AsiaLIFE Vietnam June 2015

AsiaLIFE Media Vol. 87

Why we love

mistakes

Energized Engaged Empowered

Because at ISHCMC we understand that mistakes are stepping stones to genuine learning.

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

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

A fully accredited IB World School, authorized to teach all 3 programs of the International Baccalaureate curriculum to students ages 2 – 18 years.

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

Nathan, Grade 1 ISHCMC student since 2009.

CAMBODIA // THAILAND // VIETNAM

June 2015

VOLUME 87

AsiaLIFE Media

This Month's Cover Art Direction: Kendra Bernard Photography: Vinh Dao

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

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www. A s i a L i f e M a g a z i n e .com For advertising and marketing enquiries please contact: +84 938 298 395 / +84 8 6680 6105 or adsales@asialifehcmc.com Director Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialifemagazine.com Editorial Director Brett Davis brett@asialifehcmc.com

Art Director

Managing Editor

Kendra Bernard kendra@asialifemagazine.com Photo Editor

Dana Filek-Gibson dana@asialifemagazine.com Deputy Editor

Vinh Dao photoeditor@asialifemagazine.com

Michael Tatarski michael@asialifemagazine.com

Contributing Editor Khoi Pham khoi@asialifemagazine.com Production Manager Hoa Nguyen nguyenhoa@asialifehcmc.com

Front

F OO D & D R I N K

EVENTS . . .............................................................. 0 6 TOP 5: ways to Kill A Sunday . . ................ 1 1 Q &A Wowy's World ....................................................... 1 4

elysium cafÉ

PHOTO ESSAY

la mint by danh

C ov e r Sto ry

fastnood

Journey to the West ............................................... 1 6

Taking root

Saigon's unexpected crop of farmers . . ...................... 2 0

F e at u r e s catcher in the sun

Ultimate frisbee glides into Saigon . . ......................... 2 6

taking it to the streets

Getting to know local street food.. ........................... 2 8

Administrator Nguyen Hanh Trinh trinh.nguyen@asialifehcmc.com Intern Kieu Khanh Toan

Bagels and beans near Ben Thanh Market ................ 3 8

saigon's lookout

Creative food and drink on an unlikely street .......... 3 9 International cuisine using local ingredients............... 4 0 DIY noodle dishes .................................................. 4 1

S TYLE & D E S I G N back to the source

Modern architecture with classic inspiration ............ 4 2

Rb&K

International designs with an Asian flair ................... 4 6

C OLU M N S

East meets west

IMBIBE ............................................................................. 5 4

health & wellness

FITNESS .......................................................................... 5 8

Vietnamese cuisine meets western dishes .. .............. 3 0 Skin cancer ............................................................. 3 6

T r av e l

LOCAL EATS ............................................................... 5 6 Education Hub .................................................... 6 2 HOME IMPROVEMENT .......................................... 6 4

Extremely calm & incredibly close

Personal Finance ............................................. 6 5

into the woods

FASHION RULES ....................................................... 6 8

Staycation at Villa Song ............................................ 3 2 Korea's camping obsession . . .................................... 3 4

PEOPLE MATTER ....................................................... 6 6 odd one out ........................................................ 7 6 LETTER FROM HANOI ........................................... 7 7

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events

3-5 June, 6.30pm

Japanese Cooking Class @ Blanchy Street Entry: VND 800,000

Learn how to create several classic Japanese dishes.

Vietnam Charity Challenge @ Jeongsan Golf & Country Club Entry: VND 3.5 million to VND 22 million

Charity golf challenge at one of Saigon’s finest golf courses.

An Evening with Tennessee Williams @ Cargo Bar Entry: VND 400,000

3 June, 6.30pm

A performance of five one-act plays by the famous American playwright.

Rewind: Singapura Party @ Bia 2F Entry: VND 200,000

Network and drink with Singapore alumni.

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5 June, 11am

6-7 June, 2pm

t

th Augus 4 1 6 July th

GET THE BEST FROM SUMMER ENGLISH TOEFL ASSESSMENT

QUALIFIED LANGUAGE SUPPORT MANY OPTIONS TO CHOOSE ACTIVITIES WITH SAIGON SPORTS ACADEMY

CONTACT US

events

C

M

Y

CM

K

Book, wine, music & more @ deciBel Entry: Free

Book club discussing Haruki Murakami’s acclaimed novel Norwegian Wood.

Saigon Sunday Photography Ride @ Saigon Cycles Entry: VND 100,000

A 60km ride through the countryside with several photo stops. Bikes available for rent.

Survive the Night @ Spotted Cow Entry: Free

14 June, 6am

Race across Saigon through checkpoints without being caught by the ‘chasers’.

Celebration Dance Show @ Youth Cultural Centre Entry: VND 150,000 - 250,000

A celebration of life produced by Dancenter featuring several styles of dance.

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CMY

CY

13 June, 7PM

6-7 June, 7.30pm & 3pm

MY

15 June, 7pm

An International School for students aged 18 months to 11 years

At the end of summer, children will be able to improve their English Language skills through play and exploration, art, music and sports. There will be a variety of fun and educational activities based on a weekly theme that will also increase knowledge, improve fine motor skills and hone creativity.

Register at: www.issp.com/summerschool or admissions@issp.edu.vn International School Saigon Pearl 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Street 22,Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (84-8) 2222 7788/99

events

International Day of Yoga @ Quan Khu 7 Stadium Entry: Free

Royal Ascot Garden Party @ British Consulate Gardens Entry (reservation required): BBGV Members VND 1,200,000, Non-members VND 1,600,000

Celebrate the first International Day of Yoga with other practitioners.

17 June, 8am - 6pm

Music and networking for art lovers, designers and directors.

Saigon Artbook Edition 5 @ 3A Station Entry: VND 50,000

Horse racing and fine dining in fancy dress.

18 June, 7pm - 11pm

Digital Marketing Workshop @ Caravelle Saigon Entry: VND 800,000

19 June, 6.30pm 10.30pm

Work in teams to prepare a digital plan using practical exercises.

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21 June, 8am

Top 5 Ways to

Claudia Davaar Lambie whiles away the weekend exploring Saigon. Additional reporting by Dana Filek-Gibson. Photos by Vinh Dao, Paintball Saigon, Caravelle Saigon and City Treasure Hunts.

Ki l l a Su n day There is nothing worse than that familiar feeling of dread when you wake up on a Sunday and slowly realise that there is only one day left before the alarm stirs you at some ungodly hour. Depending on your degree of hangover, you have two options: lie on the sofa ordering delights from Vietnammm.com, or get out of the apartment, brave the overbearing heat and try some of the cool activities Saigon has to offer on a Sunday.

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Cel a d o n C i ty a n d A eo n Sh oppin g Mall 30 bo bao tan thang, tan phu district If you fancy taking a trip away from the hustle and bustle of District 1, the up-and-coming Celadon City is a serene green space spanning 160,000 square metres. It takes around 30 to 40 minutes to get there from downtown Saigon but Celadon City's greenery and clean air is worth the journey. In a few years, this space will have been built upon, but for now enjoy the peacefulness with a picnic in the park.

Adjacent to Celadon City is the gigantic Aeon shopping mall, which boasts a huge selection of shops from Japan, Korea, Vietnam and even some popular branded stores from home. This spacious shopping centre has a wide range of restaurants, fashion retailers, quirky boutiques, bookshops, children’s toy shops and an impressive supermarket. After combing through the mall, relax at the in-house cinema or, better still, belt out your favourite song at one of the numerous karaoke rooms situated on the top floor.

Pa in tball Saig on 14-16-18 duong 11, an phu, d2 You’ll find Paintball Saigon about a five-minute drive from the centre of Thao Dien. Equipped with two sizeable fields, Paintball Saigon's space is aptly set up for the game with tarpaulin blockades and human-sized crates everywhere to throw your enemy off course.

Prices range from VND 500,000 to VND 2 million, depending on how many paintballs you want to shoot. All fees include protective gear and a gun. There are also corporate packages, just in case you want to blow off steam by pelting your colleagues with paint. After a few hours of playing Rambo, the nearby Wombat Bar and Beer Garden offers a tasty Sunday Roast or BBQ to regain your energy.

Over l a n d C lu b P otte ry 36bis huynh khuong ninh, d1 Tucked away on Huynh Khuong Ninh is Overland Club Pottery Studio, a great little creative space to mould mugs, plates, bowls and anything else you fancy. The workshop comes equipped with pottery wheels and an array of tools. There are different classes depending on your level and time commitment, and knowledgeable staff are always on hand to help.

I attempted to make a mug, which took around two hours. To add the finishing touches, my masterpiece was baked and glazed and will be ready for collection sometime next week. This was all for a very affordable VND 150,000. If you want to master the art of pottery, you can buy ten sessions for VND 3.6 million. It was a very therapeutic way to spend a Sunday afternoon. If you feel peckish afterwards, pop upstairs to the cooking class, where you can make and sample some Japanese or Vietnamese delicacies.

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C ity T r easu r e H u n t saigontreasurehunt@gmail.com Searching for a little design inspiration? Whether it's for your wardrobe or your home, City Treasure Hunt provides lifestyle, art and design tours of Saigon. Corporate interior architect Rosemary Cook, a five-year resident of the city, has developed her own unique set of daylong excursions with a focus on furniture and home decoration, junk and antiques or fashion. Tailor-made events and citywide scavenger hunts can also be arranged. Tours typically run about seven hours, with lunch and air-conditioned transportation included, and come in at about VND 1.5 million per person. For more information, visit the City Treasure Hunt Facebook page or email saigontreasurehunt@gmail.com.

H ig h Tea at t he Ca r av elle 19-23 lam son square, d1 Swing by Caravelle Saigon's CafÊ de l'Opera for a miniature feast. High tea selections includs English and Vietnamese, as well as a menu of vegetarian snacks for herbivorous guests. Depending upon your order, servers will bring either a three-tiered tea tray or a miniature set of bamboo baskets to your table, complete with snacks like lemon thyme scones, vanilla cream filo pastry, smoked salmon and crème fraiche. High tea menus begin at VND 280,000++ with one freshly brewed Lavazza coffee or Ronnefeldt tea and go up to VND 380,000++ if you add a flute of Veuve Clicquot champagne to the mix.

Wowy's

World 14 asialife HCMC

Many Vietnamese rappers have an interesting introduction to hip-hop. How did you first discover rap music?

When I was in high school, I had a friend who was a year older than me, she gave me a CD by this Vietnamese guy in the US. The song was 'Vietnamese Gang' by Khanh Nho and Thai Viet G. That was the first Vietnamese rap song [I ever heard].

I thought: “Wow. It's like he's reading a poem.”

Rap and poetry are really alike: the structure, the wording, the wordplay is all very similar. We've had this kind of writing for a long time with poets like Ho Xuan Huong and Nguyen Du, all these poets whose work has been read over the years and some of it has been set to music or made into songs. I saw the similarities and I thought: “Everything this guy is saying in the song is really cool.” Everything that I listened to after that, I had this idea: “I really like this; I really want to do this.”

How did you start making your own music?

In the very beginning, it was all about practice, practice, practice. Just like little kids practice writing the alphabet. At first, their letters aren't very good so they have to write them again and again and again until they can do it well enough to make a full sentence.

Back then, I didn't have any albums.

I only had one song on a laptop. I went online and learned how to record sound. I bought headphones and a microphone and just started testing out beats. I just started talking normally and eventually I realised I could rap over a beat.

One night, I went out with my friends and when I got home, I sat down and recorded my first full song. It was called 'Saturday Night'. I retold everything that had just happened 30, 45 minutes ago. You can't find it online now because I borrowed that laptop from someone else, so all the files on it are gone.

Is it hard to break into the music industry in Vietnam?

It's not hard [to break into the industry].

The most important thing is to keep doing what you're doing, keep learning and keep practicing to make your sound better and better. If you aren't ready yet then one day you will be. Vietnam is a small country but it's got a lot of people, and everyone needs something new. They watch you every day, so you have to keep working all the time.

Everything that you create like this, [with hard work], if you keep at it then you can break into the music industry in Vietnam.

It's only a matter of time.

Your songs have a pretty broad range, from

relationships and Saigon life in 'Hai The Gioi' to giving thanks in 'Buddha' to partying in 'Dem Tan'. What inspires you to rap?

The thing that inspires me is the world around me. I see something through my own eyes and it has an effect on me. I keep that feeling and that image in my head. When an artist draws a picture, he adds colour and recreates the scene in his own way. For me, it's the same: I'll see something happen, I'll take a scene and then I'll draw it again and add my own artistic interpretation. I want people to be able to see what my perspective and my feelings were at that time. I want people to be able to see everything that I see because, my God, this life is so beautiful! There are so many things that make you want to create a poem or a picture or a song.

You just put out your fourth album, Lao Dai (Godfather), in April. Can you tell us more about it?

For this album, I constructed a character called Lao Dai, who represents the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth. I developed Lao Dai according to those five principles, with one element for each song. For example, wood is someone who's gentle and very giving: that's the song 'Buddha'. 'Danh No Di' ('Fight Him') is fire.

'Buoc Toi' ('Step Up') is earth, metal is 'Anh Em' ('Brothers') and water is 'Do Tao Lam' ('Why I Do'). After those five virtues is the song 'Loi Ong Noi' ('The Words God Said'), which is about the advice of Lao Dai, an older person looking back on his life.

Ten years ago, Wowy Nguyen began making music with nothing but a microphone and a laptop.

Now a fixture on the Vietnamese rap circuit, the eccentric 28-yearold has collaborated with scores of local and inter national artists, released four albums and begun to branch out into other art forms.

Wowy talks breaking into the local music industry, perseverance and the poetry of rap. By Dana Filek-Gibson. Photos by Vinh Dao.

You're also recording your fifth album, which is due for release at the end of this year.

What is the forthcoming album about?

This one will be about the relationship between the sun and the moon: the two want to meet but never can. Now I'm in the studio checking the recordings because this album will be a collaboration of music and dance and other performance arts so there's a lot to do. Everything is being recorded now and put together so that it'll be out at the end of the year.

Any other words of wisdom you'd like to share?

There are many people who don't realise their own strength, who don't realise what they are capable of. They feel discouraged and small but if anyone can see the words that I'm saying, you can do anything you want. All the challenges that happen are only there to help you. When something difficult cuts you down, keep moving towards the thing you want. Those difficulties are just stumbling blocks on the road to success. Don't be discouraged: keep doing what you're doing.

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PHOTO ESSAY

Journey to the West

Find more work by Vinh Dao at Blind-Eye-Productions.com

Georgetown, the capital city of the state of Penang, Malaysia is known for its status as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site and a foodie haven. AsiaLIFE Photo Editor Vinh Dao documents the different religions and cultures that coexist in this unique town. asialife HCMC 17

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Urban Farming In less than a decade, vietnamese models have gone from small-time photo shoots to voguing on international catwalks. Dana Filek-Gibson rubs elbows with some of the industry's movers and shakers and finds out what's next for vietnamese supermodels.

Photos courtesy of BeU Models.

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taking

root From community gardens to rooftop farms, hydroponic greenhouses to homemade ecosystems, Dana FilekGibson gets the dirt on Saigon's newest crop of gardeners. Photos

by Vinh Dao.

Pottery courtesy of Hey Camel Bazaar asialife HCMC 21

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Down back alleys and winding suburban roads, each a dizzying combination of letters and numbers, my beat-up Nouvo snakes further away from the main thoroughfare. Somewhere out here, amid the neverending rows of tap hoa shops and narrow houses, lies District 12, but I'm hard-pressed to find it.

For the millionth time that day, I show a stranger the address where I'm going and, mercifully, he knows the way.

“Ah,” he says, pointing down the alley, “Khuyen's.” Apparently Nguyen Ngoc Khuyen, Vietnam's self-proclaimed master of aquaponic farming, is on a first-name basis with most of the neighbourhood.

This isn't entirely surprising. On the day I visit, no less than four other local journalists turn up to get a look at his crop of organic vegetables, everything from lettuce to mangoes, papayas to mint, not to mention the fish tanks hiding below.

Thanks to his low-tech aquaponic systems – a few blue plastic bins, clay filters and aquarium pumps – the Saigon native has earned a steady following in the local gardening community. In addition to fielding interviews and gifting his ample supply of produce to friends and neighbours, Khuyen educates farmers and gardening enthusiasts on a variety of growing techniques, though mainly aquaponic systems.

This particular garden's appeal comes from its unusual methods: the aquaponic system utilises both water and oxygen pumps to filter waste from a fish tank by routing it through gardening soil, where the fish waste acts as a fertiliser, before returning clean water back to the tank.

While this method is relatively unique in Vietnam, there's nothing original about gardening in Saigon. Tending plants has long been part of Vietnamese life but recently the practice is beginning to come into fashion not just with casual gardeners but business developers, landscapers and a younger section of the urban population.

Guerrilla gardeners For Duong Pham, originally from Nam Dinh province, the move to Saigon was a difficult one. Amid the city's concrete and chaos, Pham struggled to find green spaces in her new home.

“I grew up with a garden in my house,” she explains, “so when I came to the city I just missed it.” Pham tended a few plants

on the small balcony off her rented room but this was still a far cry from the countryside. When the 29-year-old, then enrolled in a culinary school, realised that the building had an empty rooftop, she saw an opportunity to recreate what she'd been missing.

A year later, what began as a sweltering, shadeless terrace is now a green retreat, shaded by hanging plants, not to mention a steady supply of fresh produce for the school's cooking students. As part of the rooftop garden's evolution, Pham enlisted friends and other gardeners to join in the creation of the space. The group, Sunday Gardening, is now active both on Facebook and around the city, meeting every Sunday to tend one of the five community gardens that Pham has since initiated.

“We started by gardening in the city and especially gathering the young ones to do gardening so it becomes something very cool,” she explains. “From that, we also connected with the farmers in the countryside. When you do gardening, it's not just to grow vegetables to sell. We make each garden like a community space. I think, in the city, we need more spaces like that.”

Over the past year, Pham has left her full-time job to devote herself to various agricultural projects but the community gardens remain her passion. The response to the Sunday Gardening program has been overwhelmingly positive: though she owns none of the land on which these gardens are located, Pham has found willing partners through which to set up community gardens, creating new outlets for local residents and producing fresh vegetables at the same time. In Vietnam's most developed and dynamic urban centre, Pham is a bona fide farmer.

While Sunday Gardening's primary focus is connecting with nature, there are dozens of similar groups and gardening opportunities across the city. For Pham, the benefits of these programs are three-fold: each

asialife HCMC 23

garden builds community and creates green space in Saigon, turns on young people to environmentally-conscious projects and provides safe produce for members of that community.

“The most important thing is your connection to the garden,” says Pham.

“Somehow, if you feel connected to the garden, then when you want to take care of the garden you will find a way.”

Positive Impact While backyard gardens and community plots are both beautifying the city and providing small sources of food for urban residents, the business of sustainable urban farming still has room to grow. In an effort to monitor the origins of their produce, a handful of local restaurants and cafés are planting their own ingredients. Even so, these small efforts make an equally small impact on the larger produce industry.

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By the time its hydroponic greenhouse is complete later this year, CitiFarm will be able to change that, says Caroline Le, co-founder of the produce distribution company, which has paired with a Japanese organisation specialising in hydroponic agriculture. Together, the team will bring hydroponic produce to Vietnam for the first time, growing lettuce in a highly controlled, dirt-free environment. The resulting product, according to Le, will be clean enough to eat as soon as the package is opened, no washing required.

“You see it and you believe it,” Le explains. “For a lot of farms, they're located far from the city and you don't know what they are doing over there.”

Once its greenhouse is complete in August, CitiFarm will begin organising tours for the public in order to showcase this new technology and offer their customers peace of mind.

Elsewhere, on rooftops and balconies

“The most important thing is your connection to the garden.

Somehow, if you feel connected to the garden, then when you want to take care of the garden you will find a way.”

Duong Pham, urban farmer

B o m b s Away !

across town, Andrew Miller hopes that more companies will start to treat urban gardening as less of a hobby and more of a business. A product designer by trade, Miller now creates planter boxes and green rooftop spaces which he describes as a marriage of landscape design and sustainable farming. Rather than convince companies to use their green space as a full-on farming production, Miller has set about slowly turning businesses on to the notion of a green space can be both aesthetically appealing and functional.

“I think carbon neutrality sucks,” Miller explains. “The idea of being neutral, that sounds like a terrible life, right? 'I want to be neutral, I want to be carbon zero.' Why are we looking at it like that? Why don't we look at it like: 'How can we make our lives really good?”

With this as his inspiration, Miller draws upon the concept of green roofing – rooftop gardens which are embedded into the actual roof of the building – for his customised gar-

den boxes, which combine sturdy wooden frames with lightweight woven bamboo, minimising the weight of the planters without compromising their benefits.

While business isn't booming yet, Miller is optimistic that things will grow in the future, and he sees the potential for his hobbyturned-business to make a real impact in the city. He is currently trying to secure a project which, if successful, could turn the concept of rooftop farming into a viable business model for many Saigon companies.

Miller adds: “There seems to be [interest] in terms of talking about [landscape design].

Going from talking about it to the next step and actually paying for it are two different things. But I mean I'm not just working for this moment now, I'm working for how people are going to view it in a few years, like five years, 10 years.”

In the meantime, urban farming will continue to sow its roots on rooftops and in community gardens around the city, clearing the way for future innovations.

Sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference. For Leandro Marcelino, bringing a bit of green to the city doesn't have to mean cultivating a garden.

“Imagine that you're walking on a dirty street...and then you find this little spot with flowers and [it's] really green and full of life,” the Spanish expat explains.

“It will make you smile or, I don't know, it will make people think about it and try to make a green[er] world.”

The hands behind local pottery outfit Hey Camel Bazaar, which produces a range of ceramics such as teapots and planters, Marcelino aims to introduce seed bombs to Saigon's urban landscapes over the coming months.

Originally from Japan, seed bombs are a small, spherical combination of nutrient-rich soil, clay and seeds which first came into use as a means of repopulating barren lands. Later, however, the method was adopted by urban gardeners and artists as a way to beautify abandoned lots and other empty spaces.

“Right now it's perfect because it's the rainy season so it will get wet and it will start to grow,” Marcelino says.

Though he's made seed bombs before, this will be his first effort in Saigon.

According to Marcelino, the spheres don't take long to make and can easily be scattered anywhere, though it's best to pick a spot where you might be able to pass by and monitor the growth of your seed bombs. In addition, Marcelino also has plans to begin a few of what he terms 'guerrilla gardens' by taking smaller spaces like an empty mailbox or broken tile and planting something inside.

“It's like art in the street,” he says.

To learn more about seed bombs or Marcelino's pottery, visit Facebook.com/ HeyCamelBazaar.

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Catcher in the Sun As I sit on a patch of wilted grass watching the Baymax Ultimate Club, a paralysing, all-consuming thought runs through my mind: this is what it feels like to be a roast chicken. The searing heat of May coupled with dark jeans and windless air make a lethal combination. It doesn’t help that, not ten metres away, a barbeque party is in full swing, filling the atmosphere with raucous chatter and the actual smell of roast chicken.

Despite the sun and nearby party antics, my new friends soldier on, constantly catching, passing and maneouvring their Frisbee disc around with remarkable grace and agility. Officially founded in March, the Baymax Ultimate Club reflects just one part of the budding interest young Saigonese have taken in ultimate frisbee, or ultimate, as it's often called.

Truong Nguyen Vu, founder of the club and a six-year veteran of ultimate frisbee, reminisces about his first experience with the game. “I started playing in 2007, when some foreigners came to RMIT to introduce Frisbee to the school,” he says. “I was one 26 asialife HCMC

of the first few people to take up ultimate here.”

With roots tracing back to the American counterculture of the late 1960s, ultimate frisbee has long been a popular sport among university crowds abroad, particularly in the United States, but didn’t reach Asia until almost a decade later, when it first debuted in Japan. Since then, ultimate frisbee has gradually found its way into Southeast Asia through the passion of backpackers and their travel-sized Frisbee discs.

As proof of the Asian passion toward frisbee, one of the biggest regional events for the sport, the Zone Cup, is set to return to Saigon in June. This year, the tournament’s teams look promising, with top players coming from all over Asia, including Singapore, Japan and China.

Ultimate’s rules and play style share some similarities with American football, except for two key differences: ultimate games are usually mixed, with both male and female players on the same team, and there’s no referee.

The addition of female players changes the game’s spirit, as it makes for a different team dynamic. “If you ask other players, they would say that they’d prefer playing mixed because it’s such a fun environment,” explains Jillian Du, Baymax’s current coach, who has more than five years of experience in ultimate frisbee. “It’s a lot more fun, open-minded, but still competitive. If I wish to become the best player [in a female-only team], I could because it’s an even playing field where I can challenge myself physically. But the atmosphere is not as fun and dynamic as in a mixed team.”

The California native started out playing ultimate frisbee in college and has been hooked ever since. According to Du, ultimate is one of the best ways to meet new people of all ages, walks of life, nationalities, shapes and sizes. “You just need to know where to look on the internet.

There’s this website that shows where all the weekly ultimate games are all over the world with a Google Maps pin, timing and contact details,” she shares. “For instance, if

“The best thing about frisbee is the way the disc looks gliding across the field.”

Le Hai Minh, ultimate frisbee player

Delving into the world of Frisbee discs and the people who love them, Khoi Pham learns about Saigon’s latest obsession with quirky round things, after bubble tea, pizzas and Nicki Minaj’s shapely derrière. Photo by Vinh Dao.

I happen to be in Turkey for two weeks and I want to throw some disc, I’ll just go on the website and search for a local game.”

As the sweltering afternoon runs its course, a light shower picks up, shooing the barbeque lovers from their burning pit and into the solace of the nearest gazebo. The frisbee enthusiasts, however, continue on as if the sun is still shining, and rain only aids their swift gliding across the field. Saigon's fickle weather is apparently the last thing on their mind.

“Ultimate frisbee is still a relatively new sport in Vietnam. So there are not a lot of people who actually know what it is, let alone want to play it,” Vu, the club founder, says. However, it seems that the situation is looking up for the ultimate scene in Vietnam, judging by the enthusiastic response Baymax has received from its new members. “We only started the club with four members. Now that number has grown to more than 20 official members and 40 other occasional players joining the practice,” he shares.

Like all sports that require a great amount of commitment from their players, ultimate frisbee is not simply an easygoing pastime if you aim to succeed at the game. As the team rests in between the training session and a game, Le Hai Minh, who has been playing with Baymax for a few months, explains why some hesitate to join the sport.

“Time is one of the problems,” he says in Vietnamese. “Taking up frisbee means that you have to sacrifice the time spent doing other things to practice. That’s why we usually schedule sessions in the evening, because a lot of us have to work during the day. Even then, everybody here turns up quite frequently for practice. It’s one of the things that really shows how much passion they have for frisbee.”

According to Nguyen Huong Dieu, a four-year ultimate player from Hanoi, the explanation for ultimate’s lesser-known status among sport aficionados has to do with the attitude some young Vietnamese have towards heavy exercise.

“In recent years, some [young Vietnam-

ese] have developed an aversion to activities that require hard work. They tend to do things the ‘instant noodles’ way, preferring stuff that has an immediate result,” says Dieu. “Frisbee is not as intuitive as other well-known sports. There are a lot of things to learn when you first start out, like how to hold the disc, how to throw the disc; it’s not like badminton or football, when you more or less know how to play from watching.”

For all the challenges that ultimate frisbee throws at its players, the sport is rewarding in several ways. When I asked what the best thing about playing ultimate frisbee was, everyone I met replied: “The people.”

“The best thing about Frisbee is the way the disc looks gliding across the field,” says Minh. “And the feeling when you score from a team effort. You may be at your full strength at the beginning of the game but it gets really tiring after a while. That’s when you truly realise the importance of your teammates’ mental support.”

asialife HCMC 27

It's 5.30 on a warm evening in Saigon and the traffic is swirling and honking its way through the roundabout in front of Ben Thanh Market.

From a streetside stall amid the noise and chaos, I am receiving a primer on Vietnamese

street food. Even after living in Saigon for five years, I am something less than an authority on local roadside cuisine. All the banhs and buns elude me, and so I have signed on for an evening with Street Foodies Saigon.

« I hope the tour will give people the confidence to walk up to a street food stall, order a dish and dig in. » Vinh Dao

The brand-new brainchild of AmericanVietnamese photographer, food writer, culinary fiend – and AsiaLIFE Photo Editor – Vinh Dao, the tour promotes itself as a kind of street food tasting menu, like a degustation menu of roadside stalls, if you will. With seven stops over the course of an evening, guests walk from location to location, taking in the local sights and sounds as they cover the 2.5-kilometre route.

“The concept of the tour is to give the guest a sample of the diversity of Vietnamese cuisine,” says Dao. “I guess it came about from me constantly giving friends, and friends of friends, a food tour of my best spots around town.”

After quick introductions, we negotiate our way across Le Loi and Ham Nghi, diving into the bustling neighbourhood behind the art museum. Our first stop is a complete contrast to the city outside, as we head down a narrow alley and find ourselves in a quiet space next to a temple.

Seated on plastic stools and enjoying chanh muoi, or salty lemon, Dao talks more about the idea behind the tour and the elements of Vietnamese cuisine.

“I would love that people appreciate how balanced the food can be, not only in flavour but also in texture,” he says.

“There's so much great food to try but it can be intimidating to someone who isn't 28 asialife HCMC

used to street food. I hope the tour will give people the confidence to walk up to a street food stall, order a dish and dig in.”

In short order, we are seated on a busy corner grilling tender pieces of goat, okra and onions on a charcoal brazier brought to our table. A simple salad of lettuce, tomato and herbs dressed in a light vinegar helps cut the richness of meat.

After a leisurely stroll down the street, we are at a nhau joint, where local workers come to relax after a long day. Here, we down traditional beer snacks like dried squid dipped in chilli sauce with a few more cold ones. This being a street food tour means things can get unpredictable, and one of the advanced team reports back that the next stop, a shellfish place nearby, is closed tonight because it is the first day of the lunar month.

Not to worry, as there is always the ability to improvise. As we cross Nguyen Thai Hoc, the amount of roadside choices is almost overwhelming. In what will delight your taste buds, if not your waistline, we sample a banh mi featuring deep-fried chicken skin, thankfully cut into sections and shared among the group.

Further along is the banh trang nuong, also known as Dalat pizza, a grilled piece of rice paper filled with herbs pork and shrimp. Next is a vendor selling cha ca, the

famous fishcake. Everything is delicious, start to finish, and we are happy to sample it all.

The further we delve into the neighbourhood around Co Giang, the more the action picks up. Almost every inch of sidewalk – and some parts of the street – is given over to food, and the atmosphere is filled with smoke from the charcoal barbeques.

After a few more stops, including bo la lot (grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves) and a bowl of Saigon’s signature hu tieu, we manage to find room for dessert. In this case it is kem xoi dua. Beautifully presented in half a coconut shell, the sweet sticky rice is topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, crushed peanuts and pieces of roasted coconut. Like a very Vietnamese sundae.

Wandering off into the night with amply filled bellies, my friend and I agree there were places we would not have gone and food we would not have tried otherwise.

It seems if you are here for five years or just five days there is always something to discover about the amazing food available on the streets of Saigon.

Keep an eye out for the website, coming soon: StreetFoodiesSaigon.com Or contact SFS at 09 34 114 583

Taking it To

The Streets

To get more Khoi aPham sitsthorough down with introduction two of Saigon’s to the Vietnamese street food, mostworld sought of after DJs to discuss the VIN>ART project, Vietnam’s DJ scene and Brett Davis poundscurrent the pavement with whether our young DJs are ready to take on theof a serious foodie tour. Photos courtesy world. Photo couresty of AHEAD VIN>ART. Street Foodies Saigon.

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East Meets West

30 asialife HCMC

Saigon’s restaurant scene gets more creative every month and a handful of places have begun combining traditional Vietnamese dishes with western staples in ingenious ways. Michael Tatarski happily volunteers to eat his way through these creations and discover the inspiration behind them.

Photo by Vinh Dao.

As Vietnam becomes more globalised, its famous cuisine has gotten caught up in international food trends, resulting in some surprising dishes.

Young generations of the Vietnamese diaspora in countries like the US have altered time-tested Vietnamese recipes to fuse them with other dishes from around the world. One example is the ‘phorito’ served at a Southeast Asian restaurant in Los Angeles, which is exactly what it sounds like: all the ingredients of pho stuffed into a tortilla and wrapped up like a burrito. One Korean-Vietnamese restaurant in New Orleans offers ‘bacos’, banh bao buns opened down the middle like a taco and packed with a variety of meats and vegetables.

While fusion dishes like these have been popular in the west for years, they are only just making their way to Vietnam, and it comes as no surprise that Saigon is leading the way with such innovations. Here are three restaurants serving particularly intriguing riffs on classic Vietnamese cuisine.

T he B anh B ao B urger This dish is a westernised take on the wonderful, fluffy late-night snack which tastes amazing after a night of drinking but usually leaves you wondering what exactly you ate the following morning. The standard banh bao is served from a street cart and stuffed with a quail egg and steamed meat product. The banh bao burger, served at deciBel on Monday evenings, takes the bread of the street snack and replaces the mysterious innards with a beef patty, arugula, pickled carrots and daikon, caramelised onion, tomato, mayonnaise and soy sauce.

Ludovic Tran, a manager at the restaurant and lounge, shares via email that the Vietnamese community in western Europe first created the banh bao burger. He had heard of the dish from friends and family, but it wasn’t until a friend returned from a trip to Berlin with the recipe that they decided to give the burger a try. After an overwhelmingly positive reception at one of deciBel's Free Food Tuesdays, the restaurant decided to add it to the menu permanently, albeit for just one day a week.

Try the banh bao burger at deciBel, 79/2/5 Phan Ke Binh, D1, on Monday evenings.

P ho , m eet B u rg e r

D uck, T or till as and D umb L uc k

Given the increasing popularity of hamburgers in Saigon, it should come as no surprise that more than one Vietnamese dish has been transformed into this western staple. District 1 eatery Relish & Sons serves its pho burger as an occasional dish.

Pho hasn’t changed much since its birth in Nam Dinh province in the early 20th century. While there are variations in flavour in different regions of the country, generally you get a rich broth with noodles, chicken or beef, a pile of herbs and bean sprouts and however much hoisin and chilli sauce your heart desires. The pho burger retains most of these ingredients but dramatically alters the presentation.

According to Andy O’Brien, Relish & Sons’ chef, the creation of the burger coincided with the recent 40th anniversary of reunification. “We wanted to do something that would appeal to Vietnamese customers,” he says. The dish proved popular, and they occasionally bring it back as a special. The restaurant actually makes pho to braise the beef for the burger, which is then marinated in herbs and spices. The pho noodles are not left out either, as they are fried and used as a bun. The burger is served with the usual pho sauces and herbs on the side, as well as a small bowl of standard pho. As O’Brien says, this way it's possible to cut up the burger and mix it in with the pho broth, if you so choose. “It’s a much lighter burger,” he adds.

“You can eat it any time of day, just like a bowl of pho.”

Unlike the previous two dishes, this last example of creative fusion is not served at an air-conditioned District 1 eatery. Instead, a drive to the far southern reaches of District 2 is required to enjoy duck tacos from a typical Vietnamese quan. One could be forgiven for wondering how exactly tacos found their way to this far-flung, heavily Vietnamese neighbourhood.

Robert Nussbaum, the owner of Saigon Tacos, puts this delightful food marriage down to luck. His factory, which produces the only corn-based tortillas in all of Vietnam, is located in the area, and one night he met his future wife and asked her out to dinner. Though he had a nearby Singaporean noodle place in mind, she suggested grilled duck. Nussbaum grabbed a stack of tortillas and they sat down at an open-air duck place, and the rest is history.

Every Tuesday, which is when the tortillas are fresh off the production line, the Vietnamese family which runs the quan serves up duck tacos in addition to their standard menu. The meaty duck comes with chilli sauce, tortillas, salsa and refried beans made by Saigon Tacos, as well as the herbs which accompany countless Vietnamese dishes.

The bizarre Mexico-meets-Vietnam combination works, and the collaboration has built up a steady following over the last year.

Given the popularity of the above dishes, it is surely only a matter of time before more Vietnamese dishes are fused with western cuisines. Who knows what the future of such creations in Saigon may hold.

Relish & Sons, 44 Dong Du, D1. Call to check if the burger is being offered at 012 07 214 294.

Duck tacos are served at 554 Nguyen Thi Dinh, D2 every Tuesday evening.

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Extremely Calm

&

Incredibly Close

At Villa Song Saigon, Michael Tatarski discovers that all it takes to escape the inner-city chaos is a drive to Thao Dien.

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My Saturday afternoon began like many others, descending from the relative quiet of my 20th-floor apartment in District 5 to the sweltering heat, traffic and noise of the cramped surrounding streets. But a short drive away lay my oasis of calm, still within the city limits but the perfect refuge from Saigon's endless buzz. It was time for a brief ‘staycation’ to clear my head and it turns out I couldn’t have picked a better location.

Villa Song, situated on the banks of the Saigon River in Thao Dien, is a relative newcomer to the city’s hotel market, having only opened at the end of 2013, but the beautiful boutique property has quickly carved out a niche for itself.

Sharp customer service is part of its flawless reputation, and I quickly discovered why. Every staff member greeted me warmly and spoke excellent English. It seemed that everyone genuinely wanted each guest to have a pleasant stay, which can’t always be said for hotels in Vietnam.

Other nice touches – complimentary minibar drinks and free building-wide wifi that doesn’t require a pointless log-in page, for example – set Villa Song apart.

After settling into my comfortable room – one of 23, each of which has a unique layout – I made straight for the pool, which is nestled amid a verdant garden next to the small gym. A relaxing dip was more than welcome on this brutally hot day and the comfortable deck chairs next to the pool were great for reading or a quick nap.

Later, I made my way from the room down the elegant wooden spiral staircase to Bistro Song Vie, which features al fresco seating right on the river as well as an air-conditioned restaurant. Strands of fairy lights act as a sort of ceiling over the outdoor dining area, creating an elegant atmosphere to match the stately villa. Bistro Song Vie is open from 6am to 11pm and serves breakfast all day along with international fare, but I was excited to try dishes from the new Chef’s Signature Menu.

This menu features a fusion of local and international cuisine and has quickly become popular among the restaurant’s clientele, 80 percent of which are local Vietnamese. I savoured the somewhat imposing

shrimp tartar and rich duck, served on a sapodilla puree, while small cargo ships sailed past and weeds floated languorously on the murky river. Undeveloped Thanh Da Island sat directly across the waterway, and the vista of uninterrupted green combined with a complete lack of traffic or construction noise made me forget I was in such a busy city.

Even though Villa Song feels miles away from anything, it's actually quite close to the action in Thao Dien. The numerous restaurants and bars of Xuan Thuy and other nearby streets are a quick walk or taxi ride away, but I went in the other direction and took a stroll to Saigon Outcast to see a play after the amazing dinner. While I’m still not sure I’d actually want to live in District 2, I must say it’s nice to be able to walk around without almost getting run over by a deranged driver every 10 seconds.

After several drinks too many at Outcast, I picked my way past a number of stray dogs and back to the gates of Villa Song, where I promptly passed out in my sea of a bed while making sure to use all six provided pillows. Suffice to say, I was not missing my District 5 bed and its four-inchthin mattress.

The following morning, a full English breakfast on the river was exactly what the doctor ordered. Unlimited fruit juice along with eggs, sausage, crispy bacon and the rest of the ensemble did wonders for my hangover and it was once again mercifully quiet on the riverfront.

With a couple of hours to spare before checkout I hit the pool again, this time with the whole place to myself. Cool water, lush greenery, a gorgeous building and the latest David Mitchell novel: that’s a life I could get used to. Sadly, however, my staycation was coming to an end. After squeezing in one last rinse under the fantastic showerhead in my bathroom, it was time to get back on the motorbike and head home. On the way, I was nearly run over by a taxi, highlighting the contrast between Villa Song and the bustle of the city, but I won't soon forget my stay. If you need a break but can’t afford the time to leave town, look no further than this slice of calm on the river.

Villa Song Saigon is currently offering a Staycation package to attract customers who live in the city.

Contact Dang Thi Tuyet Hong at hong.dangtuyet@villasong.com for more details. asialife HCMC 33

Into the

Woods Dana Filek-Gibson masters the art of urban camping in Seoul.

In a city of nearly 10 million, the banks of the Han River are Seoul's collective backyard. On any given day the bike paths, walking trails and well-kept green spaces that stretch for miles on either side are packed with outdoor enthusiasts. Kids fly kites and families picnic under the trees.

There are a few upscale cafĂŠs here and there, but mostly the young crowd prefers to have a few beers in front of the riverside 7-Eleven. And in the summer, people set up camp.

Not in the overnight, sleeping bag, bathroom-in-the-woods type of way; it's more like a daylong picnic with shelter. At weekends, an army of colourful, weatherproof, high-performance tents descends upon the riverside. Seoulites turn up in droves with provisions in tow. A few tent poles, stakes and zippers later, and they're ready to spend the rest of the day communing with nature.

To put it mildly, Korea has a nature obsession. Its long-running affair with the great outdoors is all but engrained in the culture. For centuries, while the Europeans were busy immortalising their greatest leaders on canvas, traditional Korean art stuck to landscapes, favouring the simple beauty of mountains and trees, flowers and streams, perhaps with a modest nod to humanity somewhere in the corner.

Seoul may be a modern masterpiece, packed with cutting-edge architecture and design, but perhaps the greatest planning success of this sprawling mega-city is its seamless coexistence with the outdoors, surrounded by mountains and blessed with several protected green spaces in the heart of town. From ancient civilisations to South Korea's present-day populace, not even Samsung has managed to recreate the wonder of the natural world, and Koreans know it.

Still, this doesn't exclude Seoul's residents from the tendency of city dwellers the world over to temper pure, unbridled nature with a little comfort: glamping, they call it. Instead of trudging into the woods with some

34 asialife HCMC

""

Because in Seoul, 20 minutes from the famed Gangnam, you can leave the metro station, wander into the heavily-tamed wilderness of the city's namesake forest, pitch your tent and call for a pizza.

toilet roll or roasting your dinner on a stick, urban glampers have substituted the less comfortable aspects of nature with modern convenience. Why sleep in that neon-hued mountaineer's tent on the ground when you can set up camp, spend a few hours reading your favourite book or picnicking with friends – a modern commode always within striking distance – and then go home to the comfort of your own bed in the evening?

The same goes for Mount Achasan's flock of elderly hikers. On any given day, middleaged ajumma can be found in head-to-toe performance gear trudging up the steep, smooth rocks with hiking poles in hand.

As far as urban nature goes, Achasan is impressively well-preserved. The trailhead, tucked behind a local school, begins in typically watered-down fashion but soon gives way to a stony incline stretching 287 metres up above the city with clear views of both Seoul's urban splendour and its taller neighbour, Yongmasan, whose 348-metre summit can be reached further along.

En route, the droves of reflective pink and blue, yellow, green, orange and red are ever-present, if not for practical purposes then for the sake of getting good use out of each and every article of outdoor gear in the closet. When we attempt to fit in on a trek to the summit in old t-shirts, sneakers and Lycra, our outfits are quickly outshone – both literally and figuratively – by the vibrant layers of clothing on the early-morning hikers. Wide, face-obscuring visors and gloves, high-collared jackets and long pants shield every inch of skin from the sun, never mind the fact that it's a pleasant 22 degrees.

The campers in Seoul Forest are a little less prepared, though equally fashionable in their equipment selection. Neon tents stand out against the trees, simultaneously announcing themselves and hiding from the sun. While some have managed to pack rudimentary provisions – mostly gimbap – for the day out, delivery drivers still wobble across the uneven fields in search of their clientele. Because in Seoul, 20 minutes from the famed Gangnam, you can leave

the metro station, wander into the heavilytamed wilderness of the city's namesake forest, pitch your tent and call for a pizza.

Around this time we've got the hang of this glamping phenomenon, so we make our way through the contained wilderness of the forest – a few blocks away from its namesake metro station – in smart shoes and dresses, button-ups and business casual. Not unlike the rustic version of camping, families find a plot on the forest grounds and then let their kids roam free, running through the trees or clambering over a handful of man-made sculptures that seem to have crept into the forest when no one was looking. A few minutes away, beneath a nearby footbridge, a family of captive deer naps in the shade, either uninterested in, or unaware of, the human passersby. A full circuit of Seoul Forest is exactly the small, digestible dose of nature a city dweller needs; from start to finish, our nature stroll takes no more than 90 minutes and we're back to modern civilisation in time for happy hour.

Which, thankfully, is also outdoorthemed. Nanjang Camping in nearby Sinsadong, a neighbourhood of the ultra-chic Gangnam District, seats its patrons in low, fold-out canvas chairs around the barbecue.

Get there early enough and you might be able to nestle into one of the more private tents set up in the front yard or around the first floor of the building. Decorations and a handy toilet roll hang from the ceiling, to be used in place of serviettes, while you barbecue meat, roast the occasional marshmallow or enjoy your bibimbap from a vintage camping tin. Soju and beer are the beverages on offer as you gather round the heavily-contained campfire while Ringo the collie, more greeter than guard dog, observes everyone who enters the place.

By the time the fire dies down and the fairy lights – an urban version of stars – have come out, it's time for bed. We chart a course back to our room, a peaceful refuge in this already-quiet city and fall asleep to the gentle thrum of tires on pavement.

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health

& wellness

Skin Cancer

Michael Tatarski looks at ways to beat the sun and what can happen if you leave your skin unprotected. Photo by Vinh Dao.

Southern Vietnam has a great climate for those who hate anything even approaching cold weather. But while the year-round sunshine may be the envy of your friends in other, more northern parts of the world, it also poses a serious health risk. Too much time under Saigon's extreme rays can be dangerous. When it comes to outdoor activities, Dr. Mark Siefring, a locally-based dermatologist, stresses the risks of sun exposure and how best to protect yourself during the day.

“Skin cancer is very linked to sun exposure,” Dr. Siefring says. “There are three major types of skin cancer: Basal cell cancer is the most common skin cancer in the world; in fact, it’s the most common occurrence of cancer in humans.” Though this type of skin cancer is the least threatening it still requires treatment.

The second most common type of skin cancer is squamous cell cancer. According to Dr. Siefring this is “more associated with continuous sun exposure that you might get professionally as a gardener or a fisherman… of course, some people get it because they are sun worshippers, too.”

The third and most serious type of skin cancer is melanoma, which has three sub-types of its own. Some of these are associated with short bursts of sun exposure, while others are related to longer stints in the sun.

But in steamy Saigon, what can be done to protect your skin from harmful rays?

“The primary method [of protection] is sun avoidance during the most intense period of the day, which would be 10am to 2pm,” Dr. Siefring shares. “In Vietnam, you might even extend that to 8:30 in the morning till around 4pm.”

Saigon's UV index changes on a day-today basis but, thanks to the power of the internet, that information is available. One

way to figure out when it's best to stay indoors is through UVAwareness.com, a website which provides users with four days’ worth of UV data based on their location. Each hour from 6am to 6pm is labeled with a UV index from low to extreme. On most days, Saigon's sun danger zone runs from 11am to 2pm, meaning sun exposure during that time should be kept to an absolute minimum.

However, if avoiding the outdoors isn't possible, there are other ways to minimise the adverse effects of sun exposure.

“Wearing sun protective clothing is another method,” Dr. Siefring says. “You can see that on Vietnamese women out there on their motorbikes with the long gloves, hat, face mask and so on.” Expats may think these outfits look comical but they do an excellent job of keeping the sun off your skin and thus reducing the risk of skin cancer.

Finally, there is, of course, sunscreen.

Dr. Siefring explains: “You want a good sunscreen that is at least SPF 30 and is broad spectrum. The SPF tells you how well you’re being protected from the UVB component of sunlight, which is most strongly associated with skin cancer, whereas UVA is associated with skin aging. You don’t know how much UVA protection you’re getting just from the SPF system, so you need to get broad spectrum sunscreen.”

While lathering up is important, one thing to note when it comes to sunscreen is that ratings above SPF 30 don’t make much difference. “If you go from SPF 30 to 45 it sounds like you’ve really jumped up,” Dr. Siefring explains, “but once you’re at 30, if you properly apply it you’re blocking out 95 percent of the UVB component. SPF 45 will block out 97.25 percent, so you’re only gaining 2.5 percent.”

Whatever the SPF, make sure you opt for something practical. “For adults, it comes

36 asialife HCMC

down to what sunscreen makes you feel comfortable so that you’ll want to reapply it – which should be done every two hours.

For kids I always recommend that parents use more protective and less fragrant sunscreen which includes zinc and titanium oxide.”

Even with all this protection, it is still possible to develop some form of skin cancer. To catch any potential issues before they become serious, be sure to check your skin regularly, especially any moles you might have. “It’s useful to follow the rules of ABCDE for moles,” Dr. Siefring shares.

“The most important is E, which stands for evolution, or elevating or evolving… that could mean it’s getting bigger, or the colour is changing, or perhaps it’s elevating where it used to be flat. A is asymmetry; B is borders, if you can’t clearly see the border; C is colour, so are there variable colours; and D is a diameter of more than six millimetres.

If you see smaller moles changing, that’s important.”

Dr. Siefring also points out that wanting to soak up some Vitamin D is no excuse to over-expose yourself to strong sunlight.

“In Vietnam, you get enough Vitamin D for the day in the time it takes to walk to your motorbike in the morning,” he asserts. In the end, the only way to completely avoid sun-related skin cancer is to completely shun sunlight but that is neither realistic nor particularly fun. When outside then, consider following the above advice to keep your skin cancer-free.

Dr. Mark Siefring is a dermatologist at District 1’s Stamford Skin Centre.

For more information on UV exposure in Saigon, visit UVAwareness.com.

It's brighter than you think. asialife HCMC 37

8

CITY DRINKS

Elysium 22 Dang Thi Nhu, D1 // Facebook.com/ElysiumCafeVN 7am — 10pm // 08 62 959 272

A modest downtown spot for rest, relaxation and bagels. By Dana Filek-Gibson. Photos by Vinh Dao. If you've spent any amount of time in this city, it's easy to tire of the typical Saigon café.

Those small, off-the-beatentrack spots that seem to serve as filler between apartment buildings and business centres may take different forms but the set-up is often the same: a few quirky decorations here and there, miniature tables, something acoustic playing in the background and the odd pet – a cat, a dog, a goldfish – roaming free on the premises.

Charming they are, but unique?

Not so much.

From the outside, you might think Elysium is just another café. The narrow storefront, a stone's throw from Ben Thanh Market, bears the tell-tale signs of your average Saigon café.

But while its interior is not a radical departure from other local coffeeshops, there's something different about the vibe inside Elysium that convinces passersby to stop in.

On its menu, Elysium offers the very things you might expect: Vietnamese and western coffee, tea, sugary fruit drinks and the like, but there are a few interesting touches that are uniquely their own. The Elysium 6 (VND 59,000), for instance, is a concoction of rice milk, spinach, matcha and banana which works perfectly 38 asialife HCMC

as a cool, refreshing summer beverage without the sugar shock that accompanies most fruit drinks. There's also an icecold coconut coffee smoothie (VND 55,000) which provides a solid caffeine fix combined with a hint of coconut.

The other quirk that sets Elysium apart is its food menu, which exclusively features bagels (VND 38,000). While they're not an exact replication of the dense and delicious original, they definitely hit the spot and are, in fact, a happy medium between the heavier bagels of the west and the ultra-light banh mi-style breads of Vietnam. Available accompaniments include a light cream cheese, smoked salmon, fruit and a variety of other add-ons.

The café also does a series of combo deals, which include your choice of Vietnamese coffee or orange juice and one of their bagels (VND 65,000), as well as Vietnamese lunch specials (VND 35,000).

In the end, it's the little things that count: Elysium may not be a world apart from its competition, but this quiet downtown spot stands out just enough to be endearing. Between the books and the bagels, the coffee and the colourful artwork on its walls, there's plenty to appreciate here.

Saigon's Lookout 37bis Ky Con, D1 // SaigonsLookout.com 10.30am — 11pm Sun to Thu, 10.30am — 12am Fri to Sat // 09 66 884 668

From dining to décor, cuisine to cocktails, this District 1 eatery is the complete package. By Dana Filek-Gibson. Photos by Vinh Dao.

Shoulder-to-shoulder with street carts and repair shops, the pristine entrance of Saigon's Lookout seems to have escaped the gritty sheen that covers most exteriors in the city. But even in its ultraclean splendour, Ky Con's newest dining venue doesn't intrude upon the quintessential Saigon street scene: sophisticated, smart but not so grandiose as to forget its roots.

The same can be said of the Lookout's menu (VND 90,000 – VND 350,000). Since its soft opening in February, the restaurant has honed in on creations that emphasise local produce alongside imported meats, complementing Vietnamese cuisine with culinary techniques

from both home and abroad.

An incredible, hour-long feast from the lunch menu began with shots – of rich, flavourful Tom Yam bisque, complete with shiitake mushroom and a tiny prawn tortellini. Bearing that trademark Thai kick, the soup went down quickly and alerted our taste buds to the impending meal.

If, however, there is one starter that's not to be missed, it's the corn cakes. Served on a bed of grilled eggplant spread and minced pork, these lightly fried, bite-sized morsels are delicious on their own but, once again, an unusual combination of textures and tastes is what sends this dish from good to great.

For something more substantial, the mini burger trio is the go-to dish, with a dash of creativity infused into this simple meal.

Pork, squid and chicken patties pair beautifully with their accompanying sauces, which range from subtly sweet to boldly spicy. Prepare to be pleasantly surprised by the squid burgers which, while unorthodox, are a hit. The bowl of signature french fries – topped with parmesan and coriander – also disappears quickly.

Dinnertime affords a different but equally outstanding menu, including a seared sous vide beef tenderloin with potato mousseline, pepper eider and tamarind beef jus that is unbelievably ten-

der and flavourful. The poached sea bass is a worthy alternative, served on a bed of creamy guise leaf and brown rice with lightly fried pumpkin flowers.

Beyond food, Saigon's Lookout shows the same care and consideration in its bar menu, with innovative signature cocktails that range from the refreshing Dragon Chill to the smooth but surprising Lychee Chilli Tini.

Whether you're just popping in for a drink at the beautiful U-shaped bar or planning to sit down to a fine dining meal in a casual setting, its unique take and impeccable food make Saigon’s Lookout a must-try.

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La Mint by Danh 28 Ngo Van Nam, D1 // Facebook.com/LaMintByDanh 7am — 11pm // 08 38 221 707

Well-executed international dishes with fresh, local ingredients should help this new addition become a stalwart of the Saigon dining scene. By Michael Tatarski. Photos by Jonny Edbrooke.

La Mint by Danh, the same name behind the popular Quan Bui restaurants, is the newest arrival to Ngo Van Nam's increasingly eclectic dining scene.

Inside, the comfortable seating, relaxed music and vaulted ceiling create an elegant but casual ambience, perfect for a date or intimate meal with friends.

The impressive menu was crafted by British chef Eddie Hall. The concept, he says, is to use native ingredients for international dishes without veering too far into fusion fare.

Hall hopes to create a selection from which anyone will be able to find an alluring dish, a feat which he appears to have already achieved.

40 asialife HCMC

A highlight of the menu is the breakfast and brunch selection, which is served all day.

Pancakes such as the lemon and poppyseed, run from VND 79,000 – VND 99,000, as does the French toast, while mains like quail eggs with spinach and sun-blushed tomatoes go for VND 109,000 – VND 159,000.

The rest of the menu features a wide array of soups, appetizers, salads, mains and desserts, along with a healthy selection of wines, cocktails and spirits.

We began with the seared tuna salad (VND 189,000), featuring serrano ham, avocado, purple onion, curly endive and fermented chilli dressing.

The presentation of this dish is

gorgeous, with fresh, colourful vegetables and pink tuna cooked perfectly rare. The dressing added a nice kick to the meaty fish and the portion was big enough to split.

Next was the pan-seared duck confit (VND 250,000) with a hearty helping of mushrooms, risotto, roasted pumpkin and red wine jus. Duck is a tricky bird to cook correctly but here it was done just right. The tender meat was full of flavour, while the other ingredients came together to create the best dish of the meal.

We also tried the bacon pot, an off-the-menu item that will hopefully be available soon.

Egg, spinach and cherry toma-

toes were cooked inside a cup of smoked bacon, creating the flavour profile of an excellent omelet.

Finally, we topped off an outstanding meal with chilled chocolate fondant with coconut ice cream (VND 99,000). Once again the presentation was beautiful and the chocolate was deliriously rich, which the ice cream helped to offset slightly. If chocolate is your thing then this dessert is an absolute must.

La Mint’s inspired international menu is a cut above much of the competition and should quickly make a name for itself.

The restaurant also offers a buyone-get-one cocktail happy hour from 5pm – 8pm every day.

Fastnood 123bis Cong Quynh, D1 // FastNood.vn 10am – 11pm // 09 06 933 468

Marrying a do-it-yourself spirit with simple but tasty stir-fry dishes, this humble noodle stall is on its way to satisfying even the pickiest of eaters in Saigon. By Khoi Pham. Photos by Vinh Dao.

Does the presence of broccoli ruin your appetite? Have you ever made one too many alterations to your lunch order and landed on the receiving end of your waiter's stink eye? If you said yes to either of the above, Fastnood is the place for you.

Amid the bustling atmosphere of the nearby Thai Binh Market, the restaurant appears to be like any other Vietnamese food stall: wooden tables and chairs, standard sets of condiments and metallic holders chock-full of chopsticks. The difference lies in the way you place your order: for each dish, customers are free to choose from a dozen different types of carbs, vegetables, proteins and

specially-made sauces to go with the dish.

For carbs, Fastnood offers an array of options from local classics like pho, egg noodles, hu tieu, or vermicelli to the Japanese favourite, udon. Proteinwise, choices range from the usual chicken, beef and seafood to xa xiu, or Chinese-style barbecued pork, and salted fried fish.

For the more gastronomically adventurous, try the ostrich meat on offer (spoiler alert: it tastes like chewy beef).

Another feature that distinguishes Fastnood from other restaurants is its accompanying sauces: each and every one is unique and adds a distinct flair to the dish. Those with a sweet

tooth can go for the teriyaki sauce while spice lovers will be happy with the richness of Sichuan or the subtle sour notes in Tom Yum. Each meal, with a combo of sauce and vegetable soup, costs from VND 39,000 to VND 49,000, depending on your choice of meat.

The menu also features classic combos for those who just want to enjoy a good, simple noodle dish and can’t be bothered with the mix-and-match madness.

Mien xao hai san (VND 49,000) is an all-time favourite consisting of chewy vermicelli and seafood with crunchy stir-fried bok choy and Chinese cabbage. If you’re looking for some Chinese fare, then the com xa xiu (VND

39,000) is perfect, with xa xiu, broccoli and fried rice topped with a generous sprinkle of crispy fried shallot, all of which goes great with a dash of spicy Sichuan sauce.

Once you have placed your order, sit back, relax, sip on your Thai milk tea (VND 15,000, with a choice of red or green) and enjoy the amazing sounds and smells of your food being prepared. There’s just something about the fragrance of sizzling garlic and the clanking of the wok that makes the waiting even more unbearable.

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Style & Design

Back To The

Source innovative local architecture firms are using traditional vietnamese building styles to buck suburban ho chi minh city's neo-victorian trend of towering white walls, elaborate golden gates and mercedes-sized garages. By Simon Stanley. Photos

by Hiroyuki oki.

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A soft afternoon breeze lazily browses the pages of my notebook as I sit down with Michael Charruault of MM++ Architects. We’re in the open-air dining room of the home and office he shares with wife, partner and company founder Pham Thi My An.

“In every country, developers are proposing mass [housing] projects which they think are really suited to demand,” he says. “But I think that people are actually much more openminded than the developers.”

Surrounded by imposing neo-classical mansions and slender tube houses in a sleepy corner of Nha Be District, MM++’s headquarters have become one of the firm’s most talked-about buildings, perfectly embodying the core principles of this husband and wife design team. Based on the layout of a traditional Vietnamese stilt house, the ground floor dining and kitchen space is open on three sides to the lush greenery of the garden. A cobalt blue swimming pool projects dancing ribbons of sunlight onto the contemporary concrete ceiling above, and my two-wheeled fight across the city centre has become a distant memory. With a background in high-end holiday resort design, it’s no surprise to learn that relaxation is near the top of MM++’s design agenda regardless of size, shape or location. I half expect a waiter to arrive with a cocktail menu.

“When you look at our portfolio of projects,” says Charruault, “it’s all about tropical weather and the relationship between interior and exterior: finding some greenery, natural ventilation, controlling the sunlight.”

Founded in 2009 by My An, a University of Hanoi graduate, MM++ provides client-focused residential property design while blending contemporary aesthetics, traditional and modern materials and timetested features best suited to the climate. It’s

a refreshing alternative to the ready-made housing solutions popping up like toy towns all over the country.

“We always think about traditional Vietnamese or French colonial architecture,” says Charruault. “In the past, in Vietnam, they found so many smart ways to build, smart ways to use the space…It’s a good start, even in contemporary architecture.” The palm leaf roof above us is certainly proof of that.

Elsewhere on the property, open-plan rooms, ventilated brick walls and carefully positioned shutters keep temperatures comfortable without the need for air-conditioning.

“Here, it’s really cool, we have lots of large streets, lots of air around, so we’ve taken advantage of that,” says Charruault. He motions towards the row of opulent multi-gabled mansions currently under construction nearby. “If you make that kind of house, you kill it. You kill the airflow…It’s completely closed.”

Despite its striking dissonance with the houses surrounding it, the local community’s reaction has been surprisingly positive.

“When people are walking around, all the neighbours, they really enjoy this house,” says Charruault. “With these materials, it reminds them of their past, of when they were a child maybe; it reminds them of things they enjoy.”

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The Rebel Rousers MM++ is not the only firm looking to shake things up in Vietnam. Inspired by the global success of Hanoi-based heavyweight Vo Trong Nghia, designer of the Vietnamese pavilion at the 2015 Milan World Expo; and Saigon’s A21 Studio, winners of the 2014 World Architecture Festival’s Building of the Year Award, an expanding collective of small, dynamic design houses are rising up to challenge current conventions. “They’re changing all the usual codes,” says Char-

44 asialife HCMC

ruault, “[and] developers are starting to listen.”

For MM++, the layout of a home comes first, with each floor plan tailored to suit the specific needs of the client while offering a ‘back to nature’ way of living, something Charruault believes is possible even in a dense urban environment. “Each site is different but your target can be the same. How you think about natural ventilation, natural lighting, for example, or a small garden, maybe we’ll try to use the roof; it’s possible in every typology. It’s a way of designing.”

With Saigon’s green-space under constant threat, many contemporary architects are

focusing on the integration of plants and trees into building design. A recent Vo Trong Nghia project in Tan Binh District, entitled House for Trees, is one example. Consisting of five interconnected concrete housing modules, each doubles as a giant plant pot, measuring up to 10 metres in height, with micro-gardens and banyan trees sprouting from the roofs.

“An over-abundance of motorbikes causes daily traffic congestion as well as serious air pollution,” Nghia said in a 2014 interview with ArchDaily Magazine. “As a result, new generations [living] in urban areas are losing their connection with nature.”

Design for the Masses But can contemporary design provide practical, long-lasting solutions for those of us without huge budgets or the sort of space required to turn our homes into giant plant pots? My An and Charruault’s response would be a definite “yes”. Their compact residential projects in Go Vap and Phu Nhuan districts look almost as bright and spacious as their villas in Binh Phuoc or Dalat, while their 'design and build' service allows them to monitor costs and adhere to a client’s budget from the drawing board to the handing over of keys.

Charruault explains that, unlike in Europe or the US, this is a fairly typical practice for Vietnamese architects. “It changes the way we do projects,” he says, “because it means that when you design something, a few months later you will have to build it.”

In this way MM++ can offer real-world, low-cost solutions, acting simultaneously as architect, quantity surveyor and project manager.

“Of course you cannot get luxury with a low budget, but even if we have a very restricted budget and a smart client, then we are able to do something really good. My An’s approach to architecture is all about people: listening and understanding first, then sharing her enthusiasm with everyone,

from the client to the workers on the construction site.”

One challenge for firms like MM++ is obtaining building permits for their ‘unconventional’ modern designs. In the case of many new development sites, such permits are issued by a local administration office, often a public/private company imposing strict limits on the types of buildings allowed. Many landowners therefore find themselves faced with just a handful of pre-prescribed designs.

“They always find people who enjoy [those houses],” says Charruault, “but the problem comes when you don’t have a choice.”

This is just a small part of what MM++

sees as a wider issue in Vietnam, where progress in areas such as urban development, sustainability and environmental impact is stalled because of a simple lack of cohesion. Although firms like MM++, A21 and Vo Trong Nghia are nudging things forward one building at a time, Charruault feels that a collaborative approach, involving both local and national authorities, promises to bring the most benefits. “It needs to be a chain,” he says, “from politics – the people who choose, the people who plan the city – to the architects. Then we can all work together. The challenge is to find this workflow between the different parties.”

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RB&K

46 asialife HCMC

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By Lauren Beckett

Barely

a year old, RB&K is the brainchild of Rebecca Bargas, an international designer whose experience in the fashion industry stretches back over a decade. With offices in Vietnam, Germany and France, the brand's smart and playful clothing takes its inspiration from Bargas' diverse heritage and travel experiences. “I come from a multicultural background with a mix of four nationalities, and through my own experiences and travels I am constantly observing the people, architecture, cuisine, street life and attitudes of people in each city I visit,� she explains.

As a result, RB&K's designs are often a mixture of east and west. The designer's recent move to Berlin helped to create her new Geometrip collection, which is made up of three mini collections, Trendy/Urban, Casual and Pop Art. Drawing upon Berlin's stark, geometric architecture, Geometrip adds a playful, colourful edge to solid lines and prints.

Within the next year, RB&K aims to distribute more widely from Paris and Berlin, with plans to debut in Tokyo and Australia by 2016.

For more information on the brand or to purchase RB&K items, visit RBKandCo.com.

48 asialife HCMC

listings

hotel & travel CON DAO Con Dao Resort 8 Nguyen Duc Thuan Tel: 06 4830 949 www.condaoresort.com Modern hotel with 45 rooms and seven villas set on 2km of private beach. Onpremise facilities include restaurant, bar, beach-view swimming pool, tennis court and volleyball. Organizes outdoor activities and tours.

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 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

escape

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 café and terrace, a cigar lounge, and golfing and tennis.

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 café, pool (swim-up bar), gym.

Sofitel Dalat Palace 12 Tran Phu, Dalat Tel: 063 3825 444 www.accorhotels-asia.com Stately lakeside hotel was built in 1920s and retains the period’s aesthetic. It encompasses 38 rooms, five suites, a gourmet restaurant, brasserie, piano bar and Larry’s Bar. Golf can be arranged, and there’s tennis, boules, snooker and billiards on premise.

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.

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.

Mercure Hanoi La Gare 94 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3944 7766 www.accorhotels.com Situated in the Old Quarter with 102 bright, spacious and modern rooms, Brasserie Le Pavillion restaurant serves Vietnamese and international cuisine.

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

HO CHI MINH CITY

Caravelle Hotel 19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 www.caravellehotel.com One of the city’s most prestigious venues. Features a casino, Reflections Restaurant and al fresco 9th-floor Saigon Saigon Bar.

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: Level 23 bar, Mojo café, 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.

HOI AN & DANANG

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort Bai Bac, Son Tra Peninsula Tel: 0511 093 8888 danang.intercontinental.com A world of poetic experiences and jungle-clad romance in a place that cloaks you with luxury. The mastery of traditional Vietnamese design meets modern architectural flair in this distinc-

take flight with travel promotions around the region

Sheraton Saigon Debuts Its Aqua Day Spa Package From now until the end of 2015, indulge in a day of rest, relaxation and renewal at Sheraton Saigon's Aqua Day Spa. Located on the fifth floor of the hotel, the spa is accompanied by a 20-metre lap pool, sauna and fitness centre. Outfitted with seven suite rooms, the spa can accommodate both individuals and

couples who wish to enjoy their spa experience together. The current promotion includes nightly accommodation in a spacious room or suite featuring the signature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper® bed, complimentary buffet breakfast at Saigon Café and a VND 1 million net spa credit redeemable at Aqua Day Spa. For more information, please visit AquaDaySpaSaigon. com. You can also make a booking by calling 08 38 272 828 or emailing sheratonsaigon@ sheraton.com.

Dad’s day off at Kara Salon & Spa This Fathers’ Day, Kara Salon & Spa recommends a special gift for hard-working dads in the city: a day of relaxation, designed

50 asialife HCMC

tive retreat within the dense rainforest of mythical Monkey Mountain.

Green Field Hotel 423 Cua Dai, Hoi An Tel: 0510 863 484 www.greenfieldhotel.com Mid-range hotel with simple but spacious rooms overlooking the garden and pool.

Rates start below US $20 per night.

Located 400 metres from the Old Town.

Le Domaine de Tam Hai Resort Tel: 0510 3545105 www.domainedetamhai.com Occupying an island close to Hoi An, the resort features 12 villas, a private beach, and two restaurants serving French and Vietnamese cuisine.

Nam Hai Tel: 0510 3940 000 www.ghmhotel.com Luxury resort accommodation from single villas to sumptuous five-room dwellings with private pools. Facilities include 8 private spa villas; 3 beachfront swimming pools; library; and tennis, basketball and badminton courts.

NHA TRANG

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

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

just for him. In honour of Fathers’ Day 2015, Kara Salon & Spa is offering a full-day retreat package for men throughout the month of June. Featuring a revitalising facial, a tailored 60-minute Balinese massage and 30 minutes of expert foot reflexology, as well as unlimited use of the sauna, herbal steam room, Jacuzzi, swimming pool and fitness centre, this package is priced at VND 2 million net. The highlight of this year's promotion will be a test ride on a Ducati Scrambler Icon Yellow for the two lucky dads (Ducati terms and conditions applied).

Kara Salon & Spa is on the seventh floor of the Caravelle Saigon. For more information, please call 08 38 234 999 or email kara.spa@ caravellehotel.com.

PHAN THIET Anatara Beach Resort Mui Ne Beach, KM10, Ham Tien Ward Tel: 062 3741 888 www.anatara.com Beachfront resort with 90 fully equipped rooms, business centre, spa, fitness centre and outdoor pool.

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.

Victoria Phan Thiet Resort and Spa Mui Ne Beach Tel: 84 62 3813 000 www.victoriahotels-asia.com Located on a private beach, 60 cosy bungalows, natural spa experiences among other great activities on offer at the resort.

SCUBA DIVING

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

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

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

Octopus Diving 62 Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 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 Imperial Hotel 159-163 Thuy Van Tel: 06 4362 8888 www.imperialhotelvietnam.com Victorian-style hotel with 152 rooms, outdoor pool, shopping mall and fully serviced gym.

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

The Grand-Ho Tram Strip Phuoc Thuan Commune, Xuyen Moc District, Ba Ria Vung Tau Tel: +84 64 3788 888 www.thegrandhotramstrip.com The Grand - Ho Tram Strip is Vietnam's first large scale integrated resort and ultimately will include an 1,100-room five-star hotel, a world-class casino, restaurants, high-tech meeting space, an exclusive VIP area, as well as a variety

of beach-front recreation activities. The first 541-room tower of this development opened with its casino including 90 live tables and 614 electronic game positions. The Grand will be the initial component of The Ho Tram Strip, the largest integrated resort complex in Vietnam.

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

Exotissimo HCMC: 20 Hai Ba Trung St, D1 Tel: 3827 2911 infosgn@exotissimo.com HANOI: 26 Tran Nhat Duat St, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3828 2150 infohanoi@exotissimo.com www.exotissimo.com CHUDU24 hotel booking service 11th floor, 36 Bui Thi Xuan St, D1 Tel: 1900 5454 40 info.en@chudu24.com www.en.chudu24.com Chudu24.com - the locally famous Vietnam hotel booking website now has an English version. The company is known for having the best local prices and reliable service. It has been the number 1 Vietnam hotel booking service for Vietnamese since 2008.

a breeze of serenity

Indochina Ventures 40 Truong Quyen, D3 Tel: 3820 2563/3820 2564 Fax: 3829 2565 info@indochina-ventures.com Tour operator that specializes in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Can tailor packages to suit customers’ time frames and interests. iTravel 175/22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1 Tel: 0836 4876 www.itravel-online.com trung@itravel-online.com Operated out of Le Pub (Hanoi/HCMC) offering a wide range of tour and accomodation options throughout Vietnam, as well as custom-made tours tailored to customer specifications.

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Hideaway Package:

2.2 Đêm

Bao gồm:

AIRLINES

Lưu trú 2 đêm tại Bungalow hướng vườn

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.

Điểm tâm sáng hàng ngày tại nhà hàng Gecko

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.

Một bữa tối dành cho 2 người tại nhà hàng Gecko 60 phút trị liệu tại Aurora Spa Sử dụng miễn phí phòng Gym Sử dụng miễn phí sân Tennis vào ban ngày Điều kiện: Thời gian lưu trú tối thiểu là 2 đêm Phụ thu 330,000VND/phòng/đêm nếu đặt phòng vào thứ 6 và thứ 7 Khuyến mãi không áp dụng vào các ngày lễ Có giá trị đến hết ngày 30/10/2015 Giá trên bao gồm thuế và phí phục vụ

Để biết thêm chi tiết xin vui lòng liên hệ: Tel: (84)-(064) 3781 525 - Fax: (84)-(064) 3781 433 - Hotline: 091 3 781 524 Email: Reservation@hotramresort.com - Website: www.hotramresort.com

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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.

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 D1 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 D2 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. 

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.

Shrine 64 Ton That Thiep Tel: 08 38 142 917 ShrineBarSaigon.com A sleek cocktail bar on a street full of beer and football, Shrine is a standout for its décor and drink menu. Shrine offers everything from wine to drinks and snacks to full-blown meals, its cocktails are the reason to visit.

The Tavern R2/24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, D7 Tel: 5410 3900 Boasts good international food, a pool table, dartboards and sports coverage on large screens. Outdoor seating on mutiple levels. Second floor sports lounge hosts DJs at the weekends. 

Vasco’s Bar 74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 2888 Chic bar decked in deep reds that gets packed to capacity on weekends. Open Monday to Saturday with live music on Fridays. Food menu by chef with over 10 years experience at La Camargue.

Also does excellent pizza. 

CAFES

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 12-14 Thai Van Lung, D1 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.  Guanabana 23 Ly Tu Trong, District 1 Tel: 09 09 82 48 30 Guanabana brings a California approach with its all-natural range of healthy smoothies. The smoothies are available in three varieties and are priced between VND 45,000 and VND 65,000.

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

CHINESE

Li Bai Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 Imperial-styled restaurant named after a famous Chinese poet. Nightly à la carte menu with dishes going from 100k 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.

broaden your palate with promotions around town grand hotels, is revered as the finest master chef of the 20th century. Diners at Reflections are invited to savour signature Escoffier creations such as Tournedos Rossini, Omelette Arnold Bennett and Cherries Jubilee from an a la carte menu as well as a four-course degustation menu, the latter priced at VND 1,588,000++. Reflections Fine Dining is located on the third floor of the Caravelle Hotel. For more information, please call 09 06 900 523 or email eam-fb@caravellehotel.com.

Reflections returns to classics with Escoffier special

Celebrate Father's Day at InterContinental Asiana's Basilico Trattoria

Inspired by the father of modern French cuisine, Reflections Fine Dining is warming up its stoves and ovens for a one-week Escoffier Menu from 22 to 28 June. The culinary maestro, who established the kitchens of many of Europe’s

This Father's day, get the family together at Basilico Trattoria for an authentic Italian meal.

Choose from our signature menus created

by Italian Executive Chef Roberto Mancini accompanied by a fine wine from our regional

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

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

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

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

Wide selection of live seafood. Five interactive kitchens.

FRENCH

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

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

Italian wine selection. A three-course lunch set menu is priced at VND 398,000++ per person, including one complimentary glass of Prosecco or a sparkling cocktail for dads. The three-course dinner set menu is priced at VND 498,000++ per person and also includes the same complimentary beverage for fathers.

INDIAN

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

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

INTERNATIONAL

Al Fresco’s 21 Mac Dinh Chi D1 Tel: 3823 8427 27 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3822 7317 D1-23 My Toan 3, D7 Tel: 5410 1093 400 Nguyen Trai, D5 Tel: 3838 3840 www.alfrescosgroup.com Theme restaurant boasting a range of Tex-Mex, Italian and Australian-style BBQ dishes. Huge portions and tasty Australian ribs coupled with a good atmosphere and helpful staff. Good lunch menu.  Au Parc 23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 Lavishly decorated brasserie borrowing from Moroccan and French styles and popular during lunchtime with expats.

Specializes in Middle Eastern and North African food. The salad menu is a favourite, and a great range of lush smoothies and juices are on offer.  Black Cat 13 Phan Van Dat, D1 Tel: 3829 2055 Tiny but popular District 1 restaurant serving up an excellent selection of Western and Vietnamese fare and an extensive range of sandwiches and burgers.  Blackout Dine-In-The-Dark 74/7D Hai Ba Trung Tel: 08 38 24 28 88 Experience gourmet cuisine with the lights off at Saigon’s first-ever dine-inthe-dark restaurant. Blackout currently offers four set menus: seafood, meat, vegetarian and, for the adventurous eater, mystery (VND 600,000) BoatHouse 40 Lily Road, APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6790 Riverside restaurant with umbrellashaded tables spread across outdoor deck and small indoor dining room.

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

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

The Deck 38 Nguyen U Di, D2 Tel: 3744 6632 Serves upmarket takes on regional specialties made with fresh local and imported products. Well-designed, minimalist dining space and bar on the river are a serious draw.

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

Jaspa’s 33 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3822 9926 www.alfrescosgroup.com Unpretentious brasserie-style restaurant specializes in Australian-influenced international fusion cuisine. Full range of drinks including Australian and French wines and good cocktails.

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

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

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

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

Quan Ut Ut 168 Vo Van Kiet, D1 Tel: 08 39 14 45 00 American-style barbecue meets Vietnam-style dining with big wooden tables and benches that are reminiscent of an open-air quan. Serving a wide range of smoked and barbecued meats.

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.  Urban Kitchen + Bar 18 Ngo Van Nam, D1 Tel: 08 62 506 363 UrbanKitchenBar.com Urban Kitchen takes a nuanced approach to Western cuisine, producing an eclectic compilation of regional North American dishes – whether it’s comfort food of the American south, Quebecois specialties or East Coastinspired.

By Michael Kloster

imbibe

Zombie BBQ Parkland 628A Vo Truong Toan, D2 Tel: 08 66 853 756

Yo Ho Ho! This coming weekend, I’ve been invited to a pirate theme party. While it may seem silly for a bunch of (ahem) approaching middle-aged adults to dress up like Johnny Depp fresh from a Disney ride, I can’t imagine that it will be tame. There will be costumes, a river junk and, of course, there will be rum.

It all fits in with the theme, doesn’t it? Fifty half-sauced revelers, giving up our landlubbing ways for just one evening. Despite its – at best – chequered past, rum has come into its own, rubbing elbows in the well alongside gin and vodka.

Sugar, Molasses & the Sailor’s Share Once a harsh, unrefined, fiery spirit, rum became a favoured tipple during the American colonial era. Molasses, a byproduct in this process, was fermentable and the resulting brew was then distilled into rum. This led to rum becoming a unit of currency and the centre of the diabolical ‘Triangle Trade’. The British Navy enlisted rum as their spirit of choice, issuing each sailor a daily ration until 1970.

Trader Vic Bergeron Two big changes came for rum in the middle of last century. First, led by rum giant Bacardi, the trend shifted from dark to light rum. Secondly, starting from the 1930s and peaking in the 1950s, tiki became part of the modern consciousness. Led by such modern mixing gods like 54 asialife HCMC

Viva Tapas Bar & Grill 90 Cao Trieu Phat, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 08 54 106 721 Tucked away on a quiet street in Phu My Hung, Viva is colourful and welcoming and has both indoor and outdoor seating. Tapas make up the bulk of the menu and cover traditional dishes as well as a few house specialties that put a quirky twist on things. 

‘Trader’ Vic Bergeron, the tiki style riffed off a romanticised vision of a laid-back south seas lifestyle. Now when we think of tiki, it’s usually mai tais, zombies and umbrella-topped Blue Hawaiians – all rum-based – that come to mind.

And since we like to keep it local here at Imbibe, here’s a twisted version of the classic mojito: Lemongrass Mojito • Fresh mint leaves • 1 tsp chunky brown sugar • 1 sweet lime • 50 ml lemongrass rum (Brugal Especial Ultra Dry if you can find it, but any light rum will do) • Alba Sparkling Water Infuse the rum with fresh stalks of local lemongrass. Be sure to smash the ends of the lemongrass to help leech out the oils. Drop a handful of fresh mint leaves to the bottom of your glass. Add chunky brown sugar, not the sticky kind. Using a muddler or similar bluntended object, gently rub the sugar and mint leaves together, coaxing out the minty oils. Add ice, then rum. Top with Alba Sparkling, a local favourite, and drink.

Michael Kloster grew up in the vineyard countryside west of Fresno, California. He organises the Lucky Wine Buyers' Collective for spirits and wine lovers in Saigon. If you want something to drink, please contact him at luckydogvn@ gmail.com.

Inspired by the current influx of American comfort food in Saigon, Zombie BBQ is an American-style barbecue restaurant focusing on birch-smoked meats, eclectic sides and a handcrafted variety of barbecue sauces to suit all tastes. 

ITALIAN

Basilico InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Ground Floor, corner of 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.

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.  LovEat 29 Hai Trieu, D1 Tel: 08 62 602 727 Facebook.com/LovEatRestaurant Chic downtown bistro LovEat occupies a prime spot opposite the Bitexco Financial Tower, serving traditional Mediterranean cuisine with an Italian twist. The restaurant prides itself on organic local ingredients and offers full meals as well as coffee, drinks and Italian pastries. Open from 9am til late. 

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

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

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

SOUTHEAST ASIAN

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

Lac Thai 71/2 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 7506 An elegant restaurant tucked in an alleyway, decorated with art-deco furniture. Authentic Thai cuisine prepared by two Thai chefs. Food is tasty but less spicy than you’d find in Thailand.  The Racha Room 12-14 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 09 08 791 412 RachaRoom.com.vn With street and hawker specialties from Thailand prepared under one roof – and in one room – The Racha Room is a restaurant-cum-lounge fit for a king.

Tuk Tuk Thai Bistro 17/11 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 08 35 21 85 13 Tuktukthaibistro.com Tuk Tuk, a chic new modern Thai bistro.

With three floors of seating, an open-air roof area and an array of Thai dishes to excite your palate.

VEGETARIAN

Hoa Dang 38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1 Swish vegetarian restaurant on a quiet street that serves up nutritious dishes, including meatless versions of bun bo, pho and steamboat. Cosy bar serving non-alcoholic drinks, fruits and other sweets.

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

VIETNAMESE

Cha Ca La Vong 3 Ho Xuan Huong, D3 Tel: 3930 5674 36 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3915 3343 Two HCM City ouposts of the legendary

recipes

bert traver Spicy Italian sausage pasta INGREDIENTS • • • •

2-3 Tbsp olive oil 2 large onions, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 4 links (or 425g) Traver's Spicy Italian Sausage, removed from casing • 100ml red wine • 2 cans (or 480g) whole tomatoes • 1 package your choice of Italian

pasta Salt, to taste 2 bay leaves (optional) 1/2 tsp whole fennel (optional) Crushed red pepper, to taste (optional) • Fresh herbs, black pepper and Parmigiano-Regiano to garnish (optional) • • • •

PREPARATION 1. Sauté the onions in olive oil on 4. Add tomatoes and season medium heat until they are very with salt to taste. Simmer and soft and brown, about 10 – 15 stir occasionally for about 30 minutes. Be sure to stir them minutes until the sauce has often so they don't stick to thickened and tomatoes are the pan. Add more olive oil if very soft. Remove bay leaves necessary. before serving.

2. Add the garlic, bay leaf, fennel 5. Boil pasta according to and crushed red pepper. Sauté package instructions. Drain until fragrant. pasta thoroughly and serve with the sauce. Garnish with 3. Remove the sausage from its fresh herbs, Parmigianocasing and brown it in the pan Regiano and black pepper, if with onions and spices. Add desired. red wine and reduce. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about five minutes.

Traver's Bacon and Sausage sold at Phuong Ha Shop, 58 Ham Nghi, District 1 To order, please contact Bert at 012 02 280 421 // traversbacon@gmail.com Facebook.com/TraversBaconAndSausage

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Hanoi original serve only one dish: the eponymous and delicious cha ca la vong, fish pan-fried at the table with turmeric and dill and served with cold noodles and peanuts.

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

Local Eats

By Tristan Ngo

Bot Chien Bot chien, or fried flour cakes, is actually one of my favourite Vietnamese in-between-meal snacks. The dish is made of rice flour and tapioca starch and is steamed in a pan for about 30 to 40 minutes until it is done. Bot chien is normally cut into rectangular cubes, thick, starchy and sticky, sort of like Italian gnocchi. The cubes are fried in a large amount of lard with chopped green onions and an egg or two on a skillet until golden brown and crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside.

Bot chien is quite popular among both the young and the old in Saigon, especially in the Chinese community. It is meant to be a classic street stall or hawker dish, but is also served as dim sum in most high-end Chinese restaurants. There is no one particular go-to place that is a must-try, but here are some locations which I think are a good start if you happen to be in these particular areas of the city: A husband and wife team runs a cart with their family on Cay Keo near the corner of Luy Ban Bich in Tan Phu District near Dam Sen Park. I love these kinds of places because they represent life on a Saigon street.

It is quite well-known in this area and the bot chien is tasty.

Cay Keo Tan Phu District 4pm – 11pm VND 22,000 per plate

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Another very popular bot chien spot is on Vo Van Tan between Nguyen Thuong Hien and Cach Mang Thang Tam in District 3. This place has been around for a long time and is always full, especially around 8pm.

Bot Chien Dat Thanh 277 Vo Van Tan, D3 1.30pm – 11pm VND 23,000 per plate

Another popular yet unlikely District 3 bot chien spot is Che Ky Dong. This very popular family-owned che (dessert) establishment has been open since 1981 and has since expanded their dessert selection to include bot chien. The dish is made fresh daily and fried to order.

Che Ky Dong 16C Ky Dong, D3 VND 22,000 per plate

A long-time local bot chien cart sits on Hai Thuong Lan Ong just opposite the Post Office in District 5. According to most patrons, this standing cart is practically an institution that has been around for as long as most can remember. The difference here is that the bot chien is cut into long, thick strips rather than rectangles or cubes like at the others.

190 Hai Thuong Lan Ong, D5 4pm until late VND 25,000 per plate

Tristan Ngo is the Chef Patron and Owner of Skewers Restaurant and The Elbow Room.

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.

Saigon Lookout D1 37 bis Ky Con Tel 09 6688 4668 Saigon's Lookout is one of Saigon's hidden gems where east meets west, with a menu of twisted Vietnamese cuisine complimented by funky oriental cocktails.

nightlife 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.

Saigon Saigon Bar Rooftop via 9th floor, Caravelle Saigon Hotel, 19 - 23 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 A great iconic bar to watch the sun go down over the city skyline, or dance the night away. The panoramic views of the city are spectacular, particularly in the evenings. Live entertainment nightly with Cuban band Q’vans except Tuesday from 9:00pm till 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

GROCERIES

Annam Gourmet Market 16-18 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 9332 41A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2630 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

CINEMAS

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

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

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.

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listings

By Phil Kelly

fitness House of Hormones, Part 2 Last month, we looked at estrogen dominance and how it increases a number of health risks and causes fat storage in women and produces 'manboobs' in men.

Hormones don’t exist in a vacuum. No single hormone can be classified as good or bad. Instead, hormone levels are constantly in flux, influencing each other as well as impacting different systems in the body. When there is too much or too little of a hormone, problems can arise. The same goes for when nutrients and chemicals in our diet and environment disrupt the autoregulatory system of the body.

Two main hormones can directly affect your weight loss and weight gain efforts. The first is leptin. Leptin is a ‘hunger hormone’: its job is to tell your brain that you are full and satisfied when eating. However this process can be interrupted, causing leptin resistance so that your body no longer listens to the message, resulting in overeating or not feeling full.

Stress, sleep deprivation, highcalorie foods and fructose can turn your leptin response off, allowing you to overeat.

The second, ghrelin, is considered the counterpart to leptin. Think of ghrelin as your ‘go’ hormone; it should naturally increase before meals, sending hunger signals to the brain, and likewise decrease after meals, helping with satiety levels. Successfully lean people do not diet, they eat for fat loss, which creates an optimal 58 asialife HCMC

hormone profile for long-term success. It's a simple fact that the more a person restricts calories, the hungrier they get.

It is almost as if semi-starvation triggers an increase in ghrelin.

Experts have concluded that this might be part of the reason why individuals often regain lost weight and then some as a result of calorie-restrictive dieting.

Ghrelin also regulates water and fluid intake, so if you drink a glass of water when you are hungry, ghrelin signals can be satisfied and subdue the feeling of hunger for a while. This provides a simple way to control your hunger, as research suggests that even a 250ml glass of water before every meal decreases the amount you will eat by at least 8 ounces and suppresses ghrelin for a longer time after the meal.

To lose weight without feeling terrible and constantly hungry, you need to effectively manipulate the brain’s hunger signals by getting quality sleep, eating low-GI, nutrient-dense foods, limiting fructose and doing away with the calorie-restrictive dieting. If you do this, you will feel great and effortlessly lose weight.

Phil is a health practitioner and expert in body transformation.

His services are available at Star Fitness (Starfitnesssaigon. com), online or at your home.

Contact him though his website Phil-kelly.com or Facebook. com/BodyExpertSystemVietnam.

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

CRICKET

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

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

DANCING

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

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

Registration required.

FITNESS & YOGA

AIS Sports Centre 36 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2 Tel: 3744 6960, ext 126 sportscentre@aisvietnam.com www.aissportscentre.com Six-lane, 25-metre pool, basketball and netball courts, astroturf hockey/football area and outdoor gym equipment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FOOTBALL & RUGBY

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

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

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

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

GOLF

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LEISURE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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: Vietnam@santaferelo.com www.santaferelo.com

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

Excellent facilities for children and annual membership for kids.

asialife HCMC 59

Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. Treatsback pain, neck pain, knee pain, also specializing in sports injuries, manufacture of medical grade foot orthotics.

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health & beauty ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

American Chiropractic Clinic 161 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3939 3930 www.vietnamchiropractic.com A chiropractic, physiotherapy, foot care clinic staffed by American-trained chiropractors speaking French, English,

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

Institute of Traditional Medicine 273-275 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Dr. Le Hung is the man to see at this well-established traditional hospital & training centre. He speaks good English

Dr. Philippe Guettier & International Team of Dentists

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and provides excellent treatments in a clean environment. The Institute also provides acupuncture lessons.

DENTAL

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

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

Starlight Dental Clinic Dr. Philippe Guettier & International Team of Dentists 24 Thao Dien, D2 2Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, D1 Tel: 3822 6222 With 19 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, gynecology, pediatrics, ophthalmology, psychology, psychiatry, osteopathy, acupuncture and psychomotor therapy. .

ward for “Excellence ietnam A 014 V by Vietnam Economic Times in Dentis 2 try” 0 201

Starlight An Phu

Starlight City Center

24 Thao Dien, Dist.2, HCMC starlightdental@gmail.com www.starlightdental.net

02 Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, Dist.3, HCM City (Ho Con Rua - Turtle Lake) Tel: 38 22 62 22

MINH KHAI DENTAL CLINIC 199 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Dist.1, HCM City - Tel: 39 25 33 99 NO.1 DENTAL CLINIC 51 Ba Thang Hai Street, Dist.10, HCM City - Tel: 39 29 09 09

60 asialife HCMC

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

Also in Hanoi and Danang.

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

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

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

Victoria Healthcare 135A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3910 4545 79 Dien Bien Phu, D1 Tel: 39104545 Well-regarded clinic offering general examinations and specializing in pediatrics, digestive diseases, cardiology and women's health. Offers a membership program and cooperates with most insurance companies in Vietnam and abroad. Open with doctors on call 24/7.

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

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

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family By Melanie Brown

Education hub Technology vs Teacher Science fiction is full of examples of how technology will negate the need to actively learn. Brain implants or sleep machines will simply download all the information we desire without the need to read, write, or even think about, a word.

But computers have been around for 70 years now, so why haven’t any of these technophilic dreams come true, even just a little bit? Putting aside the technological arguments for why such advances have not been made, what is it about human teachers that will always trump technology?

There is no denying technology can enhance learning and it is imperative in this technosaturated world that students learn to be aware and informed users. There is also mounting evidence however, that technology in the classroom – laptops, smartphones and the like – can, if not managed, hinder learning.

A few years ago, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) were heralded as the next big thing in education, but research is showing they are perhaps not the democratising, teacher-eliminating force they were expected to be. Huge numbers of students flocked to this so-called revolutionary online learning space, but investigation into student habits has shown that not many persist past the first day.

So what do teachers bring to learning that is hard for technology to emulate? Well, for a start, computer-generat62 asialife HCMC

ed enthusiasm is not particularly credible or influential. A teacher’s love for a subject is a strong source of motivation.

Feedback is another vital part of learning and although a computer can – when set up by a human – provide feedback, it will lack the nuances that can be achieved by a living, breathing teacher.

Teachers also have life experiences that a computer just can’t touch. Beyond teaching course content, teachers at all levels are expected to develop students’ life skills.

Attributes and soft skills like communication, empathy and teamwork require not only the teacher’s guidance but also contact with fellow students. In university, industry experience is gold when trying to convince students they need to learn course material to make it in the real world.

Technology has and certainly will continue to change learning and teaching. Teachers that try to ignore it or keep it out of their classroom risk going the way of the dodo. The question to ask is, as always, does this technology aid and enhance learning, or is it a smokescreen for poor pedagogy?

Melanie works in teacher development at RMIT University Vietnam. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of RMIT.

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.

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 extracurricular activities.

American International School 220 Nguyen Van Tao, Nha Be, HCMC Tel: 08 3780 0909 www.ais.edu.vn info@ais.edu.vn Established since 2006, American International School is a private school serving students from Preschool through grade 12. Operate on 4 campuses, the school offers innovative American curriculum with true Vietnamese heritage.

All students are well prepared for academic success appropriate to their needs and aspirations in the US and around the world.

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

British International School Primary Campus 43 - 45 Tu Xuong, D3 225 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Secondary Campus 246 Nguyen Van Huong, D2

Tel: 3744 2335 www.bisvietnam.com BIS is the largest international school in Vietnam operating from three purpose built campuses in HCMC catering for students from pre-school to Year 13. The school operates within the framework of the National Curriculum for England and is staffed primarily by British qualified and trained teachers with recent UK experience. Students are prepared for both IGCSE & the IB Diploma programmes. BIS is a member of FOBISSEA & is fully accredited by the Council of International schools EUROPEAN International School 730 F-G-K Le Van Mien, Thao Dien. Tel: 7300 7257 www.eishcmc.com jura.cullen@cantab.net The EUROPEAN International School Ho Chi Minh City (EIS) offers an international education from Early Years through Primary and Secondary School. EIS is committed to educating students to become creative critical thinkers and problem solvers. In small student centred classes, students are immersed in a multicultural learning environment which values multilingualism. The language of instruction throughout the School is English; the language program includes Spanish, German, French and Vietnamese.

International School HCMC 28 Vo Truong Toan, D2 Tel: 3898 9100 www.ishcmc.com One of 136 schools around the world to be accredited as an IB World School. Offers all three of the IB programmes from primary through to grade 12. The school is fully accredited by CIS and NEASC and has a strong focus on community spirit and fosters an awareness of other languages and cultures.

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

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

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

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

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

Singapore International School (SIS) No.29, Road No.3, Trung Son Residential Area, Hamlet 4, Binh Hung Ward, Binh Chanh District Tel: 5431 7477 www.kinderworld.net Students play and learn in an environ-

ment where the best of Western and Eastern cultures amalgamate to prepare KinderWorld’s students for today’s challenging world drawn from both the Singapore and Australian curriculum. The school offers International Certifications such as the iPSLE, IGCSE and GAC. The American School 172 - 180 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 Tel: 3519 2223 info@tasvietnam.edu.vn An independent and private collage preparatory school with a highly individualized and personalized program, The American School of Vietnam offers a strong, US based curriculum for Kindergarten through Grade 12.

ENTERTAINMENT

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

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

PARTIES

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

Nguyen Ngoc Diem Phuong 131C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 A curious shop stocking a range of hand-made fancy dress costumes such as masks, superman outfits and much more. The stock changes seasonally, so this is a good place to stock up on Halloween, Christmas and other costumes.

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

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

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living BUSINESS GROUPS

AmCham New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 323 Tel: 3824 3562 www.amchamvietnam.com AusCham TV Building, Suite 1A, 31A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3911 0272 / 73 / 74 www.auschamvn.org British Business Group of Vietnam 25 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 8430 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 New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 Business Centre, Room 322 Tel: 3824 3757 / 3822 8888

www.hkbav.com NordCham Bitexco Building, 19-25 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3821 5423 www.nordcham.com

CAMERAS

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

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

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

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

COMPUTERS

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

Honours Apple service plans.

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

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

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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.

By Elizabeth Png

HOME IMPROVEMENT Tip-Top T-shirts If there’s one item that everyone’s wardrobe has in common, it’s the humble T-shirt. It’s convenient, comfortable and can carry messages you don't often find on other types of clothing.

Unfortunately, most T-shirts usually fade or lose their shape far too quickly. But there are ways of prolonging your favourite T-shirt's time in the sun and keeping its colours vibrant.

Here are a few tips and tricks for a longer-lasting T-shirt: Choose the right materials The lifespan of a T-shirt begins with the type of fabric.

Pure cotton may be comfortable and absorbs dyes well but it tends to lose shape over time.

Cotton blends like tri-blend and baby rib cotton materials tend to hold up better in the long term.

If you’re the sort who likes to print their own T-shirts or order customised patterns, try to use screen-printed designs rather than transfer prints. The former can last through many washes, while the latter is best used for a couple of occasions, like a theme party or event.

Turn it inside out If your T-shirt has a print on it, turn it inside out before washing and drying. With some prints, the fabric fibres may break free of the ink film, causing the print to look broken up. This is called ‘fibrillation’.

Turning it inside out prevents fibrillation as the print doesn’t rub against other materials in 64 asialife HCMC

a washing machine or dryer as much.

Use the right water temperature Check the washing label on the T-shirt and don’t use a temperature setting that is too high for the material. Hot washes can cause shrinkage and colour to bleed off the T-shirt. Not only does it cause the material to fade, it may result in unwanted colour on other clothing items in the wash.

Water that is too cold may not dissolve the detergent and activate its cleaning properties as well. If you want to keep your white T-shirts pristine, warm washes avoid the pitfalls of high-temperature wash cycles while cleaning your Tshirt better.

Look for a washing machine that has the ability to customise wash temperatures and times.

Adding a vapour cycle also helps keep your T-shirt soft and wrinkle-free.

Dry it just right Don’t overdry your T-shirts, as this might damage the fabric by causing its fibres to become brittle. Try to time it such that they come out of the dryer slightly damp - but not too damp or you run the risk of mildew. This also helps to avoid wrinkles and the need for ironing.

Elizabeth Png is the retail and consumer business director at Hafele Vietnam. She can be contacted at elizabeth.pngreade@hafele.com.vn.

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 Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 2262 ext. 113 Fax: 3910 0590 www.tmf-group.com With headquarters in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, TMF Vietnam specializes in accounting outsourcing and consulting.

Total Wealth Management 66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 3820 0623 www.t-wm.com Specialists in selecting and arranging tax-efficient savings and pension plans for expatriates. Offers councel on private banking services, wealth protection in offshore jurisdictions, currency risks and hedging strategies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ELECTRONICS

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

FURNITURE

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

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

Upholstery, accessories, antiques and more.

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

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

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

Friendly staff speak excellent English.

Furniture Outlet 3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 2243 7955/3911 0104 Wide selection of well-crafted and carefully constructed pine wood pieces at

good prices, aimed at customers craving a taste of Europe.

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

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

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.

Mai Home 92 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 08 62 818 399 MaiHomeDecor.com Producer of fine lacquerware lamps and furniture, Mai Home combines modern design with the traditional art of Vietnamese lacquer to create tasteful and durable homewares. Also provides worldwide shipping and customisable designs.

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

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

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

LEGAL

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

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

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

By Paul McLardie

PERSONAL FINANCE Failing Small Businesses There are many reasons why a start-up small business fails.

Maybe you didn’t understand your market and couldn't sell enough product or you got your budgeting wrong. But before you get ready to jump back into the small business world, there are two things you need to consider: why you want to do this and what are you going to do.

The first thing I would ask is this: why do you want to set up a business in the first place? If the answer is: “It's always been my dream to be my own boss”, then that's good, but sometimes you have to think with your head and not your heart. I have a strong belief that, when opening a business, you should do something that you are good at, not something that you love.

Turning a hobby into a business can be soul-destroying.

Something that was your hobby and a steam valve is now your occupation. You do not have that release anymore.

I use cricket as my steam valve, but do I want to open a business fixing cricket bats?

No, thank you. I know I can do it but turning a passion into a business is not for me.

One thing that worries me when I see business plans for small businesses is that the potential owners do not calculate their prices and costs correctly because they have not given themselves a salary.

This is OK at first, as you are starting off and any profit made should be put back into the business, especially if you

have personal savings to back you up for a time. However, it's important to always factor in a salary for yourself, even just a living salary. If you fail to take your personal expenses into account, your business will fold because of two things. Think of the reason you started the business: wasn't it to make money and be your own boss?

If you do not give yourself a salary, you will not want to make that tough call on a Monday morning to get out of bed. The business needs you as its leader at this stage, especially if you gave up a full-time position to live your dream.

Second, you will eventually need to take money out of the business to pay your living expenses. How are you meant to budget for this if you take money from the till to pay your personal rent payment?

Robbing Peter to pay Paul will always expedite the date when you shut up shop and you have to put yourself back onto the labour market that you so badly wanted to leave.

All that said, there are certainly success stories to be found in the small business arena. Remember that without small businesses, there would be no big businesses, so support your friends who open one. You never know: they may come to take over your company one day.

Paul McLardie is a partner at Total Wealth Management.

Contact him at Paul.mclardie@t-wm.com. asialife HCMC 65

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.

By Gary Woollacott

People matter Indecisive HR We have an interesting situation developing at work these days. A client engaged us a couple months ago to fill some mid-level positions. After we had spent a few weeks trying to find suitable candidates, assess them and then submit them for interviews, the client decided that the candidates weren’t senior enough. They wanted to upgrade the position, and asked that we now search for more experienced souls. That's fine, of course: the client is paying for the service and that is what they get.

What we didn’t expect was that after we then submitted the revised shortlist with more senior – and expensive – people is that the client would sit on those candidates for nearly six weeks before deciding to see them. Naturally, it doesn’t send the best message to prospective employees when the would-be employer takes so long to move ahead. We are used to a period of a few days, perhaps a week, until candidates are invited to interview.

The next problem came when the client decided that the candidates simply weren’t good enough, even though they were exactly as described on the brief and, more importantly, particularly interested in the client company, which is one of a few specialists in its field, but not known for being generous in its salary structure.

So our client is known for being cheap, takes a long time to interview candidates and then dismisses them as unsuitable.

Naturally, this is entirely our 66 asialife HCMC

problem.

And we don’t mind that too much: we are familiar with being blamed when things go wrong. We are being paid to find the best in the market, which comes with the risk that the best in the market may not be interested, so we have to carry out very thorough market assessments in order to know what’s what. Sometimes you have to see what you don’t want before you really know what you do want. And the feedback from meetings like those is of great assistance to us.

What makes life a whole lot harder is when the client starts giving us the silent treatment: not returning calls or replying to emails. What are we to do then? As it turns out, the only thing we really can do is to force the issue and insist on a meeting to clear the air. If we get dumped so be it, but we will know that we did the best we could, and if the client didn’t care for our advice, it was given honestly. Of course, an optimal outcome would be that the client sees that we have carried out the search scrupulously, takes a look at the candidates with fresh eyes, invites them in for a meeting and then hires one or more.

Fingers crossed for that!

Gary Woollacott works for Horton International in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. He can be reached at +84 8 3910 7682 or via woollacott@hortoninternational.com.

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

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

LIGHTING

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

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

MOTORBIKES

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

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

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

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

EasySaigon.com www.easysaigon.com Real estate website helps expats find apartments in HCMC.

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

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

Supports professional services and after-sales.

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

Diamond Island Luxury Residences No 01 – Street No.104-BTT, Quarter 3, Binh Trung Tay Ward, D2 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 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 Vietnam is a property service provider that has been established in Vietnam since 1995 offering research, advisory services, residential sales, commercial leasing, asset management, retail advisory, valuation, investment advisory and more.

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

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

RECRUITMENT

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

education services.

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

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

Opus Vietnam 2A Rolanno Offices, 128 Nguyen Phi Khanh, D1 Tel: 3827 8209 www.opusasia.net Established in HCMC in 2005, Opus services local and multinational companies seeking to recruit high quality personnel.

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

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

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

RELOCATION AGENTS

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

Crown Worldwide Movers 2ndFl 236/6 Dien Bien Phu, 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

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

STATIONERY

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

listings

fashion By Christina Yu

FASHION RULES Is Beauty Only Skin Deep?

This was a tough column to write. Recently, I was at the local clinic with a bacterial infection in my stomach. You can imagine that I was far from fashion gear but I’d rather dig deeper into fashionable wellbeing rituals than fashion itself.

I have always believed that beauty is more than skin deep.

There is no doubt that makeup enhances your look but there is nothing more attractive than a naturally radiant skin. A few of my ‘non-sporty’ friends were raving about how great their skin looked after a colema session and I must admit that I was intrigued.

Colema, as some of you may have heard, is a very popular detox program among celebrities including Elizabeth Hurley and Dita Von Teese. Chiva Som, one of the most wellknown colema resorts on Koh Samui is rumoured to charge USD $800 a night for giving you vegetable sticks and two colemas a day with a nurse.

The theory, of course, is all about sustainable well-being. If you imagine your body as a jar, into which you keep stuffing different kinds of food, invariably there will be residue that accumulates over the years. There are also testimonials that when you ‘unload’ a lot of toxins within your body, you also find yourself having a clearer mind – almost like meditation. Sounds like a magic formula.

Four years ago, I decided to give this a try at the Spa Resort in Koh Samui with my cousin.

I must say that doing it with 68 asialife HCMC

someone else was a great decision. As a first timer, the resort recommended a five-day fast.

You are allowed to eat as much as you want the first night.

Your fast starts on the second day, when you are given clay drinks every hour to absorb all the toxins in the body and selfadministered colema sessions twice a day. We had a choice of coffee water, lemon water and garlic water. The third day was the worst, as we missed the taste and sensation of food.

By the fourth and fifth days, we started to wonder how much residue had accumulated in our bodies, as there were still releases even though we hadn't eaten in days. We also started to meet people who testified that their asthma or cholesterol conditions, for example, had improved since they first tried the fast and had decided to turn it into an annual trip.

What saved me on this trip was my cousin, and also coconut oil. The fast was hard but I had never felt so good afterwards. My first mouthful of food was the best that I ever had.

My skin was clear and glowing, even without makeup. Beautiful skin does come from cleansing the body and soul – maybe something good can come out of this bacterial infection!

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

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

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

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.

Emphasises muted tones and unobtrusive logos.

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.

Corner Boutique 23 Ly Tu Trong, 1st floor Tel: 012 36 310 099 Corner.com.vn Hidden on the first floor of a downtown apartment building, Corner Boutique boasts an elegant, eclectic collection of womenswear, accessories, handbags, shoes and small trinkets. Open daily from 9am to 9pm.

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.

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.

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.

TAILORS

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

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.

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 menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tailors in town with prices and production time to reflect the quality of the workmanship.

Fabric Street 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.

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.

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.

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District 7 & Nha Be

Flashgap Immortalise your night out with a miniature, Hangover-style time capsule.

Collecting both your images and your friends' snaps, Flashgap creates a photo album of the evening that cannot be accessed until noon the following day.

Silly Sausage in Meat Land

An addictive time-killer featuring a gravity-defying elastic dog in search of sausage. Bounce around from surface to surface collecting green jewels but avoid the spiky red stars and other obstacles.

Hykoo Become a modern-day poet with this video-driven app, which allows you to splice together three short videos, inserting text over each to create your own digital haikus.

Opinion

Clean Master

Office Remote

Create your own podcasts with Opinion. The app allows you to record high-quality audio, edit your story and upload your podcast to Opinion's own platform, complete with an RSS feed and homepage.

Eliminates excess files to help keep your device working at lightning speed. Also has built-in anti-virus software to protect your phone, as well as an AppLock feature which adds an extra layer of privacy to apps like Facebook, your contacts or your photo gallery.

The perfect companion to your computer's version of Microsoft Office. Control PowerPoint presentations, navigate Excel spreadsheets and access Word documents, complete with comments. Must install Office Remote desktop add-on for your PC to use.

72 asialife HCMC

Marketing & Communications | PR Design | Video Production | Photography Web Solutions | Publications | Editorial Contact Tel: 0903325543 Mail: jonny@asialifemagazine.com

sound fix

Shamir Ratchet In the 1960s, it was the Rat Pack that voiced Las Vegas to the world. Today, America’s Sin City is represented by Shamir Bailey, a 20-year-old genderbending black artist raised in north Las Vegas. 'Vegas', the

opening track of Bailey’s debut album, depicts a place where “energies ignite like kerosene”, but “if you’re living in the city then you’re already in hell”.

The area that Bailey comes from is lackluster suburbia, a far cry from the glitz of the strip. But Bailey managed to create his own glitz, drawing from disco, house and R&B to make magnetic dance music.

Singing countertenor, Bailey doesn’t sound like a man or a woman, he sounds like neither: his voice is his own. 'On The Regular' is Bailey’s anthem, with bluntly chanted verses that explain who he is – take it or leave it. Like his hometown, Bailey's music may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you can’t deny its cultural force.

album review

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Torres Sprinter “I am a tired woman / In January I will just be 23,” sings Mackenzie Scott, the singersongwriter who performs as Torres. Delivered in her husky purr, Scott expresses the fatigue of a young woman grappling

with heavy thoughts and intense emotions. Now 24 years old, Scott has two albums to her name and a burgeoning career that draws comparisons to PJ Harvey. Raised a Baptist in Georgia, USA, Scott now lives in Brooklyn and recorded the album in England together with band members seasoned in 90s alternative rock. She professes to listen to a lot of Nirvana, and the influence of grunge comes out in the dark, gritty parts of her music – and a touch of unfettered wailing. The turmoil and rage that Scott expresses in her music can be unsettling but it’s a candid glimpse into her personal struggle.

Urban Cone

Holly Miranda

There are a few things that an artist can do when struck by writer’s block: persist in trying until something laboured is forced out, wait until the lightning (hopefully) strikes or throw in the towel entirely. Holly Miranda chose to seek out inspiration. In 2012, she traded Los Angeles for the southeastern Californian desert near Joshua Tree.

Miranda emerged with the beginnings of a third solo album, issued five years since her last release. A body of gentle, heartfelt songs, the eponymous record showcases Miranda’s dainty vocals over faintly 1960s soul-inspired refrains and folk guitar strains.

The album closes with 'Hymnal', a short, moving piece of piano paired with Miranda’s high notes that reverberates with spirituality. In terms of its relevance in the music industry, the eponymous record won’t make any great waves. But for Miranda, it’s a quiet triumph.

74 asialife HCMC

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as i a .c o li f m er a d

The thing you need to know about Urban Cone is that the band is Swedish. Or, as they describe themselves, they are five pinecones from Stockholm – hence the name Urban Cone. Coming from genetically blessed Scandinavia explains the band’s wholesome good looks, as shown on the cover of their second album, Polaroid Memories. It also explains their brand of pleasant indie electro-pop, with goodnatured lyrics and polished melodies characteristic of many a Nordic number. The handsome pinecones play and sing earnestly about things that many people like, such as weekends, treasure and New York City, as well as about things that people don’t like, such as what they call the sadness disease. Fellow Swede songstress Tove Lo cameos on 'Come Back To Me', one of the catchiest of a record of likeable – although largely homogenous – tunes.

io

Polaroid Memories

The Beat

Gig List

Coming up in June A sampling of Saigon's music scene

5 June, 9pm

11 June, 9pm - 3am

H e a rt B eat # 1 2 Sa ig on Du b Station w / ETA P P K Y LE & Mont hly Se ssion @ Last Call KL O C K W O R K S Entry: Free @ Observatory Entry: Free until 11pm, VND 150,000 after Techno

5 June, 9pm

r e d a m i ty @ deciBel Entry: Free Indie-pop

Reggae/funk/dub

12 June, 9pm

B O O MSLANG Pa rt 2 @ The Cube Entry: VND 50,000 Hip-hop/underground rap

Spring King: They're Coming After You

By Prim There’s raw poppy fuzz to Spring King’s vibe, borne from bite-sized energy chunks that are natural ingredients for a Friday night hairdown. Fully equipped with the red button set to pogo, the tone comes milked with zingy pop distortion enough to create move-busting excuses to crash the pub’s dance floor without the need to sugar-comb extravaganza, yet merged effortlessly with modern pop culture, adding a scratching of anarchy at will.

By sugar-combing the extravaganza, I’m referring to the pre-gel punk days of the latter 70s, when sugar water was the solution to back-combing your hair. Spring King doesn’t mind if you’re donned to the nines, strapped in leather or wearing your dad’s skirt; their sound will get you revved regardless.

Founding member, producer, singer and drummer Tarek Musa nurtured the band from a makeshift studio in a spare bathroom he had knocking about in his house in Manchester. He then invited his old skateboarding buddies to share the love. With Peter Darlington jolting about on rhythm guitar, James Green on bass as well as vocals and Andy Morton whamming it up on surf guitar, they took their ‘bathroom’ to town and haven’t looked back.

Their Demons album came out in September 2014, including the almost Cribs-like sound in 'Mumma/Mumma pt.II' and 'Better Man'. With a more recently released five-track EP, including their latest single 'City', which Handsome

Dad Records immediately snapped up, they hastened a quick re-edit inclusive of a dub version of the title track 'They’re Coming After You', just for a slice of diversity.

Taking their name from a ‘spring tank’ in an amp Tarek used, then adding the simplicity of taking the ‘bathroom on the road’ embellishes the grassroots kick of getting on with their business, which is churning out tunes on the live circuit without overloading the hype. 'City' may epitomise a sense of maturity in their sound but polished it isn’t, nor is it meant to be: it’s just a belter, pure and simple.

When it comes to creating new music, Spring King is keen to study other musicians' sound and play with the serendipity of experimentation in the recording studio. Frontman Musa sums up his inspiration: “Listen to music you've never heard before, or read about people that inspire you and see how they approach creating. Some of the best interviews I've read with producers seem to be in studio situations that involved happy accidents or things going wrong.

For me, it has always been good finding a record that blows me away and trying to understand how they did it.

Sometimes techniques and approaches are transferable even if the music is different.”

Spring King is playing a number of UK gigs and festivals in July and August. Check them out at SpringKingBand.com

asialife HCMC 75

odd one out...

Of course, that's the way it is: people change. I could never have guessed that my life would involve expressing road rage in two languages or buying souvenirs for my middle-aged parking attendant to keep things on an even keel.

76 asialife HCMC

I'm not sure how to feel about my father's outfit. The Corey Gibson I remember – outdoorsman, beer enthusiast, hardcore fitness fanatic – hadn't purchased blue jeans since the mid-80s and harboured two secret duffle bags in our attic, filled with free t-shirts he'd acquired in his decades of fun runs and marathons, Ironmans and triathlons. When, in high school, I jumped on the vintage fad and stole his 1981 Tuscarora 10k shirt, my father picked up a grudge he's still holding to this day. Every time I put on that worn red top, his immediate and only response is: “That's my shirt.”

And yet here we are, seeing each other for the first time in nearly two years, and he's wearing hand-me-down chinos, originally purchased by my younger brother and less than a decade old. The fact that he's wearing them voluntarily is even more newsworthy: I haven't forgotten CorduroyGate, in which I watched my parents have a full-blown argument over a pair of dress pants he was forced to wear to a dinner party sometime in the

Dana Filek-Gibson has a family reunion with total strangers.

early 2000s.

Of course, we've all changed since then. I've learned to (mostly) pay my bills on time and not eat cake for breakfast, but things are also different.

These days, he doesn't read the same books he used to. His interests, while still heavily focused on physical activity, have expanded to other things.

When my mother decided to become a vegan a while back, I imagined my father making steak for dinner every night just on principle, and yet he's agreed to some of this, too, substituting red meat with what he terms “sticks and leaves”.

Of course, that's the way it is: people change. I could never have guessed that my life would involve expressing road rage in two languages or buying souvenirs for my middle-aged parking attendant to keep things on an even keel.

But finding these things out is bittersweet. On the one hand, I'm tickled by the thought of my father in a button-down shirt, tucking into a meatless, gluten-free, organic, nondairy salad. But it also worries me:

these are things that never make it into the regular emails or family Skype calls.

So I make a point of asking lots of personal questions like: “What is your job?”, “When did you last celebrate someone's birthday?”, “Who are your friends?” Usually, the answers provided are a sarcastic deflection, but at least this tells me whether or not my father's unique brand of humour has changed.

The same goes for my mother, who's read the China Study, a book about eating rice and is obsessed with being green. She does a lot less yoga, which is surprising, but her most recent obsessions involve the development of the human brain in your early 20s. This, she tells me, is why I've only just recently become an adult: my brain wasn't even mature yet.

I don't know what to say to any of these strange topics of conversation. All I can do is take comfort in the fact that, even with new hobbies and wardrobes and dietary restrictions, my family is still deeply, deeply strange.

L etter fro m

Hanoi — S u m m erti m e —

In Hanoi, the weather is fickle and always a topic of conversation. We may have four seasons, but blink and one will disappear and roll into the next, only to mockingly return a few days later. But once summer has settled in, the days will be long and very hot. Where those from temperate climates might have appreciated the summer sun, ask a Hanoian what they think of the warmest season and the reply will be: “It’s so hot.”

But do we enjoy the cool weather? No. At the first hint of cold, the city takes on a dreary look. A grey blanket wraps around the sky and encircles high-rise buildings.

Winter clothes are pulled out from mothballed closets; the drab coats, thick scarves and colourless woollen hats increase the gloom.

Winter can pass in a few weeks or linger for what seems like forever, but when spring comes it's a relief.

Sue Fleming ruminates on the changing of the seasons up north.

This year Hanoi was lucky: a good month of balmy spring days let us enjoy open windows, blue sky and sunshine, as well as nights snuggled under a quilt.

But summertime is now firmly ensconced in the city with its familiar sights and sounds.

Gone are the dark hues, replaced by fresh, bright colours.

On a hot evening the ear-piercing noise of cicadas enlivens the city streets. As the temperature drops a degree or two the insects are suddenly quiet, as if by order of an unseen general, and human conversation can resume once more.

Hanoi’s tree-lined streets are one of its most stunning features and in summer their spendour is at its greatest. There are about 120,000 trees in the city, some planted in the time of the French administration. The mass of purple blooms and the bright crimson of the flamboyant treetops are the colours of

Hanoi’s streets in summer, but they offer more than colour. Their canopies provide shaded places to walk, to trade and to and sit during the heat of the day.

If the trees go so will the sound of the cicadas. The females lay their eggs in grooves on the tree trunks. The nymphs fall to the ground and bury themselves until they are mature and ready for their summer song.

In ancient times, the cicada was associated with souciance, or a state of calmness and ease. This brings to my mind the voice of Ella Fitzgerald: “It’s summertime and the living is easy.” It’s a time for long, cool jugs at the bia hoi, or a gin and tonic around the pool. It is a time to enjoy sweet pineapples, lychees, mangoes and coconuts in the shade of Hanoi’s trees. Summer is the time for easy living.

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Round 2 6. Who replaced Charlie Sheen as the lead character in Two and a Half Men? 7. What is the German word for ‘two’?

8. What is the name of the law whereby a defendant cannot be tried again for a crime of which he/she has already been acquitted?

9. Which pair had a 1982 hit with ‘Ebony and Ivory’?

10. It was built in the 2nd century between the River Tyne and the Solway Firth. Its Latin name is Vallum Aelium. What is it?

Chịu trách nhiệm xuất bản: Giám đốc Nguyễn Thế Sơn Chịu trách nhiệm nội dung: Tổng biên tập Lê Thị Thu Hương Biên tập: Phương Lam Giang Trần Ngọc Thương Designed by: ASIALIFE MEDIA JSC Cover & content by: ASIALIFE MEDIA JSC VIETNAM NEWs AGENCY PUBLISHING HOUSE 116 - 118 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Q3 Thực hiện liên kết xuất bản: Công ty CP TT QC AsiaLIFE Media In 2,000 cuốn, khổ 20,5cm x 27cm tại Công ty ITAXA địa chỉ 126 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Q3.

Giấy ĐKXB số: 1324 - 2015 / CXBIPH/01 - 39/ThT Quyết định xuất bản số 126/QĐ-NXBTT, cấp ngày 29/05/2015 In xong và nộp lưu chiểu tháng 06/2015 AsiaLIFE Media Advertising Communications JSC 2 Street 11, Thao Dien Ward, District 2

Round 3

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11. Located on the Yangtze River, what is the world’s largest power station in terms of installed capacity?

12. Which novel set in the 17th century was written by Alexandre Dumas and follows the adventures of d’Artagnan?

13. Which band had a hit in 1990 with ‘The Magic Number’?

14. China and India are the two most populous countries in the world, but which country is third?

15. What was seen for the first time at the 1904 Olympic games and has been seen at every Olympic games since?

Round 4

form without prior authorisation of the owners. © AsiaLIFE Media Advertising Communications JSC

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16. What was achieved at Iffley Road Track on 6 May, 1954?

17. Which element has the atomic number four?

18. Which member of The Fab Four was the last to join the band?

19. Which group released their album Four in 2014?

20. In terms of spelling, what is unique about the number four?

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21. Who had a 1999 hit with 'Mambo No. 5'?

22. What is the fifth and final pillar of Islam?

23. Which 2002 film follows the events occurring at the Five Points in Manhattan?

24. The fifth president of the USA was honored by the name of the capital city of Liberia, who was he?

25. Name the five Great Lakes in the United States.

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Round 1: Serena Williams; Sense and Sensibilty; 20; Mariah Carey; Yury Gagarin Round 2: Ashton Kutcher; Zwei; Double Jeopardy; Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney; Hadrian’s Wall Round 3: The Three Gorges Dam; The Three Musketeers; De La Soul; USA; Bronze Medal Round 4: First four-minute mile; Beryllium; Ringo Starr; One Direction; Same number of letters as its value Round 5: Lou Bega; Pilgrimage to Mecca; Gangs of New York; James Monroe; Superior, Michigan, Eerie, Huron, Ontario

For more mindless trivia, join The Tavern's weekly pub quiz every Wednesday at 8.30pm.

The Tavern is located at R2-24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, D7.

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Pub Quiz Answers

1. Who is the current number one- ranked female tennis player?

2. Released in 1811, what was Jane Austen’s first novel?

3. The Beatles have had the most US Billboard number ones.

How many have they had?

4. Which female artist has the most US Billboard number ones with 18?

5. Which Russian was the first human to reach outer space?

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2015 The Year 13 Graduation Ceremony took place on Saturday 30th May 2015 at the Rex Hotel.

Celebrating with the students were over 300 teachers, family members and friends.

Sﾃ，H CHUYEN QUANG CAO

ISBN: 978-604-905-932-2

Sﾃ，H KHﾃ年G Bﾃ¨