AsiaLIFE HCMC September 2014

ISBN: 978 - 604 - 905 - 553 - 9

Why we love out of the box Energized Engaged Empowered

Because at ISHCMC we understand that out of the box thinking leads to originality and innovation.

thinking

Today’s students need to do more than memorize information in traditional classrooms. They need a more evolved approach to education that allows them the freedom to pursue their passions fearlessly. In addition to a strong academic foundation, they need opportunities to be creative, innovative and analytical, all of which lie at the heart of the ISHCMC philosophy.

Come and see the difference we can make in your child’s life.

The only school in HCMC fully accredited to offer all 3 International Baccalaureate programmes for students aged 2 - 18 years.

28 Vo Truong Toan, District 2 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel: +84 (8) 3898-9100 Email: admissions@ishcmc.edu.vn www.ishcmc.com Nozomi & Thijmen, Early Explorers ISHCMC Students

www.asialifemagazine.com

CAMBODIA // THAILAND // VIETNAM

SEPTEMBER 2014

VOLUME 78

26

FRONT

FOOD & DRINK

EVENTS ............................................................. 0 6

THE FIRST

NEWS ............................................................... 0 8 TOP 5 ALTERNATIVE WORKOUTS ............... 0 9 Q &A With Ray Kordupleski ......................................... 1 2 PHOTO ESSAY Curtain Call ......................................................... 1 4 .

C OV E R STO RY

Adapting to life as a new expat in Ho Chi Minh City..... 1 8

F E AT U R E S DE-MINING WITH MAN'S BEST FRIEND Clearing mines with canines ..................................... 2 4 NEW ARCHITECTS

Vietnam's progressive architecture firms .................. 2 6 Expat writers struggle to publish modern Vietnam's stories..

TUK TUK

Ho Chi Minh City's Thai eatery has arrived ................ 3 7

VIVA!

Savoury tapas to live for .......................................... 3 8

SAIGON GRILL

A feast above the city skyline ................................... 3 9

STYLE & DESIGN

ARRIVALS

WRITERS' DILEMMA

Sipping on novelty whiskies ..................................... 3 6

28

WHY I LIKE LEAFY GREENS

Reflections on becoming vegetarian ......................... 3 0

T R AV E L

WORLD-CLASS VIEW

LA-based designer Sean Knibb's District 1 apartment 4 0

FASHION: DESERT FLOWER Cambodia's hottest fashion ..................................... 4 2

COLUMNS IMBIBE ................................................................ 5 0 LOCAL EATS ..................................................... 5 2 FITNESS ............................................................. 5 4 PERSONAL FINANCE ...................................... 5 8 HOME IMPROVEMENT .................................... 6 0 HOT PROPERTY ............................................... 6 1

MY RISING SUN

PEOPLE MATTER .............................................. 6 2

PADDLE FEVER

ODD ONE OUT .............................................. 7 6

Discovering the wonders of Japan .......................... 3 2 Walking on water in the Kingdom ........................... 3 4 4 AsiaLIFE HCMC

FASHION RULES .............................................. 6 4 LETTER FROM HANOI .................................... 7 7

events Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2014

21 September

Register at info@vietnammountainmarathon.com

The second annual Vietnam Mountain Marathon will take place 20 September with 21km, 42km and 70km runs. With an expected field of 400 runners, competitors from Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, France, Denmark, Hong Kong, Brunei, England and Switzerland have already signed up. Set in the beautiful mountain ranges of Hoang Lien National Park, runners can expect an extraordinary adventure along twisting, buffalo-beaten trails. The route will run across bamboo bridges and through small villages where colorfully dressed ethnic minorities will be out in force to cheer runners on. This year the event will also feature a 10km fun run on 21 September. Each entry fee for the event includes a USD $20 donation to Sapa O’Chau. Sapa O’Chau runs a variety of local projects, including its own school with over 70 students. Many ethnic minority kids from the villages surrounding Sapa have limited access to educational opportunities beyond the age of 10. Vietnam Mountain Marathon runners can enhance the educational opportunities of ethnic minority youths in Sapa with their donation. Email info@vietnammountainmarathon.com for more information.

FITNESS & LEISURE

Autumn Galleria at Sàn Art

Until 31 October

Sàn Art, 3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh District

Image courtesy of San Art

Travel back in time and visit the fictional school of Alexandre d’Rhodes (the French Jesuit missionary who created Vietnam’s written script) established by six Vietnamese artists. Phan Thao Nguyen recreates history with careful gestures of oil on photographic film. Nguyen Thai Tuan's canvases are haunting reminders of another war-torn history left in fragments. Nguyen Van Du visits a local abattoir and explores violence. Photographer Phan Quang presents TV Time, reflecting on humans monopolised through televised propaganda or the structures we choose as limits in our lives. Le Hoang Bich Phuong thinks about the mechanisms we manipulate in order to maneuver our desires in society through The Man I Have Met. Last, Le Phi Phong proposes a debate about nature with ink drawings. Can nature be assisted through technology? Or will human's new nature be dominated by the realm of machines? The exhibition runs through 31 October at Sàn Art, 3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh district.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Ho Tram Water Safety Charity Bike Ride

18 October

Register at hotramwatersafety@gmail.com

The third annual charity bike ride from HCMC to Ho Tram to support water safety for young children will take place Saturday, 18 October. The charity event will raise money to teach water safety to children in Ho Tram. Last year raised USD $7,000. Cyclists either start at Cat Lai at 6am for the 140km ride or at Long Thanh at 7am for the 80km ride and finish at the Ho Tram Community Pool. Each participant is encouraged to arrange sponsors and the target is to raise USD $300 per person. Sanctuary Resort and Ho Tram Beach Resort have special deals on offer. For more information and registration, email hotramwatersafety@gmail.com.

Payment for registration is at The Bike Shop, 250 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2.

FITNESS & LEISURE

For more news and events, features, restaurant reviews and video, visit:

www.asialifemagazine.com

This Month's Cover: Art Direction: Sarah Joanne Smith Photography: Romain Garrigue

For advertising and marketing enquiries please contact: +84 938 298 395 / +84 8 6680 6105 or adsales@asialifehcmc.com Director: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialifemagazine.com

Art Director: Sarah Joanne Smith sarah@asialifemagazine.com

Style Editor: Ruben Luong ruben@asialifemagazine.com

Production Manager: Hoa Nguyen nguyenhoa@asialifehcmc.com

Photography Intern: Romain Garrigue

Editorial Director: Brett Davis brett@asialifehcmc.com

Photo Editor: Vinh Dao vinh@asialifemagazine.com

Contributing Editor: Dana Filek-Gibson dana@asialifemagazine.com

Administrative: Nguyen Hanh Trinh trinh.nguyen@asialifehcmc.com

Intern: Kieu Khanh Toan

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Shane Filan You and Me at Cargo Bar 4 Nguyen Tat Thanh, D4

16 Sept

8 - 11 pm One of the lead vocalists of the acclaimed group and worldwide phenomenon that is Westlife–Shane Filan– is coming to Ho Chi Minh City Tuesday, 16 September for his first solo concert in Vietnam.

The concert will feature the hit singles 'Everything To Me', 'About You' and the latest release 'Knee Deep In My Heart' as well as several of Westlife's greatest hits. Shane Filan You and Me Tour tickets are available at Ticketbox: Meet & Greet Special package + VIP ticket (limited) are VND 3,000,000; VIP tickets VND 1,500,000; General Admission early bird (limited) are VND 500,000; and General Admission tickets are VND 700,000. Concert runs 8pm-11pm at Cargo Bar, 7 Nguyen Tat Thanh, D4.

Fashionista and EDM Mashup at Chill Skybar 26th floor rooftop of AB Tower, 76A Le Lai, D1

Last month Chill Skybar debuted its fabulous campaign FASHIONISTA which will take place every Tuesday from 9pm. The night of style aims to unite fashion and shopping addicts and offer exclusive exposure to all of the well-known brands sponsored by Maison such as Christian Louboutin, Karen Millen, Coast, Bebe, Mango and more. Lucky prizes valued at over VND 20 million will be given away every week at midnight. There will also be an EDM mashup of music spinning all night by their resident DJs. For reservations, contact 08 38 272 372. Chill Skybar is on the 26th floor rooftop of AB Tower, 76A Le Lai, D1.

news HCMC administrative building to have helipad, underground tunnels Saigon’s municipal government recently announced its plans to update the turn-of-the-century Hotel de Ville, which sits at 86 Le Thanh Ton, by tacking on several modern accoutrements, including a helipad, a ground-floor display room and an underground tunnel connecting the city’s administrative centre to other 'designated agencies'. Though there has been no word on how much this iconic building will change, the local People’s Committee has stipulated that the helipad must be designed with the currently-standing structure in mind. City officials will hold a contest to select the best possible design.

Subway construction on Le Loi creates hard times for local businesses While Saigon’s motorists are doing their best to avoid the maze of subway construction around Nguyen Hue and Le Loi, businesses in the surrounding area, too, are feeling the crunch. Over the last several weeks business has plummeted, with some shops in the area reporting as much as an 80 percent decline in sales. Though shop owners have petitioned for reduced rental fees, landlords refuse to budge and several proprietors have had to lay off their entire staff in order to cut costs. “We cannot do anything but keep waiting for support from the authorities,” said one shop owner to TuoiTre.

Apply for RMIT's Global MBA program

New law could grant Vietnamese the right to gamble Though current Vietnamese law limits casino access strictly to foreign passport holders, a controversial new draft decree is aiming to change that regulation. The proposed law would allow Vietnamese nationals ages 21 and up to gamble at local casinos, provided they meet certain background and financial criteria. In addition to easing restrictions on local gamblers, the draft decree also proposes more lax regulations for casino companies but aims to prohibit online gambling services altogether. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will have the final say on the matter, however several politicians have already spoken out both for and against the new legislation. Last year, several government officials gave their stamp of approval to a new casino in northern Quang Ninh province in which a select group of Vietnamese nationals would be permitted to gamble, however others are concerned that the move could result in more problems for the country.

The RMIT Global MBA program offers a highly flexible learning experience that fosters leadership, strategic thinking and corporate responsibility. You will have access to study options in Vietnam, Melbourne and through intensive course delivery. The MBA program builds on your knowledge and capabilities through collaborative-style learning and business problem-solving to facilitate your global career progression. So what are you waiting for? Start your MBA degree this October at RMIT. Join us at the MBA scholarship information night to meet with Dr David Robinson, Director of the MBA Program, to get a head start on your application.

Date: Tuesday 9 September. Time: 6.00pm Venue: RMIT University, 21 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3, HCMC.

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Dalat could become Asian vegetable hub, says Japanese official According to one Japanese official, the Central Highlands city of Dalat has the potential to become Asia’s top provider of fresh vegetables thanks to its cool climate and fertile soil. Tadahiko Fujiwara, mayor of the Japanese village of Kawakami, met with Vietnamese officials in Lam Dong province last month to discuss a joint venture between Vietnam and Japan which would help Dalat grow better fresh greens and in greater quantities.

Dana Filek-Gibson discovers new ways to work up a sweat with this month's best alternative workouts. Illustrations by Tara Lou McKenzie.

Hitting the gym can be torture. While some might feel at home amid humming ellipticals and the clink of weight machines, many among us have hopped on a treadmill only to become discouraged when, two minutes later, we realise that we are not, in fact, moving. Of course, the alternative – a hot, steamy jaunt through Saigon's pollution-fogged streets – isn't necessarily much better. But fear not: options abound for those looking to get their endorphin fix, and nowadays neither a monotonous cardio workout at the gym nor sweating it out on the streets of Saigon are a requirement. Instead, look to these places and organisations to get fit and have fun at the same time.

1 SAIGON CYCLES MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE 51/1 SKY GARDEN 2, PHU MY HUNG, D7 FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/SUNDAYRIDESAIGON For an early-morning adventure, pedal down to District 7's Saigon Cycles. Beginning at the peaceful hour of 6am, a crew of mountain bikers heads off-road every Sunday for a scenic long ride beyond the city limits. Rides usually last around four to five hours and cost VND 100,000 per person, which includes breakfast noodles and drinks. All adults are welcome. Be sure to bring along water and plenty of sunscreen, as you'll be out in the sun for a few hours.

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XSALSA 76 MAI THI LUU, D1 XSALSA.VN

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Spice up your average workout with a little fancy footwork at XSalsa. The Latin dance studio, which has been around since 2005, teaches a range of salsa classes from beginner to advanced as well as bachata lessons, another style of Latin dance originally from the Dominican Republic. Both class cards and drop-in rates are available, with the latter starting at VND 110,000. For those who would like to try, the best place to begin is at La Fenetre Soleil on Wednesday nights, where XSalsa holds weekly salsa social dances from 9pm and you can get a preview of what each XSalsa class entails.

VIETSHRED SAIGON OUTCAST 188/1 NGUYEN VAN HUONG, D2 FACEBOOK.COM/VIETSHRED

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Twice a week, Anna-Selina Kager and the VietShred crew get together to hone their longboarding skills in front of Saigon Outcast. Founded in October of last year, VietShred aims to introduce longboarding to those who would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn. All levels are welcome, from complete beginners to seasoned pros, and there is plenty of equipment for novice riders to use free of charge. Though the group was originally formed with Vietnamese longboarders in mind, Kager encourages everyone, expats included, to join in. Most newcomers learn the basics from one of VietShred's more experienced riders and then are free to practise on their own. VietShred meets on Thursdays at 6pm and Sundays at 4.30pm. For more information, check out the group's Facebook page.

AQUAFIT CONCEPT COIFFURE 48 TRAN NGOC DIEN, D2 AQUAFIT.VN

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For a new spin on your traditional gym workout, AquaFit VN offers weekly classes in District 2. Using aquabikes, aquatreadmills and aquaelliptical machines, each class provides a challenging workout in which participants are submerged in one to 1.5 metres of water. By exercising in a swimming pool, AquaFit minimises the impact on joints, limits your risk of injury and adds a bit of fun to the conventional workout. Sign up for a free trial, opt for a single class at VND 330,000 or invest in a class card.

Both morning and evening classes are available, though you'll want to contact AquaFit for more information as classes can fill up quickly.

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SAIGON JIU JITSU STAR FITNESS, THE MANOR 91 NGUYEN HUU CANH, BINH THANH DISTRICT SAIGONJIUJITSU.COM

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For something a bit more full-on, Saigon Jiu Jitsu holds Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) classes out of a studio at The Manor's Star Fitness. Modified from traditional Japanese martial arts, BJJ focuses on grappling and ground fighting for an intense workout. The group trains both with and without the traditional gi, or uniform, and everyone is welcome to attend, from beginners to pros. Saigon Jiu Jitsu's classes tend to be mostly male, however women are also invited. For beginners, the best day to train is Wednesday. Each session runs around two hours. Class cards are available, as are drop-in rates. Join a single session for VND 100,000.

One of Saigon Jiu Jitsu's grappling coaches, Kotani Hisanori, also runs a separate karate class at the same studio on Monday and Friday evenings from 7.30pm-9pm.

15-17-19 Nguyen An Ninh Q1 - Ho Chi Minh City Booking : 09 37 200 222

Open from 11 am - Set Lunch and “A la Carte menu�

Live Music on Wednesday from 9pm Guest Dj every Friday (Old School) Dj every Saturday (Soulful House) About corporate events, fashion show, wedding, dinner for group or else Think different... Think OMG ! Fusion Restaurant&Drinks AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC 11 AsiaLIFE 11

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Author and management consultant Ray Kordupleski is bringing his philosophy of Customer Value Management to Vietnam in a seminar at the Park Hyatt from 9 to 11 September. He explained to Brett Davis why these ideas hold the key to success in business.

Could you briefly outline what the principles of customer value management are?

For a business to succeed, it must beat the competition at attracting and retaining customers. Customers want products and services that are worth what they pay for and they choose the best value. This is easy to understand but hard to accomplish.

A firm must understand, focus and align its people and processes on what customers truly value. The firm needs insightful market data and proven management tools to systematically measure, manage and create the best competitive value in the marketplace.

Understanding the data and using the tools helps companies do three important things: choose their value proposition, manage their process to deliver the value and clearly communicate that value to the market. Businesses that execute all three of these steps effectively beat competitors, win the customer and have sustainable business results.

Why is it important for businesses to understand this and apply it?

Never forget that customers have absolutely all the authority to determine which businesses succeed or fail. They speak with their money by choosing where to spend it, and they vote for the best valued products and services. Businesses that cannot attract and retain customers cannot attract capital from financial markets and talented workers from employment markets. Therefore, businesses need to win, first and foremost, in the customer market.

However, most business leaders are focused first and foremost in one market – the financial market. They are comfortable using accounting data and financial management tools. Financial data provides the final scorecard to measure success, but it is after the fact.

It doesn’t tell you how to win.

Customer value data gives leading indicators of financial success. Customer value management tells you how you are doing in the competitive market and what you need to do to win the customers’ vote.

What are some of the more common mistakes you see businesses making in how they deal with their customers?

Leaders say 'customers are number on'! but the first item on any agenda is 'how are we doing with revenue and costs'?

They talk about the customer, but then they focus almost entirely on financial data, forgetting that customers are the drivers of financials.

Leaders say they want to be number one in customer satisfaction, but they only survey their own customers.

Consumers do not care if a company is better today than yesterday. They only care who is best today.

Leaders set goals for customer satisfaction such as 90 to 95 percent. Unfortunately, they don’t realise that there is no such thing as satisfied or dissatisfied, there are only different degrees of satisfaction.

For example, if a survey has ratings of poor, fair, good or excellent, most companies say that all customers who rated them good or excellent are 'satisfied'. But 40 percent of customers who rate their

satisfaction as good are not satisfied enough. These 40 percent will shop around with competitors.

You spent many years in the telecommunications business, an area that often has difficulties with customer satisfaction - what were some of the major challengers you faced in that industry?

Yes, the telecom industry has had difficulty. Interestingly, the root causes and solutions are similar to other industries worldwide.

Service companies like telephone, power, insurance and banking strive to be customerfocused. They hold service representatives accountable for each service call. They survey customers after each contact asking how satisfied they were with the representative. They tie the individual’s rewards and recognition to the survey scores.

This all sounds good, but it misses a fundamental truth.

No single person can totally satisfy a customer alone. If that were true, there would only be one person in the business. Of course, it is true that any one person can totally dissatisfy a customer. A common cause why companies fail to satisfy customers is they use customer satisfaction data to manage individuals. Since all work is part of a process, satisfaction data should be used to measure, manage and improve the process. When satisfaction scores improve, the process team should be recognised and rewarded.

Do you think the business community in Vietnam will be receptive to your ideas on valuing customers?

It is true that cultures and businesses are unique around the world. But there are common principles in every marketplace and every culture.

Customers want and seek value. When a person gives their time, energy and money to a business, they want the exchange to be worth what they get in return. That is ultimately what we mean when we discuss value. We are asking 'was it worth it'?

This seminar will present tools that have helped businesses worldwide make sure customers feel their purchase was worth it every time and that it was the best choice. The tools work across boundaries and have stood the test of time. They can be tailored to fit unique challenges. I do feel the business community will understand, accept and use Customer Value Management in Vietnam.

What is the key thing you want people to take away from your seminar?

The secret to business success is creating value for the customer.

Over the two-day seminar, there will be many other specific and practical take-aways designed to help the participants lead their companies to choose value, deliver value and communicate value effectively to their customers.

Our objective for the seminar is to make each person who attends more knowledgeable and effective, and for each person to feel that the time, money and energy they spend is well worth their investment.

For information on the seminar or to register, visit Epinionglobal. com/events or call 08 3826 8989.

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PHOTO ESSAY:

CURTAIN CALL

Photos: Romain Garrigue Romain is a freelance photographer based in Lille, France.

Backstage preparing for a major show, dancers from the Castro Dance School in Lille, France go through a range of emotions.

During a performance, this hidden area is a hive of activity as dancers rush between scenes and make costume changes. From the audience everything looks calm and coordinated, but it is behind the curtain where the most interesting action happens.

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STORY: UONG L RUBEN : PHOTOS GARRIGUE ROMAIN DAO & VINH

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From the moment new expats arrive, whether full-fledged adults or young and fresh out of college, they have to navigate a host of new and often bewildering challenges while adjusting to life in Ho Chi Minh City.

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THE GAME OF LIFE Dining amongst themselves, new expats Warren Cammack, 34, Edwina Hughston, 35, and their two-year-old daughter Madeleine look like the perfect family on a Monday evening at The Loop in District 2.

The family arrived in Ho Chi Minh City three months ago on a Friday evening from Sydney, Australia.

“The first thing we did was literally get off the plane and we went to find a hospital and obstetrician,” Hughston says. The following Monday, they had an appointment at Hanh Phuc Hospital. In two months’ time, the couple would be expecting their second baby girl. “By the time this edition of the magazine comes out, there will be another addition to the family,” Cammack says.

The family packed up their lives in Sydney while Hughston was on two-year maternity leave and after Cammack accepted an optional two-year placement at VIB bank working on innovation strategy.

“It has been the most stressful time ever moving countries, trying to find a house, having a baby, starting a new job … all the things

20 AsiaLIFE HCMC

bundled together in a two-month block. It’s been very hard,” Cammack says, pausing.

“Yeah, it’s been very hard.”

Cammack and Hughston had a temporary stay at the Vista in District 2 where their family began to adjust to Ho Chi Minh City life but also began to search for a more permanent home.

Renting an apartment is relatively easy here for single expats content with group living, but searching for a suitable family home in the city is a different matter. In fact, Cammack and Hughston’s relocation agent showed

“

It has been the most stressful time ever moving countries, trying to find a house, having a baby, starting a new job … all the things bundled together in a two-month block. It’s been very hard.

Warren Cammack

“

here are tell-tale signs of a newly-arrived expat, like someone who hangs on for dear life with both hands on the back of a motorbike, or who opts for chopsticks to eat rice even when the surrounding locals eat it with a fork and spoon.

It is ultimately a matter of preference, but it can also be the first awkward rite of passage into expat life, in which everything in chaotic Ho Chi Minh City feels unfamiliar.

Hot, crowded and noisy, it’s a city not for the faint-hearted. But it is also not an uncommon story to hear an expat arrive for a brief, temporary period and end up staying for several years or more.

For better or for worse, there are arrivals going through the motions of expat life whether they are prepared or not. Somewhere down the line comes the decision to accept Ho Chi Minh City through thick and thin, or ultimately, to find a change of scenery.

them 22 homes in one day.

“Finding a house has been very different,” Hughston says. “The lease negotiation pro-

cess for us took a month because everyone needed to be part of it and change different things. There were so many people involved.”

“We found one place. It unfortunately went and the next place we found it took so long that I kept thinking, ‘Are we going to have somewhere to live’?”

Finally, by mid-August the family settled on a newly-built, four-bedroom home in District 2. They moved in last month, three days before their baby was expected to be due, so the timing was down to the wire.

“Some of the places we saw were very, um, elaborate,” she says, chuckling. “Lots of different wallpapers and sparkly things,” Cammack comments. “There’s an apartment we looked at that had a giant karaoke room and things like that.”

Another major priority was finding a good school for Madeleine. They looked at three schools but decided on the Australian International School. “They teach Vietnamese culture even at their age and I thought that was important for children so they’re not in a bubble full of expats,” Hughston says.

While Madeleine attends school, Cammack is busy adapting to Ho Chi Minh City’s work life. “People work half-day Saturday or full-day Saturday as well so you really get one day a week off. The hours are very long,” he says. “It’s a Vietnamese-owned bank but my boss is Western so his expectation is that

“

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We found one place. It unfortunately went and the next place we found it took so long that I kept thinking, ‘Are we going to have somewhere to live’?

Edwina Hughston

things move at Western speed, but when you deal with bureaucracy as well it’s very difficult.”

“But there’s a healthy attention there and I think it’s possible to make things move more quickly. I think it will take more time to get people used to that kind of speed.

It’s exciting. Vietnamese people are very entrepreneurial, creative, so you just have to work it out, how you harness that and make it work. I think it’s going to be an interesting two years,” he says.

WE ARE YOUNG While long-term expat couples like Cammack and Hughston are concerned with finding stability in Ho Chi Minh City, another demographic in the expat spectrum is the peripatetic Millennials who live a freer, more adventurous lifestyle in Ho Chi Minh City.

Popular arrivals are of course young

foreigners working as temporary English teachers to fulfill the city’s high demand for instructors at major English centres and public schools.

Bright-eyed young couple Libby LeCorgne, 23, and Andrew Kochanski, 22, arrived in Ho Chi Minh City only last month after graduating a few months before from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.

“Up until this point life has been really easy, parents hold your hand and then you’re in college and that’s kind of a transition but you’re not really on your own and you’re not really ready. I wasn’t ready to figure things out as well,” LeCorgne says.

So she and Kochanski came to Vietnam through an English teaching program to obtain their TESOL certification as a way to travel and potentially save money. “The longer you’re in America, the longer you’re there after college. You get settled and you start accumulating things in places and, I don’t know, I thought it’d be harder to upand-leave in a year if we didn't do it right

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The traffic is a challenge, but at this point it's so novel and exciting, you're not complaining. And sometimes it's hilarious.

Andrew Kochanski

away,” LeCorgne says.

One of their essential tasks after finishing their TESOL program was buying a motorbike. The couple had their eye on a Honda Wave but it quickly sold, so instead opted to purchase a red-and-white Kawasaki Neo Max motorbike for VND 5 million. The side of their motorbike reads ‘style of model life’.

Kochanski, the main driver at first, didn’t have anyone to teach him how to handle the gears. He also says one of the things that had kept him up at night the first week of driving was his brakes, which were faulty. It was a matter of trial and error.

“We explored all the different districts and canals. We also did a little bit of District 5 but we were both kinda tired and it was raining

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and it was our first week of driving the moto,” LeCorgne says.

“We couldn’t stop yelling at each other.

I would get snappy at her on the bike,” Kochanski adds. “The bike kept stalling so it wasn’t the best experience.”

Of course, every new expat has something to say about the traffic. “The traffic is a challenge, but at this point it’s so novel and exciting, you’re not complaining,” he says.

“And sometimes it’s hilarious. We saw a moto guy push a bicyclist with his left leg. I don’t think they knew each other.”

Now mobile, they are embracing the culture, becoming acquainted with the language and trying hard to interact with many locals they’ve met through their English

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We couldn’t stop yelling at each other. I would get snappy at her on the bike,” Kochanski adds.“The bike kept stalling so it wasn’t the best experience.

Andrew Kochanski

teaching classes. With its six tone variations, newcomers find the language interesting but can otherwise be intimidated by it, creating a language barrier.

“Sometimes it’s hard because the more authentic you get the less you can communicate with locals,” Kochanski says. “So there’s always a balance you need to strike.

Sometimes it’s hard having a real conversation about politics or ethics or something and with our Vietnamese friends the conversation only goes so far.”

Another priority for them is also getting to know the cuisine through the knowledge of the locals. “We purposefully didn’t read the guidebooks until we got here and we didn’t do much research about the specific places to go because we just wanted to come in with an open mind and see what it was all about. Having no preconceived notions or standards has been helpful,” LeCorgne says.

During their third week in the city, they had already begun to understand the extent of available cuisine. “The best picture was our back-to-back meals ... a seven-course French meal and then we ate dog cooked three different ways with our Vietnamese friends the next day,” Kochanski says.

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GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM? But once every expat starts to get a feel for the city and clears their respective hurdles, whether having to shop for a home, start a new job or have a baby like Cammack and Hughston, or buy a motorbike, overcome the language barrier and embrace street food like LeCorgne and Kochanski, is the hard part finally over?

“I think Australians in general are pretty relaxed,” Hughston says. “But not always.

Seriously, there will be days where I kind of get to the point [that] it takes so long to do anything here. I think it’s hard sometimes

when getting in a taxi and telling them where to go and thinking they understand but realising that they don’t, so that’s tough. It’s the little things, like you go to look for something you need and you don’t know where to get [it].”

“I’m sure we’ll get fed up with the big city living after a while but I grew up in a small college town so I always knew the city was something I’d like and I’d settle for something in between,” Kochanski says. “And I’ll get claustrophobic and the pollution is annoying, but I’ve already embraced the surgical mask.”

And yet despite the frustration or hard times, the city can also prove to be unpredictable in charming or endearing ways.

“A woman I’d met once, I got stranded in a massive downpour and she drove past us in a taxi, saw us, drove back and picked us up,” Hughston says. “We’d only met her once for 20 minutes and she recognised us and came back for us. It was things like that, having a community like that, we’ve never had that back home. It was really nice to experience something like that.”

Ultimately, Cammack and Hughston have high hopes for their two-year stay.

“I think we’ve gone through that whole transition. I think for most people that takes four to six weeks so we’re feeling more comfortable and know what we’re doing and can start enjoying it rather than feelng like we’re still in limbo,” Hughston says.

LeCorgne and Kochanski, in the meantime, have moved into a new apartment and began working, and expect to stay in Vietnam for a year.

“Something that really bothered me the other day was someone asked me, ‘How do you like Ho Chi Minh City’? I said, ‘I love it, I have no complaints’. He was like, ‘Just give it time’,” LeCorgne says. “But you know, I want to continue to be enamoured with the city. I don’t want to have the expectation that the city will get worse over time.”

AsiaLIFE HCMC 23

DE-MINING WITH MAN'S BEST FRIEND It’s still dark when the team of de-mining dog handlers rise from their slumber. Quiet whimpers fill the dormitory at CMAC’s Kampong Chhnang province training centre as the dogs – sleeping in large cages strategically placed in front of their masters to help cement a crucial bond – simultaneously wake.

Following a strict routine is just part of the training regime that both dog handlers and their hounds undergo while preparing for the dangerous task of clearing Cambodia’s countryside of an estimated three to five million landmines, explosives and 24 AsiaLIFE HCMC

Thanks to their acute sense of smell, dogs are playing a major role in helping to clear Cambodia of mines. Marissa Carruthers and photographer Rudi Towiro spend the day training with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) canines and their handlers.

pieces of unexploded ordnance left over from decades of unrest.

“To make sure the dogs and their handlers work effectively in the field, hard training and trust are essential,” explains mine dog detection officer Hong Rith. “We need to have them as a good team working together; therefore they must spend all their time together.”

From 5am to 6am, the handlers lead their charges for a hearty breakfast of 350g of dry dog food and inspect them ahead of the day’s tasks. As they wait for orders, the dogs’ devotion is apparent, but it hasn’t

always been this way. In late 1997, when the first generation of detection dogs was shipped over from Europe, handlers were skeptical about putting their lives in the hands of man’s best friend.

“The first time a dog handler was introduced to one of the dogs, he ran away from it,” Heng Ratana, CMAC’s director general, recalls with a chortle. “People didn’t trust each other after decades of war, let alone dogs.”

But after more than two years of intensive preparation with help from the Swedish Armed Forces, Cambodia’s first de-mining

dog squad was let into the field to begin sniffing out the explosives that continue to kill and maim. Since then, the dogs have played an integral part in clearing the one million explosives that CMAC and partner agencies have found during sweeps of the Kingdom.

Today, training takes much less time, with the majority of canines landing in Cambodia semi- or fully-trained. Within six months to a year, the dogs and their handlers are ready to work in the field.

However, with dogs shipped in from Europe, communication can be a problem. To be able to work with the animals, handlers must learn to speak in the native tongue of the animal’s home country, be it English, Swedish or Norwegian. “The handlers have to learn about 20 words in the relevant language to be able to speak to their dogs,” says Hong.

At 6am sharp, the dogs – mainly Malinois but also Labradors, Springer Spaniels and Golden Retrievers – start a grueling morning session. For the next four hours, field training sees the dogs re-enact the work they will carry out in the field.

The canines search for traces of explosives against the wind, where the scent is clearest, walking along a 15-metre-long white rope. With the dog handler on one side, the animal sniffs out 40cm sections at a time. A second dog carries out another check before

the rope is moved on. When a suspected device is discovered, the dog sits down and receives a reward, in the form of a squeaky toy, as it leaves the danger zone. During training, dogs are taught to associate the scent of explosives with the toy.

“For them, it’s a game,” says Hong, who started as a dog handler in 1997 and now works as a trainer. “They smell an explosive

"THE HANDLERS HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT 20 WORDS IN THE RELEVANT LANGUAGE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THEIR DOGS" and the reward is playtime with the toy. In basic training we teach the dog to search for the toy, then we mix in explosives. Eventually, we take the toy away and only use explosives.”

After sweeping the training field, practise continues with the dog and its handler put in a room housing a metal carousel with 12 arms. At the end of each arm is a jar containing different objects, such as tobacco, leaves, plastic and sand, with just one having explosives inside. Sure enough, as the explosive arms passes by, the dog sits firmly on the

ground. Their sense of smell is further tested by searching for explosives in a field of abandoned cars.

From 10am to noon, the dogs exercise with an hour-long swim in a purpose-built tank and a long walk before lunch, comprised of another 350g of dry dog food. With Cambodia’s afternoon heat too oppressive to work, the rest of the day is spent bonding, playing and bathing.

“When we first started we didn’t feel confident with the dogs, but now we do and they are a great addition to the team – we’ve never had an accident with them,” Hong says, proudly.

Having proven to be up to 275 percent more effective than metal detectors in the clearance of areas with a low to medium density of explosives, CMAC’s team of 40 operational dogs and nine trainees will continue to play a major role in the country’s demining efforts well into the future.

And the dogs, who even have a pet cemetery devoted to them, could soon have new companions. Specialist de-mining rats are to be flown in from Tanzania, where they have proven successful in detecting explosives, and will be tested at a Siem Reap training facility.

“Very soon you will see the rat fly into Cambodia,” Heng says, adding with a laugh that he may face another “headache” trying to get handlers to trust them too.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 25

A niche of innovative architects and local firms are introducing natural and advanced structural concepts, contributing to an era of thoughtful building in the city and country. By Ruben Luong.

I

n a matter of weeks, the 90-year-old Saigon Tax Trade Centre in District 1 is going to be closed to accommodate a 40-storey skyscraper. Earlier this year, the historical apartment block at 213 Dong Khoi Street was also demolished.

While historical buildings are going under the wrecking ball for urban redevelopment, progressive firms are meanwhile planting intelligently designed buildings and ground-breaking dream homes in the city and country.

With intricate blueprints considerate of the local environment and climate, but also cognisant of international standards, they are establishing a movement of sustainable architecture that counteracts the rapid development in the city’s central business district.

Green is the new black Devoted to adding more elements of nature to architecture, the renowned Vo Trong Nghia Architects is currently building the Diamond Island Community Hall in Ho Chi Minh City. It will comprise eight 24-metre-wide bamboo domes situated on an artificial islet east of the city. Two of the domes were built in July from a latticed framework of bamboo stalks.

In an interview with Dezeen, Vietnamese chief architect Vo Trong Nghia said that bamboo is ”the green steel of the 21st century”. Bamboo, traditionally used for baskets or furniture, is fashionable not simply because it is eco-friendly, but it is also practical and costs about one dollar per stalk.

26 AsiaLIFE HCMC

Still, bamboo is a fairly new material for constructing major buildings. “There is almost no contractor with experience with construction. So in order to realise the space as envisioned, it is essential for us to educate workers and build the construction together,” Nghia said. His community centre, which will hold conferences, meetings, children’s activities and a restaurant, is expected to be completed next month.

On 8 September, VTN’s Wind and Water Bar is a bamboo bar that will be featured in Al Jazeera English’s Rebel Architecture, a six-part video series profiling six different architects across the world. Built in 2008, it is located in the middle of an artificial lake in Binh Duong. It uses natural wind energy with the cool water from the lake for natural air ventilation while a 1.5-metre skylight skylight exhausts the hot air inside the bar

outside.

VTN also completed the first house in Vietnam built with a bamboo framework in April this year. Nghia won the UK Architectural Review’s best one-off house for his 350-metre House of Trees, a private residence in Tan Binh.

VNT’s website notes that only 0.25 percent of the entire city is covered in greenery, so from a budget of USD $155,000, the house consists of five prismatic blocks designed as pots with trees planted on their tops. It aims to bring green space into the city but also to accommodate high-density living. The thick layers of soil on each roof function as storm-water basins for detention and retention, which reduces the risk of flooding in the city. It’s a concept that VTN hopes to spread to a large number of houses in the future.

grounds for Escape

opposite: House for Trees. Photo by Hiroyuki Oki left: Folding Wall House. Photo by Hiroyuki Oki below: Longitudinal diagram for Folding Wall House

Home sweet home Like Nghia’s House for Trees, other standout, advanced homes have appeared in recent years in small pockets of the city where firms had a chance to transform spaces so that they are efficient and beautiful.

Nha Dan Architect’s Folding Wall House is unique in Ho Chi Minh City because it divides stairs from the main living functions with a folding wall. The folding wall increases usable space and allows natural light to be diffused at different angles by sloped surfaces.

Vietnamese firm NQH is similarly committed to harmonising human convenience with environmental health. “The coexistence of a flourishing natural environment and an economically robust, smoothly functioning building or neighborhood should never involve a compromise,” its company profile states.

NQH’s Scriven Home, a villa in District 2, applies American contemporary design and nature to the banks of the Saigon River.

Built from local wood and stone, it has soaring ceilings and slatted wood siding that blends the outdoors to every room.

A palm tree ascends through the building from a semi-enclosed interior courtyard and is traced by an outdoor staircase. The ground level of the villa allows the residents to host guests or enjoy the silent solitude of the river, its breeze and a view of Saigon’s distant skyscrapers.

Elsewhere in Vietnam, a21 Studio recently made use of vacant land that was previously too hot with its Tent structure in Nha Trang. The Tent is a 126 square-metre spacum-lounge area ensonced within an active hot spring and mineral resort on the folds of a rocky hill.

It features a steep wooden roof and three layers consisting of 20mm-thick wood panels, a waterproof membrane and 30mm coconut leaves connected by indigenous building techniques to help protect the structure from intense heat from the west.

Inside, the space is divided into two levels. On the upper floor, a private bedroom is covered by wood frames. Below, an infinity mineral pool with old wooden furniture is a relaxing space that looks to the river below.

Completed earlier this year, the site is a reminder of the constant need for future Vietnamese architecture to continue to adapt, but also to work within the natural elements.

below: The infinity mineral pool at the Tent Photo courtesy of a21 Studio

AsiaLIFE HCMC 27

Writers' Dilemma In a country full of stories, expat writers are trying to bring contemporary Vietnam to a wider audience.

By Dana Filek-Gibson. Photo by Vinh Dao.

S

it down at a local coffee stand and seeking out a traditional publisher seemed contemporary Vietnam – face the added you can hear a thousand stories in the futile, given North America's oversatuobstacle of overcoming the Western world's space of an afternoon. From coffee rated market. Part-time teacher, part-time sometimes narrow definition of the country. vendors to xe om drivers, businesswomen magazine editor, Johnson penned his first When it comes to stories about Vietnam, to students to the old man invariably novel, Empty Orchestra, shortly before North American publishers are hesitant to chain-smoking in the corner of every cafe, coming to Vietnam. Using Amazon's online print anything that moves beyond the war.

Vietnam is a country of stories. Readers in platform, he released the e-book in 2012.

“Publishers seem to be interested in search of literary proof need look no further Though it's only sold a few copies, Johnson books about the Vietnam War still,” says than Graham Greene and the canon of feels as though his move to Vietnam was a Joiner. “If you're Vietnamese-American or war-era fiction that floods most backpacker fortuitous one, as it may provide him with if you're a veteran, there's still a market for bookshops today. new outlets for his work. memoirs, but novels that are set in contemBut while Vietnam has long been a “There's kind of a myth in publishing cirporary Vietnam? People don't know how wellspring of inspiration for local and expat cles that if your material is good then you to market them. There hasn't been a really writers alike, today's stories are seldom will get published and that's not necessarily successful book out there that's had nothing found on bookshelves or in literary jourtrue,” Johnson says. “[American] publishto do with the war.” nals. Works of contemporary fiction rarely, ers are looking for the next Harry Potter, the It doesn't help that, while there is a small if ever, make it to the printed page and for next 50 Shades of Grey. [Vietnam] is kind of group of enthusiastic writers seeking to those who write about Vietnam, bring attention to Vietnam-related convincing publishers of the stories around the world, expat "[American] publishers are looking for the next authors in Vietnam are hard to value in these stories can be an uphill battle. track down. Once a month at Harry Potter, the next 50 Shades of Grey. [VietFor David Joiner, author of District 1's Geisha Cafe, members nam] is kind of like the Wild West but without the forthcoming Lotusland, it of the Saigon Writers Group get took years to convince someguns. It's undeveloped. You have to get in early together to read, discuss and one that his was a story worth workshop their writing. However, and so I might just be at the right place at the reading. An on-and-off resident even at the best of times, founder since the mid-90s, Joiner John Helden says that the turnout right time.” completed his novel in 2005 is not as big as he'd like it to be. after several stays in Vietnam.

“I'm not really sure what that's – Erik Johnson, American expat and self-published novelist Though he'd had literary repreabout, to be quite honest,” says sentation in the past and, at one Helden, who began the group in point, nearly landed a book deal on a previlike the Wild West but without guns. It's 2010. Though he's had a small contingent of ous story set along the Mekong, persuading undeveloped. You have to get in early and dedicated regulars, many people come once a North American publisher to take on his so I might just be at the right place at the or twice and then disappear. Newcomers novel was no easy feat. By Joiner's estimate, right time.” are always welcome, but Helden worries he contacted over 60 literary agents and While Joiner spent years finding a pubthat perhaps the thought of offering up queried roughly 30 independent publishers lisher abroad, Johnson has partnered up your own work for public critique keeps before receiving a 'yes' from Canadian outwith local author Kim Ngan, who has two people away. fit Guernica Editions. When his book finally books under her belt, in order to translate Still, while Saigon's expat literary scene hits shelves in March 2015, there will be a Empty Orchestra into Vietnamese. The book, remains very much in its infancy, the decade between the time Joiner began his which Johnson describes as a story about general consensus is that the city provides original manuscript and the novel's actual love, karaoke and the American Dream, just plenty of raw material. Johnson, who is currelease date. might be of interest to Vietnamese readers. rently working on a science fiction novel, “It's a really weird time in publishWhen the entire novel is translated, the two has found a wealth of creative energy he ing,” Joiner says. “I consider myself very plan on shopping it around to Vietnamese didn't know he had. fortunate, but I really think that the most publishers, who Johnson hopes will be “Since I've gotten here, I've just eximportant thing for just about any writer is more receptive to new and different mateploded,” Johnson says. “I'll write 500 words to persevere. Perseverance is more than 90 rial. a day for 40 days and I'll take 40 days off. percent of the whole thing.”

Indeed, finding a way in can be the hardI'm working on a science fiction novel right In Joiner's case, enduring the wait was a est part. While breaking into the publishing now and it's great because I can look out large part of the road to publication. Howindustry is a challenge for any author, expat my window and I can see the future. It's ever for Erik Johnson, an American expat, writers – particularly expats writing about very inspirational.”

28 AsiaLIFE HCMC

AsiaLIFE HCMC 29

WHY I LIKE LEAFY GREENS Many of us eat meat but some of us choose not to.

Jade Bilowol delves into her decision to move from one extreme to the other because of her love for animals. Photo by Vinh Dao.

30 AsiaLIFE HCMC

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian. Animals raised on modern factory farms and killed in slaughterhouses endure almost unimaginable suffering," legendary Beatle Paul McCartney says.

If people don't ask me when I'll start eating meat again, they usually ask why I'm vegetarian. The answer's straightforward.

I love animals. So much so, I can no longer support a worldwide industry inflicting needless cruelty on intelligent creatures.

Just because they can't speak English, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, whatever, doesn't mean animals cannot gauge how inhumane we are to them.

Growing up with my parents playing The Beatles, the greatest band of all time, I now also listen to McCartney on a new front. He speaks from the animals' perspective, giving them a much-needed voice many of us choose to never listen to.

Pigs are smarter than dogs and outperform some primates on tasks including playing interactive video games. "They have cognitive abilities beyond three-year-old children. Yet on factory farms, they are imprisoned in crowded, filthy conditions. Many will go insane from the stress, abuse and complete lack of mental stimulation," McCartney says. When I saw a YouTube clip of the common practice of 'thumping' small, sick piglets to death on a concrete floor, I couldn't help but cry.

Chickens, too, have a terrible lot. "Chickens and turkeys are arguably the most abused animals on the face of the planet.

They are crowded into filthy sheds by the tens of thousands, and forced to live in their own excrement," McCartney says. "Hens used by the egg industry are crammed into cages so small they can't do anything natural or important to them, not even spread a single wing. The ends of their sensitive beaks are cut off with a hot blade." This is to stop them pecking each other as they go crazy cramped together in tiny cages. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) says by omitting chickens from your diet, you can save many of them.

That's no reason to target cows though.

"Cows never forget a face or a place, and they have complex problem-solving skills.

Cambridge University Professor Donald Broom documented the fact these gentle animals become excited and sometimes jump into the air when they have figured out a solution to a problem," McCartney says. Yet

we pump them full of hormones, keep them pregnant constantly and pry their offspring away from them at birth, triggering much anxiety for the mother and her calf. How would we feel in that situation?

PETA highlights that factory farm animals never get to see the sun or take in fresh air, except for a brief stretch while they are prodded onto trucks for a harrowing ride to the slaughterhouse. Many don't survive transport. Others are too sick or weak to even step off the truck at the slaughterhouse. For what? To be hung and throats slit, often while they’re completely conscious, PETA says. Many are still alive while they are skinned, hacked into pieces or scalded in de-feathering tanks.

I had a turning point and it happened pretty fast once I took in the story behind what was constantly on my plate.

Before the public holiday at April's end,

hour. We raced down the street, brandishing a photo of our little one Dottie, asking if anyone had seen him. Not one had.

Buoyed by the fact he had the social skills of a flea, we opted to leave a bowl of food out for him. I almost didn't get on the plane.

I cried every time I had a beer in Taipei (which was a lot). People would see me sitting opposite my husband at a restaurant, hunched over, sobbing so hard my back was heaving uncontrollably. People would be forgiven for thinking we were breaking up.

Here I was, grieving for this little animal like my mum or dad had died. While searching the internet for advice on how to find missing cats we were at a venue that offered more than 100 craft beers and the owner was vegetarian, offering delicious meat-free meals.

A confluence of things around me culminated in a massive life change. As I was sitting at the bar, after drinking a variety of craft beers in quick succession to numb my grief over my little cat, I looked up news.com.au.

The lead story was about animal cruelty covertly filmed at Australia's biggest pork provider. ‘Each pig is killed humanely’ was its PR line. Normally, I would have shrugged off such a headline, not wanting to be diverted from my meat. But what I saw in those two clips absolutely horrified me. Pigs with legs so disabled they couldn't move to what they knew was the gas chamber based on the cries of the other pigs dying before them. Electric prods penetrating their ears to melt their brains to coerce them to a fate they didn't want. And that's just the start of what I saw.

Admittedly in Vietnam, many animals are raised free-range and I credit that. But processed meat on supermarket shelves abounds. Animal slaughtering factories here are plentiful and this number will continue to rise.

McCartney speaks of the damage to the environment, the lack of sustainability, not to mention obesity, cancer, heart attacks, mad cow disease, SARS, bird flu and other illnesses associated with the meat industry.

"It is only prejudice that allows anyone to think there's a difference between abusing a cat and abusing a chicken, or abusing a dog and abusing a pig. Suffering is suffering no matter how you slice it," McCartney says.

"Eating meat is bad for our health, it's bad for the environment and it directly supports appalling cruelty to animals. The decision is yours, please make the compassionate choice."

Just because they can't speak English, Vietnamese, Ukrainian or whatever, doesn't mean animals cannot gauge just how inhumane we are to them.

I was a bona fide carnivore. My favourite things back in Australia were cranskies (fat sausages infused with cheese) and baconand-egg muffins.

In Vietnam, my penchant for pork continued unabated. A minimum five mornings a week, I kicked my metabolism off with a banh mi thit (baguette with processed pork) or banh mi heo quay (baguette with roasted pork) for breakfast and it was meat and meat for lunch and dinner. When cooking was too much, a dash to KFC for original recipe thighs, chips and gravy seemed a panancea. I went for months without eating green vegetables or fruit.

Then, the night before we were due to fly out of HCMC to explore Taipei and take advantage of Vietnam's 30 April and 1 May break, we locked up our place, knowing our cat Dottie was on the rooftop doing his usual nightly thing. The following morning he didn't greet us with his distinctive cry, wanting back inside.

My husband and I flew into a panic. We had to leave for the airport in under an

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A

ll around Tokyo, graffiti boldly proclaims, ‘Tokyo is yours’. Under highway overpasses, down back alleys, on the sides of old buildings, this illicit signage gives ownership of the city to any and all who pass by. On a recent trip to Japan, my friend and I did our best to embrace the gift.

When we planned our 10-day adventure in Japan, we wanted to hit all the major attractions: bullet trains, geishas and sushi. We bought our rail passes, exchanged our dong for yen and stepped out into the streets of Tokyo, guidebook in hand.

What we found over the next week and a half was much more than expected. Japan surprised us with its modern cities, beautiful rural landscapes, efficiency and convenience, and genuinely helpful and friendly people.

In Tokyo, we ticked the first box: sushi.

We woke up early and trekked down the bank of the Sumida River to Tsukiji Market, the largest wholesale fish market in the world. Although we missed the famous tuna auction, the market was bustling with fishermen and fishmongers bargaining, preparing, cutting, packing and shipping everything from clams to caviar, squid to swordfish, tilapia to tuna.

The adjacent Tsukiji Outer Market was busy with stands selling fresh vegetables, dried foods, chef knives and, of course, sushi! It was only 9.30 in the morning, but I feasted on pieces of bluefin tuna, octopus, salmon and neon flying eel. When in Tokyo...

A Shinkansen bullet train swept us away to Kyoto, where we were met with a day of rain. The precipitation brought out the umbrellas all over town, which only added to the majestic atmosphere of Kiyomizudera Temple. Before drinking from a sacred waterfall and stumbling through a blind walk between two love stones, we experienced what I can only describe as a ‘you have to see it for yourself’ journey into what is known as a dark womb to make a wish on

a spinning rock.

Kiyomizu-dera was crawling with women dressed as geishas, and the following day, it was our turn to be transformed into the iconic Japanese performers. After an hour of sitting in the makeup chair and being fitted into costume, we posed for photos between bouts of giddy laughter and determined attempts not to trip over our kimonos while walking in the traditional elevated wooden sandals.

Later in the week, we took a day trip out to Miyajima, an island off the coast of Hiroshima. Consistently ranked among the the top sights in Japan, Miyajima is known for its giant floating torii gate. We arrived at low tide, which provided us the unique opportunity to walk out onto the seabed for a close-up look at the torii.

The island is home to a species of wild deer that have become a bit too comfortable with the tourists. They aren’t afraid to come right up and steal your snacks, and one even strolled down the block with me, hoping I’d give in and toss him a treat.

We spent our last day in Japan at maybe the most legendary landmark in the nation, Mt Fuji. After a night’s sleep on a futon in a traditional ryokan, we rented bicycles and spent the day exploring the lakes at the base of Mt Fuji and basking in breathtaking views. Our spin took us along one-lane mountain roads, along lake shores lined with lavender fields, through cold mountain tunnels to caves formed by past volcanic eruptions, and into forests so quiet you could hear every acorn drop.

Riding the crowded early train the next morning back to Narita airport, I thought back to our first days in Japan, wandering around Tokyo, trying to understand and appreciate the new-to-us nation. The train sped through a tunnel decorated heavily in spray paint, and I was reminded of that graffiti declaring ‘Tokyo is yours’. If Tokyo is yours, Japan must be ours. I’ll take it!

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Paddle Fever Stand-up paddle-boarding is one of the world’s fastest growing sports and is proving to be a popular way to explore the Kingdom's untouched countryside. Writer Marissa Carruthers gets as close as possible to walking on water. Photos by Anne Pizey.

T

he call to prayer from a mosque at a small Cham fishing village faintly rings out in the distance, as a chorus of birds sing from the thick, tropical mangroves lining the spider’s web of small tributaries off the Kampot River.

The silence of the slender winding waterways is only broken by the soothing swish of the single oar used to manoeuvre the paddle-boards that we’re traversing the river on. As we steadily glide past untouched countryside, it’s easy to forget civilisation is just four kilometres away in Kampot town.

It was during a one-week break in Kampot in 2010, which soon turned into three, that Anne Pizey discovered the rural town’s potential for the water sport. The former radio journalist from Colorado and a group of fellow enthusiasts

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had been relaxing after spending 23 days paddleboarding 430 kilometres down the Mekong from the Laotian border, above Stung Treng, to Phnom Penh.

“We’d planned to rest, lie in a hammock and chill out like backpackers,” Pizey recalls.

“Instead, we discovered we’d come down with a terrible case of paddle fever.”

Desperate to get back on their boards, each day they caught a tuk-tuk upstream and paddled back to their guesthouse. “At night, we’d even paddle to town for a drink or to drop off our laundry,” she says with a smile. “We explored the river each day. We went into the mangroves, out to sea and back to town. We saw fireflies and phosphorescence.

I fell in love with Kampot.”

Within a couple of months,

“

We get to do something we never dreamt of; we get to walk on water.

”

Pizey was living her dream as the founder of SUPAsia, a company that offers stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP) tours on Kampot River, alongside tailor-made trips out to the ocean, including visiting Rabbit Island off Kep, where Pizey has paddled alongside dolphins.

The sport – believed to have originated in Hawaii as an off-shoot of surfing, before gaining traction globally in 2005 after trending in California – is proving popular here. Tourists, expats and Cambodians, including superstar Preap Sovath, are using it as a way to explore mangrove forests, visit islands and discover floating villages in the area.

“Paddle-boarding is cathartic,” Pizey says. “It’s the act of standing on water, along with the deep relaxation that comes when you connect with your balance that’s mesmerising. That’s why I believe it’s one of the fastest-growing sports in the world today. We get to do something we never dreamt of; we get to walk on water. There’s an incredible freedom that comes with that.”

Despite not being the best at balancing, I find the board, which stands at more than nine feet long and resembles a giant surfboard, surprisingly stable. Even the process of wading knee-deep into the water before climbing on the board and rising to standing position from kneeling is an easy task.

Once standing, gliding gracefully – unless dodging the stray branches that can hang precariously in your path – across the water and steering is carried out using a single oar. For those who fail to keep on top of their fitness, like me, the oar can take its strain on the arms, but the tranquil scenery and novelty of the experience alleviates any beginning-to-nag pain.

Pizey first came across the sport during a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon in May 2010 and was instantly hooked. “It felt like a cross

between my two favourite sports, skiing and kayaking,” she explains. That night she dreamt she was paddling down the Mekong and less than six months later she and seven pals were on their way to Cambodia to start their adventure.

Now she thrives off sharing her passion with people, offering two-and-half-hour lessons and tours, with the mornings best for bird-watching and the afternoons serving up stunning sunsets. Last year, she also introduced paddleboarding yoga lessons.

But it’s working with the community that Pizey enjoys the most, regularly teaming up with local schools and groups to help improve young people’s confidence around water. A recent project saw SUPAsia take women from Banteay Srey Project, a vocational training centre, swimming for their first time.

“It’s not uncommon for Cambodians to have trauma or fear related to water,” Pizey says.

“I have one friend who witnessed her sister drowning and another who was beaten as a child if he went near the water. We work with that. Both of these friends now love to play in the water.”

SUPAsia also hosts groups of international university students as part of its outdoor education programme, which focuses on the delicate mangrove eco-system. “When we paddle we are part of the scenery, there’s no motor and the reflections on the water when you are standing up are magical,” Pizey says, adding she has taken children as young as five and adults aged in their 80s out on the water.

And as our tranquil trip comes to an end and we pull in to dock, having surprisingly not lost my balance once, it’s easy to see why this is fast becoming such a popular sport.

Lessons and tours start from USD $25. For more information, visit Supasia.org

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8

CITY DRINKS

the first 23 Huynh Thuc Kang, D1 11am to late // 38 21 44 60

This central hole-in-the-wall bar has plenty of atmosphere and a great selection of whisky.

Review by Brett Davis. Photos by Vinh Dao. Whisky people can be a bit like wine connoisseurs: basically, a bit of a pain. Because of this, it is best that places like The First exist. This is a whisky drinker’s paradise, with one of the best selections of all kinds of whisky you will find anywhere in Saigon. Scottish single-malts, blends, bourbon, Japanese whisky, whatever your whiskyrelated tipple, this place has it.

This is certainly a good start but it requires something more to elevate a bar from good to great. The service, music, the feel of the room are all factors that contribute to the feeling a place imparts. This is fortunately something The First has in spades.

Occupying a narrow space adjacent to Sunwah Tower in the heart of District 1, The First’s heart and soul is its ground-floor bar. Upstairs there are two levels of dining space where you can sample the direct and hearty French bistrostyle menu, but the ground level is where the action is.

A timber-topped bar with about a dozen seats, it is the classic contemplative space, only you can do your contemplation over a dram of Scotland’s finest.

The First has been open for a little over a year and is the baby of Japanese barkeep and owner 36 AsiaLIFE HCMC

Hajime Tadano. The Osaka native cannot really be justly referred to as simply a barkeep, for he is an artist of the cocktail and makes the pouring of a simple neat whisky look like an act of reverence.

The staff, including Hajime, wear ties and vests to add to the sense of style about the place.

The topper is the selection of classic jazz piped discreetly over the speakers. Miles Davis, Chet Baker and some Nina Simone are the order of the day.

The whisky goes for around VND 160,000-180,000 a shot, although if you start climbing the age range on some selections or go for some of the Japanese single malts then it can climb into the high VND 200,000 range.

The aforementioned cocktails are also well worth a look and are very well-priced at about the VND 100,000-120,000 range.

The Moscow Mule (Stolichnaya Vodka, lime and ginger beer) is particularly good, as is Hajime’s signature smoky martini. This is a Stoli vodka martini made with a dash of Laphroig single malt whisky. The peaty, smoky character of the whisky makes it a truly sublime martini.

The First is the kind of place that belongs to an age gone by, but one we are lucky enough to be able to enjoy right now.

TUK TUK 17/11 Le Thanh Ton, D1 // 11am-11pm 08 35 21 85 13 // Tuktukthaibistro.com

Saigon's newest Thai restaurant has arrived.

By Dana Filek-Gibson. Photos by Jonny Edbrooke.

When it comes to cuisine, Saigon has everything: Japanese, Italian, French, Korean, Indian, even Lebanese. You'll be hardpressed to come up with a dish that Saigon's cosmopolitan residents can't bring to the table.

Unless, of course, that dish is Thai. Though some have made an attempt, few have managed to succeed in bringing the taste of Siam to Saigon. Enter Tuk Tuk, a chic new modern Thai bistro. With three floors of seating, an open-air roof area and an array of Thai dishes to excite your palate, it's safe to say Saigon's Thai eatery has arrived.

Grab a seat amid the restaurant's slightly industrial furniture, a mix of scrubbed steel and

wood. Bangkok-born chef Saran Jittiboonruan has compiled a menu just long enough to interest any diner without overreaching the bistro's boundaries, featuring a smart collection of traditional Thai fare as well as several modified dishes.

Though the soups, salads and mains on offer cater primarily to carnivorous diners, the chef can make adjustments to turn these dishes into vegetarian meals.

To start, the Yam Hoi Kraeng (VND 110,000) is a worthy entree that combines blood cockles with thin slices of mango, long-leaf coriander, lemongrass, onions and a bit of a spicy kick. To counteract the heat, wash down your salad

with a glass of orange-hued Thai milk tea (VND 40,000) or an ice-cold Singha beer (VND 55,000), bottles of which line much of the shelf space above the ground-floor waitstaff area.

For the main event, Tuk Tuk's Laab Pla Chon Thord (VND 265,000) can be shared among a couple. The tasty fried snakehead fish is served whole and sprinkled with Kaffir lime leaves, long-leaf coriander, lemongrass, spring onions, red chilis, sliced chrysanthemum and mint, as well as a dusting of toasted sticky rice. On its own, the fish is fried to perfection, but it's the accompanying E-sarn sauce – a combination of tamarind, palm sugar, fish sauce,

lime juice and the above-mentioned garnishes – that really brings the dish above and beyond. Order a helping of Khao Pad Tom Yam (VND 95,000), or Tom Yam fried rice, to round out the meal. Perhaps the most satisfying part of both dishes is their ability to bring out the heat for which Thai cuisine is famous without sacrificing each dish's complex flavours.

Finally, trade spice for sweetness with the dessert menu, which includes a stellar rendition of mango sticky rice (VND 55,000) topped with homemade coconut ice cream as well as the colourful Bua Loy (VND 40,000), a sugary, che-like bowl of sticky rice dumplings.

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VIVA! 90 Cao Trieu Phat, Phu My Hung, D7 11.30am-2.30pm and 4pm-late // 08 54 10 67 21

Spanish tapas, both traditional and inventive, are the hallmark of this new District 7 eatery. Review and photos by Brett Davis.

The number of Spanish restaurants around town has been on the rise in the last year or so, although they are still some way off from matching the number of establishments for other international cuisines such as French, Italian, Japanese or Korean.

VIVA! tapas bar and grill is the latest entrant on the Spanish scene. Tucked away on a quiet street in Phu My Hung, it is a stone's throw from the Sky Garden apartment complex. The space is colourful and welcoming and has both indoor and outdoor seating.

Tapas make up the bulk of the menu and cover traditional dishes as well as a few house 38 AsiaLIFE HCMC

specialties that put a quirky twist on things.

The albondegas (meatballs in a tomato sauce) are a staple of any tapas restaurant and are great value at VND 75,000. Here they are made from ground pork and beef and manage to remain very juicy and full of flavour. Another highlight was the Spanish white anchovies in olive oil (VND 110,000). Packed with a zesty, salty taste, they go great with a cold beer or dry white wine.

Next up was a simple but wonderful salad of fresh tomatoes, onion and chopped European basil with a light balsamic dressing (VND 45,000), followed by the always-popular

melon wrapped with Serrano ham (VND 75,000).

There are also a couple of items on the menu you probably won’t see at your average tapas restaurant, but they are well worth a try. The baked eggs with manchego cheese (VND 75,000) was the product of a late-night search for a snack by one of the owners. It comes served in a clay pot and is pretty much as delicious as it sounds.

Similarly left-field is the aubergine pizza (VND 65,000). These slices of eggplant are breaded and deep-fried before being topped with bacon and cheese and grilled again.

Another interesting item on

the menu, and something I have never seen before, is the deepfried black olives (VND 45,000).

These little golden-brown balls of goodness are the perfect beer snack.

If you are in the mood for something not in tapas format and want a full meal, there are also ribeye and sirloin steaks (VND 475,000 and 275,000 respectively), both of which come with salad and mashed potatoes.

A nice wine list includes both new- and old-world bottles, and wine by the glass is available.

The house-made sangria, with an added kick from a shot of cognac, is also a must-try.

SAIGON GRILL 91 Pasteur, D1, top floor // 4.30pm-11.30pm 09 16 62 26 62 // Saigongrill.vn

Rooftop barbecue that provides great food and even more impressive views.

Review by Brett Davis. Photos by Romain Garrigue and Vinh Dao.

Atmosphere is an element that can sometimes be overlooked in restaurants. This is not the case at Saigon Grill, where the breezy rooftop location and countryside feel make for an extremely pleasant dining experience.

On the eighth and highest level of an office tower on Pasteur Street, the venue is very centrally located and has sweeping views across the city.

‘Sweeping’ is not a trite adjective in this case, as the restaurant occupies an open rooftop with a central kitchen built in the style of a timber pagoda.

Adding to the theme are a scattering of tables among large

pots of living bamboo and here and there are what the manager of Saigon Grill refers to as ‘roomlets’. Specially designed for the space, these are small hut-like structures seating 10 people that have retractable roofs and folding doors so you can enjoy your barbecue in all weather.

The concept would be familiar to many, with the main game cooking your own food on a grill at the centre of your table. However, at Saigon Grill they use a next-generation grill that is not recessed into the table but rather a free-standing model that is insulated on the outside by a remarkably heat-

resistant material.

Food is ordered by the plate, with items like vegetables going for VND 45,000 per plate, while meat and seafood is VND 95,000 for a small plate and VND 145,000 for a large portion.

For the veggies there is a selection including okra, pumpkin and marinated eggplant as well as a mushroom plate with a variety of fungi. For meat there are such delicacies to choose from such as ostrich and crocodile in addition to the staples of beef, pork and chicken. If you feel like mixing it up you can also opt for an assortment of skewers of mixed

meat and vegetables for the same price per plate.

When it comes to seafood there is Alaskan salmon, shrimp and clams to start. However the octopus, when nicely charred on the grill, is a particular standout. There are also four hotpot choices (VND 205,000) to provide some lighter contrast after all the flame grilling.

But the best part about Saigon Grill is the aforementioned atmosphere. It feels like you are having a private barbecue at your own really cool rooftop terrace. This feeling, great food and a truly fantastic view of Saigon’s skyline make it a place to keep coming back to.

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BEHIND THE DESIGN: American furniture and interior designer Sean Knibb has created a stunning city-centre apartment with his latest project in Vietnam. By Brett Davis. Photos by Vinh Dao.

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WORLDCLASS VIEW

T left, top to bottom: High ceilings and colourful furnishings complement the bedroom Knibb's bathroom is organic with granite accents A raw, unvarnished feel runs through Sean Knibb's apartment below: Understated paper coffee tables contrast a luxurious sofa

he building on the corner of Ly Tu Trong and Dong Khoi has seen some history. It was the CIA station during the American War where officers worked and lived with their families. Today it is home to an eclectic collection of cafes, art galleries and creative agencies.

It is also now home to an incredibly stylish apartment designed by renowned American designer Sean Knibb. Part crash-pad for when he is in town and part showroom for his work, he has managed to wring the most character out of the compact space to make it something that is both sleek and extremely warm and inviting at the same time.

Knibb and his Los Angeles-based design studio have done interiors for Hollywood luminaries such as Robert Downey, Jr and Jennifer Lopez. He also recently completed the design for the ultra-hip Line Hotel in the city’s Korea Town neighbourhood.

“It’s all about the view,” Knibb says of the central idea behind his design of the apartment, a large balcony that overlooks the green space in front of the Vincom Centre and the neoclassical and colonial buildings of downtown Saigon. Indeed, as soon as you walk into the apartment the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that separate the living room and the generous balcony are its defining feature.

The ultra-high ceilings also allow for the loft bedroom that sits above the bathroom, in which there is still enough clearance to stand comfortably. The loft is accessed by a steeply pitched ladder staircase.

The other element that runs through much of the apartment is the raw, unvarnished feel of the materials used. The walls are covered in a traditional whitewash rather than paint and the oak floorboards and granite in the bathroom are left unpolished. The large slabs of white marble that form the deck of the balcony and the dining room tabletop are also unfinished.

“I really wanted to stay away from glossy,” says Knibb, who feels the approach creates a stronger connection to nature and history.

There are also some quirky and custom features throughout the apartment. For instance, the base of the dining table is an old truck engine topped with a circle of raw marble, while the coffee table is made up of stacks of assorted sheets of paper. Many of the light fittings are also individual antique pieces.

The transformation from an apartment that had been cluttered with possessions by the previous occupant is quite astonishing. “[The previous tenant] wanted to sell everything in the place as well, which took some time to figure out,” Knibb says.

These hurdles overcome, the result is something he is clearly proud of. “I wanted to do something world-class, and there is really no place like this in the world.”

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listings

AIRLINES

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

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

Malaysia Airlines Unit G8 Ground floor, SG Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3824 6663 www.malaysiaairlines.com Offers daily flights from Hanoi and HCM City to Kuala Lumpur for about $200 round trip, with four economy class fare levels: low, basic, smart and flex.

Vietnam Airlines Hanoi: 25 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6270 0200 HCM City: 16th Floor, Sun Wah, 115 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3832 0320 www.vietnamair.com.vn The domestic route map is extensive, with several flights daily between major and less touristed cities throughout Vietnam. Flies internationally throughout Asia and to Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, Sydney, Melboure, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

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

escape

On the intersect of 4 districts, with 333 rooms, Orientica Seafood restaurant and bar, Chit Chat cafe, pool (swim-up bar), gym.

DALAT

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

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

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

hotel & travel

CON DAO

The first 5 star resort with 50 villas stretch across a mile-long beach, each villas has its own infinity-edge pool facing the ocean and a stunning restaurant.

Dalat Edensee Lake Resort & Spa Tuyen Lam Lake, Zone VII.2, Dalat Tel: 063 383 1515 www.dalatedensee.com Nestled in the heart of the “Black Forest of Vietnam” and discretely hidden along the waterfront of Tuyen Lam Lake, this resort is a perfect launching point for exploring the Highland region. It has two fine-dining restaurants, a cafe and terrace, a cigar lounge, and golfing and tennis.

HANOI

Intercontinental Westlake Hanoi 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 04 6270 8888 www.intercontinental.com Located on the waterfront with contemporary Vietnamese design, restaurants, business services, fitness centre including exercise classes and pool.

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

HO CHI MINH CITY

Caravelle Hotel 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 www.caravellehotel.com One of the city’s most prestigious venues. Features a casino, Reflections Restaurant and al fresco 9th-floor Saigon Saigon Bar. Equatorial 242 Tran Binh Trong D5 Tel: 3839 7777 www.equatorial.com/hcm

New World Hotel 76 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3822 8888 www.newworldsaigon.com Located in the city centre, with gym, outdoor pool, tennis court, event space and Dynasty Chinese restaurant.

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

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

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

HOI AN & DANANG InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort Bai Bac, Son Tra Peninsula Tel: 0511 093 8888

take flight with travel promotions around the region

The Grand Life Enjoy a one-night stay at The Grand Ho Tram Strip’s five-star Grand King or Grand Double room for VND 2,888,000. Offer includes breakfast for two guests, round-trip shuttle bus between Ho Chi Minh City and the resort, VND 300,000 dining credit for use at 8 Dragons restaurant, VND 500,000 free play in the Prized Gaming Venue and 50 percent discount for any treatment at The Spa. Rates are valid for stays completed by 30 September. The Grand Ho Tram Strip is located in Vung Tau, a two-hour drive from the city.

limited golf in Royal City with caddie and buggy by taking advantage of the resort’s golf promotion priced at VND 4,900,000 per person. Offer also includes use of the swimming pool, sauna and steam bath, as well as round trip transportation from the airport, resort and golf course.

To add an extra non-golfer, add a surcharge of VND 2,400,000 for two nights. Promotion is valid until 31 December. For more information email info@dalatedensee.com.

Unlimited Golf at Dalat Edensee

30 Percent Off at Victoria Nui Sam Lodge

Stay at Dalat Edensee for a two-night stay in a Mimosa Superior and receive two days of un-

Enjoy 30 percent off on room rates at the Victoria

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

danang.intercontinental.com A world of poetic experiences and jungle-clad romance in a place that cloaks you with luxury. The mastery of traditional Vietnamese design meets modern architectural flair in this distinctive retreat within the dense rainforest of mythical Monkey Mountain.

NHA TRANG

Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 3522 222 www.sixsenses.com/evasonanamandara Beachside resort set in 26,000 square metres of tropical garden, with 74 guest villas, three restaurants, Six Senses Spa. InterContinental Nha Trang 32-34 Tran Phu Street, Nha Trang Tel: +84 058 388 7777 www.Ihg.com A luxury beachfront retreat located in the heart of the city, the resort overlooks the stunning coastline. From there getting around the city is convenient as shopping, attractions, restaurants and bars are easily accessible within walking distance of the hotel.

Mia Resort Nha Trang Bai Dong, Cam Hai Dong, Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa Tel: 58 398 9666 www.mianhatrang.com Ultimate luxury resort with 50 rooms, divided into villas and condos, catering by well-known restaurant Sandals and Mojito`s bar.

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

PHAN THIET Princess D’Ânnam Resort and Spa Khu Hon Lan, Tan Thanh, Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan.

Tel: 062 3682 222 www.princessannam.com Located on Ke Ga Bay with 57 exclusive villas, eight swimming pools, two

Nui Sam Lodge. Guests can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city to indulge in ultimate relaxation in the hillside retreat of the resort. The Summer Hot Deal is applicable for all room types and is valid until 30 September. Offer cannot be combined with other promotions or special offers. Victoria Nui Sam Lodge is located in Chau Doc, Vietnam. For more information or to book reservations, visit Victoriahotels.asia.

restaurants and 1,800 square metres spa complex.

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

SCUBA DIVING

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

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

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

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

VUNG TAU Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa Ho Tram Village, Xuyen Moc Tel: 06 4378 1525 www.hotramresort.com Located about 45km from Vung Tau in the Phuoc Buu Reserve Forest, Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa boasts uniquely designed bungalows and villas.

The Grand-Ho Tram Strip Phuoc Thuan Commune, Xuyen Moc District, Ba Ria Vung Tau Tel: +84 64 3788 888 www.thegrandhotramstrip.com The Grand - Ho Tram Strip is Vietnam's first large scale integrated resort and ultimately will include an 1,100-room five-star hotel, a world-class casino, restaurants, high-tech meeting space, an exclusive VIP area, as well as a variety of beach-front recreation activities. The first 541-room tower of this development opened in July 2013 with its casino including 90 live tables and 614 electronic game positions. The second 559-room tower is on track to open in 2015. The Grand will be the initial component of The Ho Tram Strip, the largest integrated resort complex in Vietnam.

TRAVEL AGENTS Been In Asia www.beeninasia.com info@beeninasia.com

Exotissimo HCMC: 20 Hai Ba Trung St, D1 Tel: 3827 2911 infosgn@exotissimo.com HANOI: 26 Tran Nhat Duat St, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3828 2150 infohanoi@exotissimo.com www.exotissimo.com

CHUDU24 hotel booking service 11th floor, 36 Bui Thi Xuan St, D1 Tel: 1900 5454 40 info.en@chudu24.com www.en.chudu24.com Chudu24.com - the locally famous Vietnam hotel booking website now has an English version. The company is known for having the best local prices and reliable service. It has been the number 1 Vietnam hotel booking service for Vietnamese since 2008.

2& om ro ed LAB 3 B VAI A LE

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Ap a NO rtm W

SERVICED APARTMENTS & COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR LEASE Suitable for office, spa and beauty salon.

Hotline: 0918 802 526 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, HCMC T: (84-8) 3822 6111 Ext.101 F: (84-8) 3824 1835 E: sales@norfolkmansion.com.vn W: www.norfolkmansion.com.vn Managed by Norfolk Group

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

listings

Mogambos 50 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 1311 This restaurant has been around since the mid-1990s, which offers an insight into its enduring quality. Specializes in American grain-fed steaks, hamburgers and salads served in a pleasant atmosphere. 

food & drink BAR RESTAURANTS Bernie’s Irish Pub 19 Thai Van Lung, D1 www.berniesirishpub.com This authentic Irish pub in downtown Saigon has a large wine list, a wide selection of single malt whiskey and local and imported beers, including widgets of Guinness. It also has a western and Asian menu.

Buddha Bar 7 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2080 An Phu institution serves up tasty meals and good drinks in a friendly, chilled environment. Plenty of room to relax inside or out, plus a pool table on premise.  Corso Steakhouse & Bar Norfolk Hotel, 117 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Located in the chic Norfolk Hotel Corso Steakhouse & Bar is well known for its steak imported from the US and Australia.

La Habana 6 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5180 www.lahabana-saigon.com This charming little place has seating indoors and outdoors, upstairs and downstairs to fit your dining pleasure.

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

Le Pub 175/ 22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1 www.lepub.org

feast

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

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

The Tavern R2/24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, D7 Tel: 5410 3900 Boasts good international food, a pool table, dartboards and sports coverage on large screens. Outdoor seating on mutiple levels. Second floor sports lounge hosts DJs at the weekends.  Vasco’s Bar 74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 2888 Chic bar decked in deep reds that gets packed to capacity on weekends. Open Monday to Saturday with live music on Fridays. Food menu by chef with over 10 years experience at La Camargue.

Also does excellent pizza. 

CAFES

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 12-14 Thai Van Lung, D1

Mojo 88 Dong Khoi, D1 www.sheratonsaigon.com A top-end cafe with an attractive interior, outdoor terrace at street level and comfortable lounges upstairs. Good business coffee or lunch venue.

CHINESE

Li Bai Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 Imperial-styled restaurant named after a famous Chinese poet. Nightly à la carte menu with dishes going from 100,000 VND. Lotus Court 1st floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 168 www.moevenpick-saigon.com Dim Sum and exciting Cantonese cuisine in a unique and elegant setting.

Ngan Dinh Chinese Restaurant Windsor Plaza Hotel, 18 An Duong Vuong, D5 Tel: 3833 6688 Beautiful wood paneling, colourful hanging lanterns and a sparkling mineral gallery make for a relaxing dining experience at the Windsor. Feast on roasted Pi Pa duck, giant grouper and steamed king prawns. Be sure to check out monthly specials.

Shang Palace Restaurant Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3823 2221 www.shangpalace.com.vn An upscale Chinese restaurant with a spacious and welcoming atmosphere.

The menu boasts a wide range of Hong Kong Cantonese cuisine, including both dim sum, a la carte and set menus, regularly changed by the creative chefs.

Yu Chu

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

Wide selection of live seafood. Five interactive kitchens.

FRENCH

Camargue 74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 08 35 20 48 88 One of the first western restaurants in Saigon, Camargue offers a great selection of French food and wine in a romantic, rustic French villa.

Le Bouchon de Saigon 40 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3829 9263 This French diner-style restaurant has an emphasis on hearty home cooking, courteous service and a relaxed atmosphere. Chef David Thai is a well-known industry figure, and this venue can hold its own among the city`s many French restaurants.

INDIAN

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

Serves both southern and northern Indian dishes like tandoori, biryani, dosa and idly snacks, plus a wide range of vegetarian dishes. Offers a set lunch menu. Cater service is available.  Tandoor 74/6 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3930 4839 www.tandoorvietnam.com Part of a chain of restaurants covering Hanoi and Saigon, Tandoor features a large selection of standard northern Indian dishes, including a good vegetarian selection. Excellent cheap set lunches and reasonable prices all around.

Will organize catering for events. 

INTERNATIONAL

Al Fresco’s 21 Mac Dinh Chi D1 Tel: 3823 8427 27 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3822 7317 D1-23 My Toan 3, D7 Tel: 5410 1093

broaden your palate with promotions around town

Malaysia Week at New World Saigon From 10 to 21 September, celebrate Malaysia Week with true tastes of Malaysia at New World Saigon. A Malaysian guest chef will be cooking up a feast, encompassing all your favourites such as Chicken Satay, Melaka Chicken Rice Ball and Nasi Lemak. Plus, the hotel will hold traditional dances to welcome in the celebratory week. Prices start from VND 500,000. New World Saigon is located at 76 Le Lai, D1.

Beef Temptation at Shang Palace Through September, savour the perfect mix of premium beef cuts and fresh vegetables created by the Shang Palace Restaurant’s Hong

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

Kong chefs. The menu is prepared from fresh and healthy ingredients such as avocado, asparagus and walnuts combined with juicy and tender imported beef cuts to bring out healthy delicacies. Recommended dishes range from pure sautéed beef cube with avocado salad to baked beefsteak with black pepper and barbecue sauces.

Reflections Restaurant Celebrates Poultry A celebration of all things fowl, the Caravelle chefs are master-minding new treatments for duck, chicken, turkey, quail and roast pigeon for Reflection Restaurant’s Poultry Promotion from 13–19 September. The appetisers range from pan-fried duck liver medallions to smoked free-range chicken on toasted sourdough, setting the stage for five exquisite

main courses. Enjoy seared duck liver, roasted duck breast and duck leg confit, wild quail and and so on. Choose any three courses for VND 810,000 and four courses for VND 938,000.

400 Nguyen Trai, D5 Tel: 3838 3840 www.alfrescosgroup.com Theme restaurant boasting a range of Tex-Mex, Italian and Australian-style BBQ dishes. Huge portions and tasty Australian ribs coupled with a good atmosphere and helpful staff. Good lunch menu.  Au Parc 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 Lavishly decorated brasserie borrowing from Moroccan and French styles and popular during lunchtime with expats.

Specializes in Middle Eastern and North African food. The salad menu is a favourite, and a great range of lush smoothies and juices are on offer.  Black Cat 13 Phan Van Dat, D1 Tel: 3829 2055 Tiny but popular District 1 restaurant serving up an excellent selection of Western and Vietnamese fare and an extensive range of sandwiches and burgers.  BoatHouse 40 Lily Road, APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6790 Riverside restaurant with umbrellashaded tables spread across outdoor deck and small indoor dining room.

Serves remarkably fresh and inspired dishes made with choice local and imported ingredients—favourites include the sirloin burger and pan-fried fish and chips.

Boomarang Cresent Residence 2-3-4, No. 107 Ton Dat Tien, PMH, D7 Tel: 3744 6790 An Australian bistro on the scenic promenade at the Crescent in Phu My Hung that serves authentic cuisine from down under, including steaks, burgers, seafood and fish and chips.

The Deck 38 Nguyen U Di, D2 Tel: 3744 6632

Serves upmarket takes on regional specialties made with fresh local and imported products. Well-designed, minimalist dining space and bar on the river are a serious draw.

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

Hog's Breath 02 Hai Trieu, D1 Tel: 3915 6006 The popular Australian eatery's first foray into Vietnam. Centrally located on the ground floor of the Bitexco Financial tower. The legendary Prime Rib steaks are the centrpiece of the menu which also includes burgers, seafood and bar snacks.  Jaspa’s 33 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3822 9926 www.alfrescosgroup.com Unpretentious brasserie-style restaurant specializes in Australian-influenced international fusion cuisine. Full range of drinks including Australian and French wines and good cocktails.

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

Mekong Merchant 23 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 4713 Set in a courtyard, this rustic Australianstyle brasserie has brought modern international cuisine to suburban An Phu. Popular for weekend brunches.

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

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

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

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

Highly rated for its grilled meats, bread

and dip combos, soups and pastas.



ITALIAN

Basilico InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Ground Floor, Corner Nguyen Du and Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 dine@icasianasaigon.com Contemporary and casual trattoria-style restaurant specializing in authentic Italian dishes and homemade desserts.

Wood-fired pizza oven and a wide selection of Italian wines.

Casa Italia 86 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 4286 www.casaitalia.com.vn Serves home-style Italian cooking including pasta and pizza as well as a selection of steak and seafood dishes.

Open daily 10 am until late.

Good Morning Vietnam 197 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3837 1894 Popular authentic Italian restaurant with additional outlets around the country.

Specializes in thin-crust pizza, pasta and a range of Italian dishes. Good selection of Italian wines. 

JAPANESE Kissho 14 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3823 2223 Fax: 3823 3343 kissho.wmcvietnam.com Saigon’s newest Japanese restaurant boasts a multi-concept cuisine set in a cutting edge interior. Specialties include teppanyaki, yakiniku, sushi and sashimi crafted by expert chefs. The freshest imported meats and seafood round out the menu, accompanied by an extensive selection of fine wines and Japanese spirits. Open 11.30 am to 2 pm and 5.30 pm to 10 pm.

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Nishimura Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 Exquisitely prepared sushi and sashimi from a globetrotting chef with three decades’ experience. A wide range of cooked dishes and monthly meal promotions are also available.

By Michael Kloster

IMBIBE The Rise of Chile Vietnam’s colonial heritage has had a profound influence on the traditional perception of what is considered wine: Bordeaux. Fortunately, for those of us who like a bit of diversity in a wine list, the times, they are indeed a-changin.’ Younger folk in Vietnam now understand that fantastic fine wines can come from lots of places around the globe. Chile is no exception, quickly rising over the past few years to become one of the second most imported wines in the country, second only to its imperial matron France.

A Perfect Storm Chile’s wine growing regions are located along a Mediterranean-type strip of more than a third of the country. The varied valleys up and down this narrow strip of land allow for a plethora of international commercial grape varieties to grow. In many cases, they grow really, really well. South America’s spine – The Andes Mountain Range – also supplies not only a nice variation of topography but also ensures a controlled and clean water supply.

Carmenere Every wine region lays claim to something that they consider, in some way, their own. For instance, Napa Valley, California prides itself in producing topnotch Cabernet Sauvignon.

Australia’s Barossa Valley redefined a classic Rhone grape from Syrah into Shiraz.

Chile considers the Car50 AsiaLIFE HCMC

menere wine its own. Once a common, though minor part of the classic red Bordeaux blend, Carmenere was thought extinct by the famous Phyloxera epidemic that swept through Europe in the late 19th century. It was rediscovered in Chile a few years back thanks to DNA testing. For many years, unsuspecting Chilenos thought that they were growing a unique Merlot clone, as the leaves and berries looked similar, and produced what one might call a quite expressive Merlot-like drop.

What I’m drinking this month: Escudo Rojo Carmenere, Rapel Valley, Chile, 2012: Made in Chile by the heirs of Bordeaux legend Baron Philippe De Rothschild, this wine is available at The Warehouse and is on the wine lists of many fine restaurants. It expresses dark fruit and subtle spice and finishes with fine tannins. I recently paired this particular Carmenere with Ho Tram-style charcoal spit-roasted pork belly and sticky rice to the delight of everyone at the table, including a local guest of an earlier generation who was happy to hear that the grapes could trace their lineage back to Bordeaux.

Cheers!

Michael Kloster is an independent hospitality consultant with more than 20 years experience. He can be reached with any questions or comments at luckydogvn@gmail.com.

The Sushi Bar 2 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8042 3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3911 8618 This brightly lit Japanese-style restaurant serves over 40 varieties of sushi at reasonable prices. Sit at the sushi bar or in private rooms upstairs. Open until 11.30 pm, delivery available on request. 

KOREAN

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

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

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

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

Kumdo 6A Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 3824 3253 Korean beef barbecue served in small, welcoming dining rooms with barbecues built into tables. Large selection of raw meat specialties.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN Baan Thai 55 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 5453 If you have been missing the delights of Bangkok nightlife then this restaurant and bar should be for you. The Thai chefs whip up all the traditional dishes you know and love, while in the bar there are a host of drinks and activities to help while away an evening..

Chaba Thai Thao Dien Village 195 Nguyen Van Huong D2 Tel: 3744 6857 Cosy restaurant nestled in the middle of Thao Dien Village offering authentic Thai food. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

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

VEGETARIAN

Hoa Dang 38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1 Swish vegetarian restaurant on a quiet

street that serves up nutritious dishes, including meatless versions of bun bo, pho and steamboat. Cosy bar serving non-alcoholic drinks, fruits and other sweets.

Viet Chay 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3526 5862 Upscale vegetarian restaurant specializes in fake meat dishes. The attractive dining room is suffused with natural light. Located within the walls of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda.

VIETNAMESE Cha Ca La Vong 3 Ho Xuan Huong, D3 Tel: 3930 5674 36 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3915 3343 Two HCM City ouposts of the legendary Hanoi original serve only one dish: the eponymous and delicious cha ca la vong, fish pan-fried at the table with turmeric and dill and served with cold noodles and peanuts.

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

Grillbar 122 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 08 38 22 79 01 A Vietnamese restaurant with a focus on charcoal-grilled meat brings classic Vietnamese street food indoors to a modern, clean environment.

Quan Bui 17A Ngo Van Nam, D1 Tel: 08 38 29 15 15 From the team behind Quan Bui, the popular casual Vietnamese eatery on the north edge of District 1, is this fourfloor fine-dining restaurant in downtown Saigon. The chic design and ambience, as well as its rooftop garden, are designed to attract a more up-market clientele.

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

Wrap & Roll 62 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 4030 SA1–1, My Khanh 1, Nguyen Van Linh, D7 Attractive downtown venue that brings street-style food into air-conditioned and uncluttered comfort. Choose prewrapped appetisers such as the cha gio (spring rolls) or roll-it-yourself mains with ingredients like pickled shrimps, beef on sugar cane, fish, grilled eel and pork. 

nightlife

BARS & LOUNGES

See bar restaurant listings for more popular watering holes.

The Library InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 dine@icasianasaigon.com Unwind with a glass of wine or a cup of tea. The Library provides a welcoming atmosphere for those in search of calm, comfort and personalized service.

Purple Jade InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 Chic lounge blends the stylistic influences of contemporary design

recipes

Chicken Curry in Ginger and Tomatoes Ingredients • Chicken breast filet • Curry paste/powder • Turmeric • Cumin • Paprika • Salt and pepper • Sugar • Cherry tomatoes • Coriander • Sweet basil leaves • Onions and garlic (minced) • Ginger (grated) • Coconut milk • Olive oil • Thai Jasmine rice • Yoghurt • Butter (of course)

3. Place the chicken breast filet in the pan and fry it until it gets a little brown.

Instructions 1. Heat pan to medium temperature, then add butter and olive oil.

7. Add coriander and basil leaves and simmer for another few minutes until the sauce evaporates and thickens.

2. Mix the minced garlic and onions with the grated ginger in the pan. Saute all together.

8. Turn off the heat and serve over Thai Jasmine rice. Add yoghurt and it will be divine!

4. Add curry paste or powder along with other spices.

5. Stir-fry the chicken with cherry tomatoes and then add salt, pepper and sugar.

6. Add the coconut milk with a little water.

Simmer for eight to 10 minutes.

Recipes provided by Joanie Manalang Culinarian Food Stylist Artist-chef.blogspot.com

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and opium dens. Hosts live music and serves special drinks, including Shaoxing and Maotai rice wines and an exclusive selection of luxury spirits.

Saigon Saigon Bar 9th floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 Popular bar usually packed out with tourists and business travellers searching for some delicious cocktails and a great view of the city skyline. Cuban band Warapo plays every night except Monday from 8.30 pm until late.

at home BAKERIES

LOCAL EATS

By Tristan Ngo

Banh Xeo The French have their crepes, Canadians and Americans pancakes, the Mexicans the quesadilla, and the Chinese and Greek have ... well, you get the idea. Vietnam has its own iteration called banh xeo. Banh xeo literally means ‘sizzling cake’, savoury fried pancakes made of rice flour, water and turmeric powder with slivers of fatty pork, prawns, mung beans, diced green onion and loads of bean sprouts for fillings.

Southern-style banh xeo contains coconut milk and turmeric powder. They are served wrapped in mustard leaf, lettuce leaves (which are normally the popular choice) or banh trang (rice paper) stuffed with mint leaves, basil, fish leaf and/or other herbs depending on individual preferences.

Once wrapped, it's dipped in a marinated fish sauce with shredded pickled carrots and daikon.

In central Vietnam, banh xeo is called banh khoai. It is much thicker in size, smaller in diameter and served open-faced instead of folded like the southern style. Another difference is the dipping sauce served in conjunction with the standard fish sauce. The dipping sauce consists of fermented soybean, ground pork liver and toasted peanuts.

Heading toward 54T Le Quang Sung Street in District 6, you will find a street shop called Banh Xeo Nam Chuoi Chien. It’s open from 3pm 52 AsiaLIFE HCMC

to 9pm daily. It is near to the crowded and busy area of Cho Lon (Chinatown). Banh Xeo Nam Chuoi Chien is wellknown and popular among the local eateries and diners.

It's your typical local joint with metal tables, stools, fluorescent lighting and wall fans. In other words, people don't come for the decor.

Banh xeo is fun to eat as it is meant to be shared and eaten with your hands. They are often thinly fried, crispy and are quite difficult to make. It is a learned technique to make it as thin as possible and the secret is in the batter mixture.

The lettuce leaves and herbs are fresh but you'll need to ask for extra as it's not enough for my tastes. The average banh xeo is large enough for two. It's good to have a few foodies to join so you can order a couple banh xeo with different fillings to share.

Besides banh xeo, they are also known for their goi cuon (summer rolls) and nem nuong (grilled pork patties). Goi cuon is served cool and can be considered an hors d'oeuvres.

They're comprised of prawn, pork, herbs, rice vermicelli and wrapped in rice paper. Both nem nuong and goi cuon are dipped into a peanut hoisin sauce.

Banh Xeo Nam Chuoi Chien 54T Le Quang Sung Street, D6 08 39 60 37 70 3pm-9pm

Harvest Baking 30 Lam Son, Tan Binh Tel: 3547 0577 harvestbaking@yahoo.com This authentic bakery offers a range of specialty baked goods for delivery.

Offering bagels, scones, breads, desserts,cakes, tarts and more.

Chocolate fudge cake and cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing highly recommended.

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

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

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

CATERING

Au Parc Catering Services 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 Catering services available every day of the year for birthday cakes, dinner parties, wine tastings and corporate events.

For a custom-made quotation e-mail auparc@hcm.vnn.vn or call Quynh on 0908 196261.

Ngon Catering Provide services of catering, banquets, event planning, BBQ’s, daily deliveries and cocktail parties. For a custom-made quotation e-mail SaigonGG@gmail.com or call Huong on 0913 981128.

The Caterers sales@thecaterersvietnam.com.vn www.thecaterersvietnam.com.vn Catering company offering extensive services from location sourcing, décor designing and food catering. All functions can be catered for, from low-key barbeques at home to full-blown weddings and parties.

COOKERY CLASSES

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

Saigon Cooking Class by Hoa Tuc

i.briosca@saigoncookingclass.com contact@saigoncookingclass.com Cooking classes available from Tuesday to Sunday 10 am-1 pm/2 pm-5 pm. Students make an entire meal that includes traditional dishes like pho and cha gio, as well as more creative fare. Conducted by Vietnamese chef in English, Japanese or French on request. Market visit with the chef on request.

Vietnam Cookery Centre 362/8 Ung Van Khiem, Binh Thanh Tel: 3512 1491 Well-known Vietnamese cooking classes with half-day and more in-depth eight-day courses. Students work in a comfortable kitchen area with their own stove and workspace.

DELIVERY

Food Panda www.foodpanda.vn Online delivery service with over 500 popular restaurants available. www.vietnammm.com A free website that allows users to order delivery from dozens of restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City.

Simply provide your address and phone number and pay the delivery driver in cash when he arrives Willy Woo’s www.vietnammm.com Southern American fare including skillet fried chicken, Belgium waffles and BBQ foods, red beans and rice, Jalapeno corn bread, and other classic southern sides. Delivery only via vietnammm.com

GROCERIES

Annam Gourmet Market 16-18 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 9332 41A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2630 SB2-1 My Khanh 4, Nguyen Duc Canh, D7 Tel: 5412 3263 / 64 www.annam-gourmet.com Boutique grocer with wide selection of foreign foods; Annam-brand coffee, tea and spices; and household products.

Wine and premium beer, full deli counter, produce, dairy-frozen and baked goods on second floor. Cosy café serves coffee, drinks and sandwiches.

Au Parc 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 A fine deli counter displaying a wide selection of cheeses, roasted vegetables, dips and some tempting sweets. The shelves along the side wall also showcase a solid selection of dried goods and some imported condiments.

Bellany Gelato & Sorbet Tel: 0122 774 3132 New Italian gelato and sorbet brand made entirely from local fresh fruit and adapted to contain minimal fat and sugar. Delivers to Thao Dien, An Phu residents from 4 pm to 9 pm in just 30 minutes. 125 ml, 450 ml and 2.8 litre packages are available and there are 15 flavours to choose from.

Big C Floor B1, Cantavil An Phu Building, D2, Tel: 3740 7105 www.bigC.vn This ‘supercentre’ offers a clean, comfortable shopping environment with a wide assortment of goods, including fresh food and home accessories, available at reasonable prices.

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

Kim Hai Butchery 73 Le Thi Hong Gam, D1

Tel: 3821 6057 or 3914 4376 Excellent chilled imported beef, lamb, veal and other meats sold at reasonable prices.

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

Organik 11A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 090 273 3841 arlene@organikvn.com www.organikvn.com Online grocer based out of Dalat selling a range of organic vegetables and groceries, as well as imported all-natural products such as cereal, soymilk and tea. Operates a retail shop in An Phu. Phuong Ha 58 Ham Nghi, D1 Tel: 3914 1318 A mini-supermarket that sells an extensive assortment of imported packaged food, cheese, meat, fresh fruit, vegetables and fine wines.

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

LIQUOR & WINE

Bacchus Corner 158D Pasteur, D1 Reliable wine and liquor store owned by Tan Khoa Wines with a good range of spirits, whiskies, wines and more all at decent prices.

Red Apron 22 Chu Manh Trinh, D1 Tel: 3823 0021 Large wine and spirits wholesaler, with 90,000 bottles stored in its five locations around the country. Sells wine from all around the world, particularly France, Chile, Italy and Australia. Exclusive distributor of such fine brands as Taittinger Champagne.

The Warehouse 178 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 8826 www.warehouse-asia.com One of the city’s premier wine distributors, The Warehouse is an aptly named, stylish wine store that stocks a full range of both New and Old World wines, sparkling wines, Champagne, spirits, imported beers and accessories.

CINEMAS

listings

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

culture CLASSES

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

DanCenter 53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Thao Dien, D.2 Tel: 3840 6974 www.dancentervn.com Purpose built studio with foreign trained dance instructors. Classes in jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, yoga, zumba, belly, hula, capoiera and more. Kids can start from 4+ and adults of all ages and levels are welcome. Schedule and news on events available on-line.

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

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

The Performing Arts Academy 19A Ngo Quang Huy, D2 Tel: 090 339 0675 info@paa.com.vn www.paa.com.vn Enrolling aspiring learners 6 and up for instruction in guitar, singing, piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone and drums. ABRSM qualified. Group dance and drama session also available. Offering Tiny Tots music enrichment & dance program for ages 3-5.

CGV cinema Vietnam Hung Vuong Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, D5 Tel: 08 2222 0388 CT Plaza, 60A Truong Son, Tan Binh Tel: 6297 1981 Crescent Mall, Phu My Hung, D7 Pandora City, 1/1 Truong Chinh, Tan Phu www.cgv.vn State-of-the-art cinema complex screening the lastest blockbusters with plush, reclining seats. All movies shown in original language with Vietnamese subtitles.

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

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

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

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

Lotte Cinema Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 7897 LotteMart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, D7 Tel: 3775 2520 www.lottecinemavn.com Modern cinema with four-way sound system. D7 location houses luxury theatre Charlotte with 32 seats and eight sofas. me phim HCM City-based film initiative that provides support to local filmmakers and hosts regular film screenings/discussions. Email dduukk@gmail.com for information or join the Facebook group.

GALLERIES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AsiaLIFE HCMC 53

listings

By Phil Kelly

FITNESS Diet Rules Made to Be Broken Everybody seems to have goto dieting rules when trying to lose weight. There are actually diet rules out there meant to be broken!

1. Eating at night will pile on the pounds. Putting on fat has more to do with the total calories you consume over a 24-hour period or over a week. When you eat calories doesn't matter as much as what you eat and how much compared to your activity levels.

2. Eat five meals per day at regular times. The best approach is to eat when you're hungry, not when the clock says it's time to eat. Everyone’s metabolism is different and there is no golden rule to stick to. If you are not active then eating five meals per day is a mistake, as it will elevate insulin levels that can cause a fat-storing state instead of a fat-burning state.

3. Dietary fat keeps you full longer, so you'll eat less.

This rule came to existence due to the fact that fat takes longer to digest, but it will not help you control your appetite.

Foods containing protein are more likely to fight off hunger the longest.

4. When you blow your diet, wait until the next day to get back on track. Nothing could be farther from the truth always try to get right back on track with your next meal.

5. Refusing food at a party or when visiting is rude. It is now socially acceptable to turn down food you know is 54 AsiaLIFE HCMC

not healthy or will hinder your weight-loss goals. People are more likely to compliment you on your will power.

6. Skipping a meal every now and then helps lose weight. Skipping a meal means you will be even hungrier at the next meal when you are likely to overeat, slowing down your metabolism.

7. Fat is fattening. Fat is an essential part of your diet and contains vitamins and nutrients our bodies require to maintain health. Furthermore, certain fats actually turn off the fat-storing genes and turn on the fat-burning ones.

8. All calories are equal.

We need to take the focus off calories and place it firmly on nutrient density. Different foods affect the body in very different ways depending on what nutrients, or lack thereof, are consumed with those calories.

There is really only one rule that we should all try to uphold: always eat real food and stay away from processed foodstuffs. Your body will automatically regulate your weight in a healthy range if not clogged up with toxins and chemicals.

Phil is a health practitioner and expert in body transformation.

His services are available at Star Fitness (Starfitnesssaigon.com), online or at your home. Contact him though his website Phil-kelly.com or Facebook.com/BodyExpertSystemVietnam.

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

CRICKET

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

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

DANCING

DanCenter 53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Thao Dien, District 2 Tel: 3840 6974 www.dancentervn.com Purpose built studio with foreign trained dance instructors. Classes in jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, yoga, zumba, belly, hula, capoiera and more. Kids can start from 4+ and adults of all ages and levels are welcome. Schedule and news on events available on-line.

Salsa Dancing at La Habana 6 Cao Ba Quat, D1 www.salsaigon.com salsaigon@gmail.com Salsa package for single persons and couple, run by Urko. Lessons every Tuesday (beginners L.A. style at 7.30 pm; intermediate L.A style at 8.30 pm).

Registration required.

FITNESS & YOGA

AIS Sports Centre 36 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6960, ext 126 sportscentre@aisvietnam.com www.aissportscentre.com Features six-lane, 25-metre pool, basketball and netball courts, astroturf hockey/football area and outdoor gym equipment. Available for party hire, with BBQ included on request. Membership packages available. Kids swim club and adult masters programmes. Rainbow

Divers offers scuba diving courses for children and adults. Free morning yoga.

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

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

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

Equinox Fitness & Leisure Centre Equatorial Hotel, 242 Tran Binh Trong, D5 Tel: 3839 7777 Decent-sized 3rd-floor gym with modern cardio and weights machines, sauna, steambath, jacuzzi, and large 4th floor pool great for swimming laps.

Hollywood Fitness World H3 Building, 384 Hoang Dieu, D4 Tel: 3826 4639 One of the latest & best workout environments in the city, suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Personal training is offered.

L’Apothiquaire Fitness Centre 64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181 www.lapothiquaire.com Internationally-certified teachers offer daily classes in Sivananda, Iyengar, Power, Yoga, Abdo-Pilates, Taebo and Aqua-Aerobics. Peaceful swimming pool, sauna and steam room.

La Cochinchine Rex Hotel, 146 Pastuer, D1 Tel: 3825 1812 (ext 7477) New and affordable fitness centre located in the heart of the city. This gym has a wide range of weight machines, as well as many cardio machines, including treadmills, cross-trainers and bikes. A good variety of classes are available, including yoga and aerobic dance.

NTFQ2 Spa 34 Nguyen Dang Giai, D2 Tel: 3744 6672 Therapeutic massage with a focus on sports massage to increase circulation, remove lactic acid build-up, restore flexibility and relieve back pain.

Sheraton Fitness Level 5, Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 sheraton.saigon@sheraton.com www.sheraton.com/saigon Sheraton Fitness features a team of trained professionals and new Technogym equipment. Members have full use of leisure facilities and receive discounts at hotel bars and restaurants and Aqua Day Spa. Star Fitness Gym Manor Apartments, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0255 This 1,600sqm gym is apparently the biggest in Vietnam. Has a good range of machines for any type of workout.

Membership involves one time entry fee plus monthly subscriptions and gives free access to regular fitness classes.

Saigon Yoga Tel: 090 835 2265 info@saigonyoga.com www.saigonyoga.com A yoga centre with highly qualified instructors offering hot yoga, Hatha Flow, restorative yoga, kids’ yoga, pre and postnatal yoga and injury rehabilitation.

Also does corporate team building and yoga teacher training as well as organising yoga retreats.

FOOTBALL & RUGBY Australian Rules Football Tel: 093 768 3230 www.vietnamswans.com vietnamswans@gmail.com The Vietnam Swans play regular international footy matches around Asia. Training sessions are held weekly in HCM City (2.30 pm Saturday, RMIT D7) and Hanoi (midday, Saturday, UN International School, Ciputra). All skill levels and codes welcome.

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

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

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

GOLF

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

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

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

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

Saigon South Golf Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phu, D7 Tel: 5411 2001 sgs.golf@yahoo.com.vn Nine-hole mini golf course and driving range set amongst attractive gardens just behind FV Hospital. Club, shoe and umbrella hire is also available.

Song Be Golf Resort 77 Binh Duong Blvd, Thuan An Tel: 0650 3756 660 info@songbegolf.com www.songbegolf.com Located 22 kilometres from the city centre, the premier golf course in the area features an 18-hole, 6,384-metre course.

Also has tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a gymnasium.

Vietnam Golf and Country Club

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contact David Jensen at 0909458890 Vietwings Paragliding info@vietwings-hpg.com Promoted by a local advertising executive turned test pilot, paragliding, hanggliding, trike plane can be performed in several locations across southern Vietnam including Dalat, Phan Thiet, Tay Ninh. Call Loco on 0903 825607 for more information.

X-Rock Climbing Phan Dinh Phung Sport Centre 75 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 Tel: 6278 5794 503A Nguyen Duy Trinh, D2 Tel: 2210 9192 www.xrockclimbing.com Offering safe and professional climbing for anyone aged 4 and up. Featuring mountain climbing routes rated from beginner to advanced, climbing and belay-safety courses and training, birthday parties, corporate team building.

Excellent facilities for children and annual membership for kids.

you have a big dinner party planned , your kid’s birthday, your anniversary party,

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health & beauty ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

American Chiropractic Clinic 161 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3939 3930 www.vietnamchiropractic.com A chiropractic, physiotherapy, foot care clinic staffed by American-trained chiropractors speaking French, English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. Treatsback pain, neck pain, knee pain, also specializing in sports injuries, manufacture of medical grade foot orthotics.

Ciro Gargiulo CARE1 Executive Health Care Center The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0757 care1_reception@vietnammedicalpractice.com www.care1.com.vn A holistic approach is used by this acupuncturist and traditional medicine practitioner to rebalance the body’s energy fields. A wide range of ailments are treated including back pain, allergies and insomnia.

Institute of Traditional Medicine 273-275 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Dr. Le Hung is the man to see at this wellestablished traditional hospital & training centre. He speaks good English and provides excellent treatments in a clean environment. The Institute also provides acupuncture lessons.

DENTAL Accadent 39 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 08 6267 6666 A clinic that brings leading German dentistry to Vietnam. All dentists here were trained in Germany and all equipment comes from Germany to ensure proper hygiene and quality.

European Dental Clinic 17 - 17A Le Van Mien, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 0918 749 204/08 3744 9744 Expat English and French-speaking dentist. Performs full range of dental treatment including whitening, aesthetic fillings, porcelain crowns, full ceramics, veneer and orthodontic treatment. 24hour emergency line: 0909 551 916 or 0916 352940.

Starlight Dental Clinic Dr. Philippe Guettier & International Team of Dentists 2Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, D1 Tel: 3822 6222 With 14 years’ experience providing dental treatment to expat and Vietnamese patients, this well-known dental surgery is staffed by both foreign & local practitioners. Au fait with the latest treatments and techniques, the surgery prides themselves on their high standard of equipment & sterilization.

MEDICAL

Centre Medical International (CMI) 1 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3827 2366 www.cmi-vietnam.com Located downtown next to the cathedral, the centre provides a high standard of medical care from qualified French and Vietnamese physicians. Its range of ser-

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vices include general and tropical medicine, cardiology, gynaecology, osteopathy, pediatrics, psychiatry, speech therapy and traditional Eastern medicine.

Family Medical Practice HCMC Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 7848 95 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2000 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Leading international primary healthcare provider, with a 24-hour state-of-the-art medical centre and highly-qualified multilingual foreign doctors. Extensive experience in worldwide medical evacuations with car and air ambulance on standby.

Also in Hanoi and Danang.

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

Tel: 0650 3636068 www.hanhphuchospital.com The 1st Singapore Standard Hospital in Vietnam. 260 –bedder, provide a comprehensive range of quality healthcare services: Obstertrics, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Immunization, IVF, Health checkup, Parentcraft, Woman Cancer, Cosmetic Surgery… Just 20- minute driving from HCMC. HANH PHUC International Hospital Clinic 97 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1. Tel: 3925 9797 www.hanhphuchospital.com The 1st Singapore Standard Hospital in Vietnam. The clinic is located at the center of Dist. 1, provides a comprehensive range of services specializing in Obstertrics, Gynaecology, Peadiatrics, Immunization, General Practice and Emergency. Open hours: Weekdays: 8am to 5pm; Saturday: 8am to 12pm.

International SOS 167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3829 8424 www.internationalsos.com Globally-renowned provider of medical assistance and international healthcare.

Specializes in offering medical transport and evacuation both within and outside of Vietnam for urgent medical cases.

Victoria Healthcare 135A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3910 4545 79 Dien Bien Phu, D1 Tel: 39104545 Well-regarded clinic offering general examinations and specializing in pediatrics, digestive diseases, cardiology and women's health. Offers a membership program and cooperates with most insurance companies in Vietnam and abroad.

Open with doctors on call 24/7.

SKINCARE

The Body Shop 87 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3683 www.thebodyshop.com International cosmetics retailer with strong commitment to environment sources natural ingredients from small communities for its line of more than 600 products.

The Face Shop 294 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3820 2325 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 www.thefaceshop.com Local retailer for the South Korea-based international brand of natural body, bath and skincare products. The company pairs variety with value, offering hundreds of products for different skin types. Also has kiosks at Co.op Mart in Phu My Hung, Diamond Plaza and Zen Plaza.

listings

family ACTIVITIES Conservatory of Music 112 Nguyen Du, D1 The established training centre for professional musicians offers private piano and violin lessons to foreigners in the evenings.

DanCenter 53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Thao Dien, D 2 Tel: 3840 6974 www.dancentervn.com Children and teenagers from age 4+ can enjoy jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, acro dance and break dance classes at this professionally run, newly built dance studio. Schedule and news on events available on-line.

Helene Kling Painting helene_kling@yahoo.com Offers classes in oil painting to both children and adults for 150,000 VND and 300,000 VND respectively. Classes are paced to suit each student.

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

Tae Kwondo BP Compound, 720 Thao Dien, D2 and Riverside Villa Compound, Vo Truong Toan, D2 phucteacherkd@yahoo.com Private and group classes are run after school three times a week by the friendly Mr. Phuc. Anyone over the age of five is welcome to join in the course, which costs USD $50 for 12 classes/month with a $25 fee for non-members. Contact Mr. Phuc directly on 0903 918 149.

BABY EQUIPMENT Baby 66B Cach Mang Thang Tam, D10 A large store stocking a good range of baby needs, including toys, buggies, cots and bottles. Prices are reasonable.

Babyland Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Quality products including car seats, buggies, prams and travel cots and a good selection of baby toys. Carries Avent bottles and sterilizer sets, and a small range of educational books. Prices are higher than the other places, but so is the quality.

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

Me & Be 230 Vo Thi Sau, D3 40 Ton That Tung, D1 141D Phan Dang Luu, Phu Nhuan 246 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3

101-103 Khanh Hoi, D4 287A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan The closest thing to Mothercare the city has to offer. Stocks a substantial range of apparel for babies including bottles and sterilizers, cots (including travel cots), clothing, toys, safety equipment and more, all at reasonable prices.

Me Oi 1B Ton That Tung, D1 A small shop adjacent to the maternity hospital bursting at the seams with everything you need for your baby. Clothing, footwear, bottles, nappies, nappy bags and toys all at reasonable prices.

New Parent Street Nguyen Thong Street, D3 between Ly Chinh Thang and Ky Dong Street.

An interesting array of baby formula and hard liquor. A one stop shopping cluster for first time parents.

CLOTHES

DLS Paris 17/5 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 A superb range of unique and beautiful clothing for young children (from newborns to pre-school age) at high to midrange prices. The quality compensates for the price. Bedding, baby equipment and furniture and organic and natural supplies also kept in stock.

Ninh Khuong 44 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 7456 www.ninhkhuong.vn Well-known hand-embroidered children’s clothing brand using 100% cotton. Newborn to 10 years old (girl) and fourteen years old (boy). Also stocking home linens. Prices are reasonable.

EDUCATION ABC International School 2,1E Street, KDC Trung Son, Binh Hung, Binh Chanh Tel: 5431 1833 abcintschoolss@vnn.vn www.theabcis.com UK standards-based curriculum awards diploma with IGCSE’s & A Levels certified

by Cambridge Universit examinations board. From playgroup to pre-university matriculation. Served by 80+ British teachers. Good facilities and extra-curricular activities.

The Australian International School Xi Campus (Kindergarten) 190 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 35192727 Thao Dien Campus (Kindergarten & Primary School) 36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6960 Thu Thiem Campus (Kindergarten, Primary, Middle & Senior School) 264 Mai Chi Tho (East-West Highway) An Phu ward, D2 Tel: 3742 4040 www.aisvietnam.com The Australian International School is an IB World School with 3 class campuses in District 2, HCMC, offering an international education from Kindergarten to Senior School with the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), Cambridge Secondary Programe (including IGCSE) and IB Diploma Programme (DP).

British International School Primary Campus 43 - 45 Tu Xuong, D3 225 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Secondary Campus 246 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 3744 2335 www.bisvietnam.com BIS is the largest international school in Vietnam operating from three purpose built campuses in HCMC catering for students from pre-school to Year 13. The

school operates within the framework of the National Curriculum for England and is staffed primarily by British qualified and trained teachers with recent UK experience. Students are prepared for both IGCSE & the IB Diploma programmes.

BIS is a member of FOBISSEA & is fully accredited by the Council of International schools EUROPEAN International School 730 F-G-K Le Van Mien, Thao Dien.

Tel: 7300 7257 www.eishcmc.com jura.cullen@cantab.net The EUROPEAN International School Ho Chi Minh City (EIS) offers an international education from Early Years through Primary and Secondary School. EIS is committed to educating students to become creative critical thinkers and problem solvers. In small student centred classes, students are immersed in a multicultural learning environment which values multilingualism. The language of instruction throughout the School is English; the language program includes Spanish, German, French and Vietnamese.

International School HCMC 28 Vo Truong Toan, D2 Tel: 3898 9100 www.ishcmc.com One of 136 schools around the world to be accredited as an IB World School.

Offers all three of the IB programmes from primary through to grade 12. The school is fully accredited by CIS and NEASC and has a strong focus on community spirit and fosters an awareness of other languages and cultures.

The International School HCMC American Academy 26 Vo Truong Toan, D2 Tel: 3898 9098 www.aavn.edu.vn The International School Ho Chi Minh City - American Academy is a world-class middle and high school for children aged 11 to 18 years old. Offering a comprehensive academic program built upon the principles and standards of the American education system..

International School Saigon Pearl 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh District Tel: 2220 1788/89 www.issp.edu.vn Opening in August, 2011, the single purpose-built campus will cater for nursery through grade five. In the second year, sixth grade will be added.

ISSP’s long-term strategic plan includes complete middle and high schools. In the spring of 2011 ISSP will host the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (the largest American accreditation agency in Asia). Accreditation will allow children to easily transfer to schools abroad.

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

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

Renaissance International School 74 Nguyen Thi Thap, D7 Tel: 3773 3171 www.rissaigon.edu.vn An International British school providing inclusive curriculum based upon the British curriculum complemented by the International Primary Curriculum and International Baccalaureate. The school has made a conscious decision to limit numbers and keep class sizes small to ensure each student is offered an education tailored to meet his or her individual learning needs. It is a family school providing a stimulating and secure learning environment with first-class facilities including a 350-seat theatre, swimming pool, mini-pool, play-areas, gymnasium, IT labs, music and drama rooms, science labs and an all-weather pitch.

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

Saigon Kids Centre 104A Tran Quoc Toan, D3 Tel: 3932 5579 saigonkidscentre@yahoo.com An international childcare centre for children aged between two and six years old.

Offers a homely and warm environment for children to play and learn.

Saigon Language School 02 Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3933 0773 / 4 www.saigonlanguage.com A professional language school that teaches Japanese and Vietnamese language courses. Vietnamese group lessons begin monthly.

SmartKids 1172 Thao Dien Compound, D2 Tel: 3744 6076 www.smartkidsinfo.com An international childcare centre that provides kindergarten and pre-school education for children aged between 18 months and 6 years. A fun and friendly environment, the school focuses on learning through play.

Saigon Star International School Residential Area No. 5, Thanh My Loi Ward, D2 Tel: 3742 7827 Fax: 3742 3222 www.saigonstarschool.edu.vn Offers a British primary curriculum approved by Cambridge University and integrated Montessori programme for nursery and kindergarten. Qualified, experienced teachers and small class sizes cater to individual needs and abilities.

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

Singapore International School (SIS) No.29, Road No.3, Trung Son Residential Area, Hamlet 4, Binh Hung Ward, Binh Chanh District Tel: 5431 7477 www.kinderworld.net Students play and learn in an environment where the best of Western and Eastern cultures amalgamate to prepare KinderWorld’s students for today’s challenging world drawn from both the Singapore and Australian curriculum. The school offers International Certifications such as the iPSLE, IGCSE and GAC.

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Stamford Grammar 214 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 Tel: 3930 7343 4Bis Phung Khac Khoan, D1 Tel: 3822 3339 www.stamfordgrammar.com enquiry@stamfordgrammar.com International kindergarten following a Singapore curriculum for children from 18 months to 6 years of age. Taught by Vietnamese and native English-speaking teachers. Outdoor play areas, swimming pool, music and art & craft rooms where students can play and learn in a safe environment.

By Paul McLardie

PERSONAL FINANCE How Much Are You Worth?

How much are you worth?

The easiest way to calculate this is to add up everything you have in your bank accounts, the value of your properties and the value of your possessions and then take away debts that you have through loans, mortgages, credit cards and the bills that you have in bars across the city.

That’s the easy way, but it still doesn’t give the figure of how much you are actually worth.

How much is an hour of your time worth?

At work, it’s easy. Just divide how much you have earned by how many hours you worked.

Out of work though, there are many different variables to add in.

This idea came to me whilst talking to a friend about the pros and cons of either buying a motorbike or continuing to rent one.

Yes, in the long run the cost in monetary value will be greater to continue renting, but the cost in time will be less. The flip side is that yes, it will cost less in monetary value to buy, but cost you more time to maintain when you could be doing something else.

This is called opportunity costing. In this situation, it is weighing up the cost in monetary value against how much you value your time.

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If you are money-oriented, a simple equation would be this: in the time it takes you to do something yourself, would you have been able to employ somebody to do it for you and still make a profit?

The greatest example of this was a software designer in America that outsourced his job to companies in China without letting his bosses know. He got a six figure salary and he paid a fifth of that to the companies to do his job. He just sat back and watched cat videos on YouTube, browsing Reddit and eBay. This is not for everyone.

Obviously, watching cat videos was important to this guy and we all can’t outsource our jobs. It’s up to you to work out what and how important things are to you in your daily life.

As we all know in Vietnam, time is precious to us.

Whether it be time to be with family or friends, going to the gym or even just to read a book once in a while. Even the smallest decisions can make a large impact on your life.

The question is, what is more important to you: your money or your time? The hard part is getting it balanced so that you have time to go and visit all the bars to pay off your bar tabs.

Paul McLardie is a partner at Total Wealth Management. Contact him at Paul. mclardie@t-wm.com.

The American School 172 - 180 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 3519 2223 info@tasvietnam.edu.vn An independent and private collage preparatory school with a highly individualized and personalized program, The American School of Vietnam offers a strong, US based curriculum for Kindergarten through Grade 12.

ENTERTAINMENT

Diamond Plaza 34 Le Duan, D1 The top floor arcade and bowling alley is bound to keep your little ones entertained for hours with an impressive array of video games. Some child-friendly dining options too, with Pizza Hut on hand, a KFC and a New Zealand Natural ice cream concession.

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

Parkson Plaza 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Arcade game after arcade game line the top floor here with a bowling alley and a decent food court thrown in on the floor below. A good place to take the kids after trawling through Parkson’s numerous concession stands.

listings

living

Vincom Center 72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3936 9999 A six-storey shopping centre that houses the world’s most famous luxury brands plus more than 250 fashion retailers and various restaurants. Each level has a coffee corner to help weary shoppers recoup while looking over the city. Open daily from 9 am to 10 pm.

Vinpearl Games Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Features fun and games for a wide range of ages. Air hockey, sports games and traditional arcade video games and a small children’s play place.

PARTIES

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

Nguyen Ngoc Diem Phuong 131C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 A curious shop stocking a range of handmade fancy dress costumes such as masks, superman outfits and much more.

The stock changes seasonally, so this is a good place to stock up on Halloween, Christmas and other costumes.

Bibi Clown - Chu he Bibi Tel: 0933 131 012 bibiclown.blogspot.com Does exactly as his name suggests.Great service has earned him a reputation for turning up almost instantly with a superb selection of balloons and games in both English and Vietnamese.

The Balloon Man Mr Hoat 0903 837 326 Does exactly as his name suggests – balloons. He will come to your palce for decoration but English not as good. Also provides helium balloons.

Citibank Vietnam offers a wide range of banking services to both consumer and corpo-rate. Services include Corporate and Investment Banking, Global Transaction Services, and Consumer Banking.

In Vietnam for 15 years, Citibank has a presence in both HCMC and Hanoi.

Eurocham 257 Hoang Van Thu, Tan Binh Tel: 3845 5528 www.eurochamvn.org German Business Group 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 www.gba-vietnam.org

BUSINESS GROUPS

AmCham New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 323 Tel: 3824 3562 www.amchamvietnam.com AusCham TV Building, Suite 1A, 31A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3911 0272 / 73 / 74 www.auschamvn.org British Business Group of Vietnam 25 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 8430 info@bbgv.org www.bbgv.org CanCham New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 305 Tel: 3824 3754 www.canchamvietnam.org Citi Bank 115 Nguyen Hue St, D1 Tel: 3824 2118

Singapore Business Group Unit 1B2, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3823 3046 www.sbghcmc.org Swiss Business Association 42 Giang Van Minh, Anh Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6996 Fax: 3744 6990 Email: sba@hcm.vnn.vn www.swissvietnam.com Hong Kong Business Association New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 322 Tel: 3824 3757 / 3822 8888 www.hkbav.com NordCham Bitexco Building, 19-25 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3821 5423 www.nordcham.com

CAMERAS Hung Hai

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

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

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

Pham The 11 Le Cong Kieu, D1 An authorized service centre for Nikon camera that also specializes in repairing all camera makes. Measurement equipment and spare parts also available.

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

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

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

COMPUTERS

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

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

Honours Apple service plans.

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

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

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

Freeware and shareware also available on the store website.

CONSULTING

Phuong Nguyen Consulting TPC Business Center, 92-96 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3829 2391 www.pnp-consulting.com Specializing in business facilitation, conferences, education counselling, market-entry research and IT/business consulting.

TMF Vietnam Company Limited Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 2262 ext. 113 Fax: 3910 0590 www.tmf-group.com With headquarters in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, TMF Vietnam specializes in accounting outsourcing and consulting.

Total Wealth Management 66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 3820 0623 www.t-wm.com Specialists in selecting and arranging tax-efficient savings and pension plans for expatriates. Offers councel on private

banking services, wealth protection in offshore jurisdictions, currency risks and hedging strategies.

Towers Watson Vietnam (formerly Watson Wyatt and SMART HR) Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue, Suite 808, D1 Tel: 3821 9488 Global HR consulting firm specializing in executive compensation, talent management, employee rewards and surveys, HR effectiveness and technology, data services and total rewards surveys.

DECOR

Antique Street Le Cong Kieu Street, D1 between Nguyen Thai Binh and Pho Duc Chinh A variety of antiques and faux antiques from Thailand, China and Vietnam including silverware, compasses, lighters, brass knockers, urns, vases, abacuses, religious and pagan statues, candlestick holders, furniture and watches.

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

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

Inspired Image 42/2A Ho Hao Hon, D1 Tel: 091 635 2573 www.inspiredimage.co.uk Image consultant and personal stylist.

Previous clients include business leaders, TV presenters and busy professionals.

International Management Initiative for Vietnam (IMIV) info@imiv.org www.imiv.org The International Management Initiative for Vietnam (IMIV), a non-profit initiative within VinaCapital Foundation that promotes excellence in business leadership and management by bringing to Vietnam proven international executive education and professional development programmes.

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

- www.linhfurniture.com

AsiaLIFE HCMC 59

By Elizabeth Png

HOME IMPROVEMENT Organising Your Space Much as we may love our families, sometimes we all just need a little space of our own.

It might come in the form of a wardrobe where searching for your own stuff doesn’t become an archaeological dig, or you might find that your living room is filled with toys but has no space for your kids to play.

While it may be harder to make space for everyone in an urban apartment, there are ways to get a bit more space without having to remodel the house.

Throw the non-essentials out Whether it’s due to a hoarder in the family or just stuff building up over time, living with clutter can frustrate the other occupants in the home, so take the time to clear out things that are non-essential.

Beyond the obvious, like old magazines or clothes the children have grown out of, this can include superfluous furniture, such as tables or chairs that have no use other than to hold even more piles of stuff.

Remove furniture that blocks hallways or walkways to allow more room to breathe.

Maximise empty spaces Look up. The tops of shelves, or an extra ‘attic’ in a wardrobe could double as storage spaces for keepsakes or winter clothing and accessories. Stylish wall shelving can also be installed on empty walls for storage.

Items can also be kept below furniture, such as under a bed, as long as they aren’t visible.

Things sticking out from under 60 AsiaLIFE HCMC

the bed can look and feel messy.

Choosing the right size appliances for your home can also make doing your chores easier, while ensuring that they do not affect the aesthetics of a space.

Make a space for everyone If you are sharing a room with a partner, the wardrobe can become a battleground over space to store your clothing and accessories. It helps to agree on and separate the space in the wardrobe for each person’s clothing. Usually, women have more items, so husbands and boyfriends may need to be more accommodating. Given that they don’t wear long items like dresses however, they could install an extra rod further down the wardrobe to hang more pieces of clothing.

Store accessories and smaller items in colour-coded, labeled boxes, so you know whose stuff is in which box.

Children should get their space too, even if they are sharing a room. The space can be as small as a shelf or drawer, or they can get their own tables. Teach them to respect their siblings’ space, including their beds, and that they should ask permission before they use it. This gives the child some control over their space.

Elizabeth Png is the brand and consumer communications director for Electrolux Vietnam.

She can be contacted at elizabeth.png-reade@electrolux. com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dogma 175 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3836 0488 www.dogmavietnam.com Located upstairs from Saigon Kitsch, this art gallery deals in Vietnamese propaganda posters, apparel, accessories and random paraphernalia. Large prints are sold at USD $60 each and small prints cost $25.

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

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

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

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

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

Unity 12 Dang Tran Con, D1 Tel: 3823 9375 info@unitycompany.com www.facebook.com/unitycompany Located opposite Galaxy cinema, Unity offers accessories that are designed to seamlessly blend in with your life. Familiar basics are given a contemporary update with the use of modern, alternative materials like silicone, rubber, and brushed aluminum. From orbital lamps and eggshell-white china, to wire-clasped water bottles, each individual piece complements the others in the collection to give your home a sense of Unity.

ELECTRONICS Hi End Audio

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

Nguyen Kim Shopping Centre 63-65 Tran Hung Dao, D1 Tel: 3821 1211 www.nguyenkim.com Stocks DVD/CD players, cameras, TVs, hi-fis and more from Sony, Sanyo, Panasonic, Philips and other major

LINH‘S WHITE

manufacturers. Also a good place to pick up electronic kitchen supplies like coffee makers and rice cookers, as well as large and small appliances, from hot water heaters to regrigerators.

Phong Vu 125 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D1 Tel: 6290 8777 www.vitinphongvu.com Two-storey electronics store retails in international products conveniently grouped by brand. Carries computers, home audio, printers, hard drives and more, as well as a variety of mobile phones, handheld electronic devices and accessories.

Savico 117 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 7993 One-stop electronics and home appliance superstore. All products have a one to three-year warranty.

Tech Street Huynh Thuc Khang Street between Ton That Dam and Nguyen Hue, D1 Sells compact discs, DVDs, electronic money counters, video games and systems, Discmans, mp3 players and portable DVD players.

FURNITURE

Appeal 41 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 5258 A small, upscale shop that offers modern accents for the sleek dining room. The colours of the over-sized vases and fruit bowls are either glistening red or lacquered black.

AustinHome 42 Nguyen Dang Giai, D2 Tel: 3519 0023 Outstanding quality and style for your home. The shop says its products are hand-picked by an American furniture expert from the best factories in Vietnam.

Upholstery, accessories, antiques and more.

Catherine Denoual 15C Thi Sach, D1 Tel: 3823 9394 Beautiful showroom with clean lines and a sumptuous array of bedroom products including bedside lamps, linens, pillowcases and duvet covers.

Decosy 112 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 9917 Producer of a large selection of European styled furniture and interior fittings, specializing in wrought iron and patine (distressed) wood finishes. Also stocks

a wide-range of decorative accessories, crockery and fixtures. Custom design services available upon request.

Esthetic 11 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 7371/7372 Fax: 3514 7370 esthetic@vnn.vn www.estheticfurnishing.com.vn Design and manufacture as order with a mixture of antique and modern furniture.

Friendly staff speak excellent English.

Furniture Outlet 3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 2243 7955/3911 0104 Wide selection of well-crafted and carefully constructed pine wood pieces at good prices, aimed at customers craving a taste of Europe.

Furniture Street Ngo Gia Tu, D10 between Ly Thai To and Nguyen Chi Thanh Very affordable furniture can be found on this stretch: couches, mattresses, desks, chairs, etc. It often takes some looking to find a gem. A connected sidestreet, Ba Hat, features woodworkers’ shops.

Gaya 1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1 Tel: 3925 1495 www.gayavietnam.com Four-floor store featuring the work of foreign designers: home accessories and outdoor furniture by Lawson Johnston, linens by Corinne Leveilley-Dadda, furniture and lighting by Quasar Khanh, laquerware decor by Michele De Albert and furniture and decor by vivekkevin.

37 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 9863 Furniture shop that focuses on solid wood furniture and decorative items ranging from pillows and lamps to bedding. Also offers kids’ furniture and custom pieces.

Rare Decor 41 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 2284 137/1 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 6304/5 Leading home furnishings company in Vietnam, supplying high quality, unique products. Also offer custom made furniture, accessories and lighting for commercial projects and home use.

The Furniture Warehouse 3B Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 6657 0788 namtran121@yahoo.com, ttpnam@ webtnl.com Offers a range of reasonably priced Italian, European and French colonial sofas, indoor/outdoor wooden furniture, lighting and interior décor, as well as custom designs based on clients’ specifications.

The Lost Art 31 Nguyen Cong Tru, D1 Tel: 3829 0134 Extensive product range as well as comprehensive interior design service, from initial conceptualization to design, manufacture and installation of unique products.

LEGAL

Allens Arthur Robinson Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 1717 www.vietnamlaws.com Australian law firm for law translation services and legal advice on foreign investment and business in Vietnam.

Baker & McKenzie Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 5585 www.bakernet.com International law firm providing on-theground liaison and support services to clients interested in investigating, negotiating and implementing projects in Vietnam.

Frasers International Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 2733 www.frasersvn.com Full service commercial law firm providing international and Vietnamese legal advice to both foreign and local clients specializing in transactions in Vietnam.

Indochine Counsel Han Nam Building, 65 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3823 9640 www.indochinecounsel.com Business law practitioners specializing in mergers & acquistions, inward investment, and securities & capital markets.

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

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

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

LIGHTING

Luxury Light 1483 My Toan 1, Nguyen Van Linh, Phu My Hung, D7 For those who really want to bring a touch of luxury to their homes, this place deals with Italian imported lighting from the ultra - modern to the traditional Murano style chandeliers. Extremely expensive reflecting the quality of the design and workmanship.

Mosaique 98 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 One of the best and most diverse selections of lamps in town with everything from the ordinary decorative lotus silk lamp to more inventive and original designs in lacquer and silk.

MOTORBIKES

Automotive Street Ly Thai To Street, D10 starting at Dien Bien Phu and running southeast Services include mending motorbike seats and sound system installation.

Products range from zebra print motorbike seat covers to car and motorbike tyres, hubcaps, rims, subwoofers and sound systems by Xplode.

Bike City 480D Nguyen Thi Thap, D7 Luxury motorcycle shop carries a range of accessories, including apparel. Sells Vemar helmets, a brand that passes rigorous European Union standards.

Protec Helmets 18bis/3A Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 248C Phan Dinh Phung, Phu Nhuan 417B Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 American nonprofit manufacturer makes helmets with densely compressed polystyrene shell with ABS, PVC or fiberglass exterior, available with polycarbonate shatter-proof shield. Options for kids.

Zeus Helmets Founded in Taiwan to manufacture cool, comfortable helmets that meet worldwide safety standards. Basic models feature thermo-injected shells constructed from lightweight ABS composite with interiors lined with moisture-absorbant brushed nylon. Shops selling authentic Zeus

By Greg Ohan

HOT PROPERTY Expat Home Buyers – Is it Time?

For the loyal few who pick up this column, you will recall my previous write-up in regards to the proposed new land law, particularly the suggested legislative changes regarding foreign ownership in Vietnam.

Well, that time has passed and less than two months ago the new land law was ratified.

So what is, in actual fact, ‘new’, and what, if any, changes have been made specifically regarding foreign ownership of apartments and homes in Vietnam?

Unfortunately, it pains me to say this, but the answer is little.

While the new land law is actually the fourth law passed governing land in Vietnamese history (which is a big deal), with improvements in place for local and foreign investors in terms of land acquisition and land prices, there wasn’t any notable change to foreign ownership of apartments and homes that would make it easier for foreigners to buy, own and invest in the Vietnamese apartment and landed home market.

To re-hash, under the previous law, foreigners who were allowed to buy houses could only buy one apartment as their primary residence. An apartment was not allowed to be used as an investment or sublet out to any other party or tenant – basically, one apartment for self-use only.

So for those dear friends and readers that are not sure

whether it was time to invest in that ‘Bangkok bachelor pad’ or hold out for the ‘District 2 penthouse’, well the wait is over and status quo has prevailed. No real changes to foreign home ownership laws so you can make that call now!

However, while this is slightly disappointing, let’s not forget the progression that has brought Vietnam land laws to this point. Not long ago (actually prior to 1998) foreign investors were not even allowed to enter the Vietnamese property market.

The major projects of Phu My Hung in Ho Chi Minh City (led

by Taiwanese investors) and Ciputra in Hanoi (driven by Indonesian investment) were the first two large housing projects with foreign-invested capital in Vietnam.

So while we have not seen any notable changes to foreign home ownership, this columnist is positively optimistic. The local real estate market has always been a matter of positive correlation between the government, legislation and foreign investment. While new legislation is being passed and attracting foreign investment remains a priority, we may not have seen the end of this topic as yet.

Greg Ohan is the Director of CBRE, Fortune 500 real estate services provider. Email your questions to greg.ohan@ cbre.com or visit Cbrevietnam.com.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 61

helmets are located on Pham Hong Thai near Ben Thanh Market.

REAL ESTATE

By Gary Woollacott

PEOPLE MATTER Successful Hiring The other day I was reading a blog by Greg Savage from Australia which encapsulated the best hiring advice in four words. Cleaning up the language a bit, his key to successful hiring is: No idiots, no passengers. There you have it, the only hiring advice that we will ever need. And haven’t we all made mistakes by not following that?

On that topic, a colleague told me that his hiring practice is the Christmas Party Test. As in, would you want to go with him/her, and would he/she be able to behave properly and act with decorum, or just get drunk and be embarrassing?

My own test is similar: would I want to have a drink with him/her after work? I once worked alongside someone for four years without ever sharing a social moment with him: no lunch, no drink after work and definitely not dinner.

He was difficult, a loner with few friends. He was (and is) an unpleasant individual with few social graces. We used to joke that the only dates he ever had were desperate candidates trying any method they could to get a new job!

That may be unfair but it was the way it seemed.

I suspect that there are many readers who have had a gut feeling that someone wasn’t quite right for the job, even though the candidate looked impressive on paper.

They might have had a good interview and come across well. But a few months down the track, that nagging doubt 62 AsiaLIFE HCMC

comes back when the sales aren’t coming in as promised, or the marketing campaign looks like it was done by a child, or the accounting spreadsheets are a complete mess. Our own latest hiring disaster was an office manager who, it turned out, was as near to completely incompetent as I have ever seen. Everything was good until she started work; within two days I knew I had made a mistake.

Note to potential clients here: please don’t let the fact that we have made some dud hires put you off from using us to find you excellent candidates. Because we have hired the very worst administrators, salesmen and consultants it means that we really know the very best when we go looking on your behalf! To be completely honest, our worst hires have come when we are a bit short-staffed and desperate for someone – anyone – to do the job. Having experienced that first hand we are on solid ground when we advise our clients most definitely NOT to rush. Take your time to make sure the person you’re bringing in is the very best.

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

Gary Woollacott works for Horton International in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. He can be reached at +66 81 810 0119 or via woollacott@ hortoninternational.com

Ava Residence 40/10 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 8440 www.avaresidence.com Modern serviced apartments located 5 minutes from the British International School and Australian International School. Affords a great view over the Saigon River. Many facilities available including a swimming pool, Jacuzzi and gym.

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

Diamond Plaza 34 Le Duan Street Tel: 3822 1922 lntdung@diamondplaza.com.vn Located in the heart of District 1, connected to Diamond PLaza. Services 1- to 4-bedroom apartments with gym, swimming pool and panoramic views of the city.

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

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

Supports professional services and after-sales.

Thao Dien Village 195 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel. 3744 2222 A riverside complex of international-standard hospitality and F&B outlets with a boutique hotel, four restaurants featuring Italian, Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine, an event house, meeting rooms and a day spa with well-equipped health-club.

Diamond Island Luxury Residences No 01 – Street No.104-BTT, Quarter 3, Binh Trung Tay Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam T: (84) 968 293 388 / 3742 5678 F: (84-8) 3742 3232) www.the-ascott.com Diamond Island Luxury Residences offers 68 fully-furnished apartments, ranging from two- to four-bedroom units with private balconies providing panoramic views of the stunning surroundings in one of the most spectacular sceneries in the city. Each apartment comes with a fully-equipped kitchen, en-suite bathrooms, separate work and living areas.

Each lavish space features plush interiors, modern amenities, elegant furnishings and carefully chosen trimmings and fixtures, creating a luxurious harmony of comfort and sensorial tranquility that will have you relaxed and recharged, and functioning at peak performance.

Savills Viet Nam Level 18, Fideco Tower, 81-85 Ham Nghi, D1 Tel: 823 9205 www.savills.com.vn Savills Viet Nam is a property service provider that has been established in Vietnam since 1995 offering research, advisory services, residential sales, commercial leasing, asset management, retail advisory, valuation, investment advisory and more.

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

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

RECRUITMENT

First Alliances #609, Saigon Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 2080 Fax: 3910 2079 www.firstalliances.net cv@firstalliances.net As Vietnam’s most established recruitment consultancy, First Alliances operates across all major industry sectors and at all levels of seniority. Also providing HR outsourcing solutions for staffing and payroll,overseas employment and education services.

HR2B / Talent Recruitment JSC Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, D3 Tel: 3930 8800 www.hr2b.com HR consulting advises businesses on how to improve employee productivity.

The search team specializes in matching senior level Vietnamese professionals and managers to top level opportunities in both major cities.

Navigos Group 130 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1 Tel: 3825 5000 www.navigosgroup.com Recruitment agency offering a complete portfolio of HR services including executive search, HR advisory, training, online recruitment, and print recruitment advertising.

Opus Vietnam 5F, Vitic Building 6B Nguyen Thanh Y, D1 Tel: 3827 8209 www.opusasia.net Established in HCMC in 2005, Opus services local and multinational companies seeking to recruit high quality personnel.

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

Smart HR Capital Place Building, Suite 601, 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3823 5828 www.smarthrvietnam.com Human resource consultants specialising in job search and selection, and human resource management.

TMF Vietnam Saigon Trade Center, Unit 2811, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 9229 / 9222 hang.bui@tmf-group.com www.tmf-group.com With more than 3,300 professionals working out of 86 offices in 65 countries, TMF provides independent accounting and corporate secretarial services to

companies worldwide.

services also availble.

Vietnamworks.com 130 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1 Tel: 5404 1373 www.vietnamworks.com Excellent section on advice for jobseekers focusing on topics such as resume writing, cover letters, interview technique and more.

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

RELOCATION AGENTS

AGS Four Winds 5th Floor, Lafayette De Saigon, 8A Phung Khac Khoan, D1 Tel: +84 8 3521 0071, www.agsfourwinds.com ags-vietnam@agsfourwinds.com Global leader in international removals and relocations, with 128 offices in 78 countries.They can move customers to and/or from any location worldwide.

Crown Worldwide Movers 48A Huynh Man Dat, Binh Thanh Tel: 3823 4127 www.crownrelo.com hochiminhcity@crownrelo.com Not just International or local moving and storage. Crown Relocations offer a wide range of services including orientations, immigration, home search, intercultural training through to pet relocation. Call the team on the above number and check out our website for more information.

UTS Saigon Van Intl’ Relocations 1st Fl, 214 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel:MOVING!?

3744 7102 www.saigonvan.com Full service relocating agency with ware! ! housing, handyman, insurance & claim, orientation an partner career support !"#$%&&'(!)%*#)%&&'(!+),-.)%*#)%&&'/!

0#1.!2#3-(!#4$-(!5%$,#.'/!! !6--7!8,#.%9-!/! :&%))+)9!,#!.-&#$%,-!;#.&7;+7-/! ! !"#$%&$''(")*'+,"-%,'.%*$#/*0'

!!!

<=>=?!@!AB!!A!!CDBB!DEFG!!!!H!!!!8%&-8I8%+9#)J%)K$#3! ! <%)#+?!@!AB!!B!!CDEA!LDEM!!!!H!!!!+)5#I8%+9#)J%)K$#3! www.saigonvan.com

Santa Fe Relocation Services 8th floor, Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, D3 Tel: 3933 0065 www.santaferelo.com vietnam@santaferelo.com With over 150 offices around world, Santa Fe offers local & international moving, pet transportation, relocation services including home search, orientation, cultural training, immigration & records management.

STATIONERY

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

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

Stationary and Printing Street Ly Thai To Street, D3 More than 25 stores providing photocopying services, from business cards to flyers and colour prints to invitations.

Being there, or being ‘there’ Crown’s people are always with you.

Preparing you before you go, and helping you settle‐in when you arrive.

Relocating should be exciting and rewarding for everyone.

Our experience and knowledge of worldwide relocations, is shared by all our people in more than 200 locations.

Ho Chi Minh City Tel: +84 8 3840 4237 hochiminhcity@crownrelo.com Da Nang Tel: +84 908 426 427 danang@crownrelo.com Hanoi Tel:+84 4 3936 6742 hanoi@crownrelo.com

And we’ll always be there to help you get the most from your relocation.

Go knowing

www.crownrelo.com/vietnam

listings

fashion By Christina Yu

FASHION RULES The Rites of Tights Many times I have been to hip restaurants in HCMC with well-heeled Vietnamese girls and all of a sudden, I shudder to see cheap opaque tights with open toe sandals. I can’t help but cringe. This country has an obsession with pale shades.

There are indeed rules on wearing tights. To start with, tights are meant to be worn under dresses or skirts. If you work in an office that feels like a refrigerator, then sheer nude tights are acceptable but only in a matte finish that matches exactly your skin tone. Sometimes it’s more appropriate to give the illusion of bare legs with your spring dress than to go completely bare-legged.

Nude hosiery can look much more flattering than bruised legs or pasty white ones covered in goose-bumps.

You can definitely add personality through colour and texture, depending on the dress code. Very often, a little black dress can be livened with a pair of opaque cobalt tights. When it comes to colour, go for the bold ones as a fashion statement. Keep the look monochromatic or muted to accentuate a leaner and flattering look. Be discerning with patterns – avoid polka dots, zigzags, stripes or pop print as they tend to make your legs look fat.

Miu Miu sparked a trend with their last F/W collection pairing socks and tights with their jewel-encrusted sparkly open-toe sandals – is this the look right now? Most fashion 64 AsiaLIFE HCMC

stylists will tell you NO - this is NOT an easy look to pull off.

To start with, you need to be young and cool. Second, having the right kind of open toe sandals are important – they need to be quirky and chunky.

Third, the kind of socks to wear with it has to be plain and not too lacey or frilly.

Investing in a pair of black opaque tights may be the safe way to go as this works with everything - from floral print sundresses and tailored sheaths to sexy cocktail frocks and everything in between.

Solid colour tights can add sophistication especially when you have a short skirt on and you don’t want to worry about exposing too much skin. It can also add to the illusion of height when your footwear and tights are in the same colour tone.

For glamorous occasions, think of tights as a friend, not foe. Fishnet tights with pencil skirts (a killer femme fatale look) are best worn for date nights or cocktail parties.

In general, tights look best with pumps, heels or even boots, but never with trainers.

Not even when they are Chanel couture ones, and worse, with socks over them. So, the best advice on tights here is to go without – if in doubt.

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

ACCESSORIES

Accessorize Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 www.monsoon.co.uk/icat/accessorize Fashion-forward accessories including necklaces, handbags, wallets, flip-flops, sunglasses, hair accessories, belts and more.

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

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

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

Ipa-Nima 71 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 3652 77 Dong Khoi, D1 Well-known Hanoi-based fashion brand.

Founder Christina Yu is a former lawyer turned designer who produces eclectic and eye-catching handbags. Also stocks costume jewellery and shoes.

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

Louis Vuitton Opera View, 161 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 6318 Designer brand name housing traditional craftsmanship of luxury leather goods for men and women. An array of bags, wallets, cuff links and watches are available.

Mai O Mai 4C Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3829 4007 A superb little place with beautiful jewellery and accessories to suit all budgets.

Silver necklaces, bracelets, rings and more in both classic and imaginative designs, as well as gorgeous handembroidered bags.

Mont Blanc Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan Notable for fine writing instruments, Mont Blanc also houses cuff links and other male accessories Scorpion Vincom Center B1, 70 - 72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9889 www.scorpionbag.com Selling high-end leather products for both men and women, including shoes, handbags, belts and other accessories.

Features a variety of leather in bright colors and styles.

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

ACTIVE WEAR

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

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

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

READY TO WEAR unisex

FCUK 127 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3914 7740 www.frenchconnection.com Trendy UK brand with a selection of fashion-forward dresses for women and smart workwear and funky casual wear for men, all at middle-market prices.

Ginkgo Concept Store 254 De Tham, D1 Tel: 0905 493 148 www.gingko-vietnam.com A unique shopping space that offers an original and creative mix of made-inVietnam clothing from local designers, artisans and brands that stay true to the company’s environmentally friendly principles.

L’Usine 151/1 Dong Khoi, D1 Lifestyle store and cafe housed in a period building restored to evoke the aesthetic of an early 20th-century garment factory. Carries an exclusive, frequently refreshed line of imported men’s and women’s fashion, including T-shirts and footwear, and a range of unique accessories. Entrance via the street-level Art Arcade.

Runway Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9988 runway.sg@global-fashion.vn Massive and minimalist design-led interior lets ultra high-end designer garments stand out. Carries men's, women's and children’s clothing, swimwear, shoes, accessories along with home décor. Brands include Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, Sergio Rossi and Eres.

Versace 26 Dong Khoi Designer brand in men’s formal wear.

Houses suit jackets and trousers, shirts as well as an array of men’s accessories.

Also stocks womens clothing and shoes.

men

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

Massimo Ferrari 42-A1 Tran Quoc Thao, D3 Tel: 3930 6212

Bespoke menswear shop also boasts its own brand of contemporary preppy attire tailored for the tropics. Carries a line of European-quality shoes, bags and accessories designed in-house, as well as exclusive Orobianco unisex bags, designer fragrances and eyewear.

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

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

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

ER-Couture Boutique 43 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2411 www. er-couture.com erolskov@er-couture.com Exclusive Scandinavian brand offering designer garments. Versatile fashion for women in European sizes 34-44. Each style is released in limited quantities and can be tailored to individual taste.

Esprit 58 Dong Khoi, D1 Outpost for the international brand of colourful, preppy men’s and women’s casual wear.

Geisha Boutique 85 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3829 4004 enquiry@geishaclothing.com Facebook: Geisha Boutique Australian fashion label offering a contemporary range of casual and evening wear with an Asian influence. Printed tees, singlets, shorts, skirts, jeans, summer scarves, dresses, silk camisoles and satin maxi dresses.

Mango 96 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3824 6624 Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 A favourite with fashion-conscious women, this mid-range store stocks clothes from simple tees and jeans to evening wear.

Marc Jacobs Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue , D1 Tel: 6291 3580 This spacious shop with high-ceilings carries up-market clothes, shoes and accessories from the internationally recognized designer brand.

Valenciani Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3821 2788

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

SHOES

Aldo 157 Dong Khoi, D1 Offering a wide selection of affordable footwear from mid- to high-range prices.

Carries office-appropriate and partyready heels and flats, as well as a range of accessories and bags.

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

97B Nguyen Trai, D1 Mix of imported shoes and locally made footwear crafted from Australian leather for men and women as well as imported ones. Sizes from 38 to 42 for men, and from 34 to 40 for women.

Hai Ba Trung, D1 across the street from Tan Dinh Market.

Spools upon spools of fabric manufatured locally and abroad, with more than ample variety of textures, colours and materials to choose from.

TAILORS

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

Stocked with imported fabrics primarily from Italy. In-office and workplace fittings available.

Dieu Thanh 140 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 5851 www.dieuthanh.com Experienced tailor shop specializes in swimwear and cotton clothing, as well as business suits, evening dresses, luxury fabrics and accessories.

Dzung 221 Le Thanh Ton, D1 One of the most reliable and respected men’s tailors in town with prices and production time to reflect the quality of the workmanship. Shirts start from US $30.

Fabric Street

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

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

Footwear Street Ho Xuan Huong Street, D3 between Cach Mang Thang Tam and Ba Huyen Thanh Quan Le Thi Hong Gam in D1 between Pho Duc Chinh and Calmette Selection ranges from leather loafers to plastic thongs and everything in between.

Nine West Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Stocks an extensive range of designer footwear for women. Handpicked by a global community of independent trendsetters and stylists.

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

Star Polo

57 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 8 66 756 956

AsiaLIFE HCMC 65

Open Mic at Broma

Broma's 2nd Anniversary

Photos by Romain Garrigue

66 66 AsiaLIFE AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC

Don't Feed the Monkey at Cargo

AsiaLIFE AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC 67 67

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DISTRICT 4

radar A trip down memory lane

Thenostalgiamachine.com If you find yourself yearning for a simpler time but can't quite remember the soundtrack that went with it, look no further than the Nostalgia Machine.

Drawing upon Billboard's Top 100 listings, this pink-and-white corner of the internet allows users to enter a year and, in response, offers up the greatest songs of that age. The nostalgia goes back as far as 1960 all the way up to last year's hits. You may want to peruse a few years in order to chart the different stages of your youth but, for those who came of age in the late '90s, gems like ‘Mo' Money, Mo' Problems,’ Los del Rio's ‘Macarena’ and ‘Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)’ by the Backstreet Boys are sure to bring back fond adolescent memories.

Storytelling at its best

Narrative.ly For anyone in search of an interesting read, the award-winning Narratively is a platform dedicated to untold human stories. The antithesis of fast-paced news outlets or Buzzfeed-esque list articles, the storytellers of Narratively use a range of mediums, including photo essays, written narratives and short documentaries to bring to life people and places from around the globe.

Their subjects run the gamut from Indian camel vendors to the Batman of Brazil, cockfighters in Puerto Rico, a transgender Argentinian nurse, a man who thinks Bob Dylan might be his father and Bernie Goetz, infamous New York City subway shooter-turned-squirrel vigilante. Across each medium, the stories are nuanced, thoughtful and quirky enough to spark your interest while keeping the art of long-form storytelling alive.

Gangster rap colouring for a rainy day

Rapcoloringbook.tumblr.com At long last, there is a space on the internet which combines colouring pages with a love of gangster rap. Curated by American rapper Bun B and illustrated by music critic Shea Serrano, this action-packed Tumblr provides a host of rainy day colouring and activity pages to help you rediscover your inner child alongside some of hip hop's most famous figures. Create your own artistic rendering of Young Thug's face tattoos, complete a colour-by-number Nikki Minaj, write a haiku for DJ Khaled or help Pharrell try on a series of iconic hats, from Abraham Lincoln's top hat to the head coverings of Crocodile Dundee, Breaking Bad's Heisenberg or Dr. Seuss' Cat in the Hat. During the holidays, look out for themed pages like Ludacris Kringle, Ja Ru(le)dolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the build-a-Drake-dreidel.

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The Beat – With Q4 radio

Royal Blood – Out of the Black

By Samia El-Balawi Facebook: Facebook.com/RoyalBloodUK SoundCloud: Soundcloud.com/royalblooduk YouTube: Youtube.com/channel/UCNkhZlHm1ccjIcDyt7W1Opg Wikipedia: En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Blood_(band) Royal Blood. There is only one word to describe this blues-infused garage rock duo from Brighton and that is ‘brilliant’. In fact, there are two words: ‘bloody brilliant’.

In less than a year they’ve gone from playing local gigs to sharing the stage at massive worldwide music festivals with bands who have been in the business for years. Why? Because they create unique music that is raw yet structured, impressively delivered through three distinct sounds: bass, drums and vocals.

The pair consists of Ben Thatcher on drums and Mike Kerr on bass and vocals. They are two friends who have known each other since the age of 16 and have played in various bands together over the years.

They formed Royal Blood in 2012 upon Mike’s return from a working holiday in Australia. After Ben picked Mike up from the airport, they agreed to reunite as a two-man band. They played a gig the following night and so began the creative flair with the pair.

By July 2013, Royal Blood received visible recognition from Matt Helders, drum-

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mer of the Arctic Monkeys, who wore a Royal Blood t-shirt while performing at Glastonbury Festival in support of the not-yet-known duo. The word began to spread; this was a band that needed to be heard.

In November of the same year, Royal Blood released their debut single entitled ‘Out of the Black’ along with a B-side called ‘Come On Over’. These songs firmly made their mark on listeners who wanted to hear more from the rock duo and their distinct tone of combining heavy bass riffs, versatile vocals and relentless drumming.

Royal Blood’s second single ‘Little Monster’ was released in February this year, followed by a four-track EP and subsequent gigs on stages across the world, one of which included supporting the Arctic Monkeys at a massive outdoor concert in Finsbury Park.

Two-member bands are on the rise and Royal Blood is no exception. Their self-entitled debut album was released on 25 August and features ten songs from a band that sound just as good live as they do in the studio.

soundfix soundfix 1000 FORMS OF FEAR SIA

‘Chandelier’, the reggaeinfluenced opening track of Sia’s sixth album, sounds uncannily like a Rihanna song. There’s a reason – Rihanna’s 2012 heartbreaker hit ‘Diamonds’ was cowritten by Sia, a 38-yearold Australian musician who also helped compose Beyoncé’s ‘Pretty Hurts’, Flo Rida’s ‘Wild Ones’ and David Guetta’s ‘Titanium’.

Despite the success of 2004 song ‘Breathe Me’, Sia’s reputation as a pop songwriter has surpassed her fame as a performer in recent years. That may be about to change, as her record 1000 Forms of Fear propels Sia into the spotlight. Sia still maintains an intentional low profile, performing without showing her face. But it’s what can’t be seen that matters. Sia’s commanding, athletic vocals and skill for creating impassioned ballads and memorable pop tunes more than make up for her camera shyness.

SHABAZZ PALACES LESE MAJESTY

Ask not what a genre can do for you, but what you can do for a genre. That seems to be the M.O. of Shabazz Palaces, whose experimental sound pushes forward the boundaries of hip-hop. The Seattle-based duo’s second studio full-length is a nod to the term lèse-majesté, a French reference for insults to the monarchy. Rapper and producer Ishmael Butler describes the album as an attack on the materialism and selfishness of mainstream hip-hop. Shabazz Palaces’ other half is producer and percussionist Tendai Maraire, the son of a legendary Zimbabwean Mbira player.

Together, the two create the multi-layered, futuristic soundscapes that accompany Butler’s unruffled rapping.

Drawing on improvisational jazz sensibilities, the mercurial, disjointed structure can be off-putting or compelling, depending on the listener’s perspective.

Treason or revolution?

Let the people decide.

album review

endorsed

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

MIREL WAGNER

SPOON

WHEN THE CELLAR CHILDREN SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY

THEY WANT MY SOUL

Macabre and morose may not be the most appealing adjectives to portray a promising young musician.

Yet singer-songwriter Mirel Wagner creates beauty from lyrics about death and desolation. There’s poetry in the words Wagner writes, which echoes in the delicate, sensitive ways she sings and gently plucks the acoustic guitar. Born in Ethiopia, Wagner was raised near Helsinki by Finnish adoptive parents. With home a country that barely sees the sun for months, she finds inspiration in the darkness that others might dread. Her sophomore album is a collection of stark, bluesy folk elegies, which Wagner wrote during a month of seclusion at an old log cabin in northern Finland.

Somehow, for describing the effect of her songs, a brighter adjective should be added to the mix – luminescent.

“There’s intense gravity,” sings Spoon frontman Britt Daniel on ‘Inside Out’, from the band’s eighth album.

Yet despite the pressure of a 20-year career, the indie rock band seems anything but weighed down. With a sound that remains relevant rather than outmoded, Spoon’s latest will neither disappoint long-time fans nor fail to electrify a new audience. The Texas-based quintet creates music that is studied and wellinformed, without seeming at all cerebral or distant.

Daniel’s scruffy, oddly sultry vocals and bouncy riffs are the band’s meatand-potatoes, but it’s the details – the slight pauses, the little instrumental embellishmentsand the heartfelt zeal for music – that make Spoon distinctive.

They Want My Soul ranks high among the band’s discography. Time will tell if it’s an ultimate crescendo, but it sounds like Spoon isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

NU YOGA

By Ruben Luong Yoga is extremely popular in the city, so no matter where you sign up for classes they are most likely to be crowded.

That’s not the case at WORK Saigon’s NU YOGA which takes a different approach to other studios around Saigon.

“Rather than pack 30 students into a class we only take four,” says Niamh Daly, the instructor at NU YOGA. “It's a lot more private and a lot more personal. It feels like a community. Students can get left behind in large classes but at NU YOGA they get lots of one-on-one time with the instructor. Students develop more quickly since the practise is specifically tailored to their abilities and needs.”

Irish native Daly started yoga after she moved to Beijing. She didn’t know anything about yoga but didn’t want to go back to the gym to get fit. She fell in love after her first class.

“I bought a monthly pass and showed up every day, sometimes twice a day. I progressed quickly and was soon attending advanced classes, doing backflips and headstands, practising alongside my teachers,” she says. She eventually began assisting classes, leading group sessions and took on students for private classes.

After moving to Vietnam earlier this year, she started

NU YOGA to bring together people who are serious about yoga. “We are dedicated to improving their practise by introducing a more precise, mindful and focused approach. It's not about killing yourself to get into the biggest backbend or the widest split. It's not about flash; it's about doing it right,” she says.

NU YOGA has vinyasa classes with two levels, intermediate and advanced.

The intermediate sessions revisit some yoga basics to build and maintain a strong foundation. Afterwards, students learn more of the difficult poses. Advanced classes have a similar style but with more demanding, fast-paced sequences and challenging modifications.

One of Daly’s goals is to build confidence in her students.

“When students are met with a challenging pose they think 'There's no way I could do that,' but with the right mindset and guidance…ta da!” Daly says.

Classes are held at WORK Saigon's beautiful, homey villa at 267/2 Dien Bien Phu in District 3. Students can get single class and monthly passes.

The first class is free for new students. To sign up, visit Worksaigon.com/yoga, Facebook.com/nu.yoga. saigon, or email yoga@ worksaigon.com.

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boxoffice

Lucy

Step Up All In

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

The Boxtrolls

From La Femme Nikita and The Professional to The Fifth Element, writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history.

Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in Lucy, an actionthriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. The film also stars Morgan Freeman as Professor Norman, who helps Lucy as a leading authority on the mind.

In the next exciting chapter of the Step Up franchise, the fifth one to be exact, all-stars from previous installments such as Sean (Ryan Guzman), Andie (Briana Avigan) and Moose (Adam G Sevani) come together in glittering Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could define their dreams and their careers.

The film is directed by Trish Sie, a famous Grammy Award-winning American choreographer and director who has worked in childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entertainment, film, television and music video.

Co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller reunite to bring Miller's visually stunning Sin City graphic novels back to the screen in the muchanticipated second installment A Dame to Kill For, a followup to the original Sin City (2005). Weaving together two of Miller's classic stories with new tales, the town's most hard-boiled citizens cross paths with some of its more notorious inhabitants. The film stars the likes of Josh Brolin (Dwight), Mickey Rourke (Marv), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Johnny), Eva Green (Ava Lord), Jessica Alba (Nancy) and Bruce Willis (Hartigan).

The creators of Coraline and ParaNorman are introducing a new breed of family known as The Boxtrolls, a community of quirky, mischievous creatures who have lovingly raised an orphaned human boy named Eggs (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) in the amazing cavernous home they've built beneath the streets of Cheesebridge. When the town's villain Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley) comes up with a plot to get rid of the Boxtrolls, Eggs decides to venture above ground where he meets and teams up with fabulously feisty Winnifred (Elle Fanning).

Together, they devise a daring plan to save Eggs' family.

Opening Dates CINEMAS CGV CGV.vn

Galaxy Galaxycine.vn

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Lucy (15 August) Step Up All In (22 August) Lucy (Until 9 September) Step Up All In (Until 4 September) Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (29/8-11/9) The Boxtrolls (12/9-25/9)

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

bookshelf California: A Novel Edan Lepucki Little, Brown Set in the not-so-distant future, Edan Lepucki's debut novel California follows 20-something couple Cal and Frida, who have fled the deteriorating streets of Los Angeles to live in a post-apocalyptic world where anyone and anything could mean danger. Longing for the comforts of the past, fearing an unpredictable future and struggling to accept everything that has transpired in between, Cal and Frida eke out a delicate existence, isolated from other people, making ends meet in an abandoned house in the woods. That is, until Frida becomes pregnant and the pair soon realises that they cannot raise a child alone. Faced with new uncertainty in a world already turned upside-down, Cal and Frida head for a mysterious nearby community, where they must prove themselves in order to gain the protection of the settlement – and stay alive.

The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail Oscar Martinez Verso Books Every year over a quarter-million Central American migrants make the treacherous journey north to the United States, travelling through Mexico on a freight train known as the Beast.

Along the way, there are thieves, kidnappers, rapists, murderers and, even more frightening, police. Those who are not sold into slavery by migrant smugglers, known as coyotes, or caught up in the violence of gangs and drug cartels still run the risk of losing life and limb atop the fast-moving locomotive that propels them forward to what these people can only hope is a better place than the one they've left behind. Based on his experiences with the Beast, Salvadorean journalist Oscar Martinez provides a harrowing account of life on the rails, giving voice to the thousands of nameless Hondurans, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans and Salvadoreans in flight and the untold horrors many must endure on the ride north.

Everything I Never Told You

Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival

Penguin Press

Laurence Gonzales W W Norton & Co

Celeste Ng

From its opening sentences, Celeste Ng's debut novel frames the coming chapters with a tragic, heart-wrenching fact: ‘Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet.’ ‘They’ are the Lees, a Chinese-American family in 1970s small-town America, and Lydia is their beloved middle child, blue-eyed and brilliant. James, an accomplished Harvard professor, yearns for Lydia to have the social life he never did, going to parties and keeping company with the in-crowd. Marilyn, a housewife, looks back wistfully on her youth, pushing Lydia to become the doctor she did not. But when Lydia's body is suddenly discovered in a local lake, the precious equilibrium of the Lee household spirals out of control, digging up tightly-guarded secrets, frustration, anger and guilt.

Lydia's siblings, Nathan and Hannah, see what Marilyn and James cannot: that Lydia, the golden child of the family, sacrificed her own happiness to fulfill her parents' wishes.

Twenty-five years ago, United Airlines Flight 232, a fullyloaded jumbo jet, careened into the runway of Iowa's Sioux Gateway Airport, erupting in flames. Upon impact, a large section of the plane broke apart, rolling into a cornfield beyond the runway. Though rescue workers were on the scene, at first nobody moved: there couldn't possibly be any survivors. And then, slowly, incredibly, passengers began to emerge from the aircraft. Of the 296 on board, 184 survived. Crafting a meticulous reconstruction of the ill-fated flight, Laurence Gonzales ties together hours of interviews with the crew, passengers and rescue personnel to create a detailed sense of the circumstances under which Flight 232 went down. As a pilot himself, Gonzales delves deeply into the scientific and technical elements of Flight 232's demise as well as exploring the human side of the tragedy, in which acts of hope, courage, survival and sacrifice paint a vivid picture of the events of July 19, 1989.

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ODD ONE OUT This month, Dana Filek-Gibson learns the pitfalls of seeking medical advice from afar.

For those of you who have yet to discover this affordable, overthe-counter gift to modern medicine, Fugacar is a popular de-worming medication used throughout Vietnam. Worms, you ask? Yes. You have them, I have them and, according to a recent survey of friends, colleagues and total strangers, we all have them.

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As a medical doctor, yoga enthusiast and avid reader of Scientific American, my mother loves to talk about things no one understands. Get her on the topic of asanas, rare diseases or some obscure field of science and she will speak at length in what might as well be Greek.

Once, in university, my grandfather accused me of having a mustache; instead of leaping to my defense, Dr Debbie provided a brief lesson on the medical condition that accounts for excessive women's facial hair and listed every reason why I might have it. She's what you'd call an eccentric personality.

But for all her unusual vocabulary, I trust the woman's medical advice, particularly when it comes by email. Living an ocean away from my most trusted medical advisor – a person who once superglued her own face back together rather than pay a visit to the emergency room – all it takes to diagnose any one of my myriad problems is an email with a photo attachment and, lo and behold, the answer will arrive with an upsetting level of detail, spelling out all the possible causes and solutions for a given ailment. Dr Debbie's words of wisdom may not be for the faint of heart, but they are helpful.

Except, of course, when they are not. Because while my mother's tendency to insert high-level medical jargon into everyday conversation can be fun, it can

also make matters worse. Like, for example, when you think your body might be riddled with worms. For those of you who have yet to discover this affordable, over-the-counter gift to modern medicine, Fugacar is a popular de-worming medication used throughout Vietnam.

Worms, you ask? Yes. You have them, I have them and, according to a recent survey of friends, colleagues and total strangers, we all have them. As a result, every six months, we must rid our insides of these pests. Like fumigating, but with humans.

My first thought when I heard this was, naturally, I'm dying.

This is the end. Insects are going to eat my organs, my body will dry up and I only have a few days left. I started being nicer to people and planning the outfit in which I would be buried.

Wracked with anxiety, I sought Dr Debbie's medical expertise, uploading a photo message with the subject line 'Do I have worms'? But nothing my mother had to say offered any solace.

Out of respect, I'll spare you the more colourful details, but the takeaway is that Dr Debbie, queen of oversharing, managed to mention Scotch tape, ascaris (read: roundworms) and the phrase ‘intense anal itching’ in the same breath. Though she meant to advise against ingesting de-worming medication, the horrifyingly descriptive email – which ended with a cheerful “that's my bit of diagnostic

trivia for the day!” – made it clear that, for all the blind faith I place in my mother's medical advice, e-diagnosis may no longer be the way to go.

In the end, I took the Fugacar.

Terrified and in need of moral support, I called upon my dear, equally-impressionable friend, Stacey*, who was also shaken up by my mother's advice.

Together, we sat in my apartment, holding hands, staring at the box of Fugacar on my coffee table like it was LSD – chocolate, chewable, suitable-for-childrenover-two-years-old LSD. From the moment the last of the chalky medicine slid down our throats, the room was thick with paranoid silence.

“Do you feel anything yet?”

“Kind of. Yes? Maybe. No. Wait – no. Yes. I don't know.”

For the next half-hour, we measured the mild discomforts of our de-worming and, like most medical emergencies, the problem was ultimately resolved with colouring books and pulled pork. Dr Debbie still doesn't know that I've gone against her deeply descriptive medical advice, but I like to think that, sometimes, what we don't know can't hurt us. *Name has been changed because Stacey has the good sense not to be associated with worms or me.

Dana Filek-Gibson is a Canadian expat living in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Souls of Sugar Street

“The gates of hell have been opened and now the spirits are arriving,” whispers my guide as the Buddhist monk in front of me spins and chants. I glance around the room anxiously.

Spirits from hell, where am I? Draped in flowing robes, the monk lights a fistful of incense over a burning candle and waves the sticks over the display of flowers, food and images of Buddha. Gathering the incense in one hand and his red-and-gold robes in the other, he sweeps from the room and crosses through the carved wooden doors leading into the courtyard. I watch as the last of the aromatic incense smoke, a link between the human and spirit worlds, spirals and curls towards the ceiling. The ceremony is over.

The ghosts have arrived and everyone is feeling a little more superstitious.

With the arrival of the annual Vu Lan Festival, Hanoi’s streets are once again filled with people burning offerings in the name of ancestor worship.

Making my way along streets lined with paper goods ready to be burned into the next life, I see families crowding their

local pagodas to pray for the souls of their ancestors who have not yet made it to heaven.

“Everyone goes to hell when they die because everyone does something bad during their life,” explains Co Chung, my Vietnamese teacher and guide for the day, “but this month the doors are opened and we pray that our ancestors will be received in heaven.”

It is a hot, humid morning when I join Co Chung at Cau Dong Pagoda on Hang Duong, or Sugar Street, in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Following her down a small hallway, we enter the main room of the pagoda where a crowd is already assembling around two men drumming softly on the floor. Flashing coloured lights throw red and green streaks across their faces.

Purple and yellow flowers overflow from the central display. Cardboard images of Buddha sit nestled between towers of boxed orange juice, Coca-Cola, Custas biscuits and La Vie water. There are five elements that make up a temple display: candles with incense, fruit, flowers, sweets and drinks. Co Chung explains that the food and drink are chosen

Sharing a meal with the dearly departed can be less troubling than you might imagine, as Katie Jacobs discovers.

for the colour of the packaging rather than their contents. Of course, the pyramids of red Coca-Cola cans fit perfectly amongst the colourful display.

Sitting cross-legged on the pagoda floor, my legs begin to go numb just as the head monk arrives. Taking his place on the floor in front of us, he glances in my direction before speaking with Co Chung. Feeling selfconscious with my camera and notebook, I ask if it is OK for me to take photos. Co Chung nods and smiles. “Vietnamese people want foreigners to learn about our pagodas and why they are important to us,” she reassures me.

Then the chanting begins.

This is not my first experience with pagoda chanting, but it is the first time I’ve had the best seat in the house and the first time I’ve heard a monk with such a beautiful voice. The sound of the monk calling the souls echoes around the room.

First he calls the parents and children, then the husbands and wives. Some people begin praying and others whispering; a few women in the corner pull out their smartphones to snap pictures. When the

monk calls the souls of the mothers, however, a strange stillness washes over the crowd. Melancholy hangs in the air. The shoulders of the old woman beside me begin to shake and tears stream down her face. Co Chung explains that this is a scary time for mothers, when special prayers and readings are dedicated in their honour.

All of a sudden it’s over and the spirits are among us.

Retrieving his iPhone, on which he was following the traditional Chinese character script, the monk briskly makes his way out of the room. It’s time for lunch. Under the watchful eye of Tran Hung Dao, one of the Vietnamese heroes worshipped at the pagoda, we feast on rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves and sweet rice che.

The monk appears in a long window behind us, talking and joking with Co Chung and her family. The rain that has been threatening all morning finally starts to fall and from his post at the window, the laughing monk begins to sing softly to the damp garden. Lunching with ghosts is more peaceful than I imagined.

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pub quiz Green 1. Who had a worldwide hit with the song ‘Orange Crush’ from the album Green?

2. What does a stimpmeter measure?

3. What is the only non-profit, community-owned major league professional sports team in the United States?

4. Which Star Trek character has green blood?

5. Which country’s flag was, until 2011, a green rectangle?

Steves and Stephens 6. Stephenson’s Rocket ran on the world’s first public railway to use steam locomotives, named after which two towns in the Northeast of England?

7. On what day is the Feast of St Stephen celebrated in the Western Christian church?

8. Who wrote Treasure Island?

9. Steve Wozniak was a cofounder of which company?

10. Steven Georgiou is now known as Yusuf Islam. Under what name did he become famous?

Publishment Manager: Nguyeãn Theá Sôn Editor in Chief: Leâ Thò Thu Höông Editors: Phöông Lam Giang Traàn Ngoïc Thöông Designed by: ASIALIFE MEDIA JSC Cover & content by: ASIALIFE MEDIA JSC

Heat 21. What is the name of the musical based on Wuthering Heights?

22. Who did Margaret Thatcher replace as the leader of the Conservative party?

23. Which 1988 dark comedy starred Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty?

24. In terms of passengers, what is the busiest airport in Europe?

25. What is the literal meaning of the word sarcophagus?

Celebrity Zombies 26.

VIETNAM NEWS AGENCY PUBLISHING HOUSE 116 - 118 Nguyeãn Thò Minh Khai, Q3 Thöïc hieän lieân keát xuaát baûn: Coâng ty CP TT QC AsiaLIFE Media In 4,000 cuoán, khoå 20,5cm x 27cm taïi Coâng ty ITAXA ñòa chæ 126 Nguyeãn Thò Minh Khai, Q.3.

Giaáy ÑKKHXB soá: 1283 - 2014/CXB/02 - 25/ThT Quyeát ñònh xuaát baœn soá 220/QÑ-NXBTT, caáp ngaøy 11/08/2014 In xong vaø noäp löu chieåu thaùng 09/2014 AsiaLIFE Media Advertising Communications JSC 2Bis Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Da Kao Ward, District 1 Tel: +84 8 6680 6105 For advertising and marketing enquiries please contact: +84 938 298 395 / +84 8 6680 6105 or adsales@asialifehcmc.com Distribution: Super Long +84 937 633283 AsiaLIFE is a registered trademark. No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners. © AsiaLIFE Media Advertising Communications JSC

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Dark 11. Whose autobiography is titled Tall Dark and Gruesome?

12. What did The Darkness believe in in their 2003 hit?

13. Who wrote The Heart of Darkness?

14. Which 1973 album holds the record for number of weeks on the Billboard 200 album charts?

15. In The Lord of the Rings, whose fortress is The Dark Tower?

Thoâng tin du lòch vaø vaên hoaù ôû Vieät Nam ASIALIFE HCMC

Charge of the Light Brigade?

20. The wonderfully named island of Muckle Flugga was home to a lighthouse. In which group of islands is it?

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Pub Quiz Answers

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1) R.E.M 2) The speed of golf greens 3) Green Bay Packers 4) Mr Spock 5) Libya 6) Stockton and Darlington 7) 26th December 8) Robert Louis Stevenson 9) Apple 10) Cat Stevens 11) Christopher Lee 12) A Thing Called Love 13) Joseph Conrad 14) Dark Side of the moon15) Sauron 16) Starlight Express 17) Southern Lights 18) C 19) Crimean War 20) Shetland 21) Heathcliff 22) Edward (Ted) Heath 23) Heathers 24) Heathrow 25) Flesh Eater 26) Martin Freeman 27) Giorgio Chiellini 28) Bryan Cranston 29) Jennifer Lawrence 30) George Clooney

16. Which musical takes place on roller-skates?

17. What is the more common name of the Aurora Australis?

18. In physics, what letter is used to represent the speed of light?

19. In which war was The

OUTSTANDING 2014

EXAMINATION RESULTS

We are very pleased to announce our IGCSE and IBDP examination results for 2014.

Congratulations to our students and teachers whose hard work and determination has been rewarded with exceptional success.

International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP)

100% of students gained 5+ subjects at grade A* - C compared to the UK average of 68.1% (2013)

Average points awarded were 35.3 compared to the world average of 29.81 (2013)

65% of all grades were either A* or A compared to the UK average of 23.8% (2013)

24% of students scored 40+ pts

25% of students gained at least 7A*

Our top two students were awarded 43 points from a maximum of 45 points

Our top student achieved 11 A* grades and 1 A These examination results allow our students access to the very best universities worldwide, including prestigious Ivy League colleges in the United States and Russell Group universities in the United Kingdom.

www.bisvietnam.com

Where is your child going?