AsiaLIFE Cambodia March

032013 ISSUE75

www.asialifemagazine.com

note from the editor AsiaLIFE Group

Ellie Dyer Technology has the power to change the world. Without the development of the printing press in 15th-century Germany, AsiaLIFE probably wouldn’t exist. Nowadays, tablet computers and smartphones are paving the way to the future. In 20 years, who knows how development will have changed our lives. We may even be wearing computerised glasses and riding on hover boards.

In this month’s cover feature (page 26) we have met some of the people behind Cambodia’s technological sphere and looked at key apps and websites that could prove useful to those living in Cambodia. It seems many local youngsters are making the most of the global hunger for technological evolution by entering the rapidly evolving economic sector. With smartphones becoming ever cheaper and internet penetration rising, Cambodia’s technological future —as well as that of its IT graduates — is bright.

Technophobes shouldn’t worry though, as there's a lot of variety in this month’s magazine. We’ve interviewed David Hunt, the coordinator of the Mekong River Swim, about the upcoming plunge into the mighty river (page 24). B-boy Peanut has also taught AsiaLIFE some tricks of the breakdancing trade (page 36) with some hilarious, and somewhat uncoordinated, results.

Our writer Bridget Di Certo has travelled to both Otres beach and Siem Reap in search of relaxation. Her profile of Mouth Saravann (page 32), a former butler now turned dedicated Raffles historian, is an interesting window into the history of one of the country’s grandest hotels and a man dedicated to unravelling its past.

Culture buffs should find our article on the Wangkang festival in Malaysia (page 34) a fascinating insight into a rare event full of flames, ghosts and boats. I also interviewed the organisers of Little Kitchen (page 42), a fantastic monthly food event at Meta House that showcases world cuisine. It has received rave reviews from our team, plus the profits are ploughed back into charity projects.

You may also spot our new feature called Behind the Design (page 46) where we shed light on an interesting building, complex or interior design project. If you have any suggestions for future subjects, please get in touch.

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Group Editor-in-Chief / Director Cambodia: Mark Bibby Jackson mark@asialife.asia

Group Director Sales & Marketing / Director Vietnam: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialife.asia

Managing Editor Cambodia: Ellie Dyer ellie@asialife.asia

Director Thailand: Nattamon Limthanachai (Oh) oh@asialife.asia

Associate Editor: Bridget Di Certo bridget.dicerto@gmail.com

Group Creative Director: Johnny Murphy johnny@asialife.asia

Editor-at-Large Cambodia: Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Art Director Cambodia: Hilary Fastier

Siem Reap: Rhi Quinn

Photographers: Chatti Phal & Conor Wall

Sales Manager Cambodia: Sorn Chantha chantha@asialife.asia

Social Media and Marketing: Kate Burbidge kate@asialife.asia

Sales and Accounts: Seang Seyha 012 581 455

Distribution: Sam Ath Ouk 012 319 172

Accountant: Seang Satya For advertising enquiries call Chantha on 012 576 878 / 096 9999 351 and Seyha 012 581 455 Special thanks to: Yoki Coco, Darren Gall, Gemma Jones, Vanessa Vrdoljak, Mary Kozlovski, Diana van Oort, David Preece, Yeng Sok, Dr Nelson Velez and Cambodia Restaurant Association for their contribution to this issue.

AsiaLIFE is a registered trademark.

No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners. © 360º Media.

Next time you're in Vietnam, check out the latest issue of AsiaLIFE or download it from www.asialifemagazine.com

032013 ISSUE75

front

12 Picks of the Month 14 Openings

getaway

38 Dreams of Otres

food

42 Little Kitchen

16 Dispatches 18 Phnom Penh Calendar 20 Photo Essay 24 Q&A: David Hunt

on the cover

storyboard

45 Food Review: Indian Delight

26 Plugged In

32 History in the Making 34 Burning of the Wangkang

style & design

46 Behind the Design

back

53 Listings

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34

48 Hollywood Glamour

88 Phnom Penh Map 98 Pub Quiz

36 B-Boy Breaks

24

44 Food Talk: Sofitel

36

46

March 2013

Kampong Chhnang Pottery Market

Potters from the Cambodia Traditional Pottery Project in Kampong Chhnang will have their wares on show at the B1 Gallery at the InterContinental on Mar. 2 and 3, from 10am until 5pm. The rich earth of Kampong Chhnang produces clays and glazes that have historically made the province and its potters famous. This group of female potters has been trained by Japanese ceramic experts to utilise traditional skills, tools and resources to create a new pottery brand. At the close of the market on Saturday there will be a presentation, followed by a charity auction for the victims of the 2011 Japanese earthquake.

FIFA Visit Boosts Young Players

Feb. 17 saw FIFA vice president, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, visit Cambodia. He attended the opening of the Cambodia Football Development League

at Olympic Stadium and saw players in action. The league is the brainchild of Phnom Penh Crown FC and aims to provide regular competitive matches for young Cambodian players in the Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 age groups. The prince also travelled to Battambang to visit the headquarters of the SALT Academy, home of the Asian Football Development Project-sponsored girls’ football programme. It gives exceptional young female players an opportunity to undertake high-level education and training and acts as a safety net for girls at risk of human trafficking.

PSE Launches New Initiative

Non-governmental organisation PSE is launching a new project to enrol 500 underprivileged students in full-time sponsored school placements. The sixmonth campaign, starting this month, is designed to inspire people to ‘Be A Hero’

Buddhist Bug Art

and engage with those in the community who don’t have access to education.

Conferences will be organised with testimonies from former PSE students and a website will be launched with details on how to participate, raise or donate funds, and raise awareness. A culinary festival will also be held by the NGO in Olympic Stadium on Mar. 29 and 30 from 5pm. Entrance is $3. For more information, visit site-pse.org or sveva. pettorino@site-pse.org.

Buddhist Bug Comes To Java

The Buddhist Bug art project

returns home to Cambodia with an exhibition opening and premiere on Mar. 1 at Java Gallery. The exhibition will bring together performance, photography and video works of the project and a 30-metre-long installation until Apr. 7. The Buddhist Bug is the concept of Anida Yoeu Ali and a project of Studio Revolt. “The Buddhist Bug is a fantastic saffron-coloured creature that can span the length of a 30-metre bridge or coil into a small orange ball,” says Ali. “Rooted in an autobiographical exploration of identity, the bug comes from the artist’s own spiritual turmoil

Pharmacy & Beauty store Services - International cosmetic brands - Largest selection of medicines with original brand products - Professional advice - Central locations in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

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between Islam and Buddhism.

Set amongst everyday people in ordinary moments, the bug provokes obvious questions of belonging and displacement.�

Festival of French Culture The French Chamber of Commerce is organising a celebration of all things French from Mar. 1 to Mar. 12. Rubies is offering deals on French wine for the whole period and Sofitel is holding a French brunch on Mar. 10.

Comme a la Maison is hosting Burgundian week from Mar. 8 to Mar. 14. The French

PPAWS Pet of the Month

Institute plays host to the 2nd Annual Animated Movie Festival from Mar. 1 to Mar. 3 with talks and screenings of animated shorts. Van’s restaurant will display an exhibition of silverware by Christofle on Mar. 7. Koh Pich will be the site of a French Exhibition Hall on Mar. 8 and Mar. 9. The festival culminates in a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Pasteur Institute in Phnom Penh on Mar. 11, and the opening of an exhibition celebrating the life and works of Louis Pasteur at Sofitel on Mar. 12.

Socks is a black kitten with four white feet. He is very playful and loves a cuddle. He is about two months old, litter trained, de-wormed and is due his first vaccination soon. He is used to living with dogs and other kittens so will fit in well in any home.

PPAWS is also looking for Cambodian vets based in provincial towns to take up voluntary placements at Agrovet in Phnom Penh to learn about spaying, neutering and setting and splinting bones. For more information about Socks or the vet scheme, please contact nicola.scales@gmail.com or SMS 017 293 654.

March 2013

Siem Reap news Roll Up!

Phare, the Cambodian Circus, has set up a big top in Siem Reap. Phare is the little sister of Phare Ponleu Selpak, a nonprofit organisation founded in 1994 by eight Khmer ex-refugee artists from Battambang. The outdoor venue currently has a 320-seat capacity and is performing two shows, PUTHO! and Eclipse. PUTHO!, meaning "Oh my God!" in Khmer, is an allegory of relationships between boys and girls and all the drama that comes with them. Highlights include a gymnast who can draw a bow and arrow using only her feet and a juggling tightrope walker. Eclipse is a tale of discrimination where a man, shunned for his differences,

pray for divine intervention and is transformed into a beautiful woman. “Circus is a part of Cambodia and a part of Cambodian tradition. I love the circus, I’ve been involved in it for eight years,” says Sothea, a performer in PUTHO! Serenaded by an orchestra combining traditional and modern instruments, it’s impossible not to be caught up in the enthusiasm of these shows, so prepare for gasps of amazement and intakes of breath. Shows take place daily at 7.30pm. For more information, visit www. pharecambodiancircus.org.

there will be a special market in front of Shinta Mani hotel on Street 14 that aims to promote high quality products made in Cambodia. Sombai beverages will join Eric Raisina Texture, Eric Stocker Laque and Textures, Theam’s House, Angkor Artwork, Grace Gecko and more, from 3pm to 9pm. Organisers say it will be the first time that so many internationally recognised artisans and designers ‘made in Cambodia’ will join forces.

For more information, please visit www.shintamani.com.

Well Made In Cambodia

Siem Reap International Airport has broken another record by surpassing the monthly

Every first Saturday of the month, starting on Mar. 2,

High Flyers

300,000 passenger mark for the first time in its history.

These figures are more good news for SRIA, which recently celebrated 2 million passengers passing through the facility in 2012 in a unique way. Captured on camera, what seems to be an average day amongst the baggage carousels morphs into a flash mob that includes staff and passengers. The routine begins with traditional Khmer dancing and ends with body popping to ‘Let Me Think About It’ by Fedde Le Grand.

The trend for growing numbers of tourists is expected to continue in March so, let’s hope the trend for quirky dances is as well. You can find the hilarious video on YouTube.

picks of the month Visit: Off the Wall

Read: Phnom Penh Express

Skate fans are in for a treat when the Teo + Namfah Gallery on Street 214 presents ‘Off the Wall’, an exhibition of specially commissioned decorated skateboard decks, on Mar. 21. A total of 30 international and local artists has been given a blank deck and asked to interpret the theme of childhood memory. The aim of the project is to unite street culture and art and raise funds through a silent auction of the boards for CANVAS, an artist-inresidence programme that aims to provide opportunities for local and regional artists to further their professional development in a nurturing environment.

For more information please contact natalylee24@gmail. com or call 0885 455 282.

Author Johan Smits’ crime thriller, set around a chocolate shop on Street 240, is now making its way to Bangkok bookstores and is well worth revisiting.

From the all-pervading smell of fermented fish prahok to the deathly noise of karaoke songs, we see, hear and smell the city. What Smits offers is not so much an insider’s view of the Cambodian capital as an outsider’s view. By choosing to make his protagonist (Phirum) half-Belgian and half-Cambodian, he has created a central character who feels the full force of alienation in the country to which he has chosen to return. It is an interesting study of people who reside in the cracks between nationalities.

Watch: The Newsroom Set in a fictional cable news network, The Newsroom is a TV drama that uses real life events as a basis for its story lines. The first episode opens with the BP oil crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, with the season also tackling the Fukushima nuclear crisis and the killing of Osama Bin Laden. With good character development and gripping story lines, it’s a must-see for fans of The West Wing — also created by writer Aaron Sorkin.

Attend: Grass Snake Union It's the last chance to see Grass Snake Union’s current line up at Equinox, from 9pm on Mar. 15, before frontman TJ heads home to the United States. The band is bidding their lead singer a fond farewell at Equinox with an eminently danceable blend of upbeat bluegrass, featuring original material and covers of classics. Tel: 023 676 7593, www.equinox-cambodia.com.

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Discover: 1980s Cambodia Initially visiting the country in 1983 to prepare for the first tourist groups after the end of the Khmer Rouge era, Australian tourism industry director Paul Cummings had unusual access to tourist sites but also the schools, factories, villages and scenes of everyday life. His ‘Cambodia Rediscovered’ exhibit at the Bophana Centre, running until Mar. 15, shows 23 images from the 1980s, revealing daily life in Cambodia at a time when the country was just starting to rebuild itself. “I have tried to document a Cambodia poised between war and peace, between revolution and normality, and capture something of the lives of people at a crucial stage in the country’s history,” he says.

Bicycles Cambodia named the second biggest importer of the humble two-wheeler into the EU after Taiwan, an industry newsletter reports Richard III England’s hunchback king found buried under a Leicester car park, reacquainting many with the ill-fated monarch who cried “a horse, a horse, my Kingdom for a horse” in Shakespeare’s play A River Changes Course Cambodia-based environmental documentary wins top gong at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah Destiny’s Child The girl band reunites with an iconic performance at the US Super Bowl Harlem Shake The Harlem Shake dance craze goes viral as fans from around the world replicate its crazy, arm swinging moves

GOING UP GOING DOWN Tunisia Opposition leader Chokri Belaid shot dead outside his home in the North African nation, sparking a 1,000-strong protest Ta Prohm Restoration workers at one of Angkor Wat’s most iconic temples go on strike in a bid to get colleagues reinstated Rihanna Pop starlet continues to court controversy after collaborating with musician Chris Brown despite 2009 assault Match Fixing Major investigation by the European Police Office reveals match fixing suspected in 380 professional matches, including World Cup qualifiers Eggs Hong Kong bans egg imports from Cambodia following five bird flu cases in the Kingdom this January

openings Kep Retreat

Villa S’aat

Conor Wall

For city slickers looking for a getaway with a taste of privacy, this elegant and spacious villa in Kep could fit the bill. The newlyopened house is located around two kilometres from the crab market towards Kampot and comes complete with a swimming pool, sunset views, a fully-equipped kitchen, a large terrace and household staff. The tastefully decorated accommodation has plenty of common space for socialising and can be rented for $300 a night, including services and WiFi. It has a maximum capacity of six adults and six children.

For more information email info@villa-kep.com or visit villa-kep.com.

New Brew

Tea House

Cross a small bridge over a pond encircled with plants and enter the world of tea at Tea House, a new 52-room establishment located in the relative calm of Street 242. The venue has a spacious redsplashed lobby featuring large, square seats with wooden tea trays for visitors to sample regional brews and sweet cakes. Davy Chan, assistant director at sister hotel Plantation who is overseeing Tea House, said the hotel plans to open a shop selling tea varieties and accessories. Standard rooms start at $38 per night including breakfast. The hotel also has free WiFi and a swimming pool, with a spa on the way.

32 Street 242, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 212 789. Reception open 24 hours a day. Restaurant open daily from 7am to 10pm.

Rich Variety

The Village A young woman sings liltingly in Khmer to the pulse of an electric guitar as onlookers slowly nod their heads. While biting into pieces of baklava at The Village, patrons can sway to regular live music in soundproof surrounds. “We don’t want one type of music only — we want variety,” said The Village’s managing director Atef Khomassi, former manager of capital favourite Le Cedre. For those who missed rich helpings of Lebanese fare after Le Cedre closed its doors, The Village — located at the restaurant’s old home on Street 360 — offers a mix of international cuisine with an emphasis on Lebanese dishes, and a varied drinks menu. Entrées start at $5 and main meals are priced from $12.

1 Street 360, Phnom Penh. Tel: 012 810 731 or 081 573 787. Open daily from 9am to midnight. thevillagepnh.com, info@thevillagepnh.com.

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MamMa Mia

The Pizza Man Bakery

Every evening thousands draw like moths to the lights of Street 51, where a string of eateries springs nightly from the pavement. The Pizza Man Bakery is one of 51’s newest competitors for furious late-night appetites. While the store features fast-food veterans including burgers, fries and hot dogs, freshly baked pizza on homemade dough is the main attraction. General manager Alex Clulow says the pizzas are cooked quickly at high temperature. “The dough rises very fast and it’s a much tastier pizza,” he adds.

Small and regular size pizzas with various toppings are available and the bakery offers the 'mini-max' for $1.75, which is more compact than a small pizza but has the same amount of dough. The pizza men bake daily batches of warm bread for sale and, if you’re keen on home cooking, they run two-day pizza making courses for $100 a pop.

Shop 25, Golden Sorya Mall, Street 51, Phnom Penh. Tel: 070 737 444 or 010 752 033 or 011 606 079. Open daily from 6.30pm until late.

Expanding Quality

The Blue Pumpkin Wrapped around a quiet corner on Street 57, the capital’s newest Blue Pumpkin gleams in the residential enclave of BKK1. With an impressive 16 stores across Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, and a 17th in the works, Cambodia’s iconic food emporium is expanding with its popular blend of Asian and international dishes, pastries, fruit shakes and ice creams. Blue Pumpkin chief executive officer Tristan de La Porte du Theil said the menu is constantly being refined. “We are focusing on quality,” he says. Though The Blue Pumpkin is attracting overseas interest, its feet are planted firmly in Cambodia, with new outlets in Battambang, Kampot and Kampong Cham under consideration.

Cnr Street 57 and Street 288, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 991 816 or 023 991 813. Open daily from 6am to 11pm. tbpumpkin.com, info@tbpumpkin.com.

Contemporary Warmth

80s Café

In a country where a chunk of the population is aged under 30, 24-year-old café owner Sandy Wang thought it fitting to christen her establishment after the decade she was born in. Despite the name, there isn’t a shoulder pad in sight at 80’s Café, where warm brick archways and wooden tables have a contemporary feel. The menu is largely beverage-based, with coffees from $1.25, tea and smoothies from $2.50 and an assortment of beers and cocktails, as well as affordable snacks like muffins, sandwiches, noodles and burgers. For avid readers, floor-to-ceiling shelves are stacked with books written in English and Chinese — many of which belong to Chinese-born Wang and her mother — and Khmer-language magazines. If you would rather read music than literature, two guitars sit in a corner, waiting to be played.

20 Street 75, Phnom Penh. Tel: 010 569 888. Open daily from 8am to 10pm. facebook. com/80s.cafe, eighties.cafe@gmail.com.

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DISPATCHES

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Adults Only

The ‘afternoon afterglow’ package at the Akyra Chura Samui hotel is a strictly adults-only date that maximises your time to cocoon, spoon and gaze at the moon against a background of whispering palms, white sand and azure seas. Set on the quiet northern tip of Thailand’s Chaweng Beach, this hip lifestyle resort is the sole adults-only property on the island. A DJ gives a chic, beach-lounge atmosphere three times a week, while dining options include Thai, Japanese and South American cuisine. Located five minutes from Samui International Airport, it is perfectly situated for visitors to dive into the heady nightlife of Chaweng. The three-night package is available until Dec. 31 for $1,500 for two people. Visit theakyra.com for more information.

Singing in Singapore

The Mosaic Music Festival is bringing tango, straightup jazz, fusion-funk, alternative rock, ska, R&B, folkrock, afro-pop, electronica and more to Singapore from Mar. 8 to Mar. 17. With a world music theme, the festival features more than 70 acts, including Joss Stone, Grizzly Bear, MUTEMATH, Esperanza Spalding and Tennis. Venues range from an acoustic arena to an intimate club and an amphitheatre on the waterfront. Book at mosaicmusicfestival.com or mtvasia.com/mini/gigguide.

Another Day in Paradise

Until the end of April, the Alila Manggis resort in Bali is giving away a free night for every three consecutive booked. Nestled between the sea and the majestic Mount Agung in East Bali, the Alila mixes modern European shapes with tropical design. The resort boasts 53 rooms with contemporary furniture and traditional Balinese designs that allows outdoors and indoors to meet throughout the boutique hotel. Days at the Alila can be spent regenerating in its spa and around the palm-fringed pool while gazing at the ocean or on more adventurous pursuits by the sea. Visit alilahotels.com for more information.

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240PHNOMPENH.COM

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Have an event coming up?

Send information and dates to k8bluesky@gmail.com

CALENDAR PHNOM PENH party at the Eighty8 from 8pm to 2am. Free MAR Pool entrance to the first pyjama party of the year. Wear

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your favourite PJs or buy a pair — the brighter, the better. Dance the new month in with DJ Bassbender and BBoy Peanut. The Eighty8, 98 Street 88. Tel: 023 500 2440, www.facebook.com/Eighty8Hotel. The Kampot Playboys also play Sharkys tonight from 9pm. The Playboys are bringing their lively, eclectic mix of sounds back to the big city to delight your dancing feet. Sharkys Bar, 126 Street 130.

Tel: 012 228 045.

Chhnang pottery comes to Hotel MAR Kampong InterContinental this weekend from 10am until 5pm

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each day. The market will be held in the B1 Gallery.

On Saturday evening there will also be a presentation from the potters, followed by a charity auction in aid of victims of the Japanese earthquake. B1 Gallery, Hotel InterContinental, 296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd, tel: 077 258 333 / 023 424 888, www.ichotelsgroup.com.

is running a raw food cleanse for five days.

MAR ARTillery The café prepares all your food for each day and gives

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nutritional information and advice about the produce used. All of the food is raw, vegan and gluten free. The full programme costs $175. Customers also have the opportunity to learn about the raw and superfood movements.

Street 240 ½. Tel: 077 337 596. www.artillerycambodia.com. tasting with MAR Wine Pinot Gris and

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MAR Exhibition opening by Albert

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Pinot Noir varieties at Le Bar at Sofitel in Phnom Penh from 6pm to 8pm. Cost $20 per head.

Samreth at SaSa Bassac Gallery from 6pm to 8pm. Afterparty at Chinese House on Sisowath Quay.

MAR

MAR

Fabulous funksters Durian are back at Equinox to rock out for two consecutive nights. Get ready to dance your whole weekend away with the kings of fruity funk from 9pm, Friday and Saturday nights. Equinox, 3A Street 278. Tel: 023 676 7593, www.equinoxcambodia.com.

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‘Infinity’, an art exhibition by Em Riem, is showing at the Insider Gallery at Hotel InterContinental.

It opens on Mar. 13 with cocktails from 6pm, and runs until Mar. 31. Free entrance. Insider Gallery, Hotel InterContinental, 296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 888, www. ichotelsgroup.com.

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InterCon is holding its monthly After Work Party MAR The from 6.30pm to 8.30pm in the Lobby Lounge and

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Bar. Celebrate the end of your working day or unwind over a few drinks and canapés with great music in elegant surroundings. It’s an opportunity to reaffirm and extend your network in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. $32 per person, includes cocktails, beer and canapés. Lobby Lounge and Bar, Hotel InterContinental, 296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd. Tel: 023 424 888, www.ichotelsgroup.com.

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chance to see Grass Snake Union’s current line up MAR Last before front-man TJ heads home to the States. GSU

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bid their lead singer a fond farewell at Equinox with their blend of upbeat folky bluegrass, featuring original material and covers of classics from 9pm. Equinox, 3A Street 278. Tel: 023 676 7593, www.equinox-cambodia.com. + Namfah Gallery presents ‘Off the Wall’, an MAR Teo exhibition of specially commissioned skateboard

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decks. Each artist has been given a blank skateboard deck and asked to interpret the theme of childhood memory. The aim of the project is to unite street culture and art and raise funds through a silent auction of the boards for CANVAS, an artist-in-residence programme that aims to provide opportunities for local and regional artists. Teo + Namfah Gallery, 21 Street 214. For more information please contact Nataly Lee at natalylee24@gmail.com or call 0885 455 282.

Toones are MAR Tiny holding their

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CD/Video Release Party & Benefit from 8pm at Equinox. Join in the launch celebrations and show your support for a deserving cause. For more information visit www.tinytoones.org or contact fundraising and communications manager Dave at dave@ tinytoones.org.

in a MAR Indulge decadent night of

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wine and cheese in the Lobby Lounge and Bar at the Hotel InterCon from 6.30pm to 9pm. Seafood delicacies including smoked salmon, mussels, oysters and homemade breads will tempt your palate for $28 per person.

Hotel InterContinental, 296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 888, www. ichotelsgroup.com

hidden culinary treasures from 20 provinces MAR Discover at the Cambodian Cuisine Festival at Olympic

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Stadium from 5pm each night. Bring family and friends and join NGO Pour un Sourire d’Enfant. Enjoy traditional shows, Khmer dancing, comedies, a playground area, a lucky draw and much more. Entry is $3, with all profits supporting PSE programs.

return to the FCC from 8pm tonight. Join MAR Durian the funk-rockers as they share their ever popular,

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perennially danceable, eclectic mix from a stage with a river breeze. FCC, 362 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 012 253 222, www.fcccambodia.com.

British International School is once again calling MAR iCan all intrepid swimmers to brave the muddy waters

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of the Mekong for the 17th annual Mekong River Swim. Last year’s hugely successful event saw a record 180 swimmers from 22 countries participate, including many students from iCan and various other schools and organisations. The event will take place at the Prek Leap Agricultural College. Register to swim, or volunteer, or simply go along to show your support. For further information contact mekongriverswim@ican.edu.kh or keep an eye out for updates at www.mekongriverswim.blogspot.com.

EVERY DAY

Yoga classes at Yoga Phnom Penh, close to BKK market.

For more information, please visit yogaphnompenh.com or enquire at 012 739 419.

Every afternoon Sofitel in Phnom Penh will serve a redthemed afternoon tea from 3pm to 5pm. Tickets cost $25 for sparkling rosé wine, abundant fruits and delights.

EVERY MONDAY TO SATURDAY

Cambodia Living Arts traditional arts performances programme, Plae Pakaa, runs every Monday to Saturday at 7pm until Mar. 31.

This is a rotating programme of three performances: classical and folk dance (Children of Bassac), a Yike Opera story (Mak Therng) and a music and theatre show called Passage of Life. Tickets for the National Museum show are $10 for adults, $6 for children.

EVERY MONDAY

Mad Monday at The Empire, 6pm.

Yoga at Yoga Phnom Penh.

Sweat and Samadhi at 8am, Slow Flow at 12.15pm and Deep Flow at 5.45pm. See yogaphnompenh.com

Salsa Classes at Ebony Tree on Street 29. Beginners class from 7pm to 8pm.

Intermediate class from 8pm to 9pm. $5 for expats, $2.50 for locals.

EVERY THURSDAY

Open Mic at Paddy Rice Irish Sports Bar. Steak Night at The Empire.

Weekly special at a big discount.

Women’s Night at The Riverhouse.

Swing dancing at Equinox on Street 278, Phnom Penh.

EVERY FRIDAY

Special happy hatha yoga classes at Yoga Phnom Penh, 5.45pm discounted happy hour class.

EVERY SATURDAY

Regular yoga workshops, Sweat and Samadhi lessons, and lunch delivery from ARTillery Cafe at Yoga Phnom Penh. For more information, please visit yogaphnompenh.com.

EVERY SUNDAY

EVERY WEDNESDAY

Sunday Escape at the Regency Café, InterContinental hotel. Free flow wine, from $34 per person.

Latin Fever at The Latin Quarter.

Salsa with DJ Jimmy at Equinox on Street 278.

Morning meditation with Beth Goldring, a zen Buddhist nun teacher. Sessions held in a private home close to the national museum.

For more information, visit yogaphnompenh.com.

Trivia in the garden at The Willow, $2 entry and 7.30pm start.

Phnom Penh Hash House Harriers’ run. Meet at 2.15pm at the railway station.

Drink & Draw at ARTillery, 7pm.

Get your creative engines going with a live model, a couple of drinks and a whole lot of creative fun.

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PHOTO ESSAY

The Golden Land Stepping into Myanmar is like stepping back in time into the Asia we all like to believe still exists, but rarely does. It's a warm and engaging country full of active, highly decorative golden temples, countless images of Buddha, amazing historical sites, beautiful landscapes, bucolic rivers and lakes, monks, nuns and diverse minority tribes.

All of this gives Myanmar more than its fair share of photo opportunities, and English photographer Nathan Horton will allow visitors to make the most of it with two, 12-day photography tours this year.

For more information visit nathanhortonphotography.com.

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David Hunt The vice principal of iCAN British International School, David Hunt, is coordinating the 17th annual Mekong River Swim. The event kicks off on Mar. 31 with up to 180 participants set to swim 700 metres across the Mekong River near Prek Leap Agricultural College in Phnom Penh.

Photography by Conor Wall.

How did you become involved in the event? Have you done it yourself?

I first joined the swim back in 2008 whilst in my second year teaching at iCAN British International School. I’d been training our school swimmers and was looking for something to challenge them with. The Mekong seemed like the perfect challenge. However my principal, Lori, wasn’t so sure and convinced me to swim it myself first. Lori, our director Elain, and some of our students came along to support me during my first MRS, cheering and screaming the whole way across. From that moment on, entering a team of iCAN swimmers in 2009 was on the cards. My students trained hard to build up their strength and stamina, and were extremely resilient for a group of 10 year olds.

Their magnificent efforts back in April 2009 were documented in AsiaLIFE. Fast forward two years and I became much more involved, taking over behind the scenes of the event. Following a one year hiatus in 2010 when the event was unable to take place due to a lack of volunteers, iCAN contacted the previous organiser, Kristen, to say that as a school community we’d be happy to take over the logistics. With lots of advice and guidance from Kristen, iCAN, along with 60 volunteers from our school and the Phnom Penh community, was able to stage the Mekong River Swim once again in 2011.

What are the main challenges in holding the event?

As teachers we always carry out

thorough risk assessments, and swimming the mighty Mekong certainly poses many risks to any inexperienced swimmers: current, swimming with a large group of people, weather, climbing the slippy bank after the swim, etc. We try and prepare for every eventuality through meticulous planning and liaise closely with medical experts, experienced swimmers and kayakers to make the swim experience safe and enjoyable for all participants and spectators.

Despite this, the logistics on the day are dependent on various factors including volunteers arriving on time, swimmers listening to and following safety announcements, environmental factors, roads being blocked en route to the swim site etc.

Those participants who enjoy the experience the most are those who have prepared themselves for the swim.

Swimmers who turn up on the day having underestimated the challenge ahead of them often struggle or have a less pleasurable experience.

What would you say to people who are a bit nervous about taking part?

Don't! It’s very important for all participants to have done some training in the weeks and months building up to the event. There’s a real difference between swimming 700 metres in a swimming pool to swimming the same distance across a major river along with 179 other people and an unpredictable current. The second time I swam the Mekong in 2009, I swam with one of my students and we totally underestimated the strength

of the current and ended up spending the later stages of the swim battling to get back up stream. It was exhausting.

What tactics or exercises could you recommend for people training for the event?

Swim regularly. It is vital that prospective participants build up to the distance and then some. By now I would have expected all participants to have already swum the distance before and be spending the final few weeks before the swim building up their stamina and swimming further. The Olympic pool here in Phnom Penh is a great place to train. Fourteen lengths is equivalent to crossing the Mekong and the pool is deep enough that you’re not tempted to stand up and have a rest midway.

Over the years has anything funny, amusing or memorable happened during the event?

Memorable — joining my four students as they swam across the Mekong at the tender age of 10. They never gave up. Funny or amusing — wondering which swimmers will turn up in fancy dress to put a smile on everyone’s face.

And [it can be] sometimes scary. Last year a swimmer panicked and, rather than hold onto a flotation aid, decided he would pull himself up onto the long boat and in the process capsized the boat. Thankfully everyone, although shaken, were physically okay.

What’s the time to beat this year?

At last year’s MRS all the swim records tumbled and more swimmers than ever

participated. Hope Tucker became the fastest junior swimmer at the age of 15 with a time of 10:23; Narak Kun was the fastest Cambodian to cross the mighty Mekong in a time of 8:56. Mary Carlson became the fastest female swimmer ever in 8:44, whilst Xavier Riblet remains the swimmer to beat by winning in a time of 7:10. Most people would have trouble jogging that distance in that time, let alone swimming it and Xavier has won the swim every single time he’s entered.

I always remember a couple of years back when some of the other elite athletes realised this and decided just to ‘chase’ Xavier across the Mekong. The only thing they hadn’t banked on was that the current had changed, so when they all got to the other side of the river they were about 150m upstream of the finish line and had to race along the muddy, squelching banks of the Mekong to cross the finish line and claim their time. They ended up exerting much more energy than they ever needed to.

What does it take to win?

Every swimmer that reaches the finish line on Mar. 31 will be a winner. And if you really want to know what it takes to beat Xavier, then I guess you should go ask him. Will 2013 be the year? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Visit www.mekongriverswim. blogspot.com for the latest updates. Entry forms can be emailed to prospective swimmers (contact mekongriverswim@ ican.edu.kh) or collected directly from iCAN or K’NYAY Khmer & Vegan Restaurant.

asialife Cambodia 25

When Apple guru Steve Jobs died two years ago, the world paid tribute to a man who helped change society. Technological innovation is also transforming Cambodia. Ellie Dyer meets the tech enthusiasts who are bringing a new way of life to the country.

Photography by Conor Wall.

At the dawn of the millennium, while still at college, Be Chantra didn’t use a phone. Nowadays the affable technology enthusiast is a key force behind BarCamp, a rapidly expanding festival that helps forward-thinking firms and entrepreneurs connect with the Kingdom’s pool of young tech talent.

The event, currently held in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and set to expand across the country this year, allows thousands of students to expand their skills by meeting working professionals, while getting a taste of what it takes to work in Cambodia’s Silicon Valley.

“We have some Khmer teams developing applications to sell… People like to do it and see it as a start-up business,” explains Be. “Maybe they have an idea of becoming ‘technopreneurs’.”

A Rising Tide

From business practices to information gathering and social networking, modern technology — thanks to men such as Steve Jobs — is becoming essential in day-to-day life. Despite years of past 26 asialife Cambodia

turmoil and historically low internet penetration, Cambodia is no different.

As a technological revolution takes the world by storm, tablets and smartphones are becoming more commonplace. Rising incomes and cheaper phones are allowing a growing number of people to access the Internet via handheld devices.

“Smartphones are continuously gaining traction in Cambodia, following the world market trend, however of course from a much lower scale than in highly developed countries,” says Thomas Hundt, chief executive officer of Smart Mobile.

Hundt believes that such expansion is supported by the availability of lower-end models — costing $80 to $90 or even less — and fast and affordable mobile internet networks.

“Gadgets such as smartphones and tablets are becoming more and more popular even among kids,” says app developer and commercial manager of the IOSKhmer.com website Sok Ratha.

“If you ask kids today what they want, the answer probably is an iPad,” the developer adds, calling such devices

asialife Cambodia 27

28 asialife Cambodia

"Sometimes when they come for a coffee, they may talk less and put their feelings on their phone — I see a lot of that."

an “extension of oneself“ and the “most convenient way” for people to connect to their friends.

Price is still a concern for many consumers and insiders say that the Cambodian smartphone market is dominated by phones working off Google’s Android platform rather than Apple’s iOS system, largely due to affordability.

“They like Apple and they like iPhones, but they don’t have the money to buy,” says Be. “It’s like you liking a Hummer, but you don’t have the money to buy [it], so you just buy a Camry.”

Development Dream

It is not just consumers who benefit from technological development. Experts say that international firms from countries such as France and South Korea are outsourcing software development work to the Kingdom.

Employing a labour force in a developing economy with a young demographic can make financial sense for big firms, but for students the rapidly growing global technology sector also represents opportunity.

Cambodian entrepreneurs who are able to develop software for mobile platforms can upload their products direct to online stores — such as Apple’s App Store and Google Play — opening up their work to a global distribution channel with the click of a button.

Good products, experts say, will bubble to the top, with worldwide consumers

determining their success.

“More and more people are also interested in how to develop apps,” explains Sok. IOSKhmer.com — launched to provide free information and tutorials on the iOS platform in Khmer — has 10 apps, including a fortune telling tool, under its belt since March 2012.

But it is not only start-ups that are creating new products. Behind an unassuming exterior near Phnom Penh’s night market lies mobile solutions company Golden Gekko, which started locally in 2005 and has bases in London, New York and Barcelona.

Around 100 experts at its office are busy creating and testing software, and designing user experiences for leading brands around the world that have included Mango and Vodafone.

Golden Gekko director David Clicquennoi explains that Cambodians at the company can benefit from working with international experts who may have been employed in the nascent industry for up to 15 years.

“Eventually they will have that as well, and they will be able to take it and run with it,” he says.

The country is also jumping past other stages of technological development, creating an exciting experience for young graduates who have worked for a year of two as junior developers, testers or designers.

“We are really leading the way on these things. Mobile technology is such a new

field. To get that started here we are really leap-frogging over a lot of other things that in other countries came first,” Clicquennoi explains. “People can come out of school now and just jump into mobile development, whereas for years and years desktop was the area where programers would focus."

Changing Society

The industry shows no sign of slowing down. In the long term, Clicquennoi believes that gadgets could become more wearable or hidden in attire. Google is researching augmented reality glasses, while Apple is rumoured in the media to be experimenting with an iWatch.

“Right now we’re pretty content with the mobile device, we’re not quite ready to develop for that,” Clicquennoi says, adding that smartphones could get cheaper in Cambodia as consumers in western nations discard older models.

With progress comes change, and many experts observe that technology can transform the way that people interact. A quick peek into a coffee shop often shows patrons staring into screens, rather than at each other.

“Before they used text message, but now they use Whats App, Facebook to communicate and interact,” says Be. “Sometimes when they come for a coffee, they may talk less and put their feelings on their phone — I see a lot of that. It has changed the way we live now, especially for teenagers and young adults." asialife Cambodia 29

informative

We asked IT experts, tech enthusiasts, software developers and even a few AsiaLIFE staff members to share insider knowledge on what’s hot in the world of innovation and apps.

From weird and wonderful to just plain useful, here’s what they recommend:

An Interactive Guide to Angkor

What would you do if you'd spent more than a decade photographing land issues in Cambodia yet didn't want to compromise on the content? Sure, you could try to publish a book, but to do the subject any justice would require a coffee table book with 250 pages of glossy paper.

That would likely be distributed in no more than about 20 bookshops worldwide — and probably none of those would be in Cambodia. Well if you are Magnum photographer John Vink, you get tech guru Robert Starkweather to build an iPad app, available from the iTunes store, which incorporates your 700 photographs plus 21,000 words by Phnom Penh journalist Robert Carmichael. For creative types like Vink, this route provides complete artistic control over the content and its presentation.

International SOS

The sky at night is a dizzying display of shimmering stars that can seem like an indecipherable puzzle. But from the time of the ancient Greeks to the modern day, the heavens have been mapped. Google Sky Map, for Android, allows users to identify stars, constellations and planets by pointing their phone at the sky. It uses GPS, compass data and the date and time to pinpoint the heavens and explain its contents. Similar apps have been designed for iPhones and iPads.

Health is often a major concern for international travellers.

For those who want to be informed about potential risks in individual countries, International SOS has the answer.

Its members can use the SOS app on iPhone, Android and Blackberry to receive handy health tips and warnings of potential flashpoints, such as demonstrations. “I entered Vietnam as my destination country in the app and it immediately gave me a medical alert for hand and mouth disease,” explains SOS employee Andy Bedard.

“I continued reading the information and it gave me a complete explanation of the disease and how to take precautions to avoid catching it.”

useful

Quest for Land

Written by Australian National University lecturer Dougald O’Reilly, this electronic book available on iPad explains the history of the temples at Angkor and features interactive, zoomable maps. “Perhaps the most useful aspect of the guide is the audio. Angkor today can be a cacophony of different guides blaring into megaphones in many different languages,” says O’Reilly, who has conducted research in Cambodia since the 1990s and is director of conservation group Heritage Watch.

An added bonus for frazzled visitors to the site, O'Reilly says, is narrator Professor Charles Higham whose “voice has been likened to that of Richard Attenborough and so is quite enjoyable to listen to.”

Sky Map

Google Maps

Carbonite

Keen cyclist Gillian Sutherland may call herself probably “the least tech savvy person around”, but she credits one app — Google Maps — with changing her Cambodian experience. “My husband, Peter, and I love to head out of town at weekends to explore on two wheels the surrounding areas,” she says. “Many a time we have become hopelessly lost by venturing into new territory, cycling unexplored tracks or discovering that previously familiar trails have become unrecognisable as a result of seasonal flooding, road construction, soil erosion or development.”

Google Maps, available on a variety of devices, has allowed the couple to track their location and navigate themselves back to civilization. “It has got us out of trouble many times,” she says.

After years of backing up files via rewritable DVDs, thumb drives and external hard drives — a process that can lead to losing the storage device or having it deteriorate in humid weather — expat Jo Bigham discovered the cloud storage system Carbonite. “The central idea of Carbonite is that it offers a simple and automatic online backup solution for home users. After paying an annual fee and installing the Carbonite software, my files are now backed up each time I turn my computer on,” she says. The system available from www.carbonite.com provides unlimited storage, sends reminder emails, and is, according to Bigham, easy to use.

TuneIn “Ex-footballer and TV host Gary Lineker once said that the best way to watch a bad game of football was on Ceefax, a BBC teletext information service,” says Anthony Perkins, chief executive officer of mobile money transfer company Wing. “In a digital age where most events are covered on TV live, or are available soon after via various video streaming websites, one particular medium seems to have been forgotten — the radio,” he adds. The fan of the medium recommends free app TuneIn, which allows users of a range of devices including Android, iPhones and iPads to access 70,000 radio stations throughout the world via their phones.

30 asialife Cambodia

Khmer Talking Number & Khmer Market Price Blogger Sok Pongsametrey recommends several Cambodia-specific apps built for those who want to keep their finger on the pulse. Khmer Market Price – available on Google Play – gives users a heads up on market prices by offering information from popular shops in Phnom Penh on the cost of items including phones, tablets and gold. “Of course, I still suggest users look at the details of the product and price for each shop, or more, before buying,” Sok says. Another useful app for expats who have yet to grasp the language is Khmer Talking Number. The Android app pronounces numbers aloud in Khmer, therefore reducing the stress of giving out addresses, phone numbers or market haggling.

fun & lifestyle

My Fitness Pal & Tabata Timer There are many apps tailored for fitness fanatics, but Phnom Penh-based personal trainer and nutritionist Maria Ahlberg recommends My Fitness Pal, available for Android, iPhone, Blackberry and iPad, as an aid for weight loss and fitness improvement. The app allows users to log their meals and exercise sessions. “This is a calorie counter, nutrition database and exercise log tool,” Ahlberg explains.

Another app —Tabata Timer —allows users to mix in their music while interval training in the gym or at home. It times exercises and alerts users of when to take the next move.

IMDb “Living in Cambodia can make it difficult to stay current on the everchanging film and TV industry,” says expat Rachael Felsing, who has found a tool to keep up to date with Hollywood. IMDb — the popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content — has an app for iPhone, iPad and Android. “I use it all the time when buying DVDs to make sure I am getting the most recent season or the highestrated films,” she says. “So, next time you are sweating in the market with a sad little handwritten list, remember to download the free app.”

AirPlay Apple’s Airport Express and Apple TV, both WiFi devices a little bigger than a pack of cards, can be used to set up a home network that allows music and movies to be streamed wirelessly around the house, says Stephen Higgins, a board member of anti-human trafficking NGO SISHA. The network can then be controlled via an iPhone or iPad by using an app called Remote.

“So I can be lying in bed and use my iPhone to access the iTunes library downstairs, and have it play on speakers in the bedroom, or anywhere else in the house for that matter,” he explains.

ChakKumPy & Sim Feng Shui Cambodian app developer IOSKhmer is tapping into a market for digital fortune telling with two free apps.

ChakKumPy allows users to read ancient palm leaf texts in order to predict the future in both Khmer and English with the press of a button.

The developers call the practice “long respected and popular among Khmer Buddhist followers.” Meanwhile, Sim Feng Shui, taps into another common belief — the importance of numbers —to allow users to evaluate if their phone number will bring them luck or not.

Excuse Me If you’re stuck in a tedious conversation or a bad date without an obvious exit strategy, technology has the answer. With the discreet press of a button Excuse Me — a free app available on iTunes — can make a fake call to your phone in 30 seconds or less. The program makes the call look realistic, with ring tones and screen displays to match those of your phone. When you pick up, a garbled voice speaks loudly. All that’s left is for you to make up a suitable excuse for the 'vital' phone call and scarper.

Android apps are available at https://play.google.com/store/apps while iOS users can visit www.apple.com for more about the iTunes and App store. Please visit www.barcampcambodia.org or www. goldengekko.com to learn about their work.

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32 asialife Cambodia

History in the Making Writer Bridget Di Certo meets Raffles’ dedicated Cambodian historian, former butler Mouth Saravann, in Siem Reap to discover the history of the famous Grand Hotel, where guests have included Charlie Chaplin and Charles De Gaulle. Photography by Chatti Phal.

It’s the charm and romance of a building that hold so many secrets and stories, Mouth Saravann says. As Raffles’ first historian, he has a mission to unravel the past of the rice-field yellow stucco Grand Hotel D’Angkor in Siem Reap and share it with travellers who come to the home of ancient Angkor.

“Under French colonisation, they [the French] wanted to build five premier hotels. So three were built in Vietnam and two here in Cambodia — one in Phnom Penh and one in Siem Reap,” he explains, standing by a louvered window in the hotel's morning tea lounge.

The Grand Hotel first opened its doors in 1932, three years after Le Royal in Phnom Penh.

As a mark of its importance, the hotel — set across from the fastidiously manicured botanical gardens and the Royal Residence — received the King’s personal seal as its logo.

The four-storey building, also the first hotel in Siem Reap, instantly became an icon.

But for Mouth, who was born in Pailin amidst spreading civil war in 1970, its grandeur was an unimaginable vision.

“The hotel was actually closed during this period. It was used as an administrative office and prison by Lon Nol soldiers, and later Khmer Rouge forces took over and used the building as a prison too,” he says.

In a way such violent occupation saved the Grand

Hotel from ruin during tumultuous decades of Cambodian history. When United Nations forces rolled into the Kingdom in the early 1990s, the potential of buildings like the Grand Hotel began to show.

Mouth worked for the UN in Siem Reap during the election operation of 1992 and 1993, and later stayed on as a taxi driver and tour guide for the growing number of adventurers travelling to Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat temple complex.

In 1997, Raffles took over the building, restoring it to its original glory as the Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor, and Mouth was recruited as a butler.

The natural socialite quickly shone and received training in Singapore before being engaged

by Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh and later scoring a two-year placement as a butler in the Caribbean.

“Even at that time, people still did not really know where Cambodia was and would always be so surprised when I said ‘I am from Cambodia’,” he laughs.

Upon his return, the discrepancy in hospitality services between his beloved country and more developed countries seemed pronounced.

“We are so far behind. We are slowly getting there and slowly putting Cambodia on the map,” he says.

Mouth’s pride in his work

and the hotel saw him promoted to become Raffles’ first Cambodian historian two years ago.

“Every day I learn more about the hotel and I show the guests this and that, and explain when it happened,” he says, predicting that an application for a heritage listing for the 119room building could follow in years to come.

The older generation love staying at the hotel and feeling like they have been transported through time, Mouth says, while the younger generation are awed by the rich history of the building. He relishes rattling off the famous guests of the hotel — Charlie Chaplin, Charles De Gaulle, Jacqueline Kennedy, Richard Moore — while other celebrities keep their stay a secret.

People can also feel a lot of emotion when hearing about the history of the temples, the hotel and Cambodia itself.

“They always ask me — why is everyone in Cambodia still smiling, welcoming and so calm when they have passed through a very difficult time?” he says.

“I tell them: it happened.

The past has gone. We cannot keep the old feelings in our heart, we need to open a new chapter and grow up to the next generation. We need our young people to grow up and get out and see the world so we can change our country together.” asialife Cambodia 33

Burning of the

Wangkang Held only when a temple medium is commanded from the heavens, the Wangkang festival in Malaysia is a rare and unusual event designed to rid the world of evil. Diana van Oort recalls her experience of last year’s procession, the first since 2001.

Ghosts are collected, lions dance, musicians play and stiltwalkers tower over the crowd.

Confucian priests perform rituals, deities are carried in elaborate sedan chairs, and — at the very end of the procession — mediums enter trances as a boat pulled by about 30 people makes its way through Malacca’s old quarter.

This is the Wangkang festival, where more than 10,000 devotees and tourists bear witness to a procession that symbolically sweeps away all evil forces that threaten to disrupt peace and prosperity. It is organised to collect wandering souls, spirits and other negative elements 34 asialife Cambodia

— thought responsible for epidemics, scourges and chaos — from the streets of the capital of Malaysia’s Malacca state.

The spirits are put into a barge and sent into the unknown when the vehicle is burnt on the last day of Chinese New Year. Devotees hope this will bring health, peace, prosperity and happiness to the world, and Malacca in particular.

The grand and costly religious procession was first brought to Malacca by Hokkien emigrants from Fujian province in China. Such migrants have been arriving since the 15th century, but

an influx occurred when Hokkiens fled persecution between 1644 and 1911, during the Qing and Manchu dynasties. The Hokkiens brought deities to Malacca and, in time, the locals came to regard them as patron saints.

Every year since, temple members have collected wandering souls, but it is only when a medium at the Yong Chuan Tian Temple receives a command from the heavens that the elaborate Wangkang procession is organised.

In Malacca, as far as can be determined, the Wangkang Procession was first held in 1854 and took place every five to eight years up until 1880.

In 1891, in response to a deadly outbreak of cholera, it was restarted and took place every 14 years until 1933. The festival then lay dormant for 68 years before being revived in 2001 during the height of the SARS epidemic.

The evening before the procession, crowds gather at the temple to witness the beginning of ceremonies. As early as 6am, members of the Hokkien community start to gather. By 7.30am the road is cordoned off by police and the flotilla begins to move from the temple. Dragon and lion dancers, stilt-walkers clad in colourful, traditional Chinese costumes, and more than

100 musicians from various temples slowly filter out. The main attraction, the barge, emerges to the deafening sound of firecrackers and the procession proceeds for 20 kilometres along the streets of Malacca, before heading back in the late afternoon.

Made of merbau timber and plywood, it takes five committee members three months to build the barge, which is nearly six metres long and two metres high and has a six-metre-high mast. The bright yellow, red and black lion carved into the bow is an impressive sight; even more so at night when its eyes are lit.

Teams of around 30 devotees pull the barge by a rope around the city, causing it to glide even when the procession comes across rough patches of ground or travels uphill. The procession halts at 15 key stops, where five Taoist high priests lead cleansing rites to order all evil spirits and influences to get on the boat.

The climax comes in the evening. There are more ceremonies in the temple and the mediums go into a trance.

A paper temple is set on fire and quickly burns to the ground. We watch as fireworks are set off and the barge is loaded with bags of rice, water, wine, joss paper, herbs, pots, pans and stoves. The priests say their last prayers before the barge is finally set on fire.

The atmosphere is electrifying, as a fireworks display simultaneously lights up the sky. It is believed the royal barge 'takes on board' evil spirits as it burns, thus destroying the malicious demons. At the temple, visitors are given little plastic bags filled with tea leaves and told to throw them into the fire. I am supposed to walk away without looking back. Doing so would bring misfortune from the spirits hell-bent on doing evil to those tempted to break tradition — even as they burn on their way to annihilation.

The atmosphere is electrifying, as a fireworks display simultaneously lights up the sky.

It is believed the royal barge 'takes on board' evil spirits as it burns, thus destroying the malicious demons.

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B-Boy Breaks Bridget Di Certo takes a breakdancing class for a peek into the underground culture that is flipping and spinning its way to the top.

Photography by Conor Wall.

36 asialife Cambodia

Breakdancing’s hypnotic appeal comes from watching enthralled as B-Boys throw themselves into manoeuvres where they look like they are about to fall, but don’t. As a learner, the first half of this recipe for success is easy, but the second is harder.

American B-Boy ‘Peanut’ began breakdancing in Seattle when he was aged 12. “Pretty young,” he says modestly. In a few short years, he had turned professional and was reaping the rewards of glory and fame in competitions staged across the world.

For Peanut, growing up in America meant that breakdancing was as natural a past-time as basketball. The dance style had graduated from its underground, gangassociated origins in the 1970s to a well-respected and high-

earning career option.

“Breakdancing is the original hip hop dance. It’s kind of aggressive, masculine,” he explains, adding that perceptions of the dance style in Cambodia are similar to those prevalent in the United States 40 years ago as “there’s that stigma that it’s only for street kids.”

Four years ago, Peanut came to Cambodia to work with breakdancing NGO Tiny Toones and has now branched out on his own, teaching classes at Laura Joy Kiddle’s Dance World Cambodia at the Cambodiana Hotel.

All breakdancing, Peanut says, is based on reinventions of four key moves: the Top Rock, the Six Step, the Freeze and the Power Move.

Coincidentally, these moves are also listed in order of difficulty and likelihood to fail.

The Top Rock is relatively easy for beginners to master.

It involves the B-Boy or Girl bouncing forward on to one

foot and rocking the opposite foot behind the leading leg.

They then swing the leg back out and bounce forward on the opposite foot, sweeping the previous leading foot behind.

The move will be familiar to anyone who has trained in hip hop, but advanced variations come with bigger and faster bouncing, travelling and arm movements full of attitude.

While teaching the move, Peanut gallops around the rehearsal room as if the floor is a trampoline. I try the Top Rock and find the floor more like wet cement.

The Six Step is another instantly recognisable move and perhaps the most synonymous with breakdancing. Starting in a push-up position, the dancer scrambles his legs underneath him in a circle, rocking back and forth between hands as he spins around on the spot.

The step consists of six moves that, when executed properly, ensure the dancer’s legs and arms don’t become entangled with each other.

Peanut’s Six Step looks effortless and graceful. He spins, kicking his legs out from underneath him with enough speed and finesse to encourage

confidence in students. Reality, however, is always different from the show.

Trying the Six Step for the first time, I realise three things: one, I can’t remember the last time I did a pushup; two, ‘effortless’ dancing comes with a lot of effort; three, on a scale of one to ‘confused spider legs’, I have zero coordination. “Come on, you almost look like a B-Boy,” Peanut cheers encouragingly.

“Almost,” he laughs.

Breakdancing competitions are judged on criteria such as creativity, explosiveness and team work. For someone with no hip hop background, it could take about two months of regular practise to get the four basic moves down.

However, breakdancing is also an accessible sport that wins bonus points for being a fitness-boosting and coinsaving passion. Moves can be rehearsed anywhere that has a relatively flat surface and a regular spin gives prospective B-Boy or B-Girls abs and guns of steel.

“Beginners are often surprised with how quickly they catch on, especially the little ones who have a lot of coordination,” says Kiddle, pointing out that a breakdancer doesn’t feel all the muscles they truly used until the day after.

For more information, contact Laura Joy Kiddle on 012 634 008 or visit universaltalentasia.com and danceworldcambo.wordpress. com. asialife Cambodia 37

Dreams Otres of

Bridget Di Certo gets away from it all on Sihanoukville’s quietest beach, Otres.

38 asialife Cambodia

Backpackers with irrelevant tribal tattoos, persistent hawkers and overcrowded beach fronts seem all too common in Southeast Asia, but many dream of escaping for a weekend of clear waters, white sand and uninterrupted serenity. In Cambodia, such dreams can be realised at Otres Beach, located just 20 minutes away from the tourist hub of Sihanoukville.

Development is still in its infancy here and, until a few months ago, the beach was only accessible by a deeply rutted dirt road. The arduous trip out to this more secluded beachfront has helped to preserve the hidden paradise from some of the more obnoxious elements of Sihanoukville’s tourist traps.

The 10-kilometre-long beach strip may not be as wide as the rival Occheuteul or Serendipity beaches, but the sand is whiter and the water clearer. Looking out across the Gulf of Thailand affords a spectacular view of some of Cambodia’s many

islands. During dry season, phosphorescence sometimes gathers along the water’s edge at night, making a midnight dip a magical spin in clouds of bright green generated by movement.

Otres is essentially one road, about two kilometres long, with bungalows and bars on each side. Around two kilometres south lies Otres 2, a smaller strip of bungalows and shacks that is severed from the main beach by a large tract of land purchased for a development that has yet to start.

In terms of activities, the Gulf of Thailand is your oyster. Visitors can explore deserted tropical islands with the convenience of a local fisherman guide, who can take a private boat to secret snorkelling spots and jungle paths that capture stunning panoramic views of the Gulf.

Local guides will also take budding fishermen out for night fishing excursions that leave Otres at 6pm and return after midnight — once tourists

have cooked the day's catch on a beach fire on one of the islands — or at 6am, after they have slept on the beach.

Alternatively, jump aboard your own hobbie catamaran and sail around the islands at whim. For those seeking a bit more physical exertion and adrenaline, kayaks, kite boards and jet skis can be hired to traverse the azure waters open to Otres. Parasailing and banana boat rides are also on offer, as is a daily yoga class from 4pm to 6pm at Blame Canada beach huts.

A healthy (although not harassing) number of women patrol the beach offering massages, manicures, pedicures and threading — a painful but effective hair removal process.

Indulge in the greatest outdoor beauty spa Cambodia has to offer, or simply take advantage of the long stretch of beach and stroll along the sands.

Every Saturday night Otres Market opens, featuring live entertainment, an open mic night, souvenirs, handicrafts,

and food and drink stalls. It is a great way to indulge in a little tourist revelry.

When it comes to indulging, seafood is king at Otres. A must try is fried langoustine with pepper and lime, offered by hawkers carrying large trays on their heads as they pace the beach looking for hungry customers.

Fresh fruit is only ever a wave of the hand away and other enterprising women with hot coal buckets can freshly grill squid to order.

Apart from the peddler fare, the beach shack restaurants at the water’s edge all offer eclectic and all-encompassing menus in terms of seafood and cocktails. Most places have a nighttime seafood BBQ special for about $5. A number of places also serve vegetarian and European cuisine.

Over the past two years, accommodation and waterhole options have more than doubled as entrepreneurs prepare for Otres’ growing popularity. The majority of

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accommodation options are fan-only bungalows and rooms with a shared bathroom that sport only cold water. Some more up-market bungalows have private shower facilities and a few have hot water connected. Expect to pay around $5 for a dorm and up to $25 or more for a private bungalow with hot water. Only Secret Garden, at Otres Beach 2, has air-conditioning and a private pool. However, it is rarely too hot in the thatched, fan bungalows by the beach.

Otres is the perfect escape from the hot rush of Phnom Penh without being bombarded

by Southeast Asia's tourist hordes. Blissful beaches, scrumptious seafood, sea

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breeze shacks and adrenalinefuelled activities are all at your fingertips in a rendezvous with Sihanoukville’s more magical coastline.

GET THERE

With a newly sealed road, the coastal retreat is now easier than ever to access. The cheapest way is a $5.50 bus journey from Phnom Penh with Sorya Bus Company.

You will be dropped off at a bus depot outside of Sihanoukville.

From here, a moto to Otres is about $4 and a tuk tuk up to $10 depending on the season. If travelling in a group, booking a private taxi is the quickest way from Phnom Penh to Otres. Cars are $50 one way, vans are $70.

When it comes to indulging, seafood is king at Otres.

A must try is fried langoustine with pepper and lime, offered by hawkers carrying large trays on their heads as they pace the beachfront looking for hungry customers.

little Ellie Dyer meets the team behind a mouth-watering culinary charity project, Little Kitchen – Cooking For Change.

Photography by Chatti Phal.

The room fills with the perfume of rich spices as dishes of jewelled rice and slow-cooked lamb shank, Persian salad and rosewater rice are placed on a large table in front of ravenous diners.

Already mesmerised by a slide show of photographs illustrating the majesty of the Iranian countryside, the crowd quickly tucks in, expressing murmurs of delight at the deep flavour, sweet tang and spicy elements of a largely unfamiliar cuisine.

The night of Persian food, cooked by enthusiastic expats of Iranian heritage together with a team of helpers at Meta House, was the second event organised

by Little Kitchen — Cooking for Change. The innovative charity project was launched in Phnom Penh late last year after an informal chat about Balkan cuisine between Bosnian expat Bojan Lisac and Meta House staff.

“We were just talking about food, as food lovers. They said that they had a small kitchen and they knew we had very good delicacies from the Balkans,” says 35-year-old Lisac.

“I thought maybe it would be cool to try and cook something here. Then I came up with the idea — why we don’t cook for a reason? Let’s try to make food, sell tickets and give the profits to someone,” he adds.

Little Kitchen, a name inspired by the diminutive size of Meta House’s preparation area, was born.

A buffet of Balkan cuisine — including meat and cheese and pumpkin pies, sauerkraut and poached apples with almonds — ensued. It was followed by January’s Persian extravaganza and an evening of Southern United States delicacies last month.

“You can talk with people who you’ve never met — exchange some stories. You can learn something and discuss the food,” says Lisac, who hails from Sarajevo and gained culinary experience as a teenager while cleaning dishes and helping out in kitchens for a 1990s wartime charity project called Food For Life.

The Little Kitchen project is dependent on good will and a pool of volunteer cooks who are ready to share their home cuisine with around 70 strangers each month.

Organisers emphasise that a lot of preparation is done behind the scenes and people should not be nervous of the challenge.

Menus are drawn up with goods that are available in Cambodia in mind, timing is planned in advance, and shopping is bought for the cooks by the Little Kitchen

team the day before the event.

A team of volunteers, including Lisac, also help the chefs in the kitchen on the day itself.

“We were singing and dancing in the kitchen, playing the music to ourselves,” says Lisac of the initial two events.

“The first time we played some Balkan and international music, the second time we played some Iranian music.”

Those who come along merely to fill their bellies are also donating to a good cause.

Profits from the $15 tickets go to charity, with a women’s football project — the SALT Academy in Battambang — already receiving $700. In the expat microcosm of Phnom Penh, Lisac says it’s also a good opportunity to branch out and try something new, with a Mexican and Philippine night possibly in the works.

“We promote different cuisines and bring people together, especially as sometimes in Phnom Penh you can feel pretty lonely I think,” he says.

“We are so busy sometimes we don’t have time to meet even each other. This is good opportunity to meet new people.”

For more information, visit the Little Kitchen facebook page or email littlekitchenpp@hotmail. com. asialife Cambodia 43

Sofitel Craig Napper is bringing sexy back.

The Australian chef’s philosophy on food is one sure to make connoisseurs salivate in anticipation of his culinary creations. “My philosophy is sex on a plate — food itself.

I look at deconstructing that plate to make it look sexy. I like to think if it tastes half as good as it looks, I’m going to love it,” says the new executive chef of Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra hotel.

“A lot of food has already been done,” he explains. “So you’ve got to challenge yourself, think outside the square. You need to look for a different way to express yourself.”

For Napper, deconstructing a plate means pulling out the flavours and textures that 44 asialife Cambodia

Bridget Di Certo meets Sofitel’s new executive chef, with photography by Chatti Phal.

"A lot of food has already been done ...

So you’ve got to challenge yourself, think outside the square. You need to look for a different way to express yourself."

define a dish and presenting those elements as separate entities, to be appreciated individually for their bitterness, sweetness, viscosity or crunch. It creates a visually stunning and palate pleasing

journey through a dish.

Having worked as a chef across Europe and Australia, Napper was itching for a reason to come to Asia, a region he believes has a significant and evolving cuisine culture. “I’ve always focused on contemporary food, in essence more contemporary French, but trying to bring other entities into that to fuse it a little bit,” he says.

“I think the one thing I love is to go off and play with desserts. It gives me a lot of satisfaction. If I’ve had a busy day and I do get the time to go and work in pastry, my brain starts to flow.”

For the new Sofitel menus created by Napper, 70 percent of the emphasis will be on Asian cuisine and 30 percent

on European. Napper intends to collect influences and ingredients from around the region to diversify the hotel menus. He is already eyeing trips to Thailand and Vietnam.

Cambodia’s produce is limited, but of superior quality, Napper believes. In particular, the famed Cambodian pepper has stood out to him as an exciting flavour to incorporate into dishes.

And at the end of a busy day running around a new kitchen and a new country? “I still do 50 percent of the cooking at home,” Napper grins. “But that’s a time for the simpler stuff.”

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Boulevard.

Tel: 023 999 200.

Indian Delight As a die-hard fan of Indian eatery Sher-e-Punjab, the prospect of entering a new curry house seemed a leap into the blue. But after a good recommendation, I was spurred to take the plunge.

At first glance, Indian Delight on Sisowath Quay is an unassuming restaurant.

Clean yet somewhat spartan, it features tables topped in gold and red set within a modest, functional space facing Titanic Restaurant. A closer look reveals some unusual touches, including a range of curious knick knacks, such as a shelf of tiny flags of the world and a small wooden guitar.

There are also intriguing hints of Nepalese roots.

Photographs of mountainous lands and the historic town

of Bhakatapur, in Kathmandu valley, look down from its walls. A page of the menu offers regional fare including momo — a Nepalese dumpling — and Nepali-style chicken with rice.

As momo have to be made two hours in advance, with at least three plates ordered, we plumped for the Indian food detailed on a large menu featuring a range of curries, tandoori dishes and snacks.

The fried onion bhajis ($3.50) arrived first. Despite a generous serving of around 10 small pieces, their texture was chewy rather than crisp, and contained an overdose of cumin seeds. The next dish, mutton masala ($6.75), proved a better bet. The peppery curry was a deep brown colour, containing a generous helping

In search of a taste of Southern Asia, Ellie Dyer and photographer Conor Wall head to Indian Delight.

of flavoursome meat that fell apart on the fork. The sauce was rich, yet had hints of fresh spice that made it less heavy than the norm, though the serving was on the small side considering the relatively high price.

Chicken vindaloo ($5), presented in a simple silver dish, was better value and carried on the light theme, with no hint of ghee floating on the top of its creamy sauce. Though slightly too mild for my taste (we had ordered medium spicy), it benefited from a light touch and seemed healthier than an average gut-busting curry.

The naan ($1) was another case in point. A plate-like single piece of bread was split into three and had a drier, crispier texture than the soft, chewy naan of other restaurants. It

was a light accompaniment to the rich curries and also went well with the chunks of potato and cauliflower contained in the aloo gobi ($3.50), a good vegetarian option.

A small niggle in the overall experience was having to pay for water — with bottles placed on the table without us being informed of the price — and having to ask for the pappadums, which I am assured are normally provided.

Overall Indian Delight is a good spot for those wanting a curry with a lighter touch. It offers fresh, simple fare in a no-fuss environment, without the indulgence of some stomachstretching Indian dishes.

Indian Delight, 115EO, Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 724 885 or 086 801 237. asialife Cambodia 45

BEHIND the

DESIGN

KNAI BANG CHATT Elegant lines, modernist shapes and natural materials are characteristic of Kep’s Knai Bang Chatt resort.

Steeped in history, the site includes beautiful examples of 1960s architecture, including the vibrant powder blue home of the town’s former governor and the deep red of the exhead of customs’ abode.

The houses — designed by a protégé of famous Cambodian architect Vann

Molyvann — have been lovingly restored to their original glory, with clean lines and open walkways contrasting with the surrounding medley of tall palms and emerald grasses, and a calm sea beyond.

Their condition was a different story when the structures were spotted

by Belgian Jef Moons and friends during a visit to the sleepy seaside town around

10 years ago. Just 48 hours after seeing Kep for the first time, they bought the three properties that now lie at the centre of Knai Bang Chatt.

“They were the same as all the old houses. They were not renovated, completely destroyed, and then they had built extra walls,” says Moons, who is now the resort’s sole owner. “So what we did architecturally was to look very deep at the initial structure,

and we stripped the house and then we rebuilt it from nothing — like it should have been originally.“ French architect Francoise Lavielle was brought in to help restore the buildings — now decorated in soft blue, red and grey — and over the years the location turned from a personal retreat into a tranquil resort.

Materials used both inside and out are in keeping with

the scenery. Driftwood is transformed into seats with weathered long tables directly facing the waves, natural hues that echo the sand and sea decorate walls, while pebble pathways, stone walls and bamboo screens define space.

Artefacts are also spotted around the site, adding a personal touch to the 18 rooms. In 2012, Knai Bang Chatt expanded, with a

new ochre building mixing seamlessly with the original houses and a cabana-style restaurant providing clear views of islands beyond.

Perfection isn’t the aim, says Moons, as he stops beside a misshapen pot beneath a spiral staircase in the governor’s house. “It’s the wabi-sabi — the beauty of being imperfect — that is very important in the whole concept,” he explains, referring to a Japanese

aesthetic idea. “[The pot] fell down when they probably burnt it in the oven, and it’s imperfect,” he says. “But isn’t it more beautiful than when the pot was perfect? Because otherwise it was just another perfect pot — here you find something unique.”

Words by Ellie Dyer, photos by Chatti Phal. For more information, visit www. knaibangchatt.com. asialife Cambodia 47

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Model: Rolanda Lokey Stylist: Ryan Taylor Photographer: Balazs Maar Makeup: Syna’Styling Hair: The Dollhouse Clothing: Jasmine Boutique Accessories: Paperdolls www.balazsmaar.com

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Listings

hotel & travel Airlines & Agencies Air Asia 66 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 356 011.

Air France Phnom Penh Tower, 11th Floor 445, Monivong Blvd, cnr of St. 232 Tel: 023 965 500 Angkor Airways 32 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 222 056 Asiana Airlines A-16 Domestic Arrival Terminal Phnom Penh International Airport Tel: 023 890 440-2 Bangkok Airways 61A Street 214 Tel: 023 722 545 China Airlines 32 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 222 393 Dragon Air 168 Monireth Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 300 www.dragonair.com/kh, pnh.res@dragonair.com

Vietnam Airlines 41 Street 214 Tel: 023 363 396.

Eva Air 298 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 219 911

Battambang

Jet Star Asia 333B Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 909 Korean Air F3-R03, 254 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 224 047/8 Lao Airlines 58C Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 023 216 563 Malaysia Airlines 172 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 218 923 Silk Air 313 Sisowath Quay (Himawari Hotel) Tel: 023 426 808 Sunbird International Cambodia Ltd. PGCT Center 2F, St. 274 Tel: 023 99 1010/ 023 98 3333 sunbirdintl@yahoo.co.kr PSA of Korean Air, PSA of Asiana Airlines, Worldwide Air ticket, Visa, License.Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm Thai Airways 294 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 214 359

La Villa 185 Pom Romchek 5 Tel: 017 411 880 / 053 730 151, lavilla.battambang@gmail.com, www.lavilla-battambang.com Beautifully restored 1930s colonial house with six rooms is the premium hotel in the country’s second city and with an excellent kitchen and bar.

Riverside Balcony Bar & Restaurant West bank of river Tel: 012 437 421 Traditional wooden house with great views of the river and good food, ideal for a sunset cocktail lounging over the river. Open Tues – Sun, 4pm - 11pm.

Kampot

Blissful Guest House Tel: 012 848 390 www.blissfulguesthouse.com Small guest house, with 11 rooms, set in a quiet part of town with downstairs restaurant and bar, and communal TV room upstairs.

Bokor Mountain Lodge Riverfront Tel: 033 932 314 017 712 062 www.bokorlodge.com Beautiful French colonial building situated on riverfront with well-fitted

air-conditioned rooms. Has a good restaurant and bar.

Epic Arts Café Old Market Street Employing deaf staff, this café next to the old market has a good range of bagels, shakes, brownies and coffee. Is also the centre for the community arts programme.

Open from 7am - 6pm.

Les Manguiers 2km north of Kampot Tel: 092 330 050 Small resort with bungalows and rooms set in beautiful gardens overlooking the river with a restaurant which has daily changing, freshly prepared food.

Mea Culpa 44 Sovansokar Tel: 012 504 769 meaculpakampot@gmail.com Accommodation established by the former manager of Bokor Mountain Lodge set in the French Quarter. Six rooms have air con, hot water, DVD and TV. The large garden has a patio pizzeria and bar.

Nataya Coral Bay Resort Prek Ampil, Kampot, Tel: 016 226 471/ 012 902 823. natayaresort@yahoo.com Only 16km from Kampot, this topend hideaway comes complete with eight beachfront bungalows, a 25m infinity pool, a 2km private beach, stilt huts off a 300m pier, and simply oodles of relaxation.

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Rikitikitavi Riverfront Tel: 012 274 820 012 235 102 www.rikitikitavi-kampot.com Western food served in large portions in this river-facing restaurant, bar and three-room guesthouse. A more upmarket venue for Kampot, the upstairs seating affords great sunset views.

Restaurant and bar open 7 days a week.

Rusty Keyhole Riverfront This British pub is the place for expats to chew the fat over a pint.

Friendly British owner has recreated the atmosphere of a rural pub in outer Kampot, or at least as close as it gets. The ribs remain as good as ever.

Open 8.30am until midnight.

Kep

Breezes Route 33.

Tel: 097 675 9072 Situated on the main coast road about halfway between Kep Beach and the ferry to Rabbit Island, this stylish restaurant and lounge is located right by the sea in a green, wooded area. The food is a fusion of Asian and western with a focus on small dishes with plenty of seafood.

Free pick-up and return to Kep hotels.

Kep Lodge Tel: 092 435 330. www.keplodge.com Nestled just below the calm Kep National Park, this boutique resort offers only 10 standard and luxury bungalows, all with private balcony, hot water and sea view. The comfortable restaurant pampers you with local and Swiss specialties and the lively bar. The beautiful infinity salt water pool has one of the best views in Kep and is the perfect place for a sunset.

Knai Bang Chatt Resort Tel: 078 888 557 www.knaibangchatt.com An exclusive resort offering personal service and modernist style. Lush and private grounds house a collection of remodelled 1960’s style colonial villas. With 18 unique rooms the resort includes an infinity pool, full spa, and media centre. All rooms refurbished to international standards. Choice of two dining options – upscale The Strand or the adjoining Sailing Club.

Le Bout du Monde Kep, Tel: 011 964 181 www.leboutdumondekep.com Individual and separate bungalows in traditional Khmer architecture located at a top of a hill with good views and nice gardens. Serves French and Khmer cuisine. Rooms have hot water, mini-bar, fan and safe.

Saravoan Hotel Thmey Village, Kep, Tel: 036 639 3909 012 715 588 / 012 357 729 Recently renovated building with 17 rooms has all the modern amenities including an inviting swimming pool and sweeping views of the sea.

Veranda Natural Resort Tel: 033 399 035, 012 888 619, www.veranda-resort.com Traditional wooden bungalows set in the hillside. Settle down for the night

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and listen to the jungle purr. Has a good restaurant and bar with some quite stunning sweeping views down to the coast.

Phnom Penh – Deluxe

Amanjaya 1 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 214 747 www.amanjaya-pancam-hotel.com Large hotel with a great central location along the riverfront. The rooms are spacious and wellequipped with tasteful Khmer decorations. The downstairs restaurant doubles up as the air-con K-West bar.

Bellevue Serviced Apartments 68 Tonle Sap Street Tel: 023 432 999 www.bellevueservicedapartments.com www.facebook.com/ bellevueservicedapartments Located in a deluxe hotel complex on the riverbank of the Tonle Sap, Bellevue offers spacious, contemporary accommodation 10 minutes away from the city. Facilities include infinity swimming pool, tennis court, gym and children’s playhouse, 24 hour security, housekeeping, internet and complimentary shuttle to the city. Studio to 3 bedroom units available.

Cambodiana 313 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 426 288 www.hotelcambodiana.com Great riverside location with spectacular sweeping views of the confluence of three rivers. Large rooms with air-con, in-room safes and good bathrooms. Live band plays nightly (except Mondays) from 8.15pm until late.

The Governor’s House 3 Mao Tse Tung Blvd. nr cnr Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 987 025 www.governorshouse.net Welcome to The Governor’s House Colonial Boutique Hotel in Phnom Penh. The Governor’s house offers an exclusive 10 rooms 5-star boutique hotel embodied in an original colonial-style mansion in the heart of BKK I, surrounded by the top residential area in downtown Phnom Penh city, Kingdom of Wonder.

Himawari 313 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 214 555 www.himawarihotel.com The 115 beautifully-designed suites have air-con, cable TV, IDD, Internet, inroom safes and large bathrooms. Nice swimming pool and good gym facilities as well as two good tennis courts.

Imperial Garden Hotel 315 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 219 991 Large hotel and villa complex next to the Cambodiana. Has a swimming pool, gym and tennis court.

InterContinental 296 Mao Tse Tung.

Tel: 023 424 888 www.intercontinental.com One of Phnom Penh’s most luxurious 5-star hotels, the 346 air-con rooms have all the expected facilities including in-room safes and king size beds. Also has a large swimming pool, a fitness centre and a spa.

Raffles Hotel Le Royal Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 www.phnompenh.raffles.com Emanates the same class as its more famous namesake in Singapore. The

Elephant Bar is a popular expat haunt during the 4pm to 8pm happy hour.

Beautiful gardens with a separate swimming pool for kids plus reasonably priced apartments for long stays. The rooms at the front are particularly special.

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 28 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 www.sofitel.com Set riverside amongst landscaped gardens this 12-storey colonial style hotel is close to key attractions, embassies and the central business district. Along with 201 luxurious rooms and suites with Mekong or Bassac river views, are chic restaurants and bars, an upscale spa, two swimming pools, a sports club and the finest conferencing facilities in Cambodia.

Phnom Penh – Mid

Almond Hotel 128F Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 822 www.almondhotel.com.kh 56-room hotel located close to the Royal Palace and the riverfront with spacious rooms with WiFi. Downstairs restaurant serves dim sum and Cantonese food.

AQUA Boutique Hotel 2 Street 278. / Tel: 012414596 info@aqua-pp.com Modern Indochina villa offers 7 rooms in a stunning Art Deco building, All en-suite with A/C. and on-sight pool, sun bed, wine bar and tapas restaurant.

Asia Club 456 Monivong Blvd.Tel: 023 721 766

An oasis of water and green in the city, the five bungalows and four rooms with air-con and bath, large safe and flatscreen tv. The beautiful swimming pool is tucked around the back of Man Han Lou Restaurant and you can have drinks and food delivered from Man Han Lou Restaurant.

Blue Lime 42 Street 19z (off Street 19), Tel: 023 222 260 www.bluelime.asia Centrally-located mini-hotel with a great swimming pool and contemporary rooms is a good flashpacker option.

FCC Phnom Penh 362 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 012 253 222 www.fcccambodia.com Phnom Penh’s landmark restaurant has seven rooms with balconies offering views of the river. Each is individually designed and meticulously outfitted with high-speed Internet access and the latest mod cons.

Hotel Cara 18 Street 47 & 84 Tel: 023 430 066 / 023 998 422 stay@hotelcara.com www.hotelcara.com Just north of Wat Phnom, this stylish boutique hotel has well-fitted rooms at very reasonable rates and a great sushi restaurant.

Lebiz Hotel & Library 79F Street 128 Tel: 023 998 608 / 610 info@lebizhotel.com www.lebizhotel.com Luxury accommodation with a

competitive edge and sleek modern design offers a full range of specialty services tailored to business needs, and cutting-edge technology to maximise comfort and productivity.

Has unique library.

Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 990 321 www.paddyrice.net Former Hope and Anchor has newly refurbished rooms with solar hot water, cable TV, air conditioning, WiFi and great views of the river from its balconies. Downstairs restaurant offers full western and Asian cuisine Splash Inn Hotel 5 Street 244 Tel: 023 986 174 www.splashinncambodia.com The Splash Inn opened in March 2011 after full renovations to two traditional Khmer villas, one block from the Royal Palace. All rooms boast handmade furniture, en-suite bathroom, flat-screen LCD TV, DVD, Wi-fi, fridge and mini-bar.

River 108 2 Street 108 Tel: 023 218 785 www.river108.com Art deco hotel aimed at the flashpacker set, the river view rooms are extremely comfortable with flat screen TV and separate bathroom and toilet. Efficient WiFi, good working space and spacious rooms make this the perfect business option.

The Little Garden 8 Street 398 Tel: 078 217 871 Stylish boutique hotel with a

swimming pool. A quiet retreat from the city’s chaos. Rooms feature attractive Cambodian furniture and gorgeous colonial tiles.

The Plantation Urban Resort and Spa 28 Street 184.

Tel: 023 215 151 http://theplantatation.asia 70 rooms – including a penthouse suite, two swimming pools, a restaurant, two bars, a gym, a spa and a meeting room. Centrally situated close to most of Phnom Penh’s main attractions.

The Pavilion 227 Street 19.

Tel: 023 222 280 www.pavilion-cambodia.com Beautiful boutique hotel set in a colonial building with large, unique rooms, each with either a small balcony or garden. Outdoor swimming pool, free WiFi and a small poolside restaurant.

The Quay Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 224 894 http://thequayhotel.com Five-storey, 16-room riverside boutique hotel has beautiful contemporary rooms designed by Gary Fell. The stand-out features are the roof-top jacuzzi and the very contemporary ground-floor bar and Chow Restaurant with WiFi. Queen Boutique Hotel 49A Street 214.

Tel: 023 211 683 om@queenboutique.asia Boutique hotel located conveniently

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close to all the major attractions including the Royal Palace and National Museum.

Villa SALT 4 Street 294. Tel: 012 815 066 villasalt@sentosasilk.com Whether you are touring Phnom Penh or planning a long vacation, Villa SALT along with SentosaSilk, create an atmosphere that makes you feel at home. Explore 14 artistically decorated rooms, each created to give you that authentic sense of uniqueness.

Phnom Penh - Budget

California 2 79 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 077 503 144 www.cafecaliforniaphnompenh.com New guest house and bar on the river front with well-priced rooms with air con and security box. Downstairs bar has great Tex-Mex food and pool table.

Feeling Home Cnr. Streets 278 & 63 Tel: 023 221 522 www.feelinghomecambodia.com Stylish nine-room boutique hotel with ample rooms at competitive rates, including flatscreen TV, aircon, security box and great beds.

Also has two apartments, an Asian restaurant and a Café Sentiment coffee house.

L’Imprevu Highway 1, 7km past Monivong Bridge. Tel: 024 390 405 Complex with twenty-four bungalows just outside of Phnom Penh. Tennis courts and excellent swimming pool make this a good break from the city.

Le Rit’s 71 Street 240. Tel: 023-213-160 Small & charming 6-room guesthouse with spacious rooms is managed by NYEMO NGO, part of its hospitality training. Rooms equipped with queen sized bed, cable TV, private bathroom.

The restaurant has a European set lunch menu and serves authentic Khmer food a la carte for diner.

Tonle Sap Guest House 4-6 Street 104. Tel: 023 986 722 www.tonlesapguesthouse.com Clean, well-kept guesthouse upstairs with 15 rooms, with air-con, fans, hot water, cable TV. Downstairs Pickled Parrot bar open 24 hours.

Sihanoukville

Club RED 25 Tola St., Ochheuteal Beach, Tel: 068 319 481 Located in the very heart of the city, this unique nightclub, bar, and lounge is open every night of the week. Great music, dance shows and live entertainment. Enjoy exclusive drinks and cocktails served in stylish surroundings by our friendly staff.

Open 8pm till late.

Independence Hotel Independence Beach Tel: 012 728 090 www.independencehotel.net Beautifully restored hotel on Independence Beach, originally opened in 1963, reopened in 2007 following a complete refurbishment.

Has sweeping ocean views from most rooms. Also has a gym, conference rooms and circular restaurant.

Reef Resort Road to Serendipity Beach Tel: 012 315 338 www.reefresort.com.kh

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Guesthouse set around a beautiful pool with well apportioned air-con rooms, in-room safe and cable TV, family rooms also available. Has a welcoming bar with excellent TV screen, slate pool table and excellent Mexican cuisine.

Scuba Nation Lane off road to Serendipity Beach Tel: 012 604 680/ 012 715 785 www.divecambodia.com Five-star PADI centre offering daily trips to the area’s many islands and reefs including the decent dive sites at Koh Rung Samloem and Koh Kon, also runs a range of PADI-certified courses, and has an office in Phnom Penh.

Sokha Beach Resort Sokha Beach. Tel: 034 935 999 With its own private beach, excellent swimming pool and fine restaurants, Sokha is the most up-market place to stay in Sihanoukville. A live Filipino band plays around the cocktail bar at night.

The Secret Garden Otres Beach. Tel: 0976 495 131 www.secretgardenotres.com Modern beachside air-con bungalows with hot water, jungle showers or baths, TV, WiFi and Otres Beach’s only swimming pool. Restaurant run by professional Australian chef with draught and imported beers.

Zoco Independence Hotel Road to Serendipity Beach Two fashion boutiques – one on the way to Serendipity Beach, the other in Independence Hotel – run by the Spanish-born Nuria, sells dresses, skirts, bags and accessories.

Travel

Cambodia Uncovered 11B Street 370. Tel: 012 507 097 www.cambodiauncovered.com Offers village and cultural tours in Phnom Penh and surrounds including road trips, Mekong cruises, accommodation, cooking classes and other activities.

Exotissimo Travel No. 66, Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 218 948 www.exotissimo.com Excellent French-owned agency specialising in adventure tourism, flight bookings, package holidays and a range of tours of Southeast Asia.

Helicopters Cambodia 10 Street 310 Tel: 012 814 500 www.helicopterscambodia.com Over 12 years experience operating in the Kingdom offers scenic flights around the Temples of Angkor and beyond. Is a wholly owned subsidiary of Helicopters New Zealand Group.

Intrepid Travel 468 Sivutha Blvd.

Tel: 063 966 655 For travellers with a yearning to get off the beaten track, Intrepid opens up a whole new world of adventure travel.

With a huge variety of tours available.

Travel Indochina 43-44EO Street 108 Tel: 023 991 978 www.travelindochina.com.au Australian-owned and managed travel company specialising in small group journeys around Asia that can tailor trips for individuals.

Listings

siem reap Siem Reap - Bars

AHA The Passage. Tel: 063 965 501 Sophisticated and beautifully designed wine bar selling a wide range of wines from around the world and tapas, as well as great cheese and Lavazza coffee. Open 10.30am to 10.30pm.

Angkor What?

Pub Street. Tel: 012 181 4001 “Promoting irresponsible drinking since 1998,” this graffiti-laden bar is the mainstay of Pub Street. A healthy mix of loud rock, punk and grunge, buckets of vodka and red bull for $6.

Fresh at Chilli Si-Dang East River. Tel: 012 723 488 Riverside dining, balcony views, a relaxing lounge downstairs, and a pool table. Fresh food, including traditional Khmer cuisine, cheese, sandwiches, a generous selection of vegetarian food.

Laundry Bar Old Market Extremely chilled music bar just off Pub Street with great mellow decor and extremely cool t-shirts.

Free drink during the 6pm to 9pm washing hours.

Open 6pm until late.

Linga Bar Alley behind Pub Street Tel: 012 246 912. www.lingabar.com Laid back, gay-friendly bar with extremely chilled Buddha Bar tunes and some amazing light boxes that serves a great range of cocktails. Free WiFi. Open 5pm until late.

Little Pari The Lane, off Pub Street, The newest and bluest bar in town!

Very sweet, very stylish little jewel of a bar, much like the eponymous owner herself, Pari. This jazz/wine bar serves delicious Asianised cocktails, wines and beers.

Open from 7pm until closing.

Miss Wong Lane off Pub Street. Tel: 092 428 332 Imagine yourself in China at the turn of the last century and you won’t go much wrong in Miss Wong with excellent and original cocktails and dim sum.

Open late.

Nest Sivutha Blvd.

Tel: 017 925 181 A step up for Siem Reap, Nest is high level drinking and dining, serving light Mediterranean and Asian food in a unique, highly stylised setting, with loungers and table settings.

Picasso Alley West A very cosy wine and tapas bar, with artful décor and a curved bar making conversation easy and fun. Good selection of wines and delicious tapas make this a regular haunt for expats.

Open 5pm until midnight.

The Station Wine Bar Street 7, close to Pub Street Tel: 097 850 4043 www.thestationwinebarsiemreap.com For lovers and lovers of wine offers a selection of fine wines, always 20 by the glass and a list of over 100 by the bottle. Good music and pleasant decor in air conditioned comfort.

Tuesdays, varietal wine tastings and every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday our Lady Boy Variety Show.

The Warehouse Old Market Tel: 012 530 227 Popular expat bar plays great music with good Asian-Western fusion cuisine. Best stocked bar in town and homemade infused vodkas.

Open 10am to 3am.

Siem Reap - Cafés

Blue Pumpkin Old Market Tel: 012 946 227/ 063 463 574 www.tbpumpkin.com Popular café with a great range of freshly baked breads and pastries, shakes and coffee. Also at Angkor Wat and the airport. Open daily from 6am to 10pm. Free WiFi.

Siem Reap - Galleries

Diwo Galleries One at Vat Svay, Tonle Sap Road and another between Monument Books and Ta Prohm Hotel on the riverside Features a selection of refined Khmer statues and Buddhas.

The larger Vat Svay location features a gallery exhibition of Thierry Diwo’s photography, as well as sells home decor and books. Drinks are available in the garden and on the terrace.

Happy Cambodia Gallery 2 Hospital Street, between Psar Chaas and Pub Street Tel: 063 963 114 www. happypainting.net McDermott Gallery I & II FCC Complex Pokambor Avenue, Alley behind Pub Street Tel: 092 668 181 www.mcdermottgallery.com Two galleries devoted to photographic works. with permanent exhibition of photographs taken by John McDermott. Open 10am to 10pm.

Siem Reap - Hotels

FCC Angkor Pokambor Avenue Tel: 023 992 284 www.fcccambodia.com Boutique hotel with 31 contemporary Asian-designed rooms spread around the garden and swimming pool. Free WiFi for guests both in rooms and around the pool.

Golden Orange Off East River Road Tel: 063 965 389 reservations@goldenorangehotel. com www.goldenorangehotel.com Mini-hotel with good sized air-con rooms that tends to have customers when others are empty. Nice outside bar makes for a good place to sit and have a few beers.

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Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor 1 Charles de Gaulle Tel: 063 963 888 www.raffles.com Elegant hotel with opulent gardens and a spectacular swimming pool in its grounds.

Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort Vithei Charles de Gaulle Tel: 063 964 600/ 610 www.sofitel.com Ultimate in comfort and refinement, combining the traditional architecture of Cambodia with elegant French colonial style. 5-star accommodation, 5 bars and restaurants, swimming pool, spa and international standard18-hole 72-par golf course, 16km outside Siem Reap.

Siem Reap - Leisure

Body Tune 293-290 Pokambor Av. (next to the old market along Riverside) Tel: 063 764 141 www.bodytune.co.th When you need to re-balance and rejuvenate your body in between daily routines, BODY TUNE is the perfect place to regain your energy.

Open daily 10:00am - 10:30pm.

Helicopters Cambodia 658 Hup Quan Street Tel: 063 963 316 Professionally run company that has flights over the temples and beyond in modern, safe helicopters.

Khmer Ways Wat Svay Village Tel: 077 367 790 www.khmerways.com Ride specially adapted motor-scooters to explore parts of Siem Reap nobody else gets to, including villages, temples and waterfalls. No previous experience required. Lunch, water, sunscreen and snacks provided.

Sam Veasna Centre Wat Bo Area Tel: 063 96 37 10 Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award winner. Some of the rarest birds in Asia can be seen at Prek Toal and Ang Trapang Thmor, a daytrip from Siem Reap, or combine bird watching with temple trips to Koh Ker and Beng Melea.

Phokeethra Country Club Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Vithei Charles de Gaulle Tel: 056 396 4600 reservation.angkor@phokeethragolf.com International standard 18-hole, 72par golf course 16km outside of Siem Reap. Clubhouse facilities: pro shop, rental equipment, restaurant.

Siem Reap - Restaurants FCC Angkor FCC Complex, Pokambor Avenue Tel: 063 760 280 Elegant bar and restaurant serves a mix of Asian and international cuisine. The complex includes shops, the McDermott Gallery, Visaya Spa and boutique hotel.

Le Malraux Street No. 7 Tel: 063 966 041 Beautiful French restaurant offering alfresco, café and brasserie style dining with a menu catering to a range of budgets and tastes. Both food and service is consistently good. An attractive wine list rounds out this restaurant’s promise.

L’Oasi East River Road Tel: 092 418 917 The best Italian restaurant in, or rather just outside of, town. The combination of the beautiful garden and home-cooked Italian pasta and pizza makes the trip well worth it.

Maharajah Indian Restaurant Next to Pub Street, btwn CAB bank & provincial hospital. Old Market Area Tel: 063-966221 / 092-506622 Authentic Indian vegetarian and nonvegetarian food. Maharajah believes that exclusivity with a touch of simplicity is important in the creation

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of every dish.

Open daily 11am – 10pm.

Marum 8a Route B, btwn Wat Polanka & Catholic Church Tel: 017 363 284 contact@marum-restaurant.org Great food, good service. Part of the Mith Samlanh group that trains marginalized and vulnerable young people for a career in the hospitality industry. Profits go back into the training programme.

Siem Reap - Shops

De Silk 18 Oum Khun Blvd Tel: 063 761 198 / 011 775 168 www desilk.com Boutique offering 24/7 tailoring services using 100% Khmer traditional silk, that has expertise in making clothes and accessories.

Eric Raisina 53 Veal Village Tel: 012 965 207 / 063 963 207 Accessories, decor, textiles and clothing created by Madagascanborn and French-trained designer.

Phone in advance for an appointment.

Jasmine Boutique FCC Angkor, Pokambor Avenue Tel: 063 760 610 Same sophisticated, stylish boutique as on Street 240 in Phnom Penh.

Smateria The Alley West Tel: 063 964 343 www.smateria.com Boutique specialising in accessories made from recycled materials including a range of bags and wallets made from old cartons, plastic bags and mosquito nets.

Siem Reap - Spas

Sokkhak Spa Sok San Street, next to Haven Restaurant, Old Market Area Tel: +63 763 797 www.sokkhakspa.com In Khmer, Sokkhak means ‘tranquility’. With a nature-inspired décor with a soft, warm and tranquil atmosphere in which to relax, refresh and indulge and using carefully chosen natural botanical and marine-based products, Sokkhak Spa is a Cambodian owned and managed business with over 16 years experience in the spa industry throughout Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and South America.

Open daily 11am - 10pm.

siem reap

Inside the Insiders Rhi Quinn NGO Insider is a new kind of website that is attempting to promote a concept, a movement and a belief. The belief is that the opinions we form absorbing news do not give us an accurate perspective of the world’s events.

Logging into the monochrome page you’re greeted by ‘the artist’, ‘the scientist’ and ‘the bohemian’.

These are the three elements of its creators, Alex Pettiford and Tom McClean. “I’m the scientist, Alex is the artist and the bohemian is a blend of the two of us,” says McClean.

Combining photography, art, research and passion, NGO Insider gives photographers and journalists a podium on which to share stories that they wish to be brought to light, instead of the editors choosing what to show. “We act as a platform, not an editor. We’re neutral.

We step back, show the story and let people make up their own mind,” says McClean.

There is also a blog section that gives often silent photographers a chance to submit their feelings while working on a project.

“Someone who’s immersed themselves in their work is more in touch than a newsreader sitting behind a desk,” says Pettiford. “News when presented with passion is in its most captivating format.”

The artistic duo is also stepping away from the virtual to present a free photojournalism exhibition documenting prevalent topics

affecting Cambodia, from Mar. 1 to Apr. 30. ‘Documenting Cambodia’, held at 1961 hotel, will feature several renowned professional photographers based in Cambodia — George Nickels, Thomas Cristofoletti, David Belluz, Meng Kimlong, Omar Havana, Sam Jam, Erika Pineros and Tori Green.

The projects in the exhibition include images of rubbish dumps in Siem Reap, landmine rehabilitation, evictions in Phnom Penh, people displaced due to environmental damage in Mondulkiri province, human rights in prisons in Kandal province, and an elderly couple whose love outlasted the Khmer Rouge.

Pete Pin, a curator for Time Magazine and photographer for the Magnum Foundation, will be overseeing the exhibition. Known for his series ‘Cambodian Diaspora’ in America, Cambodianborn Pin expressed his interest in becoming involved in a project that is close to his origins. The exhibition will run under a unifying theme of raising awareness regarding human, social and environmental issues that affect lives across Cambodia.

“News does not need dramatising; it’s just as powerful in its basest form — the truth,” says McClean. If you’re interested in sharing a story you feel the world needs to know about, get involved by emailing tom@ngoinsider.com or visit www.ngoinsider.com.

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Listings

food & drink Cambodian

Khmer Surin 9 Street 57. Tel 012 887 320 Elegant restaurant featuring wood and silk décor with a tropical garden that serves Cambodian and Thai favourites. Dishes are well prepsred and large enough to share.

K’NYAY 25K Suramarit Blvd. (Street 268) Tel: 023 225 225 / 092 665 225, www.knyay.com knyay@hotmail.com Modern Khmer restaurant tucked away down an alley off Sihanouk Blvd, with a menu including a selection of freshly prepared, vegan dishes, along with traditional Cambodian specialities. Offers a selection of cakes, ice creams and sorbets, using all vegan ingredients.

Open 12pm - 9pm (Mon - Fri), 7am 9pm (Sat), closed Sunday.

Malis 136 Norodom Bvd. Tel: 023 221 022 www.malisrestaurant.com Beautiful modern Khmer restaurant with a courtyard set around narrow

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water channels and decorated with terracotta floor tiles. Has air-con rooms inside for those who find the midday sun too much. The cuisine is modern Khmer, with no MSG. Restaurant Le Royal Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 (see also restaurants, French) Romdeng 74 Street 174 Tel: 092 219 565 Come to Romdeng and order some delicious Khmer food for you and also for your children from our new kid’s menu, serving creative and healthy treats for little one! While waiting for your dishes, let you kids enjoy the playroom while you relax by the pool… And before leaving don’t miss our new gift shop in the first floor. Special lunch set menu everyday.

Open 11am - 9pm.

Chinese Emperors of China 19 Street 163 Tel: 097 929 2699 Up-market Chinese restaurant, popular with the capital’s large Chinese community, private dinning rooms, specializes in Peking duck and dim sum.

Fortune Palace NagaWorld, Hun Sen Park Chinese restaurant with authentic Greater Chinese cuisine and all-youcan-eat Dim Sum buffet on Sundays.

Open from 11am - 3pm, 5pm 10pm.

Fu Lu Zu Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra

26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd.

023 999 200 x 6613 Elegant Chinese restaurant specialising in contemporary Cantonese delicacies and dim sum with private rooms for intimate ambience.

Open from 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm. Dim Sum weekend from 8am - 2.30pm.

Hua Nam 753 Monivong Bvd. Tel: 023 364 005 Large Chinese restaurant that specialises in seafood and duck and has a good selection of wines, with VIP rooms.

Open 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 10pm.

Man Han Lou Restaurant 456 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 721 966 Micro-brewery with four types of German-style beer. Has extensive Chinese, Thai, Khmer and Vietnamese menus, as well as dim sum breakfast.

Open from 6am - 10am.

Sam Doo 56-58 Kampuchea Krom Tel: 023 218 773 The place for dim sum in Phnom Penh, baskets of steamed prawn dumplings, pork buns and more go for a pittance. The wonton soup and other tasty meals are a steal.

Open 7am - 2am.

Xiang Palace InterContinental Phnom Penh 2/F, 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 888 x 3562 Xiang Palace is locally acclaimed for its authentic Cantonese cuisine and delicious dim sum, all prepared with

the finest ingredients.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Yi Sang Chinese Restaurant 128F Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 922 www.almondhotel.com.kh Set on the ground floor of the Almond Hotel, this stylish restaurant specialises in Cantonese food and dim sum that fuses the traditional with the contemporary, including excellent dim sum.

Open from 6.30am - 10am, 11.30am - 2pm and 5.30pm - 10pm – Dim Sum not served in the evening.

French Armand’s 33 Street 108 Tel: 015 548 966 A true bistro experience in a cosy wood-panelled space, despite the informal and relaxed ambience it has the menu to even satisfy high-rollers.

Open 5pm until late. Closed Mondays.

Brasserie du Port 49E Sisowath Quay, cnr Street 84 Tel: 012 607 507 Seaside bistro featuring eclectic menu of haute cuisine mixed with pasta and ish specials. French classics including flambéed duck, pork filet mignon and home-made fois gras available at reasonable prices. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Brasserie’s long wooden bar is the perfect spot for enjoying a sea breeze and the restaurant’s comprehensive wine list.

Open daily, 8am – 11pm.

Comme à la Maison 13 Street 57 Tel: 012 951 869

www.commealamaisondelicatessen.com Sophisticated French restaurant with a beautiful outdoor terrace area at the front, yet secluded from the street. One of the best French kitchens in town. Small delicatessen at the back of the restaurant.

Open daily from 6am - 10.30pm.

K West 1 Street 154, cnr. Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 214 747 Stylish aircon bar and restaurant below the Amanjaya with an excelllent steak menu and good value happy hour from 6pm to 8pm Fridays. Now has a brasserie menu with daily specials. Also has free WiFi. Open 6.30am until midnight.

La Marmite Cnr Streets 108 & 51 Tel: 012 391 746 This small, reasonably priced French bistro has two adjoining rooms (one non-smoking) creating a relaxed, cosy atmosphere. Serves excellent fish, steaks and offal as well as daily specials, for a taste of real homecooked French cuisine.

Open 11am - 2.30pm, 6pm 10.30pm.

La Residence Restaurant 22/24 Street 214, Tel: 023 224 582 Fine dining on an international scale in this sophisticated restaurant, where French classics meet gourmet, modern cuisine. Open from 11.30am - 2pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm.

Le Café Mith Samlanh French Institute, Street 184 Tel: 092 471 791 Set in the lush garden of the French Institute (formerly CCF), Le Café offers an extensive à la carte menu with Khmer and French dishes. All proceeds go towards Mith Samlanh’s programmes for marginalised youth.

Open 7am - 5pm, closed Sundays.

Le Gourmet NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park Tel: 023 228 822.

Kitsch meets tradition at this up-scale restaurant. Quality ingredients come together in beautiful presentation on the plate, with the luxury of the surroundings complemented by professional and attentive service.

Open daily from 12pm - 3pm and 6pm - 10pm.

Le Jardin 16 Street 360 Tel: 011 723 399 Beautiful shaded restaurant with large garden and spacious outdoor play area for kids with excellent ice cream.

Open 8am - 10pm (closed Mondays).

Restaurant Le Royal Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh dining. phompenh@raffles.com Treat yourself to the finest French & Khmer cuisine in one of Indochina’s most elegant restaurants. The Chef’s Degustation menu allows you to try a myriad of dishes in a single meal in a refined atmosphere. Private rooms are available on request.

Open from 6.30pm - 10.30pm.

The Wine Restaurant 219 Street 19 Tel: 023 223 527

Excellent fine dining restaurant in the same grounds as Open Wine deli. The fresh food and extensive selection of wines make this one of the exclusive places to dine in town.

Topaz 182 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 012 346 555/ 023 221 622 Sophisticated, air-con restaurant with outside dining, upstairs bar, wine shop, cigar room and private rooms. One of Phnom Penh’s finest restaurants. Has a popular piano bar, night club upstairs.

Open 11am - 2pm, 6pm - 11pm.

Van’s Restaurant 5 Street 102 Tel: 023 722 067 French fine-dining in a grand setting awaits at Van’s, located on the second floor of a well preserved colonial era building near the city’s Post Office.

Open daily 11.30am - 2.30pm, 5pm - 10.30pm.

Indian Sub-Continent

Dosa Corner 15 Street 51, Tel: 012 673 276 This small south Indian restaurant opened in January. True to its name it has a wide range of very good value dosa as well as thali and biryani dishes. Air-conditioned.

Open 7am - 10pm.

East India 9 Street 114 Tel: 023 992 007 South Indian cuisine predominates in this pristine restaurant with excellent breads including nine types of dosa.

Open 11am - 2pm, 5.30pm - 10.30pm.

Flavours of India 158 Street 63 Tel: 012 886 374, Relaxing Indian and Nepalese restaurant with friendly staff and a good range of dishes including good value vegetarian and meat thalis.

Open 10am - 11pm.

Mumtaz 162 Street 63. Tel: 023 726 761 Popular Vietnamese chain of Indian restaurants comes to Phnom Penh.

Excellent tandoori and southern Indian delicacies including dosa with chefs from both north and south.

Shiva Shakti Street 63, between Mao Tse Tung Blvd. and Street 466 Tel: 012 813 817 / 023 213 062 Decidedly upmarket and sophisticated Indian restaurant in a beautiful setting with prices to match.

Good place for an Indian treat.

Open from 11am - 2pm, 6pm 10.30pm. Closed Mondays.

Indochine

Indochine NagaWorld, Hun Sen Park With a focus on Southeast Asian cuisine, Indochine offers tradition dishes from Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand in a sophisticated space.

Open 11am - 11pm.

Irrawaddi 24 Street 334. Tel: 012 979 510 Authentic Myanmar food at very reasonable prices in a clean setting with paintings of the Burmese countryside decorating the walls.

Open 10am - 10pm, closed Mondays.

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Lemongrass 14 Street 130 Tel: 012 996 707 Elegant Thai-managed restaurant with stylish use of heavy wood and artefacts to create a far more luxurious ambience than the reasonable prices would suggest.

Open 10am - 10pm.

Le Wok 33 Street 178 Tel: 092 821 857 Light and modern pan-Asian and French eatery with dishes such as prawns with lime and wasabi and Mekong lobster thermidor, and a comprehensive list of wines and cocktails.

Open daily 9am - 11pm.

Ngon 60 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 151 www.ngonpnh.com Open air restaurant that features a vast range of Vietnamese food in a garden environment. Meaning delicious, although the food does not live up to its name, the ambience makes up for it.

Pangea Fusion Restaurant NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park Tel: 023 228 822 Pan-Asian fusion restaurant with a western flair that specialises in allyou-can-eat dinner buffets.

Open daily 6am - 10.30pm.

International

AQUA Modern Eatery 2 Street 278 Tel: 012414596 Reservations: info@aqua-pp.com Asian influenced wine bar with sophisticated tapas & mezze dishes to indulge in at the bar, by the pool or in the Imperial Chinese Bed. A modern veranda restaurant featuring avant-garde globally-inspired fusion dishes with a French focus.

Open 11:30am – 2:30pm and 6pm -10:30pm. Closed on Monday nights.

Aussie XL Café 205A Street 51 Tel: 023 301 301 Aussie style bistro food with quick lunch menu and a good selection of house wines and retail wines.

Open 7am - 11pm.

Beirut Resto-Café 117 Sisowath Quay, (after night market) Tel: 023 720 011/ 092 483 759 The only authentic Lebanese halal cuisine and Sisha Lounge in the town. Offering middle east flavours including mezze tapas – hummus, shish kebab, baba ganouj, falafel, vegetarian and non-vegetarian kebab wraps. Delivery, takeaway, catering.

Open daily 10am until late.

Cafe Monivong Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 Wicker armchairs and marble tables covered with crisp white tablecloths create the perfect place to relax and linger over a delightful alfresco breakfast, lunch or dinner. Western and Asian cuisines are available buffet-style or a la carte. Private rooms are available on request.

Buffet from 6am - 10am, 12pm 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm, A la carte from 11am - 11pm.

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Doors Restaurant 18, Street 47 & 84 Tel : 023 998 114 www.doorspp.com New tapas restaurant, with live music.

Open 11am until late eLYXIR 3 Street 466 (near Thai embassy), Tel: 023 211 711 Elyxir is dedicated to wine, luxury and gastronomy. Each course was dreamed up in order to marry perfectly the wines on our menu.

Elyxir includes a swimming pool, champagne bar, private rooms & all our wines are available at our Wine Shop. Open Tuesday - Sunday, 10am until late.

Equinox 3a Street 278 Tel: 023 676 7593 www.equinox-cambodia.com marco@equinox-cambodia.com anthony@equinox-cambodia.com French-run bar and restaurant.

International menu, pool tables, split-level bar. Art exhibitions each month and live music gigs most Saturdays. Bachata class on Tuesdays, Salsa class on Wednesday and swing nights on Thursdays. Open daily 11am – late.

FCC Phnom Penh 363 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 724 014 The first stop for newcomers and it’s easy to see why. Set in a beautiful colonial house with sumptuous views across the river on one side and the National Museum to the other, it’s best to come at sunset when the streets below are most crowded, the cocktails are half price and draft beer goes for $1.

Open daily from 7am to midnight.

Fish Sisowath Quay, cnr of Street 108, Tel: 023 222 685 www.fishphnompenh.com Contemporary, modern restaurant specialising in all things oceanic.

Menu includes everything from lobster through sushi to gourmet fish and chips for upmarket, but reasonable prices.

Open 7am - late.

Flavours Cnrs. Street 51 & 282 Tel: 017 765 896 Relaxing restaurant and popular bar run by Quebecois with comfortable chairs that fall out onto the street.

The mix of Asian and western cuisine has proved so popular that they have a copycat restaurant opposite.

Open 7am - late.

Friends 215 Street 13 Tel: 012 802 072 Non-profit training restaurant where all the proceeds go to the neighbouring street-kid school. Food is a reliable mix of Mediterranean and Asian with tapas thrown in if you are not feeling too hungry. Great juices. Another one of Phnom Penh’s places designed to take it easy, but this time with a clear conscience.

Open 11am - 9pm.

Garden Centre Café 60-61 Street 108 Tel: 023 997 850 / 092 429 968. www.gardencentercafe.com

Popular expat restaurant with fresh ingredients and lots of healthy options. Another location is at 4B Street 57.

Open from 7am - 10pm (closed Mondays).

Gasolina 56/58 Street 57 Tel: 012 373 009 The largest garden bar in town has an extensive menu. Crèche facilities make this a popular choice with families at weekends. Has regular events with live music and DJs, even fashion shows.

Open from 8am - 12am.

Gastrobar Botanico 9b Street 29 Tel: 017 873 101 info@gastrobarbotanico.com Located in its own habitat with over 2,000 plants. Open-air.

Offers tapas, salads, sandwich, and straightforward food, yet with character, in lush garden setting.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. Espresso bar. Cocktails, wines, fruit shakes.

Open daily 8am - 9:30pm.

Green Vespa 95 Sisowath Quay, Tel: 012 887 228 Superb daily breakfast selection, varied lunch and dinner specials and the best roast meal in town on the weekends. Traditional accompaniments to great food include Branston pickle, Colemans mustard, mint and horseradish sauce, HP and Heinz Ketchup.

Open 6am - 11pm.

Irina Russian Restaurant 15 Street 352 Tel: 012 833 524/ 092 833 524 Russian restaurant of iconic Phnom Penh status. If you can walk out of the restaurant after hitting the vodkas then you are doing well.

Open daily from 11am until the vodka runs out.

Java Cafe & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 420 www.javaarts.org Great coffees, salads, mix-and-match sandwiches and juices served in an elegant setting. The upstairs terrace, overlooking the Independence Monument, is a good place to watch the chaos below, while the downstairs space is a great place for coffee and catching up on your emails. Has exhibitions both upstairs and down.

Open 7am - 10pm.

Kandal House 239 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 986 803 Very friendly riverside established serving good and reasonably priced homemade pasta and a variety of Asian dishes.

Open 8am - late.

La Coupole Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 200 www.sofitel.com Casual and authentic Indochinese and French cuisine with live cooking by chefs in an open kitchen concept.

Offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and the Sunday brunch, all set in a stunning restaurant with high ceilings and natural light.

La Croisette 241 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 220 554 Riverfront restaurant with an ample outside dining area screened off by trees that serves good, reasonablypriced food, also has a cool, air-con restaurant inside. Often arranges special events.

Open 7am until late.

La Plaza Spanish Tapas Bar 22b Street 278, nr cnr Street 57 Tel: 012 825 443 Phnom Penh’s one and only Spanish tapas bar. It recreates to perfection the best known and most delicious Spanish tapas, making of seafood Paella its signature dish. Tapas are the result of hundreds of years of Spanish culinary history and evolution. Simple, tasty and healthy dishes have become a standard to be enjoyed with friends while drinking large amounts of sangría.

Open 11am - 2pm,5pm - 10pm. All day on the weekend.

LA ROSE Restaurant 164b Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 211 130 / 080 900 900 www.larose.com.kh Revive your strength and restore your health with La Rose Restaurant’s healthy option menu.

Cozy ground floor restaurant with experienced chefs serving both Asian and Western cuisine.

Latin Quarter Cnr Street 178 and Street 19 Tel: 093 319 081.

Latin restaurant and bar that serves excellent tapas and mains with extra salsa. Beautiful courtyard often hosts live music and salsa dancing while the air-con restaurant is available

for private hire. Open from breakfast until the music stops.

Le Quay Café Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 110 Tel: 023 998 730, www.amaraspa.hotelcara.com Enjoy the menu of sushi, salads, paninis, crepes and Asian specialities, with a wide range of healthy power juices, smoothies, cocktails, coffees, beers and wines, either beside a relaxing water feature or on the riverside terrace. Smoke free environment for lunch and dinner.

Open from 10.30am to 10.30pm.

Lime Restaurant + Bar 79F Street 128 Tel: 023 998 608/ 610 info@lebizhotel.com, www.lebizhotel.com Located in Lebiz Hotel Lime serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, offering a stylish mix of Asian and western favourites with a focus on fresh, healthy and local ingredients, with regular changes to the menu.

Lotus Blanc 152 Street 51 Tel: 017 602 251 Run by local NGO Pour un Sourire d’Enfant, this centrally located training restaurant has a monthly changing lunch menu as well as a la carte Khmer dishes. Serves both Asian and continental breakfast. Open Monday – Saturday, 7am - 10 pm.

Metro Café Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 023 222 275 Cool east-meets-west decor and a chic menu offering tapas, starters and mains, comprehensive cocktail menu, favourite among which is the Espresso Martini, Metro also offers a range of classic breakfasts and an elegant lunch spot with free wifi in an air-con and smoke-free (until 10pm) atmosphere.

Open daily 9:30am - 1am.

Mike’s Burger House Russian Blvd, inside Sokimex Petrol Station. Tel: 012 633 971 Hugely popular burger bar that serves food with plastic knives and forks and equally plastic French fries with cheese sauce. Ideal for those who believe that American culture starts with a Mc. New York Steakhouse 264 Street 63 cnr Mao Tse Tung

Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 500, www.steakhouse.com.kh Indulge in a seductive dining experience in the famed Phnom Penh Steak restaurant. The innovative menu features New-York Steakhouse signature prime cuts of beef charred to perfection accompanied by decadent sides and desserts.

Open Daily from 11am - 2pm and 15pm -Midnight.

Ocean 11 Street 288.

Tel: 017 766 690 European managed Mediterranean restaurant that dishes up some of the best fish and seafood in town.

Try the red snapper or the squid with rocket. Often has exhibitions around the understated walls.

One More Pub 16E Street 294 Tel: 017 327 378 (see bars) Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023990321 www.paddyrice.net (see bars) Restaurant Tell 13 Street 90.

Tel: 023 430 650 Up-market eatery that re-creates the genuine feel of an Alpine chalet, has a spacious indoor restaurant and outdoor terrace with rotisserie and bar. European menu with imported steaks, fondue, raclette and an extensive wine list.

Open 11.30am - 2pm, 5pm - 11pm.

Rising Sun 20 Street 178 Tel: 012 970 718 (see bars) Riverside Bistro Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 012 277 882/ 023 213 898 Popular restaurant with expats and tourists alike mainly due to its large outdoor terrace area to view the river. Serves a mixture of Asian and western food with an emphasis on German cuisine. Has rock music videos and a pool table in the music bar at the back.

Open from 7am - 2am.

Samba Brazilian Steakhouse 64 Sihanouk Blvd. (Nr Independence Monument) Tel: 023 222 599

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Experience the unique Brazilian Churrasco way of cookingwith a large variety of meats skewered and roasted to perfection and served piping hot direct from the skewers to your plate!

Open daily 11am - 3pm, 5pm 10:30pm.

Sonoma Oyster Bar 159 Street 278 Tel: 023 223 617/ 077 723 911 Phnom Penh’s first and only independent oyster bar has drawn a crowd of expats and Cambodians seeking high-quality oysters in a cosy setting.

Open daily 10:30am – 2:00pm, 5:00pm - 11:00pm.

Stella Restaurant 55 Street 75 Tel: 099 574 188 / 012 735 002 A cosy restaurant located near Wat Phnom, Stella serves pizzas, grilled food and Asian cuisine in a peaceful garden atmosphere.

Steve’s Steakhouse 8 Street 240.

Tel: 023 987 320 Longstanding restaurant specialising in local grain-fed beef as well as a large variety of imported steaks, hamburgers, ribs and Greek cuisine.

Has a terraced lounge with pool tables upstairs as well as a sports bar with large screen TV and happy hour from 12pm to 7pm.

Open daily 11am - 10.30pm.

Stonegrill 649 Sisovath Quay Tel: 023 999 950 www.stonegrill.com.kh Stonegrill offers a unique interactive dining experience where diners meals are served cooking at the table on a natural volcanic stones heated to 400C (752F).

Open daily 11am - midnight.

T-Bone Steak House 392 Monivong Boulevard & Street 360 Tel: 012 900 138 Contemporary restaurant serving a premium selection of both imported and Cambodian beef, in a sophisticated air-conditioned setting – a carnivore’s delight.

Open 12pm - 2pm, 5pm -11pm.

Tepui Restaurant Lounge Chinese House, 45 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 991 514 Located on the second floor of Chinese House, Tepui offers a mix of Mediterranean and South American small plates with Asian accents.The skilled Venezuelan chef is considered one of the city’s best culinary talents.

Open 6pm - 10.30pm, closed Mondays.

The Exchange / The Vault 28 Street 47 Tel: 078 886 889 Large colonial mansion contains The Vault, Phnom Penh’s first private member’s club for thoses who have $1000 to burn. Underneath, the Exchange has elegany exposed brickwork and low lighting as well as an impressive fusion menu.

Open daily, 10am - midnight.

The Quay 277 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 224 894 Rooftop deck with spectacular views of the river is a great place to enjoy a drink during half price 4pm-8pm

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happy hour. Food is a mix of tapas and more substantial offerings, including an excellent duck confit.

Open daily 7am – 11pm.

The Lost Room 43 Street 2 Tel: 078 700 001 Eclectic from floor to ceiling, including the food on offer. From the former owners of Talkin’ to A Stranger, The Lost Room offers share size global dishes of fresh, local and imported produce in an urban environment. Bookings essential.

Open from 5pm, kitchen closes at 9.30pm. Closed Sundays. Lunch by appointment only.

Italian

Aria D’Italia 41EO Street 310 Tel: 012 840 705 Cute little Italian pizzeria tucked away between Street 57 and Street 63. Well-priced lunch set menu and homemade ravioli. Home delivery available.

Open 10.30am - 2pm, 5.30pm - 10pm.

Bistro Romano NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park Tel: 023 228 822 Best known for its sumptuous Sunday Prosecco Brunch, this stylised Italian restaurant in the NagaWorld complex specialises in Italian cuisine.

Open daily 11am - 11pm.

Cafe Monivong Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Tel: 023 981 888 Indulge in home made antipasti, fresh prepared pasta and risotto as well as oven-baked, crispy pizzas and pair it all with the finest selection of Italian wines, every Saturday night 6pm - 10pm.

Do Forni Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 200 Sophisticated Italian diner set in the grounds of the Sofitel hotel, dishes up much more than your basic pizza and pasta. Excellent range of wines, dimmed lighting and plush surroundings make this an excellent romantic meal for two option.

Open daily 6.30pm - 10pm.

Dolce Italia da Giorgio 96 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 012 562 892 Authentic neapolitan pizzeria ristorante. Pizza prepared in traditional wood-fired oven.

Open from 11:30am - 2pm and from 6pm - 10pm, closed on Sunday.

Genova Italian Restaurant 19Eo Street 154.

Tel: 012 390 039 This small restaurant has the feel of an Italian trattoria with food just like mamma made. The spaghetti al pesto Genovese is its signature dish.

Good range of meat and fish dishes as well as some Khmer dishes.

Open daily 10am - midnight.

La Volpaia 20–22 Street 13.

Tel: 023 992 739 Part of a global pizzeria chain that includes Florence, Tokyo, Seoul and Phnom Penh, the cuisine is excellent with pizza and pasta cooked fresh in front of your eyes.

Limoncallo 81E0 Sisowath Quay Tel: 081 800 210/ 081 800 240 Authentic Italian cuisine with pasta, risotto and pizzas prepared in the traditional way and baked in a blazing wood-fired oven.

Open daily 11:30am- 2:30pm, 6pm10:30pm Luna d’Autumno 6C Street 29 Tel: 023 220 895 Beautiful courtyard or stylish interior air-con restaurant, whichever you choose, Luna has more classical pizzas, both red and white, to choose from than most restaurants.

Also serves excellent pasta and other up-market Italian food. Good wine cellar on view in the restaurant.

Open 11am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm 10.30pm.

Pasta & Vino 45 Street 288 Tel: 086 314 400 Cosy Italian spaghetteria that specialises in well-priced authentic Italian pasta and wines in a smokeless air-con environment.

Open daily 12pm - 2pm, 6pm 10pm.

Pop Café da Giorgio 371 Sisowath Quay Tel: 012 562 892 Sophisticated, small Italian restaurant located next to the FCC that serves light, contemporary Italian cuisine including fresh pasta and pizzas.

Open daily 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm.

Japanese & Korean

Fusion Sushi Cnr. Streets 47 & 84 Tel: 023 986 114 Located inside Cara Hotel this beautifully decorated restaurant dishes up excellent Japanese and Korean food.

Hachi Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, 26 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 200 ext.: 6612 A taste of Japan in a Zen atmosphere with tatami rooms and sushi bar.

Open daily, 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm.

Kan Ji Japanese Restaurant 128f Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 016 318 383 / 016 312 828.

Kan Ji is three floors of Japanese culinary delight in a bright and modern setting. Open for lunch and dinner, it features a stylish mix of ancient and modern creative cuisine.

Open daily, 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm.

Le Seoul 62 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 012 971 516 Popular up-market South Korean restaurant specialising in BBQ, each table is equipped with its own charcoal burner, with all beef imported from the U.S. Open daily, 11am - 2.30pm, 5pm 10pm.

Origami 88 Sothearos Bvd. Tel: 012 968 095 Up-market, contemporary Japanese restaurant with a spacious air-con area downstairs and four private rooms upstairs. Specialises in sushi

and tempura, and has Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo beers.

Open daily 11.30am - 2pm, 5.30pm - 9.30pm.

Rahu 159 Sisowath Quay Tel 023 215 179 Stunning, upscale atmosphere with a mix of modern Chinese décor, high ceilings, muted colors and rich woods. Japanese food takes the main stage but there is also Khmer and Western fusion cooking. A good place to go late night for sushi or a bowl of congee.

Open daily 5pm - 2am.

Yumi Restaurant, Bar and Grill 29a Street 288 Tel: 092 163 903 Elegant but inexpensive English-run Yakitori restaurant nestled in a quiet street in BKK that serves top-notch Japanese nibbles, hot and cold sake, plum wine, wine and beer. Don’t leave without trying the salt and chilli squid.

Mexican & Tex-Mex

Alley Cat Café Off Street 19 (side street behind Royal Art School) Tel: 012 306 845 Small, friendly patio café serving good Mexican food and claiming to have the biggest burgers in town.

Hard to find, Alley Cat is tucked down an alley at the back of the National Museum, the first on the right if you are coming from Street 178.

California II 79 Sisowath Qua Tel: 077 503 144 American-style bar with some of the best Mexican food in town, the excellent pool table and great tunes make this a good place to while away a few hours on the riverfront.

Open 24/7 with good rooms upstairs.

Cantina 347 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 222 502 A mainstay of the riverside scene, this is a popular meeting place for local expats with a large selection of Mexican beers and tequilas, and sinfully good margaritas. Serves good Mexican fare, and features photographs that capture the changing face of Cambodia.

Kitchen open 3pm - 10:30pm.

Closed Saturdays.

Casa Lika 16 Street 136.

Tel. 012 429 542 American-run family restaurant serving up good Mexican fare in an authentic setting with rustic brick walls and colourful Mexican artwork, great music and even better tacos make this a good place to share some Coronas with friends.

Open 10am - midnight, closed on Mondays.

Freebird 69 Street 240, Tel: 023 224 712 Aircon American bar with neon lighting, a variety of memorabilia, comfortable seats and rock music.

International menu with good lunch offers, an excellent range of bottled sauces, excellent International, Mexican food and burgers.

Be prepared for some good solid R&R. Open 7am - midnight.

Aircon Restaurant Art Exhibitions Dance Theatre German Classes Film School Musical Events Fixed +855 (0)23 224 140 Mobile +855 (0)10 312 333 Homepage: www.meta-house.com Email: mesterharm@gmx.net

Workshop Space Open-Air-Cinema asialife Cambodia 65

recipe

La Citá 13 Street 282 Tel: 092 388 123/ 092 626 123 www.lacita.ox2net.com Get ready to change your tune about what you think Mexican food is! Just one taste of our hand-rolled burritos, tacos and quesadillas will tell you how much effort we put into our mouthwatering products.

Open daily, 9am-10pm.

Taqueria Corona 14E Street 51 (btwn Sihanouk Blvd and Street 242) Tel: 089 281 626 / 012 629 986 Enjoy our mexican specialties, barbacoa, cochinita pebil, texas chile, carnitas, pollo and carne asoda in our festive dining room.

Open daily from11.30am - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm (Sunday evenings only).

Vegetarian

The Blue Pumpkin’s Chicken Curry INGREDIENTS Curry powder – 1½ tsp Garlic (finely chopped) - 3 cloves Ginger (finely chopped) - 7 grams Onion (finely chopped) - 30 grams Coconut cream - 1 cup Green beans (chopped) - 80 grams Carrots (diced) - 100 grams Potato (diced) - 100 grams Water - 5 cups or 600 ml Turmeric powder – ½ tsp Chilli powder - pinch Salt (optional) – 1½ tsp White pepper powder - pinch Chicken breast (sliced) -100 grams Corn flour (add water) - 10 grams Round hard loaf of bread - 2 pcs, 200 grams 10 slices of bread (optional) STEP ONE Cut the top off one piece of 200g bread and keep it as a cover for later. Make an 8cm wide hole inside the remaining bread. Press the bottom of the bread inside to prevent leakage when the curry sauce is poured in. Set on a big plate, cut five slices of bread and set them around the plate. Cut fresh leaves of parsley to garnish. Repeat to make two servings.

STEP TWO Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan at 160ºC. Put in the garlic and stir until golden brown. Add the ginger and onion and stir for 30 seconds. Add chicken and put in a pinch of pepper powder and sauté for three minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

STEP THREE Sauté all the vegetables for one minute, add coconut cream and boil for three minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to boil, then lower the heat to 100 ºC and cook for five minutes. Add the chicken slices and enough corn starch to make the sauce reach the right thickness.

The Blue Pumpkin, multiple locations in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, www.tbpumpkin.com Recipes provided by members of:

Fresh Salad Bar 37E0 Street 310 Tel: 081 555 559 / 016 977 790 The first salad bar in Phnom Penh which provides healthy organic salad and other foods to help you maintain you healthy lifestyle.

We serve salad coffee and bakery goods. Free Wifi. Free delivery, call Jung on 081 555 559.

Open daily, 8am - 10pm.

K’NYAY (see restaurants Cambodian) The Vegetarian 158 Street 19 Tel: 077 900 210 / 012 905 766 With a lush garden space in the heart of Phnom Penh, The Treez provides a relaxing dining experience.

Whether it be amok, curry or tom yam, The Treez, creates vegetarian versions of popular Cambodian, Indian and Thai dishes.

Open 10:30am - 8:30pm, closed Sundays.

Vego’s 3E0 Street 51 & 21b Street 294 Tel: 012 984 596 Salad bar with an emphasis on greens and a menu of healthy western items. Also offering bagels, salads and wraps with a wide array of super fresh toppings. Choose from ready-made or d.i.y. options.

Also on offer are a vegetarian soup of the day as well as fresh-squeezed juices, yogurt and granola.

Cafés

Art Café 37 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 012 834 517 Elegant bistro in the style of a European coffee house is now transposed to the Meta House with regular classical music performances.

Blue Pumpkin 245 Sisowath Quay and at Monument Books on Norodom Blvd Tel: 023 998 153 Siem Reap’s favourite café also offers two locations in Phnom Penh, serving breakfast sets, Asian and Western entrées and an array of ice cream flavours. Open daily from 6am - 11pm.

Botanic Cafe-Art gallery 126 Street 19 Tel: 077589458 botaniccafe@yahoo.com, www.botanica-gallerycafe.com Cafe and food inside over 80 year

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old building, with garden is display art works, pot plants and premium souvenirs. First floor exhibition and event space is for promote local artists. We have special lunch and dinner set for your special times.

Open daily 8am – 9pm.

Brown Coffee & Bakery 17 Street 214 Tel: 023 217 262 Stylish, locally owned café with bakery on the premises serves a variety of coffees and pastries, with the green tea latte a house speciality.

Open 7.30am - 8pm.

Café El Mundo 219 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 012 520 775 Affordable and stylish riverside café and restaurant with adjacent apartments for short-term hire.

Seating available on the mezzanine lounge, ground-floor restaurant and on the streetside terrace.

Open 6.30am - 10.30pm.

Café Fresco 363 Sisowath Quay, Tel: 023 217 041 Cnr. Streets 51 & 306, Tel: 023 224 891 The FCC’s café chain sells strong Illy coffee and mix-and-match sandwiches. Interiors have a slight retro 70s feel to it and there are pleasant outside seating areas.

There are currently four outlets in town Open 6am to pm.

Café Living Room 9 Street 306 Tel: 023 726 139 Set in a stylish villa, Living Room has healthy salads and snack plates, plus a great tea and coffee menu.

Has a kid’s playroom and baby changing room and uses organic and fair trade produce. Open everyday from 7am to 8.30pm.

Café Namu 28b Cnr Streets 30 & 57, Tel: 023 220 074 Breakfast, brunch and lunch venue.

Serving pizza, cakes, cookies, desserts, teas, coffees and fresh juices.

Café Yejj 170 Street 450, Tel: 012 543 360 / 092 600 750 Quiet, cosy café serving bistro-style western cuisine, with extensive range of coffees, pasta dishes, pannini and wraps and fabulous cheesecake making this an ideal spot to escape the bustle of the nearby Russian Market.

Open every day from 7am - 9pm.

Chill Ice Cream & Coffee Lounge 219d Sisowath Quay Tel: 092 547 534 Pretty, casual lounge on the riverside offering coffee, sandwiches, cocktails, and some of the best homemade ice cream in town, as well as inventive ice cream cocktails.

Open 11am - midnight.

Coffee Room 385 Street 215 Tel: 098 518 888 The first coffee house in Phnom Penh to have an electronic menu, at the Coffee Room you simply tap in your order and wait for your order to arrive. Serves coffees, juices.

Pastries and breakfast.

Open daily from 7.30am - 6pm.

Cross Town Café 193 Street 29 Tel: 017665204 Japanese-owned restaurant with welcoming wooden interior. which spreads from floor to bar. A recently opened venue serving traditional Japanese cuisine with an added twist, the restaurant aims to add new dishes to its menu every week. Open daily from 11am - 10pm.

Daughters of Cambodia 65E0 Street 178 Tel: 077 657 678 www.daughtersofcambodia.org The cafe, called Sugar ‘n Spice, serves light lunches (salads, sandwiches), a few main courses, home baked goods, desserts, coffee and some original smoothies. The cafe is a place for vocational training, where trainees will train and then have the opportunity to graduate into working in top end restaurants and hotels. Value for money. Free Wifi.

There’s also a shop selling clothing, accessories and jewellery made on site. Or relax in the spa which offers head, shoulder, face and hand and foot treatments.

Gloria Jean’s Corner of Street 51 & Street 310, Tel : 092 404 365 Sisowath Quay along Phnom Penh Port, Tel: 092 555 973 Canadia Tower Monivong Blvd., Tel: 092 555 937 Popular cafe in three differences area BKK 1, on the riverside and inside the commercial building Canadia Tower.

Java Café & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd Tel: 023 987 420 (see restaurants, international) Kiriya Café No.174, St.51 Cnr St.370 Tel: 016 363 730 Opening Nov 1. This Japanese café chain offers good locally sourced coffee, delicious desserts and a relaxing atmosphere.

Open daily 6am - 2am.

Morning Café 32C Street 592 Tel: 023 982 109 Cosy air-conditioned coffee house with relaxed atmosphere, located in Toul Kork district serves Khmer, Thai and European cuisine. Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6am to 9pm.

The Deli 13 Street 178 Tel: 012 851 234 Chic delicatessen, bakery and small restaurant serving excellent bread and pastries, with take-away menu.

Open from 7am to 9pm (closed Sundays).

The Shop 39 Street 240, Tel: 092 955 963 / 023 986 964 Stylish café, with a wide range of fresh bread, tempting patisseries and juices, excellent salads and sandwiches. Crowded at lunchtime, but the small, cool courtyard at the back creates a perfect haven from the sun. Has a Chocolate Shop three doors along, and a second outlet in Tuol Kork. Open 7am to 7pm (Mon. to Sat, 7am to 3pm Sun.)

Lunch: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm Dinner: 6 pm – 10 pm

Bars

Aristocrat Cigar Bar NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park Tel: 023 228 822 Club aimed at attracting wealthy expats and Khmers who like a good cigar and glass of wine. Not as stuffy as you might imagine with cigars from $10.

Open daily from noon to midnight.

AQVARIVM Bar 23 Street 55 Corner Street 254, Tel: 077 536 342 Drop by for Happy Hour drinks and nibbles from 5:00-9:00 PM. Available for special occasion and group discounts. AQVARIVM: Drink like a fish!

Cadillac Bar and Grill 219 E0 Sisowath Quay, Tel: 011 713 567 Riverfront air-con bar and restaurant.

Has good American cuisine as well as ariverfront vantage to watch the world go by.

California II 79 Sisowath Quay Tel: 077 503 144 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Cantina 347 Sisowath Quay, Tel: 023 222 502 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Chow 277 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 224 894 Contemporary and sophisticated

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riverfront restaurant that serves Southeast Asian cuisine, a wide range of cocktails, juices and Illy coffee. The rooftop deck with spectacular views of the river is a great place to have a drink during its half-price 4pm to 8pm happy hour.

Open daily from 7am to 11pm.

Do It All Pub & Bistro 61 Street 174, Tel: 023 220 904 Dishes out African, Asian and Western cuisine, with hip hop and reggae played into the early hours of the morning.

Open daily 9am to 4am.

Elephant Bar Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 Flamboyant carpet, comfortable wicker chairs and hotel pianist provide a sense of a time gone by, you can imagine Jackie Kennedy drinking here. Its many signature cocktails, including the femme fatale make this a popular place with expats especially during the twofor-one happy hours (4pm to 8pm).

Open 2pm to midnight from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to midnight.

Equinox 3A Street 278, Tel: 012 586 139 or 092 791 958 (see Restaurants, International) FCC 363 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 724 014 (see Restaurants, International) Freebird 69 Street 240 Tel: 023 224 712 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Green Vespa 95 Sisowath Quay Tel: 012 887 228 (see Restaurants International) Harem Shisha Lounge 157 Sisowath Quay, Tel: 023 990 244 Share in an ancient ritual and enjoy the many fruity flavours of the shisha pipe at Harem. With lavish golden surroundings and chilled world house beats, the Penh’s first shisha bar offers signature cocktails and exotic Middle Eastern tapas menu.

Open from 5pm till late.

Howie’s Bar 32 Street 51 Air-conditioned and open until very very late, this is the Heart’s unofficial chill-out bar although the sound system could give its neighbour a run for its money. Tends to be a popular late night hang-out, especially around the ‘mini’ pool table.

Open 7pm to 6am.

K West 1 Street 154 (Cnr. Sisowath Quay), Tel: 023 214 747 (see Restaurants, French) Le Bar Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, 26 Sothearos Blvd Tel: 023 999 200 A modern colonial style lobby bar with a fine selection of comfort food, tapas, champagnes, wines, premium spirits and large selection of coffees and teas.

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Le Moon Cnr of Sisowath Quay and Street 154 Tel: 023 214 747 Rooftop terrace bar at Amanjaya Hotel has arguably the view of the river of any of the city’s rooftop bars.

Full bar and small food menu, while the service is slow enough to afford you sufficient time to soak up the view.

Liquid 3B Street 278 Tel: 023 720 157 Welcoming open air bar on golden street run by the same owner as Flavours. Has one of the best pool tables in town with happy hour from 5pm to 8pm.

Lobby Lounge 296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd (InterContinental Hotel) Tel: 023 424 888 An elegant lounge situated in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel.

Reasonable prices and excellent service. Open daily from 10am – 11:30pm.

Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd, opposite Phnom Penh centre Tel: 012 607 465 / 067 867 305 www.meta-house.com Multi-media arts centre established

by German film-maker Nico Mesterham has a very cool bar.

Open from 2pm till midnight. Closed Mondays.

Metro Café Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 023 222 275 (see Restaurants International) One More Pub 16E Street 294 Tel: 017 327 378 English-style bar with comfortable wooden bar stools. No hip hop or techno, only great classic 60s & 70s music. Has terracotta-tiled terrace and 3 guest rooms upstairs.

Open from 5pm to late, happy hour from 5pm to 7pm, closed Sundays.

Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023990321 www.paddyrice.net Irish sports bar on riverside with big screen live sports, serves home cooked western and Asian favourites alongside a fully stocked bar including Guinness and a fine selection Irish whiskeys with daily happy hour from 4pm to 8pm. Often has live music events and a weekly pub quiz.

Open 7.30am to late.

Rising Sun 20 Street 178 Tel: 012 970 718 English-style pub with reliable breakfast, meat pies and hamburgers. Has a regular following around the bar at night especially on Fridays. Great posters of British films and TV classics adorn the walls.

Ideal for that touch of nostalgia and good fish and chips – though not wrapped in a newspaper.

Open daily from 7am till late.

Riverside Bistro Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148, Tel: 012 277 882 / 023 213 898 (see Restaurants International)

street cuisine

Kong Kaip Baok (Grilled Stuffed Frog) Conor Wall Price: 2,500 riel each.

Ingredients: Wise men say that fiery red is nature’s warning sign, and Cambodia’s ‘kong kaip baok’ certainly puts this old adage to the test. To make this treat, the frog’s head is first discarded and the rough outer dining skin removed. This leaves a smoother inner skin behind. n sushi Next, the legs are chopped off and the innards carefully removed, whilst keeping the skin intact. The frog legs and insides are then mixed with pork, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, kaffir lime, salt, sugar, MSG and chilli. The mixture is chopped and diced before TEL 023 21 being 51 79 stuffed back into the frog skin. A ruler-length piece eryday of bamboo is then split and two frog torsos are placed inside. The stick is tied with banana stalk strips until the frogs are in a tight vice. Finally, book.com/RahuMetro generous helpings of a bright red marinade are applied and the finished product is grilled for about two minutes.

Served: Once grilled, the stuffed frogs are served as is — stick and all. To eat it, the banana stalk strip must be untied, liberating the amphibious treat inside.

Taste: The soft outer skin of the frog is bright red while the minced ingredients stuffed inside are a yellow-green colour. The strong fragrant tastes of lemongrass and kaffir lime overpower the meat inside. Hard fragments of chopped bones also make for unpleasant chewing. All in all, wise men are generally wise for good reason. (2/5) Where to get it: Grilled stuffed frog is not commonly available on the streets of Phnom Penh.

Instead those clever country folk have monopolised this little treat. It is commonly sold on national highways throughout the country.

Other Info: Usually available all day.

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Sharky Bar 126 Street 130. Tel: 012 228 045 , www.sharkybar.blogspot.com Countless pool tables and a large balcony to look out over the street.

Guaranteed to be lively – a place where anything can happen, especially if you get a bit too close to the local clientele. Serves good Mexican food, and has frequent live music.

Open 4pm to 2am, take away 5pm til late.

The Bungalows Mekong River. Tel: 077 555 447 Stylish simplicity located within a quick cruise from Sisowath Quay port. The floating bar serves basic drinks and nibbles.

Open Saturdays and Sundays from 3pm to 8pm, available for private events if booked at least two days in advance.

The Chinese House 128 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 356 399 Decadent cocktail bar set in beautiful old Chinese house. Has art exhibitions, film nights and parties down stairs and opulence upstairs.

Open from 6pm until late, closed on Tuesdays.

The Tap Room Kingdom Breweries 1748 National Road 5. Tel: 023 430 180 www.kingdombreweries.com Sate of the art European brewery specialising in premium pilsner.

Tours of the facility are organised on a regular basis, culminating in frothy cold ones at the brewery’s bar overlooking the Tonle Sap. Zeppelin Bar 109C Street 51. Tel: 012 881 181 Over 1,000 vinyl albums played by stone-faced DJ owner in small bar next to the infamous Walkabout.

Remarkably good food considering the setting, especially late at night.

Try the dumplings.

Open daily 5pm - 4am.

Wine Bars

Bouchon Wine Bar 3-4 Street 246. Tel: 077 881 103 Sophisticated wine bar with a very

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French ambience and a wide range of French wines and bar food. Often has music as well as a mellow jazz sound track. Open noon until midnight.

Elyxir 3 Street 466 (near Thai Embassy) Tel: 023 211 711 Elyxir is dedicated to wine, luxury and gastronomy. Each dish was dreamed up to marry perfectly with the wines on our menu. Elyxir boasts a swimming pool, champagne bar and private rooms. All our wines are available at our Wine Shop.

Open 10am until late, closed Mondays.

Open Wine 219 Street 19. Tel: 023 233 527 Large wine shop and deli with wellpriced wines from around the world.

Has outside dining area.

Open daily 7am - 11pm.

Rubies Cnr Streets 240 & 19. Tel: 015 670 024 Intimate wood-pannelled wine bar that is a mainstay of the female expat population with well-priced wines. Often has parties at the weekend.

Gay

Blue Chilli 36 Street 178. Tel: 012 566 353 www.bluechillibar.com This welcoming bar run by Thai national Oak is currently the number one gay bar in town. Chic décor makes this one of the coolest bars in town, even if you’re straight. The drag shows on Friday and Saturday are an additional draw. Open 5pm until late.

K2 25k Street 268 Tel: 093 665 225 www.fb.com/K2Bar.PhnomPenh Classy addition to the Phnom Penh scene and it’s first straight-friendly, chill-out bar. Contemporary design and LGBTIQ artwork. Secluded space, attracting a socially conscious, Khmer crowd who mix easily with expats/visitors.

Open 6pm until late.

imbibe

Aroma Therapy Darren Gall The end of Cambodia’s most pleasant of seasons has arrived. The windy season is a delightful time of year where the day temperatures are relatively mild, evening temperatures can be downright cool and most days are brushed by a gentle and refreshing breeze. Once again, all too quickly, it is over for another year.

Now, we enter the first few weeks of the hot season — long days and nights of scorching, dry heat that will gradually build in intensity until we are into the steaming last passage before the monsoon finally breaks. Already, just thinking about it, I need a drink!

In this haze of heat, choking dust, sweat and shimmering, uncertain horizons, I need something cool. I need a wine that is crisp, dry, refreshing and light — not sickly sweet and cloying like the pungent steam bath that passes for air, not a big, heavy wine that sits me on my ass and requires that I take an afternoon nap only to wake at dusk in a pool of my own sweat and drool, wondering if I have acute dengue. I need a wine that is piercingly sharp and invigorating and can scythe through the chimera to reawaken cells and revive failing organs.

It is time for the reviving powers of aroma therapy. I am not talking about the kind of experience where you are locked in a room with the

air-conditioning turned to -11°C then wrapped in a straitjacket, pelted with rocks and beaten up by people with soft hands and sharp elbows amidst smells that remind you of the things your grandmother used to spray after your grandfather had spent the best part of the morning in the toilet.

I am talking here about the restorative powers of aromatic wines, with perfumes of alpine flower fields in spring and the cleansing minerality of the spas of Lourdes, served as cold as drops of glacier water collected from the Vatnajökull in Iceland.

They are light bodied white wines that have a high perfume and are usually crisp and dry with good acidity and freshness. Usually fermented in stainless steel, these wines are all about capturing the fresh aromas and flavours of the vineyard in the bottle. Best of all, they can be served icy cold without masking too much of their subtle charm and refined character.

Popular aromatic wine styles include: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer from Alsace, France; Riesling from Germany and Australia; Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand; Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre; Pouilly Fume, Sauvignon Saint Bris in France; Grüner Veltliner from Austria; Viognier from the Rhone valley in France and from Chile; Torrontes from Argentina and Albarino from Spain or Portugal.

Darren Gall has spent a quarter of a century involved in virtually every aspect of the wine industry and the passionate pursuit of the next great bottle continues. He currently resides in Cambodia developing the wine market with Celliers d’Asie. gall.darren@ yahoo.com

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The Rainbow Bar 73 Street 172. Tel: 097 741 4187 Intimate bar designed to get to know people better has a range of welldesigned cocktails to make the night go with a swing.

Nightclubs

Bouchon Wine Bar (see Wine Bars) Occasional performances by jazz bands Darlin Darlin NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 Top-end nightclub with live music popular among the high-flyers of the city. Semi-private booths in a chic environment make for an unrivalled experience.

Open daily from 7pm until late.

Equinox (see Restaurants – Intrenational) Has regular live music from expat and cal bands at weekends and swing dancing on Thursdays.

Heart of Darkness 38 Street 51. Tel: 023 222 415 The most famous of the city’s nightspots with a good-sized dance floor make this the in-place in town.

Has well priced spirits and mixers and is totally packed out on Friday and Saturday nights.

Open 8:30pm to 4am.

Mao’s Cnr Street 106 & Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 992 726 Chairman Mao has been reconstructed into one of Phnom Penh’s liveliest nightspots with djs and occasional live bands.

Open 5pm - 2am.

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Memphis 3 Street 118. Tel: 012 871 263 Only permanent rock venue in town with a house band that plays covers from 10pm til 1:30am, later at weekends. Also has open mike sessions on Mondays.

Open from 8pm til late, closed Sundays. 2-for-1 cocktails everday from 8pm until 10pm.

Paddy Rice (see Bars) Often has live music events.

Pontoon Street 172.

Now no longer the Penh’s floating hotspot, Pontoon still manages to pack in the punters, especially when international DJs are in town.

Riverhouse Lounge 6 Street 110 Tel: 023 212 302 The alternative dance venue for both expats and young Khmers with a self-contained air-con dance room and great balcony to chill out. MonWed, Fri is hip hop, Thu is Ladies night, Sat is house and Sun is dance remix. Open daily 4pm - 2am.

Saint Tropez 31 Street 174 Tel: 077 212 100 / 097 9000 401 Upscale club, complete with fake beach, deck bar, that suggests the French Riviera.

Open daily 6pm - 2pm.

Sharky Bar 126 Street 130. Tel: 012 228 045 www.sharkybar.blogspot.com Has regular live gigs at weekends involving local and expat bands with an emphasis on heavy rock.

Creative Local Cuisine

Phnom Penh

Friends the Restaurant #215, Street 13, Phnom Penh • Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-9pm Closed 1pm-5pm on Tuesday and Thursday for student training 012 802 072 • contact@friends-restaurant.org

Romdeng #74, Street 174, Phnom Penh • Monday to Saturday, 11am-9pm Closed 1pm-5pm on Wednesday and Friday for student training 092 219 565 • contact@romdeng-restaurant.org

Sihanoukville TREE – Training Restaurants for Employment and Entrepreneurship Building futures for marginalized youth and adults in Cambodia A project powered by Friends-International

Sandan 100 meters from the Golden Lions Circle on the road to Sokha Beach, Sihanoukville • Monday to Saturday, 5pm-9pm 034 452 4000 • contact@sandan-restaurant.org

Siem ReaP

Marum #8A,B between Wat (Pagoda) Polanka & Catholic Church Phum Slorkram, Siem Reap • Monday to Saturday, 5pm-9 pm 017 363 284 • contact@marum-restaurant.orgasialife Cambodia 73

Listings

culture Cinemas

The Flicks 39B Street 95 Tel: 078 809 429, theflicks-cambodia.com A festival movie house with a revolving weekly schedule of international films. Also offers possibility for movie parties, with option to hire the movie room for a private session (max 30 people).

Screenings generally at 2pm, 4pm, 6pm or 8pm, but check the website for schedule and ticket prices.

The Cineplex 5th Floor Sorya Shopping Centre, Tel: 017 666 210 www.thecineplexs.com International-standard three-screen cineplex featuring the latest Digital 3D technology and the most recent Hollywood and international releases, located in the heart of downtown with ample parking, shopping and eating options.

Open 9am - 10:30pm.

Le Cinema French Institute 218 Street 184 Tel: 023 213 124. 100-seat cinema shows international art house and mainstream movies with occasional films in English.

Children’s cinema on Saturday mornings at 10am. cinema on Saturday mornings at 10 am.

Legend Cinema 3rd Floor City Mall, Monireth Blvd.

Tel: 088 954 9857 www.legend-cinemas.com International quality cinema showing Hollywood releases in air-conditioned environment including 3D. Screenings:10am - 9pm, box office: 10am - 9pm.

Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd., (opp. Phnom Penh centre) Tel: 012 607 465 Movie shorts and documentaries from Cambodia and the rest of Asia.

Movies normally start at 7pm, closed Mondays.

Galleries

Bophana Audiovisual Resource Centre 64 Street 200 Tel: 023 992 174 Preserving much of Cambodia’s audiovisual material, has regular exhibitions.

Open 8am - 6pm Mon - Fri, 2pm - 6pm Sat. Dori Thy Gallery 9 Street 278 Tel: 012 661 552 Features the black and white photographs of German photographer, Doris Boettcher.

Open Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm.

FCC Phnom Penh (see Restaurants, International) Phnom Penh’s landmark restaurant has a permanent, rotating exhibition devoted to photography.

French Institute 218 Street 184Tel: 023 213 124 Formerly the Alliance Française, the French Culture Centre (CCF) is one of Phnom Penh’s major venues for the arts. Promoting French culture and Khmer Ongoing cultural activities include exhibitions, festivals, and

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film screenings. Onsite shop Carnets d’Asie offers a selection of French books.

Happy Painting Gallery 363 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 221 732 www.happypainting.net A must see. Since 1995 this art gallery has been dedicated to showing and selling the work of Stef, a local iconic artist with a very personal and positive insight in everyday life in Cambodia.

Open daily 8am - 10pm Java Café & Gallery (see Restaurants, International) Contemporary art gallery with regular exhibitions of Cambodian and international artists. Has second gallery on the ground floor. Website has details about Cambodia’s contemporary art scene.

Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 012 607 465 Multimedia arts centre on three floors has regular exhibitions, interviews with filmmakers and short films, contains the Art Café.

Open Tues – Sun, 2pm - 10pm.

Reyum Institute of Arts & Culture 47 Street 178 Tel: 023 217 149 Gallery with regular exhibitions of Cambodian artists. Part of an NGO established to preserve traditional and contemporary Cambodian arts.

Sa Sa Bassac 18 Sothearos Boulevard, Upstairs.

An expansion of the Sa Sa Art Gallery and a merger with Bassac Art Projects, Sa Sa Bassac is an artist-run gallery for contemporary art. Includes a library, reading and workshop room, and a 60-metre gallery space. Ongoing visual literacy programmes.

Performing Arts

Amrita Performing Arts 128-G9 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 424 www.amritaperformingarts.org Performance art company that puts on contemporary & classical music and theatre.

Apsara Arts Association 71 Street 598 Tel: 011 550 302 Organisation that promotes Cambodian arts & culture. Open from 7.30am - 10.30am Cambodian Living Arts 407 Street 246 Art organisation devoted to the revival of traditional Khmer performing arts that puts on occasional performances.

Chaktomuk Conference Hall Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 725 119 Designed by master Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann, this under-utilised building is worth a visit. Open from 7am to 11.30am and 2pm to 5pm (Mon. to Fri.).

Chenla Theatre Cnr. Mao Tse Tung & Monireth Blvds.

Tel: 023 883 050 www.culturalcenter-cambodia.com One of the capital’s major theatres, it has regular performances of theatre, dance and music.

Epic Arts 1DE0 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 998 474 www.epicarts.org.uk Organisation that uses art to empower people with disabilities.

Sovanna Phum Khmer Art Association 166 Street 99 corner of 484 Tel: 023 987 564 Theatre with performances of shadow puppetry, classical and masked dances every Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm.

Listings

leisure & wellness Amusement

Cambodian Country Club Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla Tel: 012 231 755 A peaceful heaven providing tennis, swimming, badminton, fitness centre and horse riding, 15 minutes away from the city. Open from 6.30am until late.

Parkway Square 113 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Ten-pin bowling alley and dodgem track.

Phnom Penh Water Park 50 Street 110, Tel: 023 881 008 Traditional mix of slides and wave pools is open daily from 9.30am to 5.30pm.

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Park Phnom Tamao, 44 kilometres out of the capital along Highway 2.

Cambodia’s top wildlife centre. All animals are either rescued from traders or bred at the centre.

Many of the animals are critically endangered.

Open daily 8am - 4pm.

Boat Cruises

The Butterfly Cambodia Tel: 012 602 955 thebutterflycambodia@gmail.com Cambodian river adventures, sunset cruises, birthdays and events to floating villages, Silk Island. Plan your trip, per hour, half-day and fullday rates available.

Classes

Cambodian Cooking Class Frizz Restaurant, 67 Street 240 Tel: 012 524 801 First and only Khmer cooking school for travellers & expats in Phnom Penh, includes transport to the market and a colourful 16-page recipe booklet. Open 10am - 10pm.

Capoeira Home of English, Building D

10B Street 57, Tel: 012 242 396 Lessons in this rhythmic Brazilian cross between dance and martial arts are held every Tuesday from 6.30pm to 8pm.

Central School of Ballet Phnom Penh 10 Street 183 (entrance on Street 406 www.centralschoolofballet.com Cambodia’s first purpose-built ballet school offering classical ballet training for children in the afternoons, contemporary dance, ballet and dance conditioning for adults in the evenings. Spacious dance studio equipped with large, custom-made mirrors, barres and a professional, sprung dance floor.

Equestrian Centre CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla, Tel: 015 231 755 012 704 759 With 31 ponies and horses, an international sized arena and spacious stables, the only horseriding centre in Phnom Penh Tuesdays to Sundays, 9am to 11am and 2pm to 5.30pm The Flicks Community Movie House 39b, Street 95, @The Empire, 34, Street 130. theflicks-cambodia.com Daily classes in yoga and pilates, check website for schedule, prices and sign-up form. Stress relief massage therapy sessions by appointment.

Global Art 1 Street 181 & Street 475 (nr Chinese Embassy) Tel: 023 222 084/ 087 222 084 World renowned art and creativity program for young children.

Franchisee of Global Art Group.

Available in 17 countries with more than 400 centres worldwide.

Music Arts School 9A Street 370. Tel: 023 997 290 www.music-arts-school.org New NGO school providing music training for Cambodians and expats - of all ages and levels - at affordable tuition fees. Learn guitar, piano, violin, vocals, and tradtional Khmer instruments. Also has a scholarship fund to provide music education to the less fortunate.

Nataraj Yoga Center 52 Street 302. Tel 012 250 817 www.yogacambodia.com Daily classes in yoga and pilates, check website for schedule and prices.

Photography Tours 126 Street 136. Tel: 092 526 706 www.nathanhortonphotography.com Weekend photography tuition and guided tours to Kampong Chnang and Udong, covering technical and creative considerations in the context of travel photography.

Scuba Nation Dive Centre 18 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 012 715 785 Learn to scuba dive in Phnom Penh. The academic part of the course takes place in a local hotel pool, while the real diving is in Sihanoukville.

Open 9am – 6pm, Sun 9am – 5pm.

Simphony Music School No. 243, Street 51 Tel: 023 727 345/ 097 888 8787 www.simphony.com.kh Simphony Music School is the first official music school in Cambodia recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Royal government of Cambodia. The faculty is composed by experienced and qualified music teachers from overseas, speaking fluent English, Chinese, and French.

Our curriculum is based on USA curriculum following Orff and Kodály music teaching methods.

The Tennis Club CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla, Tel: 017 847 802 The two courts are equipped with specially adapted flooring unique in Cambodia, and with quality lightning allowing play past sunset. Skilled English and Cambodian speaking teachers available for private or group lessons.

Open daily.

Yoga for life 126 Street 19.

Tel: 077589458 Learn to release stress and tension, find peace and live a healthy life with yoga classes taught by yoga and massage virtuoso, Azmi Samdjaga from Singapore. Classes every Wednesday from 7:30pm witht more classes starting late June 2012. Healthy food and Wifi are also available.

Yoga Phnom Penh 172z2 Norodom Blvd. (alley nest to Sushi Bean) www.yogaphnompenh.com 012 739 419 / 012 739 284 Daily drop-in yoga asana classes for everybodys body. Classes include Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow and core power yoga. Join our great teachers to improve your flexibility, strength, balance, posture and reduce stress.

Also offering private 1-2-1 or small group classes ,regular workshops and retreats.

Chemists

U-Care Pharmacy 26-28 Sothearos Bvd. Tel: 023 222 499 14 Sihanouk Bvd. Tel: 023 224 099 High quality western-style chemist and pharmacy that sells the full range of beauty products, including international brands.

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Counselling Services

Alcoholics Anonymous 11 Street 420, Tel: 012 813 731 www.aacambodia.org Meets on Friday, Wednesday & Sunday.

Indigo Psychological Services 28 Street 460. Tel: 023 222 614, indigocambodia@gmail.com Professional counselling services in English, French or Khmer for adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families. Assessment and intervention services for children and adolescents with learning and developmental difficulties.

Narcotics Anonymous 11 Street 420, Tel: 012 813 731 NA meets on Monday, Thursday at 8pm and Saturday at 7pm.

Dance

Dance Workshop Cambodia Tel 012 634 008 danceworkshopcambodia@gmail. com The International Dance Connection’ Since 2007, Professional Tuition in R.A.D Ballet, Modern dance and Jazz, Tap, Neo Classical and Contemporary, Classes held after school, 3-6 years, 7-9 years, 1012 years, 13-16 years, and open adult classes for beginners and intermediate to advanced..

Dental

TROPICAL & TRAVELLERS MEDICAL CLINIC Dr.Scott BSc.MBChB. DRCOG.DipVen. (U.K.) -20 years of medical experience in Cambodia

Tel: 012 898981 No.88 St.108 Phnom Penh www.travellersmedicalclinic.com

European Dental Clinic 160A, Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 211 363 www.europeandentalclinic-asia.com Total dental care, Implant, Orthodontist Treatment by expat dentists. Open Mon - Fri 8am-12pm, 2pm-7pm. Sat, 8am-1pm International Dental Clinic Phnom Penh 193 Street 208.

Tel 023 212 909 www.imiclinic.com Siem Reap 545 National Road N6, Banteay Chas, Stor Kram Tel: 063 767 618 IMI Dental Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry Centre has been successfully creating beautiful smiles in Phnom Penh and throughout Cambodia.

Open Mon – Sat, 8am -7pm, Sun 9am - 12pm.

MALIS dental clinic 445 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 012 513 222 / 023 964 142 info@malis-dental.com Facebook: MALIS Dental Clinic A Japanese dentist provides professional and high-quality service.

Shigeta Dental Clinic 25 Street 294 cnr Street21 Tel: 023 223 225 / 010705083 Email: info@shigetadental.com Faebook: shigetadentalclinic High-end Japanese Dental Clinic that caters your dental needs.

Open from Monday to Sunday, 8am - 8pm.

SOS Dental Clinic 161 Street 51 Tel: 023 216 911 International standard dental clinic providing family dental care, from

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routine cleanings and fluoride treatments to crowns and root canals. Dr. Deborah Moore is a UK dentist with a gentle manner suitable for children and nervous patients.

Open 9am - 12pm, 2pm - 6pm Mon – Fri, 9am - 12pm Sat. Open 24/7 for emergencies.

Gyms

The InterContinental Fitness Center 3/F Mao Tse Toung Boulevard, Tel: 023 424 888 ext. 5000 A sophisticated retreat from the crowds, The InterContinental Fitness Center is the place to attain peak performance and wellbeing. Pump up with a full body workout on state-of-the-art equipment, benefit from the experience and guidance of qualified trainers, and relax all year round in the open-air swimming pool.

Fitness Centre CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla, Tel: 015 704 759 Achieve individual targets whether sports specific or to tone, lose weight, build strength or improve cardiovascular fitness for a healthier and fitter lifestyle.

Open daily 6.30am until late.

Raffles Amrita Spa Raffles Le Royal Hotel Tel: 023 981 888 Modern gym and pool in Phnom Penh’s most elegant hotel. Use of gym, pool, sauna and Jacuzzi is available to non-guests.

Open 6am - 10pm.

Physique Club Hotel Cambodiana, 313 Sisowath Quay Tel: 012 810 432 Reasonable selection of equipment in the gym and a pool overlooking the river. Open 6am - 10pm.

The Gym at The Place 90 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 699 Modern establishment featuring a fully equipped gym and weekly classes in dance, yoga and aerobics.

Open 6am - 10pm , Mon – Fri, 8am - 10pm Sat/Sun

Hairdressers

De Gran 19 Street 352.

Tel: 023 999 707 Classy yet affordable Japanese-run hair salon in beautiful premises with excellent service.

Open 10am – 8pm, closed Tues The Dollhouse 46AE0 Street 322 Tel: 010 329 999 / 016 620 907 www.dollhousecambodia.com Salon offers cutting, colouring and various treatments, including the Brazilian Keratin Treatment with Collagen to replenish the condition of your hair. Western hairdresser with international experience. Open Tues – Sat 9am- 7pm, Sun 11am-7pm, closed Monday.

The French Element Himawari Hotel Unit D, 313 Sisowath Quay Tel: 077 263 332 www.thefrenchelement.com Over-looking the Tonle Sap, wonderful spot to relax and pamper

yourself. Offering all hair services such as highlights, colour, cut, Brazilian Keratin Treatment and more. International hairdresser.

Open 10am - 8pm, closed Sun.

Medical

American Medical Centre Ground Floor Cambodiana Hotel 313 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 991 863 Led by American surgeon, team of international and Khmer doctors provide general practice services to clients. Can arrange emergency evacuation.

24/7 service.

International Chiropractic Clinic, 67 Bis Street 240, (100m from Monivong Blvd Tel: 023 223 101 www.cambodiachiropractic.com First and only Chiropractic clinic licensed in Cambodia. Our chiropractors are US trained and we provide modern Chiropractic care, physiotherapy and custom made medical grade orthotics. Common conditions treated include neck and back pain, sports injuries, knee pain.

Open Mon - Fri 8.30am-6pm , Sat 8.30am-1pm.

International SOS Medical Clinic 161 Street 51.

Tel: 023 216 911 Global provider of medical assistance and international healthcare. Expat and Khmer doctors offer general practice, specialist and emergency medical services.

Appointments 8am - 5:30pm Mon – Fri, 8am - 12pm, Sat. Open 24/7 for emergencies.

Physiotherapy Phnom Penh 45C Street 456.

Tel: 023 99 63 44 General physiotherapy practice specialising in manual therapy, sports injuries and acupuncture Royal Rattanak Hospital 11 Street 592, Toul Kork Tel. 023 991 000 www.royalrattanakhospital.com A Thai owned and run private hospital with extensive services that strives to provide high standard and quality medical care by professional care team.

Optics

Grand Optics 11 Norodom Bvd. 337 Monivong Bvd. 150 Sihanouk Blvd Tel: 023 213 585 Modern opticians with the latest equipment including free computerised eye test. Makes prescription glasses and lenses.

Pools

Asia Club 456 Monivong Bvd. Tel: 023 721 766 Beautiful swimming pool at rear of Man Han Lou Restaurant. Members get a discount at both restaurant and Master Kang Health Care Centre.

Spas

Amara Spa Cnr Sisowath Quay & St.110 Tel: 023 998 730 www.amaraspa.hotelcara.com Comprehensive day spa providing a wide selection of facials, body massages and treatments, arranged

in a four-storey modern facility at riverfront.

Open 11am - 11pm.

Aziadee Spa 16 a/b Street 282 Tel: 023 996 921 aziadee1@yahoo.fr French-run spa offering a good choice of treatments, a range of massages, scrubs, facials, floral baths, manicures, pedicures and waxing in relaxing and tranquil surroundings.

Open 9am-9pm Bi Nail Salon 213a E0 Stret 310 Tel: 023 6324 524 / 097 798 1122 Bi NAiL is a full service nail salon, for both women and men. Our Japanese-trained nail artists have years of experience. We provide expert personal care in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Full Set Care (Manicure and Pedicure) More than 250 Nail Lacquers and More than 350 Nail Design Simples. Acrylic and Gel Nail (Gel Colors) are available.

Open daily 8am – 7pm.

Bliss 29 Street 240 Tel: 023 215 754 Health spa at back and upstairs in this beautiful French colonial building.

Open 9am - 9pm, closed Monday.

Bodia Spa 26-28 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 226 199 www.bodia-spa.com Using natural, own-brand products Bodia spa offers body wraps, floral baths, scrubs, facials, aromatherapy, massages and mani-pedies, alongdside Jacuzzi and steam. The peaceful atmosphere is enhanced by scented oils and soft music.

Open daily 9am – 9pm.

Derma-Care Skin Clinic 161B Norodom Tel: 023 720 042 / 012 415 552 Two qualified dermatologists, this professional skin clinic offers a range of beauty treatments using American Derma-Rx products, minor dermatologic surgery, antioxidant boosters, chemical peeling, and lipolysis.

Open 9am - 9pm.

Derma-MK Skin Center 183 Street 63 Tel: 023 452 5626 Focused on Dermalogica products, this care facility offers facial treatments, including anti-aging and brightening, as well as body treatments such as body scrubs and massage.

Dermal Spa 4C Street 57 Tel: 023 720 042 / 012 415 552 Spa offering beauty salon, foot massage and body massage servies, specializes in Dermalogica skin and beauty products.

Open daily 9am – 9pm.

EL Skin and Wellness Centre 115E0 Street 101 Tel: 012 681 948 Using Dermalogica, L’Oréal, Jane Iredale and OPI products for a variety of face and body treatments, spa provides a professional, relaxed ambience for customers to sample products before purchase.

Open 9am - 7pm.

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sos

Measles Dr Nelson Velez Question: We are worried about our 13-month-old son. He has had fever and a runny nose all week and threw up a little yesterday. When he woke up this morning he had a red rash over half of his body and is crying a lot. We checked different sites on the web and it looks like the symptoms are identical to that of measles. We did not vaccinate him yet and are wondering what we should do at this stage. Can you please give us your recommendation?

Answer: Our first recommendation is to bring your child to our clinic to make sure of the diagnosis, as there are a few other common diseases that are quite similar to measles such as rubella, erythema infectiosum, roseola, enterovirus infection and the less common Kawasaki disease. The early stages of measles need to be differentiated from the common cold, influenza, parainfluenza virus, dengue fever, infectious mononucleosis and medicine-related eruption.

Measles, also called rubeola, is a viral disease transmitted by cough or sneezing from infected patients. It can affect people of all ages and is characterised by fever, malaise, conjunctivitis, coriza, cough and generalised skin rash. The respiratory

symptoms, like a runny nose, are due to mucosal inflammation from viral infection. The fever could be high for two to three days but may last up to eight days. The typical maculo papular rash appears two to three days after the fever, spreading from the face down to the neck, trunk and extremities. The severity of the skin rash or persistent fever would alert us to possible complications.

In developing countries the risk of fatalities from measles are from 4 to 10 percent, mostly due to super infections caused by other viruses or bacteria in the respiratory tract (pneumonia) or in the central nervous system (encephalitis). Groups at increased risk of complications are the immune-compromised, pregnant woman, those with poor nutritional status and those of extreme age.

Parents should seek immediate professional medical attention if a child develops symptoms similar to measles or any other disease. Do not delay until it is too late. Despite being a preventable disease, it still accounts for more than 50 percent of the 1.6 million deaths of children globally each year.

Measles is a preventable disease. With the use of the appropriate vaccine and schedule, your children will be protected from developing this illness and its complications.

Dr Nelson Velez is a senior medical officer at International SOS clinic. If you have any enquiries regarding this or any other medical matter, please contact info.cambodia@internationalsos.com.

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LA ROSE Spa 164b Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 211 130 / 080 900 900 www.larose.com.kh Professional, experienced, qualified therapists offer a tailor-made range of remedial, relaxation and nutritional advice. High-end natural products and a wide range of homeopathic remedies, creams, flower essences and signature organic massage oils.

Master Kang Health Care Centre 456 Monivong Blvd Tel: 023 721 765 Health centre next to Man Han Lou Restaurant offers foot massage in public or private rooms, with both Chinese and oil massage. A grand piano is played in the evenings.

Open 10am - 12pm.

Passion Spa & Salon 29 Street 302 Tel: 081 998 227 / 089 998 227 Dedicated to helping you celebrate a happier, healthier lifestyle. Your Day in a healthy, beautiful way.

Open daily 9am – 10pm.

Raffles Amrita Spa Tel: 023 981 888 Raffles Amrita Spa offers relaxation and rejuvenation through a wide selection of services and facilities including treatment rooms, outdoor lap and fun pool, Jacuzzi, fitness centre, sauna and steam room.

Open daily 6am - 10pm.

The Spa at NagaWorld Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 This luxurious spa promises to bring the ancient Cambodian spa therapy to the world, and claims to be the only all-suite unisex spa in Cambodia.

Therapy rooms with sauna, steam and flower bath are inviting, and the spa uses Tomichik flowers as part of its treatment. Open 10am - 3am.

So SPA with L’Occitane Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Tel: 063 964 600 Offers rejuvenating world traditions combined with French cosmetology in the privacy of an intimate setting.

Treatments are provided with international and local high-end products.Open daily: 10am – 10pm Villa Spa 456 Monivong Blvd., (cnr. Street 466) Tel: 023 721 765 / 012 357 561 www.asiagarden.com.kh Aromatherapy massage in private boutique VIP rooms (villa and bungalow style) from professional Chinese and Khmer therapists from Master Kang; women customers only.

Sports General

Ball Hockey Played every Thursday night at

City Villa, corner of Streets 360 and 71 at 7pm.

To play, contact Mike: michaelwarford@ ispp.edu.kh Beeline Arena Sangkat Chroychangva, Phnom Penh Tel: 067 716 565 www.banzaicambodia.com Located on the Chroy Changvar peninsula, facing the city of Phnom Penh, the Beeline Arena is the first multi-purpose sports arena in Cambodia with international standard, including Multi-surface state of the art FIFA regulation pitch, 2,000 person capacity, VIP lounge and restaurant. Rental for futsal, basketball, volleyball, events and more.

Open daily 8am until late.

Cambodian Federation of Rugby cambodianfederationofrugby.com Proper 15-a-side rugby league with four senior teams as well as kid’s touch and women’s rugby teams.

Contact Larry: khmer_rugby@yahoo. co.uk for more details.

Cambodia Golf & Country Club Route 4, Kompong Speur Tel: 023 363 666 International standard, 18-hole golf course.

Open 6am until dark.

Football: The Bayon Wanderers www.bayonwanderers.com Mixed Khmer and western team.

Training at the City Villa court on Wednesday and Friday, 8pm to 10pm, Old Stadium on Tuesday from 4.30 pm.

Contact Billy Barnaart on 012 803 040 (available from 11am to 10pm).

Sunday play at 2pm.

Hash House Harriers 8, Street 360 (cnr. Street 71) Meets at the railway station every Sunday at 2:15pm. An ideal way to see the countryside walking or running.

Tel: 012 832 509.

Phokeethra Country Club Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Tel:063 964 600 reservation.angkor@phokeethragolf. com International standard 18-hole, 72-par golf. Clubhouse facilities: pro shop, rental equipment, restaurant.

Phnom Penh Ultimate Frisbee A fast paced fun game that is open to everyone, regardless of skill set or gender, Phnom Penh Ultimate has weekly games at ISPP and Northbridge. Contact CraigDGerard@ gmail.com for details on times and locations.

Touch Rugby Mixed touch rugby is played most Saturday afternoons at 3-5pm at ISPP. Contact pptouchrugby@gmail.com.

Listings

family Cafés & Restaurants

Café Fresco II Cnr. Streets 51 & 306 Tel: 023 224 891 Let your children play with puzzles and Lego on beanbags, watch films like the Lion King looked after by a trained staff as you enjoy your cappuccino.

Open daily 6am - 9pm.

Café Living Room 9 Street 306 Tel: 023 726 139 The playroom is stocked with books, games, a wooden dollhouse and even a rattan crib, while the kid’s menu has bite-sized portions. Contact Living Room to see what classes they are currently running. Open daily 7am - 8.30pm.

Java Café 56 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 420 Kid’s menu includes chicken nuggets and pizza bagels. Colouring pages and crayons to keep the kids amused. Highchair is available on request and babychanging facilities are in the toilet. Open daily 7am - 10pm Le Jardin 16 Street 360 Tel: 011 723 399 This garden retreat has a great kids’ area with playhouse and sandbox, specialises in birthday parties, with cake, decorations, toys and drawing materials provided for children of all ages. Open Tue – Sun, 8am - 8pm.

Entertainment

Cambodian Country Club Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla, Tel: 012 231 755 Sports centre and a peaceful heaven providing tennis, swimming, badminton, fitness centre and horse riding in an amazing landscape 15 minutes away from the city. Dedicated to leisure, rest and entertainment, CCC is suitable for children.

Open daily 6.30am until late.

Dragon Water Park Diamond Island (Koh Pich) Tel: 023 45 54 023 / 023 224 776 Clean-Safe-Exciting! Wonderful Water World, the biggest amusement land, fit for all ages. Have fun with Crystal Blue Clear Water, immense pools, giant slides up to 15m high & water toys. Open daily 10:30am until late.

Monkey Business Paragon Department Store, Second Floor.

Tel: 023 319 319 Kids can rejoice now that this indoor children’s play centre offers clean, safe facilities. Available for private parties. Open daily 9am - 8pm.

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Park Phnom Tamao Cambodia’s best wildlife centre. All the

animals are either rescued from traders or bred at the centre. Many of the animals are critically endangered. Open 8am - 4pm.

International Schools

Eton House International School 16 Mao Tse Tung Blvd Tel: 023 22 8818 www.ehis.co Eton House is committed to the pursuit of excellence in education. Eton House is represented in 10 countries with over 56 pre-schools and schools around the world. In our early years program we offer a play-based, ‘Inquire, Think, Learn” pedagogy. This programme has been inspired by the I.B program and the Reggio Emilia schools of Northern Italy.

Ages: 18months - 6years. Full and Half Day Programs Footprints School 220 Street 430, Tumnub Teuk, Tel: 077 222084 www.footprintsschool.edu.kh Established in 2007 Footprints School offers nursery (age 2) through grade 6 and has 4 campuses. The curriculum is designed for the dynamic needs and interests of our students and the staff are hired for their experience and love for children.

Giving Tree International Elementary School of Phnom Penh 40 Street 334 Tel: 017 997 112 www.thegivingtreeschool.com Established to provide an exceptional, affordable, and unique learning environment, based on small class sizes and a international curriculum incorporating compassion, communication, conservation, contemplation, creativity, conscience and global citizenship.

ICan International School 85 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 222 418 www.ican.edu.kh Offers affordable, high quality education to 330 children, aged 2-12, from 31 different nationalities, using British curriculum. iCAN is a contemporary, purpose-built school and is the first in Cambodia with interactive whiteboards in every classroom.

International School of Phnom Penh 146 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 213 103 www.ispp.edu.kh Founded in 1989, this non-profit, nonsectarian international school currently has over 600 students from Pre-K to Grade 12. The largest international school with over 70 professional teachers, and a fully-authorized IB programme.

Lycée Français René Descartes Street 96. Tel: 023 722 044 French school offering primary and secondary level education, extra-curricula activities include basketball, football, rugby.

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Northbridge School 1km off National Road 4 on the way to the airport.

Tel: 023 886 000 www.nisc.edu.kh Founded in 1997, NISC is a fullyauthorized IB World School with a growing enrollment of 500 students age 3 to Grade 12. Spectacular purpose built campus unlike any in Cambodia.

Zaman International School 2843 Street 3 Tel: 023 214 040 www.zamanisc.org International school that teaches a full curriculum to children from four to 18.

Facilities include basketball and volleyball courts, a football field and a science lab.

Pre-Schools

Canadian International School of Phnom Penh Bassac Garden, Norodom Boulevard Tel: 023 727 788 / 077 503 778 www.cisp.edu.kh Offers a Canadian curriculum in English, certified through the Canadian province of New Brunswick.

DK Schoolhouse No. 7 St. 466 078 777 466 / 095 777 466 www.dkschoolhouse.com DK Schoolhouse is an early learning preschool/kindergarten for children aged 2-6. Established by long time residents of the Kingdom, DK Schoolhouse aims to minimize the gap between quality and cost in education while providing a safe and stimulating learning environment.

Our staff are native English speaking,

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qualified early childhood educators.

Open Mon-Fri 8:00-4:00pm Sat 9:0011:00am (by appointment only)

language, although English and Khmer is also practised.

Gecko & Garden Pre-school 3 Street 21 Tel: 092 575 431 www.geckogarden-preschool.org This is a not-for-profit pre-school, established over ten years ago, which emphasises learning through creative play in a supportive environment forchildren aged 18 months to 5 years. Open daily 7:30am - 12pm. An after school program offering a range of fun activities is available 2:30pm - 5pm daily.

Monument Toys 111 Norodom Bvd. Tel: 023 217 617 To the rear of Monument Books is a well-stocked toy section. It features an excellent range of well-known board games and toys including Barbie dolls, Transformers, Magic 8 balls and more.

It has to be the best place in the city for brand name toys and games.

Open daily 7.30am - 8pm.

The Giving Tree Nursery and Preschool House #17, Street 71, Bkk Tel: 017 997 112 www.thegivingtreeschool.com Preschool committed to providing a nurturing and supportive environment that supports and extends the child’s overall development. With an international, experienced team of teachers the school offers a play-based programme that is fun and motivating.

Shops

Shade 7 Outdoor Living Co Ltd Showroon; Borey Chamkarmon Tel: 077 962 467 david@shade7.com www.shade7.com www.springfreetrampoline.com Supplier of Shade7 premium aluminium umbrellas and exclusive distributor of original Springfree range. World class products now available in Cambodia!

Stock in country for immediate supply.

Sambo’s Tots www.sambostots.com Playhouse and playschool provides fun edutainment experience for babies and toddlers from 3 months to 5 years where imagination comes to life.

Toys & Me 159A Mao Tse Toung Blvd.

Tel: 023 212 081 / 016 808 676 www.toysnme.net Established in 2007, Toys & Me is a leading toys shop in Cambodia. A onestop shop you can trust when it comes to educational needs for your children.

Tchou Tchou 13 Street 21.

Tel: 023 362 899, www.tchou-tchou.com Kindergarten and pre-school for 18 months to 5-year-olds, open from 7.30am to 12pm (Mon to Fri). French is the main

Willi Shop 769 Monivong Blvd Tel: 023 211 652 All products are imported from France, including bébé brand baby products, the range includes prams, baby care, cots and toys. Open 8am - 8pm.

kids corner

Potty Training Gemma Jones It is no exaggeration to say that most parents dread potty training, but even during the most testing of moments a little mantra that I use can really help: “No more nappies, no more nappies.” Running around cleaning up after yet another accident is not fun, but this really is a time to think of the long game.

Most parents start potty training around their child’s second birthday, but each child is different and it depends on their development. Living in a tropical climate is a great help, as children can run around with fewer clothes on, meaning that potty training can start at any time of year.

There are a few key signals that show a child is ready to banish nappies, such as showing an interest when others go to the loo, disliking when their nappy is soiled, making it clear that they want a nappy changed, and having a dry nappy for a few hours a day.

If you decide to use a potty let your child go with you to buy and choose it, and explain what it is for. The key is to stay positive throughout

the process and not push your child too much. Ask if they would like to sit on the potty or toilet. If they say “no” don’t force them, but if the answer is “yes” then leave the nappy off and sit them on the toilet throughout the day.

Praise them for sitting on it and then say: “Show me how you pee”. Maybe give out a book to keep them on the potty or toilet a little longer.

Another obvious, but often overlooked, idea is to put on loose clothes that are easy to pull up and down, and show the child how to undo or pull down their trousers.

Expect accidents. If this happens, never get angry as this will only scare the child and set the process back. Get down to their level, make eye contact and cheerfully say: “Oh dear, we need to get you a change of clothes, remember to tell me if you need a poop or pee and you can use the potty or toilet, okay?”

Potty training can take anything from one week to several months — stick with it and eventually your toddler will become dry. It will work out in the end as long as you stay positive.

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.

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services

money matters

Listings

business & services Women and Finance Vanessa Vrdoljak Asking my female friends, I am struck by how often many incredibly switchedon women seem to be adopting a head-in-the-sand approach where finances are concerned. Why not make 2013 the year that you get to grips with your finances?

Follow my five-point plan and you can’t go wrong: 1. Make time for financial planning We’re all busy people trying to cram as much as possible into our hectic lives, but it is worth carving out a little time every week to keep up to speed with financial affairs.

It’s all too easy to put financial planning on the backburner and before you know it, your finances are a huge elephant in the room that you just can’t face. Little and often is the mantra to adopt.

2. Find out about existing pension arrangements It may seem a long way off but it’s never too early to start planning for your retirement.

Do you have a pension in place? Have you considered your target retirement date?

These are the questions you should ask yourself. If the answer to any of them is no, then it’s really time you took control. If you are married, do you know where you stand with regard to your pension should you separate from your husband? If not, you really need to sit down with your partner to find out where you stand and potentially put joint pension arrangements in

place. This is a hard subject to tackle, but really important for your own financial security.

3. Start your own retirement savings plan Our lives are very different to those of previous generations of women, many of whom were homemakers reliant on men to sort out their financial affairs.

With women outliving men and the divorce rate at one in three, the woman of today needs to be more financially independent and should take an independent approach to pension planning. Whether you are single or in a long-term relationship, consider setting up an independent pension plan to support yourself in retirement.

4. Savings and investment Another area to consider is savings and investment, where clear objectives are key.

Perhaps you want to save for your child’s future education, buy a home or start a business.

Once you have a goal in sight, you can assess your current situation, future prospects and work out a plan for how to achieve it.

5. Take expert advice All this can seem like a big mountain to climb but you don’t need to go it alone. A good independent financial advisor can provide the expertise required to assess circumstances and objectives and help you put together a cohesive plan to ensure that you have the financial means to lead the life that you want and deserve — both now and in the future.

Vanessa Vrdoljak is a senior financial consultant at Infinity Financial Solutions. This company provides impartial, tailor-made, personal financial advice to clients in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. Should you wish to contact Vanessa, please send an email to info@infinitysolutions.com or visit infinitysolutions.com.

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Architecture, Interior Design & Construction

Beyond Interiors 14e Street 306 Tel: 023 987 840 / 012 930 332 ww.beyondinteriors.biz Managed by Australian designer Bronwyn Blue, this interior design showroom can provide the ultimate design solution to your interior dilemma. All products from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia have been treated to withstand any climate.

Open 9am - 7pm Bill Grant Landscape Design Tel: 012 932 225 / 012 738 134 The city’s most talented landscape designer.

Green Goal Ltd 10 Street 296 Tel: 023 223 861 Consultancy offers sustainable and creative architectural and construction services to clients taking into account environmental considerations.

Hemisphere Design & Interiors Tel: 012 602 955 william@norbert-munns.com Western managed renovation company specialising in swimming pools and Jacuzzi construction in fibreglass and concrete.

I Ching Decor 85 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 873 / 012 558 000 / 092 660 746, Boutique interior design shop offering advice on architectural work and interior design, as well as providing custom-made furniture, home accessories, kitchenware, lighting and bedroom suites.

Open 9am - 6pm, closed Sun. The Room Design Studio 9AB Street 288 Tel: 023 992 620 Interior design and architectural company that has 12 years’ experience of designing flats, villas, offices, shops, homes and offices in Asia.

Bikes & Mechanics

Dara Motorbike 43 Street 136 Tel: 012 335 499 Off-road specialist offers repairs, parts and accessories. Tours can be arranged by appointment.

Emerald Garage 11 Street 456 Mechanics specialising in maintenance and repair of vehicles, including oil changing and body painting.

The Bike Shop 31 Street 302 Tel: 012 851 776 Repairs trusty steeds as well as

renting them out in the first place.

Also provides dirt bike tours.

Western Service Centre 24 Street 420 Tel: 012 477 831 www.wmg-cambodia.com admin@wmg-cambodia.com A garage with Western and Khmer staff that emphasises communication and trained, attentive skills. Motto is “We don’t know all, we find out all, then we fix.”

Business Groups

Australian Business Association of Cambodia (ABAC) 20 Street 114 (cnr. Street 67) For information, contact Derek Mayes Tel:012 385 157 abacambodia@gmail.com British Business Association of Cambodia (BBAC) 35 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 012 803 891 Contact enquiries@bbacambodia. com.

Chambre de Commerce FrancoCambodgienne Office 2nd floor, 33 Street 178 Tel: 023 221 453 www.ccfcambodge.org Canadian Cooperation Office Cambodia Commissioner Service Canadian Embassy 50 Street 334 Tel: 023 215 496 www.cco-cambodia.org Malaysian Business Council of Cambodia Unit G21, Ground Floor, Parkway Square 113, Mao Tse Tung Blvd. mbcc.secretariat@gmail.com

Car Rental

ACC Car Rental Services 43 Street 160z Toul Kork Tel. 012 456 003 / 015 456 003.

Professional, prompt and organised rental service that provides vehicles for rent with or without a driver. ACC also rents a range of buses that seat from 12 to 45 people. All vehicles can be delivered to your door.

Asia Vehicle Rental 27 Street 134 Tel: 078 666 557 www.avrcambodia.com With the motto “leave your driving to us”, the rental service offers sedans, pick-ups, SUVs and minibuses in 2WD or 4WD for self-drive or with driver. Insurance offered.

Larryta Trading & Travel Co. Ltd. 9 Street 310 Tel: 023 994 748 www.larrytacarrental.com.kh Vehicle rental for all types of cars, vans and mini-buses with flexible go-anywhere packages to all areas of Cambodia and neighbouring countries by the day, week or month.

services Royal Limousine Services Attwood Business Center, Russian Confederation Blvd.

Tel : 023 218 808 www.royallimousine.com.kh Fleet of late model Mercedes that provides transport for hotels, embassies and luxury tour operators as well as foreign delegates.

Commercial Banks

Acleda Bank 61 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 998 777 www.acledabank.com.kh Specialises in micro, small and medium loans to people throughout the country.

ANZ Royal Bank Main Branch, 20 Street 114 www.anzroyal.com Cambodia’s major commercial bank has brought international standards of banking to Cambodia, with a large number of ATM machines around Phnom Penh. Can arrange money transfers.

CIMB Bank PLC 20AB Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 988 388

www.cimbbank.com.kh Full range of commercial and consumer banking products and services for both Cambodian and foreign businesses and individuals.

The first Japanese bank in Cambodia.

Maruhan Japan Bank 83 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 010 First Japanese bank in Phnom Penh.

Bikes & Mechanics

Dara Motorbike 43 Street 136, Tel: 012 335 499 Off-road specialist offers repairs, parts and accessories. Tours can be arranged by appointment.

Emerald Garage 11 Street 456 Mechanics specialising in maintenance and repair of vehicles, including oil changing and body painting.

The Bike Shop 31 Street 302, Tel: 012 851 776 Repairs trusty steeds as well as renting them out in the first place.

Also provides dirt bike tours.

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services

Western Service Centre 24 Street 420 Tel: 012 477 831 www.wmg-cambodia.com admin@wmg-cambodia.com A garage with Western and Khmer staff that emphasises communication and trained, attentive skills. Motto is “We don’t know all, we find out all, then we fix.”

the geek

IT & Software

Cresittel Co., Ltd. Office 705, KT Tower, 23 Street 112 Tel 098 518 888 Company that provides software solutions and systems, point of sales systems for bars and restaurants, website designing and telecoms consulting. Has showroom at 385 Street 215.

Netpro Cambodia 11 Street 422 Tel: 023 215 141 www.netpro-cambodia.com, IT supports company that delivers high quality and reliable services to home and small to medium size organisations in Cambodia.

MailChimp Sok Yeng Have you ever wanted to send out a professional looking email to a large group, but haven’t been sure how to do it? This month I’m going to introduce you to MailChimp, a free web program that allows users to design newsletters and email them to multiple recipients.

Sign up for a free account at MailChimp.com. You’ll need to select which email address you want emails to send from during sign up. This could be the info@ address of your business.

Once you’ve verified an account, you’re ready to start a subscriber list.

Go to ‘Lists’ and click on ‘Create List’. You can add subscribers or send a link to the subscribe page to your contacts. MailChimp gives out the html codes for embedding a sign-up link on your website. Simply go to the ‘For Your Website’ section on the toolbar.

Once you’ve set up a list and got some subscribers, you are ready to send your first newsletter. To do this go to ‘Campaigns’ and click on

‘Create Campaign’. There are some options to play around with, but beginners will probably want to start with a ‘Regular Campaign’.

Select which list you want to send to and then select the template to use. There are dozens to choose from and all are easy to work with.

You can add links and photos and create a sharp, professional looking newsletter. You can send yourself a test mail once you’re done and if you’re happy, simply send it to your list. It may take a few minutes or a few hours if the system is busy.

You can have up to 2,000 subscribers in the free version and send up to 12,000 emails a month.

Anything over these amounts and there are numerous options for monthly or pay-as-you-go services as cheap as $500/50,000 emails. There are plenty of training tutorial video clips and support documents on the website to get you up to speed. Give it a try.

Sok Yeng is the Managing Director at NETPRO-Cambodia.

This company provides IT solutions for the office and home.

For more information email: info@netpro-cambodia.com or visit: netpro-cambodia.com

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Ocean Technology T-20 St Topaz, Sovanna Shopping Centre Tel: 023 211 700 / 010 624 001 www.ocean-tech.biz Technology company that offers GPS navigation systems, an online map directory and vehicle tracking system.

Internet Provider

EMAXX 99 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 818 EMAXX offers fast internet access via WiMAX, Optical Fiber and Satellite.

Insurance

AG Cambodia Hotel Cambodiana, 313 Sovanna Sisowath Quay Tel: 017 360 333 info@agcambodia.com Professional insurance agent offering health, home, car, factory, employee and hotel insurance packages.

Infinity Insurance 126 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 888 Prfessional insurance company offers motor, property, home, marine cargo, personal accident, healthcare, construction and engineering insurance. Group policies can be customized.

Legal

BNG Legal 64 Street 111 Tel: 023 212 671 / 023 212 740 www.bnglegal.com BNG Legal is a leading Cambodian law firm providing comprehensive legal services to foreign and local clients. We differentiate ourselves by coupling a deep understanding of the local business environment with international professionalism and integrity.

DFDL Legal and Tax Advisors 33 Street 294 Tel: 023 210 400 www.dfdlmekong.com Law firm providing tailored international standard legal and tax solutions with extensive local and cross-border experience with offices in neighbouring countries.

Gordon and Associates Asia (Cambodia) 21 Street 214 Tel: 023 218 257 US lawyer works with local Cambodian lawyers to provide international quality advice.

Specialises in foreign investment, joint ventures and advising entrepreneurs with an in depth knowledge of the telecoms, agriculture, banking and hospitality sectors.

Sciaroni & Associates 24 Street 462 Tel: 023 210 225 Law firm with a good reputation.

Just the ticket if you get into a spot of bother.

Media & Design

Anon Creative Energy Tel: 089 812 123 anoncambodia@gmail.com Internationally trained advertising talent at your service. Strong, strategic ideas. Available for freelance art and copy writing projects.

Asia Media Lab Tel: 012 818 917 www.asiamedialab.com Full service video production company specialises in the creation of dynamic visual content to help bring NGO stories to life for fundraising and advocacy.

Miscellaneous

Sunbird Angkor Co. Ltd. 78 Monireth Blvd.

Tel: 023 98 3333 / 023 99 1010 sunbirdangkor@yahoo.co.kr Worldwide Hotel Reservation, Car Rental Service, Worldwide Medical Service, Convention, Marketing.

Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm Sunbird Global Co., Ltd. 78 St. Monireth Blvd.

Tel: 023 98 3333 / 023 99 1010 sunbirdglobal@yahoo.co.kr Insurance Service, Air Cargo, Worldwide Express, Trading.

Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm

Post Office

Main Post Office Cnr. Streets 102 & 13 The place to go if you want to send something overseas or get a PO Box. Open 6.30am -9pm.

Photography

AsiaMotion Tel: 092 806 117 www.asiamotion.net Photographic agency established in November 2008 as a cooperation between local and international photographers.

Nathan Horton Photography Tel: 092 526 706 www.nathanhortonphotography.com Full service professional photographer.

Hotels, bars, restaurants, spas and location work. Call for Travel Photography workshops and tours.

Printing

Sok Heng Printing House 1297B Street Luo 5, Stoeung Mean Chey Tel: 011 939 255 / 012 939 255 Modern print house providing a full range of printing services. Graphic design available.

240Condo 50B Street 240 Tel: 012 271 636 www.240phnompenh.com 240 ids the home of 42 luxury serviced apartments set in the most stylish area of Phnom Penh with spectacular river and city views. The condominium was designed by leading international architects gfab and represents the most contemporary luxury apartment development currently available in Cambodia.

Bizzy Beez 47B Street 466 Tel: 012 755 913 bizzybeezservices@gmail.com Premier handyman service does renovations, construction work, electrics, plumbing, painting and landscaping.

CB Richard Ellis (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. 9th Floor, Hyundai Phnom Penh Tower 445 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 964 099 www.cbre.com.kh The world’s largest commercial real estate services company offering premier quality real estate, valutions, consultancy, investment and property services.

and specializing in finding rental homes for the expatriate community. Best of all for our clients, our services are FREE JVK – NAGA 1157 National Road 2 Tel: 023 216 781 Asian-based relocation company with years of experience operating in most major Asian cities, offers record management and warehouse and distribution services.

Taxi Services

Choice Taxi Tel: 023 888 023 / 090 882 882 Metered taxi service with rates from US$1 for first 2km.

Giant Ibis Transport Phnom Penh Phnom Penh: 3 Street 106, next to Night Market.

Tel: 023 999 333 www.giantibis.com Siem Reap: 64 Street Sivatha, Mondol 1, Svay Dankum.

Travel “Affordable Luxury” to Siem Reap and other destinations in brand new 2012 buses with comforablt reclining seats, spacious leg room, A/C, Wi-fi, complementary snacks and pick-up service.

Property Care Services (PCS) 2A Road 7 Tel: 017 555 203 Solution for property support services, including waste management, security, pest control and cleaning. Only company to clean high-rise windows with abseilers.

Global Meter Taxi Tel: 011 311 888 092 889 962 016 680 118 Modern metered taxi fleet with rates from less than US$1 for first two km.

Relocation, Shipping

Ezecom 7D Russian Blvd.

Tel: 023 888 181 www.ezecom.com.kh Internet service provider that promises boundless internet packages suited to everyone’s needs.

Good packages for those looking for unlimited downloads.

Asian Tigers Transport International (Cambodia ) Ltd 86 Street 160 Toul Kork Tel. 023 880 951 One of Asia’s leading move management specialists has 1,500 staff as well as the largest fleet of trucks and the most warehouse space in the Far East.

Crown 115-116 Street 335 Tel: 023 881 004 www.crownrelo.com Global transportation and relocation company with over 150 offices in 50 countries, specialising in expat support and household shipment.

Open 8:30am - 5:30pm Mon - Fri, 8:30am - 12pm, Sat. Home Connect Cambodia 86 Street 160 Tel: 023 88 56 85 www.homeconnect.asia Home search company, dedicated to making the home search process easy

services

Real Estate and Property Services

Telecoms

Mobitel 33 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 012 801 801 Largest ISP in the country. Major mobile phone company which issues the 012 SIM card.

Smart Mobile 464A Preah Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 010 201 000 www.smart.com.kh facebook.com/SmartMobileKH One of the most dynamic and fastest growing mobile telecom service providers in the country. Issues the 010, 069, 070, 086, 093 and 098 prefixes.

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Listings

shopping Art

Happy Painting Gallery 363 Sisowath Quay (nr. FCC) Tel : 023 221 732 www.happypainting.net Established in 1995 this art gallery is dedicated to Stef, a local icon artist with a very personal and positive insight into everyday life in Cambodia.

Open 8am - 10pm

Beauty Products

Angkor Soap 16C Street 374 Tel: 023 223 720/ 015 935 789. www. angkorsoaps.com Specialising in handmade soaps and natural spa products.

Open daily 8am - 5pm Raffles Amrita Spa Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh spa. phnompenh@raffles.com Distinctive collection of Raffles Amrita spa private label and international spa products are available for purchase.

Open 6am - 10pm.

Books & CDS

Carnets d’Asie French Cultural Centre 218 Street 184. Tel: 012 799 959

French-language bookshop has sections on Cambodia and Asia as well as general fiction, with a good range of French magazines and newspapers.

Open 8am - 8pm D’s Books 12E Street 178 & 79 Street 240 Tel: 092 675 629 Second-hand book shop with over 20,000 copies and some originals, with a heavy emphasis on best sellers and travel books.

Open 9am - 9pm.

Le Phnom Shop Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh, Small shop offering books and souvenirs including recipes from the hotel’s pastry chef. Open 7am - 9pm.

Monument Books 111 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 217 617 Extensive range of new English-language books in town including recent releases and sections on Asia, Cambodia, travel, cuisine, design and management. Good children’s section as well as a wide choice of magazines and newspapers.

Open 7am - 8.30pm.

Crafts & Furniture

Art des Lignes 42B Mao Tse Toung Blvd.

Tel: 012 211 520 www.artdeslignes.com This new interior design showroom provides branded products of high-quality like luxury leather sofas and LED lighting, as well as furniture and metal artworks in contemporary style. Upstairs, the architecture and interior design office can offer complete solutions for projects, with a resolutely modern spirit and French Touch.

Open 8:30am - 7:00pm .closed Sun.

Artisans D’Angkor 12AEo Street 13, Craft Centr Tel: 063 963 330 Silk Farm Tel: 063 380 375 Specialising in stone and wood carving, lacquering and silk paintings, all items are hand made by the students at the organisation’s training centre.

Open daily 9am - 9pm.

DeCosy 219 Street 19. Tel: 023 219 276 Stocking charming knick-knacks and furniture,is the place to find the things to make your house a home. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.

NatureWild 10Eo Street 420. Tel: 023 727 407 www.naturewildcambodia.com A sustainable lifestyle store featuring community products made from natural and wild materials from the forests of Cambodia, ideal for gifts.

Pavillon d’Asie 24, 26 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 012 497 217 Antique lovers dream, a large array of well-restored furniture and decorative objects. Wooden cabinets jostle for space with Buddha statues and old wooden boxes. Upstairs are pieces from the French colonial era. Open 10am 7pm, closed Sun.

Fashion

Ambre 37 Street 178. Tel: 023 217 935 The high-end fashion designs created by Cambodian designer Romyda Keth are popular all over the world, this beautiful colonial building makes the perfect setting for the city’s most glamorous design shop. Also has men’s fashion.

Open 10am - 6pm, closed Sun. A.N.D. 52c Street 240. Tel: 017 854 726 artisandesigners@gmail.com The designers at A.N.D. work with many local artisans, giving a fashion twist to traditional skills: look for generously-sized ikat wraps in pure cotton, innovative up-cycled bags, and covetable jewellery combining hand-carved hardwoods with silver and vintage porcelain.

Bambou Indochine 7 Street 178. Tel: 023 214 720, Facebook: bambouindochine High-quality T-shirts, Polo shirts and comfortable clothes in original designs.

A full-range of sizes for men, women and children.

Open daily 8am -10pm.

Beautiful Shoes 138 Street 143. Tel: 012 848 438 Family-run business measures your feet and designs the shoe exactly as you wish. The shop also caters for men.

Open from 7am to 6.30pm.

Bliss 29 Street 240. Tel: 023 215 754 A beautiful colonial building houses this exquisite shop with funky patterned cushions, quilts and an excellent clothing line.

The health spa at the back of the shop also sells Spana beauty products. Open from 9am to 9pm (closed Mondays).

Color Vintage 168 Street 13 Color Vintage is Phnom Penh’s premiere shop for refined vintage styles for men and women. We source authentic articles from around the world and offer free alterations for a perfect fit! Buy, sell or exchange.

Couleurs D’Asie 33 Street 240

86 asialife Cambodia

Tel: 023 221 075/ 099 499 478 www.couleursdasie.net info@couleursdasie.net Established in Cambodia for more than 15 years, Couleurs d´Asie has developed a full range of textile products for home decoration, clothing and fashion accessories. Jewellery, essential oils, soaps and more are on offer. A custom service for existing products is also available.

Jasmine Boutique 73 Street 240. Tel: 023 223 103 www.jasmineboutique.net Established in 2001 by Kellianne Karatau and Cassandra McMillan, this boutique creates its own collection of designs twice a year using hand-woven Cambodian silk.

Open 8am - 6pm.

Khmer Attitude Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 Fashion boutique that offers the finest Khmer silk clothing for men, women and children, including designs by Romyda Keth, and exclusive jewellery that complement the limited edition outfits.

La Clef de Sol A design boutique offering home decor, women’s fashion, kids clothes, bags, accessories and continually updated design surprises. Next to K’nyay restaurant, in the alley across the park from java cafe.

Open 10am - 7pm, closed Sun. Lim Keo 9 Street 222. Tel: 012 941 643 Pret a porter by Lim Keo, son of Sylvain Lim, the master of Cambodian fashion.

Luna Boutique 8E1Street 278. Tel: 023 220 176 www.lunaboutiquephnompenh.com Original and stylish fashion designs for men and women, from work suits to evening dresses. The tailor-made creations, designed by modern Cambodian stylist Mengchou Kit, are fit for any occasion.

Luna Boutique is located in the heart of Phnom Penh, in front of Anise Hotel, while its sister shop - Luna Shoes - is just next door and hosts a large selection of shoes, bags, and women’s accessories to complement your style.

Open daily 8am - 9pm.

Promesses and Kaprices 20 Street 282. Tel: 023 993 527 Lingerie shop stocked with exclusive French and Thai undergarments. Chic, new prêt-à-porter shop Kaprices is located upstairs.

Open 9am - 7pm.

SALT 2 Street 294. Tel: 012 815 066 SentosaSilk’s younger sibling has just opened in the comfortable surroundings of BKK1. Its stylish wooden interior complements the products sold, ranging from bags and shoes, clothes and dresses to accessories.

Open daily 9am - 7pm SentosaSilk Uniform 33 Sothearos Blvd, cnr Street 178 Tel: 012 962 911/ 023 222 974 sentosa@online.com.kh Well known for its professional management ability, SentosaSilk gives clients efficient and reliable service through quality systems and procedures that consistently enhance product quality and reliability.

Sobbhana Boutique 23-24 Street 144/49 Tel: 023 219 455/ 023 219 452 www.sobbhana.org,

A not for profit organisation founded by Princess Norodom Marie, offering a range of colourful, handwoven silk products.

Profits fund training, medical care and education of weavers.

Smateria 8Eo Street 5. Tel: 023 211 701 7 Street 178. Tel: 023 214 720 www.smateria.com Boutique specialising in accessories made from recycled materials including a range of bags and wallets made from old fruit juice cartons, plastic bags and mosquito nets.

Subtyl 43 Street 240. Tel 023 992 710 www.subtyl.com Up-market boutique selling Cambodian handmade women’s clothes, scarves, shoes, bags and other accessories in contemporary and interesting designs, the Subtyl collection combines class with colour. ChilliKids children’s clothing is also stocked at the shop.

Open 9am - 7pm.

Food & Wine

AusKhmer – The Pantry Shop 125 Street 105 9 Street 306, (The Living Room) Tel: 023 993 859 /023 214 478 This small deli features a variety of well priced wines, Australian beers, and French delicacies, cheeses, antipasti, and cold cuts. Open 10am - 8pm.

Camory – Premium Cookie Boutique 167 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 224 937 Makes cookies using produce from the provinces such as cashews from Kampong Cham and Mondulkiri honey. A portion of the profits fund education for a local orphanage.

Open 9am - 8.30pm.

Celliers d’Asie 62B & 98 Street 432. Tel: 023 986 350 Wine supplier with the largest quantity of retail stock in town, has been providing wine to most of the top hotels and restaurants for over ten years.

Open 8am -12pm, 2pm - 6pm, closed Sun. Comme a la Maison 13 Street 57. Tel: 012 951 869 Decidedly sophisticated French restaurant has a small delicatessen and bakery at the back of the restaurant ideal for that morning baguette or croissant with your coffee.

Open from 6am - 10.30pm.

Dan Meats 51A Street 214. Tel: 012 906 072 Phnom Penh’s man of meat, Lanzi, supplies his strictly non-vegetarian products to many restaurants around town.

Open7:30 - 6:30, closed Sun.

Kurata Pepper Cnr. Streets 63 & 322, Tel: 023 726 480 Selling organic Koh Kong pepper and associated products, Kurata is one of the more unusual shops in town.

Open daily 8am - 7pm.

Open Wine 219 Street 19 Tel: 023 223 527 Aircon wine shop and tasting gallery sells wines, severac, calvados and meat.

Open 7pm - 11pm.

Red Apron 15-17 Eo Street 240 Tel: 023 990 951 Home of wine enthusiasts in Phnom Penh is both a wine boutique and tasting gallery.

With around 300 wines, the boutique has more range than the supermarkets.

Open 9am - 9pm.

Supercheap Cambodia 87 Street 360 Tel: 023 631 3668 www.supercheap.com.kh Budget shop claims to offer the biggest variety of wines and spirits in Cambodia as well as the cheapest prices.

Open 8am - 10pm.

The Deli 13 Street 178, Tel: 012 851 234 Café and bakery with take away breads, sandwiches and pastries. Now has a second outlet on Street 51. Open 6.30am - 6.30pm, delivery service (within 30 minutes) 7am t-11pm.

Silks & Accessories

Friends ‘n’ Stuff 215 Street 13 Tel: 012 955 722 Colourful shop with unique products designed by Mith Samlahn/Friends students and parents of former street kids. Range includes cclothes, necklaces, purses and second hand goods. Has a nail bar run by students from the beauty class.

Open 11am - 9pm.

Mekong Quilts 49 Street 240 Tel: 023 219 607 www.mekong-quilts.org Outlet for NGO Mekong Plus, stocks a large range of hand-crafted bed covers, home accessories, gifts and decorations.

Benefits Mekong Plus, which promotes health initiatives in Svay Rieng Province.

Open 9am - 7pm.

Sentosa Silk 33 Sothearos Blvd, cnr Street 178 Tel: 023 222 974 www.sentosasilk.com Using a colourful range of Asian silks, Sentosa creates men’s and women’s clothing, accessories and soft furnishings.

Sentosa employs disadvantaged people.

Open daily 8am - 7pm.

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Little Kitchen @ Meta House

Little Kitchen @ Meta House

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Little Kitchen @ Meta House

Wine Tasting @ Sofitel

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90 asialife Cambodia

Little Kitchen @ Meta House

Wine Tasting @ Sofitel

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BBAC Women’s Networking Event @ La Maison d’Ambre

BBAC Women’s Networking Event @ La Maison d’Ambre

BBAC Women’s Networking Event @ La Maison d’Ambre

BBAC Women’s Networking Event @ La Maison d’Ambre

BBAC Women’s Networking Event @ La Maison d’Ambre

soundfix album review

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

José James No Beginning No End

We The Common We The Common is Thao Nguyen’s third album with her band The Get Down Stay Down. The record’s title has its roots in populist ideals, echoed in the folk-rock temper of the music. Nguyen, a VietnameseAmerican from Virginia, has been bouncing around the music scene for almost a decade, with several collaboration projects and relentless touring.

She’s honed a sound that is somewhere between folk crooner Laura Viers and the more spirited tUnEyArDs, who both happen to be her compadres. We The Common finds the singer and her band sounding more mature, with creatively crafted, earthy tunes and thoughtful lyrics. Over pitter-patter instrumentals, Nguyen’s voice ranges from warm and confessional to a rebellious staccato. The cherry on top is ‘Kindness Be Conceived’, which features indie free spirit Joanna Newsom for an acoustic Americana duet.

92 asialife Cambodia

Hybridity is a privilege of contemporary music. In terms of record store classifications, it’s not so obvious how José James should be filed. Jazz, R&B or soul? Try all of the above.

The artist — the product of an Irish-American mother and a saxophonist father from Panama — crosses genres, packaging varied influences together in a seductive blend. Although released on Blue Note, a label known for its jazz greats, James’ fourth solo album can’t be so narrowly defined. No Beginning No End opens with a mellow tempo that recalls the neosoul of D’Angelo’s Voodoo, whereas later tracks like ‘Do You Feel’ evoke classic soul.

Then there’s the jazzy horn and piano flourishes that pepper the album, as well as guest stars like Franco-Moroccan singer Hindi Zahra for further layers of eclecticism in a smooth experiment.

Adam Green & Binki Shapiro

Ballaké Sissoko

Adam Green & Binki Shapiro

At Peace

There’s a playfulness to boy-girl duets that can be very attractive.

Adam Green knows this well, as the singer-songwriter who made up one half of Moldy Peaches. On this eponymous debut, Adam Green and Binki Shapiro team up for a collection of 1960s-inspired ballads. Once Beck’s muse, Shapiro also sang in Brasilian-rock group Little Joy. The pairing seems a natural collaboration, as Green’s ribald baritone provides balance to Shapiro’s honeyed tones, with both vocals matched by dreamy inflections. ‘Just To Make Me Feel Good’, bred from the duo’s simultaneous break-ups, recalls the bittersweet kindness of exes. ‘Don’t Ask For More’ best highlights Shapiro’s smoky, sweet drawl when she sings “Put your claws away / I think I’ve had enough today”. But we’re left wanting more of the charming twosome.

In the course of Mali’s current events, the title of Ballaké Sissoko’s new album comes across as both incongruous and hopeful. As the conflict between armed extremists and Frenchsupported forces continues, the Malian artist has released At Peace. The album is the second collaboration between Sissoko, a master of the 21-string harp known as a kora, and French cellist Vincent Segal. Produced

by Segal, the record places Sissoko’s performance at the forefront, joined occasionally by the cello, guitars and the balafon. ‘N’tomikorobougou’ is an improvised exchange between Sissoko and 12-string guitarist Aboubacar Diabaté, recorded against the background of chirping cicadas in Mali’s capital Bamako. With instrumental melodies that soothe and soar, Sissoko offers a more harmonious vision for his troubled country.

topten

endorsed

Official 97.5 Love FM Phnom Penh Top Ten 1. I Knew You Were Trouble 2. Beauty And A Beat 3. Daylight 4. Scream And Shout 5. Girl On Fire 6. Little Things 7. Locked Out Of Heaven 8. Don’t You Worry Child 9. Thrift Shop 10. Cupid

Taylor Swift Justin Bieber Maroon 5 Will.i.am feat. Britney Spears Alicia Keys One Direction Bruno Mars Swedish House Mafia Macklemore Daniel Powter

Soothing Mask Sheet Ruben Luong

UK Top Ten 1. Thrift Shop 2. White Noise 3. Bingo Players 4. Clown 5. My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark 6. Scream and Shout 7. Drinking From The Bottle 8. Stay 9. I Knew You Were Trouble 10. Bassline Junkie

Macklemore Disclosure Get Up (Rattle) Emeli Sande Fall Out Boy Will.i.am feat. Britney Spears Calvin Harris Rihanna Taylor Swift Dizzee Rascal

US Top Ten 1. Thrift Shop 2. Locked Out Of Heaven 3. Scream and Shout 4. Ho Hey 5. I Knew You Were Trouble 6. Don’t You Worry Child 7. Beauty And A Beat 8. F**kin Problems 9. Try 10. Sweet Nothing

Macklemore Bruno Mars Will.i.am feat. Britney Spears The Lumineers Taylor Swift Swedish House Mafia Justin Bieber A$AP Rocky Pink Calvin Harris feat.

Florence Welch

Let’s face it — skincare in the city is tough. Even for skincare skeptics, the effects of air pollution, sun exposure and a potentially imbalanced diet can be gruelling. The Face Shop’s Clean Face Sebum Control Soothing Mask Sheet is an effective mask that not only clarifies skin temporarily, but fortifies it against future breakouts.

Infused with a potpourri of tea tree leaf, green tea, grapefruit and Arctium Majus root extract, the sheet is a potent cosmetic shield. Tea tree leaf — known for its antiseptic qualities — purifies blemishes, while green tea’s calming herbal properties soothe inflamed or irritated spots. The essence of grapefruit cleanses, hydrates and lifts the complexion, and the plant-derived Arctium Majus root extract protects pores by regulating the production of sebum, a notorious culprit of acne.

The mask should be gently applied and left to absorb for 15 to 20 minutes. I find it most effective before going to bed, after cleansing and applying a toner. Although the mask looks unsightly, and is perhaps a little embarrassing, it is instantly reinvigorating.

The sheet is light and resilient and the dewy complex of extracts is cooling candy for the skin. Once fully absorbed, the mask easily peels off and leaves a subtle yet pacifying herbal aroma. A quick rinse always gives me noticeably softer skin and a healthier, shine-free complexion that lasts a while.

For continued results, I recommend using at least two packets of the Clean Face mask sheet every month. One packet usually suffices for temporary concerns, and a second packet can be useful for especially long and tiring weeks. Two packets a month is enough to be consistent and economical without developing an indulgent dependency on the product.

The Korea-based brand offers a wide range of other specialised masks — peeloff, wash-off or gel — that specifically treat anti-wrinkle, anti-oxidation, pore-tightening or skin-firming concerns. In that often superfluous array of options, and simply to avoid excessive vanity, the Clean Face soothing mask sheet is a stand-out remedy for anyone wishing to combat multiple skincare problems in one go.

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bookshelf Vampires in the Lemon Grove Karen Russell Alfred A Knopf

Young girls transforming into silk worms, an elderly vampire afraid of losing his wife, and former American presidents reincarnated as horses populate Karen Russell’s fantastical tales. Vampires in the Lemon Grove, Russell’s second collection of short stories, is no less kooky than her previous publications. Yet in Russell’s hands seemingly absurd subject matter remains grounded in masterful storytelling. Her matter-of-fact narrative makes it easier for readers to transcend reality and fall softly into the storylines. The characters in Russell’s richly imagined stories may seem bizarre, but they still shed light on what are ultimately universal human issues.

Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion Elizabeth L Cline Portfolio/Penguin Why have only one item when you can have two for the same price? Somewhere along the line we seemed to have forgotten that it’s quality over quantity. When it comes to shopping, there are a plethora of low-cost stores such as Forever 21 and H&M that make trend-chasing easy.

After noticing that her wardrobe was bursting at the seams with unworn clothes, journalist Elizabeth L Cline became a self-described “reformed fast-fashion junkie.”

In this book, Cline looks at the growth of budget fashion, its impact on the clothing industry and the environment, and how we can try to change our over-buying ways.

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The Dinner Herman Koch Hogarth As the title suggests, The Dinner takes place over one evening meal. Dutch author Herman Koch’s popular novel — recently translated into English — focuses on two brothers and their wives, and the mix of familial responsibility and enmity that binds them together.

At the request of Serge, a candidate for Prime Minister of the Netherlands, the foursome gathers at a ritzy restaurant to deal with a family scandal. Over several courses, the skeleton in the closet is revealed and the dinner continues to unravel. With his poison pen, Koch creates unsympathetic characters whose questionable approach to morality forms the story’s crux.

Kind of Kin Rilla Askew Ecco With immigration control a hot topic in the United States, Rilla Askew uses a fictional story to explore the human impact of policy crackdowns. Kind of Kin takes place in Oklahoma in the aftermath of a new law that makes harbouring illegal immigrants a felony. When the family patriarch is arrested for hiding a group of undocumented migrant workers, the Browns become embroiled in a struggle between legality and conscience.

At the centre is Sweet, who tries to hold the family together while the town around her tries to protect its own.

boxoffice

Jack the Giant Slayer

So Undercover

Oz: The Great and Powerful

Spiders

Fee, fi, fo, fuster, I smell the hint of another fairy tale blockbuster.

With a re-envisioning of a familiar story and a cast that includes up-and-coming Nicholas Hoult alongside Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy and Stanley Tucci, Jack the Giant Slayer looks to be a family favourite. When formidable giants aim to take over the human kingdom, they start out by capturing Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) to hold as bait. The King sends a band of soldiers, joined by lovestruck farmboy Jack (Hoult), to ascend a magical beanstalk and confront the giants.

Miley’s back! The former star of Disney’s Hannah Montana and pop singer behind the catchy ‘Party in the U.S.A.’ returns to the big screen in So Undercover.

Molly (Miley Cyrus) is a teenage private investigator who works together with her dad, a retired police officer. When an FBI agent approaches her with a job, Molly agrees to go undercover to a place she knows nothing about — college. With a fabulous makeover, a sparkly cell phone and a briefcase full of tools of the detective trade, Molly tries to fit in on campus and solve the case.

Long before Dorothy arrived via tornado, another Kansas resident found himself transported to the magical land of Oz. Based on a novel from L Frank Baum’s series, Oz: The Great and Powerful tells the story of what happened before The Wizard of Oz. Whisked to Oz by a hot air balloon, circus magician Oscar Diggs (James Franco) is given the chance to reinvent himself. Among a host of magical beings, he meets three witches: Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who question his claims to greatness.

Arachnophobes beware. For those with a fear of eightlegged creatures, Spiders is your worst nightmare. The story begins with an abandoned space station, taken over by a species of poisonous spiders.

When a spider catches a ride on an earth-bound missile, the people of New York face a new foe. The spider takes over the underground subway system, attacking any humans who wander into its path. As the spider lays more and more eggs, the threat grows — and so do the spiders as some mutate and grow to massive proportions.

Coming Soon MARCH Movie Releases Platinum Cineplex See platinumcineplex.com.kh for screening schedule.

Beautiful Creatures Still Showing Upside Down Still Showing Spiders (3D) Mar. 7 Jack the Giant Slayer Mar. 7 So Undercover Mar. 13 Oz: The Great and Powerful Mar. 14 Apartment 1303 (3D) Mar. 21 The Croods (3D) Mar. 28 Kikoriki (3D) Mar. 28

Legend Cinema See legend-cinemas.com for screening schedule.

Jack the Giant Slayer (3D) Mar. 7 Oz: The Great and Powerful (3D) Mar. 14 Never Ending Story Mar. 14 Wedding Scandal Mar. 21 The Croods (3D) Mar. 28

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radar Conversations Come Back to Life Blankonblank.org

If you ever want to listen to comedian Ricky Gervais comment on loving atheism or tennis player Andre Agassi talk about his mullet, Blank on Blank’s archives can enlighten you. This multimedia nonprofit offers a riveting library of forgotten and never-before-heard interviews with influential icons, from fashion guru Tim Gunn to musical legends like Iggy Pop. Raw interviews from old recordings and cassette tapes are contributed by journalists and edited into multiplatform audio clips for intelligent listening. Interviews with famous authors, celebrities and TV personalities are arranged as they come, but are addictive and easy to browse.

Follow Us on Twaggies Twaggies.com Back in the day, the concept of a tweet on Twitter was amusing enough. Twaggies, illustrated versions of humorous tweets, are just as entertaining, if not more. The site’s zany moniker comes from the concept of a twag, or tag on Twitter. As a comic blog and cartoonists’ dream, Twaggies is a satisfying daily tickle. More than two dozen artists from the site turn pithy, witty tweets into cleverly realised cartoons, which feed on puns and snark in the odd Twittersphere. Visitors can also take a peek at the online store, where graphic t-shirts featuring droll twag designs can be purchased.

Better than Jeopardy Mentalfloss.com

When your Facebook Timeline begins to bore you, try scrolling through Mental Floss’s Knowledge Feed. Packed with trivia you wouldn’t normally consider, Mental Floss is a fresh diversion that will educate you on silly things like why school buses are yellow and what 25 words you wouldn’t guess are trademarked. The site’s Amazing Fact Generator, which randomises facts with every click, is also fulfilling.

There are loads of questions, lists and quizzes available, so it never gets old. Unlike most trivia sites out there, Mental Floss does such a thorough job of illuminating facts that you’ll want to remember them.

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asialifemagazine.com

pub quiz

no holds barred

Asia

Deep

1. The world’s largest landlocked country is in Central Asia.

Name it.

2. Which country is the least populous member of The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation?

3. Which East Asian country is divided into 47 prefectures?

4. The Bosphorus separates Europe from Asia in which country?

5. Which is the only country to border both the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf?

21. Which band is best known for their 1995 hit single ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’?

22. What is the deepest lake in the world?

23. Ian Gillan is best known as the lead singer and lyricist for which rock band?

24. The chess computer, Deep Thought, was named after a computer in which novel?

25. Former Federal Bureau of Investigation associate director Mark Felt is better remembered by what pseudonym?

Blue

Famous Faces 26

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1

Underground

Heights 16. Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall, is in which country?

17. The Golan Heights is an occupied part of which country?

18. Mount McKinley is the highest mountain in North America. In what state or territory is it?

19. Javier Sotomayor has held the men’s high jump world record for 20 years. What nationality is he?

20. BurjKhalifa is currently the tallest man-made structure in the world. Where is it?

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2 4 30

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1. Kazakhstan 2. The Maldives 3. Japan 4. Turkey 5. Iran 6. Lizard 7. Kentucky 8. Eiffel 65 9. New South Wales 10. Norwegian 11. The Jam 12. Slaves 13. MRT 14. The Wombles! 15. Andy Warhol 16. Venezuela 17. Syria 18. Alaska 19. Cuban 20. Dubai 21. Deep Blue Something 22. Lake Baikal 23. Deep Purple 24. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy 25. Deep Throat 26. Steve Carell 27. Hugh Laurie 28. Taylor Swift 29. Natalie Portman 30. Gillian Anderson

11. Which British band was ‘Going Underground’ in 1980?

12. What did the 19th century American Underground Railroad move?

13. Much of Singapore’s public transport system is underground. By what three letter acronym is it known?

14. Which early ecowarriors lived partly underground on Wimbledon Common?

15. Who became the manager of the Velvet Underground in 1965?

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pub quiz answers

6. What type of animal is the bluetongued skink?

7. Which American state is known as the Bluegrass State?

8. Which Italian, but French sounding, group had a worldwide hit with ‘Blue (Da Ba Dee)’?

9. In which state are Australia’s Blue Mountains?

10. What was the specific breed of Monty Python’s Blue Parrot?