AsiaLIFE Cambodia March 2014

032014 ISSUE87

Rise of the Malls www.asialifemagazine.com

0 3 2 0 14

87

note from the editor AsiaLIFE Group

Ellie Dyer

4 asialife Cambodia

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: Marissa Carruthers

Art Director Cambodia: Joe Slater

Editorial Assistant: Joanna Mayhew

Photographers: Charles Fox & Conor Wall

Editor-at-Large Cambodia: Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Sales Director Cambodia: Sorn Chantha chantha@asialife.asia sornchantha@yahoo.com

Siem Reap: Caroline Major

You’d be forgiven for thinking that consumerism has taken over the world. In many parts of the planet, it seems increasingly that labels, selfies, bling and the quest for beauty have become all that matters.

In Cambodia, the reality of poverty means that a lot of people have much more pressing concerns to worry about – where the next meal is coming from, finding affordable health care, or in the case of the Areng Valley in Koh Kong (detailed in our travel story on page 32) considering whether a hydro-dam will radically change their natural environment.

But amongst many strata of society, consumerism has made its mark, whether its people picking up knock-off designer handbags at the market, wearing Lexus-branded underwear with pride, or jetting off to Hong Kong for a shopping spree.

As our cover feature details, more change is on the way. State-of-the-art malls are set to pop up all over the country, bringing a new way of shopping to the country.

The sparkling TK Avenue in Tuol Kork is already proving a draw for thousands of customers, while the massive Aeon mall is hotly anticipated in the capital.

You might be asking whether this drive towards a new era of shopping is a good or bad thing? For now, I think it’s an inevitable development that symbolises rising wealth, but doesn’t mean the end of traditional values, yet. As the experts in our story say, local markets can and do coexist with malls, and Cambodia’s capital is a long way off being the mall mecca that is Bangkok.

Developers, however, should plan with care and consider the balance between modernity and tradition.

In my opinion, some modern Asian metropolises now filled with shopping centres have lost a part of their soul. If 30 years from now I could walk from Phnom Penh mall to Phnom Penh mall without interacting with the real world, I’d feel a little sad.

But in life it’s impossible to tell what the future holds, so for now I’ll be sipping on a bubble tea (the new craze in the capital, see page 42), listening to the Elvis of Cambodia (see our profile on page 36) and trying out some fly yoga (see page 38) while waiting to discover what lies in store.

www.asialifemagazine.com

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

For sales enquiries: Chantha Sorn Tel: 012 576 878 chantha@asialife.asia

Sales and Accounts: Seang Seiha 012 581 455

Distribution: Sorn Chandara 096 9999 351 Printing: Sok Heng Printing House

Accountant: Seang Satya

For advertising enquiries call Chantha on 012 576 878.

Special thanks to: Darren Gall, Paul Dodd, Gemma Mullen, Colorblind, Sebastian Strangio, Dr Narith Tan, Anna Clare Spelman, David Preece, Ryan Drewe Taylor and Cambodian Living Arts – for their contribution to this issue.

On the Cover Design: Joe Slater 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

ADVERTORIAL

022014 ISSUE86

front

12 Picks of the Month 14 Openings

getaway

40 Discovering Cebu

food

42 Bubblicious

17 Dispatches 18 Phnom Penh Calendar 20 Photo Essay 24 Q&A: FX

on the cover

26 Return of the Malls

storyboard

32 Into The Mist 36 Elvis

45 Burger King

style & design

46 Behind the Design

back

55 Listings

38 Fly Yoga

26 6 asialife Cambodia

32

44 K'NYAY

48 Fashion: Red Alert

88 Phnom Penh Map 96 Pub Quiz

38

40

Feb 2014

Photographers Invited To Capture Corruption Mad Monkey To Expand

Popular guesthouse Mad Monkey is gearing up to open a new venture in Kampot this May. The leading youth travel operator, which already runs guesthouses in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, announced on Feb. 20 that The Mad Monkey Kampot will open close to the riverside, 400 metres from the old town centre. Greg Welch, Mad Monkey Kampot manager, says, “We are very excited about starting our new adventure in Kampot and developing an awesome hostel environment for our guests.” The 70-bed accommodation will increase the company’s total number

8 asialife Cambodia

Cambodian-based Transparency International is calling on budding photographers to use their skills to illustrate how corruption negatively affects their world. It forms part of the build-up to the launch of the organisation’s forthcoming study on corruption in Cambodia’s governance system. “By engaging Cambodians in the build-up to the report, we seek to further mobilise impetus for change once the report is released,” says a Transparency International spokeswoman. The winning picture will take pride of place on the report’s cover.

The deadline for submissions is Mar. 14, with the winners being announced at an event at Meta

House on Apr. 4. This will mark the launch of the accompanying exhibition, which features the top 10 photos. For more information, visit ticambodia.org.

Mapping Experiences

The Skin Code Project stems from a recent encounter between photographer Mona Simon and writer and gender expert Cova Alvarez. Together, they have created a shared space to recount life experiences, find common allocations, and try to draw a map of the

struggles, searches, loves and life experiences of women living in Cambodia. Through meetings and conversations with 20 women, the project has sought to revisit their individual itineraries, allowing their portraits to emerge. The result of the journey is a stunning collection of photographs and texts set to be launched on Mar. 8, International Women’s Day, at Tepui in the Chinese House on Sisowath Quay. The fascinating exhibition is expected to run for at least a month.

Mona Simon

of beds from 250 to 320. The owners believe their latest addition will help boost the local economy and provide additional employment opportunities.

For more information, visit madmonkeyhostels.com.

Art Book Explores Cultural History

A book showcasing Phnom Penh’s architectural, environmental and cultural history is being launched after the success of the accompanying Phnom Penh: Rescue Archaeology, The Body and the Lens in the City exhibition. In February, Sa Sa Bassac opened the group exhibition that brings together 17 video works by 10 artists.

Curated by Erin Gleeson, the show runs from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 6pm, until Mar. 21. Following in its footsteps comes the launch of Rescue Archaeology: Contemporary Art and Urban Change in Cambodia. The book includes text on exhibited artworks, interviews with 10 artists and five foundational essays. Contributors include legendary architect Vann Molyvann, Ly Daravuth, Carolyn Christov Barkargiev, June Yap and Nora Taylor. The book launch takes place on Mar. 14, from 6pm to 7pm, at the gallery at 18 Sothearos Blvd. For more information, visit sasabassac. com.

Transgender Campaigner Scoops Award

and discrimination that exists in many families and in Cambodian society.” At the Teddy Awards ceremony, which was part of Berlin International Film Festival, Sou picked up her prize, along with a $10,000 grant. She will use it to continue her efforts and reach out to remote rural areas, where education levels are low, discrimination is high, and many LGBT people are forced to hide their identity.

Local Talent Wins Out at Tropfest

Young Cambodian filmmaker Sothea Ines scooped top prize with her work, Rice, in the debut Tropfest South East Asia awards. The 24-year-old was crowned winner in front of a crowd of more than 4,000 people during a ceremony at the prestigious Esplanade in Penang, Malaysia. The first-time filmmaker emerged as the judges' top choice after beating off stiff competition from 11 finalists. Fellow Cambodian Polen Ly was first runner-up for his silent short film Duetto. Ines won a five-day immersion trip to Los Angeles, sponsored by the Motion Picture Association. Ly scooped an all-expenses paid trip to Tropfest in Sydney.

Cambodian transgender activist Sou Sotheavy has walked away with a top award.

The courageous 75-yearold scooped a gong after devoting the last two decades to campaigning for the rights of Cambodia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. “I am tremendously moved to be given this award that to me symbolises the struggle for rights and freedom for LGBT people in Cambodia,” Sou says. “Today, I am fortunate to live a life that I have always dreamed of, a life that allows me to help LGBT Cambodians escape the torture, contempt,

asialife Cambodia 9

Feb 2014

SR news & events Angkor Wat International Film Festival

The red carpet returns for the third Angkor Wat International Film Festival, held from Feb. 28 to Mar. 2 at Sofitel Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort. A varied programme of feature films, documentaries and filmmaker panels will incorporate regional and global cinematography, including locally-produced shorts designed to foster young filmmaking talent. Award-winning

10 asialife Cambodia

documentary Storm Surfers 3D will take to the big screen for the gala opening, while the event concludes with the 3D film Grand Canyon – River at Risk. All showings, from family-oriented mainstream motion pictures to independent cinema, are free to attend over the three-day festival.

Teeing Up For Golfing Tournaments

Two out of Siem Reap’s three golf courses are teeing up for

competitions this month. Nick Faldo-designed Angkor Golf Resort and Phokeethra Country Club will host participants, who will play two rounds at each 18-hole course from Mar. 9 to 12 as part of the Liberty Cup, a series that takes place across Southeast Asia. Extensive sponsorship means that even those who perform under par can expect to take home prizes.

The ninth annual FCC Nations Cup follows two weeks later at Angkor Golf Resort over the weekend of Mar. 22 and 23.

Fading Faces Art Exhibition

Monks and lotus flowers are images synonymous with Cambodia. They are also

symbols incorporated into the works of two Battambang artists, Chhai Kakkada and Phok Sopheap, now being shown at the Fading Faces exhibition in Siem Reap’s 1961 Art Hotel.

Chhai Kakkada’s watercolours of saffron-clad monks form half of the exhibition, called Fading.

Drawing attention away from the monk’s faces, the artist focuses on human individuals going about their ordinary daily life, as opposed to the face of Buddhism. The second half of the show, Faces, consists of three disparate pairs of paintings produced at different periods by Phok Sopheap, also known as Bee. The images showcase his journey as a self-taught artist.

The exhibition runs until April.

asialife Cambodia 11

picks of the month Learn: Curious.com

Support: Rithy Panh

Want to learn how to brew beer or play the guitar?

Then head to curious.com, which has thousands of instructional videos on how to do almost anything. The nine-month-old site brings together teachers of all kinds with students from around the world. Most of the videos are free, but some require a $1 to $3 fee. Probably the best feature is the slot machine-like wheel that randomly selects three videos for you to choose from. Who knew you wanted to learn the basics of beat-boxing?

With Cambodia’s The Missing Picture nominated for best foreign film at this year’s Oscars, why not rise early, get your glad rags on, and watch the ceremony live. Riverhouse on Sisowath Quay will be screening the Academy Awards as they happen from 8am on Mar. 3, with entrance $5. Let’s hope local director Rithy Panh can bring a certain golden statue home. For those who have yet to see his work, the moving film set during Khmer Rouge rule is being screened at the capital’s Legend Cinema from Mar. 6.

Watch: Philomena

See: Made in Battambang The town of Battambang is renowned for its expanding modern arts scene. To observe the pure talent that the town has produced, visit the French Institute this month.

The centre is showcasing the work of local artists in the Made in Battambang show, which runs until Mar. 25. The group exhibition highlights the original and creatively diverse works of those artists living and working in the burgeoning community, including Ben Thynal, Sou Sophy, Nov Cheanik and Hour Seyha.

12 asialife Cambodia

Listen: Songkites Take a trio of professional musicians and team them with talented Cambodian artists and what do you get? The answer is artistic development and the international release of Songkites. The album showcases original songs by cutting-edge local songwriters. The project emerged in the Ragamuffin Boathouse, an arts therapy and creative hub in Phnom Penh, where songwriters have participated in workshops to explore and develop their creative processes and recorded demos. For launch details, visit songkites.com

David Collins

This powerful film, based on a true story, charts the story of Philomena Lee (played by the brilliant Judi Dench) – an elderly woman who is searching for her son, Anthony. Fifty years before, a naive Philomena had fallen pregnant in rural Ireland after a night out at the fair. Catholic nuns subsequently took in the shamed teenager, confining the young woman in virtual slave labour before giving up her only son for adoption.

A chance meeting draws British journalist Martin Sixsmith (played by Steve Coogan) to the story decades later, resulting in an emotional quest for the truth.

Artificial Intelligence Google buys British start-up AI company DeepMind for a rumoured price tag of more than $500 million.

The Giant Ibis A new wildlife and forest protection zone designed to safeguard Cambodia’s national bird is approved along the border with Laos.

Novelty Toothpaste US brand launches mint chocolate-flavoured toothpaste.

Brushing your teeth has never been so fun!

Lorde New Zealand’s teen hit-maker reigns triumphant at the Grammy’s after winning song of the year for ‘Royals’.

Shipwrecked Fishermen Mariner is dubbed the “miracle man” after surviving 14 months adrift in the Pacific Ocean.

GOING UP GOING DOWN Watches Traditional timekeeping passé after Norwegian inventors create a vibrating watch with no face.

Broncos Denver Broncos lose legendary American football title after bowing out to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.

Justin Bieber Canadian child star turns bad boy following arrest for allegedly driving under the influence.

Fearless Felix He’s going down, and fast. Daredevil Felix Baumgartner becomes the first skydiver to break the sound barrier after jumping from 24.5 miles above Earth.

Sharks Australia angers conservationists by launching controversial shark cull after a spate of fatal attacks.

openings Classic sophistication

Chez Rina The Grand Hotel near Post Office Square was once a hot spot for colonial high society, attracting famous writers William Somerset Maugham and Andre Malraux to its doors. Now a corner of this famous building had been brought back to life thanks to sophisticated cocktail bar Chez Rina. The drinks lounge blends century-old Chinese tiles, plaster arches, exposed iron work and art-deco style with a certain modern chic, creating a relaxing space that is full of quiet nooks and crannies to wine and dine in.

A range of cocktails and light snacks are on the menu, while meals can be ordered from the adjacent Seven Bright restaurant.

Street 98, Phnom Penh. Tel: 017 259 955. Open Monday to Saturday from 5pm until midnight.

Cool for School

PITchoun

A parents’ paradise has opened up in Phnom Penh. Offering cool children’s clothes by the bucket-load, Pitchoun is filled with an array of outfits for youngsters, from newborn babies to 12 year olds. Adorable dresses with floral prints and bold block colours ($9 to $13) offer a affordable and funky look, while girls can also snap up coloured leggings and skinny jeans in shades of baby blue and pink. Boys can choose from a range of stylish shorts and trousers (from $7), as well as a selection of smart shirts and trendy T-shirts. The store sells an array of pint-sized shoes, including denim Converse for zero to six-montholds, and contains a play corner, games and puzzles to keep little ones entertained as parents browse the shelves.

25DEoE1 Street 294, Phnom Penh. Tel: 095 208 352. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.

Hands-on Learning

La Table Khmer Cooking School Rustling up Cambodian cuisine has never been easier thanks to a series of new cookery classes. Boasting gleaming high-tech equipment to cater for wannabe chefs, the school can host up to 12 students spread across two long tables. Each gets their own gas hob and equipment, with ingredients shared between two people to speed up the preparation process. With a class in the morning ($20) and another in the afternoon ($19), students create a starter, main and dessert, with the menu rotating for variety.

Dishes include chicken and banana flower salad, fish amok and curries.

The morning class includes a market trip to purchase ingredients.

11E Street 278, Phnom Penh. Tel: 012 238 068. Open from Sunday to Friday, morning class from 9am, afternoon class from 3pm.

14 asialife Cambodia

Sugar Fix

The Taste Khmer Dessert and Café

Satisfying a sweet tooth is the order of the day at The Taste, which is serving up traditional Cambodian desserts and mains on Street 310. Home-made cupcakes and coconut-infused sticky rice desserts tempt diners from a large glass counter in the white room, with mains such as beef lok lak ($5) and papaya salad with sticky rice ($3.50) also available. Splashes of colour come from the array of strategically placed flowerpots and the bold green, yellow, red and blue seating.

There is also a pleasant front terrace with several chairs and tables.

“We wanted to create a place that serves good Cambodian food with a European design,” says manager Noy Sochohelin.

9 Street 310, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 219 436. Open daily from 6.30am to 10pm.

Alley Chic

Meat & Drink Stroll down a tiny alleyway set off Street 308 to discover a new bar and grill that is putting sophisticated design well off the beaten track.

Set on the corner of a small residential street, M&D – brought to the capital by the brothers behind Bar.sito, Public House and Seibur – sports an abundance of sleek design touches. The polished copper bar top, large mirrors, hand-held wall lights, roped ceiling and long wooden tables bring a masculine Melbourne vibe to the locale. The non-smoking venue benefits from outdoor seating and offers a range of wraps, salads and burgers (from $6) and a potent cocktail list, that includes the coffee Malongotini and a lychee-laced Asian Infusion.

Street 308 alleyway, behind Seibur bar, Phnom Penh. Open for dinner and drinks from 5pm to 11pm. Closed Mondays. Lunch service to begin in early April.

Elegance in Motion

ripple cafe

Parasols shade tables set out on the spacious decked areas of Ripple Café’s terrace. Inside, elegant greys stand alongside white columns and cornicing, with sofas and seating spread throughout the ground floor. "We provide customers with a relaxing space," says general manager Akiko Nakamoto. The Street 360 café serves customers drinks such as espressos ($1.70), hazelnut lattes ($2.50/ $3.50), caramel frappes ($2.75/ $3.75), blueberry smoothies ($2.85/ $3.85) and passion fruit chillers ($2.65/ $3.65). Food is also offered, including a bacon bagel ($3.95), a tuna salad ($3.75) to a Japanese beef curry with rice ($4.95). The café also boasts a private meeting room for up to six people.

34 Street 360, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 655 977. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 6.30am to 9pm.

asialife Cambodia 15

Flippin’ Great

La Crêperie

Crêpes are the order of the day on Street 308. Whether it’s sweet or savoury that whets your appetite, there’s something to suit everyone at La Crêperie, with gluten-free buckwheat galettes and sweet pancakes made with wheat flour served. With crêpes traditionally associated with Brittany, Northwest France, the eatery follows a nautical theme, with blue and white striped lighthouse pepper and salt pots, crockery and themed art. Galettes include the La Complete ($7), with ham, egg and emmental cheese, and the L’Americane ($9.50), a tasty blend of ground beef, cheese, ham, onion and egg. On the sweet side, Le Delfi ($4.50) is a mouth-watering mix of caramel ice cream, banana and home-made salted caramel butter.

12 Street 308, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 640 600. Open Wednesday to Monday from 11am to 11pm.

Sweet Treats

conekla Billed as a candy bar and video game shop, Conekla is injecting fun into its game plan. The downstairs area contains an impressive decorative water feature, where liquid ripples across a glass roof, and a candy bar for customers to fill up on classic sweets, including cola bottles, fried eggs and gummy worms ($1.99 per gram). Patrons can try a selection of board games, ranging from UNO to Monopoly and Cluedo. The upstairs level includes outdoor seating and three movie rooms, complete with giant plasma screen and sofas, where guests can choose from a collection of more than 500 DVDs ($15/ $10 per hour). The coffee shop serves up a range of bubble teas, coffees, fruit drinks and snacks.

168 Street 51, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 956 956. Open daily from 6.30am to 9pm.

16 asialife Cambodia

DISPATCHES

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Rumble in the Jungle

Chopped vocals, synths and beats will jump-start the third Future Music Festival Asia in Malaysia from Mar. 13 to 15. The electronic dance festival is the Southeast Asian counterpart to a popular Australian festival, which sold out in both Sydney and Melbourne last year. Deadmau5 will launch the opening party at Mines Wonderland theme park in Kuala Lumpur. On Mar. 14, DJ Armin Van Buure will present a line-up of DJ legends. The final day concludes with artists like Baauer (‘Harlem Shake’) and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (‘Thrift Shop’). Purchase tickets at futuremusicfestival.asia.

The Spirit Within

In Indonesia, Balinese Hindus practice tri hita karana, or the harmony of spiritual, social and natural environments.

The concept is the premise for Ubud’s BaliSpirit Festival, a five-day exercise in yoga, dance, healing and world music held form Mar. 19 to 23. Last year, it attracted 6,000 guests from 50 countries who came for workshops in yoga, dance and meditation. Merging Bali’s traditional and contemporary music, the One World One Stage concert series will take place each night at the town’s Agung Rai Museum of Art. For more information and pricing, visit balispiritfestival.com.

The Heart of SXSW

The South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas, was born in 1987. This year, more than 2,200 regional, national and international acts will play from Mar. 11 to 16. SXSW Film, from Mar. 7 to 15, and the 21st SXSW Interactive, from Mar. 7 to 11, will also host sessions that won’t disappoint. At SXSW Film, look forward to the world premiere of Jon Favreau’s Chef, starring Dustin Hoffman, Sofia Vergara and Scarlett Johansson. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will also appear via satellite video for an exclusive interview during SXSW Interactive.

Register or check out the full range of events at sxsw.com.

Have an event coming up?

Send information and dates to ellie@asialife.asia

CALENDAR All Month The Quiet Half of the Sky exhibition runs at Equinox on Street 278, Phnom Penh. Painter Dina Chhan explores the reality of the daily work of Cambodian women, and draws up unexpressed dreams and aspirations from their souls.

Mar

La Rue Danse! will be held at Wat Botum Esplanade from 7pm. The new edition features 20 Cambodian choreographers and dancers, representing various types and influences (traditional and modern dance, circus and hiphop). Each has rehearsed to a variety of French songs, from Dalida to Yann Tiersen. Dancers will perform on eight outdoor stages, entrance is free.

08

Mar

The Big Folk at Doors Phnom Penh. Joe Wrigley, Euan Gray and Gabi Faja host a celebration showcasing local musicians and expat residents. Join the party with free drinks, awesome dinners, lots of friends and a whole load of folk. $4 for one night, $6 for two nights.

Mar

History of Things to Come vintage clothing sale from 8am to 8pm at 21 Street 306, Phnom Penh, next to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Classic cuts, beautiful fabrics, superior condition and time tested glamour for all shapes and sizes.

Mar

The Missing Picture exhibition runs at Bophana Centre on Street 200, with visiting hours from 8am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm on weekdays, and from 2pm to 6pm on Saturdays. The free show features maquettes and clay figures from Rithy Panh’s Oscar-nominated film.

Mar

The launch of Rescue Archaeology: Contemporary Art and Urban Change in Cambodia at Sa Sa Bassac gallery on Sothearos Boulevard from 6pm to 7pm.

The book is the first comprehensive publication on aspects of contemporary art practice in Cambodia.

01 02 01 05

13 17

14

Lecture with Dr Henri Locard at the Bophana Centre from 6.30pm. The session will discuss the internal and external geo-political circumstances that led to the Khmer Rouge regime. Locard is an ex-Consultant at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal and now a Research Fellow at CKS.

Mar

London underground club scene veteran MC Kinky is heading to the Cambodian capital to share her unique blend of sounds. The artist plays Pontoon on Street 172 on Mar. 20 as part of the weekly Shameless night, and returns to the stage two nights later.

Mar

Cambodia yoga retreat with NataRaj Studio at The Vine Retreat in Kep. Experienced teachers Piseth and Liat will guide you through sunrise meditation sessions, morning Ashtanga yoga classes, sunset Bhakti (devotion) yoga sessions and restful yoga Nidra. For more, email: yogacambodia@gmail.com.

20 22 Mar

DJ Donnabelle celebrates International Women’s Day at Le Bar Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, with a special edition cocktail available during the 6pm to 9pm happy hours.

Mar

The Skin Codes exhibition opens at Tepui at Chinese House on Sisowath Quay. The show, running for at least one month, details stories and portraits of 20 woman from or living in Cambodia.

07

08

Salsa sessions with a special guest from Bangkok at Doors, Phnom Penh. Afternoon workshops run from 2pm to 5.30pm with Beginners level 1 & 2 and Intermediate Level classes. Prices from $8 to $10 per hour, plus an evening Latino party from 9pm until late.

Mar

09

Sunbodia boat cruises.

Sunset in style from 2.30pm to 8pm with deep, tech house, techno all the way.

18 asialife Cambodia

21 23

Chaktomuk Mar The Short Film Fes-

Cambodian Mar The Cuisine Festival will

tival runs across Phnom Penh. The Kon Khmer Koun Khmer association is organising three days of screenings to showcase young talent from both Cambodia and Southeast Asia.

For more information, visit bophana.org.

be held at Olympic Stadium from 5pm to midnight.

Cooks from different provinces will bring a delicious taste of Cambodia’s heritage. All funds will be used to support Pour un Sourire d’Enfant’s programmes.

Ticket cost $3. For more information call 012 463 315.

27 30

28 29

EVERY MONDAY

Mad Monday at The Empire, 6pm • Yoga at Yoga Phnom Penh.

Sweat and Samadhi at 8am, YogAbs/YogButt at 12.15pm and Beginner's Flow at 5.45pm. See yogaphnompenh.com • Beginners level 2 salsa class ($8) at Feel Good Cafe from 8pm to 9pm

EVERY TUESDAY

Swing dancing at Doors with lindy-hop specialist Janice Wilson from 7pm. Classes are $3 or $25 for 10 lessons Latino Time at Cabaret on Street 154 at 6.30pm

EVERY WEDNESDAY

Latin Fever at The Latin Quarter • Trivia in the garden at The Willow, $2 entry and 7.30pm start • Acoustic music at Kep’s Sailing Club by guitarist Mr Rya from 6pm to 9pm • Salsa lessons at The Groove on Street 282 ($5) from 8pm to 9pm, $5 per person with a party until late.

EVERY THURSDAY

Open Mic at Paddy Rice Irish Sports Bar • Art House Sessions at 8.30pm at The Flicks Community Movie House. Enjoy the secret treasures of the big screen for $3.50 • Steak Night at The Empire. Weekly special at a big discount • Women’s Night at The Riverhouse • Movie nights on the beach at Kep’s Sailing Club from 7pm • All About Jazz at Cabaret from 7pm, wine and beer happy hour from 5.30pm to 7.30pm • Drop-in bachata class at Feel Good Cafe from 8pm to 9pm

EVERY FRIDAY

Seafood Haven at Korean Grill restaurant, NagaWorld, from 5.30pm to 10pm. $20 per person excluding beer, $30 per person including free flow draft beer. Tel: 023 22 88 22, www.nagaworld.com • Rhythm sessions at Doors from 9.30pm

EVERY SATURDAY

Cine Saturday at the Bophana Center, 64 Street 200, at 4pm • Art classes for children and adults at Romeet Gallery on Street 178, costing $8.50 per session or $65 for 10. Register interest with Sreymao at romeetgallery@gmail.com or by calling 077 55 07 59

EVERY SUNDAY

Escape at the InterContinental hotel’s Regency Café from 11.30am to 3pm. Free-flow wine at $36 plus taxes per person • Morning meditation with Beth Goldring, a zen Buddhist nun teacher, all religions welcome. yogaphnompenh.com • Phnom Penh Hash House Harriers’ run. Meet at 2.15pm at the railway station

EVERY DAY

Yoga classes at Yoga Phnom Penh, close to BKK market. For information visit yogaphnompenh.com or enquire at 012 739 419 • Daily four-hour photography tours with Michael Klinkhamer. Starts at FCC, 363 Sisowath Quay, at 1.30pm. $35 per person (for groups of less than four people add $10pp). Call 060 873 847 or visit klinkphoto.com

EVERY WEEKDAY

High tea at Public House on Street 204½, 3pm to 5.30pm. Scones, finger sandwiches, sweets and tea. $9pp for high tea, $14 with a glass of sparkling wine, $30pp with a bottle, $50 with a bottle of champagne.

Book for a min. of two guests at least one day in advance 017 770 754

EVERY MONDAY TO SATURDAY

Cultural performance at the National Museum at 7pm. Adult tickets are $15, with discounts for advance puchases. For booking and information call 017 998 570 or email events@cambodianlivingarts.org

EVERY WEEKEND

Fishing trips on the Tonle Sap river from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, email fishingboattrip@yahoo.com • Kids Sessions at 2pm at The Flicks Community Movie House. $3.50 for adults, $2 for under 18 • Weekend brunch at Public House on Street 240½, from 10.30am to 2pm. $25 per person including bellinis or bloody Marys, $15 per person if you’re on the wagon. Book in advance: 017 770 754

asialife Cambodia 19

Photo Essay: Found While based in the United Kingdom following three years of working in Cambodia, Charles Fox began to document old photographs belonging to his London-based Khmer friends. On his return to Phnom Penh in 2012, the photographer continued riffling through stacks of postKhmer Rouge regime snapshots, mostly dating from the 1980s and 1990s, to unearth images of the past. With most negatives lost or damaged, the prints are all that’s left. The intention is to catalogue such images, and the feelings, relationships, fashion trends and cultural shifts that they explore. The project will continue indefinitely with new shots posted on the @charlesfox79 twitter feed.

20 20 asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia

asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia 21 21

22 22 asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia

asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia 23 23

Professional fighter and director of Phnom Penh’s K1 Fitness & Fight Factory, Francois Xavier Leal de la Torre, known as FX, tells Ellie Dyer how a trip to Asia aged 18 changed his life. Photography by Colorblind.

What brought you to Asia?

I grew up in Toulouse in Southwest France and started to practice Viet Vo Dao [an acrobatic Vietnamese martial art] at age eight. My mother is Vietnamese and all my uncles practice it, so it’s like a family tradition.

I first arrived in Vietnam when I was 18 years old. I went there with a few guys from France who practised Viet Vo Dao. I was supposed to stay for one month to train with some Vietnamese old masters, but when it was time to leave, I couldn’t go back. It was scary, but exciting too.

You met your K1 colleague David Minetti in Vietnam.

How did that come about?

I started boxing with David and became his student a few months after I arrived. One day, I had a problem with the owner of my house, and he put me out. I lost my apartment, didn’t have enough money and had no job. David told me: “I’ll teach you how to be a kickboxing instructor.” I said OK, let’s do this. I went with my bag to

24 asialife Cambodia

his house and asked to leave my stuff there for two days – I never left.

After eight years in Vietnam we had three gyms – two in Saigon and one in Hanoi. Then David decided to come to Phnom Penh to open a new K1 centre. We opened here three years ago and are more focused on fighting sports, from English boxing to Thai boxing and Kun Khmer, grappling and mixed martial arts UFC style. We also teach Krav Maga. It’s an Israeli form of self-defense and very useful for woman. We also run cardio classes that are more focused on improving your condition, speed, explosiveness and losing extra weight.

You trained initially in martial arts, but now box. How was that transition?

In Viet Vo Dao, I didn’t really learn how to receive a punch, so it was very hard to keep my eyes open when I got hit, as it’s not natural. But after a few training sessions, I started to like it and enjoyed boxing much more than Viet Vo Dao, maybe because it was more real and effective.

You have fought Kun Khmer professionally. What does it feel like to enter the ring?

In Vietnam, I couldn’t fight as it’s a communist country and you, or your family name, have to be Vietnamese. When I arrived in Phnom Penh, I started to fight in Kun Khmer. I have fought professionally four times and won three.

When the K1 instructors go to fight we always have our fan club, both Khmers and foreigners, behind us for support. They do it very well, trust me. That helps a lot when you go to fight – you have to give all that you have to make them proud. When you step in the ring, you can hear all the crowd scream. It’s you against him and nobody can help you. All the feelings you have are positive. Fear becomes excitement and the fight becomes a game.

What attributes are required to become good at fighting sports?

If you do it as a professional fighter, you must have fighting spirit – liking the contact and wanting to push your limits,

even if it’s further than you think is possible.

The training is much more difficult than the fight. You have to be ready for a “war”. You can’t give up, as training starts when you feel pain. If you can finish the training, then that means it wasn’t hard enough. It’s better to suffer in training than in the ring.

Finally, what do you think constitutes a fighting spirit?

I think it’s something you have inside you. Some people have it naturally and some have it but don’t know it yet. You discover and improve, and the training helps a lot, along with the people around you.

My brother says that boxing is the most collective of the individual sports. Without your coach and training partner who suffer with you, your family and friends who motivate you when you feel down and want to quit, you can’t become better.

It’s not possible. Even after 20 years of practice, I’m just starting to learn.

For more information on classes, visit the K1 Fitness & Fight Factory’s Facebook page.

asialife Cambodia 25

Rise of the Malls

As Cambodia gears up for the opening of the Aeon mega mall in June, the capital’s shopping scene is evolving at break-neck pace.

Marissa Carruthers takes a look at the rise of consumerism and shopping centres to gain an insight into what the future holds.

Photography by Charles Fox. Piles of neatly folded clothes cover the perfectly made pink and white bed. A stack of branded shoeboxes teeters precariously in a corner next to a full-length mirror surrounded by accessories. A half-open wardrobe reveals a rainbow of outfits.

Sokorn Su blushes before opening a drawer to reveal her true treasures – an immaculate collection of branded bags.

“At least twice a year, me and some friends fly to Bangkok for a shopping spree,” says the 26-year-old Cambodian boutique owner, pointing towards her latest haul.

Five years ago, fed up with the monotony of the local shopping scene, the women made it a six-month ritual to bag themselves bargain flights to the Thai capital – home to Siam Paragon, Emporium and MBK Center – for a weekend splurge.

“I remember how mesmerised I was,” Su recalls of her first trip. “I’d seen Bangkok on the TV and in

26 asialife Cambodia

magazines, but to actually be there was incredible. It was everything Phnom Penh isn’t.

It was amazing being able to walk into stores that I’ve only read about in magazines or online. Then there was the choice. So much choice – almost so much I didn’t know what to do.”

Home to more malls than you can shake your money at, Bangkok has shopaholics hooked and each year hundreds of Cambodians follow in Su’s footsteps by jetting off to regional fashion hubs to splash their cash.

“There’s a growing middle class in Cambodia and expats who go to Bangkok or Singapore because of the poor selection here,” explains James Sterling, of construction company Advance Construction, now involved in the creation of the capital’s new Aeon mall.

“This is taking money away from Cambodia.”

But all this could be due to change, as a new generation

of mall developers set out to bring the Kingdom’s capital closer in line with its regional neighbours.

The Shopping Scene

A rise in expendable income, combined with a demand for the glitzy shopping centres that litter retail hubs across Europe, America and Asia, means developers feel that the time is ripe for a shake-up of the Cambodian shopping scene.

It is a journey that began in 2003, when Sorya Mall became the first mall to open in Cambodia, popping up alongside the market stalls and small shops that previously served Phnom Penh’s consumer needs.

The shiny, eight-floor centre soon drew crowds curious to explore its corridors and try out its set of escalators – then a novelty in the country.

Offering similar stock to nearby markets – within an indoor maze of stalls, complete with the added bonus of air conditioning,

They’re like a good-looking mini-city where you can go shopping, watch a film and then get something to eat asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia 27 27

Most places in the world have moved towards mall shopping because people like convenience 28 asialife Cambodia

a games centre and branded eateries – Sorya captivated its customers, and remains popular with young consumers to this day. A string of developers then jumped in on the action, building similar complexes including Sovanna Mall, City Mall, Ratana Plaza and Lucky Mall.

“These very quickly became popular with the Cambodian youth,” says David Murphy, of Independent Property Services. “That’s why you find floors of entertainment and arcade games. These kids might not necessarily have the money to spend in the shops now, but they’re capturing their audience early and it has shown to pay off.”

As youths drive consumerism forward – together with a growing appetite for Korean, Thai, American and European brands seen on television and the Internet – experts have observed a growing gap in the market.

“You have a few high-end stalls and a lot of low-end stores here, but nothing for those people in the middle,” Murphy notes. “These are the people who back in Europe or the West would use ‘high street’ stores that don’t exist here yet.”

But development looks set to come at a rollercoaster rate. A survey carried out by global property firm CBRE last year showed that high quality shopping space equated to 0.04 square metres per capita in Phnom Penh, compared

with 0.59 in Bangkok. The research revealed that Phnom Penh’s six main shopping centres took up 68,000 square metres, with the real estate firm predicting that the volume of space dedicated to malls will soar 142 percent by the end of this year, rising a further 21 percent in 2015.

“Most places in the world have moved towards mall shopping because people like convenience,” Sterling notes.

“Malls offer people a day out.

They’re like a good-looking mini-city where you can go shopping, watch a film and then get something to eat.”

NEW MALL MANIA

The wheels are already in motion for a retail transformation, thanks to a new wave of complexes that have swept into Cambodia’s cities during the last six months.

TK Avenue Mall, dubbed the Kingdom’s first “boutique lifestyle mall”, opened its doors in Toul Kork district in December. Marketing manager Phillip Tay says that “Cambodians are constantly looking for something new in their lives and that is what we’re giving them, by creating a place where people can do more than just shop.”

With 33 tenants, including international brands like Pedro, Shiseido cosmetics and Adidas, the development aims for a middle-class market. On a typical day, its paved areas, grassy spots and seating are filled with young people

gossiping, while families test out the play park. The mall is said to have attracted more than 120,000 visitors in its first month alone.

A new experience has also been introduced in Siem Reap, in the form of the King’s Road Angkor development. Spread across an outdoor area, a variety of modern shops and restaurants are housed in traditional wooden buildings.

“We feel Cambodia is ready for something of a higher quality,” says director Lim Nam. “Something more exclusive and different to the markets and shops we are used to. A lot of tourists come to Siem Reap, and they are used to this kind of quality and service.”

Another closely watched development due to open its doors this year is Aeon Mall. The $200 million, threestorey shopping paradise is set to boast more than 150 units, with a mix of restaurants, cafés and shops aimed at consumers with a mid-range income. The Japanese owners are keeping incoming brand names under tight wraps for now.

Experts see the site as a test of whether the mega mall formula will work in Cambodia.

If it does, it could spark the dawn of a new consumer era.

Murphy predicts that a host of big name brands could pounce on Phnom Penh if the venture is a hit.

“Without a doubt, if Aeon is a success, which I believe it will be, then there will be a lot

asialife Cambodia 29

There’s no doubt that for now malls will attract the footfall. But it will be interesting to see if that translates into dollars for the retailers 30 asialife Cambodia

MALLS IN THE MAKING TK Avenue Mall Opened December 2013

With more than 10,000 square metres spread across a well-designed outdoor area, TK is home to 33 units in the heart of the capital’s Toul Kork district. It offers a mix of restaurants, cafés, retail units and a supermarket. Brands include Poptea, Pedro, Metro and Brown Coffee. The mall is said to have attracted more than 120,000 visitors in its first month. of international brands wanting to break into Cambodia, and that’s going to fill a huge gap that exists in the market right now,” Murphy says.

“Cambodians love brands,” the real estate professional adds. “They love to carry bags around with brand names plastered on them because it lets everyone know where they have been. Because it’s new here, it is often seen as a kind of status symbol.”

Market Meltdown?

Despite the predicted rise of state-of-the-art malls, experts believe that traditional markets won’t immediately feel the impact, even if well-heeled consumers are drawn to more sanitised shopping.

Cambodia’s markets are a part of the Kingdom’s culture, along with the street stalls and lower-end shops that serve the majority of the country, says Murphy, painting a picture where malls and markets exist happily side-by-side.

As Sterling points out, Bangkok contains large malls such as Emporium, while still providing a home to local markets. “In Cambodia, the middle class is still a very small percentage of the overall population, so the low range shops and markets are still going to have business for the foreseeable future. The uppermiddle and upper class will now have access to what they want,” he says.

Storeowners near to the Aeon development site on Sothearos Boulevard are also welcoming the new shopping

complex, which they hope will increase footfall in the area.

“It will bring many more new people to the area who maybe have not been here before.

They might buy things from us so we are excited for it to come here,” says 37-yearold Kann Khouny, who runs a wicker store.

“Everyone is talking about it. It is exciting and will add to this area,” adds Rathana Tse, who owns a nearby carpenters’ shop.

Rather than markets, some experts believe that the new mall may impact existing shopping complexes and popular hangouts, including the riverside area.

“Their food and drink outlets and arcades may suffer. I don’t expect the introduction of high end retail to have an effect on the local retail; the gap’s just too big,” says Eelco Dijkhuizen, general manager of the Cambodia branch of international market research company TNS, which specialises in retail analysis.

“The opening of the mall is likely to create excitement among the younger population. They’ll be interested in seeing international brands, taking pictures and perhaps eating something. So ‘going to the mall’ could become a thing. It is, however, unlikely that these guys are willing or able to afford any of the brands at Aeon,” he adds, explaining that the mall’s food and drink outlets may see the most business, if priced appropriately.

Shopping Ahead

A big question remains: If the mall formula proves to be a hit, is Phnom Penh on its way to becoming the next Bangkok or Singapore?

“That’s a long way off yet,” Simon Griffiths, senior manager at CBRE, says with a smile, predicting that more skyscrapers and retail complexes will rise in Phnom Penh in the next two decades. ”A lot of people say Phnom Penh is 20 years behind Bangkok, but I don’t think it will have caught up in that time.”

Rather than compare the Cambodian capital with Thailand, Dijkhuizen believes it is more likely to follow in the footsteps of Saigon, where TNS has observed similar trends. “People go to the mall but they don’t seem to buy much,“ he says.

“There’s no doubt that for now malls will attract the footfall,” Griffiths adds. “But it will be interesting to see if that translates into dollars for the retailers. Is the middle class in Cambodia big enough to sustain this growth?”

And with Aeon set to open the doors to a new era of shopping in Phnom Penh, will Su and her friends be buying themselves their routine return plane ticket to Bangkok?

“Phnom Penh is definitely still a long way off being Bangkok,” she says, holding up a figure-hugging red dress bought from a Thai boutique.

“And I can go out tonight knowing that no one will be wearing what I am.”

King's Road Angkor Opened January 2014

The compact 7,000square-metre shopping village brings together a selection of restaurants, including Blue Pumpkin and Emperors of China, and high-end stores. All outlets at the $10 million development are housed in individually designed traditional Khmer wooden houses.

Aeon Mall Set to open June/July 2014

Boasting more than 100,000 square metres, spread across three floors, Aeon is due to open next to the Sofitel hotel on Sothearos Boulevard. As Cambodia’s first modern mega mall, it will be home to 180 units, including retail, food and beverage, a cinema complex and a bowling alley. It will also contain parking for 1,400 cars and 1,600 motorbikes.

Parkson Mall Set to open mid-2017

This seven floor complex is due to open opposite Phnom Penh International Airport and will provide space for retail units, a supermarket, a bowling alley, a gym, karaoke rooms and a swimming pool.

The Bridge Set to open 2017/18

The twin-towered building, set to rise to more than 154 metres, will spread across 45 floors and be built on Koh Pich. It is touted to be a future home to a four-storey supermarket, retail units and offices and apartments.

asialife Cambodia 31

Into the

Mist

Writer Joanna Mayhew and photographer Conor Wall enter the Cardamom Forest to discover the natural beauty of the mysterious Areng Valley, an area facing an uncertain future.

Clinging to the capsized kayak, I block out thoughts of the many crocodiles that share the murky water with me. Twenty metres away, a herd of aggravated water buffaloes pace the sandy bank, trying to intimidate the now-sodden intruders to their natural habitat.

As dusk turns to night – and with clothes, bags and an expensive camera drenched – my fellow kayakers and I navigate onto a protruding log, and brainstorm how to get back to camp. It would be just one hiccup of many while exploring Koh Kong province’s isolated Areng Valley.

32 asialife Cambodia

Tourism for a Cause

With development and agro-industrial economic land concessions common across Cambodia, few, if any, places remain as untouched as Areng. The area is home to approximately 1,300 indigenous people, rich in biodiversity and inhabited by 31 endangered animal species, including the world’s secondlargest population of wild Siamese crocodiles.

Though life in the valley feels stable, the long-proposed and controversial Cheay Areng hydropower dam threatens change in coming years. The

undertaking would flood the area, eradicate key species and lead residents to lose homes and livelihoods, according to Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, co-founder of local non-profit organisation Mother Nature.

Mother Nature’s Wild KK Project is promoting tourism as a way to preserve Areng’s pristine landscape and diverse wildlife, while providing visitors with a rare glimpse of the valley through actionpacked trips that include kayaking, mountain biking and trekking.

The founders hope that increased tourism, along with community advocacy

“Though life in the valley feels stable, the long-proposed and controversial Cheay Areng hydropower dam threatens change in coming years"

asialife Cambodia 33

and the creation of social and environmental research sites, will draw enough attention and alternative revenue streams to the valley to give developers and officials pause for thought.

True to its name, the project’s jungle outings are nothing if not wild, with our group encountering crocodiles, bears, monkeys, snakes, spiders and colourful Great Hornbills during a week-long trip.

Though not for the faint of heart, the excursions offer rich rewards if you’re game for putting your muscles to work.

Into the Deep

Getting into the valley makes visitors appreciate just how remote it is. From Phnom Penh, we travelled on two local minibuses and an SUV to get to the town of Thma Bang in Koh Kong province. From there, entering the valley consists of a steep 16-kilometre-long, mostly downhill, bike ride.

We each took a good-luck capful of local rice wine before setting off down the carved up and winding path, lined on both sides by thick forest. The three-hour ride was made more challenging due to half of it taking place after dark. With a procession of headlamps, we attempted to light the dusty path – blocked at one point by a venomous green pit viper – until arriving safely at camp.

Once in the valley, excursions differed by day and were often unplanned. Groups are encouraged to stay at least five days, and our time only allowed for scratching the surface of what there is to see.

Appropriately, most action revolved around the Areng River, whether following it via trails, swimming, kayaking, bathing or taking a break on its shores. The river is shallow and impressively diverse. It transitions from clear sandy stretches to pebbled rapids and mossy patches strewn with trees. The waters teem with soft-shell turtles, Oriental Darter water birds, Kingfishers, and the endangered green and silver Asian arowana, or dragonfish.

Gibbons can be heard howling in nearby trees.

Kayaking takes you through calm waters surrounded by mango trees and sand banks covered with crocodile footprints and tail marks. You can occasionally spot a “blessed 34 asialife Cambodia

tree,” ordained by monks and wrapped in saffron-coloured material, representing Mother Nature’s intention to catalogue and preserve the forest’s most precious species. But you will be hard pressed to see another soul, aside from the infrequent lone fisherman sporting Lexusbranded underpants.

Intrepid visitors can search for the elusive Siamese crocodiles in Areng’s oxbow lakes, rumoured to house 50 crocs. Led by our three reliable and passionate Khmer guides, we attempted to hike quietly over the crunchy leaves underfoot. After an hour, our efforts paid off in a rare and abbreviated sighting of a small three-foot specimen.

But the most spectacular scenery is discovered while mountain biking. Tight trails scattered with thick branches wind madly through jungles dense with Bayon trees. Narrow, flimsy bridges dot the rides, with one 30-metre-long crossing only three planks wide. Forests give way toz rutted paths that lead you across dusty fields of high reeds and past bored buffalo under pale pink sunset skies.

Camp is portable and differs each night. When not set up riverside, we camped at the abandoned village of Sre Khuanh, where residents were exiled under the Khmer Rouge.

Today there is little evidence of life in the expanse of burnt fields that have replaced the town, but the surrounding mountains and large watering hole offer a stunning backdrop to the absence. Evenings were spent under starry skies, eerily quiet aside from the sounds of crackling fires and – perhaps too stereotypically – a strummed guitar. Dinners by firelight were accompanied with a hot cup of traditional, amber-coloured “medicine water” and followed by nights in mosquito-netted hammocks, with a nearby fire to combat the cold.

Ancestral Ties

Throughout trips, visitors dine at local homes to make the logistics easier for guides and provide additional income for community members. All food is locally grown, which results in eclectic dishes like eel curry and peanut and lobster paste, as well as fish soups and unending piles of rice.

Villagers – the majority of

whom are Khmer Daeum ethnic minorities – have deep ties to the valley, with ancestral stories going back hundreds of years.

They are overwhelmingly friendly and hospitable – and in a country where the majority of people are, it says something to stand out.

Locals seemed in equal parts pleased and amused that tourists would make the trek to their remote villages, and at their urging we attended a lively village wedding, a rice festival where monks received grain offerings, and a midday Chinese New Year feast replete with pork, noodles and warm Anchor beers. With no electricity or cell phone access, life seems reminiscent of a simpler time, down to the natural resin torches, or chon loh, used to light homes.

Disconnected from the outside world, you’re forced to slow down. Communicating has its challenges, though, as villagers’ dialect proved a stumbling block for even the most fluent Khmer speakers among us.

The Journey Back

“With no electricity or cell phone access, life seems reminiscent of a simpler time, down to the natural resin torches, or chon loh, used to light homes”

The last night, our group hiked a steep hill above Chumnoab village, following our guide’s flaming torch over rustic fences and through thorn-laden fields sprinkled with animal traps. We shared a final late-night feast of two chickens before sleeping under a triangular wood shelter used for storing crops.

Following a 6am wakeup, the misty valley seemed hesitant to release us. The vehicle slated to save us the uphill bike ride out was stuck in a ditch. After passing hours in the village, we were carted on motorcycles over the bumpy path and, eventually, out of Areng.

I emerged from the jungle with a smattering of bruises, a kilo less of weight, and a renewed appreciation for showers. But, like the rustcoloured dust that stubbornly coated my backpack, clothes and the insides of my ears, thoughts of the valley stuck with me long after departing.

Whether or not the dam proceeds, other threats will inevitably arise, and the valley will not always remain as it is. But at least for now, the opportunity exists to explore Areng in its majesty, and to provide support as it faces a fragile future.

asialife Cambodia 35

36 asialife Cambodia

The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll lives on. Ellie Dyer gets 'All Shook Up' during a meeting with Cambodia’s own Elvis Fandango. Photography by Charles Fox. It was a bar in Sihanoukville that first introduced Carlyle Laurent to the powerful charisma of rock legend Elvis Presley. As a video of one of the late superstar’s concerts began to play in the beachside venue, the Welshman sat transfixed by the icon’s magnetic performance.

“I knew the name Elvis, and heard his songs, but he didn’t do anything for me really.

But when I saw his concert, I realised who he was, and why he was called the ‘King of Rock and Roll’,” the expat recalls. “I thought, my God, that’s why he was so popular.“ The show sparked something within Laurent, then aged in his 40s. For the first time since his days in the school choir, the Welshman began to sing, later dedicating hours to learning the lyrics and phrasing of classic Elvis tracks.

Eight years on from that fateful day in Sihanoukville and the performer’s musical career has blossomed in line with his passion for all things Presley. Laurent, who moved to Cambodia in 2003, now regularly performs musical tributes to the King, sometimes singing a mammoth 50 tracks in one night as ‘Elvis Fandango’.

“As long as there's a crowd, I keep singing,” Laurent

says, settling down in a small Phnom Penh café the morning before a recent gig. “I’ve been at it studying, writing down the songs. Every day I’ve got a book in front of me, and I'm learning songs.”

Despite his love of the King – who died aged 42 in 1977 after decades in the music business, during which he performed famous hits such as ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘Love Me Tender’ – his stage name was a happy accident.

Having formerly performed jazz and the blues as Carlos Fandango, one night he was announced onto the stage as ‘Elvis Fandango’. “He renamed

The era has been recently documented in the film Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll, which combines interviews with surviving musicians and unearthed archival film of period performances in the world’s first in-depth look at a critical cultural moment that was nearly wiped out by the Khmer Rouge regime.

And along with modern bands like Dengue Fever and The Cambodian Space Project, Laurent is helping to keep the era’s influences alive.

Back in the café, the affable entertainer digs a heavy retro silver microphone out from his bag. Next comes a

“I jump around like a wild man, Every note I’m moving” and reimaged me just like that,” he chuckles.

The move has paid off, with the former steel jewellery trader now fronting Elvisinspired gigs across the country, including Phnom Penh. The city itself has a rich history of 1960s and 1970s rock, a time when musicians were influenced by the new styles sweeping the world, blending them with traditional Cambodian sounds to craft hypnotic and unique music.

wide-cuffed purple shirt – tailor-made for his show – that complements both the elegant necktie loosely knotted around his neck and his impressive mutton-chop sideburns, which echo Elvis’ iconic own.

“When I was 20, people said I looked like Elvis. I thought they were being silly. Well, when I was 17, I had them – everybody had them,” the former businessman says, referring to his facial hair.

“They’ve been resurrected

through my life. They’ve come back and forth since I started singing.”

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Laurent’s act is his voice, demonstrated when he breaks into a version of ‘In The Ghetto.’ The deep, soulful croon has touches of vibrato, and is made all the more impressive when coupled with Laurent’s on-stage moves.

“I jump around like a wild man. Every note I’m moving,” he says, explaining that he is a fan of Elvis’ country hits, such as ‘Green Green Grass of Home’. “I didn’t realise until I saw a video of myself, I just keep moving.”

Laurent, whose own father was a well-known musician in Southern Wales known as the ‘Banjo Player of Trecco Bay’, also identifies with his icon.

After being drafted into the US army in 1957, Presley went on to be based in Germany, much like British army veteran Laurent.

And though the King has passed on, his music lives on – even in Cambodia where Laurent admits he’s probably the only Elvis tribute, for now at least.

“You’re bringing him alive by just doing it,” he says.

For more information on Laurent's work and upcoming gigs, visit the Elvis Fandango Facebook page. asialife Cambodia 37

Flight Club

Hanging upside down is the new way to get fit in Phnom Penh.

Marissa Carruthers turns her world AROUND to try out the latest yoga form to fly into the capital. Photography by Conor Wall.

The collection of red “hammocks” gently swinging from the ceiling may scream Otres beach, but these slings aren’t meant for relaxing on with a cocktail in hand at sundown. In fact, they’re not even hammocks – something soon made obvious by the muscular figure gracefully hanging upside down, arms stretched to the floor and legs entwined in the material, to demonstrate the art of fly yoga.

The exact origins of aerial yoga are unknown, but it is believed to have developed in the United States in the mid2000s after yoga experts were inspired by acrobatic shows such as Cirque du Soleil.

Several yoga teachers soon adapted their own form, and the trend caught on across the globe.

38 asialife Cambodia

Following its growing popularity in Europe, the concept has been introduced to Cambodia by husband and wife team Alison Hawkins and Oskar Nery of Yoga Phnom Penh. Gracefully pulling herself into the sitting position, while simultaneously untangling her legs from the strap, Hawkins – a yoga fanatic for more than 20 years – makes it look easy.

Always keen to push her toned and tattooed body further, the Brit first tried the exercise while attending a series of aerial sessions in Bangkok last year, in the hope of adding it to the studio’s classes.

“Unfortunately, it was more like a combination between aerial yoga and aerial acrobatics, and that wasn’t what I was after,” the studio co-owner says. “I wanted

something that used the swing in a less aerial arts way and more like the traditional Iyengar yoga [a form of yoga that puts an emphasis on detail, precision, alignment and breath control] with an additional fitness component.”

After a long search, Hawkins identified an intense course that was aimed at experienced and certified yoga teachers in Bali, Indonesia. A grueling three weeks was spent learning how to correctly twist the torso around the swing to achieve the ideal downward dog. Students also perfected an upside down handstand that stretches the abs, legs and back, and can use the swing to soar the ceiling in a superman-like pose.

In March, the couple shipped in eight swings – lengths of soft silk with adjustable

A

B

D

E

C

A Inverted Dhanurasana or Bow This pose is great for combatting the stresses and strains of sitting at a desk all day. The swing enables the practitioner to surrender to gravity, while being supported by the material to get a superb front stretch through the body.

B Inverted Eka Pada Rajakapotasana or One Leg King Pigeon This is a great hip opener as well as a good stretch for the front of the body and an intense shoulder stretch.

The swing makes it more relaxing than the mat version.

C Pincha Mayruasana or Peacock Feather The swing helps those who have not developed the full strength or confidence to reach the pose by themselves. It also gives the benefits of being inverted, without needing the strength to hold your own weight.

D High Lunge or Warrior 1 Variation This is a variation of the more commonly known warrior pose. It strengthens the legs and stretches the hip flexor of the rear legs. The swing is used to correct arm and shoulder blade alignment.

E Natarajasana or Dancer The swing is used to help the practitioner work towards the full version, by taking hold of the foot and bringing it to the head. The swing aids balance and stretches the shoulder.

handles to offer additional support – and started to design a series of routines, exercises and poses to pass on to pupils.

“Yoga has so many benefits, and there are even more benefits to using the swing,” says Hawkins, who moved to Phnom Penh four years ago after setting up a yoga studio with Nery on Candolim beach in Goa, India.

The practise offers improved flexibility, strength, balance and posture, she says, while boosting breathing, digestion, energy and all-round health. Throw a swing into the mix, and yoga just got a whole lot easier, claims Hawkins, throwing back her head and grabbing her feet from behind to create a perfect circle.

Having only dabbled in a handful of yoga sessions before, and despite Hawkins

extolling fly yoga’s benefits, I find that the swing still looks complicated. Complicated and scary.

“It’s actually really useful in helping the practitioner get the right alignment, as well as being used to support any additional injuries and weaknesses,” says Hawkins, positioning the silk swing at the top of my thigh before bending me over into the triangular downward dog. “It’s also used along with gravity to give a wonderful, deep relaxing stretch in some asanas [poses] where the body is fully suspended.”

It turns out Hawkins and her 15 years of teaching experience are right. The swing allows getting into tricky poses much easier.

The wide fabric supports my body in all the right places, making holding asanas for

longer periods of time simpler than when on a mat. I thought being suspended upside down would be another story, but as I flip backwards, simultaneously wrapping my legs around the fabric above me, the swing holds me in place. I was left hanging for about three minutes to enjoy the stretch running down my spine. The blood rushing to my head took a bit of getting used to, and the same went for the not-so-flattering shade of tomato that my face turned.

“This is a great and fun way to explore yoga and get fit,” explains Nery, flexing his muscles and striking a pose while suspended in mid-air – proving that this is a trend that can leave you on a definite high.

For more information, visit yogaphnompenh. com or phone 012 739 419. asialife Cambodia 39

Discovering

Cebu

Taking a turn around the Philippines’ historic central island, Esther de la Cruz stops along the way to experience secret beaches, colonial relics, shark encounters and all those mangoes. Photos by Fred Wissink.

40 40 asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia

There are only a handful of places on the planet that can go toe-to-toe with Cebu when it comes to mangoes. The small carabao mango, to be specific.

The rolling slopes of the Philippine island’s interior are studded green with mango trees, their silky fruit ripening under the tropical sun, destined for a sweet ending.

A source of great regional pride, not to mention vitamin C, Cebu’s mangoes are characteristic of the islands from which they spring: unpretentious, unrefined and bursting with vibrant pleasures.

It’s safe to say that the Spaniards weren’t in the market for mangoes when they washed up on these shores in 1565. Cebu City was singled out as Spain’s first settlement in the archipelago, thanks to its deep harbour (sibu is the local word for trade) in the shelter of Mactan Island.

Mactan is a playground of five-star hotels and resorts. Those who prefer more leisure in their leisure travel are whisked from the aging Mactan-Cebu International Airport to combed white sand beaches, infinity pools, exclusive villas and top-notch spas where chilled calamansi juices and welcome massages await.

Over the bridge from Mactan, Cebu City is for the most part an easy-going, ramshackle port town with a few gleaming pockets of new development. The older areas are grey and dusty and dotted with the vestiges of another time, when elaborate churches and stone forts towered over the thatched huts of the native Cebuanos.

History lovers will enjoy discovering the Jesuit House on Zulueta Street. Built in 1730, the house is buried in the bowels of the functioning warehouse where it was discovered, restored and relaunched as a museum and one of the city’s best attractions, alongside Fort San Pedro and the Spanish-colonial home Casa Gorordo.

A more contemporary lodging of interest is The Henry, a true Cebu original. The 38-room boutique hotel boasts quirky design, an eclectic lobby, Rita’s Restaurant, and Scrapyard Bar, all of which easily double as one enormous photo shoot set. Spacious guestrooms are outfitted with modern comforts and total creative licence. Piles of vintage luggage, oversized Viking chairs, antique doorways, smouldering murals, curious signage and other out-of-the-box elements are sprinkled throughout the property.

The city’s top dining spots are a stone’s throw from The Henry, but travellers are best served by doing their research on restaurants in all Philippine destinations. A strong Spanish emphasis on home cooking followed by a wave of American influence makes authentic Filipino cuisine challenging to locate, leading many to mistake the widely available local fast food for the genuine article.

In Cebu City, Golden Cowrie and Lantaw serve tasty traditional recipes, while Mesa specialises in modern Filipino fare. Aside from its mangoes, Cebu is famous for roasted pig, or lechon baboy. Visit Zubuchon for a taste of what chef Anthony Bourdain pronounced “the best pig ever”.

Despite the city’s cool bistros (Tymad), galleries (The Pink House) and watering holes (Gilt), Cebu’s true assets are outside the city and easily accessible.

Go chasing waterfalls, but skip busy Kawasan Falls for the quieter and more compelling Tumalog and Cambais falls. Take to the hiking trails of Osmena Peak. While away a day at the bird sanctuary on Olongo Island.

Comfortable on two wheels?

Cebu’s southern coastline is a joy to explore via motorcycle.

Tiny village after tiny village whizzes by, each a collection of tidy native homes loosely anchored near a colonial-era

stone church, complete with a few wild-looking roosters and a fat pig lolling in the sunlight.

Locals are extremely friendly.

The rustic island setting alternates with glorious views of the frothy turquoise sea, brightly painted fishing boats and limestone cliffs.

Three to five hours from Cebu City are the islands of Camotes, Bantayan, and the insider favourite – Malapascua. Any beach boredom fostered from one too many humdrum holidays will quickly evaporate at the sight of these exquisite shores.

Moalboal, three hours by car from the airport, is popular for rewarding snorkelling and sea turtle sightings. Near Moalboal, divers orbit Pescador Island hoping to witness its famous sardine run and thrilling sideshow: thresher sharks hunting in the wild.

Recently, whale sharks have been spotted near Pescador, but it’s the village of Tan-Awan in Oslob that guarantees daily encounters with these breathtaking creatures, known in the Philippines as butanding. Luckily, these filter-feeding fish follow a preferred diet of plankton and chum, meaning there’s very little danger of hapless tourists being accidentally sucked into a whale shark’s mouth. The ideal time to encounter Oslob’s whale sharks is at around 6am, with the first boat of weekday visitors.

After your close up with the whale sharks, clamber onshore, order a cold San Miguel with some grilled fish or a fresh mango, and let Cebu’s simple beauty sink in.

asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia 41 41

BUBBLICIOUS Taiwan’s famous bubble tea is firmly on trend in Phnom Penh.

Ellie Dyer gets to the bottom of the phenomenon that is sweeping the capital, with photography by Charles fox.

Businessman Monira-Daniel Sir is a bubble connoisseur.

As the founder of the rapidly expanding Cambodian bubble tea chain Poptea, he can test 50 to 100 glasses of the iconic Taiwanese drink during a single day of staff training.

“Usually I test the bubbles,” he explains from the company’s headquarters in Phnom Penh.

“They have to be chewy, but not too hard, and it has to have the perfect sugar level – they’re soaked in honey actually.”

The drink’s appearance, sweetness and seal are also carefully evaluated by the business, which launched in Kids City last June and now runs six outlets in the capital. At least six more are on the way, signifying that Poptea is at the forefront of the bubble tea craze sweeping the Kingdom.

42 asialife Cambodia

Over the last year, bubble tea has gone from a beverage served up in a few small venues to the coolest drink on the block.

Colourful modern outlets, solely dedicated to offering a dizzying range of tapioca and jelly-laden milk and fruit teas, are springing up all over the capital, attracting scores of trendy young Cambodians to their doors.

But though the Kingdom is rapidly embracing the iced beverage, its origins lie not in Southeast Asia, but across the South China Sea. Bubble tea popped into life in Taiwan in the 1980s, when experimental tea-sellers began serving up cold beverages to their morning customers.

A teahouse product development manager called Lin Hsiu Hui took the drink

one step further, according to press reports, when she poured tapioca balls from the Taiwanese dessert fen yuan into a glass of iced Assam tea during a meeting. She drank it – and bubble tea was born.

Nowadays, bubble tea can be sipped throughout the world, with the phenomenon gaining increasing traction. McDonalds in Germany launched a range of the bright drink in 2012, while global franchise Chatime – boasting 1,000 tea stores worldwide – entered the Cambodian market in January 2013.

Experimentation is ongoing with independent retailers like Jenny Ng, owner of Q Tea on Street 178, dreaming up new inhouse concoctions that celebrate the art of bubble tea.

“You have to know the balance of it – you can’t have

bubble milk tea in which you can’t taste the tea. And the tapioca is very important. It has to be squidgy, it has to be chewy,” says the Malaysian.

Youths and students may be at the forefront of the bubble movement, with Poptea’s target market the under-35s, but the fun drink can delight at any age.

If we’ve whetted your appetite, try out these outlets:

Poptea

Light wooden furniture and shades of purple and green decorate the interior of cute but cool Poptea Bassac on Sothearos Boulevard near Almond Hotel.

The range of colourful tea toppings displayed behind the counter is mesmerising, but the delightful staff will soon step-in to give you some muchneeded advice. AsiaLIFE opted

for lemon and kumquat tea with “popping mango boba”– caviar-like bubbles filled with juice. The spheres explode on the tongue in a burst of flavour, giving the tea a satisfying sugary kick. A passion-fruit oolong tea with mango boba was equally refreshing, rather like Poptea’s modernist vibe.

Popteacambodia.com

Q Tea Bubble Milk Tea

From the diverse teas to the quirky decor, Q Tea is clearly an innovator. Light shades are fashioned from recycled cups, while green vines drape from the ceiling. The creative, independent outlet offers milk teas, soda-based bubble drinks, coffees and smoothies, plus seasonal specials. On Valentine’s Day, the space was filled with

red balloons and students sipping on strawberry teas laced with heart-shaped jelly. Unlike many venues, Q Tea is large and airy, with plentiful seating and food to tempt in regular visitors.

Facebook.com/QTeaBubbleMilkTea

Chatime

Global franchise Chatime boasts eight outlets in Cambodia alone, including a branch in Siem Reap. Back in the capital, purple and white dominate the large Chatime near KFC on Riverside. The venue also features crystal chandeliers, orchids and an outdoor seating area. Service is quick (despite one staff member’s T-shirt stating “keep calm, we’re new”) and an indulgent coco-oreo smoothie with rainbow jelly arrives packed with chocolaty flavour and chunks of biscuit. A

jasmine green tea, with chewy black tapioca pearls, provides a simple yet cooling alternative.

Facebook.com/chatimecambodia

Hi Tea

An eclectic mix of furniture and knick-knacks greets customers at Hi Tea on Monivong Boulevard, giving the venue an Alice in Wonderland meets Asia type feel. Animal-print and gold stools surround high tables topped with carouselstyle canopies, oversized red leather chairs dot another corner of the sprawling room, while a water feature spews dry ice by the large windows. It may be an odd environment, but the bubble tea is solid. A cup of milk green tea comes well mixed and the tapioca pearls have the right amount of chew.

Hiteacambodia.com

What is bubble tea?

Invented in Taiwan in the 1980s, bubble tea began as traditional milk tea mixed with tapioca pearls. The pearls are made from tapioca starch, which is then formed into rounds, boiled and sweetened. Bubble tea has now spread all over the world, with venues offering fruit, classic, and milk teas with a range of jellies, bubbles and beans. Customers choose the level of sugar in their drink along with the topping, and teas are often served in a sealed plastic cup with an oversized straw.

asialife Cambodia 43

K’Nyay With a fresh location, a budding vegan lunchbox programme, new homemade products and an evolving menu, K’NYAY shows no signs of slowing after six years as a Phnom Penh staple.

Named after the Khmer word for ginger, the restaurant has defined itself by doing traditional food differently. At the time of its launch, few true vegetarian, let alone vegan, restaurants existed.

“As a vegan myself, I found it quite difficult to eat [in Phnom Penh] to start off with,” says David Hunt, who founded the eatery with two Cambodian colleagues. “Things like fish sauce go in so many things, prahok goes in things. It’s all the hidden things that you wouldn’t necessarily know.”

44 asialife Cambodia

Writer Joanna Mayhew and photographer Conor Wall delve into the capital’s original vegan restaurant.

The restaurant has brought a mix of Khmer and vegan dishes to the capital, with some plates also available with meat if requested by diners. Traditional dishes have, however, required adaptation to meet vegan standards. Egg is normally mixed into an amok ($5) in order to set the steamed curry, but can be instead thickened with a combination of soymilk, coconut cream and flour.

“Customers that have come in, especially Cambodians, didn’t think that you could have tasty food without meat or prahok in there,” Hunt says, explaining that the restaurant serves its own hand-sorted wild rice blend rather than standard white grains.

The impressive dessert and drink menus also adhere to

veganism, and at no sacrifice to taste. A delectably rich and moist chocolate cake ($3) is bound together using banana instead of egg and served with dairy-free coconut ginger ice cream, garnished with mint.

In October, K’NYAY relocated to The Terrace on 95 guesthouse, a colonial-style building with high ceilings and light green walls. Housed on the first floor, the airy restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere, with deep couches and decorations that include exaggerated birdcages, paper lanterns and a pink and blue painting of Buddha.

“For me, I’ve sort of gone full circle,” says Hunt, who stayed at the same guesthouse location when he arrived from the UK to work in education eight years ago. It was there that he met the

two friends who would launch K’NYAY with him. “This is where it started, and to come back here just felt right.”

Since moving, K’NYAY has started selling homemade soymilk ($0.50/500ml) and launched daily vegan lunchboxes on a two-week rotation. The meals ($4/day) are delivered in small, three-tier stainless steel tiffin containers and wrapped in black and white krama-print bags. The menu includes thoughtfully paired offerings, like a beetroot, chickpea and pomelo salad.

"I think you’ve got to very much do it because it’s what you love doing,” Hunt says.

43 Street 95, Phnom Penh.

Tel: 093 665 225. Open Tuesday to Friday from 12pm to 9pm and from 7am to 9pm on weekends.

Burger King Burger King landing in BKK1 has been a blessing for fast food junkies like myself. Gone are the lengthy tuk-tuk trips to the airport to satisfy a craving for those far-from-gourmet cheeseburgers and crispy fries.

It seems I’m not the only one to welcome this fast food brand. Phnom Penh’s BKK outlet is pretty much always packed. Trying to find a seat, especially at weekends, can be a difficult task, and battling the mob that crowds around the tills takes a while to get the hang of. On my visits, I’ve got to the cashier after a fiveminute wait.

While the burger-heavy menu is not as extensive as in some countries (it’s missing ingredient being breakfast items), it boasts the usual

Burger King staples. Sadly, I found that the already abridged menu was further cut by ‘not available’ signs on the chicken bites ($1.30/ $1.90), double mushroom Swiss burger ($4.95), grilled onion and cheese burger ($3.95), and any other chickenrelated item bar the wings.

When I returned two weeks later craving nuggets, the situation was the same.

So that left us with the cheeseburger meal ($3.20), a whopper ($4.80), a double bacon burger with cheese ($4.95) and spicy Mexican chicken wings ($1.70). After a 10-minute wait full of trepidation – can they really taste as good as back home?

– the order landed in front of us.

BKK1’s new Burger King has been a whopping success. Reporter Marissa Carruthers and photographer Charles Fox check it out.

The burgers arrived in familiar thin paper wrapping and, thankfully, when it comes to taste, they’ve mastered the recipe to perfection. Each bite of the whopper – made up of two patties, crammed with salad and lashings of sauce – reminded me of home.

In fact, they’ve even upped the global chain’s game, replacing the thick, crispy fries served in the UK with the signature skinny ones seen at McDonald’s – a brand that is also making waves in Asia and opened its first Vietnamese store in Ho Chi Minh City last month. Amazing.

If you like chicken well done, then the wings will also be right up your street. Each small bite was crunchy and

had a satisfying tang thanks to the spicy coating.

Despite being busy, the deep wooden floors of the main eating area and the cozy corner with coaches and a low table were clean. Tables were also quickly wiped down after customers left. The potted plants lining the entrance and hanging baskets outside add a welcoming splash of colour, while a feature wall made of bricks gives the eatery a contemporary feel inside.

I’m not sure how long it’ll take for the novelty to wear off, but for the moment I’m indulging in the fact the city centre now houses a quick and convenient taste of home.

Corner of Street 310 & 51, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 890 282.

Open daily from 9am to 9pm. asialife Cambodia 45

behind the

Design sofitel bangkok sukhumvit

Walking along the crowded pavements of Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Road is an ordeal best avoided. Cheap T-shirts, knock-off DVDs, combat knives and vibrators vie for your attention, impervious of whether you are a single male or a mother with three young kids. Rising like an Art Deco temple, the Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit provides a welcome refuge from the mire below.

The 32-storey building represents a far more salubrious marriage of East and West than occurs nightly on the streets outside.

The hotel’s interior is a modern take on the Thai rice harvest – icons and motifs 46 asialife Cambodia

resembling rice fields, stalks and kernels are scattered throughout – blended with French elegance in the form of artwork, statues and props.

Nowhere feels more French than the space at the top of the hotel. Based on the Haussmann-style that was the creative force behind some of the most influential architecture of 19th-century Paris, L’Appart is precisely that – a Parisian apartment in the heart of Bangkok.

Designed by PIA Interior Company Limited, one of Thailand’s most respected interior design companies, L’Appart represents a refined atmosphere with beautiful

bespoke furniture including a renowned Le Cornue stove.

The space is open to the public and divided into different areas – a formal dining room, an open kitchen and livingroom set up as the main restaurant, a library for contemplation and conversation, and a bar-lounge area with a DJ station to make the party tick.

Behind the design lies a fictional story that roots the concept. A nephew lives in his wealthy uncle’s apartment – a dream Parisian home lovingly recreated in Bangkok – while he is off on his travels around the globe. As the uncle’s wanderlust continues, the nephew turns the

apartment into his personal party venue and begins to entertain his friends.

Despite the rather contrived scenario, L’Appart is a resounding success.

Helped by the award winning restaurant, the venue already has developed a reputation as one of Bangkok’s finest rooftop bars – the view over Sukhumvit is quite stunning – and party venue.

So, whether you wish to join the rebellious nephew’s nightly party-going, or wish for a cocktail as the sun descends on Sukhumvit, L’Appart most certainly is a cut above the rest.

Words by Mark Bibby Jackson asialife Cambodia 47

redalert

Photography: Cheky Athiporn for C Nation Studio Hair. Makeup, styling and concept: Ryan Drewe Taylor for The Dollhouse. Model: Kate Sutherland

Jacket, crop top, skirt: Ambre Necklace and earrings: Paperdolls Previous page Dress: Juli Handayani, Lacquer container: Ambre Shoes: Model's own.

Dress and tea set: Ambre

Dress: Julie Handayani Earrings: Paperdolls

Vintage dress: Paperdolls Fur jacket: Ambre

Dress: Juli Handayani Necklace: Paperdolls

Listings

hotel & travel Airlines & Agencies

Air Asia Domestic Terminal Arrival Office NºA17, Phnom Penh International Airport Tel: 023 890 035 Asiana Airlines Room A16 at Phnom Penh International Airport.

Tel: 023 890 441 Bangkok Airways #61A, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 722 545 Cambodia Angkor Air Branch Office in Phnom Penh #206A Preah Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 6666 788 Cebu Pacific Air No. 333B, Preah Monivong Blvd, Sangkat Orussey 4, Khan 7 Makara, 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 161 China Airlines #32, Preah Norodom Blvd, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 056 China Eastern No. 68, st. 606, Sangkat Beung Kak 2, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh Tel: 016 985 668 #304, Steung Thmey Village, Siem Reap. Tel: 063 965 229 China Southern Room F-G-H-I,Ground floor Nº53, Phnom Penh Hotel, Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 588 DragonAir #168, Monireth Boulevard, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 424 300 Eva Air Suite 11-14B, Street 205, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 911 Jet Star Asia #333B, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 220 909 Korean Air #254, R03, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh.

Tel: 023 2240 47-49 Lao Airlines #58B, Preah Sihanouk Blvd.

Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 956 Malaysia Airlines #35-37, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 218 923-924 Myanmar Airways International No. 90-94Eo, Charles de Gaulle (St. 217), 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 866 404 Qatar Airways Ground floor, Intercontinental Hotel, Phnom Penh. www.qatarairways.com

Skywing Asia Airlines IOC buld, Monivong Blvd, Beoung Riang, Doun Penh. Tel: 023 217130 Silk Air Regency Complex C, Suite 2-4 Samdach, Monireth Blvd, S.k.

Tomnoubteouk, Khan Chamkarmorn Tel: 023 988 629 Thai Airways #294, Mao Tse Toung Blvd., Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 214 359 Tiger Airways No. 296, Mao Tse Toung (St. 245), Intercontinental Hotel, Suit 16B, 12306 Phnom Penh.

Tel: 023 5515 888 Vietnam Airlines #41, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 215 998

Battambang

Cafe Eden Located along the River Tel: 053 731 525 www.cafeedencambodia.com Eclectic cafe with incredible food that overlooks the river. EspressoWifi- A.C.-Local Art. Non-Profit that focuses on training Cambodian People. Boutique with handmade local crafts. Happy hour 3pm-7pm. Open Wednesday - Monday 7:30am-9pm Bambu Hotel Phum Romchek 5 Tel: 053 953900 / 053 953 905 bookings@bambuhotel.com www.bambuhotel.com 16 rooms arranged in four traditionally inspired buildings with swimming pool, bar and restaurant.

Battambang Resort Wat Ko Village, Battambang Tel: 012 510 100/053 666 7001 info@battambangresort.com www.battambangresort.com Jaan Bai restaurant Road 2 near Psar Nat Market Tel: 097 398 7815 Located in the heart of downtown Battambang, Jaan Bai is a home for folks who share a love of gatherings around the table, a passion for food and an interest in supporting Cambodian youth. Using seasonal organic produce sourced from own kitchen garden, local farmers and neighboring markets. Open Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 9pm.

Kinyei cafe Street 1 and 1/2, Phum 20 Osaphea Tel: 017 292 119, www.kinyei.org Social enterprise, best coffee in town, serving snacks, lunch, breakfast and other drinks, friendly staff, free space for small open workshop. Won the National Barista Championship two years in a row 2012 and 2013. Open 7am-7pm, 7 days.

asialife Cambodia 55

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.

Sangker Villa Hotel Pool Restaurant 200 Street, Romchek4 Village, Ratanak Commune Tel: 097 764 0017 www.sangkervilla.com Sangker Villa has 7 rooms and 1 Balcony Suite. It is located 10 minutes walk from the city center. The hotel combines the charm of the countryside with the advantages of the city. Swiss management, speaking English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Kampot

Blissful Guest House Tel: 012 848 390 www.blissfulguesthouse.com Small guest house, with 18 rooms, set in guest house street with downstairs garden bar and restaurant and bar, Sunday roast, home-baked bread.

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

56 asialife Cambodia

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.

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: 078888 557 www.knaibangchatt.com An exclusive resort offering personal

service in private grounds housing a collection of remodelled 1960’s style colonial villas. Offering 18 rooms, infinity pool, 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 Tel: 011 964 181 www.leboutdumondekep.com Individual and separate bungalows in traditional Khmer architecture located on a hill-top with good views and nice gardens. Serves French and Khmer cuisine. Rooms have hot water, minibar, 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.

The Vine Retreat Tel: 036 633 3383 / 097 461 0711 www.thevineretreat.com Eco guesthouse and organic food.

Get away from the chaos of the city to peaceful, homely comfort surrounded by nature. Please note that the Vine Retreat now accepts Visa. The nearest ATM is 35 km distant.

Valley Resort/Mr. Mab Kep City, Cambodia, Tel: 036 666 6673 www.mr.mab.com, www.springvalleyresort.com Spring Valley Resort, at the base of Kep National Park, is just a short walk to the beach. The rooms are scattered

throughout vibrant green gardens, connected by walkways that wind through vines, trees and flowering plants. Their new restaurant, Mr. Mab... very delicious, takes a fresh look at traditional Khmer street food.

Veranda Natural Resort Tel: 033 399 035 / 012 888 619 www.veranda-resort.com Traditional wooden bungalows set in the hillside. Settle in for the night and listen to the jungle purr. Has a good restaurant and bar with some quite stunning sweeping views down to the coast.

Villa S’aat Tel 017 38 31 85. www.villa-kep.com Your holiday home in Kep! Elegant and spacious villa for rent in Kep during holidays and weekends. Located around 2 km from the crab market, with spacious rooms, fully equipped kitchen, swimming pool, large terrace, garden and household staff. Maximum capacity of 12 guests.

Mondulkiri

Mayura Hill Resort (Mondulkiri 4 star Boutique Resort) Phnom Penh Office: 225 Sisowath Quay Tel: 017 711 177 / 017 811 188 www.mayurahillresort.com Mayura Hill Hotel & Resort located in Mondulkiri Province has 14 exclusive private Bungalow villas embodying the north eastern lifestyle. The first eco-tourism resort in Sen Monorom city located just 1 Km from downtown, surrounded by wonderful views of the highlands.

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 well-equipped 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.

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 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.

InterContinental 296 Mao Tse Tung.

Tel: 023 424 888 www.ihg.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.

Patio Hotel & Urban Resort 134z Street 51. www.patio-hotel.com Close to Independence Monument, the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, the National Museum and the river front, Patio has 45 luxurious rooms.

Modern amenities include a rooftop swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar on the 7th floor.

Restaurant open daily from 6am – 11pm.

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.

Season Residence Apartments 109-133, Street 144 Tel: 023 990 628 / 012 457 408 www.seasonresidence.com Season Residence is self-catered accommodation located only 9 km from the airport. Featuring spacious apartments with free Wi-Fi access.

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 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.

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.

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.

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.

Homefeel CS Hotel #23AB, Street 278.

Tel: 023 214 571 www.homefeelcs-hotel.com Located in the heart of the tourist area in the center of Phnom Penh, Homefeel CS Hotel welcomes you warmly and guarantees you will get this feeling.

Hotel Cara 18 Street 47 & 84.

Tel: 023 430 066 / 023 998 422. stay@hotelcara.com www.hotelcara.com This stylish boutique hotel has wellfitted rooms at very reasonable rates and a great sushi restaurant.

asialife Cambodia 57

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

contemporary ground-floor bar and Chow Restaurant with WiFi.

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.

TEAV Boutique Hotel 14 Street 310, Phnom Penh, Tel: 023 981 818 / 017 989 191 www.teavboutiquehotel.com, stay@ teavgroup.com Located in a quiet, peaceful setting in the prestigious central heart of Phnom Penh near the Independence Monument, the uniquely designed art deco style TEAV Boutique Hotel provides single travellers, couples, families, leisure and business with a relaxing and highly personalised stay in Cambodia’s capital.

Rambutan Resort 29 Street 71, BKK1. Tel: 017 99 22 40 www.rambutanresort.com Urban modern oasis located in a quiet residential area only 5 minutes from all major sights in Phnom Penh. Deluxe pool view and garden rooms with outdoor bathtubs. Salt water pool and private spa room for some unwinding treatments.

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 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 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

58 asialife Cambodia

Queen Boutique Hotel 49A Street 214. Tel: 023 211 683 om@queenboutique.asia Boutique hotel located conveniently close to all the major attractions including the Royal Palace and National Museum.

Villa Borann 235A Street 19. Tel 023 211 518 www.villa-borann-boutique-hotel.com Business boutique hotel in the historical centre of Phnom Penh with 14 rooms, swimming pool, bar and restaurant.

Nicely furnished rooms. Colonial style.

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.

Villa Samnang Street 302, BKK1. Tel : 023 221 644 www.villa-samnang.com Boutique hotel with 14 rooms, swimming pool, bar and restaurant.

Villa ey 16 Street 306. Tel: 023 213 219 www.villasrey.com Charming hotel, six rooms with terrace and swimming pool. Very quiet in the heart of Phnom Penh

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.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, air-con, 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.

Sihanoukville

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.

Mick & Craig’s Restaurant Serendipity Beach, Sihanoukville Tel: 034 934 845 www.mickandcraigs.com A small friendly restaurant serving comfort food from around the world since 1997. Open daily from 7am-11pm.

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

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 Spanishborn 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. iDeal Reward 23 KT Tower Level 9, Street 112 Tel: 023 555 00 24 / 017 87 29 15 www.idealreward.com A website that provides the best tourist deals in and around Cambodia with up to 80% discounts on Travel, Beauty & Wellness, Leisure, Restaurant, and Shopping. Check out idealreward.com now to get exclusive tourist deals and guides of places to eat, see, and relax.

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.

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.

Mezze 13a (1st floor) Street 11 Tel: 097 7667343 mezze.siemreap@gmail.com www.mezzesiemreap.com Escape the heat and dust to be warmly welcomed by attentive staff at one of Siem Reap’s unique venues. Enjoy signature cocktails, original cuban cigars, fine champagnes, luxury shisha and fusion tapas. Open every day from 6pm-1am.

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: 063 966 381 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

Golden Banana Boutique Resort Phum Wat Damnak, Kum Sala Komreuk, Krom 10, Siem Reap Tel: 012 654 638 / 063 766 655 goldenbanana2@gmail.com, www. goldenbanana.info Deluxe suites & villas in modern Asian style build around a salt-water pool.

Private balcony or terrace with outdoor bathtub/splash shower. Gay-friendly.

3mn walk to Old Market.

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.

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.

asialife Cambodia 59

Siem Reap - Leisure

Angkor Silk Farm Puok District (20min from Siem Reap downtown) Open daily from 8am to 5pm Tel: 063 5555 768 www.artisansdangkor.com Learn about the meticulous process of silk-making and traditional silk weaving.

A free shuttle bus departing from Artisans Angkor’s shop in Siem Reap center to the Angkor Silk Farm is available daily at 9.30am and 1.30pm.

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.

Phare, The Cambodian Circus Behind Angkor National Museum on Komay Road. Tel: 015 499 480. www.facebook.com/PhareCambodianCircus A unique professional Cambodian theatrical circus show mixing traditional and modern artistic skills. Emotion guaranteed every night for only $15.

7.30pm daily.

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

Clubhouse facilities: pro shop, rental equipment, restaurant.

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 day-trip from Siem Reap, or combine bird watching with temple trips to Koh Ker and Beng Melea.

Siem Reap - Medical

Royal Angkor International Hospital National Route #6 Phum Kasekam, Khum Sra Ngea.

Tel: 063-761-888.

Fax: 063-761-739 www.royalangkorhospital.com Royal Angkor International Hospital is part of the well known Bangkok Hospital Network. We offer high quality care for all eventualities from routine care to emergency treatment 24 hours a day.

Siem Reap - Restaurants

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.

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.

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 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 Friends International group that trains marginalized and vulnerable young people for a career in the hospitality industry. Profits go back into the training programme. Open Mon-Sat 11am-10pm.

Siem Reap - Shops

Artisans Angkor Boutique and Workshops Stung Thmey Street (2min from the Old Market) Open daily from 7.30am to 6.30pm Tel: 063 963 330 www.artisansdangkor.com Boutique offering a large collection of handmade souvenirs such as high-quality silk scarves, clothing and accessories, wooden and stone sculptures, lacquer paintings and decorative items for all contemporary lifestyles. Also offers free guided tours of the handicraft workshops to see some of the secrets of traditional Khmer craftsmanship.

Eric Raisina 53 Veal Village Tel: 012 965 207 / 063 963 207 Accessories, decor, textiles and clothing created by Madagascan-born 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.

Chanrey Tree Pokombo Ave. Tel: (855) 63 76 79 97 www.chanreytree.com Traditional Khmer food in a beautiful contemporary setting. Alongside the river, 50m brfore Preah Phrum Rath Pagoda. Open daily. Lunch 11am2.30pm, dinner 6pm-10.30pm.

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.

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.

Sokkhak Spa Sok San Street, next to Haven Restaurant, Old Market Area Tel: +63 763 797 www.sokkhakspa.com In Khmer, Sokkhak means ‘tranquility’.

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.

Open daily 11am - 10pm.

Le Malraux Street No. 7. Tel: 063 966 041 Beautiful French restaurant offering alfresco, café and brasserie style dining

60 asialife Cambodia

siem reap

Siem Reap - Spas

Boating on Baray Reach Dak Caroline Major Visitors swaying in hammocks, splashing at the water’s edge, and eating fried chicken or stuffed frogs form a regular Sunday scene at the popular West Baray, a man-made Angkorian reservoir. In comparison, the quiet waters of the archaeological park’s Northern Baray, or Baray Reach Dak, are ripple-free under the mid-morning sun, devoid of locals and tourists alike.

However, thanks to a new community-based tourism initiative, this serene corner of Angkor is opening up. Guided boat tours and nature walks are allowing visitors to access the relatively un-trodden part of the far-reaching park.

Georgina Lloyd, project officer for UNESCO’s Angkor Heritage Management Framework, explains that the new tours are the result of collaboration between the communities of Leang Dai and Phlong villages, the APSARA National Authority, UNESCO and Godden Mackay Logan.

Parched for over five centuries, Baray Reach Dak formed part of an extensive water management system in the Angkorian era. Its use in altering local hydrology was deployed again in 2007, when authorities re-flooded the area as part of flood preventative measures for Siem Reap. The community tours aim to offer alternative livelihoods to local villagers, some of whose rice fields disappeared after reflooding, and to help spread

the benefits of tourism.

The first welcome centre is located at Preah Khan, a temple worth visiting before or after the community-led tour. A forest walk and visit to a local nursery leads visitors to a viewpoint overlooking the expansive baray, where a hand-propelled wooden boat gently paddles back across the waterway to complete the loop.

A longer variation takes guests from a second welcome centre, near Ta Som temple, and includes travelling by boat to the island temple of Neak Poan, uniquely reenacting the way in which Angkorians would have arrived.

Those looking for a sundown vantage point, away from the crowds that throng more concentrated sites, will appreciate the tranquility of the 20-minute sunset boat ride starting from Preah Khan. Treetops peak out of water, glimmering under the lambent glow of sundown.

The submerged trees are not mangroves, and in time they will fade away to leave an uninterrupted body of water.

Lloyd is excited that the project is now moving into a transition phase where the community is managing and running the tour with ongoing technical support. “The tour now really ‘belongs’ to the community,” she says.

For more information, visit gml.com.au/resources/angkorhmf/naturalcircuit/

Listings

food & drink Arabic

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.

Petra 8 Street 288 (between St 51 & St 57) Tel: 023 666 3222 / 089 990 150 Authentic Arabic cuisine, ambiance and chef with rooftop shisha lounge.

Located in the heart of BKK1.

Special dining experiences with great costumes.

Open daily from 10am – 11pm.

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 The Terrace on 95, 43 Street 95 (corner of Street 348) Tel: 093 665 225. www.knyay.com Modern Khmer restaurant tucked away off Monivong 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 12-9pm (Tue to Fri), 7am-9pm (Sat & Sun), closed Monday.

Malis 136 Norodom Bvd. Tel: 023 221 022 www.malis-restaurant.com Beautiful modern Khmer restaurant with a courtyard set around narrow 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. Open 6am - 10pm.

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.

Tel: 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

asialife Cambodia 61

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: 066 821 224 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 – 10pm.

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

62 asialife Cambodia

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 home-cooked 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.

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).

Le Vôtre caterer 9A, Street 178.

Tel: 092 638 683/092 24 88 16 levotrecambodia@gmail.com Caterer specialising in fine French cuisine preparing both fresh and frozen meals for wholesale, private events and walk-in customers.

Products include foie gras, terrines, salmon gravlax, French cheeses and deli goods. Open daily 7am - 7pm.

Sunday 7am - 12pm.

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.

Indian Delight 115Eo Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 724 885 / 098 776 543 Delicious North Indian tastes served at a modest yet clean and bright on riverside. Opposite Titanic restaurant.

Open everyday 11am – 1pm.

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.

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

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.

Byrd Cafe & Restaurant 23 Street 288.

Tel: 023 997 255 Japanese run restaurant in BKK1 where comfort meets a good atmosphere. Guests can enjoy dishes including appetizers, salads, grill, side menus and drinks.

Open daily 11am-midnight.

CABARET 159 Street 154, near Central Market Tel: 092 650 980 info@cabaret-restaurant.com Restaurant and lounge bar with live music.

Enjoy trendy food, tapas, cocktails and wine in a modern setting encompassing two elegant areas, bar and patio. Fine and casual dining available. Live music four to five times a week, sumptuous variety of wine and cigars.

Starter + Main Or Main + Dessert

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.

Heritage Restaurant OPEN EVERY DAY FROM: 11.30am - 2.30pm 5.00pm - 10.30pm

Doors Restaurant 18, Street 47 & 84. Tel : 023 998 114 www.doorspp.com New tapas restaurant, with live music. Open 11am 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, splitlevel 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

Starter + Main Dessert

info@vans-restaurant.com | 023 722 067 Street 102,house N.5, Sangkat Wat Phnom. Khan Daun Penh

Featured on:

Top Choice:

Listed on:

asialife Cambodia 63

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.

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.

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.

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.

Flavours Corner St 51 and St 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.

FOX Wine Bistro 104 Sothearos Blvd & St. 266.

Tel.: 098 78 99 61 Casual wine-dining. For passionate food and wine lovers who want an unforgettable dining experience or even just a place to hang-out that’s unlike elsewhere in Phnom Penh.

Serving simple yet thoughtful dishes and drinks in a comfortable, hip and trendy atmosphere.

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.

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.

Irina Russian Restaurant 22 Street 29 Tel: 012 833 524/ 092 833 524 www.irinacambodia.com

64 asialife Cambodia

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 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.

the best fish and seafood in town.

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

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.

One More Pub 16E Street 294.

Tel: 017 327 378 (see bars)

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 10.30am-10.30pm.

Lime Restaurant + Bar 79F Street 128Tel: 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 13pm-midnight.

Ocean 11 Street 288. Tel: 017 766 690 European managed Mediterranean restaurant that dishes up some of

Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023990321. www.paddyrice.net (see bars) Regency Cafe InterContinental Phnom Penh 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 888 ext. 3603 Regency Cafe features sumptuous international and Asian buffets as well as a la carte dining for the most discerning palates. Open daily 6am-10.30pm 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 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.

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.

Cafe Yejj Opposite The Russian Market

Stonegrill 649 Sisovath Quay.

Tel: 023 999 950 www.stonegrill.com.kh Stonegrill offers a unique interactive

asialife Cambodia 65

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.

66 asialife Cambodia

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 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 21 Tel: 078 700 001 A hidden gem, with eclectic food in an urbane environment. This small restaurant and bar owned by the former owners of Talkin To A Stranger offers small plates of food for sharing. Using imported and local foods, the menu encompasses global foods and unique cocktail and wine listings at reasonable prices. Caring and experienced staff makes for a pleasant evening.

Come find The Lost Room and ring for directions. Open from 5pm Monday to Saturday. Kitchen closes at 10pm. Closed Sundays. Lunch by appointment only.

The Taste Khmer Dessert & Café The Taste Khmer Desert & Café collection which appeals to your eyes and mouth you will be charmed by lovely Khmer Dessert. 9 Street 310, Phnom Penh, Tel: 023219498 / 012476012, axchoeun@yahoo.com Open daily from 7am – 9:30pm.

The Village Restaurant, Bar & Live Music 1 Street 360.

Tel: 012810731 Stylish purpose built music venue serving a sumptuous array of international dishes. Superb stage and acoustics plays host to a variety of international and local bands.

Open from 9am - midnight Closed Sundays Zino Wine Bar and Restaurant 12 Street 294.

Tel: 023998 519 FB: www.facebook.com/zinowinebar Zino offers a comprehensive wine list by the glass and bottle, professionally made cocktails and a constantly evolving Mediterranean and Asian menu. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Kitchen closes at 11pm.

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.

Da Sandro 162 Street 63 (near Sihanouk Blvd) Tel: 010644987. www.sandropanini.com contacts@sandropanini.com Daily homemade authentic Italian sandwiches in the heart of Phnom Penh. Delicious cold cuts and cheeses directly imported from Italy and fresh baked bread. Open 7 days, 11am - 9pm.

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.

Delivery service now available at yourphnompenh.com last orders at 9pm. 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, 6pm- 10:30pm Luna 6C Street 29. Tel 023220895 Stunning garden courtyard with day beds and couches as well as outdoor tables and chairs or air-conditioned interior. Excellent homemade pasta, woodfired pizza and contemporary Italian cuisine. Great selection of wine from climate controlled cellar. Now also offering brunch on weekends.

Open 11am-11pm Mon-Fri and 9am–11pm Sat & Sun. 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. Delivery service now available at yourphnompenh. com last orders at 9.30pm. Open daily 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm.

Terrazza 1c Street 282.

Tel: 023 214 660 www.terrazza.asia Experience Italy in Phnom Penh. Fine Italinan restaurant and Deli shop. Open daily 12pm-10pm, Deli shop: 9am-9pm

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.

Ninja Dining & Bar 14B Street 278. Tel: 088 861 623 Traditional Japanese cuisine including sushi, ramen, BentoBox. Japanese chefs prepare authentic dishes amid a great atmosphere.

Open daily 11:30am-2:00pm, 5pm12am.

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.

Shangri-La 477 Sisowath Quay opposite Cambodiana Hotel Tel: 077 773 022, www.facebook. com/ramen.shangrila Japanese noodle bar serves the best Ramen from Hokkaido, Japan.

You can taste Japanese special soup and noodle collaboration like eating in Japan with affordable price. Open daily from 11:00am-15:00pm.

Shiro-Fukurou 37 Street 310, Tel: 077 773 022 www.facebook.com/shirofukurou Shiro-Fukurou is the special Japanese soup restaurant!

The soup made by Japanese chef, cannot be taste in any other restaurant.

Open daily from 11:00am-11:00pm.

Udon Café Green Bowl 29B Street 288. Tel: 086 426 530 Freshly made Sanuki-style udon noodles offer a real taste of Japan.

Noodles and accompanying soups and sauces from are prepared from

imbibe

Taking It Slow Darren Gall I have had a passion for home-style Italian food since my childhood in urban Melbourne surrounded by new Italian immigrants who always seemed to be eating far more interesting dishes than me (sorry mum). So, when Chiara De Lucia asked me if I would be interested in co-hosting a simple Italian food and wine evening at Da Sandro Panini Bar in Phnom Penh, I jumped at the opportunity.

I also have a deep appreciation and a profound respect for the Slow Food Movement, started by Carlo Petrini in Italy in the 1980s.

Its aim was to defend regional traditions, good food, gastronomic pleasure and a slow pace of life. The movement is now a global entity with thousands of projects and millions of people involved in more than 160 countries.

Slow Food envisions a world where all people can access and enjoy food that is good for them, good for those who grow it and good for the planet. They are strongly opposed to the standardisation of taste and culture, and the unrestrained power of food industry multinationals and industrial agriculture.

Today, their approach is defined by three principles: good, clean and fair. Slow Food believes that food is tied to many other aspects

of life, including culture, politics, agriculture and the environment. Through our food choices we can collectively influence how food is cultivated, produced and distributed, and as a result bring about great change.

In 2010, Slow Food International began its independent Slow Wine project, releasing a guide that not only reviews wines but also the wineries and the people behind them.

Bearing this in mind, our evening was very much in the tradition of simple Italian dining – a group of people taking the time to enjoy themselves, their meal, the wines and their hosts. The dishes were hearty and simple with a combination of local ingredients and some fine imported Italian meats.

The wines themselves shone, as good Italian wine always seems to when paired with good Italian food.

My highlights were a crisp and clean San Angelo Pinot Grigio from Castello Banfi in Tuscany; an evolved and exotic aged Gavi di Gavi from Pio Cesare in Piedmont; a refined and pure Chianti Classico from Barone Ricasoli in Tuscany; and a sublimely complex Nero d’Avola from Planeta in Sicily.

As the laughter began to fade and the last crumbs of scarmorza cheese were picked from the plates, I already felt a need to plan another one.

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 68 asialife Cambodia

scratch using traditional methods and fresh ingredients. Open from 11am-2.30pm and 5.30pm-9pm.

Closed every 2nd Wednesday.

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 Quay.

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.

La Citá 13 Street 282.

Tel: 092 388 123 Riverside, between St 108 & 110.

Tel: 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, al pastor, texas chile, carnitas, pollo and carne asoda in our festive dining room. Open daily from11.30am - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm (Sunday evenings only).

Vegetarian

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 multiple locations in Phnom Penh, serving breakfast sets, Asian and Western entrées and an array of ice cream flavours in air-conditioned comfort. Open daily from 6am - 11pm.

Botanic Cafe-Art gallery 126 Street 19. Tel: 077589458 botaniccafe@yahoo.com, www.botanica-gallerycafe.com Cafe set inside 80 year old building with garden displaying art and premium souvenirs. First floor exhibition and event space promotes local artists. Lunch and dinner menus 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, groundfloor restaurant and on the streetside terrace. Open 6.30am - 10.30pm.

Café Namu 28b Cnr Sts 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

asialife Cambodia 69

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.

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.

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.)

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.

Daughters of Cambodia 65E0 Street 178. Tel: 077 657 678 www.daughtersofcambodia.org The cafe, called Sugar ‘n Spice, serves light lunches, 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 foot treatments.

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!

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).

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 a riverfront vantage.

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 serving hot and cold drinks and snacks.

Hahahoho Board Game Cafe 74 Street 456, 2 blocks from Russian market Tel: 096 737 2955, hahahoho.cafe@gmail.com, facebook. com/hahahoho.cafe Come and enjoy lots of board games like genga, monopoly and catan. Free wi-fi. Air conditioned and comfortable.

Variety of drinks, sandwiches, beer and Korean specialties including bibimbap, bulgogi rice. Open daily from 11:00am – 9:00pm 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.

This Japanese café chain offers good locally sourced coffee, delicious desserts and a relaxing atmosphere.

Open daily 6am - 2am.

Café Tin Tin Tango A cosy restaurant located in the Toul Kork area Serves Asian and Western food including bakery and apartment services. Open daily from 6:30am –

70 asialife Cambodia

10:00pm. 38 Street 592, Toul Kork Tel: 023 982 109 / 012 808 816

Backstage 377 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 097 958 7338 Cocktail bar, located near the Royal Palace, is a trendy, intimate yet dazzling place committed to serving some of the best cocktails in town.

Open: Mon-Thu 5.30pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-3am, closed on Sunday.

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) Chez Rina Cocktail Lounge 6 Street 98, Round the corner of Brown’s Riverside Tel: 017 259 955 Phnom Penh’s coolest lounge in a beautifully restored 1890s space in the historic old French Quarter around the Post Office. The focus is on cocktails and conversation hosted by the lovely Chanrina.

Open Monday - Saturday 5:00pm 12:00pm.

Chow 277 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 224 894 Contemporary and sophisticated 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.

Inspiring Arts 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 two-for-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 / 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) 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 hangout, 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.

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) 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.

Chapei Dang Weng Cambodian Living Arts A long-necked, two-stringed guitar, the chapei dang weng has an ancient history dating back to at least 500 B.C. According to renowned chapei master Kong Nay, the instrument was known by its Sanskrit name, pinn, before its introduction to Cambodia, and bas-relief carvings of the chapei even appear on the edifices of Angkorian temples. The instrument is often performed at important ceremonies and serves as a key component of classical Cambodian classical wedding music, or pleinkar boran in Khmer.

Improvisation lies at the heart of the chapei’s musical tradition. For centuries, chapeiplaying troubadours wandered throughout Cambodia, reciting ancient folklore and improvising songs – often humorous, sometimes even satirical – about anyone and anything, from Buddhist morality to the audiences that would gather to hear them perform. Kong Nay, a CLA-supported master artist, is renowned not only for his legendary skill with the chapei, but also for his lightning wit and his ability to ad-lib clever verses on the fly. Chapei lyrics are as likely to address a beautiful woman in the crowd as they are to offer moral advice.

A characteristic penchant for social commentary and a willingness to speak truth to power greatly endangered chapei performers during the Khmer Rouge era, when an estimated 90 percent of Cambodia’s artists were slain – including many masters of the chapei. Those few artists who survived, including Kong

Nay, have persevered. With assistance from CLA, they have been able to support themselves as teachers, passing on their knowledge to the next generation of Cambodian musicians.

Two and a half millennia after its introduction to the Kingdom of Cambodia, the ancient chapei is undergoing a modern revival – with artists and instructors finally receiving the support they need to teach and practice their craft, more and more young students are picking up the instrument for the first time.

The Chapey Dang Weng Art Community, a Phnom Penhbased ensemble founded by students of musician Pich Sarath, is collaborating with the Children of Bassac dance troupe to create a unique sound that reinterprets traditional Cambodian musical style with an injection of contemporary influences, including lyrics in both Khmer and English. Initially sponsored

by CLA, the group has since spun off into its own independent entity.

The new ensemble premiered their work on Feb. 25 at Doors, a popular tapas bar and music venue near Phnom Penh’s Riverside.

With a long-term goal of selfsustaining careers in music, the members of the Chapey Dang Weng Art Community have already offered showcases in Takeo province, and hope to secure regular performances in order to share their beloved instrument with Cambodian and foreign audiences alike.

Cambodian Living Arts celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. To mark its achievement, CLA will be submitting a regular column to AsiaLIFE to explain the world of traditional art forms to our readers.

asialife Cambodia 71

Wine Bars

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

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.

Zino Wine Bar and Restaurant 12 Street 294. Tel: 023998 519 FB: www.facebook.com/zinowinebar Zino offers a comprehensive wine list by the glass and bottle, professionally made cocktails and a constantly evolving Mediterranean and Asian menu. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Kitchen closes at 11pm.

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.

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. Semiprivate booths in a chic environment make for an unrivalled experience. Open daily from 7pm until late.

72 asialife Cambodia

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.

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.

Nova 19 St 214. Tel: 097 716 5000 Trendy night club with VIP section and dress code (no flup flops, tank tops or shorts!).

Open 9pm-4am.

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 - 2am.

NORTHBRIDGE

Listings

culture Cinemas

The Flicks 39B Street 95. Tel: 078 809 429, theflicks-cambodia.com Local expat oriented movie houses with revolving schedule of international and art house films, screened in comfy air con movie rooms. Also offers potential for movie parties, with option to hire the movie room for a private session (max 30 people).

Minimum two screenings per day. Check the website for the weekly schedule. Cover charge $ 3.50 per day.

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 10am.

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 12R Street 256. 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 184. Tel: 023 213 124 Formerly the Alliance Française, the French Culture Centre (CCF) offers cultural activities including exhibitions, festivals, and film screenings to promote French and Khmer culture. Onsite shop Carnets d’Asie offers a selection of French books.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL CAMBODIA

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

DIPLOMA PROGRAMME

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 7am - 11.30am and 2pm - 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.

Educating the whole student For information on 2014 enrollment, 023-886-000

info@nisc.edu.kh

Classrooms that support, inspire and promote inquiry, an active lifestyle, and love for learning.

The NISC International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is one of the most challenging and rewarding curricular frameworks available to secondary students today, and our teachers work hard to construct a range of meaningful, relevant opportunities for student engagement and quality learning experiences.

WWW.NISC.EDU.KH

asialife Cambodia 73

Listings

sos

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: 012 960 076 Capoeira lessons are held every Tuesday & Thursday 6.30-8pm. All

levels catered for. Classes are free of charge. For more information visit Facebook page “Capoeira Kampuchea”.

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.

Dance World Cambodia At Hotel Cambodiana. 313 Sisowath quay. Dance studio entrance at Physique Club Gym. Tel: 012634008 danceworldcambodia@yahoo.com.au www.danceworldcambo.wordpress.com RAD ballet, neo classical, modern dance, jazz, tap dance, hip hop and k pop, breakdance, raqs sharqi bellydance, classical pilates. Classes for kids aged 2.5 and up. classes for adults, beginner and intermediate. performance and choreogrpahy group for advanced/ professional level adults.

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.

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.

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 74 asialife Cambodia

Workshop Space Open-Air-Cinema

Acute Appendicitis Dr Narith Tan Appendicitis, one of the most common conditions seen in surgical emergencies, is the inflammation of the appendix – a small blind-ended pouch found near the junction of the small and large intestines, usually located in the lower right side of the abdomen.

Appendicitis can affect people at any age, but it is mostly seen in 10 to 30 year olds. The cause of appendicitis is usually unknown although in Cambodia, and especially in children from rural areas, there are a few instances where a massive infestation of intestinal worms is the direct cause.

Appendicitis usually causes abdominal pain. Typically, the pain starts around the navel before moving down the right side of the abdomen. It rapidly worsens along with the appearance of nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea and low-grade fever.

All these symptoms are of enough concern to warrant a visit to the doctor.

Problems arise with “masked” appendicitis.

Patients self-treat with pain medicines and antibiotics, allowing a progression to the more serious condition of a

burst appendix. This may lead to a generalised abdominal infection called peritonitis, which is a lifethreatening condition.

Nowadays, with the help of the modern imaging techniques such as Ultrasound or a CT scan, diagnosing acute appendicitis is totally accurate. Treatment for appendicitis is the surgical removal of the appendix, known as an appendectomy.

In early stages, the appendix can be removed by a “keyhole” operation.

A surgeon makes two to three tiny cuts in the abdomen in order to insert a miniature camera and other instruments, and removes the appendix through the holes. Here in Cambodia, an open appendectomy is more commonly performed i.e. the surgeon makes a 3cm to 5cm incision in the abdomen to remove the diseased appendix.

The average length of stay in hospital in developed countries is two to three days, whereas in Cambodia it is around five days. Full recovery time for uncomplicated cases averages from 10 to fifteen days.

Dr Narith Tan is a doctor at International SOS clinic in Phnom Penh. If you have any enquiries regarding this or any other medical matter, please contact info.cambodia@internationalsos. com.

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 Studio 52 Street 302, Tel: 012 250 817 / 090 311 341 www.yogacambodia.com, Welcome everyone to the peaceful yoga studio.

Wide variety of daily drop-in yoga classes & monthly workshops in many styles with international qualified teachers. Your yoga class contributes to our NGO yoga programs for local kids.

Stretch your body while feeling great about reaching out to Cambodian youth.

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

Scuba Nation PADI 5* IDC Diving Centre 18 Sothearos Blvd (near FCC) Tel: 012 715 785 www.divecambodia.com Learn to scuba dive in Phnom Penh. The academic and pool part of the course can be done in Phnom Penh and you finish with 2 days in Sihanoukville on the boat. We conduct refreshers, try dives and kids’ pool parties as well as the full range of courses. Open 9am-6pm, Sat & 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.

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.

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.

Counselling Services

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

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.

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.

Dental

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 Siem Reap: 545 National Road N6, Banteay Chas, Stor Kram.

Tel: 063 767 618 www.imiclinic.com 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.

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-ofthe-art equipment, benefit from the experience and guidance of qualified trainers, and relax all year round in the open-air swimming pool.

asialife Cambodia 75

Physiotherapy Phnom Penh General Physiotherapy Practice Manual and Rehabilitation Therapy, Medical Taping, Paedriatic Physiotherapy-FitKids* & Acupuncture (TCM) Dick van der Poel Lidwina Niewold Veerle Knoop Naomi McKnight - Certified Physiotherapists -

Tel : +855(0)23 99 63 44 hp : 092 485 593 Street 456, #45C Phnom Penh, Cambodia Email: physiophnompenh@gmail.com * Extended treatments!

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

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

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: 077 283 332 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. Tokyo Barbershop 22A St 278.

Tel: 012 590 655 / 087 667 778 tokyo_barbershop@yahoo.com Man centric barbershop conveniently located behind Lucky supermarket.

Provides hair-cuts, shampoos, colours, manicures, pedicures, facial massage, oil body massages, back waxing.

Open daily 8am - 7:00pm.

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.

76 asialife Cambodia

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 Blvd / 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 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 women and men. Japanese-trained nail artists have years of experience and

provide expert personal care in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Full set care (manicure and pedicure), more than 250 nail lacquers, more than 350 nail design samples. Acrylic and gel nails 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.

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.

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.

Nail Holic Street 592, Tuol Kork (next to Indrak Tevy High School) Tel: 012 357 887/ 097 4123 337 Nail polish and pedicure services using products from Korea. Comfortable chairs in relaxing surroundings with professional, hospitable and friendly staff speaking Khmer, Korean and English. Open daily from 8am – 6pm.

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.

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 The Beeline Arena is the first multipurpose sports arena in Cambodia with international standards, including Multisurface state of the art FIFA regulation pitch, 2,000 person capacity, VIP lounge and restaurant. Rental for football, basketball, volleyball, events and more.

Open daily 8am until late.

Barnaart on 012 803 040 (available from 11am to 10pm). Sunday play at 2pm.

Grand Phnom Penh Golf Street 598, Phum Khmuonh, Sk: Khmuonh, Kh: Sen Sok, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 997 889. info@grandphnompenh.com Luxury living redefined. Phnom Penh’s finest urban township.

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.

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.

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.

Cambodia Golf & Country Club Route 4, Kompong Speur Tel: 023 363 666 International standard, 18-hole golf course. Open 6am until dark.

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.

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

Touch Rugby Mixed touch rugby is played most Saturday afternoons at 3-5pm at ISPP. Contact pptouchrugby@gmail.com.

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.

asialife Cambodia 77

Listings

family Cafés & Restaurants

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 playbased, ‘Inquire, Think, Learn” pedagogy.

This programme has been inspired by the I.B program and the Reggio Emilia schools

78 asialife Cambodia

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 British International School 85 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 222 416 www.ican.edu.kh iCAN offers affordable, high quality education, using the IPC, IMYC and English National curriculum. Learners are encouraged to be thoughtful, creative, think critically, collaborate and achieve their best. iCAN is the learning environment of choice for parents who value the development of their children emotionally and socially, as well as academically.

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.

Northbridge International 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.

Raffles Montessori International School of Phnom Penh 18 Street 294 corner of Street 57, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 993 999 / 011 95 97 79 www. rmispp.edu.kh, info@rmispp.edu.kh International standard school from Singapore is inviting you to bring your children to experience the beauty of an independent education.

You will see for yourselves how the Montessori education will transform your child wonderfully guided by a team of Montessori-trained teachers/directresses with so much love and passion for children. We offer Kindergarten and Primary programmes for children of ages 1.8 to 8 years old.

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, qualified early childhood educators.

Open Mon-Fri 8:00-4:00pm Sat 9:0011:00am (by appointment only).

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.

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.

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.

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 language, although English and Khmer is also practised.

Shops

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.

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.

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.

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.

M R. M A B

New Campus Continued Excellence

very delicious

Opening August 2014

serious

STREET FOOD in verdant gardens perfumed by night blooming jasmine www.ispp.edu.kh

enjoy our menu at lunch and dinner (with nightly specials)

MR. MAB ...very delicious Learning together, growing together, each making a dierence.

now open in Kep at

Spring Valley Resort Asia Life - March.indd 1

www.mrmab.com

2/12/2014 3:50:07 PM

036.6666673

eat@mrmab.com

Kids Corner

Playtime Gemma Mullen Running around the park playing hide and seek with your little one is a lot of fun and a great way to spend a few hours, but most parents aren’t aware of just how important different types of play can be for a child’s development. From physical and cognitive development to social and emotional skills, babies are constantly learning about their bodies and the world around them while playing games.

At the heart of all play is exploration. Babies like to feel, squeeze, push, pull and crawl, while toddlers are usually a little more imaginative and will demonstrate key skills including curiosity, problem solving and independence.

There are many different types of play that can be encouraged depending on your little one’s development – where they’re at is usually your call, so try to be realistic and plan useful activities.

Social play can be introduced from birth and simply involves your baby interacting with you (or others) through looking, smiling, talking and laughing. A simple game of peek-a-boo or singing songs will develope social skills, helping your baby learn how conversations work and encouraging the all-important talking.

Object play usually involves touching, throwing, banging, pushing – or sometimes all four. It’s time to pull out the bright, musical toys (preferably

ones that can take a good whack) because this will help baby develop hand-eye coordination, cognitive skills and curiosity.

Early symbolic play comes as children get a bit older, maybe around two years old.

Basically, it involves that little tyke creating something out of nothing and is quite wonderful to observe. Suddenly a box becomes a space station, a kitchen paper tube moonlights as a telescope, or some old rags magically develop into a “beautiful” wedding dress.

These marvelous ideas are not just mind-blowing for parents, they also get the creative and imaginative juices flowing inside our little ones.

Once children hit three, they’ll likely move onto role play, seeing them take on exciting new guises such as a doctor, a teacher or (the strangely ever-popular) shopkeeper. While your little one is charging you extortionate prices for an imaginary can of Coke, just remember that they’re also developing language, social and emotional skills aplenty.

It is very important to ensure that children are happy and well rested before embarking on an epic playathon. Be sure to stop when they’ve had enough and if there are signs of tiredness, take a break.

That leaves just one last thing to remember, a classic saying in the childcare world: Play is the work of children, cleaning up is the work of parents.

Gemma Mullen 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.

80 asialife Cambodia

services

Listings

business & services 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 - 6pm 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.

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 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.”

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.

Business Groups

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 custommade furniture, home accessories, kitchenware, lighting and bedroom suites. Open 9am - 6pm, closed Sun.

British Business Association of Cambodia (BBAC) 35 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 012 803 891 Contact enquiries@bbacambodia.com

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.

Australian Business Association of Cambodia (ABAC) 20 Street 114 (cnr. Street 67) For information, contact Derek Mayes.

Tel:012 385 157. abacambodia@gmail.com

Chambre de Commerce FrancoCambodgienne Office 2nd floor, 33 Street 178 Tel: 023 221 453. www.ccfcambodge.org Canadian Cooperation Office Cambodia Commissioner Service .

50 Street 334. Tel: 023 215 496 www.cco-cambodia.org

asialife Cambodia 81

services

money matters A Marathon Not a Sprint Paul Dodd

Let’s face it, we all like to see quick results. Whether our aim is to get fit or to lose weight, many of us fail in our goals because results aren’t achieved fast enough and we give up.

However, as any sporting professional will testify, you don’t turn into a champion overnight. Achieving greatness is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes many years of planning, hard graft and training.

Retirement planning requires a similarly long-term outlook. A pension pot requires patience, with investments building value over a significant period of time – the longer the better. Just as top athletes start young and train for many years, the earlier you start to save for your retirement, the better.

To reach true sporting greatness you have to have to focus on a long-term goal.

It’s the same with investing for your future. You’re in it for the long haul, so you need to set the right pace. Often you need to go against the crowd to get the best longterm benefit. Take the example of US stocks, avoided like the plague a few short years ago yet offering the best return in 2013. If you had bought back then with a long-term goal in mind you’d be reaping the benefits now.

Training to be a top athlete requires a rounded approach to fitness. A boxer doesn’t just have to be able to throw a decent punch – he needs stamina and strength too. Likewise, in the financial arena, the key

to long-term results is to take an all-round approach.

Markets are nothing if not wildly volatile and past performance is no indicator of future success. Take equities in emerging markets as an example. In 2007, they were the best performing asset class, generating gains of 37.43 percent, yet the following year their value plummeted to the bottom of the league with losses of 35.18 percent, before soaring once again in 2009. In order to balance out peaks and troughs of individual assets, the best approach is to invest in a diversified portfolio.

Finally, it is worth pointing out that no-one achieves sporting greatness alone.

Behind every Andy Murray or Usain Bolt is a highly qualified and experienced trainer who is there to work out the grand plan, encourage, motivate, suss out the competition and constantly reassess the situation to ensure that the athlete is on track to reach their goal.

Similarly, you will benefit from the support of someone experienced and knowledgeable who can offer invaluable independent advice with regard to your investments.

Look on your financial advisor as your personal trainer – he or she is there to look at the bigger picture, to help you to focus on the long-term goals, to do the research so you don’t have to, and to regularly review your investments to ensure that you are on track to achieve your goals.

Paul Dodd is an area manager 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 Paul, please send an email to info@ infinitysolutions.com or visit infinitysolutions.com.

82 asialife Cambodia

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 packages in Cambodia and neighbouring countries by the day, week or month.

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.

Western Service Centre 24 Street 420. Tel: 012 477 831 www.wmg-cambodia.com A garage with Western and Khmer staff that emphasises communication and trained, attentive skills.

IT & Software

Cresittel Co., Ltd. Office 705, KT Tower, 23 Street 112. Tel 098 518 888 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.

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. nfo@agcambodia.com Professional insurance agent offering health, home, car, factory, employee and hotel insurance packages.

Forte Insurance 325, Mao Tse Toung Blvd, Phnom Penh, Tel: 023 885 077 www.forteinsurance.com Forte Insurance is dedicated to providing exceptionally comprehensive and efficient insurance services (Corporate Insurance & Personal Insurance) to all our clients.

Infinity Insurance 126 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 888 Professional 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. www.bnglegal.com Tel: 023 212 671 / 023 212 740 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 international standard legal and tax solutions with local and cross-border experience with offices in neighbouring countries.

Gordon and Associates Asia 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.

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.

Real Estate and Property Services

240Condo 50B Street 240.

Tel: 012 271 636 www.240phnompenh.com 240 is the home of 42 luxury serviced apartments set in the most stylish area of the city 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.

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.

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.

services

Media & Design

Relocation, Shipping

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. expat2cambodia Call Sophie: 066 200 767 www.expat2cambodia.com Your personal consultant offering services from expat to expat in the client’s own language: city orientation, house hunting and utilities, health care, cars/motorbikes, recreation facilities, networking, shopping, administration.

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 and specializing in finding rental homes for the expatriate community. Best of all for our clients, our services are FREE.

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 in “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.

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.

Telecoms

Emaxx Corner St 214 and Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 818 We provide a national, high-quality, 4G communications network service for Internet and multi-media services including commerce, entertainment and education for development of Cambodia.

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.

Mobitel 33 Sihanouk Blvd.Tel: 012 801 801 Largest ISP in the country. Major mobile phone company which issues the 012 SIM card.

Smart 464A Preah Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 010 201 000.www.smart.com.kh www.facebook.com/SmartAxiata One of the most dynamic and fastest growing mobile telecom service in the country, issues the 010, 015, 016, 069, 070, 081, 086, 087, 093, 096, and 098 prefixes.

asialife Cambodia 83

Listings

shopping Art

Hanuman Fine Arts 13B Street 334, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 211 916 tradition@hanumanfinearts.com High quality, beautiful antiques and objets d’art from all over the Kingdom.

Furniture, ornaments, silverware, jewellery and more are well displayed in a treasure trove of a store. Very helpful and friendly staff.

Open 8am - 5pm.

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

84 asialife Cambodia

D’s Books 79 Street 240 & 12E Street 178 Tel: 012 726 355 www.facebook.com/ ds.books.shops New and used bookshops with over 20,000 original books and some copies, with a great range of best sellers.

Coffee, smoothies and more available all day at Street 240. Open 9am to 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 Englishlanguage 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 highquality 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 Angkor 12AEo Street 13 (in front of Post Office) Open daily from 9am to 6pm Tel: 023 992 409 www.artisansdangkor.com Boutique with a wide range of traditional and contemporary handmade pieces

produced at Artisans Angkor’s workshops in Siem Reap province: silk scarves, clothing and accessories, home furnishings, lacquer paintings and tableware, stone and wooden sculptures, silver-plated ornaments and silk paintings. Special commissions and custom orders welcome.

Artwood 33 Street 302. Tel: 016 934 999 www.artwood.asia Drop in to our showroom to experience modern wooden furniture designed and manufactured in Cambodia. Offers free consultations for both commercial and residential custom-made needs.

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.

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.

PhalyCraft 37 Street 113. Tel: 016 485 857 www.phalycraft.com Located near Tuol Sleng Museum, PhalyCraft makes scarves, bags, gifts and accessories. Custom orders available.

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.

Renature Aquarium Shop 35AE Street 288. co.operating7@gmail.com Tel: 012 664-381 (Khmer-English) / 088 3335-338 (Japanese) High quality aquarium products including fish, tanks, lighting systems, filters, water grass, rocks, Japanese soil and much more. Open Mon-Fri 12pm to 6pm. Sat-Sun 10am to 7pm.

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).

asialife Cambodia 85

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.

Tel: 023 640 5047 Vibrant vintage shop offering a selection of interesting, handpicked secondhand dresses, handbags, belt, purses and other accessories. Men’s clothing available too. The collection is constantly changing and the attractive prices already make it popular amongst expats.

Couleurs D’Asie 33 Street 240 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.

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.

Dara Shoes 10 Street 166, near corner Street 107.

Tel: 012 855 173 / 097 8097 143 Good quality shoes, boots, bags, belts and leather products made to order since 1993.

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 10 Street 208. Tel: 012 394 915 A design boutique offering home decor, women’s fashion, kids clothes, bags, accessories and continually updated design surprises. Near KFC on Norodom Blvd. Open 9am - 6pm Monday - Saturday Lim Keo 9 Street 222.

Tel: 012 941 643 Pret a porter by Lim Keo, son of Sylvain Lim, the master of Cambodian fashion.

Lost‘N’ Found Vintage Store 321 Street 63 cnr Street 322

86 asialife Cambodia

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.

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 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 336A Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 977 779 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-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.

asialife Cambodia 87

Himawari Hotel Cambodiana French Element Hotel & MW Medical AG Service

Sihanouk Blvd.

St. 308

St. 312

t Blvd.

Suramari

264

St.

Blvd

Seibur

56

ISPP Malis Derma-Care

St. 2

2

St.

.1

)

St. 310

St. 322

St. 306

St. 304

St. 119

St. 127

St. 129

St. 151

St. 153

St. 157

St. 159

St. 163

Sihanouk blvd.

.1

84

St

89

Legend Cinema 29

8 0 31

8

31

St

8

St.

01

.1

93

St

.2

5

St. 33

56

6

St.

St. 226

St. 220

St. 336

St. 326

6 4 36

St. 346

St. 316

7 21

) t.

(S r

h et

St. 218

St. 251 St.

24

ni

St. 210

St. 204

St. 202

St. 192

St. 186

St. 160

St. 156

St. 247

9

St.

St. 259

St.

269

255

St. 388

St. 372

St. 362

St. 344

St. 336

St. 324

St. 314

St. 230

St. 257

St. 261

St. 261

8

S

3 t. 3

6

St. 272

St. 234

St. 230

St. 217

St. 206

St. 156 St. 150

Chenla Theatre

Blvd.

St. 270

(A ssie

) Kampuchea Krom

rt R irpo

oad) la Ru

600

St. 606

St. 309

Blvd. (St. 128

St. 122

St. 608

86 St. 5

Tin Tin Cafe Tango

n de

St.

St. 604

St. 33

St

. 54

St.

5

St. 305

602

88 asialife Cambodia 4 St.

NailHolic

90

17

St. 5

42

.3

88

St

40

St. 5

5 St.

St. 5

8

IFL: Brown Coffee

Rattanak Hospital Comme a la Maison

84

80

53

St. 5

St.

07

03

St. 3

01

592

78

82

St. 5

66 St. 5

St. 5

54 St. 5

St. 5

52

St. 5

50

S

St. 247

253 St.OPPOSITE

297

St. 3

13

6

95

St.

St. 116

46 St. 5

48

.3

St. 3

9 t. 29

Mao Tse Toung

St. 253

St. 2

ratio

28 St. 5

St. 5

St

53

St. 202

St. 162

6

8 . 52 St.

St. 136

St. 608

4

51

St.

51 St.

St

St. 146

St. 614

St. 612

St. 610

St. 618

St. 241

To Airport approx. 6 km

11

St. 243

Home Connect

St. 291

15

93

.3

03

InterContinenta Friends ’n’ Stuff

St. 239

Forte AT THE AIRPORT: 89 St. 2 Bambou Indochine Smateria

(St. 289)

.2

St. 231

St. 229

St. 237

St. 2

St

St. 227

St. 233

Grand Phnom Penh Golf Penn Nouth

St

Royal Rattanak Hospital

St. 566

St. 564

St. 55

St. 556

St. 528

St. 52

St

2

St. 524

6 . 51

St. 562

3 28

St. 150

St. 225

St. 138

5

8

St.

28

St. 134

St.

St. 616

1

St. 560

28

St. 146

St St.

St. 194

St. 223 St. 188

iDeal Reward

99

05

Sunbird

St. 221

St. 182

2

6 . 52

St. 2

75

St. 2

S

608

3 t. 1

St. 182

St.

73

St.

9 27

St. 122

2

St. 118

St.

St. 112

St. 221 77

.1

S

5)

St.

St d. (St. 21 Nehru Blv

St.

35

St. 213

St.

St.

34

29

0

St. 211

St.

33

8

St.

.2

32

.3 St

St

St.

36

St. 18

2

St.

St.

28

6

Confed

St. 171 St. 175

.2

. 169)

St

vaquie (St

St. 310

St. 292

St. 288

St. 280

St. 117

Olympic Stadium

Wasabi

Tchecoslo

St. 302

St. 294

St. 278

St. 276

4 16 St.

St. 161

St. 152

St. 118

St. 122

v Jok Dimitro

(Pochentong

la Russie eration de

St. 278

St. 260

St. 248

St. 236

St. 232

Ch

ar

St. 143

St. 198

G de l es

St. 190

( St le l au

1 St.

St. 242

St. 141

41

St. 149

St. 165

St. 288

St. 282

Sihanouk Blvd.

St. 242

St. 115

17 St. 134

St. 113

St. 113

St. 125

.2

d)

St. 139

St. 161

St. 300

St. 26

4

St.

1

St. 214

70

109

St.

68 1 St.

St

16

6

St. 140

St. 111

11

Orussey Market

St. 137

Airport Roa

St. 105

St. 107

St. 182

. 128) m Blvd. (St

St. 109

St.93

St. 25

0

2 St. 24

St. 24

8

2

St. 22

Malis Dental Clinic Oknha Noukan

Dara Shoes

a Kro Kampuche

St. 126

St. 22

4

St. 21

8

St. 20

St. 200

St. 184

St. 17

8

St. 174

2

St. 17

St. 158

St. 180

g Blvd.

St. 107

Le Biz

St. 70

Almond H

Wat Lang Ka

St. 17

St. 154

St. 136

Monivon

g Blvd.

Monivon

Raffles Hotel Le Royal

St. 266

St. 258

St. 244

S

84

78

8 4

St. 136 St. 118

St. 126

)

110)

ar (St. 114

duong (St.

Kramuons

Preah Ang

St. 108

St. 106

St. 102

Cineplex St. 67

Cabaret

St. 86

St. 80

St. 53

Market

mey Psar Th

British Embassy

French Embassy

St. 14

St. 14

0 St. 13

St. 118

St. 108

St. 106

St. 102

Oknha Sa

Stella

Central

Central Mansions The Shop St. 96

St. 90

St. 88

St. 86

St. 84

Tell

yal Hotel Le Ro

St. 92

St. 61

Exchange

St. 75

St. 76

6 St. 13

4 10 02

St.

.1

00

St

.1 St

8 .9 St nthomok

krong Cham Baksei 90 St. 88 St.

84

United States Embassy

St.

82 St.

80 St.

78

t.

Sobbhana

InStyle Spa La Marmite

St.

S ce

St. 49

U Care Wat Phnom

.4 ( St

3

Nathan Horton Photography

ay

The Chinese House Brasserie du Port Hotel Cara Doors 7) n Fra

St. 2

9

16

Qu

th

St. 1

.3

wa

Sharky’s

St. 29

St

so

Botanic

o

l tra e Cen Offic t Pos

Kan Ji

St. 9

M

Si

Giant Ibis Transportation Van’s

7)

Limoncello

Chez Rina

3

St. 154

St. 1

Maos

9

21

d.

St. 1

t.

pR

2

Amara Spa

Meta House The Duck

Red Apron Infinity Yves Rocher ent num Mekong Quilts 240 Phnom Penh endence Mo The Taste The Shop dep In A.N.D Beyond Villa Samnang Jasmine L rd Latin Quarter Monkey Business Interiors uleva o B dom TEAE The Plantation Noro The Blue Pumpkin Villa Srey Patio Hotel Monument Books Toto Ice Cream Brown LimKeo Steve’s Steakhouse Dosa Corner Coffee EMAXX 5 St. 2 ence d si Re Petra The Dollhouse Tho Taqueria h n Huy Equinox La Clef Corona Raffles Montesorri 57 Luna Boutique de Sol St. Circa 51 SOS ArtWood U Care Smateria et) Comme a la Maison r Stre Mega asteu (P AQVARIVM 51 Ocean Events UdonCafe St. Kura Ninja Le Librairie Villa Paradiso Shiro-Fukurou La Reine Los Salon Yi Sang Renature Aquarium Bi Nail Salo Queen Boutique Hotel Byrd Romdeng Do It All Bar Crosstown Cafe St. 63 Le Rit’s Pasta and Vino Hair & Nail Studio Lucky International Kids City Supercheap Le Cafe Dental Clinic International Chiropractic Clinic CCF The F St. 81

Reyum Institute of Arts & Culture

St. 1

Keo’Kjay

(S

Sa

St. 5

th

le

Paddy Rice

St. 7

ni re

n To

o-K

Sin

Vietnam Friendship Monument

Zino Splash Inn Lime 9 Vego Quinapenas Shigeta Dental One More St. 21 Vegetarian Public House Pub Villa Borann Mumoo’s / Java Café & Gallery Bar Sito Royal Palace Emergency Room Samba Luna Irina’s Artillery The Warehouse St. 29

id Res

Rising Sun Bodia Spa Sentosa Silk U Care K West Amanjaya St. 13 Color Vintage National Museum Friends

Sunbird 2 Fox

Dolce Italia

St. 1

Mayura Resort Office Beirut Indian Delight iVIVA! Gloria Jean’s Stone Grill

e hm

Sothearos Blvd.

0 t. 24

r

Chow Riverside Bistro Metro Café The Blue Pumpkin Sushi Bar

St. 246

kt

a Ch

Pop ay Café Bambou Indochine Qu at h FCC Smateria ow S is Cafe Fresco n) nsio Cantina Ma Backstage nce (the e

Bellevue

ce en fer

Australian Embassy

Mind Body Eriq Amtalla Salon Practice Shangri-La

ll Ha

St. 240

Phnom Penh Central

on kC

u om

Naga World Darlin Darlin

1 l Road Nationa

Enjoy an

Extraordinary St. 36

8

St. 63

8

St. 62

St. 622

St. 36

9

ge

L’imprevu

Blrid g ivon

mond Hotel

Mon

Sofitel Phokeethra earos

7

Tuscan Experience

Comme a la Maison

Soth

3

St. 36

6 St. 62 0 St. 63

St. 620

2 St. 64

0

. 359

St. 64

4

St

Dragon Water Park

assy

9

St. 64

St. 35

B

I Ching lvd. iCAN

Nati

onal

Road

2

St. 21 St. 394

Lost Room Euro Dental Clinic

La Rose Norodom Bou

Le Temps des Cerises

71) t. 2 (S lvd. in B oum k Ph

47 St.

7

Ts e ao

.1

93

2

lK ap o

S

12 t. 5

510

St.

S

06 t. 5

St.

502

St.

St.

500 496 St.

S

92 4 St.

St.

St. 457

St. 448

1)

St

. (St. 27

M

91 40

.1

St.

St min Blvd

St

.1

95 19

7

arak Ph ou

St.

.1

99

0

St.

ol Khem

41

4

40

St

4

30

.2

05

4

St.

43

St

St

.2

M

on

ire

th

(S

t.

2

St.

43

Yothap

4 8 38

87

St.

.1

St.

k

71)

St

To u

85

38

.1

St.

ara

t. 2

St

ng

Bl

vd .

83

4

.1

37

em

. (S lvd

St

6

81

35

.1

St.

St

4

75

36

.1

St.

l Kh

in B

St

St.

17

Global Art School of Ballet Dancing

apo

um Pho

St.

tinental ’n’ Stuff

75

St. 4

93

The Way Cafe

St. 432

173

5

St.

.1

St. 4

St. 424

Singapore Parkway Salon

7

St. 442

3

h Yot

St. 438

St. 16

St. 17

430

St. 486

St. 480

St. 476

St. 478

St. 472

St. 163

Physiotherapy

St. 167

St.

St.

488

490

St. 147

St. 470

Hahahoho

St. 444

Toul Tom Pong

St. 155

St. 468

St. 450

St. 440

St. 432

St. 426

St. 418

St. 408

Russian Market

St. 145

94 t. 4

Indigo Counselling

St. 482

Cando Craft Cafe Yejj

504

St. 488

St. 454

St. 446

St. 450

St. 432

St. 440

St. 428

St. 408

St. 135

St. 460

Toys & Me

St. 132

St. 464

St. 143

St. 105

St. 454

St. 121

SupercheapSt. 133

St

Yoth

St. 508

St. 101 St. 103

St. 456

PhalyCraft Toul Sleng Museum

St. 420

Mao Tse Toung Blvd. (Street 245)

St. 396

St. 390

St. 386

St. 368

St. 376

St. 360

St. 350

St. 99

St. 99

Art desLignes

WSC St. 330

St. 97

Nature Wild

The Terrace The Flicks K’NYAY

St. 348

Smart

St. 498

g Blvd.

Monivon

St. 484

Rambutan Resort

St. 95

St. 310

ROCK Entertainment Club

Man Han Lou

St. 95

St. 320

ara hem

St. 73

St. 436

St. 71

iOne

T-Bone

St. 466

St. 462

Eton House

CIAPP

113

rd

St. 63

St. 474

The Little Garden

Sambo’s Tots

e

leva

DK Schoolhouse

St. 466

St. 398

Thida Salon New York Steakhouse

St. 63

Lost’n’Found

ail Salon

St. 392

St. 380

St. 370

St. 360

St. 352

St. 334

St. 322

Kurata Pepper

St. 400

Irrawaddi VI Bar

Bou

levard

The Governor’s House

Simphony De Gran

57

dom

Street)

r St. 51 (Pasteu

e

Noro

Kiriya cafe

St. 422

s AE y

Canadian International School

Topaz

A campaign financed according to EC regulations No. 1234/07

To Choueng Ek Killing Fields approx. 12 km

EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY

Phnom Penh (855) 23 986 350

Siem Reap Sihanouk, Kep & Kampot Battambang (855)Cambodia 34 934 155 89(855) 53 953 855 (855) 63 964 asialife 409

07 St

.2

09

Friends Acoustic @ Friends

Bert Bevans @ Code Red

Photography by Anna Clare Spelman, Kampuchea Party Republic & Charles Fox

90 asialife Cambodia

Launch @ Meat & Drink

asialife Cambodia 91

soundfix album review

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Lydia Loveless

Isaiah Rashad

Cibo Matto

Angelique Kidjo

Taylor Swift and Lydia Loveless are both blonde country singers in their early twenties, with names that sound like teen fiction heroines. That’s pretty much where the similarities end.

Swift has catapulted to celebrity with catchy pop tunes and highprofile romantic entanglements, whereas Loveless has followed a path less directly aimed at commercial success. The Ohio native’s third album is tinged with 1990s alternative influences and a punk attitude, with heart-baring lyrics that would make Swifties blush. With her honky-tonk soul, Loveless’s diversified sound is accessible to listeners who are unaccustomed to country music. It makes for a further reason why she and Swift are alike, with both expanding the genre beyond its niche borders.

There’s hip-hop that is all about being superhuman – the cash, the cars, the power, the glory.

Then there’s hip-hop that is about being human. The rise of Drake, Tyler the Creator and Kendrick Lamar have shown that it’s ok to show vulnerability. Isaiah Rashad is the latest MC to admit insecurity in his music, alluding to father issues and struggles with responsibility. Cilvia Demo is his 14-track debut EP, released on Top Dawg Entertainment.

Raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Rashad brings his Southern sensibilities to the California-based label. Though his lyrics may reveal some of the 22-year-old’s anxiety, there’s no lack of confidence in his flow, which is delivered with unhurried charm.

Cibo Matto’s third record is a love story about ghosts in a hotel. Fifteen years after releasing their sophomore album, the art pop duo has reunited to produce a concept album that’s delightfully weird.

Cibo Matto sounded unique in the 1990s and their brand of quirkiness still stands out today.

Given the duo’s eclecticism and Japanese roots, Yoko Ono is a blatant comparison, particularly as the album is released on her son Sean Lennon’s Chimera Music label. The album sees Miho Hatori alternating between mischievous rapping and sugar-coated singing, whereas Yuka Honda provides backup vocals and uses various sound devices. Each track produces a different mood, encompassing a wealth of sounds and styles that include hip-hop, jazz and electronica.

The call-and-response form, whereby one person sings a phrase that is then is answered by a group of singers, has a rich history in African music. On her 10th album, Eve, Angelique Kidjo features a moving example of the pattern. At the beginning of the track ‘Bana’, her elderly mother Yvonne – also the album’s namesake – sings a refrain that is then picked up by Kidjo herself and a chorus of voices. Dedicated to the women of Africa, the record features female choirs from villages in Kidjo’s native Benin and Kenya. A UNICEF ambassador and Grammy Award winner, Kidjo is well positioned to draw attention to the struggles of African women.

Singing in French, English and several West African languages, she also celebrates their strength, courage and beauty.

Somewhere Else

92 asialife Cambodia

Cilvia Demo

Hotel Valentine

Eve

topten

endorsed

Official 97.5 Love FM Phnom Penh Top Ten 1 Timber 2 The Monster 3 Let Her Go 4 Story Of My Life 5 Demons 6 Do What You Want 7 Marry Me 8 Say Something 9 Alone Together 10 Unconditionally

Pitbull feat. Ke$ha Eminem feat. Rihanna Passenger One Direction Imagine Dragons Lady Gaga feat. R. Kelly Jason Derulo A Great Big World Fall Out Boy Katy Perry

UK Top Ten 1. Dark Horse 2. Happy 3. Talk Dirty 4. Say Something

5. Let Her Go 6. Timber 7. Counting Stars 8. Drunk In Love 9. Team 10. Pompeii

Katy Perry feat. Juicy J Pharrell Williams Jason Derulo feat. 2 Chainz A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera Passenger Pitbull feat. Ke$ha One Republic Beyonce feat. Jay Z Lorde Bastille

US Top Ten 1. Rather Be 2. Stay The Night 3. Happy 4. Shot Me Down 5. Crying For No Reason 6. Dibby Dibby Sound 7. Feelin’ Myself 8. Timber 9. Ready For Your Love 10. Dark Horse

Clean Bandit Zedd Pharrell Williams David Guetta Katy B DJ Fresh vs Jay Fay will.i.am Pitbull feat. Ke$ha Gorgon City & MNEK Katy Perry feat. Juicy J

Herschel Supply Co Ruben Luong On a recent trip to Hanoi, my brother’s girlfriend and I were admiring her Herschel Supply Co travel duffel at the airport.

It was cobalt with long red handles, fully lined with a utilitarian cotton-poly material, and trademarked in Herschel Supply’s retro label stitched at the centre.

It was something one might be tempted to Instagram on the ground, in the overhead cabin, or in the taxi, because the only thing missing was some ethereal, soft filter that could make this timeless bag appear that more timeless.

Seeing that such a nice and trusty bag can make travelling a bit more special and memorable, I became interested in the brand, a relatively young outfitter of fine backpacks, totes, luggage, travel goods and accessories marketed towards the young, outdoorsy and adventurous.

Herschel Supply Co was founded five years ago by two brothers, Jamie and Lyndon Cormack, in Vancouver, Canada. Since the 1900s, three generations of their family were raised in Herschel, a small town in Scotland that is home to only 30 residents, according to its website.

Much like the brand’s namesake, the products can be passed down from generation to generation, remaining durable enough in construction but also creative enough in style to leave lasting impressions.

The recent autumn 2013 collection was inspired by cold nights at the cabin and unpredictable weather.

Its ensuing Packables Collection, for example, featured mini daypacks in lightweight poly ripstop, and totes, duffles, messengers and rain covers in navy, red, black, army and rust, colour-blocked or drawn in chevron or woodland camo.

But its new spring 2014 collection is more playful, and “ventures west towards islands balancing on the horizon for a hit of fresh sea air” (something all us city folk occasionally daydream about). iPad and Macbook sleeves ($29.99 to $39.99) are decorated in palm tree, polka dots or stylised river fish and hibiscus prints.

Other bags are colourblocked in lively primary colors.

Last month, the brand collaborated with famous UK retailer Liberty of London to produce four classic bag styles modified to feature new prints, showing that the brand is not only becoming more credible but bespoke.

A new paint-splattered print is juxtaposed with an innerlined Mitsi Valeria floral print on black, dark navy, cobalt and khaki bags. Herschel Supply only ships to the US and Canada, but a selection of backpacks and travel accessories are available at L’Usine Café in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.

For more information about its products, visit herschelsupply.com.

asialife Cambodia 93

bookshelf Matthew Quick

The Good Luck of Right Now Harper Following the success of The Silver Linings Playbook and its film adaptation, Matthew Quick returns with another book that celebrates family, friendships and unconventionality. After Bartholomew Neil’s beloved mother passes away, the 38-year-old doesn’t know what to do with himself. Bartholomew starts writing to Richard Gere, inspired by a “Free Tibet” campaign letter from the actor discovered in his mother’s effects. These intimate letters share Bartholomew’s quirky thoughts on cat telepathy, philosophy, alien abduction and women, as well as narrate his unfolding story of coping with loss and connecting with other emotionally scarred but loveable characters.

Kim Fu

For Today I Am A Boy Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Peter Huang is the only son of Chinese immigrants.

In the face of his father’s forceful expectations, he feels at odds with his role in the family – and with the body he was born into. In her debut novel, Kim Fu provides insight into transgender identity and the first-generation Chinese-Canadian experience.

Peter is sure that he is a girl, but is hiding his true self from his difference-fearing, autocratic father and the small town that they live in. As his father attempts to eliminate the family’s Chinese origins and assimilate completely, Peter breaks away to follow his own path.

94 asialife Cambodia

Elizabeth Kolbert

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Henry Holt and Company During this century, between 20 to 50 percent of all living species on this planet are expected to disappear. The Sixth Extinction, cited in Elizabeth Kolbert’s title, refers to the current mass extinction of Earth’s diversity of life, the sixth such event in the last half a billion years. In the most devastating extinction prior, an asteroid brought on the end of the dinosaur species. This time, humans are the cause of the destruction. Providing compelling stories and scientific evidence, Kolbert looks at how man-made climate change stemming from the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is wreaking environmental havoc.

Rachel Urquhart

The Visionist Little, Brown and Company The Shakers, a religious sect known for communal living and ecstatic worship, are the subject of Rachel Urquhart’s historical fiction debut. After Polly Kimball sets fire to her family farm and her abusive father is killed, the 15-year-old and her younger brother find refuge in the City of Hope, a Shaker colony in Massachusetts. Their arrival coincides with a historical period in the 1840s, known as the Era of Manifestations, when young Shaker girls around America’s Northeast were reported to be experiencing mystical visions. When the City of Hope believes Polly to be its own visionary, her secrets are at risk of being uncovered.

boxoffice

The Missing Picture

Divergent

Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Muppets Most Wanted

This year is the first time that a Cambodian film has been nominated for an Academy Award. Honoured within the best foreign language film category, The Missing Picture (L’Image Manquante) is a breakthrough for Cambodian cinema. Filmmaker Rithy Panh tells his and his family’s story of life before and during the Khmer Rouge regime, using clay figurines and archival footage. Aged 13 when the Khmer Rouge took over the country, Panh gives voice to the experience of living through such turbulence and tragedy. The film stems from Panh’s quest to create an image of this tragic period of the country’s history, a time when personal belongings and photographs were destroyed.

Based on a popular young adult fiction series, Divergent takes place in a future dystopian society divided into five factions. At the age of 16, each individual is given an aptitude test to determine which faction he or she is best suited for. When Tris Prior is tested, her results come back inconclusive. She finds out that she is one of the rare cases that can’t be restricted to any one category, showing equal aptitude for several factions. Seen as a threat to the government, Beatrice must hide within another faction in order to survive. The film stars Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller and Kate Winslet.

If a boy can adopt a dog, why can’t a dog adopt a boy? Mr. Peabody is the world’s smartest dog, the recipient of countless honours like the Nobel Prize and Olympic Gold Medals.

But his biggest challenge yet comes with fatherhood. As the adoptive parent to Sherman, a human child, Mr. Peabody must figure out how to be the best father he can be. When Sherman uses his dad’s time machine invention and changes the past, Mr. Peabody must figure out how to repair the timeline and save the future.

Together, father and son revisit significant historical events and encounter icons such as Marie Antoinette and King Tut.

The world’s greatest criminal is lean, mean and green.

He’s not Kermit the Frog, but he looks just like him.

With a striking resemblance to Kermit, Constantine is the frog responsible for a daring European jewel heist. When Kermit is blamed for the crime, Constantine takes his place and joins the Muppets on a world tour. Together with his dastardly sidekick Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais), Constantine has further nefarious plans in mind. A star-studded cast appears alongside the familiar fuzzy faces of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo and the rest of the muppet crew, including Tina Fey, Salma Hayek, Lady Gaga and many more.

Coming Soon march Movie Releases Platinum Cineplex, Sorya See platinumcineplex.com.kh for screening schedule 300: Rise of an Empire (3D) Mar. 13 Mr. Peabody and Sherman (3D) Mar. 13 Walk of Shame Mar. 16 Need for Speed Mar. 20 Divergent Mar. 27

Legend Cinema See legend-cinemas.com for screening schedule The Missing Picture Mar. 6 300: Rise of an Empire Mar. 13 Mr. Peabody and Sherman Mar. 13 Need for Speed Mar. 20 Muppets Most Wanted Mar. 27

asialife Cambodia 95

pub quiz Hot 1. Who played Marilyn Monroe’s friends Daphne and Geraldine in the film Some Like It Hot? 2. What type of food is traditionally eaten on Good Friday?

3. Which brothers were pioneers in the field of hot-air ballooning?

4. Which capital city gets over 90 percent of its heating from natural hot springs?

5. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was written by which playwright?

congratulations!

Chantha and Bart on their wedding day

21. What were students at the New York High School of Performing Arts seeking?

22. What’s the highest peak on Honshu island?

23. Where did Arsenal Football Club play their home games?

24. Which Greek word literally means the highest point of the city?

25. Which African country takes its name from its highest mountain?

Celebrity Statues

Cold

26

27

Stone

28

High 96 asialife Cambodia

6

3

5

4

7

4

7 1

7

5

9 1

3

2 9

Drunk or Sober?

16. Who was the first first-class cricketer to hit six sixes off one over?

17. Who, according to the song, should we put “in the long boat ‘til he’s sober”?

18. Which song features the words “Do the fairies keep him sober for a day”?

19. Who had international success with the song ‘Twist in My Sobriety’?

20. Which ‘Rat Pack’ member said, “You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on”?

9

29

2

5 3

30

8

9 8

3

6

6 6

1

7

5

4

pub quiz answers

11. In which Irish county would you kiss the Blarney Stone?

12. In which sport are stones and a broom used?

13. Where does Yogi Bear live?

14. Which cult hero did Val Kilmer play in a 1991 Oliver Stone movie?

15. Who, perhaps ironically, appeared on the cover of the first edition of Rolling Stone magazine?

1. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis 2. Hot cross buns 3. Montgolfier 4. Reykjavik 5. Tennessee Williams 6. 1984 7. Coldplay 8. Colditz 9.

Rene Zellweger 10. Ulan Bator (Ulaanbaatar) 11. Cork 12. Curling 13. Jellystone National Park 14. Jim Morrison 15. John Lennon 16.

Sir Garfield (Gary) Sobers 17. The Drunken Sailor 18. Merry Xmas Everybody 19. Tinita Tikaram 20. Dean Martin 21. Fame 22. Fujiyama or Mount Fuji 23. Highbury 24. Acropolis 25. Kenya 26. Benedict Cumberbatch 27. Robbie Coltrane 28. Emma Watson 29. Heath Ledger 30. Ben Affleck

6. “It was a bright cold day in April and clocks were striking 13” is the famous start to which novel?

7. Chris Martin is the vocalist with which band?

8. Which German prison camp did Pat Reid escape from?

9. Who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Cold Mountain?

10. What is the world’s coldest capital city?