AsiaLIFE Vietnam April 2014

Searching For

ÂŹ

ISBN: 978 - 604 - 905 - 360 - 3

AsiaLIFE HCMC 3

AsiaLIFE volume 73 Asialifemagazine.com

20 07 News & Events

front

10 Dispatches

food

A Vietnamese cafe

14 Q&A With Gael McDonald

40 ESPY

16 Photo Essay: In the Heart of the Hermit Kingdom

storyboard

New York-style pizza

41 Olé

Spanish specialties

20 Searching for Candy

A filmmaker's journey to find peace

The enduring charm

39 Càfê RuNam

11 Street Smart: 3 Thang 2

cover story

38 Sterling's Saigon

style & design

42 Vietnam Living

A couple's remodelled apartment

44 Fashion

26 To MSG or not to MSG 28 The Rise of the Safety Net

Can social work make it in Vietnam?

30 Why I Will Leave Vietnam a Feminist

back

48 The List 70 Spotlight 72 Street Guide 80 Odd One Out

getaways

Immortalising foreign icons

32 Into the Mist

81 A Libertine Abroad

Cambodia's mysterious Areng Valley

Not all laptops are created equal

34 The World's Playground

82 Pub Quiz

Discovering Dubai

36 The Burning Shore

Luxury in rugged Ninh Thuan province

16 Cover Searching For

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Art direction Sarah Joanne Smith Photography Lawrence Johnson Productions

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note from the editor Group director sales and marketing / director Vietnam: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialifemagazine.com Managing editor: Chris Mueller chris@asialifemagazine.com Deputy editor: Lien Hoang lien@asialifemagazine.com Assistant editor: Ruben Luong ruben@asialifemagazine.com

Chris Mueller Most journalists will tell you that one of the hardest parts of the job is deciding what details will actually make it into an article. It’s amazing how much research, and how many interviews and quotes, never end up in a final piece. It’s a constant struggle of the trade: fitting as much information as possible into the article without overwhelming the reader.

This is what happened when I finished my first interview with Larry Johnson, the subject of this month’s cover story, and as I sat down to write what was supposed to be a two-page story. Johnson is making a documentary about his search for his former Vietnamese girlfriend and the possible child he fathered with her during the American War, but it has turned into much more than that. As hard as I tried, squeezing his fascinating account into two pages just didn’t seem right. And when a colleague suggested I make it my final cover story for AsiaLIFE, it seemed like the perfect way to end my stint as managing editor. After all, a journalist is only as good as his last story.

So it’s with this piece that I say goodbye to AsiaLIFE. I’ve been at the magazine for two-and-a-half years — 21 months of which I was managing editor. It’s been an incredible experience working here, and while we may not be winning any Pulitzers or publishing groundbreaking stories, I’m always amazed at the quality of each issue. What few of our readers realise is how restrictive of an environment we — and our competitors — are actually in and how few resources we have to work with. That anyone can publish anything here is feat within itself. This magazine would also not be possible if it weren’t for the dedication of the AsiaLIFE staff, all of whom clearly love what they do and I’m lucky to have worked with.

Unfortunately, I’m not the only one to be leaving AsiaLIFE this month. Our long-time photo editor Fred Wissink, who has been with the magazine since its beginnings over six years ago, has decided it’s also time to move on. The magazine has been lucky to have such a talented photographer for so long, and whoever replaces him will have (really) big shoes to fill.

The magazine, however, will be in good hands, since former managing editor Brett Davis returns to the helm — and he as big plans for AsiaLIFE’s future.

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Editor-at-large: Brett Davis brett@asialifehcmc.com Art director: Sarah Joanne Smith sarah@asialifemagazine.com Production manager: Nguyen Kim Hoa nguyenhoa@asialifehcmc.com Administrative: Nguyen Hanh Trinh trinh.nguyen@asialifehcmc.com

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

AsiaLIFE Cambodia Group editor / director: Mark Bibby Jackson mark@asialife.asia Managing editor: Ellie Dyer

Art director: Joe Slater Sales: Sorn Chantha chantha@asialife.asia

Next time you're in Cambodia check out the latest content from AsiaLIFE Cambodia or view it at:

Asialifemagazine.com

NEWS Return to RED

The Observatory will present part two of its Monochrome art exhibition, RED, exhibited by Henry Codax, Vuong Tu Lam, Le Brothers and Olivier Mosset, through 15 April. Complementing the first part that was exhibited early last month, the second part, RED PROJECT, consists of a multi-disciplinary show that examines the meaning of the colour red in the context of Vietnam and its culture. RED echoes a collective show that opened in New York City in 1986, which exhibited radical paintings and sculptures as part of the Monochrome art movement. Viewing hours are 12pm-8pm, free entrance. The Observatory is at the corner of Le Lai and Ton That Tung, D1.

EVENTS What Happens in Hoi An Stays in Hoi An

Last month VinaCapital announced it had found a new investor to take over a project that would build the 1,000 hectare South Hoi An casino in central Vietnam. Development for a 1,540 hectare casino was intended to begin in 2010, but the Malaysian investor pulled out two years later. Now, the new investor, the Pacific Peninsula Group from the US, will take on the project, which includes a 500-room hotel scheduled to open in 2015. The entire project is estimated to cost $4 billion.

Casinos are open to those with foreign passports in Vietnam, but the casino comes at a time when Vietnamese lawmakers are considering opening up gambling rights to locals as well.

How Vietnamese View Same-Sex Marriage

Thirty-eight percent of respondents who took a recent survey on same-sex marriage in Vietnam supported a proposed law to legalise it. The survey was given to 5,297 people in eight cities and provinces by Vietnam’s Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment and the Health Strategy and Policy Institute. They found that 72 percent were neutral about gay marriage, 56 percent support adoption for gay couples and 47 percent support inheritance rights for gay couples. The survey underscores small steps for the gay community in Vietnam.

Last year, the government released a decree that would remove fines associated with same-sex marriage ceremonies.

Journey to Japan

A $19 million Japanese garden complex spanning 20,000 square metres is finally open to the public in Hoc Mon, a suburb about 20 kilometres from downtown.

The park, Tung Son Thach Hoa Vien, is made of 4,000 tons of rock, 200 koi fish, and hundreds of bonsai and evergreen trees imported from Japan. It was created by Ngo Chanh, who lived in Japan for 30 years, for which he spent 25 of those hoping to build a Japanese-style garden of his own for others to experience. At the complex, visitors can also enjoy Kobe beef, the Japanese rice cake, mocha, or purchase Japanese souvenirs. Entrance tickets cost VND 50,000 for adults and VND 20,000 for children.

Sàn Art Presents DAISY DAISY – Ode of Digits

THINKING RELOCATION? THINK SANTA FE. “We make it easy”

Sàn Art collaborates for the third time with fashion designer Phuong My to present new artwork from French-born artist Sandrine Llouquet. Her exhibition, DAISY DAISY - Ode of Digits, explores the intimacy behind the relationship of humans and technology. Drawing on sci-fi motifs and themes, Llouquet features large-scale hand drawn sci-fi characters and landscape installations in metallic materials, red spaceship lights, and precise laser-cut components. Three-dimensional drawn figures displaying the transformation of ideal futuristic women also appear inside and outside the Phuong My Flagship store. The exhibition runs through 25 April at the store, located at 81 Le Thanh Ton, D1.

Hot Wheels

Relocation | Immigration | Moving Home Search | Records Management | Pets

Santa Fe Relocation Services Ho Chi Minh City: +84 8 3933 0065 Hanoi: +84 4 3941 0805 Email: info@santaferelo.com.vn www.santaferelo.com

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FirstBIKE, safe and durable balance bikes designed for ages 22 months to five, is launching three bikes in Vietnam that can be personalised and purchased online. FirstBIKE products are designed in Germany by cycling professionals and boast a variety of safety features, such as a revolutionary frame material that gives it flex for comfort and posture support to ensure the safest balance for toddlers. The three models available in Vietnam are each equipped with their own special features.

For instance, the Street models are constructed with worldrenowned Schwalbe tires and the upgraded Limited models feature top-of-the-line Schwalbe Big Apple tires. Prices range from VND 2.8 million to VND 4.8 million. Firstbike.com.vn.

Dancers Rejoice

Saigon’s Dancentre will hold a ballet dance workshop led

by Chloe Glemot from the prestigious Opera National de Paris School on 20 April from 9.30am-12pm. Glemot is known for her precision and rigorous technical cleanliness, or “placement”, which she takes after the "École Française" French-style school of ballet. Students attending her workshop are encouraged to wear traditional ballet attire, such as leotards, tights, leggings, stretch pants and tops. Ballet shoes will be provided. Reserve a spot before 15 April for an early-bird fee of VND 200,000 or pay VND 250,000 at the door. Email info@dancentervn.com. Dancentre, 53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Thao Dien, D2.

Girl Power

In honour of International Women’s Day last month, The Body Shop Vietnam partnered with local NGO Mekong Plus to carry out its second “Brighten Up A Woman’s Future” campaign, which collects clothing donations for disadvantaged women working as handcrafters for the NGO. After two weeks of donations, The Body Shop received 7,236 items. Mekong Plus operates two projects, Mekong Quilts and Mekong Creations, and aims to generate employment for impoverished women and to support community involvement in remote villages of Vietnam. The Body Shop is a major English beauty brand that encourages human rights and whose products are made from Community Fair Trade, which provides stable incomes to farmers around the world.

dispatches

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Mystical Massages The Chedi Sakala, which opened in February on a less frequented but entirely compelling Bali peninsula, is now enhancing the resort’s tranquility with the ‘Rejuvenate in Style’ package. Starting at $970 and running through 20 Dec, guests can receive three-nights accommodation in a Chedi Suite or Deluxe Suite, a 90-minute ancient Balinese massage and a 120-minute Ayurvedic Abhyanga massage. Once a fishing village, the Chedi Sakala is run by luxury hotel brand GHM and is the group’s most expansive Balinese resort, covering two-and-a-half hectares of oceanfront property at Tanjung Benoa beach in Nusa Dua, Bali. GHMhotels. com.

Divine Elephants Thrissur Pooram, running 8-10 May, is a 200-year-old festival that takes place at the temples of the Kerala region in Thrissur, India. It was introduced by Raja Rama Varma in order to pay respects to the deity Shiva. One attraction to look forward to is its annual three-hour fireworks show, which starts at 3am. However, the predominant spectacle is the elephant parade, which features 30 elephants adorned in golden headdresses, decorative ornaments, palm leaves and feathers. Elephant riders carry ornate bamboo parasols and travel through town towards the Vadakkunnathan Temple.

For more information, visit Thrissurpooramfestival.com.

Mauritius Extreme Power up for an off-road triathlon at the XTERRA World Tour race in Mauritius on 24 May. XTERRA takes place every year off the southeast coast of Africa, but this year’s race will also be set in Mauritius along a working tea plantation and colonial gardens. The swim event will take place in the crater of an extinct volcano surrounded by tropical gardens and overlooked by tearooms; the mountain bike course is a mix of jeep roads and single tracks; and a run will pass through water crossings and challenging terrain. XTERRA will support Get Active!, a local non-profit that uses sport to tackle social exclusion, physical inactivity and health issues. For more information and to register, visit Xterra-mauritius.com.

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3 Thang 2

Street Smart:

Ruben Luong treks from Districts 10 to 11 on congested, but visually interesting, 3 Thang 2 Street.

Walking all of 3 Thang 2 is not a good idea, since it stretches about five kilometres from Cach Mang Thang 8 in District 3, through District 10 and finally into District 11, far away from the centre of town. Aware that the road is a challenge for anyone travelling on foot, there is no shortage of xe om drivers on the street who will try to hail you, so avoid getting harassed by taking your own motorbike or bicycle to explore in peace instead.

It’s a shame that 3 Thang 2 is so difficult to traverse, since there is a bustle of local activity that is overlooked when you’re cruising on a motorbike. There’s also a lively system of confusing hems that most never have a reason to brave. Hems belonging to 3 Thang 2 somehow disappear into those of Nguyen Kim, Nguyen Lam or Ba Hat streets. There, longtime family businesses are hiding for those only knowledgeable enough to explore the area away from the congested main road, where other establishments might catch your eye.

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COM CHAY THANH LUONG

TRA CHUONG GIO

545a 3 Thang 2

300 3 Thang 2

Com Chay Thanh Luong is a street food stall rare for its spacious open cafeteria that serves ample vegetarian com binh dan (worker’s lunch). Located at a corner far along 3 Thang 2 but easily accessible from Ly Thai To Street, the dishes here are prepared Vietnamese style, so they are filling, satisfying and, at times, spicy. Within the food stall, which is placed strategically along the road to attract drivers, are three tiers of at least 12 different platters of vegetarian dishes, including fried tofu and lemongrass, glazed and barbecued seitan with sesame seed, a pepper and chilli-doused prawn salad or fresh spring rolls with imitation meat. Each portion, served with rice and veggies, costs VND 25,000.

A never-ending menu of abundant tea is available at Tra Chuong Gio (wind chime tea), with hopes to introduce a new tea culture to the urban young locals. It’s a quaint café that’s quiet and not overcrowded, unlike 3 Thang 2 on a scorching afternoon. The street itself seems like an unlikely place for tea, but the café’s selection of more than 50 types, such as pu-erh tea, a fermented dark tea from Yunnan, China, is fascinating and worth a look. Health benefits and descriptions (in Vietnamese, but also with some English) precede each type of tea selection, like caffeine-free rooibos and tra no hoa, a blooming jasmine tea that’s pleasant to see and drink. Hot tea is always restorative, but opt for iced versions to quickly recover from 3 Thang 2. Teas mostly range VND 25,000-50,000, but coffee and pastries are also available for around the same price.

THE QUOC TU PAGODA Corner of 3 Thang 2 and Le Hong Phong Peddlers with lotus flowers and other items surround the The Quoc Tu Buddhist pagoda, which is situated at the corner of 3 Thang 2 and south of Ky Hoa park on Le Hong Phong street.

The construction of the pagoda began in 1964, but was officially completed only recently in 2003. The pagoda is seven stories high — the first two levels are open to the public, while the third and seventh floors of the pagoda are said to open up on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month. Walking around the complex is pacifying. Outside, statues of deities and goddesses are solemn sentinels.

Inside, on the ground level, are several shrines, rooms with portraits and manuals consumed with plumes of fragrant incense. Try heading to the second floor of the pagoda, where there is a shrine with miniature Buddhas that float on a sky mural.

XOI LA CHUOI 83A 3 Thang 2 Vietnamese glutinous rice specialties are a bit under appreciated among expats, who may choose a standard banh mi when it comes to a quick breakfast or an afternoon snack. But there are enough savoury sticky rice dishes that offer a satisfying alternative. Stop by Xoi La Chuoi for sticky rice prepared in various ingredients, such as xoi ga xe, sticky rice with shredded chicken (VND 15,000), or xoi khuc, sticky rice stuffed with mung bean and pandan leaf paste (VND 10,000). For those with a sweet tooth, try the xoi bap, sticky rice with corn, xoi dau phong, sticky rice topped in peanuts or xoi la cam, sticky rice made with magenta plant, each one for VND 10,000.

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NHA HAT HOA BINH 240-242 3 Thang 2 A trip to the Hoa Binh theatre, would be fitting for this month, since the 16,500-square-metre building was built on 26 April 1985 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Saigon’s Liberation Day. It’s considered the largest theatre in Vietnam, according to its website, and holds a number of art programs and concerts with notable Vietnamese singers. Along with the cultural centre is the movie theatre Cinebox Hoa Binh, which is often overlooked compared to convenient theatres like Galaxy or MegaStar. While the movie theatre shows only a few new films at a time, it’s one of just two Cinebox locations in the area, and offers a Happy Day promotion every Tuesday, when tickets are only VND 40,000. Event and movie schedules for Hoa Binh and Cinebox theatres are at Nhahathoabinh. com.vn.

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Gael McDonald 14 AsiaLIFE AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC 14

RMIT Vietnam’s new president tells AsiaLIFE about the goals she wants to tackle, what the university can contribute to the country and how limitations can push women towards new challenges. Photo by Dave Lemke.

Your background is in countries with established academic traditions. What is it like to come to a developing place like Vietnam, by contrast?

I have experience in both developed and less-developed academic circumstances.

The Vietnamese culture is encouraging of education at both the undergraduate and post-graduate levels so I see this as an excellent location to be in. The Vietnamese government is also highly committed to developing quality education and I look forward to assisting in this process.

As a woman leader at a university, why do you think there aren't more women in your position? How does that differ from the gender gap in other industries?

There aren't more women in senior management in universities probably for the same reason that there are not more senior women in a number of other industries.

The reality is that often, marriage and responsibility for child rearing coincide with the critical time in career development for women, particularly in their 20s and 30s. It is incredibly difficult to do both these roles: actively pursuing a career towards senior management and caring for a young family.

Fortunately roles are changing and, coupled with increased opportunities, I anticipate we will be seeing more women in senior positions in the future.

Similarly, women are not as well represented in business, which is a field you've taught.

What drew you to this?

I started out in advertising and then after my first business degree in marketing I realised that this was an area I really enjoyed. I subsequently went on to do an MBA and then a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). The business arena is ever changing and I like the

Interestingly, where women do experience restrictions on their career aspiration, research has indicated that this can be a tremendous motivator towards women going into business for themselves.

Entrepreneurship by women has been linked to career frustration in the workplace.

dynamic nature of business and the need to be constantly developing strategy.

Interestingly, where women do experience restrictions on their career aspiration, research has indicated that this can be a tremendous motivator towards women going into business for themselves. Entrepreneurship by women has been linked to career frustration in the workplace.

Do you see any challenges women face that are particular to Vietnam?

I've only been here for two months so probably it is a bit early to make any sound judgments. However, I have been told that there is a strong expectation that women will carry most of the burden of childcare even with family support. I believe there's a saying in Vietnamese that the man builds the house and the woman builds the home. This typifies the role of women in the family, which is a very traditional view.

How do you build your family while travelling and growing professionally?

Although I wouldn't recommend it, I built a solid foundation of my career before marrying later in life than most and also having children (twins) later still. I am fortunate that I have a very supportive husband who has been active with the children from when they were babies.

His significant involvement has enabled me to build my career, which often involves frequent travels. I have the confidence that our children are well cared for. We have also spent a small fortune on international telephone calls.

One of your specialties is international marketing, what role do you think this industry plays in the world?

With increased globalisation and the opportunities for new market, international marketing is very critical for those who want to capitalise

on these opportunities.

Socially responsible international businesses have also the possibility of assisting in solving social and environmental problems in the world.

By the time you leave RMIT, what specifically will you want to have accomplished?

It is a great question. I have very clear goals for what I would like to achieve and they relate to primarily three areas.

The first is the growth of our student numbers with both local and international students and in doing so creating a very diverse and vibrant educational environment. The second is to further enhance the quality of what we offer, particularly in regards to innovation in teaching and learning. The third is clearly differentiating RMIT in relation to industry engagement and career placement.

How do you think RMIT can benefit Vietnam in the long run?

We have graduated over 6,500 students that are contributing meaningfully to Vietnam's development. RMIT Vietnam is also an active partner with key stakeholders and active member of the communities we serve. In the future I'd like to see greater focus of our research talent in areas of need for Vietnam.

How are you improving your outreach to Vietnamese who can't afford an RMIT education?

By way of example. RMIT Vietnam is actively involved with Vietnamese high schools providing scholarships and also supporting teachers through training workshops on topics such as career consultation skills, which in turn assist students. We would welcome receiving philanthropic donations to facilitate even more scholarships to high performing students with potential but not the means.

AsiaLIFE AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC 15 15

photo essay:

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In the heart of the

Hermit Kingdom

Everyone has a bucket list. And on one evening last summer, Melissa Merryweather confessed to a friend that seeing the Arirang “mass games” held once a year in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea topped hers. Lucky convergence found her with three friends in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, barely five weeks later. Despite the fact that the tour — there is no independent travel allowed — is every bit as tightly choreographed as the gymnastics displays, tiny gaps in the nearly seamless fabric created plenty of unsettling and intriguing moments.

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Searching For

ÂŹ

After spending his entire adult life haunted by the decisions he made in wartime Vietnam, a former US soldier and now filmmaker returns, camera ready, to search for people from his past — including his child who may not even exist. By Chris Mueller. Photo by Nguyen An Vinh.

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Filmmaker Lawrence Johnson in Saigon in 1972, and drawings he made depicting his time there. Images courtesy of Lawrence Johnson Productions

W

hen film maker and former US soldier Lawrence Johnson returned to Vietnam in 2012, he had hoped to put the ghosts he’d carried around with him for 40 years to rest. But what he got instead was a lead on where his lost love — and perhaps the child he fathered with her — was living.

Over the next year, Johnson travelled to Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana, trying to track her down, but the trail went cold. He returned to Vietnam in 2013 to find more clues, only to discover that the woman he had been chasing was the wrong person.

“When I found out the Lien I’d been following for a year was not the right one, I was just crushed,” he tells AsiaLIFE in an interview from his home in Portland, Oregon. “It was like my child was taken away from me again.”

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Love and war It was 1972, and for 22-year-old Larry Johnson the dangers of the American War were never very far. As bombs exploded only a few kilometres away, the Nebraska native spent most of his time on duty in an old French-designed compound in northern Saigon, where he pushed paper more than pulled triggers.

As a member of the Command Military Touring Shows, Johnson’s duties were to play drums and organise entertainment for the troops.

“People were suffering all around us, but we were in this little bubble — Saigon,” he says. “The only thing we had to worry about were the cowboys [thieves].”

At night, instead of standing watch in dark jungles or deep trenches as depicted in now-cliché Vietnam War films, he headed to the Continental Hotel in Dis-

”

trict 1. The café and bar on the ground level was nicknamed the Shelf at the time, and was the preferred haunt of journalists and CIA types.

“It was a pretty rowdy, weird place and I loved it,” he says.

People were suffering all around us, but we were in this little bubble — Saigon.

Johnson was wary at first and worried that Candy, whose real name he would later learn was Truong My Lien, could be running a scam. “She wasn’t a call girl.

She wasn’t a prostitute,” he says. “But I do think she was trawling for an American

From that point on, rather than partying and smoking weed in the barracks with his fellow soldiers, he would head to downtown Saigon to spend time with Candy.

That’s where Candy first caught his eye. Struck by her beauty as she strolled toward the Continental, Johnson had his wingmen — children he used to joke around with as they sold beads outside the hotel — make an introduction. Once the conversation began, he invited her for a cup of coffee. “She was very discrete about the whole thing and sat at a different table to talk to me.”

boyfriend.”

But he quickly warmed to her. From that point on, rather than partying and smoking weed in the barracks with his fellow soldiers, he would head to downtown Saigon to spend time with Candy. They would go out for coffee, just sit and talk or escape the tropical heat by ducking into local cinemas, where Johnson remembers watching Romeo and Juliet dubbed in

”

French and with three sets of subtitles. It didn’t take long, he says, before he fell in love with her.

“I think the thing that really captured me about her was the mystery. She kept me guessing all the time, and it’s all locked up with the magic of Vietnam as well — with this wonderful place. I was just a young kid and I had never experienced anything like that before.”

Angry ghosts But it didn’t stay a fairy-tale love story for long. After dating for several months as the war continued to rage around them, the relationship began to have its ups and downs. Millions of Vietnamese and tens of thousands of Americans had already been killed, and Candy came to believe she, like many Vietnamese at the time, had been possessed by the angry ghosts of those killed violently in the war.

Vietnamese culture places an importance on dying well, writes anthropologist Mai Lan Gustafsson in War and Shadows:

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A recent photo of Johnson and a self-portrait (right).

Despite his personal and professional success, the emotional scars he received in Vietnam have affected him his entire life.

The Haunting of Vietnam. To die well, according to Gustafsson, was to die “in old age, body unblemished, with surviving children, and properly buried and mourned.” If a person doesn’t die properly, he runs the risk of becoming an angry ghost.

With the inescapable carnage wreaking havoc on the country, so many people died badly or were killed violently far from home that many Vietnamese believed their spirits became angry ghosts trapped in some type of spirit hell, destined to wander without rest and become jealous of their surviving friends and family.

Those who believe they have become possessed often exhibit strange behaviour, such as depression, hallucinations and self-mutilation, according to Gustafsson.

The only way to placate these ghosts was to use a spirit medium to find out what they wanted.

Of course, today this “possession” is commonly diagnosed as depression or even post-traumatic stress disorder.

Gustafsson writes that “possession” was a way for traumatised victims of war to internalise and make sense of the effects that war, whether directly or indirectly, had on them.

Candy believed she was possessed by the ghost of a Buddhist nun and it had

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a clear effect on her relationship with Johnson. “I believe that she believed it was real,” he says.

Although their relationship was sometimes turbulent, they decided to get married anyway. Shortly after their decision, however, Johnson was preparing to return to the United States with his unit and wasn’t able to cut all the red tape to bring Candy home with him — and at that point he wasn’t really sure he wanted to — so the marriage was called off.

“We had a chaotic relationship,” he says. “I felt I was being manipulated. Let’s just call it misunderstandings.”

But right before he was to ship out, Candy gave him some startling news — she was pregnant with his child.

“I didn’t believe her because she never showed any signs of pregnancy, so I just wiped it out of my mind.”

Life goes on

By December 1972, Johnson was back home in the United States. Over the next 40 years, he would marry and divorce twice, and have two children and five grandchildren. Professionally, he became an award-winning filmmaker based out of Portland. Two of his most notable documentaries are Hand Game (2001), about a

Native American sport, and Stuff (2011), a feature-length documentary about his father’s death.

Despite his personal and professional success, Johnson says the emotional scars he received in Vietnam have affected him his entire life.

“I’ve never been able to settle down anywhere,” he says. “I’ve never been able to really have a happy family. I’ve tried, but it’s always been chaotic. I feel that I’ve just carried that chaos with me and it emerged out of that war.”

Finding peace His 2012 trip back to Vietnam was supposed to be a way for him to make peace with himself and the decisions he had made.

“I didn’t see anybody killed, I didn’t get wounded or anything, but still I was a part of that mess,” he says. “I feel like I was just as responsible as the guy who was pulling the trigger.”

And as a filmmaker, he decided he had to make a documentary about the search. He is using super-8 film he shot in Vietnam in 1972, footage from his 2012 and 2013 trips, as well as animation he draws personally. The film is titled Ghost Money, after the votive paper that many

Johnson’s drawing studio in his barracks in 1972 Saigon.

He decided he had to make a documentary about the search. He is using super-8 film he shot in Vietnam in 1972, footage from his 2012 and 2013 trips, as well as animation he draws personally.

Asians burn as an offering to make peace with the dead.

Johnson, who will take another trip to Vietnam this spring, is also hoping the film will shine a spotlight on an oftforgotten legacy of the war: Amerasian children.

The plight of Amerasians, or children of American soldiers and Vietnamese women, has been well documented, from being refused citizenship by the United States to discrimination in Vietnam.

Brian Hjort, who started the Amerasian advocacy group Fathers Founded, says about 30,000 Amerasians have moved to the US since the late '80s. However, he believes there are still many more remaining in Vietnam, anywhere from 500 to 5,000.

“No one knows the number,” he says.

“There are Amerasians in the mountain villages that are hard to reach and that never apply to leave for the US.” As the potential father of one of these Amerasians, Johnson says he feels an obligation to do everything he can to find out if he has a child and to be a part of his life. But why did he wait until 2012 to start looking?

“I think there’s a stage of life that a lot of GIs are entering,” he says. “The

natural thing is to look back at your life because you see the end. So you want to turn back and look where you’ve come from. And when you do that, you start to observe and remember things that maybe you still have a lot of questions about.”

On both his 2012 and 2013 trips, he brought his long-time friend and cinematographer Gerald Lewis. Lewis, who has been shooting films since the ’70s, including years as a BBC cameraman, says he has seen the toll the search and film have taken on his friend.

“I think it’s been emotionally draining for him. It’s been a real rollercoaster,” he says. “I think he’s strong enough for it not to have lasting effects. But if he has a child, he desperately wants to find out.”

Lewis says he thinks the documentary team, which includes an American translator and Vietnamese producer, has exhausted all possible ways of finding Candy. They’ve done everything from placing ads in newspapers in Vietnam and the US to appearing on Vietnamese television, without any luck.

Johnson, however, remains hopeful.

“I don’t think I have come to a place where I feel like I have to accept that I won’t find her,” he says. “I still believe I’ll find her.”

AsiaLIFE HCMC 25

To MSG or not to MSG Does the flavour enhancer really have adverse health effects? By Lien Hoang. Photo by Jonny Edbrooke.

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I don’t even remember where it came from, but at some point in my childhood, I heard that MSG was unhealthy and so, proceeded to declare war against the food additive. Among other things, I learned that it could cause bone damage, which is of particular concern for females, who are more susceptible to osteoporosis.

At my family’s house in Northern California, my Vietnamese mother kept the usual tins of sugar, salt, pepper — and MSG, or monosodium glutamate. She cooked with all of them, liberally, because Hue mothers can never have too many seasonings. When I started to turn against MSG, she would inexplicably reply that the salty crystals were like vitamins.

But it was only after I returned to Vietnam that MSG became a problem. I would eat street food way too often, and come home not knowing why my neck ached, especially after eating noodle soups. After a few months I finally made the connection, when a friend said that she loved a nearby pho restaurant but always left with a severe MSG reaction. Typical symptoms are headaches, flushing, sweating, facial pressure or tightness, numbness, tingling or burning in the face, neck and other areas, heart palpitations, chest pain, nausea and weakness, according to the Mayo Clinic, a leading research hospital in Minnesota.

Since then, I often would ask street vendors and restaurateurs whether they used bot ngot in their dishes before deciding if I should eat there. I was disappointed to find that one vegetarian cafe did, indeed, use MSG, because I thought vegetarians knew better. Some eateries around Ho Chi Minh City are starting to post “No MSG” signs, but it seems they’re catering to foreigners.

Vietnamese, and Asians more

generally, don’t care.

In 2012, Viet Nam News asked for readers to submit their thoughts on MSG. “As Vietnamese, we grow up with the tendency to accept that our grandmothers and mothers use MSG frequently,” reader Le Duy Luong wrote. “That's why many Vietnamese aren't allergic to MSG. I think it's quite hard to convince a typical Vietnamese that excessive use of MSG could cause things such as depression.”

A team of five researchers in Japan studied the effects of MSG on mice, comparing them with a control group, and published their findings in 2013. They concluded that MSG did not cause obesity. Namely, “the present two-generation mice study found no impact of MSG ingestion on growth, body composition, fat accumulation, or blood biochemical indices for insulin resistance or fat metabolism.”

But there is a catch, and it is

I was disappointed to find that one vegetarian cafe did, indeed, use MSG, because I thought vegetarians knew better.

That echoed what Vietnamese friends have told me, that they’ve probably built up a tolerance for MSG that westerners don’t quite have.

So, back home in the United States, there’s far more anxiety about MSG in soups, processed meats and canned vegetables.

And of course: in Chinese food (equally, Vietnamese food), which hasn’t helped that cuisine’s low-quality reputation.

Yet the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies MSG as “generally recognised as safe” (though it does require food manufacturers to include the flavour enhancer on their lists of ingredients). Call it naivete, but I did not even know this was up for debate and so many people considered MSG harmless.

The FDA, though, has its critics, who say the agency is more about promoting the food industry than protecting consumers. So I looked for other research instead, and what I found was surprising. There is much more literature seeming to debunk the belief that MSG is detrimental to our health, than research to support the thesis.

potentially fatal: at least one of the scientists works for Ajinomoto, a major MSG producer in Japan.

The team was trying to reproduce (or refute) the results of a similar mice experiment reported in the Journal of Lipid Research in 2008. That experiment linked MSG with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and obesity, by showing an uptick in cholesterol or fat in the blood and fat storage genes in mice treated with MSG. The 2013 study did not argue the 2008 results were wrong, but that they could not be reproduced.

This is just a sample of research that suggests there has been no definitive evidence for either the pro- or anti-MSG camp. A friend told me his approach to these inconclusive health reports is to consume a little less of the questionable product than the average person. In other words, he would have some MSG, but less than most people. So if someday the world does learn that MSG is making us fat and destroying our bones, other people will succumb to it before we do.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 27

SAFETY The Rise of the

What is social work? After emerging from decades of poverty, Vietnam looks to answer that question. By Lien Hoang. Photo by Jonny Edbrooke.

O

ne of the quirks of living in a country like Vietnam is the daily encounter with street after street of campaign posters. Some urge citizens to remember their prophylactics.

Others translate the “Just say no!” slogan for potential drug users. More recently, campaign art has popped up around Ho Chi Minh City with a less sexy message: undertaking a policy of social insurance and health insurance is the responsibility of not just the government, but businesses and individuals as well.

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The posters are somewhat newer because the idea of social work is still evolving here.

Generally, social work relates to social justice. It involves helping people get access to services that promote their physical and emotional well-being. The question for Vietnam, as every country has had to figure out, is who is responsible for providing these services and ensuring they get used?

Following decades of war, Vietnam has had to rebuild all manner of sectors before it had the money and capacity to provide the services that typify a safety net, from health care to child protection.

Dr Paul Duong Tran, chair of the social work department at

Indiana State University, said Vietnam has no time to lose to develop a system of social work (known as “cong tac xa hoi”), which soon will need to replace international NGOs as the country grows richer.

“When countries reclassify as middle income, donors pull out,” he said in an interview.

But as the billboards point out, government is not the only source of social welfare. Among the more libertarian-minded, private individuals should be contributing to their own wellbeing or that of people close to them. The Christian Science Monitor reported in March that the trend of a “participation society” is taking hold in the Netherlands.

“The ‘participation society’ concept means many things, such as family or friends taking responsibility for the care of

older people — driving them to medical appointments or helping them clean their homes — before seeking out state support at later stages,” the Monitor wrote.

“The unemployed are being asked to clean streets or parks in exchange for their benefits, a program on track to become a national law this summer. New proposals at the national level include asking the elderly and chronically ill, at least those well enough, to also volunteer in exchange for their social security payments.”

Such a proposal certainly could have appeal in Vietnam, where the budget deficit cap has had to be raised and where such basic services as secondary education are not actually universal. Nevertheless, there seems to be agreement that the Vietnam still has room to grow when it comes to public services. It spends a little more than 2 percent of national

NET gross domestic product per beneficiary, according to a 2012 Economist article that cited the Asian Development Bank. That beat the Philippines and Indonesia, but compared with closer to 4 percent in Malaysia and 7 percent in South Korea.

The article argued that all of Asia is expanding the welfare state amid the process of economic growth and development. The trend moves away from the old model, in which “no one would come to think of pensions and health as the state’s responsibility.

This model of welfare tried to keep savings high and work incentives sharp,” the Economist wrote.

Social workers, of course, don’t have to be on a public payroll necessarily. Whether working for the government or a private entity, social workers

can be counselors, educators, mediators, administrators, advocates, political consultants or researchers.

Tran, the professor, recommended Vietnam look to countries with firmer safety nets for inspiration.

“You need to be paying attention to international standards,” he said. Not that this alone is enough. “Vietnam has done a good job of copying ideas. But there’s no one here to ensure quality.”

During a guest lecture at Open University in late February, Tran said Vietnam has social work programs (such as those at the University of Labour and Social Affairs) but little field experience and aca-

But as the billboards point out, government is not the only source of social welfare.

demic research. He later said, “There’s no reward system” to encourage research.

Vietnam is improving, setting for itself a goal to increase the number of social workers in the country. On its website, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs wrote: “Vietnam needs to improve teaching methodology, provide necessary skills for social workers so that they could work at communities, effectively contributing to enhancing the effectiveness of social activities in Vietnam.”

AsiaLIFE HCMC 29

Tired of seeing so much sexism in the expat community in Ho Chi Minh City, Jennifer Graham speaks out.

30 30 AsiaLIFE AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC

The word ‘feminist’ conjures up an array of meanings and emotions. There are women who are strong advocates for gender equality who would balk at the idea of being labelled ‘feminist’. There are radicals who create their whole identity around their female strength and warrior stance and embrace the title of feminist in everything they do. There are women who cook and clean and knit and use these traditional female roles as a soapbox to promote their personal views of feminism; yet, at the same time, there are feminists who would rather choke on a bar of soap than ever be seen condoning this kind of behaviour. There are even men who call themselves feminists.

Generally, feminists have a bad rap. And let’s be honest, if you don’t like feminists it’s probably because you think they are a joke — just angry women walking around hating men while giving everyone a glimpse of their hairy armpits.

But in reality, feminists come in all shapes, sizes and sentiments and each one has walked her own path towards a form of feminism. My own path was forged while living in Vietnam.

There are many reasons I became a feminist in Vietnam, a major one being the way I see some western men speak about and treat Vietnamese women.

On a recent Friday evening, for instance, I was sitting on a rooftop bar sipping a cosmopolitan while discussing the woes of life as an English teacher with some old and new friends — who all happened to be expat men — when a middle-aged guy opposite me, without any discretion, began regaling the group with the intricate details of Vietnamese women’s genitalia.

Now don’t get me wrong, I talk about vaginas as much as the next feminist. A part of feminism is to create a space where we all can openly and respectfully discuss the nature and symbol of womanhood. But when a woman is objectified — when she is seen as only a commodity to be used — it cannot be tolerated.

All too often I’m put in a position where I have to listen to this derogatory discourse

Why do so many western men come to Vietnam and forget how to treat women with respect?

from a large proportion of male expats, and I don’t want to hear it anymore. Put it this way: what man wants their genitals described while sat at a table with 10 women? Not many, I would imagine. It’s disrespectful, humiliating, boring, and yes, it’s sexist.

“It’s just a joke” is a common response after I’ve taken offence to some good old-fashioned sexist remark. “What’s your problem? It’s tastefully done” was the reaction to my complaints of a photo of a naked girl posted on a Facebook group of mostly male expat members.

Oh, and let’s not forget the “expat women are just jealous because expat men find Vietnamese women more attractive” position. Western women in Vietnam are being made to feel that they are uptight prudes if they “don’t get it”. It seems expat men are speaking to us like they have forgotten what gender we are.

And there is another level to this sexism within the expat community that has seeped into our workplaces, which expat Belynda Bruhahn has experienced first hand. She told me that after months of sexual harassment from a colleague, she had decided enough was enough and made a formal complaint. In a meeting with management, her harasser said: “I’m not even sexually attracted to her. When I look at her, I don’t even get an erection.”

This degrading statement was simply shrugged off by those in attendance.

This kind of upfront, accepted and openly hostile sexism very rarely happens where I am from, at least not publicly, and I’m certain that most other western countries are the same.

So, why do so many western men come to Vietnam and forget how to treat women with respect?

“I have to look at the historical perspective,” a Danish male expat and self-proclaimed feminist, who requested anonymity, told me. “I think some [foreigners] here still see this place as some sort of colony.

Vietnam feels so disorganised at first sight, which may make some foreigners behave like

they want to because they think there are no rules.”

Some may say that Vietnam has been a man’s paradise for years and it will be a shock to no one that many Vietnamese women are eagerly choosing to take western men as partners.

“If you can get women that easily, you start taking them for granted,” says a British expat who came to Vietnam with his girlfriend and also asked not to be named. “It’s like water. If you’ve got a constant supply of water then you’ll misuse it, but when it runs short you start to respect it more.”

Of course, women looking for a way out of their difficult circumstances are definitely not to blame for the way certain men treat all women. What has become increasingly clear to me is boys in our western cultures are being socialised and taught to value women and girls in such a way that they can quickly lose all respect for females once they no longer have restrictive norms governing their behaviour.

I can live with sexism — I have lived with it, to an extent, my whole life — but I’ve gotten to a point now where I am just sick of seeing the same things over and over again. I can no longer accept it when a western man gropes a Vietnamese woman because, you know, “she wants it”. I can no longer sit with men who describe women as “it”. I will no longer ignore a derogatory picture, joke or statement posted on my social networks. I am fighting back and I join many other expat and Vietnamese women and men who want to see an end to this chauvinism. At this point in time we may not be able to dig up the roots of sexism, but we can certainly trim a few branches.

Yes, I am now a feminist and I will do whatever I can to confront all forms of sexism. For me, being a feminist is about working towards equality for all, across the whole gender spectrum. And, you know, occasionally having hairy armpits.

Jennifer Graham is a British freelance writer living in Ho Chi Minh City. Follow her blog at Jencanjump.wordpress.com.

AsiaLIFE AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC 31 31

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

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

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

Tourism for a Cause With development and agroindustrial economic land 32 32 AsiaLIFE AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC

concessions common across Cambodia, few, if any, places remain as untouched as Areng.

The area is home to approximately 1,300 indigenous people, rich in biodiversity and inhabited by 31 endangered animal species, including the world’s second-largest population of wild Siamese crocodiles.

Though life in the valley feels stable, the long-proposed and controversial Cheay Areng hydropower dam threatens change in coming years. The undertaking would flood the area, eradicate key species and lead residents to lose homes and livelihoods, says Alex GonzalezDavidson, co-founder of local non-profit organisation Mother Nature.

Mother Nature’s Wild KK

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

The founders hope that increased tourism, along with community advocacy and the creation of social and environmental research sites, will draw enough attention and alternative revenue streams to the valley to give developers and officials pause for thought.

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

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

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

We each took a good-luck capful of local rice wine before setting off down the carved and winding path, lined on both sides by thick forest. The three-hour ride was made more

challenging due to half of it taking place after dark. With a procession of headlamps, we attempted to light the dusty path — blocked at one point by a venomous green pit viper — until arriving safely at camp.

Once in the valley, excursions differed by day and were often unplanned. Appropriately, most action revolved around the Areng River, which is shallow and impressively diverse. It transitions from clear sandy stretches to pebbled rapids and mossy patches strewn with trees. The waters teem with soft-shell turtles, Oriental darter water birds, kingfishers, and the endangered green and silver Asian arowana, or dragonfish.

Gibbons can be heard howling in nearby trees.

When not set up riverside, we camped at the abandoned village of Sre Khuanh, where residents were exiled under the Khmer Rouge.

Kayaking takes you through calm waters surrounded by mango trees and sand banks covered with crocodile footprints and tail marks. Intrepid visitors can search for the elusive Siamese crocodiles in Areng’s oxbow lakes, rumoured to house 50 crocs. But you won’t see another soul, aside from the infrequent lone fisherman sporting Lexus-branded underpants.

The most spectacular scenery, however, is discovered while mountain biking. Tight trails wind madly through jungles dense with Bayon trees, with occasional narrow, flimsy bridges.

Forests give way to rutted paths that lead across dusty fields of high reeds and past bored buffalo.

Camp is portable and differs each night. When not set up riverside, we camped at the abandoned village of Sre Khuanh, where residents were exiled under the Khmer Rouge. Today, there is little evidence of life in the expanse of burnt fields that have replaced the town, but the surrounding mountains and large watering hole offer a stunning backdrop to the absence.

Evenings were spent under starry skies, eerily quiet aside from the sounds of crackling fires. Dinners by firelight were accompanied with a hot cup of traditional, amber-coloured “medicine water” and followed by nights in mosquito-netted hammocks, with a nearby fire to combat the cold.

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

well as fish soups and unending piles of rice.

Villagers — the majority of whom are Khmer Daeum ethnic minorities — have deep ties to the valley, with ancestral stories going back hundreds of years. They are overwhelmingly friendly and hospitable, and in a country where the majority of people are, it says something to stand out.

With no electricity or cell phone access, life seems simpler. Disconnected from the outside world, you’re forced to slow down. Communicating has its challenges, though, as villagers’ dialect proved a stumbling block for even the most fluent Khmer speakers among us.

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

Following a 6am wake-up, the vehicle slated to save us the uphill bike ride out was stuck in a ditch. After passing hours in the village, we were carted on motorcycles over the bumpy path and, eventually, out of Areng.

I emerged from the jungle with a smattering of bruises, a kilo less in weight, and a renewed appreciation for showers.

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

AsiaLIFE HCMC 33

The United Arab Emirates draws millions of visitors to its sandy dunes each year. Joanna Mayhew enters the mega malls of Dubai to find out why.

T

he wind slaps against my face, causing my cheeks to ripple violently as gigantic, roaring fans shoot me up into the air. Facing stomach down, my arms and legs bend unnaturally above me like an upside-down spider. When the 200-kilometre-per-hour force propelling me upwards suddenly cuts out, I free-fall eight metres before being flung skywards again. I shriek with delight, only to have saliva whip back at my face.

Yo-yoing back and forth, I look out through the wind tunnel’s acrylic walls to see shoppers gaping back. This is simulated skydiving. In the middle of the mall. In the middle of the desert. The experience forms just another day in what must be the world’s most bizarre and extreme playground: Dubai.

As one of seven Islamic emirates that make up the UAE, the city has made a global name for itself over the last decade, thanks to insanely fast growth and ambitious undertakings. It is a land of superlatives, with the fastest, highest, longest, costliest… everything.

Dubai is an uncontested hub for western tourists in the heart of the Middle East and — though considered the most tolerant emirate — limits alcohol, dress, dancing and displays of affection. But with Russian tourists storming the beaches, it has become common to spot bikini-clad visitors mixed in with Emirati males in long white tunics, or kanduras.

Despite there being next-tonothing historical to explore, the city attracted 9.89 million international overnight visitors in 2013, the seventh highest figure in the world.

34 AsiaLIFE HCMC

DIVERSE OFFERINGS Dubai offers almost unlimited experiences. Dune bashing?

Racecar driving? Skiing? Sandboarding? Shark diving? The world’s tallest building? The world’s most luxurious hotel?

Check them all.

Take SkiDubai in the Mall of the Emirates. A slope covered in real snow is maintained at -4C even during the summer months when outside temperatures soar to the mid-40s. With the biggest run at 400 metres long, it’s an impressive indoor feat. But there are few skiers and snowboarders on the slope compared to the sheer number of observers who pay simply to experience the winter wonderland. Women covered head to toe in black abayas circle the ski lift as ‘Baby, it’s cold outside’ plays over the sound-system, occasionally interrupted by blaring calls to prayer via a loudspeaker.

At Dubai Mall (the biggest mall in the world) you can ascend the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world). If Dubai gives the impression of a computer-generated city — which it does — then the Burj’s iconic scraggly finger outline resembles a caricature of an evil ruler’s towering lair. The 360-degree lookouts, set about three-quarters of the way up the 828-metre building, offer views of Dubai’s 900-skyscraper skyline and endless stretches of desert.

CULTURAL DESERT With more than 200 nationalities making up Dubai’s 2.1 million residents, including multitudes of South Asian workers who are

DUNE BASHING? RACE CAR DRIVING? SKIING? SAND-BOARDING? SHARK DIVING? THE WORLD’S TALLEST BUILDING? THE WORLD’S MOST LUXURIOUS HOTEL? CHECK THEM ALL.

Photos by Joanna Mayhew

paid little and live in crowded camps on the city’s outskirts, it can seem far easier to engage with other cultures than with the Emirati one. I found it frustratingly difficult to get authentic experiences amidst the expanse of shopping malls and glittering hotels.

At Dubai’s Global Village, you can “visit” up to 37 countries by watching cultural performances or browsing for imported knickknacks and clothes. Though popular, the gaudy lights and commercialised atmosphere give the impression of simply having been tricked into another mall.

Similarly, desert safaris are offered by numerous tour companies as a chance to experience Bedouin living. But rather than a personalised experience, the small tours collide with dozens of others that descend on a neon-lit desert enclosure featuring shisha tents, Eastern European belly dancers and techno music.

The sunset getaways do, however, provide opportunities for sand boarding and off-roading on the massive sand dunes.

SUVs come equipped with roll cages, as the hazardous driving “often” results in rollovers, according to our jolly and unphased Pakistani driver.

THE BEATEN TRACK I finally found a reprieve, and the trip’s highlight, in the form of camel racing. Around 20 minutes from downtown, past scrubland desert and small dunes, the sandy Al Marmoun racetrack sits behind two white mosques. The sport has a long and rich history in the UAE, and you can view the daily races upclose and at no-cost.

Each heat features approximately 15 camels, their awkward gaits kicking up a fury of sand in the direction of goggle-clad camera crews. As the animals take off, an even more impressive fleet of white SUVs peels out behind them, filling seven lanes of highway both sides of the track.

Inside the vehicles are the owners, who are not simply tracking their prized possessions, but controlling their movements via robot jockeys.

The small robots strapped to the camel saddles are now commonly used as a result of laws banning child jockeys. The devices can whip and steer the camels and have options that emit body warmth and even traditional jockey perfumes in order to simulate a rider.

I was surrounded by local men, and a VIP-section of sheikhs, as an excited commentator described each slow-paced race. The rarity of tourists means the owners are more than willing to oblige visitors with a ride on the champion beast.

The racetrack had a marked lack of trinkets and even snacks or drinks to purchase, and I couldn’t have been happier.

At the end of my trip, New Year’s Eve, Dubai hosted the world’s largest firework display, and more records are sure to follow. The emirate continues to push limits, and any visit — whether taking advantage of its thrills, architectural wonders or shopping — is certainly worth your time, if not always your money. But if I’m honest, leaving Dubai felt eerily similar to emerging from the wind tunnel.

I was exhilarated, fatigued, over-stimulated, and grateful to be back on solid ground.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 35

the burning shore In the rugged beauty of Ninh Thuan province, Brett Davis discovers a slice of paradise.

M

ost people arriving into Cam Ranh airport leave the terminal and turn north for the short drive to the beachside metropolis of Nha Trang.

However, today I am heading south into Ninh Thuan province, new territory both for me and for an emerging tourism industry.

Sweeping along the coast road, the 55 kilometres to the Amanoi resort takes about 90 minutes. It is Aman’s first property in Vietnam and joins more than 20 others scattered around isolated and exotic locations across the globe.

The lushness of the coastal plain that surrounds Cam Ranh Bay and Nha Trang, with its picture-postcard scenes of brilliant green rice paddies and swaying palm trees, soon 36 AsiaLIFE HCMC

gives way to a harsher but no less dramatic landscape.

Heading farther south the billiard-table-flat landscape disappears altogether as the mountain ranges tumble down all the way to the sea. Sandcoloured granite outcrops push up through the coarse, scrub-like vegetation as we make our way along the tight switchbacks of a road hacked out of the cliff face.

The road is still unsealed in places and we pass machinery and workers still bent to the task of completing what local authorities hope will be a lifeline of prosperity to this area. It is certainly a piece of road for motorcycle tourists to mark down for future reference.

Ninh Thuan province is one of the driest in Vietnam,

and while the wind and sunpunished landscape along its coast unmistakably reflects this, there is no question it has its own dramatic beauty.

There is always something compelling in the untamed and potentially dangerous.

Then there is Amanoi. The resort continues the company's signature of placing impeccable privacy and luxury in stunning locations, and this is immediately apparent on arrival. Set over 40 hectares, the resort sits within the 29,000-hectare Nui Chua National Park on the shores of Vinh Hy Bay. Some 50 pavilions are dotted around the property, including the Central Pavilion sitting 90 metres above sea level.

Located on a promontory jutting into the sea, it houses

the main restaurant terrace, bar and library.

Nearby is the boutique and cliff pool (which is just as it sounds — a swimming pool carved out of the hillside). In a hollow behind the oceanfacing ridge is the lotus lake where the spa pavilions and yoga pagoda are to be found.

Angling along the descending ridgeline you will eventually find yourself at the beach club that has its own pool perched on the white sands of a private cove bookended by towering headlands.

There are numerous accommodation categories at the resort, including pavilions, which offer picturesque views of the mountains or the lake; pool pavilions, featuring a private swimming pool with panoramic views; ocean

Photos by Brett Davis and courtesy of Aman Resorts

pavilions, offering expansive views of Vinh Hy Bay and the East Sea; and ocean pool pavilions, with similar views alongside private swimming pools. The Aman Villas consists of four or five free-standing bedroom pavilions, as well as living and dining pavilions and a large private swimming pool.

I’m put up in an ocean pool pavilion, which is a snip at $1,400 per night, at least compared to the top-of-the-line five-bedroom beach villa that goes for $9,000 a night. Make no mistake, this is luxury and exclusivity for the one percent.

From the pavilion, there is no sense of there being any other structures, let alone people, around. The pavilions are so spread out the advisable way to get around the property is to call for one of the golf

The road is still unsealed in places and we pass machinery and workers still bent to the task of completing what local authorities hope will be a lifeline of prosperity to this area.

buggies to whisk you along the neat concrete paths. From these thoroughfares you can see smaller paths angling off to some mysterious abode beyond. The plant life, rarely rising above a dozen feet, has been shaped by the endless on-shore winds, each leaning against its neighbour until it forms an almost impenetrable tapestry of vegetation.

The lazy days are punctuated by a number of activities. I visit the nearby fishing village, desperately poor but well-positioned to take advantage of the coming influx. Several new local resorts appear to be in the final stages of construction.

Of course, the spa provides a rejuvenating highlight.

Perhaps the best-equipped facility of its kind I have

seen, there is a gym, pilates studio, hydrotherapy suite and numerous treatment rooms.

The traditional Vietnamese massage, featuring cupping to “stimulate circulation and remove toxins�, will not soon be forgotten.

On my final afternoon I try my hand at sea kayaking.

Pushing out through the small chop it takes surprisingly little time to move a good distance into the open ocean.

Maneuvering to gain a better view of the shore, I stop paddling, and just listen to the restless water and wind skipping across the waves.

It is a lovely sight, those unforgiving yet beautiful hills and, here and there, the sharp rooftops of the pavilions providing the most glorious of escapes.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 37

The Enduring Charm It’s time for a little retrospect.

And a little recognition of someone special to old Saigon.

When I first came here in the early 1990s I found a charming and slow-moving little low-rise city whose tallest building was the then 10-storey Caravelle Hotel. Clerks in the few existing banks spoke French and closed up shop from noon to two for le déjeuner. But soon the leisurely Lady Saigon bestirred herself and began to rise. Office and hotel towers shot up like bamboo and sugar cane, seemingly overnight. In a twinkling of history's eye, the sleepy town of a thousand charms transformed herself into a city of big shoulders and pounding energies. Urban canyons began to muscle out the leafy villas and the quiet cul-de-sacs. And the acres and acres of sidewalk eateries, the clusters of bistros and bakeries, improvised com and pho, and mobile sinh to stands served their last, tipped their caps, and then succumbed to urban progress. No doubt the populace is materially better off.

But whither the city's charm?

Especially its edible and drinkable charm? The sad truth is that much of it is gone forever.

It’s been bulldozed, demolished and built over. And of what remains there is a disturbing trend to abandon old ways and traditions; to replace time, effort and love with labour-saving soup powders, MSG and shocking amounts of sugar. In recent times I have, quite literally, spat food out and refused to eat it, and protested at paying for it. This has happened in both pseudo-foreign and Vietnamese establishments, both highpriced and low. But there are still some refuges, among them

many of the hem, those tangles of dark and narrow alleyways that in every neighbourhood conspire to form a mini-Casbah.

Delve into one of these urban cave complexes. You may see little shops, little hotels, little cafes, little dwellings, little everything. For here, despite the city's staggering increase, the human scale is maintained. In these living grottoes you may hear the clatter of mahjong tiles, kids shouting in their play, the music of caged songbirds and the clanging banging glorious sounds of cookery. You may

have some kind of connection with Mexico. But for 25 years, around about sundown most days, Miss Ba has wheeled her battered old charcoal burning pushcart kitchen into place here. If you come in or out of the alley here on an evening when the breeze is with you, you can catch a whiff of what might be the best pho bo in town. It's redolent of star anise and good beef bones, suggestive of cinnamon and assertive of the care of a good cook who worries over it for hours before offering it to you.

The sad truth is that much of it is gone forever. It’s been bulldozed, demolished and built over. smell the urgency of garlic, the sting of chilli and the insistence of durian and the flower of coriander. Here is where intimate dining takes place.

Here is where little knots of al fresco diners gather as families, friends or couples to commune at a tiny table with tiny chairs at the tiniest restaurants in the world. Here is where old Saigon survives.

‘The Pham’ has a Casbah that you can easily find. Most of it is between Do Quang Dao and De Tham streets, but a few paces east of De Tham is ‘Mini Hotel Alley’. If you know Chi’s Cafe or Bread and Butter (or the back side of Le Pub) you know the alley. At the southwest corner of the alley, where it spills out onto Bui Vien, you'll find Miss Ba, the Pho Lady of the Pham.

In the daytime this is just an empty spot on the shoulder of the road next to a popular tourist restaurant claiming to

She sells nothing but her soup, but she'll nip round the corner for a beer or soda if you wish. I like to sit on one of her little plastic stools during the evening and admire the scene.

Across the narrows of Bui Vien a new, bright and tall boutique with big picture windows looks down its lofty modern nose at her anachronism. She will still be here when the boutique is yet another souvenir shop or art gallery or Indian restaurant.

The neon flashes at Crazy Buffalo and the music thunders at GO2. I remember when the latter was a spring roll shop and the former was a little restaurant that killed its chickens to order. In full view of the diner.

And Miss Ba was there.

How she and the Casbah have survived the radical and ongoing transformation of the Pham I don't know, and I do care. I want her to bottle the secret and sell it.

Càfê RuNam Every day an Italian coffee master oversees the roasting of six premium coffee blends at Càfê RuNam. Each blend is infused with different proportions of pure arabica and robusta beans from farms in the Central Highlands.

If roasting coffee is considered a science, then drinking coffee is an art at Càfê RuNam. Whether light-bodied and citrusy, bitter but smooth or full-bodied and creamy, each complex flavour is nourished under the café’s phin, aluminum drip filters, which are golden and decadent.

Everything at Càfê RuNam exudes the same luxuriance.

Nguyen Quoc Khanh, chairman of the AA Corporation (Vietnam’s leading furniture and de-

Premium Vietnamese coffee blends and specialties.

Photos and review by Ruben Luong.

sign contracting company) owns the café with his wife, so it’s no surprise the café is posh.

Plush bench seating downstairs, or a cosy lounge and garden terrace upstairs, are opulent settings in which to enjoy Càfê RuNam’s food. Like the colonial décor, updates on classic Vietnamese dishes (VND 120,000VND 130,000) and mains (VND 300,000-VND 520,000) are presented in good taste, suitable for business lunches or weekly reunions with friends.

The restaurant’s banh mi thit nuong RuNam, or RuNam grilled sandwich (VND 120,000) is a popular item among locals at the café. Delicately tied in pandan leaf, portions of a sliced baguette were smeared in flour

and filled with bite-sized beef and pork patties. It married well with light cucumber, coriander and a spicy sauce that evenly coated the soft dough.

For something more sophisticated, try the hai san nuong xa sot chanh day, or grilled seafood with passionfruit sauce (VND 350,000), a tower of mashed potatoes, golden scallop, fresh seabass and grilled prawn drizzled in a pool of passionfruit dressing. Every ingredient meshed into each other for creamy, satisfying mouthfuls.

Cap off your meal with one of Càfê RuNam’s homemade cakes. Eating the corn cake (VND 65,000/slice), a fluffy, white cake topped in light coconut shavings and filled with

bits of corn, is like eating a mild but delicious birthday cake. The coffee cheesecake (VND 90,000/ slice), covered in almonds, may be even better than a cup of coffee (VND 70,000-VND 130,000).

The rich aftertaste of Càfê RuNam’s coffee remains with you, in fact, but not quite forever.

For the future, discover more about your coffee preferences by perusing the café’s different blends behind the coffee counter, or purchase gift sets (VND 400,000-VND 620,000) to share the quality beans with your loved ones.

96 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 08 38 25 88 83 7am-11pm; seven days Caferunam.com AsiaLIFE HCMC 39

ESPY In January, scandal hit New York City. Less than 10 days into his first term, the newly elected mayor was seen in a Staten Island pizzeria eating a slice of pizza with a knife and fork. Blasphemy. Any real New Yorker knows there is only one way to eat a slice of New York pizza: grab it, fold it and eat.

But in Saigon many locals think the standard of pizza is the pre-made garbage with something resembling cheese on top that is pumped out of places like Pizza Hut and Domino's. So it’s no wonder that Khai Tran, the VietnameseAmerican owner of ESPY pizza, 40 AsiaLIFE HCMC

By-the-slice, New York-style pizza finally arrives in Saigon.

Photos and review by Chris Mueller.

had to put a poster on the wall illustrating how to eat these huge slices. It is, after all, the first restaurant of its kind in the city.

ESPY soft-opened four months ago and is trying to introduce the by-the-slice concept to the city. Upon entering the pizzeria, customers are greeted by 50cm pizzas sitting behind glass, already sliced and ready to be reheated. For the uninitiated, in this type of restaurant the pizzas are made ahead of time and toppings are added when a customer orders, before the slice is reheated.

Some toppings include pep-

peroni, sausage, roasted garlic and vegetables. Slices start at VND 45,000 each. While the menu mostly offers pizza, there is one other noteworthy item: the garlic knots (VND 35,000), pieces of baked pizza dough covered in garlic, cheese and olive oil, which are ubiquitous in pizzerias around the United States.

Khai, who has been in the food industry for years, says he has been fine-tuning his pizza recipes to get as close to the real thing as possible. But it’s still not quite there. One of the biggest reasons, he says, is the water. It’s well known that

New York pizza gets a lot of its uniqueness from the city’s water, and Saigon’s simply isn’t the same. However, like all food in Vietnam, you shouldn’t expect it to be exactly like back home. Still, the food seems to improve every time I go back (which is probably too often). The crust is just the right thickness and crispness and it is covered in just the right amount of tomato sauce and cheese. While it may not be perfect, it is a damn good slice.

154 Cong Quynh, D1 10am to 10.30pm, seven days Facebook.com/espypizza

Olé Olé’s Spanish owner, Tony, remembers when a Russian customer picked up the restaurant’s guitar and sang with his wife to an audience of German and Vietnamese patrons, who happily clapped along during their meal.

“In Spain, this is called allegria,” he says. “Forget Vietnam. Here is Spain, the music, the ambience. I want people to forget they're in Vietnam.”

Tony opened Olé four months ago with his wife, Monica. Their Spanish cuisine is inspired by recipes from Tony’s mother and grandmother. To retain the authentic flavours, the couple imports a majority of the ingredients

Come for the Spanish camaraderie and stay for the traditional family recipes and tapas. Photos and review by Ruben Luong.

from Spain.

Come for Olé’s many shared tapas, such as the restaurant’s coveted bread with tomato and cured Serrano ham (VND 175,000), its a la carte dishes, such as Andalusian fried squid (VND 159,000) or its larger specialties, such as the fish and meat Fideua, a Valencian noodle paella (VND 245,000).

However, Olé is known around town for its a la carte octopus minced and prepared Galicia style (VND 199,000).

Tony says he imports 7 to 8kg of octopus from Spain for the dish. Unlike local octopus, each piece — covered in sprinkled Spanish paprika, rock salt and olive oil — isn’t chewy. It

resembled crab meat or mozzarella cheese, perfect with slices of baguette.

A recommended specialty is the seafood paella (VND 325,000). King prawns sit atop buried mussels and green peas in a rice paella that coats your teeth and stains your fingers with its saffron sauce. We finished the dish with dirty hands but full stomachs. “Now, you can say you’ve been to Spain,” Tony says, holding up my fingers.

When Tony disappeared into the kitchen with the remnants of our paella, he returned with a cooking torch, personally flaming a crème catalane (VND 75,000). A Spanish counterpart

to the French crème brûlée, the catalane incorporates cinnamon instead of vanilla. We cracked its caramelised lid with our spoons. Saccharine shards tasted pleasant and sank into the light crème-like quicksand.

Olé’s Spanish red wine sangria, made with banana slices and red and green apples, is a thirst quencher. It’s not strong, so it’s easy to enjoy by the glass (VND 95,000), or even by the litre (VND 390,000) and pairs perfectly with the familyinspired food.

129 Le Thanh Ton, D1 01 26 52 91 71 1 11am-11pm AsiaLIFE HCMC 41

VIETNAM

A look inside the penthouse of one expatVietnamese couple who injected colour and personality into their plain Saigon home. By Ruben Luong. Photos by Christian Berg.

T

he penthouse apartment on the 25th floor of Hoang Anh Gia Lai 3 in District 7 had high floor-to-ceiling windows, plenty of natural light and a terrace overlooking the city. But overall it was hot and ugly.

That is, until expat photographer Christian Berg and his Vietnamese wife Ann Ha, a social media specialist, enlisted their mutual friend and freelance designer Dang Ha Vi, 30, to refurbish the apartment’s living area, kitchen and garden mezzanine.

In Ho Chi Minh City most homes for rent are convenient 42 AsiaLIFE HCMC 42 AsiaLIFE HCMC

and pre-furnished, but don’t always tell a story about the people living there. Long-term expats, like Berg and Ha, can end up settling for outdated, less inspired domains.

As working creatives, updating their penthouse was an artistic decision, but also a matter of improvisation. To reduce excessive heat and light, for example, Vi added lush, towering plants. Or to conceal a heinous air conditioning unit, a latched wooden facade frames it, displaying ornate oriental carvings that allow for ventilation.

I visit the apartment on a Saturday afternoon, a few

days after Ha returned from a three-month sojourn in Singapore. She says she’s been gradually cleaning up in the 24-square-metre living area, where graphic bean bags from local furniture brand Uma pile around a circular coffee table constructed in industrial wood.

But there’s an organised clutter.

“I like messy spaces because it shows that somebody lives in it,” Ha says. “The spaces in magazines and décor books look very perfect, but it doesn’t show that anybody lives in it.”

Around a retro and primary colour scheme chosen by the couple, Vi designed a series of

custom-made furniture built by carpenters in Tan Binh and Thu Duc districts — such as a cobalt velvet sofa — and then handselected items, such as a red porcelain pot from Binh Duong that acts as a side table.

“It’s about point of view, because people who have a lot of money will say, ‘Oh, I want this lavish thing,’” Ha says.

“They want status symbols in their space, but that’s not what this is about. It’s about making a home.”

In the kitchen, one homemade renovation was to convert random glass panels into a giant chalkboard wall,

IN THE KITCHEN, ONE HOMEMADE RENOVATION WAS TO CONVERT RANDOM GLASS PANELS INTO A GIANT CHALKBOARD WALL.

where Berg and Ha wanted to write recipes or messages to each other. The kitchen, a decent 12 square metres, also has a custom-made island that can be moved into the living area for more light.

Berg, who travels throughout Asia on numerous photography assignments, decorates with souvenirs from his trips. A portion of the penthouse’s staircase was removed from the living area to accommodate a blank wall that features his souvenirs, like an old T-shirt from Singapore mounted on canvas, bleached-out retro film posters from Cambodia and a Japanese

Okamoto brand condom box.

His photo studio is located beyond the wall and upstairs, next to a panoramic window showcasing the 10-square-metre garden mezzanine, where Vi had an army of bamboo trees installed for private and tranquil work environs.

In total, the couple allocated around $7,000 over the course of six months for Vi to redesign and redecorate their formerly inefficient space, but, as transients, they realise it’s only temporary.

“If I were to stay here forever, I would really just redo everything,” Ha says.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 43 AsiaLIFE HCMC 43

Life’s A

breeze

Thuy Thomas is the owner of the Tavern in Phu My Hung, District 7, but her passion has always been photography. After honing her craft, she recently opened the aptly named Thuy Thomas Photography studio in Phu My Hung. Here, she specialises in fashion, portrait and studio shoots, with a focus on the expat community.

Thuy can be reached at thuythomas11@ gmail.com or 09 08 01 00 58. To see more of her work, visit the Thuy Thomas Photography Facebook page.

Photography: Thuy Thomas Models: Tarryn-Lee Stevens-King, Anika Poesl, Emma Brookes and Alison Chapman.

44 AsiaLIFE HCMC

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ist’s 82-room hotel has a restaurant, swimming pool, tennis court and health club with sauna. Another 30 villas are available in the adjacent sister hotel, a renovated colonial-era administration building. Tours organized by hotel.

listings

hotel & travel

Six Senses Con Dao Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Dist, Ba Ria Tel: 064 3831 222 www.sixsenses.com/SixSensesConDao The first 5 star resort with 50 villas stretch across a mile-long beach, each villas has its own infinity-edge pool facing the ocean and a stunning restaurant.

DALAT

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.

CON DAO

Saigon Con Dao Resort 18-24 Ton Duc Thang Tel: 06 4830 155 www.saigoncondaoresort.com Opened in summer 2009, Saigon Tour-

escape

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

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

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.

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

Spend Liberation Day holiday at Dalat Edensee, where trees bloom purple and the first rains create a light mist around Tuyen Lam Lake and the green pine hills. The resort has unveiled a special festival package to meet the needs of travel lovers seeking rest and relaxation. From 29 April to 4 May, Dalat Edensee is offering an attractive package price at only VND 6,300,000 for two guests staying two nights in a Superior room. With this price, guests are entitled to a buffet breakfast, barbecue buffet or afternoon tea during their stay without any extra charge.

For those heading to the food, music and dance celebrations of the Hue Festival, from 12-20 April, La Residence Hotel and

48 AsiaLIFE HCMC

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

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

HO CHI MINH CITY

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

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

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

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

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

Angsana Lang Co Tel: 84 54 3695 800 www.angsana.com Set beachfront on warm sands with a backdrop of the towering Truong Son Mountain Range, Angsana Lang Co is one of the region’s newest five-star resorts. Blessed with brilliant scenes of unspoiled natural beauty, Angsana Lang Co is a contemporary getaway featuring 229 stylish suites (from 52 sqm to 179 sqm), 100 of which come equipped with their own private pools. All suites in every room category feature picturesque mountain, lagoon, or sea views, and incorporate local materials such as bamboo, along with traditional arts with a contemporary twist, lanterns and elegant framed calligraph.

Banyan Tree Lang Co Tel: 84 54 3695 888 www.banyantree.com The resort is inspired by the artistic heritage of Vietnamese dynasties past, features 32 lagoon pool villas, 17 beach pool villas, an array of eclectic dining experiences from modern Thai cuisine to French specialties, 18-hole championship course designed by Sir Nick Faldo,

take flight with travel promotions around the region

Discount in Da Lat

Hue Homage

the needs of discerning guests and especially corporate travellers.

Spa’s Hue Homage package includes a three-day, two-night stay at one of its 122 rooms along the Perfume River for $246 per person. Enjoy a colonial-inspired dinner for two from when the hotel was part of the colonial governor’s residence, admission to select Hue Festival performances, a bottle of the hotel’s signature Woody Ylang scent and a bicycle excursion to Thanh Toan bridge. For more info email dosm@la-residence-hue.com.

Save at the Beach

Book a room at Novotel Nha Trang from 14 April to 31 May and receive 25 percent off your room rate for any stay during 1 May to 30 Sept. The promotion includes breakfast, in-house complimentary use of the sauna, steam bath, swimming pool,

gym, computers in the lobby, sun lounge and towel at the beach. Novotel Nha Trang is located along Tran Phu, directly adjacent to the popular beach area.

Novotel-nhatrang.com.

delivers a golfing experience that can be enjoyed by skilled and novice players alike.

Boutique Hoi An Resort Tel: 84 51 03 93 91 11 www.boutiquehoianresort.com This resort is located on Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An, just five minutes from the Old Town and 30 minutes from the Da Nang airport. The property has 82 rooms and villas, all with private balconies or terraces facing the ocean, a swimming pool and a wide range of cuisine from around the world.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort Bai Bac, Son Tra Peninsula Tel: 0511 093 8888 danang.intercontinental.com A world of poetic experiences and jungleclad 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.

HUE

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

NHA TRANG

Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 3522 222

Vietnam

Book online Cambodia

Laos

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.

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

Princess D’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 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

www.beeninASIA.com

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

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 French-owned agency specializing in flight bookings, package holidays and a range of well-run cultural and historical tours of Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

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.

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

- www.linhfurniture.com

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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 Cay Da Cafe Ground floor, Moevenpick Hotel

23 Nguyen Khac Vien, Phu My Hung Tel: 5411 5555 Decorated in Ming Dynasty-style; offers 100 dim sum varieties and 300 dishes prepared by a chef from Hong Kong.

The restaurant’s Imperial Buffet includes free flow of wine.

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

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.

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

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

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.

Ming Dynasty

broaden your palate with promotions around town

Oriental Feasts at Restaurant Nineteen

Celebrate Vietnam’s Liberation Day at Restaurant Nineteen with two dinner buffets on 30 April and 1 May. Dine on expertly prepared international cuisine, or feast your way through oriental specialties, such as crab meat salad, salmon head curry, Singapore chilli crab and roast suckling pig. Guests can enjoy unlimited helpings from the fresh seafood corner, barbecue stations and dessert options. The Caravelle’s buffet special is priced at VND 1,013,000 per person.

Restaurant Nineteen, Caravelle Hotel, 19-23 Lam Son Square, D1. Caravellehotel.com.

L’Olivier Introduces New A La Carte Menu

Treat yourself to L’Olivier restaurant’s new spring and summer a la carte menu featuring Mediterranean cuisine. The new menu of L’Olivier is

52 AsiaLIFE HCMC

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

focused on fresh and flavourful products such as red tuna, lobster, red mullet and artichoke.

New dishes include sea bass with eggplant extract, smoked eel, semolina, steamed codfish loin with coriander and mint and cannelloni with shell fish. For new meat dishes, there’s lamb shoulder prepared with baby vegetables or duck with rosemary juice, tomato ravioli and aniseflavoured pommes mousseline. L’Olivier is at Sofitel Saigon Plaza, 17 Le Duan, D1.

Dim Sum Deal

Dive in to 40 dim sum varieties at the Grand Mercure Da Nang, which is introducing all-youcan-eat dim sum for VND 400,000 per person.

Perfect for a date, families or a big group, visit 11am to 2pm and 5.30pm to 9.30pm, any day of the week, except Mondays. There’s also a Chinese and seafood buffet every Friday from 6pm, which is full of Chinese specialties, local

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

seafood and free flow of draught beer or soft drinks at VND 500,000 per person. Add VND 190,000 for free-flow house wine. Grand Mercure Da Nang is located on Green Island, Hai Chau district. Mercure.com.

street gourmet

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

Mi Quang Quang noodle soups are a specialty of Quang Nam province and Danang.

They generally have just enough pork and dried shrimp based broth to cover the noodles. What makes Quang noodle soups unique is the richness and complex flavours of the broth. A bowl of mi Quang is served

with rice or egg noodles at the bottom and meat and seafood on top. Then vegetables and coarsely ground peanuts are added and it is served with pieces of crispy rice paper. Mi Quang can be found throughout Vietnam and should cost between VND 15,000 to VND 60,000.

Khoa Nguyen

Al Fresco’s 21 Mac Dinh Chi D1 Tel: 3823 8427 27 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3822 7317 D1-23 My Toan 3, D7 Tel: 5410 1093 400 Nguyen Trai, D5 Tel: 3838 3840 www.alfrescosgroup.com Theme restaurant boasting a range of Tex-Mex, Italian and Australian-style BBQ dishes. Huge portions and tasty Australian ribs coupled with a good atmosphere and helpful staff. Good lunch menu.  Amigo Grill 55 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3824 1248 Outstanding steaks made with Australian, U.S. and Argentine beef, served in a cosy, family-friendly environment with large tables and banquette seating.

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

Au Parc 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 Lavishly decorated brasserie borrowing from Moroccan and French styles and popular during lunchtime with expats.

Specializes in Middle Eastern and North African food. The salad menu is a favourite, and a great range of lush smoothies and juices are on offer.  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.

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

From 12th to 18th April, Corso Steakhouse & Bar is delighted to welcome the invited Chef Jeremy who has over 20 years of cooking experiences in French cuisine under his belt.

Jeremy is also the chef & owner of the well-known French Restaurant “Vis-à-vis”, recognized by its excellent catering service for significant French conventions in Singapore and has been constantly nominated by the Tatler Awards’s 100 best restaurants since 1993 till now.

During the visit, Chef Jeremy will present a wide selection of his favorite French delicacies that surely excite your taste buds.

CORSO STEAKHOUSE & BAR - Ground Floor, Norfolk Hotel 117 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam T: (84-8) 3829 5368 Ext. 6614 - F: (84-8) 3829 3415 E: corso@norfolkhotel.com.vn - W: www.norfolkhotel.com.vn Managed by Norfolk Group

AsiaLIFE HCMC 53

street gourmet

By Michael Kloster

IMBIBE A Plea for Pinot I find it interesting that one of the least-popular red wines by the glass in this market is pinot noir. It’s never been easy to sell it here by the glass, and it’s not even represented very well by the bottle on most wine lists. Pinot noir is also not so common on wine shelves around these parts. Pinot tends to be more subtle and elegant than more pronounced varietals (like cabernet). It’s fruity, earthy and downright fun. A decent, well-rounded pinot noir goes great with just about any food or occasion. From its roots in Burgundy to its starring role in Champagne and beyond, pinot noir is a natural choice for a cheeky glass, or a serious bottle.

Pinot noir has been calling Burgundy home since about AD100. It is here that pinot noir makes the famous (and famously expensive) red burgundy wine. In a recent fine-wine auction survey, eight of the top 10 most expensive wines at auction were fine burgundies. Pinot noir also plays a prominent role in the production of champagne (where it is usually blended with chardonnay and sometimes its cousin pinot meunier). There are more than a few fine burgundies and pinot noirs from a few parts of France available around town.

Due to the limited number, though, you may need to try your luck and splurge for a bottle (or a few).

Recently, production of fine pinot noir has gone global.

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There are a few newly iconic regions known for providing excellent examples. Since pinot does well in cool climates, look for wines from places such as Central Otago in New Zealand. Cool arctic air suits pinot’s particular nature, while sunny summer days help ripen this finicky fruit. In the United States, pinot from Oregon’s Wilamette Valley is another good option. California also claims some great versions from the Central Coast appellation, but those are quite difficult to find around here. Don’t discount Chile, the rising star of fine pinots. Chile is now home to the world’s largest pinot noir producer and as with many of its wines, there are some fantastic values in the lot.

Pinot noir shapes up as a red wine with a white attitude.

Its light body, but fruity and earthy nose make it easy to love for both white and red drinkers. It’s such an easy pair with food that a friend of mine refers to it as a “magic bullet” when it comes time to pair it. It works amazingly well with anything smoky and earthy (think mushrooms and bacon), and it’s versatile enough to pair with a tenderloin, game, chicken and even salmon. Just avoid drinking it with anything too acidic like a rich tomato sauce.

Michael Kloster is the senior sales executive at Magnum Wine Cellars. He can be contacted at michael@magnumwinecellars.com.

Che Often translated as ‘pudding’, che is more like a combination of a sweet stew and a drink.

Tapioca, corn, beans and sticky rice are simmered with coconut milk in huge pots, and flavoured with palm sugar and pandaThe 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.  JJ’s Brazilian BBQ Restaurant and Bar 275-277-279 Pham Ngu Lao, D1 Tel: 08 38 38 88 33 Situated in Pham Ngu Lao, JJ’s offers traditional Brazilian churrasco every night, with a wide range of meats barbecued over a charcoal flame. The restaurant is split into three areas: the bar, an outside terrace overlooking the

nus leaves. Che is served either cold with crushed ice in a tall glass or warm in a bowl. Either way, che is pure comfort food. Expect to pay between VND 3,000 to VND 10,000.

Khoa Nguyen

park, and a more formal upstairs dining room.

The Loop 49 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 08 36 02 63 85 A contemporarily styled restaurant that serves the An Phu community some healthy trattoria-style dishes, refreshing drinks and premium Italian coffee. The menu includes homemade breakfast specialties, and a wide selection of sandwiches and salads.

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

The Refinery 74/7C Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 0509 Authentic bistro with cane furniture outside, informal indoor restaurant section and a bar area. Cuisine is light,

modern European. The menu spans a price range to suit most budgets.

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

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.  La Hostaria 17B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 1080 Rustic eatery specializing in top-end traditional cuisine from various regions in Italy. Main courses from 130,000 VND with daily specials on offer. Serves excellent pizza. 

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.

Nishimura Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 Exquisitely prepared sushi and sashimi from a globetrotting chef with three

decades’ experience. A wide range of cooked dishes and monthly meal promotions are also available.

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

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.

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

SOUTHEAST ASIAN Lac Thai 71/2 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 7506 An elegant restaurant tucked in an alleyway and decorated with artdeco furniture. Authentic Thai cuisine prepared by two Thai chefs. Food is tasty but less spicy than you’d find in Thailand. 

VEGETARIAN

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

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.

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SERVICED APARTMENTS & COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR LEASE 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

AsiaLIFE HCMC 55

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

LOCAL EATS

By Tristan Ngo

Journey to the West This month, I've decided to take an adventure towards District 11, where few expats, tourists and city-centre dwellers tend to venture.

District 11 is one of the newer districts and is basically an expansion of Chinatown in District 5 and District 6. Located in western Ho Chi Minh City, it is home to two popular entertainment centres: the Phu Tho horse racetrack and Dam Sen Park (a Vietnamese take on a theme park). There are also countless, excellent local eateries that most expats and tourists have never heard of.

Just a couple metres down hem 323 off of Minh Phung Street you'll find this no-name hu tiu mi vendor. To the locals, it is known as Hu Tiu Mi Hem Minh Phung. It’s owned by a Teochew (ethnic Chinese originating from Guangdong province) lady and her family for over 30 years. This is an old vendor that, until recently, I had never visited in person because it is so far from my home in District 1. But I am very familiar with the food after receiving so many deliveries over the years and hearing many Vietnamese talk about it. The food here is indeed wonderful, so it is time to give the vendor its recognition.

The stand serves an array of noodles soup such 56 AsiaLIFE HCMC

as nui (Vietnamese comfort pasta soup), banh canh (a thick Vietnamese noodle made from tapioca flour or a mixture of rice and tapioca flour) and hoang thanh (wonton).

However, they are most known for their hu tiu mi, a combination of hu tiu (flat, white rice noodles) and mi (Vietnamese yellow egg noodles). Despite the standards, many choose to customise their orders, but all of the noodles are served in a clear pork broth soup.

Their hu tiu mi is amazing and is comprised of shrimp, fish balls, squid, fish, sliced pork, ground pork, and pieces of stomach, heart, liver and kidney. Chopped green onions, bean sprouts, cilantro and lettuce leaves are also added to the mix and served with sides of fermented cabbage, sliced fresh chilli, lime, chilli paste, ground pepper, soy sauce and chilli sauce. Talk about a buffet in a soup bowl.

Every condiment and sauce is stored in individual closed-lid bowls and containers, making this street vendor one of the cleanest and friendliest in Saigon.

Hem 323 off of Minh Phung Street, District 11 5am-1pm VND 50,000 for a bowl of noodle soup.

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

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.

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.

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

LIQUOR & WINE

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

type, intaglio and etching techniques.

listings

culture CLASSES

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

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

Printmaking alphagallery@bluemail.ch Classes are held at Alpha Gallery taught by the gallery owner Bernadette Gruber, who offers the chance to learn mono-

CINEMAS

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

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.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 57

listings

By Phil Kelly

FITNESS Six Supplements for Fat Loss Nutrient deficiencies and hormone imbalances are quite often the underlying issues holding people back from losing and then effortlessly maintaining fat loss. Below are six supplements you might want to learn more about to help you with your lifestyle goals.

Carnitine The science is a little slim on L-carnitine, but some studies do show that it increases muscle mass, decreases fatigue levels and reduces fat mass, which are all key components to weight loss. Carnitine reportedly works by carrying fatty acids into cells so they can be burned for fuel.

Magnesium Low magnesium can impede a person’s ability to use glucose for fuel, causing the body to store fat instead of burning it. Correcting a magnesium deficiency stimulates metabolism by increasing insulin sensitivity.

High insulin sensitivity means your body reacts quickly to rises in blood sugar levels, uses a smaller amount of insulin and returns to a balanced state quickly.

Vitamin D Experts from all over the world are asserting that a very high percentage of the population is deficient in vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 plays a huge part in a wide range of cellular functions. For fat loss, a deficiency in vitamin D is strongly linked to poor metabolism of carbohydrates.

Furthermore, our genes that are regulated by vitamin D may change the way fat cells are formed, making it easier to store fat.

Zinc 58 AsiaLIFE HCMC

Zinc plays a primary role in anabolic hormone production. Ample zinc allows for a healthy release of the three most important anabolic hormones: testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor.

These hormones are some of the best fat burning substances your body can produce.

Deficiency of zinc also reduces leptin, a beneficial hormone that regulates appetite.

B vitamins B vitamins help with energy production, fighting fatigue and lethargy. They also improve the nervous system and adrenal glands’ functions and the production of substances to regulate the nerves and hormones. For fat loss, specifically, vitamin B5 and B3 are the ones to watch. B5 lowers body weight by activating lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that burns fat cells. B3 (Niacin) has been shown to increase adiponectin, a weight-loss hormone secreted by fat cells.

Your diet should first and foremost focus on developing optimal cellular function. If your internal environment is out of balance your system will find it hard to build new lean tissue and burn the excess fat stores.

Nutrient deficiencies are common and really set you back. If this information interests you, get in touch with a professional to discuss testing and treatment.

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 Phil-kelly.com.

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 organis-

ing 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.

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.

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 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, corporate team building. Excellent facilities for children and annual membership for kids.

Settling in Ho Chi Minh City... as a student

D

aniel is a 14 year old boy from Australia who came to Vietnam as a baby. As an Italian-Australian growing up in Ho Chi

and is treated like a true local. He enjoys watching the face of this fast-paced city change through the years with new high-rise buildings piercing the sky as often as new issues of this magazine are published. With the ambition of becoming an architect one day, Daniel is now following the Cambridge Secondary Programme at the Australian International School, where he is relishing the

Daniel appreciates about his School is the teachers’

experience of a world class international education.

One of his favourite activities at School is Design & Technology, a “cool” subject that allows him to be creative and practical. Daniel recently modeled and made an ergonomic chair, which is now proudly displayed on the presentation shelf in the Design & Technology lab. He also likes the opportunity

and cultures. Teachers also give individual support and personalise explanations so that everyone can access the curriculum. For Daniel, School plays an important part in his life. “It’s a place where strong friendships are formed; where views and ideas are exchanged and understanding about

through the participation in Model United Nation (MUN), an extra-curricular activity in which students roleplay delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. One of the things

relocating in HCMC: “Find a local buddy from whom you will gain a much better understanding of the country and its people!”

+84 8 3742 4040

enrolments@aisvietnam.com | www.aisvietnam.com

listings

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. Treat-

sback pain, neck pain, knee pain, also specializing in sports injuries, manufacture of medical grade foot orthotics.

DENTAL

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.

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.

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

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

Family Medical Practice HCMC Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3822 7848 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

60 AsiaLIFE HCMC

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.

away, Quinny, Maclaren, Debon, Luvable Friends, Gingersnaps.

listings

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.

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.

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

BABY EQUIPMENT

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

Brands available include: Mam, Mam-

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.

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 The EUROPEAN International School offers an English language curriculum based on the internationally recognised Primary Program (PYP), Middle Years

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.

International School Saigon Pearl 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh

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

Settling in Ho Chi Minh City... as a student

K

Program (MYP) and IB Diploma Program of the International Baccalaureate (IB) System. The mission of the school is to educate global citizens in a multilingual und multicultural learning environment in the setting of an educational village that focuses on international as well regional students

ylie is a 15 year old student of Croatian and Indian descent, from Canberra.

When her parents told her that the family was leaving her hometown, where she has lived all her life, to relocate to Vietnam, Kylie remembered feeling partly shocked and partly excited about having a “new beginning”. Two years on and Kylie is happily settled in her new home in HCMC, where she describes the culture as unique and the food mouth-watering. Her all-time favourite dish is “bánh xèo, a crispy pancake that is delicious wrapped in lettuce and dipped in chilli

garlic sauce!”. Whilst Kylie misses the “crisp air, the feeling of the cold breeze blowing through

her life in Vietnam. Her parents enrolled Kylie at the Australian International School because of its state of the art building and facilities as well as the instant connection she had with the teachers on her School tour. School has been instrumental in helping Kylie settle in this new city. It’s the place where she has made friends for life. School has given her the opportunity to build a strong network with people from all around

the world. It has helped her to become more international-minded. One of the subjects she really enjoys is Global Perspectives, encouraging many achievement awards in all subjects, Kylie have developed tremendously in this learner-centred environment.

Read more “Settling in Ho Chi Minh City” stories at www.aisvietnam.com/settlinginhcmc

+84 8 3742 4040

enrolments@aisvietnam.com | www.aisvietnam.com

AsiaLIFE HCMC 61

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.

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 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.

ENTERTAINMENT 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.

SmartKids 1172 Thao Dien Compound, D2 Tel: 3744 6076 www.smartkidsinfo.com The Balloon Man An international childcare centre that provides kindergarten and pre-school Mr Hoat 0903 837 326 education for children aged between 18 Does exactly as his name suggests – months and 6 AGS_Vietnam_59X175_WORD_27.1.2014_CTP_.pdf years. A fun and friendly balloons. He will1come to your palcePM for 2/6/2014 2:57:41 environment, the school focuses on learndecoration but English not as good. Also ing through play. provides helium balloons.

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listings

living

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.

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

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

Eurocham 257 Hoang Van Thu, Tan Binh Tel: 3845 5528 www.eurochamvn.org German Business Group 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 www.gba-vietnam.org Singapore Business Group Unit 1B2, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3823 3046 www.sbghcmc.org Swiss Business Association 42 Giang Van Minh, Anh Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6996 Fax: 3744 6990 Email: sba@hcm.vnn.vn www.swissvietnam.com Hong Kong Business Association

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

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

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

COMPUTERS

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

Honours Apple service plans.

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

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

AsiaLIFE HCMC 63

sales 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

By Elizabeth Png

HOME IMPROVEMENT Keeping the Peace Keeping the peace with your housemates Living with new people can be challenging. Everything from paying the bills, cleaning up the house or even having visitors over for a period of time can be a cause for disagreements. But sharing a home — and rent — is becoming more commonplace as individuals start leaving their home nest to strike it out on their own in a foreign land.

A peaceful co-existence, however, may not be too hard to achieve.

Communicate Be sure to live with people you can talk to easily. Regardless of how close your relationship is, you need to be able to tell each other when you are upset by something at home.

This also ties into divvying up the responsibilities.

When it’s just two people, a 50-50 split is easy to achieve.

Modern appliances like the Electrolux Ergorapido BRC vacuum, with its lightweight grab-and-go design makes it easy to clean the home anytime, no matter whose turn it is.

be more personal. Be sure to agree from the start on how to handle groceries. If one person tends to eat more than their fair share, you may want to avoid sharing and splitting food costs. The same goes for someone who may love to cook and throw regular dinner parties.

You’ll also want to avoid eating your roommate’s food without asking — it’s as bad as not doing your share of the chores. The best way to avoid confusion may be to shop separately, with different sections of the fridge for each other’s groceries.

The Electrolux Flexfresh refrigerator is designed with flexible shelving that allows you to easily organise your groceries into different sections to avoid mix ups.

Respect each other’s space and things

Agree on the bills

Always be respectful of your roommate’s space. Boundaries can be blurred when living with family, so you may need to take extra care when living with others. Always knock first, and be mindful of each other’s lifestyles. Your roommate may not be a morning person, or they may not appreciate you bringing guests home.

It can be messy trying to figure who uses what more, so the easiest thing when it comes to paying the monthly bills is simply to split it evenly.

Groceries, however, can

Elizabeth Png is the brand and consumer communications director for Electrolux Vietnam. She can be contacted at elizabeth.pngreade@electrolux.com.

64 AsiaLIFE HCMC

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

DECOR

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

TMF Vietnam Company Limited Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon Trade

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.

Sells compact discs, DVDs, electronic money counters, video games and systems, Discmans, mp3 players and portable DVD players.

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.

FURNITURE

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

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

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

ELECTRONICS

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

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

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 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

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

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

Upholstery, accessories, antiques and more.

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

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

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

Friendly staff speak excellent English.

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

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

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

LINH‘S WHITE

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

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

By Greg Ohan

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH Buyer Beware A new circular has just been passed ensuring a more accurate unit of measurement for condominiums on the market. The legislation provides for a more consistent form of measurement across all projects. The aim is to protect purchasers with transparency in what has sometimes been a grey area.

When it comes to buying a condominium in Vietnam, for the adventurous who have entered the property market, “Caveat Emptor” (buyer beware) has been an approach many cautious purchasers have sought to adopt.

This is especially true when it comes to condominiums and understanding exactly whether you get for what you pay.

The existing circular that defines the measurement of condominiums for sale has been the source of debate and controversy between developers and purchasers in recent years.

Currently there are two different methods of measurement for a condominium. The first is based on usable floor space, ie ‘paint to paint’, which is effectively actual usable area. The second (favoured by most developers) is based on the total area of the condominium inclusive of walls and utility areas and boxes.

At the moment, purchasers will typically negotiate with a developer to choose the most suitable method for each case.

However, without a doubt most developers choose to measure condominiums using the latter way (area taken from the middle

of the enclosing walls) with the area of walls and electrical boxes included (not uncommon in other markets but not ideal either).

Consequently, many homebuyers have been required to pay for areas that are effectively unusable space. This in turn has led to discontent and has urged legislators to enforce a single standard unit of measurement across the board.

Where do we go from here?

Given the above concerns, Circular 03, which will be effective from 8 April, states clearly that only one method will be applied for the measurement of a condominium — the area is the net useable area which is measured from the interior of the enclosing walls.

At first glance, the new circular seems to provide the necessary consumer protection mechanisms favouring buyers over developers. However, while it may be too early to draw conclusions, speculators fear developers will find ways to amend prices adjusting for the decreased “sellable area” according to the new measurement method. Regardless of the outcome, though, this is a positive first step in the journey towards increased consumer protection and transparency and a maturing market.

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

AsiaLIFE HCMC 65

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.

By Gary Woollacott

PEOPLE MATTER Cultural Awareness Part 2 Last month I wrote about the importance of adapting to western ways if you’re working in a western company and really want to progress. Don’t slip up by not knowing the basics of etiquette, appearance and general manners.

This month I’m going to cover the family-style work culture, courtesy in the office and an awareness of the outside world, both in business and politics.

Working in Asia these past 19 years has been an education for me. Offices and companies are said to be run like families here. What this usually means in a local context is that disagreements are minimised or glossed over. But for those of us who actually have a family, don’t we argue with them more than anyone?

The biggest arguments in my life have been with my family and nothing goes unsaid with my relatives. If someone is upset then I hear about it, and if I’m in the wrong I’m expected to do something about it. There's no chance to let things slide and hope that they turn out OK. The same is true in western businesses. We are not families, we are a group of people who choose to work together to make a profit and keep our jobs. If you aren’t pulling your weight and contributing to the company’s success, then expect to be found out and possibly fired. And while you are working, it is essential to be courteous to your colleagues; the days are gone 66 AsiaLIFE HCMC

for the rainmaker who thinks he can be rude to everyone.

This means saying please and thank you to your co-workers, delivering your work on time to internal clients (we’re all clients of somebody) and making sure that quality is consistently high.

It is also important to know a bit about what’s going on outside of your own country.

This means reading newspapers, watching the international news and generally taking an interest in things that aren’t only domestic.

Some people think if they concentrate on their domestic market that will be enough.

Perhaps it was once, but not now. As headhunters we want to see rounded candidates who have an appreciation of world affairs, that is, business and politics.

At the time of writing (late February 2014), Sochi in Russia, Thailand, Ukraine and WhatsApp were making world headlines. Do you know why? If not, and you are serious about making a career in a western company, then maybe you could consider finding out.

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

Gary Woollacott is the CEO of Opus executive search in Vietnam and Thailand. He can be reached at +84 8 3827 8209 or via gary@opusasia. net. Opus is a partner of Horton International.

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

REAL ESTATE

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.

Vietnam since 1995 offering research, advisory services, residential sales, commercial leasing, asset management, retail advisory, valuation, investment advisory and more.

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.

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.

Diamond Island Luxury Residences No 01 – Street No.104BTT, 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

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.

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.

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.

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,

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

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.

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.

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: 3744 7102 www.saigonvan.com MOVING!?

Full service relocating agency with warehousing, handyman, insurance & claim, ! orientation an partner career support ! services also availble. !"#$%&&'(!)%*#)%&&'(!+),-.)%*#)%&&'/!

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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.

online recruitment, and print recruitment advertising.

www.crownrelo.com/vietnam

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.

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.

Santa Fe Relocation Services 8th floor, Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, D3 Tel: 3933 0065 www.santaferelo.com info@santaferelo.com.vn 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

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.

listings

fashion By Christina Yu

FASHION RULES Mile-High Fashion I have recently been doing a lot of travelling. And because of certain airlines, I have also spent far too many hours at the airport, hence I witnessed a few more fashion disasters than normal. What is it about flying that causes people to forget their fashion rules? So for you jet-setting folks, here are some tips to travel with class.

How do you travel and balance in six-inch heels? I think one has to seek the expert advice of a local fashionista to answer this question. I am always impressed with girls who travel while balancing on sixinch heels and carrying heavy luggage. Having said that, I did notice a few limping around the airport — hardly glamorous at all. Save your cocktail shoes for evenings. A sturdy shoe, with a rise that is comfortable but still slightly elevating, is definitely a safer option. A stacked lowheel pump, wedges if you want some height, or a pair of well-made brogues or loafers are good travelling options. You can always put your cocktail shoes in your hand luggage if you need them immediately after arrival.

Contrary to common belief, you should not take your shoes off when on a short haul (another reason to wear comfortable shoes). This seems to be a national trait but there is nothing elegant or fashionable about it — especially if you have smelly feet. If you are on a lengthy trip, be considerate and bring your own socks.

Another advantage of socks is that they give you that extra 68 AsiaLIFE HCMC

protection and hygiene when you have to go to the messy cattle-class bathroom.

For me, the essential key piece to smart travel is a great carry-on bag or trolley. Invest in one that is roomy enough to carry a computer, a shawl, a book or tablet, small toiletries, socks and a pillow. Food should never be seen at the airport as a carry-on. And if you have to bring it, at least pretend it is something worth carrying and hide it inside a nylon zipper tote. The different versions from Longchamp are a current favourite.

Last, but not least, always travel smartly dressed. I once read that most airlines tend to upgrade the well dressed when a flight is full. There is no downside to it and one does not have to give up class for comfort when travelling. A sleeveless pantsuit or abovethe-knee dress with a little cardigan in case the flight is cold is an obvious choice. A three-quarter-sleeve shirt with well-tailored pants is another. If you have to wear jeans, always wear a blazer with them. Avoid clothes that are too revealing or dressy, which is why a good carry-on always comes in handy. You can always bring a separate outfit with you to change on arrival.

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

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

AsiaLIFE HCMC 69

Saigon Cyclo Challenge

Photos by Saigon Children's Charity, ISHCMC and Adam Astley.

70 70 AsiaLIFE AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC

ISHCMC Great Gatsby 20th Anniversary Celebration

Blood Brothers at British International School

AsiaLIFE AsiaLIFE HCMC HCMC 71 71

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radar Thank you for booking with…

Baolau.vn Here you’ll be able to find all domestic flights, trains and ferries for Vietnam in one place. Booking tickets is streamlined and you can compare prices from different travel outlets such as Vietnam Airlines, JetStar, VietJet Air and Vietnam Railways. The site’s interface is minimalist, and it offers English, Vietnamese or Spanish page translations. Searching itineraries is basic, and most importantly, convenient. Each results page begins with a line chart that depicts the overall price differences between airlines, railways and ferries so travellers can evaluate options. Under the listings — which provide travel summaries, Google Maps of destinations, or lists of local ticket offices — travellers can plan suggested tours with descriptions and prices.

The past and present

Dearphotograph.com The concept of Dear Photograph is to “take a picture of a picture, from the past, in the present”. Submissions come with short, nostalgic letters written to describe each photograph. Endearing moments — like one photo of a man and his fiancée on the same couch from 26 years ago, or a son tracing his parents’ lives in Guatemala by visiting places in his parents’ photos — inspire us to revisit the moments we often forget or want to reflect on. It’s interesting to read about individuals and families from different walks of life, but also just as interesting to see how much we can relate to them. Each letter is written in the form of “Dear Photograph”, so it’s like discovering old letters in the attic, or sifting through a time capsule.

The model man

Valetmag.com A blog for men, but just as interesting for women who appreciate men’s fashion, Valet is the premier style, grooming, living and how-to website for cool guys who appreciate taking care of themselves. It’s the ultimate virtual handbook to become or remain the modern-day gentleman. Think of it as a refined version of GQ with just the essentials. There are plenty of helpful articles, such as suit and shoe maintenance, a 60-second guide to layering, and ‘the Edit’, a compilation of style topics from around the web that is sorted and organised throughout the day. It’s easy to stay up to date on all the trends, but visitors can also submit any question to be answered by the Valet team in “Ask Valet”.

74 AsiaLIFE HCMC

AsiaLIFE HCMC 75

soundfix album review

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Photo by Dave Collins

MØ NO MYTHOLOGIES TO FOLLOW

Forget Grimes, Lana del Ray, Icona Pop, Lorde and all those other it girls. All you need is Mø. Born Karen Marie Ørsted, the 25-yearold Dane has mastered the sounds that have dominated indie pop over the past year.

Her full-length debut is a grab bag of 20 bang-up tracks, drawing from electronica, R&B, dubstep and soul influences.

The beat-driven music calls for obvious comparison with fellow Scandinavian Lykke Li, but Mø is less ethereal and more naturally fun. Her songs are awash with happy-go-lucky melodies, heavy on handclaps and schoolyard chants. But Mø’s girlish vocals can also channel darkness, delivering lyrics with a sultry edge on ‘Never Wanna Know’ and ‘Dust Is Gone’. The Diplo-produced ‘XXX 88’ rivals ‘Pilgrim’ for catchiest number, but it’s a toss up. Learn how to pronounce her name — something between “moo” and “meu” — because you’ll probably want to tell your friends.

76 AsiaLIFE HCMC

AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE

THE WAR ON DRUGS

THE IMAGINED SAVIOR IS FAR EASIER TO PAINT

LOST IN THE DREAM

Those who follow contemporary jazz will recognise Ambrose Akinmusire as one of the most celebrated trumpeters of his generation. But for folks like me who don’t know much about jazz, his many awards and accomplishments haven’t crossed the radar. From the outside, jazz can seem like an insider’s club in which knowledge of the genre is a requisite for appreciating the music. It’s artists like Akinmusire who are trying to break the shroud of inaccessibility surrounding today’s jazz. The 31-yearold’s method of playing trumpet is neither stodgy and stale, nor excessively experimental. Most of his third album is instrumental, featuring soaring trumpet solos that range from frenetic to soothing, often within the same song. Akinmusire’s quintet contributes tenor saxophone, piano, bass, and drums, joined by additional collaborators and three vocalists, which further helps usher in jazz newbies.

The War on Drugs might have christened their third album Lost in the Dream, but there’s nothing that feels off course on this record. Dreamlike is an apt descriptor for the Philadelphiabased foursome’s brand of hazy Americana rock, but the songs come across as purposeful and considerately crafted. The album’s 10 tracks capture the tone of the open road, which is fitting considering they were shaped over two years of intensive touring. Layers of drum machines, synths and saxophone contribute to the record’s 1980s essence, which makes songs feel pleasantly familiar upon first listen. That’s partly because of how much Bruce Springsteen comes to mind, although with less of the Boss’s grandiosity and more accents of Bob Dylan’s later work. Following in the footsteps of these two legends, frontman Adam Granduciel has created an inspired record that plenty of musicians today would dream of producing.

VARIOUS ARTISTS SONGKITES

Many of the tracks on the Songkites compilation are sung in Khmer, but knowing the language isn’t necessary for understanding these musicians.

Sorrow, hope, and frustration are powerfully conveyed in each note. Songkites emerges from a series of collaborative workshops for Cambodian musicians led by Phnom Penh’s Ragamuffin Boathouse. Using kites as a symbol of freedom, the project encourages artists to let their creativity soar and write, record and release original songs. The result is a diverse collection of ballads, rock tunes and pop numbers, which will surprise listeners with fixed expectations of Cambodian music. The ups and downs of love provide stirring lyrical content — Propey’s ‘Journey of Heart’ is an uplifting take on romance’s first bloom, whereas Nikki Nikki’s ‘Come Home for Dinner’ sends chills down the spine.

‘What If?’ expresses feelings of self-doubt, but Sentosa Mam’s captivating delivery is a strong argument that artistic risks can pay off.

endorsed

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New Gossip Club

By Brett Davis When I spoke to several people about the revamped Gossip club, the reaction usually contained a fair amount of eye rolling. “Yeah, I know that place and I’m not really into local clubs,” was a common statement.

While the venue on Tran Hung Dao in District 1 has been around for a number of years, it was reopened shortly after Tet under new management and with an extensive refit. A multi-million-dollar investment in sound and lighting equipment from the US is the most visible part of this revamp, most notably a huge LED screen that forms the backdrop to the stage.

The style of music has also made a considerable shift from the standard thumping vina-house to include more variation. A live band kicks off proceedings every night before a rotation of DJs takes over. On any given night you will hear styles ranging from progressive-house to trance, or even some trip-hop.

The club is also starting to attract some of the better local DJs and the occasional international performer like Ken-J, for instance, who played a couple of sets when he was in town in February.

The new owners behind the venture have a wealth of experience running clubs in the US and Asia, and seem

to be making an attempt to bring more of an international experience to a club scene that has long been mired in a cookie-cutter cycle of sensory overload venues with volume levels that made you feel like your head would implode.

In fact, one of the most significant differences at the new Gossip you only notice by its absence. It takes a little while, but then all of a sudden you realise that head-imploding noise level is not there, that you don’t feel the base reverberating around your chest cavity looking for a way out like a sonic version of the monster in Alien. It’s still a nightclub and it’s still loud, just not punishingly so, and it makes all the difference.

But my favourite thing about the new Gossip is that it is an unashamedly great people-watching venue. Particularly around the premium real estate of the VIP lounges lining side walls of the club, you can see how Saigon’s elite and their many hangerson like to party it up in style.

And what is the best way to round out the evening when stumbling out of a night club at 2am? With some junk food of course, and given the soon-to-be opened second branch of McDonalds’ is just across the road, it’s like reliving your misspent 20s all over again.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 77

boxoffice

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Rio 2

Transcendence

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

After the cataclysmic events in New York with the Avengers, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, is living quietly in Washington, DC and trying to adjust to the modern world.

But when a SHIELD colleague comes under attack, Rogers becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the everwidening conspiracy while fighting off assailants sent to silence him at every turn.

It's a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three kids in Rio 2, after they're hurtled from that city to the wilds of the Amazon.

As Blu tries to fit in, he goes beak-to-beak with the vengeful Nigel, and meets the most fearsome adversary of all â&#x20AC;&#x201D; his father-in-law. All the favourite characters are back, and they are joined by a new flock of actors and musical talents, including Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth and Rita Moreno.

Dr Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost researcher in the field of artificial intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him.

But in their attempt to destroy Caster, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed.

For Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, being the hero and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone).

But being Spider-Man comes at a price, and in his next chapter he finds his greatest battle is about to begin. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Parker must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, he comes to realise all his enemies have one thing in common: Oscorp.

Opening Dates CINEMAS CGV CGV.vn

Galaxy Galaxycine.vn

78 AsiaLIFE HCMC

Captain America (4 April) Rio 2 (11 April) Captain America (4 April) Rio 2 (11 April) Transcendence (25 April) The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (30 April)

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

bookshelf Boy, Snow, Bird Helen Oyeyemi Riverhead Nigerian-born British author Helen Oyeyemi’s fifth novel comes as one of 2014’s most anticipated books. Boy, Snow, Bird re-imagines the familiar fable of Snow White. Set in the 1950s, the story follows a girl named Boy as she runs away from an abusive father in New York City and settles in a small Massachusetts town. There she meets a pretty young girl named Snow, to whom she eventually becomes stepmother. Boy’s complicated relationship with Snow is a central theme, but the plot thickens further with the birth of her own daughter, Bird, and the secrets that are thus uncovered. With moving, glittering prose, Oyeyemi examines issues of race within the unlikely context of a re-worked fairy tale.

The Guest Cat Takashi Hiraide New Directions

A couple’s lives are changed when a cat settles in their home. The premise of Takashi Hiraide’s short novel is simple, but its quiet depth earned Japan’s Kiyama Shohei Literary Award and made it an international bestseller.

The beauty of Hiraide’s work is in his attention to the small details of life and his ability to reveal poetry in normal existence. The husband and wife of his story are in their mid-30s, finding little to say to each other and passing through uneventful days. With the influence of an uninvited feline, the couple start to venture out of their fixed routine and draw closer to each other. Don’t be mistaken by the title, a love for cats is no requisite to finding value in this philosophical work.

Blood Will Out Walter Kirn Liveright When Walter Kirn meets Clark Rockefeller, he believes him to be the pedigreed son of one of America’s wealthiest families.

Nothing would seem to point otherwise. There’s the pink polo shirts he wears, his references to “the family”, and eccentricities that seem too weird to be fabricated. But Kirn comes to discover that the whole persona is a carefully concocted facade. The man he knows as Rockefeller is in fact a serial imposter — German-born Christian Gerhartsreiter. Blood Will Out: The True Story of a Murder, a Mystery and a Masquerade is Kirn’s memoir about his 15-year relationship with a real life Jay Gatsby figure, only the fake Rockefeller turns out to have a darker past than Fitzgerald’s fictional creation.

The Future of The Mind Michio Kaku Doubleday Johnny Depp’s latest film, Transcendence, is about an artificial intelligence scientist who uploads his own consciousness into a computer before his death. The concept doesn’t seem too wild for a Hollywood blockbuster, but, according to theoretical physicist Michio Kaku, the idea isn’t unrealistic. The Future of the Mind traverses laboratories around the world, sharing neuroscience and physics research that sounds like the stuff of science fiction. Dr Kaku provides insight into the way our brains work, as well as the technologies currently in development to enhance and harness our consciousness. With initiatives such as the EU-funded Human Brain Project, which works on using computers to simulate the brain electronically, the ability to separate the mind from the body isn’t too far off.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 79

ODD ONE OUT Dana Filek-Gibson urges expats to honour the foreign figures who have had the greatest influence on contemporary Vietnam.

Let us put the name of dear, coiffed George Michael on a street sign and play 'Careless Whisper' from the speakers up above.

80 AsiaLIFE HCMC

Between the traffic congestion, the noise, the coming workday and the as-yet insufficient caffeination, I would guess that there are few among us who appreciate a morning commute.

At best, it's a time-filler: you inch your way through a sea of motorbikes and four-wheeled vehicles overzealous with the horn. But mostly it's time spent at a stand still, listening to loud cell phone conversations or struggling to read the lewd English phrase on a fellow motorist's sweater.

That said, hang onto your hats because one day soon — you won't know when, you won't know where — while rousing yourself from a nap at a red light, you may look up to find that the old, beloved Nguyen Thi Minh Khai is now Che Guevara Street. Or Marie Curie Boulevard. Or Colonel Sanders Avenue. That's right, some time in the foreseeable future half of Saigon will suddenly change its name and Google Maps, regular maps and any other directionfinding technology will become completely obsolete. Why, you ask? Don't. You've lived here long enough to know that you shouldn't be posing those kinds of questions.

As a Saigon resident, you need only understand that, in an effort to give some of Vietnam's more contemporary national heroes their due recognition, the city is renaming and adding

a slew of new roads, roughly a thousand in total. Most of these streets will, of course, bear the names of exceptional Vietnamese citizens: wartime doctors, military generals, poets, composers and other revered figures whose efforts have helped shape the nation and its culture. There are, however, a few notable foreigners — eight, to be exact — who will also grace Saigon street signs, and for these nominations I believe that the city's expat community should have a chance to weigh in. After all, nothing you or I can do will stop the sweeping, much-needed replacement of street names you can't pronounce with more street names you can't pronounce. But we would appreciate some input on those we'll actually be able to say.

And so, as with any other issue, I have taken it upon myself to offer an opinion that nobody requested. In paying homage to the greatest foreign influences in modern-day Vietnamese culture, let us take into account an artist, thinker and intellectual whose work has affected this country over the last three decades. Let us not forget the saxophone hook that tugs at our heartstrings, pounds in our eardrums and instantly induces a headache. Yes, let us put the name of dear, coiffed George Michael on a street sign and play 'Careless Whisper' from

the speakers up above. For it is masterpieces like these whose profound effects continue to resonate in cafes and from karaoke machines across Saigon.

And while we're at it, throw in David Beckham. Or the Eagles. Or Doraemon. Perhaps we should hold a referendum in order to select the most influential foreign footballers, K-Pop stars, cartoon characters and celebrities for street name consideration. The naysayers will point out that most cities require a public figure to be long deceased before the name may be used for such purposes.

But with so many of Vietnam's most influential foreigners still alive, I believe that at least those who fall into the “Where Are They Now?” category should be considered fair game.

In short, I encourage you to reflect upon the obscure collection of international pop culture icons that have made Vietnam what it is today and advocate for those names that you believe are deserving of a local street sign. There's almost a 100 percent chance that no one will listen to what you have to say, but in the end, even if the signs change and we all get lost and never see our mail again I, for one, would be honoured to live on George Michael Boulevard.

Dana Filek-Gibson is a Canadian expat living in Ho Chi Minh City.

A Libertine Abroad Not all laptops are created equally, or so says JW Sherman.

When was the last time you made a decision that in some way inconvenienced yourself because of a principle you considered worth the trouble? It is something I admit I have done from time to time, but probably not nearly enough.

I do not mean being put in the position of facing any real personal peril. For those rare souls, the greatest of admiration is warranted. No, what I am talking about are those smaller, more mundane decisions that we might face on almost any day, but still contain an ethical choice.

Take a visit to the supermarket, for instance: do you make sure to buy freerange eggs and no genetically modified produce? These are small decisions in the scheme of things, but ones in which you take a position that in some way says, “This is what I think is right and acceptable.”

I raise this question now as I happened to note the release in mid-February of Apple’s annual Supplier Responsibility Progress Report. This document details the findings of its audits into the working conditions and manufacturing practices of the many hundreds of suppliers from around the world who contribute to the making of its omnipresent products.

Over the last several years issues surrounding conditions for workers at the company’s

suppliers have made worldwide headlines, and generally not in a positive way. So, the production of the report (which is heavy with images of smiling workers and passages on the company’s programs) in itself is an exercise in restoring some shine to Apple’s image.

Take the title for instance, which is a clever bit of phrasing.

It positions the suppliers, rather than Apple, at the centre of responsibility for ensuring adequate working conditions.

This is not to say the company has not made considerable efforts to ensure its standards are adhered to. In 2013 they conducted 451 audits at all levels of the supply chain (an increase of 51 percent over the previous year) covering facilities in which nearly 1.5 million people were employed.

While not understating the enormous challenge of managing such a huge system of global suppliers, staying on top of these issues will require ongoing diligence. For instance, the audits found 23 workers who had been employed underage, down from more 100 the previous year. It also found that 95 percent of suppliers complied with the company’s policy that workers did no more than 60 hours per week, “except in unusual circumstances”, and that all overtime was voluntary.

It has been some time since I have done a 60-hour week, but

in the days when I did I was always secure in the knowledge I would be well rewarded for it.

A February article from the IDG News Service detailed the lives of some of the employees at the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, China which produces iPhones.

Here workers are putting in 10hour shifts to help make roughly 10,000 handsets each day and earn a base monthly salary of 2,000 yuan, or around $320.

Of course I am aware of the irony that I personally enjoy the lower cost of living here in Asia.

However, perhaps it is slightly different to spend only a few dollars for a meal at a familyrun noodle shop and amassing among the largest cash holdings of any company in the world via the long hours and low pay of workers in developing countries.

Of course it was the Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn who was largely responsible for bringing the plight of workers in the Apple supply chain to prominence a few years ago. After a spate of suicides among workers at another of Foxconn’s facilities in China in 2010, the low pay, long hours and poor living conditions could no longer be ignored.

And yet, I wonder if they were largely ignored, apart from in the press where much mileage was made out of the story. I don’t recall hearing

calls for the boycott of Apple products, or any protests outside their sleek stores.

Perhaps the oft-talked-about deep affection Apple users have for the company’s products exerted a stronger pull.

Which brings me, rather circuitously and at some length, back to my initial question: how often do we make a decision based on what we believe is acceptable rather than for convenience or to satisfy our desires? It is very much a question that each individual will have a separate answer to.

For instance, I personally do not have a problem with genetically-modified crops (a discussion for another day), but several years ago I took the decision to purchase a computer made in Richmond, Virginia, to be exact. It was around the same price as an Apple machine, and a little more trouble to service when you’re not in the United States, but it was a personal choice to support American jobs and not reward what I felt was unfair treatment to workers in developing countries.

It may be a fairly insignificant decision in the bigger scheme of things, but it was my take on what I thought was right and acceptable.

JW Sherman is an American management consultant who has been living in Southeast Asia for more than 20 years.

AsiaLIFE HCMC 81

pub quiz Contains ‘AP’ 1. Which building is the official residence of the Pope?

2. Who married Josephine de Beauharnais and Princess Marie Louise?

3. Name Puff the Magic Dragon’s human friend.

4. What is the 10th letter of the Greek alphabet?

5. Which Robert Louis Stevenson adventure features the ship Covenant?

Contains ‘RIL’ 6. ‘Complicated’ was the breakthrough single for which Canadian artist?

7. King Lear had three daughters: Regan, Cordelia and who?

8. How is the controversial American musician Brian Warner better known?

9. A lion and a sword appear on the flag of which country?

10. What is the name of the film, starring Sigourney Weaver, about the naturalist Dian Fossey?

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Princes

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21. Parc des Princes used to be the home ground for the French rugby team. Which football team plays their home games there?

22. Port-au-Prince is the capital of which Caribbean country?

23. What is the smallest Canadian province?

24. Who did Flora MacDonald help rescue?

25. What is the musician Prince’s real first name?

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Kings 11. Which subject of a Christmas carol was assassinated in Bohemia in 935?

12. Who won the Wimbledon Ladies Singles titles in 1966, 1967 and 1968?

13. Which version of the Bible was published in 1610?

14. Which king is known as the Suicide King?

15. What is the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?

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6 2

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Queens

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30) 1) Sistine Chapel 2) Napoleon Bonaparte 3) Jackie Paper 4) Kappa 5) Kidnapped 6) Avril Lavigne 7) Goneril 8) Marilyn Manson 9) Sri Lanka 10) Gorillas in the Mist 11) Good King Wenceslas 12) Billie Jean King 13) King James 14) King of Hearts 15) Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There 16) Queen Victoria 17) Steve McQueen18) Queens Park Rangers19) The African Queen 20) Farrokh Bulsara (Freddie Mercury) 21) Paris-Saint-Germain 22) Haiti 23) Prince Edward Island 24) Bonnie Prince Charlie 25) Prince 26) Kelly Clarkson 27) Scarlett Johnsson 28) Jennifer Lawrence 29) Emma Watson 30) Alicia Silverstone

16. The state of Queensland was named in whose honour?

17. Who starred in the title role in the original version of The Thomas Crown Affair?

18. Malaysian entrepreneur, Tony Fernandes, holds a 66 percent share in which English football club?

19. What was the name of the boat in The African Queen?

20. Who joined the band Smile then changed its name to Queen?

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