tra

i Le La

Tra i uye n Ng

HCM City Boat Quay (for Vung Tau)

n Do

i u Ha n Nh Doa

uo cH un g

gD an Ho

ieu

Vung Tau

h

Nh u g an Gi o C

u r ie iT Ha

n ha tT Ta en uy Ng

Ho n

Kh

Thu Thiem Ferry Port (for District 2)

e

o Ng

To

H.

c Ba Co

cK Du

g on Tru Ng

Ho

Van Ben

h an Kh

a Nh

Ng

V

Cat Lai Ferry 9km

nh Vi

an Tr

ng Hu

ao Xu C

Ba

te et lm Ca

TRICT 1

Din h

nh

nh Ca

ep

u g Tr Con Ng.

Le Q

am Th

Tra n

ri Cu T

a

St

u Hu

i uo

Le Cong Kieu

am gG inh on iB H i ha h T T en Le uy Ng Ky C on ru gT on .C g N

De

yen Ngu

iB Th

m

Saigon Bridge & Highway 1 3km

Na m

hi . Ng H.H

ac

u M p yen hie Hu T t e Ton Th a ng

Ham Nghi

Du

hie

a

nh hi cC Du

Vien

n Hu

Ngo

n To

Th a

ng

ha cK Thu h n Huy

i Lo Le

hK

en uy Ng

ac h

Do

Ng

ng . La

l

Bin

cT ha ng

h an Th e L

i Lo Le

Le

o Da Bus tion g

g

oi

l al H n n h To w n

nT ru ng Tru c

ye n

iV an Lu at ng u Q ieu a S B o Ng Ca

To Tha

n .V Be anh t L e Th ark M

n rsi Ye

Bu i

an Tr

oc

t

u Da Q.

Binh

Do

hai

CoT Marke ng Qu yn h

ao

am Th

L Ngu Pham

De

ha nh

ang

Lac

Pham Hong Thai

inh

Kh

on Tr

u Ma

Ng

nN nA uye

Pa ste ur

Du

an hT rin h

Th iS

o Ph

Tu ng

H

Do ng

g

m Da

To nT ha t

ng Tro

Ng

h nT

en uy

Tu Ly

Ng u

h Cu

o & Ga Bo rd tan en ic s a

n en ga uy g N Ng un Tr

ng Tu

Tha ng

Kh

M

Ho

ang

H ai Th

Lu on gH uu K

ye

Cultural Park

an Xu ieng hi hi R T i Le T Bu

g on

Th u

Ch u

Zo

an Du

To n

.

T. T

ai Kh

u Ng

nh tA

inh

an Du Le

Du en uy g N Ng uy e

Co ng Ch ua

Po Cen H st tra ai Of l Ba fic Tru e n

ie

Le

ur

an nT Va

Cao Th

ran

n ye

h in

eu

es od Rh

a gh H ia

u Ng

M

Hu Re-unification ye Palace nT

Cac hM

Su

a

V

Tru on gD

n H tele HTV oa visio ng n

te Pas

Vo

n

e eD dr

a Na ex m Al Ky Kh oi N

oi Th

Di

V Xo

t Da

nh

Nh ng Th an uo hQ H ua n an Xu o H hi nT ye u Ng

Tie

h

in

eT gh N t

n Va an Ph

Di

iem

hie m

ur

War n Remnants n Ta Museum o Va

Gi aT hi eu

hK

DISTRICT 1

on

uo cT ha o

uy en

Pa ste

nh Di n ye u Ng Ma cD inh Ch i an V o a C an Tr

Ng oc Th ac h

Bin

H St oa a Di diu Lu nh m

ieu Ch

n ua

n ye

Ng

uy D

e uy Ng

u Th an V n

Ma iT hi Lu u Ke Bin h

h Tin

an

Tra nQ

hu nP Bie

en B Di a

m Ta n Va ark Le P

Qu ye n

oc To an

ho

Tr an

Qu

g

Ph an

Ng u yen Van

Ca

Hu u

oc Toa n

Tha ch T hi T han ng h u a Tr Sa .

C hi .

T D o

uy en

Huy n

Me Linh

Cu a

aT run

Ng

ng uo Ph oc

iB

Hoang S a

Ng HaiTu

Khai Tran Quang Ng. Phi Khanh L. V. Ph uc

Ng

Ky K

i nh

Ha

Van

n

m

hT

N

Cuu

e uy Ng

Ngu yen

c Chan

Duat

Hu yn

ai .H .V

yen

Pham Van Han

Truon g Sa

Nguy en D u

Du

Ngu

BINH THANH

ha Tran K

at Tran Nh

nh

Vo Huy Tan

Huynh Man Dat

o

Tha Ton D ng u Mu c seu m

La

h Tran Khan

5

Phan Xich Long

Dinh Tien Hoang

Cu

4 Gia Dinh Hospital

Do

an Van B

District 7 & Nha Be

o

o Da asialife HCMC 97

DISTRICT 4

boxoffice

Rio (3D)

Source Code

Hop

The Roommate

If the voices behind a movie are enough to ensure a hit, this movie can’t be missed. From the makers of Ice Age comes a comedy adventure about taking a walk on the wild side. Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a domesticated Macaw living in Minnesota, is believed to be the last of his kind. But, when scientists learn of a female macaw, they send him to Rio de Janeiro to meet her. Here he confronts his fear of flying in order to win Jewel’s (Anne Hathaway) heart. Blu and Jewel survive a kidnapping with the help of a group of wise-cracking city animals (George Lopez, Tracy Morgan, will.i.am, Wanda Sykes, and Jamie Foxx.)

Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up on a train, not knowing whose body he’s in or why he’s there. He suspects foul play and panics, just as a bomb goes off, killing Stevens and everyone on board. When he wakes up, he learns he's part of a government experiment that enables him to cross over into another man's identity in the last eight minutes of his life.

Colter re-lives the incident over and over again, gathering clues each time, until he discovers who is behind the bombs to prevent the next attack. Filled with mind-boggling twists and heart-pounding suspense, Source Code is a smart actionthriller directed by Duncan Jones.

From the makers of Despicable Me comes Hop, a comedy about EB (British comedian Russell Brand), the teenage son of the Easter Bunny. Instead of taking over the family business, EB leaves for Hollywood to pursue his dream of becoming a drummer in a rock band. He encounters Fred (James Marsden), an out-of-work slacker with his own lofty goals, who accidentally hits EB with his car. Feigning injury, EB manipulates Fred into providing him with a place to live. As Fred struggles with the world’s worst houseguest, both will learn what it takes to finally grow up.

For anyone who has been to college and gone through the random roommate selection process, this movie might hit a little close to the dorm—or home. Initially, though they may not have a lot in common, it seems that Sara (Minka Kelly) and her new roommate Rebecca (Leighton Meester) could be best friends. That is, until Rebecca begins to overstep all social boundaries. She develops an eerie attachment to Sara— wearing her dead sister’s necklace and impersonating her to alienate Sara’s friends and professors. Throw in some crazy frat parties and some blood, and this thriller might make you think twice next time you are looking for a new roommate.

Opening Dates CINEMAS G: Galaxy www.galaxycine.vn

M: Megastar www.megastarmedia.net

T: Thang Long www.giaitrithanglong.com/cinema

98 asialife HCMC

The Roommate (April 8) Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (April 22) Rio (3D) (April 8) Source Code (April 29) Hop (April 1) Rio (3D) (April 8)

The information on this page was correct at the time of printing. Check cinema websites for screenings.

bookshelf Blood, Bones and Butter

Moonwalking with Einstein

Random House

The Penguin Press HC

Gabrielle Hamilton

Combining a lifetime of experience in kitchens with an MFA in creative writing, Gabrielle Hamilton offers us Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef, a gritty and passionate memoir that has Anthony Bourdain swooning. She recalls the comfort of her parents’ kitchen as a child and lets us follow as her family dissolves and she ends up in New York using drugs and eating ketchup to stave off hunger. Her years wandering, often aimlessly, through kitchens across the world, culminate in the opening of Prune, her acclaimed restaurant in New York’s East Side.

Joshua Foer

Do you have a bad memory? Feel like there isn’t a chance for improvement? Joshua Foer, a scientific journalist, set out to cover the US Memory Championship, and then, after a year of training under some of the world’s best memorisers, returned as a competitor. He studies the mind of a man who can memorise 1,528 random numbers in a row, and that of a man who can’t remember his last thought. In a time when books, smartphones, and computers have all but made our memories obsolete, he learns methods, like connecting absurd visual imagery (Einstein moonwalking) to lists and numbers, that give the rest of us hope.

The Millionaire Messenger

The Paris Wife

Morgan James Publishing

Ballantine Books

Brendon Burchard We may not realise it, but our life stories and experiences are socially and financially valuable. Though there are hundreds of books out there about making money, Brendon Burchard, founder of Experts Academy, takes a different approach, showing us in ten practical steps how to use the lessons learned and expertise gained, in any area of life, to serve others and have a fulfilling career. In this quick read, you choose your topic and Burchard will teach you how to share it with the world through websites, books, speeches, seminars, coaching, consulting, and online programs.

Paula McLain

Paula McLain sorts through the love letters between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley Richardson, to deliver an enchanting tale of one of history’s greatest romances. Until she meets Ernest, Hadley, at 28, is practically a spinster who has all but given up on love. Like so many of us, she falls for his charm and passionate sincerity and moves with him to Paris where they live through the intoxicating Jazz Age with the likes of Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

In his memoir, A Moveable Feast, Hemingway writes of Hadley, “I wished I had died before I ever loved anyone but her”.

asialife HCMC 99

soundfix album review

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Lykke Li

The Strokes

Generationals

Those Darlins

Wounded Rhymes

Angles

Actor-Caster

Screws Get Loose

When Buraka Som Sistema remixed Lykke Li’s 2008 single, “Dance, Dance, Dance”, we got our first hint of how her bubblegum voice could fare when paired with some tribal beats.

With “Get Some”, the addictive lead single off her second album, Wounded Rhymes, that’s just the sound she captures— this time on her own. “I’m your prostitute/You gon’ get some” she announces with some sass.

The slight Swedish blonde can charm listeners with an edgy side just as much as she did with her innocent act. Throughout this album, Lykke Li proves she is unafraid to experiment— with the retro-sounding “I Follow Rivers”, she lets her voice drop sultrily, with “Love Out of Lost”, she’s earnest and ethereal, and with “Love is Unrequited”, she even channels Loretta Lynn. Arrangements from her first album are barely memorable, yet the additions of sonic flourishes and vocal effects make for more exhilirating trimmings this time.

“I’ve been out around this town/Everybody’s singing the same song for 10 years”, croons Julian Casablancas on “Under the Cover of Darkness”, the lead single from Angles. If anyone would know, it’s this band; nearly 10 years have passed since they released Is This It, spawning untold numbers of shaggy haired, skinny jean-wearing, guitar-wielding wannabes. Time doesn’t wait for anyone and so the question music fans have been left wondering is, are The Strokes still relevant? There is plenty on Angles to leave listeners answering that in affirmative, from the ‘80s reggae-synth “Machu Piccu” to the bopping “Gratisfaction”. While the heart of The Strokes remains intact, it’s clear that this is a band grappling with the question themselves (for the first time, they split up writing duties, rather than give Casablancas complete creative control). Rather than make us think about where they’ve been, Angles gives you a reason to focus on where The Strokes are going.

Neither heartbreak nor empty bank accounts can keep Generationals down. On the New Orleans duo’s sophomore album, Actor-Caster, they plow through laments on modern-day afflictions with jaunty guitar lines and plucky piano notes, despite lines like, “It won’t get better until you leave me alone” and “I give you one more chance to make it better/But you don’t seem to care”. For a band that’s been together for just three years and two albums, Generationals are remarkably talented; they write effortlessly catchy indie rock songs like they’ve been doing it for a lifetime. It helps that Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer (who share both singing and instrument duties) have known each other since they were 13—as does their knack for taking inspiration from bands as varied as the Smiths, Vampire Weekend and the New Pornographers, and making it all fit into one surprisingly cohesive album.

In the four years since Those Darlins first started playing twangy garage rock, they’ve popped pills, met boys, and lost their minds—at least, they do on their sophomore release, Screws Get Loose. “I should have took my meds, man/All these dirty kids, man/Pushing each other around,” drawls lead singer Jessi Darlin on the album’s opener and title track. The album spins out from there, tapping everything from the honky tonks to dirty dive bars for sonic inspiration, but the sentiment never changes: Rock’n’roll isn’t for the weak of heart. But that doesn’t mean this Tennessee four-piece (comprised of the three Darlins—Jessi, Nikki, and Kelley—and drummer Linwood Regensburg) is an unhappy lot.

In fact, they seem quite content with all the mayhem, noting during the chorus to “Screws Get Loose”, “Can’t blame me for what I choose/Screws get loose/Can’t change me after all these years”.

100 asialife HCMC

xoneFM top ten

endorsed

Official xoneFM Vietnam Top 10 this last

title

artist

1 New 2 8 9

Born This Way 21st Century Girl What The Hell Price Tag Rocketeer

5 6 10 Reentry 7

Grenade Need You Last Dance I’m In Here Kidz

Lady Gaga Willow Smith Avril Lavigne Jessie J feat. BOB Fareast Movement feat.

Ryan Tedder Bruno Mars Travis McCoy Clare Maguire Sia Take That

week week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

US Top 10 this last

week week

title

artist Lady Gaga Cee Lo Green Katy Perry feat. Kanye West Rihanna Jennifer Lopez feat.

Pitbull P!nk Bruno Mars Enrique Iglesias feat.

Ludacris & DJ Frank E Britney Spears Ke$ha

1 2 3

1 2 8

Born This Way F**k You (Forget You) E.T.

4 5

3 5

S&M On The Floor

6 7 8

4 6 9

F**kin' Perfect Grenade Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)

9 10

20 7

Till The World Ends Blow

Australia Top 10 this last

week week

title

artist Nicole Scherzinger

1

New

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 New 2 3 5 4 9 11

Don't Hold Your Breath Someone Like You Gold Forever Price Tag S&M Black And Yellow Born This Way Rolling In The Deep I Need A Doctor

10

New

Louder

Adele Wanted Jessie J feat. Bob Rihanna Wiz Khalifa Lady Gaga Adele Dr Dre feat. Eminem & Skylar Grey Parade

Burma VJ

By Nora Lindstrom Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary Feature, Burma VJ packs a punch.

It’s one of those films that may make you question what you’re doing with your life, and whether you shouldn’t be doing something more worthwhile.

Very current in the aftermath of the November 7 mock-elections, the film follows 27-yearold “Joshua”, an undercover video journalist who, together with a group of others, documents the reality of life in the junta-led country.

Shooting at great personal risk using handheld video cameras, the VJs cover events in the streets of Yangon, producing footage which is then smuggled out of the country and broadcast back into Myanmar via satellite.

The material is also offered to international media, making it some of the only real news coming out of the police state.

The documentary, made by filmmaker Anders Ostergaard, strings together footage by Joshua and his friends with a focus on the historical and dramatic days of September 2007, when the Buddhist monks started marching.

Hiding amongst the crowds and doing their best to evade the police and state intelligence, the VJs document the uprising. Without their tireless efforts, this show of defiance against their despotic rulers may have gone largely unnoticed. This, without question, is important journalism.

Burma VJ is not without its parallels in Cambodia. Recent crackdowns on the freedom of speech, including the imprisonment of journalists on charges of disinformation, raise concerns about the future of the freedom of expression in Myanmar’s neighbour, too.

Yet, at the same time, Cambodian VJs are making their debut. Students are embracing social media and film, while monks and ordinary villagers are using video cameras to document human rights abuses taking place around the country. Screened almost every month at Meta House, Burma VJ could be a source of inspiration for more Cambodians to start exercising their freedom of speech.

The documentary is, however, also a reminder that, in dictatorships, freedom often comes at a cost. At least five VJs and individual activists who took part in the film are currently incarcerated for their roles in the Saffron Revolution.

In the film itself, Joshua has to flee the country and the VJs’ office is raided.

Nevertheless, their inspirational work continues. The outlet for the Burmese VJs’ footage, the Democratic Voice of Burma, covered the recent elections, providing a vital window into the country at a time when international observers and foreign journalists were banned by the junta. We can only hope these brave freedom fighters have the courage to continue.

asialife HCMC 101

radar The Art of Idling

idler.co.uk The Idler campaigns wholeheartedly against the work ethic and asks for dignity to be returned to the art of loafing. A hardcopy is published annually, but the website provides a comprehensive overview of how to best live an idle lifestyle.

One article even gives a step-by-step guide to being made redundant (Tips: act depressed and be incompetent).

And the just-opened London-based Idler Academy will help would-bemoochers perfect their craft. The bookshop/coffeehouse and school offers seemingly useless courses in Latin, embroidery and ukulele playing; for there’s nothing wrong with indulging idle pleasures.

Metal Charted mapofmetal.com

Map of Metal takes users on an interactive musical journey. The genre is broken down across a denim-clad background into sub-categories like avantgarde metal, industrial metal, folk metal, melodic power metal and traditional doom metal. It would seem metal is surprisingly complex.

An explanation is then given, which describes in detail the era that particular style of metal was popular, what it signified and the artists who made it famous.

A selection of songs that match the style can be chosen from an adjacent playlist—so metal enthusiasts can listen while they learn.

Packing Light

onebag.com Go-Light guru Doug Dyment began One Bag more than a decade ago to share the travel tips he’d garnered from years of business trips. He asserts that a lighter load equals less hassle and a far more enjoyable journey, whatever the purpose.

He’s uploaded his own packing list, which can be adapted for personal use and cautions, “If it’s not on your list, it shouldn’t be in your bag”. Packing techniques are also outlined, including advice on how to avoid wrinkled clothing.

Adhere to the instructions and Doug says all you’ll ever need to travel anywhere is a single carry-on-sized bag.

102 asialife HCMC

THE TWO OF US Public relations consultant Matt Underwood and music producer Laurent Jaccoux have mastered the fine art of banter over the last six years.

They tell the story of their friendship to Brett Davis. Photo by Fred Wissink.

Laurent

Matt I was working in Singapore and got a call from someone who said they had heard I was smart enough to run an agency and dumb enough to move to Vietnam. So I came here in 2004 and recently started my own agency.

Laurent and I met about six years ago through a work friend.

It was actually when we used to sneak into the old District 1 RMIT campus to play basketball on a Sunday afternoon.

There was more of a community of us back then. A bunch of people trying to figure out a place that made no sense at all.

Things sort of changed about three years ago, a lot of friends left.

Laurent has come and gone from Vietnam a few times since then. He has a going away party every time he crosses the street.

But he is one of the few people I know who can be witty in a

second language.

He’s very good at making things up and having people believe them. He recently told a girl his job was to dig lakes, focusing particularly on the key markets of Europe and Dalat. He doesn’t do it in a mean way, but just to amuse himself.

Once we were at a place called the Berlin Bar and we met this girl. When she said she studied music, Laurent told her he was a music producer and had studied the dan bau for 11 years. And that he was a racecar driver, but only in Europe, and that he was an astronaut and was the first man to play the dan bau on the moon.

I think she believed him up until the bit about playing the dan bau on the moon.

I do like to wind him up a bit.

He always feels compelled to defend France. He’s like Napoleon, only taller.

Laurent Jaccoux (left) and Matt Underwood.

104 asialife HCMC

I came to Saigon for the first time in September 2004 with a Danish guy who wanted me to work at a studio he had set up here. The guy owned a furniture business here so he wanted to work in Vietnam but it could just as well have been South Africa or anywhere, I would have gone there.

So it was just coincidence I came here and Matt and I met.

Originally I only planned to stay here for six months. I have been back to France about maybe 10 times since then but I’m very comfortable here. For going out it is a very good town. Basketball doesn’t really bring people together like drinking does.

I’m not really living in Saigon at the moment so I am crashing at Matt’s house. So he is forced to see me every day. Even though I’m not living here anymore, it doesn’t change things.

When you are first here there

is more that feeling of excitement and you are more willing to meet people, tell them your story. As time goes on that feeling fades and you focus on a core group of friends.

You meet a lot of people here but the ones you want to keep in touch with you could count on two hands.

Why are Matt and me friends?

It’s hard to say. Sometimes you just click with people. It is also going through the same period of life in the same place. You see with the same eyes and have the same experiences. Here in Vietnam it is very much like your friends become your family.

I moved back to Paris last summer, but we keep in touch and get on very well. The French are also sarcastic and have a very dry sense of humour. So we have the same humour, the same bullshit.

Photo by Jennifer Watson.

Dearest Saigon, It’s been just over a year now since we went our separate ways. I think of you often, but I do believe our split was for the best. It wasn’t you. It was me. I just needed more time before we settled down for good.

It was great. I still love you, very much. It was timing. Yes, the timing. The timing was off.

I’ve got a new city now: London. He’s got some similar characteristics to you; he’s big, he’s noisy, he’s great for travel, he’s bustling and boisterous and he’s fun to be around. We share so many of the same interests.

He’s full of art and design, film, theatre, music and fashion. I fell head over heels with London and we’re still going steady.

But, it goes without saying, London isn’t you.

I miss how you cooked for me. Every single day, without fail, there’d be something fresh and exotic waiting for me at midday and in the evening.

The freshest vegetables, herbs and seasonings. Smells wafting down alleyways, from little carts trundling down the street, from your pop-up, plastic take on al fresco. And you never, ever tried to charge me too much.

London offered me bun thit nuong in Shoreditch last week, but it just wasn’t the same. The Saigon beer, brewed in France, came in tiny, clean bottles from a dainty wee fridge, not a dirty, green crate. The vegetable salad

and herb flavours were great, but just didn’t seem as fresh or satisfying. The nuoc cham wasn’t nearly as amazing or authentic tasting. And then the price was ridiculous. You would shudder if you knew.

I miss all the pampering you did for me. You were really good at that. I was treated like a queen. I got so used to the weekly massages, the regular pedicures and manicures, the facials and the hair treatments.

I radiated when I was with you. Now my hair is dark and lifeless, my skin is dull, my toes aren’t pretty and my fingernails look sad.

I miss your smile. You always had one on every street corner, in every market stall, on every

motorbike. You were always so friendly and welcoming to me; you took me in, you looked after me and we had some amazing experiences. Sure, we had a bad patch here and there, everyone does, but, oh, your smile. It was always there to cheer me up and make my day. London is full of grumpy frowns and furrowed brows, pushy commuters and slow-moving queues.

I guess what it all really comes down to is this: I just miss you. London and I talked about it, and thought it best to write and let you know.

I’m hoping our paths may cross again soon and we can pick up where we left off. Stay beautiful, Saigon.

Love you long time.

asialife HCMC 105

pub quiz

6) Which spice gives curry its colour?

7) With which spice is Hungarian Goulash traditionally flavoured?

8) What is the most traded spice globally, with Vietnam currently the largest producer?

9) What spice is derived from the pods of a climbing orchid?

10) How many spices are mixed in allspice?

26)

Around The World 16) Which Italian city, famous for its art and architecture, is the capital of Tuscany?

17) Which city, 2500ft above sea level, is the largest in area in the Southern Hemisphere?

18) Which area of France is known for the breeding of white horses and black bulls?

19) Which European country has four official languages: German, Italian, French and Romansch?

20) Which is the largest island in the West Indies?

Way Out West 21) What is the most westerly point of England?

22) Which rifle was nicknamed "The Gun That Won The West"?

106 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 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: 50-11/CXB/102-123/THTPHCM Ngaøy 12/01/2011 In taïi Coâng ty ITAXA, ñòa chæ 126 Nguyeãn Thò Minh Khai, Q.3.

In xong vaø noäp löu chieåu thaùng 04/ 2010 365 Days Advertising Trading Services Co.,Ltd L4,159 Phan Xich Long, P7, Phu Nhuan District Tel: +84 8 3517 2208

27)

Director: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@threesixfive-days.com

Managing Editor: Brett Davis brett@asialifehcmc.com

Deputy Editor: Beth Young beth@asialifehcmc.com

Contributing Editor: Frances McInnis frances@asialifehcmc.com

Photo Editor: Fred Wissink fpwphoto@gmail.com

Grand!

11) The river which forms part of the border between Texas and Mexico is called the Rio Grande by the Americans; what do the Mexicans call it?

12) Which fruit gives the drink Grand Marnier its distinctive flavour?

13) In which year was the running of the Grand National declared void after Esha Ness was first past the post?

14) How many pedals does a concert grand piano have?

15) Who is Queen Elizabeth II's eldest grandchild?

Thoâng tin du lòch vaø vaên hoaù ôû Vieät Nam ASIALIFE HCMC

28)

Editorial Intern: Grace Lewis

Production: Nguyen Kim Hoa nguyenhoa@threesixfive-days.com

Art Director: Johnny Murphy johnny@threesixfive-days.com

Editorial Assistant: Stephy Thai yen@asialifehcmc.com

Senior Designer: Nguyen Mai Anh maianh@threesixfive-days.com

Photography Interns: Miguel Lopez Nguyen An Vinh, Alex Belikov, Eunji Chung

For advertising and marketing enquiries please call: Nguyen Kim Hanh +84 908 298395 / +84 8 3517 2208 Distribution: Super Long +84 937 633283 AsiaLIFE is a registered trademark. No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners. © Ba Sau Nam Co,Ltd Vietnam

8

7

5

1

5

6 1

29)

4 4

9

3

1

6 9

4

2

5

4

3

5 30)

8 1

8

7

4

Pub Quiz Answers

Spices

23) In mainland Europe which country contains the most westerly point?

24) Which landmark stands at the western end of the Champs Elysees in Paris?

25) "Go West" is a song by the Village People. The song eventually found greater success when it was covered in 1993 by which group?

1) Belgium 2) Portugal 3) Jamaica 4) Heineken 5) Mexico 6) Turmeric 7) Paprika 8) (Black) Pepper 9) Vanilla 10) None are mixed - it's a single spice 11) Rio Bravo 12) Orange 13) 1993 14) Three15) Peter Phillips (b. 1977) 16) Florence 17) Sao Paulo 18) The Carmargue 19) Switzerland 20) Cuba 21) Land's End 22) Winchester 23) Portugal 24) The Arc De Triomphe 25) The Pet Shop Boys 26) Sean Connery 27) Danny Devito 28) Gary Coleman 29) Anthony Hopkins 30) Leonardo Di Caprio

Drink Origins 1) Which country produces Stella Artois?

2) Madeira wine is a product of which country?

3) Where is the home of Red Stripe lager beer?

4) What started being produced in Amsterdam in 1864?

5) Where does Kahlúa, the coffee-flavoured liqueur, call home?

FAMILY SUMMER HOLIDAYS (Applicable for Vietnamese nationals and the Expatriates in Vietnam)

Price: US$ 280++/ night for Hill Top Villa US$ 310++/ night for Beach Pool Villa US$ 570++/ night for Water Villa or Rock Villa US$ 1,160++/ night for Presidential Villa

.. .. .. .

Including: 1 night stay at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Daily breakfast buffet Shuttle bus airport and boat transfer A bottle of sparkling wine upon arrival Refreshing welcome drink and fruit basket Complimentary services: snorkeling and kayaking A US$ 40 Spa voucher valid for any Signature Spa treatment These rates are subject to 5% service charge and 10% tax.

Terms and conditions *Valid from 6 May, 2011 to 31 August, 2011 *Based on twin share and minimum stay 2 nights *Whole family will be maximum 2 adults + 2 children under 12 years old, sharing per villa *Spa voucher valid only one time per stay, not combinable or valid for other spa prmotions

Tel: E-mail:

+84 58 3 524 268 Fax: +84 58 3 524 704 reservations-ninhvan@sixsenses.com