AsiaLIFE HCMC 53

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A truly international learning environment with over 40 nationalities, and Ho Chi Minh City's only school with an IB program for ALL students aged 2 to 18 years.

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AsiaLIFE volume 53

www.asialifehcmc.com

22 front

09 News & Events 12 Dispatches

food

42 The Deck

16 Q&A with Matt Myers

43 Beirut

on the cover

22 Cook-Off: East Meets West

storyboard

28 Days Gone By 30 Lost and Found

style & design

44 Urban Oasis 46 Bag Talk 51 Connoisseur: Tequila

back

32 Food for Thought

52 The List 78 Spotlight 80 Street Guide

34 Modern Mourning

88 Odd One Out

36 An Empire of Ruin

89 This Country Life

38 Beneath the Waves

90 Pub Quiz

28 Cover Art Direction Johnny Murphy Photography Fred Wissink

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41 Lion City

13 Street Smart: Mai Thi Luu 18 Photo Essay: Pearly

getaways

40 Sterling's Saigon

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note from the editor Lien Hoang Lien grew up in Northern (not Southern) California in a highly secular family of nine. She reported for newspapers there and in Minnesota, after studying in New York and Budapest. Stories about international politics, social justice, and culture interest her most. She also loves books, swimming, and live shows, and treats travel as not a thing to do but a way to live. Find her at twitter. com/lienh.

Chris Mueller When I first arrived in Vietnam on a random, unplanned trip, I knew nothing about Vietnamese food. Having just spent five months travelling in undeveloped areas and eating as cheaply as possible, the last thing I wanted was rice or noodles. To my surprise, though, Ho Chi Minh City was a melting pot of food.

Not only the diversity of Vietnamese food impressed me, but the number of quality restaurants from all over the world was astounding.

With such a huge range of cuisine, it’s no surprise that so many skilled local and foreign chefs call this city home. That’s why in AsiaLIFE’s third cook-off, we’ve taken five expert chefs from different backgrounds and challenged them to create unique dishes that blend the best of eastern and western cuisine. The skill and creativity these four chefs showed us was truly inspiring and went beyond our expectations and those of our three food experts. It was a relief we decided not to choose a winner; it would have been too close a match.

All of the chefs raised the bar on what should be considered fusion.

This month we also look into something that seems to perplex most foreigners in Vietnam: local funerals. Most expats have seen funerals here, and also have probably been kept awake all night because of them, but few understand what they actually mean. We’ve examined some of the unique rituals and practices of modern Vietnamese funerals and discovered they are about not only mourning death, but also celebrating life.

Finally, I’d like to thank the AsiaLIFE staff for helping me in my sometimes-hectic first month as managing editor. I’d also like to thank Brett Davis, who has left his role as managing editor to pursue a different path, for helping with the transition. In his time as managing editor Brett has elevated the magazine to a level to be proud of. His wit and humour (and headlines) will be missed in the office, but fortunately for us all, he will stay on as editor-at-large.

We also welcome two new members to the AsiaLIFE team.

California-native Lien Hoang has taken over as deputy editor, and Rosa Chung is our new photo intern. They are both enthusiastic and talented additions who will help us continue to tell and illustrate the best stories we can find about this fascinating country.

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Rosa Chung Rosa is an Americanised Korean transitioning into her fourth year in Saigon after spending 10 years in suburban New Jersey. She has acquired a taste for creativity and a passion for capturing life-moments and communicating their messages through painting, photography and film. Rosa is currently an IB art student enrolled in the British International School of Vietnam and works as an eager photo intern at AsiaLIFE.

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

Find AsiaLIFE articles on

NEWS Australian Football

It’s on again, the Australian community’s longest-running social event is fast approaching and interest in the event is high.

Yes, the Saigon Saints are again holding their annual AFL Grand Final Brunch on 29 September.

This year’s event will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, commencing at 10am, and along with the live broadcast of the game, you can enjoy the Sheraton brunch, free flow of Foster's draught, and fine Australian wine. The special guest at the event this year will be Peter 'Spida' Everitt. Spida played 291 games at the highest level with St Kilda, Hawthorn, and Sydney. Known as one of the most colourful characters the game has seen, the towering ruckmen was an unmistakable

EVENTS figure both on and off the field and is sure to entertain the capacity-crowd with some amusing tales and thoughtful insights into the big game. As well as the fun and games, there will be raffles and an auction of sporting memorabilia, with all funds going to the Saints’ favourite charity, the Loreto Vietnam Australia Program, in its 15th active year in Vietnam.

Tables of 10 at US $750, and individual tickets, can by bought by contacting Darren Cotter at 09 1380 3517 or dcotter@hcm. fpt.vn, or call Chris Paget on 09 0373 5799.

Reggae Splash on the Island

Come to Phu My Hung on 25 August for the biggest reggae

Caravelle Boosts Eco-Friendly Status

The Caravelle Hotel proved less is truly more by growing guest occupancy while simultaneously cutting back on its consumption of diesel oil, water and electricity, as confirmed by an international team of auditors. The landmark hotel passed its second round of EarthCheck benchmarking with flying colours, out-performing on nine of 11 key indicators at or above best practice levels set by the globally recognised program.

Compared to 2010, in 2011 the Caravelle managed an 8.3 percent reduction in diesel oil, 7.5 percent reduction in water consumption, and a 2 percent reduction in electricity, even as its room occupancy grew by 8.25 percent from the previous year.

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party of the year. There will be live reggae and all-day music vibes from 1pm to 9pm. Admission is VND 450,000 and includes all you can eat BBQ with Jamaican jerk chicken, curry mutton, and free flow beer. Free boats leave every 15 minutes from across the Panarama in Phu My Hung to Hong Song island and back. Visit Calvermedia.com for more info.

VietJetAir Foots Paralympic Bills

VietJetAir sponsored hundreds of tickets for members of the Vietnamese Paralympics team to facilitate their travel in the run-up to the Paralympics Games London 2012. All team members gathered in Ho Chi Minh City in July and departed to Ireland for training and

Emirates Expands to HCMC

England for the tournament this month. The team consists of 11 athletes, four coaches, one doctor, and one interpreter, and will compete in athletics, swimming, and power-lifting.

In order to facilitate their training and the tournament, VietJetAir sponsored clothing and equipment for all delegation members prior to their departure to Ireland. VietJetAir said it is committed to community development, including through helping the disabled and underprivileged, as well as carrying out cultural exchanges to help drive them forward physically and spiritually.

Profits for Korean Air

Emirates began offering direct service between Dubai and Ho Chi Minh City. Trade between the nations exceeded US $1.2 billion in 2011. Emirates, through its SkyCargo, also will serve shippers, particularly to import automotive parts and raw materials and export garments, footwear, and seafood.

Onboard the inaugural flight to HCM City were passengers from 16 countries spread across Asia, Europe, the United States, and the Middle East, including the two ambassadors between Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates, and crew from both countries. The airline said it would expand the partnership with Vietnam, especially opportunities for business and leisure travelers.

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Korean Air, South Korea’s flagship airline, posted operating income of 3 billion KRW for the second quarter of 2012, a yearon-year increase of 9.9 percent.

Operating profit turned to black from a loss of 38 billion KRW in the same period last year to a profit of 100 billion KRW. International passenger and cargo businesses remained the major revenue contributors for the airline, accounting for 56.8 percent and 25.1 percent of the operating revenue, respectively.

It saw increased traffic across all routes, including the Commonwealth of Independent States, Japan, China, and Europe. The international passenger segment recorded a year-on-year growth of 10.1 percent and 9.0 percent in traffic and carrying capacity. To cater to the growing demand in

summer, the airline will increase passenger carrying capacity on high-demand routes.

La Residence Joins Signature Travel Network

La Residence Hotel and Spa in Hue, an 82-year-old art deco property, became the fifth property from Vietnam to be elevated to the ranks of hotels affiliated with Signature Travel Network. Nestled on the banks of the Perfume River with a view to Hue’s Ancient Citadel, the 122-room La Residence Hotel was originally opened in 1930 as the home of the French colonial governor, and played host to numerous notables including King Bhumibol of Thailand and Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam. In the early 2000s, La Residence was meticulously restored as a five-star resort, home to fine-dining restaurant Le Parfum, Bar Le Gouverneur, an award-winning spa, a saltwater swimming pool, and an art gallery.

New Blood at InterContinental

InterContinental announced the executive appointment of Fergus Stewart as regional general manager who oversees both Vietnam and Cambodia. Fergus arrived in Ho Chi Minh City with almost 25 years of experience in 10 countries across three continents. During his most recent posting in Japan, Fergus earned the InterContinental General Manager of the Year 2010 award for the Asia

Australasia region. Credentialed in the United Kingdom and through Cornell’s program through the National University of Singapore, Fergus started his career at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, in addition to time at the Landmark London, the Shangri-la, and the Hyatt.

Fergus, who is originally from Scotland, takes over in the midst of new openings by Intercontintental, the biggest hotel operator in the region.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resorts debuted this summer, and Crowne Plaza Nha Trang is soon to follow.

Mid-Autumn Mooncakes

To celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Windsor Plaza Hotel has introduced new Mooncake

boxes with traditional and modern flavours, available 17 August to 30 September. Good fortune comes from the three lucky numbers representing the prices and names of the Mooncake boxes available.

This year features the 588 box (Immediate Happiness followed by a Period of Prosperity), the 688 box (Riches Arise, Successes Arrive), and the 888 box (The Start of New Fortune and Overwhelming Love). According to feng shui, these are the best numbers for bringing prosperity. Take your pick from fillings including roasted chicken, shark’s fin, salted yolk, green bean, coconut, lotus seed, taro, black sesame, green tea, vegetarian, and tiramisu.

Combating Cancer

Kids with Cancer Foundation of Vietnam launched in July with the arrival of a team of children's cancer doctors. The group has only one goal in the next three years: to increase the survival rate of Vietnamese children with cancer to 50 percent, from the current rate of 10 percent. The US consul general attended the kick-off, along with 40 doctors and journalists. Michael Doyle, a terminal cancer patient and an American with a strong bond with Vietnam, created the foundation in November. He first arrived to Vietnam in 1992 to work as country manager for a banking group and has stayed ever since, marrying a local Vietnamese and having two children. In his treatment since being diagnosed with cancer in 2008, Doyle has visited many Vietnamese hospitals and realised very little research addresses child cancer. Survival rates are low due to lack of funds for the latest technology and equipment, lack of early diagnosis, and effective treatment. Doyle says his goal is possible because of the improvement seen in other developing countries, especially by training local doctors with the latest effective treatment protocol. For this training, Kids with Cancer is partnering with The Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute of the University of Texas.

dispatches

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Reaching for the Sky Hong Kong’s latest must-see tourist attraction is the Sky100 Observation Deck. Perched on the 100th floor of International Commerce Centre some 400 metres above sea level, the deck commands breathtaking 360-degree views of this vibrant territory and the mountains beyond. The deck can be reached in just 60 seconds by taking the city’s fastest double-deck elevator.

Covering an area of nearly 3,000 square metres, Sky100 also offers a variety of facilities and services to enrich the visitor experience, such as state-of-the-art telescopes, interactive touch screens and a professional photo booth with advanced augmented-reality technology. Visit Sky100.com.hk for more information. – Ellen Boonstra

Pool by the Ocean After a four-month refurb, Legian Bali reopened in June with a 30metre infinity lap pool, a beachfront sundeck, freshly landscaped gardens, improved lighting in half the guest rooms, and upgraded views of the spectacular Indian Ocean from a private, three-bedroom Beach House. Legian added a 20-square-metre terrace to the house, as well as more windows to allow Bali's tropical rays into the guest rooms and bathrooms. Those rooms also feature better temperature control now that air circulation and plumbing has been upgraded. The new pool was built from the ground up, closer to the shoreline than the resort’s other two pools, to bring guests closer to the legendary Seminyak Beach, while the deck faces southwest to deliver peerless sunset views over. Find more at Ghmhotels.com.

Snow Time If the summer heat in Ho Chi Minh City has got you dreaming of snowy pastures, consider the Grand Mercure Oakridge Resort in New Zealand. The four-star hotel on Lake Wanaka is offering a promotion for its six international ski and snowboarding areas, and what it says is the largest heli-skiing area outside North America.

The package includes seven nights of accommodations in a standard room based on double occupancy, a five-day lift and ski bus pass, and transfers to and from the airport for US $998. For non-skiers, the resort also comes with heated rock pools, seven hot tubs, a gym, a sauna, a spa, and views of the Southern Alps and South Island.

The deal is valid 1 September to 10 October. More at Ski.com.au or Oakridge.co.nz.

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Alex McMillan spends a shoestring budget on an afternoon along District 1's Mai Thi Luu Street.

Phuoc Hai Tu Pagoda 73 Mai Thi Luu Aside from the market mentioned later in the article, this ‘Jade Pagoda’ is one of the most interesting parts of this street. It’s small and tucked away, but still manages to be suffused with people coming to pray throughout the day.

There are many animals that you can see being sold in the vicinity as Buddhist offerings

including fish, baby turtles, and birds. The pagoda is open every day of the week during the day and is free to enter.

Ca Kieng 76a Mai Thi Luu This particular shop sells large and baby turtles as well as pre-bagged fish. You can get a small bag of baby fish and offer them for karmic restitution. asialife HCMC 13

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Ngoc Anh 85 Mai Thi Luu In the mood for a good massage after walking around the pagoda? Ngoc Anh offers professional massages for cheap. An hour foot massage runs about VND 150,000. While it might be painful, you will feel light on your feet afterward and ready for the rest of the street.

Pet Food 110 Mai Thi Luu

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Two things struck us when visiting this pet shop: a gigantic bin of writhing mealworms and coconut shells cut into food dishes for small creatures. Any pet owner in the city knows how difficult it can be to find supplies for their little friends, so if you are in the market for pet supplies for your cat or dog, take note. Let’s not forget the other beasties that eat live mealworms; evidently they cater to them as well.

Tool Shop 120 Mai Thi Luu Even if you don't want to pick up gigantic metal washers, this shop is worth a gander merely for the fact that they have every kind of tool and doohickey you can imagine. Oversized wrenches and hooks spill onto the sidewalk and create patterns well worth a photograph.

Da Kao Market Truong Han Sieu

The tool shop is at an intersection, where you’ll find that Mai Thi Luu has suddenly become Truong Han Sieu Street. Up this street a little further is an alleyway with a very colourful marketplace that hqas another pagoda inside. The market also has butchers, fruit stalls, and noodle makers. If you get down to the area to check out the pagoda, you should definitely walk 4 minutes further to the market. The people are

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very kind and can show you a bit of local life. We watched one woman kill and descale a fish on her oversized chopping block in about 45 seconds. Chef Gordon Ramsey would have been proud.

Quan 42 42 Nguyen Huy Tu Now that you’ve bought a new pet turtle, prayed to Buddha, sorted out your karma, had a massage, bargained over

beef rump, and purchased a new washer for your kitchen sink, it’s time for lunch. Stop

by Quan 42, just across the street from the Da Kao market, where they serve fantastic bo kho with banh mi and salted lemon with soda. It is all mouthwatering, cheap and fresh. This street really makes for a fantastic afternoon. Bring your camera and appetite and enjoy a fun day for less than US $10.

Matt Myers After a similar post at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Matt Myers has upgraded to director of beverage for luxury resort and casino MGM Grand Ho Tram. He comes to Ho Chi Minh City with a cabinet of bizarre refreshments and a vision to transform Vietnam’s beverage culture. Photo by Fred Wissink.

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Photo by Alex McMillan

I heard you made cocktails with beer.

Beer really took off. We did a few barbecue events where we paired food with beer. People never had cocktails with beer so they think it will taste like brown-spirit cocktails. A lot of people don’t feel it can be made into a cocktail – it can, but it’s not easy.

What other strange drinks have you made?

I use all kinds of interesting stuff: star anise, a good amount of molecular techniques like liquid nitrogen, encapsulated purees, like a peach puree that looks like an egg yolk, or homemade fruit caviar that generally freaks people out. When you’re adding things like boba, things that are crispy, that change the structure of the drink, that generally weirds people out.

What else?

I enjoy incorporating a level of heat in a cocktail, chilli. But teaching someone to muddle a chilli pepper the right way is hard. In Florida once, I put a cocktail on the menu that had that, and everybody liked it.

But the bartender made it for the owner’s girlfriend and she doesn’t like spicy. She was not too happy with me.

What about for the region?

A lot of my style is based on

a sculpture, an artisan chef. In food pairing, there’s a flair to it. It’s the same with cocktail tastings, there has to be a progression or the palate will be bored.

Asian ingredients. Fresh yuzu from Japan (similar to a mandarin), Japanese matcha (green tea powder), hibiscus, ginger, lime leaf, lemongrass. Back in Las Vegas, I think people forget it’s a melting pot, so I like my cocktails to reflect that.

How’s transitioning to Vietnam?

I’ve always wanted to work abroad. I’ve lived all over the place, San Francisco, Vegas, Miami, Mexico City, all over the Bay Area, Napa. This gave me an opportunity to showcase my talent in a place that’s a blank slate.

Blank slate?

There isn’t the same beverage culture here that there is in the United States. Here I think some of it comes from a history of seeing alcohol as a social evil. In other cities, you

have this network of beverage professionals and mixologists who have a laser focus on taking a cocktail and making it the best possible.

What’s your goal here?

I want to bring a focus to the cocktail. This will create a standard in training and education that’ll affect other areas and create a sense of community. In US cities, everyone knows each other, like a fraternal organisation in the industry. Creating that spark is what I want, getting people excited to create.

Why does mixology matter?

It is an artistic expression of myself. Having the right weight, the right finish on your palate, the right beverage for the right occasion. I think of making great cocktails as in playing the violin, doing an oil painting, using clay to make

What does a drink say about a person?

It’s not so much what people drink but how they order.

As much as I hate Sex and the City, it changed the way women order cocktails. They know how to order. Or, you ever see Crazy, Stupid, Love with Steve Carell? He meets someone who teaches him how to be a man again and part of that is what he drinks. He starts with a vodka cran, which is what you order when you don’t know what else to drink.

People need to understand the value of what they’re drinking when there’s a large price associated with it. If a guest asks you why something costs as much as it does and you can’t answer, think they’ll trust you?

Do you still create new drinks?

I try to set aside time to experiment in the bar I’ll call my lab.

I pick places with distractions because when you make a cocktail it’s not going to be in a library. I perform best under pressure. I don’t make my best when I’m 100 percent focused on it. asialife HCMC 17

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P H OTO E S S AY

pearly Over the past five years, photographer Conor Wall has visited every corner of Cambodia, documenting the lives of its residents. Along the way, he captured the spirit of the people through their smiles.

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Le Bouchon De Saigon

InterContinental Hotel

Cook-off East Meets West In AsiaLIFE’s third cook-off we gave five of Ho Chi Minh City's finest chefs the chance to show off their chops by bringing together the best of Vietnamese and western cooking.

Fusion food is not uncommon in many restaurants around Vietnam and it’s easy to see why; Vietnamese food, and Vietnam itself, is full of culinary inspiration and these five chefs have taken fusion to a new level.

All coming from different backgrounds, the chefs were randomly assigned two dishes, one Vietnamese and one western. The challenge was to put a western twist on the Vietnamese dish and vice versa. The chefs had the time to prepare their dishes in advance, using their own kitchens and their own ingredients.

Rather than choose a winner, we enlisted expert foodies to judge how successfully each dish blended different cooking styles from around the world. Photos by Fred Wissink.

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Le Bouchon De Saigon

Black Cat

The Deck

The Critics Richard Sterling

Michael Kloster

Ann Ha

AsiaLIFE’s resident food expert Richard Sterling is the author of more than a dozen books and scores of magazine articles. He has worked as a travel editor for a food magazine and a food editor for a travel magazine.

The New York Times once called him the “Indiana Jones of gastronomy”.

Michael Kloster is the front of house manager for Saigon Group and has been involved in the hospitality industry for the better part of 20 years, the last seven in Vietnam. He hails from California, where he worked his way through UC Berkeley waiting tables at the legendary Caffe Giovanni.

A social media strategist by day and a local food and fashion blogger by night, Ann Ha is well known for her food writing around Ho Chi Minh City. As a food lover, she’s always thinking of the next creative recipe she will try out on her friends. Visit her blog at annha.com. asialife HCMC 23

Adrian Scott The Deck

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sually, it’s group executive chef Adrian Scott going to his Vietnamese staff at The Deck to give culinary commands.

But to rise to the challenge of combining western and Vietnamese cuisine, he found himself sometimes on the other end of orders.

“It was actually quite fun because it gave the staff a chance to help and show me,” said the chef, known in the local industry as Scotty.

The kitchen tables have turned, not just among the chefs and cooks, but among their unique creations. Scotty was tasked with adding a Vietnamese flair to coq au vin, and with reimagining banh beo for western food-lovers. Trained in his native England and France, Scotty had minimal exposure to Vietnamese recipes – which is where his staff came in.

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To make the rice mini-pancakes from Hue, Scotty used an ingredient that probably never has been tried in the history of the food: beetroot. As one out of three iterations, the beetred banh beo propped up pork confit, crisped in an oven and garnished with applesauce and dried apple. On the two other white banh beo, he laid a surf and turf of seared scallop and braised oxtail with dried carrot, and then foie gras with dried mango and chilli mango chutney.

Michael Kloster, front of house manager for Saigon's Gourmet Group, noted the harmony of textures on both white banh beo. In forgoing the usual chopped dried shrimp, the chef produced a concoction that actually constituted a meal, unlike customary banh beo. As for the beet version, Kloster could detect the earthiness of the vegetable among the cake’s chewy layers.

“It’s cool, it’s basically pork chops and applesauce,” he said, “on a banh beo.”

For the chicken dish, Scotty drew inspiration from pho, a soup he’d made only once before. After trial and error with coconut milk and fish sauce, Scotty settled on a pho stock of star anise, cinnamon, lemongrass, and pork bones, later mixing in the French necessities: red wine and enoki and shiitake mushrooms in place of button mushrooms.

He served the broth in a clay pot, leaving noodles, bean sprouts, and sweet basil on the side.

Kloster said the outcome wasn’t as rich or heavy as traditional coq au vin. And if he closed his eyes to taste the experiment?

“I’d know it’s a chicken stew, but what stands out the most are the pho herbs and spices,” Kloster said. “I certainly wouldn’t peg it as Vietnamese, but not French either.”

GeoffreyBlack DeetzCat

B

lack Cat has become on institution in Ho Chi Minh City, offering some of the best western-style food around.

Already known for mixing western and Vietnamese food, Geoffrey Deetz, who owns the restaurant and two others in the, jumped at the opportunity to once again be part of AsiaLIFE’s cook-off.

Deetz says throughout his 33 years as a chef and restaurateur in his native California and Vietnam, he has always found that Vietnamese and western food are easy to combine. “Vietnamese cuisine is unique among Asian food because you can take foreign influences and tweak them a little to make them fully Vietnamese.”

This is what he did with his first dish, banh xeo, sometimes inaccurately called the Vietnamese pancake.

Deetz took his love for Mexican food,

much of which he says is very similar to Vietnamese, and gave the banh xeo some small changes that transformed it into something new entirely. This dish is usually made from egg and rice flour and filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts. To eat, people wrap pieces of the crepe in mustard leaves, lettuce or rice paper before dipping them in sweetened fish sauce.

Deetz’s version was fried in bacon fat instead of the usual lard, which gave it an extra crispness. Inside he added bacon, corn, onion and shrimp. For an added kick, he put jalapenos in the fish sauce.

Although this dish was still 90 percent Vietnamese, it had a very Mexican flavour, said our critic Richard Sterling, adding that the bacon fat gave the corn a very unique taste.

“All of this has made it a more complex

dish than I’d expect from a banh xeo,” he said.

In the same Mexican spirit, Deetz combined his second dish, a burrito with com tam, the simple broken rice and grilled meat dish widely eaten throughout Vietnam. He said this was an easy decision because com tam is very similar to what Mexicans eat for lunch.

He took Vietnamese-style grilled pork – essentially chile verde pork – and combined it with green onions, egg, pickled jalapenos and carrots, broken rice, and whole red beans, and wrapped it in a standard flour tortilla.

Since broken rice tends to be dry and eaten with fish sauce, it was served with two fish sauce blends, one with salsa, the other with guacamole.

Sterling said overall he enjoyed the burrito, adding that it “was a very interesting, and sometimes confusing, experience.” asialife HCMC 25

David Thai Le Bouchon De Saigon

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s a Viet Kieu, David Thai, the head chef at Le Bouchon De Saigon, might just have a leg up with this challenge.

As a child Thai moved from Vietnam to France, where he grew up and first honed his cooking skills. In 2004 he moved back to Vietnam and has worked as head chef of Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Sofitel Saigon Plaza and Epikurean Hospitality Indochine before moving on to the French bistro. More recently, Thai has won several bouts on Iron Chef Vietnam.

Although Thai did the cooking, Le Bouchon owner Alexis Melgrani provided him with some creative support and was there to present the dishes.

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When we told Thai his western dish would be a Cornish pasty, a traditional British dish originating in Cornwall, he hadn’t the faintest idea of what it was. But after some quick research, he was able to create an interesting and delicious take on the dish.

A classic Cornish pasty has beef, onions, potato and swede inside of a golden pastry.

Thai’s version replaced the traditional ingredients with minced pork and prawns, mushroom, ginger, bamboo shoots and garlic. Ann Ha, an avid food blogger, said it reminded her of the Vietnamese banh pa te so, a meat-filled pastry, but much lighter and fluffier.

Thai's second dish was cha gio, or egg

rolls, which usually have ground pork, mushrooms, carrots, vermicelli, and sometimes shrimp.

He said with this dish he tried to modernise the rolls by making them in a “French way”. He did this by wrapping prawn and basil leaves in shredded filo pastry, paperthin sheets of dough often used in Greek, eastern European and Middle Eastern cuisine.

The rolls were basted in butter rather than deep-fried to make them more “elegant” and “flavourful”. On the side was a shot glass filled half with chilli sauce and half with basil sauce.

Ha said she loved the dipping sauce, which added a “new and refreshing” flavour to the rolls. She said she looked forward to seeing both dishes on Le Bouchon’s menu.

Bui Van Dam InterContinental Hotel

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ocally trained chef Van Dam worked at Khai-Silk-owned Nam Phan for seven years before moving to the InterContinental Hotel, where he has been for three years. Dam is currently the sous chef at the hotel’s Market 39 restaurant.

Dam’s first task was to westernise cha ca la Vong, a specialty of northern Vietnam, and not one you see very often in the city. The standard ingredients are turmeric, dill, shrimp paste and fish sauce, served with chunks of fish cooked at the table.

Dam’s take on the dish featured the addition of a peanut sauce that resembled peanut butter, a standard on sandwiches and toast in the west. Our critic, Ann

Ha, said she found that it was a subtle fusion, as it still looked a lot like a normal cha ca dish. She also noted that the fish was moist and perfectly cooked, while the fresh chillies added some bite. Ha concluded her judgment by saying, “It has a good texture, with the crispy fish combining with the crunch of the peanuts and the soft vegetables, to create a good mix.”

The second dish from the chef was a Vietnamese version of the hamburger.

Minced beef was mixed with onion, egg, lemongrass and fat before being deepfried to give it a crispy crust. Dam served the burger on a homemade bun with lettuce and tomatoes.

Ha thought this was a much deeper fusion, as the burger looked western but tasted Vietnamese. She appreciated the succulence of the patty and thought it would work well with local palettes. She added that, “Vietnamese people like welldone meat and fried dishes with bread, so I think you could almost spin this as a high-end version of a banh mi.” She also noted that the burger wasn’t greasy at all, and proved to be healthier than its usual competitors.

Overall Dam did well in the challenge, and even though Ha wasn’t totally convinced by the first dish’s fusion she found that both efforts tasty and well puttogether. asialife HCMC 27

Days Gone By Through the history of a family that worked for the iconic Dalat Palace Hotel for nearly 70 years, Chris Mueller takes a glimpse into the hill station’s golden years and what has changed since. Photos by Fred Wissink.

In 1935, Huynh Thi Thanh Xuyen’s grandparents and mother moved from Hanoi to Dalat, where her grandfather took a job as secretary for Edouard Feraudy, the general manager of Langbian Palace Hotel. Her grandfather would be the first in a line of three generations to 28 asialife HCMC

work at the hotel.

Over the next 70 years this hotel, now called the Dalat Palace Hotel, would become the most iconic image of its namesake. The town was literally built around the hotel, where Xuyen’s family has worked for nearly its entire existence.

Xuyen worked in the Palace in various capacities from 1995 to 2008. She now works for the Thanh Ngoc hotel group in the sales, marketing and training department.

Before the French showed interest in the region around Dalat as a hill station, just a

sparse population of minority hill tribes inhabited it. When Alexandre Yersin, a student of Louis Pasteur, decided to develop Dalat, the white colonial elite looked at the small local population as an advantage in their aim to develop a site of white privilege, comfort, and

Xuyen's mother and father

Assistant general manager of the Palace Hotel

Wedding party

Kitchen staff at the Palace Hotel

Downtown Dalat

Downtown Dalat

education, writes Eric Jennings in his 2011 book Imperial Heights: Dalat and the Making and Undoing of French Indochina.

But as better roads and a railway were built to connect Dalat to the rest of the country, more families like Xuyen’s began to flock to the town. Xuyen says in the early days of Dalat, each street represented a different culture , which gave the town an interesting diversity. Vietnamese from Hue or Hanoi only inhabited some streets, while others were made up of only French or Chinese. Many of the families that ended up in Dalat sent their children to French-run schools, creating a highly-educated young Vietnamese class.

During the 40s and early 50s, Xuyen’s parents worked in the

Palace Hotel, and by the time Xuyen was born in 1953, they could afford to give her a French education as well.

“I absorbed the French education,” says Xuyen. “I adore French culture. It was the best period of my life.”

Despite the wars that ravaged the rest of Vietnam, Dalat came out more or less unscathed. But Xuyen believes the town that was once expected to become the capital of Indochina has lost its way.

“They haven’t changed the skin,” she says, “but they’ve changed the blood.”

She says that even during the war with Americans, Dalat was a safe town where she walked along the lake with friends, bundled in layers of clothing

on cold mornings. They would breath vapor out of their mouths as they laughed and joked in French. Whenever they entered the Dalat Palace and some of the villas throughout the town, large fireplaces with smoldering embers provided much-needed heat.

But now, as the town and population continue to grow, air conditioning units have replaced fireplaces and Dalat gets warmer every year, she says.

Dalat’s population has not only increased, bringing with it pollution and congestion, but illegal loggers continue to threaten its pine forests. Although tourism is Dalat’s lifeblood, she says it is partly to blame for the problems facing the once tranquil town.

“People want to take money,

but they don’t want to invest in Dalat as a tourist destination,” she says. “When tourists come for the first time, they don’t want to come a second time because there is nothing new.”

To Xuyen, Dalat has one thing to offer the tourism industry: nature. Its pine forests and cool climate not only provide an escape from the tropical heat, but also create a place where guests can relax and enjoy the landscape. But that air of tranquility is steadily disappearing.

Xuyen still lives and works in Dalat, and despite the many problems threatening its legacy, she says the town will always be special to her and her family.

“Life in Dalat may no longer be as noble as it used to be,” she says, “but it’s still my home.” asialife HCMC 29

30 asialife HCMC

LOST AND FOUND Inspired by his own experiences, a Vietnamese man has started a website to help find missing loved ones. By Chris Mueller. Photo by Rosa Chung.

It took four long years for Nguyen Trong Khoa to reunite with his son. But in early July, he saw his 10-year-old for the first time since Christmas 2008, when his ex-wife moved to France with the boy after their messy divorce. Khoa lost contact with them shortly after the move.

“When I looked into his eyes, I could see he really missed me,” Khoa says of the reunion in Ho Chi Minh City.

Although the meeting was the culmination of years of searching on Khoa’s part, it was short-lived. They only spent 2 1/2 hours together before his son went to the countryside with his mother to visit family.

Two weeks later, Khoa’s ex-wife and son returned to France, where she had remarried to a French man.

After Khoa and his ex-wife had decided to divorce, he saw his son regularly. But one day, when he went to pick him up, Khoa discovered both his ex and son had left for France. “I was lost,” he says.

Over the next four years, Khoa used social media and contacts from the internet to track down his son, if only to make sure he was safe. But once he found him, there was little he could do to get him back.

Still, Khoa says the experience made him realise he could help others in similar circumstances, which is why he started Thatlac. com.vn.

Since the launch, 5,000 people have registered on the website, which has received over 40,000 hits. Khoa says that at any given time, he is usually working on cases for about 10 people, to whom he hand delivers updates on a regular basis.

Khoa criticises other websites in Vietnam that derive profits from helping to find missing loved ones, while his services

are free. He personally funds investigations and site upkeep with the money he makes buying internet domain names, then selling them to companies. He says it’s actually a quite successful business, with domain names sometimes fetching up to US $10,000. Facebook even invited him to their headquarters on two occasions to discuss social media and the internet culture in Vietnam.

Khoa’s clients tend to be poor or even homeless, and the majority find themselves in the same position: searching for children they had with American soldiers.

He says one woman in HCM City had a son and daughter with an American soldier in 1973. When the war ended, the soldier was shipped home, leaving her with the two children.

Fearing retribution from North Vietnamese soldiers for having children with the enemy, and worried she would be ostracised from the community and unable to remarry, she gave her daughter to an American couple working at an NGO who brought her to the US. She gave her son to an orphanage, where he died two years later. Khoa has tracked down the father, but has yet to find the daughter.

Khoa says many women in similar situations come to him for help. In 1988, the US Congress passed the Amerasian Homecoming Act, which allowed Amerasian children born in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975, mainly to American fathers and Vietnamese mothers, and their families to immigrate to the US. By 2009 about 25,000 Vietnamese Amerasians and 60,000 to 80,000 of their relatives had immigrated to the United States under this law, according to US State Department statistics.

Unlike much else of American

immigration policy, this law was fairly lenient, and it was common for visas to be granted based only on ‘American facial features’. In many cases, however, children were sold to the highest bidder, allowing the buyer and their family to move to the US. It’s not just Vietnamese who use Khoa’s website. Donald Tippie, an American who served in the US Navy in Vietnam in 1971, met him through a mutual friend. While deployed in Tan An in the Mekong Delta, Tippie met a young Vietnamese woman who was in charge of a crew that helped with work in the galley.

The two became fond of each other, but shortly after their relationship started, Tippie says his whole base was sent home.

They agreed to meet in Saigon before he left, but he shipped out before it could happen. He kept her address in his wallet, but mistakenly put it through a washing machine. He hasn’t spoken to her since.

“I was heartbroken that I never properly said goodbye to her,” he wrote in an email from the US. “I would love to see her again to hold her and tell her how much I have missed her, even after all these years.”

For now Khoa, who also has remarried and has two other children, will continue to help others find their loved ones.

However, it still could take more time before he can see his son regularly. He has decided not to invlove lawyers because he worries they will complicate the situation and would force his son to pick a side.

“From the day I met him again until now I feel happy, but it also feels like I’m losing him again,” Khoa says. “Every day I’m thinking of him and don’t know what will happen in the future.” asialife HCMC 31

With so many new arrivals to the city gaining up to 5kg on the expat lifestyle, Ellie Dyer gets some advice from Swedish nutritionist Maria Ahlberg Carlsward on how to shape up.

For some expats, healthy living is a distant dream. In a city where few walk and a beer is never far away, it’s all too easy to sink into a life of lethargy. But for InterContinental Phnom Penh’s resident nutritionist and fitness trainer Maria Ahlberg Carlsward, being a couch potato is not an option. Armed with a bevy of qualifications and a firm belief in wellbeing, she gives her top tips for staying in shape. Small changes, she says, can make a world of difference.

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Home Cooking Although eating out each night is de rigueur for many, restaurant food can be packed with hidden challenges. Asian food, says Ahlberg Carlsward, is often oil heavy, commonly with MSG and high-salt sauces. Cooking at home at least a few days a week enables you to know what you are eating and control your portion size effectively, she says. It also allows expats to return to their “old lifestyles” rather than treating themselves to a never-ending “holiday” of excess – which can lead many to pack on the pounds.

Drinking Calories Be aware of what you drink. While a daily latte or two may seem innocent enough, Ahlberg Carlsward says that switching to black coffee could lead you to lose 7kg per year. The widespread use of full-fat milk in coffee shops means that the drinks contain up to 400 calories per cup.

Quaffing alcohol also means piling on extra calories. Ahlberg Carlsward recommends savouring a glass of wine over downing beer, as well as drinking in moderation. “People forget that drinks are calories too,” she says. If you drink every day of the week, cut down gradually.

On Your Feet In southeast Asia’s blazing heat, it’s all too tempting to hop on a motorbike to venture around the corner.

But in the name of fitness, a stroll a day is just another step in returning to a healthy lifestyle. From walking children to school to a short trip along the riverside in the early morning, Ahlberg Carlsward says that such small steps “absolutely make a difference”. Exercise opportunities are all around the city.

A morning jog, an evening dance at the park or sport with an organised team are all options. “But you must like it," she says. "If you don’t you will try to cut it out.”

Get Fruity While fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet, Ahlberg Carlsward warns that the tropical fruit piled high in local markets are very sugar-rich. Mangos and papayas, though delicious, are a source of fast-burning carbohydrates that will lead you to experience a short burst of energy rather than filing you up all day. A better option is slow-burning carbs, found in apples and pears, which release energy steadily. Switching from white bread to dark grains offers the same benefits.

Everything in Moderation If these changes seem too much of a challenge, don’t despair. InterContinental’s nutritionist advocates days off from a healthy regime and allows herself one “bad day” a week – a move she says is “good for the mind”. She also warns against going too far. Eating only salads each day can do more harm than good, and a healthy, balanced diet is the key to living well. Ideally, you should eat three meals a day and two snacks, such as a handful of cashew nuts or a smoothie, and never skip breakfast as “you cannot take a car out without gas”. Changing your lifestyle may be easier than you think. A few tweaks here and there can make for a long-term difference and a healthier, more active life. “You must go your own way and try and change step by step,” says Ahlberg Carlsward.

asialife HCMC 33

Modern Mourning As with the country at large, Vietnamese funerals are evolving for the modern millennium. They mix DVD technology with ancient superstitions, and balance mourning with merrymaking. By Lien Hoang.

Photos by Rosa Chung.

D

own a sunny alley in Tan Binh District, brassy tunes are blaring, dishes are circulating and here or there, a grin breaks out. Another early morning, another funeral.

Vietnamese might disagree on just how grave a mood to convey at death ceremonies, from those who feast happily, to others who wail grievously.

But to an outsider, some funeral practices clearly depart from solemnity in a way rarely found in western cultures.

Music is probably the simplest example. On this bright, July morning off of Truong

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Chinh Street, a hired band strikes up a dirge with the familiar gongs, cymbals, trumpets, trombones, and drums. For those more accustomed to organ notes, this might come as noise pollution, especially when some funerals begin as early as 4am.

But music penetrates much of Vietnamese culture, from the lyrical language to the inescapable karaoke. In the case of funerals, even the unwelcome clanging and banging and tooting of this stately cacophony have a place. “The loud music lightens the spirits of the dead,� says Dao

Anh Tuan, 38 and manager of a karaoke joint in Phu Nhuan District.

He went on to describe less common but more remarkable breeds of funeral entertainers: flamboyant exhibitionists who sing, dance, strut the catwalk, breathe fire, or balance bicycles on their noses. Some are paid.

Others jump in because major life events like this insert them in a crowd that is otherwise just suspicious of the performers’ sexuality.

The entertainment puts a decidedly modern twist on millennia-old tradition. And now, as Vietnamese collectively and individually enter into 21st-century identities, they are selecting which ancient practices to preserve, and which to update.

Funerals always will weigh heavily, not least because they are the ultimate expression of filial piety. But how families fulfill their macabre duties vary immeasurably by region, religion, income, and a host of other inputs.

What they all tend to have in common, however, is an emphasis on community and the public. Last goodbyes are deeply personal everywhere, but in Vietnam, guests do more than pay respects. They bring money, flowers, and other gifts according to their relationship to the deceased, and some directly chip in for the services.

“For people who are poor or don’t have money, their neighbours help, their family and friends help,” says Phan Thi Hue, from District 8. The homemaker, 55, says she’s attended more funerals than she can count, estimating they cost from VND 20 million to VND 100 million, not including the VND 10 million coffin. Other estimates start below VND 1 million, with coffins ranging from VND 5 million to VND 100 million.

The sense of community spreads beyond the house, reaching strangers and even people overseas. Perhaps unthinkable in other countries, photographers and videographers document funerals here

as casually as they would weddings. Back in Tan Binh District, AsiaLIFE has no trouble crashing the ceremony, or rather, blending in as people smile for a hired photographer who directs them for the best photo op. Afterward, the family will mail pictures and DVDs of the truly spectator event to friends and relatives, including Viet Kieu.

On this morning, a volunteer deputy is guiding traffic, making way for the coffin bearers. The brass band finishes its hymn as a dozen men hoist onto their shoulders a white casket embellished with silver leaves and flanked by paintings of the Last Supper. Dressed in white or black, in purchased cloth outfits or makeshift uniforms, the funeral procession walks the few blocks down Truong Trinh to a church.

If they were Buddhist, they would have marched the coffin to a temple, on an auspicious day determined by the dates of

Buddhist Vietnamese continue the rituals laid out in Tho Mai Gia Le, a centuries-old manual.

They believe the living should stay away if their astrological signs clash with that of the dead, or seek forgiveness through an intermediary if they ended on bad terms. Some fill the mouth of the deceased with rice grains and coins, possibly to bribe gatekeepers in another world.

Other customs require leaving the deceased with eggs, banana leaves, chopsticks, or knives.

Most people burn votive paper symbolising what one would need in the afterlife: fake money, apparel, phones, expensive houses, even a ‘Mercedes’ for VND 3 million.

These growing costs mark a significant shift in a country where per capita income has tripled in the last decade. As Vietnamese pocketbooks grow, so too do the amounts they shell out to put their loved ones to rest.

birth and death. Sometimes that takes three days.

“Once people die, they’re cleaned after eight hours, because Buddhists say the dead still feel pain,” says Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung, a Catholic whose family has run a large coffin shop in Tan Binh for three generations. “In our religion it’s simpler, we wash the body right away.”

Everyone generally wears white strips around the forehead, burns incense, and offers food, often vegetarian. But more so than Catholics, secular and

At the front of Ba Chieu market in Binh Thanh District, Hong Nhung sells floral arrangements for VND 100,000 to VND 1 million. For two decades, she has served weddings, holidays, grand openings, and other business events, but funerals bring in the most business, averaging two to three bunches per ceremony.

“In the past, people used to buy single flowers and they had to order them ahead of time,” Nhung, 38, says. “But now we make bunches to order.”

The change has been not just

organic but structural. Until the 1980s, the ruling party had banned extravagant funerals because they betrayed inequality and decadence.

"The party hoped to simplify funerals and make them vehicles for official ideology," Shaun Kingsley Malarney writes in his 2002 book, Culture, Ritual and Revolution in Vietnam.

Malarney, an anthropology professor and dean of International Affairs at Tokyo’s International Christian University, says Vietnamese at the time "vigorously objected to certain aspects of the reforms that prevented them from properly fulfilling their moral obligations to their deceased kin and co-villagers. They did, however, accept reforms that made funerary ceremonies more egalitarian."

But less egalitarian practices also are returning to funerals in the new millennium. A 2008 documentary, Mourners For Hire, argues that paid weepers are making a comeback, to keep up with Vietnam’s new lavish spenders.

In an email to AsiaLIFE, Malarney said the party had eliminated mourners for hire, prevalent in the north.

“The reason being that they were employed to assert status,” Malarney said. “The idea behind them is that the greater number of mourners, the more respected the person.”

But Hue, the homemaker, believes pseudo sorrow comforts the dead, especially those who don’t have children or other relatives to memorialise them.

There’s nothing wrong with paying for tears, she says.

“Dau co gi dau,” Hue says. No big deal.

She also disagrees that people make light of death rites, saying, “All funerals are sad.”

But Nhung, the coffin seller, takes a different view.

“When people die, we must celebrate,” she says. “We can’t be sad, but happy, because their suffering ends. Sadness is with the body; happiness is with the spirit.” asialife HCMC 35

Though Goa is famous for its parties and laid-back beach culture, Michael Tatarski finds the Indian state’s crumbling history is just as interesting.

Goa, on India’s west coast along the Arabian Sea, became infamous as a destination on the international hippie trail a few decades ago. Hedonistic oceanfront trance parties and the wide availability of drugs drew visitors from all over the world and created a pocket of debauchery in otherwise conservative India.

Government crackdowns in recent years mean little of this scene remains, but there are areas where the legacy of the Portuguese, who landed in Goa long before the backpackers, stands in crumbling glory.

These ruins lack the grandeur and age of Angkor Wat or the Parthenon, but they are fascinating nonetheless.

The Portuguese gained a foothold in Goa in 1510, and within two centuries they had controlled most of the modernday state. They were finally ejected in 1961, but after 400 years of rule it is no surprise that a distinct Iberian influence remains.

The Town One of the best spots to see what a colonial town looked like is Panjim, the state capital, where streets with names like Heliodoro Salgado intersect with more traditionally named Indian roads. Two neighbourhoods in particular, Sao Tome and Fontainhas, have retained their Portuguese nature.

Squat houses, their oncebright paint fading in the tropical sun, line narrow cobblestone lanes that recall 36 asialife HCMC

Europe. Many of these homes are still lived in, but there are several that have clearly been abandoned, their decay a reminder of the glory days of the old empire.

The Landowners The day after exploring Panjim, I travelled with a friend to a village called Chandor, in southern Goa. The neighbourhoods of the capital were for Portuguese shop owners and common workers, but this is where the wealthy Goan landowners settled. The village sits among rice paddies and lush hills, and in the middle of it all sits the Menezes Braganza Pereira house.

This huge mansion was built by AFS Braganza Pereira more than 350 years ago, when he represented Goa as the vice consul general to Spain.

Pereira worked his way into the favour of the colonial administration and was given huge tracts of land by the king of Portugal for his dutiful service.

Pereira and his extensive family became obscenely wealthy from the profits generated by the plantations that were set up on this land.

A stern caretaker showed us around the mansion, which is split into two wings that were inherited by different sides of the family. The opulence was eye-popping.

Nearly every room featured Italian marble, Venetian chandeliers, and Chinese ceramics acquired when the Portuguese

empire spanned the world.

Heavy furniture wrought in detailed designs, including two high-backed chairs decorated with the family crest that were a personal gift from King Dom Luis, filled out the interior. Each wing had its own grand ballroom, bedrooms, sitting rooms, and formal and informal dining rooms, though in this building informal is a relative term. An extensive personal library, one of the largest in Goa, was packed into bookshelves. The Braganza family actually still lives in the house, and it must be worth millions of dollars considering how many rare antiques are contained inside.

This may not sound like much of a ruin, but there are signs of looming decay. In the 1990s, when India underwent large-scale land reform, the government seized all of the land owned by the Braganzas, removing their source of income in one fell swoop.

Our guide gave an eloquent sob story detailing how the ruinous cost of maintaining the house has brought the family to its knees, and they are now dependent on the donations of visitors to keep up appearances.

By looking closely I could see the result of this loss in sagging ceilings and the odd patch of mold. As sad as it was to see such a grand house in the early stages of decrepitude, I couldn’t muster much empathy. The money used to buy all of those fine artifacts was made on the backs of indigenous labourers who toiled away in the fields while the Braganzas wined and dined in luxury. It reminded me of cotton plantations in the American South

before the Civil War, when slaves baked under the sun while their masters accumulated huge amounts of wealth.

The Hippies Not all of the ruin in Goa dates back to the Portuguese.

Anjuna, in northern Goa, was the centre of the state’s former heyday as an illicit playground. A handful of weathered westerners seeking their personal nirvana remain, but the majority has left, and the houses they lived in create an area that is straight out of The Twilight Zone.

The narrow road running from Anjuna’s center to the beach is lined with what used to be simple, attractive houses.

As we walked along I got the sense that this was once a thriving neighbourhood, but today there are more abandoned buildings than ones with people in them. Patios have buckled, open doors reveal furniture askew inside, and several have obviously caught fire at some point. A few have completely collapsed, and in two instances all that remains is a stone frame.

Right next to these ruins, though, were well-maintained homes with manicured plants and a westerner out front watering the grass. The dichotomy between the two was striking, and I have to say this was one of the stranger places I’ve been in my travels.

While Goa is a great place to visit for its beaches and less restrictive social rules, it also provides a look into a past I wasn’t expecting. Whether it is remnants of the Portuguese or fading reminders of its heyday in the 60s and 70s, the state is dripping with history. asialife HCMC 37

Beneath the Waves From the crystal-clear waters off coastal islands to the depths of the Mekong River, diving enthusiasts are going under the waves.

Ellie Dyer discovers what lies below. Photos by Scuba Nation.

For divers who venture beneath the surface of the Mekong River, a world of sensory deprivation awaits. With visibility at just 20cm to 30cm, awareness of movement, sound and touch are magnified in the murky waters.

“Having spent hours in zero visibility, not being able to see and being weightless – there is something compelling to it, for sure,” says scuba enthusiast Allen Tan. Masters of Muck By day, Tan helps to clear explosives from sunken boats in Cambodia’s rivers as general manager of Golden West Humanitarian Foundation, a job that first introduced him to diving in the Mekong. He set up a group called Mekong Divers a year ago to share his passion for scuba with others.

Initiation into the club, which has the tagline ‘Masters of Muck’ and an emblem that shows a scuba diver riding a giant catfish, involves a 10minute dive, 10 metres into the Mekong.

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“I thought it was a great opportunity to have both a dive club and community that is not affiliated to any shop, and to have something cool and different as an initiation,” he says, estimating that at most 30 people have dived the Mekong.

“I don’t know whether you’d call it a badge of honour, it’s more a badge of stupidity or something. It’s not for the claustrophobic.”

Although catching sight of one of the many creatures living in the Mekong is unlikely, and even more so in the zero-visibility Tonle Sap, divers emerging from Cambodia’s rivers can experience a unique effect.

As light filters through silt, the outlook can turn from darkness to deep red, rich yellow and then daylight, much like a reverse sunset. Tan describes the experience as beautiful.

The club is one of the newest additions to Cambodia’s burgeoning diving community, which is attracting increasing numbers of enthusiasts.

But it was a different story a decade ago, when Gerard

Leenen and Vicky Leah, owners of dive centre Scuba Nation, first arrived in Cambodia.

All at Sea In 2001, the married couple came on a holiday to Cambodia. The trip changed their lives.

“Sihanoukville was empty.

On Occheuteal beach there were one or two guesthouses and a few hotels. We saw there were lots of beaches and islands and thought, why is there not more scuba diving?” recalls Leenen, who was then managing a dive centre in Malaysia.

The couple researched dive sites for six months before launching Cambodia’s first Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) training centre in both the coastal town and Phnom Penh in 2002.

“There was nothing known,” Leenen says. “We had no idea it would just take off.”

Unlike river waters, Cambodia’s seas can be crystal clear, with visibility off outlying islands reaching up to 40 metres in good conditions.

The reefs are known for being rich in macro-life such as seahorses, octopus and small fish.

Cobias – shark-like fish that swim in pairs and can reach up to two-metres long – can also be spotted.

“The first time we saw them we were quite worried. They swim very like sharks and they started circling,” says Leenen.

Although they can appear menacing, the cobias are not a danger to divers.

Muck diving, or diving over muddy sediment, can also result in rare sightings

at sea. Leenen and Leah have glimpsed a predatory Bobbit worm on the ocean floor.

Known to reach up to three-metres long, the fanged creatures feed on fish, which they can slice in two.

Preservation Focus Cambodia also has excellent coral, including Explosion Reef near Koh Tang. “I’ve heard people say it’s better than the Great Barrier Reef. It’s just hard corals everywhere. Because it’s so far away, the corals there are untouched,” says Leenen.

But as with oceans all over the world, the spectacular ecosystems are threatened by global warming.

Water temperatures rose to 34 degrees on the coast in 2010, which resulted in coral bleaching.

“It looks quite pretty but it’s basically dead. But the water cooled down again and actually our corals survived,” adds Leenen, who recently received a PADI award for Scuba Nation’s commitment to the environment.

As diving takes off in the

country, Scuba Nation is now training a new generation of instructors in the sport. Protecting the reefs is an ongoing aim. The dive centre runs a project called The Coral Tree which seeks to develop an artificial reef by replanting broken coral for future generations.

For Leenen, who says friends sometimes cannot recognise him without Scuba Nation gear on, the sport is an enduring passion.

He says, "If I didn’t love what I’m doing, I’d be in the wrong business. We try to give the most we can to people.”

Photo by Conor Wall

asialife HCMC 39

A Room With a View Saigon has always been a place of rooftop bars, and restaurants in high places. Of course ‘high’ is a relative term. From 1959 to the early 1990s the old wing of the Caravelle Hotel was the tallest building in town, at just 10 stories high. In the 1960s its rooftop bar was famous among foreign journalists who joked that at that height, they could cover the entire American War without leaving their barstools.

The top floor of the Rex Hotel has always been popular with those who like to get above it all, but still hear the street bustle and smell the food stalls.

The café/bar on the fifth floor of the Majestic Hotel’s old wing offers a sweeping view of the river. The restaurant and bar atop the Arc en Ciel used to dominate the debauchery of Cho Lon in those old and dirty days. The list goes on. In every one of these high perches the experience of dining and drinking is somehow multiplied. It lets you take in more of the city and its character, and gives you a chance to eat and drink within its unique context.

Well, there’s a new kid on the block. And you’ve all seen it, at least from the outside, near a lane that we used to call ‘Whiskey Street’ for its chief article of commerce. I’m talking about the Bitexco Building at the corner of Ho Tung Mao and Ngo Duc Ke in District 1, and it houses the highest restaurant and bar in town.

It’s called Strata. It’s on the 50th floor. And from there you 40 asialife HCMC

can drink in the city and feast your eyes on it like no place else. The classically trained Chef Ana will make sure your mouth gets something good as well.

I bemoaned the construction of the building as I watched it rise. But then I bemoan the construction of anything higher than about three stories in what used to be the most charming low-rise city in the East. I live in old and low

320-degree view I can almost see the entire city. I see Saigon changing, Ben Thanh market still bustles with commerce as it has for nearly a century and I’m comforted that the treelined streets are still among the greenest of any city I know.

I’m soothed by the river and the canals that still lazily wend their ways ever seaward. And at night a modern and allegorical version of those waterways appears. The streets, be they

“In every one of these high perches the experience of dining and drinking is somehow multiplied. It lets you take in more of the city and its character, and gives you a chance to eat and drink within its unique context.”

Saigon, to the west of the new and high. My place is nestled down in a warren of hems lined with rice and noodle stalls and sinh to stands, where I can still have lunch for less than a dollar. Kids play street games, funeral singers croon into the night, chanting wafts out of temples, and students at the neighbouring middle school frolic and shout. Down here in 'Old Saigon' we’re low enough on the ground that a good rain can flood the street to knee deep.

But as much as I miss the ever-disappearing Old Saigon, I welcome Strata. With its lofty

main boulevards, roundabouts or little alleyways, become rivers and streams of light. A million headlamps turn them into thundering courses, placid canals, and eddies and swirls of golden light. Take a seat by a full-length window and see if it doesn’t hypnotize you.

Yes, I complain about the ongoing loss of Old Saigon, and will continue to. But up 50 flights of the new tower, with Chef Ana’s flights of culinary fancy, a staff that aims to please, and a room with a view that EM Forster would admire, Saigon is not diminished, but enriched.

Lion City Come for the food, and stay for the show. At least half the pleasure of Lion City is the irreverence of the teppanyaki chefs, whether they’re playing guitar on the weekends or juggling a bowl, spatula and egg to crack the latter. Food lovers choose teppanyaki restaurants for the experience, from the sizzle of food-on-grill contact, to the security of seeing how chefs prepare your order. And as for the performance factor, chefs at this Singaporean eatery have really taken to the crowds, or vice versa. Tell them it’s your birthday, and they’ll write out a greeting, in salt, on the grill, complete with a dab of oil lit to make a ‘candle’. If you have nothing to celebrate, maybe

The lively Singaporean restaurant in Kuhmo Plaza gives diners an entertaining and food-filled experience. Photos by Fred Wissink.

they’ll fling a piece of scrambled egg into your mouth, or ‘spill’ a bottle of gag sauce on you.

None of which distracts from the cooking. The signature Singapore chilli crab (VND 900,000/kg) is spicy enough to give the entree a kick but mild enough for the weaker-tongued among us. Stock up on bread to soak up the secret sauce, which defines the crab and forms a thick pool around it in a slanted dish. Ask the chefs to crack the shell thoroughly for this wetnapkin-heavy meal.

Or, for a somewhat less messy crustacean, the Canadian lobster (VND 2.6 million/ kg) strikes a light balance of flavours between the seasonings and the main attraction.

With three varieties – cheddar, parmesan, and shredded mozzarella melted on the spot by hand torch – the cheeses risk overpowering the shellfish. But the cheese sauce stays light, retaining the original taste of lobster.

Another Canadian import, the oysters (VND 100,000/ piece) come out on mounds of salt and topped with garlic butter, egg custard, or cheese.

Unless you like a thick, heavy aftertaste, opt for the garlic butter. Or better yet, have them fresh and plain, with just lemon and cocktail sauce.

To catch all this lively action at the teppanyaki grill requires putting up with the coming and going of Kumho office

workers on the other side of the glass. They aren’t noisy, but for a more intimate backdrop, sit farther inside, away from the acrobatic chefs. There, dark wood panels match the leather chairs and alternate with sleek glass. Enjoy them while sipping tarik tea (VND 95,000), a frothy, Singaporean alternative for people who find Vietnamese milk tea too sweet.

Of course, all these prices can put a dent in the wallet, so look out for Lion City’s monthly promotions.

Lion City Unit 5, Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le Duan Tel: 08 2210 2323 10am to 10pm, seven days asialife HCMC 41

The Deck Spend a few minutes at The Deck, and you might just forget you’re in the densest city in the world’s 13th biggest country. A quiet, sun-drenched afternoon on the patio lets you feel as lazy as the foliage sliding endlessly along the Saigon River. Even the passing barges and distant airplanes, the only other signs of life, stay far in the background. And if it rains, watch it through the glass wall under a retractable roof, thanks to last year’s renovations.

The Deck bills itself as a fusion restaurant of mostly western dishes with Asian trimmings. Exhibit A: char grilled lamb fillet kushiyaki (VND 440,000/5 pieces). The eastern 42 asialife HCMC

Whether to enjoy cocktails on a lazy afternoon or indulge in its fusion menu, The Deck is one of the most chilled-out spots to escape hectic city life. Photos by Fred Wissink and Rosa Chung. touch in this case is not just the nominal Japanese skewering, but the raw bamboo. The shoots are cut to create a mouth in which to stuff the lamb, which has been marinated in soy sauce, sesame seeds, thyme, shallots, and garlic. One of the oldest and most popular menu items, the entree forgoes shank and rack for a fillet cut that leaves the lamb tender yet sturdy. It’s presented on heavy black slate specially-made for the restaurant.

A more obviously Japanese selection, the seared tuna wrapped in nori and served with herb mayonnaise (VND 150,000/3 pieces) comes on a bed of gari and cooked shiso

leaf. The rice-less roll resembles sushi, but for the tuna loin’s crusted surface. That crisp outside and full-bodied inside, mixed with the sweet ginger and very edible shiso, makes for a medley of textures.

If you can wait 15 minutes, try the slowly prepared chocolate fondant with green tea ice cream (VND 115,000). Peanuts keep the ice cream together, but it can’t last long against the rich, melted centre of the chocolate, which probably won’t cool before it’s devoured.

For those who find the prices a little steep, drop by for half off cocktails from 4pm to 7pm, or through September, also from 9.30pm to 11.30pm. Try

the cocktail of the week inside the pristine white walls, or out in the courtyard on cushions next to lotus leaves in oversized purple pots. The restaurant will add speakers to the enclosure, occasionally hosting parties or bringing in live jazz and Vietnamese music. The Deck also arranges river taxis, wellhydrated sunset cruises, and private boat tours to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Wildlife Rescue Station for animals that escaped poaching. Call for prices.

38 Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien, An Phu, District 2 08 3744 6632 8.30am till late, seven days

Beirut The list of international cuisines available in Saigon has been growing for years, but one notable exception has been Lebanese. Now that void has been filled by Beirut, located in the same courtyard as Vasco’s and The Refinery.

Beirut is divided into two areas: the ‘bar’, and the ‘garden’. The bar features three floors of seating, including one room where couches and floor cushions invite patrons to relax.

The garden is one of the largest outdoor areas I’ve seen at a restaurant here, though it is still a work in progress that should be completed soon. It has a roof that can be closed in case of rain, a ton of seating, and booths with

Authentic and delicious Lebanese cuisine arrives in District 1. Photos by Michael Tatarski.

plush couches and shisha pipes.

This area comes alive at night with belly dancers and other performances.

Beirut’s head chef is Lebanese and has years of experience in the restaurant business, which shows in the food. The menu features all of Lebanon’s greatest hits, such as shawarma, kebabs, and falafel, and many of the ingredients are imported from the Middle East. Appetizers run between VND 100,000 and VND 200,000, while mains vary from VND 250,000 to VND 450,000. Desserts and a wide selection of drinks are also available.

We start off with the cold mezza platter (VND 280,000),

which includes hummus, moutabal, loubiad, tabbouleh, and homemade bread. Each dip was excellent, and the portion was big enough to split easily between two people.

Next up was the mixed grill for two (VND 468,000), which more than lived up to its name.

The huge pile of chicken, grilled vegetables, lamb and garlic bread looked amazing, and it tasted just as good. The chicken and lamb were both cooked to tender perfection, and the accompanying dips really brought out the flavour in the meat.

Even though we were already getting full the staff insisted we try the stuffed grape leaves (VND 128,000), which were

packed with rice, parsley, chickpeas and mint. This dish is a personal favourite, and Beirut’s was among the best I’ve had.

Finally, for dessert, we decided on a piece of baklava (VND 80,000) and an atayef (VND 80,000), which is a Lebanese pancake stuffed with dry nuts and honey glaze. Both were delectably sweet and provided a great end to a fantastic meal.

Beirut offers a unique setting paired with the best Lebanese food in town, and is sure to become another institution of the Hai Ba Trung courtyard.

74/13D Hai Ba Trung, District 1 08 38 222 188 4pm-12am, seven days asialife HCMC 43

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Inspired by nature – or the general lack thereof in metropolitan Vietnam – a HCM-City-based architect tells Chris Mueller how his company is mixing urban development with eco-friendly designs.

Vietnam’s cities continue to creep farther into the surrounding countryside, replacing grass with concrete and trees with uninspired buildings. Getting back to nature is increasingly difficult in places like Ho Chi Minh City, where green space takes a backseat to more pressing developments, like unfinished apartment buildings.

But one architectural firm based in the city is trying to change that by bringing a much-needed touch of green to the country’s urban sprawl.

Vo Trong Nghia and his 44 asialife HCMC

namesake firm have taken inspiration from time spent in Japan, where he earned his degree, and combined it with the typical tall, narrow ‘tube house’ found throughout Vietnam.

The result is the ‘stacking green house’, the first of which was built for a Vietnamese couple in HCM City’s District 2. The exterior of the house stands out mainly because of the lush, green façade composed entirely of layers of white concrete vessels filled with tropical plants of varying heights. Both the front and back

of the house sport the verdant façade, which serves the duel purpose of pleasing the aesthetically-inclined and fending off unwanted sun, noise, and pollution. To simplify upkeep, the planters were fitted with an automatic irrigation system.

Once inside, visitors can see the greenery from nearly every part of the house because there are few partition walls. This also allows for better ventilation through the tilted slits between the concrete planters and the central shaft. Since the house is built on a small, 4

metre by 20 metre plot, Nghia added floor-to-ceiling glass panels to the front and back and lined the walls with grey slate to make the rooms appear larger and more open.

In the rooftop garden and rear courtyard, the owner has planted trees and vegetables.

Nghia says with this design and others, an average family can grow up to 70 percent of the vegetables they consume.

Homeowner Hoang Thi Thu Ha says one of the best features of the house is the money saved on energy costs.

Although most of the houses Nghia has built still use normal electricity, his company is trying to incorporate wind and solar technology into newer models.

Probably the most impressive aspect of the house, and the reason Nghia expects it to be popular with Vietnamese customers, is the price. He says the houses cost around US $150,000, nearly the same price as most similar-sized houses in Vietnam. Ha’s house took eight months to build. The company is in the process of building

nine more stacking green houses in Saigon and Hanoi and all should cost less than US $200,000, Nghia says.

His firm, which employs seven foreign and 25 Vietnamese architects, is also working on environmentally-friendly mansions, schools, and restaurants. In Dong Nai province his company is building a kindergarten for Taiwanese footwear manufacturer Pou Chen, which Nghia expects to finish before the end of the year.

The one-and-a-half storey building will include an internal courtyard as well as a continuous clover-shaped loop on top of the building for gardens. Nghia says many of the students who go there will be children of Pou Chen factory workers, and the families will be able to come to the school on weekends to farm vegetables.

Although Nghia has a hard time finding construction companies that can handle his increasingly complex designs, his one goal has been consistent. He says, “I want to have as much green on the earth as we can, everywhere we can.” asialife HCMC 45

Concept and stylist: Hanh Nguyen Photographer: Jonny Edbrooke Model: Hanh Trinh All bags from Ipanima 71 Pasteur, D1

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Connoisseur IT'S OK TO LIKE NICE THINGS

Tequila To many drinkers, tequila is a cheap signal of the beginning of the end, the night’s first step down a sloppy, blackout-ridden road. But in reality, tequila has a long and rich history and a sophistication that challenges the likes of fine cognac, scotch, and wine. Tequila exports have soared around the world in recent years, a popularity suggesting the drink can no longer be written off as cheap swill for bandidos and college kids craving a quick buzz.

Tequila was the first distilled drink and commerciallyproduced alcohol in North America. Its origin goes back to the Aztecs, who used nectar extracted from the agave plant in rituals and ceremonies. In the 16th century, when the Spanish conquistadors ran out of the distilled liquor they brought from Europe, they began experimenting with agave to create mezcal. Most mezcal was produced in the small town of Tequila, which lay on an important trade route that spread the drink throughout the Spanish colonies. Mezcal can be made from five varieties of agave, but after 150 to 200 years, a new version appeared that was made just from the blue agave. Thus, tequila was born.

Today’s tequila adheres to strict guidelines. First, it can come only from Mexico. It also can only be made from blue agave and must contain at least 51 percent extract from the 50 asialife HCMC

plant. High-end tequilas are made with 100 percent agave.

If the agave percentage isn’t printed on the bottle, chances are it’s from one of the many knock-off tequila companies.

There are three types of tequila: blanco, also called silver, which doesn’t undergo an aging process; reposado, or middle aged, which is kept in white oak barrels for six to 12 months; and anejo, or aged, which is preserved for at least 12 months. The longer the tequila is aged, the smoother the flavour.

One of the highest quality, and most expensive, tequilas is the Herradura Seleccion

Suprema. Created in 1990, this tequila is for the true connoisseur and is widely considered the best in the world. It’s aged for four years, giving it a delicate and complex flavour.

But it doesn’t come cheap, costing from US $250 to US $500 a bottle.

Like a good bottle of cognac or whisky, high-end tequila is designed to be savoured, not downed in shots with lime and salt. In some regions, tequila is often paired with sangrita, a sweet, sour, and spicy drink typically made from orange juice, grenadine or tomato juice, and hot chillies. Drinkers alternate between equal-size

shots of tequila and sangrita.

In 2002, an official tequila glass was approved. The slender glass has a tall stem designed to “lift fine tequila to the level it deserves, to accord it the appreciation and respect of which it is worthy,” according to Riedel, the company that makes the glass.

As with many drinks, the only way to know you have found a truly great tequila is by tasting it. So next time someone suggests tequila shots at the bar, don’t cringe at the idea of how the night might end; enjoy the fiery liquid that is said to embody the essence of Mexico and its people.

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

listings

Turkish Airlines 8th floor, AB Tower 76A Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3936 0360 www.turkishairlines.com Awarded as the Best Airline in Europe offers the brand new Comfort Class to E conomy class: 46inch leg room, personalised entertainment screen and globally awarded cuisine on-board.

hotel & travel AIRLINES

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

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

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

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, with four economy class fare levels: low, basic, smart and flex.

escape

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.vietnamairlines.com.vn The domestic route map is extensive, with several flights daily between major and less touristed cities throughout Vietnam. Flies internationally throughout Asia and to Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, Sydney, Melboure, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

CON DAO

Six Senses Con Dao Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Dist, Ba Ria Tel: 064 3831 222 www.sixsenses.com/SixSensesConDao 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

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.

Dalat Easy Rider Tours 70 Phan Dinh Phung dalateasyriders@yahoo.com www.dalat-easyrider.com Ride pillion with English-, French- or German-speaking tour guides on motorbike adventures that start in Dalat and snake through mountains, jungles and deltas, lasting anywhere from three to 21 days.

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.

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

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

Sofitel Metropole 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem

HO CHI MINH CITY

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

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

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

take flight with travel promotions around the region

Discount at Vous Spa

Vous spa is offering a VND 300,000 discount for the Traditional Package during the month of August. The package includes three steps for perfect beauty and rejuvenation. The first step is the traditional Vietnamese massage, which will help relax your muscles and stimulate blood circulation. An herbal foot bath will deodorize your feet and remove bacteria, followed by a press point massage on the feet to restore your body’s balance and reduce stress.

Finally, receive a natural Vietnamese facial with basic skin cleansing, gentle exfoliation, a massage, and a mask using natural ingredients such as honey, aloe-vera, fresh milk, and yogurt to leave the skin clean and fresh. VND 1,500,000 per person per 160 minutes, valid till 31 August.

Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa's Cao Son Market Package

Departing early from Lao Cai or Sapa for about 130 km, you will enjoy beautiful scenery and visit Lung Khau Nhin and Muong Khuong markets. Then take a dirt

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activities

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

road leading up into the mountains through pine forests and villages that surround the tiny markets. Flower H'mong, Tu Di, Tay and Giay ethnic minorities come to trade local products such as food, agricultural supplies and fabric. After exploring these markets your car will take you to Cao Son, the most stunning part of Lao Cai province.

Here you will visit the most secluded, peaceful villages and have the opportunity to observe traditional practices such as distilling wine from corn and making bacon. You will be offered a special corn cake when you drop by local houses.

Package rates valid until 30 September: VND 9,498,000 per person in twin share, single supplement: VND 2,565,000, for three days, Monday to Wednesday. Info at victoriahotels.asia.

Weekend Dance and Stay

Exclusive for local and expat residents, the Caravelle Hotel is offering weekend stays for VND 3,000,000++ the first night and VND 2,700,000++ the second night. That includes a daily buffet breakfast, one-time

cocktail and tapas. Plus, swing to Latin grooves to compliment your stay. This is valid Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, through September. Subject to 5 percent service charge and 10 percent VAT. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions. For bookings, email rsvn@ caravellehotel.com. Located at 19 Lam Son Square, District 1, tel: 3823 4999.

Family Retreat

For US $229 for the first night, stay with the kids at Ana Mandara Villas in Dalat, in a villa studio with an extra bed. Includes round trip airport transfers, daily breakfast at Le Petit Restaurant, and afternoon tea and cookies in the courtyard. Also receive a welcome drink, hot towel on arrival, flower and fruit basket, a 20 percent discount on food and spa services, and access to the downtown shuttle bus. On site are a heated swimming pool and gym. Extra nights are US $98 each, and extra beds are US $20. Kids must be younger than 12. Call 0633 555 888 or email reservation-dalat@ anamandara-resort.com for reservations.

Park Hyatt 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com Luxury colonial-style hotel includes 21 suites, lobby lounge with live music, Xuan Spa, pool, gym, international dining at Square One. Windsor Plaza 18 An Duong Vuong, D5 Tel: 3833 6688 services@windsorpla-

zahotel.com www.windsorplazahotel.com Located in a main shopping hub. Three restaurants, modern discotheque, conference centre, shopping centre, supermarket.

activities

Vietnam Vespa Adventures 169 De Tham, D1, Pham Ngu Lao Tel: 3920 3897 www.vietnamvespaadventures.com Offers 3-day trips to Mui Ne, 8-days to Nha Trang or half-day tours of HCMC on classic Vespas.

HOI AN & DANANG

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

HUE

Pilgrimage Village Resort & Spa 130 Minh Mang Tel: 054 3885 461 www.pilgrimagevillage.com Boutique resort with hut, bungalow and villa accommodation draws on natural environment and local culture.

Features Vedana spa, two restaurants serving Vietnamese & Western food and imported wines and three bar/lounges.

Vedana Lagoon Resort & Spa 112 Minh Mang Tel: 054 3830 240 www.vedanaresorts.com Nestled on the shore of a peaceful and serene lagoon, vedana lagoon resort & spa is ideally situated between the two cities well-known as world heritage sites: hue and hoi an. The resort designed with a stylist harmony between the local traditional culture and a modern art concept with 27 villas, bungalows and 2 houseboats.

NHA TRANG

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

Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 3522 222 www.sixsenses.com/evasonanamandara Beachside resort set in 26,000 square metres of tropical garden, with 74 guest villas, three restaurants, Six Senses Spa. 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 wel-known restaurant Sandals and Mojito's bar.

PHAN THIET

Villa Aria Muine 60A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne Tel: 062 3741 660 www.villaariamuine.com Villa Aria Muine is a boutique beach resort in Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan province. Set on a beautiful beachfront in the middle of the Mui Ne strip, the villa combines modern tropical style and French country luxury.

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

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

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

SAPA

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

Connection from Hanoi by private train.

SCUBA DIVING

Note: AsiaLIFE only lists dive centres recognized by international dive training programs, such as the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) and Scuba Schools International (SSI).

We strongly advise against diving with unaccredited dive centres in Vietnam.

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

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.

TRAVEL AGENTS

Buffalo Tours Agency HCMC: Tel: 3827 9170 Hanoi: Tel: 04 3828 0702 www.buffalotours.com.vn Exotissimo HCMCinfosgn@exotissimo.com pmh@exotissimo.com HANOI: infohanoi@exotissimo.com www.exotissimo.com

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environment with frequent live music.

Offers Spanish and Cuban fare including paella and a tapas fiesta comprising three plates. Open late daily.

listings

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

food & drink BAR RESTAURANTS

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

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

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.

Good destination for both lunch and dinner.

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

feast

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.  Pasha Bar & Restaurant 25 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 08 629 136 77 www.pasha.com.vn Turkish–Mediterranean restaurant located in heart of HCMC serves halal and high quality food with ingredients imported from Turkey, Spain, Singapore, Egypt, New Zealand, Japan and France. Long happy hour half price by glass. Various shisha flavours.

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

Qing 110 Pasteur, D1 www.qing.com.vn Sophisticated downtown bar just off Le

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

Sheridan's Irish House 17/13 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 0793 www.sheridansbarvn.com Cosy Irish pub with authentic Irish decor, a pleasant atmosphere and regular live music. Wide range of classic pub grub, East Asian dishes and a fantastic breakfast fry-up available from 8 am.

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. 

The Tavern R2/24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, D7 Tel: 5410 3900 Boasts good international food, a pool table, dartboards and sports coverage on large screens. Outdoor seating on mutiple levels. Second floor sports lounge hosts DJs at the weekends.  Vasco’s Bar 74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 2888 Chic bar decked in deep reds that gets packed to capacity on weekends. Open Monday to Saturday with live music on Fridays. Food menu by chef with over 10 years experience at La Camargue. Also does excellent pizza.  ZanZBar 41 Dong Du, D1 Funky, modern interiors and varied international breakfast, lunch and dinner cuisine. Imported beers, cocktails, gourmet espresso coffee, and happy hours make ZanZBar a great after-work spot. Open late.

CAFES

Cay Da Cafe Ground floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon

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.

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

X Cafe 58 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3914 2142 Bright, spacious foreign-run cafe decorated in the style of an Alpine chalet. Popular with local makers and shakers, has a great open-plan upstairs area and two outdoor terraces.

Regular live music and homemade ice cream.

broaden your palate with promotions around town

Oyster Buffet

If oysters are your thing, then it’ll be paradise found at Restaurant Nineteen from 7 to 18 August when Chef Timo Reuss and his crew start shucking the shells. All of the oysters come from Ha Long Bay, Nha Trang, and Vung Tau. You can have them shucked and slithery, right from the shell.

Or you can have them done up in dishes.

Choose from Oysters Kilpatrick, seasoned and cooked with Worcestershire sauce, Oysters Rockefeller, baked in the oven on a bed of creamy spinach and covered with hollandaise sauce, oysters breaded and cooked in a spicy tomato sauce, or oysters baked with cheese and cooked in curry.

VND 1,013,000++ per person.

Chilli Con Carne Week

Just like the overall Saigon Saigon Bar, there’ll be plenty of spice in the bar’s special fare from 16 to 22 August during Chili Con Carne Week. All week long, crack chefs will be stewing this very distinctive dish. Translated as “chilli pepper with meat,” Chille Con Carne is no one-dish wonder. The Saigon Saigon Bar will be serving versions of the stew with beef burger, with tortillas, with Bo-

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Loi specializes in Asian tapas, Asian/ South American fusion dishes and a few delectable deserts. Variety of good wines by the glass or bottle.

lognese sauce, with Gruyere cheese, and as a Thai version that’s long on basil, jasmine rice, and a fried egg. From VND 198,000 ++ per dish. Rooftop via 9th floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, District 1.

Reflections Say Cheese

When some people say cheese, others smile for the camera. But when Reflections says cheese, the smiles are all about anticipation. From 18 to 24 August, more than 400 regional varieties, including some of the world’s finest French cheeses, will be on offer. Reflections has selected 15 as options for diners after dinner, or simply as complements to a fine glass of wine. The cheeses include 11 different cow cheeses, three different blue cheeses, and one goat cheese. The cost to indulge in the exclusive, week-long promotion is VND 380,000 per plate. 19 Lam Son Square, District 1.

Group Buffet at The Square

During the summer, The Square restaurant serves a fresh seafood buffet dinner.

Groups of four or more will get a 15 percent discount on their bill when they book the dinners. Price: VND 420.000++/person

(food only). Buffet with free flow of wines: VND 900.000++/person. Tel: 05 8625 6936.

Starting in July, The Square also introduced new dishes in the Vietnamese family-cooking style: spring rolls, Vietnamese salads, and dishes made from pork, beef, chicken, and seafood. Available 10am to 6pm, prices start from VND 63,000 ++/ dish.

Crab Lovers

Those who love crab should not miss the crab promotion at Shang Palace restaurant, where you can find a selection of sweet, mild, and slightly nutty tastes, until 15 August. Experienced executive chef Phang Kim An prepared a special menu of both tasty and nutritious crab, which can be prepared in a variety of ways – steamed, oven-baked, or sautéed. Dishes range from Deep-fried Crab with chilli Salt, oven-baked Crab in the Singapore style served with a deep-fried bun, steamed crab with Chinese rice wine and egg whites, oven-baked crab with lemon sauce, and braised crab with Chinese herbs in superior stock. More information at 08 3823 2221, reservation@ shangpalace.com.vn, or 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, Dist. 1.

street gourmet

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.

Sua Dau Phong Sua dau phong, or peanut milk, is a natural drink that promotes general health and wellbeing. It has been proven to increase energy, contribute to a healthy complexion, and support the immune system. Sua dau phong is made in a

CHINESE

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

Nightly à la carte menu with dishes going from 100,000 VND. Lotus Court 1st floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 168

similar fashion to soymilk and green bean milk. The peanuts are soaked and blended with water, then heated and filtered. Finally, brown sugar is added to the resulting liquid. A hot glass of sua dau phong costs about VND 3,000. Hieu Vu

www.moevenpick-saigon.com Dim Sum and exciting Cantonese cuisine in a unique and elegant setting.

Ming Dynasty 23 Nguyen Khac Vien, Phu My Hung Tel: 5411 5555 Decorated in Ming Dynasty-style; offers 100 dim sum varieties and 300 dishes prepared by a chef from Hong Kong. The restaurant’s Imperial Buffet includes free flow of wine.

Ngan Dinh Chinese Restaurant

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

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

Wide selection of live seafood. Five interactive kitchens.

Al Fresco’s 21 Mac Dinh Chi D1 Tel: 3823 8427 27 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3822 7317 D1-23 My Toan 3, D7 Tel: 5410 1093 400 Nguyen Trai, D5 Tel: 3838 3840 www.alfrescosgroup.com Theme restaurant boasting a range of Tex-Mex, Italian and Australian-style BBQ dishes. Huge portions and tasty Australian ribs coupled with a good atmosphere and helpful staff. Good lunch menu. 

FRENCH

Amigo Grill 55 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3824 1248 Outstanding steaks made with Australian, U.S. and Argentine beef, served in a cosy, family-friendly environment with large tables and banquette seating.

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

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

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 Chefs David Thai an Alexis Melgrani are well known industry figures and this venue can hold its own among the city`s many French restaurants

INDIAN

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.  Blanchy's Tash 93 - 95 Hai Ba Trung, D1 www.blanchystash.com A high-end bar and restaurant with outdoor terrace. With ex-Nobu London Chef at the helm, Blanchy’s offers tapaslike snacks that fuse Japanese and South American influences. Expect great things here from international DJs and renowned mixologists

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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 umbrella-shaded tables spread across outdoor deck and small indoor dining room. Serves remarkably fresh and inspired dishes made with choice local and imported ingredients—favourites include the sirloin burger and pan-fried fish and chips.

Boomarang Cresent Residence 2-3-4, No. 107 Ton Dat Tien, PMH, D7 Tel: 3744 6790 Riverside restaurant with umbrella-shaded tables spread across outdoor deck and small indoor dining room. Serves remarkably fresh and inspired dishes made with choice local and imported ingredients—favourites include the sirloin burger and pan-fried fish and chips.

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

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

El Gaucho 5D Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3825 1879 Cresent Residence 1_12, No. 103 Ton Dat Tien, PMH, D7 A classic Argentine steakhouse where beef is the main attraction. There is still plenty of other options on the menu, in addition to an extensive wine list. Open from 4pm until late every day.

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

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

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

Good Eats NTFQ2, 34 Nguyen Dang Giai Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6672 Easteran and Western dishes are low in saturated fat and made from all-natural ingredients. Organic vegetables, herbs and spices accompany meals. Even the French fries are healthy. 

Halal@Saigon 31 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3824 5823 www.halalsaigon.com Serving up a range of Vietnamese and Malaysian dishes prepared according to halal guidelines including ban xeo, pho and roti chennai and seafood favourites such as shrimp, squid and mussels.

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 Bitexc 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.  Kita Coffee House 39 Nguyen Hue, D1, Tel: 3821 5300 Four-level restaurant serving a wide menu of mains, pastas, salads, sandwiches, soups and appetizers for lunch and dinner, as well as a variety of coffee and fresh fruit juices. Includes a bright ground floor cafe, sophisticated Old World second floor bar and rooftop dining. Set dinner everyday from 5pm.  Koto C 151A Hai Ba Trung, D3, Tel: 3934 9151 This is the Saigon arm of the renowned M organisation that began in Hanoi a decade ago. Vietnamese food is prepared with innovative twist by young Y people Koto are helping get a start in the hospitality industry and on a path for CM a better life.  MY

Market 39 InterContinental Asiana Saigon CY Ground Floor, Corner Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 CMY dine@icasianasaigon.com Seven interactive live kitchens offering K French, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cuisines, including a bakery, French patisseries, pancakes, tossed salads, grilled steak, seafood, wok-fried items, noodles and pasta dishes.

Mekong Merchant 23 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 4713 Set in a courtyard, this rustic Australianstyle brasserie has brought modern international cuisine to suburban An Phu. Popular for weekend brunches. Weekly specials and seafood flown in from Phu Quoc.  New York Steakhouse & Winery 25-27 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3823 7373 New-york@steakhouse.com.vn www.steakhouse.com.vn Chic dining venue designed in a classic New York City Art Deco. Open every day until late. Specializes in certified U.S. Black Angus steak, and features a fully stocked wine cellar. Guests are invited to bring their own wine on BYOB Mondays.

Orientica Hotel Equatorial, 242 Tran Binh Trong, D5 Tel: 3839 7777 www.equatorial.com/hcm Top-end seafood and grill restaurant boasting modern decor. Good service and excellent food presentation make this a pleasant alternative to the downtown scene.

Pacharan Tapas and Bodega 97 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 6024 This tapas restaurant and bar serves up superb Spanish fare crafted from authentic imported ingredients. The exclusively

imbibe

street gourmet

Decoding Wine Labels

By Darryl Bethea Have you ever looked at a wine label, just to end up with more questions than answers? Some are easy, merely stating the varietal and vintage, while others are not so simple.

For all the complexity of modern labels, we can thank wine laws in France, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Governments established these laws for the consumer, to guarantee certain standards. To varying degrees, the regulations cover the origin of the grape, grape variety, harvest date, alcohol level, or sugar content. I will list the designations from the top down.

FRANCE AOC (Vins d’ Appellation d’ Origine Controlee) – About 52% of all French wines, including the finest in the country.

VDQS (Vins Delimites de Qualite Superieure) – Less than 1% of wines. Yield per hectare and alcohol levels may be lower.

Vin de Pays – Approximately 30% of wines, sometimes known as country wines defined by a region.

Vin de Table – Table wine, with fewer restrictions and smaller price tags.

ITALY DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita) – Established in 1984, the “G” indicates approval by a government panel that tastes for typicity.

DOC – Regional laws similar to France’s AOC, but with aging requirements. Established in 1963.

IGT (Indicazione de Geografica Tipica) – Nearly equal

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to France’s Vin de Pays and includes famous Super Tuscan wines.

SPAIN DOC (Denominacion de Origen Calificada) – Similar to France’s AOC. A class with the most rigid requirements, encompassing the Rioja and Priorat regions.

DO – Standards less stringent, though every wine must be evaluated and tasted for typicity.

GERMANY QmP – Highest quality wine with specific attributes. Six sublevels of sweetness and alcohol content.

QbA – Table wine designation for everyday, mostly inexpensive wines.

Rules also govern the production of wine and the associated labeling, but they’re simpler. Essentially, if a grape is listed on a level, it must comprise 75-85% of the wine. The rest can come from another varietal. If it is labeled as a blend, rest assured the first grape listed will make up the majority of the wine.

To put this knowledge to practice, focus on one wine region and buy a bottle at each level to compare. Just start; and enjoy the process.

Darryl Bethea is Group Sales Manager for Fine Wines of the World (09 3378 5005) and is a Certified Sommelier from the Court of the Master Sommeliers. Contact Darryl at 09 3378 5005 or email Darryl@ finewinesasia.com.

Khoai Lang Chien Khoai lang chien (fried sweet potato) is a popular name in the world of tasty fried treats in HCM City.

The vendor will make a mixture of flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, egg, milk and slices of sweet potato. The

Spanish wine list is extensive and Sangria is half price during happy hour from 5 pm to 7 pm and all day Wednesday.

The Refinery 74/7C Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 0509 Authentic bistro with cane furniture outside, informal indoor restaurant section and a bar area. Cuisine is light, modern European. The menu spans a price range to suit most budgets.

Reflections Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 Contemporary fine dining that combines Asian flavors with classic Mediterranean cuisine in an ambiance of understated elegance and European style. Special culinary events include guest chefs from Michelin-star establishments around the world. Private rooms are available.

Riverside Cafe Renaissance Riverside, 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033 International venue opening onto the bustling river sidewalk, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and particularly noted for its sumptuous buffet selection which combines Asian, Western and Vietnamese cuisine.

Signature Restaurant Level 23, Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 Fine dining with panoramic views over central HCM City. Food is stunningly presented, top-end European cuisine with Asian influences cooked by German chef Andreas Schimanski. A la carte or five-course set menu available.

Skewers 9A Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 4798 www.skewers-restaurant.com Rustic Mediterranean restaurant where

fritters are then fried in hot oil until they turn golden brown. Khoai lang chien can be found on sidewalks and in local markets as you walk and wander around the city. A serving costs about VND 5,000. Hieu Vu

subtle colours and exposed brickwork combine with jazzy tunes. Serves tabouleh, falafel, couscous and kebab. Highly rated for its grilled meats, bread and dip combos, soups and pastas.  Square One Park Hyatt Saigon, 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3520 2359 Specializing in high-end Western and Vietnamese cuisine, Square One serves charcoal-grilled meats and seafood, as well as steamed and wok-cooked Vietnamese fare.

Warda 71/7 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3822 Chic, middle-eastern themed eatery swathed in oranges and reds serving Lebanese cuisine prepared by Damascan chef, Nouman. Mezze and tapas are the main draw, but you can also puff on hookas post-meal.

Xu Saigon 71-75 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 8468 www.xusaigon.com Inspired restaurant with an F&B director with a passion for mixing Vietnamese cooking with flavours and styles from around the world. Sleek but sparsely designed, the restaurant serves nouveau takes on Vietnamese cuisine.

ITALIAN

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 seafoodd 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.  La Braceria 11 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3824 7446 www.labraceria.com.vn A Mediterranean-style grill house that serves imported prime steaks, lamb, duck and fresh seafood as well as pasta and pizza. Great selection of old and new world wines La Hostaria 17B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 1080 Rustic eatery specializing in top-end traditional cuisine from various regions in Italy. Main courses from 130,000 VND with daily specials on offer. Serves excellent pizza.  Opera Ground floor Park Hyatt Hotel, 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 Slick, contemporary eatery with exposed brick and glass. The space revolves around an island kitchen from which chefs produce gourmet Italian fare. Internationally trained chefs work with the freshest and finest ingredients around to produce some superb dishes.

JAPANESE

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

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 Japanese spirits. Open 11.30 am to 2 pm and 5.30 pm to 10 pm.

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

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.

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.  Zen 20 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 0782 Located amid the sea of Japanese restaurants on Le Thanh Ton Street, Zen offers a wide range of Japanese dishes.

The yakitori station grills up fantastic steak and quail’s eggs, and the chilled udon noodles are also a standout.

KOREAN

25 Si 8A/6D Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3824 6921 Traditional Yasik-style drinking restaurant.

Winter and summer scene murals fill the walls of this dual level eatery. Large menu with favs like budae jjigae, a mix of chilli paste, Spam, hot dog and tofu, as well as super spicy duruchigi.

Hana 8 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5588 Japanese-Korean fusion in the heart of District 1. Contemporary decor with a private, yet open feel. Broad menu including cooked and raw fish and traditional hot pot with fish eggs, rice and vegetables.

Kim Bab Chun Gook R4 42 Hung Phuoc 2, Phu My Hung Tel: 6296 9057 Korean boonshik/snack food eatery serving up a wide variety of light but substantial foods including dumplings, rameyon and fish cakes.

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.

Lac Thai 71/2 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 7506 An elegant restaurant tucked in an alleyway and decorated with art-deco furniture. Authentic Thai cuisine prepared by two Thai chefs. Food is tasty but less spicy than you’d find in Thailand.  Little Manila S2-1 Hung Vuong 2, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5410 0812 Small, no -frills eatery with outdoor and indoor seating located on a quiet street. Serves a range of dishes from the Philippines (pictured on menu for those unfamiliar) and draught San Miguel.

Thai Express 8A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 6299 1338 www.thaiexpress.vn Modern restaurant with a massive menu of Thai specialties served in moderate proportions. The menu inludes chef’s recommendations and background on Thai cuisine. Warning: some dishes will test your tongue’s threshold.

VEGETARIAN

Hoa Dang 38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1 Swish vegetarian restaurant on a quiet street that serves up nutritious dishes, including meatless versions of bun bo, pho and steamboat. Cosy bar serving non-alcoholic drinks, fruits and other sweets.

Saigon Vegan 378/3 Vo Van Tan, D3 Tel: 3834 4473 Rustic vegan restaurant with extensive menu of healthy food at moderate prices.

Lots of tofu dishes and soya chicken/ beef, soups, banh bao and more. Also has a kids menu.

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

Banian Tree River Garden, 170 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6683 5308 – 0903 669 252 A fine dining Vietnamese restaurant that serves authentic cuisine.

Offers a set lunch, set dinner, International breakfast is served from 6.30 am - 10.30 am.

Blue Crab 49D Quoc Huong, Thao Dien, D2

Tel: 3744 2008 This seafood restaurant has some of the most well-prepared and cheapest seafood in town. Its menu offers everything from prawns, scallops and lobster to pork ribs and crab, all for rock-bottom prices.

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

Com Nieu 19 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 6288 The house specialty, com nieu (smashed rice), comes with a shattered-crockery and flying-rice show at this well-known restaurant, prominently featured in Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour. An extensive and tasty selection of southern Vietnamese cuisine rounds out the menu.

Hoa Tuc 74 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 1676 This comfortable high-end restaurant serves traditional Vietnamese fare with a contemporary, classy twist. Expect to find your local favourites as you’ve never experienced them before. Beautifully plated, this is Vietnamese cuisine at its best.

Lang Nuong Nam Bo 285/C145 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D10 Tel: 3862 2569 Warehouse-sized quan well-regarded among locals serves everything from beef, chicken and fish to porcupine, weasel and field mouse. Great destination for intrepid gastronomes. Has standard hot pot, rice and noodle dishes too.

Mandarine Restaurant 11A Ngo Van Nam, D1 Tel: 3822 9783 Fine dining Vietnamese-style courtesy of two sumptuously decorated colonial villas, an antique wooden stair and a menu spanning all regions of Vietnam.

Traditional music performances are available for dinner.

Nam Phan 34 Vo Van Tan, Q3 Tel: 3933 3636 Well known at its previous corner location on Le Thanh Ton, Nam Phan continues to serve modern Asian cuisine including asparagus and crab meat soup, stewed bellyfish in pineapple and grilled duck breast in orange sauce. Set in a restored colonial villa, the interior is alive with reproductions of Cham-era bas-reliefs and is inspired by Euro-Zen. Quan Bui 8 Nguyen Van Nguyen, D1 Tel: 3602 2241 Well executed and delicious Vietnamese food at almost criminally affordable prices. Tucked away at the top end of

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

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District one, this place is worth seeking out for five-star food in a casual setting that will certainly not strain the budget.

Temple Club 29 – 31 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3829 9244 This high-end restaurant attached to an elegant lounge bar is a must-try for its art deco atmosphere as much as for its food. Mains go from around VND80,000 to VND150,000.

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.

Bar's bar 47 Phan Chu Trinh, D1 Tel: 3822 3352 Small luxurious upstairs bar adjacent to Ben Thanh Market, offers a welcome retreat from the bustle of the city centre.

Customers are served with relaxing music and a wide selection of cocktails, whiskies and Japanese Sake. Open nightly 6-late. 

Cloud 9 2bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, D3, HCMC (Corner of Turtle Lake Roundabout & Tran Cao Van), Tel: 0948 445544 Recently opened with beautiful déco, this rooftop lounge bar has its stunning views at night. Live DJ, great cocktails and desserts. Open 6pm till late.  The Library InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 dine@icasianasaigon.com Unwind with a glass of wine or a cup of tea. The Library provides a welcoming atmosphere for those in search of calm, comfort and personalized service.

M52 Bar 52 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 6726 Sparsely-appointed venue with reasonably priced drinks noted for packing a punch. Owners Annie and Ms. Van are never too busy to check on their patrons, and the busy bartenders are quick with a smile.

Park Lounge Park Hyatt Hotel 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 Elegant lounge bar, with classic songs played every night by international musicians. The salubrious surroundings are matched by the range of the drinks, with vintage wines from USD $6 to $10 per glass. Tiger is $4.50 a bottle.

Purple Jade InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 Chic lounge blends the stylistic influences of contemporary design and opium dens. Hosts live music and serves special drinks, including Shaoxing and Maotai rice wines and an exclusive selection of luxury spirits.

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.

Voodoo Lounge 92 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Voodoo paintings adorn the white walls at this small, attractive bar south of Sunwah Tower. A daily happy hour, plenty of stool space and a pair of dartboards make it a good place to grab a drink.

BREWHOUSES

Alderbrau 98 Nguyen Du, D1 Small brewhouse decorated with antique brewing miscellanea, with an enclosed

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garden for outdoor swilling the small range of house brews and bottled imports. The kitchen dishes up sausages, German fare, and Vietnamese dishes.

Gammer Czech Beer 107 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 8619 www.biatuoitiepvn.com Attractive, multi-story Czech beer hall furnished with heavy wood and outfitted with a few flat screen TVs tuned in to sports. Dark and blonde beers are available, as well as a full menu of Vietnamese food from mussels to rabbit.

Hoa Vien 28bis Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3829 0585 www.hoavien.vn Expansive beer hall serves up pilsner beer crafted from malt, hops and yeast from the Czech Republic. There’s also a large food menu and imported Pilsner Urquell.

Lion Brewery 11C Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 8514 Microbrewery featuring traditional German brew technology and German fare like pork knuckle and wurst. Good spot to meet friends and enjoy a hearty meal and a whole lot of beer.

NIGHTCLUBS

Fuse Bar 3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 A popular bar that plays primarily hiphop music. Every Tuesday Fuse hosts a ladies night where women drink for free.

Lush 2 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3824 2496 A large and lavishly decorated bar and club popular on weekends. Good DJs playing the latest in beat-based music and the city’s beautiful people add to the sights and sounds. It’s on-par with Western clubs in both ambience and drinks prices.

at home BAKERIES

Crumbs 54 Truong Dinh, D1 Tel: 3825 7199 www.crumbs.com.vn info@crumbs.com.vn Eat-in bakery offering a wide range of muffins, whole-grain breads and pastries.

Many of the breads are dairy-free, baked fresh daily with unbleached white flower, no added sugar.

Harvest Baking 30 Lam Son, Tan Binh Tel: 3547 0577 harvestbaking@yahoo.com This authentic bakery offers a range

of specialty baked goods for delivery. Offering bagels, scones, breads, desserts,cakes, tarts and more. Chocolate fudge cake and cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing highly recommended.

Pat A Chou 65 Hai Ba Trung, D1 25 Thao Dien, D2 The home of the long and crusty baguette. Supplies many restaurants but also sells wholesale. The miniature patisseries such as crème brulée and cheesecake are worth a taste. Opens at 6.30 am.

Schneider’s Finest 27 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 1998 www.schneiders-finest.com Traditional German bakery bakes 45 different kinds of breads, rolls and baguettes and a wide range of danishes, pastries and cakes. Catering available.

Tous Les Jours 180 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Part of the Korean bakery chain, Tous Le Jours stocks a superb range of freshly baked good from sugary treats like pain au chocolat to superior quality baguettes and loafs.

Voelker 17 A7 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 7303 8799 39 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2 Tel: 6296 0066 Small bakery turns out sweet and salted pies and mousses in addition to baguettes and a range of Western sweets.

CATERING

Saigon Catering 41A Vo Truong Toan, D2 Tel: 3898 9286 Provide services of catering, banquets, event planning, BBQ’s. For a custommade quotation e-mail SaigonGG@gmail. com or call Huong on 0913 981128.

Xu Catering 71-75 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 8468 www.xusaigon.com From the brains behind Xu Restaurant and Lounge comes this new catering service, promising the highest standards in service. Everything from the menu to the comprehensive bar service and the staff is tailor-made to your specifications.

COOKERY CLASSES

Caravelle Hotel Cooking Classes Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 Full-day Vietnamese cooking classes for groups of up to 20 people. The classes include a visit to the market with the sous chef.

Saigon Cooking Class by Hoa Tuc The Courtyard, 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 8485 contact@saigoncookingclass.com Cooking classes available from Tuesday to Sunday 10 am-1 pm/2 pm-5 pm.

Students make an entire meal that includes traditional dishes like pho and cha gio, as well as more creative fare.

Conducted by Vietnamese chef in English, Japanese or French on request.

DELIVERY

KITCHEN Tel: 0974 444 001 kitchen.net.vn Visit the website and start an account to begin ordering fresh, homemade meals to your home. Options include beef lasagne, big chicken and mushroom pies and pork dijon as well as a variety of sausages and vegetarian dishes.

Must order a minimum of three dishes at a time.

Pizza Hut Delivery (PHD) Tel: 3838 8388 www.pizzahut.vn Serving up pizza, pasta, chicken wings

and much more. PHD guarantees 30minute delivery or a free pizza at your next order (you must live within 2 km from a PHD store). 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.

Classic Fine Foods 17 Street 12, D2, Tel: 3740 7105 www.classicfinefoods.com Luxury food primarily imports for wholesale, but also takes orders for its range of dry goods, cheese, meat, poultry and seafood from private clients.

Gastro Home Delicatessen 100 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 9830 Deli filled with fresh French-inspired delights ranging from salads to fish and vegetarian, meat and poultry dishes.

Open 7 days from 9.30 am to 9 pm.

Kim Hai Butchery 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 An Phu, D2 Tel: 3740 6677 www.metro.com.vn Warehouse wholesaler located just off the Hanoi Highway in D2 between the Saigon Bridge and the tollbooths. Sells bulk food, fresh fruit and vegetables and meat, as well as paper products, cleaning supplies, housewares--basically everything.

Organik 11A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 090 273 3841 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. 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 walkin 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

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.

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recipes

Caramelized Figs Tarte Tatin, Vanilla Mascarpone Cream For the tarte tatin 500g puff pastry (1 sheet) 225g figs 200ml water 4tbsp honey 2tbsp sugar 1tbsp fresh thyme For the mascarpone Mascarpone cheese Vanilla extract Method of Preparation Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.

Roll out the pastry thinly and cut with a ring mold, depending on your nonstick pan diameter.

Trim the stems from the figs. Heat the water, honey, sugar and thyme in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over a medium to low

heat. Add the figs and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring often, until the figs are glazed and about 3tbsp of the liquid remains. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Place a pastry circle on each pan, tucking in the edges.

Place the glazed figs and bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and puffed.

Remove from the oven and leave for a few minutes, then invert each one onto a flat plate.

In a bowl mix the mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract.

To serve Flip the tart so the figs are on top. Drizzle with the caramel sauce and top with a quenelle of mascarpone cheese.

Recipes provided by Ana Esteves

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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.

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

Printmaking alphagallery@bluemail.ch Classes are held at Alpha Gallery taught by the gallery owner Bernadette Gruber, who offers the chance to learn monotype, intaglio and etching techniques.

CINEMAS

Bobby Brewer’s Movie Lounge 45 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3610 2220 86 Pham Ngoc Thach info@bobbybrewers.com Popular top-floor home cinema showing movies five times a day on a large screen. Email for the latest schedule.

Cinebox 212 Ly Chinh Thang, D3 Tel: 3935 0610 240 3 Thang 2, D10 Tel: 3862 2425 Cinebox cinemas show both original language films with Vietnamese subtitles and the dubbed versions.

Future Shorts futureshortsvietnam@gmail.com www.futureshorts.com/vn Vietnam branch of the international network screens foreign and local short films

around town. Events often incorporate other media and elements, including live music, performances, installations and discussion. Submissions accepted.

Galaxy Cinema 116 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3822 8533 230 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3920 6688 www.galaxycine.vn Large, modern cinema that shows the latest foreign releases in English (with Vietnamese subtitles).

IDECAF 31 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3829 5451 French cultural centre and cinema theatre. Showcases French movies with English and Vietnamese subtitles. Also hosts movies and documentaries from a number of overseas film festivals.

Lotte Cinema Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 7897 LotteMart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, D7 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.

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/tradi-

tional 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.

me phim HCM City-based film initiative that provides support to local filmmakers and hosts regular film screenings/discussions.

Email dduukk@gmail.com for information or join the Facebook group.

Megastar Hung Vuong Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, D5 Tel: 08 2222 0388 CT Plaza, 60A Truong Son, Tan Binh Tel: 6297 1981 www.megastarmedia.net State-of-the-art cinema complex screening the lastest blockbusters with plush, reclining seats. All movies shown in original language with Vietnamese subtitles.

GALLERIES

a little blah blah OUT-2 STUDIO, L6 FAFILM Annex 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 albbsaigon-2010.blogspot.com Operates as an engine for contemporary art by organizing projects, exhibitions, screenings and talks. Runs one major art project each year and a reading room with more than 1,000 texts on art, design and creative culture. Free for everyone and open Tue to Sat 10 am to 6 pm.

Blue Space Contemporary Arts Center 97A Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3821 3695 bluespaceart@hcm.jpt.vn www.bluespacegallery.com Busy, working gallery with easels propped up outside situated in the grounds of the beautiful Fine Arts Museum. Holds regular exhibitions by local artists.

17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, HCMC T: (84-8) 3822 6111 Ext.101 M: 0918 802 526

F: (84-8) 3824 1835

E: sales@norfolkmansion.com.vn

W: www.norfolkmansion.com.vn Managed by Norfolk Group

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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.

listings

sports & leisure Sport Street Huyen Tran Cong Chua, D1 between Nguyen Du and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Services include mending and restringing broken tennis rackets. Products range from badminton birdies and rackets to basketball hoops, free weights, roller blades, scooters, soccer jerseys and all manner of balls.

Trophies & Custom Signage Street Le Lai, D1 between Truong Dinh and Nguyen Thai Hoc Offers custom engraving on trophies and plaques made of plastic, wood, metal and glass.

CRICKET

Saigon Cricket Assocation Social cricket league plays 25 overs a side matches Sunday mornings at RMIT’s District 7 pitch. Season runs November through May, with friendly games throughout the pre-season. Practice on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons.

Australian Cricket Club Terry Gordon terrygordoninasia@yahoo.com.au saigonaustraliancricketclub@yahoo. com www.saigoncricket.com English Cricket Club Richard Carrington Richard.carrington@pivotalvietnam.com info@eccsaigon.com www.eccsaigon.com Indian Cricket Club Manish Sogani, manish@ambrij.com United Cricket Club Mr. Asif Ali, asif@promo-tex.net keshav.dayalani@rmit.edu.vn

DANCING

DanCenter 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 Six-week salsa package at 350,000 VND for single persons and 550,000 for a couple, run by Urko. Lessons every Tuesday (beginners L.A. style at 7.30 pm; intermediate L.A style at 8.30 pm).

Registration required.

FITNESS & YOGA

AIS Sports Centre 36 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6960, ext 126 sportscentre@aisvietnam.com www.aissportscentre.com Features six-lane, 25-metre pool, basketball and netball courts, astroturf hockey/football area and outdoor gym

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counsel corner

California WOW Xperience Parkson Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, D5 28/30-32 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 6291 5999 The world’s biggest fitness centre chain is one of Saigon’s most modern places to get your sweat on. Located in Hung Vuong Plaza, CWX offers a huge workout area and all kinds of classes including spinning, KickFit, yoga and more.

Caravelle Club Spa 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 Modern and stylish gym with lots of cardiovascular machines and free weights.

The swimming pool is a great place for a dip, and the massage parlour, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi are there for winding down.

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.

Suzanne & Saigon Yoga Tel: 090 835 2265 suzanne@saigonyoga.com Suzanne is an ERYT- 200 (Experienced) Yoga Alliance Instructor. She boasts two decades of experience, offering various yoga styles in District 2 and yoga retreats in Vietnam.

FOOTBALL & RUGBY

Australian Rules Football Tel: 093 768 3230 www.vietnamswans.com vietnamswans@gmail.com The Vietnam Swans play regular international footy matches around Asia.

Training sessions are held weekly in HCM City (2.30 pm Saturday, RMIT D7) and Hanoi (midday, Saturday, UN International School, Ciputra). All skill levels and codes welcome.

Les Gaulois de Saigon www.gauloisdesaigon.com info@gauloisdesaigon.com A new team of French footballers, the side invites players and their families to come and join in their friendly training sessions, where everyone can get together and enjoy the sport while making new friends. Contact Sebastien on 0919 691785 or Romain on 0908 060139.

RMIT Vietnam sports.recreation@rmit.edu.vn A new player on the SIFL scene with a team made up of students from the University. They have their own football ground on-site consisting of two brand new pitches. Contact Landon Carnie.

Saigon Raiders jon.hoff@saigonraiders.com Sociable football side who are always on the lookout for new talent for their weekly matches and training sessions. The team participates in the Saigon International Football League and also has regular fixtures against local teams in the outlying provinces and also participates in international tournaments.

Saigon Rugby Club Tel: 0903 735 799 www.saigonrfc.org saigonrugbyfootballclub@yahoo.com Social, mixed touch rugby played every Saturday afternoon for adults at RMIT from 4 pm until 6 pm. Regularly welcomes visiting teams and tours the region for men’s contact and women’s touch rugby tournaments. Beginners welcome.

True Beauty: Part One

By Briar Jacques Unless you grew up far away from all forms of media, images of physical perfection probably have bombarded you all your life. It seems this constant stream portraying unattainable beauty is only increasing. Although we may know intellectually that every picture in every magazine has been Photoshopped, that not even the model or celebrity truly looks like that, these images exert a profound impact on the subconscious. They lower selfesteem, stimulate self-criticism, and reinforce insecurities.

It’s hard enough for a 40year-old woman to stay confident amid constant depictions of modern perfection, thinness, and success. But what about girls and boys? When girls see false images of the physical ideal, they start to measure themselves. Research shows that girls tend to feel good about themselves until about age eight, when awareness of how they ‘should’ look starts to dawn.

In many ads we see women’s bodies literally broken up into parts. This only encourages girls and women to look at themselves as a collection of ‘bits’ that are to be worked on, criticised, hidden, or revealed. We are being taught to objectify our bodies. And exposing these images to boys teaches them to focus on girls’ appearances.

But it’s not only through TV, films, and ads that this happens. The toys girls play with – Barbie, with her ridiculous proportions, or Disney princesses in all their perfection – drive

home the message that looks are important and certain looks are valued over others.

Of course, good parenting and deliberate messages teach our children another story. But how effective is that in the face of the media onslaught? We tell them one thing, that what matters is the inner person, the things we do and who we really are. Yet everywhere they look, young people receive a contradictory message. This deluge of harmful media gets a critical examination in Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s Miss Representation. Our children are subject to far more of these media images than we were.

What will that mean in the future, when it comes to mental health and body image issues?

Boys increasingly show tendencies toward eating disorders and body dysmorphia. Girls become image-obsessed at ever younger ages. Schools can address this more proactively, and we parents can spend more time overtly discussing this topic with our children. For our part, we need to come to terms with our own demons and work on our own insecurities. If children are to have healthy attitudes toward their bodies, we need to set the example.

In part two: the change in beauty standards expat women discover in Vietnam.

Briar Jacques is a trained Australian counsellor who deals with issues like expat adjustment, depression, anxiety and drug abuse. Call 0121 480 8792.

Saigon Saints chris@saigonsaints.com www.saigonsaints.com Expat football club of all ages, which has been running since 1995 and plays in the SIFL. Regularly venture on international tours especially to Bangkok and Manila and play in other local and international tournaments. The players train weekly, and new players are encouraged to join.

GOLF

Dalat Palace Golf Club Phu Dong Thien Vuong, Dalat Tel: 063 3821 101 dpgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com The most beautiful course in Vietnam, combining the crisp mountain air with an environment of stately pine trees.

Overlooking Xuan Huong lake, the 7,009-yard course is an enjoyable challenge for golfers of all levels.

Dong Nai Golf Resort Trang Bom Town, Trang Bom Tel: 061 3866 288 / 3677 590 www.dongnaigolf.com.vn Large golf resort with 27 holes, plus a villa complex, bar, sauna. jacuzzi and billiards. The resort sits on 160 hectares of land in Dong Nai Province, about 50 kilometres from the city. Membership starts at USD $2,000 a year.

Ocean Dunes Golf Club 1 Ton Duc Thang, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3821 995 odgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com Designed by Nick Faldo, the 6,746-yard par-72 course winds through seaside dunes, with the variable coastal breezes changing its character each day. An enjoyable and eminently playable course and has become a favourite venue for expatriate tournaments.

Saigon South Golf Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phu, D7 Tel: 5411 2001 sgs.golf@yahoo.com.vn Nine-hole mini golf course and driving range set amongst attractive gardens just behind FV Hospital. Membership starts from USD $700 for 6 months.

Visitors’ greens fees for a round of golf are around USD $16 before 5 pm and $19 after. Club, shoe and umbrella hire is also available.

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

Song Be Golf Resort 77 Binh Duong Blvd, Thuan An

Tel: 0650 3756 660 info@songbegolf.com www.songbegolf.com Located 22 kilometres from the city centre, the premier golf course in the area features an 18-hole, 6,384-metre course. Also has tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a gymnasium.

Vietnam Golf and Country Club Long Thanh My Village, D9 www.vietnamgolfcc.com This facility consists of two courses of 18 holes each, one of which is designed in a more traditional Asian style, and the other in international style. Has other attractions such as boating, tennis and a restaurant area.

LEISURE

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

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 Vietnam Hobby Brewers hobbybrewer.vietnam@gmail.com

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

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.

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.

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listings

local practitioners. Au fait with the latest treatments and techniques, the surgery prides themselves on their high standard of equipment & sterilization.

health & beauty

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

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

American Chiropractic Clinic 8 Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3930 6667 www.vietnamchiropractic.com A chiropractic, physiotherapy, foot care clinic staffed by American-trained chiropractors speaking French, English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. Treats back pain, neck pain, knee pain, also specializing in sports injuries, manufacture of medical grade foot orthotics.

Institute of Traditional Medicine 273-275 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Dr. Le Hung is the man to see at this well-established traditional hospital & training centre. He speaks good English and provides excellent treatments in a clean environment Theta Healing – Jodie Eastwood Tel: 091 859 1933 www.thetahealing.com A unique energy healing technique for mind, body and spirit. Jodie is a UK qualified practitioner based in HCM City.

COSMETIC TREATMENT

Cao Thang Lasik & Aesthetic Clinic 135-135B Tran Binh Trong, D5 Tel: 3923 4419 A modern clinic offering a comprehensive range of optical services. Specializes in LASIK correctional procedures. English spoken. Open seven days a week.

FV Hospital Cosmetic Surgery 45 Vo Thi Sau, D1 Tel: 6290 6167 6 Nguyen Luong Bang, D7 Tel: 5411 3366 www.fvhospital.com International-standard cosmetic procedures from simple dermabrasion and chemical peels to collagen injections, nose and eye shaping, liposuction, and breast enhancement. Procedures carried out by French and Vietnamese doctors using the latest equipment.

Parkway Shenton International Clinic Suite 213-214, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Owned by the Singapore-based healthcare giant Parkway Holdings, this aesthetics clinic offers a range of both surgical and non-surgical treatments including dental reconstruction.

DENTAL

European Dental Clinic 17 - 17A Le Van Mien, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 0918 749 204/08

3744 9744 Expat English and French-speaking dentist. Performs full range of dental treatment including whitening, aesthetic fillings, porcelain crowns, full ceramics, veneer and orthodontic treatment. 24hour emergency line: 0909 551 916 or 0916 352940.

Starlight Dental Clinic Dr. Philippe Guettier & International Team of Dentists 2Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, D1 Tel: 3822 6222 doe.linh@gmail.com With 14 years’ experience providing dental treatment to expat and Vietnamese patients, this well-known dental surgery is staffed by both foreign &

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questions for the coiffeur

Westcoast International Dental Clinic 27 Nguyen Trung Truc, D1 Tel: 3825 6999 71-79 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3825 6777 info@westcoastinternational.com www.westcoastinternational.com Canadian-run dental clinic staffed by French, Japanese, English and Vietnamese speaking dental professionals.

HAIR & SALON

Anthony George for London Hair & Beauty FIDECO Riverview Building 14 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6475 www.aglondonsalon.com.vn Top British stylist George brings his unique flair to hair in District 2. The modern, stylish and professional salon is host to a staff of professionally trained beauty therapists. Uses Dermalogica, Schwarzkopf and L’Oreal products.

Lloyd Morgan International Hair Studio 234 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 090 8422 007 International stylist Lloyd Morgan is one of the best in town. He’s been in the business for over 30 years and brings his expertise to this established, topnotch salon.

Qi Spa 151 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 1719 Caravelle Hotel Tel: 3824 7150 Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, Tel: 3997 5437 High-end salon and spa offers the standard range of services in a calming atmosphere with good service. Waxing, nail services, hair dressing as well as luxurious facial and massage treatments on offer.

Souche 2nd Floor, Saigon Trade Centre 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 0372 A top-end beauty salon using the Dermatologica line of skincare products.

Specialises in personalized facial care treatments and medicated acne treatments. Waxing and other aesthetic services are also available in a pleasant atmosphere with excellent service.

Sunji Matsuo Hair Studio Saigon Paragon, 3 Nguyen Luong Bang, D7 Tel: 5416 0378 Celebrity hairstylist Sunji Matsuo’s Singapore-based hair salon has a variety of hair services including scalp treatments, rebonding and hair extensions.

The Salon 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3822 9660 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3821 6394 Reliable haircuts from well-trained stylists at this local salon with multiple locations.

MEDICAL

Australian Clinic & Pathology Diagnostics (ACPD) 273-275 Ly Thai To, D10 Tel: 3834 9941 www.australianclinic.com.vn Services include general outpatient healthcare, corporate / visa healthchecks, X-ray, full laboratory and in-house pharmacy including specialist medical services covering cardiology,

By Lloyd Morgan Q. My stylist cuts my hair dry, is this OK to do?

A. As with all things, there are exceptions to this, but the norm is that hair should be cut wet. After all, it’s much easier to manipulate and manage the symmetry of a desired cut after washing hair. What’s more, the natural wave and movement of hair is not always obvious when the locks are dry. Really, the only time to work with dry hair is when stylists need to double check the finished results. They may dry cut some areas to better blend the layers, using what we call feather cutting.

Q. Why is my child’s hair always tangly and breaking when she wakes up in the morning?

A. My assumption would be that you are washing her hair at night and she is going to bed with partially wet hair.

This should be avoided. Hair is in its weakest state when wet because it swells up with moisture. We all toss and turn as we sleep, which tangles the tresses and probably causes breakage. But this would only be obvious with medium to long hair. One other thing: chlorine build-up can compound the problem. If your

child is swimming a lot, always wash up afterward and be sure to rinse very thoroughly.

Also make sure to condition well and blow dry before sleeping. You can tie a ponytail on the very top of her head, where it won’t bother her while she’s sleeping, but don’t tie too tight.

Q. What’s it like working with so many nationalities here in the city?

A. At the end of the day, when it comes to hair, everyone’s the same to some degree. Some people have unrealistic expectations and don’t realise what humidity does to hair. Others come here and ask, ‘Can you do this colour?’ even though they don’t know their own hair history and what colour was used on it previously. But a good stylist can work all that out.

Again, I will give any new clients a 10 percent discount if you bring in this month’s column from AsiaLIFE. Lloyd Morgan runs the Lloyd Morgan International Hair Studio at 234 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2. Contact him at 0908 422 007 or lloydart@yahoo.com.

paediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, orthopedic and dermatology.

CARE1 Executive Health Care Center The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0757 care1_reception@vietnammedicalpractice.com www.care1.com.vn Sister clinic of Family Medical Practice, CARE1 is an executive health care centre offering comprehensive preventative-care checkups in a modern and professional setting. State-of-the-art technology provides fast and accurate diagnoses.

Centre Medical International (CMI) 1 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3827 2366 www.cmi-vietnam.com Located downtown next to the cathedral, the centre provides a high standard of medical care from qualified French and Vietnamese physicians. Its range of services include general and tropical medicine, cardiology, gynaecology, osteopathy, pediatrics, psychiatry, speech therapy and traditional Eastern medicine.

Family Medical Practice HCMC Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 7848 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Leading international primary healthcare provider, with a 24-hour state-of-the-art medical centre and highly-qualified multilingual foreign doctors. Extensive experience in worldwide medical evacuations with car and air ambulance on standby.

Also in Hanoi and Danang.

HANH PHUC International Hospital Binh Duong boulevard, Thuan An, Binh Duong.

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 2nd fl., Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1. Tel: 3911 1860 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.

Foreign and Vietnamese dentists. Has multilingual staff.

Victoria Healthcare 135A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3997 4545 79 Dien Bien Phu, D1 Tel: 39104545 Well-regarded clinic offering general examinations and specializing in pediatrics, digestive diseases, cardiology and women's health. Offers a membership program and cooperates with most insurance companies in Vietnam and abroad. Open with doctors on call 24/7.

NAILS

OPI 253 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 International brand of nail care offering a variety of treatments from standard manicures at 50,000 VND to the whole host nail services such as acrylics, powder gell, cuticle treatments and French polishing.

SKINCARE

Avon 186A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3930 4018 HCMC branch of the world’s largest direct seller of cosmetics occupies the ground floor of District 3 villa, selling brand names like Anew, Skin-So-Soft and Avon Natural.

The Body Shop 87 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3683 31 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3926 0336 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.

L’Apothiquaire 100 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Parkson Saigon Tourist Plaza Parkson Hung Vuong Plaza The Crescent, 103 Ton Dat Tien, D7 64A Truong Dinh, D3 07 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3932 5181/3932 5082 www.lapothiquaire.com info@lapothiquaire.com French-made natural products for all types of skin. Also offers exclusive natural Italian skin, body and hair care from Erbario Toscano.

Marianna Medical Laser Skincare 149A Truong Dinh, D3

Tel:3526 4635 www.en.marianna.com.vn Professional Laser Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, Marianna owns the excellent experts in Aesthetic Medicine and the modern technologies such as Laser, Botox, Filler and all solutions can help you more beautiful and younger day by day Sian Skincare Laser Clinic 71–77 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel:3827 6999 info@sianclinic.com www.sianclinic.com Skincare laser clinic offering the latest in non-surgical esthetic treatments including Botox, laser, acne treatments, hair loss regrowth, hair removal, skin rejuvenation and anti-aging treatments.

Led by Dr. Tran Ngoc Si, a leading esthetic dermatologist from the hospital of Dermatology of HCMC.

SPAS

Aqua Day Spa Sheraton Saigon, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 Recently revamped luxury eight-room spa with a holistic approach to treatment, using natural Harnn products plus hot stone therapy and seaweed treatments.

Renaissance Riverside Spa 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033 No-frills Vietnamese, shiatsu and aromatherapy massages plus a room dedicated to foot massages at the atrium level. Also has sizable steam and sauna rooms at the club Xuan Spa Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 Beautiful spa with highly rated Swedish massage and water therapy including the unique 60 minutes Vichy shower to soften and smooth skin or the Indian Shirodhara with special oil for 45 minutes.

Spa packages aimed at rejuvenation, calming, and hydrating are also available.

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family ACTIVITIES

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.

Briar Jacques bjacques123@gmail.com Cel: 0122 480 8792 Helping families, individuals, couples, children and teens. Caring and confidential counselling to address issues such as expat adjustment, depression, anxiety and substance abuse. We take a holistic approach to enhance wellbeing on mental, emotional and physical levels.

Saigon Pony Club Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, D2 Tel: 0913 733 360 Close to X-rock climbing centre, kids from three and upwards can ride one of the stable’s 16 ponies. Lessons with foriegn teachers last 45 minutes and cost 350,000 VND for kids from age six.

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

Belli Blossom 4F-04 (4th Floor) Crescent Mall, Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5413 7574 12 Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3822 6615 www.belliblossom.com.vn contactus@belliblossom.com.vn Belli Blossom catering to moms and babies with imported brands of maternity and nursing wear and accessories, infant clothes, baby bottles and feeding products, strollers, high chairs, slings, baby carriers, diaper bags, and many others. Brands available include: Mam, Mamaway, Quinny, Maclaren, Debon, Luvable Friends, Gingersnaps.

Maman Bebe Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 8724 www.mamanbebe.com.vn Stocks an assortment of modern strollers and car seats. Also sells various utensils and practical baby products. Small selection of clothing for ages newborn to 14 years.

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HOSTS OF PRIMARY FOBISSEA GAMES 2012

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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.

CLOTHES

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

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.

ACG International School East West Highway, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3747 1234 www.acgedu.com Part of the Academic Colleges Group’s international network of schools, ACG offers comprehensive education from

kindergarten to senior high school and a range of extracurricular activities. International curricula (IB PYP and Cambridge International Examinations).

The Australian International School Saigon Xi Early Childhood Centre 190 Nguyen Van Huong Thao Dien, D2 Early Childhood & Primary

School Cherry Blossom 1 & Lotus 1, APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6960 Middle & Senior School East-West Highway,An Phu, D2 Tel: 3742 4040 ext 7119 enrolments@aisvietnam.com www.aisvietnam.com An international curricula and PYP/MYP candidate school. Senior students follow IGCSE and Cambridge A levels. Only school in Vietnam authorized to deliver University of New South Wales Foundation Studies grade 12 curriculum. Wellresourced classrooms, highly trained and experienced expatriate teachers, outfitted for academic, sport, creative activities.

British International School Primary Campus 43 - 45 Tu Xuong, D3 225 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Secondary Campus 246 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 3744 2335 www.bisvietnam.com With campuses all over the city and expansion underway, BIS offers a mixture of both English and International curricula-based education alongside excellent facilities and extra-curricular activities. Senior students follow the IGCSE and IB programmes.

ERC 86-88-92 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan Tel: 6292 9288 www.erci.edu.vn ERC Vietnam is a member of ERCI Singapore. Founded by a group of successful business leaders around Asia Pacific. Our primary objective is to groom and mentor a new generation of business leaders in Vietnam equipped with skills to analyze and solve real-world business challenges of today.

German International School 257 Hoang Van Thu, Tan Binh Tel: 7300 7247 www.gis.vn A bilingual English and German school, supported by the Federal Republic of Germany, where children can learn subjects in both languages. The curriculum follows the National Curriculum of Germany, which provides students the assurance they can enter or re-enter the German Education System at any time.

Horizon International Bilingual School HCMC 6 Street 44, D2

Te: 5402 2482 www.hibsvietnam.com The only bilingual international school offering dormitories for their students. Located in the most prestigious area in HCMC offering from kindergarten up to grade 12. The school apply 100% Vietnamese curriculum, MOET as well as an intensive English program. HIBS also has 2 campuses in centre Hanoi.

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.

KinderStar Kindergarten 08 Dang Dai Do, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5411 8118/9 Offering bilingual preschool program with capacity up to 900 students with the most updated international standard.

The Little Genius International Kindergarten 102 My Kim, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5421 1052 Kindergarten with U.S.-accredited curriculum, modern facilities and attractive school grounds.

Montessori International School International Program 42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, D2 Tel: 3744 2639 Bilingual Program 28 Street 19, KP 5, An Phu, D2 Tel: 6281 7675 www.montessori.edu.vn Montessori utilizes an internationally recognized educational method which focuses on fostering the child’s natural desire to learn. The aim is to create an encouraging environment conducive to learning by developing a sense of self and individuality.

A wide array of curriculum/extra-curricular activities are on offer including Bilingual programs.

Renaissance International School 74 Nguyen Thi Thap, D7 Tel: 3773 3171 www.rissaigon.edu.vn IB World school, one of Vietnam’s international schools operating within the framework of the British system. RISS provide a high quality English medium education in a stimulating, challenging and supportive environment. The purpose built, modern campus has excellent facilities.

RMIT 702 Nguyen Van Linh, D7 Tel: 3776 1369 Australian university located in District 7, offers a highly regarded MBA and undergraduate courses in various fields.

Saigon South International School Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, D7 Tel: 5413 0901 www.ssis.edu.vn An International school environment offering an American/international program in a large, spacious campus, to children from age 3 to grade 12. Great facilities, extra-curricular activities and internationally trained teachers giving unique opportunities to learn.

Singapore International School (SIS) No.29, Road No.3, Trung Son Residential Area, Hamlet 4, Binh Hung Ward, Binh Chanh District Tel: 5431 7477 44 Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 2807 Ground floor, Somerset Chancellor Court, 21 - 23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1. Tel: 3827 2464 The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh. Tel: 3514 3036 www.kinderworld.net Students play and learn in an environment where the best of Western and Eastern cultures amalgamate to prepare KinderWorld’s students for today’s challenging world drawn from both the Singapore and Australian curriculum. The school offers International Certifications such as the iPSLE, IGCSE and GAC.

ENTERTAINMENT

Gymboree Play & Music Somerset Chancellor Court 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3827 7008 www.gymboreeclasses.com.vn The Gymboree Play & Music offers children from newborn to 5 years old the opportunity to explore, learn and play in an innovative parent-child programmes.

PARTIES

Beatrice’s Party Shop 235 Le Thanh Ton, D1 A lovely little shop selling everything you need to throw your little ones a good party. A catalogue of entertainers showcases a number of party favourites such as magicians, circuses and more.

Nguyen Ngoc Diem Phuong 131C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 A curious shop stocking a range of hand-made 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 holidayspecific party costumes.

The Balloon Man Tel: 3990 3560 Does exactly as his name suggests – balloons. Great service has earned this chap a reputation around town for turning up almost instantly with a superb selection of balloons. Also provides helium balloons.almost instantly with a superb selection of balloons. Also provides helium balloons.

SETTLING IN HO CHI MINH CITY… AS A STUDENT Elspeth is a nine year old girl from England who loves ‘Cơm Tấm Bì’ (broken rice with grilled pork), riding her bicycle to the local outdoor market and taking her dogs for a walk in the warm dawn. Elspeth came to Ho Chi Minh City after spending a number of years in Egypt, where her mum and dad were teachers at an international school. Whilst she loved the hustle and bustle of Egypt, she feels more relaxed in Vietnam, ‘There is less pollution here and it’s not as noisy!’ compares Elspeth, ‘People wave at me when I ride pass them. Little gestures like that make me feel really welcome here.’ Elspeth has spent most of her childhood living in between England, Spain and Egypt. She reveals her secret for successful integration is talking to the local people. With her positive attitude and enthusiasm, Elspeth has made friends quickly and is valued amongst her peers. Whilst it might take some of us months to adjust to a new country, Elspeth had excelled at her new school, ACG International School, scoring impressive results for a Year 6 Maths assessment and taking a prominent role in the Year 6 Exhibition as presenter, singer and performer.

She admits that with every new move comes its challenges and learning curve, ’but… a positive outlook and an open mind,’ the wise and talented nine year old Elspeth advised, ‘will help us experience and enjoy more of what the new host country has to give.’ www. acgedu.com/vn www.facebook.com/ACGVietnam www.youtube.com/user/ACGSchools

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living

An authorized service centre for Nikon camera that also specializes in repairing all camera makes. Measurement equipment and spare parts also available.

Shop 46 46 Nguyen Hue, D1 Small shop run by photographer and collector. The owner’s more collectible pieces are pricey, but entry-level manual focus SLRs from the 70s and 80s are affordable.

finance

COMPUTERS BUSINESS GROUPS

AmCham New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 323 Tel: 3824 3562 www.amchamvietnam.com AusCham TV Building, Suite 1A, 31A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3911 0272 / 73 / 74 www.auschamvn.org British Business Group of Vietnam 25 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 8430 execmgr@bbgv.org www.bbgv.org CanCham New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 305 Tel: 3824 3754 www.canchamvietnam.org 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 German Business Group 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 www.gba-vietnam.org Singapore Business Group Unit 1B2, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3823 3046 www.sbghcmc.org Swiss Business Association 42 Giang Van Minh, Anh Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6996 Fax: 3744 6990 Email: sba@hcm.vnn.vn www.swissvietnam.com Hong Kong Business Association New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 322 Tel: 3824 3757 / 3822 8888 www.hkbav.com NordCham Bitexco Building, 19-25 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3821 5423 www.nordcham.com

Computer Street Luong Huu Khanh, D1 between Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Trai This stretch of District 1 is literally wall to wall with small shops selling computers, printers, monitors and everything computer related, more so toward the NTMK end of the drag. iCenter 142A Vo Thi Sau, D3 Tel: 3820 3918 Professional, polished Apple retailer and repair centre with an attractive showroom featuring some of the latest in accessories and audio. English-speakers on staff. Honours Apple service plans.

Future World 240 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 Authorized reseller of Apple computers and products, as well as some off-brand items like headphones. Excellent service and English-speaking staff. Accepts credit cards.

Phong Vu Computer 264C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3933 0762 www.vitinhphongvu.com The biggest and busiest of the PC stores in town. Known for good, efficient service, in-house maintenance and aftersales repair on the second floor.

SYS Vi Tinh Saigon 96C Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D1 www.vtsaigon.com A superb place with an excellent reputation for after-sales service with competent English speaking staff and a wide range of products and services.

Freeware and shareware also available on the store website.

CONSULTING

Concetti 33 Dinh Tien Hoang, D1 Tel: 3911 1480 www.concetti-vn.com Consulting and research company for technology transfer and investment.

Embers-Asia Ltd. Level 9, Nam Giao Building, 80-8 Phan Xich Long, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3995 9163 www.embers-asia.com With a focus on experiential learning, Embers-Asia has been creating and delivering high-performance training and development solutions for corporations, embassies, international schools and NGOs throughout Southeast Asia since 2002.

CAMERAS

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.

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.

Flamingo Corporate Services Tel: 2217 1662 Email: info@flamingovn.com www.flamingovn.com Specializes in business immigration, providing services like visas, work and resident permits, police clearance, APEC cards, authentication and legalization of work experience certificates and degrees in Vietnam and abroad.

Hung Hai 75 Huynh Thuc Khang, D1 A good place to purchase hard-to-find gear and some rare equipment, mainly auto focus lenses.

Pham The 11 Le Cong Kieu, D1

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Divorce and Debt

By Paul McLardie Can you remember what you were doing exactly 10 years ago? How much has changed throughout your life since then?

Well, 10 years ago I was standing outside a church waiting for the future Mrs Mc to turn up. Could either of of us say at the time that we would be living and working in Vietnam? No, of course we couldn’t. Could we have said that we would still be together after 10 years? Realistically, no we couldn’t. We could only hope that with a lot of love, hard work, trust and understanding, we would be the lucky ones.

Can you say where you will be in 10 years time from today? Unless you are Doc Brown or Jules Verne you have no chance.

Divorce rates have been steadily increasing; it is a fact that sometimes, for whatever reason, marriages break up.

Not only will they break your heart, it may also break your bank balance. The romantic legal documents, pre-nups, can help you out, but they are not legal documents across the world. Also, in the UK legal aid is being stopped for nearly all of Family Law, so that people on a lower income will not be able to afford a solicitor to fight in their corner.

The cost of finding a so-

licitor or lawyer that will take your case can be astronomical. You may think that after working out alimony, what will happen with the family house and who will take the kids and when, you may be able to go off in your own directions.

But it’s not as simple as that.

This is where the tax implications come in. Stamp duty, inheritance tax and gift tax are just three areas that you can be hit by.

In the UK the allowance for legal aid has been reduced. At the same time the allowances for mediation have increased three-fold. Couples might also want to consider collaborative law where you, your lawyer, your ex and his or her lawyer meet to negotiate agreements on finances and other issues.

It can take between three and six meetings. You and your ex agree not to go through the courts unless negotiations fail.

At one time, you agreed to get married, so if it is possible, save yourself a few thousand by agreeing to sit round a table and talk. All that I hope is that Mrs Mc can put up with me for a little bit longer. I am really looking forward to the next 10 years together.

Paul McLardie is a partner at Total Wealth Management.

You can contact him at paul. mclardie@t-wm.com.

Grant Thornton Saigon Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 9100 www.gt.com.vn International business advisors specializing in auditing, management consulting, corporate finance, risk management and information technology.

IF Consulting IBC Building, 3rd Floor 1A Me Linh Square, D1 4th Floor, 5 Ba Trieu Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi Tel: 3827 7362 Fax: 3827 7361 Email: pascal@insuranceinvietnam.com Private insurance and finance.

Indochine Councel Han Nam Building, 65 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3823 9640 www.indochinecounsel.com Business law firm specializing in legal services to corporate clients in relation to their business and investment in Vietnam.

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.

Prism Information Technology Services Level 4, YOCO Building, 41 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3829 6416 info@prism.com.vn A foreign-owned information and communications technology company that offers value-added IT solutions. Enables local businesses to attain and maintain international IT standards to be more competitive in the marketplace.

Rouse & Co. International Abacus Tower, 58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3823 6770 www.iprights.com

Global intellectual property firm providing a full range of IP services including patent and trade mark agency services.

Star Management Limited 92-96 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3897 2765 www.starlimited.com Business advisory services for companies investing in Vietnam, business project advancement and a range of business development services.

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.

PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING

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.

Asian Fish 34 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Boutique-style arts and crafts store selling locally made gifts and souvenirs, all designed by the Japanese owner. Products include clothing, bags, crockery, sandals, chopsticks and jewellery.

Aquarium Street Nguyen Thong Street, D3 between Vo Thi Sau and Ly Chinh Thang Dedicated street has everything one needs to display fish: tanks, decor, feed, filters and the fish themselves.

SETTLING IN HO CHI MINH CITY… AS A STUDENT

Three years ago, Denise and her family flew to Vietnam from Cavite, an island North of the Philippines, for her dad’s new job. For the nine year old, it was an exciting first adventure away from home. She misses her grandparents more than anything but admits that the Philippines is only a short plane ride away and frequent Skype chats help them to stay connected. She also admits to missing McDonald’s fast-food and Starbucks coffee, but has fallen equally in love with Phở. There are many similarities between her hometown and Ho Chi Minh City, such as the climate, the laidback way of life and the friendliness of the people. There are just a few more cars in the Philippines, but other than that, Denise feels very at home in Vietnam. Denise is now in Year 8 at ACG International School, where she has formed strong bonds with “cool” friends from many different countries. For teenagers like Denise, friendship seems to be an important factor in helping young people to settle into a new environment with school playing an essential part in that process. Through school, Denise feels that she has been exposed to many new opportunities, from fieldtrips to rural Vietnam, to sporting events such as swimming galas and football tournaments. Denise has also discovered a talent in music after her debut performance with band members at the School’s graduation ceremony, where she played the bass guitar. She has loved every minute of living in Vietnam, a place where she has developed immensely as a person and broadened her horizons. For Denise, ACG is the symbol of Vietnam! www. acgedu.com/vn www.facebook.com/ACGVietnam www.youtube.com/user/ACGSchools

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Budget Housewares Street Corner of Pasteur and Nguyen Dinh Chieu Stock up on shower heads, kitchen supplies (juicer, spatula, grater, etc.), coat racks, clothes hangers, pots, pans, champagne flutes, bowls, coolers, trash bins, ironing boards, magazine racks and the like.

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.

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.

ELECTRONICS

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.

Do Your Own Hard Work

By Gary Woollacott As a headhunter, I receive a lot of resumes, but one recently surprised me when it hit my inbox: my own. It wasn’t my actual resume, but one that copied every detail of my layout. I recognised my favourite font, Garamond, and even some of the wording in Career Objective, and Reasons For Leaving.

Initial shock turned to curiosity. Who was this person who just mimics other resumes? I called the guy, who explained what I thought had probably happened, that a friend had given it to him.

So his friend was a friend of my friend, to whom I gave my resume years ago. He thought it was an attractive and clear blueprint. That’s easy to understand, and it’s kind of OK to use the format and the font. But the wording too?

He asked if I wanted him to change it: I replied that since people were unlikely to see his CV and mine together, it really didn’t matter.

But I did suggest that he might consider re-writing some of the copy. What really shocked me, though, was when he wrote back later asking if I could recommend another headhunter who

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specialised in expats. That's when I told him that it was enough that he already had my resume to emulate. Now it was time for him to do his own hard work.

On the topic of doing one’s own work, I want to turn to a development that may strike a chord with regular readers: my company’s labour court issues. After a year and a half of legal fees and worry, the court finally dismissed the case of an ex-contractor suing for wrongful termination. He’d been fired after smearing the company using its own email. After failing to generate real income, he seemed to be using the (free) labour court to make money another way. Some might call that a lazy and disingenuous business strategy. As I said, do your own hard work.

As usual, let me know if you have any particular topic you would like to see covered here. Oh, and if you want to see my resume, just ask.

Gary Woollacott is the CEO of Opus executive search in Vietnam and Thailand.

He can be reached at +84 8 3827 8209 or via gary@ opusasia.net. Opus is a partner of Horton International.

Mekong-Quilts 64 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3914 2119 www.mekong-quilts.org NGO enterprise specializes in quilts and sells a range of appealing handmade products created by underprivileged women in Binh Thuan Province.

Mekong Creations 64 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3914 2119 www.mekong-quilts.org NGO enterprise specializes in quilts and sells a range of appealing handmade products created by underprivileged women in Binh Thuan Province.

Minh Boutique 15 Nguyen Thiep, D1 Lacquerware pieces, tea boxes, teapot warmers, ice buckets and sake drinking sets all handmade in Vietnam. Also sells a range of silverware, egg holders and ice tongs.

OUT-2 STUDIO L6 Fafilm annex 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3825 6056 STUDIO@OUT-2.com www.out-2.com Studio space for independent designers to showcas their wares, sell their work and meet with clients. Open Monday t Saturday 10 am to 6 pm.

Phuong Mai 213C Dong Khoi www.phuongmai-gallery.com Gallery specializing in original oils by Vietnamese artists. The works here are a mish-mash of styles but do contain some standouts, particularly well-known local artists La Hon, Quy Tam and Pham Trinh.

Sapa 125 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Offers a better selection of hill tribe handicrafts than most of its rivals.

Concentrates mainly on the hand-woven clothing of the indigenous tribespeople of the region. There is also a line in ladies’ shoes and the standard range of silk wraps and bags.

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

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. iDEAS Shopping Centre 133-141AB Cach Mang Thang Tam, D3 The largest of the electonics stores along the street, the three-storey iDEAS sells every type of electronic and home appliance imaginable. Offers proper warranties. Staff speaks some English.

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.

AustinHome 20 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3519 0023 Outstanding quality and style for your home. The shop says its products are hand-picked by an American furniture expert from the best factories in Vietnam.

Upholstery, accessories, antiques and more.

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.

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 in mergers & acquistions, inward investment, and securities & capital markets.

Limcharoen, Hughes and Glanville Havana Tower, 132 Ham Nghi, D1 Tel: 6291 7000 www.limcharoen.com Full service international law firm with head office in Thailand. Main focus on real estate in Asia.

Phillips Fox Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 1717 Full service law firm providing legal services in healthcare, education, crime, banking and hospitality among others.

Pricewaterhousecoopers Legal Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3823 0796 www.pwc.com/vn Part of a network of international legal and financial advisors, PWC gives both specialist and general legal advice with a focus on mutli-territory projects.

Rödl & Partner Somerset Chancellor Court 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3824 4225 www.roedl.com European legal firm assisting foreign investors with structuring/establishing

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

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style for gents

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

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.

Men in Shorts

By Chris Mueller When I was younger, wearing shorts was a luxury, something to wear as long as I could before the temperatures in my mountain town dropped below zero. The rest of the year, I was confined to heavy jackets and wool hats; shorts were a welcome, albeit brief, comfort. So when I moved to the tropics, wearing shorts not only seemed appropriate, but necessary.

Although most men wear shorts here, it’s hard to pull off without looking like a child or a college stoner. I see grown men wearing baggy parachutes with huge pockets and zippers, or driving motorbikes with their shorts hiked up so high that their pasty thighs blind everyone they pass. It often makes me wonder if we really should be wearing shorts at all.

Apparently, I’m not alone in thinking this. Men in shorts seem to be a topic of much debate, the general consensus being that adult men should not wear them. Then again, anyone who lives in a place like Vietnam and forsakes shorts for fashion should probably be ignored anyway, especially when there are so many stylish and manly ways to wear shorts.

The first step is picking the right size. Many guys seem to pick the biggest shorts they

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can find, usually cargo. The trick to getting proper shorts is to buy them as you would jeans or trousers. A good pair of shorts should be slim, but not spandex tight, just enough to give some shape.

As for colour, solids like tan, khaki, olive, navy, white, and off-white are always safe.

Some can rock louder colours, but be careful lest you end up looking like a clown. Boardshorts also can be worn, but only if you’re near water; otherwise you risk looking like a poser. If you need something a little classier, linen shorts go well with a good shirt.

Another area where guys seem to get it wrong is the length. Shorts shouldn’t be any longer than just below the knee, otherwise they are just short pants. If you need that much fabric covering your legs, you might as well stick to jeans. On the other hand, some guys wear shorts so short and tight that their package is barely covered and the glow of their white, hairy legs are no help. As a general rule, shorts should be no shorter than an inch above the knee, except at the gym or beach.

Larry David put it well in Curb Your Enthusiasm when he sat on an airplane next to a man wearing particularly short shorts: “Men’s legs are grotesque, so cover them up.”

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.

REAL ESTATE

CB Richard Ellis Me Linh Point Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3824 6125 www.cbre.com International property consultants and developers with both commercial and private properties for sale, lease and rent.

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.

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, 0989 115 511 www.namhouse.com.vn Provides rental properties, construction services and interior decorating. Supports professional services and after-sales.

Riverside Apartments 53 Vo Truong Toan, D2 Tel: 3744 4111 www.riverside-apartments.com One of the first luxury serviced apartments in town located next to the Saigon River set in lush tropical gardens.

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, com-

mercial leasing, asset management, retail advisory, valuation, investment advisory and more.

Sherwood Residence 127 Pasteur St., D3 Tel: 3823 2288 Fax: 3823 9880 Hotline: 0917470058 leasing@sherwoodresidence.com www.sherwoodresidence.com Sherwood Residence is a luxury serviced apartment property and the first property certified by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Modern living spaces meet prime location, comfort and class with 5-star facilities and service.

Snap Tel: 0989 816 676 www.snap.com.vn Online Real Estate service providing information on rental properties exclusively in District 2. Full listings online.

RECRUITMENT

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.

Opus Vietnam 2A Rolanno Offices, 128 Nguyen Phi Khanh, D1 Tel: 3827 8209 www.opusasia.net Established in HCMC in 2005, Opus services local and multinational companies seeking to recruit high quality personnel.

An Associate of Horton International, one of the world’s leading search groups with over 30 offices worldwide. For more info contact info@opusasia.net.

RELOCATION AGENTS

Allied Pickfords Satra Building, Room 202, 58 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 08 3823 3454 Kevin.hamilton@alliedpickfords.com.vn http://vn.alliedpickfords.com Moving and relocating services company specializing in business and office moves.

Overseas and specialist movers also available.

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.

Santa Fe Relocation Services Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, D3 Tel: 3933 0065 www.santaferelo.com Provides a range of services including home/school search, language/cultural training, tenancy management and immigration/visa support.

STATIONERY

Fahasa 40 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3822 5796 Bookstore chain carries an expansive stock of office and home stationary; a onestop shop for basic needs.

Pi-Channel 45B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3822 0253 www.pi-channel.com Boutique shop carries up-market collections of pens and notepads, as well as desktop organisers, clocks, calendars and frames. Corporate services offered.

listings

fashion 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.

Alfred Dunhill Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 A timeless style in male luxury providing formal and casual mens accesories tailored for the discerning man. Also stocking handcrafted leather goods.

Anupa Boutique 17/27 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 7307 anupaboutiquevietnam@anupa.net The ever-changing boutique retails in the elegant design of anupa accessories made from high-quality leather. Collections available range from men, women, executive, travel, spa, yoga, board games, boxes and semi-precious stone jewellery. Collection changes on weekly basis. Also carries toys, stationery, Unitdot Bamboo eye wear, Ella Charlotte scarves and ladies' apparel brand Things of Substance.

Bally Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue, D1 Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 www.experience.bally.com Flagship store in the Rex Hotel providing luxury Italian-made accessories for men.

Among these are shoes, belts, wallets and a collection of male jewellery.

Banana 128 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Women’s accessories and more, from bags, clutches and belts to clothes and jewellery, all at reasonable prices.

Cartier Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan This well-known designer brand displays a wide range of accessories for men. Famous for its watches, Cartier also stocks pens, key rings, belts and sunglasses.

Cincinati 177P Dong Khoi, D1 www.cincinati.vn info@cincinati.vn Vietnamese brand of genuine leather bags, shoes, accessories and personal goods for men and women: notebooks for a classic vagabond look. Quality leather from crocodile, horse, snake and fish made by local craftsmanship.

Cleo-Pearls 30 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, D2 Tel: 091 3587 690 Jewellery designer Birgit Maier operates Cleo-Pearls from her home, specializing in necklaces, bracelets, earrings, key holders and bag accessories. All pieces created with gemstones, fresh water pearls and beads.

Coconut 100 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Bags of all shapes and sizes rule the roost in this small shop. Made of silk and embroidered to the brim, these unique bags start at about USD $30, and many are suitable for both day and night.

Creation 105 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3829 5429 A two-storey shop selling scarves, intricate handbags (from USD $30), tailormade silk dresses and tops. Has a wide range of materials on the second floor.

Gallery vivekkevin FAFILM Building, 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 6291 3709 info@vivekkevin.com www.galeryvivekkevin.com Handcrafted pendants, necklaces, rings and bracelets. The gallery’s focus is on design, craftsmanship and finish, as well as educating clients on the intricacies of each piece.

Gucci 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 6688 Located on the main shopping street in HCMC, this flagship store brings Florentine fashion to an array of luxury leather goods such as briefcases, luggage and a selection of men’s shoes for office or more casual occasions.

Ipa-Nima 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.

J. Silver 803 Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, D7 Tel: 5411 1188 Make a statement without being ostentatious with handcrafted silver jewellery from the boutique store. Expect big, interesting pieces that are simple yet glamorous.

Laura V Signature 11 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 7304 4126 www.laurav.net Vintage designs aplenty with everything from jewellery and hair accessories to funky styled sunglasses, umbrellas and colourful maxi dresses.

Louis Vuitton Opera View, 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

Rimowa Level 2 OperaView Tower, 161 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3832 6941 hotline@rimowavietnam.com The German luggage maker is popular with a who’s who of the celebrity world.

Their range of cases come in varying sizes and are made from high-tech materials to provide exceptional durability while remaining very light weight.

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.

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femme fashion

Tic Tac Watch Shop 72 Dong Khoi Tel: 0838 293519 www.tictacwatch.com Elegant show room displaying some of the world’s most recognized Swiss brands such as Rolex, Tag Huer, Baume & Marcer, Omega and Hirsch.

On-site watch repair service and complementary watch evaluation available. Also carries a small collection of vintage Rolexes.

Tombo 145 Dong Khoi, D1 Of all the embroidered and sequined bags, shoes and tidbits (or “Zakka” shops) that can be found in Dong Khoi, this shop’s has products that are prettier than most. Shoes can be custommade and the sales staff is friendly.

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.

I wouldn’t call myself a cosmetic guru, or particularly skilled in make-up application.

Some effortlessly wear their smokey eyes and perfectly sculpted eyelashes, the rest of us slap on a bit of eyeliner and have a bag full of eyeshadows that we’ve never been able to apply without looking like a bad crossdressing man or a clown.

Now let’s consider the extremely trivial question put to many a celebrity, asking what few items they would take with them if they were stranded on a desert island.

To consider this question I have to push my overriding practical personality aside and forget about the flare gun, tank of water and medical kit and look further towards my make-up bag. I would have to say I’d pack my MAC studio fix powder; my MAC oil control lotion; and, of course, Johnny Depp. As I would imagine the humidity to be just as much a problem on the desert island as it is in Saigon, I think these are wise choices to keep my skin looking good for Johnny boy.

The results of my various make-up experiments over the years have led me to a conclusion: MAC cosmetics are by far the best. Not only

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do they not bother my sensitive skin, but they are light and last for ages after a swift morning application. I recently invested in the oil-control lotion to use after moisturising and it does wonders at keeping the shine away, which I know most of us ladies struggle with in this humidity.

The studio fix foundation powder is just one of their various powder products, and I for one, swear by it. I use it every day and it is great at evening out your skin without looking like you’re wearing much at all, and all without clogging up your pores.

I am also the proud owner of MAC mascara, a few eyeliners, bronzing powder (difficult to find in this part of the world) and a very basic eyeshadow palette. I advocate these as the best investments I have ever made. Not only are they great quality, but they last and they are easy to use for a natural look – and natural is always best.

Go on, treat yourself.

Whether you are the master of the smokey eyes or the slapon-and-go like I am, MAC is the one for you. The products are available at the Parkson department store and the Vincom Center on Le Thanh Ton.

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.

men

Lucas 69A Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3827 9670 Fashion store housing contemporary designs in casual, office and evening wear imported from Hong Kong.

ACTIVE WEAR

Massimo Ferrari 42-A1 Tran Quoc Thao, D3 Tel: 3930 6212 Bespoke menswear shop also boasts its own brand of contemporary preppy attire tailored for the tropics. Carries a line of European-quality shoes, bags and accessories designed in-house, as well as exclusive Orobianco unisex bags, designer fragrances and eyewear.

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.

Mattre 19 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3925 3412 This local men’s clothes shop has some funky tops and jeans for more fashionforward males. Apparel in sizes that fit the typical Western man’s frame are often available.

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.

MAC Cosmetics

By Claire Jowell

for teens and university-age men and women. Carries boots, sandals, pumps and sneakers at mid-range prices.

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

BAM Skate Shop 174 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 0903 641 826 In addition to a range of decks, wheels and trucks, this small shop is stocked with bookbags, skate sneakers, track jackets and t-shirts emblazoned with your skateboard company of choice.

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.

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.

Replay Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 116 Nguyen Trai, D1 187 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3925 0252 Wide variety of shoes, clothing, denim

Milano Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi www.milanogoods.com A conjoining shop with D&G offering a selection of men’s shoes and accessories with a sideline in women’s clothing.

D&G provides a collection of menswear, from casual jeans and T-shirts to uniquely designed suit jackets.

Timberland Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Sells everything the brand is known for, from heavy-duty boots to tops and trousers that are both smart and casual.

The emphasis is on muted tones and unobtrusive logos for men who don’t like to show off.

women

Axara Vincom Center B1, 70 - 72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 21 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3993 9399 www.axara.com Carries women’s clothing suitable for work, weekends or evening. Luxurious fabrics and simple cuts and styles all at reasonable prices. Also carries handbags and accessories.

Balenciaga Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue Tel: 6291 3572 Sporting modern shapes and elegant items crafted from natural, raw and artificial materials.

BCBGMAXAZRIA Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 American brand sells women’s day dresses and tops, evening gowns and wear-to-work attire in many prints and colours. Also carries a small selection of accessories, sunglasses and watches.

Bebe Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3914 4011 www.bebe.com An international brand that specializes in contemporary, modern tees and sexy, elegant dresse, tops and party attire.

Chloe Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 6291 3582 Parisian-influenced fashion house specializes in simple, traditional designs with a feminine and fashionable twist.

Jeans, satin dresses and a wide array of accessories are on display.

Gaya 1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1 Tel: 3925 1495 Carries a range of couture and pret-aporter garments and silk and organza dresses in vibrant colours created by Cambodia-based designer Romyda Keth.

Geisha Boutique 85 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3829 4004 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.

Kookai Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi French brand stocking classic, feminine, styles with a twist. Gypsy day dresses and classic little black dresses at mid- to high-range prices are perfect for twentyand thirty-something women.

La Senza 47B–47C Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3925 1700 65 Le Loi, Saigon Centre, D1 Tel: 3914 4328 www.lasenza.com Boutique carrying a wide range of bras, panties, pyjamas, accessories and lounge wear.

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.

Song Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1

76D Le Thanh Ton Offers women’s fashion designs by Valerie Gregori McKenzie, including evening dress, tops and hats.

Valenciani Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3821 2788 66-68 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 7302 4688 valenciani.sg@gmail.com www.valenciani.com Homegrown luxury boutique carries silk dresses, velvet corsets, chiffon shawls and a range of accessories, all designed in-house.

SHOES

Charles & Keith 10 Mac Thi Buoi, 18-20 Nguyen Trai Tel: 3925 1132 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 www.charleskeith.com Singapore brand housing youthful and trendy shoes of a contemporary, high fashion design.

Converse 186 Hai Ba Trung, D1 148 Nguyen Trai, D1 122 Ba Thang Hai, D10 Tel: 3827 5584 www.converse.com.vn Sells iconic Chuck Taylor, Jack Purcell and All-Star sneakers and Converse brand clothing and accessories. Also at department stores around HCMC. Dr. Marten’s 173 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3822 4710 Air Wair sandals and shoes here feature the classic yellow stitching and chunky rubber soles. Also stocked with clothes and accessories by Replay and Kappa tracksuit tops.

Sergio Rossi 146AB Pasteur, D1 Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue, D1 World-renowned Italian brand stocks a diverse European-style collection of upmarket shoes and bags made of quality materials, from crocodile and python skin laterals to garnishings of Swarovski crystals and colourful beads.

TAILORS

Dieu Thanh 140 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 5851 www.dieuthanh.com Experienced tailor shop specializes in swimwear and cotton clothing, as well as business suits, evening dresses, luxury fabrics and accessories.

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.

LINH‘S WHITE PLEASANT LIVING MINIMALISM 37 THAO DIEN (OPPOSITE AN PHU SUPERMARKET) 67 XUAN THUY - DISTRICT 2 PHONE: (84) - 62819863 - 62818488 E : linhnguyen@hbdecor.com.vn

- www.linhfurniture.com

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Glasses at Xu

Photos by Fred Wissink.

78 asialife HCMC

Animal Party at Decible

Design Forum Opening

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radar Where Ideas Come From

TED.com/talks What’s the benefit of slums? Go to work or college? Where do ideas come from? TED conferences have gathered people in the name of intellectual curiosity for nearly three decades. The topics have only gotten more interesting and widely-appealing in recent years, thanks in no small part to free streaming at TED.com. There, you can watch TED Talks, in which prime ministers, authors, activists, scientists, and other thinkers wax innovative about their subjects of expertise. If you can’t get through an 18-minute lecture, National Public Radio now beams out audio podcasts with the Talks’ best nuggets.

Where do ideas come from? They come from TED.

Virtual Secretary

Doodle.com You’ve been there. Tried to pencil in a lunch with busy friends or business partners, only to hit the ball back and forth in a dozen emails. The aspirin for your scheduling headache is Doodle.com. How it works: Quickly create an event on the site, choose possible times to hold it, and email the link that Doodle generates to attendees. Each person goes to the link and ticks off compatible times. Ultimately, you’ll have a table that highlights times that work for everyone. And unlike so many web services, Doodle doesn’t require you to register.

The New, Old Super Mario

Vizzed.com If there’s one Vietnamese feature you’ll never pick up after moving here, it’s probably the video game craze. But you had a childhood once, and all the games that graced it are collected online now for your nostalgic pleasure. From Sonic to Donkey Kong to Tetris, Vizzed.com lets users play 20,000 classic and contemporary games. Cooler still: Users retrofit the retro games. Ever play Mario and wish for a power besides fire or ice? Someone’s probably made that hack and uploaded it to Vizzed. Play free, chat with other aficionados, maybe even create your own hack. Plus, you won’t have to blow any Nintendo cartridges to unfreeze Mushroom Kingdom.

82 asialife HCMC

boxoffice

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

The Bourne Legacy

The Lucky One

Total Recall

Because there aren’t enough ways to reincarnate the vampire obsession, filmmakers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (director of Wanted) cast Abraham Lincoln (played by Benjamin Walker) as a slayer of these creatures of the night.

In the film, Potus 16 discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States, and makes it his mission to eliminate them. As Pride and Prejudice and Zombies did with literature, this film takes the well-known figures we learned about in high school, and reimagines them in bloodthirsty lore of the undead.

The narrative architect behind the Bourne film series, Tony Gilroy, takes the helm in the next chapter of the hugely popular espionage franchise: The Bourne Legacy. The writer/director expands the Bourne universe created by Robert Ludlum with an original story that introduces a new hero, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), a CIA operative whose life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films. For The Bourne Legacy, Renner joins fellow series newcomers Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach and Oscar Isaac.

Based on Nicholas Sparks' bestseller, this romantic drama stars Zac Efron alongside Taylor Schilling as Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault, who returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive: a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't know. Learning her name is Beth (Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and complications in her life, a romance ensues.

This action thriller about reality and memory is inspired by the short story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale by Philip K Dick. Welcome to Rekall, the company that turns dreams into real memories. For factory worker Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), memories of life as a super-spy sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life. But when the procedure goes wrong, Quaid finds himself on the run from police. Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) to find the head of the underground resistance and stop Cohaagen.

Opening Dates CINEMA M: Megastar Cinema www.megastar.vn

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3D Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (10 August) The Bourne Legacy (10 August) The Lucky One (17 August) Total Recall (17 August)

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

bookshelf True Believers Kurt Andersen Random House

Vanity Fair and New Yorker contributor Kurt Andersen delves back into literature with his third novel, True Believers. Set in the present day with flashbacks of the tumultuous 1960s, the story follows high-flying attorney Karen Hollaender as she looks back at her youth. When she’s contracted to publish her memoirs, Karen decides to divulge the secret she’s kept buried for decades. In the 1960s, Karen and her two best friends grew from James Bond-obsessed kids to politically active teens hatching a dangerous plan. Jam-packed with intrigue and cultural references, the book is equal parts a political thriller and a romp through reminiscences.

Our Kind of People Uzodinma Iweala Harper

In Our Kind of People: A Continent’s Challenge, A Country’s Hope, Nigerian-American writer Uzodinma Iweala takes on the AIDS crisis. Despite progress made in awareness and treatment over the past decade, the disease continues to ravage communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Focusing on Nigeria, Iweala portrays the impact through statistics and collected narratives. He discusses the stigmatisation that allows AIDS to spread at such alarming rates, as people view HIV as a “commentary on a person’s moral standing”. By deconstructing these false assumptions regarding AIDS, Iweala provides an insightful – and constructive – look at how interventions could become more effective.

The Festival of Earthly Delights Matt Dojny Dzanc Books

The country of Puchai does not exist. But in Matt Dojny’s The Festival of Earthly Delights, Puchai is a southeast Asian country with enough to ring familiar to those who know the region. The story is told in the form of unsent letters, accompanied by the author’s own illustrations, penned by protagonist Boyd Darrow. Together with his girlfriend Ulla, Boyd has traded in New York City for an exotic adventure abroad. In the lead-up to Puchai’s quirky annual festival, Boyd discovers the joys and pitfalls of the expatriate life. Satirical situations and rich characters colour this breezy tale.

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk Ben Fountain Ecco

It’s a tricky premise for a book – 320 pages detailing one single day. Yet debut novelist Ben Fountain conjures up ample material between the plot and his protagonist’s complicated inner thoughts. It is Thanksgiving, and 19-year-old Billy Lynn is home in Texas on leave from Iraq. As part of the celebrated Bravo Squad, Billy is paraded around Dallas as a war hero before he is due to return to combat the next day.

Like the seminal novel Catch-22, this story deals in allegories and candid reflections to provide perspective on war.

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soundfix album review

Twin Shadow Confess

If you have a weakness for bad boys, then beware Twin Shadow.

He’ll only break your heart.

From his leather jacket-clad posturing on the album cover to his cool detached vocals, Twin Shadow – real name George Lewis Jr – sets out to be the James Dean of the music scene.

The Dominican-born American loves motorcycles. The video for killer lead single ‘Five Seconds’ features a voice-over passage from his unpublished motorcycle gang novel. This passion is also recreated in the album’s edgy sound. In contrast to Lewis Jr’s 2010 debut album Forget, shaped by co-producer Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, his self-produced Confess is darker, richer and more fermented, leaning heavily on 1980s New Wave with influences of Depeche Mode and Prince. Beneath Twin Shadow’s aloof exterior, there’s a hint of tortured sensitivity – his fractured heart is what shatters our own. “I’m working on making it start again, but I’m not in love,” he sings on ‘Run My Heart’. We swoon.

86 asialife HCMC

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Lianne La Havas Is Your Love Big Enough?

“I found myself in a secondhand guitar, never thought it would happen,” sings Lianne La Havas, before asking “Is your love big enough for what’s to come?” That’s the conundrum at the heart of La Havas’ debut album, the follow-up to her two 2011 EPs. The 22-year-old South Londoner, with Greek and Jamaican heritage, croons in the type of honeyed voice that’s driven record sales of many of her contemporaries. Although her scale is more tempered than belter Adele, the two soul-pop artists bear some comparison for their embrace of retro, vocal-led music. But La Havas ventures into folk territory, such as her pairing with legend Willy Mason for the memorable duet ‘No Room for Doubt’. Her lyrics – admonishing past lovers, admitting her vulnerabilities – explore personal issues, but somehow her delivery seems too polished to feel heartfelt. La Havas has undeniable promise, but the young artist still has more to find in herself, perhaps without the Warner Brothers label packaging.

Dirty Projectors

Frank Ocean

Ever prolific, the Dirty Projectors have released seven full-lengths in less than 10 years. Yet despite the relatively quick turn-around, they manage to create music that sounds more thoughtful than rushed. It’s easiest to classify the Dirty Projectors as a rock band, but they experiment with styles as diverse as folk, Motown, chamber music and West African guitar.

Fronted by singer/guitarist/ songwriter and former Yale University music student David Longstreth, the six-piece is enriched by the vocals of its three female musicians. More accessible than some prior records, Swing Lo Magellan is quirky, but feels checked in a way that succeeds. One of the album’s strongest tracks is ‘The Socialites’, featuring vocalist Amber Coffman, with playful instrumentation and yearning verses. The album’s title number and ‘Just From Chevron’ evoke post-modern lullabies with their soothing sound. Songs still challenge conventional form, but Longstreth’s description of this album as more focused on using a “simple language” is apt.

With credits writing for pop stars such as Beyoncé and Brandy, Frank Ocean has built up his solo career slowly but surely. Now, the 24-yearold New Orleans native is at the forefront of R&B’s reinvigoration. A member of the OFWGKTA collective, Ocean drew widespread buzz last year with a mixtape release and appearance on Jay-Z and Kanye West’s super-album.

Although he had his choice of collaborators for his debut album, Ocean made the savvy decision to forge Channel ORANGE his own way, limited to guest spots from Earl Sweatshirt, Andre 3000 and John Mayer. His songs are crafted with an adept sensibility for melody and rhythm, and his distinctive voice is lush as velvet. Thought-provoking lyrics navigate heartache, his adjustment to fame and social issues like the gap between the rich and the “precariat”. Add in his recent disclosure of a past same-sex relationship – a breakthrough for an industry centred on heterosexuality – and it’s clear that Ocean is making waves worth watching.

Channel ORANGE

Swing Lo Magellan

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xoneFM top ten UK Top 10 this last

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artist Florence & the Machine Maroon 5 feat Wiz Khalifa Chris Brown Will.i.am feat Eva Simons Stooshe Flo Rida Rudimental feat John Newman Coldplay & Rihanna Nicki Minaj Katy Perry

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artist Maroon 5 feat Wiz Khalifa Katy Perry Rihanna Carly Rae Jepsen Ellie Goulding Usher Gotye David Guetta feat Sia Astralwerks Calvin Harris feat Ne-Yo Demi Lavato

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artist Fun Pink Rudimental feat John Newman Maroon 5 Katy Perry Owl City feat Carly Rae Jepsen Justice Crew Will.i.am feat Eva Simons Chris Brown Flo Rida

A Song of Ice and Fire

By Michael Tatarski I’ve never been a fan of the fantasy literature genre. The only reading I’ve managed with such books is The Hobbit and roughly half of the first Lord of the Rings installment, which I gave up out of boredom.

After watching the first season of HBO’S Game of Thrones though, I decided to have a go at the Song of Ice and Fire series that inspired the show. Written by George RR Martin, who has been called the modern-day Tolkien, the epic series thus far includes five published books out of a planned seven.

I initially intended to simply read the first part, A Game of Thrones, before moving on to something else, but by the end I was hooked. As a result I blew through the whole series without even thinking about reading anything else, even though each book is at least 700 pages long.

The sprawling tomes focus on a medieval fantasy world set on two continents, Westeros and Essos. The huge cast of characters and the array of places are given rich historical backgrounds and incredibly detailed descriptions. For example, we learn of the old Targaryens, who conquered Westeros with dragons but were brought down by the current king, Robert Baratheon. The series

begins a number of years into Robert’s rule.

The first book details the beginning of a power struggle between the Starks and Lannisters, two of the most influential families in Westeros. Robert’s best friend is Ned Stark, while his wife is a Lannister. A series of events leads to Robert’s son, who was actually born of incest between the queen and her brother, taking the throne. His illegitimacy is no secret, and in short order five men vie for the title of true king.

The War of the Five Kings, as it comes to be called, rages through the second book and climaxes in A Storm of Swords, the third and strongest installment so far. Martin has no qualms with killing off major characters in shocking twists, and one chapter in particular is jaw-dropping.

Fantasy books are often derided as being nerdy and a bit silly, but Martin’s series feels more grounded in reality partly thanks to the well-written dialogue, although there are still imagined beasts and creatures. The mood of the series is relentlessly grim, meaning it isn’t exactly beach reading, but it includes more than enough blood and gore, sex and Machiavellian royal power scheming to keep nearly anyone interested.

asialife HCMC 87

Dana Filek-Gibson discovers there is nothing to fear except fear itself – and maybe Saigon traffic – as she takes to the streets on a motorbike.

At the very least, life in Vietnam is a bizarre experience. On any given day, we do and see things that would rarely, if ever, happen in our home countries. We duck under sagging power lines and eat lunch at plastic tables on the sidewalk. It is acceptable for men to stop and pee on the roadside, and nothing is unusual about crossing the street with our hands in the air, waving frantically at the throng of motorbikes whizzing past.

Just last week, I had a conversation with a student in which a considerable part of his finger was jammed up his nose, and neither of us felt uncomfortable.

It's difficult to pinpoint that instant when, all of a sudden, the world around us ceases to be obscure and simply becomes the norm.

Case in point: My fray with motorbike driving. “Do you know how to do this?” a woman asked secretly as she wheeled 88 asialife HCMC

my Honda onto the pavement.

“Sort of,” I replied. She stared at me, lips pursed, and eased the motorbike onto its kickstand.

“The brakes are here,” she pointed. “Turn it on like this, and change gears with your left foot.” Her hands outlined the location of the horn and the turn signal. She modeled how to open the boot. A pair of elderly women watched from down the alley, thoroughly amused.

I could feel my insides knotting up somewhere below my ribcage.

“OK”, she finished, slamming the boot closed. It was not so much a question as a declaration. Inside the shop, I had regaled her with all my excuses for not driving in Vietnam. She was trapped, filling out paperwork, as I told the story of my arrival in this country, my fear of driving, the details of most traffic accidents I'd witnessed between now and last June, and

the day someone inadvertently pulled me off a xe om by catching my backpack on his handlebars. By the time we made it out to the alley, I could feel her eagerness to be rid of me.

With both hands, the woman offered up the key and gave a reassuring nod. I sat on the motorbike for another five minutes, working up the courage to turn it on, and then spent an inordinate amount of time adjusting my helmet before stop-starting my way to the road.

The 5-kilometre trip from Pham Ngu Lao to my apartment took just under 40 minutes. I remained on the far side of the street, hugging the curb, swerving to the middle of the road only at the approach of a wrongway driver. I had yet to master the horn, so any close calls were punctuated by my screams.

Still, at an intersection without a stoplight, I attempted to honk just like I'd seen xe om drivers

do when barreling through a four-way stop. My Honda sounded a brief note, meek and whiny, much like its driver, and along with it came my first lesson in Saigon traffic: apparently one honk is not enough. I was laughed away from the intersection.

Two long weeks have passed since then. Despite the constant danger of being on the road in Saigon, my fear has dissipated, so much so that I now drive in fourth gear and use the horn to an obnoxious degree, along with several carefully-worded expressions. The notion that driving might be enjoyable once seemed ridiculous, but I have found my comfort zone, usually sandwiched between a delivery guy and a Saigon bus. Already, the knot I'd stomached on my first day is hard to recall. As it turns out, even the most impossible things have a way of turning into the everyday.

This Country Life Eating dog may be unappealing to many western palates, but Walter Pearson sees it as an important step towards being accepted by his rural community.

Mr Happy invited us out. Most of the family went – my Vietnamese wife, the Kid Cat, Sister Eight and myself. The eldest stayed at home with the baby.

We all met up at our local dog restaurant.

Restaurant is not the right word because there is a Vietnamese word for restaurant, nha hang. Here in the South, dog restaurants are actually quan, which the dictionary translates as “field shelter” or “inn”, neither of which are really descriptive of what a quan is. Curiously, when I was here in 1972, a nha hang was considered to be a nightclub and a restaurant was a tiem an.

Ahh, the vagaries of a living language.

Dog dishes are only served at quans, which are easily recognisable. On the whole, they are simply shabby. Looking more like places that repair bikes rather than serve food, they have signs outside that read “thit cay”, “thit cho” or “cay to”.

Sometimes the signs also say “bay mon”, or seven dishes. The

quan have a limited amount of food available and once it’s finished, they close their doors.

So it’s best to get there early or ring up and check availability.

Dog was once considered a northern specialty. These days it is very popular, especially in rural areas. It is cheap, hence the low level of investment, and delicious.

Generally speaking it’s a man thing, though most of the women in our family eat it, and it is a dish typically eaten with rice whiskey. At night, you will see tables of men sitting around on those red plastic chairs under very low-level lighting, eating, drinking and smoking. These sessions are called “nhau” in Vietnamese.

It was one of these nhau sessions that Mr Happy invited us to. Despite the availability of seven or nine dishes, we tend to go for three main types.

Grilled dog meat, boiled dog meat, and a steamboat called lau.

Grilled dog is like most grilled meat in Vietnamese

cuisine. It is served juicy with sesame seeds. Boiled dog is the meat of the hind leg sliced thin.

It is eaten wrapped in that leaf vegetable that is underneath and furry on top. The roll is dipped in a purple sauce.

Lemongrass sticks are also provided to dip in the sauce and chew with the roll. Boiled dog also includes a sausage made from the dog intestines stuffed with ground meat and mixed with rice. Very tasty!

The lau is mainly the spine with meat attached to it. It is served with either that (vermicelli) noodle called mien or mi, the yellow noodle made from cassava.

Inevitably, the question arises around the morality of eating dog. The answer is twofold. First, I eat meat. How can I put dog into a separate category? Dogs are only slightly smarter than sheep and goats and I eat them. I also eat frog but not just because they can’t wag their tails or fetch.

Once you make the decision to eat meat, the question of there

being some moral objection to dog slides by the wayside.

Second, I live in a Vietnamese community where dog meat is common and where having a nhau is the way they engage with one another. It’s hard enough for a foreigner to fit in anyway. My Vietnamese friends make enough concessions for me as it is, – more than they need to. Eschewing dog meat on the dubious premise of the immorality of eating it would become yet another obstacle to acceptance and impose unfair limitations on my friends and family in the way they carry on in their social lives.

So it was in that spirit we ended up at the quan eating dog dishes and drinking from a Saigon Red bottle filled with rice whiskey, drunk from one glass shared among Mr Happy, myself and Sister Eight. Mr Happy and I drank most of it.

Because he invited us, Mr Happy ended the meal by paying the huge bill of VND 238,000. asialife HCMC 89

pub quiz School Days

1) What are the two main ingredients of Sag Aloo?

2) What fruit is a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry?

3) Which blend of tea was named after a British prime minister?

4) Which type of sugar’s name is derived from the area in Guyana from which it originated?

5) From which fruit is the drink Slivovitz made?

21) Which 2003 film starred Jack Black as Dewey Finn?

22) W. Seymour Skinner is school principal in which fictitious town?

23) “No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks” is a line from which 1970s chart topping single?

24) North Quay Secondary School is the setting for History which film, starring an Oscar 6) Which English city was known as winner?

Jorvik by the Vikings and Ebor 25) Monica Lewinsky, John F by the Romans?

Kennedy and Mick Jagger all 7) Which famous US general attended which school? competed in the 1912 Olympics The Fountain of Age in Stockholm in the Modern Pentathlon, finishing fifth?

26) 8) Who was the emperor of Japan during the second world war?

9)King Shaka became king of which ‘nation’ in 1816?

10) Which ninth century king is widely recognised as the founder of the Khmer Empire?

Chòu traùch nhieäm xuaát baûn: Nguyeãn Thò Thanh Höông Bieân taäp: Nguyeãn Vónh Trung Söûa baûn in: Löu Thuûy Trình baøy: Coâng ty TNHH QC TM DV Ba traêm saùu möôi laêm ngaøy Bìa: Coâng ty TNHH QC TM DV Ba traêm saùu möôi laêm ngaøy Nhaø XuaáT baûn toång hôïp TP. Hoà Chí MINH 62 Nguyeãn Thò Minh Khai, Q1 ÑT: 38225340 – 38296764 – 38220405 – 38296713 – 38223637 Fax: 84.8.38222726 Email: tonghop@nxbhcm.com.vn Website:www.nxbhcm.com.vn - www.fiditour.com Thöïc hieän lieân keát xuaát baûn: Coâng ty CP TT QC AsiaLIFE Media In laàn thöù nhaát, soá löôïng 4000 cuoán, khoå 20,5cm x 27,0cm GPXB soá: 318-12/CXB/552-39/THTPHCM Ngaøy 05/04/2012 In taïi Coâng ty ITAXA, ñòa chæ 126 Nguyeãn Thò Minh Khai, Q.3.

In xong vaø noäp löu chieåu thaùng 07/ 2012 AsiaLIFE Media Advertising Communications JSC 2Bis Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, PDakao, District 1 Tel: +84 8 3517 2208

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1) Spinach & Potato 2) Loganberry 3) Earl Grey 4) Demerara 5) Plums 6) York 7) General Patton 8) Hirohito (Emperor Showa) 9) Zulu 10) Jayavarman II 11) Halifax 12) Ipswich 13) Punjab – Pakistan and India 14) Port Elizabeth 15) Athens 16) Faster, Higher, Stronger 17) XXX (30th) 18) Finnish (Paavo Nurmi) 19) Sir Steve Redgrave 20) Michael Phelps 21) School of Rock 22) Springfield 23) School’s Out (Alice Cooper) 24) To Sir, With Love 25) London School of Economics 26) Hugh Jackman 27) Leonardo DiCaprio 28) Charlie Sheen 29) Vin Diesel 30) Cate Blanchett

90 asialife HCMC

Deputy Editor: Lien Hoang lien@asialifehcmc.com

Photo Editor: Fred Wissink fred@asialifehcmc.com

The Olympics 16) What is the meaning of the motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" of the Olympic Games?

17) The 2012 Summer Olympic Games are officially the Games of which Olympiad?

18) Americans Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis both won four gold medals at one Olympics. Which nationality was the only man to win five gold medals in athletics in a single year?

19) Which Englishman won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games?

20) Who is the most successful Olympian of all time in terms of gold medals?

Managing Editor: Chris Mueller chris.mueller@asialifehcmc.com

Director: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialifehcmc.com

Photography Interns: Alex McMillan, Rosa Chung

Same Name Twice 11) Which town can be found in both Nova Scotia and West Yorkshire?

12) Which city in southeast Queensland shares its name with a county town in East England?

13) Which two states with the same name border each other in South Asia?

14) Which can be a coastal city in South Africa or an area of New Jersey?

15) Which city can be one of the oldest in Europe, or home to REM and the B-52s?

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Pub Quiz Answers

Food and Drink