#individual cult of the
ISBN: 978 - 604 - 905 - 573 - 7
www.asialifemagazine.com
CAMBODIA // THAILAND // VIETNAM
OCTOBER 2014
VOLUME 79
26
O L R E CA
C
M
Y
CM
FRONT
FOOD & DRINK
EVENTS ............................................................. 0 6 NEWS ............................................................... 0 8
bar's bar
TOP 5: REVAMP YOUR WARDROBE .............. 1 1 Q &A With Dang Nguyen ............................................ 1 4 PHOTO ESSAY Buidling Blocks ..................................................... 1 6
C OV E R STO RY The cult of the individual ......................................... 2 0
F E AT U R E S
sticky fingers
Barbecue at your doorstep .................................... 4 0
leng keng ZONE
Beer and brouhaha in Binh Thanh............................. 4 1
MEKONG TREASURES
Human chess martial arts ....................................... 2 6
SMOKIN'
The art of DIY barbecue ........................................ 2 8
Street Salon
HCMC's old-fashioned barbers ................................ 3 0
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T R AV E L Bicycle to the border
CMY
K
T N O M
4 1 0 2 A L A G Y T I R A CH
TICKET PRICE
T HOTEL T A Y H K M PAR ND - 6.30P 2 2 ER asino NOVEMB rlo c
Sadec District's artisan-inspired homeware ............... 4 2 Fresh kicks for sneakerheads ................................... 4 4
te Ca
D
IMBIBE ................................................................ 5 2 LOCAL EATS ..................................................... 5 4 FITNESS ............................................................. 5 6 PERSONAL FINANCE ...................................... 6 0
Points of sale
HOME IMPROVEMENT .................................... 6 2
D1: Centre MĂŠdical International - 1 Han Thuyen St. Annam Gourmet - 16 - 18 Hai Ba Trung St.
PEOPLE MATTER .............................................. 6 4
For more details please contact: lorraine.alamartine@cmi-vietnam.com or 08 38 27 23 66/67
HOT PROPERTY ............................................... 6 3
Bicycling from HCMC to Phnom Penh ..................... 3 4
SLOWING DOWN IN BEAUTIFUL BOHOL Escape to the Philippines ........................................ 3 6
LETTER FROM HANOI .................................... 7 7
odd one out .............................................. 7 6
2.900.000VND
n e: Mo d o c ress
COLUMNS
FASHION RULES .............................................. 6 6
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CY
fashion: G-LAB
Mortal combat
Infidelity in Vietnam, by the numbers .............................
Dining in the dark .................................................. 3 9
STYLE & DESIGN
#me
DANGEROUS LIASIONS
A sophisticated cocktail hideaway ........................... 3 8
blackout
MY
D2: Annam Gourmet - 41A Thao Dien St. D7: Annam Gourmet - SB2 - 1 My Khanh 4, Nguyen Duc Canh St. A design by Starseed
events That Little Distance solo exhibition at Galerie Quynh
Until 31 October
Level 2, 151/3 Dong Khoi Street, D1.
Galerie Quynh is pleased to present That Little Distance, an exhibition of new work by Hanoibased photographer Jamie Maxtone-Graham. Drawing from two bodies of work, Still. Life. and That Little Distance, the exhibition features photographs produced in the derelict setting of a former factory where the only light source was daylight passing through a large, north-facing window. Each photo was taken with an exposure of 15 to 20 seconds. With a nod to 17th-century Dutch painting and the memento mori genre, the dramatic light in the photos lends the work a sacred and serene air. arts & Entertainment
Autumn Galleria at Sàn Art
Until 31 October
Sàn Art, 3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh District
Image courtesy of San Art
Travel back in time and visit the fictional school of Alexandre de Rhodes (the French Jesuit missionary who created Vietnam’s written script) established by six Vietnamese artists. Phan Thao Nguyen recreates history with careful gestures of oil on photographic film. Nguyen Thai Tuan's canvases are haunting reminders of another war-torn history left in fragments. Nguyen Van Du visits a local abattoir and explores violence. Photographer Phan Quang presents TV Time, reflecting on humans monopolised through televised propaganda or the structures we choose as limits in our lives. Le Hoang Bich Phuong thinks about the mechanisms we manipulate in order to manoeuvre our desires in society through The Man I Have Met. Last, Le Phi Phong proposes a debate about nature with ink drawings. Can nature be assisted through technology? Or will human's new nature be dominated by the realm of machines? The exhibition runs through 31 October at Sàn Art, 3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh district.
arts & Entertainment
Dancenter’s Song – Life is a Game at Hoa Binh Theatre
4 October 8pm
14/3 Thang 2 Street, D10
Dancenter will debut Sống - Life is a Game, a dance show by Vietnamese-bred and Canadianborn choreographer John Huy Tran on 4 October at Hoa Binh Theatre. A dance professional, Tran is young, dynamic and positive, organising some of the best young dance talent in Ho Chi Minh City to show audiences. Guest performers include My Tam, Phuong Vy, beatboxer Mr T and hip hop choreographers Viet Max and Ha Le, as well as live graffiti by The Saigon Projects. The show begins at 8pm. DANCE & performance
For more news and events, features, restaurant reviews and video, visit:
www.asialifemagazine.com
This Month's Cover: Photography: Vinh Dao
For advertising and marketing enquiries please contact: +84 938 298 395 / +84 8 6680 6105 or adsales@asialifehcmc.com
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Director: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialifemagazine.com
Art Director: Sarah Joanne Smith sarah@asialifemagazine.com
Style Editor: Ruben Luong ruben@asialifemagazine.com
Production Manager: Hoa Nguyen nguyenhoa@asialifehcmc.com
Editorial Director: Brett Davis brett@asialifehcmc.com
Photo Editor: Vinh Dao vinh@asialifemagazine.com
Contributing Editor: Dana Filek-Gibson dana@asialifemagazine.com
Administrative: Nguyen Hanh Trinh trinh.nguyen@asialifehcmc.com
news Saigon’s first Japanese food museum opens in Tan Phu
Vietnam Airlines to begin direct flights to India
Vietnam and the United States to resume inter-country adoptions Photo: AP Photo/Chitose Suzuki
Photo: Thanh Nien News
A colourful display dedicated to Japanese cuisine, complete with plastic food models and detailed explanations of each dish, has opened to the public in Tan Phu District’s Aeon Mall. Consul General of Japan Yagabe Yoshinori was present for the museum’s opening, which took place 3 September and kicked off a six-month series of Japanese food festivals, both at the Aeon Mall and at Sushi Bar locations around the city.
Photo: Thanh Nien News
The CEO of Vietnam Airlines Pham Ngoc Minh and Naresh Goyal, chairman of Indian carrier Jet Airways, inked a deal last month to begin direct flights between the two nations. Beginning 5 November, the airlines will offer flights from Delhi and Mumbai to HCMC and vice versa. The agreement was made under the watch of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Indian counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee, during an official four-day visit to Hanoi.
Vietnam may legalise marriage brokerage Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment has proposed a law which would legalise marriage brokerage services connecting Vietnamese nationals with foreign spouses. According to Hanoi’s Research Centre for Gender and Development, 10,000 Vietnamese women wed foreign men each year, a fact which government officials are using to justify the proposed legislation, hoping to impose stricter regulations on the practice and curtail the 400 to 500 cases of human trafficking which occur as a result of these brokerages each year. At a legislative session on Tuesday, lawmakers requested that the bill further clarify its stance on the framework of legal marriage brokerage.
American parents will soon be able to adopt Vietnamese children, according to the US Embassy in Hanoi. Last month, American officials announced the resumption of a limited adoption program. Under the new program, only children with special needs and those over five years of age will be eligible for adoption. Officials are optimistic that these stipulations will make it easier for Vietnamese officials to closely monitor all adoption cases, ensuring the safety and well-being of the children in question. Six years ago, the United States imposed a ban on Vietnamese adoptions after suspicions of baby-selling arose. These allegations were later confirmed by a UN-commissioned report, which found that adoption agencies in Vietnam often paid off orphanages to target children for adoption without performing proper background checks.
83-year-old mountain climber honoured in Asia Book of Records
Photo: Nguyen Le Chi
Vietnam aims to become major investor in Myanmar by 2015 By 2015, Vietnam aims to become one of Myanmar’s top five foreign investors, according to an announcement made Sunday by the Association of Vietnamese Investors in Myanmar (AVIM). Since opening to the global economy, 56 Vietnamese businesses have received government approval to operate in the country. AVIM has also organised investment studies and research trips for nearly 5,000 Vietnamese businesspeople. Moving forward, the association’s three main goals are to invest USD $1.5 billion in Myanmar’s economy, boost bilateral trade and encourage Vietnamese tourists to visit the country. Photo: Tuoi Tre News
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Photo courtesy of Vietnam book of records (Vietkings)
Last month, the Asia Book of Records officially recognised 83-year-old Huynh Van Rang as the oldest climber to scale Mount Fansipan, Vietnam’s highest peak. The Binh Duong native has reached the peak of Fansipan, also known as the Roof of Indochina, four times, with his most recent journey taking place earlier this year. According to Rang, the key to his good health is moderate exercise and an appropriate diet.
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news Standard Chartered invests in Vietnamese restaurant chain operator Last month, the private equity arm of Standard Chartered announced a USD $35 million investment in restaurant chain operator Golden Gate, acquiring a minority stake in the company and marking the international bank’s first investment in Vietnam. The move comes after a Vietnamese private equity firm, Mekong Photo: Bloomberg Capital, exited its investment with the company earlier this year reporting a 9.1-fold net return. The deal will also land two Standard Chartered employees onto the Golden Gate board. Since 2008, Golden Gate has grown from five restaurants to 67, including several popular hotpot eateries, such as Ashima, Kichi-Kichi and SumoBBQ, as well as beer club Vuvuzela.
Vietnam struggles to bring sex-selective abortion under control
picks of the month
At a press briefing last month, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health expressed concern over the country’s sex ratio at birth, which favours boys to girls. Though the national number sits around 114 male births to 100 females, in some sections of the Red River Delta numbers run as high as 150 males to 100 females, causing public health officials concern, as projections estimate that up to 4.3 million Vietnamese men will not be able to find wives in 2050. While the Ministry of Health has imposed a ban on sex-selective abortions, experts point out that a shift in cultural attitudes is necessary to make genuine progress. “We need more efforts to strengthen comprehensive communication activities on the important roles of women and girls in the society,” said Nguyen Van Tan, director of the General Office for Population and Family Planning.
top 5 PLACES to revamp your
wardrobe
Dana Filek-Gibson finds fashion in Saigon without breaking the bank. Photos by Vinh Dao.
Drug addicts escape rehabilitation centre in Haiphong
Step into an expat's closet and one thing often holds true: by and large, our sense of style halts around the time we left home. Threadbare t-shirts, much-loved and well-worn, remain on the shelf, primarily out of fear that we may never find a replacement in our size. Pants that should have been discarded ages ago refuse to leave the hanger. And somewhere in the depths of the wardrobe, a single, sacred pair of hole-free socks lies, reserved strictly for special occasions. It's not that we've forgotten what it's like to be stylish; it's simply that in Saigon, fashion is work. While some might have the budget for a one-stop shopping spree at the Vincom or a splurge along Le Loi, most often the affordable trends of this city rise and fall on what is available at Saigon Square. Amid the plethora of small, independent boutiques tippled across the city, discovering shops that offer plenty of style without a heavy price tag can be daunting. Here are five places to get you started on your quest for higher fashion.
Over 400 drug addicts escaped from a rehabilitation centre in Haiphong over the weekend, according to local authorities. Nguyen Huy Hoang, an official from Thuy Nguyen district, reported that inmates broke down a door and threatened the centre’s guards before fleeing the property. A two-year rehabilitation stint is compulsory for Vietnam’s estimated 140,000 drug addicts, who are often forced into the program by family and local authorities, however the country’s rehabilitation centres seldom provide adequate healthcare and other basic necessities. As such, a UN expert has recommended the closure of these rehabilitation centres. Photo: Reuters
Coffee reserves in Vietnam drop to lowest since 2011 Coffee reserves in Vietnam have reached their lowest since 2011, according to Bloomberg News. In August, the country counted 84,000 tonnes of coffee in its stockpiles from a record 1.7 million-tonne harvest, a significant decrease from last year’s 1.5 million-tonne harvest, in which 150,000 tonnes of coffee were left over. Experts believe the drop in Vietnam’s robusta reserves is related to the rising price of high-quality arabica beans, which has forced many drinks makers to opt for the more affordable robusta stock. As such, experts are forecasting a shortage of beans over the coming year. Photo: Thanh Nien News
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Mayhem features one-of-a-kind items from both local designers and overseas thrift shops, with 80 percent of its stock coming from Japan.
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The Balcony & Trees Room 285E, 1st floor, 281 Nguyen Cong Tru, D1 1pm – 8pm daily Thebalconyandtrees.com
T-SHIRT STREET
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Ngo Nhan Tinh, Binh Thanh District
Down the road from Dan Sinh Market, a treasure trove of war-era trinkets and army surplus goods, lies The Balcony & Trees, whose modest collection of secondhand clothing keeps with the street's vintage theme. Up a set of stone steps beside 281 Nguyen Cong Tru, you'll find a stash of old-school threads from the 70s, 80s and 90s, including a healthy array of cool-weather items like jackets and a particularly stunning pair of plaid flannel pants. Several newer items also make it into the mix, adding a bit of the present-day to this vintage collection, as well as some beautifully-preserved vintage bags and accessories.
HELLO WEEKEND MARKET
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Hoa Lu Stadium, 2 Dinh Tien Hoang, D1 9am – 9pm Sat – Sun Facebook.com/HelloWeekendMarket
A cross between a weekend bazaar and the full-on Vietnamese market experience, Hello Weekend draws scores of both vendors and shoppers to one end of Hoa Lu Stadium. While you'll find some overlap between this market and its competition in District 7, Hello Weekend is worth a look both for its location and the impressive collection of men's and women's clothing, bags, makeup and accessories, all at reasonable prices. For the best shopping experience, try to avoid the middle of the day, as the aisles get quite claustrophobic between 11am and 3pm.
Mayhem 136/10 Le Thanh Ton, D1 11am – 9pm Mon - Fri, 10am – 9pm Sat – Sun Mayhem.vn
The shops of Ngo Nhan Tinh are a treasure hunt, packed sardine-like onto a narrow street near Ba Chieu Market. Amid droves of garments are a small but worthy collection of t-shirts – some vintage, some clever, some just downright weird. Bring your patience, as perusing the racks can be a tedious task. That said, rest assured that the effort pays off, sometimes in the form of a Japanese Mickey Mouse t-shirt, or perhaps a throwback emblazoned with the bright red Kellogg's cereal logo. Once you've found your favourites, items tend to go for between VND 40,000 and VND 100,000. Some vendors are more keen to bargain than others, and a small few will also let you exchange your old threads for new ones if you bring any gently-loved shirts from home. Whatever you buy, it's important to note that these are all secondhand items, so you'll want to give your purchases a quick wash before wearing.
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saigon flea MARKET 1st floor, Boomarang, 107 Ton Dat Tien, D7 11am – 7pm, every other Sun Saigonfleamarket.com
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Every other Sunday, an army of vendors takes over the first floor of Boomarang Cafe, hawking everything from hats and henna tattoos to cosmetics, clothing and a catch-all of other home and beauty products. Here, small, independent labels like Kalei, a local duo whose clothing favours simple cuts and colourful patterns, rub elbows with more established boutiques, many of which have downtown locations, such as the super-chic Nook or The Selected Boutique's whimsical women's dresses. Prices are fixed but reasonable and you'll want to dress for the occasion – something you can easily throw a shirt or skirt over – as change rooms, while available, are hard to come by.
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Hidden down an alley and up a flight of stairs, the bright red door that leads to Mayhem is a world apart from the rest of its surroundings. The urban thrift store, which opened last year, has fast gone from being one of the city's better-kept retail secrets to garnering regional attention for its eclectic array of patterns and colours, styles and sizes. Mayhem's style is certainly hipster heavy, favouring printed men's button-ups and brightly-hued dresses for the ladies, but it is without a doubt a unique addition to the city's fashion scene. Roughly 80 percent of the shop's stock comes from Japan, though Mayhem also saves space to showcase the work of local designers, providing affordable, original threads and accessories to Saigon's fashion-forward. Keep an eye out this month, as Mayhem plans to move into a newer, larger location within the same alley.
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Dang Nguyen Young Vietnamese woman Dang Nguyen, recipient of a prestigious Chevening Scholarship, will begin her Masters studies at Oxford University this fall. She spoke to Brett Davis about striving for success, the pressures of scholarship applications and becoming a Master of the Internet. Photo by Vinh Dao.
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Can you tell us more about what you will be studying at Oxford?
You won a full scholarship. Was it a difficult or competitive process to be selected?
I’ll be studying for a Master of Science in Social Science of the Internet at the Oxford Internet Institute. Basically, I’ll be a legit Master of the Internet at the end of my degree. The Oxford Internet Institute is part of the University of Oxford and it teaches and conducts research into life on the Internet. Online privacy, e-democracy, ICT for development, big data, digital mapping, collective behaviour, digitally-enabled social change, for example, are some of the research areas under that umbrella. All Masters students will be studying the basic stuff together, but then each will be required to undertake a research project on his or her own towards the end, on which their thesis will be based. My area of interest would fit best under ‘digitally-enabled social change’, as I am planning to examine online humour as a form of civic engagement in Vietnam. This is very much inspired by my background in communication.
It was a super competitive process. Eventually only six scholarships were awarded out of 200 applications in Vietnam. The whole process took over six months, from application submission to shortlisting and interviewing. Luckily I had a job to keep myself occupied during that process, otherwise I would have gone crazy! This year, however, there will be more places available through the Chevening scheme for people who want to get funding to study for a one-year Masters degree in the UK. Particularly, there will be up to 30 places for Vietnamese candidates. I highly recommend giving this scholarship a try as it covers tuition fees, travel costs to and from the UK, monthly stipends and thesis grants if you’re writing one. Plus there’ll be awesome networking opportunities with the global Chevening network. The Chevening Scholarships are for future leaders. How do
you see yourself fitting into that role? I think the term ‘leader’ can be understood quite broadly in this context. I guess I am one of the first people to study the social implications of Internet use in Vietnam, particularly online humour use. In the long run, I aim to use what I learn at Oxford to carry out more academic research into the area, and ultimately use that research to inform public policy in Vietnam. You are an only child. Did you ever feel any pressure growing up to be successful, and how does your family feel about you winning the scholarship? Entitled, maybe, but never any pressure. I guess I’m pretty lucky on that front. My parents did want me to become a doctor when I was a kid, but when I told them I didn’t want to they were cool with it. If you knew anything about me you’d know I’d make a horrible doctor. You can’t blame my parents though, they’re Asian parents with an only child, so wanting her to become a doctor
is kind of natural. My family is very proud, my mum just had my Chevening scholarship certificate framed and she is in the process of building an altar of my achievements inside my room. All I can say is I’m happy she’s not building it in the living room. You leave for England at the end of September. How are you feeling at the moment? Are you nervous or excited? Absolutely terrified. A bit numb and disoriented. But on top of everything, very eager. After you have completed your studies, what are your plans for the future? Returning to Vietnam for at least two years is my agreement with Chevening. After that, some more studying, believe it or not. I aim to do a PhD in the same area and establish a stable career in academia, plus public policy communication wherever possible, so my time in Oxford is going to be an exciting first step towards that goal.
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PHOTO ESSAY:
BUILDING BLOCKS Photos: Vinh Dao More of Vinh's photographs can be found at blind-eye-productions.com
Just outside Sa Dec, a sleepy riverside town just a few hours' drive from Ho Chi Minh City, lies a cluster of bricklaying kilns. These temples to construction supply the bricks that feed the building trade in the region.
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below: rice husks are used to feed the fire
below: the spent rice husks are transported off-site
above: tiles ready to be transported sit in front of the distinctive egg-shaped kilns
above: a worker stacks tiles ready to be fired left: tiles and bricks are laid out inside the kiln
opposite: the warehouse for bricks ready for transport
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Little more than a decade ago, the average Vietnamese had little to no concept of a selfie, seeing life instead through the lens of a collective national identity. But a new era of social media is encouraging individualism and real-time self-promotion, reversing how Vietnamese see each other - and themselves. By Ruben Luong, with additional reporting by Dana Filek-Gibson. Photos from Facebook and Instagram
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Is personal #success defined by the number of Likes, #popularity by the number of followers and #beauty by the number of selfies a person has? For Ho Chi Minh City’s selfie-savvy set, this may be the case. Modern times, competitive job markets and increasing access to technology are enabling more and more Vietnamese to contemplate their own lives and identity in the context of their professional and social circles. And so social media has been a godsend, not merely for the instant gratification, but for the ensuing self-promotion. Perhaps those who tweet, poke, regram and tag have the most control over their lives – or their image. Dwelling on this mentality, so many lives in Vietnam are more accessible than ever in real-time. A scroll through any local newsfeed reveals a permeating cult of the individual, surfacing in a city of nine million one selfie at a time.
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#VIETNAMIDOL
Kelbin Lei @Kelbinlei
“Of course I have some anti-fans that think I cannot do anything besides post pictures or #selfies, but with my #business I am proud and can prove to them that I can do big things.”
135,530
52,000 followers
#INSTABOY According to a June 2012 poll from Mindshare, a global media agency network, 72 percent of its respondents in Vietnam’s six largest cities used a social network. This is perhaps why social media in Vietnam is having a profound effect on individuals looking to increase their visibility nationwide. Kelbin Lei, 24, a former stylist at ELLE magazine, was recruited last year for a starring role in VTV’s sitcom Tiem Banh Hoang Tu Be because of his strong online presence on Facebook and Instagram. Lei distinguishes himself from others by posting winsome and artistic selfies of his signature black-and-white clothing from his eponymous fashion line. “I don’t like to say too much, just post pictures and that picture will tell a story,” he says. “If they know me and they know my style and my brand, they want to buy my clothes and it’s good for my business,” he says. The self-promotion and exposure affords him real-life opportunities, such as styling for clients like pop Vietnamese singer Ho Ngoc Ha, who appears in major ad campaigns all over the country, or collaborating with magazines. With the right selfies, there is also a chance of propelling
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to ‘hot boy’ or ‘hot girl’ status. Celebrity culture in Vietnam follows the lives of hot boys and hot girls closely. When he was young, Lei would post selfies on the popular but nowdefunct Yahoo 360 forums for fun. He gradually gained hot boy status, earning him even greater visibility. He now has more than 130,000 followers on Facebook and 52,000 followers on his Instagram account. He says international designers and fashion students also contact him through each account every month. “I’m independent and confident now,” he says. “Of course I have some anti-fans that think I cannot do anything besides post pictures or selfies, but with my business I am proud and can prove to them that I can do big things.” Ultimately, Lei says being more of an individual and finding something that makes him different from everyone else has helped him and his business. “When I was younger I was really scared. I didn’t want to do anything; I just did what my family told me. I had to study business administration and find a job in a company, something really boring. But when my family had some problems and I quit college, I had to find work and earn my own money. It really changed me.”
Truong Ngoc Anh
“I think it’s really fun when you #post something, people want to look at you, see the attractive side of you, when you’re #working, what you’re #doing. People are just curious and some people really care.” 5,323 (fan page)
28,354
Much like Lei, acclaimed actress Truong Ngoc Anh, 37, has also stood out in Vietnam for her beauty, having won a string of titles as a teenager, including Miss Photogenic, at a host of beauty pageants in her native Hanoi. She is also set to star as a Vietnamese gangster in Huong Ga (Rise) which premieres at the end of the month. She keeps two separate Facebook pages, one for her personal use and one for her fans. She currently has 5,323 Likes on her Facebook fan page. “I want to be seen as a role model,” she says. “I am self-made. I work hard, I’m very serious with work and very concentrated. I set up my goal and I go for it. No matter what they say, gossip this and that. The most important thing is to know what you want in life, set clear goals.” Anh followed her own path from the time she was little, proving to be different even in her family, with whom she is still very close, despite having little time to see them. “Actually my family, everyone knows how to play a traditional instrument. For me I only want to become an actress. When I was very small I used to stand in front of the mirror, try to act like a star in the movies. Somehow I just want to live a different life. In reality you only have one life to live. In a movie, you can go through so many lives.” Her stardom keeps her busy with an eventful schedule, so she continues to use Facebook to post updates on her acting career and occasional selfies of herself or her young daughter. “I’m the latest one to start Facebook,” she jests. “I think it’s fun when you post something, people want to look at you, see the attractive side of you, when you’re working, what you’re doing. People are just curious and some people really care. People want to know.” “I think people feel better, happier, especially when you have all the software to look more beautiful and fresh, why not?” she says, laughing. “And a lot of people use Facebook for work for advertising or public relations.” “You have to show your work for people to know your results,” she says.
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#NOFEARFORFASHION
Mike Pham
@Mayhemsaigon
“It’s more important to be comfortable with #yourself and liking your clothes and really being yourself. That’s one part of being an #individual, you do it for you. You don’t need people’s #opinion on you.” 10,141
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2,514 followers
An obsession with appearance in Vietnam extends beyond the realm of online selfies to the streets, where fashion is increasingly controlling the way the current generation sees each other as unique. Last year, Mike Pham, 26, co-founded Mayhem Saigon, a vintage shop under the catchphrase ‘not recommended for the average people’. Photos on its Facebook page (10,141 followers) and Instagram (2,514 followers) illustrate the shop’s similar mantra of ‘Walk the streets looking fly as hell in a uniform no one else has’. . “We always want to get into the indie culture,” Pham says. “We really want to be involved in a subculture movement because in Vietnam it’s all mostly about mainstream culture. But we haven’t seen any diversity in the culture so we just want to contribute and be involved.” Pham started Mayhem with his friends after studying and working in Melbourne, Australia, where he was exposed to vintage clothing and the hipster hub within the city’s dynamic music scene. His store is one of the first hipster havens in Saigon, with oversized unisex button-ups in wild prints, unusual dresses and edgy street-inspired wear at affordable, thrift-store prices. Pham says so far not a lot of locals are aware of the culture, but definitely more are becoming familiar and open-minded to the brand philosophy, especially due to the shop’s aesthetic on Instagram. “Let’s talk about you. You are the definition of individualism. You stand for your original self,” reads a caption on Mayhem’s Instagram feed. “I think mainly people in Vietnam people are starting to get into this because it’s a mainstream thing right now in the Western countries. But at the same time I think it’s a shift between the current mainstream culture in Vietnam and seeking something else. The people wearing this right now are the first people starting this and they are all creative people, mostly because our customers are in the creative industry. It’s a good time for this style because it just started.” “Everywhere in the world, but especially in Vietnam, if they want to dress, they pick very few styles from very few people from what images they see, so everyone’s kind of wearing the same thing and not really using their inner creativity to come up with something that represents them,” Pham says. “I like vintage clothing because each piece is a one-off, it’s really unique.” “And I think it’s more important to be comfortable with yourself and iiking your own clothes and really being yourself. That’s one part of being an individual, you do it for you. You don’t need people’s opinion on you.”
Austin Nguyen @Austinng24
“For some reason it’s become #viral. I got people who I randomly meet in Bui Vien and they’re like, ‘Are you that Austin Uptonogood on #Facebook?”
1,606
25 followers
353 followers
#BRANDME But how many really know who they are? Identity here ordinarily begins with a name, and names in Vietnam traditionally give respect to the family name first. Nowadays it’s become an increasingly common trend for Vietnamese to adopt quirky nicknames instead, particularly on Facebook. Names like Heo Map (Fat Pig)— (need to find another name) embody an assumed personality and forsake the family name. It’s playful, memorable and ultimately a form of personal branding. Most night owls, for instance, will recognise Austin Nguyen, 24, as Austin ‘Uptonogood’, one of the city’s most prominent young socialites featured as ‘Saigon’s Face’ on Hcmclife.com, and who has appeared in countless nightlife photos. Nguyen adopted the name (inspired by Amy Winehouse song ‘You Know I’m No Good’) on Facebook (1,606 friends) in 2010 and it began to catch on. “For some reason it’s become viral,” he says. “I got people who I randomly meet in Bui Vien and they’re like, ‘Are you that Austin Uptonogood on Facebook?’” He says that he likes it for social networking and thinks it is a good branding idea, but for business it might not as be as helpful. So it’s fitting that he wants to help Vietnamese professionals with personal branding by co-organising Creative Drinks, a series of monthly networking events with workshops such as ‘The Secret to Personal Branding’, alongside design studio Bo Cong Anh. Personal branding is fairly new to Vietnamese professionals. Standard clockwork jobs make up the majority of opportunities, but as more competitive positions open up at international companies in the city, discovering how to stand out from the crowd and promote oneself has influenced a more individualistic mentality.
Charismatic and social, Nguyen used his strong English skills as an effective strategy to garner his ‘it’ status, first networking with expats on Couchsurfing.org and becoming one of the first in his high school class to join Facebook, where he kept in touch with international friends. He later studied linguistics and didn’t graduate from university but instead strived to show people that he didn’t need a traditional education to be successful, concentrating on his English assets. But this wasn’t always simple. Vietnam, as in most Asian countries, is family-oriented, so parental pressure continues to inhibit individuality and organic career paths among young Vietnamese. “My parents, they believe in having a proper degree, just like everyone else,” he says. “Basically, they are also very contradict themselves, because they always tell me to go have something for myself, go do something great, something for myself, but because everyone around them is doing the same thing and they’re really afraid to step up and do something different, they want me to do something for myself once in a while, but then like everyday when I come back home they’re like, ‘why don’t you just get a normal job like everyone?’” Still, Nguyen emphasises the importance of being an individual and personal branding in the city, even from an early start. “Wherever you go people have to know who you are and what you’re about.” “In HCMC, there’s a lot of people but the community that actually goes out networking is not many so you keep running into the same people,” he says. “HCMC is the city that it would be easier if you are somebody then if you are no one, because they will treat you so much different.”
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Dana Filek-Gibson explores the spectacle of martial arts combined with human chess. Photos by Vinh Dao.
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Eyes front, hands to knees, spines straight as arrows, the 32 people seated on the scorching pavement of District 1's Nha Van Hoa Thanh Nien might as well be statues. It's a lively Sunday morning: beyond the courtyard, parking attendants jostle motorbikes and collect tickets. Students roam the area, talking and eating, studying and texting, a cacophony of noise left in their wake. But here, nobody moves without instruction. “Red team!” a voice cries into the microphone, “Attack!” Suddenly, the slender frame of Nguyen Huu Tuyen comes to life. Clad in red and black, she springs to her feet and lets out a battle cry. The red band running around Tuyen's head signifies her allegiance as she leaps over her teammates and into the centre. Three metres away, a blue-uniformed opponent follows suit, emitting his own roar as he bounds to a standing position. But by the time the blue team arrives, Tuyen has already formulated a plan of attack. The young man, taller than she, throws a side kick, followed by a flurry of punches. Tuyen grimaces and staggers back. When she retaliates, it's a lot of the same. The two trade blows for another minute, drums pounding, as a crowd begins to look on. And then, it's over in one motion: a burst of energy sends Tuyen behind her opponent, one foot landing deftly on his right thigh, another forming a chokehold at his neck. They tumble together, hitting the ground as she lets out a yell, and it is only Tuyen who gets back up. Stone-faced and triumphant, she grabs him by the collar and unceremoniously drags him off the field of play. So goes a victory in human chess martial arts. While life-sized board games are nothing new to Vietnam – human chess has long been a pasttime in the northern and central regions – the combination of human chess and martial arts belongs to Saigon. In 1987, Ho Tuong, a master of Vietnamese martial arts, saw human chess as an opportunity to introduce Vietnamese martial arts into a game of strategy as well as a public forum. After watching the traditional version in Hanoi, Master Tuong left with an idea. “The players sat on chairs, but when they moved, it was only from one chair to another,” Tuong recalls. “For spectators, it was boring.” When he returned to Saigon, it took little more than a year to recruit and train a team of his own. Tuong and another martial arts master, Le Van Van, joined forces to create the city's first human chess martial arts team. In the frenetic environment of the local community centre, their first demon-
strations drew a lot of attention. Before long, Master Tuong and his team were fielding invitations to perform as near as Binh Duong and as far as Hanoi. “Of course, people liked it more than the traditional version,” Tuong says. “[In human chess martial arts,] people can watch the players battle, and there is an emcee to explain everything, so people learn about chess and martial arts at the same time.” On the whole, Master Tuong's brand of human chess is not so much a game as it is a performance. Players as young as 10 don red and blue uniforms, emblazoned with the character of the Chinese chess piece they represent. Each person takes a position upon the massive game board, which is laid onto any surface and always interrupted by a rectangular space at the centre known as the ‘river’. The average human chess martial arts performance will last about an hour and feature a series of battles, culminating in a checkmate showdown between one team's general and a soldier from the opposing team. After her battle Tuyen, who has studied under Master Tuong for three years and five human chess martial arts performances, explains the appeal of live performance. “It can be nerve-wracking because there are lots of people, but it's exciting to see so many spectators,” she says.
For the players, battles are pre-determined. Before a pair spars in front of an audience, they will decide who wins and who loses, how they will fight and which weapons, if any, they will use. According to Tuyen, the choreography can be tough to master but perfecting it helps to assure that no one injures their teammates. One of the group's more experienced and aggressive fighters, Nguyen Van Trong, has performed so many times he can't count but he, too, still occasionally gets injured. Trong, whose soft-spoken demeanour comes as a surprise after he's seen sailing through the air, brandishing swords and spears at his opponents, points out a scar on his left hand. “Sometimes people get hurt, but everyone tries to be careful,” he says. For Master Tuong, the success of his program has been heartening, however things have certainly changed over the years. His students have gotten younger. People stay for less time. In such a fast-paced city, more and more students graduate from university and, thanks to their jobs, cannot continue to perform, leaving behind less experienced players. “Students come here to learn [martial arts], but when they graduate they must go to work,” Tuong says. “Still, there are also students who really love martial arts and choose to stay.” Invitations, too, are down, despite the fact that Master Tuong believes more people than ever know about human chess martial arts. In its heyday, Saigon's three teams would perform up to 300 times a year. Today, given the costs of transporting and feeding nearly 40 people at an event, Master Tuong estimates that the teams only receive about 30 requests a year. “Before, we performed a lot,” he recalls. “In the morning, we performed. When we finished we would get on the bus, eat breakfast, go to another place, perform, eat lunch on the bus, go to another place and perform again. We were performing from morning til night.” Still, there is promise. Today, Saigon alone boasts three human chess martial arts teams. Though some students are perhaps less able to commit, the group's performances still manage to draw a crowd. By the time the final fight begins in the courtyard, a wall of people has formed – some with smartphones and video cameras – to watch as Trong takes on two enemies at once. Though he's swift and precise, in the end Trong's fate is sealed when, in a sudden dynamic display of athletics, an opponent steals a sword from his possession. The game ends with Trong, like many before him, being carted off the playing field. asialife HCMC 27
In Ho Chi Minh City, American-style barbecue has taken off in a big way over the past year. One local expat has been perfecting the art for decades and is even bringing modern, do-it-yourself smokers to Vietnam. By Brett Davis. Photos by
S
ince Quan Ut Ut opened its doors in District 1 earlier this year, the city’s residents have been introduced to the concept of American barbecue, a style of cooking that uses smoke, low heat and long cooking times to produce amazingly tender and flavourful meat. People have certainly taken to it, with queues outside the restaurant often snaking around the corner. However if you like your barbecue but are not the patient kind, then there might be an answer. George Humphreys, originally from Texas in the United States, has been perfecting the art of smoking for more than four decades. So dedicated is he that he has his own smokers at his home in District 7. These modern, electronic Bradley smokers impressed Humphreys so much that he became the company’s Southeast Asian representative. You can set the temperature and cooking time, while another part of the machine automatically feeds in discs of compressed wood to provide the smoke. You can also choose what type of wood to use to add different flavours, such as apple, cherry, hickory or even old whiskey barrel. Humphreys learned his craft in the 1970s back in Texas, the spiritual home of American-style barbecue. “The 80-mile radius around Austin is the barbecue capital of the world,” he says. After a varied and colourful career as a small-town chief of police, transport company owner, and oil and gas worker, he then got into a side business selling firewood. He would clear dead trees from ranches in the area and sell the wood to the many barbecue joints. “I watched and listened and asked questions of these guys,” Humphreys recalls, “And that’s how I started, through sales of wood.” He learned well enough that in 1974 he opened The County Seat SmokeHouse in Burnet, Texas which became tremendously successful.
How it’s done Pork ribs, a staple of barbecue joints everywhere, are probably the most iconic cut prepared using a smoker. Humphrey’s recipe for ribs calls for about six hours of cooking time, but only in the first half of
Pork ribs, a staple of barbecue joints everywhere, are probably the most iconic cut prepared using a smoker
that time is smoke used. This is to ensure the meat does not dry out. Before the smoker, however, the meat must be prepared. According to Humphreys, the first step is to leave the fat on the meat. “Some people trim all the fat off, but for me that is the biggest mistake you can make,” he says. Instead he starts by liberally coating the ribs in a good virgin olive oil and then adding any additional flavour via a spice mix called a rub. Humphrey’s own ‘Texas’ rub contains brown sugar, chilli powder, cumin, black pepper, coriander, cinnamon and Coleman’s hot English mustard. “The olive oil helps pull that flavour right into the meat,” he says. Then it is into the smoker bone-side up for 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the size, at about 105 degrees celsius. The ribs placed this way form a U shape so the juices will collect and add to the flavour. Then he advises to remove the ribs and spray them with a touch of apple juice before returning to the smoker for another 90 minutes, this time meat-side up. “If you want to make sure the meat is flavoured from bone-tip to bone-tip, you have to flip it over,” he says. At the end of the first two-and-a-half to three hours, the smoking portion of the process is complete, so no more wood chips need to be added. Again remove the ribs, but this time spray them liberally with apple juice before wrapping in tin foil and placing them back in the smoker. When the meat is falling away easily from the bone but still moist, you know you are done. Then Humphreys advises allowing the ribs to rest for a sufficient time. “Do not unwrap them, but take a bath towel and wrap them tightly and put them on a tray. If you let them rest, my friend, they will be finger-licking good!” Humphreys also extolls the virtues of smoked cheese, particularly paired with a good port wine, however it can be a tricky process. Cheese is cold smoked and the ambient temperature in Ho Chi Minh City means he has to do this in the pre-dawn hours. It may take a some time to prepare perfect barbecue and more than a little practice but then again, good things come to those who wait.
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STREET SALON
Saigon’s street barbers are humble and cultured, aging with the walls of the city. By Ruben Luong. Photos by Vinh Dao.
A faint staccato of metal snips sends a trail of hair to the concrete sidewalk, and street barber Diep, 58, shuffles to his left, fluttering a comb and scissors with coarse, sunspotted hands. “I’ve been cutting hair for more than 20 years,” he says. He tilts his head to assess his handiwork and grins, revealing an overbite punctuated by a protruding golden tooth that contrasts the silver spears in his hand. “I prefer to cut hair on the street because it’s cool outside and customers can walk by.” A mirror on a deterioriating wall, no more than half a dozen small hair tools and a black chair on the sidewalk earn Diep and Saigon’s street barbers a modest living at around VND 20,000-VND 35,000 per cut. But if there is anything street barbers should be proud of, it is that they are loyal to their profession. Every morning from 8am to 5pm, Diep sets up on Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, where he’s stationed his makeshift awning and streetside vanity for 24 years. Other street barbers have likewise endured, whether side-by-side, like on Nguyen Khac Nhu Street, niched within a narrow hem on Nguyen Van Nguyen Street or roadside on Ton Duc Thang Street, but there are always the trees, shade and crumbling walls that seem to age with them. 30 asialife HCMC
Certainly street barbers are remnants of an old-fashioned set in Vietnam. Street barbering was the tradition, particularly in Hanoi, where 18th-century colonialists encouraged Vietnamese men to cut their hair to suit modern times. The barber culture in Saigon paints a similarly stately picture of humble, earnest gentlemen but also inherently industrious, self-made and well-discoursed in current events. “I learned how to cut hair from a few friends,” says Diep, who moved from the north to live a more comfortable life. “It’s not hard at all. It’s my job and so I choose to do it. And when I don’t have any customers, I’ll wait by reading the newspaper or books.” The sight of a newspaper is at once indicative of their generation. Although students from down the street also get their haircuts from Diep, most customers are men of the same age, both regulars and passersby who pull up on their motorbikes, park and wait on stools with newspapers. “Mot dau duoc khong?” a customer cries to Diep from a motorbike, asking if there’s room for him to cut his hair. Much like the morning and afternoon coffee circles among office workers, waiting and socialising with Saigon’s street barbers is a comfortable experience. They are classic
companions for the outdoors, where it’s free, close to nature and life in the city. “We talk about jobs, companies or current events,” says street barber Ngoc, 46, who also offers newspapers and reading material for his customers as everyday conversation starters. “Most recently I remember the conversations I had with customers about Vietnam’s relations with China, the recent storms, traffic accidents, things like that.” Ngoc, a lively man from Saigon with an infectious laugh, quit a job in construction and apprenticed for eight years under a barber, now 85 with a long grey beard and big belly, before setting up his own spot for another 24 years. “My customers like high hairstyles, clean and professional,” Ngoc says from his current spot on Nguyen Van Thu Street in D3. He has around 10 to 15 customers per day. “I used to have a few foreign customers. They were Americans and French who lived around the corner, but it’s been awhile since I’ve seen them. They must have left the country already!” For as many customers that they’ve seen in their lifetime, street barbers seem to remember faces well. However they are just as memorable even after a brief visit, if not for the debate they inspire or the heritage they represent, but for their mirror on the wall, where they can always be found. asialife HCMC 31
How many couples in Vietnam engage in dalliances outside of their relationships? And is it more or less prevalent than people think? A new survey from global market research and consulting firm Epinion has turned up some interesting results. By Brett Davis. Photo by Vinh Dao.
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DANGEROUS
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here have always been couples, and there have always been those that look for something outside of that pairing. Infidelity is not a thing that is much discussed, for obvious reasons. So to gauge the state of affairs when it comes to adultery poses something of a challenge. Epinion surveyed 1,031 Vietnamese people in major cities across the country, with the sample group made up of roughly half males and females. They were predominantly between the ages of 18 and 55, with two-thirds holding a tertiary education degree. There was also a mix of married and divorced people as well as singles in the survey group. The challenge was, particularly in a society so famously reticent to talk about matters of sex let alone infidelity, how to make people feel comfortable enough to give truthful answers. Research Director Tran Lien Phuong explained that Epinion decided to conduct an online survey to overcome this issue. "For such a sensitive topic, because talking about sex or sexual relationships is still a taboo in Vietnam, in most circumstances respondents won't reveal the truth if there are others around them,” she says. “Hence an online approach is much better for us to obtain the real picture.” People were first asked their thoughts on what constituted infidelity. Forty-seven percent said having adulterous thoughts about another was as bad as a physical indiscretion, while another 29 percent said it was worse. When broken down by gender, more than half of all women believed they were equally bad while a quarter thought adulterous thoughts were worse. Interestingly, 26 percent of respondents said they did not really consider visiting massage or karaoke places an infidelity, while almost half said it really depended on how often one used these services.
When asked the big question - had they ever had an affair - 29 percent of all respondents admitted they had done so. This translates to 40 percent of the men and 19 percent of the women in the 1,031 members of the survey group. Have almost a third of people in Vietnam strayed from their partner at one time or another? There is actually a distinct possibility that it is more because, as Research Director
"because talking about sex or sexual relationships is still a taboo in vietnam, in most circumstances respondents won't reveal the truth if there are others around them." tran lien phuong, research director of epinion Tran points out, people tend to ‘underclaim’ in these surveys. “My point is, the way one claims to behave may not reflect his or her actual behaviour, so we need to look at their perception to measure their 'tendency' rather than obtaining statistics on claims,” she says. “One important thing is if 30 percent of the total claimed to have had an affair already, this number should be much higher amongst the married target group. So it’s quite alarming to think at least one out of two people you may meet somewhere has not been loyal to his or her partner." This discrepancy between reported behaviour and perception is illustrated by the response to the question of what
percentage of people in Vietnam the survey group thought had been unfaithful. More than 60 percent thought that more than half of all people had been unfaithful, with 20 percent estimating it was actually as high as between 60 and 70 percent of all people. For those that did report having an affair, a new acquaintance was the most common other party (47 percent) followed by an exboyfriend or girlfriend (31 percent). These hook-ups were most likely to occur at a social gathering of some kind, such as a party, where alcohol was present (37 percent) or through social media networks (29 percent). The last figure is interesting as it would seem to reflect the increasing use of technology and social media sites in Vietnam, and the increasing popularity of apps such as Tinder and WeChat, as well as home-grown apps like OakClub and Paktor. The survey also indicates that when people do stray it is limited and short-lived, with two-thirds reporting to have been unfaithful three times or less (with about half only once) in their lives and more than half saying it was a one-night fling. So, why do people engage in these liaisons? Perhaps unsurprisingly, looking for a new experience or feeling was the most common reason for both men (66 percent) and women (45 percent). The rest of the survey group was split fairly evenly among a host of other reasons, with the only other significant result being the 28 percent of women who said it was because their husband or partner didn’t care about them emotionally. Only nine percent of men gave this reason. It is a risky game, however, with the vast majority of respondents saying their greatest fear if they were discovered was the loss of their family and the social stigma associated with it. Most also said if they were discovered they would cease their affair immediately and seek forgiveness. asialife HCMC 33
Our Lycra exposed its elastic, our inner tubes were a patchwork of collages, our wearied muscles torn, yet our spirits remained high.
BORDER CYCLE
BORDER Sarah Joanne Smith recounts the highs and lows of a crosscountry cycle. Photo by some random Chinese tourist.
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B
ack home, there was nothing I enjoyed more than a cheery jaunt around the streets of London on my 1970s bona fide Peugeot racer, affectionally named 'Peggy'. But upon my move to Vietnam, I traded her in for a motorised model. Last month, however, some friends suggested a visa run to Cambodia on two wheels and I returned, rather unceremoniously, to the saddle of a temperamental Chinese Motachie.
Sunscreen in a monsoon Before the sun had a chance to rise, we embarked on our journey from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh. On the outskirts of the city, a slow, gradual incline – silent hills, if you will – ascended toward the border, along with our appetites. Before the clock had reached 7am, somewhere just beyond Saigon's limits, we refuelled with generous portions of grilled meat and
rice, watching as a pair of locals knocked back an early-morning pitcher of Sting and several cigarettes. Seventy kilometres later, we rocked up to the border town of Bavet, sweaty and disheveled amongst a busload of well-rested travellers. In typical Vietnamese fashion, bustling our way to the front of the customs queue, we obtained our necessary stamps and, after a brief pit-stop, swiftly got back on our way.
Dana Filek-Gibson, Sarah Joanne Smith, Ruben Luong in front of The Royal Palace, Cambodia
Unfortunately, the second half of day one was not so smooth. Thirty minutes later, torrential rain forced us to seek refuge beneath the leaky awning of a local drinks shop. Still fearing all the elements, I applied suncream amidst the monsoonlevel rains, much to the amusement of my fellow riders. Later, however, justice was served as we cycled into Svay Rieng, our destination for the night, and I was the only one without a sunburn. Food in Svay Rieng was limited, to say the least. That evening we ate what I can only describe as watery gruel. Breakfast wasn't any better. A flimsy portion of offal did little to satisfy the appetite but did serve to keep our legs turning. We hit the road with half-empty stomaches and a raging dislike for Cambodian cuisine.
Vaseline, potholes and a cyclists' high Our second day proved to be the most challenging. The road surfaces were rocky, uneven and unforgiving on our rear ends. In the same way that long-distance runners bandage their nipples, we protected our nether regions with frequent doses of Vaseline, applied liberally and with plenty of commentary, allowing us to glide through the Cambodian countryside friction-free. The 63 kilometres between Svay Rieng and Neak Loeung, though bumpy, provided us with boundless natural beauty. Neverending grasslands and emerald rice paddies lined our
path as the ground slipped by at a familiar pace. Cattle grazed among the fields, locals dozed in hammocks and butterflies fluttered whilst the smell of mint filled the air. Everywhere, elated children ran out to the road, yelling 'hello' and waving with oodles of enthusiasm. On our third day, the final leg into Phnom Penh was scattered with potholes the size of canyons. Despite some dangerous encounters with overtaking vehicles and death-defying craters, we arrived in Phnom Penh with a flat tyre but inflated spirits.
Testing the limits of our Lycra Like true expats, our time in Phnom Penh was not spent sightseeing but instead grazing and sleeping. We indulged on towering burgers, pizzas the size of dustbin lids, gigantic doughnuts and decadent crepes, all washed down with wellearned cocktails and ciders. All the hard work we had put in en route was undone before making the return trip, and after a gluttonous two days it was time to squeeze ourselves back into our Lycra. We left Phnom Penh around 9am and cycled the 62 kilometres back to Neak Loeung with surprising ease. Retracing our steps, we turned in for the night at a convenient but putrid guesthouse with stained yellow walls and dubiously soiled bedsheets. Hardly the luxury you'd expect from a USD $6-a-night establishment. The morning saw a rather hasty exit.
The final stretch As we headed towards home, luminous orange cool boxes welcomed us along the way with ice cold cans of Coke and lychee juice. These receptacles became a vision of salvation and relief, respite from the inexorable sun and our aching quadriceps. At each stop I’d ask to use the bathroom with a bashful squat. The final day began with a 5.30am wake-up call. On the 110 kilometres back to Ho Chi Minh City, we watched a chicken meet an unfortunate end in a classic case of road kill. Just before the border, a flat tyre entertained an audience of Khmer locals and I went several rounds wrestling with my kickstand which, instead of relieving burden, had become one. As we cycled into Saigon we were met with Mother Nature’s wet embrace and I couldn't help but reflect on the myriad emotions compressed into our unforgettable week-long journey. Our trip had taken us across 480 kilometres of beautiful rural Cambodian countryside at a pace that mirrored the landscape we rode through. Our Lycra exposed its elastic, our inner tubes were a patchwork of collages, our wearied muscles torn, yet our spirits remained high. An air-conditioned bus may offer comfort and speed, but at the cost of the experience only the open road can provide, whatever the model of cycle you ride.
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Slowing down in BEAUTIFUL BOHOL Esther de la Cruz unwinds on the shores of a Filipino paradise.
O
n the sun-kissed island of Bohol, time follows a leisurely, long-established rhythm. At dawn, dolphins frolic in the waters off Panglao, a small island near the southwestern coast, while tiny tarsiers take siesta in the shade of the forest, cottony clouds dapple the Chocolate Hills in the afternoons and fireflies emerge each evening to light up the fronds along the island’s meandering rivers. Sheltered within the Philippines’ central Visayas region, Bohol's gorgeous coastline and unspoiled countryside are fast becoming a favourite escape for nature lovers. From Manila, a one-hour flight introduces Bohol with a picturesque descent of rolling hills and shimmering blue beaches. Two bridges connect Tagbilaran city, Bohol’s main gateway, directly with Panglao Island. On the southwest side of Panglao, the white sand of Alona Beach stretches for a kilometre and a half, sprinkled with tiki bars, resorts, massage tents and restaurants. High tide presents fabulous spots for swimming, while low tide reveals sea grass and starfish. As the sun sets behind a wall of palms, Philippine eagles can be seen returning to roost against the glowing sky. Dawn comes gently in Bohol, as the native banca boats converge in the waters off Balicasag Island, home to 11 species of dolphins and whales, including – when the stars align – the blue whale. On days when the weather is nice, dolphins break the surface in pairs and pods, jumping and swimming just metres away from the cameras of thrilled tourists. Balicasag Reef, a protected marine sanctuary and one of
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the Philippines’ top snorkeling sites, is teeming with colourful fish, giant clams, eels and more than a few sea turtles. Scuba divers can discover the best of Bohol’s dive sites with the help of professional local guides, and swimmers should not miss the soft, crescent-shaped sandbar and turquoise water of Virgin Island. Naturally, nothing caps off a morning spent on the beach like an island picnic. With their toes still in the sand, island-hoppers feast on fresh mangoes, buttered crab, salmon sinigang (sour soup) and grilled squid, before heading back to the air-conditioned comfort of their hotels Not far from the action on Alona Beach, Momo Beach House is tucked away on one of Panglao’s quieter shores. Life goes on as usual around this charming, 16-room resort: fishermen cast their lines, children play on the sands and women cook over open fires. Momo Beach House exudes a cosy B&B atmosphere, where guests can soak up the sea air surrounded by bright marine hues, salvaged wood furniture and gauzy curtains. Peace and privacy aside, Momo Beach House offers just enough diversion to keep guests occupied. Staff will happily organise tours of the island, set up bonfire suppers, lend kayaks and volleyballs or carry a cocktail from the Beach Tree Café to your chosen hammock or lounge chair around the pool. When the need for entertainment strikes, the resort’s shuttle departs to Alona Beach and the five-star facilities at Momo’s sister resort, Amorita. And while Panglao’s breezy beaches make for a comfortable base, most of Bohol’s best attractions await in the island’s lush
interior. Legends swirl around the origins of Bohol’s curious limestone mounds known as the Chocolate Hills. Equal parts geological marvel and fantastic dreamscape, these perfectly-formed hills -- named for their earthy colour in the dry season – rise from verdant plains to draw a gently undulating horizon. Not far from the Chocolate Hills lives one of the world’s tiniest primates. Small, shy and sensitive, the tarsier may grow to a height of four inches, with each of its eyes as large as its brain. The Philippine tarsier is classified as ‘near-threatened’, and a sanctuary in the town of Corella is dedicated to keeping this fascinating creature from extinction. Most travellers on a standard countryside tour will glimpse the Loboc River aboard a festive lunch cruise. A lucky few will join the mesmerising firefly tour by banca available only from Loboc River Resort. But for genuine explorers, stand-up paddleboarding offers a more compelling way to experience the island’s tranquil waterways. SUP Tours Philippines is making waves in this quiet part of the world with its tours on two of Bohol’s biggest rivers. Safe and easy even for first-timers, SUP Tours’ half-day Loboc River excursion winds upstream to Busay Falls, past scenes of daily life, tidy riverside homes, father-and-son fishing tandems and an inviting cold spring. Gliding between green riverbanks under the tropical sky, with no soundtrack other than the calls of exotic birds and the swish of the paddle in the water, is about as close as one can come to feeling the pulse of Bohol itself.
above: alona beach right: momo beach house far right: chocolate hills
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BLACKOUT 74/7D Hai Ba Trung 6pm – 10.30pm // 08 38 24 28 88
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Experience gourmet cuisine with the lights off at Saigon's first-ever dine-in-the-dark restaurant. By Dana Filek-Gibson. Photo by Vinh Dao.
CITY DRINKS
Bar's Bar 47 Phan Chu Trinh, D1 6.30pm – midnight // 08 38 22 33 52
A classy lounge in an unlikely place. By Dana Filek-Gibson. Photos by Vinh Dao. Hidden above a restaurant and up a flight of stairs, Bar's Bar is the sort of place you have to know in order to find. From the street, its location is all but invisible, masked by Baby Spoon, an eatery directly opposite Ben Thanh Market. However those willing to climb a few stairs will be pleasantly rewarded by what's waiting at the top. A dark wooden bar runs the length of the narrow room, heavily polished and accompanied by plush, U shaped chairs, affording far more comfort than your average bar stool. Though the space isn't very big, a handful of small tables manage to take up the left side of the joint. Behind the bar, bartenders in vests and crisp white buttonups stand sentinel over Bar's Bar's commendable collection of spirits. The smooth sounds of Sinatra float through the air, transporting you away from the bustle of downtown Saigon and into a bygone era. Add to this a bit of mood lighting and Bar's Bar has all the trappings of a classy establishment. For cocktails, Bar's Bar breaks down its offerings by liquor, listing a range of classic rum-, vodka-, gin- and whiskey-based cocktails, among others. The bartenders are experts at crafting these old favourites, not to mention strik38 asialife HCMC
ing up a conversation. Classic drinks run between VND 140,000 and VND 170,000 each, while the bar's trio of original cocktails – known simply as Aoi, Asahi and Akane – will set you back VND 200,000 apiece. Though their descriptions don't make it onto the menu, bartenders are happy to run down the ingredients for each. The Aoi, strongest of the three, is a smooth, refreshing blend of Bombay Sapphire, Blue Curacao and lemon, its taste neither too sweet nor too overpowering. Beyond mixed drinks, a section of the shelves is devoted to whiskey, from Scotch to Japanese, with a single pour starting from VND 150,000, though top-shelf liquors may run as high as VND 300,000 or VND 400,000. Wines are available by the glass at VND 130,000, though it's wiser to opt for the bottle list, as this offers a more extensive selection. Beers are scarce, with only Sapporo (VND 60,000) and, oddly, Corona (VND 100,000) making it onto the menu. Whatever you're drinking, Bar's Bar exudes plenty of class, and its well-stocked bar combined with knowledgeable mixologists and just the right amount of cool make it a hideaway not to be missed.
It takes a lot to stand out these days. From Italian eateries offering complimentary aperitifs, belly dancers in Lebanese restaurants and open kitchens where cooking is part of the experience as much as eating, everyone on the city's restaurant scene seems to have a trick up their sleeve. But for Alexander Egert, creating a new and unexpected dining experience in Saigon was as simple as flicking a switch. While dining in the dark is now a global phenomenon, from Berlin to Bangkok, Cape Town to Kuala Lumpur, Blackout is Saigon's first restaurant to serve its meals with the lights
off. Egert, Blackout's owner, is still working out the kinks – the restaurant opened just last month – with only a few guests admitted at a time to ensure a quality experience, but so far the results are promising. The journey begins in a welllit reception area, where attendants with lacquered lockboxes collect all phones and watches. From there, one of the restaurant's visually-impaired staff members heads up a conga line into the dining room. The darkness is instantaneous; from the moment the front door closes, diners must rely on their other senses – and, of course, the assistance of the waitstaff – to
familiarise themselves with the table, feeling around for utensils and drinking glasses. Blackout currently offers four set menus: seafood (VND 600,000), meat (VND 700,000), vegetarian (VND 500,000) and, for the adventurous eater, mystery (VND 600,000). Egert plans to regularly alter them in order to keep diners guessing. In the dark, each course begins with a preliminary survey of the tray for the size, shape and consistency of each dish. We tried the seafood, vegetarian and mystery menus. In each, the starters offered the most innovative dishes, bringing together ingredients like passionfruit,
pomegranate and corn on the vegetarian plate or, for mystery diners, brain and longan. Mains were more familiar, with a trio of gourmet dishes for each menu. Vegetarian fennel ravioli and a scallop mousse satisfied in taste and texture, while the mystery menu proved interesting, with a surprisingly worthy blend of pig's blood and passionfruit. Throughout, each dish is plated effectively, allowing for easy consumption, and while the absence of sight may not heighten everyone's other senses, it certainly manages to transform a simple dinner into a culinary adventure. asialife HCMC 39
sticky fingers
leng keng zone
10am – 10pm, Sun – Tues, Thurs 5pm – 10pm, Wed 10am – 11pm, Fri - Sat 09 06 39 64 61 // Stickyfingersgrill.com
131 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Binh Thanh 4pm – late // 08 73 06 98 88
A new American-style barbecue delivery outfit enters the running for best ribs in town. By Dana Filek-Gibson. Photos by Vinh Dao.
Eating and drinking beer with friends is at the heart of this fun Binh Thanh establishment. Review by Brett Davis. Photos by Vinh Dao.
Across Saigon, barbecue has become all the rage. Beer halls, packed to the gills with after-work drinkers knocking back cold beers and tucking in to a host of grilled meats, dot every district, while a handful of trailblazers – most notably Quan Ut Ut – have cornered the Vietnamese market in addition to serving scores of hungry expats. But for those who'd prefer to indulge in a spread of American-style comfort food from the comfort of their own home (and a pair of sweatpants), Sticky Fingers has answered the call. The delivery outfit has been dispatching bags of piping hot 40 asialife HCMC
barbecue across town and drawing plenty of attention in the process thanks to its substantial dishes. Though the menu isn't exactly extensive – no more than a few mains and sides – what Sticky Fingers does, it does well. Lead into the comfort food with a hearty helping of pulled pork poutine (VND 95,000). This carnivorous variation on Quebec's most famous dish swaps the cheese curds for pulled pork doused in homemade gravy to create a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal. Cheese lovers will be pleased to know that the original is also available. For a seamless fusion of sweet and savoury, The King's grilled
cheese sandwich (VND 95,000) is an unlikely combination. Thick, gooey slabs of cheese are accompanied by crispy bacon and sliced bananas, which add a surprising new element to this tried-and-true favourite. While bananas on grilled cheese are not exactly the norm, skeptics just might come around, as this extra ingredient lends itself well to the pre-existing recipe, with just enough variation to stand out among the other fixings but not so much that the savoury goodness of bacon and cheese are disrupted. If, however, you order nothing else from Sticky Fingers, the pork ribs (VND 150,000) are
an absolute must. A beautifully tender half-rack of American ribs, slow-cooked and swimming in the restaurant's signature barbecue sauce, will undoubtedly result in Sticky Fingers' eponymous condition, but meat this flavourful is well worth the mess. Add to the meal a side order of garlic mashed potatoes, coleslaw, french fries, pasta salad, corn on the cob or potato salad (all VND 30,000) and you've got a nice complement to a delicious, slow-cooked meal. Sticky Fingers can be ordered online, either through its own website or via Vietnammm. com.
The proliferation of beer clubs around the city is obvious to anyone, but at Leng Keng Zone the owners have extended the concept to a restaurant format. It has a very outdoor feel with simple, retractable roof covers and not much in the way of walls. There is also, oddly enough, a road running through the middle of the joint. This narrow lane is part of the layout and ends abruptly near the kitchen at the rear of the restaurant, but it does mean you can ride your bike right up to the table and park. The menu is fairly extensive with some surprising touches. We kicked things off with some
rau rung (VND 60,000), a leafy green fried with garlic. It was a good start and made a nice change to the usual rau muong. Then we went for some of the more interesting options on the menu. First up was the H’mong chicken (VND 128,000) grilled with salt. These dark-skinned birds are on the lean side but extremely tasty, even if it can be a little tricky to pick around the bones. Next to arrive was the bach tuoc nuong da, or grilled octopus (VND 89,000). This dish uses a different method of grilling, with the marinated octopus tipped into a bowl containing hot volcanic stones.
Then a splash of beer is added and a lid placed on top so the tentacles can simultaneously steam. The result is some super-tender and spicy octopus that, not surprisingly, called for a couple more beers to help it on its way. Leng Keng Zone also offers some good options for larger meals to be shared among groups. You can order a whole duck (VND 580,000), H’mong chicken (VND 278,000) or regular chicken (VND 298,000) and select three different ways for it to be prepared. If you are just looking for some snacks to accompany a few cold ones, there is a
lengthy list to choose from, including fried chicken wings (VND 89,000), salted pork hock (VND 118,000) or wild boar stir-fry (VND 128,000). Of course it wouldn’t be a beer place without the beer, and Leng Keng Zone has a reasonable range of brews to choose from at very affordable prices. Tiger goes for VND 17,000 and Sapporo is VND 21,000, while a Saigon red is just VND 13,000 a bottle. Two of the newer brands in town also make an appearance, with Budweiser going for VND 23,000 while the Czech-style pilsner Gambrinus is VND 22,000. asialife HCMC 41
A
Mekong Treasures
Ruben Luong discovers artisan-inspired homeware with modern touches. Photos courtesy of Sadec District.
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above: Drawing on traditional motifs, such as the complementary circle and square shapes of imperial Vietnamese coins, Sadec District combines age-old symbolism with a 21st-century minimalist aesthetic.
s the seventh longest river in Asia, the Mekong stretches through Burma, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. But it also delivers to Vietnam all of its treasures: crafts inspired by artisan villages and designed by District 1 retailer, Sadec District. From Long Xuyen, Sa Dec and the southwest provinces of Vietnam upstream to Pakse, Vientiane, Tonle Sap, Bangkok and Yangon, Sadec District’s designers create homeware that reflects the different craftsmanships of folk artisans in the region. This multiculturalist ideology fills Sadec District with organic colour and charm, and its exotic aesthetic is welcomed within the young and artsy shopping grotto that is 3A Station on Ton Duc Thang Street by the Saigon River. Precious collections of tiny polished ceramics, wooden containers, handweaved baskets and Ikat pillows from the region are delicately displayed in a clean wooden floor space. “For sure we want to promote nice and beautiful products, and for sure it must be functional,” says Tri, a product developer at Sadec District. “The designers sketch an image of what they want and I try to make it similar but it cannot be exact. Weaving rattan, for example, is not easy, and there are different methods, so we have to try to adapt it.” Tri, who previously worked at IKEA Vietnam and whose nickname is ‘Bamboo Tri’ for his tall and lean silhouette, explains that Sadec District often has the same quality requirements as IKEA. “The shop has functional products but are also food safe,” he says. “For example, a simple wooden chopping board. There are a lot of chopping boards in Vietnam but the treatment may not be good based on what we know. So I use a neutral treatment for cutting boards by applying cooking oil after it is sanded. Other coatings in the country may not be as safe.” Vanessa, 33, a French expat who moved to Ho Chi Minh City with her husband four months ago, visited Sadec District in order to decorate her apartment in District 1. “I’m looking for mostly things for the kitchen, so this is a great place,” she says. “I want my place to be quite natural style, very simple, close to nature, a lot of wood and very pure design.” Sadec District is divided into three main product lines, including the Sadec Collection which features original brands from Vietnam and abroad, a mix and match of selected products from local artisans and finally Sadec Design, which is designed by the shop’s team of three designers. “I like it here because you may want to buy things you can use maybe later on,” Vanessa says. “They can be souvenirs. Things that are special, but that you can recycle and use if you live in or move to another country.”
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G-LAB is where sneakerheads unite. At this shoe shop and chill hangout space, more than 100 pairs of the most iconic kicks, from retro basketball and retro runner to performance basketball and performance lifestyle, seem to exhibit the sweat and glory of the athletes who inspired them, while generations of fresh, drool-worthy designs continue to keep sneaker lovers on their feet. 135/58 Tran Hung Dao, Floor 1 HOTSHOTS left to right. Owners Viet Pham, Luu Huynh, Nam Quan and Luu Huynh
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PHOTOS Vinh Dao EDITOR Ruben Luong
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Nike Air Jordan 11 in Bred colourway
Nike LeBron 11 Christmas Special edition, 2013
Nike Air Jordan 6 in Varsity red Nike AirMax 1 in neutral Grey/Red. The first shoe ever to show the airbag in the soles
Nike Lebron Cork Retail price USD $250, resell price USD $800
Asics Gel Lyte III 'Three Lies' x Cncpts
Nike AirMax Hyperposite VND 6,100,000. Foam posite material conforms to the foot for fit and comfort
Nike AirMax 1 + Atmos in Teal/Black/Elephant Pack Print
left: Nike Air Jordan 3 in white/cement right: Nike Air Jordan 4 in white/cement
Nike AirMax 90 in white and pink in white/pink/grey
Nike AirMax 1 + Atmos in animal camo
Nike Air Jordan 1 in Bred colourway
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listings
AIRLINES
Air France 130 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3829 0981 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. Malaysia Airlines Unit G8 Ground floor, SG Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3824 6663 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. Vietnam Airlines Hanoi: 25 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6270 0200 HCM City: 16th Floor, Sun Wah, 115 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. Six Senses Con Dao Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Dist, Ba Ria Tel: 064 3831 222 www.sixsenses.com/SixSensesConDao
escape
On the intersect of 4 districts, with 333 rooms, Orientica Seafood restaurant and bar, Chit Chat cafe, pool (swim-up bar), gym.
DALAT
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.
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.
hotel & travel
CON DAO
The first 5 star resort with 50 villas stretch across a mile-long beach, each villas has its own infinity-edge pool facing the ocean and a stunning restaurant.
Dalat Edensee Lake Resort & Spa Tuyen Lam Lake, Zone VII.2, Dalat Tel: 063 383 1515 www.dalatedensee.com Nestled in the heart of the “Black Forest of Vietnam” and discretely hidden along the waterfront of Tuyen Lam Lake, this resort is a perfect launching point for exploring the Highland region. It has two fine-dining restaurants, a cafe and terrace, a cigar lounge, and golfing and tennis.
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. 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.
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
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. 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. Three restaurants, modern discotheque, conference centre, shopping centre, supermarket.
HOI AN & DANANG InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort Bai Bac, Son Tra Peninsula Tel: 0511 093 8888
NHA TRANG
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. InterContinental Nha Trang 32-34 Tran Phu Street, Nha Trang Tel: +84 058 388 7777 www.Ihg.com A luxury beachfront retreat located in the heart of the city, the resort overlooks the stunning coastline. From there getting around the city is convenient as shopping, attractions, restaurants and bars are easily accessible within walking distance of the hotel. Mia Resort Nha Trang Bai Dong, Cam Hai Dong, Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa Tel: 58 398 9666 www.mianhatrang.com Ultimate luxury resort with 50 rooms, divided into villas and condos, catering by well-known restaurant Sandals and Mojito`s bar. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay 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.
restaurants and 1,800 square metres spa complex. 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.
SCUBA DIVING
Note: AsiaLIFE only lists dive centres recognized by international dive training programs, such as the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) and Scuba Schools International (SSI). We strongly advise against diving with unaccredited dive centres in Vietnam. Rainbow Divers 55 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6825 www.divevietnam.com Diving tours and career/instructor development offered by Vietnam’s first PADI centre. established in the mid-90s. 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.
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.
The Grand-Ho Tram Strip Phuoc Thuan Commune, Xuyen Moc District, Ba Ria Vung Tau Tel: +84 64 3788 888 www.thegrandhotramstrip.com The Grand - Ho Tram Strip is Vietnam's first large scale integrated resort and ultimately will include an 1,100-room five-star hotel, a world-class casino, restaurants, high-tech meeting space, an exclusive VIP area, as well as a variety of beach-front recreation activities. The first 541-room tower of this development opened in July 2013 with its casino including 90 live tables and 614 electronic game positions. The Grand will be the initial component of The Ho Tram Strip, the largest integrated resort complex in Vietnam.
TRAVEL AGENTS Been In Asia www.beeninasia.com info@beeninasia.com
Exotissimo HCMC: 20 Hai Ba Trung St, D1 Tel: 3827 2911 infosgn@exotissimo.com HANOI: 26 Tran Nhat Duat St, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3828 2150 infohanoi@exotissimo.com www.exotissimo.com
CHUDU24 hotel booking service 11th floor, 36 Bui Thi Xuan St, D1 Tel: 1900 5454 40 info.en@chudu24.com www.en.chudu24.com Chudu24.com - the locally famous Vietnam hotel booking website now has an English version. The company is known for having the best local prices and reliable service. It has been the number 1 Vietnam hotel booking service for Vietnamese since 2008.
HCMC H Noi vi
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PHAN THIET Princess D’Ânnam 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
take flight with travel promotions around the region
Ana Mandara Mui Ne Short Breaks Special Book a minimum two-night stay to receive a 20 percent discount at Ana Mandara Mui Ne. Package includes two nights’ accommodation, daily breakfast for two, upgrade to next room category (subject to availability), one signature cocktail or mocktail per stay and 20 percent off dining for two as well as a 20 percent spa discount on heavenly 90-minute oil massages for two. Special runs through 31 December and rates start from VND 2,910,480.
25 Percent Off Stay at Victoria Chau Doc Relax and unwind at Victoria Chau Doc Hotel, where you can stay at least two nights and
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Mövenpick 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.
danang.intercontinental.com A world of poetic experiences and jungle-clad romance in a place that cloaks you with luxury. The mastery of traditional Vietnamese design meets modern architectural flair in this distinctive retreat within the dense rainforest of mythical Monkey Mountain.
enjoy 25 percent off room rates at the hotel resort. Whether gazing at the shimmering sunset from your window or taking in the gentle breeze from the riverside terrace, a stay at this premier retreat is certainly not to be missed on your Indochina journey. Offer is valid through 30 November and cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions or special offers.
Heaven in Hanoi and Halong Enjoy one day in Hanoi to embrace the diverse art and shopping scene along the Old Quarter and the Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi. Then board the luxurious Emeraude steamer and experience the nostalgic charm of colonial Indochina while cruising through the majestic beauty of the bay. Prices start at US $399 per person.
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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.
listings
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.
food & drink BAR RESTAURANTS Bernie’s Irish Pub 19 Thai Van Lung, D1 www.berniesirishpub.com This authentic Irish pub in downtown Saigon has a large wine list, a wide selection of single malt whiskey and local and imported beers, including widgets of Guinness. It also has a western and Asian menu. Buddha Bar 7 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2080 An Phu institution serves up tasty meals and good drinks in a friendly, chilled environment. Plenty of room to relax inside or out, plus a pool table on premise. 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. 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.
Red Bar 70-72 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 08 22 29 70 17 Tucked behind the Bitexco building, Red has one of the longest happy hours in the city (draught beer for VND 25,000 from 9am until 9pm). This, its international food menu and nightly live music makes it one of the liveliest bars around. 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.
CAFES
Le Pub 175/ 22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1 www.lepub.org
feast
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.
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. 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.
CHINESE
Li Bai Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 Imperial-styled restaurant named after a famous Chinese poet. 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. 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. 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. Yu Chu
broaden your palate with promotions around town
Good morning, Vietnam Rise and shine with a Vietnamese Vespa Market Tour on 22 November from 7am – 12:30 pm. Begin the journey at Park Hyatt Saigon, venturing to three markets to hand-pick some of Vietnam’s freshest ingredients. Afterwards, return back to the hotel where Chef Thang will demonstrate how to create traditional and savoury southern Vietnamese specialties. Locally-brewed beers complete the Saigon experience. Price is VND 1,800,000 per person. For reservations, please email nguyen. luu@hyatt.com.
German delicacies every Saturday night To celebrate Oktoberfest, Saigon Café will host a German-themed night every Saturday in
October from 6pm-10pm, featuring a buffet of German dishes. Dine on a selection of German delicacies, including farmer-style pate, pork jelly, oven-roasted pork knuckle and meatloaf, German potato soup with smoked sausages, roast garlic pork neck, cheese spatzle and tasty sausages like smoked German sausage, Frankfurter sausage, Bratwurst sausage, Thuinger sausage and curry sausage. Cost is VND 1,010,000 including free-flowing house wine, coffee and tea. Saigon Café is at the Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, D1.
Reflections Restaurant Serves Classic French Cuisine Reflections Restaurant invites guests to sample the finest French delicacies in ‘The Past on a Plate’. From 25-31 October, guests can sample dishes such as escargots a la Bour-
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.
FRENCH
Camargue 74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 08 35 20 48 88 One of the first western restaurants in Saigon, Camargue offers a great selection of French food and wine in a romantic, rustic French villa. Le Bouchon de Saigon 40 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3829 9263 This French diner-style restaurant has an emphasis on hearty home cooking, courteous service and a relaxed atmosphere. Chef David Thai is a well-known industry figure, and this venue can hold its own among the city`s many French restaurants.
INDIAN
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
guignonne (snails baked in garlic herb butter) or quenelles de mousse du saumon (salmon mousse with lobster sauce), and mains like confit de canard (duck confit served on onions, potatoes and apples) and hachis parmentier (braised pulled beef served with duck liver). A three-course meal is priced at VND 810,000 while a four-course meal is priced at VND 938,000. Reflections Restaurant is on the third floor of the Caravelle Hotel,19-23 Lam Son Square, D1.
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. Au Parc 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 Lavishly decorated brasserie borrowing from Moroccan and French styles and popular during lunchtime with expats. Specializes in Middle Eastern and North African food. The salad menu is a favourite, and a great range of lush smoothies and juices are on offer. Black Cat 13 Phan Van Dat, D1 Tel: 3829 2055 Tiny but popular District 1 restaurant serving up an excellent selection of Western and Vietnamese fare and an extensive range of sandwiches and burgers. BoatHouse 40 Lily Road, APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6790 Riverside restaurant with umbrellashaded 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. Boomarang Cresent Residence 2-3-4, No. 107 Ton Dat Tien, PMH, D7 Tel: 3744 6790 An Australian bistro on the scenic promenade at the Crescent in Phu My Hung that serves authentic cuisine from down under, including steaks, burgers, seafood and fish and chips. 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. Hog's Breath 02 Hai Trieu, D1 Tel: 3915 6006 The popular Australian eatery's first foray into Vietnam. Centrally located on the ground floor of the Bitexco Financial tower. The legendary Prime Rib steaks are the centrpiece of the menu which also includes burgers, seafood and bar snacks. 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. Market 39 InterContinental Asiana Saigon Ground Floor, Corner Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 dine@icasianasaigon.com Seven interactive live kitchens offering French, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cuisines, including a bakery, French patisseries, pancakes, tossed salads, grilled steak, seafood, wok-fried items, noodles and pasta dishes.
Mekong Merchant 23 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 4713 Set in a courtyard, this rustic Australianstyle brasserie has brought modern international cuisine to suburban An Phu. Popular for weekend brunches. Weekly specials and seafood flown in from Phu Quoc. 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. Scott & Binh’s 15-17 Cao Trieu Phat Street, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 094 890 14 65 Bizuhotel.com A friendly, laid back restaurant in Phu My Hung that serves “comfort food with a twist”. Run by American chef Scott Marquis, this small joint offers classic favourites that are consistently well prepared, making it a popular stop for expats and visitors. 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.
ITALIAN
Basilico InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Ground Floor, Corner Nguyen Du and Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 dine@icasianasaigon.com Contemporary and casual trattoria-style restaurant specializing in authentic Italian dishes and homemade desserts. Wood-fired pizza oven and a wide selection of Italian wines. Casa Italia 86 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 4286 www.casaitalia.com.vn Serves home-style Italian cooking including pasta and pizza as well as a selection of steak and seafood dishes. Open daily 10 am until late. 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.
JAPANESE Kissho 14 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3823 2223 Fax: 3823 3343 kissho.wmcvietnam.com Saigon’s newest Japanese restaurant boasts a multi-concept cuisine set in a cutting edge interior. Specialties include teppanyaki, yakiniku, sushi and sashimi crafted by expert chefs. The freshest imported meats and seafood round out the menu, accompanied by an extensive selection of fine wines and
Peacefull coffee shop for privacy and the luxury of being in your own space 200A Le Van Sy, Phu Nhuan
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Japanese spirits. Open 11.30 am to 2 pm and 5.30 pm to 10 pm. 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.
By Darren Gall
imbibe Swollen River The Mekong has swollen like a fat rolling python, writhing angrily in its muddy channel and creating the glistening illusion that it is about to burst its banks and seethe through the city streets. It is hot and it is wet, with steam for air. Without warning winds scatter through the streets, lightning begins fizzing across the sky, thunder rolls with claps and booms shaking the very atmosphere. Then, after an eerie pause, all hell breaks loose. Rain is a gentle word for poets and farmers. It doesn’t rain in Phnom Penh: a bloated, distressed and distended sky just ups and empties itself on a city. Drains, streets and whole urban villages flood in an instant. Traffic stalls to a halt and the city collectively gasps for air in the deluge. Welcome to the rainy season, Phnom Penh style. Phnom Penh appears to have four seasons as best I can tell: hot and dry, hot and windy, hot and humid and hot and rainy. Being a seasonal (and seasoned) drinker, my thoughts turn to what wines and wine styles I may adopt at this time of year to see me through yet another monsoonal myopia of rising damp, perpetually wet washing, traffic jams and the unique blend of dirty water and steamy sweat. This year, I have found myself pining for wines as fresh as an alpine spring morning and as crisp as a well-starched shirt. I am therefore seriously getting into Vermentino. 52 asialife HCMC
Originally from Sardinia and produced in Italy in Liguria and Piedmont, it is also prominent in Corsica and is now enjoying popularity in southern France and a number of new world countries such as Australia and the USA. Australia’s oldest familyowned winery, Yalumba, have recently released a very accessible and enjoyable Vermentino under their ‘Y’ series label. Sardinian Vermentino can be hard to find, but it is well worth seeking out. They are best consumed as young wines whilst they still retain vibrancy and freshness. At its fragrant best, this dry white wine has an aromatic perfume of fresh jasmine and nectarines with a hint of sandalwood and an undertone of fresh herbs. The palate shows intense fruity flavours of cumquats and lemon drops with pink grapefruit notes, a bracing minerality and acidity on the finish. Served well-chilled, this is the perfect wine for a bit of clarity during the dengue haze of rainy season in the city. Vermentino works well with fish and white meat but really shines with vegan and vegetarian cuisine. It can also handle a little bit of spice, but it works best with the clean flavours of salads and antipasti. Darren Gall has spent a quarter of a century involved in virtually every aspect of the wine industry and the passionate pursuit of the next great bottle continues. Gall.darren@ yahoo.com.
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.
Viet Chay 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3526 5862 Upscale vegetarian restaurant specializes in fake meat dishes. The attractive dining room is suffused with natural light. Located within the walls of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda.
VIETNAMESE Cha Ca La Vong 3 Ho Xuan Huong, D3 Tel: 3930 5674 36 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3915 3343 Two HCM City ouposts of the legendary Hanoi original serve only one dish: the eponymous and delicious cha ca la vong, fish pan-fried at the table with turmeric and dill and served with cold noodles and peanuts.
KOREAN
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.
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.
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.
Grillbar 122 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 08 38 22 79 01 A Vietnamese restaurant with a focus on charcoal-grilled meat brings classic Vietnamese street food indoors to a modern, clean environment.
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 Baan Thai 55 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 5453 If you have been missing the delights of Bangkok nightlife then this restaurant and bar should be for you. The Thai chefs whip up all the traditional dishes you know and love, while in the bar there are a host of drinks and activities to help while away an evening.. 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 artdeco furniture. Authentic Thai cuisine prepared by two Thai chefs. Food is tasty but less spicy than you’d find in Thailand. Little Manila S2-1 Hung Vuong 2, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5410 0812 Small, no -frills eatery with outdoor and indoor seating located on a quiet street. Serves a range of dishes from the Philippines (pictured on menu for those unfamiliar) and draught San Miguel.
VEGETARIAN
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.
recipes
Quan Bui 17A Ngo Van Nam, D1 Tel: 08 38 29 15 15 From the team behind Quan Bui, the popular casual Vietnamese eatery on the north edge of District 1, is this fourfloor fine-dining restaurant in downtown Saigon. The chic design and ambience, as well as its rooftop garden, are designed to attract a more up-market clientele. 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. Wrap & Roll 62 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 4030 SA1–1, My Khanh 1, Nguyen Van Linh, D7 Attractive downtown venue that brings street-style food into air-conditioned and uncluttered comfort. Choose prewrapped appetisers such as the cha gio (spring rolls) or roll-it-yourself mains with ingredients like pickled shrimps, beef on sugar cane, fish, grilled eel and pork.
nightlife
BARS & LOUNGES
See bar restaurant listings for more popular watering holes. 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. 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
SHIITAKE MUSHROOM BRUSCHETTAS
INGREDIENTS • 300 grams Shiitake mushrooms (sliced) • Sliced baguette • 1 medium red capsicum cut into small cubes • 1 medium green capsicum cut into small cubes • 3 cloves of garlic • 1 big onion, chopped • 3 tbsp butter • 5 tbsp olive oil • 1 tsp paprika • Chopped parsley • Salt and pepper PREPARATION • Heat the pan to medium temperature and add olive oil. Add onion and garlic then sautée for 2-3 minutes. • Add the sliced
mushrooms and drizzle 3 tbsp of water. When the water evaporates, add salt and pepper to taste. This should take about five to seven minutes. • Add the butter followed by the cubed capsicums. Add paprika and more pepper and salt if desired. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes and then it's done. Sprinkle chopped parsley and mix. • Prepare the sliced baguette and top with one to two tbsp of the mushroom filling depending on the size of your baguette then sprinkle some more chopped parsley.
Recipe provided by Joanie Manalang Culinarian Food Stylist Artist-chef.blogspot.com
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Shaoxing and Maotai rice wines and an exclusive selection of luxury spirits. 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.
at home BAKERIES
Local Eats
By Tristan Ngo
Alley Experience September is monsoon season in Saigon which means less time on my motorbike (I don't like being wet unless it's in the shower) and less time to scour the outer city centre for hidden local dinning gems. My wife has told me of some awesome places I need to visit out in District 6 but I figure it can wait until the monsoon season is over. Lucky for me, I found a place situated in an alley next to the Sofitel Saigon Hotel between Le Duan and Nguyen Du. I found this eatery rather by chance. To avoid traffic on Ton Duc Thang Street, I took a shortcut through this no-name alley and realised a hidden gem in the heart of District 1. Tarps drape over what passes for a kitchen, metal tables and chairs. A steady crowd hovers all around with customers ordering takeaway or dining on the spot. It was the same every morning as I passed through this new discovered alley. I realised this was a place I needed to investigate. My rule of thumb on eating local fare is simple - go where the locals go because they know best. Open since 2000, owner Huong and her family run their business five days a week. The menu changes daily and is open from 6am-10am. Just to show how popular and busy they are, I decided to drop by after 9am to avoid the early morning crowds and, believe 54 asialife HCMC
it or not, they were sold out. I've since come by earlier and tasted all five dishes. I chatted with Huong for the column but she was so reluctant and, to be honest, she doesn't need more exposure. Monday - hu tiu mi Tuesday - pho Wednesday - bun moc Thursday - hu tiu nam vang Friday - bun bo I have written reviews on other noodle dishes before with an exception to bun moc. I am not a big bun moc fan but I like it. Originating from northern Vietnam, bun moc is a vermicelli noodle soup made from pork bones and pork paste. The best part about this soup are the pork balls made with pork paste, sugar, salt, spring onions and mushrooms (shiitake or black fungus), and it’s topped with slices of cha lua (pork sausage), bean sprouts, cilantro and green onions. It’s a delicious and light soup. There are a few local eateries in this short alley but Huong's is the most popular amongst the locals. The food here is consistently good. It is nice that they offer something different everyday, so drop by and sample a bowl but be sure to make it early. Tristan Ngo is the Chef Patron and Owner of Skewers Restaurant and The Elbow Room.
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. 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.
DELIVERY
Food Panda www.foodpanda.vn Online delivery service with over 500 popular restaurants available. www.vietnammm.com A free website that allows users to order delivery from dozens of restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City. Simply provide your address and phone number and pay the delivery driver in cash when he arrives Willy Woo’s www.vietnammm.com Southern American fare including skillet fried chicken, Belgium waffles and BBQ foods, red beans and rice, Jalapeno corn bread, and other classic southern sides. Delivery only via vietnammm.com
GROCERIES
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.
Big C Floor B1, Cantavil An Phu Building, D2, Tel: 3740 7105 www.bigC.vn This ‘supercentre’ offers a clean, comfortable shopping environment with a wide assortment of goods, including fresh food and home accessories, available at reasonable prices. 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. Kim Hai Butchery 73 Le Thi Hong Gam, D1 Tel: 3821 6057 or 3914 4376 Excellent chilled imported beef, lamb, veal and other meats sold at reasonable prices. Metro Anphu An Phu, D2 Tel: 3740 6677 www.metro.com.vn Warehouse wholesaler located just off the Hanoi Highway in D2. Sells bulk food, fresh fruit and vegetables and 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. Red Apron 22 Chu Manh Trinh, D1 Tel: 3823 0021 Large wine and spirits wholesaler, with 90,000 bottles stored in its five locations around the country. Sells wine from all around the world, particularly France, Chile, Italy and Australia. Exclusive distributor of such fine brands as Taittinger Champagne. The Warehouse 178 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 8826 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.
listings
culture CLASSES
AngelsBrush by Vin Tel: 0983377710 Shyevin@mac.com Oil painting course gives learners the opportunity to work from the different objects; explore different mediums, materials and techniques; and interpret line, tone and colour. Instructor works with students on individual basis. DanCenter 53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Thao Dien, D.2 Tel: 3840 6974 www.dancentervn.com Purpose built studio with foreign trained dance instructors. Classes in jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, yoga, zumba, belly, hula, capoiera and more. Kids can start from 4+ and adults of all ages and levels are welcome. 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. 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. CGV cinema Vietnam Hung Vuong Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, D5 Tel: 08 2222 0388 CT Plaza, 60A Truong Son, Tan Binh Tel: 6297 1981 Crescent Mall, Phu My Hung, D7 Pandora City, 1/1 Truong Chinh, Tan Phu www.cgv.vn State-of-the-art cinema complex screening the lastest blockbusters with plush, reclining seats. All movies shown in original language with Vietnamese subtitles. 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 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.
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.
a breeze of serenity
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.
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listings
By Phil Kelly
fitness Creepy Crawlers One of the most overlooked sources of nutrition is insects. I am sure everyone has seen the carts selling little critters somewhere in Asia. In fact, the National Autonomous University of Mexico found that 113 countries across the world eat insects as a substitute for meat with a variety of 1,700 different species of insects consumed. If you think this is disgusting, consider that insects were a large part of a Paleolithic diet. A paper called Calcium in Evolutionary Perspective by S Boyd Eaton and Dorothy A Nelson states that for “a total of 150 million years – three quarters of the entire time mammals have existed - our ancestors were primarily insectivorous”. Hunting animals was dangerous, which means meat was scarce or at least not caught on a regular basis. Insects were much more bountiful and safer to harvest. Early hunters and gatherers had about a 20 percent success rate when hunting game. Therefore, their tribe would have starved if it weren’t for a steady stream of nutrients and calories consumed from foraging foods such as tubers, greens or fruits. Moreover, the demand for protein required a constant intake of insects. Insects are highly nutritious. When we compare the nutritional value of insects to beef, and even fish, it is clear that insects come out on top. For example, caterpillars contain higher levels of iron and vitamins than ground beef and is on par with protein content. Likewise, crickets have higher 56 asialife HCMC
levels of calcium, which is an essential nutrient for bone development. Insects are also a much higher quality food compared to fruits, leaves, flowers and even nuts. Insects, in fact, provide all the nutrients that drive human development: protein, iron, calcium and, best of all, unsaturated long-chain essential fatty acids. Furthermore, National Geographic suggests that besides nutritional value, insects are also environmentally sustainable, requiring very little water, feed and transport fuel to be farmed and harvested when compared to livestock and vegetables. For example, 10 pounds of beef requires 100 pounds of feed, where the same amount of feed would produce four times the amount of crickets. Vietnam has an abundance of insects available for consumption. I have eaten ants, tarantulas, crickets, scorpions and coconut grubs, all of which were very tasty. Coconut grubs were particularly delicious and packed full of goodness from their home: the superfood, coconut. If eating creepy-crawlies never occurred to you, then try them. You’ll be eating healthy and saving the environment. Phil is a health practitioner and expert in body transformation. His services are available at Star Fitness (Starfitnesssaigon. com), online or at your home. Contact him though his website Phil-kelly.com or Facebook.
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.
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 53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Thao Dien, District 2 Tel: 3840 6974 www.dancentervn.com Purpose built studio with foreign trained dance instructors. Classes in jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, yoga, zumba, belly, hula, capoiera and more. Kids can start from 4+ and adults of all ages and levels are welcome. Schedule and news on events available on-line. Salsa Dancing at La Habana 6 Cao Ba Quat, D1 www.salsaigon.com salsaigon@gmail.com Salsa package for single persons and 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
Divers offers scuba diving courses for children and adults. Free morning yoga.
FOOTBALL & RUGBY
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. L’Apothiquaire Fitness Centre 64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181 www.lapothiquaire.com Internationally-certified teachers offer daily classes in Sivananda, Iyengar, Power, Yoga, Abdo-Pilates, Taebo and Aqua-Aerobics. Peaceful swimming pool, sauna and steam room. La Cochinchine Rex Hotel, 146 Pastuer, D1 Tel: 3825 1812 (ext 7477) New and affordable fitness centre located in the heart of the city. This gym has a wide range of weight machines, as well as many cardio machines, including treadmills, cross-trainers and bikes. A good variety of classes are available, including yoga and aerobic dance. 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. Sheraton Fitness Level 5, Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 sheraton.saigon@sheraton.com www.sheraton.com/saigon Sheraton Fitness features a team of trained professionals and new Technogym equipment. Members have full use of leisure facilities and receive discounts at hotel bars and restaurants and Aqua Day Spa. Star Fitness Gym Manor Apartments, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0255 This 1,600sqm gym is apparently the biggest in Vietnam. Has a good range of machines for any type of workout. Membership involves one time entry fee plus monthly subscriptions and gives free access to regular fitness classes. 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.
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 Saints chris@saigonsaints.com www.saigonsaints.com Expat football club of all ages, which has been running since 1995 and plays in the SIFL. Regularly venture on international tours especially to Bangkok and Manila and play in other local and international tournaments. The players train weekly, and new players are encouraged to join.
GOLF
Dalat Palace Golf Club Phu Dong Thien Vuong, Dalat Tel: 063 3821 101 dpgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com The most beautiful course in Vietnam, combining the crisp mountain air with an environment of stately pine trees. Overlooking Xuan Huong lake, the 7,009yard course is an enjoyable challenge for golfers of all levels. Dong Nai Golf Resort Trang Bom Town, Trang Bom Tel: 061 3866 288 / 3677 590 www.dongnaigolf.com.vn Large golf resort with 27 holes, plus a villa complex, bar, sauna. jacuzzi and billiards. The resort sits on 160 hectares of land in Dong Nai Province, about 50 kilometres from the city. Ocean Dunes Golf Club 1 Ton Duc Thang, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3821 995 odgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com Designed by Nick Faldo, the 6,746-yard par-72 course winds through seaside dunes, with the variable coastal breezes changing its character each day. An enjoyable and eminently playable course and has become a favourite venue for expatriate tournaments. Saigon South Golf Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phu, D7 Tel: 5411 2001 sgs.golf@yahoo.com.vn Nine-hole mini golf course and driving range set amongst attractive gardens just behind FV Hospital. Club, shoe and umbrella hire is also available. 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 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. 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. Squash The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 2098 ext 176 www.thelandmarkvietnam.com One of three squash courts in town. Membership is open to non-Landmark residents and drop-in players. Lessons and racquets are available for additional fees. Balls are provided. Book in advance or phone for further information. Ultimate Frisbee RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, D7 www.saigon-ultimate.com Join in this exciting popular sport every Sunday afternoon from 3pm to 5pm in Saigon South. Pan-Asian competitions also organised for the more experienced. Contact David Jensen at 0909458890 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.
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health & beauty ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
American Chiropractic Clinic 161 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3939 3930 www.vietnamchiropractic.com A chiropractic, physiotherapy, foot care clinic staffed by American-trained chiropractors speaking French, English,
Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. Treatsback pain, neck pain, knee pain, also specializing in sports injuries, manufacture of medical grade foot orthotics. Ciro Gargiulo CARE1 Executive Health Care Center The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0757 care1_reception@vietnammedicalpractice.com www.care1.com.vn A holistic approach is used by this acupuncturist and traditional medicine practitioner to rebalance the body’s energy fields. A wide range of ailments are treated including back pain, allergies and insomnia. Institute of Traditional Medicine 273-275 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Dr. Le Hung is the man to see at this wellestablished traditional hospital & training centre. He speaks good English and
provides excellent treatments in a clean environment. The Institute also provides acupuncture lessons.
DENTAL
Accadent 39 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 08 6267 6666 A clinic that brings leading German dentistry to Vietnam. All dentists here were trained in Germany and all equipment comes from Germany to ensure proper hygiene and quality. 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. Starlight Dental Clinic Dr. Philippe Guettier & International Team of Dentists 2Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, D1 Tel: 3822 6222 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.
MEDICAL
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. Family Medical Practice HCMC Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 7848 95 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2000 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. HANH PHUC International Hospital Binh Duong boulevard, Thuan An, Binh Duong.
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Tel: 0650 3636068 www.hanhphuchospital.com The 1st Singapore Standard Hospital in Vietnam. 260 –bedder, provide a comprehensive range of quality healthcare services: Obstertrics, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Immunization, IVF, Health checkup, Parentcraft, Woman Cancer, Cosmetic Surgery… Just 20- minute driving from HCMC. HANH PHUC International Hospital Clinic 97 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1. Tel: 3925 9797 www.hanhphuchospital.com The 1st Singapore Standard Hospital in Vietnam. The clinic is located at the center of Dist. 1, provides a comprehensive range of services specializing in Obstertrics, Gynaecology, Peadiatrics, Immunization, General Practice and Emergency. Open hours: Weekdays: 8am to 5pm; Saturday: 8am to 12pm.
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.
Victoria Healthcare 135A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3910 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.
SKINCARE
The Body Shop 87 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3683 www.thebodyshop.com International cosmetics retailer with strong commitment to environment sources natural ingredients from small communities for its line of more than 600 products. The Face Shop 294 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3820 2325 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 offers hundreds of products for different skin types. Also has kiosks at in Phu My Hung, Diamond Plaza and Zen Plaza.
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family ACTIVITIES 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. DanCenter 53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Thao Dien, D 2 Tel: 3840 6974 www.dancentervn.com Children and teenagers from age 4+ can enjoy jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, acro dance and break dance classes at this professionally run, newly built dance studio. Schedule and news on events available on-line. 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. 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 for kids from age six. Tae Kwondo BP Compound, 720 Thao Dien, D2 and Riverside Villa Compound, Vo Truong Toan, D2 phucteacherkd@yahoo.com Private and group classes are run after school three times a week by the friendly Mr. Phuc. Anyone over the age of five is welcome to join in the course, which costs USD $50 for 12 classes/month with a $25 fee for non-members. Contact Mr. Phuc directly on 0903 918 149.
BABY EQUIPMENT Baby 66B Cach Mang Thang Tam, D10 A large store stocking a good range of baby needs, including toys, buggies, cots
and bottles. Prices are reasonable. Babyland Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Quality products including car seats, buggies, prams and travel cots and a good selection of baby toys. Carries Avent bottles and sterilizer sets, and a small range of educational books. Prices are higher than the other places, but so is the quality. Maman Bebe Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 8724 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.
CLOTHES 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 midrange prices. The quality compensates for the price. Bedding, baby equipment and furniture and organic and natural supplies also kept in stock. Ninh Khuong 44 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 7456 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.
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.
American International School 220 Nguyen Van Tao, Nha Be, HCMC Tel: 08 3780 0909 www.ais.edu.vn info@ais.edu.vn Established since 2006, American International School is a private school serving students from Preschool through grade 12. Operate on 4 campuses, the school offers innovative American curriculum with true Vietnamese heritage. All students are well prepared for academic success appropriate to their needs and aspirations in the US and around the world. The Australian International School Xi Campus (Kindergarten) 190 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 35192727 Thao Dien Campus (Kindergarten & Primary School) 36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6960 Thu Thiem Campus (Kindergarten, Primary, Middle & Senior School) 264 Mai Chi Tho (East-West Highway) An Phu ward, D2 Tel: 3742 4040 www.aisvietnam.com The Australian International School is an IB World School with 3 class campuses in District 2, HCMC, offering an international education from Kindergarten to Senior School with the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), Cambridge Secondary Programe (including IGCSE) and IB Diploma Programme (DP). 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 BIS is the largest international school in Vietnam operating from three purpose built campuses in HCMC catering for students from pre-school to Year 13. The school operates within the framework of the National Curriculum for England and
is staffed primarily by British qualified and trained teachers with recent UK experience. Students are prepared for both IGCSE & the IB Diploma programmes. BIS is a member of FOBISSEA & is fully accredited by the Council of International schools EUROPEAN International School 730 F-G-K Le Van Mien, Thao Dien. Tel: 7300 7257 www.eishcmc.com jura.cullen@cantab.net The EUROPEAN International School Ho Chi Minh City (EIS) offers an international education from Early Years through Primary and Secondary School. EIS is committed to educating students to become creative critical thinkers and problem solvers. In small student centred classes, students are immersed in a multicultural learning environment which values multilingualism. The language of instruction throughout the School is English; the language program includes Spanish, German, French and Vietnamese. 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. The International School HCMC American Academy 26 Vo Truong Toan, D2 Tel: 3898 9098 www.aavn.edu.vn The International School Ho Chi Minh City - American Academy is a world-class middle and high school for children aged 11 to 18 years old. Offering a comprehensive academic program built upon the principles and standards of the American education system.. International School Saigon Pearl 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh District Tel: 2220 1788/89 www.issp.edu.vn Opening in August, 2011, the single purpose-built campus will cater for nursery through grade five. In the second year, sixth grade will be added. ISSP’s long-term strategic plan includes complete middle and high schools. In the spring of 2011 ISSP will host the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (the largest American accreditation agency in Asia). Accreditation will allow children to easily transfer to schools abroad.
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By Paul McLardie
PERSONAL FINANCE Weird Investments In my office this week we had the owner of a mutual fund come in to explain what the fund was about and how it could be accessed and be of assistance to our clients. However exciting equity high yields and premium income can be, he did finish off by telling us how he is involved in a company buying and breeding rhinos in South Africa. Yes, for around USD $50,000 you can have your own female rhino. When it has offspring, these get sold and you earn your money back. Not only good for the rhinos, but potentially good for your pocket. There are actually quite a range of strange or weird investments out there. Have you grown fed-up of normal mutual funds, bonds and equities? Well, how about art? A Jackson Pollock painting last year sold for USD $58.3 million. That was a one-year return for the owner of over 325 percent. To buy a Pollock, though, who has the spare change lying between their sofa cushions? Fifty thousand dollars is a bit steep for most people, so how about pigs? You do not even need to own them. Lean Hogs are one of the largest sources of pork in the US. As a commodity investment, they returned over 50 percent last year.
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Hey, that’s gone back too far the other way. What about some crowd funding? If you stay away from the celebrity-driven side of crowd funding, there are some, shall we say, special ways to invest in start-up companies. You can invest in anything from flying bicycles to watermelon holders to attempting to get a Tardis into orbit. No idea why, but yes, some people want to put a Tardis into orbit. Whatever you do though, remember that it is your money. Look at any investment closely. It does not matter the size or scope of it because it can come back to bite you if you are not fully aware of all the risks involved. From currency risk to your flying bicycle getting a puncture, they are all risks and need to be understood before signing or transferring anything. Back to the rhino though. If it could be imported and you could saddle it up, how good would it be on the roads? Can’t really see a taxi cutting you up or a white baton being waved at you to empty your wallet. And more importantly, until the tax is cut on cars in Vietnam, it will still be cheaper than a new BMW.
Paul McLardie is a partner at Total Wealth Management. Contact him at Paul. mclardie@t-wm.com.
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 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 An International British school providing inclusive curriculum based upon the British curriculum complemented by the International Primary Curriculum and International Baccalaureate. The school has made a conscious decision to limit numbers and keep class sizes small to ensure each student is offered an education tailored to meet his or her individual learning needs. It is a family school providing a stimulating and secure learning environment with first-class facilities including a 350-seat theatre, swimming pool, mini-pool, play-areas, gymnasium, IT labs, music and drama rooms, science labs and an all-weather pitch. 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. SmartKids 1172 Thao Dien Compound, D2 Tel: 3744 6076 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. Saigon Star International School Residential Area No. 5, Thanh My Loi Ward, D2 Tel: 3742 7827 Fax: 3742 3222 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. 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. Singapore International School (SIS) No.29, Road No.3, Trung Son Residential Area, Hamlet 4, Binh Hung Ward, Binh Chanh District Tel: 5431 7477
www.kinderworld.net Students play and learn in an environment where the best of Western and Eastern cultures amalgamate to prepare KinderWorld’s students for today’s challenging world drawn from both the Singapore and Australian curriculum. The school offers International Certifications such as the iPSLE, IGCSE and GAC. 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 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 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.
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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 info@bbgv.org www.bbgv.org CanCham New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 305 Tel: 3824 3754 www.canchamvietnam.org Citi Bank 115 Nguyen Hue St, D1 Tel: 3824 2118 Citibank Vietnam offers a wide range of banking services to both consumer and corpo-rate. 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
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.
German Business Group 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 www.gba-vietnam.org
PARTIES
Swiss Business Association 42 Giang Van Minh, Anh Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6996 Fax: 3744 6990 Email: sba@hcm.vnn.vn www.swissvietnam.com
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 costumes. Bibi Clown - Chu he Bibi Tel: 0933 131 012 bibiclown.blogspot.com Does exactly as his name suggests.Great service has earned him a reputation for turning up almost instantly with a superb selection of balloons and games in both English and Vietnamese. The Balloon Man Mr Hoat 0903 837 326 Does exactly as his name suggests – balloons. He will come to your palce for decoration but English not as good. Also provides helium balloons.
Singapore Business Group Unit 1B2, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3823 3046 www.sbghcmc.org
Hong Kong Business Association New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1
Business Centre, Room 322 Tel: 3824 3757 / 3822 8888 www.hkbav.com NordCham Bitexco Building, 19-25 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3821 5423 www.nordcham.com
CAMERAS
Hung Hai 75 Huynh Thuc Khang, D1 A good place to purchase hard-to-find gear and some rare equipment, mainly auto focus lenses. Le Duc 5B Huynh Tinh Cua, D3 A shop for all your professional accessory needs. From lighting equipment to tripods and reflectors, the shop offers the best equipment and service in HCM City. Pham The 11 Le Cong Kieu, D1 An authorized service centre for Nikon camera that also specializes in repairing all camera makes. Measurement equipment and spare parts also available.
SYS Vi Tinh Saigon 96C Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D1 www.vtsaigon.com A superb place with an excellent reputation for after-sales service with competent English speaking staff and a wide range of products and services. Freeware and shareware also available on the store website.
CONSULTING
Concetti 33 Dinh Tien Hoang, D1 Tel: 3911 1480 www.concetti-vn.com Consulting and research company for technology transfer and investment. Embers Asia Ltd. 4th floor, 04 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3822 4728 www.embers-asia.com As the first team building provider established in Vietnam, Embers specializes in making teams better in globally competitive markets. Embers' HR performance
management services include: team building excursions, strategic planning retreats, conference facilitations and training workshops. 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
Shop 46 46 Nguyen Hue, D1 Small shop run by photographer and collector. The owner’s more collectible pieces are pricey, but entry-level manual focus SLRs from the 70s and 80s are affordable.
COMPUTERS
Computer Street Luong Huu Khanh, D1 between Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Trai This stretch of District 1 is literally wall to wall with small shops selling computers, printers, monitors and everything computer related, more so toward the NTMK end of the drag. iCenter 142A Vo Thi Sau, D3 Tel: 3820 3918 Professional, polished Apple retailer and repair centre with an attractive showroom featuring some of the latest in accessories and audio. English-speakers on staff. Honours Apple service plans. Future World 240 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 Authorized reseller of Apple computers and products, as well as some off-brand items like headphones. Excellent service and English-speaking staff. Accepts credit cards. Phong Vu Computer 264C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3933 0762 www.vitinhphongvu.com The biggest and busiest of the PC stores in town. Known for good, efficient service, in-house maintenance and aftersales repair on the second floor.
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 61
By Elizabeth Png
HOME IMPROVEMENT Repurposing Your Fridge So you have been provided a used fridge by your landlord or it’s been over a decade since you bought your last refrigerator and you’re in the market for the latest model. Don’t toss the old unit out just yet. Old fridges can still have a surprisingly versatile range of uses. Before you get started on repurposing an old fridge, always get a professional to take out any potentially toxic materials like Freon, which is commonly used in older fridge models as a coolant. Most current models of the environmentally-friendly range use R600a, a non-synthetic, non-toxic coolant with a significantly lower global warming potential and shorter life in the atmosphere than those used in most conventional fridges. Should the fridge be repurposed, extra care should still be taken to remove it, as R600a is flammable. Now that the basics have been covered, here are some handy ideas to give that old fridge a new lease on life: Storing pantry items Old fridges can still store food – if they’re suitable for a pantry. Prime candidates are canned food, dry goods and other items that are better stored in a covered, cool (not cold) environments. Refrigerators with flexible shelving are well-suited to this task, providing customisable storage spaces and drawers for storing and organising food 62 asialife HCMC
items. The insulated interior of an old fridge also helps to keep the temperature in the cavity constant, although do find a way to introduce fresh air into the fridge regularly to prevent the build-up of moulds. Storing electrical items Some people like to keep emergency electronics in a Faraday Cage, a metallic enclosure that prevents the entry or escape of electromagnetic pulses (EMP) and strong electric fields. Old metal refrigerators work best for this purpose. Spare electronics that aren’t used daily like an extra laptop, GPS, radio and other equipment might benefit from being stored in one, especially if a lightning strike happens to knock out the rest of your electronics. Gardening uses Remove the door and refrigerator shelving, fill the cavity with soil and you have a convenient planter for your garden. The metal, plastic and insulation used in making fridges will now keep pests from eating your plants or herbs, while the insulated walls add extra protection from cold weather. Or you could fill it with water and create a makeshift fish pond for your garden or home.
Elizabeth Png is the brand and consumer communications director for Electrolux Vietnam. She can be contacted at elizabeth.png-reade@electrolux. com.
Tel: 3827 7362 Fax: 3827 7361 Email: pascal@insuranceinvietnam.com Private insurance and finance.
champagne flutes, bowls, coolers, trash bins, ironing boards, magazine racks and the like.
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.
Chau Loan 213 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3825 7991 Gallery based in a colonial shophouse stocking mainly Vietnamese-themed oil paintings and images of Buddha. Also deals in better-known reproductions.
Inspired Image 42/2A Ho Hao Hon, D1 Tel: 091 635 2573 www.inspiredimage.co.uk Image consultant and personal stylist. Previous clients include business leaders, TV presenters and busy professionals. 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. TMF Vietnam Company Limited Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 2262 ext. 113 Fax: 3910 0590 www.tmf-group.com With headquarters in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, TMF Vietnam specializes in accounting outsourcing and consulting. 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
Antique Street Le Cong Kieu Street, D1 between Nguyen Thai Binh and Pho Duc Chinh A variety of antiques and faux antiques from Thailand, China and Vietnam including silverware, compasses, lighters, brass knockers, urns, vases, abacuses, religious and pagan statues, candlestick holders, furniture and watches.
Decosy 112 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 9917 Producer of a large selection of European styled furniture and interior fittings, specializing in wrought iron and patine (distressed) wood finishes. Also stocks a wide-range of decorative accessories, crockery and fixtures. Custom design services available upon request. Dogma 175 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3836 0488 www.dogmavietnam.com Located upstairs from Saigon Kitsch, this art gallery deals in Vietnamese propaganda posters, apparel, accessories and random paraphernalia. Large prints are sold at USD $60 each and small prints cost $25. Minh Boutique 15 Nguyen Thiep, D1 Lacquerware pieces, tea boxes, teapot warmers, ice buckets and sake drinking sets all handmade in Vietnam. Also sells a range of silverware, egg holders and ice tongs. OUT-2 STUDIO L6 Fafilm annex 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3825 6056 STUDIO@OUT-2.com www.out-2.com Studio space for independent designers to showcas their wares, sell their work and meet with clients. Open Monday t Saturday 10 am to 6 pm. Phuong Mai 213C Dong Khoi www.phuongmai-gallery.com Gallery specializing in original oils by Vietnamese artists. The works here are a mish-mash of styles but do contain some standouts, particularly well-known local artists La Hon, Quy Tam and Pham Trinh.
ranties. Staff speaks some English. 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. Nguyen Kim Shopping Centre 63-65 Tran Hung Dao, D1 Tel: 3821 1211 www.nguyenkim.com Stocks DVD/CD players, cameras, TVs, hi-fis and more from Sony, Sanyo, Panasonic, Philips and other major manufacturers. Also a good place to pick up electronic kitchen supplies like coffee makers and rice cookers, as well as large and small appliances, from hot water heaters to regrigerators. Phong Vu 125 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D1 Tel: 6290 8777 www.vitinphongvu.com Two-storey electronics store retails in international products conveniently grouped by brand. Carries computers, home audio, printers, hard drives and more, as well as a variety of mobile phones, handheld electronic devices and accessories. Savico 117 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 7993 One-stop electronics and home appliance superstore. All products have a one to three-year warranty. Tech Street 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.
Sapa 125 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Offers a better selection of hill tribe handicrafts than most of its rivals. Concentrates mainly on the hand-woven clothing of the indigenous tribespeople of the region. There is also a line in ladies’ shoes and the standard range of silk wraps and bags.
AustinHome 42 Nguyen Dang Giai, 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.
Unity 12 Dang Tran Con, D1 Tel: 3823 9375 info@unitycompany.com www.facebook.com/unitycompany Located opposite Galaxy cinema, Unity offers accessories that are designed to seamlessly blend in with your life. Familiar basics are given a contemporary update with the use of modern, alternative materials like silicone, rubber, and brushed aluminum. From orbital lamps and eggshell-white china, to wire-clasped water bottles, each individual piece complements the others in the collection to give your home a sense of Unity.
Catherine Denoual 15C Thi Sach, D1 Tel: 3823 9394 Beautiful showroom with clean lines and a sumptuous array of bedroom products including bedside lamps, linens, pillowcases and duvet covers.
ELECTRONICS
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.
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.
Budget Housewares Street Corner of Pasteur and Nguyen Dinh Chieu Stock up on shower heads, kitchen supplies (juicer, spatula, grater, etc.), coat racks, clothes hangers, pots, pans,
iDEAS Shopping Centre 133-141AB Cach Mang Thang Tam, D3 The largest of the electonics stores along the street, the three-storey iDEAS sells every type of electronic and home appliance imaginable. Offers proper war-
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. 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. Furniture Outlet
3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 2243 7955/3911 0104 Wide selection of well-crafted and carefully constructed pine wood pieces at good prices, aimed at customers craving a taste of Europe. Furniture Street Ngo Gia Tu, D10 between Ly Thai To and Nguyen Chi Thanh Very affordable furniture can be found on this stretch: couches, mattresses, desks, chairs, etc. It often takes some looking to find a gem. A connected sidestreet, Ba Hat, features woodworkers’ shops. Gaya 1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1 Tel: 3925 1495 www.gayavietnam.com Four-floor store featuring the work of foreign designers: home accessories and outdoor furniture by Lawson Johnston, 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. Rare Decor 41 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 2284 137/1 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 6304/5 Leading home furnishings company in Vietnam, supplying high quality, unique products. Also offer custom made furniture, accessories and lighting for commercial projects and home use. The Furniture Warehouse 3B Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 6657 0788 namtran121@yahoo.com, ttpnam@ webtnl.com Offers a range of reasonably priced Italian, European and French colonial sofas, indoor/outdoor wooden furniture, lighting and interior décor, as well as custom designs based on clients’ specifications. The Lost Art 31 Nguyen Cong Tru, D1 Tel: 3829 0134 Extensive product range as well as comprehensive interior design service, from initial conceptualization to design, manufacture and installation of unique products.
LEGAL
Allens Arthur Robinson Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 1717 www.vietnamlaws.com Australian law firm for law translation services and legal advice on foreign investment and business in Vietnam. Baker & McKenzie Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 5585 www.bakernet.com International law firm providing on-theground liaison and support services to clients interested in investigating, negotiating and implementing projects in Vietnam. Frasers International Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 2733 www.frasersvn.com Full service commercial law firm providing international and Vietnamese legal advice to both foreign and local clients specializing in transactions in Vietnam. Indochine Counsel Han Nam Building, 65 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3823 9640 www.indochinecounsel.com Business law practitioners specializing
By Greg Ohan
hot property It’s All About Confidence Recently I wrote about expats buying in Vietnam - this is all well and relevant for the expat few that do buy, but what about the rest of the market? The majority of the market? What impact has recent movement and developer efforts to lure buyers back had on the average Mr and Mrs Nguyen? Looking back, since the market began to fall until now, it has been a long, seven-year slog with disappointments and broken promises for some. However, recent positive sales results and busy Saturday morning launch events are suggesting otherwise. For the optimists at least, it appears as if we have arrived at a point where the worst of the market may finally be behind us. For this columnist and selfconfessed ‘real estate guru’, I personally think it is a little too early to tell. But hey, I have been wrong before and activity monitored at recent launch events for residential projects in Ho Chi Minh City is proving otherwise: Efforts to lure buyers are showing results. One example is Capitaland’s new Vista Verde project in Thanh My Loi Ward, District 2 (previously known as Beau Rivage), which held a soft launch last week, offering 200 units for sale at prices ranging from USD $1,400 to USD $1,600 per square metre. The event attracted over 300 people and 100 unit sales in two days. Of the completed sales, most were done for buy-to-let
purposes and 90 percent of purchases were made by local Vietnamese. Developers are adapting their products to suit the market. Developers have adapted their project designs since the market downturn in 2011 by reducing unit areas by 10-20 percent in order to meet buyers’ tighter budgets. For example, the average unit size at the new Vista Verde is approximately 18 percent smaller than that of The Vista, launched by the same group in 2007. Some developers have tightened payment terms and pushed up prices. Prices have recently began to show a slight increase for the first time since 2011. The price of Novaland Investment’s Lexington Residence project increased by 2.5 percent against the first quarter of 2014 and payment terms are now tighter than they were in March. Buyers now need to pay 25 percent as opposed to 20 percent (when signing Sale and Purchase Agreements). So while it is too early to say that the market has fully recovered, if this spate of confidence and shift in developer attitude to attract buyers continues then I will certainly stand corrected. Watch this space. Greg Ohan is the Director of CBRE, Fortune 500 real estate services provider. Email your questions to greg.ohan@cbre. com or visit Cbrevietnam. com. asialife HCMC 63
in mergers & acquistions, inward investment, and securities & capital markets. 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.
By Gary Woollacott
People matter Employees Gone Rogue Last year a client hired a salesman to open up a new line of business; they recruited someone experienced in selling their type of product. All’s well to begin with as the employee settles in, getting used to new products and new customers – no sales yet though. After six months our client starts pressuring him and is told that sales are just around the corner. Another month or two goes by – nothing to worry about yet – the client has plenty of internal and external issues to deal with and he updates his boss about prospects. Things come to a head in April and May when the manager starts to lose patience with the lack of sales. The manager suggests that he accompanies the salesman to see potential clients and finds the stumbling blocks, or at least send another sales person along. Oh, yes, says the salesman, good idea – and then did nothing to move it along. But then, out of nowhere, comes a great big order. The sales manager and the expat country manager are pleased; finally the salesman is on track – as he should have been for some months. But that sale turns out to be the only one, which leaves the manager scratching his head. The manager asked the salesman many times to come in and explain what’s going wrong and how can they help – the salesman agrees but never shows up to the meetings. 64 asialife HCMC
One day the salesman resigns, sparking a flurry of activity to find out what had happened. Investigating the one-off big order showed that it was a small company with unclear ownership. Curious, the manager called the salesman’s last employer and asked to speak to him: the answer was that he was out on a sales call and would be in later that day. This astonished the manager as he had believed that the salesman was working full-time for him – per his contract – but the guy had kept both jobs. The client was furious. They investigated legal action but the best method was to threaten to expose the salesman’s behaviour to his past (current) employer plus the threat of legal action to recover their money. Surprisingly the salesman agreed, calling back from one of his many mobile phones – this is how he kept both companies’ matters separate – one phone for each company and its customers. So our client is demanding that he pay back his salary. At the time of writing it hasn’t been resolved; I’m watching with interest. Either way, it has taught all of us a lesson. As usual, let me know if you have any particular topic you would like to see covered here. Gary Woollacott works for Horton International in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. He can be reached at +66 81 810 0119 or via woollacott@ hortoninternational.com.
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
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. Options for kids. Zeus Helmets Founded in Taiwan to manufacture cool, comfortable helmets that meet worldwide safety standards. Basic models feature thermo-injected shells constructed from lightweight ABS composite with interiors lined with moisture-absorbant brushed nylon. Shops selling authentic Zeus helmets are located on Pham Hong Thai near Ben Thanh Market.
REAL ESTATE
Ava Residence 40/10 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 8440 www.avaresidence.com Modern serviced apartments located 5 minutes from the British International School and Australian International School. Affords a great view over the Saigon River. Many facilities available
including a swimming pool, Jacuzzi and gym. 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. Diamond Plaza 34 Le Duan Street Tel: 3822 1922 lntdung@diamondplaza.com.vn Located in the heart of District 1, connected to Diamond PLaza. Services 1- to 4-bedroom apartments with gym, swimming pool and panoramic views of the city. EasySaigon.com www.easysaigon.com Real estate website helps expats find apartments in HCMC. InterContinental Asiana Saigon Residences Corner of Hai Ba Trung & Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3520 8888 saigon@interconti.com www.intercontinental.com/saigonres Contemporary residential space in the heart of the major business and cultural area in District 1. There are 260 one, two or three-bedroom units plus health club and outdoor swimming pool. Namhouse Corporation 48A Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 0989 007 700 www.namhouse.com.vn Provides rental properties, construction services and interior decorating. Supports professional services and after-sales. Thao Dien Village 195 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel. 3744 2222 A riverside complex of international-standard hospitality and F&B outlets with a boutique hotel, four restaurants featuring Italian, Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine, an event house, meeting rooms and a day spa with well-equipped health-club.
Diamond Island Luxury Residences No 01 – Street No.104-BTT, Quarter 3, Binh Trung Tay Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam T: (84) 968 293 388 / 3742 5678 F: (84-8) 3742 3232) www.the-ascott.com Diamond Island Luxury Residences offers 68 fully-furnished apartments, ranging from two- to four-bedroom units with private balconies providing panoramic views of the stunning surroundings in one of the most spectacular sceneries in the city. Each apartment comes with a fully-equipped kitchen, en-suite bathrooms, separate work and living areas. Each lavish space features plush interiors, modern amenities, elegant furnishings and carefully chosen trimmings and fixtures, creating a luxurious harmony of comfort and sensorial tranquility that will have you relaxed and recharged, and functioning at peak performance. Savills Viet Nam Level 18, Fideco Tower, 81-85 Ham Nghi, D1 Tel: 823 9205 www.savills.com.vn Savills Viet Nam is a property service provider that has been established in Vietnam since 1995 offering research, advisory services, residential sales, commercial leasing, asset management, retail advisory, valuation, investment advisory and more. Sherwood Residence
127 Pasteur St., D3 Tel: 3823 2288 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 5F, Vitic Building 6B Nguyen Thanh Y, D1 Tel: 3827 8209 www.opusasia.net Established in HCMC in 2005, Opus services local and multinational companies seeking to recruit high quality personnel. An Associate of Horton International, one of the world’s leading search groups with over 30 offices worldwide. For more info contact info@opusasia.net. Smart HR Capital Place Building, Suite 601, 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3823 5828 www.smarthrvietnam.com Human resource consultants specialising in job search and selection, and human resource management. TMF Vietnam Saigon Trade Center, Unit 2811, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 9229 / 9222 hang.bui@tmf-group.com www.tmf-group.com With more than 3,300 professionals working out of 86 offices in 65 countries, TMF provides independent accounting and corporate secretarial services to companies worldwide.
Relocating should be exciting and rewarding for everyone. Our experience and knowledge of worldwide relocations, is shared by all our people in more than 200 locations.
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
Ho Chi Minh City Tel: +84 8 3840 4237 hochiminhcity@crownrelo.com Da Nang Tel: +84 908 426 427 danang@crownrelo.com Hanoi Tel:+84 4 3936 6742 hanoi@crownrelo.com
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RELOCATION AGENTS
AGS Four Winds 5th Floor, Lafayette De Saigon, 8A Phung Khac Khoan, D1 Tel: +84 8 3521 0071, www.agsfourwinds.com ags-vietnam@agsfourwinds.com Global leader in international removals and relocations, with 128 offices in 78 countries.They can move customers to and/or from any location worldwide.
Crown Worldwide Movers 48A Huynh Man Dat, Binh Thanh Tel: 3823 4127 www.crownrelo.com hochiminhcity@crownrelo.com Not just International or local moving and storage. Crown Relocations offer a wide range of services including orientations, immigration, home search, intercultural training through to pet relocation. Call the team on the above number and check out our website for more information.
UTS Saigon Van Intl’ Relocations 1st Fl, 214 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 3744 7102 MOVING!? www.saigonvan.com Full service relocating agency with warehousing, handyman, insurance & claim, ! ! orientation an partner career support services also availble. !"#$%&&'(!)%*#)%&&'(!+),-.)%*#)%&&'/! 0#1.!2#3-(!#4$-(!5%$,#.'/!! !6--7!8,#.%9-!/! :&%))+)9!,#!.-&#$%,-!;#.&7;+7-/! ! !"#$%&$''(")*'+,"-%,'.%*$#/*0'
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Being there, or being ‘there’ Crown’s people are always with you. Preparing you before you go, and helping you settle‐in when you arrive.
and more.
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JVK International Movers Saigon Port Building, 3 Nguyen Tat Thanh, D4 Tel: 3826 7655/6 chris.honour@jvkasia.com
www.jvk.com International agengy with a full range of services including sea/air freight services and worldwide transit coverage.
Santa Fe Relocation Services 8th floor, Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, D3 Tel: 3933 0065 www.santaferelo.com vietnam@santaferelo.com With over 150 offices around world, Santa Fe offers local & international moving, pet transportation, relocation services including home search, orientation, cultural training, immigration & records management.
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. Stationary and Printing Street Ly Thai To Street, D3 More than 25 stores providing photocopying services, from business cards to flyers and colour prints to invitations.
listings
fashion By Christina Yu
FASHION RULES Wedding Dos and Don’ts Rainy season ends, and all of a sudden, another downpour comes in – wedding invites! I always cringe when I receive one, as I find that weddings, especially the Vietnamese ones, are one of the most difficult to dress up for as there are so many rules, cultures, traditions and myths that one has to look out for. To start, one is never supposed to wear white – whether this is at a Western wedding or a Vietnamese wedding. Western dress code standard dictates that you are not supposed to upstage the bride. In Asian traditions, white is also associated with funerals. If you really think that you look best in white, choose a simple off-white dress or a skirt – something which is dramatically different from what the bride will wear, but best to pick another colour. By the same token, black is out as well, as this colour is usually associated with death or mourning. If the bride or the groom has Italian blood, then avoid purple also as this is considered to be an unlucky colour for weddings by Italian traditions. If you are going to a Chinese wedding, then even red should be avoided as this is generally the colour of the Chinese wedding gown. What about other bright colours that denote happiness? Well, fashion experts will possibly tell you no. Apparently, loud or garish apparel and accessories is a surprisingly common method of wedding-crashing women use to upstage the 66 asialife HCMC
bride, which might be taken as a desperate call for attention. This will leave you a subject of discussion for the whole night, if not in the years to come. That leaves pastel colours the safest bet. Having said that, a pastel-coloured pantsuit (or any colour for that matter) is a big no-no, too. Dress in a style or shape that is a little refined, precious and sleek will be more appropriate. And by sleek, I mean wellcut, elegant and not skimpy. A skimpy dress showing up all your assets on a 1:1 scale is another surefire way to upstage the bride, so please try to be considerate. Other items of clothing to avoid: shorts, jeans, t-shirts and plastic shoes are just banned. Period. Not even for a beach casual wedding party. Unless the bride and the groom expressly agree for flip-flops to be seen, avoid footwear that's too informal for a special occasion. The same goes for all you guys out there. You think a tuxedo is safe? Wrong. Unless the dress code is black-tie, there is only one person on that day who is supposed to be in a penguin suit and that person is not you. Now, you know what I mean? Christina Yu is the creative director and founder of Ipa-Nima, an award-winning accessories brand. Email your questions to Christina@ ipa-nima.com or visit Ipa-nima. com.
ACCESSORIES
Accessorize 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. Banana 128 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Women’s accessories and more, from bags, clutches and belts to clothes and jewellery, all at reasonable prices. 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. Ipa-Nima 71 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 3652 77 Dong Khoi, D1 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. 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, 161 Dong Khoi, D1 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.
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.
ACTIVE WEAR
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
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. Ginkgo Concept Store 254 De Tham, D1 Tel: 0905 493 148 www.gingko-vietnam.com A unique shopping space that offers an original and creative mix of made-inVietnam clothing from local designers, artisans and brands that stay true to the company’s environmentally friendly principles. 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. 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.
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. 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 BCBG MAXAZRIA 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. 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. Geisha Boutique 85 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3829 4004 enquiry@geishaclothing.com Facebook: Geisha Boutique Australian fashion label offering a contemporary range of casual and evening wear with an Asian influence. Printed tees, singlets, shorts, skirts, jeans, summer scarves, dresses, silk camisoles and satin maxi dresses. Mango 96 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3824 6624 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 A favourite with fashion-conscious women, this mid-range store stocks clothes from simple tees and jeans to evening wear. Marc Jacobs Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue , D1 Tel: 6291 3580 This spacious shop with high-ceilings carries up-market clothes, shoes and accessories from the internationally recognized designer brand. 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.
SHOES
men
Aldo 157 Dong Khoi, D1 Offering a wide selection of affordable footwear from mid- to high-range prices. Carries office-appropriate and partyready heels and flats, as well as a range of accessories and bags.
Massimo Ferrari 42-A1 Tran Quoc Thao, D3 Tel: 3930 6212
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
Lucas 69A Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3827 9670 Fashion store housing contemporary designs in casual, office and evening wear imported from Hong Kong.
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. Footwear Street Ho Xuan Huong Street, D3 between Cach Mang Thang Tam and Ba Huyen Thanh Quan Le Thi Hong Gam in D1 between Pho Duc Chinh and Calmette Selection ranges from leather loafers to plastic thongs and everything in between. Nine West Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Stocks an extensive range of designer footwear for women. Handpicked by a global community of independent trendsetters and stylists. Sergio Rossi 146AB Pasteur, D1 Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue, D1 World-renowned Italian brand stocks a diverse European-style collection of upmarket shoes and bags made of quality materials, from crocodile and python skin laterals to garnishings of Swarovski crystals and colourful beads. Star Polo 97B Nguyen Trai, D1 Mix of imported shoes and locally made footwear crafted from Australian leather for men and women as well as imported ones. Sizes from 38 to 42 for men, and from 34 to 40 for women.
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. Fabric Street Hai Ba Trung, D1 across the street from Tan Dinh Market. Spools upon spools of fabric manufatured locally and abroad, with more than ample variety of textures, colours and materials to choose from. 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.
www.allfreesize.com
coming to Vietnam November 2014
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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
44 Gia Dinh Gia Dinh Hospital Hospital
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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 Nguyen Dinh Chieu B4, C3, C4, D1, D2, D3 Nguyen Dinh Chinh B1
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appchat TapeACall Pro
PackPoint
Allows you to record incoming and outgoing calls on your mobile. The app can also be synced to Dropbox to store the recordings or they can be downloaded to a computer. Call recordings are not limited by duration.
Free app that assists travelers in compiling the perfect packing list for any trip. Answer a series of questions about your destination, duration of stay and planned activities and PackPoint does the rest. In the words of Fast Company, “a travel app that practically packs your bags for you.”
Seahorse
Wynk
Helps organise and share your photos and video with friends and family. Images can be sorted into categories such as time, place and who is in the photo. These can then be synced with Dropbox and shared via Facebook.
A music-streaming app with a library of over 1.7 million songs from around the world. The music has a distinctly Indian feel and includes languages such as Tamil, Telugu, English, Hindi, Punjabi and Bengali.
Steven
Vietnam Travel Guide
An emoji-based social app developed by Twitter’s former chief scientist. The app tracks the user's everyday activities so you can see how you are spending your time. Users can also see what their friends are up to.
Information for 60 destinations around Vietnam, plus 3,000 points of interest, including attractions, hotels and restaurants. Also tour packages from more than 100 local travel agencies.
70 asialife HCMC
The Beat – With Q4 radio
soundfix soundfix
album review
endorsed
by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen
American Football By Brett Davis
Ricky and the Hats By Simon Primarolo
For the life of me I can’t help but associate this band with soda stream, that iconic carbonator of the drinks trade. Both plying effervescent over-coatings of colour and oomph; they in turn exude a zippety-zestness that’s an instant head-swinging, lipcurler designed to make the hairs on your teeth curl. Often described as British as fish ‘n chips and a pint of beer, RATH, as they are commonly known, slap straight into their tunes with a selfproclaimed ‘dirty whiskycheeky-charm’ delivered vocally by Ricky Charles in a south-east London twang that has any two-bob-a caulie market trader running for their money. Rosanna Colclogh joins in with rangy soulful accompaniment to share the buoyant lyrics, lending with it a tangy compliment for the perfect mix. Add a splash of Scotty Watson on guitar in a funky, reggae slice, and you’ve got what is essentially an explosion of ska, pop-beat poetry. ‘Pubside Manner’ was my first introduction to them at the Hop Farm Festival, UK, and within seven seconds I found the perfect tonic to a proper old party livener. ‘Geezer’ followed suit with its equably fast tracked spoken word that keeps the ears pinned to every phrase, And if ‘The Streets’, from their
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newly released EP ‘Streets’ reminds you of Mike Skinner and ‘The Streets’ then you’ve worked out the manner of their influences. Together since December 2012, their clout is as infectious as their up-tempo street word lyrics pout, with every careful deliberated pause cradling a comedic edge, which is just as well, because here lies their goal; being fun with music, words and the audience. They simply are captivating and not in a creepy ‘fun for all the family’ kind of way. They hold, as noted by the judges at the 2013 Open Mic UK, where they were runners-up, ‘excellent chemistry, exciting, enjoyable and infectious’. From this humble beginning they scooped category award winners from Root 1, with the ‘best original song award’ in ‘Sunny Weather’. From here they have gone on to perform at prolific industry events such as London Rocks. Yet their talents lie in a broad stroke of the arts from music and ballet dancing to writing jingles for comedians at the Edinburgh festival and if that isn’t enough, Rosanna is currently performing in a TV show - music, comedy, writing, ballet, that just about covers them, and well I suppose, hats. Rickyandthehats.net
Helado Negro Double Youth
Roberto Lange’s fourth LP as Helado Negro is a study in duality. His textured, ambient sound swings between hazy murmured vocals and a pulsating bass drum machine. Lyrics shift between English and Spanish, a reflection of Lange’s hybrid identity as the Floridaborn son of Ecuadorean immigrants. Double Youth was crafted in Lange’s home studio using his voice and a computer, and the intimacy of the album’s production steers its soul-bearing tone. Lange’s inspiration comes from the image featured on the album cover, an image of two young boys—one of which is Lange, the other a child whose name he can no longer recall. The record is a meditation on memory, sparked by Lange’s accidental discovery of the photograph and his recognition of the fleetingness of time.
PARTYNEXTDOOR
Alex Clare
Crush Songs
TWO
Three Hearts
For those used to Karen O in full Yeah YeahYeahs mode, her first solo album will garner either delight or distaste. Her crush songs, as the record is titled, are short and achingly sweet, with scant arrangements. On the one hand, these lowfi tunes reveal Karen O’s vulnerability under her fierce punk persona. On the other hand, the scratchy, demoquality of the album feels frustratingly unfinished. But perhaps that’s exactly what Karen O wants to evoke, the very roughness of crushes. According to the liner notes, these songs were written at a time in Karen O’s life when she thought she’d never love again. Her ultimate message may be best summed up on 'Native Korean Rock': There’s one thing you should keep in mind / and that’s / no one understands.”
“Summer’s over, and we’re watching the sun finally set,” sings Jahron Brathwaite on 'East Liberty', the auto-tuned opener of his debut studio album. As PARTYNEXTDOOR, the 21-year-old R&B artist creates slow jams with the seductive essence of nightfall. Brathwaite is signed to OVO Sound, the label founded by fellow Canadian artist Drake, and he’s joined by the rapper on his breakout single, 'Recognize'. He may be one of Drake’s protégés, but he still could take some notes from his mentor. Too many of his lyrics indulge in sleazy tropes, crossing a line that Drake’s ballads usually manage to just avoid. Songwriting aside, the album’s slick production— including samples from Disclosure’s ubiquitous 'Latch' and Missy Elliott’s 'Ching A Ling'—is still right for setting the mood for romance.
With a lion’s voice that stretches from a purr to a roar, Alex Clare’s songs build a forceful momentum. The British singer-songwriter’s second album departs from the dub-step rhythms of his first album, focusing on Clare’s soulful vocals, swelling instrumentals and verses about the glorious highs and lows of relationships. Clare’s big break came in 2012 when Microsoft licensed his single 'Too Close' and his song became everywhere. His follow-up strives for the same anthemic territory, with likely contenders in 'Just A Man', which echoes Avicii’s hit single 'Wake Me Up', and 'War Rages On', the album’s most ampedup number. But Clare also knows how to turn it down, as demonstrated on the Robbie Williams-reminiscent 'Take You Back' and the lovelorn 'Not in Vain'.
Karen O
When September rolls around, it is an exciting time for football fans. Those from places in the southern hemisphere, like myself, get worked up for finals footy as the season draws to a close, while those from North America go bananas as the American football season kicks off. The professional form of American football, known as the National Football League, is the most popular team sport in America and the most profitable sporting league in the world, generating an estimated 10 billion dollars annually. Although a string of NFL players have recently come under fire for allegations of domestic abuse, it is more about the American game that I believe deserves attention. I hail from Australia and grew up playing rugby union, but I still remember my father coming home one morning from his shift-work job and telling me I should watch this thing on television called the Superbowl. It was January 1995 and the game saw Joe Montana’s San Francisco 49ers victorious over Dan Marino’s Miami Dolphins by 38 points to 16. I was captivated by the pageantry of the game, but what really struck me then, and has ever since, was the contest. It is said that sport at its highest level is complex skills executed brilliantly under extreme
pressure. American football is a perfect embodiment of this sentiment. The explosive element to American football, as exemplified by the snap, is what separates it from other codes such as rugby or soccer, which have more of a continuous flow. Within that few seconds bodies are everywhere, even though there are just 11 men from each side on the field. And within that time there is intelligence (for tactics and strategy are an integral part of the game), and the kind of grace and poise that in almost any form of sport passes as beauty. Of course that is not the only thing that happens in each brief period of play. There is brutal physical contact, the collision. In the modern era that aspect of the game is de-emphasised, but as anyone who has played a full-contact sport will tell you, there is a strange intoxication that comes with it. Even fans who have never stepped across the white line understand this, and it is the beating heart of the game’s appeal. I will always be a rugby fan first and foremost, it was the game I was weaned on. However there is something about American football that is part athletic excellence and part razzle dazzle that makes it larger than life, kind of like the country itself.
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boxoffice
bookshelf What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions Randall Munroe Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Legends of Oz
Good People
A Walk Among The Tombstones
Dracula Untold
Dorothy wakes up in post-tornado Kansas, only to be whisked back to Oz to try to save her old friends the Scarecrow, the Lion, the Tin Man and Glinda from a devious new villain, the Jester. Wiser the owl, Marshal Mallow, China Princess and Tugg the tugboat join Dorothy on her latest magical journey through the colorful landscape of Oz to restore order and happiness to Emerald City.
Hollywood heavyweights James Franco and Kate Hudson play a young couple who find a stash of cash in the apartment they rented to a man who has just died. It seems too good to be true as they are facing severe financial hardship. After much soul-searching they decide to take the money, however they find themselves the target of a deadly adversary – the thief who stole it.
Based on the Lawrence Block novel of the same name, this crime thriller stars Liam Neeson as private detective Matt Scudder. Formerly a detective with the NYPD, he is now a recovering alcoholic and haunted by regrets. When a series of kidnappings targeting the city's worst drug criminals escalates to grisly murder, the circuit's ruthless leader convinces Scudder to find the culprits and bring them to bloody justice.
The film explores the origin of Dracula, weaving vampire mythology with the true history of Prince Vlad the Impaler, depicting Dracula as a flawed hero in a tragic love story who becomes a monster in order to protect his family. Luke Evans (The Fast and the Furious) stars as Vlad Tepes in this story set in a dark age of magic and war.
Fun, engaging, enlightening and hilarious, this is a book with the answers to some weird questions like, Is it possible to cry so much you dehydrate yourself? What would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent the speed of light? Or perhaps you want to know what would happen if everyone on earth aimed a laser pointer at the moon at the same time, or what if you could drain all the water from the oceans? As he does in xkcd, his extraordinarily popular webcomic, Randall Munroe applies reason and research to hypothetical conundrums ranging from the philosophical to the scientific.
CINEMAS CGV CGV.vn
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Legends of Oz (26 September) Good People (26 September) A Walk Among The Tombstones (10 October) Dracula Untold (17 October)
The information on this page was correct at the time of printing. Check cinema websites for screenings.
Betty Halbreich Penguin Press Betty Halbrecht spent nearly forty years as the legendary personal shopper at New York department store Bergdorf Goodman, where she worked with socialites, movie stars and ordinary women off the street. She has helped many find their true selves through clothes, frank advice and her own brand of wisdom. But Halbreich’s personal transformation from a naive young girl to a fearless truth-teller is the greatest makeover of her career. The book traces her tumultuous marriage, descent into mental illness and then recovery through her new-found vocation. Meticulous, impeccable, hardworking, elegant and delightfully funny, Halbreich has never been afraid to tell it to her clients, or readers, straight.
The Secret Place
The History of Rock 'n' Roll in Ten Songs
Viking Adult
Greil Marcus Yale University Press
Tana French
Opening Dates
I'll Drink to That: A Life in Style, with a Twist
A star of Irish crime fiction, Tana French returns with a new Dublin Murder Squad novel. An old murder investigation at an upper-class girls’ school is revived when new evidence is uncovered, so a rag-tag team of detectives with different agendas attempt to unravel the truth inside the secrets, loyalties and misdirection thrown their way by two rival groups of teenage schoolgirls. French's pitch-perfect prose nails teenage lives with uncanny precision and offers a chilling portrait of the ways in which teenage friendships can overrule any conventional morality. The author’s talent for creating finely-drawn characters and gripping plotting are what makes the book stand out.
Unlike all previous versions of rock ’n’ roll history, this book omits almost every iconic performer, event and turning point that everyone knows. Instead, Greil Marcus selects ten songs recorded between 1956 and 2008 to dramatise how each embodies rock ’n’ roll as a thing in itself. Some of the song choices include ‘All I Could Do Was Cry’ by Etta James and then Beyoncé and ‘To Know Him Is to Love Him,’ first by the Teddy Bears and, almost half a century later, by Amy Winehouse. In the author’s hands these and other songs tell the story of music, which is the story of the desire for freedom in all its liberating glory.
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Co-working Katie Jacobs finds companionship and inspiration at Hanoi's co-working hub, ClickSpace.
ODD ONE OUT Dana Filek-Gibson learns that if you love them, you must let them go – but first, ask for their stuff.
I was home, standing alone in my darkened living room, still unable to grasp that a friend had just walked out of my life – perhaps for months, perhaps for years, perhaps forever.
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Nobody loves a goodbye. As soon as it's announced, every encounter with the departing expat becomes a painful mix of other people, anxiety and family-style dining. Feelings begin to crowd one another. People talk too much or sweat, sometimes from the eyes. Never mind the close-body contact, which raises some serious questions on farewell etiquette: How long do you embrace? With what level of enthusiasm? When is it okay to pull away? Can hugs be insincere? Medically speaking, it wouldn't surprise me if emotional stress caused our organs to turn themselves inside-out, because that's what it feels like. Start to finish, the process is downright uncomfortable. I've done many things in my day that you might call ‘strange’ or ‘inappropriate’ or ‘against aviation security’, but my most outlandish behaviour usually stems from these goodbyes. In the end, I will cry and eat my feelings, just like any other runof-the-mill non-sociopath. But first, to stave off this common human reaction, I always like to spend a little time colouring outside the lines. For friends leaving from the international terminal, I will enter Tan Son Nhat in full motorbike garb – face mask on, helmet secured,
reams of floral fabric billowing from my body – and attempt to operate a luggage cart as a xe om. If our last meeting is at a restaurant, supermarket, shopping mall or pet store, spontaneity might inspire me to give you everything in my wallet, or perhaps my whole purse. Should we part ways for the last time at a bar, I will consume equal amounts of alcohol and salted peanuts, ballooning my body to 10 times its size. Because the world as I know it is ending, there's no telling what my brain will come up with. On most occasions, the results are regrettable and expensive. Which is why it's been a weird month. For me, September included no less than three serious goodbyes. Not with gap-year expats or recent acquaintances, but with people I've known for as long as I've lived in Vietnam. Each took the liberty of inviting me to a large gathering in a public place and at each send-off I came, I overate and I pretended it wasn't happening. Until, of course, the evening ended. Well-wishers began to trickle out, reaching for keys and helmets. A long, odourous hug-parade began. To the departing expat, I said things like, “Have a good trip!” and “Take care!” and a variety of other
canned phrases, which seem to be the only words I know at a time like this. A few rounds of skiddish eye contact later, I was home, standing alone in my darkened living room, still unable to grasp that a friend had just walked out of my life – perhaps for months, perhaps for years, perhaps forever. This tugs at the heartstrings. If any of the above has made you feel feelings, I sincerely apologise. But rest assured that while I, weird and slightly insensitive, will reflect on these awkward farewells for weeks to come, my greatest distraction will be that I have acquired all their stuff. That's right. If being an expat has taught me anything, it's this: our lives may be transient, but belongings stay behind. People will come and go, friendships will form in real life and then slowly disintegrate over the internet, but that end table – or toaster oven or iPhone or sundress – that you've been quietly admiring for months, maybe even years, will last at least a little longer which, in expat terms, is forever. And when your expat family casts off for distant shores, you will be there to swoop in, share a tearful and potentially inappropriate goodbye, celebrate your friendship and, finally, redecorate.
My dog Marmalade and I have taken to having long conversations in my home office. I sit down with a cup of tea, her with the latest bone she’s working on, and we discuss work. Sure the talks are kind of one-sided, but her eyes tell me what she’s thinking – unfortunately they are usually saying “let’s go for a walk” or “feed me” rather than “great article” or “that chapter needs more work.” I love my work. It affords me ultimate freedom and every week I learn a little more about Hanoi and Vietnam. But there are days, when my entire to-do list involves desk work, that I miss the interaction and stimulation of an office environment. That was until I discovered Hanoi’s very own co-working venue, ClickSpace, and realised I was not the only independent worker to feel this way. From the outside ClickSpace looks like any other house in Hanoi’s Tay Ho area. But inside the pale yellow exterior, the building has been transformed into three floors of office space where anyone and everyone,
no matter their profession, can rent a desk and get to work. “Co-working is a social activity,” says ClickSpace founder Jason Lusk, “and Hanoi-based freelancers and entrepreneurs are discovering co-working in a big way.” It allows independent workers, like myself, the opportunity to be part of a group. With increasing numbers of jobs offered online, many people around the world are finding they miss the companionship and inspiration of an office environment. “You don't join a co-working centre because you need a desk. You co-work because you enjoy meeting interesting new people, finding new collaborators, eating lunch with new friends, and - most importantly - feeling some peer pressure to get some work done,” explains Lusk. After a quick introduction from Hai Anh, ClickSpace’s bubbly operations manager, I make my way up to the second floor. The “productive area” Hai Anh explained. Surveying the large room filled with desks, power outlets and Wi-Fi
signs, I set up at an empty space near the window. Except for the sounds of clacking keyboards and the whir of the air-conditioner, my workmates are quiet. The great thing about freelancing is that you can make your own hours, and as long as you meet deadlines, nobody cares when or where you work. There is no one hovering over your shoulder making sure you don’t slack off – although on the flipside there’s no one hovering over your shoulder stopping you from slacking off. On the introductory tour, Hai Anh showed me a large kitchen where people can hang out and drink, and I briefly contemplated checking out the beer-stocked fridge, but decided that’s a slippery slope at 11am. Opting to wait until ClickSpace’s weekly Friday happy hour that evening, there was nothing else for me to do but work. On a break in the small outdoor area that doubles as scooter parking, I chat to a few people casually standing around sipping Diet Coke. “I’ve been working at ClickSpace
for about three months now,” says Cuong Ha, the managing director of Insight Frog, a new responsible tourism group. “It really cuts down on start-up costs and gives us a place to work together until we’re more established.” When I arrived earlier that day, three members of the Insight Frog team were holding a meeting on the couches of the ground floor. One of my favourite things about working as freelancer in Hanoi is all the interesting people I meet. As cliché as that sounds I really feel that the city is a hive of creativity and constant inspiration. Spending a day at ClickSpace reinforced this feeling. Lusk agrees: “Hanoi is brimming with software engineers. It has thousands of creative workers. Moreover, it has become a top destination for foreigners and digital nomads who like the city's chic, gritty energy.” I left ClickSpace that afternoon not only feeling decidedly cheerier than I do after a day in my home office, but also feeling more productive. I guess my long chats with Marmalade will be coming to an end. asialife HCMC 77
pub quiz
Silver 6) What is the longest river in Ireland? 7) The Amazon is the longest river in South America. What is the second longest? 8) What is the longest river in China? 9) Although it flows through only one country, what is the longest river in Europe? 10) What is the longest river in Burma?
Black 11) Tony Iommi was a founding member and guitarist with which band? 12) What do you get if you add champagne to Guinness (apart from a hangover)? 13) Which English football club plays its home games at Ewood Park? 14) The sloes in sloe gin come from which tree? 15) Singer-songwriter Colin Vearncombe, who had great success with 'Wonderful Life', performs under which pseudonym?
Zs 21) What was the name of the stepped pyramidal towers in ancient Mesopotamia? 22) Which country replaced the pound with the kwacha in 1968? 23) Which fashion designer 78 asialife HCMC
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