AsiaLIFE HCMC 58

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AsiaLIFE volume 58

www.asialifemagazine.com

20 front

06 News & Events 10 Dispatches

food

42 Tama River

Van Thu

43 Camargue

14 Q&A with Le Ly Hayslip

on the cover

20 Boxed In: The State of

storyboard

26 Duking it out on TV

style & design

44 Behind the Design: Saigon Skatepark 46 Women of the Wild

Mental Health in Vietnam

28 Transgender in Transition

40 Sterling's Saigon 41 Room Eighteen

11 Street Smart: Nguyen

16 Photo Essay: Out With the Old

38 A Quick Fix

back

50 The List 76 Spotlight 78 Street Guide

30 The Untouchables

84 Odd One Out

getaways

32 Down in the Delta

85 This Country Life

34 Water Water Eveywhere

86 Pub Quiz

36 Chasing Highway One

36

41

Cover Art Direction Johnny Murphy Photography Fred Wissink

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note from the editor

Group Director Sales & Marketing / Director Vietnam: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialife.asia Managing Editor: Chris Mueller chris@asialife.asia

Editorial Intern: Ruben Luong

Contributing Editor: Michael Tatarski michael@asialife.asia Editor-at-Large: Brett Davis brett@asialifehcmc.com

What is the leading cause of disability in the world? If you thought AIDS, cancer or even heart disease, you’d be wrong. It’s depression, with over 350 million people suffering worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation.

Depression used to be thought of as a problem reserved for the developed world, where time and money gave people the freedom to think. To an extent this is true. The less people have to worry about simple survival, the more luxury they have to contemplate things that may be wrong with themselves or their lives. Now most people in the developed world understand the dangers of depression and how real and serious it is.

But in Vietnam, that awareness has yet to spread.

As salaries and the cost of living continue to rise, so does the rate of depression and other mental illnesses.

In our cover story this month we take a look at mental health in Vietnam, something that is so stigmatised there is little support for those suffering from it and little understanding in the community. Ten years ago there was almost no proper treatment for anyone afflicted with mental illnesses, but today progress has been made. More Vietnamese are starting to train in the field, following the guidance of western doctors and practitioners. We speak to some of those who are illuminating the problems in Vietnam and trying to show what ignoring mental illness means for its future.

In a separate story we also look at the problems facing the often overlooked world of transgenders.

While more Vietnamese are beginning to support gay rights — with even some talk of legalising gay marriage — transgenders are often ignored, lumped into the same category as homosexuals rather than the gender with which they identify. We speak to a wellknown figure in this community and find out what it means to be a transgender woman in Vietnam.

Despite the challenges for many who live on the fringes of society, Vietnamese are quick to adapt. It may not seem like it at times, but the new generation of Vietnamese are a forward-thinking group, and as they lead the way in changing attitudes, much of this stigma soon will become a thing of the past.

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Photo Editor: Fred Wissink fred@asialife.asia Photographers: Alex McMillan and Linh Phanroy

Deputy Editor: Lien Hoang lien@asialife.asia

Chris Mueller

Regional Creative Director: Johnny Murphy johnny@asialife.asia

Production Manager: Nguyen Kim Hoa nguyenhoa@asialifehcmc.com

For advertising and marketing enquiries please contact: +84 938 298395 / +84 8 6680 6105 or adsales@asialifehcmc.com

AsiaLIFE Group Group Editor / Director Cambodia: Mark Bibby Jackson mark@asialife.asia Managing Editor Cambodia: Ellie Dyer Art Director Cambodia: Steve Tierney Sales Cambodia: Sorn Chantha Chantha@asialife.asia

Director Thailand: Nattamon Limthanachai (Oh) oh@asialife.asia Associate Editor Thailand: Yvonne Liang Photo Editor Thailand: Nick McGrath Sales Thailand: Piyalai Tandhnan (Ming) Ming@asialife.asia

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NEWS Eco-Tourism Award

The Caravelle Hotel last month picked up the highest honour from Vietnam’s eco-tourism benchmarking body, Green Lotus Label. It was awarded Level 5 status from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Recipients must meet environmental protection standards, use energy and resources efficiently, contribute to the local economy, culture and society, and pursue sustainable tourism. Earlier in 2012, the hotel also reaffirmed its Silver Certified status with interna-

EVENTS tional benchmarking program EarthCheck and announced it would offer only non-smoking accommodation starting in 2013.

lucky draw and international music from a live band. Nightspotandwinebarsaigon.com.

Inside the Sheraton hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, D1.

Gentlemen’s Night

Taking Youth to New Heights

Level 23 Nightspot will be the first club in town giving an exclusive offer to all gentlemen.

Every Tuesday means buy one, get one free from 9pm till late. The club is still running the same offer for ladies every Thursday from 9pm till late.

You can also join in on a Latin dance night 19 Jan, with a

Beauty and Philanthropy

The Body Shop has concluded a holiday competition won by artisans at Get Paper Industries, a traditional handmade paper products group in Nepal. The victor designed a school-shaped box to hold bath and beauty treats, using recycled materials and environmentally-friendly inks. Four percent of the income from every box goes towards social projects in Nepal, including education to more than 700 children. The Body Shop is also introducing new products in the themes of Cranberry Joy, Vanilla Bliss, and Ginger Sparkle.

Plus shimmer lotions and shower gift sets like Chocomania, Strawberry, White musk libertine, Japanese cherry blossom, and Mountain rose. For makeup without animal hair or shellfish product, try the Sparkler to add a sprinkle of glamour to face, body and hair, the four-step smoky eyes palette, or the colourglide shine lipstick. Thebodyshop.com.

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Korean Air and the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) have signed an agreement to establish a framework for cooperation, especially with the UN body’s Youth Leadership Camps. The first camp of its kind ever in

Asia will be conducted 23 Aug to 3 Sept to encourage young people with basic education and limited resources but big project ideas. The programme will give them theoretical and practical training, plus support in their careers and involvement in their local communities. Korean Air will help provide some cash support and transportation to and from the host city of Gwangju, South Korea.

Award in Danang

Fusion Maia Danang has made it into the list of the 101 best

Bringing More Fashion to Town

Tumi celebrated its third and largest store at Vincom A center with a grand opening 14 Dec. This is the new concept store of the brand with a modern white theme and large show windows. At an opening ceremony attended by actors and models, Tumi contributed 10 percent of its daily sales to KOTO Saigon, the charity and restaurant training centre. Tumi is an international brand of travel, business and lifestyle accessories, with 200 stores from New York to Paris to Tokyo, as well as retail presence in more than 65 countries. It focuses on design, functionality, and technical innovation. Tumi.com.

Early Tet

Saigon Saigon Bar will host an ‘Early Tet Party with Ciroc’ on 22 Jan, 10 floors above downtown Ho Chi Minh City. There will be free admission to the Caravelle Hotel rooftop bar, which will be decked out with Tet trees, lucky money envelopes and symbols of the shopping fever surrounding Vietnam’s most anticipated festival. Singer Minh Xu, songstress Duyen Anh, and dance troupe High Heels will entertain the crowd with upbeat performances, while Cuban band Corazon Latino and a special drum band will keep the music pumping till late. 19 Lam Son Square, D1, 08 38 23 49 99, Caravellehotel.com.

Top Hotels

Three of the world's finest hotels are located within Vietnam, according to the latest edition of the 'T+L 500', Travel + Leisure magazine's annual compendium of the best international hotels. The Nam Hai in Hoi An (pictured) won a spot on the list for the first time and was one of five hotels to receive full-page coverage in the magazine. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi and Park Hyatt Saigon made the cut again, while the Singita Grumeti Reserves in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park earned the No. 1 overall ranking.

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More Cheap Flights

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Budget carrier VietJetAir will be the country’s first to provide international flights, with a route connecting Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok planned for 10 Feb, the start of Tet. The airline also added flights linking Ho Chi Minh City with Phu Quoc and Hanoi with Dalat in December. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended the opening ceremony in Phu Quoc, while Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai the Dalat event, where VietJetAir also gave 300 health insurance cards to underprivileged locals. “This is a wonderful chance for engaged couples or newlyweds as well as tourists from the capital city to visit one of the country’s most exceptional destinations,” said Desmond Lin, VietJetAir director of business development. Vietjetair.com. hotels worldwide in 2013, according to Tatler, a travel magazine. It is the only Vietnamese company in the rankings. Hotel director Michelle Ford said, “We are really pleased and grateful to receive this award from Tatler Travel Guide 2013.

We were surprised and proud to know that Fusion Mai Danang is the only representative from Vietnam.” Previously, the hotel has been recognised by Conde Naste Traveler, in both 2011 and 2012.

French Play

Le Petit Théâtre will be staging Cuisines & Dépendances, a famous French play from the 8 asialife HCMC

early 1990s. The story is about Jacques and Martine, an middle-class couple who invite for dinner two friends they have not seen for 10 years.

A success in France, the play was nominated at the Molières Awards, and was named best humouristic show, best theatre show, best actors and best staging. Tickets for VND 250,000 can be bought at The Refinery restaurant (74 Hai Ba Trung, D1) or the shop Feeling Tropic (51 Le Van Liem, D2).

The play will run 7:30pm 28-29 Jan at the IDECAF theatre (28 Le Thanh Ton, D1). For more info: contact@le-petit-theatre. com.

Cambodia News Download the current issue of AsiaLIFE Cambodia and AsiaLIFE Thailand online at: www.asialifemagazine.com.

Sundance Premiere

A River Changes Course — a film that documents the lives of three Cambodians struggling to overcome the challenges of debt, overfishing and deforestation — is set to premiere at the 2013 Sundance film festival, its director has announced. In October, the film was screened in Phnom Penh, Koh Kong, and Siem Reap. “After the screenings, many people spoke about how touched they were by the beauty of the film and that the film made them feel very proud to be Cambodian,” said producer and director Kalyanee Mam. In the coming months, the film will be shown to students, villagers, and community organisers.

Star Performance

Music lovers should head to the InterContinental hotel this

month to catch the first part of the Catch a Cambodian Star concerts, which are set to raise scholarship funds for young musicians. Boris Slutsky, a worldrenowned Russian-American pianist and chair of the piano department at the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University, will be performing with violinist Igor Yuzefovich, Hong Kong Philharmonic concertmaster, on 26 Jan at 6pm.

Flash Mob for Airport

Siem Reap became the first airport in Cambodia to handle 2 million passengers when SilkAir’s flight MI 633 touched down on the runway on 3 Dec at 4.15pm. Lee Kui Bao, a Singaporean national, was the 2 millionth visitor to pass through the airport. The statistic comprises the total number of passengers both arriving at

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and departing from the airport.

A welcoming dance by airport personnel celebrated this milestone. To enjoy their energetic dance, visit Youtu.be/XKErj4dPvyA.

destiny,” a release states. It is his second show at Java Gallery. The first in 2007 featured a series of portraits.

Wrecked

There is a new place to join the throng of lovers of Italian cuisine in Siem Reap. L’Osteria opened on the increasingly attractive Alley West in December, offering a location that is central and intimate, without the hustle of Pub Street. Bringing together influences from his Neapolitan hometown and Milan, Francesco De Leo has created a small menu of regional specialities that he hopes represents the whole of Italy. He also hopes to improve the cultural, as well as culinary scene, with music evenings, and perhaps even literary ones, too. As the man says: “That’s amore”.

Javier Areán’s exhibition Wrecked is showing at Java Gallery until 13 Jan. The Mexico City-born exhibitor’s work includes a series of paintings and other art that document abandoned automobiles. “On occasion, the cars remain in that particular state of calmness that follows an accident or natural disaster, while in others they become a part of the landscape as a result of abandonment and the passage of time. Deprived of their utility and function, these cars are objects that dwell in our memory as evidence of an interrupted

L'Osteria opens on Alley West

Scars of Cambodia

French photographer Emilie Arfeuil and film director Alexandre Liebert have come together to produce Scars of Cambodia, a project that aims to provide a testimony of the Khmer Rouge regime through a portrait of a man bearing scars of its rule. Tut, a 52-year-old fisherman, shows the duo the hard treatment he experienced in a prison the year he turned 15. The silent film that resulted from his experiences will be shown at the Bophana centre in Phnom Penh until 3 Jan, with an accompanying photograph exhibition running until 5 Jan.

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dispatches

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Wow Factor With a new hotel opening in Bangkok every five minutes, it’s hard to get excited. But the W Hotel is a different story. Through massive silver doors you step into a place that’s glamorous, glitzy and uber-stylish.

Soft-opened on 7 Dec, the W Bangkok is part of a large Sathorn Square mixed-use development, comprising a 40-storey office tower and a 30-storey hotel tower on the grounds of the former Russian Embassy. Rather than knock down this century-old, European-inspired heritage building, the original embassy has been retained.

The interiors should be restored to their colonial-style glory by March. Information at Whotels.com/Bangkok or 66 2344 4000. – Ellen Boonstra

International Award Malaysia’s The Datai Langkawi was the only Southeast Asian hotel to walk away from the Tatler Travel Award 2013 ceremony at The Ritz Hotel in London with an award. It earned the title of “Enduring Excellence”, a top honour among eight other awards presented throughout the night. Tatler magazine features 101 hotels in its annual travel guide, visiting each of the sites narrowed down for recognition. Located on the northwest tip of Langkawi island, the hideaway is surrounded by an ancient tropical rainforest, a white sand beach and the azure waters of the Andaman Sea. More at Dataihotels.com.

Rockin’ Out in Singapore If the music scene in Vietnam isn’t doing it for you, take a jaunt to Singapore to check out the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, and Band of Horses on 30 Jan. Enjoy the off-beat vocals of Karen O, or the younger indie act, Vampire Weekend, formed when a couple of students met at Columbia University. Band of Horses has found more recent fame for its rock sound. All three Grammy-nominated bands are headlining music festival Big Night Out’s return to Asia, this time at Singapore’s Fort Canning Park.

More at Bignightout.asia, while tickets starting at $115 are at Sistic.com.sg.

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STREET SMART:

NGUYEN VAN THU

Dana Filek-Gibson finds something for everyone on this lesser-known street in District 1. Photos by Alex McMillan.

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A tiny street among the massive, heavily-congested roads of District 1, Nguyen Van Thu could easily go unnoticed. But take a turn down this narrow lane and you'd be surprised by not only how much good food is served on the sidewalks and street corners, but also how many interesting and unique local businesses have set up shop here. A stone's throw away from places like DeciBel and Saigon's famous Lunch Lady — both of which receive pretty heavy expat traffic — Nguyen Van Thu is another world of tiny, independent attractions and friendly proprietors waiting to be discovered.

To get to the area, head northwest along Hai Ba Trung Street in District 1. Nguyen Van Thu is the small road between Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Dien Bien Phu. The street begins here and continues all the way to the canal, crossing bigger thoroughfares like Mac Dinh Chi, Dinh Tien Hoang, and Nguyen Binh Khiem.

Juicy Quyen 76 Nguyen Van Thu Wedged between two buildings, this is an easy place to miss. But what the little juice shop lacks in size it makes up for in presentation. Feast your eyes on every kind of fruit imaginable piled high atop the plexiglass shelves, from sapodilla to strawberries and apples to aloe vera and papayas. A small sign out front displays its name and the welloiled operation inside serves freshly-made smoothies and juices from VND 15,000 to VND 20,000 apiece.

Sticky Rice (Xoi) Cart next to 76 Nguyen Van Thu 12 asialife HCMC

Though it's found on many streets throughout the city, any xoi cart that offers both the sweet and savoury varieties of this delicious dish is worth mentioning. We snapped up a box of sweet purple sticky rice topped with coconut milk, sugar, mung bean, green onions, and coconut shavings for just VND 10,000, as well as a savoury chicken and cha sticky rice. This cart also offers various hues of sticky rice, including the standard white, orange, and green, and you can customise your order with whatever toppings you prefer.

Grilled Bananas (Chuoi Nuong Nep) corner of Dinh Tien Hoang & Nguyen Van Thu For a more unique treat, track down the woman at this intersection well-known for her smoky-sweet grilled bananas covered in glutinous rice. Each mouth-watering serving comes with a cool coconut-milk-andtapioca dipping sauce, which pairs nicely with the sweetness of the fruit. One bite and you'll taste why this is a worthy purchase at VND 15,000.

Cafe Vy corner of Nguyen Van Thu & Dinh Tien Hoang Bright and airy, Cafe Vy is certainly a must for coffee enthusiasts. The shop, featuring both cafe-style seating and bulk coffee for sale, offers customers a wide variety of beans. Choosing from more popular types such as robusta and arabica to the less-common weasel coffee and other selections, customers can enjoy a cup while taking in the life of the street corner or buy coffee to take home, which can

be ground on the spot. Prices range from VND 30,000 to VND 75,000. While the cheaper version was none too exciting, the mid-range and more expensive options would definitely make this a good place for a morning cup of joe.

Lau Nam Chay An Nhien 94 Nguyen Van Thu There's no shortage of vegetarian restaurants in the city, but few compare to this one. An

Nhien serves up its own delicious meat-free spin on several hard-to-find Vietnamese favourites, from hu tieu to mi quang.

Best of all, the establishment only uses natural ingredients, opting for tofu and mushrooms instead of mock meats. For a quick bite, try the banh beo, a miniature rice cake that toes the line between sweet and savoury, or the vegetarian spring rolls, which employ a combination of vegetables and tofu for a unique,

earthy flavour. For a full meal, the mixed mushroom pho (pho nam thap cam) is unbeatable.

Most dishes run between VND 30,000 and VND 60,000, though the vegetarian hotpot is a bit more expensive.

F&B Wine Shop 191 Nguyen Van Thu It doesn’t look like much from outside, but one step into the F&B Wine Shop will convince you otherwise. Stocked with

a selection of Chilean wines, olive oil, chocolates, and other highly valuable foreign imports, this shop is run by friendly folks who speak English quite well and have a vast knowledge of the products in stock. A bottle of wine can be anywhere from VND 200,000 to upwards of VND Get directions 700,000.

117 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Le Ly Hayslip Oliver Stone’s Heaven and Earth told the Vietnam War story of a villager who experienced torture as an accused traitor by both sides, as well as rape and prostitution before fleeing with a suicidal husband to San Diego. The film was based on memoirs by Le Ly Hayslip, who went on to create the nonprofit East Meets West foundation. Last month, at a screening of Heaven and Earth in Ho Chi Minh City, Hayslip was on hand to take questions from the audience. Photo by Fred Wissink.

How well does the film reflect your books?

It’s true, line by line. When Oliver Stone asked me to help him with the script-writing at his house in Santa Barbara, he asked me, how would I like to see the movie come out? I told him, everything but the Rambo woman, and he laughed about it. And so then every time that he had any new version on his screenplay, he asked me to review it, and I was quite surprised that he copied, line by line, word by word from the book.

Why did you write the books?

In 1970, when I first come to the US, my husband’s family always watch the news and say things like, why Vietnam always fight? Every time American get killed or wounded, they looked at me and said, ‘Oh it’s a shame, shame, you Vietnamese people killed our people.’ And every time a Vietnamese who lived in a house or village died or wounded, they looked at me and said, ‘What a shame, what a shame that you people want to kill one another.’ And all the painful comments that I carried

in my heart for many, many years. And every time they said that, I have a note that I wrote in Vietnamese, I said, ‘Yeah you don’t know anything about the war, you don’t know anything about Vietnam. Let me tell you why we had to fight.’

If war had not started in Vietnam, what would your life have been like?

The war teach me a lot, taught me so many different skills. If the war had not come to my village in 1962, I would be an old grandmom and maybe I’d be dead by now … Living in America, I not only tried to survive but also educate myself on freedom of speech and freedom of country I need to learn and force myself to learn.

How has Vietnam changed since you left?

I saw Vietnam from 1986 to now change a lot, it’s progress faster than I imagined, especially in a communist country. It changed in many good ways, now that you can go to school or go to market and buy anything you want, you have plenty of food to eat and all the young generation

like you have more than you need and want, much more than your grandparents and parents.

All the good things I see, but there’s also the bad things along with it. So many cars but the road is still the same. Many, many schools but short of teachers. The children need a better education, especially in countryside. I also know that there’s a lot of tall buildings, a lot of resources, a lot of golf courses and all those things which is for the westerners. But I don’t know how many Vietnamese play golf and how many Vietnamese can stay in a five-star resort and hotel.

Has there been anyone in the book or movie that has come forth and said, ‘Hey that was me you were talking about?’

No, I have not met anybody that I know back then. However, one MP [military police] that, not beat up my sister Loan but it’s more like an investigation, because whatever happened I don’t know, but when he saw the movie he recognised my sister. And so he came to me and I took him to visit my sister.

That’s the only one.

If you could do it again, would you still have left Vietnam?

If my life just like what I saw in 1962 to 1965 in my village, and if become a refugee, on the street, being a maid, being a servant to the rich, I would escape Vietnam. Then and now, if I had to do again, I don’t think I’d do any different.

The movie mentions that your children don’t speak Vietnamese. Do they?

My children, none of them can speak it. My youngest son Alan lived here for eight years, but too many beautiful Vietnamese girls broke his heart many times. And so that December I moved him back to the US and now he works for Oliver Stone on a 10-part documentary.

You had a cameo in the film?

Seven parts, three in which you can see my face. The woman sweeping the house, when the old man yells at her, that’s me. Whenever I would give my opinion, saying, ‘Oliver, you should do this, you should do that,’ he said, ‘You do it.’ asialife HCMC 15

Photo Essay

Out with the old

Travelling to China is a mixture of experiences. It is a nation striving for modernity while observing traditions, customs and lifestyles established by generations of a former time. As China charges towards the future, life for its people and the outlook of the country are changing. The bases of ultra-modern skyscrapers are still home to noodle carts and soup stalls, and technologically advanced high-speed trains transport you to structures that have stood for centuries. Many of the city streets in these images are no longer the same — they have made way for the new China. Photos by Andreas Paul Schultz. To see more of his work, visit Andrepaul-photography.com.

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Each year, one out of every four people worldwide experiences at least one diagnosable mental health problem and an estimated 450 million people already suffer from mental health disorders. It’s numbers like these that lead experts to agree that mental illness and neurological disorders have become the leading cause of disabilities and suffering around the globe. And in Vietnam, with so few mental health professionals, most mental illnesses are mishandled, if they’re handled at all. Cultural stigmas, misperceptions, and poor management leave many mental health professionals and their patients in Vietnam fighting an uphill battle. By Chris Mueller. Photos by Fred Wissink.

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It didn’t take long for Le Thi Phuong Nga to realise something was wrong with her son.

He was sick, that was clear, but it wasn’t like anything she had seen before. In desperation she brought him to a Swiss doctor working in Ho Chi Minh City at the time.

“He told me straight away that my son was autistic,” Nga says. “I asked him, ‘What is autism?’ And he pointed to my son and said, ‘That is autism.’”

The doctor warned Nga that if she stayed in Vietnam her son, Nicky, would have a very difficult life, suffering from a disorder that made it nearly impossible for him to communicate or even do simple tasks like eating.

This was in the late 1990s, when few in Vietnam knew what autism was, and even fewer knew how to treat it.

Nga had already lived in the United States before Nicky was born and she feared he couldn’t handle the move. So instead, she packed her bags and headed to Pennsylvania on her own for the first of many courses she would take over the next six years that would teach her how to care for her son properly.

Now Nicky is 15 years old. He still has communication problems, but is almost entirely independent. The experience has changed his mother, too. Over the past 13 years, she has been teaching Vietnamese parents how to take care of their autistic children’s needs at home. Many of these parents are referred to Nga because they don’t know where else to go and doctors have let them down.

She says it used to take months to convince parents their children weren’t afflicted by some curse, but had a problem that with 22 asialife HCMC

time and work could be treated. Most people who come to her now are very open and willing to learn.

“Parents are starting to have the right attitude and understand that this is a sickness that can be improved, not a punishment from some god or bad luck,” she says.

Nga, Nicky and the workshops have been featured in dozens of local newspapers and magazines, something she says has started to change the way people view mental illnesses and developmental disorders in Vietnam.

Nga says that many of the parents who come to her workshops do not understand the disorder at all. Either they have stigmatised their own children already for fear of losing face, or their neighbours have done it for them.

“A lot of parents feel ashamed of their own children,” she says. “Very few can overcome it and they try to hide their kids, making it worse.”

While some argue that autism is not actually a mental illness, but a developmental disorder, most agree that it is still a mental health issue. People with autism also tend to be vulnerable to other problems like anxiety and depression.

Either way, autism illustrates the problem Vietnam faces: Stigma and misconceptions still plague the mentally ill.

The hidden burden In any given year, an estimated 15 percent of the Vietnamese population has a diagnosable mental disorder, and about 2.7 million Vietnamese have severe disorders, according to

the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), which develops community-based mental health projects in Vietnam.

There are very few thorough studies about the state of mental health care in Vietnam, and those that are available paint a grim picture. In one of only two studies published about maternal health in Vietnam, 33 percent of women at general health clinics in Ho Chi Minh City were found to be depressed and of them, 19 percent had suicidal tendencies, according to Thao Griffiths, the Vietnam country representative of VVAF. Vietnam certainly isn’t the only country to suffer from high rates of depression. The World Health Organisation ranks it as the most burdensome health condition globally, more so than AIDS and cancer. It is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting 350 million people.

But Vietnam is a complicated place for treating and understanding depression, says Bente Sternberg, a psychotherapist who has been working in Vietnam for 10 years. War, famine and poverty left many in the older generation scarred, choosing to deal with depression or post-traumatic stress the same way Vietnamese always have: with support from family. Of course, that didn’t always work.

“Vietnam had a ‘life is hard, live with it or get over it’, way of dealing with mental illness,” says Dr Carl Sternberg, a psychotherapy consultant, a clinical psychologist and Bente’s husband.

But things are different in modern Vietnam.

Younger generations were born into a world free of war and starvation. The economy

‘Parents are starting to have the right attitude and understand that this is a sickness that can be improved, not a punishment from some god or bad luck’ -Le Thi Phuong Nga, mother of an autistic child

has slowed in recent years, but its previous boom encouraged many young Vietnamese to migrate to the cities to attend university, find a job, or do both. As more Vietnamese are leaving home, the safety net of the family is disappearing.

Bente says anxiety or stress from work or school while being so far away from that support network is now the leading cause of depression among young Vietnamese.

Living with ambiguity It’s not just Vietnamese who are struggling with mental health in Vietnam, but expats as well. For many, a new job in a foreign land can lead to a number of problems for a working spouse or his or her family. Carl calls anxiety one of the most common prob-

lems among foreigners.

He says that spouses sent here by their employers are required to work at such high levels, for so many hours, and in such a state of ambiguity — not understanding the culture or language — that a lot of the time they burn out.

“Stress is cumulative,” he says. “It’s like a water bottle being squeezed until there is no room. Then it blows its top.”

For the non-working spouse, too, problems can arise. Many are thrown into the country without a proper support network, Carl says. “Spouses give up friends and comfort. They find themselves in a vacuum feeling empty and trying to find meaning.”

And in today’s struggling global economy, it’s not easy to give up a good job and relocate the entire family back home. Instead, asialife HCMC 23

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‘[Expat] spouses give up friends and comfort. They find themselves in a vacuum, feeling empty and trying to find meaning’ -Dr Carl Sternberg, clinical psychologist

many expats turn to alcohol or extramarital affairs, which in turn can take its toll on the entire family.

But mental health treatment has come a long way in the western world, and expats are more likely to seek out help than hide their issues.

For Vietnamese, however, it’s not as easy.

Diagnosing the problem Bahr Weiss, an American psychologist working in Vietnam, recalls once working with a Vietnamese man who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, one of the more commonly treated mental illnesses in Vietnam.

When the man was 18, the woman he had fallen in love with left, and he became heartbroken and obsessed. He went to a doctor, was quickly diagnosed with schizo-

phrenia, and received a prescription for antipsychotic medication. He took the drugs for 15 years, causing him to become severely depressed and barely able to function. After a recommendation, the man went to another doctor, who immediately recognised he had been misdiagnosed. He took him off the medication and the man quickly improved.

Overmedication and misdiagnosis is not unique to Vietnam. But, Weiss says, the problem is the number of people in the country who practice mental health, prescribe medicine and give treatment without relevant training.

“One of the reasons mental health is more difficult is because what you do with things like psychotherapy is talk to someone and help them change,” he says. “Then someone sees [the therapy] and thinks all that is being done is talking, and they try to do it.

They don’t understand the complexity of it.

They wouldn’t think that with other medical fields, like surgery.”

Despite the unlicensed treatment centres that are popping up, especially in Hanoi, Weiss says there are a growing number of well-trained Vietnamese doctors and psychologists who are providing excellent care.

It's just not enough.

Right now there are only an estimated 0.32 psychologists for every 100,000 people in Vietnam, compared with 13.7 in the United States and 11 in the United Kingdom, according to a 2010 report about mental health in Vietnam.

That’s where organisations like Learning Strategies are trying help. Learning Strategies, in Phu My Hung, Distirct 7, specialises in educational and behavioural support programs for families and schools in Asia. Here they not only focus on tailoring sessions for each client or child, but also run workshops aimed at educating Vietnamese professionals about mental illness and how to treat them.

It’s also not as bad as many think, says Tony Louw, the managing director and founder of Learning Strategies. He says that in his experience Vietnamese have a very open attitude towards disabilities, and he’s seen a huge improvement with mental health care in Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City alone, there are now 20 special needs schools and the amount of government investment in them is high.

“I think there is a stigma about the stigma,” he says. “A lot of the time westerners project their ideas on Vietnamese. There needs to be local cultural knowledge built into it.”

asialife HCMC 25

Duking it out on TV Two foreigners and their Vietnamese teammates go head to head in a reality show with a surprise ending. By Lien Hoang.

At one point, it was herding ducks. At another, it was enlisting strangers for a tug-ofwar. But the hardest part was pulling two snakes from a cage and cleaning them off.

26 asialife HCMC

“The first one was obedient but the second one was an asshole, the one who bit me,” said Aditi Deonarine, a Canadian expat who will appear in a Vietnamese reality show

that puts contestants through grueling tasks, mostly in the countryside.

She called the show a Vietnamese take on America’s The Amazing Race, because her team of two had to dash in and around Ca Mau, at the southernmost point of Vietnam, completing challenges to earn points against another team of two. The prize was VND 50 million.

But producers said the program was based on one in Japan that pairs up players to see how well they work together. It translates as Perfect Companions, while the Viet-

namese version is called Ban Duong Hop Y. Deonarine, 25, ended up with a swollen, blue hand thanks to Snake Number Two. “I think he was pissed we woke him up,” she said. Though the venom sent a warm, numbing rush through her blood, she ultimately did not have to go to the hospital.

She and her partner, Le Hoang Phi, went up against another expat-Vietnamese duo, William Naythons and Nguyen Lan Phuong. Their weeklong adventure in Ca Mau will make up one out of six episodes in the series, each of which

features different pairings.

The idea is to couple diverse foreigners — Deonarine, who was born in Trinidad, said her brown skin probably helped — with famous Vietnamese. Phi is an MC and Lan Phuong is an actress.

“I was impressed by the depth of the challenges,” Naythons, 23, said. “It was sort of this great array that let you experience facets of daily life in the Mekong Delta that you couldn’t experience yourself.”

For most of the week, the rivals dealt with separate but similar assignments. For Lan Phuong and Naythons, that meant making a knife or catching crabs by hand, while their opponents made pottery or used hammers and picks to scrape oysters off a rock wall.

Naythons, who is from New York, writes for several Vietnamese newspapers — in Vietnamese. Deonarine, on the other hand, has trouble pronouncing her address in Ho Chi Minh City.

“Me and William talked so much, because we can speak two languages, and the other team didn’t say anything,” Lan Phuong, 29, said. “But that could be an advantage for them, they could focus more on the challenge.”

Phi doesn’t speak much English, so Deonarine thought they stood no chance against their bilingual adversaries, especially after losing the first round. In one of the few events when the two teams competed against each other, face to face, Phi and Deonarine dropped the bucket that they had to fill with water, using leaves as shovels.

“We thought, ‘We’re doomed’,” she said.

But they did find ways to work together. The pottery challenge required them to sculpt 10 pots in 30 minutes, but Deonarine’s creations kept falling apart. So they split up the work; she was good at laying out the rectangles of clay, and Phi was good at spinning them on the potter’s wheel.

Lan Phuong and Naythons depended on each other, too.

She stepped in when his height made it awkward and difficult during the knife-making challenge. He typically stepped in when she was too scared to go on.

“For me, I have a lot of fear, phobia of everything, of snakes, worms, and all kinds of things,” she said. When they had to wade through dirty water, more than once, she hesitated. “I don’t know what’s inside the mud or the water.

At first I think, ‘No, no, I can’t do it.’ But he said, ‘I hold your hand, it’s OK.’” So she did it. “After the show my leg had lots of, thousands of cuts,” she said.

Producers recruited Lan Phuong, in part, because seeing a beautiful actress do dirty work makes for good television. But participants also were selected for their energy and willingness to discover new things.

In one competition, they were given VND 200,000 to get a dramatic makeover at a hair salon. In another, they paddled through swamp water to collect ducks into a pen. The crew “were just laughing because I kept jumping in the water,” Deonarine said. She would gather five at a time, only to be pecked and lose one.

“I was surprised because they all were competitive, they really fought to win,” said Vu Thuy Dung, an editor on the show, produced by MCV. She also said MCV, which has an office in Tokyo, chose Ca Mau to introduce the players to some of Vietnam’s picturesque landscapes. Other episodes take place elsewhere around the country, but every foreigner leaves the show with renewed love for Vietnam, Dung said.

Ban Duong Hop Y, which premiered in December, airs Sundays at 10pm on HTV7.

The episode starring Naythons, Deonarine, and their teammates will run in February.

Photos courtesy of MCV

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Vietnamese law doesn't allow transgenders like Cindy Thai Tai to change their sex, either on paper or through surgery.

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Transgenders in

Transition Singer and actor Cindy Thai Tai has been Vietnam’s most famous transgender for years, but only recently has the country had real discussions about expanding rights for people like her.

By Lien Hoang. Photo by Dai Ngo. She sings, she acts, she performs, but Cindy Thai Tai really wants one thing: to be ignored.

More than a decade after she had sex reassignment surgery, Cindy remains by far the most recognisable transgender in Vietnam. In the beginning, she tried to head off problems by coming out to the media.

“I used to go out on the street, people follow and ask many questions,” Cindy says.

But now, “people aren’t as interested or curious as before.” Just look around, she says, pointing generally at the capacity-level cafe where we’re meeting. Aside from a few friends who greeted her, no one is taking notice.

It’s a sign that transgender people are integrating into Vietnamese society more smoothly than ever. But inequality persists, and the topic of transgender rights is in a state of flux.

Last summer, gay rights in Vietnam picked up international headlines when the country’s justice minister broached the possibility of same-sex unions, as policymakers prepare to overhaul national marriage laws in 2013.

“Of course, it’s good news,” Cindy says of first hearing about the developments. “They’re gay, yes, but they’re still human, they just want to live their lives, be happy. Why not?”

She is deliberate in saying “they” because Cindy identifies as a woman who wants to marry a man, not as a homosexual. But as gay rights gain momentum, advocates are hoping transgenders can ride the growing wave of public support for sexual classifications beyond just ‘straight’.

Advocates for transgenders — not to be confused with transvestites, also known as crossdressers — take issue with two main shortcomings in the law.

The first prevents them from choosing their gender on an ID card, whether man, woman, or even another option. The exception is if an infant is born with male and female traits, in which case the parents can select a gender.

“If you ask me, the categorisation of the whole world into men and women, not allowing a third gender, is not reflecting reality,” Rosa Luxemburg country direc-

and a butterfly clip holding her hair in a bun, Cindy tells me that even as a little boy she knew she was female, preferring girls’ toys and clothes.

Try as she might, Cindy never really got her parents’ acceptance. “My family fought all the time.”

She adds, reaching for a tissue, “It was hell.”

That’s one of the subjects that will bring tears to her eyes. The other is the death of her fiance.

Cindy, who has performed across Vietnam, the United States, and Europe, had planned to settle with her partner of three

“If you ask me, the categorisation of the whole world into men and women, not allowing a third gender, is not reflecting reality” Nadja Charaby, whose foundation sponsored a transgender forum

tor Nadja Charaby says. The German research foundation co-sponsored a transgender talk in Hanoi in August.

The second challenge is sex reassignment surgery. Most Vietnamese who can afford the five-figure price tag fly to Bangkok where, unlike in Vietnam, the operations are available.

That’s where Cindy went. She says she didn’t have the procedure because it would turn her into a woman — she did it to become the person she’s always been. That distinction is what Vietnamese don’t understand about transgenders, she says.

Dressed in brown, doublebuckle pumps, an olive shawl,

years in the United Kingdom.

But in spring 2012, he died of complications related to a brain tumor.

She stopped wearing her ring, and she gave fewer concerts.

When she did sing abroad, promoters billed her as the first Vietnamese transgender to come to town.

Besides entertainment, Cindy does makeup and owns a bridal shop near Le Van Tam park in District 1 — ironic, because she won’t tie the knot until the law (here or abroad) recognises her as a woman marrying a man.

That’s what she could have had with her British fiance. “I want to wear a wedding dress for the

most important day of my life,” she says.

The challenges of starting a family extend to children. “The saddest thing in my life is I can’t have a kid,” Cindy says. Instead, she looks after her sister’s son.

She also strives for some of the details that she believes more identifies her with the fairer sex, from keeping her age a secret, to wearing less makeup (which seemed more necessary presurgery), from naming herself after Cindy Crawford, to asking friends and acquaintances what they think of her gender.

“I joke with people when they ask my relationship with Cindy, I say, Cindy is more womanly than I am," says Vu Ha Anh, a model, singer, and friend. “She's very feminine, the way she thinks, the way she moves, the way she does everything.”

“I treat her like a real woman,” says friend Jacobs Nguyen.

“Sometimes she’s really bitchy, she talks too much, she cries too much, she’s too feminine. But she’s a real woman.”

Few who know anything about Vietnamese transgenders have not heard of Cindy, whose celebrity might have been ahead of its time. Only in the past year have advocates started to catch up. The LGBT lobby ICS, short for Information Connecting and Sharing, says it recently has been shifting more attention to transgenders, after years of focusing on gay rights.

“Cindy Thai Tai may be the first one, but we need more people to come out and tell their stories,” ICS project officer Vu Kieu Chau Loan says. “Society needs to see more people come out, so they see that we have more of a community here.” asialife HCMC 29

the

Untouchables

S

Still a common disease in parts of the developing world, leprosy has long been viewed as a scourge in Vietnam, even as medical treatment has reduced its impact. By Chris Mueller. Photos by Fred Wissink.

itting cross-legged on a small hospital bed, Nguyen Van Muoi quickly comes to life.

He waves his thin, wrinkly arms with faded words tattooed on them — and what are left of his hands — energetically in the air as he answers questions. He tells the story of how he ended up at the Ben San Leprosy Hospital like a Quentin Tarantino movie: opening somewhere in the middle, then jumping to the end before starting over from the beginning.

Muoi, 75, was first diagnosed with leprosy, the disease that took his hands and feet and ravaged other parts of his body, after he was wounded in 1970 while sloshing through the rice fields of southern Vietnam, where he fought the US and South Vietnamese armies. A bomb exploded, sending shrapnel into his belly, and eventually sending him to a field hospital where a doctor told him what he already knew — he had leprosy.

Muoi knew the diagnosis meant he could never live in a normal community, and when the war ended, he took to begging on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. In 1996, he was arrested for begging and first arrived at Ben San, about 40 kilmotres from the city, in chains. By that time his leprosy had progressed so far that the police wouldn’t put him in a normal prison for fear of causing an outbreak. Instead they locked him up in a small leper prison at Ben San. The prison closed about 10 years ago.

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After being released, Muoi made his way to a small village outside of Bien Hoa north of Ho Chi Minh City, where he still scratches by as a beggar today.

All 100 people in his village are beggars and former leprosy patients, treated and no longer

contagious. But the disease has already taken its toll, leaving their bodies so warped that they are still shunned from society.

Hundreds of villages like Muoi’s can be found throughout Vietnam, many concentrated in poor areas of the Central Highlands,

and treatment centres like Ben San are too full to allow more patients to stay permanently.

Leprosy, also called Hansen’s Disease, is an ancient ailment that has been documented for nearly 3,000 years. For centuries it was thought of as a scourge sent by some supernatural power to punish its victims. Lepers were historically ostracised and forced to live at the fringes of society, and for many in Vietnam that way of thinking has changed little.

But the treatment and understanding of the disease has come a long way since then.

It’s now known that leprosy is caused by bacteria that do nerve damage leading to paralysis, typically in the hands, feet, eyes and face. While the exact mode of transmission still eludes scientists, today the disease is not very contagious, with about 90 to 95 percent of the population naturally immune to it.

Treatment has become much easier as well. Once diagnosed, patients undergo a multidrug regimen for 6 months to a year, which uusally cures them.

Amputations are now rare. After two weeks of treatment most patients are no longer contagious. The drugs involved are also widely available, and in Vietnam a western pharmaceutical company provides them free to hospitals.

At the Ben San Leprosy Hospital all of the patients are treated, cured or no longer contagious. The government-funded hospital is impressive, especially

by Vietnamese standards. Its

green and breezy grounds are spread out over 90 hectares, and 700 people live there permanently while hundreds of others come for treatment. Behind its walls, a dirt road flanked by tall trees leads to a central treatment area. Multiple wards filled with leprosy patients make up the majority of the cluster of buildings. Dirt paths surrounded by flowers and lush vegetation link the wards with houses scattered around the edges of the grounds.

Here families tend gardens and raise livestock. The whole place is kept tidy by nuns who also live on the compound.

This isn’t a leper colony, but a hospital with trained doctors.

Leprosy has decreased so dramatically in Vietnam that most of the patients at Ben San are elderly, and treated for problems more associated with aging than leprosy.

Since 1985, the number of

cases worldwide has dropped significantly as well, from about 5.2 million to around 200,000 by the end of 2011, according to the World Health Organisation. And in Vietnam there are only about 350 new documented cases a year, compared to 126,000 in India — one of the worst countries for leprosy — and around 100 in the United States.

Although new cases have gone down drastically, Dr Vo Duc Huy, the head medical doctor at the hospital, says one of the biggest challenges is finding space for new patients to live on site.

When the hospital first opened its doors in 1959, leprosy was endemic. At the time, the prevalence rate in the Central Highlands was one of the highest in the world, according to WHO, and whole families were ostracised. Many of them made their way to Ben San.

Today, of the 700 people living at Ben San, 250 are family members of patients. Of those 250, half no longer have leprosy patients in their families, but they stay at the compound even after their relatives pass away.

“This is one of the biggest problems here,” says Huy, who has worked at Ben San for 14 years. “They first came here a long time ago but there is still such a stigma and now they can’t go back into the community.”

Despite the triumph of modern medicine, leprosy is still widely feared and misunderstood in Vietnam.

Ngo Truc Hieu was born at Ben San two years after his leprosy-infected parents moved there in 1976. He grew up on the compound, attending school in the nearby town. It was at school, he says, that he first realised how the rest of Vietnam

viewed leprosy. Despite not being infected, Hieu became an outcast, untouchable by association. Even the school principal made him bring his own water from home and wouldn’t allow him to play with the other children.

Hieu still lives at Ben San with his wife, who works at the hospital as a nurse. He says people are more understanding of the disease these days, but many are still afraid of it.

While the hospital has plans to reintegrate former leprosy patients and, more importantly, those who have never suffered from the disease, it is too late for many. They have spent the majority of their lives at Ben San and think of it as their home.

For those born on the grounds, the outside world is a frightening thought, and living among the outcasts is the only life they know.

asialife HCMC 31

Down DELTA IN THE

Michael Tatarski discovers that the unassuming border town of Chau Doc is one of the Mekong Delta’s biggest surprises.

Photos by Michael Tatarski and Alex McMillan.

32 asialife HCMC

There is no shortage of great spots in Vietnam worthy of four-star hotels, but Chau Doc isn’t the first to spring to mind.

This town, on the VietnamCambodia border west of Can Tho, isn’t particularly wellknown and has no beaches or world-class landscapes.

Nonetheless, the Victoria Chau Doc Hotel has called the town home for 13 years. The beautiful, colonial-style hotel sits on the banks of the Bassac River, offering sweeping views of life on the water. From my room I was able to watch the floating market buzz with activity at dawn, and see the tourist boats coming in from Phnom Penh, a few hours upriver. The Victoria is a popular stopover for people transiting between Cambodia and southern Vietnam, and its pool, excellent restaurant, and bar — all of which overlook the river — offer great places for the weary traveller to unwind.

On my first night in town I strolled around the area to find that the pace of life was a welcome relief from the neon-lit wall of sound that is Ho Chi Minh City. There are no taxis in Chau Doc, and motorbike traffic is light. The primary mode of public transportation is xe loi, road bikes hitched to a small cart that can hold two people, albeit uncomfortably. After enjoying the peace and quiet of the neighbourhoods, I had a beer on the hotel’s riverfront veranda, feeling a bit colonial as lightning over the border lit up the night sky.

The following morning we visited Sam Mountain, which, at 230 metres, is the highest peak in the Delta. There are a number of pagodas and temples on the mountain, several of which attract pilgrims from all over the country. At the summit we could see rice paddies fanning out in every direction, as well as Cambodia in the distance.

The hike up the mountain had left us drenched in sweat, so I decided to relax at the hotel before heading to a selfcontained Khmer community 20km outside of Chau Doc. The residents speak little, if any, Vietnamese, and have carved out their own slice of Cambodia inside Vietnam. As soon as we

turned off the main road into the community, we were met with Khmer locals, whose dark complexions and broad faces were a stark contrast to those of the Vietnamese.

The Khmers have built their own place of worship, which featured a few structures that house monks and one large temple with detailed paintings covering the interior walls.

In addition to the rare Khmer script on many of the buildings, the architecture recalled Angkor Wat in some areas, though much less grand.

After checking out the temple we drove to the Tra Su forest, an 845-hectare area of cajuput trees, around which the provincial government has built a dyke to control flooding. The forest is submerged roughly one to two metres, so the only way to get around is on water.

We boarded a rickety longboat with a wheezing engine and cruised through dense clumps of vegetation. In some areas the plants on the water were so thick birds were able to walk on them.

Tra Su also acts as a bird sanctuary, home to many rare and endangered species. At one point we had to disembark from the longboat and switch to canoes, with a forest employee paddling at the back.

Boats with engines aren’t allowed in that part of the forest because they could frighten young birds into falling out of the trees and drowning. And without the engine, we noticed the sheer volume of the forest for the first time. There were thousands of birds chirping and screeching, their nests packing the trees. Amazingly, I didn’t see a single piece of trash the entire time we were in the forest.

The following morning as I returned to Ho Chi Minh City, I was reminded of the worst part about Chau Doc: getting there and back. The road to the town is terrible, and the drivers on it even worse, making for an uncomfortable seven-hour drive.

But at the end is the luxury of the Victoria hotel and a surprising array of things to see and do around Chau Doc.

asialife HCMC 33

Water Water EVERYWHERE

As Myanmar opens its doors to business and travel, Mark Bibby Jackson tries the fairways of Yangon’s Pun Hlaing Golf Club to test the country’s potential for golf tourism.

My ball soars, as if guided by angels, straight towards the inviting green ahead. A 520yard par five, the 18th is the longest hole on the Pun Hlaing Golf Club. It also proves to be my nemesis.

The vast lake surrounding it claims my umpteenth ball of the day — I have already had to send back for reinforcements. I check with my caddy

before placing my last remaining ball on dry land on the far side of the water hazard. The Royal and Ancient Rules that govern golf will have to wait for drier times. Eventually I putt out.

The day started in more auspicious circumstances.

Early 20th-century travellers described the 1901-built Strand Yangon as “the finest hostelry

East of Suez”. Graced by the likes of Somerset Maugham, George Orwell, Sir Noel Coward and Rudyard Kipling, it was to be my home for two nights.

From the colonnaded exterior to the marble lobby and four-poster beds, the Strand exudes a timeless elegance that has somehow survived the economic embargo of the country.

That is more than can be said for the limousine that takes me to the golf course some eight miles west of the city. Buy at least it has a functioning seat belt and a semiefficient air-con unit, unlike the car I took from the airport the day before.

While the Pun Hlaing Golf Club is imbued with green tranquility, the route to the course is far from that. With motorbikes banned from the city, Yangon’s streets are littered with beaten up cars playing a game of dodge ‘ems on the streets, as pedestrians stand in line awaiting a break in the endless stream of traffic.

Since my last visit some 18 months previous, there has been an increase in the number of new cars — coinciding with the opening up of the country — but the banger is still de rigueur.

The journey to the course can take anything from 40 minutes to an hour and a half and, as we plough our way over a clunkety-clunk bridge on the outskirts of town, I can see why. The queue of traffic going the other way bodes ill for our journey back.

Designed by Gary Player, the Pun Hlaing Golf Club is set on a peninsula between two rivers, but it is the water located on the course that is the standout feature. Water flanks the fairways and any errant drive is likely to suffer an early bath, as I find out to my cost. Having hosted the Myanmar Open in 2010, it is arguably the best course in the country.

The first drive I hit is straight and true, but unfortunately this proves the highlight of the day. The following hole, the first par five of the day, is the first time I find water — twice off the tee. According to

my caddy’s generous scoring I escape with a triple-bogey, but she is not fooling me, this is going to be a long round.

Although not as picturesque as the Dalat Palace course in Vietnam — surely the most aesthetically pleasing course in the region — Pun Hlaing is not without its charms.

The par-four 14th is a stand out hole. Golfers must drive over a lake and onto the narrow fairway for an approach to the green. The surrounding fairways resemble an English garden, albeit with orchids substituting for petunias.

Somehow I manage to clear the water and, despite triple putting, escape with a double bogey.

It is, however, the 18th that is both the most striking and most challenging hole on the course. The green is an island, linked to the fairway by a narrow causeway. It is here that I am destined to lose three balls before throwing in the towel.

My last encounter with water is undeniably the most pleasant. With a noon tee-off, a shower is essential, along with a change of clothes.

The traffic is still steady as we cross the bridge back to Yangon, but at least I know that the Strand awaits. Paying the driver, I enter the hotel bar to enjoy an early evening’s gin tonic and imagine what the hotel’s previous famed guests would have thought of my golf.

Mark Twain may never have said the famous phrase attributed to him, “golf is a good walk spoilt”, and he certainly never stayed at the Strand, but it is this saying that I recall.

For me, it was not so much the golf as the water that spoilt my walk. At least in the bar the only water to be found is tonic.

Photos Courtesy of Pun Hlaing Golf Club

Chasing

Highway

One

36 asialife HCMC

Fred Wissink finds the best part of a trip to coastal California is the empty road.

It began as a reunion between my three siblings and me, the first in more than a decade. It ended with a classic American road trip through San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Cruz and California Wine Country.

Connecting it all was California Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway.

Living in Asia I tend to forget how big North America is.

There is so much space. Even the major cities have an open feeling to them that you don't get in Asia. Of course, that feeling is more apparent when you leave the cities and start getting out on the road.

San Francisco, the city that was at the heart of the hippy movement in the 60s, definitely still has some of that vibe. From the graffiti to the food, always feels like something is happening just around the corner, but not in a frantic way. It is very much a "we are going somewhere, but when is not really an issue" kind of place.

I think the same goes for much of California, the parts

that I saw at least. Marin County and the small towns of Tiburon, Fairfax and Sausalito have that classic small-town America feel that you find in movies.

Cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Santa Cruz is stunning. The Pacific Ocean dips in and out of view and the wind blows strong and clean off the ocean. You can almost imagine yourself driving along it in a 1950s Studebaker listening to the Beach Boys on the radio.

Much of the road has that feeling, almost as if it were left in the 50s. Small shops, crab shacks, lighthouses, and scenic reststops punctuate the drive but for the most part it's empty.

The best part about travelling in California is looking for classic Americana. You know, greasy spoons, diners, oddity shops, that sort of thing. It’s not all that hard to find, you just need to look a little harder.

Thankfully California Highway 1 is full of this sort of thing.

It’s good to know Americans

haven’t let go of these things.

We stayed in roadside motels, and ate in family-owned diners drinking dishwater coffee to go with a 5,000 calorie breakfast before hopping back in the car to drive another 150 kilometres to the next diner with a scenic view — that truly is one of the best things about the United States. Small ice cream shops, smart-ass road and church signs trying to be funny are all part of the adventure.

Another highlight with travelling in the United States is getting to be a tourist. In Europe, to look like and be a tourist is an embarrassing situation. Locals look down on you almost right away and treat you as a nuisance. The idea in Europe and Asia is to try to blend in as much as possible.

In the United States, people embrace the tourist. “Where are you from?” and “Wow, I’ve never even heard of that place, what's it like there?” are genuine questions of curiosity.

Forget blending in. In the US, we are on tour.

Photos by Fred Wissink

asialife HCMC 37

38 asialife HCMC

If you need a meal on the go but want something different from the typical Vietnamese street food, there are plenty of options. Michael Tatarski goes hunting around Ho Chi Minh City for some of the best food that's also fast. Photos by Fred Wissink and Michael Tatarski.

The Crepe

Crumbs

180A Tran Binh Trong, D5 8am-5pm

54 Truong Dinh, D1 8am-9pm

A complete anomaly in its neighbourhood, The Crepe offers its namesake dish to go, or to eat in.

The surprisingly extensive menu is divided into two categories, sweet and savoury crepes. The former variety includes peanut, Nutella, strawberry, and banana, or some combination of them.

The savoury crepes can come with egg, sausage, and beef.

Prices range from VND 21,000 to VND 45,000.

I tried the sweet combination, though I was a bit skeptical given that District 5 isn’t exactly known for its wealth of international cuisine. My doubts proved unfounded, though, as the beautifully presented crepe was a delicious surprise. Doused in chocolate syrup and stuffed with Nutella, the dish was just the right amount of sweet. Vietnamese places in the city often go over the top with sugar, but this one got it just right.

The Crepe has a small drink menu of coffee, juice and yogurt.

The shop’s interior is also in the running for cutest in town. In fact getting your crepe to go would be the smart choice, because I felt a bit strange sitting on the small furniture amid artwork straight from a teenage girl’s bedroom.

The signs above the counter indicate that Crumbs is serious about its baked goods, as everything is prepared fresh daily with no animal fat, preservatives, nor sugar. There are a variety of homemade breads on offer, but I visited for the Australian-style meat pies, which include Australian beef. Each pie costs about VND 50,000, with options like coconut curry, chicken and vegetables, steak and mushroom, steak and tomato, and a pasty.

I went for the steak and mushroom, which was satisfyingly meaty and heavy enough to act as a meal on its own. I’ve always preferred fruit-filled American pies, but this well-spiced meat pie had me considering a conversion.

There are always cooked pies in the display case waiting to be selected, so Crumbs is the perfect place for anyone in a rush. It’s possible to be in and out with food in hand in about one minute, and the best part is that you won’t be hungry again all day.

KST Kebab 76 Lam Van Ben, D7 5:30am-11pm, delivery from 11am-10pm This bare-bones eatery is located on quite possibly the most confusing street in all of Ho Chi Minh City. Even and odd addresses can be found on the same side, and numbers jump from 150 to 70 and back again on neighbouring buildings. As a result KST Kebab isn’t the easiest place to find, but Pierre, the manager, said this rather random location keeps prices low. “If we were in Phu My Hung, kebabs would be VND 40,000 rather than what you pay now,” he said.

All kebabs are stuffed with an excellent homemade sauce, green lettuce, tomato, red cabbage, onion and chicken cooked on the iconic rotating spit. The pita bread was among the best I’ve had here, and for VND 18,000 these kebabs are a great deal. The menu also features a variety of crepes for around VND 20,000 and a selection of drinks.

KST Kebab delivers to Districts 4 and 7 for VND 35,000, though delivery is free for orders over VND 100,000. Call 01648 805 915 or 01692 776 701 to place an order.

Le Banh Mi 12 Le Thanh Ton, D1 7am-11pm If you’re in the mood for a banh mi but want more quality than you get from the usual street cart, look no further than Le Banh Mi. This compact Frenchstyle eatery offers a gourmet take on the quintessential Vietnamese sandwich. All banh mi here come with pork shoulder with pate, cilantro, julienned spring onions, fresh cucumber and Dalat chilli. You can choose from one of three sauces: the Umami, with soy and wasabi; the Phu Quoc, with garlic, chilli, sugar and fish sauce from the eponymous island; or the Bale, with black peppercorn sauce.

I chose the Bale, which provided a nice kick. The pork was fresh and much more visually appealing than the occasionally questionable-looking meat on the street, and the homemade bread was delightfully crispy.

A table out front allows diners to enjoy their banh mi, or a cold beer, while watching life pass by on bustling Le Thanh Ton. This sandwich is perfect as take-away since the service is just as fast as at a food cart. All sandwiches cost VND 40,000 for a small or VND 60,000 for a large.

asialife HCMC 39

Stick it to Me Riddle Q: Five boys use two long poles.

They chase a herd of white water buffalo into a dark cave.

What is this?

A: A hand using chopsticks to eat rice.

I once took a visiting lady companion to one of the swankiest Vietnamese joints in town, just to let her know that I’m in the know about things to know. And, not to be outdone in things to be done by those who do them, she insisted on displaying her skill in the use of chopsticks. Fair enough.

But the temple of the kitchen gods to which I squired my charming companion serves all its dishes on china plates. Wide, flat plates. No surprise there, but chopsticks are intended for use with small eating bowls.

Rice bowls. As in “don’t break someone’s rice bowl”. You put rice in it. Then you put some food in it. Then you lift it to your mouth and with your sticks you stuff your face. This way you can get every grain of rice and scrap of meat or veg.

But you’ll never scoop up everything from a wide, flat plate.

Chopsticks just don’t work well in the horizontal. They are designed for more vertical use.

I advised my charming companion to do as the local diners at neighbouring tables and I were doing: using the fork and spoon provided. But she chopsticked grimly on, and left enough on her plate for another meal.

And that was her first lesson in the seemingly simple yet endlessly fascinating subject of what is sometimes called “the two fast boys”. The twin sticks are not just instruments for the conveyance of food to the mouth. They are imbued with legend and lore. They have a 40 asialife HCMC

cultural, historical, and even a legal significance that our humble fork will never achieve.

So remember that the next time you lift a pair of “dua”, you will be imbibing much more than mere sustenance.

There is a Vietnamese tale about a woman who marries a handsome man from another province. She knows he has a younger brother, but she has never seen him. She goes to live with her new husband and his family. At supper in the new home with her new family, her husband and his “younger” brother take their seats. To her surprise, they are identical twins; one is only minutes older than the other. She cannot tell

responsible behaviour. If you’re savvy enough to know which end of the sticks to use, you’re savvy enough to know right from wrong. In the 19th century this standard was used even in some death penalty cases. No diminished capacity or “twinkie defense” allowed.

The Vietnamese are superstitious in matters of the dead and take great pains to avoid upsetting the spirits. So beware.

Do not tap on your bowl with your chopsticks. This is how, in spooky séances, they call upon the dead. No drum solo at the table, please. And don’t shove your sticks vertically into your rice bowl and leave them standing. It’s the poker player’s

“[Chopsticks] have a cultural, historical, and even a legal, significance that our humble fork will never achieve. So remember that the next time you lift a pair of ‘dua’, you will be imbibing much more than mere sustenance” them apart, but does not wish to let her husband know this.

She waits until dinner starts and the chopsticks are distributed. One of the brothers hands a pair to the other, the act of deference from the younger to the elder.

In some places people believe that if you hold the chopsticks halfway down it is an evil omen. However, here you can hold your chopsticks halfway because it gives the chopsticks another use. The fat end of the chopsticks can be use to pick up food and place it into your bowl, while the tapered end can be used for bringing food to your mouth. This bit of knowledge is the traditional standard for judging one’s capacity for

equivalent of Aces and Eights, the “dead man’s hand”.

Further chopstick savvy: Do not pluck up more than one piece of food at a time. This makes you look too hungry.

And if you are too hungry, it must be because you have not eaten in days. In which case, you must be a beggar, you beggar. Do not use the fat ends to reach for something on the serving plate that looks good and then return it. It could cast aspersions upon the cook. And lastly, don’t eat directly from the serving plate, not even a little bit. Nimbly use your sticks to place every morsel in your rice bowl first, even if only for a second. I don’t know why. It’s just considered polite.

Room Eighteen From the moment you step in the front door, Room Eighteen knocks you off-balance. The light from outside disappears, and your eyes are drawn to a narrow, busy kitchen on the right, where uniformed chefs hover over fiery stove tops and sizzling pans. A few steps farther and the din of the kitchen gives way to dark wooden tables book-ended by plush red chairs, and a small, intimate space that lends itself to the mystique of the restaurant.

Since 2010, the restaurant has been serving up Hong Kong-style food, specialising in Chinese barbecue (VND 78,000 to VND 218,000) and carrying an extensive list of dim sum options (VND 38,000 to VND 68,000). Room Eighteen is eager to begin the new year with a new menu, featuring well-

An affordable restaurant in District 1 that serves up classic Hong Kong-style cuisine. By Dana Filek-Gibson.

Photos by Fred Wissink.

known traditional dishes as well as more unique offerings. On a warm, sunny afternoon last month, we escaped the sweltering heat outside and tried a few of the restaurant’s brand-new recipes.

The first plate to arrive was an order of Shanghai steamed dumplings (VND 38,000). If there is such a thing as Chinese comfort food, this is it. With a fragile, crepe-like skin cooked to perfection and a dense helping of minced meat inside, these dumplings combine savoury pork with a light, flavourful broth for a snack that satisfies.

Next up was a unique and slightly more adventurous seafood dish. Presented in a sturdy clay pot, the braised mushroom, scallops, fish maw, and sea cucumber (VND 280,000) adds another dimension to the

conventional Chinese cuisine on offer. This dish's distinct seafood taste comes from the melt-inyour-mouth scallops and fish maw, which are complimented nicely by a subtle variety of mushrooms, broccoli, and the hearty stock in which the meal is cooked.

But the star of Room Eighteen's new menu is the Peking duck(VND 108,000-568,000), a rich and savoury dish in two parts. Its crispy, golden skin is served inside crepe-like pancake rolls along with cucumber and green onion. The decadence of the duck skin is heightened by the thick, smoky flavour of the accompanying sauce, while the cucumber and green onion add a cool contrast to the richness of the other ingredients.

Once the skin has been removed, the remaining duck

can be prepared with the guest's choice of fried rice, fried noodles, or soup. Both the piping hot broth and aromatic fried noodles that followed our duck skin were worthy accompaniments. The hearty sweet-andsour soup was light and satisfying, while the fried noodles arrived just right — neither too oily nor too salty.

On Tuesdays, all dishes valued under VND 108,000 — most of the menu — are discounted to VND 58,000 apiece. With an intriguing ambiance and a brand-new menu, Room Eighteen is a great way to start the new year.

15/5 Le Thanh Ton, D1 08 62 51 38 88 10am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm weekdays 10am to 10pm weekends asialife HCMC 41

Tama River Located down a quiet residential street opposite Mekong Merchant in Thao Dien, Tama River has a much more relaxed setting than other Japanese restaurants clustered downtown.

Inside, soft lighting and smooth jazz covers of classic rock hits create a laid-back ambience.

Bottles of sake fill shelves along the wall behind the sushi bar, and unique Japanese paintings add a nice visual touch.

Since opening four months ago, the restaurant has attracted a diverse clientele, from locals to expats.

The menu features a wide range of Japanese cuisine, including the obligatory sushi 42 asialife HCMC

Fresh Japanese cuisine and great ambience in District 2.

By Michael Tatarski. Photos by Linh Phanroy.

and sashimi options, as well as tempura, yakitori, hot pot, ramen, and soba and udon noodles. Prices range from VND 50,000 for starters to VND 400,000 for a hot pot. Sushi rolls, with options such as California, rainbow, and rock and roll, are between VND 50,000 to VND 150,000.

We began with the Sashimi moriawase (VND 439,000), a platter of 18 pieces of six types of fish. The colourful dish included tuna, salmon, white fish, northern clam tongue, sea urchin, scallops, grouper, and herring roe. All of the fish was fresh and clean, with the tuna and scallops the standouts. The

sea urchin, known as uni, was somewhat bitter, providing the most unique flavour of the meal. This dish could be split between three or four people easily.

Next up was the rainbow roll (VND 169,000), which consisted of two pieces each of California, white fish, shrimp and salmon rolls. Topped with thin slices of avocado, the rolls were beautifully presented and, like the sashimi, very fresh. California rolls may not be truly Japanese, but they are one of my favourite types of sushi, and these didn’t disappoint.

We finished up with the seafood hot pot (VND 380,000).

Mushrooms, shrimp, squid, fish and various vegetables were cooked together and served steaming hot. Once everything cooled down this provided a nice end to the meal, as it was light enough to leave us pleasantly full.

Though Tama River may not have the most convenient location for those who live in central districts, it is well worth the drive. Delivery service is available to those who live in District 2.

14E1 Thao Dien, D2 08 37 44 67 82 10am-2pm and 5-10pm, seven days

Camargue For anyone who had spent time in Vasco’s old music room, walking into Camargue, which recently took over the space, provides a bit of a jolt. Gone are the graffiti-plastered walls, the strobe lights and the DJ booth.

In their place are a purple-andwhite tapestry draped across the ceiling, windows that let in ample natural light, and a white grand piano.

Camargue’s yellow pastel walls and Fernando Botero paintings create a subtly Mediterranean atmosphere reflected in the menu. We visited for lunch, which comes with a number of great value options.

A two-course meal is available

In its newest reincarnation this French restaurant — a longtime expat favourite — lives up to expectations. By Michael Tatarski.

Photos by Alex McMillan.

for VND 260,000, while three courses cost VND 360,000. By fine dining standards, the portions are generous enough for sharing.

There are five a la carte starters to choose from, each for VND 100,000. The main courses are VND 200,000, and desserts are VND 100,000. We tried the cold cut platter with Basque piperade ketchup; a Nicoise salad with tuna, quail egg and vegetables; and poached shrimp in a coconut and galangal soup.

The cold cuts included salami and Black Forest ham, solid meats that could be combined with ketchup for a zestier kick.

The salad was light on tuna,

but otherwise very good, with a tangy dressing that added some character to the dish. The poached shrimp soup was a creamy emulsion reminiscent of molecular gastronomy.

For the main course we went for the salmon filet skewer with a lemongrass stick, seasonal vegetables cooked in a wok, grapefruits, and kaffir lime sauce. This dish brought together an array of Mediterranean influences, as well as an Asian touch of lemongrass and stir-fried vegetables. The salmon was succulent and tender, and the accompanying sauce and vegetables worked together to create one seriously good dish.

Every dessert option at Camargue is enticing, and deciding on just one was difficult, but we finally settled on the lychee panna cotta with marinated raspberry. Served in a cocktail glass, the panna cotta is beautifully presented, and it tastes as good as it looks.

The creamy dessert was rich without being overpowering, and acted as an excellent palate cleanser after a satisfying meal.

74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 08 35 20 48 88 11am to 2pm Monday to Friday, 6 to 11pm seven days Vascosgroup.com asialife HCMC 43

44 asialife HCMC

Chris Mueller takes a look at the first dedicated skateboard park in Vietnam. Photos by Linh Phanroy.

Skateboarding is quickly becoming popular in Ho Chi Minh City, but there are few places in this claustrophobic city to truly tear it up. That’s why Le Quan and Le Thien Phuc came together to develop the country’s first official skate park, which opened last month.

Down a long, dusty road on the Binh Quoi island in the northeastern part of Binh Thanh District, the Saigon Skatepark is an oasis for skaters and BMX bikers. The 15-by-50-metre warehouse isn’t a huge space, but it houses enough ramps and rails to keep most skaters in Vietnam happy.

While they could have gone bigger with some of their structures, the entire park was designed with the skill level of locals in mind.

“Skateboarding is still new in Vietnam,” Phuc says. “It’s

so new Vietnamese don’t know how to use a lot of the equipment.”

The half pipe in the back of the warehouse is only 2 metres tall, huge for most Vietnamese skaters, Phuc says, but small enough that they can work up to it.

Phuc, 30, is already wellknown in the skateboarding community. As the founder of Bam Skateshop, he was the first to import proper skateboarding equipment to Ho Chi Minh City.

When he started skating about eight years ago, he says he remembers everyone would skate on the street where it was dangerous, and avoiding a rogue motorbike on the pavement was more important than landing a kick flip. But with this new park he hopes kids, and their parents, will be more open to the sport.

The park is mainly indoors, with a small outside area for

beginning skaters to practice their balance. At first glance, it’s an impressive little park, with its smooth concrete floors, sets of steps to jump, iron rails and wooden ramps. But Quan, who owns an inline skate shop called GOX, says it only took him one week to design and three months for them to build it. The design came from skate parks in the United States that they read about online and then scaled down to suit Vietnam.

“I know the level of most skaters here,” Phuc says. “We took the designs from the US, and made them smaller.”

This random location and barebones park, though, has its advantages. It keeps prices low for young skaters who already have had to spend a lot of money on equipment. An allday ticket costs VND 30,000.

Phuc says they likely will hold skating and BMX com-

petitions in the future. He is already negotiating with two big American companies, Vans and Converse, to sponsor some events next year.

The park is attracting not just Vietnamese skaters; expats are starting to find their way there as well. Ryo Kinugasa, a 33-year-old from Japan, says the park is a far cry from the all-concrete outdoor skate parks he’s used to back home, but it’s a step in the right direction.

“It’s an indoor park, so it’s really dusty and hot but it also means we can skate anytime,” Kinugasa says. “When I first saw [Vietnamese] skaters, they weren’t good but they are improving quickly … and this park will help them improve more.”

Saigon Skatepark is located at 1017 Binh Quoi Street, Binh Thanh District and is open from 8am to 10pm. asialife HCMC 45

Model: Penelope Cadeau Clothing: Quynh Nguyen LEFT Model: Nina Nagual Clothing: Indonesian Vintage

Models: Tara Nichols and Caitlin Minogue Clothing: H&M LEFT Model: Nina Nagual Clothing: Linda Mai Phung ABOVE Model: Penelope Cadeau Clothing: Quynh Nguyen Photographer: Thai Pham

Vietnam. Flies internationally throughout Asia and to Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, Sydney, Melboure, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

listings

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.

hotel & travel

DALAT

AIRLINES

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

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

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.

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.

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

escape

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

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

activities

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.

Sofitel Plaza Hanoi is offering a Winter Collection through March, when guests can book two nights but stay for three. The promotion comes with a free chocolate buffet of truffles, pure cacao cream, pralinefilled chocolate, and other treats, plus a late checkout at 3pm. Book at H3553-RE@ sofitel.com or 04 38 23 88 88, ext 5222.

To celebrate its newly-opened Karma Spa, Mercure Danang is making 90-minute treatments available for VND 850,000, from herbal compress massage to face saver.

Valid until 31 Jan. Or buy two get one free for all gift certificates, through 8 Feb. Fitness

50 asialife HCMC

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

HO CHI MINH CITY

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

Located in the city centre, with gym, outdoor pool, tennis court, event space and Dynasty Chinese restaurant.

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

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

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

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 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.

New World Hotel 76 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3822 8888 www.newworldsaigon.com

Banyan Tree Lang Co Tel: 84 54 3695 888 The resort is inspired by the artistic heritage of Vietnamese dynasties past, features 32 lagoon pool villas, 17 beach pool villas, an array of eclectic dining experiences from modern Thai cuisine to French specialties, 18-hole championship course designed by Sir Nick Faldo, delivers a golfing experience that can be enjoyed by skilled and novice players alike.

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

take flight with travel promotions around the region

3 Luxury Nights for the Price of 2

Unwind at the Spa

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.

Center powered by Technogym memberships also are available. Contact is 05 11 37 97 77 7, h7821-th@accor.com, Mercure Danang hotel, Lot A1, Green Island, Hoa Cuong Bac, Hai Chau, Danang.

Late Russian Christmas

Novotel Nha Trang will host a traditional Russian Christmas Gala buffet dinner on 6 Jan. The dinner, which comes with a DJ performance in the Bellevue room, costs VND 735,000. The hotel also is launching a promotion in which customers who buy three buffet dinner vouchers get one voucher free at The Square restaurant, where themes include Asian Monday, International buffet Tuesday, Thai Wednesday,

traditional Vietnamese food on Thursday, Italian Friday, and seafood weekend. Price is VND 420,000.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Octopus Diving 62 Tran Phu, Nha Trang 058 826 528 www.divenhatrang.com PADI/SSI dive centre based in Nha Trang and affiliated with the Sailing Club Co. with additional centres in Mui Ne and Hoi An. Offers a range of services.

VUNG TAU

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

Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa Ho Tram Village, Xuyen Moc Tel: 06 4378 1525 www.hotramresort.com

Victoria Sapa Resort

Located about 45km from Vung Tau in the Phuoc Buu Reserve Forest, Ho Tram

SAPA

Beach Resort & Spa boasts uniquely designed bungalows and villas.

MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach Phuoc Thuan Commune, Xuyen Moc District, Ba Ria Vung Tau Tel: +84 8 3528 5286 www.mgmgrandhotrambeach.com MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach is Vietnam’s first large-scale, fully-integrated luxury beach resort and entertainment destination. With beautifully appointed five-star rooms, numerous activities, world-class restaurants, and a luxurious spa, this resort offers guests a premium hospitality experience in a spectacular natural setting.

TRAVEL AGENTS

Buffalo Tours Agency HCMC: 81 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3827 9170 Hanoi: 94 Ma May, Hoan Kiem District Tel: 04 3828 0702 www.buffalotours.com Tailor-made itineraries, communitybased tourism, cultural tours, adventure trips, golfing and premium trips offered by locally run and well-respected travel agent.

Exotissimo HCMC: 20 Hai Ba Trung St, D1 Tel: 3827 2911 infosgn@exotissimo.com SD5-2 Grand View, Nguyen Duc Canh, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5412 2761/62 pmh@exotissimo.com HANOI: 26 Tran Nhat Duat St, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3828 2150 infohanoi@exotissimo.com www.exotissimo.com French-owned agency specializing in flight bookings, package holidays and a range of well-run cultural and historical tours of Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

asialife HCMC 51

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

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

listings

food & drink

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.

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.  Chilli Pub 104 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 08 73 01 13 77 An intimate pub on a popular bar street that serves pub grub and its famous bowls of chilli. It also has a pool table, dart boards and TVs for watching sports.

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

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 Loi specializes in Asian tapas, Asian/ South American fusion dishes and a few

Sundays in Saigon just got a little more delicious. Restaurant Nineteen’s champagne brunch is doubling down on its carving corner every Sunday of January, with servings such as barbecue pork ribs, chicken galantine and beef wellington.

Diners also can dig into oven-roasted duck breast with orange sauce, lamb shoulder in curry cream, and whole-roasted suckling pig. Action stations will prepare sizzling portions of delicate duck liver and pan-seared lobster, while the rest of the buffet carries on with margaritas and martinis. From VND 1,144,000. Ground floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1. 08 38 23 49 99.

Caravellehotel.com.

Experience Australian cuisine every Saturday night in January and celebrate the Australian National Day 6-10pm on 26 Jan at Saigon Café. Dine on a fresh selection of salads and a wide range of Australian

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Red Bar 70-72 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 08 22 29 70 17 Tucked behind the Bitexco building, Red has one of the longest happy hours in the city (draught beer for VND 25,000 from 9am until 9pm). This, its international food menu and nightly live music makes it one of the liveliest bars around.

Red Lion Pub Saigon 9a Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 08 62 99 13 03 Located down Ngo Van Nam Street, this proper British pub — the first of its kind in Saigon — has four beers on tap, a wide range of bottled beers, spirits and cocktails, and a menu offering iconic British dishes.

Sheridan's Irish House 24 Ngo Van Nam, 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.

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

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 12-14 Thai Van Lung, D1 94 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 Nowzone, 235 Nguyen Van Cu, D5 Metropolitan Bldng, 235 Dong Khoi, D1 International café chain with a wide variety of coffees and teas, as well as light snacks and food. Also sells freshroasted coffee beans and tins of whole leaf tea.  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

broaden your palate with promotions around town

Meaty Mornings

Awesome Aussies

delectable deserts. Variety of good wines by the glass or bottle.

favourites, including pumpkin soup with shrimp and coconut milk, Australian lamb cutlets, beef tenderloin and beef sirloin.

Those with a sweet tooth can choose from passion fruit brûlée, rhum babas with strawberries, and lemon and lime tart. Dinner includes unlimited Tiger beer and house wine. Inside the Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, D1, 08 38 27 28 28, sheratonsaigon@sheraton.com.

Chinese Lobster

Also inside the Sheraton is Li Bai Chinese restaurant, where lobster specials will be the highlight of January. Dishes range from wok fried lobster with XO sauce, to wok fried lobster with chilli sauce and baked lobster with cheese sauce, plus a selection of drink pairings. Or try to the weekend buffet every Sunday night. Libaisaigon.com. More contact details above.

Luscious Pastries

During choux and eclairs week at the

Caravelle’s Lobby Lounge, guests choose from seven fillings and frostings, including pistachio cream with stewed cherries and roasted hazelnuts, lemon curd with flamed meringues and chocolate shavings, and vanilla cream with strawberries and icing sugar. Visit 19-25 Jan for VND 180,000 per pastry. Contact details above.

street gourmet

Mut dua Mut dua, otherwise known as ‘coconut sweetie’, is a mix of sliced copra (dried, fibrous coconut meat) and white sugar. To make the final product more aesthetically pleasing, colour can be added to the copra/ sugar mixture. Mut dua is largely produced in Ben

two outdoor terraces. Regular live music and homemade ice cream.

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 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 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

Tre from the beginning of November to the end of December. Its nutritional value depends on whether a young or old coconut is used and, of course, the amount of sugar that’s added. The cost changes every year.

Khoa Nguyen

Kong Cantonese cuisine, including both dim sum, a la carte and set menus, regularly changed by the creative chefs.

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.

Convivial atmosphere, contemporary Italian food styles and International chefs ...

Take away, corporate functions & special events catered for ...

FRENCH

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

WE WINE ...

WE DINE Relax in Casa’s casual dining upstairs or downstairs ...

INDIAN

Saigon Indian 73 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3824 5671 Popular venue with an enormous menu.

Serves both southern and northern Indian dishes like tandoori, biryani, dosa and idly snacks, plus a wide range of

Experience a taste of comfort and converse with our friendly staff ...

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vegetarian dishes. Offers a set lunch menu. Cater service is available. 

imbibe

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

Wine Glassware: Does It Really Matter?

By Darryl Bethea There is an entire industry devoted to the enjoyment of wine, based on quality crystal glassware and differentshaped glasses specially developed for each type of wine. How does it work?

For starters, a lot of the science is based on the angle at which the wine enters the mouth. Different diameters of glass openings also allow you to put your nose in the glass to experience the first aromas emanating from it. Olfactory abilities increase your assessment and enjoyment of wine, and goes hand-in-hand with your taste buds. Just imagine taking a sip with your nose plugged.

Speaking of taste buds, they can recognise four basic kinds of tastes: sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Look in the mirror and stick out your tongue. The tip of the tongue has the salty and sweet taste buds, the sour ones are located at the sides, and the bitter buds are found at the very back. Now consider the flavour profiles of wine.

There is a big spectrum of taste, which can be dominated by fruit, minerality, tannins, or varying degrees of sub-flavour profiles. Are tannins important to a cabernet sauvignon? Yes, but it’s not the first impression you want from the wine. First you should experience the hints of dark fruit, chocolate, herbs, and tobacco, so the location of the entry point of wine is very important because of the primary location of your taste buds. Try for yourself.

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Smell your favourite wine in three different glasses. Then taste the wine in the same order and pay attention to where the wine enters the mouth, or your head angle.

If you do this with an open mind, you will discover why many people decide to invest in quality glassware for each type of wine. Or attend a tasting seminar held by Riedel crystal wine glass company of Austria. Many of the tasting seminars include take-home glasses, rendering the cost of the seminar virtually free.

Now let’s talk about decanters. When do you decant a wine and invest in a quality crystal decanter? With young wines you decant to aerate the wine, letting the oxygen bring the wine to life and reveal hidden complexities, if they exist.

With older wines, sediment naturally appears in the bottle, but you don’t want that in your glass. Tannins also can be tamed and smoothed with the benefit of the decanting process. Plus modern decanters provide another beautiful vessel from which to serve the wine. Quality crystal glassware and decanters are for more than just serving wine, and are a good investment for your immediate enjoyment.

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

Al Fresco’s 21 Mac Dinh Chi D1 Tel: 3823 8427 27 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3822 7317 D1-23 My Toan 3, D7 Tel: 5410 1093 400 Nguyen Trai, D5 Tel: 3838 3840 www.alfrescosgroup.com Theme restaurant boasting a range of Tex-Mex, Italian and Australian-style BBQ dishes. Huge portions and tasty Australian ribs coupled with a good atmosphere and helpful staff. Good lunch menu.  Amigo Grill 55 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 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 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 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.

Camargue 74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1

Tel: 08 35 20 48 88 One of the first western restaurants in Saigon, Camargue offers a great selection of French food and wine in a romantic, rustic French villa.

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 151A Hai Ba Trung, D3, Tel: 3934 9151 This is the Saigon arm of the renowned organisation that began in Hanoi a decade ago. Vietnamese food is prepared with innovative twist by young people Koto are helping get a start in the hospitality industry and on a path for a better life.  Le Steak de Saigon 15 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 08 38 22 45 93 On one of the fancier streets in the centre of District 1, this small steakhouse has limited options, but its set meal, which includes a steak, salad and fries or mashed potatoes for only VND 200,000, is probably one of the better deals in town.

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

Mekong Merchant 23 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 4713 Set in a courtyard, this rustic Australian-style 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.

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.

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.

Scott & Binh’s 15-17 Cao Trieu Phat Street, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 094 890 14 65 Bizuhotel.com A friendly, laid back restaurant in Phu My Hung that serves “comfort food with a twist”. Run by American chef Scott Marquis, this small joint offers classic favourites that are consistently well prepared, making it a popular stop for expats and visitors.

Pacharan Tapas and Bodega 97 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 6024 This tapas restaurant and bar serves up superb Spanish fare crafted from authentic imported ingredients. The exclusively Spanish wine list is extensive and Sangria is half price during happy hour from 5 pm to 7 pm and all day Wednesday.

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.

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

Skewers 9A Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 4798 www.skewers-restaurant.com Rustic Mediterranean restaurant where subtle colours and exposed brickwork combine with jazzy tunes. Serves tabouleh, falafel, couscous and kebab.

Highly rated for its grilled meats, bread and dip combos, soups and pastas.



Square One Park Hyatt Saigon, 2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3520 2359 Specializing in high-end Western and Vietnamese cuisine, Square One serves charcoal-grilled meats and seafood,

as well as steamed and wok-cooked Vietnamese fare.

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 trattoriastyle 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

Celebrate the Lunar New Year at Shang Palace Restaurant with full of joyful ambiance and our fabulous menu specially presented by our great chefs from Hong Kong.

From February 01-28, 2013 Shang Palace Chinese Restaurant 1st Floor, 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong St., Dist. 1, HCMC, Vietnam Tel: (84 8) 3823 2221 - (84 8) 3822 6111 Ext: 164 - Fax: (84) 3822 6116 Email: reservation@shangpalace.com.vn - Website: www.shangpalace.com.vn

Yu Sheng holding “Abundance” raw salmon mixed with eye-catching shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces, or Prosperous Big Bowl Feast delicately displayed layer by layer containing premium ingredients, along with Lunar New Year Special Mixed Meat Platter and Lunar New Year Pastry (Banh To) for a perfect dessert.

Don’t miss the Lion dance at 12:00 noon on the 1st day of the Lunar New Year to start your prosperous year.

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local eats

street gourmet

A Chinatown Gem

By Tristan Ngo This month my journey to dine where the locals dine took me to a hidden gem in District 11 called Tiem Com Truyen Ky, a Hakka (ethnic Chinese) style cuisine, which originated in Guangdong and Fujian provinces. I have to thank my wife for bringing me here. She is, after all, Chinese and originally from Chinatown, or Cho Lon as the Vietnamese refer to it.

The ethnic Chinese and their cuisine has been a part of Vietnam for centuries. Their influences are quite evident, from the wonton to congee to moon cake.

This restaurant is situated on the right hand side, 20 metres down a small alley off of Ly Thuong Kiet Street, not far from the Coop Mart.

It’s rare in Vietnam to find a Chinese restaurant that is situated on the ground floor, and this one is no exception.

The restaurant sign is quaint and easily missed if you’re not looking for it. My suggestion is to follow the small crowd and the motorbikes as you venture down the small alley.

You’ll know you have arrived when you see the brightly lit place buzzing with people as you make your way up the stairs. You may have to stand around and wait for a table.

Take the opportunity to see what others are ordering from the menu, which is in Vietnamese and Chinese. There are no prices listed anywhere but the check will not break your wallet. Tables and chairs are cramped closely together

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Goi Cuon to maximize the number of people. There seemed to be your typical groups of families dining there during our visit.

Here are some dishes they had on offer: Hu qua ca ot, a beautiful combination of stuffed tofu, bitter melon, and red chilli with marinated fish paste.

Gio heo pha lau, pork knuckle with grilled innards.

Tender salty steamed chicken with spring onions and cilantro.

Trung ba mau, three-coloured eggs omelet: a combination of duck, salted and century eggs.

Sautéed Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce Everything was served with bowls of steamed rice.

The soup of the day, which is meant to be sipped during the meal, was interesting. A very light broth made from an assorted combination of vegetables, chicken, tripe or pork.

There were eight of us and the bill came to VND 564,000.

Tiem Com Truyen Ky 39/20 Ly Thuong Kiet Street Hem 39, Ward 7, D11 11am to 2.30pm and 5pm to 9pm 09 08 62 36 23 or 09 09 62 36 23 Tristan Ngo is the chef and owner of The Elbow Room and Skewers, two popular restaurants in District 1. You can contact him at ngotristan@ yahoo.com.

‘Summer roll’ or ‘fresh spring roll’ is the English name for goi cuon, which originated in the south of Vietnam and is now popular worldwide. Vegetables, boiled bacon, boiled prawns and fresh, crunchy salad are tightly wrapped in rice paper to make these

a range of Italian dishes. Good selection of Italian wines.  La Hostaria 17B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 1080 Rustic eatery specializing in top-end traditional cuisine from various regions in Italy. Main courses from 130,000 VND with daily specials on offer. Serves excellent pizza.  La Trattoria del Buon Vino 11 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: (0163) 4991625 Half Italian restaurant and half wine bar and jazz lounge, La Trattoria offers a remix of classical Italian cuisine with a contemporary, innovative touch in its restaurant and a chill, electronic atmosphere in the wine bar and jazz lounge on the third floor.

Lucca 88 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 08 39 15 36 92 A centrally located trattoria, café and bar that gets lively at lunchtime but has space enough for a mellow meal.

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.

delicious, healthy rolls.

Goi cuon were traditionally sold from foot-paths to restaurants or hotels.

Now CNN has dubbed goi cuon among the 50 best international foods. Pick some up for between VND 3,000 and 10,000.

Khoa Nguyen

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

An Lac Chay 175/4 Pham Ngu Lao, D1

Tel: 3837 0760 Apropos of the backpacker district, this little restaurant offers no frills and a vast menu. Though meat dishes are available, it specializes in vegetarian Vietnamese and quirky “backpacker favourites.”  Hoa Dang 38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1 Swish vegetarian restaurant on a quiet street that serves up nutritious dishes, including meatless versions of bun bo, pho and steamboat. Cosy bar serving non-alcoholic drinks, fruits and other sweets.

Saigon Vegan 378/3 Vo Van Tan, D3 Tel: 3834 4473 Rustic vegan restaurant with extensive menu of healthy food at moderate prices. Lots of tofu dishes and soya chicken/beef, soups, banh bao and more. Also has a kids menu.

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. 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 around 80,000 -150,000.

Tib Chay 11 Tran Nhat Duat, D1 Tel: 3843 6460 Intimate spot with a big menu of Vietnamese vegetarian appetisers, salads, soups, rice/noodle mains and desserts Viet Chay 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3526 5862 Upscale vegetarian restaurant specializes in fake meat dishes. The attractive dining room is suffused with natural light. Located within the walls of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda.

VIETNAMESE

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.

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

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

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nightlife BARS & LOUNGES

See bar restaurant listings for more popular watering holes.

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.

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.

BREWHOUSES

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

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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.

Velvet Bar 26 Ho Huan Nghiep, D1 Hip-hop and Viet trance club with both bottle service and bottle beer that isn’t prohibitively expensive. Circular center bar is ringed with tables, and VIP areas and sofa seating line the walls.

at home BAKERIES

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 30-minute 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.

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.

Veggy’s 29A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8526 Sky Garden Pham Van Nghi, Bac Khu Pho, D7 Riverside Apartments 53 Vo Truong Toan, Thao Dien, D2 Popular expat market with a huge walk-in fridge area stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products and a range of meats. Imported canned and dried foods, wines, beers, soft drinks, spirits and snacks also available.

LIQUOR & WINE

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.

master of mixology

The New Year's Eve Recovery Plan

By Matt Myers It probably comes as no surprise that New Year’s Day is a popular occasion for brunch, especially after a long night out and a wicked hangover to match. Many flock to the brunch line hoping a full stomach will cure their hangover, or a drink or two will at least take away the edge.

Yeah, yeah, there’s no cure for the effects of alcohol except time. But if you’re looking for the ‘Hair of the Dog’, ie, curing your hangover with more alcohol, here are a few ideas that might make you feel better: • Bloody mary • Mimosas • Strong coffee • Ginger or mint • Menudo In Mexico City I liked to cure my previous night’s debauchery with an ice-cold beer and a bowl of posole, a pork soup. In the United States, it is generally a greasy breakfast.

As for Vietnam, I recommend a glass of water, two aspirin pills, and my Vietnamese mary with a spicy bowl of pho bo. In the recipe below, I infuse tomato juice with kaffir lime for 24 hours and then mix it with

chilli, nuoc mam and fresh lime juice. The pairing resembles a bloody bull (bloody mary with beef stock; yes, I know this may sound gross).

The little bit of alcohol helps you feel better with the endorphin rush of the chilli. Try to get pho without MSG if possible; sometimes I need to drink a gallon of water after a bowl.

Now on to the alcohol: Vietnamese mary 1.5 oz vodka 1 oz lime juice 1 oz kaffir lime infused with tomato juice 2 oz V8 juice 4 kaffir lime leaves Sugar Nuoc Mam (fish sauce) Muddle leaves with vodka.

Add the three juice flavours and ice. Season to taste with nouc mam and sugar — I recommend a tablespoon of each. Roll and pour into a collins glass and garnish with more lime leaves, cucumber, lime wheel, and chilled prawn, if available.

Matt Myers is the director of beverage for MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach.

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listings

www.lottecinemavn.com Modern cinema with four-way sound system. D7 location houses luxury theatre Charlotte with 32 seats and eight sofas.

culture

me phim HCM City-based film initiative that provides support to local filmmakers and hosts regular film screenings/discussions. Email dduukk@gmail.com for information or join the Facebook group.

CLASSES

AngelsBrush by Vin Tel: 0983377710 Shyevin@mac.com Oil painting course gives learners the opportunity to work from the different objects; explore different mediums, materials and techniques; and interpret line, tone and colour. Instructor works with students on individual basis.

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

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

CINEMAS

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

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

Future Shorts futureshortsvietnam@gmail.com www.futureshorts.com/vn Vietnam branch of the international network screens foreign and local short films around town. Events often incorporate other media and elements, including live music, performances, installations and discussion. Submissions accepted.

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

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

Lotte Cinema Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 7897 LotteMart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, D7 Tel: 3775 2520

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SOS

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

GALLERIES

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

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

Duc Minh Gallery 31C Le Quy Don, D3 Tel: 3933 0498 Housed in an opulent colonial mansion, private museum and art gallery showcases the private art collection of Vietnamese business tycoon Bui Quoc Chi. Containing more than 1,000 pieces that range from traditional to contemporary.

Galerie Quynh 65 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3836 8019 www.galeriequynh.com The city’s only international standard gallery, housed in a modern, two-floor space. Organizes regular exhibitions featuring established, emerging local/ international contemporary artists, publishes original catalogs in both English and Vietnamese.

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum 97A Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3829 4441 btmthcm@hotmail.com Institution housing contemporary/traditional works by Vietnamese and foreign artists. Pieces date from as early as the 7th century. Includes Vietnamese antiques, art crafted by the Cham and Funan peoples.

San Art Independent Artist Space 3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 0898 hoa@san-art.org www.san-art.org Artist-run, non-profit exhibition space featuring contemporary work by young Vietnamese artists. San Art hosts guest lecturers and curators. A reading room of art books and magazines is open to the public.

TuDo Gallery 53 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 0966 www.tudogallery.com Hosting permanent exhibitions of works by the city’s artists, Tu Do deals in oils, silk paintings and lacquerware. More than 1,000 pieces on show.

The Ouch Factor

By Dr Christoph Bendick Tropical surroundings involve a higher frequency of insects than we are used to in countries with temperate climates.

In particular, mosquitoes can pose a danger due to their capacity to transmit serious infectious diseases. Apart from that, the itchy, red and irritated skin inflicted by mosquito bites is unpleasant and can lead to compromised well-being.

Bedbug and flea bites, on the other hand, are more a nuisance than a danger. Often acquired in unclean beds or, in the case of fleas, transmitted by pets, they rarely carry diseases but can be highly itchy and are thus in danger of being infected with pusproducing germs, a condition that usually requires medical attention.

‘Sand-fly’ is an umbrella term for a number of different biting and stinging animals found in sandy areas. Their activity is mostly noticed after a stay at the beach and can produce red, intensely itchy, skin. They also do not transmit diseases.

Ant bites are usually seen after outdoor activities. They are itchy and in the case of fire ants very painful, requiring medication against the ensuing inflammation. Spider bites can also be very painful, leading to swollen red skin and sometimes resulting in slowhealing scars. In particular, the bite of the Black Widow can

cause considerable complications and requires medical attention.

While irritated, itchy bites and stings are very common, sometimes a small lump may develop up to 24 hours after a bite. This typically lasts for several days, sometimes even weeks to months, before fading away. For individuals who are very sensitive to insects, highly itchy wheals and even blisters can develop.

The best strategy is to avoid insects by applying mosquito repellent. Lotions, creams and sprays containing DEET are recommended, except for infants, because they provide long lasting and reliable protection. Preparations containing citronella oil as a natural ingredient are also helpful, but require more frequent application.

If insect bites or stings have occurred, home remedies like a cold compress or the application of cooling powder or Calamine lotion are helpful.

Hydrocortisone 1 percent cream, which is sold over-thecounter, can also be used to decrease itch and inflammation.

Severe, painful or infected reactions should be seen by a physician. And always keep in mind that fever, nausea or malaise after an insect bite might be indicators of serious infections like malaria or dengue.

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 equipment.

Available for party hire, with BBQ included

on request. Membership packages available. Kids swim club and adult masters programmes. Rainbow Divers offers scuba diving courses for children and adults. Free morning yoga.

California WOW Xperience Parkson Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, D5 28/30-32 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 6291 5999 The world’s biggest fitness centre chain is one of Saigon’s most modern places to get your sweat on. Located in Hung Vuong Plaza, CWX offers a huge work-out 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.

Sheraton Fitness Level 5, Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 sheraton.saigon@sheraton.com www.sheraton.com/saigon Sheraton Fitness features a team of trained professionals and new Technogym equipment. Members have full use of leisure facilities and receive discounts at hotel bars and restaurants and Aqua Day Spa.

FOOTBALL & RUGBY

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

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

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

Contact Sebastien on 0919 691785 or Romain on 0908 060139.

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

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

Saigon Rugby Club Tel: 0903 735 799

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

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

GOLF

Dalat Palace Golf Club Phu Dong Thien Vuong, Dalat Tel: 063 3821 101 dpgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com The most beautiful course in Vietnam, combining the crisp mountain air with an environment of stately pine trees. Overlooking Xuan Huong lake, the 7,009-yard course is an enjoyable challenge for golfers of all levels.

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

Ocean Dunes Golf Club 1 Ton Duc Thang, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3821 995 odgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com Designed by Nick Faldo, the 6,746-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.

Phun Runner info@phun-run.com Social running group that meets Saturdays at 7 am for a scenic run around Saigon before breakfast. Great way to explore the city, meet fellow runners and get fit for future events. Check website for rendezvous points.

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

Saigon International Dart League www.thesidl.com A highly popular group in town, the darts club runs a competitive year-long league for 16 pub-based teams. There are some excellent players in this sociable and international group. See website for details of how to join and latest 180 scores.

Saigon International Softball League sisl@saigonsoftball.info www.saigonsoftball.info The league plays slo-pitch softball every Sunday (usually at the Taiwanese School in Phu My Hung) and always welcomes newcomers.

Saigon Pony Club Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, D2 Tel: 0913 733 360 A standout facility offering pony rides, riding lessons, horse clinics and pony rentals. Also hosts events and birthdays.

Squash The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 2098 ext 176 www.thelandmarkvietnam.com One of three squash courts in town.

Membership is open to non-Landmark residents and drop-in players. Lessons and racquets are available for additional fees. Balls are provided. Book in advance or phone for further information.

Ultimate Frisbee RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, D7 www.saigon-ultimate.com Join in this exciting popular sport every Sunday afternoon from 3pm to 5pm in Saigon South. Pan-Asian competitions also organised for the more experienced.

Contact David Jensen at 0909458890 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.

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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.

CMI Charity Gala results :

$ 5

3 0 0

0

By chosing CMI, you help the Fondation Alain Carpentier to finance heart operations for poor Vietnamese children.

General and tropical practice Paediatrics Homecare Cardiology Gynaecology Traditional oriental medicine Speech and language therapy

Osteopathy Childbirth education courses Psychiatry/Psychotherapy Psychology Psychomotor therapy Dietetics

CENTRE MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL - FONDATION ALAIN CARPENTIER 1 Han Thuyen, Q.1, TP Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam - Tel : (84.8) 38. 27.23.67 - (84.8) 38. 24.58.74 info@cmi-vietnam.com - www.cmi-vietnam.com

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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 &

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, top-notch salon.

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

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

Specialises in personalized facial care treatments 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, 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.

Human Medicine – International Clinic (HMIC) 601B Cach Mang Thang Tam, D10 Tel: 6264 6957 http://humanmedicineclinic.com Providing a state of the art health-care solution to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of medical conditions. HMIC is dedicated to give a family-centered care with talented team of healthcare professionals, technology and customer-friendly environment. The modern clinic hosts a range of highly trained and experienced medical specialists and managed by Western-trained doctors 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.

Dermalogica Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 0372 www.dermalogica.com U.S. brand of cleansers popular among skin care professionals. The line of toners, exfoliants, moisturizers and masques are engineered by skin therapists to be free of common irritants, and the company is categorically opposed to animal testing.

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.

L’Occitane en Provence New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 French cosmetics company with a 30year history offering a range of bath and massage oils, essential oils, body and hand care products are especially well known. Also has outlets in all the major downtown shopping malls.

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

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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.

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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.

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. New-

born 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 Xi Early Childhood Centre 190 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 35192727 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 ward, D2 Tel: 3742 4040 www.aisvietnam.com An international curricula and PYP/MYP school. Senior students follow Cambridge A levels. AIS is the only school

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in Vietnam authorised to deliver the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Foundation Studies Year 12 curriculum.

Well-resourced classrooms, highly qualified and experienced teachers, excellent facilities that support academic, creative and sporting activities. Book a tour at enrolments@aisvietnam.com.

kids corner

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

Senior students follow the IGCSE and IB programmes.

Biting

By Gemma Jones Most childcare settings and schools will have to deal with the rather difficult situation of one child biting another. Usually this results in hand-wringing from the parents of the child who was bitten, but also from the parents of the biter.

It may sound bizarre, but toddlers sometimes bite as a way to show love. Young children struggle to express their feelings, which can result in intense ways of showing them.

Remember, this is fairly normal behaviour for little ones, so even if your child has started biting, it does not mean you are raising a monster. Toddlers are learning how their bodies works and they often put things in their mouths. If they do hurt somebody by biting, it is unlikely that it was their intention — it is not dissimilar to when a baby is teething and likes to nibble on a finger.

On the other hand, your child could be feeling anxious, emotional or threatened. If unable to talk, he or she may use biting as a defence. It also can be a way of gaining power, as this behaviour will attract attention, even if that attention is negative.

If it happens when your child is in your presence, act fast but keep cool. It’s important that you do not teach that violence causes violence by hitting or biting your child back (believe it or not, many parents do this). But he or she

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does need to know immediately that it is inappropriate behaviour.

It is also useful to teach children how to express their feelings in a less painful way.

If you notice your little nibblers are biting to show love, teach to hug instead. If they are doing it to defend themselves, show them how to find an adult to help, or try teaching them to say “stop” to other children.

If the biting seems to be a means of gaining attention, then give no more than a firm “no” and focus on the victim.

Give the child or adult who has been bitten lots of sympathy. This will send a clear message that biting is not a way to get attention.

Give your child a time out and ensure your commands are clear and positive – try not to be too negative but do raise your voice a little.

Most importantly, always praise good behaviour. When your child is being kind and gentle make it clear that he is behaving well. Your child will almost definitely grow out of the biting stage but there is no harm in nipping the problem in the bud.

Gemma Jones has been working in child care for more than 10 years. She holds an NNEB diploma in nursery nursing and is currently a creative writing teacher at Zaman International School in Phnom Penh.

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 730F-G-K Le Van Mien, Thao Dien Tel: 7300 7257 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.

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 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. The American School Vietnam - TAS 172-180 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Te: 3519 2223 www.theamericanschool.edu.vn A complete American curriculum with challenging Advanced Placement (AP), dual enrollment with USA Misouri Sate University all directed by a certified Guidance Counselor. The California Standards of Learning are the framework for the program of studies of all grade levels.

Enrollment from nursery to grade 12.

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.

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living BUSINESS GROUPS

AmCham New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 323 Tel: 3824 3562 www.amchamvietnam.com AusCham TV Building, Suite 1A, 31A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3911 0272 / 73 / 74 www.auschamvn.org British Business Group of Vietnam 25 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 8430 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

CAMERAS

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

Le Duc 5B Huynh Tinh Cua, D3 A shop for all your professional accessory needs. From lighting equipment to tripods and reflectors, the shop offers the best equipment and service in HCM City.

Pham The 11 Le Cong Kieu, D1 An authorized service centre for Nikon

camera that also specializes in repairing all camera makes. Measurement equipment and spare parts also available.

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

COMPUTERS

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

Honours Apple service plans.

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

www.vtsaigon.com A superb place with an excellent reputation for after-sales service with competent English speaking staff and a wide range of products and services.

Freeware and shareware also available on the store website.

CONSULTING

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

Embers Asia Ltd. 4th floor, 04 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3822 4728 www.embers-asia.com As the first team building provider established in Vietnam, Embers specializes in making teams better in globally competitive markets. Embers' HR performance management services include: team building excursions, strategic planning retreats, conference facilitations and training workshops.

Ernst & Young Saigon Riverside Office Center, 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3824 5252 www.ey.com Professional service firm specializing in advisory, assurance, tax, transactions and strategic growth markets.

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 after-sales repair on the second floor.

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.

SYS Vi Tinh Saigon 96C Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D1

Grant Thornton Saigon Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc

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finance

Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 9100 www.gt.com.vn International business advisors specializing in auditing, management consulting, corporate finance, risk management and information technology.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Mum and Dad Know Best

By Paul McLardie My parents are in Vietnam at the moment visiting my wife and me. It’s great to see them, but like most parents they have the tendency to give me unsolicited advice.

This got me thinking about the lessons parents teach their children starting from an early age. Usually they are the first people you turn to when you need to know something, from riding a bike and driving a car to learning about money and how to use it.

Principles about money were drummed into me from an early age and they still hold true today. These are the three things my parents taught me about finance, and following this advice has kept me in a good position. So young people, listen to Uncle Paul and what he tells you, and it may even give your parents something to think about.

Don’t buy anything you can’t afford. Save up for it.

Credit cards are great for people living here who want to use them as a safety net, especially when travelling. But make sure to only use them for emergencies. If you want to buy something and don’t have the money on hand, then wait. This will make you feel better when you do buy it. It can be a massive sense of achievement to do this.

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Spend wisely on quality merchandise. It will last longer and will be easier to fix if it breaks. Buying cheap stuff can be better for your wallet in the short term, but in the long term it is better to buy something a bit more expensive, but of higher quality. In today’s throwaway society, when something breaks or gets old you toss it in the trash. How about the idea of buying something that has the possibility of being repaired or even upgraded down the line?

Invest your money as wisely as you would your time. It may seem at the moment that you have all the time in the world, and in one aspect you are correct. People will tell you, though, that as you get older everything starts to speed up. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. That’s the same ethos in saving and investing. Start early and keep on going with it.

Thanks Mum and Dad. I hope that you do not mind my using these life lessons you have taught me. They are, after all, so much better than Dad’s hangover cures.

Paul McLardie is a partner at Total Wealth Management.

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

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.

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.

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

Chau Loan 213 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3825 7991 Gallery based in a colonial shophouse stocking mainly Vietnamese-themed oil paintings and images of Buddha. Also deals in better-known reproductions.

Decosy 112 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 9917 Producer of a large selection of European styled furniture and interior fittings, specializing in wrought iron and patine (distressed) wood finishes. Also stocks a wide-range of decorative accessories, crockery and fixtures. Custom design services available upon request.

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.

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.

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.

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.

PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING

Total Wealth Management 66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 3820 0623 www.t-wm.com

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 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.

ELECTRONICS

Hi End Audio 84 Ho Tung Mau, D1 A standout that stocks the very latest and greatest in home entertainment.

Retails in everything from giant plasmascreen TVs to audio equipment. Most top brands are available.

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.

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.

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.

Nguyen Kim Shopping Centre 63-65 Tran Hung Dao, D1 Tel: 3821 1211 www.nguyenkim.com

Esthetic 11 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 7371/7372 Fax: 3514 7370

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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people matter

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.

Re-entering the Workforce

By Gary Woollacott This month’s topic comes from a reader who asked me to discuss the difficulties facing people who re-enter the workforce. Perhaps they have run their own businesses — successfully or otherwise — and have sold or closed it, or raised a family, or just wanted time away from work. The question is: If they are too young or don’t have enough money to retire, what comes next? The simple answer is to get a job.

But then they are competing against people who have the same years of experience, but perhaps mostly gained within a company, rather than through self-employment.

One of the wonderful things about being human is that we all have different opinions.

For every hiring manager who dismisses experience gained via self-employment, there is another who values it greatly.

I would say a company that isn’t interested in what was learned by being one’s own boss, or raising a family, probably wouldn’t be an enjoyable environment for someone with the motivation and dedication to have done that.

So keep looking for the organisation that recognises and respects your experience, it does exist. As with my consulting work to find my clients

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the best person for the job, you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find the prince.

You may find that compromising too much on salary, position or work environment will delay bigger issues that flare up later. But flexibility and creativity on both sides can overcome that. Some people have to do that simply to survive; any salary is better than no salary. So hold your nose, get on with the job and keep your eyes open — with your career goal in mind — for something better.

Perhaps you will work part-time for a while. But don’t complain or think you will change the company’s culture.

You won’t. Just recall the challenges you faced in installing your own culture, values and work practices, and then try to nudge and nurture those actions into habits. Above all, stay optimistic. There's always something out there for great people.

As usual, let me know if you have any particular topic you would like to see covered here.

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.

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.

INSURANCE Blue Cross Vietnam 8th Flr. River View Tower, Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3821 9908 www.bluecross.com.vn Blue Cross Vietnam is part of the Pacific Cross group of companies with over 60 years' experience in providing health and travel insurance to people and businesses who call Asia home. Our reputation for transparent, honest and reliable service means we are the strength behind your insurance. To make sure you are getting the most out of your insurance please contact us for a free quote.

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 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.

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.

HousingInteractive www.housinginteractive.com Offering an easy-to-use, comprehensive website that only lists authentic

apartments and villas throughout Ho Chi Minh City. The website empowers users to make specific searches to narrow down properties in order to suit their exact requirements and save time.

Upon selecting, HousingInteractive's professional staff is available 6 days a week to introduce tenants to their future homes.

InterContinental Asiana Saigon Residences Corner of Hai Ba Trung & Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3520 8888 saigon@interconti.com www.intercontinental.com/saigonres Contemporary residential space in the heart of the major business and cultural area in District 1. There are 260 one, two or three-bedroom units plus health club and outdoor swimming pool.

Namhouse Corporation

48A Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 0989 007 700 www.namhouse.com.vn Provides rental properties, construction services and interior decorating.

Supports professional services and after-sales.

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, commercial 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.

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.

JVK International Movers Saigon Port Building, 3 Nguyen Tat Thanh, D4 Tel: 3826 7655/6 chris.honour@jvkasia.com www.jvk.com International agengy with a full range of services including sea/air freight services and worldwide transit coverage.

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.

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.

RECRUITMENT

STATIONERY

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

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worldwide. For more info contact info@ opusasia.net.

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

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

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.

Tic Tac Watch Shop 72 Dong Khoi Tel: 0838 293519

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femme fashion

www.tictacwatch.com Elegant show room displaying some of the world’s most recognized Swiss brands such as Rolex, Tag Huer, Baume & Marcer, Omega and Hirsch. On-site watch repair service and complementary watch evaluation available. Also carries a small collection of vintage Rolexes.

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

Umbrella 35 Ly Tu Trong, D1 and 4 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 6276 2730 www.umbrella-fashion.com Sophisticated boutique showcasing a diverse range of imported women’s accessories. Also houses women’s garments from office wear to cocktail and party creations.

ACTIVE WEAR

Roxy and Quiksilver Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 The original active living and extreme sports brands, Roxy and Quiksilver products combine form and function. Choose from outdoor gear to cool indoor clothes.

The Colour Red

By Christina Yu I am about to fail my O levels: Research has proven that red is a powerful colour. Alarm bells are ringing as the dreaded ‘research has proven’ statement enters my monthly column on colour. I was taught always to question any statement that begins this way. But it is true.

In Olympic boxing, the two contestants always wear red or blue uniforms. But the boxer wearing the red uniform statistically wins more fights than the one wearing blue, by a marginal but statistically significant figure.

How’s that for sounding like an economist? This is odd, given there are no ratings to determine who wears which colour, and the colour is decided arbitrarily. Logically, the fighter in blue should win as frequently as the fighter in red. Since even I know the history of deciding boxing matches is dodgy, it is no wonder that researchers have been trying to determine what is up with the power of red.

Did donning the red uniform empower the boxer, or was something else going on? Is red the secret to boxing? It sort of turned out that it did nothing for the boxers themselves — at least, until this research was announced and gave them added confidence — although it did affect the judges, who sub-consciously awarded the red boxers with more prowess.

74 asialife HCMC

Empirical evidence includes mothers’ advice to their sons to “never trust a girl in a red dress”, as well as the success rate of Thai bar girls who perform in red. Biologically, looking at the colour does make the heart beat faster, pupils dilate and blood pressure go up, so you can tell your husband to look at the red wall rather than the girl in red and he’ll get the same effect.

Likewise, red should not be used in negotiating tricky business deals, as you may get your potential partner hot and bothered over a detail you were trying to sweet talk your way through (think blue or neutral for business deals).

Red should also be avoided by anyone with slightly blotchy skin as it will accentuate the blemishes.

So who looks great in red?

The first image that comes to mind is Kelly Lebrock in the movie Lady In Red but it is more about her full and pouty red lips and curvaceous body than her dress. Red is possibly the most interesting colour in the whole spectrum. No other colour can embody both the good and the bad as well as red does.

Christina Yu is the creative director and founder of Ipa-Nima, an award-winning accessories brand. Email your questions to Christina@ ipa-nima.com or visit Ipa-nima. com.

TBS Sports Centre 102 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan This store stocks a range of good sports clothes and equipment from big name brands such as Puma, Adidas, Ecco, Nike and Converse.

Volcom Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Chic and funky ladies’ apparel brand from America. Lots of tank tops, minis and shorts for day tripping with girlfriends or lazing on the beach.

READY TO WEAR unisex

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

Runway Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9988 runway.sg@global-fashion.vn Massive and minimalist design-led inte-

rior 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.

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

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

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 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.

Dzung 221 Le Thanh Ton, D1 One of the most reliable and respected men’s tailors in town with prices and production time to reflect the quality of the workmanship.

Massimo Ferrari 42-A1 Tran Quoc Thao, D3 Tel: 3930 6212 Traditional Italian sartorial techniques are employed to offer a full wardrobing service and custom tailoring for men. Stocked with imported fabrics primarily from Italy.

In-office and workplace fittings available.

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

LINH‘S WHITE PLEASANT LIVING MINIMALISM 37 THAO DIEN (OPPOSITE AN PHU SUPERMARKET) 67 XUAN THUY - DISTRICT 2 PHONE: (84) - 62819863 - 62818488 E : linhnguyen@hbdecor.com.vn

- www.linhfurniture.com

asialife HCMC 75

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76 asialife HCMC

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soundfix album review

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Rachel Zeffira

Motorama

The Game

Ex-Cult

The Deserters

Calendar

Jesus Piece

Ex-Cult

Rachel Zeffira proves how much a classical background counts. With a seraphic soprano, multi-instrumentalist skills and brilliance for composition, she is an argument for sending more musicians back to school. Last year, the Canadian teamed up with The Horrors’ Faris Badwan to form Cat’s Eyes. The Deserters is her solo debut. Arrangements are intricate and lush, drawing together a host of instruments including the organ, flutes and strings. Then, to keep it current, she’ll pull a trick like incorporating psychedelic rock up-and-comers TOY on ‘Here On In’. Each of the album’s tracks are refreshingly varied.

‘Front Door’ evokes dainty 1950s-girl-in-love lyrics over stirring instrumentation, followed by ‘Break the Spell’ with a pulsating beat straight out of the 1980s. Zeffira has managed to craft something that is haunting, beautiful and unique enough to be significant without being too experimental to enjoy.

There’s not much to find out about Motorama on the internet.

The band’s Wikipedia page is blank and the official webpage is minimalist. The lack of attention would be surprising if Motorama were from Brooklyn, LA or Manchester. Instead the five-piece hails from Rostovon-Don, a small town in Russia near its southern border. Aside from the infamous Pussy Riot and the singing Babushkas of this year’s Eurovision, few Russian music acts have broken into the international consciousness. Motorama’s second album, Calendar, is a case for highlighting the Russian indie scene. A mix of flat vocals over upbeat melodies, the band is a nod to New Order and 1980s post-punk. Sung in English, these are straightforward songs about heartbreak and nature — with picturesque references to snowstorms, rivers and the moon that conjure up the country’s wide open spaces.

With a penchant for borrowing heavily from others, The Game can be considered rap’s chameleon. His fifth studio album, Jesus Piece, is no exception. For the album’s title track, The Game enlists two of the artists to whom his style is most indebted, Kanye West and Common. Even the song’s name, as well as the background choir refrain, evokes a lighter version of Kanye’s 2004 ‘Jesus Walks’. But as much as he likes to blow his own horn, he’s nowhere near the level of those who have inspired him. With repetitive lyrics and arrangements that can seem all too familiar, The Game can’t be credited with contributing much originality to the hip hop industry. Yet with his savvy collaborations — with appearances from 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, J Cole, Kendrick Lamar and many more on this album — and choice of catchy beats, The Game does have a knack for creating exoteric gangsta rap.

It’s an incongruity that bodes well for the charts.

The past decade hasn’t been too good for punk rock. Aside from some standouts, the genre’s been dominated by watered down, mainstream acts. Ex-Cult is one of the exceptions. More Ramones than The Offspring, Ex-Cult is a XXX out of Memphis, Tennessee.

Their SXSW performance won over current punk luminary Ty Segall, who went on to produce the band’s first album. The eponymous debut sounds like a tribute to the early punk scene of 1970s New York City, which also draws some comparison to the fuzzy, let-loose tenor of early Strokes songs. The opener ‘Knives on Both Sides’ makes for a strong start, with riffs set to make dive bars dance.

The group shares members with indie pop group Magic Kids, which lends enough of a pop feel to this record to be melodious, without losing a reckless tone.

80 asialife HCMC

endorsed

xoneFM top ten Hot 10 this last

title

artist

new 3 5 10 8 new 6 9 11

Get Along Troublemaker Brand New Me Daylight Young Girls Two Black Cadillacs Let It Snow Diamonds Hall Of Fame

4

Little Things

Guy Sebastian Olly Murs feat. Flo Rida Alicia Keys Maroon 5 Bruno Mars Carrie Underwood Scotty McCreery Rihanna The Script feat Will.I.Am One Direction

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

The Fisheye Camera

By Ruben Luong

Australian Top 10 this last

week week

title

1

1

Thrift Shop

2

5

Scream & Shout

3

2

Don't You Worry Child

4

3

5 6 7 8 9 10

11 4 7 15 18 8

I Knew You Were Trouble Locked Out Of Heaven Troublemaker Little Talks I Love It Best Night Gangnam Style

artist Macklemore and Ryan Lewis feat Wanz Will.I.am feat Britney Spears Swedish House Mafia feat John Martin Taylor Swift Bruno Mars Olly Murs Of Monsters and Men Icona Pop Justice Crew Psy

US Top 10 this last

week week 1

2

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 3 4 5 8 6 7 9 10

title Locked Out Of Heaven Die Young Dianmonds Let Me Love You One More Night Ho Hey I Cry Some Nights Home Beauty And A Beat

artist Bruno Mars Ke$ha Rihanna Ne-Yo Maroon 5 Lumineers Flo Rida Fun. Phillip Phillips Justin Bieber

The compact, 35mm-film fisheye camera produces warped photos using a convex, wideangle lens. With surprising distortions and off-the-wall inversions in each shot, the camera is an addictive, veritable thrill for the senses.

Fisheye cameras were conceived from lomography, a once-underground style of photography that employs an experimental approach to capturing images. Lomography emerged in the early 1990s in Vienna, where a group of students dabbled with a small Russian camera called the Lomo Kompakt Automat. Their experiments resulted in quirky, unconventional snapshots of random subjects and situations. The concept of lomography relies on thinking fast, being open minded about the environment, and collecting a variety of images.

Since the 1990s, lomography has grown into a socio-cultural sensation, and notable photographers, such as Helmut Lang, are known for their lomographic images containing whimsical compositions and colourful saturations. Today there are major exhibitions featuring nearly 100,000 lomographic photos in cities like New York, Berlin, Madrid and Tokyo, but also in more casual locales, such as homes, bars and abandoned buildings. These snapshots showcase anything from

skateboarders and sunbathers to pets and lush cityscapes.

While there is a plethora of digital cameras available today, the fisheye camera is a refreshing alternative with satisfyingly tangible results.

I own a more professional camera, but my red fisheye is definitely more fun to carry around. Those who rarely use the professional functions on their digital camera will find the fisheye to be remarkably easier to use and transportable in comparison, as it is slightly smaller in height and width than an iPhone.

Although my fisheye lacks the hi-tech settings built into my professional camera, it yields equally stunning snapshots by exposing organic qualities only a fisheye camera can produce without focus.

Looking through the viewfinder to take your picture actually is not recommended with the fisheye lens. Because of its ultra-wide angle view, it will capture much more than the eye can see from a viewfinder. It’s also large enough that it casts arbitrary shadows on subjects or washes them out, leaving a cool effect.

The camera is available in two generations, Fisheye 1 and 2, for roughly $100. And in a place like Southeast Asia, filled with rich colours, interesting people, food, animals, and ways of life, the fisheye comes in pretty handy.

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boxoffice

Parental Guidance

Les Miserables

The Impossible

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunter

Old school grandfather Artie (Billy Crystal), who is accustomed to calling the shots, meets his match when he and his eager-to-please wife Diane (Bette Midler) agree to babysit their three grandkids when their type-A helicopter parents go away for work. But when 21st century problems collide with Artie and Diane's old school methods of tough rules, lots of love and old-fashioned games, it's learning to bend —not holding your ground — that binds a family together.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption — a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Hugh Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) after he breaks parole.

When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's (Anne Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.

Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise.

But on the morning of 26 Dec, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities the night before, a terrifying roar rises up from the centre of the earth. As Maria freezes in fear, a huge wall of black water races across the hotel grounds toward her. The adventure that follows is based on a true story.

Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton star in this newest version of Hansel & Gretel, a classic tale with a twist. After getting a taste for blood as children, Hansel (Renner) and Gretel (Arterton) have become the ultimate vigilantes, hell bent on retribution. Now, unbeknownst to them, Hansel and Gretel have become the hunted and must face an evil far greater than witches...their past. Famke Janssen and Peter Stormare also star.

Opening Dates CINEMAS M: Megastar Cinema www.megastar.vn

G: Galaxy Cinema www.galaxycine.vn

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The Impossible (4 Jan) Les Miserables (11 Jan) Parental Guidance (18 Jan) Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunter (25 Jan) The Impossible (4 Jan) Les Miserables (11 Jan)

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

bookshelf Fairy Tales From The Brothers Grimm Philip Pullman Viking

From the author of the children’s classic The Golden Compass comes a collection of quintessential fairy tales. Philip Pullman presents 50 stories by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, translated from German into clean, elegant English. Rather than complicate narratives with modern settings and complex characters, Pullman seldom strays from the original plotlines. He follows each tale with analysis, background information and translation explanations. Children and adults alike will enjoy Pullman’s retellings.

Raffles and the Golden Opportunity Victoria Glendinning Profile Books

The 19th-century English adventurer Thomas Stamford Raffles is an intriguing historical figure. His employment with the East India Company brought him to Asia, where he eventually founded modern Singapore. Years after Raffles’ death, the island’s most famous hotel — and now hospitality chain — bore his name. Beyond his exploits in the East, Raffles spent his last years in England pursuing botany and zoology and created the London Zoo in 1826. Victoria Glendinning’s biography follows the controversial figure’s colourful life, including his professional accomplishments and personal tragedies.

The Revolution Was Televised Alan Sepinwall What’s Alan Watching?

A television fanatic best known for his blog, critic Alan Sepinwall examines the shows he argues have revolutionised the small screen. Covering selected series such as The Sopranos, Mad Men and The Wire, The Revolution Was Televised explores how television has progressed as a medium for portraying drama to rival cinema. Sepinwall describes the recent surge in quality programming and production as creating a golden age for television and uses sharp commentary to delve into the significance of 12 selected shows.

New Finnish Grammar Diego Marani The Text Publishing Company

When Sampo is discovered in Hamburg without any memory of who he is, the only clue to his identity seems to be a Finnish sailor costume. The doctor who tends to him — Friari, a Finnish expatriate— assumes Sampo must be a compatriot and sends him to Helsinki. There, Sampo witnesses the impact of The Winter War, a conflict between Finland and Russia. In a postmodern approach to narrative, the story is told through a series of excerpts from Sampo’s diary, edited and commented on by Friari.

asialife HCMC 83

Doomsday has come and gone — again. Now that you’ve all survived, Dana Filek-Gibson encourages you to live each day to the extreme.

To anyone who has been hiding in his apartment, surviving on Aquafina and instant noodles, it is now safe to come out. The deadline for the apocalypse has passed and, despite countless end-of-the-world parties, 2012 is over and the Earth still turns. Xe om drivers continue to nap on street corners, banh mi stands carry on their fight against cleanliness, and everyone in the sandwich-board-ofsunglasses business is still trying to sell you some Ray-Bans.

Indeed, not much in 2013 — if anything — has changed.

Except, of course, that you've survived an apocalypse. It was the most underwhelming, anti-climactic doomsday anyone could have foretold, but it was, technically speaking, still the end of the world.

The unfortunate result is that, after such a dramatic build-up, no one is fighting off aliens or looting supermarkets. But while the apocalypse of your imagination never came to fruition, the silver lining to all this excitement is that everyone has been granted a second chance at life. And, as one of the many remaining citizens of Earth, you now have the responsibility to 84 asialife HCMC

live this year to the extreme.

The key to making this year more outrageous than any before it is to remember that 2013 was, according to the Mayans, never supposed to happen.

Difficult as it may be over the coming weeks and months, you cannot let the high emotions of this moment slip away.

Like every other year, many people will begin 2013 as their best selves, full of resolution to eat better, save the whales, be kinder to children, or learn Vietnamese, and by March, they will be back to their usual junk-food-eating, whale-hating routine. But not you.

In order to take full advantage of this post-apocalyptic year, everything in your daily life must become an extreme event. Gone are the days of 'commuting' to work; instead, you will master the art of motorcross on the streets of Saigon, careening down Dien Bien Phu as if brakes and traffic police were a thing of the past.

The age of 'Sunday driving' and stopping at red lights is over.

You have been blessed with the gift of prolonged life and, as such, you will not waste any time yielding to other vehicles.

Indeed, several thousand young delivery drivers in this city have already chosen not to waste time with frivolous luxuries like turn signals or paying attention.

Likewise, 2013 is no longer a year for simply 'making dinner'. In this new, postapocalyptic world, you must take cooking to new heights.

Anyone can enjoy a take-away meal, but how many expats in this city can cook? Never mind microwaveable dinners from the import store. You always knew that it was possible to purchase a live animal at the market, carry it home in a plastic bag, and sacrifice that animal in the name of barbecue.

Now, in true Mayan fashion, is the time to do so. This may be disturbing to some, namely vegetarians, but you have to remember that this is the world we now live in — bold, bright and terrifying.

Once you've elevated your everyday habits, like driving and eating, to an intensity appropriate for the end of the world, it is time to go forth and conquer new frontiers.

Everyone strives to become a better person in the new year

by exploring new interests, like the art of ballroom dancing or Gangnam Style. Whatever you choose to occupy your time, it is important that you opt for the extreme version of that activity.

Wouldn't ballroom dancing, after all, be far more interesting if it were done with swords in the park? While this may never have crossed your mind, there's a social club somewhere in District 1 that attracts swarms of middle-aged women seeking a thrill in this exact way. If dancing doesn't suit you, self-defense is always an option. There's no way to be sure, but I feel vaguely certain that Saigon is waiting for someone to open its first official fight club.

Regardless of what 2013 brings, it is up to you to make sure the tenor of your life postapocalypse is worth remembering. You can take pride in the knowledge that, following the end of the world, you did not give up and sink back into your humdrum routine. Instead, you seized the moment, killed a chicken, and fearlessly raced through rush-hour traffic with your eyes closed. Now is the time to go forth and live like there's no tomorrow.

This Country Life After years of social exchanges with Vietnamese, Walter Pearson has figured out the niceties that separate polite from rude.

The Vietnamese for “please”, as we all know, is “xin”. My Vietnamese wife never uses the word with me. It is “Let me have a glass of water,” or “Cho em ly nöôùc, anh.” And “thank you” — “caùm ôn” — hardly ever passes her lips. “I don’t need to say thank you,” she says. “Khoâng caàn caùm ôn.”

A friend complained that his lover never thanked either.

“I don’t ask for much,” he said, “But a ‘Thank you’ now and then would be nice.” He put this to his partner, who considered it quite deeply. I can see why she had trouble with the idea.

Please and thank you in Vietnamese carry implications that do not exist in English.

Xin implies asking for something that one may only be granted out of beneficence or where permission is needed. We generally don’t “xin” something to be provided by right or out of necessity — like a glass of water.

Caùm ôn is easily overdone.

Caùm ôn, also written “caœm ôn”, could be translated as “I feel obliged.” Hence one is saying one has a sense of being in the other person’s debt.

My friend’s lover did not expect to have to say thank you when she agreed to his invitation to dine or go away for trips because she did not feel she was indebted to him.

In his mind “thank you” was a simple and somewhat ritual courtesy. To her it had a different meaning.

In restaurants, I do not hear people say caùm ôn to servers bringing food. Nor do we say xin when they bring a drink or get the bill. When leaving, it is not necessary to thank the staff. Quite correctly, a server might say caùm ôn to us.

But we can relieve him of that sense of obligation by saying “Khoâng coù gì (or chi)” which is literally saying there’s nothing that requires thanking.

But if you want to be

friendly — something Vietnamese greatly appreciate — you may say after paying the bill, if the server is someone you deal with regularly, “I’m going home now.” Not that we’d think where we are going is of any interest to, or business of, the server. It is just what Vietnamese do.

My friends at tennis often say, “I’ll go home first,” or “Toâi veàềtröôùc.” People visiting my wife come and tell me they are going home. Younger people clasp their right hand over the left hand at the waist and bow slightly as they say it. Folded arms are a sign of respect.

I was once at a pre-school opening with some senior diplomats who were trying to be friendly with the kids and wanted to shake hands.

The little ones were confused.

I told the diplomats younger people do not shake hands with their elders. They “daï”.

That is, they fold their hands

across their waist, bow and say “Daï”. So I said to the little preschoolers, “Do you know how to daï?” And they did.

Another time, I was at home when a nephew came by. He said, “So you’re not doing a tour today, uncle?” Strange question, I thought. I was watching CNN and clearly not leading a tour group around some historical vestige. I replied frivolously, “No, or else I wouldn’t be here.” Later, my wife gently advised me I was being a bit rude. I explained I thought it was pretty obvious I was not taking a tour and found the question a bit odd.

But she told me it was not meant to be a real question just a way of being polite.

So when people you might know slightly greet you on the street or in a restaurant or in the office by asking where you are going or what you are doing, do not think they are being intrusive. They are just being friendly. asialife HCMC 85

pub quiz 13

Water

1) Which docu-drama directed

by Ron Howard stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Ed Harris?

2) Who released the album 13 in 1999? It reached number one in the UK charts.

3) Which Southeast Asian public holiday usually starts on 13 April?

4) In the Friday the 13th films, what does Jason wear on his face?

5) In the 2001 film, what are Thirteen Conversations About?

21) Which city in Ireland is famous for its crystal?

22) Which 1995 box office flop was the most expensive film ever made at the time?

23) How many players make up a water polo team?

24) In 1815, the Duke of Wellington defeated Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo. In what modern day country is Waterloo?

25) “Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink” comes from which famous poem?

Jan 6) Which city is served by the airport that was, until 1994, named Jan Smuts Airport?

7) Which actress was famously stabbed to death in the shower in Psycho?

8) Who died in a hotel room from an overdose of heroin in October 1970?

9) Jansher Khan won the World Open a record eight times. In what sport?

10) Who lost the 1993 Wimbledon final despite being up 4-1 in the final set?

Celebrity Sideshow 26)

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Fire 16) Who claimed “we didn’t start the fire” in 1989?

17) What is the name of Mozilla’s free open-source web browser?

18) What is the Italian name for Florence?

19) Fire was one of the classical elements. Name the three others.

20) Who invented a lamp to reduce the danger of firedamp in coal mines?

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1) Apollo 13 2) Blur 3) Buddhist New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey or Songkran) 4) Hockey mask 5) One Thing 6) Johannesburg 7) Janet Leigh 8) Janis Joplin 9) Squash 10) Jana Novotná 11) Ruby 12) Alf Garnett 13) Sapphire (Saffy) 14) The Emerald City 15) Lou Diamond Phillips 16) Billy Joel 17) Firefox 18) Firenze 19) Earth, Water, Air 20) Sir Humphrey Davy 21) Waterford 22) Waterworld 23) 7 24) Belgium 25) The Rime of the Ancient Mariner 26) Phil Collins 27) Samuel L Jackson 28) Tommy Lee Jones 29) Leonardo DiCaprio 30) Julia Roberts

11) Which song gave the Kaiser Chiefs their first UK number one single in 2007?

12) American TV character Archie Bunker was based on which British character, star of Till Death Us Do Part?

13) What is Eddie’s daughter called in Absolutely Fabulous?

14) What is the capital of The Land of Oz? 15) Who played Ritchie Valens in La Bamba?

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